A tidal planting device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a tidal planting device, which relates to the technical field of planting devices. It includes a housing, a planting pot, a pressure regulation module, a power supply module and a control unit. A sealed water storage tank is arranged below the housing and is open at the top. The planting pot is sleeved inside the housing and is located above the water storage tank. The water storage tank is communicated with the bottom of the planting pot through a water pipe. The water storage tank is communicated with the outside atmosphere through the pressure regulation module. The pressure regulation module and the control unit are both electrically connected to the power supply module, and the pressure regulation module is electrically connected to the control unit. The present invention uses air pressure to press the water in the water storage tank into the planting pot, and can control the ebb and flow of the simulated tide through the control unit to realize functions such as automatic irrigation and water replenishment, water shortage prompt, etc. It is not only suitable for ordinary potted plants, but also more suitable for planting plants (mangrove plants) growing in the intertidal zone, and can also make the transplanting operation simple and the survival rate high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of planting devices, and particularly to a tidal planting device. Background Art

[0002] Currently, tidal seedbeds are mainly applied in places such as agricultural vegetable seedling raising and flower planting. The device imitates the ebb and flow of natural tides and completes the irrigation operation during the flood tide to supplement the water and nutrients required by plants. Since the tidal seedbed is used for production, it occupies a large area and requires a lot of equipment. It is difficult to make the device into a simple-structured independent small planting device and cannot meet the usage needs of household users. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tidal planting device to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, so that the planting device can realize automatic irrigation and water replenishment by simulating tides and meet the planting needs of household users.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0005] The present invention provides a tidal planting device, including a housing, a planting pot, a pressure adjustment module, a power supply module, and a control unit. A sealed water storage tank is arranged below the housing and is open at the top. The planting pot is sleeved inside the housing and is located above the water storage tank. The water storage tank is communicated with the bottom of the planting pot through a water pipe. The water storage tank is communicated with the outside atmosphere through the pressure adjustment module. The pressure adjustment module and the control unit are both electrically connected to the power supply module, and the pressure adjustment module is electrically connected to the control unit.

[0006] Preferably, the pressure adjustment module includes a pressurizing mechanism, a decompressing mechanism, and a pressure sensor communicated with the water storage tank. The pressurizing mechanism includes an air pump and an air pipe. The air pump is communicated with the water storage tank through the air pipe. The pressure sensor is communicated with the air pipe. The air pump and the pressure sensor are both electrically connected to the control unit.

[0007] Preferably, the decompressing mechanism includes a solenoid valve. The upper end of the air pipe is connected with a branch pipe through a tee. The solenoid valve and the pressure sensor are arranged on the branch pipe. The lower end of the air pipe is arranged in the gap between the housing and the planting pot. The solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control unit.

[0008] Preferably, the control unit, the decompressing mechanism, the pressure sensor, and the air pump are all arranged in a protective shell. A hook is arranged on one side of the protective shell, and the hook can be hung on the open mouth of the housing.

[0009] Preferably, a conductivity electrode is provided at the lower end of the hook, and the conductivity electrode can contact the water after the water level in the housing rises.

[0010] Preferably, a water inlet is provided on the water storage tank, and a rubber stopper is hermetically provided on the water inlet. The water inlet is provided on the top plate, side wall or bottom plate of the water storage tank.

[0011] Preferably, the lower end of the water pipe extends 0.5 cm - 1 cm above the bottom plate of the water storage tank, and the upper end is flush with the top plate of the water storage tank.

[0012] Preferably, a plurality of water permeable holes are evenly distributed on the surface of the planting pot.

[0013] Preferably, the control unit is communicatively connected to a cloud computing platform or a control terminal through a wireless communication module. The wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G or 5G communication module. Buttons and a display screen are provided on the control unit.

[0014] Preferably, the power supply module includes a rechargeable lithium battery, a dry battery, solar energy or an AC power supply connected through a power adapter.

[0015] The present invention has achieved the following technical effects compared with the prior art:

[0016] The present invention uses air pressure to press the water in the water storage tank into the planting pot, and can control the ebb and flow of the simulated tide through the control unit to realize functions such as automatic irrigation and water replenishment, and water shortage prompt. It is not only suitable for ordinary potted plants, but also more suitable for planting plants (mangrove plants) growing in the intertidal zone, and can also make the transplanting operation simple and the survival rate high. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic external structure diagram of the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the control unit in the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4Schematic diagram of the internal connection structure of the control unit in the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the outer shell in the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the planting pot in the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the connection structure on the top plate in the tidal planting device of the present invention;

[0025] Wherein: 1 - outer shell, 2 - planting pot, 3 - rubber plug, 4 - water pipe, 5 - top plate, 6 - air pipe, 7 - protective shell, 8 - conductivity electrode, 9 - control unit, 10 - power supply module, 11 - solenoid valve, 12 - air pump. Detailed implementation manners

[0026] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tidal planting device to solve the problems existing in the prior art, so that the planting device can realize automatic irrigation and water replenishment by simulating tides and meet the planting needs of household users.

[0028] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation manners.

[0029] As Figures 1 to 7 shown: This embodiment provides a tidal planting device, including an outer shell 1, a planting pot 2, a pressure adjustment module, a power supply module 10, and a control unit 9. A closed water storage tank is provided below the outer shell 1 and the upper part is open. The planting pot 2 is sleeved inside the outer shell 1 and is located above the water storage tank. The water storage tank is communicated with the bottom of the planting pot 2 through a water pipe 4. The water storage tank is communicated with the outside atmosphere through the pressure adjustment module. The pressure adjustment module and the control unit 9 are both electrically connected to the power supply module 10, and the pressure adjustment module is electrically connected to the control unit 9. In this embodiment, there is a raised ring at a position slightly below the middle of the inner wall of the outer shell 1. The top plate 5 is sealed and installed on the raised part, and divides the outer shell 1 into two parts: the lower part is a closed water storage tank, and the upper part is a placement area for the planting pot 2.

[0030] The air pressure adjustment module includes a pressurizing mechanism, a decompressing mechanism, and an air pressure sensor that communicate with the water storage tank. The pressurizing mechanism includes an air pump 12 and an air pipe 6. The air pump 12 communicates with the water storage tank through the air pipe 6. The air pressure sensor communicates with the air pipe 6. Both the air pump 12 and the air pressure sensor are electrically connected to the control unit 9. The air pressure sensor can monitor the gas pressure in the water storage tank in real time. The decompressing mechanism includes a solenoid valve 11. The upper end of the air pipe 6 is connected to a branch pipe through a tee. The solenoid valve 11 and the air pressure sensor are provided on the branch pipe. The lower end of the air pipe 6 is arranged in the gap between the outer shell 1 and the planting pot 2. The solenoid valve 11 is electrically connected to the control unit 9. Among them, the air pump 12 is a low-power small diaphragm pump for inflating and pressurizing the water storage tank; the solenoid valve 11 is a normally closed air solenoid valve for controlling the exhaust and decompression of the water storage tank. The air pipe in this embodiment can be divided into two sections. One section is inside the outer shell 1, arranged in the gap between the outer shell 1 and the planting pot 2, with the bottom end connected to the water storage tank and the upper end passing through the outer shell, protruding 0.5 cm from the outer shell. The other section is inside the protective shell 7. The air pipe inside the protective shell 7 is the part connecting the devices of the pressure regulating module. The two sections of the air pipe are connected through a circular opening provided on the protective shell 7. When the protective shell 7 is hung on the outer shell, the protruding part of the air pipe on the outer shell 1 is inserted into the circular opening of the protective shell 7 to realize the connection between the air pressure adjustment module and the water storage tank, and at the same time, it also plays a role in assisting to fix the protective shell 7.

[0031] In this embodiment, the air pump 12, the air pressure sensor, the solenoid valve 11, and the water storage tank are interconnected through the air pipe 6. When the water in the water storage tank submerges the water pipe 4, a closed space is formed above the water surface in the water storage tank. Among them, the air inlet of the air pump 12 communicates with the outside atmosphere, and the air outlet communicates with the air pipe 6; the solenoid valve 11 is normally closed, with one end connected to the air pipe 6 and the other end connected to the outside atmosphere. When the solenoid valve 11 is closed and the air pump 12 is started, the air pressure in the closed space on the water storage tank will increase. Since the internal air pressure is greater than the outside atmospheric pressure, the water in the water storage tank will be pressed out and flow into the space above the outer shell 1. When the air pump 12 stops working, the solenoid valve 11 is opened, and the gas in the water storage tank is discharged through the air pipe 6 and the solenoid valve 11. The air pressure in the closed space will gradually decrease and finally be the same as the outside atmospheric pressure, and the water above the outer shell 1 will flow back into the water storage tank. Among them, the control unit 9 obtains the water level information through the conductivity electrode 8: the control unit 9 combines the air pressure sensor and the conductivity electrode 8. When the rising water submerges the conductivity electrode 8, the water level of the water storage tank can be calculated through the air pressure value, and it is judged whether the water storage tank is short of water according to the water level value.

[0032] The control unit 9, the pressure relief mechanism, the air pressure sensor, and the air pump 12 are all arranged inside a protective housing 7. A hook is arranged on one side of the protective housing 7, and the hook can be hung on the open mouth of the outer housing 1, which is convenient for storage. A conductance electrode 8 is arranged at the lower end of the hook. The conductance electrode 8 can contact the water after the water level in the outer housing 1 rises. The conductance electrode 8 is used to monitor the conductivity at the contact point, judge the water level by using the conductivity difference in air and water, and detect the conductivity of the water body when contacting the water body. The salinity can also be indirectly calculated through the conductivity.

[0033] A water inlet is arranged on the water storage tank, and a rubber plug 3 is hermetically arranged on the water inlet. The water inlet is arranged on the top plate 5, the side wall or the bottom plate of the water storage tank. In this embodiment, the water inlet is arranged on the top plate 5 and the aperture is in the range of 3 cm - 5 cm, and the rubber plug 3 is used for sealing. This water inlet can also be used as a maintenance port, which can be used not only for water inlet but also for internal cleaning and waste discharge of the water storage tank. The lower end of the water pipe 4 extends 0.5 cm - 1 cm above the bottom plate of the water storage tank, and the upper end is flush with the top plate 5 of the water storage tank. A plurality of water permeable holes are evenly distributed on the surface of the planting pot 2. The planting pot 2 is integrally formed, and the bottom and the side wall are covered with water permeable holes, which can increase the water permeability of the pot body and make the irrigation more uniform. Since the planting pot 2 contains soil or nutrient soil, which occupies part of the space, the water storage space of the water storage tank can be slightly smaller than the rising water space above the outer housing.

[0034] The control unit 9 is communicatively connected to the cloud computing platform or the control terminal through a wireless communication module. The wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G or 5G communication module. Buttons and a display screen are arranged on the control unit 9. The power supply module 10 includes a rechargeable lithium battery, a dry battery, solar energy or an AC power source connected through a power adapter. The power supply method can be selected according to the actual use scenario and requirements. When the battery power is insufficient, there will be a low battery alarm to prompt charging or replacing the battery. An MCU with a built-in control program, buttons, a display, an air pressure sensor module and a wireless communication module are connected to the circuit board of the control unit 9. The buttons and the display are used for setting operation parameters, starting and stopping the device and displaying the operation status. The wireless communication module is used for remote control of the device. Communication methods such as Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G or 5G can be selected according to actual needs to realize remote parameter setting and device status monitoring of the device on the mobile phone and computer terminals. The control operation methods are diverse and can simulate the natural tidal process.

[0035] The specific working principle of the tidal planting device in this embodiment is as follows:

[0036] When the device is operating with sufficient water volume, it can be divided into four stages: the rising water stage, the high water stage, the falling water stage, and the low water stage.

[0037] At the start of the rising water stage, the control unit 9 controls the air pump 12 to start. At this time, the solenoid valve 11 is in the closed state. The air pump 12 inflates the water storage tank through the air pipe 6. Since only the water pipe 4 in the water storage tank is connected to the outside world, under the action of air pressure, the water in the water storage tank will flow into the upper space of the housing 1, that is, the placement area of the planting pot 2, through the water pipe 4. As the air pump 12 continuously inflates the water storage tank, the water level in the upper space of the housing 1 will gradually rise. When the set water level is reached, the air pump 12 stops, and at the same time, the rising water stage ends. This set water level is about 0.5 cm above the conductance electrode contact. During the rising water stage, the control unit 9 monitors the change in conductivity to judge whether the water body reaches the set water level. When the water body touches the conductance electrode contact, the conductivity will change significantly. Since the set water level is higher than the contact, when the control unit 9 detects that the water level reaches the conductance electrode contact, the air pump 12 will continue to run for a period of time and then stop to ensure that the water level reaches the set height. To control the rising water speed, the air pump 12 operates intermittently, and its each running time and running interval are related to the set rising water speed parameter. The rising water stage simulates the rising tide process in natural tides.

[0038] The next stage after the rising water stage is the high water stage. In this stage, both the air pump 12 and the solenoid valve 11 are in the closed state, and the water level in the planting pot placement area above the housing 1 will remain unchanged. The duration of this stage is related to the time parameter set for the high water stage. The high water stage simulates the flat tide process in natural tides.

[0039] During the water drainage stage, the air pump 12 is closed and the solenoid valve 11 is opened. When the solenoid valve 11 is opened, affected by the water body above the housing 1, the gas pumped into the water storage tank by the air pump 12 will be discharged through the solenoid valve 11. At the same time, the water in the planting pot area above the housing 1 will flow back into the water storage tank through the water pipe 4. To control the water drainage speed, the solenoid valve 11 is intermittently opened, and its each opening time and opening interval are related to the water drainage speed parameter. During the water drainage stage, the control unit 9 will detect the air pressure in the water storage tank when the solenoid valve 11 is closed. When the internal air pressure is the same as the outside world, it is considered that the water body above the housing 1 has completely flowed back into the water storage tank, and the water drainage stage ends. The water drainage stage simulates the ebb tide process in natural tides.

[0040] During the low water stage, both the air pump 12 and the solenoid valve 11 are in the closed state, and all the water in the device is stored in the water storage tank. The duration of this stage is related to the time parameter set for the low water stage. The low water stage simulates the low tide process in natural tides.

[0041] Water shortage prompt and water replenishment method:

[0042] Due to the absorption of plants and natural evaporation, the water flowing back into the water storage tank will gradually decrease. When the water in the water storage tank cannot meet the rising water demand, it needs to be replenished in time. During the rising water stage, as the air pump 12 continuously inflates, the water level above the outer shell 1 keeps rising, and at the same time, the air pressure value obtained by the air pressure sensor will also gradually increase. The magnitude of this air pressure value has a linear relationship with the distance between the water surface above the outer shell 1 and the water surface in the water storage tank. The specific formula is: P = ρg(h2 + h3). Where P is the air pressure obtained by the air pressure sensor, ρ is the water body density, g is the acceleration due to gravity, h2 is the distance between the water surface of the water storage tank and the bottom of the planting pot, and h3 is the distance between the bottom of the planting pot above the outer shell 1 and the water surface. The distance between the contact point of the conductivity electrode 8 and the bottom of the planting pot is represented by H1, the height of the water storage tank is represented by H2, and the height of the water surface in the water storage tank is represented by h1, where H1 and H2 are fixed values. When not considering the distance between the top of the water storage tank and the bottom of the planting pot, the height of the water storage tank H2 = h1 + h2. When the water above the outer shell 1 contacts the contact point of the conductivity electrode, the control unit 9 will record the air pressure value P in the water storage tank at this time. At this time, the water surface height h3 is equal to H1. According to the two formulas P = ρg(h2 + h3) and H2 = h1 + h2, the water surface height h1 in the water storage tank at this time can be calculated. When the calculated water surface height h1 in the water storage tank is lower than the set height, it is determined that the water storage tank is short of water. At this time, the air pump 12 is turned off and the solenoid valve 11 is opened. When the water above the outer shell 1 completely flows back into the water storage tank, the solenoid valve 11 is closed, and at the same time, the device will give a water shortage prompt. When a water shortage prompt appears, water is added from above the outer shell 1, and the water level for adding water should submerge the position of the contact point of the conductivity electrode. During the water shortage prompt stage, the control unit 9 will detect the change in the conductivity of the conductivity electrode 8. When it is determined that there is water submerging the conductivity electrode 8, it is considered that the water replenishment operation is completed, and at the same time, the water shortage prompt is turned off. After the water replenishment is completed, the device enters the normal operation state and is in the high water stage.

[0043] Function of the conductivity electrode 8 and method for salinity detection:

[0044] The conductivity electrode 8 is located in the front hook of the control unit 9. The position of its electrode contact point is about 2 cm from the top of the outer shell 1. It is mainly used for water level control and water body conductivity detection. Due to the large difference in conductivity between air and water, during the rising water stage, the conductivity electrode 8 will also perform conductivity detection at a low frequency to judge whether the water level reaches the contact point position through the conductivity value.

[0045] During the high water stage, the contact point of the conductivity electrode is in a submerged state. The control unit 9 will obtain the conductivity of the water body at this stage and calculate the salinity of the water body according to the relationship between conductivity and salinity. The relationship between salinity and conductivity is as follows:

[0046] yNaCl = 1.3888*x - 0.02478*x*t - 6171.9

[0047] where yNaCl is the salinity value calculated based on NaCl, x is the conductivity, and t is the water temperature. Without considering the influence of water temperature changes, after setting the water temperature to a fixed value, the corresponding salinity can be roughly calculated through the conductivity.

[0048] This embodiment can achieve functions such as automatic irrigation and water replenishment, simulating the ebb and flow of tides, water shortage reminder, and water body conductivity detection. Its function of simulating the natural ebb and flow of tides is very suitable for potted plants of intertidal zone plants such as mangrove plants. For ordinary potted plants, the water replenishment and irrigation can also be carried out in the way of tides. The plants are planted in the planting pot 2, and soil with good water permeability, nutrient soil, ceramsite, coarse sand, etc. are used as the planting substrate. According to the types of plants planted, the water storage tank is filled with fresh water or seawater with adjusted salinity. The planting pot 2 with the planted plants is placed into the outer shell 1, and the control unit 9 is hung at the joint position of the air pipe 6 and inserted into the air pipe 6.

[0049] In this embodiment, the operating parameters can be set through the buttons on the control unit 9. Its main parameters include the rising water time, falling water time, high water level time, and low water level time. Through these 4 parameters, the ebb and flow speed, the residence time of the highest and lowest water levels can be determined, and the accurate simulation of natural tides can be realized. When only water replenishment and irrigation are required through the tide method, the ebb and flow speed can be increased, the residence time of the highest water level can be reduced, and the residence time of the lowest water level can be increased. In addition, the control unit 9 performs local and remote parameter setting and status monitoring with devices such as mobile phones and computers through the communication module.

[0050] Due to the absorption of plants and natural evaporation, the water in the water storage tank will gradually decrease. When the water in the water storage tank cannot meet the rising water demand, the device will give a water shortage reminder to remind timely water replenishment; due to the certain water storage capacity of the water storage tank, the water replenishment frequency will be much lower than that of the ordinary planting pot 2. When planting intertidal zone plants, the salinity parameter needs to be set. This salinity value is the salinity of the water body suitable for the growth of plants. When the salinity of the water body detected by the salinity meter exceeds the set range, the device will give a salinity anomaly reminder. At this time, the salinity needs to be adjusted within the set range by adding fresh water or seawater.

[0051] In this specification, specific examples are used to elaborate on the principle and implementation manner of the present invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only used to help understand the method and its core idea of the present invention; at the same time, for those of ordinary skill in the art, according to the idea of the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation manner and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

Claims

1. A tidal planting device, characterized in that: It includes a housing, a planting pot, a pressure adjustment module, a power supply module and a control unit. A sealed water storage tank is provided below the housing and is open at the top. The planting pot is sleeved inside the housing and is located above the water storage tank. The water storage tank is connected to the bottom of the planting pot through a water pipe. The water storage tank is connected to the outside atmosphere through the pressure adjustment module. The pressure adjustment module and the control unit are both electrically connected to the power supply module, and the pressure adjustment module is electrically connected to the control unit. A number of water permeable holes are evenly distributed on the surface of the planting pot; The pressure adjustment module includes a pressurization mechanism, a decompression mechanism and a pressure sensor connected to the water storage tank. The pressurization mechanism includes an air pump and an air pipe. The air pump is connected to the water storage tank through the air pipe. The pressure sensor is connected to the air pipe. The air pump and the pressure sensor are both electrically connected to the control unit. The control unit, the decompression mechanism, the pressure sensor and the air pump are all arranged inside a protective shell. A hook is provided on one side of the protective shell, and the hook can be hung on the open mouth of the housing; A conductivity electrode is provided at the lower end of the hook, and the conductivity electrode can contact the water after the water level in the housing rises. In the high water level stage, the contact point of the conductivity electrode is in a submerged state, and the control unit will obtain the conductivity of the water body at this stage and calculate the salinity of the water body according to the relationship between conductivity and salinity. When the water body above the housing contacts the contact point of the conductivity electrode, the control unit will record the air pressure value in the water storage tank at this time. The magnitude of this air pressure value has a linear relationship with the distance between the water surface above the housing and the water surface in the water storage tank. According to this linear relationship, the water surface height in the water storage tank can be calculated, and whether the water storage tank is short of water is determined by comparing the water surface height in the water storage tank with the set height.

2. The tidal planting device according to claim 1, wherein: The decompression mechanism includes a solenoid valve. The upper end of the air pipe is connected to a branch pipe through a tee. The solenoid valve and the pressure sensor are provided on the branch pipe. The lower end of the air pipe is arranged in the gap between the housing and the planting pot. The solenoid valve is electrically connected to the control unit.

3. The tidal type planting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An inlet is provided on the water storage tank, and a rubber plug is hermetically arranged on the inlet. The inlet is arranged on the top plate, side wall or bottom plate of the water storage tank.

4. The tidal type planting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the water pipe extends 0.5 cm - 1 cm to the bottom plate of the water storage tank, and the upper end is flush with the top plate of the water storage tank.

5. The tidal type planting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit is communicatively connected to a cloud computing platform or a control terminal through a wireless communication module. The wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G or 5G communication module. A button and a display screen are provided on the control unit.

6. The tidal type planting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply module includes a rechargeable lithium battery, a dry battery, solar energy or an AC power supply connected through a power adapter.

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