NL2006531C2 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING PLANT MATERIAL. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder (2) for receiving plant material (5) therein, a least for a period of the cultivation thereof, comprising an elongate hollow body for receiving the plant material (5) in a cavity thereof, with at least one open outer end and with at least one access extending in longitudinal direction from the at least one open outer end for the purpose of manipulating the plant material (5) radially relative to the longitudinal axis of the body from outside.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING PLANT MATERIAL

The present invention relates to a container for containing or incorporating plant material therein, and a method and system for processing plant material in such a container.

Many embodiments are known of containers for containing plant material. Plant material is otherwise understood to be: cuttings, plants, seedlings, etc. A known holder is disclosed, for example, in Dutch patent application NL-1036276 of the same person entitled as with regard to the present invention. Young plants, cuttings, seedlings and other plant material can herein be grown in a tubular hollow body, and with a predetermined growth rate can be taken out of the container on a fluid flow. Although this system per se functions as expected for relatively young plant material, improvements appear to be desirable for older plant material and the processing thereof. Thus older plant material or plant material with a root system in a substrate is more difficult to get out of the tubular than can be achieved with the fluid flow.

It is an object of the present invention to remedy or at least reduce these and possibly also other problems of this or other known technique, for which purpose a holder for receiving therein of plant material, at least during a period of cultivation thereof, conforms to the present invention. invention is distinguished by the combination of measures and / or properties of an elongated hollow body for receiving the plant material in a cavity thereof, with at least one open end and with at least 2 one extending longitudinally from the at least one open end access for manipulating the plant material radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body from outside.

In a preferred embodiment, the container according to the present invention further has the features and / or properties that the hollow body is tubular with a cross-sectional shape from the group, which comprises: round, polygonal, elliptical, etc. These are common forms, but other forms are also possible within the scope of the present invention, which are easy to grasp and manipulate, for example in a system or method according to the invention as also discussed below.

In a further preferred embodiment, the container according to the present invention has, in addition or alternatively, the features and / or properties that the hollow body has a shape diverging from the at least one open end. It can thus be prevented or impeded that the plant material during a transport thereof in the container, if the container is picked up and transported by a conveyor in a system also according to the present invention, can inadvertently drop out of the open end of the container, if it is oriented downwards during transport.

In a further preferred embodiment, the container according to the present invention has, in addition or alternatively, the features and / or properties that the hollow body comprises at least two entrances, which are spaced apart from each other around the circumference of the hollow body. Thus, plant material from two sides can be engaged by a gripper in a system also according to the present invention, if it is to be taken from the holder. In such an embodiment, it is possible, useful and / or favorable that parts of the hollow body form an engagement between the accesses for the plant material. This can be realized particularly elegantly and simply when the holder has a shape that diverges from the open end described above.

In a further preferred embodiment, the container according to the present invention has, in addition or alternatively, the features and / or properties that at least a part of the hollow body is designed at the open end in accordance with a plant hole in or of a culture tray. Thus, containers according to the present invention can be deployed as a sort of insert intended to be placed in planting holes in the culture tray to facilitate transfer of the plant material in the containers to a larger container, since the plant material in the container from a plant hole in the culture tray can be taken out of it and can be transported in the holder.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for processing plant material in a container, which according to the present invention comprises the assembly of steps, measures and / or properties of picking up the container and transporting it to a container. container; engaging the plant material in or near the container through the at least one access; moving the holder away from the container with the planting material in the engaged state, leaving the planting material in or near the container. Thus, this method according to the present invention in combination with the holder also constitutes, according to this invention, a considerable advance over technique known to blow or flush out of the holders with a fluid stream. The plant material is seized in a positive manner, after which the holder can be pulled over the plant material, leaving behind that plant material in or near the container. The container can be a container filled with substrate or earth, or a container that is larger than the container, but in principle has the same shape.

In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the present invention furthermore comprises the steps, measures and / or features that transporting the container comprises: inserting the at least one open end at the container's access into the container. The plant material can thus easily be grasped at the at least one open end to move the holder over the plant material in a return movement.

In a further preferred embodiment, the method according to the present invention shows, in addition or alternatively, the steps, measures and / or properties of engaging the plant material prior to reaching the container during transport of the container. With the plant material in an engaged state thereof, the holder can be inserted into the substrate in the container, whereafter the holder is withdrawn and the plant material remains behind in that substrate, after which the engaged state is only released.

In a further preferred embodiment, the method according to the present invention has, in addition or alternatively, the steps, measures and / or properties that the container has a similar hollow body with an access as the holder, with dimensions larger than the holder, and the method comprises: engaging the plant material in the container, following reaching of the container during transport of the container. The container can thus be brought into or near the container if the plant material has grown and requires a larger container to be grown further. The container then functions again in the same way as the holder. In such an embodiment, it is possible, useful and / or advantageous if it comprises, in combination with a container 10 in which at least a part of the hollow body is shaped at the open end in accordance with a planting hole in or of a culture tray: releasing the access of the container and engaging the plant material through the released access of the container and through the access of the container. A very elegant manner is thus provided for engaging the plant material through the access in the container and through the access in the container. In such an embodiment it is possible, useful and / or favorable when it comprises closing the access of the container after leaving the plant material in or near the container. This can be done, for example, by lowering the larger container than the container into a culture tray, of which planting holes have dimensions and shapes that correspond to the circumference shape of the container. The access can also be closed by using a different type of lock.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for processing plant material in a container, also according to the present invention, which system according to the present invention comprises the assembly of measures and / or properties of a conveyor for picking up the container and transporting it to a container; a gripper 6 for engaging the plant material in or near the container via the at least one access; wherein the conveyor is adapted to move the holder away from the container with the planting material in the engaged state, leaving the planting material in or near the container. The system can also include additional features or measures that substantially correspond to the steps, measures, and / or features of the method.

Below, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the attached drawing, which are merely illustrative and not limiting of the present invention, since limitation thereof can only be based on the provisions and limitations of the attached drawings. independent claims, and wherein in various embodiments in the drawing the same reference numbers may be used for the same or similar elements, components, measures properties or steps, and wherein the drawing in:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a number of containers according to the present invention in a culture tray;

FIG. 2-7 show a sequence of a number of steps in a method and with a device, both according to the present invention, for transferring the containers of fig. 1 into a container;

FIG. 8-14 show a sequence of a number of steps in a method and with a device, both according to the present invention, for transferring a container according to the present invention into a container similar to a container; and

FIG. 15 shows an alternative embodiment of a holder.

7

Fig. 1 shows a culture tray 1, containing containers 2 according to the present invention. The holders 2 are tubular bodies with an upwardly diverging shape in FIG. The holder is open on the underside 3 in Fig. 1. Four accesses 4 are provided at the open end 3 of the holder 3. The entrances 4 are actually recesses or incisions or other shaped entrances to provide access to plant material 5 in the container 2. At the start of a growing period, plant material 5 is introduced into the container 2 in the direction of arrow A, after which the container 2 is inserted into a planting hole 6, several of which are provided in the growing tray 1. The upwardly diverging shape of the container 2 closely resembles the shape of the planting holes 6 in the growing tray 1. Thus, the open end 3 becomes a planting hole 6 in the culture tray 1 is closed, and side walls of planting holes 6 ensure that the entrances 4 to the interior of the container 2 are tightly sealed. Planting material in the container 2 may comprise a root system 20 which, for example, in a limited amount. substrate can be arranged in the holder 2. Due to the shape of the holder 2, in particular near the open end 3 and the accesses 4 thereof and the close confinement in a planting hole 6, adequate containment of the plant material 5 and a possible amount of substrate in the holder 2 can be guaranteed. .

The container 2 extends over a distance above the upper surface 7 of the culture tray. Thus leaf growth of the plant material can be guided upwards through the part of the tubular body of the container 2 protruding above the upper surface 7 of the culture tray 1. Plant material 5 can therefore not become entangled with an adjacent plant material and leaf growth necessarily becomes more 8 in particular by the divergent shape of the holder 2, controlled upwards.

Fig. 2 shows a system and method, also according to the present invention, based on the use of containers such as those shown in Fig. 1. The system 8 of Fig. 2 comprises a conveyor belt 9 for supplying and discharging culture trays 1, for example in the direction of arrow B. The system 8 also comprises a conveyor belt 10 for supplying and discharging containers 11, for example in the direction of arrow C. The system 8 and the method, of which the system 8 is a practical embodiment, are intended to transfer plant material from containers 2 to a quantity of substrate 12 in the container 11.

From a starting situation shown in Fig. 2 (Figs. 3-15 show follow-on situations), a holder 2 is placed in or packed from the culture tray 1, in particular a planting hole 6 thereof, in the direction of double arrow D. The holder is packed by a conveyor 13 and moved into or out of a respective planting hole 6 of the culture tray 1. In the case that the system shown in Fig. 2 is intended to plant planting material from containers 2 into the substrate 12 of the container 11, a container 2 is packed at a time by the conveyor 13, moved up in the direction of double arrow D and laterally moved in the direction of the container 11 containing the substrate 12. For a desired alignment of the culture tray 1 with respect to the conveyor 13, the conveyor belt 9 can have a lateral displacement possibility, which is schematically indicated by double arrow E. In combination with the advance of the conveyor belt 9 in the direction of arrow B, it can thus be ensured It is noted that the conveyor 13 can always return to the same position at the culture tray 1, which is a fixed position relative to the conveyor belt 9, in order to be able to securely engage and pick up one of the holders 2 in the culture tray 1. be able to pack and, if desired, be able to transport it to the container 11.

Fig. 3 shows that the conveyor 13 has arrived at the container 11 on the conveyor belt 10. The conveyor 13 comprises two arms 14, 15 which can be moved to and from each other, between which the holder 2 can be picked up and transported. In the condition shown in fig. 3, the conveyor 13 with an engaged holder 2 comes from the direction of arrow F which corresponds to the position of the culture tray 1 in fig. 2. Near the container 11 a gripper 16 is arranged with two hook arms 17, 18 which are movable to and from each other. The hook arms 17, 18 comprise hooks 19, 20. The gripper thus formed with the hook arms 17, 18 movable to and from each other is movable up and down in the direction of double arrow G in Fig. 2.

From the situation shown in Fig. 3, the conveyor 13 is lowered until the openings 4 of the holder 2 are brought into the range of the hooks 19, 20 on the hook arms 17, 18. The hook arms 17, 18 are then moved to moved together to reach the state shown in FIG. The hooks 19, 20 protrude into the substrate in the holder via the accesses 4 at the open end of the holder 2.

From the state shown in fig. 4, the conveyor 13 and the gripper 16 are lowered, as shown in fig. 5, in the direction of arrows H, so that the holder 2 with the plant material 5 therein with it to the substrate 12, its open end 3 directed into said substrate 12 is sunk, while the hook arms 17, 18 still interact with their hooks 19, 20 on the substrate, in the holder, via the accesses 4.

10

From the state shown in Fig. 5, only the conveyor 13 is raised again in the direction of arrow K, while the gripper 16 remains stationary. As a result, the holder 2 is pulled over the plant material 5 while leaving that plant material 5 in the substrate 12 of the container 11, because the hook arms 17, 18 of the gripper 16 still still receive the plant material 5 via the substrate, in which the roots grow therefrom, in the substrate 12 of the container 11.

As shown in Fig. 7, the conveyor 13 then moves back to the culture tray shown in Fig. 2 in the direction of arrow L, and the arms 14, 15 of the conveyor 13 are opened somewhere along the way to release the holder 2. which subsequently falls away in the direction of arrow M. The gripping arms 17, 18 of the gripper 16 are moved away from each other after the conveyor 13 has pulled the holder 2 away over the plant material 5. Thus, the hooks 19, 20 on the hook arms 17, 18 of the gripper 16 are released from the plant material 5, which remains completely loose afterwards freely in the substrate 12 of the container 11. The conveyor belt 10 then causes the container to move 11 over a desired distance in the direction of arrow N, which corresponds to a desired intermediate distance P between successive plant materials, which must be planted in the aforementioned manner in the substrate 12 in the container 11. The conveyor belt 10 can also be adapted for displacement of the container 11 in a direction transverse to the direction of arrow N.

Figs. 8-14 show a schematic representation of another method of operation of a method and a system, both according to the present invention. A container 21 is elongated therein with a number of planting holes 22. The container 21 is the destination of the planting material 5, which 11 is arranged in a holder 2, such as the holder 2 from fig.

1. The holder 2 can therefore come from a culture tray 1, such as that shown in Fig. 1. The container 21 is elongated with a row of planting holes. The container 21 may also have planting holes 22 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the container shown in Fig. 8. For convenience, these are not shown here, or may even be missing, as shown in FIG. The holder 2 is transported to the container 21 by means of a conveyor (not shown), such as the conveyor 13 in Figs. 3-7. In the situation shown in Fig. 8, the holder 2 has arrived at the container 21. A larger holder 23 is placed in at least one of the planting holes 22, than the holder 2. In itself, the larger holder 23 can also be regarded as a container in the sense of the present invention. The larger holder 23 fits snugly into a planting hole 22, as also described above in connection with the cultivation tray 1. Thus, plant material 5 or a substrate can be enclosed in the holder 23 despite the open end of the holder 23, which is located in the planting hole. 22, as well as despite the open entrances 24, of which four are again provided near the open end of the holder 23, just as is the case with the holder 2. The larger holder 23 is therefore in principle substantially identical to the holder 2, with larger dimensions. From the condition or situation shown in Fig. 8, the larger holder 23 is moved upwards in the direction of arrow Q to such a height that the accesses 24 of the holder 23 are situated slightly above the upper edge 25 of the container 21. Thus at least a pair of the entrances 24 are located at a height where they are accessible to pins 26 which form part of the device according to the present invention in the embodiment thus shown.

12

From the situation shown in Fig. 9, the holder 2 with the plant material 5 therein is lowered into the larger holder 23, in the direction of arrow R, and to a height where the accesses 4 of the smaller holder 2 are also located. above the top edge 25 of the container 21. This can be provided by the conveyor (not shown) of the device according to the present invention.

Subsequently, the pins 26 are inserted over the upper edge 25 of the container 21 into (the substrate of) the plant material 5 through the accesses 24 and 4 of the larger container 23 and the smaller container 2, respectively, around the plant material or the substrate in which roots of the plant material 5. This movement of the pins 26 is indicated by arrows S in Fig. 11.

Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 12, the small container 2 is pulled out of the large container leaving behind the plant material which is engaged by the pins 26. The container 2 is taken from the larger container 23 in the direction of the arrow T. The plant material 5 remains in the larger container 23.

Then, as shown in Fig. 13, the pins 26 are retracted in the direction of arrows V. It is again noted that the gripper, of which the pins 26 form a part in the sense of the present invention, in the direction of arrows V are retracted to disable the gripper.

Insofar as necessary, and as shown in Fig. 14, the larger container 23 can then sink into the planting hole 22, which then preferably closes tightly again around the larger container 23. The movements in the direction of arrow W of the larger container 23 are effected with active means, or are left to gravity. However, pressing 13 of the larger container 23 into the relevant planting hole 22 of the container 21 seems to be preferable.

Figure 15 shows an alternative embodiment of a holder 27 according to the present invention.

It concerns a larger holder in the sense of the device and method according to the preceding figures 8-14, wherein the larger holder 27 is placed in a layer of substrate 29, for example in a tray (not shown) and the same small holder 2 as in Fig. 8-14 with plant material therein is placed in the large holder 27 (R) and withdrawn (T) leaving behind in the larger holder 27 of the plant material 5. Unlike in the embodiment of Fig. 8-14, the The larger container does not simply sink into the substrate 29, after the small container 2 has deposited its load of plant material 5 in the larger container 27, and therefore the larger container 27 is thus pressed in advance into the layer of substrate 29, for example to the bottom. 28 of the tray with the layer of substrate 29. As a result, the entrances 24 are sunk into the layer of substrate 29, and the pins 26 operating above the substrate 20 cannot extend through the entrances 24 to the entrances 4 of the smaller container 2 and the pl material therein. The pins 26 therefore have access to the interior of the larger container 27 and the plant material 5 in the smaller container 2 via windows 30 in the side walls of the larger container 27 to leave the plant material in the larger container when the smaller container 2 is withdrawn (T).

As an alternative, pins can be used on pivot arms, which travel through the substrate to the entrances 24, without the windows 30 being necessary for this purpose. However, the question is whether substrate in the larger container 27 than the plant material 5 will press in the smaller container 14, away from the working area of such pivotal arms.

Furthermore, the windows 30 can be extensions of the entrances 24 to form a single open space of side walls of the larger holders 27. The use of a window 30 and wall material between a window 30 and an entrance 24 in a side wall of the larger holder 27, however, gives a better strength of the larger holder 27 than when the entrances 24 and the windows 30 form units. The windows 10 moreover serve a further advantageous purpose, viz. Aeration of the plant material 5, once it is in the larger holder 27.

It will be clear, for example, that many additional and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art after knowledge of the foregoing in particular and the present invention in general. Such additional and alternative embodiments are all to be considered as embodiments within the scope of protection for the present invention as defined in the appended claims, and more particularly the independent claims. For example, a holder only has to have an access in one radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the holder, or in two or three or more than four directions, but not necessarily the four directions according to the embodiments described above. The shown design of the exemplary embodiment of the holder with four entrances and a diverging shape does, however, have the property that fingers in the form of material between the entrances are advantageously shaped to accommodate and hold the plan material in place in the holder, until a gripper grips the plant material and the conveyor pulls the container away over the plant material. The diverging form of

Claims (14)

A holder for receiving therein of plant material, at least during a period of growing thereof, comprising an elongated hollow body for receiving the plant material in a cavity thereof, with at least one open end and with at least one extending longitudinally directional access extending from the at least one open end for manipulating the plant material radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body is tubular with a cross-sectional shape from the group, which comprises: round, polygonal, elliptical, etc. The container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hollow body has a shape diverging from the at least one open end. 4. The container according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the hollow body comprises at least two entrances, which are spaced apart from each other around the circumference of the hollow body. 5. The holder according to claim 4, wherein parts of the hollow body between the accesses in combination form an engagement for the plant material. The container of at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a portion of the hollow body at the open end is shaped in accordance with a planting hole in or of a culture tray. The container according to at least one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one window or aeration opening in at least one side wall. A method for processing plant material in a container according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising: - picking up the container and transporting it to a container; - engaging the plant material in or near the container in the container via the at least one access; - moving away from the container with the planting material in the engaged condition of the container, leaving behind the planting material in or near the container. The method of claim 8, wherein transporting the container comprises: inserting the at least one open end at the container's access into the container. The method according to claim 8 or 9, comprising engaging the plant material prior to reaching the container during transport of the container. 11. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the container has a similar hollow body with an access as the holder, with dimensions larger than the holder, and the method comprises: engaging the plant material in the holder, following the reaching the container during transport of the container. The method according to claim 11 and with a container according to claim 6, further comprising releasing the access from the container and engaging the plant material through the released access from the container and through the access from the container. The method according to claim 12, further comprising closing the access of the container after leaving the plant material in or near the container. A system for processing plant material in a container according to at least one of the preceding claims 1-7, comprising: - a conveyor for picking up the container and transporting it to a container; - a gripper for engaging the plant material in or near the container via the at least one access; wherein the conveyor is adapted to move the holder away from the container with the planting material in the engaged state, leaving the planting material in or near the container.