SE500198C2

SE500198C2 - Cultivation vessels having integrated means for rotatably interconnecting a number of culture vessels

Info

Publication number: SE500198C2
Application number: SE9201021A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Bo Bergstedt; Lars Larsson
Original assignee: Bo Bergstedt; Lars Larsson
Priority date: 1992-04-01
Filing date: 1992-04-01
Publication date: 1994-05-09
Also published as: SE9201021L; SE9201021D0; AU3912793A; WO1993019583A1

Abstract

A cultivation vessel (1) for cultivating plants of the rooted-planting material type having means (10, 14) for automatic manipulation, which are used in part as guide lugs in cooperation with guide rails, in part as drive teeth in connection with polar and linear drive units. The cultivation vessel (1) is provided with an articulated portion (3) and a link portion (4) resiliently connected thereto, the corresponding exterior and interior diameters of which resp. permits the journalling of the articulated portion of the cultivation vessel in the link portion of an adjacent cultivation vessel to form a horizontally pliable and flexible chain. The vessel (2) of the cultivation vessel is provided with means like slits and ribs as well as an opening angle in its open bottom, which angle is adapted to enhance the root development possibilities of the plant.

Description

500 ï98 2 Ytterligare ett syfte med föreliggande uppfinning är att anvisa ett odlingskärl vars utformning förhindrar uppkomst av icke önskade rotutvecklingsfenomen såsom rotsnurr och som medger luftbeskärning av rottràdar. A further object of the present invention is to provide a culture vessel whose design prevents the occurrence of undesired root development phenomena such as root rot and which allows air pruning of root threads.

Ovanstående syfte uppnås med ett odlingskärl av i kännetecknet till patentkravet 5 angivet slag.The above object is achieved with a culture vessel of the type specified in the characterizing part of claim 5.

Uppfinningen beskrivs närmare i anslutning till de bifogade ritningarna, av vilka Fig 1 visar odlingskärlet i perspektivvy, Fig 2 är en plan vy ovanifrån av odlingskärlet i fig. 1, Fig 3 är en plan sidovy av odlingskärlet i fig. 1, Fig 4 är en perspektivvy av ett antal odlingskärl samman- kopplade till en kedja, Fig 5 är en plan vy ovanifrån av kedjan i fig. 4 i ett dubbelvikt läge, Fig 6 är en delvis sektionerad sidovy av odlingskärlet, och Fig 6a är en förstorad snittvy av ett parti i fig. 6.The invention is described in more detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 shows the culture vessel in perspective view, Fig. 2 is a plan view from above of the culture vessel in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan side view of the culture vessel in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a number of culture vessels connected to a chain, Fig. 5 is a plan view from above of the chain in Fig. 4 in a double-folded position, Fig. 6 is a partially sectioned side view of the culture vessel, and Fig. 6a is an enlarged sectional view of a portion in Fig. 6.

Det i fig. 1 visade odlingskärlet 1 består huvudsakligen av ett kärl 2, ett ledparti 3 och ett länkparti 4. Utformningen av kärlet 2 kan varieras efter ställda krav, och har i det visade utförandet organ såsom slitsar 5 och ribbor 6 för att förbättra plantans rotutvecklingsmöjligheter. Kärlet 2 uppvisar på sin utsida två diametralt motstàende stoppklackar 7, av vilka endast en är synlig i fig. 1, samt en öppen botten 15 med ett samman- hållande, avsmalnande parti l5'. Kärlet 2 är genom sin öppna botten förberett för' automatisk hantering vid. utdrivning av rotklumpen i samband med plantering. 500 198 3 Ledpartiet 3 innefattar ett lodrätt cylindriskt parti 8 vars övre ände är utformad med en fläns 9, se även fig. 2 och 3. Flänsen 9 utskjuter förbi den yttre periferin av cylinderpartiet 8 och uppvisar två symmetriskt anbringade, vingliknande organ 10 vars funktion kommer att förklaras nedan. Flänsen 9 uppvisar dessutom ett mel1an.de båda vingliknande organen 10 anbringat förbindelse- parti 11, vilket vid undersidan av sin ytterände 12 är elastiskt förenat med ovansidan av ett kantparti till länken 4. Ytteränden 12 är bágformad med en radie som motsvarar den yttre radien hos flänsen 9 och är belägen på ett avstånd från centrum av länk- partiet 4 som motsvarar nämnda radie.The cultivation vessel 1 shown in Fig. 1 consists mainly of a vessel 2, a hinge portion 3 and a link portion 4. The design of the vessel 2 can be varied according to set requirements, and in the embodiment shown has means such as slots 5 and ribs 6 for improving the plant. root development opportunities. The vessel 2 has on its outside two diametrically opposed stop lugs 7, of which only one is visible in Fig. 1, and an open bottom 15 with a cohesive, tapered portion 15 '. The vessel 2 is through its open bottom prepared for 'automatic handling at. expulsion of the root ball in connection with planting. The hinge portion 3 comprises a vertical cylindrical portion 8 whose upper end is formed with a flange 9, see also Figs. 2 and 3. The flange 9 projects beyond the outer periphery of the cylinder portion 8 and has two symmetrically arranged, wing-like members 10 whose function will be explained below. The flange 9 further has a connecting portion 11 arranged between the two wing-like members 10, which at the underside of its outer end 12 is elastically connected to the upper side of an edge portion of the link 4. The outer end 12 is arcuate with a radius corresponding to the outer radius of the flange 9 and is located at a distance from the center of the link portion 4 which corresponds to said radius.

Länkpartiet 4 utgörs av ett lodrätt cylindriskt parti eller en ring 13, vars höjd motsvarar höjden hos det cylindriska partiet 8 och är i vertikalplanet belägen på samma nivå som detta. Ringen 13 har en inre diameter som motsvarar den yttre diametern av det cylindriska partiet 8. I den övre änden av ringen 13 och i ett område av dess periferi som är vänt mot ledpartiet 3 uppvisar ringen 13 två symmetriskt anbringade, vingliknande organ 14, vilka i vertikalplanet med sin ovansida är belägna i nivå med undersidan av organen 10. Som bäst framgår av fig. 2 sträcker sig således organen 10 och 14 parvis horisontellt i diametralt motsatta riktningar, vinkelrätt mot en tänkt symmetrilinje genom centra av det cylindriska partiet 8 och ringen 13.The link portion 4 consists of a vertical cylindrical portion or a ring 13, the height of which corresponds to the height of the cylindrical portion 8 and is located in the vertical plane at the same level as this. The ring 13 has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 8. At the upper end of the ring 13 and in an area of its periphery facing the hinge portion 3, the ring 13 has two symmetrically arranged wing-like members 14, which in the vertical plane with its upper side is located at the level of the underside of the members 10. As best seen in Fig. 2, the members 10 and 14 thus extend in pairs horizontally in diametrically opposite directions, perpendicular to an imaginary line of symmetry through centers of the cylindrical portion 8 and the ring 13 .

I anslutning till fig. 4 och 5 kommer nu att förklaras hur ett, i princip obegränsat, antal odlingskärl 1 sammankopplas till en både i horisontalled och vertikalled böjlig kedja 20. Kärlet 2 införes ovanifrån i länken 4 på intilliggande odlingskärl, varvid stoppklackarna 7 tvingas genom ringen 13 och låser denna underifrån i ett läge vari ringen 13 omsluter det cylindriska partiet 8 och dess övre ände stöder mot underkanten av flänsen 9. Odlingskärlet 1 medges i detta kopplade läge en vridnings- rörelse i horisontalplanet om 90° åt båda sidor om kedjans längsaxel, eller l80° från det läge vari ledpartiets ena organ 10 anligger mot intilliggande ledpartis förbindelseparti 11, till det läge vari ledpartiets andra organ 10 anligger mot nämnda 500 198 4 förbindelseparti. Genom den elastiska förbindningen mellan odlingskärlets 1 ledparti 3 och länkparti 4 bibringas kedjan 20 även en böjlighet i vertikalplanet. Elasticiteten uppnås därvid genom lämpligt val av material i odlingskärlet 1 och genom dimensionering av övergångspartiet mellan ringen 13 och för- bindelsepartiet 11. Odlingskärlet 1 'tillverkas företrädesvis genom formsprutning, exempelvis av nylon eller polyeten.In connection with Figs. 4 and 5, it will now be explained how a, in principle unlimited, number of cultivation vessels 1 is connected to a chain 20 which is flexible both horizontally and vertically. The vessel 2 is inserted from above in the link 4 on adjacent cultivation vessels, the stop lugs 7 being forced through the ring 13 and locks it from below in a position in which the ring 13 encloses the cylindrical portion 8 and its upper end abuts the lower edge of the flange 9. In this coupled position the culture vessel 1 is allowed a rotational movement in the horizontal plane of 90 ° on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the chain , or 180 ° from the position in which one member 10 of the hinge portion abuts against the connecting portion 11 of the adjacent hinge portion, to the position in which the other member 10 of the hinge portion abuts against said connecting portion. Due to the elastic connection between the hinge portion 3 of the culture vessel 1 and the link portion 4, the chain 20 is also imparted a flexibility in the vertical plane. The elasticity is thereby achieved by suitable selection of material in the culture vessel 1 and by dimensioning of the transition portion between the ring 13 and the connecting portion 11. The culture vessel 1 'is preferably manufactured by injection molding, for example of nylon or polyethylene.

Fig. 5 visar en kedja 20 sammansatt av fem odlingskärl A-E. Av ritningen framgår att odlingskärl C har vridits 90° moturs i förhållande till odlingskärl B och odlingskärl D har vridits 90° moturs i förhållande till odlingskärl C. Odlingskärlen D och E intar således en rakt motsatt riktning jämfört med odlingskärlen A-B. På ovanstående sätt kan en kedja 20 vikas till mönstret av en rektangulär matris och exempelvis inrymmas i en odlingskas- sett, placeras i en transportlåda eller löst uppställas på ett växthusbord.Fig. 5 shows a chain 20 composed of five culture vessels A-E. The drawing shows that culture vessel C has been rotated 90 ° counterclockwise relative to culture vessel B and culture vessel D has been rotated 90 ° counterclockwise relative to culture vessel C. The culture vessels D and E thus assume a directly opposite direction compared to culture vessels A-B. In the above way, a chain 20 can be folded to the pattern of a rectangular matrix and, for example, accommodated in a cultivation cassette, placed in a transport box or loosely arranged on a greenhouse table.

Av fig. 5 framgår även hur organen 10 och 14 i kedjans hopvikta läge samverkar för att ge matrisen av odlingskärl en horisontell stabilitet. Odlingskärlets A länkparti 13 stöder med organet eller stödklacken 14 mot undersidan av organet eller stödklacken 10' på odlingskärlets E ledparti 8, och odlingskärlets D länkparti 13' stöder~ med organet eller stödklacken 14' mot undersidan av organet eller stödklacken 10 på odlingskärlets B ledparti 8'. Vidare framgår av fig. 5 hur stödklackarna 10" och l0"' näst intill nått det ändläge vid vilket de anligger mot bakomvarande odlingskärls förbindelseparti 11, ll', samt hur den bågformade ändytan 12 av förbindelsepartiet anligger mot periferin av flänsen 9 på framförvarande odlingskärl.Fig. 5 also shows how the means 10 and 14 in the folded position of the chain cooperate to give the matrix of culture vessels a horizontal stability. The link portion 13 of the culture vessel A abuts with the member or support lug 14 against the underside of the member or support lug 10 'on the hinge portion 8 of the culture vessel E, and the link portion 13' of the culture vessel D supports ~ with the member or support lug 14 'towards the underside of the organ or support lug 10 on the lead portion 8 of the culture vessel B. '. Furthermore, Fig. 5 shows how the support lugs 10 "and 10" 'almost reached the end position at which they abut against the connecting portion 11, 11' of the rear culture vessel, and how the arcuate end surface 12 of the connecting portion abuts against the periphery of the flange 9 on the front culture vessel.

De vingliknande organen 10 och 14 på odlingskärlet 1 uppvisar, förutom ovan beskrivna funktion som stödklackar i kedjans hopvikta läge, ytterligare funktioner som hjälpmedel vid införande av automatik i hanteringen av odlingskärlet 1. Vid framdrivning av kedjan 20 utnyttjas således organen 10 och/eller 14 dels som styrorgan i samverkan med ej visade styrskenor, dels 500 198 5 som drivkuggar i samverkan med ej visade polära och linjära drivenheter.The wing-like members 10 and 14 on the cultivation vessel 1 have, in addition to the function described above as support lugs in the folded position of the chain, additional functions as aids in introducing automation in the handling of the cultivation vessel 1. Thus, the means 10 and / or 14 are partly used. as guide means in co-operation with guide rails (not shown), partly as drive teeth in co-operation with polar and linear drive units (not shown).

Fig. 6 visar en sidovy av odlingskärlet 1 med ett parti bort- brutet för att åskådliggöra de exempelvis växelvis anordnade slitsar 5 och ribbor 6 som anbringats för att förbättra plantans rotutvecklingsmöjligheter. Av fig. 6 framgår även formen av det ringformade parti 15' som utgör ett sammanhàllande parti av odlingskärlets i övrigt öppna botten 15, vilket parti även visas i en förstorad tvärsnittsvy 6a.Fig. 6 shows a side view of the cultivation vessel 1 with a portion broken away to illustrate the, for example, alternately arranged slots 5 and ribs 6 which have been arranged to improve the root development possibilities of the plant. Fig. 6 also shows the shape of the annular portion 15 'which constitutes a cohesive portion of the otherwise open bottom 15 of the culture vessel, which portion is also shown in an enlarged cross-sectional view 6a.

Ur fig. 6a framgår att ringen 15' bildar en vinkel a mot insidan av kärlet 2, vars storlek beror av två faktorer: dels väljs vinkeln sådan, att i odlingskärlet packat odlingsmaterial kvarstannar i kärlet, dels sådan att plantans rottrådar kan växa ut ur odlingskärlets botten utan att de korsas. Dessa villkor medför att det optimala värdet av vinkeln a varierar med od- lingssubstratet och växtsorten, varför något exakt gradtal ej kan anges, men det inses att vinkeln företrädesvis väljes så trubbig som möjligt. Av betydelse för en gynnsam utveckling av plantans rotsystem är även, att övergångspartiet mellan kärlets innervägg och ringen 15', i fig. 6a markerat med pilen F, ej uppvisar någon kant eller ansats som kan utgöra en anvisning för avböjning av rotspetsarna, varvid rottråden kan vända och växa uppåt i odlingskärlet. Ãven av detta skäl väljs vinkeln a så trubbig som möjligt.From Fig. 6a it appears that the ring 15 'forms an angle α towards the inside of the vessel 2, the size of which depends on two factors: on the one hand the angle is chosen such that in the culture vessel cultured material remains in the vessel, and on the plant's root threads bottom without crossing. These conditions mean that the optimum value of the angle α varies with the culture medium and the type of plant, so that no exact degree can be stated, but it is understood that the angle is preferably chosen as blunt as possible. It is also important for a favorable development of the root system of the plant that the transition portion between the inner wall of the vessel and the ring 15 ', in Fig. 6a marked with the arrow F, does not have any edge or shoulder which can constitute an instruction for deflection of the root tips. turn and grow upwards in the culture vessel. For this reason too, the angle α is chosen as bluntly as possible.

Av ovanstående beskrivning av odlingskärlet 1 framgår, att detta med sin konstruktiva utformning öppnar ett flertal möjligheter för'övergáng till automaticuxi samtliga.hanteringsled. Flexibili- teten hos kedjan medger anpassning till odlingsskala, sort- variation, underlättar experiment och utveckling av odlingsme- toder.From the above description of the cultivation vessel 1 it appears that this, with its constructive design, opens up a number of possibilities for transition to automaticuxi in all handling stages. The flexibility of the chain allows adaptation to cultivation scale, variety, facilitates experiments and development of cultivation methods.

Claims

PATENT REQUIREMENTS

Cultivation vessels for 'handling' cover root-type plants, having integrated means for rotatably connecting a number of cultivation vessels (1) to form a foldable chain (20) of any length, characterized in that - the cultivation vessel (1) in its upper part has a cylindrical portion (8) with a peripherally projecting flange (9) at its upper end, and at least two stop lugs (7) arranged at level with the lower edge of the cylindrical portion (8), - that the flange (9) via a connecting portion (11) is connected to the upper edge of a ring (13), the inner diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion (8), has the same height as this and is located in the vertical plane at the same level as the cylindrical portion (8) , whereby the ring (13) in the coupled position stores the cylindrical portion (8) of an adjacent culture vessel in such a way that the ring (13) is rotatably held between the flange (9) and the stop lugs (7) on the adjacent culture vessel.

Cultivation vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that - the flange (9) has two wing-like members (10) projecting in the horizontal plane, which extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the chain (20) in mutually opposite directions, with the intermediate, in the chain longitudinally projecting connecting portion (11), - that the ring (13) has at its upper end two projecting, wing-like members (14) projecting in the horizontal plane, which extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the chain (20) in mutually opposite directions, so that the means (10, 14) extend in pairs horizontally in opposite directions, the underside of the member (10) lying in the same horizontal plane as the upper side of the member (14), - that the connecting portion (11) has an arcuate edge surface (12) whose radius corresponds to the outer radius of the flange (9) and the center of which coincides with the center of the ring (13) and that the connecting portion (11) with a portion of its underside running along the edge surface (12) is joined to a the intermediate edge portion of the ring (13) of the upper part of the ring (13), whereby an elastic connection is achieved between the ring (13) and the culture vessel (1) by suitable material selection and dimensioning of the joining material.

Cultivation vessel according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that cultivation vessel (1) included in the chain (20) in the horizontal plane has a rotatability of 180 °, from a position in which one member (10) of the cultivation vessel abuts adjacent cultivation vessel for connecting portion (11) to a position in which the second member (10) of the cultivating vessel abuts against said connecting portion, whereby the chain (20) formed by cultivating vessels (1) is folded by rotation in 90 ° of two adjacent cultivating vessels (1) and is guided in a second direction, opposite to the original, the chain forming adjacent, parallel rows.

Cultivation vessel according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that - the means (10) and (14) in the double-folded position of the chain (20) cooperate by supporting engagement to give the chain horizontal stability, wherein the means (14) of the cultivation vessels (1) from below, a diagonally adjacent culture vessel member (10) is supported, while the first culture vessel member (10) is supported from below by said diagonally located culture vessel member (14), and by ä - that the means (l0, l4) partly constitute guide lugs in cooperation with guide rails, and drive teeth in cooperation with polar and linear drive units.

Cultivation vessel according to the above requirements, characterized in that the vessel (2) for improving the plant's root development possibilities has - partly slots (5) in the wall of the vessel, - partly ribs (6) on the inside of the vessel, - partly an open, tapered bottom (15 ) with a cohesive portion (15 ') which towards the inner wall of the vessel forms an angle (a) of a BUU 198 s large enough to prevent the emergence of cruciferous root threads, and - the portion (15') of which forms a transition (F) towards the vessel (2) inner wall, which transition is free from shoulders or edges, thereby preventing the rectum tips from deflecting and growing inwards / upwards in the vessel.