JPS6222134Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Field of industrial application) This invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation device.

(Prior Art) The inventor of the present invention previously proposed a method for using one or more pairs of liquid tanks for growing crops in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 75825/1983.
Each liquid tank is provided with a level switch that detects the highest water level, and each liquid tank is provided with a liquid sending pump that is driven by the operation of each level switch. They proposed a hydroponic cultivation device in which a cultivation solution is alternately fed into the plant, and the roots of crops are alternately immersed in the solution and exposed to the air.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) By the way, in the hydroponic cultivation device, it is necessary to use one or more pairs of liquid tanks, and the number of liquid tanks is limited to a few corners. When installing a liquid tank inside a greenhouse, there was a problem that the space inside the greenhouse could not be used effectively.

This invention was devised to improve the above problems, and the number of liquid tanks is not limited to an even number of pairs, but three or more liquid tanks can be freely selected and used. By using an arbitrary number of liquid tanks depending on the size or shape of the greenhouse when installing the greenhouse, the space in the greenhouse can be used effectively, and crops can be grown well in each tank. The purpose of this project is to provide a hydroponic cultivation device that can do this.

(Means for solving the problem) The present invention provides three or more liquid tanks for growing crops 1a to 1.
e is connected to the suction side and the discharge side of the pump P, and the liquid suction side solenoid valves Sa 1 to Sa 5 and the liquid suction side solenoid valves Sa ₁ to Sa ₅ are connected to the liquid suction side and the liquid sending side of each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e, respectively. solenoid valve
In addition to providing Sb ₁ to Sb ₅ , each liquid tank 1a to
1e is provided with a level switch for detecting the highest water level, while the liquid feeding side solenoid valves Sb ₁ to _{Sb 5}
and the closing operation of the liquid suction side electromagnetic valves Sa ₁ to _{Sa 5} to supply the cultivation solution in advance, detect at least one liquid tank full of liquid by the level switch, Closing the liquid sending side solenoid valve of the liquid tank and opening the liquid suction side solenoid valve, and opening the liquid sending side solenoid valve of at least one liquid tank located next to the supply of cultivation nutrient solution to the liquid tank. , a sequence control circuit is provided for operating the liquid suction side solenoid valve to close it.

(Embodiments) The present invention will be described below based on embodiments of the drawings.

The hydroponic cultivation device in the drawing shows five first to fifth liquid tanks 1a to 1e arranged in parallel, and each of these liquid tanks 1
a... has a rectangular shape and the same volume, and a support plate 3 having a plurality of support holes 2 is provided at the top of each liquid tank 1a..., and the crop A is supported in each support hole 2 of the support plate 3. The roots a are made to stretch in each liquid tank 1a, while concave liquid reservoirs 4, 4 are formed at the bottoms on both sides in the length direction of each liquid tank 1a.

A liquid suction pipe 5 is installed on one side of each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e, branch pipes 5a to 5e are connected to the liquid suction pipe 5, and suction pipes are provided at the ends of the branch pipes 5a to 5e. The ports 6a to 6e are arranged in the liquid reservoirs 4 of the respective liquid tanks 1a to 1e, and the liquid suction pipe 5 is connected to the suction side of a pump P driven by a motor M.

Further, on the other side of each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e, a liquid sending pipe 7 is installed, branch pipes 7a to 7e are connected to the liquid sending pipe 7, and the ends of the branch pipes 7a to 7e are connected to each liquid. Tank 1
a to 1e, and the liquid feeding pipe 7
is connected to the discharge side of the pump P, and the pump P
The cultivation solution W is circulated between each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e through the liquid suction pipe 5 and the liquid sending pipe 7 as the culture medium is driven.

Therefore, each branch pipe 5a to 5e of the liquid suction pipe 5
, solenoid valves Sa ₁ to _{Sa 5} are interposed, and each branch pipe 7a to 7e of the liquid sending pipe 7 is provided with solenoid valves Sb ₁ to Sb 1 to Sa 5 .
While Sb ₅ is interposed, each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e is provided with level switches LS ₁ and LS ₅ for detecting their respective maximum water levels _.
LS ₅ , each of the electromagnetic valves Sa ₁ to Sa ₅ , Sb ₁ to _{Sb 5} and the motor M are connected to the control box 8 .

In this control box 8, the liquid sending side solenoid valve
Opening operations of Sb ₁ to _{Sb 5} and the liquid suction side solenoid valves Sa ₁ to _{Sa 5}
The level switch detects at least one full liquid tank, closes the solenoid valve on the liquid supply side of the liquid tank, and closes the solenoid valve on the liquid suction side. Open the solenoid valve, and
A sequence control circuit is installed to open the liquid feeding side solenoid valve of at least one liquid tank located next to the supply of cultivation nutrient solution to the liquid tank and to close the liquid suction side solenoid valve.

Specifically, a sequence control circuit as shown in Fig. 3 is installed, and the control circuit controls a push button for stop (PB/stop), a push button for start (PB/start), and the first relay R1 _. The first circuit C ₁ is connected in series, and the second to second circuits are connected in series, and the push button for stop (PB/stop), the push button for start (PB/start), and the second to fifth relays R ₂ to R ₅ are connected in series. 5 circuit C ₂ ~
_C5 are connected in parallel, and the solenoid valves provided on the suction and liquid sending sides of each liquid tank _1a ... by each of the relays R1...
Each of the solenoids Sa ₁ , Sb ₁ . . . is selectively switched and controlled, and each circuit C ₁ to _{C 5} has a third
Attach the circuit as shown in the figure.

That is, to explain based on the first circuit _C1 , the normally open contact R1 _- a of the first relay _R1 and the fifth relay _R5
Normally closed contact R ₅ -b and normally closed contact of second relay R ₂
a self-holding circuit with R ₂ -b and the fifth liquid tank 1;
While connecting in parallel with the connection circuit in which the contact LS ₅ -a of the level switch LS ₅ provided at e is interposed,
The second to fifth circuits _C2 to _C5 are also constructed as shown in FIG. 3, similar to the first circuit _C1 . When the nutrient solution W in the fifth liquid tank 1e reaches its full level and the level switch _LS5 is activated, the contact _{LS5 -} a of the switch LS5 is turned on and the first circuit C ₁ and opens the fifth circuit _C5 , and accordingly, the fifth relay _R5 is demagnetized to open the solenoid valve Sa5, and the relay _R1 is activated to close the solenoid valve _{Sa1 .} is closed, Sb ₁ is switched to open, the liquid suction side of the first liquid tank 1a is closed, and the liquid feeding side is opened to start feeding liquid into the liquid tank 1a. At this time, the first relay R ₁ is normally open contact R ₁ -a
is closed, and the fifth relay _R5 is demagnetized by the operation of the level switch _LS5 , so that the first circuit
The normally closed contact _R5 -b of _C1 is closed and self-maintained, and the normally closed contacts _R1 -b and _R1 -b interposed in the second circuit _C2 and the fifth circuit _C5 are opened. 5th and 2nd
A self-holding circuit in circuits C ₅ and C ₂ is opened, and liquid feeding to the first liquid tank 1a is continued until the self-holding of the first circuit C ₁ is released.

The level switch LS ₅ controls the cultivation solution W in the fifth liquid tank 1e by feeding the liquid to the first liquid tank 1a.
As the water level decreases from the highest water level, its operation is released, and as a result, the contact LS ₅ -a of the level switch LS ₅ installed in the first circuit C ₁ opens. Until the first liquid tank 1a becomes full, its level switch _LS1 operates, and its normally closed contact _R2 -b opens by excitation of the relay _R2 , that is, the first circuit _C1 The relay _R1 is energized and maintained in the liquid feeding state until the self-holding circuit is released.

When the first liquid tank 1a becomes full of liquid, the contact LS1 _- a of the switch _LS1 closes due to the operation of the level switch _LS1 , thereby closing the second circuit _C2 . Since the second relay R _{2 in the second circuit C 2 is} energized, this energization opens the normally closed contact R ₂ -b of the relay R ₂ , so that the self-holding of the first circuit C ₁ is released and the relay R ₁ is demagnetized, its normally open contact R ₁ -a opens, and its normally closed contact R ₁ -b interposed in the self-holding circuit of the second circuit C ₂ closes.

Then, due to the excitation of the relay _R2 , the normally open contact _R2 -a in the second circuit _C2 is closed, and the normally closed contact R1-b of the relay _R1 is closed, and the normally closed contact R1 _- b in the third circuit _C3 is closed. Normally closed contact R ₃ -b of relay R ₃
The self-holding circuit of the second circuit C2 is closed by the closing operation of the second circuit _C2 .

As a result, the solenoid valve Sa ₁ is opened, Sb ₁ is closed, the solenoid valve Sa ₂ is opened, Sb ₂ is opened, and the first
The liquid suction side of the liquid tank 1a is opened and the liquid feeding side is closed, and the liquid suction side of the second liquid tank 1b is closed and the liquid feeding side is opened to transfer the liquid from the first liquid tank 1a to the second liquid tank 1b. The liquid is sent to.

Furthermore, the normally closed contact R ₂ -b is opened by the excitation of the relay R ₂ , and the self-holding circuits of the first circuit C ₁ and the third circuit C ₃ are opened. The reason for interposing the normally closed contact R ₂ -b in each of the self-holding circuits of C ₁ and C ₃ is that, for example, when the second tank 2b receives liquid, the liquid level in the first tank 1a decreases and aeration is required. However, for this purpose,
It is necessary that the liquid level in the fifth tank 1e, which receives the liquid from the first tank 1a, is lowered and that the contact _LS5 -a of the level switch _LS5 is open. For some reason, the level switch LS ₅ in the second tank was activated, and its contacts
When _LS5 -a is closed and the self-holding circuit of the first circuit _C1 is closed, the liquid will be sent to the first tank 1a,
This means that the first tank 1a cannot be aerated.

Therefore, the normally closed contact _{R 2 -b} of the relay R ₂ in the second circuit C ₂ is connected to the self-holding circuit of the first circuit C 1.
By interposing _the
This can compensate for the inability to send liquid to a. Moreover, when the liquid is being sent to this second tank 1b,
The third tank 1c that receives the liquid from the second tank 1b must be empty, that is, even if the level switch LS ₂ of the second tank 1b is activated by mistake when sending liquid from the second tank 1b, the Although it is necessary to prevent the retention from continuing to send liquid to the third tank 1c, the third circuit
The normally closed contact of relay R ₂ is connected to the self-holding circuit of C ₃ .
By interposing R ₂ -b, the liquid is not continuously fed to the third tank 1c while the liquid is being fed to the second tank 1b.

Also in the second to fifth circuits C ₂ to C ₅ ,
The structure is similar to the first circuit _C1 , and when the first circuit _C1 is closed and liquid is sent to the first liquid tank 1a, the other second to fifth circuits _C2 to _C5 The liquid suction sides of the second to fifth liquid tanks 1b to 1e are opened, and the liquid feeding sides thereof are closed, and the liquid tanks 1b to 1e are transferred from the liquid tanks 1b to 1e to the first liquid tank 1a. In this way, the cultivation solution W is circulated between each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e so that each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e changes from full to empty.

In addition, the start push button (PB/start) provided in the sequence control circuit is connected to all liquid tanks 1.
When supplying and discharging the cultivation solution using sequence control after stopping the liquid feeding in steps a to 1e, select the desired liquid tank when selecting the liquid tank to be fed first depending on the degree of withering of the plants and the amount of sunlight. It is used by closing the tank pushbutton (PB/start), and the stop pushbutton (PB/stop) is
For example, when cleaning the inside of a liquid tank, open the stop button (PB/stop) of the empty liquid tank to forcibly maintain the empty state in the tank,
When cleaning under such conditions, or when you want to send liquid to a different tank than the one that is in the feeding state, press the stop button (PB/stop) of the liquid tank that is in the feeding state. open to stop the fluid delivery,
It is used when closing the start push button (PB/start) of the liquid tank to which you want to send liquid and sending liquid to that liquid tank.

In the embodiment described above, the supply and discharge of the nutrient solution W is switched for each tank at a time, but the present invention can also be adapted to switch a plurality of tanks at the same time.

The present invention is constructed as described above, and when the cultivation solution W in the fifth liquid tank 1e reaches full capacity,
The level switch LS ₅ provided in the liquid tank 1e is activated, the first circuit C ₁ is closed, and as the first circuit C ₁ is closed, the self-holding in the fifth circuit C ₅ is performed by the relay R ₁ . The normally closed contact R ₁ -b of the circuit and the second circuit C ₂
The normally closed contact R1 _- b of the self-holding circuit is opened to stop the liquid supply to the fifth liquid tank 1e and the second liquid tank 1b, and the liquid suction side of the fifth liquid tank 1e is opened. At the same time as opening, the solenoid valve Sa ₁ of the first liquid tank 1a,
Sb ₁ is switched, the liquid suction side of the first liquid tank 1a is closed, and the liquid feeding side is opened, and the other second to fifth liquid tanks 1b to 1e are connected to this liquid tank 1a. Liquid feeding is started. Furthermore, as the first circuit C ₁ closes, the normally open contact of the relay R ₁ closes and the self-holding circuit of the first circuit C ₁ is closed. When the water level of the cultivation nutrient solution W decreases from the highest water level, the operation of the level switch LS ₁ is released, and the normally open contact of the level switch LS ₁ is released.
Even after LS ₁ -a is turned off, the liquid feeding state can be maintained.

In this way, each solenoid valve of each liquid tank 1a to 1e
Sa ₁ , Sb ₁ to Sa ₅ , Sb ₅ are switched, and each liquid tank 1a
The cultivation solution W is sequentially circulated between 1e and 1e.

That is, as shown in Fig. 4, the electromagnetic valves Sa ₁ , Sb ₁ -Sa ₅ , Sb ₅ provided in each liquid tank 1a - 1e are switched at a 1/5 cycle every fixed time (t), and accordingly The cultivation nutrient solution W is sequentially circulated in each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e so as to change from full to empty.

Therefore, in each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e,
By repeating the cultivation nutrient solution W from full to empty at regular intervals, the roots a of the crops grown in each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e are repeatedly immersed in the solution and exposed to the air. Nutrients and oxygen are supplied, and Crop A is cultivated successfully.

(Effect of the invention) As explained above, in the cultivation device of the present invention, the culture solution is sequentially supplied to three or more liquid tanks in a preset order according to the order set in advance by sequence control, and the culture liquid is supplied to the three or more liquid tanks until the liquid becomes full. Since each liquid tank is emptied in order, the roots of the crop are alternately immersed in the liquid and exposed to the air in each tank, which means that the roots of the crop are supplied with nutrients and oxygen. By alternately supplying and supplying liquid, crops can be grown reliably and well. Moreover, in this invention, the number of liquid tanks is not limited to an even number of pairs, as was previously proposed, but three. The above liquid tanks can be used, therefore, when installing in a greenhouse, select the optimal number of liquid tanks depending on the shape or size,
This allows the greenhouse space to be used effectively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a liquid tank used in the cultivation device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the cultivation device, Fig. 3 is a control circuit diagram, and Fig. 4 is a diagram of the cultivation device. It is a chart diagram showing an operating state. 1c to 1e...Liquid tank, P...Pump, W...Cultivation solution, LS ₁ to LS ₅ ...Level switch, Sa ₁ to
Sa ₅ ... Solenoid valve, Sb ₁ to _{Sb 5} ... Solenoid valve, A ... Crop.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Three or more liquid tanks 1a to 1e for crop cultivation are connected to the suction side and the discharge side of the pump P, and a liquid suction side electromagnetic circuit is connected to the liquid suction side and the liquid sending side of each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e, respectively. Valves Sa ₁ to Sa ₅ and liquid feeding side solenoid valves Sb ₁ to Sb ₅ are provided, and each of the liquid tanks 1a to 1e is provided with a level switch for detecting the highest water level, while the liquid feeding side solenoid valves are provided with a level switch for detecting the highest water level. The supply order of cultivation solution by the opening operation of Sb ₁ to Sb ₅ and the closing operation of the liquid absorption side solenoid valves Sa ₁ to _{Sa 5} is set in advance, and at least one liquid tank is filled with liquid by the level switch. Detecting this, the liquid sending side solenoid valve of the liquid tank is closed and the liquid suction side solenoid valve is opened, and at least one liquid tank located next to the supply of cultivation nutrient solution to the liquid tank is fed. A hydroponic cultivation device comprising a sequence control circuit that opens a side solenoid valve and closes a liquid suction side solenoid valve.