JP6944501B2 - Transfer equipment and cultivation system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention, apparatus for transferring planting plate the target plant is planted to grow, Contact and relates cultivation system for growing plants.

In recent years, plants have been produced by hydroponics using a nutrient solution containing fertilizer without using soil. In a cultivation system that produces plants by hydroponics, a planting board on which plants are planted is placed on a cultivation tank that stores nutrient solution, and the plants are lit by a lighting device to grow. Then, after the plant grows, the planting board is taken down from the cultivation tank and harvested. Usually, a planting board on which a plant before growth is planted is placed from one end of the cultivation tank, and the planting board is moved over the cultivation tank in order, and the planting board after the plant has grown is lowered from the other end of the cultivation tank. Harvest. Since the cultivation system has a large number of cultivation tanks, a transfer device is used to place the planting board supplied by the conveyor on the cultivation tank.

For example, in the culture system of Patent Document 1, a culture shelf in which a plurality of culture tanks for accommodating culture solutions are arranged side by side in the vertical direction and a culture shelf are arranged near one end of the culture shelf and housed in the culture tank. In this case, the incubator that holds the organism to be cultured in contact with the culture solution is provided with a carry-in device that carries the incubator into at least one of a plurality of culture tanks. The carry-in device has a vertical movement mechanism that lifts the incubator to the height of the incubator, and in a plurality of incubators housed in the incubator to be housed, at least one incubator is moved substantially horizontally from one end side. It is provided with a horizontal movement mechanism that slides the plurality of incubators abutting against the other end on the opposite side to the other end by pushing.

In the culture system of Patent Document 1, as described in paragraphs 0032-0033, the holding portion, which is a horizontal movement mechanism, is moved into the culture solution and horizontally moved toward the incubator on the carry-out side. After moving the incubator to a liftable position, lift the incubator vertically to remove it from the culture medium. On the carry-in side, the holding part of the carry-in device moves the incubator into the culture solution, and the push part pushes the incubator in the horizontal direction and slides it. The push portion pushes the entire plurality of incubators housed in the incubator in a substantially horizontal direction by pushing the incubator closest to the carry-in device. As a result, the incubators housed in one incubator are brought together and slid toward the opposite ends in contact with each other. After the incubator is moved to the positioning portion, the holding portion is lowered below the surface of the water, so that the incubator floats on the culture solution. The retainer is then moved horizontally towards the carry-in device and away from the incubator.

The transfer device of Patent Document 2 includes a holding portion for holding the planting board on which the plant is planted, and a transfer section for transferring the planting board held by the holding portion to the transfer destination. The holding portion is configured to be able to hold a plurality of planting boards. As described in paragraphs 0035-0038, the transfer device is lifted from the pallet with the planting board sandwiched between the sandwiching portions and lowered onto the mounting plate of the growing rack. The holding portion is separated from the placed planting plate, and the planting plate on the mounting plate is pushed into the accommodating portion in the growing rack by a pressing piece of the telescopic arm different from the holding portion.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-198003 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-10023

In the culture system of Patent Document 1, when the incubator is taken out from the culture tank, the culture tank needs a region in which a holding portion having a size larger than that of the incubator is lowered into the culture solution. Further, when the incubator is carried into the culture tank, the culture tank needs a region for pulling up the holding portion from the culture solution after the incubator is lowered into the culture tank. In the culture shelf, the region where the holding portion is lowered into the culture solution and the region where the holding portion is pulled up from the culture solution are regions that do not contribute to the culture of the organism.

In the transfer device of Patent Document 2, the mounting plate of the growing rack is a place where the planting plate is temporarily placed before being accommodated in the accommodating portion, and the mounting plate is not used for the purpose of growing plants. ..

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to omit an area used only for transferring a planting board from a cultivation shelf.

The transfer device according to the first aspect of the present invention is
A cultivation tank (for example, a cultivation tank 52) whose upper surface is open and capable of storing a nutrient solution (for example, a nutrient solution 56), and a pair of rails (for example, a pair of rails arranged along both sides of the cultivation tank and extending in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tank). Planting on a cultivation shelf (for example, cultivation shelf 51) including the rail 53) is formed with overhangs (for example, overhang 63) extending to both outer sides of the pair of rails while being placed in the cultivation tank. A transfer device (for example, transfer device 1) for transferring a board (for example, a planting board 6).
Two plants that are held parallel to each other at intervals longer than the length in the advancing / retreating direction, which is the extending direction of the rails, and wider than the width of the pair of rails when the planting board is placed in the cultivation tank. A transfer fork (for example, transfer fork 10) including a fork member (for example, fork member 11) and capable of supporting the planting plate at the overhanging portion with the two fork members.
A fork support portion (for example, a telescopic slide rail 2) that supports the transfer fork so that it can move forward and backward in the extending direction of the rail while the planting plate is supported by the transfer fork.
With the transfer fork supporting the planting plate, an elevating support portion (for example, a mast 44 and a loading platform 47) that supports the transfer fork so as to be able to move up and down,
An advancing / retreating drive unit (for example, the advancing / retreating drive motor 3 and the advancing / retreating drive shaft 30) that moves the transfer fork in the advancing / retreating direction.
The elevation drive unit for moving the transfer forks temperature descending direction (e.g. elevating device 48), provided with,
The transfer fork is at a forward height at which the planting plate supported by the transfer fork can pass over the cultivation tank, in front of the leading edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork. The overhanging portion of the planting plate placed in the cultivation tank has a pushing portion (for example, a pushing portion 12) capable of contacting the transfer fork in the forward direction.
The transfer fork can move forward and backward and move up and down at the advance height or less without interfering with the cultivation tank and the pair of rails.

Preferably, the elevating drive unit is said to have a retracted height in which the upper surface of the transfer fork is lower than the lower surface of the overhanging portion of the planting plate mounted on the pair of rails. Move the transfer fork up and down,
In the advance / retreat drive unit, the leading edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork is in a retracted position in front of the cultivation tank, and the trailing edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork is the cultivation tank. The transfer fork is moved in the advancing / retreating direction with and from the advancing position within the range of the upper surface.

Preferably, the transfer fork, the fork support portion, and the advance / retreat drive portion are arranged on a loading platform (for example, loading platform 47) of a stacker crane (for example, stacker crane 4) installed in front of the cultivation shelf.
The loading platform of the stacker crane and a mast (for example, mast 44) that supports the loading platform so as to be able to move up and down are the raising and lowering support portions.
The elevating device (for example, the elevating device 48) that elevates and lowers the loading platform of the stacker crane is the elevating drive unit.

The cultivation system according to the second aspect of the present invention is
A cultivation tank (for example, a cultivation tank 52) whose upper surface is open and capable of storing a nutrient solution (for example, a nutrient solution 56), and a pair of rails (for example, a pair of rails arranged along both sides of the cultivation tank and extending in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tank). A cultivation rack (eg, cultivation rack unit 50 or cultivation rack 5) having at least one stage of cultivation shelf (for example, cultivation shelf 51) including rail 53), and a cultivation rack (for example, cultivation rack unit 50 or cultivation rack 5).
The transfer device (for example, transfer device 1) according to the first aspect, and
In the state of being placed in the cultivation tank
A planting area (for example, a planting area 61) located above the cultivation tank,
A support region supported by the upper surfaces of the pair of rails (for example, a support region 62) and
An overhanging portion (for example, an overhanging portion 63) that extends to both outer sides of the pair of rails and can be supported from below.
And a having a number of constant Ueban covering the upper surface of the culture vessel (e.g. planting plate 6),
To be equipped.
Preferably, the target plant (eg, plant 7) of the planting board, which is planted at the planting position closest to the overhang, spreads over the overhang when it grows.

According to the present invention, the transfer fork has a forward height at which the planting board supported by the transfer fork can pass over the cultivation tank, in front of the leading edge of the planting board supported by the transfer fork. The overhanging part of the planting board placed in the cultivation tank has a pushing portion that can abut in the forward direction of the transfer fork, and the transfer fork is below the forward height and is attached to the cultivation tank and the rail. Since it is possible to move forward and backward and move up and down without interference, the area used only for transferring the planting board can be omitted from the cultivation shelf.

Perspective view of the transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Front view of the cultivation system according to the embodiment Top view of the cultivation shelf according to the embodiment FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV. Conceptual diagram showing the operation of the transfer device according to the embodiment Conceptual diagram showing the operation of the transfer device on the carry-out side Conceptual diagram showing a growing state of a plant in an embodiment

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the figure, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the drawings of the present invention, details of general-purpose machine elements and fastening members are omitted in order to avoid complication of the drawings and facilitate understanding. They can be carried out using well-known techniques.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transfer device 1 includes a transfer fork 10, a telescopic slide rail 2, an advancing / retreating drive motor 3 and an advancing / retreating drive shaft 30 arranged on the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4, and a loading platform 47, a mast 44, and an elevating device of the stacker crane 4. It is composed of 48. As shown by the coordinate axes of FIG. 1, the traveling direction of the stacker crane 4 is defined as the X axis, the ascending / descending direction of the loading platform 47 is defined as the Z axis, and the directions orthogonal to the X axis and the Z axis are defined as the Y axis. The positive X-axis direction is also referred to as right, the negative X-axis direction is referred to as left, the positive Y-axis direction is also referred to as forward or forward, and the negative Y-axis direction is also referred to as backward or backward. The positive direction of the Z axis is up, and the negative direction of the Z axis is down.

Two telescopic slide rails 2 are fixed to the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 so as to slide in the Y-axis direction so as to face each other in parallel. The telescopic slide rail 2 is composed of a fixed side slider 21, an intermediate plate 22, and a moving slider 23. The fixed side slider 21 is fixed to the loading platform 47. The intermediate plate 22 and the moving slider 23 are slidably supported in the Y-axis direction with respect to the fixed side slider 21. By moving the intermediate plate 22 in the advancing / retreating direction, the moving slider 23 can be moved in the advancing / retreating direction. The moving slider 23 is displaced in the advancing / retreating direction for a length twice the length at which the intermediate plate 22 is displaced.

The transfer fork 10 is composed of two fork members 11 arranged in parallel with each other, and each of the fork members 11 is fixed to a moving slider of the telescopic slide rail 2. A planting board to be transferred to the cultivation tank is placed on the upper surface of the transfer fork 10, and the transfer fork 10 supports the planting board. It is desirable that the upper surface of the transfer fork 10 is provided with protrusions that engage with each side of the planting plate so that the planting plate does not shift. The telescopic slide rail 2 is a fork support portion that movably supports the transfer fork 10 in the advancing / retreating direction.

A rack (not shown) is fixed to the lower side of each of the intermediate plates 22 of the two telescopic slide rails 2, and the rack meshes with a pinion (not shown). The two pinions are fixed to one advancing / retreating drive shaft 30, and the advancing / retreating drive shaft 30 is rotated by the advancing / retreating drive motor 3. Since the two pinions rotate in the same direction at the same time, the two fork members 11 move back and forth together. The advancing / retreating drive motor 3 and the advancing / retreating drive shaft 30 are advancing / retreating drive units that drive the transfer fork 10 in the advancing / retreating direction.

The traveling table 42 of the stacker crane 4 can travel in the X-axis direction on the traveling rail 41 extending in the X-axis direction. Two masts 44 are vertically fixed to the traveling table 42. The upper parts of the two masts 44 are connected by an upper frame (not shown). The upper frame is supported by a traveling guide rail installed parallel to the traveling rail 41 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. The traveling table 42 travels on the traveling rail 41 by the traveling device 43.

The loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 is supported by the mast 44 so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction without being displaced in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with respect to the mast 44. A wire rope or belt (not shown) is connected to the loading platform 47, and the wire rope or belt is hung on a sheave rotatably supported on the upper part of the mast 44 and wound on a rotating drum of the elevating device 48. There is. The loading platform 47 moves up and down when the lifting device 48 winds up or unwinds the wire rope or belt. The loading platform 47 and the mast 44 of the stacker crane 4 are elevating support portions that support the transfer fork 10 so as to be elevated. Further, the elevating device 48 of the stacker crane 4 is an elevating drive unit that moves the transfer fork 10 in the elevating direction.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the cultivation system according to the embodiment. The cultivation system 8 includes a cultivation rack 5, a stacker crane 4, and a transfer fork 10 omitted in FIG. In FIG. 2, it is shown that the two masts 44 of the stacker crane 4 are connected by the upper frame 45 and supported by the traveling guide rail 46. In FIG. 2, a part of the traveling rail 41 and the traveling guide rail 46 is omitted.

The cultivation rack 5 is a structure in which a plurality of cultivation rack units 50 each having a plurality of cultivation shelves 51 arranged one above the other are arranged in the direction of the X axis. Each of the cultivation shelves 51 includes a cultivation tank 52 capable of storing nutrient solution, and a pair of rails 53 arranged along both sides of the cultivation tank 52 and extending in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the cultivation tank 52. Lighting devices 55 that irradiate plants with light are arranged on each of the cultivation tanks 52. In FIG. 2, in order to avoid complication, the cultivation tank 52, the rail 53, and the lighting device 55 are displayed only on a part of the cultivation shelves 51.

A conveyor (not shown) is arranged in front of the stacker crane 4, and a planting plate on which a plant to be cultivated is planted is supplied by the conveyor. For example, a pallet on which a planting plate is placed is supplied to the front of the stacker crane 4 by a conveyor. For example, the transfer device 1 slides the transfer fork 10 shown in FIG. 1 rearward, retracts it under the planting plate on the pallet, raises the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4, and plants it with the transfer fork 10. The planting board is moved onto the transfer fork 10 by supporting the board and sliding the transfer fork 10 onto the original loading platform 47. Alternatively, the planting plate on the pallet may be moved onto the transfer fork 10 arranged on the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 by a gripping device (not shown).

When the planting board is moved onto the transfer fork 10, the stacker crane 4 runs in front of the cultivation rack unit 50 having the cultivation shelf 51 for transferring the planting board, and the height of the target cultivation shelf 51 is high. The loading platform 47 is moved up and down. The transfer device 1 transfers the supporting planting board onto the cultivation tank 52 of the target cultivation shelf 51.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cultivation shelf according to the embodiment. A planting board 6 is placed on the cultivation tank 52 and the rail 53 so as to cover the entire cultivation tank 52 without duplication. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the transfer fork 10 is advanced and the planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 is moved onto the cultivation tank 52. Prior to this movement, the planting board 6 at the inner end of the cultivation tank 52 is carried out from above the cultivation tank 52.

The planting board 6 is placed on the cultivation tank 52, and has both a planting area 61 located on the cultivation tank 52, a support area 62 supported by the upper surfaces of the pair of rails 53, and a pair of rails 53. An overhanging portion 63 extending outward is provided. The two fork members 11 of the transfer fork 10 are held parallel to each other at intervals wider than the width of the pair of rails 53, each longer than the length in the advancing / retreating direction, which is the extending direction of the rails of the planting plate 6. ing. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the fork members 11 of the transfer fork 10 has a forward height at which the planting plate 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 can pass over the cultivation tank 52, and the cultivation tank 52 The overhanging portion 63 of the planting plate 6 placed on the planting plate 6 has a pushing portion 12 capable of contacting the transfer fork 10 in the forward direction.

The planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 passes over the cultivation tank 52, and the pushing portion 12 hits the overhanging portion 63 of the front planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52. When the transfer fork 10 is advanced while holding the transfer fork 10 to the advancing height in contact with the planting tank 52, the planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52 is pushed by the transfer fork 10 and collectively. Move toward the inner end of the cultivation tank 52. If the transfer fork 10 is advanced as it is, a space for placing one planting board 6 can be left on the transfer device 1 side of the cultivation tank 52. FIG. 3 shows this state.

Although not shown, the front wall and the back wall of the cultivation tank 52 have protrusions higher than the upper surface of the rail 53, or the entire wall is higher than the upper surface of the rail 53, and the rail 53. The planting board 6 supported by the plant does not move beyond the range of the cultivation tank 52. The rail 53 may be formed with protrusions that restrict the movement of the planting board 6 beyond the range of the cultivation tank 52.

The planting board 6 is supported by the transfer fork 10, the transfer fork 10 is advanced at the forward height, and the push portion 12 is pushed against the overhanging portion 63 of the front planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52. Are brought into contact with each other and further advanced. Then, the planting boards 6 are moved together to leave a space for placing one planting board 6 on the transfer device 1 side of the cultivation tank 52. When the trailing edge of the planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 has moved to a forward position within the range of the upper surface of the cultivation tank 52, if the transfer fork 10 is lowered, the planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 can be moved. It can be placed in the cultivation tank 52. With the planting board 6 placed in the cultivation tank 52, the length of the overhanging portion 63 in the Y-axis direction is shorter than the length of the planting area 61 in the Y-axis direction. Since there is a gap between the overhanging portions 63 of the adjacent planting boards 6, the planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 should be lowered into the cultivation tank 52 without a gap between the planting board 6 and the preceding planting board 6. Can be done.

After the planting board 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 is placed on the cultivation tank 52, the transfer fork 10 is placed on the planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52 to a retreat height at which the transfer fork 10 does not interfere in the advancing / retreating direction. Can be lowered to retract the transfer fork 10. When the planting board 6 is transferred, the entire cultivation tank 52 is covered with the planting board 6. By irradiating the entire upper surface of the cultivation tank 52 with light, the entire cultivation tank 52 can be used as a cultivation area. The cultivation tank 52 does not need an area used only for transferring the planting board 6.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. FIG. 4 shows that the planting board 6 supported by the fork member 11 of the transfer fork 10 has a height that allows it to pass over the cultivation tank 52. In FIG. 4, the plants planted on the planting board 6 are omitted. The forward height at which the planting board 6 can pass over the cultivation tank 52 is a height at which the roots of the plants planted on the planting board 6 are not damaged in the cultivation tank 52. The nutrient solution 56 is stored in the cultivation tank 52. A pair of rails 53 are arranged on both sides of the cultivation tank 52. A guard 54 is provided on the outside of the pair of rails 53 so that the planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52 does not deviate in the left-right direction.

With the planting board 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52, the portion of the planting board 6 located above the cultivation tank 52 is the planting area 61, and the portion supported by the upper surfaces of the pair of rails 53 is the support area 62. Is. The planting plate 6 is formed with overhanging portions 63 extending to both outer sides of the pair of rails 53. The transfer fork 10 supports the planting plate 6 with an overhanging portion 63. As shown in FIG. 1, the tip of the transfer fork 10 is a pushing portion 12, and abuts in the forward direction on the overhanging portion 63 of the front planting plate 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52.

The upper surface of the rail 53 and the lower surface of the support area 62 of the planting plate 6 are made of a material that is slippery to each other. At the push portion 12 of the transfer fork 10, the planting plates 6 mounted on the cultivation tank 52 can be put together and slid on the rail 53 to move.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of the transfer device according to the embodiment. In FIG. 5, details of the planting plate 6 and the fork member 11 are omitted. After moving the planting plate 6 supplied by the conveyor onto the transfer fork 10, the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 is moved up and down, and as shown in FIG. 5A, the fork member 11 of the transfer fork 10 The planting board 6 supported by the above passes over the cultivation tank 52, and the pushing portion 12 reaches an advancing height at which the pushing portion 12 abuts on the overhanging portion 63 of the planting plate 6 placed on the cultivation tank 52. , Align the transfer fork 10. In this state, the transfer fork 10 is in the retracted position, and the leading edge of the planting plate 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 is located in front of the cultivation tank 52.

While maintaining the transfer fork 10 at the forward height, the transfer fork 10 is advanced, and as shown in FIG. 5 (b), a push portion is pushed against the front planting plate 6 placed in the cultivation tank 52. 12 is brought into contact with each other. Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, the transfer fork 10 is advanced to a forward position where the trailing edge of the planting plate 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 falls within the range of the upper surface of the cultivation tank 52.

At the forward position, the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 is lowered, and as shown in FIG. 5D, the support portion of the planting plate 6 supported by the transfer fork 10 is brought into contact with the rail 53. Further, the loading platform 47 is further lowered so that the upper surface of the transfer fork 10 is lower than the lower surface of the overhanging portion 63 of the planting plate 6 mounted on the rail 53 as shown in FIG. 5 (e). Lower. Since the distance between the fork members 11 is larger than the width of the pair of rails 53, the transfer fork 10 does not interfere with the rail 53 when the transfer fork 10 is lowered. At the retreat height, the transfer fork 10 can move forward and backward without interfering with the cultivation tank 52 and the rail 53. As shown in FIG. 5 (f), the transfer fork 10 is retracted at the retracted height to complete the transfer operation of the planting plate 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, according to the transfer device 1 of the embodiment, (1) ascending / descending to the advancing height at the retreating position, (2) advancing from the retreating position to the advancing position at the advancing height. The planting board 6 can be transferred to the cultivation shelf 51 with four strokes: (3) descent from the forward height to the retreat height at the forward position, and (4) retreat from the forward position to the retreat position at the retreat height. .. On the other hand, in the culture system of Patent Document 1, the transfer operations are eight operations of raising / lowering, advancing 1, descending 1, advancing 2, (opening), descending 2, retreating 1, ascending, and retreating 2 of the holding portion. .. In the transfer device of Patent Document 2, the transfer operations are seven operations of raising, advancing, lowering, and retracting the holding portion, and ascending, advancing, and retreating the telescopic arm.

The transfer device 1 can also be used to take out the planting board 6 on which the plant has grown from the cultivation shelf 51. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of the transfer device on the carry-out side. The transfer device 1 is arranged on the take-out side of the cultivation rack 5, which is the back side of FIG. When taking out the planting plate 6, the pushing portion 12 is not used. Considering the case where the planting board 6 once taken out is returned to the cultivation shelf 51, the transfer fork 10 is directed to the side in the negative direction of the Y-axis, contrary to the case where the transfer fork 10 is arranged in front of the cultivation rack 5. ing.

First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 is moved up and down to adjust the transfer fork 10 to the retracted height with respect to the cultivation tank 52. Maintaining the retreat height, slide the transfer fork 10 toward the cultivation tank 52 and advance from the loading platform 47 to the bottom of the planting plate 6 located at the inner end of the cultivation tank 52 shown in FIG. 6 (b). Let me. The loading platform 47 is raised at the advanced position, and as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the transfer fork 10 is brought into contact with the overhanging portion 63 of the planting plate 6 and further raised, as shown in FIG. 6 (d). In addition, the transfer fork 10 is lifted to a forward height at which the planting board 6 can pass over the cultivation tank 52.

The transfer fork 10 is maintained at the forward height, and as shown in FIG. 6 (e), the transfer fork 10 is slid onto the loading platform 47, and the planting board 6 is taken out from the cultivation shelf 51. The planting plate supported by the transfer fork 10 by moving the loading platform 47 to the position of the conveyor on the carry-out side, sliding the transfer fork 10 to the side opposite to the cultivation tank 52 of the loading platform 47, and lowering the loading platform. 6 can be unloaded on the pallet on the conveyor.

As described above, according to the transfer device 1 of the embodiment, the planting board 6 is transferred both when the planting board 6 is carried into the cultivation shelf 51 and when the planting board 6 is carried out from the cultivation shelf 51. The area used only for the cultivation shelf 51 can be omitted from the cultivation shelf 51.

The planting plate 6 is formed with an overhanging portion 63 extending to the outside of the rail 53, and the overhanging portion 63 can also be used for growing the planted plant. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which a plant has grown in the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cultivation tank 52 on the take-out side. The target plant 7 of the planting board 6 planted at the planting position closest to the overhanging portion 63 can spread over the overhanging portion 63 when it grows.

In the cultivation of plant 7, which is a leafy vegetable such as lettuce, it is a commercial value that the leaf 71 spreads three-dimensionally by growth and has an unbiased shape, but the root 72 grows smaller than the leaf 71 and is nourished. Since it is fluid in the liquid 56, it can be stretched unevenly. The plant 7 arranged in the vicinity of the overhanging portion 63 extends the leaves 71 over the overhanging portion 63 as it grows, and the roots 72 extend unevenly in the direction without the aquarium wall, so that the growth is inhibited. There is nothing. According to the transfer device 1 and the planting board 6 of the embodiment, the area used only for transferring the planting board 6 can be omitted from the cultivation shelf 51 without reducing the space efficiency of the cultivation shelf 51. ..

The fork support portion, the advance / retreat drive portion, the elevating support portion, and the elevating drive portion described in the embodiment are examples, and the telescopic slide rail 2, the rack & pinion, the mast 44 and the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4 described above, and the loading platform 47, , Not limited to the elevating device 48. As the fork support, for example, a linear rail and a slider, or a linear shaft and a linear bush can be used.

In the telescopic slide rail 2, the intermediate plate 22 and the moving slider 23 can be moved not only in the positive direction of the Y-axis of the fixed-side slider 21 but also in the negative direction of the Y-axis. Therefore, as described above, the transfer fork 10 can lift the planting plate 6 placed on the pallet on the conveyor, and the planting plate 6 taken out from the cultivation shelf 51 can be lowered onto the pallet on the conveyor.

As the advancing / retreating drive unit of the transfer fork 10, for example, a ball screw, a chain and a chain wheel, a toothed belt and a gear, a wire rope and a pulley, or the like can be used instead of the rack and pinion. In either case, the intermediate plate 22 or the fork member 11 of the left and right telescopic slide rails 2 can be connected and driven in the advancing / retreating direction at one location. When driving the left and right telescopic slide rails 2 without connecting the left and right intermediate plates 22, the moving sliders 23, or the fork members 11 to each other as in the embodiment, the left and right sliders need not be made exactly parallel. Can also be driven in the forward and backward directions.

In the embodiment, the stacker crane 4 is used as the elevating support portion and the elevating drive portion of the transfer fork 10, but another elevating support portion and the elevating drive portion may be provided on the loading platform 47 of the stacker crane 4. As the elevating support portion, for example, a linear shaft and a linear bush, or a linear rail and a slider can be used. As the elevating drive unit, for example, a rack & pinion, a ball screw, a toothed belt and gears, an air cylinder, or the like can be used.

1 Transfer device 10 Transfer fork 11 Fork member 12 Pushing part 2 Telescopic slide rail (fork support part)
21 Fixed side slider 22 Intermediate plate 23 Moving slider 3 Advance / retreat drive motor (advance / retreat drive unit)
30 Advance / retreat drive shaft (advance / retreat drive unit)
4 Stacker crane 41 Travel rail 42 Travel platform 43 Travel device 44 Mast (elevation support)
45 Upper frame 46 Traveling guide rail 47 Loading platform (elevating support)
48 Lifting device (lifting drive unit)
5 Cultivation rack 50 Cultivation rack unit 51 Cultivation shelf 52 Cultivation tank 53 Rail 54 Guard 55 Lighting device 56 Nutrient solution 6 Planting board 61 Planting area 62 Support area 63 Overhang 7 Plant 71 Leaf 72 Root 8 Cultivation system

Claims (5)

The cultivation tank was placed on a cultivation tank having an open upper surface and capable of storing nutrient solution, and a cultivation shelf including a pair of rails arranged along both sides of the cultivation tank and extending in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tank. A transfer device for transferring a planting plate having overhanging portions extending to both outer sides of the pair of rails in a state.
Two plants that are held parallel to each other at intervals longer than the length in the advancing / retreating direction, which is the extending direction of the rails, and wider than the width of the pair of rails when the planting board is placed in the cultivation tank. A transfer fork that includes a fork member and can support the planting plate with the overhanging portion with the two fork members.
A fork support portion that supports the transfer fork so that it can move forward and backward in the extending direction of the rail while the planting plate is supported by the transfer fork.
In a state where the planting plate is supported by the transfer fork, an elevating support portion that supports the transfer fork so as to be able to move up and down, and an elevating support portion.
An advancing / retreating drive unit that moves the transfer fork in the advancing / retreating direction,
A lifting drive unit for moving the transfer fork in the lifting direction is provided.
The transfer fork is at a forward height at which the planting plate supported by the transfer fork can pass over the cultivation tank, in front of the leading edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork. The overhanging portion of the planting plate placed in the cultivation tank has a pushing portion that can abut in the forward direction of the transfer fork.
The transfer fork can move forward and backward and move up and down at the advance height or less without interfering with the cultivation tank and the pair of rails.
Transfer device. The elevating drive unit is formed between the retreat height at which the upper surface of the transfer fork is lower than the lower surface of the overhanging portion of the planting plate mounted on the pair of rails and the advance height. Move in the ascending / descending direction,
In the advance / retreat drive unit, the leading edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork is in a retracted position in front of the cultivation tank, and the trailing edge of the planting plate supported by the transfer fork is the cultivation tank. The transfer fork is moved in the advancing / retreating direction to and from the advancing position that falls within the range of the upper surface.
The transfer device according to claim 1. The transfer fork, the fork support portion, and the advance / retreat drive portion are arranged on a loading platform of a stacker crane installed in front of the cultivation shelf.
The loading platform of the stacker crane and the mast that supports the loading platform so as to be able to move up and down are the raising and lowering support portions.
The lifting device for raising and lowering the loading platform of the stacker crane is the lifting drive unit.
The transfer device according to claim 1 or 2. A cultivation rack having at least one stage of cultivation shelves, including a cultivation tank having an open upper surface and capable of storing nutrient solution, and a pair of rails arranged along both sides of the cultivation tank and extending in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tank. ,
The transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In the state of being placed in the cultivation tank
The planting area located above the cultivation tank and
A support area supported by the upper surfaces of the pair of rails,
An overhang that extends to both sides of the pair of rails and can be supported from below,
A constant Ueban number of having to cover the upper surface of the culture tank,
Cultivation system equipped with. The cultivation system according to claim 4, wherein the target plant of the planting board, which is planted at the planting position closest to the overhanging portion, spreads over the overhanging portion when it grows.

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