Plant cultivation device based on round-robin operation

Abstract

The application relates to a plant cultivation device based on turn-by-turn operation, which comprises a cultivation frame with multiple cultivation layers; a seeding mechanism arranged at the first end of the cultivation frame and used for driving the previously stored plant seeds to be put into any one or more of the multiple cultivation layers; and a plurality of conveying belts which extend from the first end to the second end along the length direction of the cultivation frame and are arranged in gaps in the width direction of the cultivation frame and in each cultivation layer, and are used for carrying the plant seeds and serving as the growth base of the plant seeds; wherein the seeding mechanism comprises seeding parts movably arranged in the multiple cultivation layers, the seeding parts comprise a seeding pipe extending along the width direction of the cultivation frame and a buffer bin arranged on the side of the seeding pipe opposite to the conveying belts, wherein the side of the buffer bin away from the seeding pipe is provided with a plurality of seeding openings, and the side of the seeding pipe opposite to the conveying belts is provided with a plurality of discharging holes in a manner corresponding to the seeding openings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of plant cultivation technology, and in particular to a plant cultivation device based on rotating operations. Background Technology

[0002] Forage grass generally refers to grass or other herbaceous plants used for feeding livestock. Forage grass has strong regenerative ability and can be harvested multiple times a year. In addition to containing various nutrients necessary for livestock, forage grass also contains crude fiber, which is particularly important for maintaining the health of ruminant livestock. This fiber cannot be replaced by grains or other feeds, making forage grass the first choice for feeding livestock.

[0003] Ideally, forage grass should be vigorous, tender, high-yielding per unit area, regenerative, harvestable multiple times a year, palatable to livestock, and rich in high-quality protein, phosphorus and calcium necessary for bone growth, as well as abundant vitamins.

[0004] CN113317065A discloses a fully automated three-dimensional forage planting device, comprising several planting units. Each pair of adjacent planting units is symmetrically distributed around a forage transport line, and both the planting units and the forage transport line are located between two parallel guide rails. Each planting unit includes a planting frame and a forage harvester, and a robotic arm is provided on each of the two parallel guide rails. The planting frame is provided with several planting trays, and the number of planting trays is equal to the number of days in the forage production cycle.

[0005] CN211510066U discloses an intelligent forage planting and cultivation rack, which includes a cultivation rack body, a spraying device, a water control module, a lighting device, and a light control module. The cultivation rack body includes several layers of racks, and the spraying device and the lighting device are installed between the racks. The water control module is connected to the spraying device and is used to control the spraying time of the spraying device. The lighting device is connected to the light control module and is used to control the irradiation time of the lighting device.

[0006] Currently, people usually use soilless cultivation technology to cultivate forage grass, which includes cultivating forage grass indoors or outdoors using soilless cultivation devices. The forage grass is cultivated through natural growth, which is usually called open cultivation method. During this process, the growth of forage grass will be affected by the natural environment. However, the existing cultivation methods of forage grass using soilless cultivation devices usually focus on monitoring the growth process of forage grass, lacking automated control of the entire forage grass production process, such as forage grass sowing and forage grass ripening and harvesting. Furthermore, the production and cultivation efficiency and yield of existing forage grass cultivation devices are generally low.

[0007] Furthermore, on the one hand, there are differences in understanding among those skilled in the art; on the other hand, the applicant studied a large number of documents and patents when making this invention, but due to space limitations, not all details and contents were listed in detail. However, this does not mean that the present invention does not possess the features of these prior art. On the contrary, the present invention already possesses all the features of the prior art, and the applicant reserves the right to add relevant prior art to the background art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a plant cultivation device based on rotating operations, which aims to solve at least one or more technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a plant cultivation device based on rotating operations, comprising at least:

[0010] The cultivation rack has multiple cultivation layers;

[0011] A seeding mechanism located at the first end of the cultivation rack is used to drive the pre-stored plant seeds into any one or more of the multiple cultivation layers;

[0012] Several conveyor belts extend from the first end along the length of the cultivation support to the second end, and are arranged in a gap array along the width of the cultivation support in each cultivation layer, for carrying plant seeds and serving as the growth base for plant seeds.

[0013] The sowing mechanism includes a sowing section that is movably disposed in multiple cultivation layers. The sowing section includes a sowing tube extending along the width of the cultivation rack and a buffer bin disposed on the side of the sowing tube opposite to the conveyor belt. The buffer bin has multiple sowing ports on the side away from the sowing tube, and the sowing tube has multiple discharge holes on the side opposite to the conveyor belt in a manner corresponding to the sowing ports.

[0014] Preferably, in this invention, a plurality of discharge holes on the side of the seeding tube opposite to the conveyor belt have gradually increasing apertures along the extension direction of the seeding tube.

[0015] Preferably, in this invention, the diameter of the discharge holes of the seeding pipe near the bottom of the cultivation rack is larger than the diameter of the discharge holes of the seeding pipe near the top of the cultivation rack.

[0016] Preferably, the seeding tube is provided with multiple pairs of spiral blades symmetrical about the discharge holes in an eccentric manner, wherein at least one pair of spiral blades is arranged between adjacent discharge holes in a manner corresponding to at least one adjacent discharge hole along the extension direction of the seeding tube.

[0017] Preferably, the helical blades bend and extend toward their adjacent discharge holes, wherein the helical blades symmetrically arranged on both sides of any discharge hole form an arc-shaped opening, and the arc-shaped opening at least partially includes the corresponding discharge hole therebetween.

[0018] Preferably, in this invention, the sowing mechanism further includes a dispensing port and a discharge pipe, wherein the dispensing port is located at the top of the first end of the cultivation rack, and multiple discharge pipes are connected to the sowing section disposed in multiple cultivation layers by means of pipelines connected to the dispensing port.

[0019] Preferably, the plant cultivation device of the present invention further includes a driving device disposed at the second end of the cultivation rack along its length direction and configured to control the movement of the conveyor belt along the length direction of the cultivation rack.

[0020] Preferably, the plant cultivation apparatus of the present invention further includes a cutting mechanism disposed at a first end of the cultivation rack along its length direction and configured to cut the target plant conveyed from a second end of the cultivation rack to the first end by a conveyor belt via a drive.

[0021] Preferably, the cutting mechanism includes a guide rod, a slider, a cylinder, and a nozzle, wherein the slider is slidably connected to the guide rod in such a way that a nozzle for providing a cutting water jet is connected to it, and the cylinder is drivenly connected to the slider and configured to control the movement of the slider along the guide rod.

[0022] Preferably, the plant cultivation device of the present invention further includes a spraying unit and a lighting unit, wherein the spraying unit includes multiple liquid supply pipes and multiple atomizing nozzles for providing water mist / nutrient solution spray to plant seeds on the conveyor belt. The liquid supply pipes are located at the bottom of each cultivation layer of the cultivation rack and extend parallel to the conveyor belt. The multiple atomizing nozzles are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the liquid supply pipes.

[0023] The beneficial technical effects of this invention include: This invention provides a plant planting device that integrates automatic sowing, cultivation and harvesting functions. It can not only realize the automatic sowing and cultivation of crops with short growth cycles and high unit yields, such as forage grass, but also be used for the production and harvesting of forage grass and other crops in the form of a water-line system, realizing multiple rapid production and harvestings throughout the year. It makes up for the deficiency of existing forage grass cultivation devices that generally lack automated control for the entire forage grass production process. While reducing manual operation costs, it significantly improves the production and operation efficiency of plant factories. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is one of the isometric structural schematic diagrams of a plant cultivation device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is the second isometric structural schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the plant cultivation device provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the seeding section according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a cutting mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a seeding tube in a non-seeding state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a seeding tube in a seeding state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the seeding tube according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, viewed radially.

[0031] List of reference numerals

[0032] 10: Cultivation rack; 20: Feeding port; 30: Discharge pipe; 40: Sowing section; 50: Conveyor belt; 60: Drive device; 70: Cutting mechanism; 401: Sowing pipe; 402: Buffer bin; 403: Sowing port; 701: Guide rod; 702: Slider; 703: Cylinder; 704: Nozzle; 4011: Discharge hole; 4012: Spiral blade; 40120: Arc-shaped opening. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following is a detailed explanation with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] This invention provides a plant cultivation device based on rotating operations, which is particularly suitable for the automatic sowing, cultivation and harvesting of crops such as forage grass with short growth and harvest cycles and high yield per unit area.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the plant cultivation device of the present invention is shown. Specifically, the plant cultivation device of the present invention may include a cultivation rack 10, a sowing mechanism, a conveyor belt 50, a drive device 60, and a cutting mechanism 70.

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cultivation rack 10 of the present invention has a three-dimensional multi-layer structure. The cultivation rack 10 has multiple cultivation layers arranged along its height direction. In some alternative embodiments, for example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cultivation rack 10 can have 4 cultivation layers.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the conveyor belts 50 are arranged in each cultivation layer in a manner extending along the length of the cultivation rack 10. Further, multiple conveyor belts 50 are spaced apart along the width of the cultivation rack 10. Specifically, the conveyor belts 50 can be used to carry plant seeds to be cultivated, serving as a growth substrate for the plant seeds.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the seeding mechanism can be located at one end of the cultivation rack 10 along its length. Specifically, the seeding mechanism can be used to store plant seeds to be cultivated and to drive the plant seeds onto the conveyor belt 50.

[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the seeding mechanism may include a feeding port 20, a discharge pipe 30, and a seeding section 40. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the feed inlet 20 can be configured on the top of one side of the cultivation rack 10 along its length.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, multiple discharge pipes 30 are respectively connected to the discharge ports at the bottom of the distribution port 20 to communicate with the distribution port 20. Furthermore, the end of each discharge pipe 30 furthest from the distribution port 20 is respectively connected to a sowing section 40 arranged in each cultivation layer. Specifically, when the sowing process is not performed, the sowing section 40 can be used to store plant seeds to be cultivated.

[0041] According to a preferred embodiment, when the sowing section 40 is required to perform the sowing process, the sowing section 40 can be controlled to rotate so that it has an oblique angle relative to its corresponding cultivation layer, so that the plant seeds in the sowing section 40 can be discharged through the outlet of the sowing section 40 onto the corresponding conveyor belt 50.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment, the sowing section 40 is configured to be rotatable. Specifically, plant seeds in the dispensing port 20 can enter each discharge pipe 30 through the discharge port at the bottom of the dispensing port 20. Further, crop seeds in each discharge pipe 30 can roll into the corresponding sowing section 40 in each cultivation layer based on gravitational potential energy. In particular, by rotating and lowering the sowing section 40 to maintain a predetermined angle relative to its corresponding cultivation layer, the plant seeds in the sowing section 40 can be sown onto the corresponding conveyor belt 50. After the sowing process is completed, the sowing section 40 can be rotated back to its original position.

[0043] According to a preferred embodiment, the conveyor belt 50 can be a strip with a certain thickness. Further, the surface of the conveyor belt 50 can have a plurality of holes arranged in a gap along its length. Specifically, the holes can be circular, square, polygonal, or other possible geometric shapes. The holes have a certain depth. Alternatively, the holes partially penetrate along the thickness direction of the conveyor belt 50. The depth of the holes can be half or one-third of the thickness of the conveyor belt 50. In particular, the holes can be used to accommodate seeds discharged from the sowing section 40. Further, the holes can also be used as containers for hydroponic nutrient solution.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the seeding section 40 may include a seeding tube 401, a buffer chamber 402, and a seeding port 403.

[0045] According to a preferred embodiment, the seeding pipe 401 is connected to the outlet of the discharge pipe 30 to be connected to the distribution port 20 via the discharge pipe 30. Further, as... Figure 1 As shown, the seeding tube 401 can extend along the width of the cultivation rack 10 and be disposed on the side of each cultivation layer. In some alternative embodiments, the seeding tube 401 can be formed by detachably combining two semi-circular tubes that are symmetrical to each other.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the outer surface of the seeding tube 401 is provided with a plurality of discharge holes 4011 arranged along the axial gaps of the seeding tube 401. In particular, the discharge holes 4011 are arranged on the side of the seeding tube 401 facing the conveyor belt 50. Specifically, the discharge holes 4011 can be used as discharge channels for plant seeds.

[0047] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, a buffer chamber 402 is connected to the side of the seeding tube 401 with a discharge hole 4011. Specifically, the buffer chamber 402 is arranged on the outside of the buffer chamber 402 in a manner that corresponds to and includes the discharge hole 4011 of the seeding tube 401. Preferably, the buffer chamber 402 and the seeding tube 401 can be detachably connected.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the buffer chamber 402 can be formed by two cover plates and a portion of the side of the seeding tube 401 enclosing each other. Specifically, the buffer chamber 402 can serve as a temporary storage space for plant seeds discharged through the discharge hole 4011 and can also be used to guide the sliding of plant seeds. Further, the buffer chamber 402 can have multiple independent seed storage chambers. Specifically, the multiple seed storage chambers can be independently spaced. Preferably, each independent seed storage chamber can correspond to a predetermined number of discharge holes 4011 (e.g., 3).

[0049] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the buffer chamber 402 has multiple seeding ports 403 on the side away from the seeding tube 401. The generally strip-shaped seeding ports 403 are formed by the opening of the buffer chamber 402 away from the seeding tube 401 in a gradually narrowing manner.

[0050] According to a preferred embodiment, when sowing using the sowing mechanism of the present invention, the plant seeds to be sown are first lifted from the seed storage tank to the dispensing port 20 at the top of the cultivation rack 10 by an external lifting mechanism (not shown in the figure). Further, the valves between the dispensing port 20 and each discharge pipe 30 are opened to allow the plant seeds to enter the sowing section 40 of each cultivation layer.

[0051] According to a preferred embodiment, the conveyor belt 50 is preferably connected to the drive device 60. The drive device 60 can be used to control the direction, speed, and cycle of movement of the conveyor belt 50 on the cultivation rack 10. In particular, the drive device 60 can be located on the other side of the cultivation rack 10 opposite to the sowing structure. Specifically, when sowing is required using the sowing section 40, the drive device 60 drives the chain to move the conveyor belt 50 along the length of the cultivation rack 10 towards the end away from the sowing mechanism. At the same time, the control unit (PLC) drives the cylinder to rotate and lower the sowing section 40 so that the sowing port 403 of the sowing section 40 corresponds to the conveyor belt 50. Further, the crop seeds in the sowing tube 401 can be discharged through the buffer bin 402 and the sowing port 403 to slide onto the corresponding conveyor belt 50.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment, the multiple conveyor belts 50 located in each cultivation layer can be equipped with independent drive devices 60. In other words, the conveyor belts 50 in each cultivation layer can be controlled independently, so that the movements of the conveyor belts 50 in each cultivation layer can be different. Preferably, the drive device 60 can be signal-connected to the control unit (PLC) of this system. The drive device 60 can be a drive motor.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment, as the conveyor belt 50 moves continuously along the length of the cultivation rack 10, plant seeds in the sowing tube 401 are successively discharged through the sowing port 403 at the end of the buffer bin 402 and arranged sequentially on the conveyor belt 50. Preferably, the sowing process is completed when the conveyor belt 50 moves to the end of the cultivation rack 10 (i.e., the other end relative to the sowing mechanism). After the sowing process is completed, the sowing unit 40 can be rotated back to its original position by the control unit (PLC).

[0054] According to a preferred embodiment, the seed sowing thickness on the conveyor belt 50 can be adjusted according to planting needs. Specifically, the overall height of the cultivation rack 10 and the layer height of each cultivation layer are pre-designed and determined, so the vertical distance between the feed inlet 20 and the sowing section 40 of each cultivation layer is known. Therefore, the potential energy generated when the plant seeds in the feed inlet 20 slide down to the sowing section 40 of each cultivation layer can be calculated. Based on the conversion relationship between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy, the length of the sowing tube 401 can be designed.

[0055] Furthermore, based on the vertical height between the sowing tube 401 and each cultivation layer, the angle between the sowing section 40 and the conveyor belt 50 during the sowing process, and relevant influencing parameters such as the friction coefficient of the sowing tube 401 and the buffer bin 402, at least the falling speed of the plant seeds in the sowing tube 401 can be calculated. Furthermore, the seed sowing thickness on the conveyor belt 50 can be adjusted by changing the movement speed of the conveyor belt 50 to match the discharge speed of the plant seeds in the sowing tube 401.

[0056] According to a preferred embodiment, when performing an automated sowing process using the sowing mechanism of the present invention, plant factory managers generally desire that plant seeds be evenly sown on each cultivation layer, and that the seed spacing on each conveyor belt 50 within each cultivation layer be nearly uniform. This is because uniform sowing has a significant impact on crop growth and development, and an ideal inter-seed distribution can significantly improve the crop's growth environment, providing reasonable growth space. Furthermore, a reasonable seed spacing helps reduce temperature competition between adjacent crops, improves the efficiency of nutrient absorption, and increases the crop's growth rate, thereby increasing yield per unit area. However, ensuring a reasonable inter-seed distribution is a pressing technical problem that plant factory managers need to solve in most existing sowing equipment.

[0057] According to a preferred embodiment, the cultivation rack 10 has multiple cultivation layers arranged along its height direction. Further, the lengths of the discharge pipes 30 connected to different cultivation layers are different, while the lengths of the seeding pipes 401 connected to the different discharge pipes 30 are generally consistent along the width direction of the cultivation rack 10. Therefore, the allowable seed capacity of the seeding pipes 401 in each cultivation layer is generally the same. Since the lengths of the discharge pipes 30 connected to the seeding pipes 401 in each cultivation layer are different, even if the lengths of the seeding pipes 401 and the corresponding seed capacity are the same in each cultivation layer, the potential energy difference caused by the different lengths of the discharge pipes 30 results in differences in the uniformity of seed distribution within the seeding pipes 401 of each cultivation layer. This leads to differences in seed spacing between cultivation layers and between multiple conveyor belts in any cultivation layer, directly resulting in uneven growth between and within layers.

[0058] Specifically, the discharge pipe 30 connected to the seeding pipe 401 near the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 has a longer pipe length than the discharge pipe 30 connected to the seeding pipe 401 near the top of the cultivation rack 10, resulting in greater kinetic potential energy for the plant seeds entering the seeding pipe 401 at the bottom of the cultivation rack 10. Furthermore, since the discharge pipe 30 connected to the seeding pipe 401 near the top of the cultivation rack 10 has the shortest length, assuming the plant seeds entering the top seeding pipe 401 possess enough kinetic energy to roll to the end of the seeding pipe 401, then for the seeding pipe 401 at the bottom of the cultivation rack 10, since its corresponding discharge pipe 30 is longer than the discharge pipe 30 connected to the top seeding pipe 401, the plant seeds in the seeding pipe 401 at the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 possess redundant kinetic energy.

[0059] According to a preferred embodiment, compared to the seeding tube 401 near the top of the cultivation rack 10, the end of the seeding tube 401 located at the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 is more prone to seed accumulation and blockage. This is because the plant seeds falling into the bottom seeding tube 401 along the discharge pipe 30 have greater kinetic energy, causing the plant seeds entering the bottom seeding tube 401 to continuously surge towards the end of the seeding tube 401. When a considerable number of plant seeds have accumulated at the end of the bottom seeding tube 401 and formed a barrier of a certain volume, the seeds that slide in later will be blocked by the barrier and gradually stop in the direction from which the seeding tube 401 comes, eventually covering the bottom of the seeding tube 401.

[0060] On the other hand, the plant seeds in the top seeding tube 401 have relatively small kinetic energy, which makes the blocking effect of the plant seeds that have slid into the end of the top seeding tube 401 on the subsequent plant seeds more obvious than that of the bottom seeding tube 401. That is, the seed accumulation and blockage in the top seeding tube 401, especially at the end of the top seeding tube 401, may not be as severe and obvious as in the bottom seeding tube 401.

[0061] According to a preferred embodiment, for different cultivation layers, if each cultivation layer's seeding tube 401 needs to be completely covered, and a number of crop seeds are scattered at intervals on each conveyor belt in each cultivation layer, then the seed accumulation and blockage in the seeding tubes 401 at the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 may be more pronounced than that in the seeding tubes 401 at the top of the cultivation rack 10, especially at the ends of the seeding tubes 401. On the other hand, within the same cultivation layer, with reference to the direction of crop seed movement within the seeding tubes 401, the seed accumulation and blockage at the ends of the seeding tubes 401 may be more pronounced than that at the beginning of the seeding tubes 401. In particular, the differences in the distribution of crop seeds between and within cultivation layers exacerbate the uneven growth of the crop.

[0062] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for each cultivation layer's seeding tube 401, the diameter of a plurality of discharge holes 4011 arranged on the side of the seeding tube 401 gradually increases in the direction in which the crop seeds travel along the seeding tube 401. Specifically, the discharge holes 4011 at the end of the seeding tube 401 have a larger diameter than the discharge holes 4011 at the beginning of the seeding tube 401, in order to reduce the accumulation and blockage of plant seeds at the end of the seeding tube 401, thereby preventing the seeds at the end of the seeding tube 401 from being unable to be discharged in time for a certain period of time.

[0063] According to a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the discharge holes 4011 of the seeding tube 401 near the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 is larger than the diameter of the dry discharge holes 4011 of the seeding tube 401 near the top of the cultivation rack 10. This is especially true for one or more discharge holes 4011 near the end of the seeding tube 401.

[0064] In some alternative embodiments, the number of discharge holes 4011 on the side of the seeding tube 401 closer to the bottom of the cultivation rack 10 can be reduced by the number of dry discharge holes 4011 on the side of the seeding tube 401 closer to the top of the cultivation rack 10 according to a preset ratio. In other words, the diameter of the discharge holes 4011 on the side of the seeding tube 401 can be increased according to a preset ratio or multiple relationship in the direction from the top to the bottom of the cultivation rack 10.

[0065] According to a preferred embodiment, when the sowing unit 40 is driven to rotate and lower, and the conveyor belt 50 is driven to move along the length of the cultivation rack 10 to perform the corresponding sowing process, in the initial stage of sowing, as the sowing unit 40 rotates and lowers, the plant seeds in the sowing tube 401 rush to each discharge hole 4011 within a certain period of time, resulting in a high seed density in each discharge hole 4011 for a short period of time. Subsequently, as the seed storage decreases, the seed density in each discharge hole 4011 tends to stabilize. In view of this, in the initial stage of sowing, the inter-seed density on the conveyor belt 50 is relatively large or the inter-seed spacing is relatively small; in the middle and later stages of sowing, the discharge of plant seeds is relatively stable and orderly. If the running speed of the conveyor belt is not adjusted in time throughout the sowing process, there will be a large difference in the inter-seed density carried by the front and rear sections of the conveyor belt 50, which will affect the growth density.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, in this embodiment, when the sowing unit 40 rotates to perform a sowing operation on the corresponding conveyor belt 50, the conveyor belt 50 is configured such that, during a first time period when the sowing unit 40 rotates and lowers, the conveyor belt 50 travels along the length direction of the cultivation rack 10 towards the second end of the cultivation rack 10 at a first speed. Further, during a second time period when the sowing unit 40 rotates and lowers, the conveyor belt 50 travels along the length direction of the cultivation rack 10 towards the second end of the cultivation rack 10 at a second speed. Specifically, the first end of the cultivation rack 10 can be the side of the cultivation rack 10 where the sowing mechanism is located. The second end of the cultivation rack 10 can be the side of the cultivation rack 10 opposite to the sowing mechanism. In particular, the first speed is preferably greater than the second speed. The first time period is preferably shorter than the second time period.

[0067] According to a preferred embodiment, during the first time period, the sowing section 40 has a high seeding density, and the conveyor belt 50 travels at a first speed. At this time, the conveyor belt 50 travels at a larger speed to adapt to the dense discharge of plant seeds in the sowing tube 401 at the initial stage of sowing, so as to reduce the stagnation time of the conveyor belt 50 relative to the discharged seeds, thereby so that the plant seeds are arranged sequentially on the conveyor belt 50 as the conveyor belt 50 travels.

[0068] According to a preferred embodiment, during the second period of the sowing section 40 rotating and lowering, as the number of seeds stored in the sowing tube 401 decreases, the conveyor belt 50 travels at a relatively low second speed. This is achieved by increasing the dwell time of the conveyor belt 50 relative to the plant seeds to accommodate the reduced seed density in the later stages of sowing. Specifically, when the conveyor belt 50 travels in this manner, the uniformity of seed distribution on the conveyor belt 50 throughout the sowing process can be improved, contributing to uniform plant growth and ensuring suitable growth density in each cultivation layer. Preferably, the first speed and the second speed are specifically related to factors such as the angle of rotation and lowering of the sowing section 40, the accommodating space of the sowing tube 401, and the aperture of the discharge hole 4011. These factors influence the movement speed of the conveyor belt in a manner related to the seed discharge rate of the sowing section 40.

[0069] According to a preferred embodiment, in this invention, the sowing operations for each cultivation layer can be independent of each other. The plant factory manager can use the sowing mechanism to perform the sowing process individually or simultaneously for one or more cultivation layers of the cultivation rack 10 according to actual planting needs.

[0070] According to a preferred embodiment, when the plant seeds have grown and developed to a mature, cutable state on the conveyor belt 50, the mature crop can be cut by the cutting mechanism 70. Preferably, the cutting mechanism 70 of the present invention is a water-cooled cutting device. In particular, the cutting mechanism 70 of the present invention is located on the side where the sowing mechanism is located. In some alternative embodiments, the cutting mechanism 70 may be located at the second end of the cultivation rack 10 along its length direction, that is, on the other side of the cultivation rack 10 opposite to the sowing mechanism along its length direction.

[0071] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the cutting mechanism 70 of the present invention may include a guide rod 701, a slider 702, a cylinder 703, and a nozzle 704. Specifically, the cutting mechanism 70 has a housing. The guide rod 701 extends laterally within the housing and its two ends are connected to the inner wall of the housing. The slider 702 is slidably connected to the guide rod 701. The cylinder 703 is drively connected to the slider 702 for driving the slider 702 to move along the guide rod 701. Further, a nozzle 704 for providing a high-pressure water jet is connected to the slider 702.

[0072] According to a preferred embodiment, the cutting mechanism 70 may include three nozzles 704. Specifically, the spacing between the nozzles 704 is approximately 600–700 μm. Preferably, the spacing between the nozzles 704 is 650 μm. Further, the stroke of the cylinder 703 is approximately 700 mm. The cutting mechanism 70 can cut a width of approximately 2 m.

[0073] Specifically, for example, when the forage seeds reach a cuttable state, the control unit can control the sowing section 40 of the sowing mechanism to lift and control the drive device 60 to reverse, so that the conveyor belt 50 moves along the length of the cultivation rack 10 towards the first end of the cultivation rack 10 (the side of the cultivation rack 10 where the sowing mechanism is located). Further, the slider 702 of the driving cutting mechanism 70 reciprocates laterally, so that when the forage passes the cutting mechanism 70 on the side where the sowing mechanism is located, the high-pressure water jet formed by one or more nozzles 704 in the cutting mechanism 70 can cut the mature forage into pieces of a certain size. When the conveyor belt 50 returns to its initial position, the forage cutting is complete. In particular, based on actual needs, the cutting volume of the forage can be adjusted by controlling the movement speed of the slider 702 of the cutting mechanism 70 and / or the movement speed of the conveyor belt 50.

[0074] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, a plurality of helical blades 4012 are eccentrically arranged inside the seeding tube 401. Specifically, each discharge hole 4011 is correspondingly provided with a helical blade 4012 at an adjacent position along the axial direction of the seeding tube 401. Further, the helical blades 4012 may extend radially along the seeding tube 401 and be arranged on a portion of the inner wall surface of the seeding tube 401 in a manner corresponding to the discharge holes 4011. For example, the helical blades 4012 may be arranged on less than half of the inner wall surface of the seeding tube 401.

[0075] According to a preferred embodiment, plant seeds slide from the feed inlet 20 at the top of the cultivation rack 10 along the respective discharge pipes 30 into the sowing pipes 401 within each cultivation layer. Subsequently, the sowing section 40 is rotated to allow the plant seeds to slide smoothly along the inner wall of the sowing pipe 401 towards the discharge hole 4011. Specifically, with the assistance of the spiral blades 4012, the plant seeds enter each buffer bin 402 through the discharge hole 4011 on the side of the sowing pipe 401, and are guided by the buffer bin 402 to finally slide down through the sowing inlet 403 at the end of the buffer bin 402 onto the corresponding conveyor belt 50.

[0076] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, viewed along the axial direction of the seeding tube 401, the discharge hole 4011 is adjacent to and corresponds to the spiral blade 4012. In some alternative embodiments, the end of the spiral blade 4012 may extend to the discharge hole 4011. In other words, the discharge hole 4011 may be configured at the extended end of the spiral blade 4012.

[0077] Specifically, when the sowing process is not performed, the sowing unit 40 is controlled to be in a non-sowing mode, that is, even if the sowing unit 40 is in a state of... Figure 5 The seeds are generally in a horizontal position as shown. In non-sowing mode, the discharge holes 4011 on the outside of the sowing tube 401 are generally oriented to the horizontal side. Specifically, by activating the distribution port 20 at the top of the cultivation rack 10, plant seeds are allowed to enter the corresponding sowing section 4 of each cultivation layer through the respective discharge tubes 30. Furthermore, the plant seeds can fall from the discharge tubes 30 into the corresponding sowing tubes 401 based on potential energy and be scattered at the bottom of the sowing tubes 401.

[0078] Furthermore, during the seeding process, the seeding unit 40 is controlled to be in seeding mode, that is, the seeding unit 40 is in the form of... Figure 6 The rotation and lowering state shown is such that the sowing section 40 (specifically the buffer bin 402) corresponds to the conveyor belt 50 on the cultivation layer. In particular, in the sowing mode, the sowing section 40 has a lowering angle, so that the discharge port 410 of the sowing tube 401 can tilt towards the conveyor belt 50 as the sowing section 40 rotates, and at the same time, the spiral blades 4012 inside the sowing tube 401 change their position when viewed along the axial direction of the sowing tube 401 as the sowing tube 401 rotates.

[0079] According to a preferred embodiment, during the sowing process, the spiral blade 4012 is positioned approximately horizontally across the bottom of the sowing tube 401 as the sowing tube 401 rotates. At this time, the plant seeds inside the sowing tube 401 slide along the inner wall of the sowing tube 401 due to the inclination of the sowing section 40 and are discharged through several discharge holes 4011 opened on the outer side of the sowing tube 401, eventually sliding onto the corresponding conveyor belt 50.

[0080] According to a preferred embodiment, Figure 7 This diagram shows a cross-sectional view taken radially down along the seeding tube 401 when the seeding section 40 is in a tilted, downward-facing seeding mode. Specifically, a pair of symmetrical helical blades 4012 can be provided on both sides of any discharge hole 4011 along the axial direction of the seeding tube 401. Alternatively, a pair of symmetrical helical blades 4012 can be provided between adjacent discharge holes 4011, and any one of the helical blades 4012 bends and extends toward its corresponding discharge hole 4011. In particular, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, the spiral blade 4012 has an arcuate surface facing the discharge hole 4011.

[0081] According to a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, symmetrical spiral blades 4012 on both sides of any discharge hole 4011 enclose an arc-shaped opening 40120. Specifically, viewed radially along the seeding tube 401, the arc-shaped opening 40120 partially includes its corresponding discharge hole 4011. Specifically, the ends of the pair of spiral blades 4012 constituting the arc-shaped opening 40120 each bend and extend towards each other away from the arc-shaped opening 40120, eventually converging to close the end of the arc-shaped opening 40120.

[0082] Furthermore, the semi-open space created by the arc-shaped opening 40120 can be used to guide plant seeds to slide into the discharge hole 4011. Preferably, when a pair of spiral blades 4012 between adjacent discharge holes 4011 abut against each other, they can fill the gap between them and guide the crop seeds left there to slide to both sides to enter the corresponding discharge hole 4011.

[0083] According to a preferred embodiment, in this invention, the helical blades 411 symmetrically distributed on both sides of any discharge hole 410 have varying curvatures or radii of curvature. Alternatively, the helical blades 411 symmetrically distributed on both sides of any discharge hole 410 have varying curvatures or radii of curvature along their curved extension direction. Alternatively, the curvature or radius of curvature of any helical blade 411 varies due to variations in its axial distance from adjacent discharge holes 410. In other words, the helical blades 411 are not regular arc-shaped blades. Alternatively, points on the helical blades 411 are not located on circles or arcs with the same radius. Specifically, the helical blades 411 are varying curves.

[0084] Specifically, in the curved extension direction of the helical blade 411 from the opening 4110 toward the discharge hole 410, the helical blade 411 has a gradually increasing curvature or radius of curvature. Alternatively, the curvature or radius of curvature of the helical blade 411 along its curved extension direction increases due to the decrease in its axial distance from the adjacent discharge hole 410. In other words, the smaller the curvature, the flatter the surface, and the larger the radius of the approximate circle; the larger the curvature, the more curved the surface, and the larger the radius of the approximate circle.

[0085] According to a preferred embodiment, before cultivating crop / plant seeds, it is usually necessary to pre-treat the seeds with a seed dressing agent (powder or film), that is, to evenly coat the seed surface with pesticides or micro-fertilizers to prevent pests and diseases. During the process of the seeds rolling into the sowing pipe 41 and sliding along the inner wall of the pipe to each discharge hole 410 as the sowing pipe 41 rotates, the collision of the seeds inside the pipe may cause some of the seed dressing agent to fall off the seed surface. The reduced seed dressing agent may affect the seed growth effect and its yield.

[0086] According to a preferred embodiment, compared to a straight or uniformly curved guide structure, the spiral blades 411 with varying curvature or radius of curvature in this invention reduce the direct impact and friction between the seeds carrying the seed dressing agent and the inner wall of the pipe as they flow toward the discharge hole 410, thereby reducing the amount of seed dressing agent detached from the seed surface. On the other hand, the generally curved spiral blades 411 have a certain buffering effect on the detached seed dressing agent. In particular, the curvature or radius of curvature of the spiral blades 411 increases as the axial distance between them and the adjacent discharge hole 410 decreases, resulting in a relatively larger accumulation of seed dressing powder in the area at the end of the spiral blades 411 and near the discharge hole 410. Subsequently, as the seeds pass through the spiral blades 411 and are discharged from the discharge hole 410, the scattered seed dressing agent will, to some extent, physically combine with the seeds, making it possible to reuse some of the detached seed dressing agent, thereby reducing waste and allowing it to combine with the seeds to exert its effect.

[0087] In particular, this invention significantly reduces the amount of seed dressing agent detached from the seed surface by setting spiral blades 411 with varying curvature or radius of curvature on both sides of each discharge hole 410. Through multiple experiments and calculations by the inventors, the loss and waste of seed dressing agent are reduced by approximately 5% to 8% compared to existing conventional sowing devices. Furthermore, while improving the utilization rate of the seed dressing agent, it also increases plant yield per unit area and corresponding economic benefits.

[0088] Furthermore, based on the arrangement of the spiral blade 411 of this invention, a portion of the seed dressing agent can be pre-introduced into the seeding pipe 41 before rotating the seeding pipe 41 to perform the seeding task. This allows the mixing process of some seeds and the seed dressing agent to be transferred to the seeding process under the guidance of the spiral blade 411. The purpose of this is that, before or during the process of seeds coated or wrapped with seed dressing agent entering the seeding section 4 through the seed dispensing port 2, the movement of the seeds at any point may cause the seed dressing agent to fall off. Since seeding systems typically contain many electrical or motorized devices, the fallen seed dressing agent powder can unexpectedly enter various devices as they operate. Therefore, excessive seed dressing agent powder can cause equipment jamming or even shutdown, which is detrimental to the equipment itself and to the smooth execution of the seeding task using the various devices. Furthermore, the splashed seed dressing agent powder poses a health hazard to factory workers. Therefore, pre-combining a portion of the seed dressing agent with the seeds through the spiral blade 411 can significantly alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems, offering significant advantages in increasing seeding smoothness, improving crop yield, and reducing harm to equipment and human health.

[0089] According to a preferred embodiment, as the plant seeds in the seeding tube 401 slide along the inner wall of the seeding tube 401 and are discharged from the discharge hole 4011 as the seeding part 40 tilts, the arc surface of the arc-shaped opening 40120 can be used to constrain the disorderly sliding of the plant seeds and guide the plant seeds stuck around the discharge hole 4011 to slide towards the corresponding discharge hole 4011, so that the plant seeds slide down to the corresponding discharge hole 4011 along the desired path and are discharged, thereby avoiding a large number of plant seeds remaining in the seeding tube 401 that have not been discharged smoothly.

[0090] In particular, the spiral blades 4012 ensure that plant seeds can be smoothly discharged through the discharge holes 4011 corresponding to each spiral blade 4012, while also ensuring the consistency of discharge density of each discharge hole 4011. This is because plant factory management usually wants the number of seeds discharged by each discharge hole 4011 to be nearly the same within a unit of time or a preset period of time, in order to prevent uneven seed sowing or blockage of discharge holes, which would lead to uneven crop growth density on the conveyor belt and affect crop yield.

[0091] According to a preferred embodiment, in addition to the sowing mechanism, the plant cultivation device of the present invention may also include a spraying unit for supplying water / nutrient solution components and an illumination unit for providing light required for seed growth and development.

[0092] According to a preferred embodiment, the spraying unit may include multiple supply pipes and multiple atomizing nozzles disposed on the supply pipes. The inlet of the supply pipe may be connected to a main inlet pipe. The main inlet pipe is connected to a nutrient solution storage tank. Specifically, the supply pipes are arranged at the bottom of each cultivation layer in a manner that extends parallel to the conveyor belt 50. Multiple atomizing nozzles are spaced apart along the extension direction of each supply pipe. In particular, the multiple atomizing nozzles can be used together to spray nutrient solution onto the plants on the conveyor belt 50 below.

[0093] According to a preferred embodiment, the lighting unit may include multiple LED lights. Specifically, the LED lights are LED chips having one or more emission colors or wavelengths. Specifically, the LED lights may be disposed at the bottom of each cultivation layer of the cultivation rack 10 to provide growth light for the plants on the conveyor belt 50 below. Further, several LED lights are arranged at intervals along the length and width directions of the cultivation rack 10. In some alternative embodiments, to avoid light interference between layers, the bottom plate of each cultivation layer may be opaque.

[0094] According to a preferred embodiment, after the sowing process is completed, the control unit can control the spraying unit to spray water mist / nutrient solution and control the lighting unit to provide the growth light required for plant cultivation. Specifically, depending on the different growth stages of the plant, the control unit can adjust the supply duration of the water mist / nutrient solution spray and the irradiation duration, intensity, and corresponding light quality ratio of the growth light. In particular, the spraying of water mist and / or the provision of light can be periodic or continuous, depending on the specific growth stage of the plant.

[0095] According to a preferred embodiment, in this example, the roof of the plant factory building may be equipped with photovoltaic modules. Specifically, the photovoltaic modules can convert solar energy during the day into electrical energy and store it, and power the temperature control unit, sprinkler unit and LED lights at night, so that the plants can continue to grow and be cultivated even at night.

[0096] According to a preferred embodiment, the plant cultivation device of the present invention may further include a temperature control unit. Specifically, the temperature control unit may include a heat dissipation device, a heating device, and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor can be used to collect temperature information in the plant in real time and send the temperature information to the control unit. The control unit can control the operation of the heat dissipation device or the heating device based on the difference between the real-time temperature information in the plant and a preset temperature threshold to keep the temperature in the plant always within a range suitable for pasture growth.

[0097] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit in this invention can be connected to a host computer terminal via a wireless network. Furthermore, the tiered plant cultivation system of this invention may also include an image acquisition unit (such as a camera device) connected to the control unit, through which staff can monitor the entire process of sowing, grass growth, and grass cutting in real time.

[0098] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit of the present invention can also be connected to an alarm unit. Once the control unit receives abnormal data, it can issue an alarm signal through the alarm unit. Specifically, the alarm signal is not limited to sound or light.

[0099] According to a preferred embodiment, the plant cultivation device of the present invention may further include a drying device and a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor is used to collect humidity information in the plant in real time and send the humidity information to the control unit. The control unit can control the operation of the drying device or the spraying unit to maintain the humidity in the plant within a range suitable for forage growth.

[0100] According to a preferred embodiment, the plant cultivation device of the present invention may further include multiple acquisition units for collecting various environmental parameters. Specifically, the acquisition units include, but are not limited to, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, light intensity sensors, oxygen concentration sensors, carbon dioxide concentration sensors, etc. The control unit in the present invention can be connected to the signals of environmental sensors such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, light intensity sensors, oxygen concentration sensors, and carbon dioxide concentration sensors.

[0101] It should be noted that the specific embodiments described above are exemplary. Those skilled in the art can devise various solutions inspired by the disclosure of this invention, and these solutions all fall within the scope of this invention and its protection. Those skilled in the art should understand that this specification and its accompanying drawings are illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents. This specification contains multiple inventive concepts; terms such as "preferredly," "according to a preferred embodiment," or "optionally" indicate that the corresponding paragraph discloses an independent concept. The applicant reserves the right to file divisional applications based on each inventive concept.

Claims

1. A plant cultivation device based on rotating operations, characterized in that, include: The cultivation rack (10) has multiple cultivation layers; The seeding mechanism, configured at the first end of the cultivation rack (10), is driven to release pre-stored plant seeds into any one or more of the plurality of cultivation layers; Several conveyor belts (50) extend from the first end along the length direction of the cultivation rack (10) to the second end, and are arranged in a gap array along the width direction of the cultivation rack (10) in each cultivation layer, for carrying the plant seeds and serving as the growth base for the plant seeds; The sowing mechanism includes a sowing section (40) movably disposed in the plurality of cultivation layers. The sowing section (40) includes a sowing tube (401) extending along the width direction of the cultivation rack (10) and a buffer bin (402) disposed on the side of the sowing tube (401) opposite to the conveyor belt (50). The buffer bin (402) is provided with a plurality of sowing ports (403) on the side away from the sowing tube (401). The side of the sowing tube (401) opposite to the conveyor belt (50) is provided with a plurality of discharge holes (4011) in a manner corresponding to the sowing ports (403). The seeding tube (401) is provided with multiple pairs of spiral blades (4012) symmetrical about the discharge hole (4011) in an eccentric manner. At least one pair of the spiral blades (4012) are arranged between adjacent discharge holes (4011) in a manner corresponding to at least one adjacent discharge hole (4011) along the extension direction of the seeding tube (401).

2. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seeding tube (401) has a plurality of discharge holes (4011) on the side opposite to the conveyor belt (50) with gradually increasing apertures along the extension direction of the seeding tube (401).

3. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the discharge holes (4011) of the seed tube (401) near the bottom of the cultivation rack (10) is larger than that of the discharge holes (4011) of the seed tube (401) near the top of the cultivation rack (10).

4. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral blades (4012) bend and extend toward their adjacent discharge holes (4011), wherein the spiral blades (4012) symmetrically arranged on both sides of any discharge hole (4011) form an arc-shaped opening (40120), and the arc-shaped opening (40120) at least partially includes the corresponding discharge hole (4011) therebetween.

5. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sowing mechanism also includes a feed inlet (20) and a discharge pipe (30), wherein the feed inlet (20) is located at the top of the first end of the cultivation rack (10), and the multiple discharge pipes (30) are connected to the sowing section (40) provided in the multiple cultivation layers by means of a pipeline connecting to the feed inlet (20).

6. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive device (60) disposed at the second end of the culture rack (10) along its length direction and configured to control the movement of the conveyor belt (50) along the length direction of the culture rack (10).

7. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a cutting mechanism (70) disposed at a first end of the cultivation rack (10) along its length and configured to drive the cutting of target plants conveyed by the conveyor belt (50) from a second end of the cultivation rack (10) to the first end.

8. The plant cultivation device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cutting mechanism (70) includes a guide rod (701), a slider (702), a cylinder (703), and a nozzle (704), wherein the slider (702) is slidably connected to the guide rod (701) such that the nozzle (704) for providing a cutting water column is connected thereto, and the cylinder (703) is throttlely connected to the slider (702) and configured to control the movement of the slider (702) along the guide rod (701).

9. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a spraying unit and a lighting unit. The spraying unit includes multiple liquid supply pipes and multiple atomizing nozzles for providing water mist / nutrient solution spray to the plant seeds on the conveyor belt (50). The liquid supply pipes are located at the bottom of each cultivation layer of the cultivation rack (10) and extend in parallel with the conveyor belt (50). The multiple atomizing nozzles are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the liquid supply pipes.

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