Refilling device and refilling method

Abstract

To provide a refilling device equipped with a holding member, which can be smoothly inserted into a seedling pot and smoothly removed from the seedling pot.SOLUTION: A refilling device 100 comprises a holding member 15 that is elastically deformable and capable of holding the seedling pot, and a deformation member 14 that elastically deforms the holding member 15. The holding member 15 has a plurality of opposing portions 15a that can come into close contact with the inner surface of a side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200 when inserted into the seedling pot 200. By elastically deforming the holding member 15, the opposing portions 15a can be changed in position between a holding position where they come into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 and a non-holding position located inward from the holding position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refilling device for refilling a container with seedling pots, and to a refilling method for refilling a container with seedling pots. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a refilling device for refilling empty seedling pots into a container is known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a pot refilling device comprising a plurality of gripping members made of an elastic material which are pressed into the inside of seedling pots in which seedlings are grown, a gripping portion support which supports the plurality of gripping members at equally spaced positions, a plurality of extrusion members which are arranged below each of the gripping members and displace downwardly relative to the gripping members to extrude the seedling pots held by the gripping members, and an extrusion portion support which supports the plurality of extrusion members, the gripping portion support or the extrusion portion support being assembled so as to be movable relative to one another in the vertical direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-094764 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the pot refilling device described in the cited document 1, the gripping member is press-fitted into the seedling pot. The gripping member is dimensioned to be in close contact with the inner surface of the seedling pot, so there is a risk that the gripping member will get caught on the upper end of the seedling pot when inserted into the seedling pot. In addition, when the gripping member is press-fitted into the seedling pot, it rubs strongly against the inner surface of the seedling pot, so there is a risk that the gripping member will deteriorate or the inner surface of the seedling pot will be scratched.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a refilling device having a holding member that can be smoothly inserted into and removed from a seedling pot.

[0007] To provide a refilling method capable of refilling a seedling pot into a container by using a holding member which can be smoothly inserted into the seedling pot and smoothly pulled out from the seedling pot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides the following aspects. (Section 1) A refilling device for refilling a container with a seedling pot having a bottom wall and a side wall rising from the bottom wall, A holding member capable of elastically deforming and holding the seedling pot; a deformation imparting member that elastically deforms the holding member; Equipped with The holding member has a plurality of opposing portions that can be in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall when inserted into the seedling pot, The position of the facing portion can be changed between a holding position where the facing portion is in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall and a non-holding position located inward from the holding position by elastic deformation of the holding member. Refill device.

[0009] (Section 2) The deformation applying member directly or indirectly contacts the holding member and applies a force to the holding member to elastically deform the holding member. Item 1. The refill device according to item 1.

[0010] (Section 3) When a force is applied from the deformation applying member to the holding member, the facing portion takes the non-holding position, When no force is applied from the deformation imparting member to the holding member, or when a force weaker than that when the opposing portion takes the non-holding position is applied from the deformation imparting member to the holding member, the opposing portion takes the holding position. Item 3. The refill device according to item 2.

[0011] (Section 4) A portion of the deformation imparting member that comes into contact with the holding member is rounded, or a cap is attached to the portion of the deformation imparting member that comes into contact with the holding member. Item 4. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 3.

[0012] (Section 5) The width of the portion of the holding member with which the deformation imparting member comes into contact is widened. Item 5. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 4.

[0013] (Section 6) The deformation member is movable toward and away from the retention member. Item 6. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 5.

[0014] (Section 7) Further, a restoring member is provided for returning the holding member to its original position when the holding member is rotated. Item 7. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 6.

[0015] (Section 8) The restoring member is elastically deformable, When the holding member rotates, the restoring member is elastically deformed, and the holding member is returned to its original position by the restoring force of the restoring member. Item 7. The refill device according to item 7.

[0016] (Section 9) The side wall is rectangular in plan view having four rounded corners, The holding member includes four of the opposing portions, The four opposing portions are opposed to the four rounded corners, respectively. Item 9. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 8.

[0017] (Section 10) An upper support member; A lower support member disposed below the upper support member; an elastic member disposed between the upper support member and the lower support member; Further equipped with the deformation member is attached to the upper support member, A portion of the holding member is disposed below the deformation imparting member, When the upper support member is moved toward the lower support member, the elastic member is compressed between the upper support member and the lower support member, and further, the deformation applying member attached to the upper support member also moves downward to push the holding member and elastically deform it, When the force moving the upper support member toward the lower support member is released, the upper support member moves upward away from the lower support member due to the restoring force of the elastic member, and the deformation imparting member also moves upward, thereby releasing the pressure applied by the deformation imparting member on the holding member. Item 10. The refill device according to any one of items 1 to 9.

[0018] (Section 11) A method for refilling a seedling pot having a bottom wall and a side wall rising from the bottom wall into a container, comprising: preparing an elastically deformable holding member having a plurality of opposing portions capable of coming into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall when the holding member is inserted into the seedling pot, the opposing portions being capable of being changed in position between a holding position in which the opposing portions come into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall and a non-holding position located inward from the holding position by elastic deformation of the holding member; a step of elastically deforming the holding member to move the facing portion to the non-holding position and inserting the holding member into the seedling pot; a step of releasing the elastic deformation of the holding member to move the facing portion to the holding position and bring the facing portion into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall; a step of moving the holding member upward in a state in which the facing portion is in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall, and lifting the seedling pot together with the holding member; Refill methods including.

[0019] (Section 12) The present invention further includes a step of elastically deforming the holding member to move the facing portion to the non-holding position while at least a portion of the seedling pot held by the holding member is inserted into the container. Item 12. The refilling method according to item 11. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the refilling device and refilling method of the present invention, the holding member can be smoothly inserted into the seedling pot. Also, the holding member can be smoothly pulled out from the seedling pot. This makes it possible to efficiently refill the seedling pot into the container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plurality of seedling pots. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5A] 4 is a front view of the holding device before the holding member is elastically deformed. FIG. [Figure 5B] 4 is a plan view of the holding device before the holding member is elastically deformed. FIG. [Figure 5C] 4 is a perspective view of the holding device as viewed from diagonally below before the holding member is elastically deformed. FIG. [Figure 6A] 13 is a front view of the holding device after the holding member has been elastically deformed. FIG. [Figure 6B] 13 is a plan view of the holding device after the holding member has been elastically deformed. FIG. [Figure 7A] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7B] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7C] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7D] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7E] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7F] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7G] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 7H] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a procedure for refilling seedling pots into a container using a refilling device. [Figure 8] 13 is a perspective view of a holding device according to a modified example, seen from diagonally below before the holding member is elastically deformed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Before describing the refilling device 100 of the present invention, the seedling pot 200 and the container 300 will be briefly described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Note that when there are a plurality of identical components, not all of the identical components are labeled with reference numerals in order to make the drawings easier to understand.

[0023] <1. Seedling trays and containers> 1 shows a total of 40 seedling pots 200 arranged in 5 rows and 8 columns. Each seedling pot 200 can contain soil and seedlings. Each seedling pot 200 has a bottom wall 201 and a side wall 202 rising from the bottom wall 201. Each seedling pot 200 is made of, for example, resin and has flexibility.

[0024] The bottom wall 201 may be circular or rectangular with four rounded corners in plan view. The side wall 202 may be circular or rectangular with four rounded corners in plan view. The side wall 202 of a typical seedling pot 200 widens outward as it goes upward. Therefore, the space at the top of the typical seedling pot 200 is wider than the space at the bottom of the typical seedling pot 200.

[0025] The container 300 is a container for housing the seedling pots 200. As shown in Fig. 2, the container 300 includes a bottom wall 301 and a plurality of frame parts 302. The inner space of the container 300 is divided into a plurality of housing spaces by the plurality of frame parts 302 that intersect with each other. The seedling pots 200 are housed in the housing spaces.

[0026] <2. Overview of the refill device> The refilling device 100 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6B. For ease of explanation, the "horizontal direction", "vertical direction", and "up-down direction (vertical direction)" shown in Figures 3 and 4 will be described as the "horizontal direction", "vertical direction", and "up-down direction (vertical direction)" of the refilling device 100, respectively.

[0027] The refilling device 100 is a device for lifting empty seedling pots 200 and refilling them into a container 300. The refilling device 100 lifts the topmost seedling pot 200 out of multiple seedling pots 200 stacked vertically, and sequentially refills them into the container 300. The refilling device 100 can also refill multiple seedling pots 200 lined up vertically and horizontally into the container 300 all at once.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the refill device 100 mainly comprises a plurality of holding devices 10, a lower support member 20, a plurality of handle members 30, a plurality of fixed members 40, an upper support member 50, a plurality of external force application members 60, a plurality of guides 70, and a plurality of elastic members 80.

[0029] <2-1. Holding device> The multiple holding devices 10 are devices that hold and lift the seedling pots 200 and release the seedling pots 200 from the holding devices 10 within the container 300.

[0030] The multiple holding devices 10 are aligned vertically and horizontally. In this embodiment, the refill device 100 includes a total of 40 holding devices 10 aligned in 5 rows and 8 columns.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 5A, each holding device 10 mainly includes a first restoring member 11, a second restoring member 12, an outer cylinder 13, a deformation imparting member 14, and a holding member 15.

[0032] The holding member 15 is a member for holding the seedling pot 200 and lifting it together with the holding member 15. The holding member 15 has a plurality of facing portions 15a that face the inner surface of the side wall 202 when the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200. The holding member 15 is pushed downward and stretched by the deformation imparting member 14 before being inserted into the seedling pot 200 (see FIG. 6A). As a result, the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200 without being in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200. After the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200, the deformation imparting member 14 releases the force pressing the holding member 15, and the holding member 15 tries to return to its original shape by its restoring force. As a result, the facing portions 15a come into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202. By moving the refilling device 100 upward with the opposing portion 15a in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202, the seedling pot 200 can be lifted.

[0033] In addition, after the seedling pot 200 held by the holding member 15 is placed in the container 300, the holding member 15 is pushed downward by the deformation imparting member 14 to be extended, so that the facing portion 15a no longer adheres closely to the inner surface of the side wall 202. With the facing portion 15a no longer adheres closely to the inner surface of the side wall 202, the holding member 15 can be pulled out of the seedling pot 200 by moving the refilling device 100 upward.

[0034] The detailed structure of each component will be described below.

[0035] <2-1-1. First restored member and second restored member> The first restoring member 11 and the second restoring member 12 are members for automatically returning the rotated holding member 15 to its original position (initial position) when the holding member 15 rotates around the central axis of the outer tube 13. This allows the holding member 15 to always be maintained in the same position. In addition, the first restoring member 11 and the second restoring member 12 are members for returning the outer tube 13 to its original position (i.e., moving it downward) when the outer tube 13 moves upward.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5C, the first restoring member 11 includes a first base portion 111 and a first elastic portion 112. The first restoring member 11 is made of an elastically deformable material, such as a resin sheet. The first base portion 111 is made of a circular plate material. An outer cylinder 13 is inserted into the center of the first base portion 111. The first elastic portion 112 is strip-shaped. The first elastic portion 112 is integrated with the outer edge of the first base portion 111 and extends upward from the outer edge of the first base portion 111. As shown in FIG. 3, an upper portion of the first elastic portion 112 is attached to the lower surface of the lower support member 20.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5C, the second restoring member 12 includes a second base portion 121 and a second elastic portion 122. The second restoring member 12 is made of an elastically deformable material, such as a resin sheet. The second base portion 121 is made of a circular plate having approximately the same diameter as the first base portion 111. The second base portion 121 is disposed below the first base portion 111 and concentrically with the first base portion 111. A part of the holding member 15 is sandwiched and fixed between the first base portion 111 and the second base portion 121. The outer cylinder 13 is inserted into the center of the second base portion 121.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 5B, the second elastic portion 122 is spaced 180 degrees from the first elastic portion 112 in the circumferential direction of the first base portion 111 and the second base portion 121. As shown in Figs. 5A and 5C, the second elastic portion 122 is strip-shaped. The second elastic portion 122 is integrated with the outer edge of the second base portion 121 and extends upward from the outer edge of the second base portion 121. As shown in Fig. 3, an upper portion of the second elastic portion 122 is attached to the lower surface of the lower support member 20.

[0039] If the seedling pot 200 is distorted, when the opposing portion 15a of the holding member 15 comes into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202, the holding member 15 rotates around the central axis of the outer cylinder 13 to follow the distortion of the seedling pot 200. When the holding member 15 rotates, the first elastic portion 112 and the second elastic portion 122 are elastically deformed so as to be twisted. When the holding member 15 is pulled out from inside the seedling pot 200, the holding member 15 automatically returns to its original position due to the restoring force of the twisted first elastic portion 112 and second elastic portion 122.

[0040] The mechanism by which the first restoring member 11 and the second restoring member 12 return the outer cylinder 13 to its original position when the outer cylinder 13 moves upward will be described later.

[0041] <2-1-2. Outer cylinder> As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5C, the outer cylinder 13 is made of a cylindrical member extending in the vertical direction. The lower part of the outer cylinder 13 is inserted into the through-hole at the center of the first base part 111 and the second base part 121. Two regulating members 16 are fixed to the lower part of the outer cylinder 13. The regulating members 16 are, for example, snap rings. The two regulating members 16 are attached to the outer cylinder 13 with a gap therebetween in the vertical direction. The first base part 111 and the second base part 121 are sandwiched between the two regulating members 16. Therefore, even if the outer cylinder 13 tries to move up and down relative to the first base part 111 and the second base part 121, the regulating members 16 are caught by the first base part 111 and the second base part 121, so the outer cylinder 13 cannot move up and down relative to the first base part 111 and the second base part 121. Therefore, when the outer cylinder 13 moves up and down, the first base portion 111 and the second base portion 121 also move up and down together.

[0042] The upper part of the outer tube 13 is inserted into the through hole of the lower support member 20. An upper stopper 17 is attached to the upper part of the outer tube 13. The upper stopper 17 is, for example, a snap ring. The upper stopper 17 contacts the upper surface of the lower support member 20. The upper stopper 17 is caught on the upper surface of the lower support member 20, so that the outer tube 13 does not come off downward from the lower support member 20. A lower stopper 18 is attached to a portion of the outer tube 13 that is below the lower surface of the lower support member 20 and above the first base portion 111. The lower stopper 18 is, for example, a snap ring. The outer tube 13 is movable up and down between the upper stopper 17 and the lower stopper 18.

[0043] When multiple seedling pots 200 are stacked vertically, the height of the topmost seedling pot 200 may vary depending on the degree of contact between the seedling pots 200. In other words, the height of the topmost seedling pot 200 at a certain position (for example, the first row, first column) may be higher or lower than the height of the topmost seedling pot 200 at another position (for example, the first row, second column). Since the outer cylinder 13 is movable upward, when the holding member 15 contacts the bottom wall 201 of the seedling pot 200, the outer cylinder 13 can move upward to match the height of the topmost seedling pot 200. When the outer cylinder 13 moves upward, the first base 111 and the second base 121 also move upward together. As a result, the first elastic portion 112 elastically deforms so as to bend between the first base 111 and the lower support member 20. Moreover, the second elastic part 122 elastically deforms so as to bend between the second base part 121 and the lower support member 20. When the refilling device 100 moves upward, the outer cylinder 13 returns to its original position due to its own weight and the restoring forces of the first elastic part 112 and the second elastic part 122.

[0044] <2-1-3. Deformation-imparting member> The deformation imparting member 14 is a member for elastically deforming the holding member 15. In this embodiment, the deformation imparting member 14 presses the holding member 15, thereby elastically deforming the holding member 15.

[0045] 5A and 5C, the deformation imparting member 14 is, for example, a cylindrical member extending in the vertical direction or a columnar member extending in the vertical direction. The deformation imparting member 14 is inserted into the outer cylinder 13 and is disposed coaxially with the outer cylinder 13. The deformation imparting member 14 moves up and down within the outer cylinder 13.

[0046] An upper portion of the deformation imparting member 14 extends upward beyond the upper end of the outer cylinder 13, and is attached to an upper support member 50. The deformation imparting member 14 is not allowed to move up and down relative to the upper support member 50. When the upper support member 50 moves up and down, the deformation imparting member 14 also moves up and down together with the upper support member 50.

[0047] A cap 19 is attached to the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14, covering the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14. The deformation imparting member 14 comes into contact with the holding member 15 via the cap 19. By attaching the cap 19 to the deformation imparting member 14, it is possible to prevent the holding member 15 from being damaged when the deformation imparting member 14 presses the holding member 15. The lower end of the cap 19 is rounded, not pointed. The cap 19 is made of, for example, a flexible resin.

[0048] The deformation imparting member 14 may be configured to directly contact the holding member 15 without attaching the cap 19 to the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14. In this case, it is preferable to round the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14 so as not to damage the holding member 15.

[0049] <2-1-4. Holding members> The holding member 15 is a member for holding the seedling pot 200 and lifting it together with the holding member 15. The holding member 15 is made of two strips 151. Each strip 151 is made of a stretchable material such as rubber. Examples of materials for each strip 151 include, but are not limited to, styrene butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile rubber, silicone rubber, and the like.

[0050] As shown in Figures 5A to 5C, both ends of each strip 151 in the longitudinal direction are sandwiched between the first base 111 and the second base 121 and fixed to the first base 111 and the second base 121. The two strips 151 are spaced apart from each other by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the first base 111 and the second base 121. Each strip 151 bulges outward from the first base 111 and the second base 121, passes under the second base 121, and curves downwardly to be convex. The two strips 151 cross each other at a 90-degree angle at their bottoms.

[0051] The peripheral surface of the portion of the holding member 15 that bulges outward most becomes the facing portion 15a that can be in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200. In this embodiment, the facing portion 15a can be in surface contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202. The holding member 15 has four facing portions 15a. Each facing portion 15a is separated by 90 degrees from the adjacent facing portion 15a. When the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200 is a rectangle with rounded corners in a plan view, the four facing portions 15a face the four corners of the side wall 202, respectively.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 5C, the bottom of the holding member 15 has a wide portion 15b that is wider than the remaining portions. The bottom of the holding member 15 is located lower than the deformation imparting member 14. The bottom of the holding member 15 is the portion that is pressed downward by the deformation imparting member 14. Because the bottom of the holding member 15 is wider, the area that the deformation imparting member 14 comes into contact with is larger. Therefore, for example, even if the central axis of the deformation imparting member 14 is slightly tilted relative to the up-down direction or even if the strip material 151 is slightly misaligned, the deformation imparting member 14 can reliably press the holding member 15.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 6A, the retaining member 15 is pushed downward by the deformation imparting member 14 and thereby extends downward. When the force acting on the retaining member 15 from the deformation imparting member 14 is released, the restoring force of the retaining member 15 causes the retaining member 15 to return to the original state shown in Fig. 5A.

[0054] When the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200, the holding member 15 is pushed downward by the deformation imparting member 14, and the holding member 15 is stretched downward. As is clear from a comparison between Fig. 5A and Fig. 6A and a comparison between Fig. 5B and Fig. 6B, the facing portion 15a after elastic deformation is located more inward (i.e., in a direction closer to the central axis of the deformation imparting member 14) than the facing portion 15a before elastic deformation, and takes the non-holding position. When the holding member 15 after elastic deformation is inserted into the seedling pot 200, the facing portion 15a in the non-holding position does not contact the inner surface of the side wall 202 at all or only loosely contacts it. Here, the state in which the opposing portion 15a is "loosely in contact" with the inner surface of the side wall 202 means that although the opposing portion 15a is in contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202, the contact is light, and the total frictional force between the opposing portion 15a and the inner surface of the side wall 202 is so small that the seedling pot 200 is not lifted upward together with the holding member 15 even if the holding member 15 is moved upward.

[0055] When the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200 and the force from the deformation imparting member 14 is removed, the holding member 15 tries to return to the original shape shown in Figures 5A and 5B due to its restoring force. Therefore, the facing portion 15a is positioned outward of the facing portion 15a after elastic deformation and takes a holding position in which it is in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200. As already described, when the refilling device 100 is moved upward with the facing portion 15a in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202, the seedling pot 200 is lifted together with the holding member 15 due to the frictional force between the facing portion 15a and the inner surface of the side wall 202.

[0056] In this embodiment, the facing portion 15a comes into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 from the middle position in the height direction of the side wall 202 to a position slightly below the middle position. However, the position where the facing portion 15a comes into close contact is not limited to this, and the facing portion 15a may come into close contact with the upper inner surface or the lower inner surface of the side wall 202. The facing portion 15a may also come into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 other than the corners. The dimensions of the holding member 15 are determined appropriately according to the position where the facing portion 15a comes into close contact.

[0057] <2-2. Lower support member, handle member and fixed member> The lower support member 20 is a member having a rectangular shape in a plan view. The lower support member 20 has a plurality of through holes into which the outer cylinder 13 is inserted.

[0058] 3 and 4, the multiple (two in this embodiment) handle members 30 are made of pipes bent into an inverted U-shape. Each handle member 30 is a member that an operator holds in his / her hand when manually operating the refill device 100. Each handle member 30 is also a member for attaching the fixed member 40.

[0059] A lower portion of each handle member 30 is fixed to the lower support member 20. Each handle member 30 extends from the lower support member 20, passes through the upper support member 50, and extends above the upper support member 50.

[0060] A plurality of fixed members 40 (two in this embodiment) are attached to each handle member 30. The fixed members 40 are fixed to a fixing portion 402 (see FIG. 7A) of a drive unit 400 when the refilling device 100 is attached to the drive unit 400 (see FIG. 7A) for use. Note that when the refilling device 100 is manually operated by an operator, the fixed members 40 are not necessarily required, and therefore the refilling device 100 may be used with the fixed members 40 detached from the handle members 30.

[0061] Each of the fixed members 40 is made of a plate material and extends outward in the lateral direction from the handle member 30.

[0062] <2-3. Upper support member and external force application member> 3 and 4, the upper support member 50 is made of a member having a rectangular shape in a plan view. The upper support member 50 is disposed above the lower support member 20 and spaced apart from the lower support member 20. As described below, the upper support member 50 is movable up and down so as to approach and move away from the lower support member 20.

[0063] The multiple (two in this embodiment) external force application members 60 are members that are pressed by the press portion 403 (see FIG. 7A) of the driving device 400 or by the operator's hand when moving the upper support member 50 toward the lower support member 20.

[0064] Each external force application member 60 is made of a pipe bent into an inverted U-shape. The lower portion of each external force application member 60 is fixed to the upper support member 50. Each external force application member 60 extends upward from the upper support member 50. The two external force application members 60 are disposed laterally spaced apart from each other. In addition, the two external force application members 60 are disposed laterally inward of the handle member 30.

[0065] <2-4. Guides and elastic members> The guide 70 is a member for guiding the upper support member 50 so that, when the upper support member 50 is moved up and down relative to the lower support member 20, the upper support member 50 moves up and down in a straight line.

[0066] The guides 70 are, for example, cylindrical members or columnar members extending in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, four guides 70 are disposed near the four corners of the upper support member 50 and the lower support member 20, respectively. A lower portion of each guide 70 is fixed to the lower support member 20. Each guide 70 extends from the lower support member 20, passes through the upper support member 50, and extends above the upper support member 50.

[0067] The elastic member 80 is attached to a portion of each guide 70 between the upper support member 50 and the lower support member 20. In this embodiment, the elastic member 80 is a coil spring, and the guide 70 is inserted inside the spiral of the coil spring. When the external force application member 60 is pressed, the elastic member 80 is compressed between the upper support member 50 and the lower support member 20. When the force pressing the external force application member 60 is released, the upper support member 50 is pushed upward by the elastic member 80 due to the restoring force of the elastic member 80, and returns to its original position.

[0068] <3. How to use the refill device> A method of refilling the seedling pots 200 into the container 300 using the refilling device 100 will be described with reference to Figs. 7A to 7H.

[0069] First, as shown in Fig. 7A, the refilling device 100 is attached to the driving device 400. The driving device 400 includes a lifting unit 401, a fixing unit 402, a pressing unit 403, and a control unit (not shown). The fixing unit 402 and the pressing unit 403 are attached to the lifting unit 401 and move up and down together with the lifting unit 401. The control unit controls the up and down movements of the lifting unit 401 and the pressing unit 403. The fixed member 40 of the refilling device 100 is fixed to the fixing unit 402 with screws or the like.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 7B, while moving the lifting part 401 downward, the pressing part 403 presses the external force application member 60 downward before the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200. The external force application member 60 remains pressed by the pressing part 403 until the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200. By pressing the external force application member 60 downward, the upper support member 50 moves toward the lower support member 20. As a result, the elastic member 80 sandwiched between the upper support member 50 and the lower support member 20 is compressed. In addition, the deformation imparting member 14 attached to the upper support member 50 moves downward together with the upper support member 50. By moving the deformation imparting member 14 downward, the deformation imparting member 14 presses the bottom part of the holding member 15 downward. The holding member 15 pressed downward is elastically deformed so as to be stretched downward. As a result, the facing part 15a of the holding member 15 moves inward more than before the elastic deformation.

[0071] 7C, the lifting part 401 is moved further downward, and the holding member 15 in an elastically deformed state is inserted into the seedling pot 200. The holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200 without the opposing part 15a coming into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7D, after the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200, the pressing part 403 is moved upward so that the pressing part 403 does not press the external force application member 60. In this embodiment, the driving device 400 is provided with a force sensor, and the force sensor detects that the bottom of the holding member 15 has come into contact with the bottom wall 201 of the seedling pot 200, and the control part moves the pressing part 403 upward based on the output from the force sensor. When the pressing of the external force application member 60 by the pressing part 403 is released, the upper support member 50 moves upward so as to separate from the lower support member 20 due to the restoring force of the elastic member 80. Then, the deformation imparting member 14 also moves upward together with the upper support member 50, so that the holding member 15 is no longer pressed by the deformation imparting member 14. As a result, the holding member 15 tries to return to the state before the elastic deformation due to its restoring force. As a result, the opposing portion 15 a of the holding member 15 bulges outward and comes into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200 .

[0073] As shown in Fig. 7E, the refilling device 100 is moved upward by the lifting unit 401. The seedling pot 200 is lifted together with the holding member 15 by the frictional force between the inner surface of the side wall 202 and the opposing portion 15a. The container 300 is placed under the lifted seedling pot 200.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7F, the refilling device 100 is moved downward by the lifting unit 401, and the seedling pot 200 is placed into the container 300.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 7G, the pressing part 403 presses the external force application member 60. The pressing part 403 may press the external force application member 60 after the seedling pot 200 is completely accommodated in the container 300 (i.e., after the bottom wall 201 of the seedling pot 200 contacts the bottom wall 301 of the container 300), or may press the external force application member 60 when the lower part of the seedling pot 200 is inserted into the container 300 (i.e., when the lower part of the seedling pot 200 is inserted into the container 300, but the bottom wall 201 is floating above the bottom wall 301). As already described, by pressing the external force application member 60 downward, the deformation imparting member 14 presses the holding member 15 downward and elastically deforms, and the facing part 15a moves in a direction away from the inner surface of the side wall 202. While the external force application member 60 is being pressed by the pressing portion 403 , the refilling device 100 is moved upward by the lifting portion 401 , and the holding member 15 is pulled out from within the seedling pot 200 .

[0076] As shown in Fig. 7H, after the holding member 15 is pulled out from within the seedling pot 200, the pressing of the press part 403 on the external force application member 60 is released. As already described, when the force acting on the external force application member 60 from the press part 403 is released, the upper support member 50 moves upward so as to separate from the lower support member 20 due to the restoring force of the elastic member 80. Also, the holding member 15 returns to the shape before elastic deformation.

[0077] By this procedure, the seedling pots 200 can be transferred into the container 300.

[0078] The refilling device 100 may be operated manually by an operator instead of by the driving device 400. That is, the refilling operation can also be performed by the operator holding the handle member 30 by hand and moving the refilling device 100 up and down while operating the external force application member 60 by hand.

[0079] <3.Effects> In the refilling device 100 of the present invention, the holding member 15 can be elastically deformed by the deformation imparting member 14. The facing portion 15a after elastic deformation is located more inward than the facing portion 15a before elastic deformation. This allows the holding member 15 to be smoothly inserted into the seedling pot 200 since the facing portion 15a is not in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200. After the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200, when the force from the deformation imparting member 14 acting on the holding member 15 is released, the holding member 15 tries to return to the state before elastic deformation, so that the facing portion 15a can be in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202. When the refilling device 100 is lifted, the seedling pot 200 can be lifted together with the holding member 15.

[0080] After the seedling pot 200 is placed in the container 300, the deformation imparting member 14 elastically deforms the holding member 15, so that the opposing portion 15a no longer adheres closely to the inner surface of the side wall 202. Therefore, even if the refilling device 100 is lifted, the seedling pot 200 is not lifted together with the holding member 15, and the holding member 15 can be smoothly pulled out of the seedling pot 200.

[0081] In the present invention, unlike the prior art, the holding member 15 is not press-fitted into the seedling pot 200, so that the holding member 15 does not rub strongly against the inner surface of the side wall 202 when the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200 and when the holding member 15 is pulled out from the seedling pot 200. Therefore, deterioration of the holding member 15 can be prevented, and damage to the inner surface of the side wall 202 can be prevented.

[0082] By changing the amount of downward movement of the deformation imparting member 14, the amount of elastic deformation (i.e., the amount of downward stretching) of the holding member 15 can also be changed, and the position of the opposing portion 15a can also be changed. Therefore, by increasing the amount of downward movement of the deformation imparting member 14, the opposing portion 15a can be positioned further inward, so that the holding member 15 can be smoothly inserted into the seedling pot 200 having a smaller inner diameter.

[0083] Even if the holding member 15 rotates around the central axis of the outer cylinder 13, the first restoring member 11 and the second restoring member 12 can automatically return the holding member 15 to its original position.

[0084] A cap 19 is attached to the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14, or the lower end of the deformation imparting member 14 is rounded, so that the holding member 15 can be prevented from being damaged when the holding member 15 is pressed by the deformation imparting member 14.

[0085] Since the holding member 15 has the wide portion 15b, the area of ​​the portion that can be pressed by the deformation imparting member 14 is increased. This allows the holding member 15 to be pressed by the deformation imparting member 14 reliably.

[0086] When the side wall 202 of the seedling pot 200 has four rounded corners in a plan view, the four opposing parts 15a can be opposed to the four rounded corners, respectively. This allows the opposing parts 15a to be evenly in close contact with the seedling pot 200, so that the seedling pot 200 can be lifted stably.

[0087] <4. Modifications> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Modifications of the present invention will be described below. The modifications described below can be applied to the above-described embodiment alone or in appropriate combination without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0088] (4-1) The holding member 15 does not have to be formed by combining two separate strips of material 151, but may be formed as a single member by, for example, cutting out a single sheet-like material.

[0089] (4-2) The number of opposing portions 15a is not limited to four, and can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the magnitude of the frictional force between the opposing portions 15a and the inner surface of the side wall 202.

[0090] (4-3) The facing portion 15a may be provided with a friction body for increasing the frictional force between the facing portion 15a and the inner surface of the side wall 202. The friction body is, for example, fine particles attached to the facing portion 15a. As the fine particles, a grindstone used in sandpaper can be used. The fine particles can be attached to the facing portion 15a with an adhesive or double-sided tape. Alternatively, a sheet to which the fine particles are attached or a cushioning material (for example, a sponge) to which the fine particles are attached may be attached to the facing portion 15a with an adhesive or double-sided tape.

[0091] (4-4) In order to enable the opposing portion 15a to be in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 of a larger seedling pot 200, the holding device 10 may be provided with an extension portion 123 for positioning the opposing portion 15a further outward.

[0092] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, four extensions 123 are provided on the second restoring member 12. Each extension 123 is integrated with the second base 121 and extends from the second base 121 radially outward of the second base 121. The four extensions 123 are spaced apart from each other by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the second base 121. Each strip 151 rests on each extension 123 and protrudes outward more than when each extension 123 does not exist. By providing the extensions 123, the facing portion 15a can be positioned further outward, so that the facing portion 15a can be brought into close contact with the seedling pot 200 having a large inner diameter of the side wall 202.

[0093] The extension portion 123 may be provided on a member separate from the second restoring member 12. For example, a separate member having the extension portion 123 may be attached between the second restoring member 12 and the holding member 15 or below the second restoring member 12.

[0094] (4-5) In the above, an embodiment has been described in which the facing portion 15a adheres closely to the inner surface of the side wall 202 when the holding member 15 is not pressed by the deformation imparting member 14 (i.e., when the deformation imparting member 14 is separated from the holding member 15). However, when the holding member 15 is somewhat pressed by the deformation imparting member 14 (i.e., when the holding member 15 is pressed by the deformation imparting member 14 and somewhat elastically deformed, but is not pressed as strongly as when the holding member 15 is inserted into the seedling pot 200 and when it is pulled out from the seedling pot 200), the facing portion 15a may adhere closely to the inner surface of the side wall 202.

[0095] (4-6) The deformation applying member 14 is not limited to a member that presses the holding member 15 as long as it can elastically deform the holding member 15.

[0096] (4-7) The deformation imparting member 14 and the holding member 15 may be connected to each other, so that the holding member 15 may expand and contract in accordance with the up and down movement of the deformation imparting member 14.

[0097] (4-8) The opposing portion 15a may be in point or line contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202 instead of in surface contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202. For example, the holding member 15 may have a plurality of protrusions, and the tips of the plurality of protrusions may be in point contact with the inner surface of the side wall 202. Even if the frictional force between each protrusion and the inner surface of the side wall 202 is not large enough to lift the seedling pot 200, it is sufficient that the total frictional force between the plurality of protrusions and the inner surface of the side wall 202 can lift the seedling pot 200.

[0098] (4-9) Instead of moving the upper support member 50 toward the lower support member 20, the lower support member 20 may be pushed up or pulled up to move it toward the upper support member 50. In this case, the holding member 15 moves toward the deformation imparting member 14 and away from the deformation imparting member 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 100 Refilling device 11 First restored part 12 Second restored part 14 Deformation member 15 Retaining member 15a Opposite part 15b Wide section 19 Cap 20 Lower support member 40 Upper support member 60 External force acting member 80 Elastic member 200 Seedling Pots 201 Bottom wall 202 Side wall 300 containers

Claims

1. A refilling device for refilling a container with a seedling pot having a bottom wall and a side wall rising from the bottom wall, A holding member capable of elastically deforming and holding the seedling pot; a deformation imparting member that elastically deforms the holding member; Equipped with The holding member has a plurality of opposing portions that can be in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall when inserted into the seedling pot, The position of the facing portion can be changed between a holding position where the facing portion is in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall and a non-holding position located inward from the holding position by elastic deformation of the holding member. Refill device.

2. The deformation applying member directly or indirectly contacts the holding member and applies a force to the holding member to elastically deform the holding member.

2. The refill device of claim 1.

3. When a force is applied from the deformation applying member to the holding member, the facing portion takes the non-holding position, When no force is applied from the deformation imparting member to the holding member, or when a force weaker than that when the opposing portion takes the non-holding position is applied from the deformation imparting member to the holding member, the opposing portion takes the holding position.

3. The refill device of claim 2.

4. A portion of the deformation imparting member that comes into contact with the holding member is rounded, or a cap is attached to the portion of the deformation imparting member that comes into contact with the holding member.

3. The refill device of claim 2.

5. The width of the portion of the holding member with which the deformation imparting member comes into contact is widened.

3. The refill device of claim 2.

6. The deformation member is movable toward and away from the retention member. A refill device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Further, a restoring member is provided for returning the holding member to its original position when the holding member is rotated. A refill device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The restoring member is elastically deformable, When the holding member rotates, the restoring member is elastically deformed, and the holding member is returned to its original position by the restoring force of the restoring member.

8. The refill device of claim 7.

9. The side wall is rectangular in plan view having four rounded corners, The holding member includes four of the opposing portions, The four opposing portions are opposed to the four rounded corners, respectively. A refill device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. An upper support member; A lower support member disposed below the upper support member; an elastic member disposed between the upper support member and the lower support member; Further equipped with The deformation member is attached to the upper support member, A portion of the holding member is disposed below the deformation imparting member, When the upper support member is moved toward the lower support member, the elastic member is compressed between the upper support member and the lower support member, and further, the deformation applying member attached to the upper support member also moves downward to push the holding member and elastically deform it, When the force moving the upper support member toward the lower support member is released, the upper support member moves upward away from the lower support member due to the restoring force of the elastic member, and the deformation imparting member also moves upward, thereby releasing the pressure applied by the deformation imparting member on the holding member. A refill device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

11. A method for refilling a seedling pot having a bottom wall and a side wall rising from the bottom wall into a container, comprising: preparing an elastically deformable holding member having a plurality of opposing portions capable of coming into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall when the holding member is inserted into the seedling pot, the opposing portions being capable of being changed in position between a holding position in which the opposing portions come into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall and a non-holding position located inward from the holding position by elastic deformation of the holding member; a step of elastically deforming the holding member to move the facing portion to the non-holding position and inserting the holding member into the seedling pot; a step of releasing the elastic deformation of the holding member to move the facing portion to the holding position and bring the facing portion into close contact with the inner surface of the side wall; a step of moving the holding member upward in a state in which the facing portion is in close contact with the inner surface of the side wall, and lifting the seedling pot together with the holding member; Refill methods including.

12. The present invention further includes a step of elastically deforming the holding member to move the facing portion to the non-holding position while at least a portion of the seedling pot held by the holding member is inserted into the container. The method of claim 11.

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