KR100295156B1 - Self supplying water-pruning tray and transplanting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a transplantation system and a plant growth tray comprising a tray having a plurality of respective plant cells having an open top and bottom and a detachable screen or perforated bottom, and a vacuum system operative to guide the plant into the storage area. Entails. Each tray is designed to contain and hold plant growth media such as peat masses or peat-soil mixtures.

The detachable bottom attached to the bottom portion of the plant tray provides air pruning of the plant roots to grow into superior plants and can be conveniently removed from the plant tray for easy removal of each plant or seedling from the tray bottom. . Air-pruning of plant roots eliminates root binding or tangles and promotes side root stretches that result in defined side root stretches and promoted plant growth in cells and after transplantation. The tray is also provided as a cartridge for finding air-pruned plants so that the air-pruned plants can be automatically removed from the bottom of the tray using a continuous, intermittent or impact vacuum system for fully automated transplantation. The plant tray maintains the water surface above the bottom of the tray to evenly feed the plant from the micro-feed hole of each cell for self-watering or from the top of the tray cell and maintains a uniform root zone temperature and water content across the tray front. Has a peripheral edge to maintain. The peat masses or pre-seed peat masses formed by compacting the peat mixture to match the tray cell size automatically fill the cell space with the expanded peat mixture after watering. Detachable screens or perforated bottoms may be compression fixed to the bottom of the tray to maintain the peat mixture and provide effective air-pruning of plant roots.

Description

Self-feeding Air-pruning Plant Trays and Transplant Systems

1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating a complete plant growth tray system of the present invention showing a detachable screen or perforated bottom and a peripheral edge of an air-pruning tray press-fitted onto the bottom of an air-pruning tray.

2 is a fragmentary view of a plant tray and screen with portions of the plant tray removed to better illustrate the screen.

3 is a view of the complete plant growth tray system of the present invention showing the perimeter edge of the detachable screen or perforated bottom and the perimeter edge of the air-pruning tray secured in a closed closing mechanism over the bottom of the air-pruning tray; A fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating another design.

4 is a fragmentary schematic cross-sectional view illustrating air-pruned seedlings extending from a tray with water to facilitate fully automated implantation.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the plant tray system of the present invention having a detachable screen that is slidably attached and detached as seen in an extended state (with an enlarged view of one corner) partially separated from the bottom of the tray.

6 is a perspective view of the plant tray system of the present invention showing a solid plate or screen pulled in an extended position to be secured into the index frame across the plant holding plate of the implanter.

FIG. 7 is a series of diagrams showing peat lumps or previously seeded peat lumps in a plant tray cell of the present invention resulting in expansion and air-pruning of peat lumps.

8 is a cross-sectional view of the plant tray of the present invention used to grow a series of successive sods.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the plant tray described in FIG. 8 showing an area of the herd with cut off portions and a plant tray supporting its plant growth medium to better explain the overall tray structure.

10 is a perspective view of the plant transfer or transplant system of the present invention illustrating the transfer of air-pruned plants from a supply tray to a series of individual pots forming part of a second tray.

Figures 10 (a) through 10 (d) are a sequence of diagrams illustrating a series of matrix plant transfers from a feed tray to a filling tray below, where figure 10 (a) shows the first plant of 24 batches Describing transfer of the set to the receiving tray below; 10 (b) illustrates the transfer of a second set of feed trays and 24-waste plants with one abandoned increased plant moved to the left; FIG. 10 (c) illustrates the transfer of a third set of feed trays and 24-waste plants with one abandoned increased plant moved downward from the position shown in FIG. 10 (b); Finally, Figure 10 (d) shows the transfer of a fourth set of feed trays and 24 abandoned plants with one abandoned incremental plant moved to the right from that shown in Figure 10 (c).

11 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a plant transfer or transplant system of selective design.

FIG. 11 (a) is a fragmentary perspective view showing part of the dropping tube, vacuum chamber, and door of the implantation system shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 (b) is a cross-sectional functional diagram of the structure shown in FIG. 11 (a).

FIG. 11 (c) shows an alternative design for the plant transport or transplant system of the present invention when the doors shown in FIGS. 11 (a) and 11 (b) are changed by an air jet device.

12 is a schematic illustration of the plant transfer or transplant system of the present invention having an intermittent or impact vacuum system with a diaphragm.

Figure 12 (a) is a schematic illustration of the plant transport or transplant system of the present invention having an intermittent or impact vacuum system with a 0-ring.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: plant tray 12: substrate

12b: Edge 13: Curl

14 cell 14a: storage port

16, 21: face 16a, 21a: flange

18: handle 20: screen or grid

21b: Click 29: Capture Home

52, 54: wall 62: vacuum tube

74: vacuum source 76: conveyor or indexing means

78 support body 140 plant storage means

200: plant transport or transplant system 202: transport plate

204, 304 opening 206: suction drop tube

208: outlet 210, 214: vacuum chamber

212 wall structure 216 door assembly

218, 220, 300: door 221: air jet

222: pivot axis 223: air film

224, 226: cross link 228: connecting arm

230: solenoid 232: air opening

234: index frame 248: micro-switch

250: switch actuator 302: housing

303: air-release-groove 306: spring

308: piston plate 310: spring

313: 0-ring

The present invention is a plant, seedling and plug container having a detachable screen bottom for growing and handling air-pruned plants for superior plant growth and for increasing agricultural production, including both greenhouse and open field crops. And a tray. The invention also relates to the automatic transplantation of plants, seedlings and plugs in order to reduce the high labor requirement of the transplant and increase the production capacity in order to achieve the automation of cultivation and work execution in the open field and greenhouse.

Mechanization and automation are as important to plant growers and nursery owners as any other field of agriculture. This is due to the huge amount of labor involved in seedling work and the reason why growers have to fight the issue of overall labor costs and labor shortages as in any other business.

One particular labor-intensive area is the transfer or transplant of relatively young and small plants from their first rooted container to a larger plant container or field for further growth and development. As in other fields of agriculture, many seedlings and plant production facilities are generally performed by human hands. As a result, plant transfer and transplantation are time consuming and very inefficient. In practice, the use of manual labor for transplanting these plants limits the capacity of the farm or seedling to handle such transfer or transplant operations.

Therefore, there is a need for a fully automatic plant transplantation system that will automatically move plants from an initial growth tray or vessel to a transfer zone or a second vessel for future growth and development, and the need continues.

Healthy seedlings of uniform size are required for transplantation to produce superior plants in greenhouses or open fields. Many plant growth containers or trays of various materials, shapes and sizes are commercially available for plant or seedling cultivation in terms of price, shape and durability. The main problem associated with conventional trays is root bonding or entanglement, which inhibits plant root development in containers and after seedlings are transplanted. An example of an air-pruning tray as an integral part of a fully automatic implant and its important application is Barney. Published by U.S. Patent Nos. 3,712,252 and 3,446,164.

Many tests in the open field have shown that air-pruned cuttings and seedlings are significantly superior in tray and post-transplant growth performance, and that efficient fully automatic transplantation can be performed with air-pruned seedlings on a variety of crops. Indicated that there is. However, mass production of low cost integrated air-pruning trays and detachable screen bottoms has been problematic due to conventional plastic forming processes.

The present invention involves a plant growth tray system designed to improve overall performance and overcome the difficulties of mass production technology. In particular, the plant growth tray of the present invention with elevated edges to maintain water around each tray cell for self-watering, increased tray firmness, and maintenance of uniform root zone temperature throughout the tray Is provided. During a fully automatic transplant operation, the indexed trays can be filled with water to facilitate rapid seedling and infusion with water for efficient transplant operations. In the present disclosure, the detachable bottom screen or perforated bottom also includes a bottom of the air-pruning tray to maintain a firm hold and increase tray system robustness for self-support and easy handling and transport of seedlings grown fully in the tray system. It has a peripheral edge so that it can be compressed and fixed in parts. Once the detachable bottom screen or perforated bottom is removed, the air-pruned seedlings can be automatically implanted using an intermittent or continuous vacuum device.

The invention also involves a vacuum operated automated plant transfer or transplant system for transferring or transplanting one or more plants at a time from one plant container to a transfer area, such as open ground or another vessel. In particular, a plant transfer or transplant system that transplants one or more plants at a time from a supply tray using impact vacuum force that removes the plants from the tray cells and places them in a land or plant container is an air-pruning system having multiple plants therein. It works to house the tray.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to allow plants trays to perform effective root air-pruning with a screen bottom that can be easily attached and detached and to meet the requirements of plastic molding processes for quality mass production at a relatively low cost. It is to provide a growth tray system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant tray structure having a peripheral edge for retaining water around each tray cell to maintain self-watering, increased tray robustness and uniform root-zone temperature and moisture content throughout the tray. have.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easily fillable form formed by compressing the peat mixture to fit the tray cell size in order for the peat mass or pre-sown peat mass to automatically fill the tray cell space with the expanded peat mixture after watering. Peat chunks or pre-sown peat chunks are provided to the plant tray.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easy and fast attachable and detachable bottom tray screen to the plant tray so that the bottom tray screen can be suitable for fully automatic implanters and easy handling of many air-pruned seedlings.

Another object of the present invention is also a detachable, frictionally fixed relative to the bottom of the plant tray, when the screen is securely attached thereto to form a rigid plant tray and screen structure which is generally rigid for self-support and easy handling. Is in the provision of the screen.

Another object of the present invention is also to transplant one or more plants from one vessel into a transfer zone or second vessel using a vacuum chamber to cause the movement of one abandon plant or multiple plants from a feed tray to achieve a fully automatic transplant. To provide an automatic plant transfer or transplant system.

Another object of the present invention is to use a continuous, intermittent or impact vacuum system to provide a plant transfer system for automatically transplanting a group of plants from an open bottom feed tray to substantially push or pull selected plants from the open bottom of a feed tray. To provide.

Another object of the invention is to transfer a group of plants forming a matrix from one group of feed trays or one of them and then move the entire feed tray or trays to a second position where another similar matrix of plants can be transferred in succession. And this process provides a matrix type automatic plant transfer or transplantation system that continues until the entire feed tray or trays are empty.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated plant transfer or transplanting system which is relatively simple in structure, reliable in use and easy to use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and apparent from a review of the following description and the accompanying drawings which simply illustrate such invention.

Referring to the drawings, an air-pruning plant tray of the present invention is shown and generally indicated by numeral 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The plant tray 10 is magnetized from a substrate 12, a number of aligned, evenly spaced and truncated pyramid or cone shaped cells (14) and a small hole in the cell wall or at the top of the cell at the cell wall. It includes a main plant holding body comprising a peripheral surface 16 that holds water around each cell for watering. This water supply capability maintains uniform temperature and moisture levels within each cell through the tray 10. What is formed around the top of face 16 is an outwardly facing edge or flange 16a. The face 16 surrounding the outer edge of the tray is present to increase the tightness of the tray for easy handling. Face 16 is a rectangular shape of a fully automatic transplanting machine for indexing and is designed to receive a plant tray, and over a horizontal plane that includes an opening that allows the plant to be drawn or pulled from the plant tray through the opening during the automatic transplant process. It is designed to be fixed within a moving index frame. Each cell 14 tapers upwards from the open bottom, providing air pruning of the plant roots and removing root-entanglement and root-bonds. The open top of each cell edge curls into a small interior (curl 13). To facilitate the passage of plant young branches during transplantation. In practice, each cell is filled with plant growth media such as soil, coarse peat mixtures, and compressed peat masses. All common plant growth media can be used in the plant tray 10 of the present invention.

Squeezed to the bottom of the tray 10 is a detachable screen or perforated bottom 20 that functions functionally to hold and place plant growth medium in each cell 14. This bottom also has a peripheral surface 21 designed to fit snugly under the tray 10. What is formed around the top of face 21 is an outwardly edge or flange 21a. After squeezing the detachable bottom 20 to the tray 10, the robustness of the integrated tray system is significantly increased for easy handling and transport of seedlings as well as for self-support to minimize tray support structures in the greenhouse. The rigid screen 20 effectively air-pruns each plant root where the plant tray 10 grows within the plant cell or tray cell 14. The screen 20 can be easily removed from the plant tray 10 by pressing the edge 16a and face 21a separately. This facilitates the removal of the screen 20 from the plant tray 10.

From the above specification and discussion, the detachable, slid and fixed screen 20 has many advantages in that the same can be easily and quickly detached and attached from the plant tray 10. As will be appreciated from the figure, the screen 20 includes an upside down face 21 designed to frictionally engage with the upside down face 16 of the plant tray. In order to remove the screen 20 from the bottom of the plant tray 10, all that is required is to overcome the frictional force holding the screen 20 around the bottom of the plant tray 10.

3 discloses in principle another embodiment of the invention similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. The basic difference is that in the embodiment described in FIG. 3, the face of the detachable bottom 20 is snapped onto the indented edge of the air-pruning tray. In particular, the retracted surface 21 includes an upper rolled click 21b that is likely to be biased to one side with respect to the upper end surface 16 of the tray 10. Therefore, it is easy to reliably hold the screen 20 around the bottom of the tray 10 with the click 21b.

4 illustrates the application of the air-vestibular tray to fully automatic transplantation. The planted tray 10 is secured into an index frame 234 above the plant carrying plate 202 of the implanter. The tray cell 14 is indexed with respect to the suction drop tube 206 so that plants and water are injected simultaneously into the implantation area, whether in the field, in a port or in a container. The presence of water is of course important in that it provides for the healthy growth of the plant after transplantation, but water also provides an effective seal between the tray 10 and the transport plate 202 and consequently contributes to the effective derivation of the plant from the plant tray during transplantation. do. In addition, the dropping force of water from the infusion tube requires providing a hole in the soil or other plant medium for containing the plant. In addition, the dropping force of the injected water is likely to cover the plant root area once the plant is fixed in the soil or plant growth medium.

FIG. 5 discloses in principle another embodiment of the invention similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. The basic difference is that the detachable floor screen acts as a slip groove fixed into the face edge 16 (FIG. 3) of the air-pruning tray 10, which can be used as the slip support in the embodiment described in FIG. 5. 20 is provided on both sides 21. The screen 20 also includes a catch groove 29 that mates with the tray edge 12b to provide secure attachment of the screen 20 to the tray 10. Therefore, the rigid screen or grid 20 shown in FIG. 5 can be simply moved in and out of the connection with the main body of the plant tray 10. The detachable rigid screen 20 may be provided with a handle 18 as described in FIG. 6, another illustration of the plant tray 10 of the present invention is shown there. In this embodiment, the screen plate 20, which may be in the form of a non-attached screen or plate, can be used for tray transfer and is positioned beneath it to actually support the tray structure in all transfer processes. Thus, this support structure is used repeatedly at the top of the tray or under many trays when the filled tray is turned upside down. In some cases, it may be advantageous to use solid or screen plates 20 under trays filled with soil, coarse peat mixtures, and compacted peat masses.

7 discloses and describes the process and method of the present invention. In this process, plant growth media, such as peat or peat mixtures, are compacted into pellets or lumps for reduced volume and easy handling. Methods and processes for forming peat and peat mixtures involve the first measurement of the growth medium volume needed to fill the tray cell after expansion. The growth medium is then compressed into a compressor that is suitable for the tray cell and forms the desired lump shape and thickness for easy handling, transportation and tray cell filling. The process then involves taking the formed mass and filling the individual cells of the growth tray. As illustrated in FIG. 7, each compacted mass can be put in each tray cell 14. The air-pruning tray with each cell filled with peat mass can then be submerged in a hot bath for easy expansion. In addition, hot baths sanitize trays and peat masses, providing improved growth efficacy and disease-free consistency. The expanded peat mass can automatically fill each cell space for a short time and can be seeded in the expanded peat mass as shown in FIG.

The invention also involves a method of pre-sowing into compacted peat lumps or pellets. The process or method includes selecting various seeds to be sown in advance in pellets or in lumps. Spot glue is then applied to each compacted pellet or mass. The spot glued pellets or chunks are then directed to a seed bay that holds the seeds in the plant medium and places the seeds, and the seeds are transferred over each pellet or chunk. It should be appreciated that the process involves the possibility of feeding seeds onto preglued fillets or chunks using conventional seeders. Peat fillets or lumps of growth trays previously seeded in each tray cell 14 may be submerged into a water bath having an appropriate germination temperature for rapid germination and peat expansion.

Once each cell is filled with plant growth medium, the screen 20 can be attached to its bottom in any of the methods described above or in any corresponding form. The plant tray 10 may then be returned to the place where the substrate 12 and the screen 20 of the plant tray structure form the bottom position shown in FIG. In this position, the entire plant tray structure can be easily transported and transferred from one cell to another without dropping the plant growth medium from each cell 14. Also in this position, by air-pruning the roots effectively for side root growth and plant promotion, each cell can be seeded, germinated and grown to a transplant size (Figure 7). Once the seeds germinate and the plants reach the transplant size, the plant tray system of the present invention can be used in an automatic transplant operation. To achieve this, the screen 20 can be separated from the bottom of the main body of the plant tray structure by any of the above means herein to open the bottom of the plant tray structure. This allows the tray structure to be used in such a way that within each cell 14 each plant can be pulled out, pulled or simply removed by hand from the bottom of the plant tray structure by a fully automatic transplant system. Also used by conventional implanters, the plant can be removed by pushing the plant from the top by the action of hand, mechanical or air.

8 and 9 show that the plant tray 10 of the present invention is designed and applied to assist in the growth of the sod indicated by (15) under air-vestibular conditions. Essentially, in the embodiment described in FIGS. 8 and 9, the plant tray 10 of the present invention forms one relatively large growth cell occupied by a continuous layer of flocks. To accommodate the herd 15, the tray is designed to receive the plant growth medium in the form of a foam, styrofoam or the like or any other suitable plant growth medium as discussed above. . For swarms, however, porous lightweight materials such as foams and styrofoam are known as suitable media.

In the transplant operation plant growth media, such as foam strips, are placed on the bottom of the removable screen 20 and confined within the side 16 of the tray. Thereafter, the seeds are evenly spread over the plant growth medium, and then the trays and the plant growth medium are treated in a conventional form. Seeds extend down through the porous lightweight plastic or styrofoam material (or other medium) to germinate and the air-vestibular effect is achieved as described in FIG. 8 due to the presence of the screen. leaf. The top of the stem or herd extends up from the plant growth medium as described in FIG.

Once leaves. Once the stem or herd has matured, the screen 20 as described above is removed from the tray 10. The herd 15 containing plant growth medium 15a is then crushed and removed from the plant tray. This produced herd can be easily handled due to the nature and structure of the plant growth medium and in particular plant growth medium such as lightweight porous foam materials. Once the swarm is implanted onto the ground or surface, the lightweight porous foam-like material breaks down over time and collapses into soil to become part of it.

For FIG. 10, the plant transfer or transplant system of the present invention is shown therein and is generally designated 200. As will be appreciated from the sequential part of this disclosure, the air-pruning plant tray 10 forms some transplant system designed to transfer one or more plants from the supply tray to a storage space, such as a port, tray or open field environment, at a time. do.

In order to include and adjust the feed tray 10, the plant transport system includes an XY-type index frame 234 that is movable across the plant transport plate 202 of the implanter 200 to receive and retain the feed tray 10. Include. The index frame 234 is movably mounted and can be indexed in the X and Y directions relative to the carrying plate 202 using means by the action of electrical, hydraulic, mechanical or air. The carrying plate 202 forms the top of a conventional vacuum chamber 210 that includes a bottom, side and end walls 52, 54 having a series of vacuum tubes 62. Placed around the lower end of each vacuum tube is an openable assembly 216. Each vacuum tube includes an inner drop tube in communication with each opening formed in the carrying plate 202.

To provide a vacuum in the vacuum chamber 210, a vacuum source 74 and a fan assembly in the form of an electric motor are provided.

Also forming part of the plant conveying means of the present invention is the lower conveyor or indexing means, generally indicated at 76. This acts to move each plant receiving means 140 to a suitable position under the vacuum tube 62 where the transport of the plant actually takes place. The conveyor means 76 are operated in time in a time relationship with the index frame 234.

For operation of the plant transfer system 200 of the present invention, reference is first made to FIGS. 10 (a) -10 (d). For illustration purposes, 96 plant cells are provided in the supply tray 10 and the plant transport system 200 is designed to transport 24 aeration plants at a time. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), the supply tray 10 shows the first position. In this position, the selected matrix of 24-waste plants is placed over the 24 openings provided in the carrying plate 202 above the vacuum chamber. Plants over the 24 openings are aligned in line with the 24 larger receiving ports 14a as illustrated in FIG. 10 (a). Once in this first position, a vacuum system is activated that draws all the 24-waste plants on top from the feed tray and directs them to the bottom 24 ports 14a. Fig. 10 (a) shows 24 empty cells, each empty cell being transported down from the supply tray 10 to a single container which is laid down and aligned in a storage container 14a.

Here, the conveyor means 76 is operated to move the underlying implant container 14a over the adjacent support 78 and to carry the empty container set to a defined storage position under the vacuum tube 62.

In order to continue the transfer of the plant, the index frame 234 is operated to move the entire tray 10 one abandoned plant or plant cell increment to the left as described in FIG. 10 (b). As a result, 24 additional plants are properly aligned with respect to each opening in the conveying plate 202 over the vacuum tube 62. By the same process described above, a second set of 24 aeration plants is directed into 24 sets of vessels 14a which are placed under vacuum tube 62. After this process, the index frame is activated again and moves the plant increments of abandonment downward to the position as described in figure 10 (c). The third set of 24-waste plants is properly aligned for 24 vacuum tubes 62 for transfer. Finally, after the transfer of the third set of 24-waste plants, the index frame 234 is actuated again and shifts one plant increment to the right as described in Figure 10 (d). In this position, the last or fourth set of 24-waste plants are properly aligned with the underlying plant container 14a for transport.

Once the last set of this 24-waste plant is transferred, the empty plant tray 10 is removed from the index frame 234 and the planted plant tray 10 is placed in the index frame 234.

The plant transfer or transplantation system of the present invention can be employed to provide various size plant trays having various numbers of plant cells formed therein.

With reference to FIG. 11, an optional model for a plant transfer system is shown therein, generally indicated at 200. As will be understood from the sequential parts of the present disclosure, the optional plant transfer system 200 is designed for simultaneously transferring plants and water to a transplant area and for use in open field transplantation, port transplantation operations or other types of transplantation operations. Designed. The system includes a carrying plate 202 provided with one or more plant dropping openings 204. One or more drop tubes 206 extend downward from the opening 204 and act to direct the falling plant to the implantation area or graft. The drop tube 206 includes an outlet end 208 through which the falling plant passes.

Extending around the bottom of the drop tube 206 and open to the outlet 208 of the drop tube is a vacuum system, generally indicated at 210. The vacuum chamber 214 may be opened and closed by the door assembly 216 with respect to the area surrounding the drop tube outlet 208. As shown in FIGS. 11, 11 (a) and 11 (b), the door assembly 216 includes a pair of cooperatively pivotally mounted doors 218, 220. Each door 218, 220 is pivotally mounted about pivot axis 222. In order to allow the doors 218 and 220 to be opened and closed simultaneously, a pair of cross links 224 and 226 are provided which extend between the opposite edges of the doors 218 and 220 and are pivotally connected.

As shown in the figure, when each door 218, 220 represents an open position, an air opening 232 is formed between the top of each door and the proximal portion of the wall structure 212 forming the vacuum system 210. do. Also, in the open vertical position, the top of the doors 218, 220 contact the bottom of the drop tube 206 and is stopped by the bottom.

Other actuators such as switch actuators 250 or light sensors, pressure sensors, etc. are attached within the inner plant drop tube 206 and are connected to one or more doors by a pull arm or connecting arm 228. (solenoid: 230) is operatively connected to the micro-switch 248 by wire. When the falling plant passes through the drop tube 206, the plant opens the doors 218, 220 to activate the sensors that alternately operate the solenoid 230 to allow the plant to pass through it. A spring may be provided on the door to keep the door closed. However, in FIGS. 11, 11 (a) and 11 (b), the differential pressure acting on the door causes the door to be biased to one side closed due to the larger surface area disposed under each pivot axis 222. Easy to do or maintain That is, atmospheric pressure acting on the doors 218 and 220 tends to cause the door to be in a closed state.

In place of the doors 218 and 220, a high pressure air jet curate may be provided around the drop tube 206 near the opening 208 and directed inwards. The air membrane enhances suction and effectively seals the system due to the action of the membrane that directs and directs the plant and water down the implantation area. Referring to FIG. 11 (c), the plant transport system of the present invention is shown with a high pressure air jet 221 that operates to form an air membrane 223. According to the above design, the doors that work together are not required.

In a suction system, the suction system can be continuous or intermittent. In an intermittent vacuum device, a reciprocating piston or diaphragm in the cylinder can be used to produce a pulse of vacuum which acts to guide the plant downward from the plant tray 10 through the drop tube 206. do.

In FIG. 12, an intermittent or impact vacuum device and in particular a reciprocating diaphragm type vacuum system are shown here. In this embodiment, it is noted that the disclosure is essentially the same as the other plant transfer designs shown and disclosed herein. The basic difference between the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 and the other plant transport systems disclosed herein is that the design of FIG. 12 incorporates a reciprocating piston or diaphragm type impact vacuum system.

Formed around the lower isolation end of the drop tube 206 is a flexible door device, indicated by reference numeral 300. The door design can be made of plastic, an elastomeric material or any other suitable material that tightly blocks when the piston or diaphragm acts to create a vacuum. This impact vacuum immediately pulls out the seedlings, and the weight and inertia of the plant allows the plant to fall through the door 300 to enable transplantation.

Referring now to the impact type vacuum system shown in FIG. 12, the system includes a housing 302 attached to a drop tube 206 around the bottom of the drop tube.

The inside of the housing 302 is opened into the drop tube 206 by the opening 304. This causes the vacuum system to cause a vacuum in the drop tube 206. Mounted to reciprocate in housing 302 is a piston assembly, generally designated 210. The piston assembly 210 is attached to the piston plate 308 and the piston plate 308 and the end or edge portion of the diaphragm from the piston plate is connected to the wall structure of the housing 302 as shown in FIG. 12. It includes a diaphragm 310 that extends to form an airtight assembly at the front of the piston. An actuator, air cylinder or electric solenoid 230 is mounted to the end of the housing 302 and connected to the piston plate 308. The spring 306 is also connected between the piston plate 308 and the backside of the housing 302 and acts to tilt the piston plate 308 to one side in an extended position. The housing 302 can be mounted vertically above the drop tube 206 to recover the gravity of the piston plate 308 to eliminate the need for the spring 306. The solenoid is operated in a time relationship consistent with the movement of the plant tray 10 disposed relative to the drop tube 206. Essentially, just prior to the plant falling, the piston assembly 210 is provided with a dropping tube that allows the plant to be effectively drawn through the drop tube 206 and the door structure 300 to be pulled or guided downward from the tray cell 14. Acts to create a vacuum inside the housing 302 and inside 206. Once the next continuous tray cell 14 is properly aligned with respect to the drop tube 206 and the plant transfer system is ready to dispense another plant, the impact vacuum system 210 of FIG. It is operated once again to lead other plants downward through 206. Various piston type designs (or continuous vacuum designs) can be embodied to obtain impact vacuum production equipment.

With reference to the impact type vacuum system shown in FIG. 12 (a), the system includes a housing 302 vertically attached to the bottom of the drop tube 206, wherein the inside of the bottom of the housing 302 is an opening. Opened into the drop tube 206 by the 304. The piston assembly 210 includes a piston plate 308 having an air-releasing groove 303 and a 0-ring 313 to form an airtight chamber under the piston as shown in FIG. 12 (a). The zero ring can be removed between the lower and upper piston plates 308. A device such as solenoid 230 is mounted on top of housing 302 and connected to piston plate 308. The solenoids are operated in a time relationship consistent with the movement of the plant tray 10 disposed above the drop tube 206. When solenoid 230 pulls up piston plate 308, lower piston plate 308 exhibits an airtight sealing effect in contact with 0-ring 313 to create a vacuum in drop tube 206, such that the plant is Pulled down or induced from cell 14. When solenoid 230 stops operating, gravity recovery of the piston and plunger forces the upper piston plate 308 to contact the 0-ring 313 and exposes the air-releasing groove 303 to fall. Air is released in the tube to facilitate the return of the piston plate 308 to its initial position. Once the next continuous tray cell 14 is properly aligned with the drop tube opening 204, the plant transport system is ready to dispense another seedling or plant.

Instead of the vacuum system disclosed herein, the plant transfer or transplant system of the present invention is a pressure disposed on a plant tray and exerting a downward force on the plant or the like and providing a force for the orientation or induction of each plant from the plant tray cell. Thread may be provided.

From the above specification and discussion, the present invention involves a plant tray provided with a bottom detachable screen that provides itself to the air-vestibular and helps to keep the plant growth medium in the plant tray structure. The air-vestibular tray becomes part of the autotransport system, so that each plant is pulled down and implanted completely effectively and efficiently in one basic operation using a continuous, intermittent or impact vacuum system.

The invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than described herein without departing from the spirit and essential specifics of the invention. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention have been considered in all respects that are not limited, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the appended claims are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

An air-pruning plant tray having a fixed bottom screen that is easily separable, comprising: a plurality of plant cells 14 having an open top, an open bottom, and a peripheral surface 16 structure, soil, peat mass or peat A plant tray 10 having means integrated in the plant tray for containing a plant growth medium such as a mixture; A screen 20 detachably attached to the bottom of the plant tray for holding the plant growth medium in the plant tray and causing air pruning, the detachable screen having a raised face extending around the parameters of the screen, the bottom being An air-pruning plant tray, characterized in that the screen can be easily removed from the peripheral structure of the plant tray by effectively coupling the screen to it and moving the screen from the plant tray. The air-pruning plant tray according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral sidewall structure of the plant tray extends above the height of the plant cell (14) so that each plant of the plant cell can be self-watered uniformly from the top. 3. The plant tray of claim 2, wherein when the plant in the cell is removed from the plant tray, the plant tray drains water through each plant cell, moving down with the plant from which the drained water has been removed and directed to the transplant site. Air-pruning plant tray. a. Filling the plant tray with the plant growth medium; b. Detachably attaching the screen to the bottom of the plant tray; c. Planting one or more seeds or plants in said growth medium and growing seeds or plants in said growth medium to form roots; d. The screen is used to hold and retain the plant growth medium in the tray, thus retaining the plant growth medium in the plant tray, and also allowing the air to circulate below the screen that air-prunes the roots and is positioned against the bottom of the plant tray. Air-pruning the plant roots as a result; e. Detaching the screen from the bottom of the plant tray such that the plant material can come down from the plant tray; Air pruning the plant roots in the plant tray, and preparing the plant tray for transplantation. a. Means for receiving, retaining and indexing the feed plant tray; b. Air means combined with said means for receiving, retaining and indexing a plant tray for transferring and transplanting selected plants from a feed tray to a transplant area; And a plant transplantation system for transferring one or more plants at a time from a tray. 6. A pair of simultaneously actuated doors 218 and 220 attached about the outlet end of the drop tube 206 and pivotally mounted therebetween, extending between the doors so that they can be opened and closed simultaneously with a single pole. And at least one connecting link provided. 6. The vacuum chamber 210 of claim 5, comprising means for inducing a plant from the plant tray and a drop tube, wherein the vacuum chamber 210 is operatively coupled with the drop tube to selectively form a vacuum in the drop tube for guiding the plant from the plant tray. 214). 6. The chamber of claim 5 comprising vacuum chambers 210 and 214 and drop tubes provided with a shock vibration device for generating a vacuum that effectively removes the plant from the plant tray and directs it down through the drop tube 206. Plant transplantation system. 8. A flexible door arrangement according to claim 7 is provided at the lower far end of the drop tube 206 to tightly close in response to the vacuum present in the drop tube, such that the plant is discharged down and exits through the door to perform a transplant. Plant transplantation system characterized in that. a. Supplying water to the plant tray to accumulate water in the plant tray; b. Directing the plant and water from the plant tray to direct the plant and water down into the transplant area; Transplanting a plant to the transplanted region characterized in that it comprises a method for transporting water with the plant at the same time.