KR20220168268A - Device and method for plant cultivation - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant growing machine, comprising: an LED module which emits light required for photosynthesis of plants; a pump which transports the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution tank to the plant placed on the top; a spray shaft which sprays the transported nutrient solution to the roots of plants to be cultivated; a blower fan which circulates air inside the plant cultivator to facilitate supply of carbon dioxide to plants and coordination of oxygen discharge from plants; a heater which operates together with or independently of a blowing fan to control the growing temperature of the plant; and a controller which controls the operation of at least one of the LED module, the pump, the blower fan, and the heater according to a plurality of pre-programmed operating modes. According to the present invention, the intensity of LED light required for photosynthesis of plants can be efficiently controlled using the light compensation point and the light saturation point of the cultivated plant.

Description

Plant grower and plant growing method {DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PLANT CULTIVATION}

The present invention relates to a plant cultivator and a plant cultivating method, and more particularly, to a home plant cultivator composed of a plurality of layers with high space utilization and temperature control, and a plant cultivating method using the same.

Facility agriculture is agriculture that produces agricultural products throughout the year by artificially creating a growing environment such as light, temperature, and humidity in a controlled facility. If the facility is introduced into agricultural production, it is possible to artificially control the crop production period, which can improve productivity and thus obtain economic and technological advantages. If crops are controlled at will through agricultural production under an artificial environment, it is possible for agricultural production to be carried out in an industrial process.

In agriculture, vinyl houses are mostly used in cases where a desired purpose is to be achieved by changing the production period or using facilities for special production, especially for the purpose of year-round cultivation. In this case, the types of environmental control include warming and heating to maintain room temperature at low temperatures, carbon dioxide concentration control to control gas environment, light control to increase the limited amount of light reception or limit high light intensity, and appropriate supply of soil moisture. It is possible to control irrigation for crop nutrition, and control the amount and method of fertilization for rational supply of crop nutrition.

Currently, most of the fruit and vegetables such as strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbages, radishes, and lettuce are grown in facilities, but they are also widely used for tropical plants, flowers, and special plants that cannot grow normally in the open field. Recently, various forms of agriculture equipped with advanced facilities, such as using various steel structures or hydroponics using computers, have emerged.

The development of facility agriculture is the blueprint for future agriculture, the plant factory. By fostering plant factories as next-generation green industries, it is expected that new farming technologies will be established and that related high-tech companies will be able to induce technological development. In addition, it is expected that power generation and greening can be achieved in buildings using plant factory technology. It is predicted that the plant factory, which is attracting attention as a future agricultural model, will be in the spotlight in the future.

As a technology related to the present invention, a hydroponic plant cultivation system is disclosed in the Korean Registered Patent Publication. This related technology is similar to the present invention in that it includes a support structure for arranging the nutrient solution culture tank in multiple stages, but the plant has a configuration that is open to the outside and does not have a temperature control function suitable for the plant. Differences are shown in the object, configuration and effect of the present invention having a temperature control function.

KR Registration Patent No. 10-1190139 (Announced on October 11, 2012)

One problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a plant cultivation device that controls photosynthesis of plants using a light compensation point and a light saturation point according to the type of plant.

One problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a plant grower capable of controlling both light and temperature suitable for plant growth.

One problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a plant grower capable of air conditioning through an outdoor and indoor circulation mode using an air filter.

Plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the LED module for emitting light necessary for photosynthesis of plants; A pump that transports the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution container to the plant placed on top; An injection shaft for spraying the transported nutrient solution to the roots of plants to be cultivated; a blower fan for circulating air inside the plant cultivator to facilitate supply of carbon dioxide to plants and coordination of oxygen discharge from plants; a heater operating together with or independently of a blowing fan to control the growing temperature of the plant; and a controller controlling the operation of at least one of the LED module, the pump, the blowing fan, and the heater according to a plurality of pre-programmed operation modes.

In addition, the plant cultivator may be configured to further include an air inlet and an inlet air filter installed therein.

In addition, the controller may be configured to control the LED module to sterilize and disinfect the nutrient solution container and the nutrient solution using ultraviolet rays.

In addition, the plant cultivator further includes a hygrometer for measuring humidity contained in the air, and the controller is configured to measure the humidity of the air using the hygrometer in a state in which the open/close controllable air outlet is closed. can

In addition, the controller may be configured to control the operation of the LED module using a plant cultivation recipe programmed in advance based on light compensation point and light saturation point information according to the type of plant.

In addition, the controller may be configured to control the operation of the heater using a plant cultivation recipe programmed in advance based on information on an optimal temperature at which photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant.

In addition, the plant cultivator further includes a thermometer for measuring indoor temperature and a hygrometer for measuring indoor humidity, and the controller controls spraying of the nutrient solution by the pump according to the measured humidity value, and controls the spraying of the nutrient solution according to the measured temperature value. It can be configured to control the operation of the heater.

In addition, the spray shaft may be configured to be engaged with the tray through a hole disposed in the center of the tray on which the plant to be grown is disposed, and to be separated.

In addition, the plant grower, a camera module for monitoring the state of the plant; And it may be configured to further include a communication module for transmitting the data collected in the monitoring to the server.

Plant cultivation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, providing a nutrient solution to the plants according to the humidity of the bet in a bet circulation mode; Shining light on the plant using an LED module using a light compensation point and a light saturation point according to the type of plant; Controlling the temperature using a heater so that the optimum temperature for photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant; and controlling the operation of the blower fan in an outdoor circulation mode for air conditioning of carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis of plants and oxygen, which is a product of photosynthesis.

In addition, the plant cultivation method may be configured to further include the step of monitoring the growth state of the plant using a camera and transmitting data collected in the monitoring to a server.

Details of other embodiments are included in the "specific details for carrying out the invention" and the accompanying "drawings".

Advantages and/or features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will become apparent with reference to the various embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present invention is not limited only to the configuration of each embodiment disclosed below, but may also be implemented in various other forms, and each embodiment disclosed herein only makes the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the present invention It is provided to completely inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present invention, and it should be noted that the present invention is only defined by the scope of each claim of the claims.

According to the present invention, the intensity of LED light required for photosynthesis of plants can be efficiently controlled using the light compensation point and the light saturation point of the cultivated plant.

In addition, by controlling temperature along with light for plant growth, the range of crops that can be grown at home can be expanded.

In addition, air conditioning for plant cultivation is possible through an outdoor and indoor circulation mode using an air filter.

1 is an exemplary view of a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary interior view of the plant grower depicted in FIG. 1 .
3 is an exemplary view showing a cross section of the plant cultivator depicted in FIG. 1 .
4 is an exemplary view of components of a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a block diagram of a control unit of a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an exemplary view showing air circulation in a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an exemplary view of liquid injection in a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a flow chart of a plant cultivation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, the terms or words used in this specification should not be construed unconditionally in a conventional or dictionary sense, and in order for the inventor of the present invention to explain his/her invention in the best way It should be noted that concepts of various terms may be appropriately defined and used, and furthermore, these terms or words should be interpreted as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical spirit of the present invention.

That is, the terms used in this specification are only used to describe preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to specifically limit the contents of the present invention, and these terms represent various possibilities of the present invention. It should be noted that it is a defined term.

In addition, it should be noted that in this specification, singular expressions may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and similarly, even if they are expressed in plural numbers, they may include singular meanings. .

Throughout this specification, when a component is described as "including" another component, it does not exclude any other component, but further includes any other component, unless otherwise stated. It can mean you can do it.

Furthermore, when a component is described as “existing inside or connected to and installed” of another component, this component may be directly connected to or installed in contact with the other component, and a certain It may be installed at a distance, and when it is installed at a certain distance, a third component or means for fixing or connecting the corresponding component to another component may exist, and now It should be noted that the description of the components or means of 3 may be omitted.

On the other hand, when it is described that a certain element is "directly connected" to another element, or is "directly connected", it should be understood that no third element or means exists.

Similarly, other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between", or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to" have the same meaning. should be interpreted as

In addition, in this specification, the terms "one side", "the other side", "one side", "the other side", "first", "second", etc., if used, refer to one component It is used to be clearly distinguished from other components, and it should be noted that the meaning of the corresponding component is not limitedly used by such a term.

In addition, in this specification, terms related to positions such as "top", "bottom", "left", and "right", if used, should be understood as indicating a relative position in the drawing with respect to the corresponding component, Unless an absolute position is specified for these positions, these positional terms should not be understood as referring to an absolute position.

In addition, in this specification, in specifying the reference numerals for each component of each drawing, for the same component, even if the component is displayed in different drawings, it has the same reference numeral, that is, the same reference throughout the specification. Symbols indicate identical components.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, the size, position, coupling relationship, etc. of each component constituting the present invention is partially exaggerated, reduced, or omitted in order to sufficiently clearly convey the spirit of the present invention or for convenience of explanation. may be described, and therefore the proportions or scale may not be exact.

In addition, in the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of a configuration that is determined to unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, for example, a known technology including the prior art, may be omitted.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to related drawings.

1 is an exemplary view of a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the plant grower 100 includes a housing 111 accommodating internal components, a front cover 112 that can be opened and closed, a user interface 141 installed on the front cover 112, and an air outlet 121. ), an outlet air filter 122 installed therein, an air inlet 131, and an inlet air filter 132 installed therein.

The housing 111 is coupled to the front cover 112, and the front cover 112 may be used to open and close the housing 111 in the form of a door. The front cover 112 may be made of glass so that the plant being grown can be seen.

The top cover 113 may be configured to be openable while connected to or separated from the housing 111 . The front cover 112 may be configured in the form of a door that can be opened and closed to sow seeds for plant cultivation or to collect cultivated plants, such as in a refrigerator. The top cover 113 can be opened for coupling and separation of the injection shaft 161 depicted in FIG. 2 . The housing 111 may be manufactured using glass and a frame of a heat treated and coated metal alloy, particularly stainless steel.

The user interface 141 may be installed on the front cover 112 . The user interface 141 may be configured to include a monitor displaying an operating state of the plant cultivator 100 and an input interface for inputting operation commands of the plant cultivator.

The air outlet 121 may be disposed on an upper surface of the housing 111 . An outlet air filter 122 may be installed in the air outlet 121 . Oxygen, which is a product of photosynthesis of plants, can pass through the outlet air filter 121 and be discharged to the outside, and components of the plant nutrient solution that can be contained in the air in the plant cultivation apparatus 100 can be filtered by the outlet air filter 121 .

Since the air outlet 121 depicted in FIG. 1 is only an example, the air outlet 121 may be adopted in a wide range of sizes, locations, and shapes.

The air inlet 131 may be disposed on the side of the housing 111 close to the bottom of the plant grower 100. An inlet air filter 132 is installed at the air inlet 131, so that foreign substances, such as dust, included in the air sucked into the plant grower 100 can be filtered out.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary interior view of the plant grower depicted in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , various components of the plant grower 100 may be placed inside the housing 111 . The plant cultivator 100 includes a function of increasing the internal temperature to create a temperature suitable for plant growth, and is characterized in that it has a hermetic structure.

The inside of the plant grower 100 in which the front cover 112 is opened is depicted in FIG. 2 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the plant cultivator 100 may be divided into an upper area where plants are grown and a lower area including various power devices. The plant cultivator 100 may be configured to include a plurality of trays 112 and a spray shaft 161 in an upper region.

3 is an exemplary view showing a cross section of the plant cultivator depicted in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the tray 112 may be configured as one set including a seedling holder 113, a nutrient solution chamber 114 and an LED module 115, and the plant cultivator 100 may include a plurality of Can include three cradle of.

The seedling holder 113 is inserted into the lower part of the tray 112 with a height difference so that a space in which the stem and leaves of the plant can grow can be secured, and the root of the plant can be placed in the lower part of the seedling holder 113. The nutrient solution chamber 114 may be inserted into the tray 112 at a certain distance so that a space there is secured.

The plant cultivator 100 may include trays 112 of various heights, and the heights of the seedling holder 113 and the nutrient solution chamber 114 may be adjusted, so that various types of plants having different lengths of stems and roots may be used. It can be configured to be suitable for cultivation.

The LED module 115 may be disposed on the ceiling surface of the tray 112 . Accordingly, LED light may be projected onto the plants using independent LED modules for each tray 112 . The LED module may be configured to be suitable for plant cultivation suitable for a wavelength range by using different LEDs for each wavelength range.

Since the plant grower 100 includes the LED module 115 for each tray 112 and the tray 112 can be separated from the plant grower 100, the tray 112 can be mounted on the plant grower 100. A terminal connection for supplying power to the LED module 115 may be further included.

The LED module 117 may be disposed on the ceiling surface of each tray 114 . The LED module 117 includes LEDs that generate light in several wavelength ranges, and thus can generate light in a wavelength range suitable for photosynthesis according to the type of plant.

Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis, but at night when there is no light, plants absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide for respiration. Therefore, it is good to place CAM plants in the bedroom, such as cacti and succulents that release oxygen at night. Houseplants with thick leaves absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide at night, so it is preferable to place them in the living room rather than the bedroom.

The light compensation point refers to the intensity of light at the point where the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by plants during respiration and the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during photosynthesis are equal, and photosynthesis is seemingly zero. When only the light of the light compensation point reaches, the result of photosynthesis is all consumed for the survival of the plant, so the plant barely maintains the status quo and cannot grow. If only a small amount of light than the light compensation point enters the plant, the plant may die without even maintaining the status quo.

The light saturation point refers to the light intensity at which the photosynthetic rate does not increase even when the light becomes stronger. Plants gradually increase the amount of photosynthesis according to the intensity of light, but because there is a limit in processing capacity, even if the amount of light increases infinitely, photosynthesis does not occur proportionally. Therefore, the light saturation point is the amount of light at which photosynthesis is saturated.

The LED module 117 included in the actual planter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention emits light at or above the light compensation point according to the type of plant and controls the controller 140 to emit light at or above the light saturation point. can be controlled by For example, in order to grow tomatoes, 3000 lux of light is applied to the plants, but there is no need to illuminate the plants in excess of 70,000 lux. need not exceed

4 is an exemplary view of components of a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the plant cultivator 100 is a component for supplying nutrient solution to plants and may include a spray shaft 161 , a pump 163 and a nutrient solution container 164 .

The spray shaft 161 may be configured in a pipe shape, and a plurality of holes through which the nutrient solution is sprayed may be formed on its surface.

Referring back to FIG. 3 , interference between the spray shaft 161 and the tray 112 may occur at a location where the two are disposed. In order to prevent this, a hole through which the spray shaft 161 can pass is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the tray 112, and the spray shaft 161 is a multi-layered tray (with the top cover 113 open). 112) may be installed through a hole formed in the bottom.

In addition, the spray shaft 161 may be separated from the tray 112 like the seedling holder 113 and the nutrient solution chamber 114.

The injection shaft 161 has a function of injecting the nutrient solution transported in the nutrient solution container 164 by the power of the pump 163. The medicine may be sprayed from the injection shaft 161 to the roots of the plant seedlings mounted on the seedling holder 113 . In addition, the nutrient solution component remaining after spraying is pooled in the nutrient solution chamber 114 disposed under the seedling holder 113 and can be absorbed through the roots of plants. Since the nutrient solution is directly sprayed to the roots of the plant using the spray shaft 161, the absorption rate of the nutrient solution by the roots can be increased.

In the lower area of the plant cultivator 100, various components of a power system are arranged. Components disposed in the lower region will be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the plant cultivator 100 may include a heater 162 , a pump 163 and a blowing fan 165 .

The heater 162 may be disposed above the blowing fan 165 in the lower region of the plant cultivator 100 . The heater 162 serves to adjust the growth temperature of plants grown in the plant cultivator 100 . The heater 162 may operate together with or independently of the blowing fan 165 .

The heater 162 is configured by electrically coupling a metal alloy having a high resistance value to the busbar, for example, nickel-nickel, nickel-chromium, iron-nickel, or a polymer heating element, for example, carbon black, metal powder, or carbon fire. It can be.

The pump 163 transfers the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution tank 164 disposed below the plant cultivator 100 to the roots of the plants growing in the seedling holder 113 of the plurality of trays 112 through the spray shaft 161. Provides power for spraying.

The blowing fan 165 may be disposed at a position lower than the heater 162 in the lower region of the plant cultivator 100 . An air inlet 131 may be disposed on a side of the housing where the blowing fan 165 is disposed. The air introduced into the air inlet 131 reaches the plants mounted on the seedling holder 113 of the plant cultivator 100 according to the operation of the blowing fan 165, and in some cases, the air outlet 121 and the outlet air filter ( 122) may be discharged to the outside. Since the air outlet 121 can be opened and closed electronically by the controller 140, the flow of air inside the air outlet 121 can be determined in either the outside air circulation mode or the inside air circulation mode according to the opening and closing of the air outlet 121.

Normally, the inside/outside air circulation mode of a car focuses on the inflow of outside air, but the plant grower 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention focuses on whether or not the outside air including the nutrient solution component is discharged rather than the characteristics of the outside air. The ventilation/outdoor circulation mode can be determined accordingly. Discharge of the bet containing the nutrient solution component can cause external air to be polluted, so the discharge of the bet containing a large amount of the nutrient solution component can be controlled through the operation of the controller 140.

The plant cultivator 100 may be configured to further include a nutrient solution container 164. The nutrient solution container 164 has a function of storing nutrient solution in liquid form. The nutrient solution contains various nutrients necessary for the growth of plants, so it can promote the growth of plants in hydroponic cultivation. The nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution tank 164 may be sprayed to the roots of plants through the injection shaft 161 by the power of the pump 163. The remaining nutrient solution component after spraying may be stored in the nutrient solution tray 114.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , a user interface 141 enabling control of the operation of the plant grower 100 is depicted. The user interface 141 provided on the housing 111 and the front cover 112 may be configured to include an input device and an output device necessary for controlling the operation of the plant grower 100 . An example of an input device may include a touch panel and a push button, and an example of an output device may include an LED lamp, an LCD panel, and a speaker.

The plant cultivator 100 may be configured to include a controller 140 for controlling an operation of the plant cultivator 100 that functions in conjunction with the user interface 141 .

The controller 140 operates the components of the internal power system of the plant grower 100 according to input through the input device of the user interface 141 and displays the operation status through the output device of the user interface 141. It has functions that generate output data. The controller 140 will be configured to control the operation timing of a mode for adjusting lighting, temperature and humidity according to the type and amount of cultivated plants using an artificial intelligence module trained through learning even when the user does not select a mode. can

5 is a block diagram of a controller of a plant cultivator using ultrasonic waves according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the controller 140 may include a user interface 141 , a processor 142 , and a memory 144 .

The user interface 141 may include an input device receiving an input from a user and an output device displaying information related to the operation of the plant growing machine 100 . The input device may be implemented in the form of a touch panel or push button, and the output device may be implemented in the form of an LCD display, an LED lamp, or a speaker.

The processor 142 uses the artificial intelligence mode module 149 based on the pre-programmed heating mode module 145, wind direction mode module 146, spray mode module 147, and circulation mode module 148 to air The plant cultivation function is performed through the opening and closing of the outlet 122, the data collection of the sensor 143, the operation of the heater 162, pump 163, blowing fan 165, camera module 166 and communication module 167. You can control it.

Memory 144 includes functional program modules, namely heating mode module 145, wind direction module 146, spraying mode module 147, circulation mode module 148 and artificial intelligence mode module 149. can be configured. Functional program modules may be implemented integrally with the memory 144, which is hardware, or in the form of software loaded onto the memory 144 when power is supplied.

The processor 142 includes a light emitting mode module 145, a heating mode module 146, an injection mode module 147, a circulation mode module 148, and artificial intelligence stored in the memory 144 based on data input/output and arithmetic functions. Through interaction with the mode module 149, the air outlet 121, the sensor 143, for example, the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor, the LED module 115, the pump 163, the blowing fan 165 and the heater ( 162) can be controlled.

The processor 142 is programmed in advance based on the light compensation point and light saturation point information according to the type of plant through interaction with the light emitting mode module 145 stored in the memory 144 based on data input/output and arithmetic functions. It may be configured to control the operation of the LED module 115 using a plant cultivation recipe.

The processor 142 interacts with the heating mode module 146 stored in the memory 144 based on data input/output and arithmetic functions to control the air outlet 121, the heater 162, the sensor 143, for example For example, the operation of the temperature sensor and the blowing fan 165 can be controlled.

The processor 142, through interaction with the circulation mode module 148 stored in the memory 144 based on data input and output and arithmetic functions, the air outlet 121, the blowing fan 165 and the sensor 143, e.g. For example, the operation of a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor can be controlled.

The processor 142, through interaction with the artificial intelligence mode module 149 stored in the memory 144 based on data input/output and calculation functions, the air outlet 121 based on the functional program modules 145 to 148 , It is possible to control the operation of the sensor 143, for example, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, an illuminance sensor, a heater 162, a pump 163, and a blowing fan 165.

The artificial intelligence mode module 149 may be configured to include an artificial intelligence model trained through learning. In addition, for the artificial intelligence model, using a training data set including plant cultivation recipe information according to the type of plant and driving information of the plant grower 100, optimal light and temperature suitable for the type of plant to be cultivated can be applied Training for learning of a cultivation recipe that allows

The cultivation recipe information may include light compensation point information, light saturation point information, optimum temperature information and humidity information for each type of plant, and operation timing information for driving components of a plant cultivation machine based thereon.

Basic operations of the air outlet 121, the sensor 143, the heater 162, the pump 163, the blowing fan 165, the camera module 166, and the communication module 167 included in the plant grower 100 below. to explain about

Opening and closing of the air outlet 121 may be controlled by the processor 142 . When the photosynthesis of plants is active, the air outlet 121 is opened, oxygen is discharged through the air outlet 121, and external carbon dioxide can be sucked into the plant grower 100 as a reaction. When there is no photosynthesis because sunlight and LED light are not supplied, the air outlet 121 may be closed so that excessive carbon dioxide is not discharged to the outside of the plant cultivator 100.

The sensor 143 serves to collect environmental information inside the plant grower 100 . The sensor 142 may collect illuminance information, temperature information, and humidity information suitable for the plant according to the type of plant to be cultivated.

The LED module 115 functions to provide light for photosynthesis of plants instead of sunlight. The processor 142 may control the LED module to emit LED light of various wavelengths. For example, the processor 142 may be configured to control the UV LEDs included in the LED module 115 to sterilize and disinfect the nutrient solution container and the medicine using ultraviolet rays.

The heater 162 and the blowing fan 165 have an air conditioning function of the plant growing machine 100 . A temperature in the plant cultivator 100 suitable for plant growth may be maintained through the heater 162 . The pump 163 functions to evenly distribute the heat generated by the heater 162 and to independently apply the heat generated by the heater 162 to circulate the air inside the plant grower 100. The supply of carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis of plants and the discharge of oxygen, which is a by-product of photosynthesis, may be promoted through the blowing fan 165 .

One of the characteristics of the plant cultivator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is that it is designed not to require human labor through various configurations.

The plant grower 100 may be configured to include a camera module 166 for observing the degree of plant growth. The camera module 166 may be installed at a location suitable for taking pictures of the inside of the plant growing device 100, for example, on the inner surface of the front cover 112. A manager who manages the plant cultivator 100 can grasp the degree of plant growth using the data transmitted by the camera module 166 .

The communication module 167 may be included in the camera module 166 or designed independently. The communication module 167 serves to transmit the data collected by the camera module 166, that is, image data showing the degree of plant growth, to the server. For example, the communication module 167 includes a wireless LAN module, and may be configured to access an AP using WiFi and transmit captured image data to a server.

A manager who manages the plant cultivator 100 can access the plant cultivator 100 that communicates with a station on the network through the communication module 167 using his/her personal terminal. Accordingly, the manager can remotely monitor the plants growing in the plant cultivator 100 through the personal terminal without any time and place limitations.

6 is an exemplary view showing air circulation in the plant cultivation device depicted in FIG. 3 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , air introduced into the plant grower 100 through the air inlet 131 may be discharged through the air outlet 121 after being circulated in the housing 111 . Air flow may be accelerated through the blowing fan 165 and hot air may be generated through the heater 162 . The inlet air filter 132 installed at the air inlet 131 can remove dust contained in the outside air, and the outlet air filter 122 installed at the air outlet 121 is nutrient solution that may be included in the air due to nutrient solution injection. Components can be adsorbed, so that the nutrient solution components can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the plant cultivator 100.

Opening and closing of the air outlet 121 may be controlled by the controller 140 according to the internal circulation mode and the external air circulation mode. For example, in a state in which the air outlet 121 is closed to increase the temperature in the plant cultivator 100, the heater may operate in a circulation mode.

In addition, the air outlet 121 is opened, and carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis in the outdoor circulation mode can be sucked into the inside.

7 is an exemplary view of liquid injection in a plant cultivator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution container 164 disposed in the lower region of the plant cultivator 100 rises to the height of each tray 114 by the operation of the pump 163, and the injection shaft 161 It can be sprayed to the roots of the plant to be cultivated through the nozzle of the . The spray shaft 161 is disposed in the center of the tray 114 to evenly spray water or nutrient solution to the root of the plant to be grown.

The tray 114 includes a seedling stand 115 and a nutrient solution chamber 116 on which plant seedlings are placed, may be provided in multiple layers, and can be separated from the plant cultivator 100.

Technical features of the plant cultivator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be explained through the method.

8 is a flowchart of a food drying method using ultrasonic waves according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the plant cultivation method (S100) includes a step of providing a nutrient solution to the root of the plant (S110), and using an LED module to light the plant using a light compensation point and a light saturation point according to the type of plant. Illumination step (S120), step of controlling the bee temperature using a heater so that the optimum temperature for photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant (S130), and controlling the operation of the blower man in the outdoor circulation mode to supply carbon dioxide to the plant It may be configured to include the step (S140) of doing. Here, the time-sequential order of each step is mutually variable.

The processes of S110 to S140 are included in the method by the artificial intelligence mode module 149 included in the plant cultivator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and may be configured differently in the manual mode by the user. .

In step S110, the plant grower 100 measures the humidity of the beet using the humidity sensor 143 in the bet circulation mode and controls the pump 163 based on the measured humidity value to provide nutrient solution to the plants. can

In step S120 , the plant grower 100 may control the LED module to illuminate the plant based on the light compensation point and light saturation point information according to the type of plant.

In step S130 , the plant grower 100 may control the temperature of the beetroot by controlling the heater 162 and the blowing fan 165 based on the information on the optimum temperature at which photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant.

In step S140 , the plant grower 100 may supply carbon dioxide to plants in an outdoor circulation mode by controlling the opening and closing of the air outlet 121 and controlling the operation of the blowing fan 165 . Carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis of plants is sucked into the plant cultivator 100, and oxygen, a product of photosynthesis, may be discharged out of the plant cultivator 100.

In step S150, the plant grower 100 may monitor the growth state of the plant using the camera and transmit data collected in the monitoring to the server. Image data collected through the camera and information about various measurement values such as temperature, humidity, and illuminance collected through the sensor 143 may be transmitted to the server. In addition, the administrator can access the server through the personal terminal and view the data transmitted by the plant cultivator 100. The manager refers to the monitoring data received by the server and remotely monitors various components included in the plant grower 100, the air outlet 121, the LED module 115, the heater 162, the pump 163, and the blowing fan. (165) can be controlled.

As such, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the intensity of LED light required for photosynthesis of plants can be efficiently controlled using the light compensation point and the light saturation point of the cultivated plant.

In addition, by controlling temperature along with light for plant growth, the range of crops that can be grown at home can be expanded.

In addition, air conditioning for plant cultivation is possible through an outdoor and indoor circulation mode using an air filter.

In the above, various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with some examples, but the description of various embodiments described in the "Specific Contents for Carrying Out the Invention" section is only exemplary, and the present invention Those skilled in the art will understand from the above description that the present invention can be practiced with various modifications or equivalent implementations of the present invention can be performed.

In addition, since the present invention can be implemented in various other forms, the present invention is not limited by the above description, and the above description is intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention and is common in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. It is only provided to completely inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present invention, and it should be noted that the present invention is only defined by each claim of the claims.

100: plant grower
111: housing
112: front cover
121: air outlet
122: outlet air filter
131: air inlet
132: inlet air filter
141: user interface
140: controller
114: tray
115: seedling stand
116: nutrient solution chamber
161: injection shaft
162: heater
163: pump
164: nutrient solution container
165: blowing fan

Claims (10)

An LED module that emits light required for photosynthesis of plants;
A pump that transports the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution container to the plant placed on top;
a spraying shaft for spraying the transported nutrient solution to the roots of plants to be cultivated;
a blower fan for circulating air inside the plant cultivator to facilitate supply of carbon dioxide to plants and coordination of oxygen discharge from plants;
a heater operating together with or independently of the blowing fan to control the growth temperature of the plant; and
It is configured to include a controller for controlling the operation of at least one of the LED module, pump, blowing fan, and heater according to a plurality of pre-programmed operating modes.
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
Constructed to further include an air inlet and an inlet air filter installed therein,
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
The controller,
Is configured to control the LED module to sterilize and disinfect the nutrient solution container and the nutrient solution using ultraviolet rays,
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
The controller,
Configured to control the operation of the LED module using a pre-programmed plant cultivation recipe based on light compensation point and light saturation point information according to the type of plant,
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
The controller,
Configured to control the operation of the heater using a pre-programmed plant cultivation recipe based on information on the optimum temperature at which photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant,
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a thermometer for measuring the bet temperature and a hygrometer for measuring the bet humidity,
The controller,
Controlling the injection of the nutrient solution by the pump according to the measured humidity value and controlling the operation of the heater according to the measured temperature value,
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
The injection shaft,
It is fastened to the tray through a hole disposed in the center of the tray on which the plant to be grown is placed and is configured to be separated.
plant grower. The method of claim 1,
A camera module for monitoring plant conditions; and
It is configured to include a communication module for transmitting the data collected in the monitoring to the server,
plant grower. providing a nutrient solution to the plants according to the humidity of the bet in a bet circulation mode;
Shining light on the plant using an LED module using a light compensation point and a light saturation point according to the type of plant;
Controlling the temperature using a heater so that the optimum temperature for photosynthesis occurs according to the type of plant; and
It is configured to include the step of controlling the operation of a blower fan in an outdoor circulation mode for air conditioning of carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis of plants and oxygen, which is a photosynthesis product.
How to grow food. The method of claim 9,
It is configured to further include monitoring the growth state of the plant using the camera and transmitting the data collected from the monitoring to the server.
How to grow food.

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