WO2016171556A1

WO2016171556A1 - Growing system, for example for mushrooms, and method

Info

Publication number: WO2016171556A1
Application number: PCT/NL2016/050283
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony Visser
Original assignee: Viscon B.V.
Priority date: 2015-04-24
Filing date: 2016-04-21
Publication date: 2016-10-27
Also published as: NL2014713B1; NL2014713A

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a growing system Growing system for agricultural products, such as mushroom, in a controlled environment, comprising: - at least two elongate racks defining accommodations for elongate growth containers at different levels, and positioned essentially in line and at a distance from one another; - a workspace between the at least two racks, - a transporter configured to transport at least one of the containers at a time to or from any of the at least two elongate racks, wherein the transporter is configured to withdraw or insert containers in a horizontal orientation. In the system, the distance defining the workspace is shorter than a length of the containers. The transporter is configured to withdraw any container from a rack, through the workspace and insert the container into another rack, opposite the one from which the container is withdrawn relative to the workspace, at a single level.

Description

GROWING SYSTEM, FOR EXAMPLE FOR MUSHROOMS, AND METHOD

The present disclosure relates to a growing system for agricultural products, such as mushroom, in a controlled environment, comprising: at least two elongate racks, each defining accommodations for elongate growth containers at different levels.

The inventors of the present disclosure are familiar with a limited number of prior art embodiments. Normally, agricultural products like mushrooms, are grown in and harvested from elongate containers, that are often approximately 9 meters long, but may be shorter or longer. Such containers are open towards an upper side thereof, wherein a cloth may be arranged on a bottom of such containers, filled with substrate like compost, and mushrooms or other products are then grown therein. The containers remain in the elongate racks. Such products, like mushrooms, are not all ready for harvesting at the same time. Sometimes a container needs to be harvested twice or more times, to finish harvesting all or most of the crops from the container. It is anticipated that normally a container will have to be harvested at least twice to get all or at least most of the potential crops from the container. When all, or at least a substantial majority of the potential yield of products, like mushrooms, have been harvested, containers can be cleaned or even sterilized (for instance in a steam cabin), filled with new substrate and mushrooms, and may be left in the racks for a predetermined time, in which water and possibly nutrients may be administered, after which harvesting may start again.

People or picking robots 7 can be positioned on a platform, which can be raised and lowered to a level of a container from which products are to be harvested, which can therefore remain in the rack. The platform must also be able to be moved along the length of the containers, and at different heights to harvest from separate containers, to enable harvesting along the entire length of the elongate containers at different heights. Overlying containers are very close to one another, which hampers harvesting for people or picking robots 7, if they have to reach into a space having a height of for example only 25 centimetres, to reach and harvest all mushroom is the containers, which is also a cause of injury to people or picking robots, in particular back injuries. Also, as a further consequence, considerable distance between parallel neighbouring racks must be open or free for the installation having the work platform, lift and transporter, which is highly inefficient with respect to room usage.

Prior art embodiments consume much space, which can therefore not be utilised for product growth, and space efficiency is consequently poor.

Additionally, reference is made here to BE-802.857 and NL-9001797, which relate to installations for growing mushrooms, where a central hallway is provided between opposing cells containing racks, in which elongate growth containers are stored. The hallway is as wide as or wider than a length of the elongate containers, to enable transport through the hallway on a transporter with the containers perpendicular to the direction of transport, where the central hallway is used only for transport of the containers. Relative to these prior art publications, at least the features in the characterising portions of the appended independent claims are novel, as a consequence of which the appended independent claims also involve an inventive step.

The present disclosure is directed at decreasing, if not resolving the above described and/or other prior art issues, concerns and problems, to which end a growing system is provided, which is distinguished over the prior art embodiments in that the at least two racks are positioned essentially in line and at a distance from one another; and a workspace defined at the distance between the at least two racks.

As a result of such features, growing systems according to the present disclosure allow the containers to be withdrawn from the racks and be inserted into opposing racks in a single fluent movement, while allowing harvesting as containers move through the workspace between the racks. Parallel neighbouring racks can be very close, and manoeuvring room for handling containers outside of racks can be minimized.

The growing system further comprises a transporter configured to transport at least one of the containers at a time from one to another of the at least two elongate racks along the workspace. Thus automated withdrawal can be effected, to enable harvesters to process products, like mushrooms, at a rack exit, which results in a compact space saving configuration. In the growing system, the transporter is further configured to withdraw containers from said one of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation. Thus the containers are held upright without risk of product falling out of the containers. The growing system is such that the transporter is configured to insert containers into said other of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation. Although such withdrawal and insertions may be - within the scope of the present disclosure - at different container levels in the racks, preferably the level is the same for the originating and destination racks. As a consequence, the linear displacement from one of the racks to another at a single level is extra-ordinarily simple and elegant, and allows sufficient room and time to perform the harvesting.

The growing system is further such that the distance between the at least two racks, where said distance defines the workspace, is shorter than a length of at least some of the elongate growth containers, and the transporter is configured to withdraw and insert the growth containers from and into the racks at a single level. Thereby, the distance between opposing racks relative to the intermediate workspace can be limited to a space required to position harvesters. Thus the configuration is very compact and space saving is for all intents and purposes optimized. For example, the containers are moved from one rack to an opposing one, while workers process or even harvest the crops, such as mushrooms conveniently located in the work space through which the containers are moved from one rack into an opposing one, relative to central work space. In an embodiment having at least some form of the transporter, the growing system may be such that the transporter is arranged on a transporter lift to position the transporter at a level of a selected one of the growing containers to be withdrawn and/or inserted from one and/or into another of the least two elongate racks. Although containers may be withdrawn and inserted at different levels, which may be enabled by the transporter lift, the transporter lift is already useful for raising or lowering the transporter to a level of a container to be withdrawn from one of the racks or to another level of a container to be inserted into another of the racks.

In an additional and/or alternative preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, a growing system may further comprise a height adjustable work platform arranged at the workspace. The work platform is designed to accommodate harvesters and by being able to raise or lower the platform with the harvesters thereon, the harvesters can be positioned at an appropriate level to perform the harvesting relative to a level of the container at an originating rack or at a destination rack (or both).

In an additional and/or alternative preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, a growing system may further be such that the height adjustable work platform comprises a platform lift.

In an embodiment having both a transporter lift and a platform lift, the growing system may, according to the present disclosure, exhibit the feature that the transporter lift and the platform lift are defined by a unitary lift, and wherein the work platform and the transporter are connected to the unitary lift. Thus both the transporter and the platform may be raised or lowered to a desired level, contributing to minimization of elements, components and features to achieve a desired simplicity.

In addition to system related aspects and features, the present disclosure also relates to a method, as defined in the appended claims. Such a method involves growing - and more in particular harvesting - agricultural products, such as mushroom, in a controlled environment, using a growing system according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims, comprising: displacing at least one selected growth container at a time from one to another of the at least two elongate racks, comprising linear transporting of the at least one growth container at a time from one to another of the at least two elongate racks by withdrawing containers from said one of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation and inserting containers into said other of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation; and processing products in the elongate growth containers, when passing along the workspace.

In the method, the distance between the at least two racks, where said distance defines the workspace, is shorter than a length of at least some of the elongate growth containers, and the method comprises withdrawing and inserting the growth containers from and into the racks at a single level. In some additional or alternative embodiment the method may comprise lifting the transporter to position the transporter at a level of a selected one of the growing containers to be withdrawn and/or inserted from one and/or into another of the least two elongate racks.

In some additional or alternative embodiment the method may be such that a height adjustable work platform is arranged in the workspace, and the method further comprises adjusting height of the work platform to a level of a selected one of the growing containers.

In some additional or alternative embodiment the method may comprise leaving open a container position between overlying containers in one of the racks, and employing the left open space between overlying containers as a temporary accommodation for a container withdrawn from an originating rack. In such an embodiment, the method may further comprise moving a container inserted into a destination rack back into an originating rack essentially immediately upon full insertion of the container into the destination rack, to free an airing space for the crops, such as mushrooms, between the overlying containers in the destination rack.

Following the foregoing reference to embodiments of the present disclosure in relatively generic terms and expressions, corresponding with the definitions of the appended claims, herein below more specific embodiments are described in more detail with reference to the appended drawing. Therein, the same or similar aspects, features, elements, components or the like may be designated with the same or similar reference numbers. Further, although the shown and described embodiments are to some extent preferred for various reasons, the shown and described embodiments are merely exemplary of the type and kinds of embodiments that are potentially possible within the framework of the present disclosure. In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a system according to the present disclosure;

Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view along arrow II in figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a schematic cross sectional view along arrow III in figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a schematic frontal view along arrow IV in figure 1 ; and

Figure 5 exhibits a further elaborated embodiment according to the present disclosure.

In the figures, partial representations of an embodiment of a growing system 1 according to the present disclosure are shown. Therein, two racks 2, 3 are positioned in line, which is to say that the racks 2, 3 are elongate, and are positioned in line along a single orientation. Racks 2, 3 are positioned at a distance d 4 from one another, to define a workspace 5 between racks 2, 3. This workspace for harvesting allows for harvesters to have sufficient room between racks 2, 3 to perform harvesting, in contrast with the prior art situation of harvesting with containers stationary in racks.

Although a single pair of racks 2, 3 is shown, additional pairs of racks can be added, parallel to the shown pair of racks 2, 3 to fill the building or hall of a building (not shown). For the sake of clarity, the schematic perspective view of figure 1 is limited to a single pair of racks 2, 3. Neighbouring pairs of racks (not shown) can be arranged very close against or neighbouring the shown pair of racks 2, 3. Human harvesters or other personnel, for instance for maintenance, can move through the building or hall thereof along aisle 6, to or from a pair of racks 2, 3, where products are to be harvested.

Figure 2 exhibits four harvesters 7 on a platform 8, which supports harvesters 7 and carries a transporter 9 which simultaneously defines a workbench for the harvesters 7. Transporter 9 is configured to engage containers 10 from an originating one of the racks 2 and withdraw the containers 10 at a predetermined level in rack 2 through the workspace in the direction of arrow A and insert the withdrawn container 10 into the opposing rack 3.

The harvesters 7 can be people or picking robots.

After a harvesting pass along people or picking robots 7 and from the one rack 2 into the other rack 3, the container may be left in the other rack 3 or may be withdrawn from rack 3 and be inserted back into originating rack 2. In fact, the container 10 in figure 2 is moving in the direction of arrow A from right rack 2 into left rack 3. Harvesting may be done in a harvesting pass over or through the centre aisle 6 from rack 2 and into rack 3, and immediately thereafter or at a later time during the reverse movement (opposite to arrow A) back into right rack 2. The reverse movement may for any container 10 be executed immediately after movement into other rack 3, or after a time to allow more mushroom to become ready for harvesting (which latter option is preferred).

The height of containers 10 in relation to the space between containers 10 in a rack 2, 3 that a container 10 being withdrawn from one of the racks 2, 3 may be accommodated between overlying containers 10 in opposing rack 3, 2. Since the space between overlying containers 10 in one rack 2, 3 is during normal growing of the crops, such as mushrooms, needed for sufficient air supply to the crops, container 10 after having been withdrawn from one of the racks and inserted between overlying containers 10 in opposing rack 3, 2 may be immediately moved back into the rack 2, 3 from which that container 10 originated, i.e. in the direction opposite arrow A. In this manner harvesting can be performed, utilizing two harvesting passes per time that any one of the containers 10 is withdrawn from a rack, because the container 10 is also re -inserted back into the originating rack 2, 3. Further, by appropriate dimensioning of the containers 10 and the racks 2, 3, sufficient airing space between overlying containers 10 in a rack 2, 3 is ensured, even if a container 10 from an opposing one of the racks 3, 2 is temporarily during harvesting inserted between those overlying containers 10 in the destination rack 2, 3.

However, assuming that the second pass through the workspace immediately following the first pass to insert a container back into its originating rack, doesn't yield much harvest, if the people or picking robots 7 are doing a proper job during the first pass, the following is preferred: after having withdrawn a container 10 from an originating rack 2 and inserted the container into the opposing destination rack 3, the platform is raised or lowered to the level of an overlying or underlying container 10 in that rack 3, which rack 3 then becomes the originating rack 3 for the subsequent harvesting step. The overlying or underlying container 10 is withdrawn from rack 3 and inserted into rack 2, then acting as the destination rack 2. According to this mode of operating, it becomes possible to minimize space between subsequent container positions in each rack, and still maintain sufficient space for proper development of the mushrooms, since at no time, other than the short time of harvesting, are container positions that are located immediately above one another taken up by containers, at least in the period between harvesting operations.

Transporter 9 is further configured to execute this transport at a pace at which people or picking robots 7 are capable of performing harvesting. Platform 8 is supported by a cylinder 11 defining a platform lift, to enable height adjustment in the direction of double arrow B in figure 3. However, cylinder 11 simultaneously also defines a transporter lift in view of the fact that transporter 9 is raised or lowered with platform 8 when cylinder 11 is adjusted. Alternative embodiments relative to cylinder 11 for defining a unitary lift, forming both the platform lift as well as the transporter lift, can be for instance defined by pinion-and-rack combinations to hoist platform 8 upward or to lower the platform along for instance an upright 12, which is then for instance provided with a rack for engagement by a pinion on platform 8. Other embodiments of such a lift are also possible within the framework of the present disclosure.

Preferably, a single platform 8 and transporter 9 combination is provided, also for adjoining or neighbouring pairs of racks 2, 3, which involves that the platform 8 and transporter 9 combination must be displaceable along the longitudinal direction of isle 6, which extends transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of elongate racks 2, 3 and containers 5.

Since products, like mushrooms, are often grown in a dark environment, a local light source 13 exclusively at the workspace 5 may be provided to illuminate workspace 5 and allow people or picking robots 7 to perform harvesting.

In particular from the representation of figure 4 the inventive effect of specific embodiments within the framework of the present disclosure becomes clear. More in detail, containers 9 are withdrawn from originating rack 2 in the direction of arrow A, only to be inserted into opposing destination rack 3. If not all of the products are harvested from container 10 in one passage through workspace 5, a single one of containers 10 may be moved from one side to the other in figure 4, or it should be evident, that under circumstances each of the racks 2, 3 can be the originating or the destination rack. Nevertheless, within the framework of the above description in relation to figure 2, regarding the temporary insertion of a container from an originating rack 3 between overlying containers 10 in a destination rack 3, it should be evident that the container 10 in figure 4, that is extending across the workspace in the isle 6 is in the process of being moved back into the originating rack 3, to again free airing space between overlying containers 10 in destination rack 2.

Above, reference is made to a light 13. The light 13 may be omitted or replaced in the following manner.

The embodiment of figure 5 comprises a camera 14 forming a detector connected with a controller in the form of a computer 15. The combination of computer 15 and camera 14 is configured to determine which agricultural products are eligible for processing, such as harvesting. The camera 14 registers images that are processed by the computer to determine any desired characteristic of the products to ascertain whether individual products are sufficiently developed (ripe enough) for harvesting. Such characteristics may comprise any one or more than one of colour, size, or any other feature that an be determined for individual products.

In particular, though not exclusively, when the harvesters 7 are humans, the controller 15 may drive low power lasers 16 or any other suitable light source to identify products to be harvested to the human harvesters 7. Such low power lasers 16 or other suitable light sources thus form pointers such as a light spot, on products determined to be eligible for processing.

However, when the harvesters are picking robots, the laser may be omitted and the picking robots 7 may be driven by the controller 15 to harvest product found to be suitable to be harvested on the basis of images from the camera 14. A lamp may then be provided to support the function of the camera 14 or may be omitted, if there is sufficient light for the camera to function, or may be replaced by an IR light source, if the camera 14 is an IR camera.

In addition, it is noted that - in an alternative arrangement - the laser may be arranged centrally, for example at the location of the camera 14 in the arrangement according to figure 5. In such an alternative arrangement, the camera may be positioned at the location of the laser 16 in figure 5. An additional camera (not shown) may optionally then be provided opposite the first camera at the position of the laser 16 in figure 5, relative to the laser at the position of camera 14 in figure 5.

It should be clear, that within the framework of the present disclosure and in accordance with the appended claims, many additional and alternative embodiments will have become self evident to the skilled person on the basis of the foregoing embodiment description. For example, lift formed by cylinder 11 could be replaced by appropriate lifting solutions within racks 2, 3, although it is expected that such lifting solutions would result in a decrease in efficiency of use of available space. A plurality of containers 10 can be arranged at one level of a rack 2 or 3.

Switching order of containers at one level in Iraq may also help to enhance versatility of the growing system according to the present disclosure. Levels of containers 10 in racks 2, 3 are normally anticipated to be very close to one another, in particular for produce growing in the dark, the distances between container levels in racks can vary, depending on the precise type of produce. From such examples it should be abundantly clear that even obvious alternatives of aspects, components and features in the appended independent claims may be encompassed within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. Growing system for agricultural products, such as mushroom, in a controlled environment, comprising:

- at least two elongate racks, each defining accommodations for elongate growth containers at different levels, wherein the at least two racks are positioned essentially in line and at a distance from one another;

- a workspace defined at the distance between the at least two racks,

- a transporter configured to transport at least one of the containers at a time to or from any of the at least two elongate racks, wherein the transporter is configured to withdraw containers from said any one of the at least two elongate racks or insert containers into any one of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation,

CHARACTERISED IN THAT

the distance between the at least two racks, where said distance defines the workspace, is shorter than a length of at least some of the elongate growth containers, and the transporter is configured to withdraw any one of the growth containers from one of the at least two racks, transport the withdrawn growth container through the workspace and insert the growth container into another of the at least two racks, opposite the one from which the container is withdrawn relative to the workspace, at a single level.

2. Growing system according to claim 1 , wherein the transporter is arranged on a transporter lift to position the transporter at a level of a selected one of the growing containers to be withdrawn and/or inserted from one and/or into another of the least two elongate racks.

3. Growing system according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims, further comprising a height adjustable work platform arranged at the workspace.

4. Growing system according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims, wherein the height adjustable work platform comprises a platform lift.

5. Growing system according to claims 2 and 4, wherein the transporter lift and the platform lift are defined by a unitary lift, and wherein the work platform and the transporter are connected to the unitary lift.

6. Growing system according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one detector connected with a controller, configured to determine which agricultural products are eligible for processing, such as harvesting.

7. Growing system according to claim 6, further comprising a generator of a pointer, such as a light spot, on products determined to be eligible for processing.

8. Growing system according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising at least one picking robot to harvest the agricultural products, wherein the controller drives the picking robot to harvest the agricultural products determined to be eligible for harvesting.

9. Method of growing agricultural products, such as mushroom, in a controlled environment, using a growing system according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims, comprising:

- displacing at least one selected growth container at a time from one to another of the at least two elongate racks, comprising transporting of the at least one growth container at a time to or from any of the at least two elongate racks by withdrawing containers from any one of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation or inserting containers into any of the at least two elongate racks in a horizontal orientation; and

- processing products in the elongate growth containers, when passing along the workspace, CHARACTERISED IN THAT

the distance between the at least two racks, where said distance defines the workspace, is shorter than a length of at least some of the elongate growth containers, and transporting comprises withdrawing any one of the growth containers from one of the at least two racks, through the workspace, and inserting the growth container into another of the at least two racks opposite the one from which the container is withdrawn relative to the workspace, at a single level.

10. Method according to claim 9, further comprising lifting the transporter to position the transporter at a level of a selected one of the growing containers to be withdrawn and/or inserted from one and/or into another of the least two elongate racks.

11. Method according to any one or more than one of preceding claim 9 and 10, wherein a height adjustable work platform is arranged at the workspace, and the method further comprises adjusting height of the work platform to a level of a selected one of the growing containers.

12. Method according to any one or more than one of preceding claim 9 - 11, further comprising leaving open a container position between overlying containers in one of the racks, and employing the left open space between overlying containers as a temporary accommodation for a container withdrawn from the other of the racks.

13. Method according to claim 12, further comprising moving a container inserted into the other of the racks back into the one of the racks essentially immediately upon full insertion of the container into the other of the racks, to free an airing space for the crops, such as mushrooms, between the overlying containers in the other of the racks.

14. Method according to claim 12, further comprising moving one of the overlying containers in the other of the racks to the one of the racks after full insertion of the container withdrawn from the one of the racks into the space between the overlying containers in the other of the racks.

15. Method according to any one or more than one of the preceding claims 9 - 14, further comprising determining which agricultural products are eligible for processing, such as harvesting.

16. Growing system according to claim 15, further comprising generating a pointer, such as a light spot, on products determined to be eligible for processing.

17. Growing system according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising harvesting the agricultural products using at least one picking robot, and controlling the picking robot to harvest the agricultural products determined to be eligible for harvesting.