WO2011016074A2

WO2011016074A2 - Method and apparatus for the controlled germination of seeds

Info

Publication number: WO2011016074A2
Application number: PCT/IT2010/000350
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vito Pirri
Original assignee: Iarrera, Michelina
Priority date: 2009-08-07
Filing date: 2010-08-02
Publication date: 2011-02-10
Also published as: IT1395241B1; WO2011016074A3; ITRN20090037A1

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for the controlled germination of seeds comprises a container (2) for seeds to be germinated, and a tank (4) housing the container (2) and equipped with water feed means (7) and water drainage means (8). The apparatus (1) also comprises means (9; 9a) for supporting the container (2) in the tank (4) in such a way that it can rotate about a predetermined axis of rotation (5), means (6; 20, 19) for driving the container (2), apparatus control means (10); and means (11) for programming germination cycle parameters, the latter controlling the control means (10).

Description

Description Method and apparatus for the controlled germination of seeds Technical Field

This invention relates to the animal breeding sector and in particular to the breeding of pet birds and relates to an apparatus for the controlled germination of seeds for feeding said animals. Background Art

It is customary, when breeding pet birds such as canaries, goldfinches, finches, etc.) to supply food in the form of germinated seeds, which are an excellent substitute for seeds in the lactescent state which passeriformes usually eat in the wild.

It is known that the germination of the seeds is activated by suitable conditions of moisture, temperature and ambient light which must be maintained for suitable lengths of time.

However, artificial reproduction of the physical state and environment necessary for seed germination is quite laborious and is not without risks, for example the possibility that moulds may form on the surface of the seeds.

For these reasons, during seed preparation, they often have to be washed every

6 to 8 hours. That requires the constant presence of the breeder, who at least four times a day, on average every six hours, must be present in the breeding premises so that he can control the whole germination process, from the soaking step to the moist step.

Moreover, often unheated premises (for example during several months in a year, in winter) do not allow complete and correct execution of the entire germination process.

Often the seeds are only soaked, that is to say, they have absorbed water and swollen, but they have not germinated, thus losing most of their nutritional value. This disadvantage may be overcome by extending the germination time, but at the same time that also proportionately increases the risk of moulds.

Disclosure of the Invention

This invention therefore has for an aim to eliminate all of these disadvantages with an apparatus in which the entire germination process can be carried out in a fully automatic fashion, completely controlled, and according to a predetermined and strictly repeatable time span.

The technical features of the invention, in accordance with the above aims, are clear from the content of the claims herein, in particular claims 1 and 10, and from any of the claims directly or indirectly dependent on them.

The invention allows achievement of the fundamental result of allowing the germination process to be carried out in ideal moisture and temperature conditions, guaranteeing effective and homogeneous germination of the seeds, at any time of year.

The invention also allows the further advantage of allowing the seeds to be perfectly washed, disinfected and dried during the process, in such a way that, at the time of supply, they are absolutely sterile and perfectly germinated. Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other advantages of this invention are also more apparent in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective assembly view of the germination apparatus in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in cross-section according to the line III - III of Figure 2. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes as whole an apparatus for the controlled germination of seeds, in particular of seeds for feeding birds being bred.

The apparatus 1 basically comprises a container 2 housed in a tank 4 which is in turn made inside a structural casing 15 having the shape of a parallelepiped.

The container 2, designed to contain the seeds to be germinated, is a cylindrical hollow metal body, with a vertical axis 5, the body comprising a closed base 14 and being open at the top.

The container 2 has a first lateral wall 3, external and pierced so that it is permeable to water, but at the same time is such that it retains the seeds inside the container 2.

At its central part, close to the body axis of symmetry 5, the container 2 comprises a cylindrical inner lateral wall 18 which, in combination with its flat, horizontal top 17, delimits a hollow space 16, which is closed at the top and which, at the bottom is open at the base 14 of the container 2, the base 14 therefore being ring-shaped.

The tank 4 is equipped with water feed means 7 and water drainage means 8: the former and the latter are schematically illustrated, since they are of the conventional type.

The tank 4 is equipped with means 9 for supporting the container 2 in such a way that it can rotate about a vertical axis of rotation 5, said axis coinciding with the axis of symmetry 5 of the container 2.

The supporting means 9 comprise in particular a vertical shaft 9a which is supported by the casing structure 15, projecting towards the inside of the tank 4, and which is supported by the base 15b of the casing structure 15 in such a way that it can rotate about the vertical axis 5.

Passing through the base 15b of the structure 15, the vertical shaft 9a comes out of the bottom of the structure 15 and connects, outside the structure, to a mechanical transmission 19, driven by a motor 20 located in a compartment 21 made in the parallelepiped structure 15 alongside the tank 4. The mechanical transmission 19 is of the type comprising a flexible belt element 19c, looped around a pair of pulleys 19p, respectively a driving pulley and a driven pulley, which are connected to the motor 21 and to the shaft 9a.

Penetrating inside the container 2 tubular hollow space 16 and making contact with the closed top 17, the vertical shaft 9a supports the container 2 which rests on its central part, at the same time making it rotatably integral about the axis 5.

The pulling action which results in rotation is preferably performed by a cylindrical tubular sleeve 22, interposed between the shaft 9a and the inner perimeter wall 18 of the container 2. The sleeve 22 can transmit the shaft 9a pulling action to the container 2 by friction, or if preferred, by mechanical meshing.

Due to the connections described above, the container 2 can be removed from the shaft 9a, with an upward axial movement, so that it can be extracted from the top of the tank 4 and at the same time can rotate about the axis 5 for washing and rinsing the seeds with water present in the tank 4, or for centrifuging the seeds so as to remove the soaking water from them, after the tank 4 has been drained.

The container 2 has a flat ring-shaped lid 23, inserted in the cylindrical container 2 plunger-style, which can translate parallel with the axis 5 in a guide 24 which consists of the inner perimeter wall 18 of the container 2. The translation is made possible by pushing or pulling an annular grip surface 25 located at a predetermined distance from the lid 23, towards the upper part of the parallelepiped structure 15.

Since the lid 23 is that shape it is possible, for example, to compress the seeds to promote compacting in the container 2.

The tank 4 also comprises another lid 13, which can be removed from the top of the tank manually by gripping special handles 26. The lid 13 is preferably made of transparent material, through which light can pass, like the lid 23 of the container 2, so as to promote the photosynthesis necessary for the germination process.

The apparatus 1 also comprises control means 10 and programming means 11 - symbolically represented on the structure 15 - which control the control means 10 to achieve the optimum cycle for germination of the seeds in the container 2 on each occasion.

In practice, the apparatus 1 is used in such a way as to implement a method for the controlled germination of seeds which basically comprises the steps of:

- soaking the seeds contained in the container 2 by flooding the tank 4;

- leaving the seeds to soak in the container 2 for a predetermined soaking time "ta";

- emptying the soaking water from the tank 4;

- rinsing the seeds;

- draining away the rinsing water;

- rapidly rotating the container 2 to remove the water from the seeds by centrifugal action;

- keeping the seeds in the container 2, inside the tank 4, in the moist state at controlled temperature and humidity for a predetermined moist step time "tu"; and finally

- washing and rinsing the seeds.

The step of keeping the seeds in the moist state is preferably interspersed with at least one intermediate step of washing and rinsing the seeds to eliminate any moulds already formed during the part of the cycle completed, or starting to form.

The intermediate washing may advantageously also be accompanied by a step of disinfecting the seeds, carried out by adding disinfectant to the washing water.

In terms of the time the process takes, the step of soaking the seeds is preferably performed in a period of time "ta" of around six hours.

The step of keeping the seeds in the moist state lasts for a period "tu" of around eighteen hours.

By operating in that way, the entire germination cycle is performed in a twenty-four hour period, allowing continuous daily production of fresh germinated seeds for daily bird feeding.

As regards the quantity of product which can be obtained, obviously that depends on the working volume of the container. As a general example, it is possible to obtain quantities of seeds with a mass varying from 0,.5 to 3 kg, or relative multiples of these quantities.

If the apparatus 1 is also fitted with thermostat-controlled heating means 12, the production of fresh germinated seeds is possible irrespective of the ambient temperature in which the apparatus 1 is located, and all year round, with obvious benefits for breeding birds in captivity.

The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the controlled germination of seeds comprising a container (2) for seeds to be germinated, a tank (4) housing the container (2), equipped with water feed means (7) and water drainage means (8); the apparatus

(I) also comprising means (9; 9a) for supporting the container (2) in the tank (4) in such a way that it can rotate about a predetermined axis of rotation (5), means

(6; 20, 19) for driving the container (2), apparatus control means (10); and means

(I I) for programming germination cycle parameters, the latter controlling the control means (10).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the container (2) is cylindrical and is supported with its axis of symmetry (5) coinciding with the axis of rotation (5) of the supporting means (9; 9a).

3. The apparatus according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the container (2) comprises at least one pierced outer wall (3).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting means (9, 9a) support the container (2) in such a way that it can rotate about a vertical axis (5).

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the container (2) can be released from the supporting means (9; 9a), allowing it to be removed from the tank (4) according to at least one of the two directions of travel along the axis of rotation (5).

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises thermostatic means (12) for controlling the temperature inside the tank (4).

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a Hd (23) for the container (2) which can be moved in a guide (24) on a perimeter wall (18) of the container (2) and when suitable lid (23) pushing and pulling means (25) are operated.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a lid (13) for closing the tank (4).

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the lids (23, 13) are permeable to light.

10. A method for the germination of seeds, characterised in that it comprises the steps of soaking the seeds contained in the container (2) by flooding the tank (4); leaving the seeds to soak in the container (2) for a predetermined soaking time (ta); emptying the soaking water from the tank (4); rinsing the seeds; draining the rinsing water; subjecting the container (2) to rapid rotation to remove the water from the seeds; keeping the seeds in the container (2), inside the tank (4), in the moist state at a controlled temperature and humidity level and for a predetermined moist step time (tu); and washing and rinsing the seeds.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that the step of keeping the seeds in the moist state is alternated with at least one intermediate sequence of washing and rinsing the seeds.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that it comprises a step of disinfecting the seeds which is carried out by adding disinfectant to the washing water.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that the soaking time (ta) lasts for approximately six hours.

14. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that the step of keeping the seeds in the moist state time (tu) lasts for approximately eighteen hours.

15. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that it can be applied to quantities of seeds with a mass varying from 0.5 to 3 kg, or to relative multiples of said quantities.

16. A system for controlling the germination of seeds, characterised in that it comprises means for programming the germination cycle parameters of the apparatus (1) according to any of the claims from 1 to 9, and a germination method according to any of the claims from 10 to 15 implemented in the programming means.

17. The apparatus, method and system for germination according to the foregoing claims in which the seeds are intended for feeding animals.