WO2022073098A1 - Automated plant tray shuttle and system - Google Patents

Automated plant tray shuttle and system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022073098A1
WO2022073098A1 PCT/CA2021/000093 CA2021000093W WO2022073098A1 WO 2022073098 A1 WO2022073098 A1 WO 2022073098A1 CA 2021000093 W CA2021000093 W CA 2021000093W WO 2022073098 A1 WO2022073098 A1 WO 2022073098A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conveyor
tray shuttle
plant tray
conveyor belt
plant
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA2021/000093
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jim GALLANT
Original Assignee
Roto-gro Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Roto-gro Inc. filed Critical Roto-gro Inc.
Publication of WO2022073098A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022073098A1/en

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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
    • A01G31/00—Soilless cultivation, e.g. hydroponics
    • A01G31/02—Special apparatus therefor
    • A01G31/04—Hydroponic culture on conveyors
    • A01G31/042—Hydroponic culture on conveyors with containers travelling on a belt or the like, or conveyed by chains
    • 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
    • A01G31/00—Soilless cultivation, e.g. hydroponics
    • A01G31/02—Special apparatus therefor
    • A01G31/04—Hydroponic culture on conveyors
    • A01G31/047—Hydroponic culture on conveyors with containers inside rotating drums or rotating around a horizontal axis, e.g. carousels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles
    • B65G2201/0202—Agricultural and processed food products
    • B65G2201/0211—Fruits and vegetables
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G65/00—Loading or unloading
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P60/00—Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
    • Y02P60/20—Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
    • Y02P60/21—Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Definitions

  • This invention relates to indoor horticulture and more particularly to an automated plant tray shuttle and system for moving plant trays on and off gardening systems.
  • Such indoor gardening systems require adaptations from outdoor gardening, including transportation of seedlings and plants to and from tables, shelves, or rotatable drums.
  • a traditional approach may rely on an assembly line of workers and tractors to handle and transport plants (see for example, U.S. Patent No. 8,205,789 for System and Process for Handling, Prepping, Tagging and Shipping Plants), such an approach is not particularly efficient or cost effective.
  • U.S. Patent No. 10,390,503 for Automated Mobile Terrace Growing System describes the use of two conveyors for transporting a terrace structure for growing plants to a person situated at a docking station and eliminating the need for a walkway that would otherwise be required for accessing a stationary terrace garden.
  • the limited trajectories and precision of that system do not enable the transporting of individual plants on the terrace structure without the assistance of a skilled worker.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward.
  • the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt may each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
  • the automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise mobility means.
  • the automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise wheels.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle system comprising the plant tray shuttle, with a rotating garden at at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle
  • An automated plant tray shuttle system comprising the plant tray shuttle with wheels, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
  • a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt of an automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving tire second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward, retracting the second conveyor.
  • a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt of an automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the second conveyor.
  • a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of an automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
  • a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of an automated plant tray shuttle of at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle comprising a bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor comprises moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises moving rotationally forward or backward.
  • the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt may each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
  • the automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise mobility means.
  • the automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise wheels.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle system comprising this plant tray shuttle, with a rotating garden at at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle system comprising the plant tray shuttle with wheels, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
  • a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
  • a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
  • a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
  • there is a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
  • a mobile automated plant tray shuttle comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
  • a mobile automated plant tray shuttle comprising at least one bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the conveyor belt additionally comprises a cleat across the conveyor belt.
  • Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle of an embodiment of the present invention in a first position.
  • Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1 , in a fourth position, shown with transparency.
  • Figure 3 is a top view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1, in the first position, shown with transparency.
  • Figure 4 is an end view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1 , in the first position.
  • Figure 5 is a top perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle system of an embodiment of the invention, in a first loading stage with an automated plant tray shuttle in a first position.
  • Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a second loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
  • Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a third loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
  • Figure 8 Is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a fourth loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a third position.
  • Figure 9 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a first unloading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
  • Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a first unloading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a third position.
  • Figure 11 is a top perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle in a first position, in a further unloading stage.
  • an automated plant tray shuttle 10 with two conveyors 15, 17 each having a conveyor belt 20 with a cleat 30.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 is movable through wheels 40.
  • the wheels 40 are covered by side cover 51 on each side with a cutaway 55 for the wheels 40.
  • Separating the conveyors 15, 17 is a middle section having a top rail 60 supported by perpendicular top rail supports 62 on a middle base 64.
  • Each conveyor 15, 17 has two sides 110 and widthwise conveyor supports 120, with a guide rails 70 on top of each side 110.
  • the motors 80 for example stepper motors, are powered by batteries 100 to move the conveyor belts 20 and to move the wheels 40 of the plant tray shuttle 10 under the control of controllers 90 which are capable of being operated remotely through software.
  • Figures 1, 3 and 4 show the conveyors 15, 17 in a first position.
  • Figure 2 shows conveyors 15, 17 in a fourth position demonstrating that the conveyors 15, 17 of the plant tray shuttle 10 are bidirectional to provide loading and unloading of plant trays (not shown) from both ends.
  • the first conveyor 15 is referred to as moving backward and conveyor 17 as moving forward.
  • a plant tray shuttle 10 could also only provide uni-directional loading and unloading from one end, or alternatively one conveyor loading and unloading in one direction and the other conveyor loading and unloading from the opposite direction.
  • Figures 5 to 8 show the plant tray shuttle 10 with the wheels 40 (not shown) resting on track rails 140 loading plant trays 125 onto a rotating garden 130.
  • FIG 5 shows a first loading stage with an automated plant tray shuttle 10 in a first position.
  • the references to loading and unloading “stages” are arbitrary and merely used to describe the method of loading and unloading the trays.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 is stationed at a rotating garden which requires loading.
  • the first position is when the conveyors 15 are at rest.
  • Figures 6 and 7 show the second stage of loading in which the first conveyor 15 moves forward into second position and the conveyor belt 20 is turned on in the direction of the rotating garden 130 to load an empty garden row.
  • the cleat 30 contacts the plant tray 125 farthest from the rotating garden 130 being loaded, it aids in pushing the plant trays off the conveyor 15 and onto the rotating garden 130.
  • the cleat 30 may be underneath the conveyor 15, 17 and when the belt 20 starts rotating the cleat 30 moves into position behind a plant tray 125 so that the cleat 30 pushes that tray which pushes the tray in front of it.
  • Figure 7 shows that both plant trays 125 have moved onto the rotating garden 130 after which the first conveyor 15 will retract to be in first position.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 is shifted to line up the second conveyor 17 with the row of the drum being loaded as shown in Figure 8. Then the conveyor belt 20 of the second conveyor 17 is turned on and the cleat 30 pushes the plant trays onto the rotating garden 130, which pushes the plant trays already on the rotating garden along the row.
  • the conveyor belt 20 would rotate in the opposite direction, which is being referred to as backward.
  • the wheels 40 rest on track rails 140.
  • the rotating garden 130 is shown on the ground level 135 there are outer walkways 145 on which a human worker could get out of the way of a plant tray shuttle 10.
  • the outer walkways 145 also keep the plant tray shuttle 10 a slight distance from the rotating gardens 130 to avoid anything that may be jutting out from the gardens such as electrical equipment, feeding equipment etc. As such, only the portion of the rotating garden 130 at which the loading and unloading takes place needs to be clear of obstruction.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 can be guided as an automated guided vehicle with wires or marked lines on the floor and sensor-based guidance systems, in which case adaptations are made to ensure that the conveyors 15, 17 are level with the row to be loaded or unloaded, for example a raised floor, a taller plant tray shuttle 10, a lower rotating garden or combination.
  • Sensors, cameras, and monitoring devices may be mounted to the plant tray shuttle 10 to enable its movement, lining up level and avoidance of obstacles.
  • Environmental sensors such as humidity and temperature measuring sensors, may be mounted to the plant tray shuttle 10 or to the rotating gardens 130.
  • Figures 9 and 10 show a first and second stage of unloading plant trays 125 from a rotating garden 130.
  • Figure 9 shows the plant tray shuttle 10 in a second position in which conveyor 15 has moved forward to receive the plant trays 125 which are pushed off of the rotating garden 130 by a tray pushing arm 150 guided along an actuator rail 155 to which the arm 150 is connected through arm attachment means 151.
  • the optional guide rails 70 on the conveyors 15, 17 help the plant trays 125 to center onto the conveyor belts 20 when pushed on.
  • the arm 150 pushes the last two trays 125 off onto the second conveyor 17 guided by the guide rails 70.
  • each conveyor 15, 17 is powered individually and the direction of the conveyors 15, 17 forward and backward as well as the direction of rotation of the conveyor belts 20 is controlled with software.
  • the movement of the plant tray shuttle is powered by the battery which operates the motors to rotate the wheels, with software determining the direction of movement along the track rails 140, and additionally along the ground 135, for example, to deliver the plant trays 125 loaded with fully grown plants to processing or a loading dock.
  • Figure 11 is an embodiment of the plant tray shuttle 10 unloading plant trays from a second story of a stacked rotating garden 130 with a full walkway 154 for human workers rather than only the outer walkways 145.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 In this unloading stage the plant tray shuttle 10 is in a first position and tho conveyor belts 20 of both conveyors 15, 17 are activated to rotate in the same direction and speed to push the trays off onto roller conveyor 190.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 may be lowered to the ground on a platform/elevator (not shown) and move along at ground level to deliver the plant trays 125 elsewhere.
  • an elevator (not shown) to bring multiple trays up onto a roller conveyor 190 which trays the plant tray shuttle 10 loads up and delivers to the rotating garden 130.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 continues to travel back and forth to load up rotating gardens 130.
  • the roller conveyor 190 rotates in the same direction as the conveyors 15, 17 so that trays move either off of the roller conveyor 190 onto the plant tray shuttle 10 or off of the plant tray shuttle 10 onto the roller conveyor 190, and as such the roller conveyor 190 is also bidirectional.
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 can obtain and deliver plant trays 125 itself, or a roller conveyor 190 may be used for storing plant trays 125 while the plant tray shuttle moves back and forth from the roller conveyor 190 to the rotating garden 130.
  • the roller conveyor 190 ceases rolling when the plant tray shuttle is loaded or is not present, unless the roller conveyor 190 is operating to load or unload trays from an elevator or other delivery means.
  • the arm 150 is shown adapted to push trays of plants with a trellis via arm ridge 152 to push/support the trellis portion.
  • the arm ridge 152 is not required for plants without a trellis.
  • the arm 150 can be adapted.
  • the trays 125 may be marked with identification, for example, the trays may have RFID (radio frequency identification) tags and the plant tray shuttle 10 have sensors to identity the RFID and move a specific tray either off of or onto a garden 130.
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • the plant tray shuttle 10 may be moved by outside forces, such as being pulled or pushed back and forth on a track. Alternatively, in another embodiment the plant tray shuttle 10 may remain in place to load and unload plant trays 125 from a rotating garden 130.
  • the plant tray shuttle of the present invention there is only one conveyor 15 and conveyor belt 20. It will be understood that in other embodiments of the invention, the plant tray shuttle has more than two conveyors.

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  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)

Abstract

This invention relates to indoor horticulture and more particularly to an automated plant tray shuttle and system for moving plant trays on and off gardening systems. The automated plant tray shuttle on wheels, comprises two bidirectional conveyors each capable of moving forward and backward and each conveyor having a bidirectional conveyor belt. The automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise a cleat on each conveyor belt. The automated plant tray shuttle system, comprises the plant tray shuttle, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of one or both tracks. The method of loading and unloading plant trays from a rotating garden comprises the steps of moving the automated plant tray shuttle to a row of a rotating garden, moving one conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to rotate forward, retracting the one conveyor belt, moving the automated plant tray shuttle to align the other conveyor with the row, moving the other conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to rotate forward, retracting the other conveyor belt.

Description

AUTOMATED PLANT TRAY SHUTTLE AND SYSTEM
Field of Invention
This invention relates to indoor horticulture and more particularly to an automated plant tray shuttle and system for moving plant trays on and off gardening systems.
Background of the Invention
Indoor gardening systems can enhance growing conditions or extend a growing season through controlling the light, temperature, nutrients and water conditions for plants. Given that trays of plants in either dirt or hydroponic media on tables take up a lot of square space just like fields of crops, and indoor spaces can be costly, various space saving measures have been developed, including rotating gardening systems. A rotating gardening system that is stackable is described in U.S. Patent No. 10,292,346 entitled Stackable Modular Rotatable Gardening System.
Such indoor gardening systems require adaptations from outdoor gardening, including transportation of seedlings and plants to and from tables, shelves, or rotatable drums. Whereas a traditional approach may rely on an assembly line of workers and tractors to handle and transport plants (see for example, U.S. Patent No. 8,205,789 for System and Process for Handling, Prepping, Tagging and Shipping Plants), such an approach is not particularly efficient or cost effective.
To improve upon the efficiency of indoor gardening systems, there has been an increasing trend towards automating processes that would otherwise require one or more skilled workers and walkways for those workers. For example, U.S. Patent No. 10,390,503 for Automated Mobile Terrace Growing System describes the use of two conveyors for transporting a terrace structure for growing plants to a person situated at a docking station and eliminating the need for a walkway that would otherwise be required for accessing a stationary terrace garden. However, the limited trajectories and precision of that system do not enable the transporting of individual plants on the terrace structure without the assistance of a skilled worker.
Mobile conveyor systems have been developed for mining machines (See e.g., U.S. Patent No. 8,820,509) and inventory management (See e.g., U.S. Patent No. 10,011,434), but such systems are not suitable for the safe transportation and positioning of plants. An automated device to enable the safe and efficient movement of plant trays as part of an indoor gardening system, and particularly a rotating garden system, is needed.
Summary of Invention
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is an automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward.
The first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt may each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
The automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise mobility means.
The automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise wheels.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is an automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle, with a rotating garden at at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle
An automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle with wheels, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt of an automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving tire second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward, retracting the second conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt of an automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the second conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of an automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of an automated plant tray shuttle of at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is an automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor comprises moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises moving rotationally forward or backward.
The first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt may each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
The automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise mobility means.
The automated plant tray shuttle may additionally comprise wheels.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is an automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising this plant tray shuttle, with a rotating garden at at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is an automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle with wheels, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle, positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a mobile automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a mobile automated plant tray shuttle, comprising at least one bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the conveyor belt additionally comprises a cleat across the conveyor belt.
Description of Drawings
These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the brief description of the drawings and the following detailed description In which: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle of an embodiment of the present invention in a first position.
Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1 , in a fourth position, shown with transparency.
Figure 3 is a top view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1, in the first position, shown with transparency.
Figure 4 is an end view of the automated plant tray shuttle of Figure 1 , in the first position.
Figure 5 is a top perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle system of an embodiment of the invention, in a first loading stage with an automated plant tray shuttle in a first position.
Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a second loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a third loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
Figure 8 Is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a fourth loading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a third position.
Figure 9 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a first unloading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a second position.
Figure 10 is a top perspective view of the automated plant tray shuttle system of Figure 5, in a first unloading stage with the automated plant tray shuttle in a third position.
Figure 11 is a top perspective view of an automated plant tray shuttle in a first position, in a further unloading stage.
Detailed Description of Invention
In an embodiment of the present as shown in Figures 1 to 4, there is an automated plant tray shuttle 10 with two conveyors 15, 17 each having a conveyor belt 20 with a cleat 30. The plant tray shuttle 10 is movable through wheels 40. The wheels 40 are covered by side cover 51 on each side with a cutaway 55 for the wheels 40. At each end there is an end vertical base support 66. Separating the conveyors 15, 17 is a middle section having a top rail 60 supported by perpendicular top rail supports 62 on a middle base 64.
Each conveyor 15, 17 has two sides 110 and widthwise conveyor supports 120, with a guide rails 70 on top of each side 110. The motors 80, for example stepper motors, are powered by batteries 100 to move the conveyor belts 20 and to move the wheels 40 of the plant tray shuttle 10 under the control of controllers 90 which are capable of being operated remotely through software.
Figures 1, 3 and 4 show the conveyors 15, 17 in a first position. Figure 2 shows conveyors 15, 17 in a fourth position demonstrating that the conveyors 15, 17 of the plant tray shuttle 10 are bidirectional to provide loading and unloading of plant trays (not shown) from both ends. In order to describe a direction, in Figure 2 the first conveyor 15 is referred to as moving backward and conveyor 17 as moving forward. Tn further embodiments, a plant tray shuttle 10 could also only provide uni-directional loading and unloading from one end, or alternatively one conveyor loading and unloading in one direction and the other conveyor loading and unloading from the opposite direction.
Figures 5 to 8 show the plant tray shuttle 10 with the wheels 40 (not shown) resting on track rails 140 loading plant trays 125 onto a rotating garden 130.
Figure 5 shows a first loading stage with an automated plant tray shuttle 10 in a first position. The references to loading and unloading “stages" are arbitrary and merely used to describe the method of loading and unloading the trays. The plant tray shuttle 10 is stationed at a rotating garden which requires loading. The first position is when the conveyors 15 are at rest. Figures 6 and 7 show the second stage of loading in which the first conveyor 15 moves forward into second position and the conveyor belt 20 is turned on in the direction of the rotating garden 130 to load an empty garden row. When the cleat 30 contacts the plant tray 125 farthest from the rotating garden 130 being loaded, it aids in pushing the plant trays off the conveyor 15 and onto the rotating garden 130. For example, the cleat 30 may be underneath the conveyor 15, 17 and when the belt 20 starts rotating the cleat 30 moves into position behind a plant tray 125 so that the cleat 30 pushes that tray which pushes the tray in front of it. Figure 7 shows that both plant trays 125 have moved onto the rotating garden 130 after which the first conveyor 15 will retract to be in first position. The plant tray shuttle 10 is shifted to line up the second conveyor 17 with the row of the drum being loaded as shown in Figure 8. Then the conveyor belt 20 of the second conveyor 17 is turned on and the cleat 30 pushes the plant trays onto the rotating garden 130, which pushes the plant trays already on the rotating garden along the row.
If the rotating garden on the opposite end was being loaded, the conveyor belt 20 would rotate in the opposite direction, which is being referred to as backward.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 8 the wheels 40 (not shown) rest on track rails 140. Although the rotating garden 130 is shown on the ground level 135 there are outer walkways 145 on which a human worker could get out of the way of a plant tray shuttle 10. The outer walkways 145 also keep the plant tray shuttle 10 a slight distance from the rotating gardens 130 to avoid anything that may be jutting out from the gardens such as electrical equipment, feeding equipment etc. As such, only the portion of the rotating garden 130 at which the loading and unloading takes place needs to be clear of obstruction. It will be understood that alternatively to the track rails 140, the plant tray shuttle 10 can be guided as an automated guided vehicle with wires or marked lines on the floor and sensor-based guidance systems, in which case adaptations are made to ensure that the conveyors 15, 17 are level with the row to be loaded or unloaded, for example a raised floor, a taller plant tray shuttle 10, a lower rotating garden or combination. Sensors, cameras, and monitoring devices may be mounted to the plant tray shuttle 10 to enable its movement, lining up level and avoidance of obstacles. Environmental sensors, such as humidity and temperature measuring sensors, may be mounted to the plant tray shuttle 10 or to the rotating gardens 130.
Figures 9 and 10 show a first and second stage of unloading plant trays 125 from a rotating garden 130. Figure 9 shows the plant tray shuttle 10 in a second position in which conveyor 15 has moved forward to receive the plant trays 125 which are pushed off of the rotating garden 130 by a tray pushing arm 150 guided along an actuator rail 155 to which the arm 150 is connected through arm attachment means 151. The optional guide rails 70 on the conveyors 15, 17 help the plant trays 125 to center onto the conveyor belts 20 when pushed on. After the trays 125 are pushed onto the first conveyor 15 it retracts and then the plant tray shuttle moves to align the second conveyor 17 with the row being unloaded as shown in Figure 10. The arm 150 pushes the last two trays 125 off onto the second conveyor 17 guided by the guide rails 70.
In the embodiment shown, each conveyor 15, 17 is powered individually and the direction of the conveyors 15, 17 forward and backward as well as the direction of rotation of the conveyor belts 20 is controlled with software. Likewise, the movement of the plant tray shuttle is powered by the battery which operates the motors to rotate the wheels, with software determining the direction of movement along the track rails 140, and additionally along the ground 135, for example, to deliver the plant trays 125 loaded with fully grown plants to processing or a loading dock.
It will be understood that if a rotating garden is smaller, for example, each row could only fit two plant trays 125, then the plant tray shuttle 10 shown in these figures could load two rows of that rotating garden. It will be understood that variation in the size of the rotating garden 130, plant trays 125 and conveyors 15, 17 are adaptations and may be coordinated to fmd efficient combinations.
Figure 11 is an embodiment of the plant tray shuttle 10 unloading plant trays from a second story of a stacked rotating garden 130 with a full walkway 154 for human workers rather than only the outer walkways 145. In this unloading stage the plant tray shuttle 10 is in a first position and tho conveyor belts 20 of both conveyors 15, 17 are activated to rotate in the same direction and speed to push the trays off onto roller conveyor 190. Alternatively, the plant tray shuttle 10 may be lowered to the ground on a platform/elevator (not shown) and move along at ground level to deliver the plant trays 125 elsewhere.
In an embodiment of the invention there is an elevator (not shown) to bring multiple trays up onto a roller conveyor 190 which trays the plant tray shuttle 10 loads up and delivers to the rotating garden 130. The plant tray shuttle 10 continues to travel back and forth to load up rotating gardens 130. The roller conveyor 190 rotates in the same direction as the conveyors 15, 17 so that trays move either off of the roller conveyor 190 onto the plant tray shuttle 10 or off of the plant tray shuttle 10 onto the roller conveyor 190, and as such the roller conveyor 190 is also bidirectional. On the ground level the plant tray shuttle 10 can obtain and deliver plant trays 125 itself, or a roller conveyor 190 may be used for storing plant trays 125 while the plant tray shuttle moves back and forth from the roller conveyor 190 to the rotating garden 130. The roller conveyor 190 ceases rolling when the plant tray shuttle is loaded or is not present, unless the roller conveyor 190 is operating to load or unload trays from an elevator or other delivery means.
As shown in Figure 10, it will be understood that the arm 150 is shown adapted to push trays of plants with a trellis via arm ridge 152 to push/support the trellis portion. The arm ridge 152 is not required for plants without a trellis. The arm 150 can be adapted.
To move specific trays 125, the trays 125 may be marked with identification, for example, the trays may have RFID (radio frequency identification) tags and the plant tray shuttle 10 have sensors to identity the RFID and move a specific tray either off of or onto a garden 130.
Other means of mobility than with wheels are possible, such as a continuous track. Further, the plant tray shuttle 10 may be moved by outside forces, such as being pulled or pushed back and forth on a track. Alternatively, in another embodiment the plant tray shuttle 10 may remain in place to load and unload plant trays 125 from a rotating garden 130.
In a further embodiment of the plant tray shuttle of the present invention, there is only one conveyor 15 and conveyor belt 20. It will be understood that in other embodiments of the invention, the plant tray shuttle has more than two conveyors.
From the above detailed description, the operation and construction of the invention should be apparent. While there are herein shown and described example embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless understood that various changes may be made with respect thereto without departing from the principle and scope of the invention. ,

Claims

Claims We claim:
1. An automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward.
2. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1, wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
3. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1, additionally comprising mobility means.
4. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1, additionally comprising wheels.
5. An automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle of claim 1, with a rotating garden at at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle
6. An automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle of claim 4, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle,
7. A method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor bolt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1 , positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward, retracting the second conveyor.
8. A method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the second conveyor.
9. A method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1 at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor forward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor forward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
10. A method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1 at a row of a rotating garden, moving the first conveyor backward and activating the first conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the first conveyor, positioning the automated plant tray shuttle to align the second conveyor with the row, moving the second conveyor backward and activating the second conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the second conveyor.
11. An automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor comprises moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of die conveyor belt comprises moving rotationally forward or backward.
12. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11 , wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
13. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1 1, additionally comprising mobility means.
14. The automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11, additionally comprising wheels.
15. An automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle of claim 9, with a rotating garden on at least one of the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
16. An automated plant tray shuttle system, comprising the plant tray shuttle of claim 14, a parallel pair of tracks for the wheels to run along and at least one rotating garden on the outside of the tracks at the first end or the second end of the plant tray shuttle.
17. A method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 1 1 , positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
18. A method of loading plant trays onto a rotating garden comprising the steps of loading plant trays on the conveyor belt of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11, positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to push the plant trays onto the row, retracting the conveyor.
19. A method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the first end of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11 at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor forward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally backward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
20. A method of unloading plant trays off of a rotating garden comprising the steps of positioning the second end of the automated plant tray shuttle of claim 11 at a row of a rotating garden, moving the conveyor backward and activating the conveyor belt to move rotationally forward to accept the plant trays being pushed off of the row, retracting the conveyor.
21. A mobile automated plant tray shuttle, comprising a first bidirectional conveyor with a first bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, beside which first conveyor is a second bidirectional conveyor with a second bidirectional conveyor belt running from the first end of the plant tray shuttle to the second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt each additionally comprise a cleat across the conveyor belt.
22. A mobile automated plant tray shuttle, comprising at least one bidirectional conveyor with a bidirectional conveyor belt running from a first end of the plant tray shuttle to a second end of the plant tray shuttle, wherein bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving outwardly forward from the first end or backward from the second end of the plant tray shuttle, and bidirectional movement of the conveyor belt comprises independently moving rotationally forward or backward, and wherein the conveyor belt additionally comprises a cleat across the conveyor belt.
PCT/CA2021/000093 2020-10-07 2021-10-06 Automated plant tray shuttle and system WO2022073098A1 (en)

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US63/088,607 2020-10-07

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