Plant raising apparatus

Abstract

To provide a plant raising apparatus capable of suppressing generation of algae.SOLUTION: A plant raising apparatus 1 raises plants PL by bottom surface irrigation. The plant raising apparatus 1 comprises: a storage tank 10 which stores liquid Lq; light sources 20 provided above the storage tank 10; a support body 50 which is provided between the storage tank 10 and the light source 20, and supports the plants PL; and a discharge mechanism 70 which discharges the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10. A bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10 is inclined downward to the discharge mechanism 70. The support body 50 is not in contact with the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plant growing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, plant cultivation factories for cultivating plants have been known. In plant cultivation factories, plants are cultivated by cell tray seedling cultivation (cell molded seedlings) or pod seedling cultivation. Among these, cell tray seedling cultivation has been attracting attention in recent years because it allows for the cultivation of large quantities of plants efficiently. However, cell tray cultivation generally requires a smaller amount of culture soil than pod seedling cultivation, and therefore requires more precise water management than pod cultivation.

[0003] In such plant cultivation factories, plants are watered by sprinkling, spraying, dripping, bottom watering, etc. Among these, bottom watering has the advantages that culture soil does not splash onto the plants, a small amount of water is sufficient, and the amount of water is uniform. For this reason, plant cultivation devices that perform bottom watering have attracted attention (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a bottom irrigation device equipped with an irrigation tray. In this bottom irrigation device, a notch is formed in a weir provided on the irrigation tray so that the water in the irrigation tray is drained within a short time after the supply of irrigation water is automatically stopped while maintaining a pool state of water level of about 10 to 12 mm in the irrigation tray. In addition, in the bottom irrigation device of Patent Document 1, the bottom wall surface of the irrigation tray is inclined toward the drainage ditch in order to drain the irrigation water into the drainage ditch in a short time when irrigation is stopped.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a bottom watering device for potted plants in which a drainage siphon pipe is attached to the pot holder pan. In this bottom watering device for potted plants, when a predetermined period of bottom watering is completed, the water in the pot holder pan is returned to the water storage tank through the drainage siphon pipe. In addition, the pot holder pan is formed with a protrusion, and when the pot is placed on the protrusion, the bottom of the pot comes into contact with air and dries. In this way, the bottom watering device for potted plants of Patent Document 2 makes it difficult for the plants in the pot to develop root rot, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2004 / 026023 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-70717 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Incidentally, in order to prevent pests from adversely affecting plants, plants are sometimes grown in a closed space such as an agricultural greenhouse. However, the presence of nutrients, water, and light may cause algae to grow in the plant growing device. When algae grow, the algae may flow into the piping of the plant growing device, and the water (nutrient solution) for growing the plants may be contaminated. In addition, when algae flow into the piping, a problem occurs in that cleaning the piping is time-consuming. Furthermore, when algae grow, there is a possibility that the plants may be adversely affected, such as the occurrence of pests, changes in the nutrient balance of the water, or a decrease in the amount of oxygen taken up by the roots due to the algae adhering to the culture soil. In this way, when there is a possibility of algae growing in the plant growing device, the labor required to take measures against the algae growth and to deal with the algae that has grown may be a problem.

[0008] On the other hand, as a countermeasure against the growth of algae, it is known to use panels with anti-algae effect and to irradiate areas where algae may grow with ultraviolet rays. However, anti-algae panels are mainly materials for hydroponic cultivation. For this reason, anti-algae panels are difficult to apply to plant cultivation devices that perform bottom irrigation, and there is a problem that they are more expensive than normal materials. In addition, if ultraviolet rays are irradiated during plant cultivation, there is a possibility that they may have an adverse effect on the plants. For this reason, there is a demand for a plant cultivation device that has good drainage and can suppress the growth of algae.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and provides a plant cultivation device capable of suppressing the growth of algae. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the following [1] to [7].

[0011] [1] A plant growing device for growing plants by bottom watering, A storage tank for storing a liquid; A light source provided above the storage tank; A support provided between the reservoir and the light source and supporting the plant; a discharge mechanism for discharging the liquid in the storage tank, The bottom surface of the storage tank is inclined downward toward the discharge mechanism, A plant growing device, wherein the support is not in contact with the bottom surface of the reservoir.

[0012] [2] The plant growing device according to [1], wherein during the growth of the plant, a period during which the liquid is stored in the storage tank is shorter than a period during which the liquid is not stored in the storage tank.

[0013] [3] The plant growing device according to [1] or [2], wherein the light source is a sheet-like lighting device or a bar light.

[0014] [4] A plant cultivation device described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein, in a planar view, the area of ​​the support is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface of the storage tank, and the light source and the support are arranged horizontally.

[0015] [5] The plant cultivation device described in any one of [1] to [4], further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the water level in the storage tank.

[0016] [6] The plant growing device described in any one of [1] to [5], wherein the discharge mechanism discharges the liquid from the storage tank without using electricity.

[0017] [7] The plant cultivation device described in any one of [1] to [6], wherein the discharge mechanism has a siphon. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to this embodiment, the growth of algae can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a plant growing device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1) showing the plant growing device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a plant growing device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 4(a)-(b) are diagrams illustrating a method of using the plant growing device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the plant growing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another modified example of the plant growing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a storage tank of a plant growing device according to Comparative Example 4. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Each of the figures shown below is a schematic diagram. Therefore, the size and shape of each part are appropriately exaggerated to facilitate understanding. In addition, the present invention can be modified appropriately within the scope of the technical concept. In each of the figures shown below, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and some detailed explanations may be omitted. In addition, the numerical values ​​such as the dimensions of each member and the material names described in this specification are examples of an embodiment, and are not limited to these and can be appropriately selected and used. In this specification, terms that specify shapes and geometric conditions, such as parallel, orthogonal, and vertical, are interpreted to include substantially the same state in addition to their strict meanings.

[0021] (Plant growth equipment) First, a plant growing device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the plant growing device 1 according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the plant growing device 1 according to an embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the plant growing device 1 according to an embodiment. The plant growing device 1 is a device for growing a plant PL by bottom watering. The plant PL may be grown in a state where it is planted in a cell tray Ct (see Fig. 2). The bottom watering is a watering method in which the liquid Lq is supplied to the plant PL by immersing the bottom surface of the growth container (cell tray Ct) in the liquid Lq. Therefore, unlike hydroponic cultivation, during the growth of the plant PL, the period during which the liquid Lq is stored in the storage tank 10 described later is shorter than the period during which the liquid Lq is not stored in the storage tank 10. In addition, in order to clarify the drawings, the plant PL and the like are omitted in Fig. 1, hatching is omitted in Fig. 2, and a light source 20 and a support 50 described later are omitted in Fig. 3.

[0022] 1 and 2, the plant growing device 1 includes a storage tank 10 that stores liquid Lq, a light source 20 provided above the storage tank 10, a support 50 that is provided between the storage tank 10 and the light source 20 and supports the plant PL, and a discharge mechanism 70 that discharges the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10. The plant growing device 1 may further include an adjustment mechanism 80 that adjusts the water level in the storage tank 10. The plant growing device 1 may further include a supply unit 90 that supplies the liquid Lq into the storage tank 10.

[0023] (Storage tank) 1, the storage tank 10 is attached to a plurality of (four) supports 2. Note that a support base (not shown) may be attached to the supports 2, and the storage tank 10 may be placed on a support base (not shown).

[0024] As described above, the storage tank 10 stores the liquid Lq (see FIG. 2). In this case, the liquid Lq may be water, or may be liquid fertilizer in which fertilizer is dissolved in water.

[0025] 1 to 3, the storage tank 10 has a bottom 11 and a side portion 12 provided above the bottom 11. In this embodiment, the planar shape of the bottom 11 is rectangular. Note that the planar shape of the bottom 11 may be a square, a polygon other than a rectangle, or a circle.

[0026] The bottom surface (upper surface of bottom portion 11) 11a of storage tank 10 is inclined downward toward discharge mechanism 70. This makes it easier to discharge liquid Lq stored in storage tank 10 from discharge mechanism 70. In this embodiment, discharge mechanism 70 is provided in the vicinity of a short side of bottom portion 11 of storage tank 10 that constitutes a rectangle in plan view. More specifically, discharge mechanism 70 is provided in the vicinity of the short side of the rectangle that is on the positive side in the X direction. Therefore, bottom surface 11a of storage tank 10 is inclined downward from the negative side in the X direction to the positive side in the X direction.

[0027] The inclination angle θ of the bottom surface 11a with respect to the horizontal plane (see FIG. 2) may be 0.28° or more and 1.72° or less. When the inclination angle θ is 0.28° or more, the water easily flows toward the discharge mechanism 70 when the water in the storage tank 10 is discharged. Furthermore, when the inclination angle θ is 1.72° or less, the height of the storage tank 10 can be prevented from becoming unnecessarily high. Therefore, when multiple plant growing devices 1 are used in a stacked manner, the installation space for the plant growing devices 1 can be reduced.

[0028] In addition, no projections or other irregularities are formed on the bottom surface 11a. That is, in this embodiment, no support portion for supporting the cell tray Ct is provided in the storage tank 10. This makes it difficult for the liquid Lq to accumulate on the bottom surface 11a, and makes it easy to clean the storage tank 10.

[0029] The length of the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the storage tank 10 may be 800 mm or more and 2000 mm or less. Also, the length of the width direction (Y direction) of the storage tank 10 may be 500 mm or more and 800 mm or less. By making the storage tank 10 the above size, it becomes easy to install multiple cell trays Ct and to easily manage the environment for growing the plants PL. Also, by making the storage tank 10 the above size, it becomes easy to install the discharge mechanism 70 and the supply unit 90 in the storage tank 10.

[0030] The material constituting the storage tank 10 may be any material that is water resistant and lightweight. For example, the material constituting the storage tank 10 may be expanded polystyrene (EPS) or polypropylene (PP). The material constituting the storage tank 10 may also be kneaded with an antibacterial agent, an anti-algae agent, or the like.

[0031] (light source) 1, the light source 20 is attached to a plurality of (four) columns 2. Note that a tabletop (not shown) may be attached to the columns 2, and the light source 20 may be attached to the underside of the tabletop (not shown).

[0032] The light source 20 may be an LED lighting device. In this embodiment, the light source 20 is a sheet-like lighting device, and is a so-called one-sided light-emitting planar light source sheet. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of LED chips 21 are arranged on the light-emitting surface (the surface on the negative side in the Z direction) of the light source 20. By using such a direct-light type light source sheet, the light emitted from the LED chips 21 passes through the light-emitting surface as it is. Therefore, the light emitted directly reaches the plant directly below, and the amount of light can be increased to promote the growth of the plant. In addition, since the light source 20 is a planar light source sheet, the overall thickness can be reduced, and therefore the occurrence of a shadow on the side of the LED chips 21 can be suppressed.

[0033] Furthermore, since the light source 20 is a planar light source sheet, the light source 20 is flexible and lightweight. This allows the light source 20 to be easily attached to the support 2. Furthermore, since the light source 20 is flexible, the light source 20 can be applied to plant growing devices 1 of various sizes and shapes. In this specification, "flexible" means that "the radius of curvature when folded is at least 1 m or less, preferably 50 cm, more preferably 30 cm, even more preferably 10 cm, and particularly preferably 5 cm."

[0034] Furthermore, since the light source 20 is a planar light source sheet, the thickness of the light source 20 can be reduced. This allows the height of the plant growing device 1 to be reduced, and multiple plant growing devices 1 can be stacked for use. This allows the yield of plants PL per unit area to be increased.

[0035] The overall shape of the light source 20 is rectangular in a plan view, but there are no particular limitations on the size and planar shape of the light source 20. When the light source 20 is a planar light source sheet, there is a high degree of freedom in size and shape, so that various demands in this regard can be flexibly met. In addition, since the light source 20 is flexible, it can be attached to installation surfaces of various shapes, not limited to installation surfaces with flat shapes.

[0036] In the illustrated example, the light source 20 is configured by one planar light source sheet. Note that a plurality of planar light source sheets may be provided as the light source 20. In this case, the length of one light source 20 (one light source sheet) in the longitudinal direction (X direction) may be, for example, 500 mm or more, or 550 mm or more. The length of one light source 20 in the longitudinal direction (X direction) may be 750 mm or less, or 650 mm or less. The length of one light source 20 in the width direction (Y direction) may be 300 mm or more, or 350 mm or more. The length of one light source 20 in the width direction (Y direction) may be 500 mm or less, or 450 mm or less.

[0037] In this embodiment, the light source 20 is disposed horizontally. This makes it possible to suppress variation in the light irradiated to the plant PL located below the light source 20.

[0038] 1 and 2 show an example in which the light source 20 is a direct-type LED sheet, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the light source 20 may be an edge-light type LED sheet with a light guide plate or the like interposed therebetween. The edge-light type LED sheet is easy to suppress the variation in the amount of light from the light-emitting surface. The light source 20 may also be a bar light. In this case, the light source 20 may be a straight-tube type LED bar light in which multiple LEDs are arranged, or may be a fluorescent lamp.

[0039] (Support) As shown in FIG. 1, the support 50 is attached to a plurality of (four) supports 2 via an attachment member 51. The attachment member 51 may be, for example, a string-like member. The attachment member 51 may also be used to attach the support 50 to the support 2 using a hook or a screw. The attachment member 51 is configured to be able to adjust the height of the support 50. This makes it easy to change the height at which the cell tray Ct is immersed in the liquid Lq. Furthermore, by being able to adjust the height of the support 50, the distance between the plant PL and the light source 20 can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, the support 50 may be easily detachable from the support 2. This makes it easy to clean the storage tank 10.

[0040] The support 50 may support the plants PL together with the cell trays Ct. In the illustrated example, the cell trays Ct are placed on only a part of the support 50, but the cell trays Ct may be placed on almost the entire surface of the support 50.

[0041] The support 50 is not in contact with the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10. In other words, a gap is formed between the support 50 and the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10. This makes it possible to prevent the liquid Lq from remaining on the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10 after the liquid Lq is discharged from inside the storage tank 10.

[0042] In a plan view, the area of ​​the support 50 is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10 (see FIG. 1). In this case, the support 50 is configured to be placed in the storage tank 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In this manner, at least a portion of the cell tray Ct placed on the support 50 is configured to be located below the liquid level of the liquid Lq (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0043] In this embodiment, the support 50 may be a net having a plurality of openings. In this case, the opening rate of the net may be 10% or more and 70% or less. When the opening rate of the net is 10% or more, it is possible to suppress the liquid Lq from remaining on the support 50 after the liquid Lq is discharged from the storage tank 10. Furthermore, when the opening rate is 70% or less, it is possible to increase the stability of the cell tray Ct placed on the support 50.

[0044] Furthermore, when the support 50 is a net, the shape of the opening may be any shape as long as it can stably support the cell tray Ct. For example, the shape of the opening may be a square, a circle, a triangle, a diamond, a star, etc. When the shape of the opening is a square, the size of the square may be about 3 mm or more and 30 mm or less on one side.

[0045] Furthermore, when the support 50 is a net, it is preferable that the net has a rigidity sufficient to prevent bending even when a plurality of cell trays Ct are placed on the net. In order to adjust the height of the net when the net bends, etc., a height adjustment member for adjusting the height of the support 50 may be provided in the storage tank 10.

[0046] In this embodiment, the support 50 is disposed horizontally, which allows the height at which the cell tray Ct is immersed in the liquid Lq to be uniform.

[0047] (ejection mechanism) As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the discharge mechanism 70 is provided in the vicinity of the short side of the rectangular bottom 11 of the storage tank 10 in the planar shape. Specifically, the discharge mechanism 70 is provided in the vicinity of the short side on the positive side in the X direction among the short sides of the rectangular bottom 11 in the planar shape. As described above, the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10 is inclined downward toward the discharge mechanism 70. Therefore, by providing the discharge mechanism 70 in the vicinity of the short side of the above-mentioned rectangle, the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 is easily discharged from the discharge mechanism 70. Generally, in the plant cultivation device 1, a passage for an operator may be provided along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the storage tank 10. Therefore, by providing the discharge mechanism 70 in the vicinity of the short side of the above-mentioned rectangle, it is possible to prevent the discharge mechanism 70 from interfering with the work of an operator when removing the cell tray Ct from the plant cultivation device 1.

[0048] In this embodiment, two discharge mechanisms 70 are provided. Of the two discharge mechanisms 70, one discharge mechanism 70 is provided near a corner on the positive X-direction side and the positive Y-direction side of a rectangular corner formed by the planar shape of the bottom 11. Of the two discharge mechanisms 70, the other discharge mechanism 70 is provided near a corner on the positive X-direction side and the negative Y-direction side of a rectangular corner formed by the planar shape of the bottom 11. In this way, by providing a plurality of discharge mechanisms 70, the liquid Lq can be discharged from inside the storage tank 10 even if the discharge mechanism 70 is clogged with foreign matter.

[0049] The discharge mechanism 70 is configured to discharge the liquid Lq from the storage tank 10 without using electric power. In the present embodiment, the discharge mechanism 70 has a siphon 71. The siphon 71 penetrates the bottom 11. The siphon 71 extends in a J-shape. It is preferable that the apex of the siphon 71 is located lower than an opening 82 (described later) of the adjustment mechanism 80. This allows the inside of the siphon 71 to be automatically filled with the liquid Lq when the liquid Lq is supplied into the storage tank 10. It is preferable that the inside of the siphon 71 does not have a step or a corner. This makes it possible to prevent the formation of a portion in which air accumulates inside the siphon 71. The siphon 71 may be a bell siphon.

[0050] Moreover, one end of the siphon 71 terminates inside the storage tank 10, and the other end terminates outside the storage tank 10. In this case, it is preferable that the end that terminates inside the storage tank 10 is close to the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10. This allows most of the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 to be discharged through the discharge mechanism 70.

[0051] The inner diameter of the siphon 71 may be, for example, about 13 mm or more and 25 mm or less. By having an inner diameter of 13 mm or more, the discharge speed of the liquid Lq from the siphon 71 can be increased. Therefore, the occurrence of algae in the storage tank 10 can be effectively suppressed. Furthermore, by having an inner diameter of 25 mm or less, the supply and discharge amounts of the liquid Lq can be easily controlled. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the liquid Lq from being discharged from the storage tank 10 before the liquid Lq reaches the plants PL. Furthermore, by having an inner diameter of 25 mm or less, it is possible to suppress the siphon 71 from becoming too large. Therefore, the siphon 71 can be arranged at a desired position. Furthermore, since it is possible to suppress the siphon 71 from becoming too large, it is possible to suppress the size of the plant growing device 1 from becoming too large.

[0052] The material constituting siphon 71 (discharge mechanism 70) may be any material that is water resistant and easy to process. For example, the material constituting siphon 71 may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the like. Siphon 71 may also be transparent, which makes it easy to check for foreign matter in siphon 71. Therefore, even if siphon 71 becomes clogged, the clog can be easily cleared.

[0053] (adjustment mechanism) The adjustment mechanism 80 is provided near a short side of the rectangular planar shape of the bottom 11 of the storage tank 10. Specifically, the adjustment mechanism 80 is provided near a short side on the positive side in the X direction among the short sides of the rectangular planar shape of the bottom 11. The adjustment mechanism 80 has a cylindrical main body 81 and an opening 82 formed in the main body 81. Of these, the main body 81 penetrates the bottom 11 of the storage tank 10.

[0054] In this embodiment, the main body 81 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the main body 81 may be about 13 mm or more and 50 mm or less. Since the inner diameter of the main body 81 is 13 mm or more, when the amount of the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 becomes a predetermined amount or more, the liquid Lq can be quickly discharged. Furthermore, since the inner diameter of the main body 81 is 50 mm or less, the main body 81 can be prevented from becoming too large. Therefore, the main body 81 can be disposed at a desired position. Furthermore, since the main body 81 can be prevented from becoming too large, the size of the plant growing device 1 can be prevented from becoming too large.

[0055] The main body 81 may be composed of a plurality of members. In this case, one member may be movable in the up-down direction relative to the other members. For example, the one member may be configured to be screwed together with the other members, and the up-down position of the one member may be changed by rotating the one member. This allows the up-down position of the opening 82 formed in the main body 81 to be easily adjusted.

[0056] The opening 82 is formed on the side of the upper part of the main body 81. By forming the opening 82 on the side of the main body 81, the light from the light source 20 is less likely to enter the inside of the main body 81, and the growth of algae inside the main body 81 can be effectively suppressed. This opening 82 plays a role in discharging the liquid Lq when the amount of the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. That is, when the amount of the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, the liquid Lq is introduced into the main body 81 from the opening 82. Then, the liquid Lq introduced into the main body 81 is discharged to the outside of the storage tank 10 via the main body 81. In this way, the water level of the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 is adjusted. The opening 82 may be formed on the upper surface of the main body 81.

[0057] The material constituting the main body 81 (adjustment mechanism 80) may be any material that is water resistant and easy to process. For example, the material constituting the main body 81 may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the like.

[0058] (Supply Department) The supply unit 90 is provided near a short side of the rectangular planar shape of the bottom 11 of the storage tank 10. Specifically, the supply unit 90 is provided near a short side on the negative X-direction side of the short sides of the rectangular planar shape of the bottom 11. The supply unit 90 has a supply pipe 91 attached to the side 12 of the storage tank 10, and a connecting pipe 92 that connects the supply pipe 91 to a liquid supply source (not shown). Of these, the supply pipe 91 has a plurality of through holes 93 formed therein for supplying the liquid Lq into the storage tank 10.

[0059] When a plurality of plant growing devices 1 are used in a stacked manner, the liquid Lq may be supplied to the storage tank 10 of each plant growing device 1 from a different supply unit 90. That is, each storage tank 10 may be provided with its own supply unit 90. When a plurality of plant growing devices 1 are used in a stacked manner, an automatic pump may be used to supply the liquid Lq to each storage tank 10. In this case, watering of the plants PL can be automatically performed by setting the irrigation time (irrigation start time and / or irrigation end time). Furthermore, by adjusting the irrigation time, the growth of the plants PL can be managed according to the growth stage and type of the plants PL.

[0060] The plant growing device 1 may be provided with a fan (not shown) to blow air to the plants PL. In this case, the speed of the air blown by the fan is preferably a speed capable of promoting photosynthesis of the plants PL, and may be about 0.5 m / s or more and 2.0 m / s or less. After the liquid Lq is discharged from the storage tank 10, the fan may be used to dry the liquid Lq remaining in the storage tank 10. In this case, the fan may be provided near the discharge mechanism 70. The fan may be, for example, a so-called case fan. The fan may be configured such that a plurality of openings are formed in a pipe and air is blown from the openings.

[0061] (How to use the plant growing device) Next, a method of using the plant growing device according to this embodiment will be described.

[0062] 4(a), liquid Lq is supplied from supply unit 90 into storage tank 10. At this time, air has entered siphon 71, and liquid Lq is not discharged from discharge mechanism 70.

[0063] 4(b), when the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 reaches a predetermined amount, the siphon 71 is filled with the liquid Lq. As a result, the liquid Lq starts to be discharged from the storage tank 10 by the discharge mechanism 70. Here, the supply amount of the liquid Lq supplied from the supply unit 90 is set to be greater than the discharge amount of the liquid Lq discharged by the discharge mechanism 70. Therefore, even when the liquid Lq is discharged by the discharge mechanism 70, the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 does not fall below a predetermined amount.

[0064] Thereafter, when the amount of liquid Lq in storage tank 10 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, liquid Lq is discharged from opening 82 of adjustment mechanism 80, and the amount of liquid Lq in storage tank 10 is maintained at a predetermined amount.

[0065] When the cultivation of the plant PL is to be terminated, the supply of the liquid Lq from the supply unit 90 is stopped. Meanwhile, the liquid Lq continues to be discharged from the discharge mechanism 70. In this manner, the liquid Lq is discharged from the storage tank 10.

[0066] As described above, according to this embodiment, the plant growing device 1 includes the storage tank 10 that stores the liquid Lq, the light source 20 provided above the storage tank 10, the support 50 that is provided between the storage tank 10 and the light source 20 and supports the plant PL, and the discharge mechanism 70 that discharges the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10. The bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10 is inclined downward toward the discharge mechanism 70. This allows the liquid Lq stored in the storage tank 10 to be easily discharged from the discharge mechanism 70. This makes it possible to suppress the growth of algae in the storage tank 10.

[0067] In this embodiment, the cell tray Ct (plants PL) is supported by a support 50. In this case, the cell tray Ct does not come into contact with the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10, and a gap is provided between the cell tray Ct and the bottom surface 11a. Therefore, the liquid Lq does not accumulate between the cell tray Ct and the bottom surface 11a. As a result, the bottom surface of the cell tray Ct can be easily kept dry, which promotes air pruning of the plants PL.

[0068] As a comparative example, it is possible to provide an undertray between the cell tray and the bottom surface of the storage tank in order to promote air pruning of plants. On the other hand, when an undertray is provided, liquid is likely to accumulate between the cell tray and the undertray, making it difficult to quickly drain the liquid. In addition, there are various types of undertrays and cell trays with different heights. For this reason, when an undertray is used, it may be difficult to properly drain the liquid while adjusting the water level. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the liquid Lq stored in the storage tank 10 can be easily discharged from the discharge mechanism 70, and the liquid Lq does not accumulate between the cell tray Ct and the bottom surface 11a.

[0069] As described above, the cell tray Ct (plants PL) is supported by the support body 50. In this case, the cell tray Ct can be supported without providing protrusions or the like on the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10. This makes it difficult for the liquid Lq to accumulate on the bottom surface 11a, and makes it easy to clean the storage tank 10.

[0070] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, support 50 is not in contact with bottom surface 11a of storage tank 10. This makes it possible to prevent liquid Lq from remaining on bottom surface 11a of storage tank 10 after liquid Lq is discharged from within storage tank 10.

[0071] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the light source 20 is a sheet-like lighting device or bar light. Moreover, in a plan view, the area of ​​the support 50 is smaller than the area of ​​the bottom surface 11a of the storage tank 10. And the light source 20 and the support 50 are arranged horizontally. This makes it possible to suppress the variation in the light irradiated to the plants PL located below the light source 20. Also, the height at which the cell tray Ct is immersed in the liquid Lq can be made uniform. Therefore, the growth of the plants PL is less likely to vary, and the decrease in yield can be suppressed.

[0072] Moreover, according to the present embodiment, the plant growing device 1 further includes an adjustment mechanism 80 that adjusts the water level in the storage tank 10. This allows precise water management when growing the plant PL.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the discharge mechanism 70 discharges the liquid Lq from the storage tank 10 without using electricity. This makes it possible to reduce the energy consumption of the plant growing device 1.

[0074] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the discharge mechanism 70 has a siphon 71. This makes it possible to quickly discharge a large amount of liquid Lq from within the storage tank 10.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the discharge mechanism 70 has the siphon 71 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the discharge mechanism 70 may be configured to discharge the liquid Lq to the outside of the storage tank 10 by sucking up the liquid Lq in the storage tank 10 using a nonwoven fabric 72 or the like. Although not shown, the discharge mechanism 70 may be a mechanism that opens and closes a discharge port using an electromagnetic valve or the like.

[0076] In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the cell tray Ct is placed only on a part of the support 50 has been described. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the area where the cell tray Ct is not placed may be covered by the light-shielding cover 3. The light-shielding cover 3 may be attached to the support 2 (see FIG. 1) via an attachment member not shown. The light-shielding cover 3 may be a member that can block light from the light source 20, and is not particularly limited. In this way, the area where the cell tray Ct is not placed is covered by the light-shielding cover 3, so that the light from the light source 20 can be prevented from being irradiated into the area of ​​the storage tank 10 that is not used for growing the plant PL. Therefore, the occurrence of algae in the storage tank 10 can be more effectively prevented. Note that some of the LED chips 21 may be turned off without providing the light-shielding cover 3. Also, a plurality of light sources 20 may be provided for one storage tank 10, and each light source 20 may be configured to be removable from the plant growing device 1. Also, each light source 20 may be configured to be independently turned on / off. Even in these cases, it is possible to prevent light from the light source 20 from being irradiated into areas of the storage tank 10 that are not being used for growing plants PL.

[0077] [Example] Next, a specific example of this embodiment will be described.

[0078] Example 1 A plant-growing device was produced as shown in Figures 1 to 3. At this time, the plant-growing device was provided with one discharge mechanism 70.

[0079] Example 2 A plant-growing device was produced as shown in Fig. 6. At this time, the plant-growing device was provided with one discharge mechanism 70.

[0080] Example 3 A plant-growing device was produced in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the plant-growing device was provided with two discharge mechanisms 70.

[0081] Comparative Example 1 A plant cultivation device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the plant cultivation device did not include the support 50.

[0082] Comparative Example 2 A plant-growing device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the plant-growing device was not provided with a discharge mechanism 70 and a notch was provided in the side portion 12 of the storage tank 10.

[0083] Comparative Example 3 A plant-growing device was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the plant-growing device did not include the support body 50 and the discharge mechanism 70, and a notch was provided in the side portion 12 of the storage tank 10.

[0084] Comparative Example 4 As shown in FIG. 7, the plant cultivation device was fabricated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that an upwardly protruding rib 15 was formed on the storage tank 10, a drainage groove 16 was formed at the end of the storage tank 10 on the positive side in the X-direction, and a dam 18 including a notch 17 was formed between the rib 15 and the drainage groove 16.

[0085] Next, using the manufactured plant cultivation device, the algae growth conditions, the discharge conditions of liquid Lq, the ease of adjusting the water level of liquid Lq in the storage tank 10, air pruning, and the resistance to clogging when discharging liquid Lq were confirmed.

[0086] The results are shown in Table 1. In the "Algae Growth Condition" column in Table 1, "A (excellent)" means that algae were extremely unlikely to grow. "B (good)" means that algae were unlikely to grow. "C (poor)" means that algae were somewhat likely to grow. "D (bad)" means that algae were likely to grow.

[0087] In the "Discharge Status" column of Table 1, "A (excellent)" means that the liquid Lq was discharged very quickly. "B (good)" means that the liquid Lq was discharged quickly. "C (poor)" means that the liquid Lq was discharged somewhat slowly. "D (bad)" means that the liquid Lq was discharged very slowly.

[0088] In the "Water Level Adjustment" column of Table 1, "A (excellent)" means that the water level of liquid Lq was very easily adjusted. "C (poor)" means that it was difficult to adjust the water level of liquid Lq. "D (bad)" means that the water level of liquid Lq could not be adjusted.

[0089] In the "Air Pruning" column of Table 1, "A (excellent)" means that the bottom of the cell tray was able to be dried very quickly. "B (good)" means that the bottom of the cell tray was able to be dried quickly. "C (poor)" means that the bottom of the cell tray was able to be dried, but it took a long time. "D (bad)" means that the bottom of the cell tray could not be dried.

[0090] Furthermore, in the "Resistance to clogging" column of Table 1, "A (excellent)" means that the discharge mechanism was very resistant to clogging. "B (good)" means that the discharge mechanism was not very resistant to clogging. "D (bad)" means that the cutout was very susceptible to clogging.

[0091] [Table 1]

[0092] As a result, as shown in Table 1, the plant-growing devices according to Examples 1 to 3 obtained better results in all items compared to the plant-growing devices according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4. Therefore, it was found that the plant-growing device 1 according to the present embodiment can easily adjust the water level of the liquid Lq while effectively suppressing the growth of algae.

[0093] It is also possible to combine the multiple components disclosed in the above embodiment and modified examples as necessary, or to delete some of the components disclosed in the above embodiment and modified examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 Plant growing equipment 10 Reservoir 11a Bottom 20 light source 50 Support 70 Ejection mechanism 71 Siphon 80 Adjustment mechanism PL plant Lq Liquid

Claims

1. A plant growing device for growing plants by bottom watering, A storage tank for storing a liquid; A light source provided above the storage tank; A support provided between the reservoir and the light source and supporting the plant; a discharge mechanism for discharging the liquid in the storage tank, The bottom surface of the storage tank is inclined downward toward the discharge mechanism, A plant growing device, wherein the support is not in contact with the bottom surface of the reservoir.

2. The plant growing device according to claim 1 , wherein a period during which the liquid is stored in the storage tank during the growth of the plant is shorter than a period during which the liquid is not stored in the storage tank.

3. The plant growing device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is a sheet-like lighting device or a bar light.

4. The plant growing device according to claim 1 , wherein an area of ​​the support is smaller than an area of ​​the bottom surface of the storage tank in a plan view, and the light source and the support are arranged horizontally.

5. The plant growing device according to claim 4 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a water level in the storage tank.

6. The plant growing device according to claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a water level in the storage tank.

7. The plant-growing device according to claim 6 , wherein the discharge mechanism discharges the liquid from the storage tank without using electricity.

8. The plant growing device of claim 7 , wherein the discharge mechanism comprises a siphon.

9. A plant growing device for growing plants by bottom watering, A storage tank for storing a liquid; A light source provided above the storage tank; A support provided between the reservoir and the light source and supporting the plant; a discharge mechanism for discharging the liquid in the storage tank; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the water level in the storage tank, The bottom surface of the storage tank is inclined downward toward the discharge mechanism, the support does not contact the bottom surface of the reservoir; The light source is a sheet-like lighting device or a bar light, In a plan view, an area of ​​the support is smaller than an area of ​​the bottom surface of the storage tank, and the light source and the support are arranged horizontally; The discharge mechanism discharges the liquid from the reservoir without using power; The discharge mechanism comprises a siphon.

10. The plant growing device according to claim 9 , wherein a period during which the liquid is stored in the storage tank during the growth of the plant is shorter than a period during which the liquid is not stored in the storage tank.

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