RU2807341C1 - Device for automatic microgreens production - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the devices for automatic production of microgreens with intelligent control and can be used in food retail outlets for growing and distributing microgreens to customers. The device includes a housing with fluorescent lamps, light-scattering panels, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a water pump, circulation fans, temperature sensors, a water filter, a water tank containing a water level sensor, a salt concentration sensor, an acidity determination sensor (pH). Contains a control unit, a planting unit, a form loading unit, a form extraction unit, a dispensing compartment, a compartment for spoiled forms, a block for placing forms, a block for watering and lighting forms.

EFFECT: providing the ability to automatically plant seeds into moulds, automatically place a mould with a substrate and planted seeds in a growing device, automatically control the degree of readiness of microgreens and automatically remove the finished form from the device, as well as automatic identification of the most popular microgreen crops in a given location and automatic identification of the currently growing microgreen crops.

1 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The invention relates to devices for automatic production of microgreens with intelligent control and can be used in food retail outlets for growing and distributing microgreens to customers.

A hydroponic device for growing plants and a growing system using this device are known [RU 2746805 C1]. A hydroponic device for growing plants contains at least one hole for plant germination extending along the body, and a porous substrate having at least two layers and installed inside the body in such a way that the boundary between the layers is located opposite the specified opening of the body. The housing includes two parts in the form of grooves, connected by open sides to form a gap forming the said hole for germination of plants, and the walls of the housing parts on one side overlap. The device also includes a frame, a reservoir, a pump, watering pipes, drippers, drainage elements, a main beam, an additional beam, a lamp and at least one means for connecting parts of the housing.

The disadvantages of the known hydroponic device for growing plants are: all plants are watered at once, and not just those who need it; it is necessary to manually plant seeds; it is necessary to manually control the degree of readiness of microgreens; There is no way to determine which microgreen crops are currently being grown.

The closest solution adopted for the prototype is a device for growing microgreens and herbs [Viking Under-counter Micro Green & Herb Cabinet https://www.metroappliancesandmore.com/refrigeration/specialty/beverage-coolers/GCV12LSS/], containing fluorescent lamps , light-diffusing panels, water tank, water level sensor, salt concentration sensor, acidity determination sensor (pH), dosing pump for pH regulation, touch control module, humidity sensor, light sensor, water pump, nutrient pump, circulation fans, temperature sensors, removable grow boxes on easy-glide casters with bottom drainage holes, double-pane tempered glass window, built-in door gasket, full-length door handle, double wall, stainless steel construction with adjustable leveling bolts, filter water.

Features of the prototype that are common to the claimed device for the automatic production of microgreens: a housing containing fluorescent lamps, light-diffusing panels, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a water pump, circulation fans, temperature sensors, a water filter, a water tank containing a sensor water level, salt concentration sensor, acidity determination sensor (pH).

Disadvantages of the prototype: it is necessary to manually plant seeds in molds; it is necessary to manually place forms with substrate and seeds into the device; it is necessary to manually control the degree of readiness of microgreens; it is necessary to manually remove the finished microgreens from the device; the management system does not have the ability to determine the most popular crops for growing microgreens; There is no way to determine which microgreen crops are currently being grown.

The objective of the invention is to develop a device for the automatic production of microgreens, which allows you to automatically: plant seeds in molds; place forms with substrate and planted seeds in the growing device; control the degree of readiness of microgreens; remove the finished microgreens from the device; determine the most popular crops for growing microgreens; identify microgreen crops currently in cultivation.

The solution to this problem is relevant due to the increasing demand for microgreens, which have a high content of vitamins and microelements such as magnesium, copper, potassium, zinc and iron. Since the growth period of microgreens ranges from 4 to 15 days, there is a need to quickly deliver them to the retail point of sale, which is not always an economically justifiable action. Therefore, a device for automatic production of microgreens will allow you to grow microgreens directly at the retail point of sale and distribute microgreens to customers automatically.

The problem was solved due to the fact that a well-known device for growing microgreens, including a housing containing fluorescent lamps, light-diffusing panels, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a water pump, circulation fans, temperature sensors, and a water filter. a water reservoir containing a water level sensor, a salt concentration sensor, a sensor for determining acidity (pH), according to the invention additionally contains

control unit, planting unit, form loading unit, form extraction unit, dispensing compartment, spoiled form compartment, form placement unit, form watering and lighting unit,

in this case, the control unit contains an interactive control panel that implements algorithms for receiving requests for issuing a form into the compartment for issuing and paying for issuing a form, a controller that implements algorithms for controlling actuators, receiving and processing information from sensors, establishing the most frequently extracted microgreen crops, and forecasting timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, issuing commands to the planting unit in accordance with forecast data of timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, signaling of malfunctions in the device, availability of water and inadequate water quality, end of seeds,

wherein the mold extraction unit contains ball screws, two on each axis, located on one side along the perimeter of the housing, on which screws are mounted, driven by motors located at the end of each ball screw, and to each cylindrical guides are fixed to the screw, at the intersection of which a carriage is fixed, a mold extraction module is mounted by means of linear bearings, while the mold extraction module is made in the form of a rectangle, on the surface of which a conveyor for extracting molds is attached,

also, the mold extraction unit contains a water filter, which is connected to a water pump on one side, and on the other with an extensive network of hoses, while the water pump is connected to a water tank,

wherein the planting unit contains screw dispensers, through which microgreen seeds are supplied to a conveyor for moving seeds, which is fixed below relative to the screw dispensers, conveyors for moving forms with a substrate, on which forms with a substrate and delimiters between forms with a substrate are located, a module for moving forms, in which the moving mold is located, standing on the conveyor of the moving module,

wherein the module for moving forms is configured to move along the cylindrical guides of the form loading unit, which are secured to the screws of the form loading unit, which are put on the ball screws of the form loading unit, driven by the motors of the form loading unit,

wherein the mold loading unit contains circulation fans, temperature sensors, humidity sensor, light sensor,

wherein the block for watering and lighting the forms contains fluorescent lamps, light-scattering panels, a continuation of an branched network of hoses, at the ends of which valves are fixed, while fluorescent lamps, light-scattering panels, a continuation of an branched network of hoses and valves are fixed to a solid plate,

wherein the block for placing forms contains conveyors for moving forms with microgreens, each of which has separating elements between forms with microgreens standing on the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens, while the conveyors for moving forms with microgreens are fixed on plates with drainage holes, located at an angle to the horizon to drain water back into the water tank.

Distinctive features of the proposed device are a control unit, a planting unit, a form loading unit, a form extraction unit, a dispensing compartment, a compartment for spoiled forms, a block for placing forms, a block for watering and lighting forms.

Distinctive features, in combination with known ones, make it possible to automatically plant seeds in forms; automatically place forms with substrate and planted seeds into the growing device; automatically control the degree of readiness of microgreens, that is, automatically determine when they are ready for consumption and can be removed; automatically remove finished microgreens from the device; automatically determine the most popular crops for growing microgreens, that is, those that are in greatest demand in a given location; automatically determine which microgreen crops are currently being grown in the device.

In fig. Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional model of a device for automatic production of microgreens.

In fig. Figure 2 shows the device model (front view).

In fig. Figure 3 shows the device model (right view).

In fig. Figure 4 shows the device model (rear view).

In fig. Figure 5 shows a block for watering and lighting forms.

In fig. Figure 6 shows a block for placing forms.

A device for automatic production of microgreens includes a housing 1 (Fig. 1), in which there is a control unit 2, a planting unit 3, a water tank 4, a form loading unit 5, a form extraction unit 6, a dispensing compartment 7, a compartment for spoiled forms 8 , block for placing molds 9, block for watering and lighting molds 10.

Control unit 2 (Fig. 2) contains an interactive control panel 11, which implements algorithms for receiving requests for issuing forms in the compartment for issuing 7 and paying for issuing forms, controller 12, which implements algorithms for controlling actuators, receiving and processing information from sensors, establishing the most frequently extracted microgreen crops, predicting the timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, issuing commands to planting unit 3 in accordance with the forecast data for the timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, signaling about malfunctions in the device, the presence of water and inadequate water quality, the end of seeds .

The mold extraction unit 6 contains ball screws 13, two on each axis, located on one side along the perimeter of the housing 1, on which screws 14 are mounted, driven by motors 15 located at the end of each ball screw 13. Each screw 14 is attached to cylindrical guides 16, at the intersection of which a mold extraction module 17 is fixed by means of linear bearings, while the mold extraction module 17 is made in the form of a rectangle, on the surface of which a conveyor for extracting molds 18 is attached.

Also, the mold extraction unit 6 contains a water filter 19, which is connected to a water pump 20 on one side, and on the other to an branched network of hoses 21, while the water pump 20 is connected to a water tank 4.

The planting unit 3 (Fig. 3) contains screw dispensers 22, through which microgreen seeds are supplied to a conveyor for moving seeds 23, which is fixed below relative to the screw dispensers 22, conveyors for moving forms with a substrate 24, on which forms with a substrate 25 and delimiters are located between the forms with the substrate 26, the mold moving module 27, in which the moving form 28 is located, standing on the conveyor of the moving module 29.

In this case, the module for moving forms 27 is made with the ability to move along the cylindrical guides of the form loading block 30 (Fig. 4), which are mounted on the screws of the form loading block 31, which are put on the ball screws of the form loading block 32, driven by the block engines download forms 33.

The mold loading block 5 contains circulation fans 34, temperature sensors 35, humidity sensor 36, light sensor 37. Water tank 4 contains a water level sensor 38, a salt concentration sensor 39 and an acidity sensor 40.

The block for watering and lighting forms 10 (Fig. 5) contains fluorescent lamps 41, light-scattering panels 42, a continuation of an extensive network of hoses 21, at the ends of which valves 43 are attached, while fluorescent lamps 41, light-scattering panels 42, a continuation of an extensive network of hoses 21 and valves 43 are fixed to a solid plate 44.

The block for placing forms 9 (Fig. 6) contains conveyors for moving forms with microgreens 45, on each of which there are separating elements 46 between forms with microgreens 47 standing on the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens 45, while the conveyors for moving forms with microgreens 45 are fixed on plates with drainage holes, located at an angle to the horizon to drain water back into the water tank 4. In FIG. 6 forms with 45 microgreens are painted in different colors, from brown to green, reflecting the phases of growing microgreens.

The device works as follows. The controller 12 contains built-in algorithms for controlling actuators, receiving and processing information from sensors, establishing the most frequently extracted microgreen crops, predicting the timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, issuing commands to planting unit 3 in accordance with the forecast data for the timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops , alarms about malfunctions in the device, the presence of water and poor quality of water, the end of seeds.

First, the owner of the device loads forms with substrate 25 onto conveyors for moving forms with substrate 24 and microgreen seeds into screw dispensers 22. The owner of the device also fills the water tank 4 with water.

Then the controller 12 determines the operability of all nodes of the device. If the check is successful, graphical information is displayed on the interactive control panel 11. Then the user of the device selects in the interactive control panel 11 a form with a certain type of microgreens that he wants to receive in the dispensing compartment 7. The signal from the interactive control panel 11 is sent to the controller 12 .

After this, a control signal is generated in the controller 12 to actuators, such as motors 15, a conveyor for removing forms 18, and conveyors for moving forms with microgreens 45. First, motors 15 come into operation, driving ball screws 13 along which they move screws 14. Since cylindrical guides 16 are attached to the screws 14, they move along with them. Since the mold extraction module 17 is attached to the cylindrical guides 16, it also moves with them. Thus, using the motor controls 15, the mold extraction module 17 also moves along the specified coordinates of the X and Y axes. The mold extraction module 17 moves to the specified X and Y coordinates.

Then the controller 12 issues a control signal to the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens 45, which makes a movement towards the form extraction module 17. Moreover, the movement is made only at a distance equal to one form with microgreens 47. Thus, the form with microgreens 47 ends up on the conveyor for extraction forms 18. After which the controller 12 issues a control signal to the motors 15, by means of associated mechanisms, the form extraction module 17 moves to the coordinates in which the right side of the conveyor for extracting forms 18 has the shortest distance to the left side of the dispensing compartment 7.

The controller 12 then provides a control signal to the mold removal conveyor 18, which moves towards the dispensing compartment 7. Thus, the microgreens form 47 is placed in the dispensing compartment 7. From the dispensing compartment 7, the user can manually remove the microgreens form 47 .

In this case, the algorithms in the controller 12 control the availability of forms with microgreens 47. First, the algorithms in the controller 12, based on the statistical data of unloading forms, predict the demand for 22 types of microgreens loaded into screw dispensers. Then, depending on the predicted values, the controller 12 issues control signals to those conveyors for moving forms with substrate 24, on which there are still forms with substrate 25, to move them towards the module for moving forms 27 at a distance equal to the distance between adjacent delimiters between forms with substrate 26.

Then the controller 12 issues a control signal to the motors of the mold loading unit 33, which drive the ball screws of the mold loading unit 32, and since the screws of the mold loading unit 31 are attached to them, they move. Since the cylindrical guides of the mold loading unit 30 are attached to the screws of the mold loading unit 30, they also move with them. Since a module for moving molds 27 is attached to the cylindrical guides of the mold loading unit 30, it also moves with them. Thus, due to control signals from the controller 12, the module for moving forms 27 moves opposite the conveyor for moving forms with the substrate 24 on which the movement occurs. The controller 12 then sends a control signal to the conveyor of the moving module 29 to move it until the mold with the substrate 25 reaches the geometric middle of the moving module 27.

The transfer module 27 is then moved below the axis of the seed conveyor 23 so that the substrate mold on it can receive seeds. Then the controller 12 issues control signals to one of the screw dispensers 22, which dispenses a predetermined number of seeds depending on their type and shape. These seeds fall by gravity onto the seed transfer conveyor 23, to which the controller 12 sends control signals for movement. This way the seeds are in a form for transfer 28.

In this case, the form for moving 28 is physically the same form as the form with the substrate 25, only it already contains not only the substrate, but also the seeds. And the form with microgreens 47 is physically the same as the form for moving 28, only the seeds have already sprouted in it.

To evenly distribute the seeds over the substrate inside the moving mold 28, the controller 12 sends control signals to the motors 33, which sharply move the moving module 27 in different directions, which leads to the redistribution of seeds from the center of the moving mold 28.

The controller 12 then sends control signals to the motors 15, which move the transfer module 27 to the microgreen mold conveyor 45 to which the transfer mold 28 needs to be moved. The microgreen mold conveyor 45 then moves that number of distances between the separation There are 46 elements, how many forms are missing on it. Then the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens 45, by means of control signals from the controller 12, moves the form for moving 28 onto the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens 45.

To grow microgreens in forms with microgreens 47, they are watered by supplying control signals from the controller 12 to the valves 43, and also illuminated using fluorescent lamps 41 and ventilated using circulation fans 34. To control the growth of microgreens, temperature sensors 35 and a humidity sensor 36 are used , light sensor 37, water level sensor 38, salt concentration sensor 39 and acidity sensor 40.

Claims (1)

A device for automatic production of microgreens, including a housing containing fluorescent lamps, light-diffusing panels, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a water pump, circulation fans, temperature sensors, a water filter, a water tank containing a water level sensor, a salt concentration sensor , a sensor for determining acidity (pH), characterized in that it contains a control unit, a planting unit, a form loading unit, a form extraction unit, a dispensing compartment, a compartment for spoiled forms, a block for placing forms, a block for watering and lighting forms, and the control unit contains an interactive control panel that implements algorithms for receiving requests for issuing forms into the compartment for issuing and paying for issuing forms, a controller that implements algorithms for controlling actuators, receiving and processing information from sensors, establishing the most frequently extracted microgreen crops, predicting the timing of retrieving forms and types of microgreen crops, issuing commands to the planting unit in accordance with the forecast data on the timing of extraction of forms and types of microgreen crops, signaling about malfunctions in the device, the presence of water and inadequate water quality, the end of seeds, the form extraction unit contains ball screws, on each axis has two, located on one side along the perimeter of the body, on which screws are put, driven by motors located at the end of each ball screw, while cylindrical guides are attached to each screw, at the intersection of which a carriage is attached - mold extraction module by means of linear bearings, wherein the mold extraction module is made in the form of a rectangle, on the surface of which a conveyor for extracting molds is fixed; the mold extraction unit also contains a water filter connected to a water pump on one side, and on the other - with a branched a network of hoses, while the water pump is connected to the water tank, the planting unit contains screw dispensers for supplying microgreen seeds to a conveyor for moving seeds, fixed below relative to the screw dispensers, conveyors for moving forms with a substrate, on which forms with a substrate and delimiters are located between the molds with the substrate, the mold moving module, in which the mold for moving is located, standing on the conveyor of the moving module, the mold loading unit contains ball screws driven by motors, on the screws of which cylindrical guides are fixed, and the mold loading unit also contains circulation fans , temperature sensors, humidity sensor, light sensor, the module for moving forms is installed with the ability to move along the cylindrical guides of the form loading block, the block for watering and lighting the forms contains fluorescent lamps, light-scattering panels, a continuation of an extensive network of hoses, at the ends of which valves are fixed, wherein fluorescent lamps, light-scattering panels, a continuation of the branched network of hoses and valves are fixed on a solid plate, the block for placing forms contains conveyors for moving forms with microgreens, on each of which separating elements are installed between forms with microgreens, standing on the conveyor for moving forms with microgreens, while the conveyors for moving forms with microgreens are fixed on plates with drainage holes located at an angle to the horizon to drain the water back into the water tank.