Apparatus for adjusting a mutual distance between two adjacent crop holders and a system for growing a plurality of crops

Abstract

Apparatus for automated adjustment a mutual distance between any two adjacent crop holders in a series of elongate crop holders situated side by side and extending parallel to each other, comprising: a crop holder engaging mechanism adapted to engage one of the two adjacent crop holders; a displacement mechanism arranged to cause a relative displacement of one of the two crop holders relative to the other of the two crop holders in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicular to the crop holders using the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to adjust the mutual distance between the two consecutive crop holders; a crop distance determining device arranged to determine a shortest crop distance between crops in one of the two crop holders on the one hand and crops in the other of the two crop holders on the other; and a regulator arranged to control the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacement mechanism on the basis of crop distance determined by the crop distance determining device, such that the mutual distance between the two crop holders is increased when the crop distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

Description

[0001] Apparatus for adjusting a mutual distance between two adjacent crop holders and a system for growing a plurality of crops

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus for automated adjustment of a mutual distance between two adjacent crop holders. The present invention further relates to a system for growing a plurality of crops.

[0003] It is inherent to crop cultivation that a crop is smaller at the start of its cultivation than when it must be harvested. In the case of lettuce for example, a young head of lettuce extends for instance less far in width direction than a head of lettuce which is ready for harvesting. In order to make optimal use of the surface area of a greenhouse use is made of cultivation systems which are configured to optimize a crop density in the greenhouse, i.e. to maximize the number of crops per unit of area while sufficient space is maintained between the crops for good aeration and illumination of the crops. More specifically, mobile gutter systems are known whereby an intermediate space between two cultivation gutters lying next to each other can be increased in order to give crops more space where needed. Such systems are particularly also configured to automatically displace cultivation gutters during growth of the crops present therein from a planting side to a harvesting station. It has however been found that the quality of the crops that arrive in the harvesting station of such systems frequently leaves something to be desired.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which at least partially obviates the above stated drawback.

[0005] According to a first aspect thereof, the present invention provides for this purpose an apparatus for automated adjustment of a mutual distance between any two adjacent crop holders in a series of elongate crop holders lying next to each other and extending parallel to each other. For this purpose the apparatus comprises a crop holder engaging mechanism which is configured to engage on one of the two adjacent crop holders, a displacing mechanism which is configured to cause a relative displacement of one of the two crop holders relative to the other of the two crop holders in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicularly of the crop holders using the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to adjust the mutual distance between the two adjacent crop holders, and a crop distance determining device which is configured to determine a shortest mutual crop distance between crops in one of the two crop holders on one side and, on the other, crops in the other of the two crop holders. The apparatus further comprises a controller which is configured to control the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism on the basis of a crop distance determined by the crop distance determining device, such that the mutual distance between the two crop holders is increased when the crop distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

[0006] Since the apparatus is configured to adjust the mutual distance between any two adjacent crop holders on the basis of the distance between the crops in these crop holders, the mutual intermediate distance between adjacent crop holders in the series can be optimized, such that the number of crops per unit of area can be maximized, while sufficient space is maintained between the crops at all times for good aeration and illumination of the crops. This enhances crop growth and therefore the quality of the crops when harvested.

[0007] The apparatus preferably further comprises a transport mechanism for displacing the crop holders of the series of crop holders collectively in a transport direction at a transport speed from a planting side of the series to a harvesting station on a side of the series lying opposite the planting side, as seen in the transport direction.

[0008] The controller is more preferably configured to adjust the transport speed on the basis of a crop growth speed of the crops in the crop holders, such that the crops arrive at the harvesting station fully grown.

[0009] Together with the dynamic adjustment of the mutual distance between any two adjacent crop holders whatsoever, the adjustment of the transport speed contributes to the optimization of the cultivation duration and thereby of the crop growth, such that the average number of crops of high quality is increased drastically thereby.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus the controller is configured to increase the mutual distance between the two crop holders such that crops in both of the two crop holders are exposed to light and air to sufficient extent, and are also disposed as close together as possible.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment the crop distance determining device comprises a measuring device for measuring at least one of a diameter of crops in the two crop holders and said shortest mutual crop distance. The measuring device preferably comprises a camera.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment each of the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism is arranged substantially under the crop holders of the series of crop holders.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment the relative displacement comprises an absolute displacement of one of the two crop holders in a displacement direction and the controller is configured to control the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism such that a crop holder directly next to said one crop holder to be displaced is displaced in the displacement direction before said one crop holder to be displaced is displaced in the displacement direction in order to increase the mutual distance between the two crop holders.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism are mutually connected and the displacing mechanism is configured to displace the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to achieve the relative displacement of the one said crop holder of the two crop holders relative to the other.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment the displacing mechanism comprises a bar which extends under the crop holders substantially horizontally and perpendicularly of the longitudinal direction of the crop holders. The bar preferably extends over the whole length of the series of crop holders. A particular advantage of using a bar is that it is rigid and a precise displacement of the crop holder engaging mechanism, and thereby of the crop holder to be displaced, can consequently be brought about. This is typically not possible when use is made of chains, as in the prior art, which must be tensioned under the crop holders over a great distance. Such chains will sag and become worn quickly. A precise displacement can consequently not be realized, which is detrimental to adjustment of the intermediate space between the crop holders.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment the controller is further configured to successively displace the crop holder engaging mechanism to a predetermined position relative to said one of the two crop holders using the displacing mechanism, have the crop holder engaging mechanism engage on the one crop holder, displace the one crop holder to a target position using the displacing mechanism and, when the crop holder is at the target position, uncouple the crop holder engaging mechanism from the crop holder.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment the crop holder engaging mechanism comprises at least one crop holder engaging element connected to the displacing mechanism and a manipulating element for bringing the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment the manipulating element is configured to translate between a rest position, in which the manipulating element lies at a distance from the crop holder engaging element, and an active position, in which the manipulating element lies against the crop holder engaging element and brings the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment the manipulating element comprises a wedge, wherein in translation from the rest position to the active position an inclining surface of the wedge slides up against the crop holder engaging element, such that the inclining surface displaces the crop holder engaging element toward the crop holder and brings it into engagement therewith.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment the crop holder engaging element is connected pivotally to the displacing mechanism and the inclining surface of the wedge induces a pivoting movement of the crop holder engaging element relative to the displacing mechanism, such that the crop holder engaging element pivots up against the crop holder in order to be brought into engagement therewith.

[0021] The crop holder engaging element is preferably provided on an engaging side thereof with a spring element. In a preferred embodiment the crop holder has on its underside a recess for receiving the crop holder engaging element therein when bringing the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment the crop holder engaging mechanism comprises a plurality of crop holder engaging elements which are connected to the displacing mechanism and which are each configured to engage on a separate crop holder of the series of crop holders, and the manipulating element is configured to bring one of the plurality of crop holder engaging elements at a time into engagement with a nearest crop holder.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment the series of crop holders comprises a series of elongate cultivation trays or cultivation gutters, each of which is configured to grow a plurality of crops therein.

[0024] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a system for growing a plurality of crops. The system comprises a support construction which is configured to support a series of elongate crop holders, each of which is configured to grow a plurality of crops therein, parallel to each other in a horizontal plane. The system further comprises an apparatus according to any one of the above described embodiments, wherein the displacing mechanism is configured to cause a relative displacement of one of two adjacent crop holders of the series of crop holders relative to the other of the two crop holders in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicularly of the crop holders using the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to adjust the mutual distance between the two adjacent crop holders.

[0025] The present invention is further elucidated with reference to the following figures, which show preferred embodiments of the apparatus and the system according to the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention in any way, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the system according to the present invention; figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; figure 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus shown in figure 2; figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus shown in figure 4. The cultivation system 1, as shown in figure 1, comprises two carriers 15 on which rest a plurality of cultivation gutters 2. In other embodiments cultivation gutters 2 can additionally be supported by one or more additional carriers between the shown carriers 15. This is important particularly if the cultivation gutter 2 has a length such that the cultivation gutter 2 sags under the weight of the cultivation gutter 2 and the crops therein. Germinated crops are arranged in the cultivation gutter 2 using a paper pot. The cultivation gutters 2 are placed on the carriers 15 at the start 27. Since the crops are still in the early stages of growth here, the cultivation gutters 2 can be placed close together. The crops increase in size over time due to their growth. The cultivation gutters 2 are therefore configured to enable them to be displaced from the start 27 to the end 28 of the carriers 15 independently of each other. The independent displacement makes it possible to give the crops sufficient space to grow and also to utilize the available space in the greenhouse as efficiently as possible.

[0026] In order to be able to displace the cultivation gutters 2 the underside of the cultivation gutter 2 is provided with a recess 18 in the form of an isosceles trapezium, as seen in cross-section of the cultivation gutter 2. As shown in figure 2 and figure 3, the carrier 15 houses a hook member 4 comprising a first hook element 12, a second hook element 13 and a spring 10. The hook elements 12, 13 are connected pivotally to each other by means of a pivot shaft 11 which forms part of bar 6. The spring 10 is arranged between the two hook elements 12, 13 close to the outer ends thereof and holds the outer ends together. A plurality of hook members 4 are connected via pivot shafts 11 to one bar 6. The displacement of the bar 6 enables the cultivation gutters 2 to be displaced separately. For this purpose the second hook element 13 must engage in the recess 18. In order to achieve this, a wedge-shaped sliding block 3 slides over the bottom of the carrier 15. The sliding block 3 is connected via eyes 21 to steel cables 5. The cables 5 provide for the relative movement of the sliding block 3 relative to the carrier 15. When the sliding block 3 is moved under the hook member 4, sliding block 3 pushes the first hook element 12 upward via the thickened portion 22. The spring 10 in turn transmits the upward movement to the second hook element 13. In the case that a foot 16 of a cultivation gutter 2 is situated above the second hook element 13 at that moment, the foot 16 blocks the upward movement of the second hook element 13. The spring 10 is in that case compressed. When the recess 18 is however situated above the second hook element 13, the second hook element 13 moves into it. By means of a small movement to the right of the bar 6 and consequently the hook member 4 connected thereto the point 24 of the second hook element 13 slides into an internal corner 25 of the recess 18. In a further movement of the bar 6 to the right the hook member 4 now pulls the cultivation gutter 2 along with it. The mutual distance of the cultivation gutters 2 can be adjusted in this way. In another preferred embodiment according to the present invention, as can be seen in figures 4 and 5, the bar 6 has been replaced by a U-profile 8. The U-profile 8 rolls over guide wheels 9. In U-profile 8 perforations 14 are arranged in the bottom. The perforations provide the option of discharging dirt which accumulates in the bottom 26 of the U-profile 8. A further variation in the preferred embodiment shown here is that the sliding block 3 has been replaced by a double-sided wedge 7. This provides the advantage that the wedge 7 can easily pass under the thickened portion 22 of the first hook element 12 in two directions. The pivot shaft 11 of hook member 4 is connected to both legs of the U-profile 8. The present invention is not limited to the shown embodiments but also extends to other embodiments falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims1. Apparatus for automated adjustment of a mutual distance between any two adjacent crop holders in a series of elongate crop holders lying next to each other and extending parallel to each other, comprising: a crop holder engaging mechanism which is configured to engage on one of the two adjacent crop holders, a displacing mechanism which is configured to cause a relative displacement of one of the two crop holders relative to the other of the two crop holders in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicularly of the crop holders using the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to adjust the mutual distance between the two adjacent crop holders; a crop distance determining device which is configured to determine a shortest mutual crop distance between crops in one of the two crop holders on one side and, on the other, crops in the other of the two crop holders; and a controller which is configured to control the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism on the basis of a crop distance determined by the crop distance determining device, such that the mutual distance between the two crop holders is increased when the crop distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a transport mechanism for displacing the crop holders of the series of crop holders collectively in a transport direction at a transport speed from a planting side of the series to a harvesting station on a side of the series lying opposite the planting side, as seen in the transport direction.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the transport speed on the basis of a crop growth speed of the crops in the crop holders, such that the crops arrive at the harvesting station fully grown.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the controller is configured to increase the mutual distance between the two crop holders such that crops in both of the two crop holders are exposed to light and air to sufficient extent, and are also disposed as close together as possible.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1-3, wherein the crop distance determining device comprises a measuring device for measuring at least one of a diameter of crops in the two crop holders and said shortest mutual crop distance.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the measuring device comprises a camera.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1-6, wherein each of the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism is arranged substantially under the crop holders of the series of crop holders.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1-7, wherein the relative displacement comprises an absolute displacement of one of the two crop holders in a displacement direction, wherein the controller is configured to control the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism such that a crop holder directly next to said one crop holder to be displaced is displaced in the displacement direction before said one crop holder to be displaced is displaced in the displacement direction in order to increase the mutual distance between the two crop holders.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 1-8, wherein the crop holder engaging mechanism and the displacing mechanism are mutually connected and the displacing mechanism is configured to displace the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to achieve the relative displacement of the one said crop holder of the two crop holders relative to the other.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the displacing mechanism comprises a bar which extends under the crop holders substantially horizontally and perpendicularly of the longitudinal direction of the crop holders.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the controller is further configured to successively displace the crop holder engaging mechanism to a predetermined position relative to said one of the two crop holders using the displacing mechanism, have the crop holder engaging mechanism engage on the one crop holder, displace the one crop holder to a target position using the displacing mechanism and, when the crop holder is at the target position, uncouple the crop holder engaging mechanism from the crop holder.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the crop holder engaging mechanism comprises at least one crop holder engaging element connected to the displacing mechanism and a manipulating element for bringing the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the manipulating element is configured to translate between a rest position, in which the manipulating element lies at a distance from the crop holder engaging element, and an active position, in which the manipulating element lies against the crop holder engaging element and brings the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the manipulating element comprises a wedge, wherein in translation from the rest position to the active position an inclining surface of the wedge slides up against the crop holder engaging element, such that the inclining surface displaces the crop holder engaging element toward the crop holder and brings it into engagement therewith.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the crop holder engaging element is connected pivotally to the displacing mechanism, wherein the inclining surface of the wedge induces a pivoting movement of the crop holder engaging element relative to the displacing mechanism, such that the crop holder engaging element pivots up against the crop holder in order to be brought into engagement therewith.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the crop holder engaging element is provided on an engaging side thereof with a spring element.

17. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 12-16, wherein the crop holder has on its underside a recess for receiving the crop holder engaging element therein when bringing the crop holder engaging element into engagement with the crop holder.

18. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 12-17, wherein the crop holder engaging mechanism comprises a plurality of crop holder engaging elements which are connected to the displacing mechanism and which are each configured to engage on a separate crop holder of the series of crop holders and wherein the manipulating element is configured to bring one of the plurality of crop holder engaging elements at a time into engagement with a nearest crop holder.

19. Apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the series of crop holders comprises a series of elongate cultivation trays or cultivation gutters, each of which is configured to grow a plurality of crops therein.

20. System for growing a plurality of crops, comprising: a support construction which is configured to support a series of elongate crop holders, each of which is configured to grow a plurality of crops therein, parallel to each other in a horizontal plane; and an apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the displacing mechanism is configured to cause a relative displacement of one of two adjacent crop holders of the series of crop holders relative to the other of the two crop holders in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicularly of the crop holders using the crop holder engaging mechanism in order to adjust the mutual distance between the two adjacent crop holders.

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