WO2024186203A1

WO2024186203A1 - Removal device and method for removing a plant pad from a storage tube

Info

Publication number: WO2024186203A1
Application number: PCT/NL2024/050101
Authority: WO
Inventors: VAN DEN Peter Hubertus Elisabeth ENDE
Original assignee: Ende Van Den Peter Hubertus Elisabeth
Priority date: 2023-03-03
Filing date: 2024-03-04
Publication date: 2024-09-12

Abstract

A magazine 101 in which plant pads 203 are stacked on top of each other is positioned diagonally or vertically upwards. There is an opening 107 in the underside 103 of the magazine 101 through which non-deformed plant pads 201 cannot fall. A removal device 1 for removing a plant pad 201 from the magazine 101 has a suction cup 3 and moving means 5 for moving the suction cup 3 for the purpose of taking a plant pad 201 from the magazine 101. The moving means 5 are configured to move the suction cup 3 upwards over a first distance at a first speed and then downwards over a second distance that is greater than the first distance and at a second speed that is greater than the first speed, so that the sucked lower plant pad 201 is released from the stack of plant pads 203 above it and is pulled out through the opening.

Description

Removal device and method for removing a plant pad from a storage tube

DESCRIPTION:

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a removal device for removing a plant pad from a magazine, in which magazine the plant pads are stacked on top of each other, which magazine is oriented obliquely or perpendicularly upwards when cooperating with the removal device and which magazine is provided with an underside and a number of side walls upright along the circumference thereof, wherein the underside of the magazine forms a supporting surface for the plant pads and is provided with an opening through which non-deformed plant pads cannot fall, which removal device comprises at least a suction cup, as well as moving means for moving the suction cup for taking a plant pad from the magazine.

With large plant pads it may be beneficial to grip them with more than one suction cup and if there are several stacks of plant pads next to each other in the magazine or if there are several magazines next to each other, it is also beneficial for the device to have more than one suction cup.

The magazine can be a refillable magazine or the magazine can be in a holder and, if empty, can be exchanged with another full magazine.

Background of the invention

Plant pads are pads provided with water-absorbing gel to form a water buffer and improve the structure of the substrate and are used in plant pots under the substrate contained therein and in soil or other substrates for bed cultivation and open field cultivation. To this end, the plant pads are placed on the bottom of an empty plant pot or on the bottom of a trench or planting hole in the ground and then covered with substrate or soil. Plant pads are also used in substrate cultivation, for example slab with coconut, rock wool, perlite or other materials. Summary of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a removal device for taking a plant pad from a magazine in an efficient manner. To this end, the removal device according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means are configured to bring the suction cup against the lower plant pad at the location of the opening in the underside of the magazine and to suck it into place and then move the suction cup upwards and then downwards. By moving the grasped plant pad downwards faster than the stack of plant pads above it lowers down, the grasped plant pad becomes loose from the plant pad above it and prevents two or more plant pads from being undesirably removed from the magazine at the same time. The lowering of the plant pads is slowed down by the friction between the plant pads and the inner wall of the magazine.

An embodiment of the removal device according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means are configured to move the suction cup upwards at a first speed and then move it downwards at a second speed that is greater than the first speed. If there is little friction between the stack of plant pads and the inner wall of the magazine, the stack of plant pads will lower down at the falling speed. The downward speed of the suction cup must therefore be greater than the falling speed of the stack of plant pads. If necessary, the magazine can be placed at an angle to increase friction and reduce the pressure on the lower plant pad, so that a lower second speed can be used and/or higher magazines with a higher stack of plant pads can be used.

A further embodiment of the removal device according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means are configured to move the suction cup upwards over a first distance and downwards over a second distance, which is greater than the first distance. This causes the sucked lower plant pad to be pulled out of the magazine through the opening in the underside of the magazine. When pulled through the opening, the plant pad will deform slightly because the support surface is designed in such a way that a plant pad cannot fall through the opening.

An embodiment of the removal device in which a plant pad does not have to be deformed to take a plant pad from the magazine is characterized in that the moving means are configured to move the suction cup upwards over a first distance and to move it downwards over a second distance that is equal to the first distance, whereby the opening in the underside of the magazine extends to one side of the magazine, and this side of the magazine is provided with a further opening that is adjacent to the opening in the underside, so that a plant pad can be pushed out of the magazine on that side.

To efficiently place a plant pad taken from the magazine in a plant pot or on substrate, beds or open ground, a further embodiment of the removal device according to the invention is characterized in that the removal device comprises further moving means that are configured to move the suction cup in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the suction force and rotate it to a position in which the suction cup is above the plant pad so that the plant pad can then be dropped into a plant pot or onto substrate, beds or open ground.

The invention also relates to a method for removing a plant pad from a magazine, in which magazine the plant pads are stacked on top of each other, which magazine is oriented obliquely or perpendicularly upwards during the removal of a plant pad and which magazine is provided with a underside and a number of side walls upright along the circumference thereof, wherein the underside of the magazine forms a supporting surface for the plant pads and is provided with an opening through which non-deformed plant pads cannot fall, which removal device comprises a suction cup, as well as moving means for moving the suction cup for taking a plant pad from the magazine.

With regard to the method, the invention is characterized in that the moving means bring the suction cup against the lower plant pad at the location of the opening in the underside of the magazine and then move the suction cup upwards and then downwards. This prevents the lower plant pad of the stack of plant pads above the sucked plant pad from snagging or sticking behind the sucked plant pad and being pulled out with it.

An embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means move the suction cup upwards at a first speed and then move it downwards at a second speed that is greater than the first speed in order to reduce the chance that the lower plant pad of the stack gets caught behind the sucked plant pad or sticks to it and is pulled along.

A further embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means move the suction cup upwards over a first distance and then downwards over a second distance that is greater than the first distance. As a result, the sucked plant pad is pulled out through the opening in the underside of the magazine. An embodiment of the method according to the invention in which the plant pads are not deformed when removed from the magazine is characterized in that the moving means move the suction cup upwards over a first distance and then downwards over a second distance equal to the first distance, wherein the opening in the underside of the magazine extends to one side of the magazine, and this side of the magazine is provided with a further opening that is adjacent to the opening in the underside, so that at that side a plant pad can be pushed out of the magazine.

Yet a further embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the moving means or further moving means move the suction cup in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the suction force and rotate it to a position in which the suction cup is present above the plant pad in order to move the plant pad into a position to let it fall into a plant pot or onto substrate, beds or open ground.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of the removal device and method according to the invention shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows three steps in a first embodiment of the method according to the invention for taking a plant pad from a magazine;

Figure 2 shows three steps for placing the plant pad taken from the magazine into a plant pot;

Figure 3 shows two steps in a second embodiment of the method according to the invention for taking a plant pad from a magazine;

Figure 4 shows the plant pad separately;

Figure 5 shows the underside of the magazine that is suitable for use in the method shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 shows the plant pad shown in figure 4 in a plant pot.

Detailed description of the drawings Figure 1 schematically shows the removal of a plant pad 201 from a magazine 101 by means of the removal device 1 according to the invention. The magazine 101 is elongated and oriented vertically. The figures show the magazine in longitudinal section. In the magazine 101 there is a stack of plant pads 203. The underside 103 of the magazine is provided with an opening 107 that is designed in such a way that a plant pad 201 cannot fall through. The plant pad 201, for example, has a rectangular shape and the opening 107 in the underside 103 of the magazine 101 also has a rectangular shape, the dimensions of which are slightly smaller than those of the plant pad 201 so that the plant pad is carried along the periphery by the edge of the opening 107. If the magazine becomes empty, it can be supplemented with new plant pads. The magazine 101 may also be present in a magazine holder (not shown), so that when it is empty it can easily be replaced by a full magazine.

The removal device 1 is shown very schematically and has a rotatable shaft 2 on which moving means 5 are mounted. The shaft can be rotated in various ways, including an electric motor, a hydraulic or a pneumatic (linear) rotation cylinder, controlled by valves, or an electric frequency motor, controlled by a PLC. The moving means 5 are formed by a pneumatic cylinder 5a with a piston 5b movable therein. A suction cup 3 is attached to the free end of the piston 5b. The pneumatic system or vacuum system for controlling the suction cup and the pneumatic cylinder is not shown.

From a retracted position (shown with broken lines), position A in figure 1, the suction cup 3 is brought into contact with the lower plant pad 201 in a stack 203 of plant pads. The suction cup 3 is then moved upwards by the piston 5b, shifting and lifting the entire stack 203 of plant pads in the magazine 101 and the lower plant pad is sucked into place, position B in figure 1. The suction cup 3 is then pulled out at increased speed over a greater distance via the opening 107 in the underside 103 of the magazine 101, position C in figure 1. Due to the inertia and friction with the side wall 105 of the magazine 101 of the stack 203 of plant pads above the grasped plant pad 201, the lower plant pad 201 will come loose from the plant pad above it. This prevents two or more plant pads from being unintentionally taken from the magazine at the same time. Because the opening 107 is slightly smaller than the plant pad 201, the plant pad 201 will temporarily deform slightly when it is pulled out of the magazine 101 due to the presence of the supporting surface of the underside 103.

Figure 2 shows the subsequent placing of the plant pad 201 taken from the magazine in a plant pot 301. After the plant pad 201 has been removed from the magazine 101, the stack 203 of plant pads drops down to the underside 103 of the magazine 101, position D in figure 2. The shaft 2 is then rotated over 180° by further moving means 7 (for example an electric motor with transmission), with the plant pad 201 held above the plant pot 301, position E in figure 2. The plant pad 201 is then released by releasing the suction in the suction cup 3. The plant pad 201 then falls onto the bottom of the plant pot 301, position F in figure 2. The plant pot provided with a plant pad can then be removed, after which another empty plant pot is placed under the removal device.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the method for removing a plant pad, whereby the plant pad does not have to be deformed. The magazine 101 is now positioned at an angle to increase the friction between the stack 203 of plant pads and the side wall of the magazine, so that the stack 203 lowers down less quickly after being lifted. The lower plant pad 201 is now not pulled out through the opening 107 in the underside 103 of the magazine 101, but is pulled down over the same distance as the stack 203 has been pushed up, position G in figure 3. Due to the increased resistance of the stack 203 in the magazine 101, this does not have to be done at increased speed.

The plant pad 201 preferably has a triangular shape, see figure 4. The plant pad consists of two sheets with water-absorbable gel (super- absorbent polymers: SAP) in between and possibly nutrients and other additives. The gel is preferably in the form of super-absorbent gel granules. The two sheets, one of which is preferably not woven, so that it can be properly grasped by a suction cup, with the gel granules present in between, are preferably glued together with a biodegradable glue. The other sheet is preferably made of woven jute, so that plant roots can easily grow through it.

In this variant, the opening 107 in the underside 103 of the magazine 101 also has a triangular shape, see Figure 5, but is smaller than the plant pad, so that the edges of the plant pad rest on the supporting surface of the underside 103 around the opening 107. On one side 105a of the magazine 101, the opening 107 extends to the outside of the magazine 101 and an opening 109 is present in this side wall 105a of the magazine 101 (or a part of the side wall 105a adjacent to the underside is not present) through which the plant pad 201 can be slid out of the magazine 101. Position H in figure 3 shows the position of the suction cup 3 and the position of the plant pad 201 during sliding of the plant pad 201 through the opening 109 from the magazine 101. The shaft 2 can then rotate further to the position E shown in figure 2 and the plant pad 201 can be released so that it falls back into the plant pot 301 as shown in position F of figure 2. It is also possible to mirror the magazine 180 degrees horizontally and then the opening 109 in the magazine is not in one of the side walls 105a, but in two of the side walls 105 and allowing the opening 107 in the underside 103 to extend to the point between these two side walls 105.

After the plant pad has been placed in the plant pot, the plant pot is filled with a substrate in which one or more plants are grown. When watering, the gel will absorb water and expand, acting as a water buffer for the plants that will grow with roots into the swollen hydrated gel.

The advantage of the triangular shape of the plant pad 201 is that when the plant pad 201 is present in a plant pot 301 with a round bottom and side wall, see figure 6, the size of the space between the plant pad 201 and the inner wall of the plant pot 301 is sufficient large, so that after swelling of the gel present in the plant pad, there is sufficient substrate between the gel and the inner wall of the plant pot to allow excess water to drain via the substrate present next to the gel and via openings in the bottom of the plant pot. An example of a suitable plant pad is described in WO2014/142654A1 and an example of a plant pot provided with such a plant pad is described in WO2016/068696A1. The contents of both documents should be deemed to be included in the present patent application by this reference to these two documents.

Instead of the equilateral triangle shown here, differently shaped (triangular) plant pads can also be advantageously used as long as the ratio between the size of the surface of the plant pad compared to the size of the surface of the bottom of the plant pot is such that after expanding of the gel, space remains between the swollen gel and the inside of the plant pot. The surface of the plant pad is preferably between 30% and 50% of the surface of the bottom of the plant pot. This ratio ensures sufficient drainage in case too much water is added to the substrate. The ratio between the waterabsorbing polymers and the substrate is even more optimal if the surface of the plant pad is between 35% and 45% of the surface of the bottom of the plant pot. In a strip along the edges of the plant pad with a width of 5-10 mm, the sheets are preferably glued directly on top of each other and there is no gel (granules or powder) between the sheets.

Preferably, the diameter of the circle that goes through the three comers of the plant pad is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the bottom of the plant pot. If such a triangular plant pad is used in the method described here for removing a plant pad from a magazine, the shape of the magazine must be adjusted accordingly. Instead of dropping into plant pots, the plant pads can also be dropped onto substrate, beds or open ground (on the bottom of trenches or holes made in the earth), whereby the removal device can then be moved over substrate, beds and open ground. In these cases, the shape of the plant pads is preferably rectangular or round. Although the invention has been explained in the foregoing with reference to the drawings, it must be noted that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings within the framework defined by the claims. For example, the removal device can also be provided with two or more suction cups, which are preferably mounted on the same shaft or on shafts that are connected to each other, whereby plant pads can be removed from several magazines simultaneously.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Removal device (1) for removing a plant pad (201) from a magazine (101), in which magazine the plant pads (201) are stacked on top of each other, which magazine (101) is inclined when cooperating with the removal device (1) or is oriented perpendicularly upwards and which magazine (101) is provided with an underside (103) and a number of side walls (105) upright along its circumference, wherein the underside (103) of the magazine forms a supporting surface for the plant pads and is provided of an opening (107) through which non-deformed plant pads (201) cannot fall, which removal device (1) comprises at least one suction cup (3), as well as moving means (5) for moving the suction cup (3) for the purpose of removing a plant pad (201) from the magazine (101), characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to bring the suction cup (3) against the bottom of the plant pad (201) at the location of the opening (107) in the underside (103) of the magazine and then suck it in place and then move the suction cup (3) up and then down.

2. Removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to move the suction cup (3) upwards at a first speed and then move it downwards at a second speed that is greater than the first speed.

3. Removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to move the suction cup (3) upwards at a first speed and then move it downwards at a second speed that is greater than the falling speed of the remaining plant pads in the magazine.

4. Removal device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to move the suction cup (3) upwards over a first distance and then move it downwards over a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.

5. Removal device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to move the suction cup (3) upwards over a first distance and then move it downwards over a second distance equal to the first distance, wherein the opening (107) in the underside (103) of the magazine extends to one side (109) of the magazine, and this side (109) of the magazine is provided with a further opening adjacent to the opening in the underside so that a plant pad (201) can be slid out of the magazine (101) on that side (109) of the magazine.

6. Removal device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removal device (1) comprises further moving means (7) that are configured to move the suction cup (3) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the suction force and to rotate it towards a position in which the suction cup (3) is above the plant pad (201) to allow the plant pad (201) to fall into a plant pot or onto soil, substrate, beds or open ground.

7. Method for removing a plant pad (201) from a magazine (101), in which magazine the plant pads (201) are stacked on top of each other, which magazine (101) is oriented inclined or is oriented perpendicularly upwards during the removal of a plant pad (201) and which magazine (101) is provided with an underside (103) and a number of side walls (105) standing upright along its circumference, wherein the underside (103) of the magazine forms a supporting surface for the plant pads and is provided with an opening (107) through which non-deformed plant pads (201) cannot fall, which removal device (1) comprises a suction cup (3), as well as moving means (5) for moving the suction cup (3) for the purpose of taking a plant pad (201) from the magazine (101), characterized in that the moving means (5) press the suction cup (3) against the lower plant pad (201) at the location of the opening (107) in the underside (103) of the magazine (101) and then move the suction cup (3) up and then down.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the moving means (5) move the suction cup (3) upwards at a first speed and then move it downwards at a second speed that is greater than the first speed.

9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the moving means (5) are configured to move the suction cup (3) upwards at a first speed and then downwards at a second speed, which is greater than the falling speed of the remaining plant pads in the magazine.

10. Method according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the moving means (5) move the suction cup (3) upwards over a first distance and then downwards over a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

11. Method according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the moving means (5) move the suction cup (3) upwards over a first distance and then downwards over a second distance equal to the first distance, wherein the opening (107) in the underside (103) of the magazine extends to one side (109) of the magazine, and this side (109) of the magazine is provided with a further opening that is adjacent to the opening in the underside, so that a plant pad (201) can be slid out of the magazine (101) on that side (109).

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 7-11, characterized in that the moving means (7) or further moving means move the suction cup (3) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the suction force and rotate it to a position in which the suction cup (3) is above the plant pad (201), so that the plant pad (201) can be dropped into a plant pot or onto substrate, beds or open ground.