JPH099808A - Plant cultivation apparatus and cultivation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a plant cultivation apparatus capable of culturing a plant such as green vegetables in a room such as greenhouse in high efficiency by moving the plant in the room according to the growth of the plant. CONSTITUTION: A rectangular sheet such as a plastic film is folded in two in lateral direction to form a trough and an artificial soil such as foamed plastic is placed on the upper joined part of the trough-shaped sheet and held along a supporting rod to obtain a cultivation tube. The objective plant cultivation apparatus 5 is provided with the above cultivation tube, a frame 6 for supporting the tube and a culture liquid controlling apparatus to supply, recover and circulate a culture liquid 7 in the cultivation tube. Fixing tools having a guide protruding downward from the lower face of the supporting rod are attached to both ends of the supporting rod of the cultivation tube. Both ends of the supporting rod of the cultivation tube are supported by a mobile cart 15 furnished with casters having a channel groove enabling the insertion of the guide of the fixing tool. Rails 14 for moving the mobile cart are placed on the cultivation frame 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plant cultivation apparatus and a cultivation method used for growing plants such as vegetables in a greenhouse or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is already known to grow plants such as vegetables in a greenhouse or the like where the temperature, humidity, light, atmosphere, etc. are artificially controlled. The cultivation medium used in these cultivation methods includes both those using natural soil and those using artificial medium. Among them, as a method of using the artificial medium of the latter, a method of putting an artificial medium and a culture solution in a tray for cultivation, moving the tray according to the growth of the cultivated plant, and sequentially harvesting at a terminal end of the movement has been proposed. I have. However, in this tray-type cultivation, components in the cultivation solution are consumed as the plants grow, or there is a shortage of dissolved oxygen or decay of the culture solution. Must be replaced, but there is a problem that these operations cannot be performed easily.

[0003] The present inventors have previously proposed a cultivation tube as a plant cultivation medium having a simple structure and capable of always culturing with a new culture solution (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-183338). Gazette). As shown in FIG. 2, this cultivation tube is a plastic film (hereinafter referred to as a cover sheet) 1 for wrapping the roots of the vegetables.
And a porous plastic sheet (hereinafter referred to as a medium sheet) 2 such as a foamed polyurethane sheet for supporting seeds and vegetables. As shown in FIG. 2, the culture medium sheet 2 is folded in two in the width direction, and is sandwiched between the upper openings in the cover sheet 1 folded in two so as to form a gutter. As shown in FIG. 3, it is sandwiched by two support rods 4 and 4 so that the culture solution can be held in or passed through the cover sheet 1. In addition, 3 shows a seed. According to this cultivation tube, since the culture solution is supplied from one end of the cover sheet 1 and collected at the other end, there are many advantages such as easy supply to the culture medium and easy management of the culture solution.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cultivation apparatus and a cultivation method using the cultivation tube for cultivating the cultivation tube more advantageously.

[0005]

According to the cultivation apparatus of the present invention, a sheet such as a rectangular plastic film is folded in two in the width direction to form a gutter-like shape, and a foamed plastic or the like is formed at an upper joining portion of the gutter-like sheet. A plant cultivation apparatus including a cultivation tube in which artificial soil is disposed and held along a support rod, a cultivation rack for suspending the cultivation tube, and a culture solution management unit for supplying, collecting, and circulating the culture solution in the cultivation tube In the above, a fixture having a guide projecting from the lower surface of the support rod is attached to both ends of the support rod of the cultivation tube, and the cultivation tube is mounted on a movable cart having a caster having a channel groove through which the guide of the fixture can be inserted. Characterized in that both ends of the support rod are supported, and a traveling rail of the movable carriage is provided on a cultivation stand.

[0006] A traveling rail for the movable carriage provided on the cultivation stand may be provided on each side of the cultivation stand, but one traveling rail may be provided on one side of the cultivation stand and a cultivation tube may be provided on the other side. It is advantageous to provide upper and lower running rails at a position where the cultivation tube is suspended at a position where it is suspended in a substantially horizontal state and at a position where the cultivation tube is suspended in an inclined state, because it can be used for both the seedling and growing seasons. Further, the cultivation rack may be provided with a culture solution holding plate for pushing up both ends of the cultivation tube so that the culture solution is held in the cultivation tube when the cultivation tube is suspended in a substantially horizontal state. When this culture solution holding plate is suspended in a state where the culture tube is inclined, only the lower end of the culture tube is pushed upward, and the amount of culture solution in the tube is adjusted according to the degree of inclination of the culture tube. it can. Since a large amount of culture solution is not required during the seedling raising period,
The culture tube is kept horizontal, and the culture solution is held in the culture tube. Note that the culture solution holding plate may not be provided.

To grow a plant such as a vegetable using the cultivation rack of the present invention, a fixture having a guide protruding from the lower surface of the support rod is attached to both ends of the support rod of the cultivation tube.
The guide of the fixing bracket is inserted into the channel groove of the movable cart, suspended on the cultivation stand, and cultivated by supplying a culture solution into the cultivation tube. As the plant grows, the movable cart is moved along the running rail provided on the cultivation stand to secure the cultivation interval. Usually 10-14 for mobile trolley
The cultivation tubes of the book are used at appropriate intervals.

[0008] If necessary, the cultivation stand may be provided with wheels so that the cultivation stand can be moved. It is preferable that the cultivation tube can be moved between the cultivation racks by the movable cart. In addition, a gantry large enough to hold a large number of cultivation tubes on which plants have grown, with a travel rail at a position that can be connected to the travel rail of the mobile cart on the cultivation gantry, and a harvesting platform at the end of the travel rail. Prepare a movable harvesting stand provided, transfer the growing tube having vegetables and the like grown by bringing the harvesting stand into contact with the growing stand, and moving the harvesting stand from the growing room to the harvesting room. Try to harvest.

In the germination chamber, cultivation tubes are suspended in a horizontal state, and the culture solution is held in the tubes. The cultivated tubes that have been germinated are sequentially moved to a germination room, a nursery room, a growing room, and a harvesting room by using the moving cart and the traveling rails of each mount to grow and harvest.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a cultivation apparatus. In the cultivating device 5 of this example, the culturing tube A sandwiched by the support rods 4 is suspended on the upper part of the cultivating rack 6 in an inclined state, and the culturing liquid is pumped out from the lower culturing liquid tank 7 by the circulation pump 8. Then, it is supplied to each cultivation tube from the culture solution supply pipe 11 through the pipe 10 and the culture solution distribution pipe 9.
The culture solution supplied to the culture tube A flows down into the culture solution receiving gutter 12 at the lower end of the tube A, and is returned to the culture solution tank 7 through the filtration tank 13. As described below, the cultivation rack 6 is provided with a traveling rail 14 on which the movable carriage 15 can travel.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cultivation tube A is provided with a support sheet 4,
In the present invention, the support bars 4 and 4 are held down by a U-shaped clip 16 opened downward as shown in FIG. The guide 17a of the fixture 17 is fixed through the hole. The fixing brackets 17 are mounted on both ends of the support rod 4, and the guides 17a are inserted into channel grooves of the movable cart. Reference numeral 18 is a spacer for providing a gap between the support rods 4 for the cultivated plant, and a 1/4 circular hard rubber or the like is used.
FIG. 4 shows an example for sandwiching the cultivation tube between the support rods 4, 4. As the clip, a stainless steel rod molded into a U shape can be used. More specifically, the cover sheet has a thickness of 0.05
Use a material that does not allow light to pass through, with a length of 3 mm.
Dimensions of 000 mm, width 140 mm (in the case of spinach, salad na, sunny lettuce, etc.) or 180 mm (in the case of edamame, kidney bean, etc.), and the foamed plastic (foamed polyurethane) of the medium sheet has a length of 3000 mm.
The thickness should be 2 mm and the width should be 25 mm.

FIG. 5 shows another example of a cultivation stand. The gantry 6 of this example is provided with one traveling rail 14 on one side, and has two upper and lower stages on the other side.
Is provided so that the cultivation tube can be suspended in a horizontal state and an inclined state. In the drawing, reference numeral 20 denotes a culture solution holding plate for pushing up the end of the culture tube so that the culture solution can be stored in the culture tube. The seedling raising part is designed to promote the growth of the roots of the vegetables and keep the cultivation tube horizontal so that the initial growth can be stabilized and the culture solution can be stored. On the other hand, the cultivation part flows through the bottom surface of the tube. When the cultivation tube was set on the cultivation rack so as to be in a state, the structure was such that it was inclined at an inclination of about 9%.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the movable carriage 15, which is constituted by a concave member having a cross section of an appropriate length having a channel groove 15a at the center as shown in the figure. , Two traveling casters 15a are attached to each. The movable trolley may be made of metal or plastic. The moving trolley is a device for smoothly moving and spacing the vegetables on the cultivation rack. The mobile trolley is used on the rails of the seedling device (germination box) and the cultivation stand. Two mobile trolleys are used as a pair and installed both upstream and downstream of the cultivation tube. The cultivation tube after seeding is placed on the movable cart via the support rod 4. At this time, the guide 17a of the fixture 17 attached to the end of the support rod 4 is inserted into the channel groove (slit) 15b on the upper part of the movable carriage 15. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the cultivation tube from falling from the cultivation stand.

The supply of the culture solution to the cultivation tube is performed by a culture solution circulation system as shown in FIG. The culture solution circulation system is configured to supply the culture solution to each culture tube and return the culture solution discharged from the tube to the culture solution tank. The supply of the culture solution to each cultivation tube is distributed and supplied to the culture solution supply tube 11 for each cultivation tube by the distribution pipe 9.
1 is connected to coupler plugs 21a and 21b provided in the distribution pipe 9 as shown in FIG. The coupler plug has a structure in which the culture solution automatically stops when the plug is removed, and the culture solution flows when the plug is attached. The change of the position of the culture solution supply tube due to the movement and the spacing operation can be dealt with by replacing the plug. By adopting such a structure of the culture solution supply unit, it is not necessary to stop the culture solution circulation pump, thereby simplifying the operation and eliminating human error such as forgetting to switch on the culture solution circulation pump.

To cultivate using the apparatus of the present invention, the cultivation tube after seeding is put into the germination chamber 22 to germinate a plant to be cultivated such as vegetables. FIG. 8 shows the structure of the germination chamber. The germination room has a structure in which an outer frame is assembled with an angle or the like, and the outside is covered with an opaque vinyl heat insulating cover. The inside is provided with a rail 23 into which a cultivation tube placed on a movable cart can be inserted, and has a shelf shape. The number of rails is 4 to 5 steps, and these can be moved up and down by turning the winch lever 25. Also,
The inside can be heated by the hotbed wire 24 installed at the bottom,
By installing a humidifier, the internal humidity can be adjusted.

FIG. 9 shows how to use the germination chamber.
In the figure, the upper row (A) shows a method of placing a cultivation tube in the germination room. First, roll up the heat retention cover, turn the winch lever, adjust the position of the rail, and place the moving cart with the cultivation tube on the rail,
Close the thermal cover. The lower part (B) is a method of transferring the cultivation tube from the germination room to the cultivation stand, opening the window between the cultivation room and the seeding room, adjusting the rail position with the winch lever, and then connecting between the germination box and the cultivation stand. The rail is attached, and the tube placed on the movable carriage is moved to the cultivation stand 6. The removal is then terminated by closing the window between the cultivation room and the sowing room.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an example of a harvesting stand. The harvest stand 26 can be connected to the cultivation stand,
This is an apparatus for moving a cultivation tube from a cultivation stand to perform a vegetable harvesting operation. As shown in FIG. 10, the harvesting gantry 26 is manufactured at an angle or the like, and has rails 14a that can be connected to the cultivation gantry on both the upstream side and the downstream side of the cultivation tube. Further, a harvest table 27 for harvesting vegetables is provided. In addition, casters 28
Is attached. The harvesting gantry moves from the harvesting room to the cultivation room, and is connected to the cultivation gantry, and the cultivation tube having the grown vegetables and the like is moved from the cultivation gantry to the harvesting gantry along with the moving cart, and the harvesting gantry is moved to the harvesting room to produce vegetables, etc. Harvest cultivated plants. By performing the above-mentioned operations, the efficiency of the harvesting operation is improved, and the work environment can be improved by eliminating the operation in the high-temperature cultivation room.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a vegetable cultivation method using the flowing liquid cultivation apparatus according to the present invention. The flow of vegetable cultivation using this cultivation apparatus is shown below. Seed the seeds in the cultivation tube (vegetable cultivation section). Cultivation tube in germination room (Sprouting device: temperature 20 ~
25 ° C., relative humidity of about 90%, dark), germinate for 2-3 days, and germinate. After germination, the cultivation tube is moved to a cultivation room and placed on a cultivation stand. The cultivation tube is placed horizontally, the culture solution is stored therein, and seedlings are raised for 3 to 4 days. When the roots extend to the bottom of the cultivation tube, diagonally,
NFT cultivation is started. Spacing (adjusting the interval between vegetables according to the growth of vegetables) and moving are repeated on the rails of the cultivation stand as the vegetables grow. When the cultivation tube reaches one end of the cultivation stand, it moves to the harvesting stand and harvests vegetables.

[0020]

According to the present invention, a cultivation tube is used, and a germinated cultivation tube is sequentially moved to a germination room, a nursery room, a growing room, and a harvesting room by using a moving carriage and a traveling rail of each mount. It can be cultivated efficiently because it can be cultivated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a cultivation rack.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cultivation tube.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a fixing structure of a cultivation tube.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of a cultivation tube fixing device.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing another example of the cultivation rack.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a movable cart.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a coupler plug.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a germination chamber.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing how to use the germination chamber.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a harvesting gantry.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a cultivation method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cover Sheet 2 Medium Sheet 4 Support Rod 5 Cultivation Device 6 Cultivation Stand 7 Culture Solution Tank 8 Circulation Pump 9 Culture Solution Distribution Pipe 14 Traveling Rail 15 Mobile Truck 22 Germination Chamber

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A sheet of a rectangular plastic film or the like is folded in two in the width direction to form a gutter, and an artificial soil such as a foamed plastic is disposed at an upper joining portion of the gutter-like sheet so as to extend along a support rod. Cultivation tube, a cultivation rack for suspending the cultivation tube, and a culture solution management means for supplying, collecting, and circulating the culture solution in the cultivation tube. A fixing bracket having a guide protruding from the lower surface of the support rod is mounted, and both ends of the support rod of the cultivation tube are supported by a movable cart having a caster having a channel groove through which the guide of the fixing bracket can be inserted. A plant cultivation apparatus, further comprising a traveling rail for the movable cart. 2. A traveling rail of a movable truck is provided on one side of a cultivation rack, and a position where a cultivation tube is suspended in a substantially horizontal state and a position where a cultivation tube is suspended in an inclined state on the other side. Provide a traveling rail of the moving cart respectively, and provide a culture solution holding plate for pushing up both ends of the culture tube upward so that the culture solution is held in the culture tube when the culture tube is suspended in a substantially horizontal state. The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A sheet of a rectangular plastic film or the like is folded in two in the width direction to form a gutter shape, and artificial soil such as foamed plastic is disposed at an upper joining portion of the gutter-like sheet and is placed along a support rod. A cultivation tube suspended in a cultivation stand, and a culture solution is supplied to the cultivation tube to cultivate the cultivation tube, wherein guides are provided at both ends of the support rod of the cultivation tube and project from the lower surface of the support rod. The fixing bracket is mounted, the both ends of the support rod of the cultivation tube are supported on a moving cart provided with casters having a channel groove through which the guide of the fixing bracket can be inserted, and the moving cart moves according to a traveling rail provided on the cultivation rack. And a running rail on one side of the cultivation stand.
This is provided, two traveling rails are provided on the other side, and the cultivation tube is suspended almost horizontally during the seedling raising period. A plant cultivation method characterized in that a moving cart is moved according to the above to secure an interval between cultivation tubes. 4. A culture medium holding plate for pushing up the cultivation tube upward is provided at both ends of the cultivation tube, and the culture medium is placed in the cultivation tube during the seedling raising period when the cultivation tube is suspended in a substantially horizontal state. Both ends of the cultivation tube are pushed up so as to be held, and only the lower end of the cultivation tube is pushed up during the growing period in which the cultivation tube is suspended in an inclined state so as to control the amount of the culture solution in the cultivation tube. The method for cultivating a plant according to claim 3, wherein 5. A gantry having a size capable of mounting a plurality of cultivation tubes on which plants have grown, having a travel rail at a position connectable to a travel rail of a movable carriage on the cultivation gantry, and having an end at the end of the travel rail. 4. The plant cultivation method according to claim 3, comprising: bringing a movable harvest gantry having a harvest gantry into contact with the cultivation gantry, transferring a plurality of cultivation tubes to the harvest gantry, and harvesting growing plants. 6. A cultivation tube is suspended in a horizontal state in a germination room, a culture solution is held in the tube, and the cultivation tube is arranged in a multistage so as to be movable up and down at an appropriate interval. The plant cultivation method according to claim 3 or 5, wherein the germination room, the nursery room, the growing room, and the harvesting room are sequentially moved by using a movable cart and a traveling rail of each mount.