Inflatable greenhouses for smart farms

Abstract

This invention relates to an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm, and more specifically, to an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm, the inflatable greenhouse comprising: wall components (10) and roof components (20) forming the shape of the greenhouse; crop cultivation trays (30) arranged in layers inside the wall components (10); planting sheets (40) that cover the crop cultivation trays (30) in a separated state; a water supply device (50) and a lighting device (60) that provide the necessary conditions for the growth of the crops planted in the planting sheets (40), and at least the wall components (10) and the crop cultivation trays (30) are formed of double-layered wall fabric or air-filled tubes that form a three-dimensional frame by compressed air.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm, and more specifically, to an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm, the inflatable greenhouse comprising: wall components 10 and roof components 20 forming the shape of the greenhouse; crop cultivation trays 30 arranged in layers inside the wall components 10; planting sheets 40 covering the crop cultivation trays 30 in a separated state; a water supply device 50 and a lighting device 60 providing the necessary conditions for the growth of the crops planted in the planting sheets 40, and at least the wall components 10 and the crop cultivation trays 30 are formed of double-layered wall fabric or air-filled tubes that form a three-dimensional frame by compressed air. Background Technology

[0002] A smart farm is an automated, controlled farm that manages the crop growing environment to its optimal state throughout the entire farming process by integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) or Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These smart farms primarily cultivate crops in ordinary plastic greenhouses or glass greenhouses, but air houses have also been developed. These air houses do not use steel frames; instead, they form the greenhouse frame by injecting compressed air into air tubes or double-walled fabric.

[0003] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, utility model registration No. 20-0353437 (June 4, 2004) discloses an inflatable plastic greenhouse, wherein multiple air inflatable tubes AT are formed side by side between an outer plastic V1 and an inner plastic V2, and compressed air is injected into these air inflatable tubes AT to construct the greenhouse.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent No. 10-1521277 (May 12, 2015) discloses an inflatable greenhouse constructed from a tunnel-shaped greenhouse component made of double-walled fabric. The greenhouse component has open sections extending through its two sides, and support components connecting the two ends in the width direction are provided at the entrance and exit.

[0005] Here, "double wall fabric" is a type of fabric in which a certain length of reinforcing fiber yarn is tightly attached between two corresponding layers of fabric sheets, and it is also known as double wall fabric. Even if compressed air is blown into the space between the two fabric sheets, the reinforcing fiber yarn will hold the two fabric sheets tightly together, so that the two sides of this double wall fabric maintain a certain thickness in a flat state. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The advantages of existing inflatable greenhouses are that the air pipes filled with compressed air or the double-layered fabric walls form the greenhouse frame, making them easy to install and dismantle. Furthermore, the air layer provides insulation, resulting in good heat retention. However, a drawback is that to use these existing inflatable greenhouses in smart farms, it is necessary to use steel or wood structures inside the greenhouse to separately install the crop cultivation facilities required for cultivation, i.e., crop cultivation pots.

[0007] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a container-type inflatable greenhouse for smart farms, wherein the outer wall of the inflatable greenhouse and the crop cultivation troughs installed inside it are both formed by air pipes or double-walled fabric, which not only facilitates installation and dismantling, but also facilitates transportation and storage.

[0008] Another problem solved by the present invention is to provide an inflatable greenhouse for smart farms, wherein the supporting structure of the crop cultivation troughs and the planting sheets disposed thereon has physical robustness, and in particular, such crop cultivation facility is suitable for aeroponics farming methods, wherein the crop cultivation troughs are formed of air tubes or double-walled fabric.

[0009] The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to the present invention comprises:

[0010] The wall component 10 includes a front wall 11 with a door D, side walls 12 on both sides and a rear wall 13, which are formed by double-layer wall fabric or air tubes respectively.

[0011] The canopy component 20, which covers the top of the wall component 10, is formed of a double-layer wall fabric, an inflatable tube, or a single piece;

[0012] The crop cultivation pot 30 is in contact with the side wall 12 of the wall component 10 and is arranged in layers. It includes a transverse support 31 and a longitudinal support 32, which are respectively formed by double-layer wall fabric or air tubes. The transverse support 31 can expand horizontally toward the other side wall 12b when its outer long side is attached to the inner surface of one side wall 12a. The longitudinal support 32 bends upward from the inner long side of the transverse support 31.

[0013] The planting patch 40 covers the upper part of the transverse support 31 of the crop cultivation pot 30 in a separated state, such that the outer long side is attached to the side wall 12 and the inner long side is attached to the upper end of the longitudinal support 32, and multiple planting holes 41 are inserted side by side on it.

[0014] A water supply device 50 and a lighting device 60 provide the necessary conditions for the growth of the cultivated crops planted in the planting holes 41 of the planting sheet 40.

[0015] The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to the present invention has an overall shape similar to a cargo shipping container. With a compact and modular structure, all components can be easily folded up if the air inside the double-walled fabric or the inflation tubes is expelled, so it can be packaged as a single product for sale, thus providing excellent transport and storage benefits.

[0016] Furthermore, at the installation site, by simply injecting compressed air into the double-walled fabric or the air pipe, not only can the wall component 10 and the roof component 20 be constructed simultaneously, but also the multi-layered crop cultivation trough 30, which serves as the internal cultivation facility, can be constructed at the same time. By setting up planting patches 40, water supply devices 50, and lighting devices 60 here, an inflatable greenhouse for smart farms can be completed in a few hours.

[0017] Furthermore, the inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention configures the crop cultivation troughs 30 and planting sheets 40 into a multi-layered structure, and provides a water supply device 50 and a lighting device 60 to provide the conditions required for the growth of cultivated crops, thus making it particularly suitable for aeroponics farming methods. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the A-A' direction.

[0020] Figure 3 A top view illustrating the structure of an implant 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the B-B' direction.

[0022] Figure 5 It means Figure 4 Enlarged view of the structure of the water supply device 50 and the lighting device 60.

[0023] Figure 6 These are real-life photographs taken of the interior of an inflatable greenhouse for a smart farm according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an existing inflatable greenhouse formed by air pipes is shown.

[0025] Label Explanation

[0026] 10 Wall components 11 Front wall

[0027] 12, 12a, 12b Lateral wall 13 Posterior wall

[0028] 14 V-groove 20 Roofing components

[0029] 30 Crop cultivation tray 31 Horizontal support section

[0030] 32 Longitudinal support section 33 Horizontal retaining rope

[0031] 34 single-piece sections, 40 planting sections

[0032] 41 planting holes; 50 water supply device

[0033] 51 Nozzle 52 Storage Tank

[0034] 53 Water supply pipe 54 Drainage pipe

[0035] 55 Seedling trays 60 Lighting devices Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, since the drawings are examples of preferred embodiments of the invention, the scope of the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, descriptions of prior art, or specific descriptions of matters that can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art based on known techniques, even if they are necessary for carrying out the invention, will be omitted.

[0037] Furthermore, in the constituent elements of this invention, the name of "part" or "device" refers to a unit that processes at least one general function or operation, and can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both. In addition, "comprising" a constituent element means that, in addition to the constituent elements explicitly stated, other constituent elements may be further included as needed.

[0038] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inflatable greenhouse for smart farms of the present invention includes: a wall component 10 that forms the shape of the greenhouse; a roof component 20 that covers the wall component 10; crop cultivation trays 30 that are arranged in layers inside the wall component 10; planting sheets 40 that cover the crop cultivation trays 30 in a separated state; a water supply device 50 and a lighting device 60 that provide the necessary conditions for the growth of the crops planted in the planting sheets 40.

[0039] The wall component 10 and the crop cultivation tray 30 are formed of double-layered wall fabric or air-filled tubes, the roof component 20 is formed of double-layered wall fabric, air-filled tubes, or a single sheet, and the planting tray 40 is formed of a single sheet. The accompanying drawings illustrate the case where the wall component 10, roof component 20, and crop cultivation tray 30 are formed of double-layered wall fabric.

[0040] In this invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, a "double-walled fabric" is a component designed to tightly attach a certain length of reinforcing fiber yarn F by injecting compressed air between two single layers, such as... Figure 7 As shown, an "inflation tube" is a component that forms multiple inflation tubes side by side to allow compressed air to be injected between two monolithic layers. Furthermore, while a monolith usually means a single layer, it does not necessarily mean that the cross-section is a single-layer structure.

[0041] First, the wall component 10 includes: a front wall 11 on which a door D is installed; side walls 12 that bend longitudinally from both sides of the front wall 11; and a rear wall 13 opposite to the front wall 11. In other words, the front wall 11, side walls 12 and rear wall 13 form a quadrilateral structure and are each formed by a double-layered wall fabric or an inflatable tube.

[0042] An air inlet (not shown) is provided at an appropriate location in the wall component 10 to allow compressed air to be injected into the double-walled fabric or the air inlet tube. Furthermore, the front wall 11, side wall 12, and rear wall 13 can be connected or disconnected from each other to allow air injected into the double-walled fabric or the air inlet tube to pass through.

[0043] When the air channels of the double-walled fabric or air-filled tubes are connected to each other, compressed air can be injected into the front wall 11, side wall 12, and rear wall 13 at a uniform pressure through a single air inlet, which is very convenient. Furthermore, it has the advantage that when the air channels are disconnected, even if any one of the front wall 11, side wall 12, or rear wall 13 is damaged, the greenhouse's three-dimensional shape can be temporarily maintained through the undamaged side.

[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, V-shaped grooves 14 are laterally provided on the outer surfaces of the two side walls 12 of the wall member 10. The V-shaped grooves 14 facilitate folding of the wall member 10 after all air has been expelled from the double-layer wall fabric or the air tube. Multiple V-shaped grooves 14 may also be provided. A commonly used floor component (not shown in the figure) may be provided at the lower end of the wall member 10.

[0045] Secondly, the roof component 20 covers the wall component 10 and can be formed from double-layered wall fabric or inflatable tubes, or it can be formed from a single piece. When the roof component 20 is formed from double-layered wall fabric or inflatable tubes, the wall component 10 and the air passage can be connected or disconnected. When the roof component 20 is formed from a single piece or the air passage between the wall component 10 and the roof component 20 is disconnected, the roof component 20 can also have a structure that allows it to be separated from the wall component 10.

[0046] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings illustrate a flat, flat roof component 20, but it can also be a dome or a triangular roof as needed. When the roof component 20 is dome-shaped, the wall component 10 and the roof component 20 are integrated to form a dome-shaped greenhouse.

[0047] When the roof component 20 is formed from a single piece, it is preferably flat to avoid the need for additional structures. When the roof component 20 is flat, the inflatable greenhouse for smart farms of the present invention has an overall rectangular appearance similar to a cargo transport container.

[0048] The crop cultivation pot 30 contacts the side wall 12 of the wall component 10 and is arranged in layers, consisting of a transverse support part 31 and a longitudinal support part 32, and is formed by double-layer wall fabric or air tubes. The length of the crop cultivation pot 30 is the same as the length of the side wall 12, and the two ends in the length direction, that is, the two short sides, can be attached to and supported by the front wall 11 and the rear wall 13 respectively.

[0049] The transverse support portion 31 is a rectangular shape that expands elongated by a predetermined amount, and expands horizontally toward the other side wall 12b while its outer long side is supported on the inner surface of one side wall 12a. Furthermore, the longitudinal support portion 32 bends upward from the inner long side of the transverse support portion 31 at a predetermined height.

[0050] The attached diagram illustrates a three-layer configuration of the crop cultivation tray 30, but the number of layers can be adjusted appropriately based on the type of crop being cultivated or the site conditions. Furthermore, the crop cultivation tray 30 can be simultaneously positioned on both side walls 12a and 12b, or it can be positioned on only one of the side walls 12a and 12b.

[0051] When the crop cultivation pot 30 is simultaneously positioned on both side walls 12a and 12b, the operator can move through the space between the longitudinal support portions 32 on both sides. Furthermore, when positioned only on one side wall 12a, the operator can move through the space between the longitudinal support portion 32 of the crop cultivation pot 30 and the other side wall 12b.

[0052] A horizontal holding rope 33 can be provided on the longitudinal support 32 to support the load of the crop cultivation pots 30. The upper end of the horizontal holding rope 33 is suspended from the roof component 20 while supporting the load to keep the longitudinal support 32 horizontal. The horizontal holding rope 33 can be attached to the longitudinal support 32 with Velcro tape to allow for easy adjustment of each crop cultivation pot 30 to a horizontal position. The lower end of the horizontal holding rope 33 can be supported on the longitudinal support 32 of the lowest crop cultivation pot 30 or on the bottom surface of the greenhouse.

[0053] In this invention, a horizontal support (not shown in the figure) can also be used instead of the horizontal holding rope 33, the horizontal support supporting the load of the crop cultivation pot 30. This horizontal support, while supporting the load of each crop cultivation pot 30, can have a structure where its lower end is supported on the ground. The number of the horizontal holding rope 33 or the horizontal support can be appropriately selected according to the length and load of the crop cultivation pot 30.

[0054] Preferably, the air passages of the wall component 10 and the crop cultivation tank 30 are connected to each other. In this case, if compressed air is injected into the wall component 10, the compressed air is also injected into the crop cultivation tank 30. Thus, for the purposes of this invention, the basic framework of the greenhouse exterior wall and the internal cultivation facilities required for a smart farm can be constructed simultaneously simply by injecting compressed air into the wall component 10.

[0055] Next, the planting sheet 40, separated from the transverse support 31 of the crop cultivation pot 30 at a predetermined distance, covers the top of the transverse support 31. Unlike the crop cultivation pot 30, it is formed from a single piece. The planting sheet 40 is a rectangular shape that expands elongated to the same extent as the transverse support 31, with its outer long side attached to the side wall 12 and its inner long side attached to the upper end of the longitudinal support 32. The two short sides of the planting sheet 40 can be attached to and supported on the front wall 11 and the rear wall 13, respectively.

[0056] This creates a space between the lateral support 31 and the implant 40, the height of which is approximately equal to the height of the longitudinal support 32. Furthermore, as... Figure 3 As shown, multiple planting holes 41 are arranged side-by-side on the planting plate 40 to allow for the planting of cultivated crops. The size and spacing of the planting holes 41 can be adjusted appropriately according to the type of cultivated crop. The stems and leaves of the crop planted in the planting holes 41 are placed on the planting plate 40, while the roots of the crop are placed in the space between the transverse support 31 and the planting plate 40.

[0057] Preferably, the inner long side of the planting sheet 40 is attached by wrapping it around the upper end of the vertical support portion 32 with Velcro tape. In this way, when the planting sheet 40 is stretched taut and unfolded flat, the inner long side is attached to the vertical support portion 32, thereby supporting the crop cultivation pot 30 and the planting sheet 40 to maintain a more stable horizontal state.

[0058] The water supply device 50 provides the crops planted in the planting holes 41 of the planting patch 40 with the water and nutrients required for growth, and can be appropriately selected from existing water supply devices according to the type of crop and cultivation method.

[0059] Considering that the inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to the present invention uses compressed air injected into the double-walled fabric or air pipes to support the overall frame structure, an aeroponics cultivation method with relatively low load-bearing capacity is proposed. The aeroponics cultivation method provides minimal moisture and nutrient solution via a sprayer while exposing the crop roots to air. To achieve this, the water supply device 50 may include a nozzle 51, a storage tank 52, and a water supply pipe 53.

[0060] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the nozzle 51 is positioned between the transverse support 31 and the planting patch 40 of the crop cultivation pot 30, and sprays water and nutrient solution onto the roots of the crop planted in the planting hole 41. The storage tank 52 stores the water and nutrient solution supplied to the nozzle 51 and can be positioned on the ground below the lowest part of the crop cultivation pot 30. Furthermore, a water supply pipe 53 connects the nozzle 51 and the storage tank 52 to each other.

[0061] Additionally, in each layer of the crop cultivation tray 30, a single-piece section 34 may be provided on one side of the transverse support 31, allowing the water supply pipe 53 to pass through in the vertical direction. The single-piece section 34 removes the double-layer wall fabric or air inlet pipe. Furthermore, a drain pipe 54 is provided in the single-piece section 34 to drain accumulated water from the transverse support 31. Figure 4 As shown, preferably, the lateral support portion 31 is inclined downward toward the single piece portion 34 to facilitate drainage. The water supply pipe 53 can be connected to each layer of crop cultivation pot 30 through a single line, but the drainage pipe 54 must be set in the lateral support portion 31 of each layer with different lines.

[0062] Finally, the lighting device 60 illuminates the crops planted in the planting holes 41 of the planting patch 40 with the light required for their growth. It can be installed on the bottom surface of the roof component 20 and the bottom surface of the transverse support 31 of the crop cultivation tray 30, respectively. The lighting device 60 can use conventional linear LEDs and can be installed in a detachable manner using Velcro or magnets.

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown, a storage tank 52 and a seedling tray 55 can be simultaneously arranged below the lowest crop cultivation tray 30. The seedling tray 55 is used to cultivate crops to be transplanted to the planting patch 40. Furthermore, a lighting device 60 can be installed on the bottom surface of the lowest horizontal support 31 for the seedling tray 55. The water supply device 50 and the lighting device 60 can be automatically controlled by a separate control unit (not shown in the figure).

[0064] The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to the present invention can package all its components in a single product box for sale to users or delivery to the installation site. At the installation site, compressed air is first injected into the double-layered wall fabric or air pipes constituting the wall components 10, the roof components 20, and the crop cultivation trays 30. Planting pads 40, water supply devices 50, and lighting devices 60 are then installed on the crop cultivation trays 30, thereby allowing the inflatable greenhouse for smart farms to be easily constructed within a few hours.

[0065] For this invention, those skilled in the art can attempt simple design modifications. For example, an intermediate wall (not shown) can be provided between the two side walls 12 of the wall member 10, and one side of the crop cultivation pot 30 and the planting patch 40 can be provided to contact and support the intermediate wall. However, such simple design modifications should also be considered to fall within the scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. An inflatable greenhouse for smart farm, characterized in that, include: The wall component (10) includes a front wall (11) with a door (D), two side walls (12) and a rear wall (13) respectively, and is formed of double-layer wall fabric or inflatable tube; The roof component (20), which covers the top of the wall component (10), is formed of double-layer wall fabric, inflatable tube, or single piece; The crop cultivation pot (30) is in contact with the side wall (12) of the wall component (10) and is arranged in layers, and includes a transverse support (31) and a longitudinal support (32), which are respectively formed by double-layer wall fabric or air tube. The transverse support (31) is attached to the inner surface of the side wall (12a) on one side on the outer long side and expands horizontally toward the side wall (12b) on the other side. The longitudinal support (32) bends upward from the inner long side of the transverse support (31). The planting patch (40) covers the upper part of the transverse support (31) of the crop cultivation pot (30) in a separated state, such that the outer long side is attached to the side wall (12) and the inner long side is attached to the upper end of the longitudinal support (32), and multiple planting holes (41) are inserted side by side on it. A water supply device (50) and a lighting device (60) provide the necessary conditions for the growth of the cultivated crops planted in the planting holes (41) of the planting sheet (40).

2. The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to claim 1, characterized in that, On the outer surface of the sidewalls (12) on both sides of the wall component (10), V-shaped grooves (14) are provided laterally. The V-shaped grooves (14) facilitate the folding of the wall component (10) when the air inside the double-layer wall fabric or the air tube is discharged.

3. The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The double-layered wall fabric or air passage of the crop cultivation pot (30) and the air passage of the inflatable tube are connected to each other.

4. The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The longitudinal support section (32) of the crop cultivation pot (30) is provided with a horizontal holding rope (33) or a horizontal bracket for supporting the load of the crop cultivation pot (30).

5. The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to claim 4, characterized in that, The horizontal holding rope (33) is attached to the longitudinal support (32) by Velcro tape, and its upper end is suspended from the canopy member (20).

6. The inflatable greenhouse for smart farms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner long side of the planting patch (40) is attached to the longitudinal support (32) by Velcro tape.

7. The air-inflated greenhouse for smart farm according to claim 1, wherein, The water supply device (50) includes: A nozzle (51) is disposed between the transverse support (31) and the planting plate (40) of the crop cultivation pot (30) and sprays water and nutrient solution onto the roots of the crop planted in the planting hole (41); a storage tank (52) stores the water and nutrient solution supplied to the nozzle (51); and a water supply pipe (53) connects the nozzle (51) and the storage tank (52) to each other.

8. The air-inflated greenhouse for smart farm according to claim 7, wherein, A single piece portion (34) is provided on one side of the lateral support portion (31) so that the water supply pipe (53) passes through, the double-walled fabric or the air-inflated pipe is removed at the single piece portion (34), and a drain pipe (54) is provided at the single piece portion (34) to drain the accumulated water on the lateral support portion (31).

9. The air-inflated greenhouse for smart farm according to claim 1, wherein, The lighting device (60) is respectively detachably provided on the bottom surface of the greenhouse roof member (20) and the bottom surface of the lateral support portion (31).

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