Mushroom planting shelf, cart and corresponding assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mushroom planting shelf (101) comprising: a plurality of beds (102, 103, 104, 105, 106) placed one above the other for storing compost and / or covering soil; a frame (107) coupled or connectable to the shelf, the frame (107) being movable along the shelf with at least a horizontal directional member; and a harvesting belt conveyor comprising a harvesting belt extending at least partially parallel to the bed, supported by a number of guides (109, 110, 111, 112) on which the harvesting belt is movable, whereby at least one of the guides (109, 110, 111, 112) is connected to a frame (107) and is movable along the frame with at least a vertical directional member, the height of the harvest belt can be adjusted at least partially along the shelf in order to guide the harvest belt at an adjustable height. The invention also relates to a cart (1) for moving a picker (2, 3) along a mushroom planting shelf (101) for manual harvesting of mushrooms.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a trolley for moving a picker along a shelf for growing mushrooms, for the purpose of manually harvesting those mushrooms. Background Art

[0002] Mushrooms are harvested in cultivation bed layers located in the shelves. Such shelves can extend several meters to several tens of meters in length, whereby several bed layers can extend vertically above and below each other in the shelf.

[0003] In order to make it easy for pickers to move along the bed layers during picking, it is common to use so-called picking trucks. These picking trucks include a transport vehicle designed to move along the shelf. Picking trucks according to the prior art are usually connected to the shelf via a rail system or a similar guide.

[0004] It is also known to design a truck for picking mushrooms on bed layers placed vertically above and below each other in a shelf such that the picker can move in height.

[0005] A particularly suitable embodiment according to the prior art is described in Dutch patent NL 2022318. This picking truck has a device for guiding a harvesting belt through the truck, and when the picker is lifted by the truck, the harvesting belt also moves in height.

[0006] Although this truck performs very well in practice, there is still room for further improvement. As is known from Dutch patents NL2021053 and NL 2021456, in the case where the truck is used in combination with an inclined shelf for growing mushrooms, but especially when the truck is used with an old-fashioned shelf in which the bed layers have a fixed orientation relative to the shelf, it may be difficult for the picker to pick mushrooms far from the edge of the shelf. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to propose a truck that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. Another object of the present invention is to provide a useful alternative to known picking trucks.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention proposes a truck for moving a picker along a shelf for growing mushrooms in order to manually harvest those mushrooms, the truck having two longitudinal sides extending between the front and rear of the truck, one of the two longitudinal sides being designed to move parallel to the longitudinal direction of the shelf during intended use, the truck comprising: an accommodation in which or on which a person can be seated, such as a standing surface or a sitting surface, which is at a distance from a surface such as a floor surface on which the truck can move; and a guide for guiding a harvesting belt extending flatly along the shelf through the truck, wherein the path comprises a first part and a second part in the longitudinal direction: in the first part, the harvesting belt is located on one longitudinal side of the truck, at a working height defined relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface, so that a worker can place the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part, the harvesting belt is positioned at an angle relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface and at a height lower than the working height, to provide at least a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf during use, so as to harvest mushrooms.

[0009] The truck according to the present invention makes it possible for the picker to place the mushrooms at the working height on the harvesting belt in the first part of the truck and to approach the shelf closely in the second part of the truck and be positioned to reach the grown mushrooms. You can optionally stand in one of two positions or work with several pickers on the same truck, whereby the truck according to the present invention makes it possible for different people to harvest different strips of the bed. The person standing in the part where the belt is at the working height can harvest the part of the bed adjacent to the outside of the shelf, while the person standing in the part of the shelf where the belt is below the working height can harvest the mushrooms from a part further away from the outside of the shelf. The part of the truck where the belt is not at the working height provides a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf. The present invention also provides the picker with the opportunity to work in a position or posture that is comfortable for him.

[0010] In one embodiment, the working height is between 60 and 150 cm, and particularly between 90 and 120 cm, above the standing surface, or between 0 and 60, and particularly between 20 and 40 cm, above the sitting surface. These heights have proven to be comfortable for the harvesters.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment, the track is located on at least a part of the front side of the longitudinal side at a height lower than the working height and on at least a part of the rear side of the longitudinal side at the working height. At the part where the belt is below the working height, it can be, for example, at the height of the standing surface or even lower, so that the shelf can be fully accessed from the truck.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, the guide guides the belt along a track that is substantially S-shaped in a side view, where the track includes an input position at the front, on the lower side of the S, and an output position at the rear, on the upper side of the S. The upper side can at least substantially correspond to the working height. Since the belt on the output side will be filled with mushrooms during use, it cannot be steeply guided downward on the output side. Therefore, further guiding of the belt with mushrooms will take place under an inclined ramp or at the discharge height.

[0013] To remove the harvested mushrooms under the inclined ramp, the truck according to the invention can be used in combination with a so-called perforated conveyor, in particular in combination with a perforated conveyor as described in Dutch patent NL 2023167.

[0014] In yet another embodiment, the height of the input position from the surface is between 0 and 50 cm. This makes it possible to easily step over the harvesting belt outside the truck.

[0015] To adjust the working height with the mushroom growing bed layers in the shelf, the sitting surface and / or the standing surface and the first part of the track can be height-adjustable relative to the surface. The output position can be moved in height together with the sitting surface and / or the standing surface.

[0016] In the trolley according to the invention, in a first embodiment, the track is defined by several roller guides connected to the truck, through which the belt can circulate during use. To be able to move the truck between different shelves or to maintain the shelves, it is advantageous that the truck can move autonomously. As further explained in this application, this can be achieved because the roller guides connected to the truck are releasably connected to the truck. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the guides for the belt are freely accessible on the longitudinal side facing the shelf during use, in order to place the belt on the guides or remove the belt from the guides.

[0017] The invention also relates to an assembly of a shelf for growing mushrooms and a truck of the type described above, in which there are one or more growing bed layers for growing mushrooms, where the harvesting belt extends longitudinally along the shelf.

[0018] Harvesting trucks according to the prior art typically include a carrier vehicle that is designed to move along the shelf. These harvesting trucks are usually connected to the shelf via a guide rail system or a similar guide.

[0019] Although trucks according to the prior art, and in particular trucks from NL 2022318, perform very well in practice, there is still room for further improvement. Dutch patent NL 2033375 provides advantageous additional features in cases where, as is known from Dutch patents NL 2021053 and NL 2021456, the truck is used in combination with inclined shelves for growing mushrooms, but especially when the truck is used with older shelves in which the beds have a fixed orientation relative to the shelves. Patent applications NL 2021053, NL 2021456, NL 2022318 and NL 2033375 are incorporated herein by reference. This means that all properties of the shelves and trucks described in these disclosures can be applied, individually or in combination, to the shelves, trucks and trolleys according to the invention, whether or not they are described.

[0020] Both the truck described in NL 2022318 and the truck described in NL 2033375 both appear to operate excellently in practice. Due to this proven suitability, it is desirable to perform as much harvesting work as possible with this type of truck. As already mentioned in NL2033375, the truck can move autonomously between different shelves. This means that it is not permanently connected to the shelf and does not necessarily attach to a guide rail connected to the shelf. Such an autonomously movable truck is also referred to as a trolley in this technology. To distinguish trolleys that can move via a guide rail from autonomously movable trolleys, in the remainder of this application, the autonomously movable trolley will be referred to as a trolley.

[0021] The trolley has the advantage over the truck that it is easier to move between shelves because it does not require a guide rail system to move. This mobility combined with the relatively high cost share of the mushroom growing shelves required by the trolley means that people often choose to use the trolley when harvesting mushrooms from different shelves and move the trolley along different shelves.

[0022] However, the disadvantage of doing so is that each time the trolley is replaced from the shelf, the harvesting belt extending along the relevant shelf must be connected to or disconnected from the trolley.

[0023] To overcome the above disadvantages, the present invention proposes a shelf, a trolley and an assembly of the two.

[0024] The trolley according to the invention can have all the properties and characteristics mentioned above with respect to the trolley according to the invention. In combination with providing a sitting or standing position for the picker or as an alternative thereto, the trolley according to the invention can also be provided with automatic picking or harvesting devices, such as a picking robot or an automatic cutting device. These devices can also be designed to place the picked or harvested mushrooms on the harvesting belt for removal and thus benefit from the harvesting belt that moves with the picking height.

[0025] In the trolley according to the invention, the track is preferably (partially / inter alia) defined by several roller guides connected to the trolley, through which the belt can circulate during use. In order to be able to move the trolley between different shelves or to hold the shelves, it is advantageous for the trolley to be able to move autonomously. Furthermore, for this purpose, it is advantageous for the guides for the belt to be freely accessible on the longitudinal side facing the shelf during use, in order to place the belt on the guides or to remove the belt from the guides. The trolley according to the invention is specifically designed to cooperate with a shelf according to the invention and, in particular, to move along such a shelf a frame connected to the shelf. In this case, such a frame may include all or part of the roller guides mentioned above, which are then connected to the trolley by connecting the trolley to the frame.

[0026] The invention also relates to a combination of a shelf for growing mushrooms and a trolley of the type described above, in which there is one or more cultivation bed layers for growing mushrooms, and in which a harvesting belt extends longitudinally along the shelf. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will now be further explained with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings:

[0028] - Figure 1 A perspective view showing a first embodiment of the invention;

[0029] - Figure 2 A combination of the first embodiment and a shelf;

[0030] - Figure 3 Is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

[0031] - Figure 4 Is a combination of the second embodiment and a shelf.

[0032] - Figure 5 A perspective view showing a shelf according to the invention;

[0033] - Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 A second view of the shelf;

[0034] - Figure 7 A view showing a combination according to the invention; and

[0035] - Figure 8 Is Figure 3 A second view of the combination. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Figure 1 Shows for moving along a shelf for growing mushrooms (see Figure 2)A trolley 1 for moving pickers 2, 3 for manually harvesting those mushrooms, the trolley 1 having two longitudinal sides 4, 5 extending between a front 6 and a rear 7 of the trolley 1, one of the longitudinal sides 4 being designed to move close to a shelf parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the shelf during intended use, the trolley 1 comprising: a receiving portion 8 in or on which the persons 2, 3 can be located, the receiving portion 8 being formed by a standing surface 8 which is spaced apart by a distance A from a surface 9 formed by a floor surface 9 on which the trolley 1 can move; guides 10, 11, 12 for guiding a harvesting belt 13 which extends flat along the shelf through the trolley 1, the path including a first part I and a second part II in the longitudinal direction: in the first part I, the harvesting belt 13 is located on one of the longitudinal sides of the trolley 1 at a working height W defined relative to the standing surface 8 so that the workers 2, 3 can place the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part II, the harvesting belt 13 is located at a height below the working height W relative to the standing surface 8 to provide at least a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf during use for harvesting mushrooms.

[0037] Figure 2 shows Figure 1 the trolley 1 and the shelf 14 in which there are beds 15, 16, 17 provided with compost 18, 19, 20 from which mushrooms are harvested. The working height W corresponds to the height of the bed 15. The standing surface 8 can be raised along masts 21, 22 to allow harvesting of the beds 16 and 17. It can be seen that the person 2 can position himself closer to the shelf 14 since the trolley 1 includes a portion which provides a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf on the longitudinal side 4 facing the shelf during use.

[0038] Figure 3 shows for moving along a shelf for growing mushrooms (see Figure 4)A trolley 31 for moving a picker 32 to manually harvest those mushrooms, the trolley 31 having two longitudinal sides 34, 35 extending between a front side 36 and a rear side 37 of the trolley 31, one of the longitudinal sides 34 being designed to move close to a shelf parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the shelf during intended use. The trolley 31 includes: a receiving portion 8 in which or on which the person 32 can be located, the receiving portion 8 being formed by a sitting surface 38, maintaining a distance AA from a surface 39 formed by a floor surface 39 on which the trolley 31 can move; guides 40, 41, 42 for guiding the trolley 31 in the path of a harvesting belt 43 extending flat along the shelf, wherein the track includes a first part I and a second part II in the longitudinal direction: in the first part I, the harvesting belt 43 is located on one longitudinal side of the trolley 31 at a working height W defined relative to the sitting surface 38 so that the worker 32 places the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part II, the harvesting belt 43 is at a height lower than the working height W relative to the standing surface 8 to provide at least a substantially unobstructed passage to the mushroom harvesting shelf.

[0039] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 The trolley 31 and the shelf 44 shown, in which there are beds 45, 46, 47 provided with compost 48, 49, 50, and mushrooms are harvested from the beds 45, 46, 47. The working height W corresponds to the height of the bed 45. The sitting surface 38 can be lifted along masts 51, 52 to allow harvesting of the beds 46 and 47. It can be seen that the person 42 can position himself close to the shelf 44 because the trolley 31 includes a part that provides a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf along the longitudinal side 34 facing the shelf during use, and at the same time he can reach the harvesting belt 43.

[0040] Figure 5 Shows a shelf 101 for growing mushrooms, which includes: a plurality of beds 102 - 106 placed one above the other for storing compost and / or casing soil; a frame 107 connected to or capable of being connected to the shelf, the frame 107 having at least a horizontal direction component H and capable of moving along the shelf; a harvesting belt conveyor including a harvesting belt 108, the harvesting belt 108 extending at least partially parallel to the beds, supported by several guides 109 - 112, and the harvesting belt can move on the guides 109 - 112, wherein at least one of the guides is connected to the frame and capable of moving along the frame to at least one vertical direction component V to guide the harvesting belt 108 at an adjustable height at least partially along the shelf 101. In the shown configuration, the harvesting belt 108 is set to a height suitable for harvesting mushrooms from the bed 103.

[0041] The frame 107 is designed to be coupled to the trolley, in particular by means of a coupling device (see FIGS. 103 and 104), so as to move the trolley and the frame 107 along the shelf together with the horizontal direction member.

[0042] When the frame 107 moves relative to the shelf 1 in the horizontal direction H, all the guide members 109 - 112 move in their mutual relationship. The length of the belt part A increases, while the other belt parts B - E only change their positions. The part D is used for placing the picked mushrooms and taking them out in the direction H.

[0043] Figure 6 shown Figure 5 The shelf 101, in which the height of the guide members 109 - 112 has been adjusted. The guide members 109 and 110 have been moved apart, and the length of the track section B has been increased. The track section B is now aligned such that the harvesting belt 108 is set to a height suitable for harvesting mushrooms from the bed 106.

[0044] Figure 7 The shelf 1 with the frame 107 is shown again, which is in a state of being coupled to the trolley 113 for horizontal and vertical movement, where the harvesting belt 108 is set to a height suitable for harvesting mushrooms from the bed 103. The guide members 109 - 112 are arranged, in particular by means of a coupling device, for coupling with a receiving part that can move together with the vertical direction member, in particular the carrying platform 114 of the mushroom picker for the trolley, so as to move the carrying platform 114 along the shelf 101 together with the vertical direction member V and the guide members 109 - 112.

[0045] Figure 8 shown Figure 7 The assembly of the shelf 101 with the frame 107 and the trolley 113 is shown, which is in a position where the receiving part 114 of the mushroom picker has moved in the vertical direction. The guide members 109 - 112 for the harvesting belt are arranged to guide the harvesting belt 108 along the trolley in a path that includes a first part I and a second part II in the longitudinal direction: in the first part I, the harvesting belt is located on one longitudinal side of the trolley at a working height defined relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface so that the staff can place the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part II, the harvesting belt is at a position where the height is lower than the working height relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface to provide at least a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf during use for harvesting mushrooms. In the shown configuration, the second height corresponds to the supply height of the part A of the harvesting belt.

[0046] Clauses:

[0047] 1. A truck for moving a picker along a shelf for growing mushrooms in order to manually harvest those mushrooms, the truck having two longitudinal sides extending between a front and a rear of the truck, one of the two longitudinal sides being designed to move parallel to the longitudinal direction of the shelf during intended use, the truck comprising:

[0048] - A receiving part in or on which a person can sit or stand, such as a standing surface or a sitting surface, which is at a distance from a surface such as a floor surface on which the truck can move;

[0049] - A guide for guiding a harvesting belt that extends flatly along the shelf through the truck, wherein the path includes a first section and a second part in the longitudinal direction: in the first section, the harvesting belt is located on one longitudinal side of the truck, at a position at a defined working height relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface, so that a worker can place the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part, the height of the harvesting belt is lower than the height of the standing surface or the sitting surface, and this working height is used to provide at least substantially unobstructed access to the shelf during use in order to harvest mushrooms.

[0050] 2. The truck according to item 1, wherein the working height is between 60 and 150 cm, and in particular between 90 and 120 cm, above the standing surface, or between 0 and 60, and in particular between 20 and 40 cm, above the sitting surface.

[0051] 3. The truck according to item 1 or 2, wherein the track is at a height lower than the working height on at least a part of the side of the longitudinal side located at the front, and at the working height on at least a part of the side of the longitudinal side located at the rear.

[0052] 4. The truck according to item 1 or 2, wherein the guide guides the belt along a track that is substantially S-shaped in a side view, wherein the track includes an input position at the front, on the lower side of the S, and an output position at the rear, on the higher side of the S.

[0053] 5. The truck according to item 4, wherein the higher side at least substantially corresponds to the working height.

[0054] 6. The truck according to item 4, wherein the height of the input position from the surface is between 0 and 50 cm.

[0055] 7. The truck according to one of the preceding items, wherein the sitting surface and / or the standing surface and the first part of the track are height-adjustable relative to the surface in order to adjust the working height according to the available mushroom-growing bed layers of the shelf.

[0056] 8. The truck according to item 7, wherein the output position moves with the sitting surface and / or the standing surface in height.

[0057] 9. The truck according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the guide includes a plurality of roller guides connected to the trolley, and during use, the belt can circulate through the plurality of roller guides.

[0058] 10. The truck according to any one of the preceding items, wherein during use, the guide is freely accessible on the longitudinal side facing the shelf so as to place the belt on the guide or remove the belt from the guide.

[0059] 11. The truck according to one of the preceding items, which can move autonomously and can thus move independently of the shelf.

[0060] 12. A component, comprising:

[0061] - a shelf for growing mushrooms, in which there is one or more cultivation bed layers for growing mushrooms, and wherein the harvesting belt extends longitudinally along the shelf; and

[0062] - a truck according to one of the preceding claims.

Claims

1. A mushroom cultivation shelf, comprising: - A plurality of beds, which are placed one above the other, for storing compost and / or casing soil; - A frame coupled to or capable of being coupled to the shelf, the frame being capable of moving along the shelf together with at least a horizontal direction member; - A harvesting belt conveyor, the harvesting belt conveyor comprising: - A harvesting belt, the harvesting belt extending at least partially parallel to the beds and being supported by: - A plurality of guides, the harvesting belt being capable of moving on the plurality of guides; Whereby: - At least one of the guides is connected to the frame and is capable of moving along the frame together with at least a vertical direction member so as to guide the harvesting belt at an adjustable height at least partially along the shelf.

2. The shelf according to claim 1, wherein the frame of the shelf is configured to be coupled to a trolley, in particular by means of a coupling device, so as to move the trolley and the frame together with a horizontal direction member along the shelf.

3. The shelf according to claim 1 or 2, wherein At least one guide capable of moving along the frame together with at least a vertical direction member is configured, in particular by means of a coupling device, to be coupled to the carrying platform of the mushroom picker of the trolley, so as to move the carrying platform and the guide along the shelf together with the vertical direction member.

4. The shelf according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein A plurality of guides are connected to the frame such that the harvesting belt disposed on the guides extends along a substantially horizontally extending path capable of moving vertically along the harvesting belt.

5. A trolley, comprising a movable, in particular autonomously movable chassis, the chassis being configured to be coupled to a frame mounted on a shelf and to move the frame along the shelf during movement of the trolley, the trolley comprising two longitudinal sides extending between a front side and a rear side of the trolley, one of the two longitudinal sides being designed to move close to the shelf parallel to the longitudinal direction of the shelf during intended use, the trolley comprising: - A receiving portion in or on which a person can sit, such as a standing surface or a sitting surface, which is at a certain distance from a surface such as a floor surface on which the trolley can move; and / or - An automatic picking or harvesting device, such as a robot.

6. The trolley according to claim 5, wherein The receiving portion is capable of moving in height relative to the chassis, and wherein the trolley, and in particular its platform, is designed to move the at least one guide in the vertical direction, the guide being connected to at least a vertical direction member and capable of moving along the frame so as to guide the harvesting belt at an adjustable height at least partially along the shelf.

7. An assembly of a shelf according to any one of claims 1 - 4 and a trolley according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein The frame is provided with a plurality of guides for the harvesting belt so as to guide the harvesting belt along the trolley in a path, wherein the path includes a first part and a second part in the longitudinal direction: in the first part, at a first longitudinal side of the trolley, the harvesting belt is at a working height defined relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface so that a worker can place the harvested mushrooms on the belt; in the second part, the harvesting belt is at a position lower than the working height relative to the standing surface or the sitting surface to provide at least a substantially unobstructed passage to the shelf during use for harvesting mushrooms.

9. The assembly according to claim 7 or 8, wherein The working height is between 60 and 150 cm, and in particular between 90 and 120 cm, above the standing surface, or between 0 and 60, and in particular between 20 and 40 cm, above the sitting surface.

10. The assembly according to any one of claims 7 - 9, wherein The track is at a height lower than the working height on at least a front portion of the longitudinal side, and at the working height on at least a portion at the rear side of the longitudinal side of the longitudinal side.

11. The assembly according to any one of claims 7 - 10, wherein The guide guides the belt according to a track that is substantially S-shaped in a side view, wherein the track includes an input position at the front part, on the lower side of the S, and an output position at the rear part, on the upper side of the S.

12. The assembly according to any one of claims 7 - 11, wherein The upper side at least substantially corresponds to the working height.

13. The assembly according to any one of claims 7 - 12, wherein The height of the input position from the surface is between 0 and 50 cm.

14. The component according to any one of the preceding claims 7 - 13, wherein, The sitting surface and / or the standing surface and a first part of the track can be moved in height relative to the surface so as to adjust the working height in accordance with the mushroom cultivation bed layer present in the shelf.

15. The component according to any one of the preceding claims 7 - 14, wherein, The output position moves in height with the sitting surface and / or the standing surface.

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