Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G24/00—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor
  • A01G24/50—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor contained within a flexible envelope
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G24/00—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor
  • A01G24/60—Apparatus for preparing growth substrates or culture media
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
  • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
  • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
  • B65B9/207—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles the web advancing continuously
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
  • A01G9/08—Devices for filling-up flower-pots or pots for seedlings; Devices for setting plants or seeds in pots
  • A01G9/081—Devices for filling-up pots

Definitions

• the present invention relates to aids to produce plants, and specifically to aids to produce orchids. Background of the invention
• orchids particularly Phalaenopsis (known as moth orchid) are one of the most important flower products for the markets around the world.
• Most cultivated orchids are native to the tropics. In their natural habitat, they attach themselves to the bark of trees, or to the surface of other plants. Their thick, white roots are specially adapted to absorb moisture and dissolved nutrients. Orchids roots, and eventually the entire plant, will die if they do not get air, and this is the reason that orchids do not grow in soil (with the exception of a few terrestrial varieties).
• the orchid potting media should be open, with exceptionally good drainage, yet capable of holding sufficient moisture to support the plant's needs. Orchids are therefore often grown in bark mixes.
• the most reliable method of seed production of orchids is asymbiotic germination, or flasking.
• This method involves growing the seeds in a nutrient solution, which provides the necessary nutrients for the growing plants.
• the nutrient solution is mixed into agar to provide mechanical support for the seedlings. After one to two years, the seedlings will normally be large enough to survive outside the flask.
• the seedlings are removed from the flask, all the agar solution washed from the plants and then potted into pots where they continue to grow. For the first few weeks, the tiny plants are kept moist and humid while they acclimatise to life outside the flask.
• the seedlings will then take another 2 to 10 years or more, depending on the species, before they are large enough to flower, most common species taking around 2 or 3 years.
• the process step of potting the plants is very time consuming, and there exist a need to reduce the complexity of this step, while providing a solution where the seedlings can continue to be mechanically or physically supported.
• the inventor of the present invention has developed a growth medium bag that can be used to wrap around an orchid seedling, such that it is mechanically supported, and may fit into a pot tray.
• the production of such a growth medium bag requires a new and specialized production process for large scale production.
• this production process has proven useful for other growth medium pot products for use in hydroponic growth of pot plants, such as herbs.
• Today, most of the greenhouses applying hydroponic growth of herbs utilize injection moulded plastic pots. This is very problematic, as there is a dramatic increase of plastic waste in general in the world.
• a first aspect relates to a process for line production of plant growth medium bags comprising the steps of:
• steps c)-d) optionally, repeating the steps c)-d) to form a series of interconnected growth medium bags; and f) separating one or a group of interconnected growth medium bags from the series of interconnected growth medium bags.
• the second sealing of a growth medium bag may be a first sealing in a neighbouring growth medium bag after initiation of the process, i.e. after changing a reel or folded stack of continuous length of water and air permeable sheet material.
• plant growth medium should be broadly interpreted, and includes fertilizer, peat moss, fir bark, dried fern roots, sphagnum moss, rock wool, perlite, cork nuggets, stones, coconut fiber, lava rock, compost, or a blend that combines several of these materials.
• the water and air permeable sheet material preferably biodegradable, woven or nonwoven
• the water and air permeable sheet material may be recycled together with the plant roots and growth medium in a composting facility.
• the sheet material must be water and air permeable in order for the produced plant pot to be able to absorb water and dissolved nutrients.
• biodegradable as used herein describes the chemical dissolution of materials by bacteria or other biological means.
• nonwoven sheet material means a sheet material that has a structure of individual fibers or threads, which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable repeating manner.
• Nonwoven sheet materials may be formed by a variety of processes such as, for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, coforming processes, airlaying processes, wetlaying processes, and hydroentangling.
• the fibers used for the water and air permeable sheet material are preferably biodegradable, which can be natural or synthetic fibers, e.g. cellulosic fibers, protein fibers or synthetic polymer fibers.
• Natural fibers, preferably recycled, can comprise pulped or shredded cellulose fibers, such as wood pulp, shredded wood, shredded paper (tissue, newsprint and the like), straw, cotton fiber, composted vegetation, fibrous sphagnum moss, peat moss, shredded stalks including shredded corn stalks and shredded pine straw (including needles, twigs, cones and small branches).
• Shredded vegetation is preferably dry before shredding.
• Protein fibers can e.g. be hair or gelatin.
• Biodegradable synthetic fibers can comprise reconstituted cellulose fibers, such as rayon fibers, vinyl polymer fibers, such as fibrous polyvinyl alcohol, poly lactic acid, and polyamide fibers.
• cellulosic fibers as used herein describes fibers made from an organic compound derived primarily from plants such as trees.
• wood pulp fibers as used herein describes a type of cellulosic fiber made from a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulosic fiber from plants such as trees or cotton.
• regenerable/reconstituted cellulosic fibers describes a type of cellulosic fiber made from wood pulp using a solvent fiber spinning process. The process involves dissolving wood pulp in a solvent, and spinning the resultant spinning solution into fibers.
• the biodegradable and water and air permeable sheet material consist of spunlaced fibers without fiber binding materials.
• spunlaced refers to a structure of individual fibers or threads, which are physically entangled, without thermal bonding. Physical entanglement may be achieved using a water entanglement process, or alternatively, a needling process or a combination of both processes.
• the spunlaced fibers provide the strength to the water and air permeable sheet without the need for a binder, also, and very importantly for the present use, when the water and air permeable sheet is wet.
• the fibers should preferably be made from, or coated with, a thermoplastic material.
• the water permeable sheet material could be coated with a hotmelt composition.
• Another method for sealing the tube may be to emboss the sheet parts together.
• the water permeable sheet material is heat sealable.
• the water and air permeable sheet material must obviously be advanced during the continuous process.
• Different means may be used, such as a pair of jaws configured to move in the water and air permeable sheet material advancement direction during their engagement with the tube.
• the pair of jaws may be welding jaws configured to make the sealing.
• the sealings are made by flattening the tube between two welding jaws, and wherein the continuous length of water and air permeable sheet material is advanced by moving the two welding jaws, when engaged with the tube, in the water and air permeable sheet material advancement direction.
• the separation step is performed by dividing a sealing into two sealings by cutting (mechanical cut or heat cut) longitudinally therethrough.
• a part of the growth medium bag is removed prior to or during the separation step by cutting, to form a growth medium pot.
• the separation step is performed by dividing the second sealing into two sealings, a second and a first sealing, by cutting
• the second sealing for a first tubular chamber is prepared simultaneously with a first sealing for the following second tubular chamber.
• a second sealing for a first tubular chamber is prepared simultaneously with a first sealing for the following second tubular chamber, and wherein the separation step is performed by cutting between said second and first sealing.
• the tube is sealed along its length, e.g. by a lap sealing. The sealing is preferably made on the tube part when it passes over the growth medium feeding tube. Thereby, a part of the free end of the growth medium feeding tube serves as a part of the sealing means.
• a part of the free end of the growth medium feeding tube comprises a protrusion adapted for receiving a welding jaw.
• the growth medium feeding tube is connected to a growth medium delivering unit comprising:
• - a storage container adapted for holding growth medium, and with an outlet in the bottom wall;
• stirrer configured to maintain the growth medium homogeneous in the storage container
• the growth medium feeding tube is connected to a growth medium delivering unit comprising:
• - a storage container adapted for holding growth medium, and with an outlet in the bottom wall;
• stirrer configured to maintain the growth medium homogeneous in the storage container
• an open-ended dosing chamber configured to move between a first position and a second position; wherein the first open end connects to the outlet of the storage container in the first position, and wherein the second open end connects to the inlet of the growth medium feeding tube in the second position, while the first open end disconnects from outlet of the storage container, thereby removing a dosage of growth medium from the storage container, through the open-ended dosing chamber, and into the growth medium feeding tube.
• the growth medium delivering unit with a dosing chamber is a new way of thinking within the field of paper pots, where the growth medium is normally delivered into a cylindrical paper tube as a continuous mass (see e.g. W01992003914). Such a configuration is not possible, when producing a plant bag or pot according to the present invention.
• the growth medium In order to provide space for making the sealings, the growth medium must be provided into the cavity of the tube in doses. This dosage of growth medium may be delivered e.g. by suction or blow means. Therefore, it is important that the water permeable sheet material must also be air permeable, as the air blown into the tube together with the dosage of growth medium must leave the tube through the walls of the tube. Similarly, when the dosage is sucked into the tube, a low pressure (e.g. vacuum) must be generated within a part of the tube by removing air from the tube lumen.
• a low pressure e.g. vacuum
• the open-ended dosing chamber is configured as a block with a channel extending therethrough, and wherein the first open end of the channel connects to the outlet of the storage container in the first position, and wherein the second open end of the channel connects to the inlet of the growth medium feeding tube in the second position.
• the block is slidingly engaged with the bottom wall of the of the storage container.
• the open-ended dosing chamber is slidingly engaged with bottom wall of the of the storage container.
• the stirrer is configured to change rotation direction each 2-10 dosing operations. This configuration is to avoid demixing of the growth medium.
• the stirrer paddle blade/head is configured as one or more cylindrical rods extending radially away from the stirrer shaft.
• configuration is to avoid demixing of the growth medium.
• a second aspect relates to a growth medium bag or pot obtainable by the process according to the present invention.
• a third aspect relates to a growth medium bag or pot made from a single sheet of water and air permeable sheet material, and comprising a plurality of compartments, each compartment filled with a mass or plug of growth medium; wherein each compartment is separated from a neighbouring compartment by a sealing formed in the sheet material.
• a fourth aspect relates to the use of a growth medium bag according to the present invention for cultivating plant seedlings, such as onion plant seedlings, and orchid plant seedlings.
• the dimensions of the growth medium bags are preferably longer than their width, the length being within the range of 30-200 mm, and the length being within the range of 40-400 mm.
• the width should preferably be within the range of 30-80 mm, and the length within the range of 60-160 mm.
• a fifth aspect relates to an apparatus for use in the process according to the present invention, the apparatus comprising:
• - a storage container adapted for holding growth medium, and with an outlet in the bottom wall;
• stirrer configured to maintain the growth medium homogeneous in the storage container
• an open-ended dosing chamber configured to move between a first position and a second position; wherein the first open end connects to the outlet of the storage container in the first position, and wherein the second open end connects to an inlet of a growth medium feeding tube in the second position, while the first open end disconnects from outlet of the storage container, thereby removing a dosage of growth medium from the storage container, through the open-ended dosing chamber, and into the growth medium feeding tube.
• the apparatus further comprises:
• suction chamber positioned around and beyond the free end of the growth medium feeding tube, and adapted to be in a) an open first configuration and b) in a closed second configuration; wherein when in the closed second configuration the suction chamber encloses the free end of the growth medium feeding tube and the water and air permeable sheet material tube formed around it, and engages and flattens the opposed walls of the water and air permeable sheet material tube at a predefined distance downstream from the free end of the growth medium feeding tube; and subsequently removes air out of the chamber, such that a dosage of growth medium in the dosing chamber and/or in the growth medium feeding tube, is transported through the growth medium feeding tube and into the water and air permeable sheet material tube within said suction chamber.
• the apparatus further comprises:
• a first means adapted for forming a first sealing in the tube by engaging and flattening the opposed walls of the open end of the tube, and advancing the continuous length of water and air permeable sheet material a predefined distance;
• first and the second means may be the same.
• the first and/or the second sealing means may be integrated into the lower part of the suction chamber.
• the apparatus comprises a cutting means adapted for separating the formed plant growth bag from the continuous length of water permeable sheet material.
• the means adapted for forming a first and a second sealing are positioned on each side of a slot adapted for receiving the cutting means adapted for separating the formed growth medium bag from the continuous length of water and air permeable sheet material.
• the apparatus further comprises a piston configured to move through the first and second open ends of the open-ended dosing chamber when the open-ended dosing chamber is in the second position.
• the plant seedling is first wrapped in a first growth medium bag according to the present invention, and then a second growth medium bag according to the present invention is wrapped around the first growth medium bag.
• the second growth medium bag comprises is relatively longer than the first growth medium bag.
• the first growth medium bag may be wrapped several times around the plant seedling, thereby forming a spiral.
• the second growth medium bag may be wrapped several times around the first growth medium bag, thereby forming a spiral.
• the sealing may be configured such that neighbouring compartments are easily folded over one another. Such a configuration may be effectuated by a certain minimum width of the sealing, such as at least 3 mm, e.g. within the range of 3-20 mm, such as within the range of 5-15 mm, preferably at least 5 mm.
• Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about”, it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
• FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for use in the process in accordance with various embodiments of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a part of the apparatus members in accordance with various embodiments of the invention
• FIG. 3 shows a sealing means in accordance with various embodiments of the invention
• Figure 4 shows a cutting means in accordance with various embodiments of the invention
• Figure 5 shows a growth medium storage container relative to an open-ended dosing chamber in accordance with various embodiments of the invention
• FIG. 6 shows a growth medium bag in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
• Figures 7-9 show the process of wrapping a plant seedling in a growth medium bag and positioning them in a tray.
• FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 100 for line production of plant growth medium bags.
• the apparatus 100 comprises folding means 200, sealing means 300, a growth medium feeding tube 400, cutting means 500, a growth medium storage container 600, a dosing chamber 700 (not visible, see Figure 5), and a suction chamber 800.
• the folding means 200 is adapted for continuously folding the free end of a continuous length of water and air permeable sheet material 10, preferably supplied on a reel 20, into a tube 12 around the growth medium feeding tube 400.
• the sealing means 300 is adapted for:
• the first and the second sealing means 300 are the same.
• the second sealing 34 of a growth medium bag 30 may be a first sealing in a neighbouring growth medium bag 30.
• the function of the sealing means 300 is better seen in Figure 3.
• a dosage of growth medium is transported to the lumen of the growth medium bag or compartment being formed.
• a stirrer is configured to maintain the growth medium homogeneous in the storage container 600.
• An open- ended dosing chamber 700 is configured to move between a first position and a second position (better seen in Figure 5).
• the first open end 720 connects to the outlet 610 of the storage container 600 in the first position, and wherein the second open end connects to an inlet (not shown) of a growth medium feeding tube 400 in the second position, while the first open end 720 disconnects from outlet 610 of the storage container 600, thereby removing a dosage of growth medium from the storage container 600, at least partly through the open-ended dosing chamber 700, and at least partly into the growth medium feeding tube 400.
• a stirrer paddle blade/head 740 is configured as two cylindrical rods extending radially away from the stirrer shaft. This configuration is to avoid demixing of the growth medium.
• a suction chamber 800 (better seen in Figure 2) is positioned around and beyond the free end 410 of the growth medium feeding tube 400, and adapted to be in a) an open first configuration (as seen in Figure 2) and b) in a closed second
• the suction chamber 800 encloses the free end 410 of the growth medium feeding tube 400, and the water and air permeable sheet material tube formed around it. Furthermore, it engages and flattens the opposed walls of the water and air permeable sheet material tube at a predefined distance (arrow 14 indicates a predefined distance relative to the second sealing) downstream from the free end 410 of the growth medium feeding tube 400; and subsequently removes air out of the chamber, such that a dosage of growth medium in the dosing chamber 700 and/or in the growth medium feeding tube 400, is transported through the growth medium feeding tube 400 and into the water and air permeable sheet material tube within said suction chamber 800.
• a cutting means 500 is adapted for separating the formed plant growth bag from the continuous length of water permeable sheet material with a cutting blade 510 cutting through a sealing between two neighbouring growth bags.
• sealing means 900 is configured for sealing the tube along its length, here a lap sealing. The sealing is made on the tube part when it passes over the growth medium feeding tube. Thereby, a part of the free end of the growth medium feeding tube serves as a part of the sealing means 900.
• the growth medium bag 30 is made from a single sheet of water and air permeable sheet material, and comprising a plurality of (two) compartments 32, each compartment 32 filled with a mass or plug of growth medium. Each compartment 32 is separated from a neighbouring compartment 32 by a sealing 34 formed in the sheet material.
• the dimensions of the growth medium bags are preferably longer than their width, the length being within the range of 30- 200 mm, and the length being within the range of 40-400 mm. For orchid seedlings, the width should preferably be within the range of 30-80 mm, and the length within the range of 60-160 mm.
• the cutting means may in one or more embodiments be configured to vary the sequence of compartments in neighbouring growth medium bags in a line of produced growth medium bags by cutting in sealings of varying distance from one another.
• Figures 7-9 show the process of wrapping a plant seedling in a growth medium bag and positioning them in a tray.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (4)

Citations (6)

• 2017
  • 2017-07-14 DK DKPA201700414A patent/DK179595B1/da active IP Right Grant
• 2018
  • 2018-07-04 WO PCT/EP2018/068042 patent/WO2019011742A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

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