Planter and planter support structure
The planter design with a vented, foldable structure and larger opening area addresses the inefficiencies of conventional planters, enabling easy medium handling and temperature management.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025110768
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-09
AI Technical Summary
Conventional planters require time-consuming processes for filling and discharging culture medium due to openings at both ends of the tubular body, leading to inefficiencies.
A planter design with a first vent and multiple second vents, a ridge-shaped support surface, side walls, and end plates, along with a bottom plate and side plates that are foldably connected, allowing for a larger opening area for medium filling and discharge, and ventilation features to prevent temperature rise.
Facilitates easy filling and discharging of culture medium while maintaining temperature control and stable support, enhancing operational efficiency and stability.
Smart Images

Figure 2025131933000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention is a planter and planter support structure In particular, a planter that can easily fill and discharge the medium and planter support structure Regarding. [Background technology]
[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which a tunnel-shaped (U-shaped) tubular body 6 is formed by an outer tubular wall 3 and an inner tubular wall 4, and plants are grown in a culture medium 7 filled in a conduit 5 inside the tubular body 6. In this technique, a hollow passage 8 is formed on the inner periphery of the U-shaped tubular body 6, and a support 10 installed at a position higher than the ground is inserted into this hollow passage 8. Therefore, by planting plants in the culture medium 7 through a plurality of through-holes 2 formed in the outer tubular wall 3, so-called "high-mounted cultivation," in which the plants are grown at an elevated position, becomes possible.
[0003] In such elevated cultivation, the tubular body 6 is placed at a high position, which makes it easy for the temperature of the culture medium 7 inside the tubular body 6 to rise. In response to this, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of through-holes 2 are formed in each of the outer tubular wall 3 and the inner tubular wall 4. The rise in the culture medium temperature can be suppressed by ventilation through these through-holes 2, and therefore deterioration of the culture medium environment can be suppressed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-217286 A (for example, paragraphs 0032 and 0047, Figures 1 and 3) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] However, in the conventional technology described above, when filling or discharging the culture medium 7 into or from the tubular body 6, it is necessary to take the culture medium 7 in or out from openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the tubular body 6. Therefore, there is a problem in that filling and discharging the culture medium 7 is time-consuming.
[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a planter that can easily fill and discharge a culture medium. and planter support structure The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] To achieve this object, the planter of the present invention has a first vent extending in a first direction and a plurality of second vents connected to the first vent, a ridge-shaped support surface extending in the first direction above the first vent, and a plurality of third vents, and a pair of side walls facing each other across the support surface in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. board and ,before The support surface and the pair of side surfaces board By formed Medium storage area a pair of end plates that close both ends in the first direction of the storage area; a rectangular bottom plate that covers a lower portion of the first ventilation port; and an opening that is formed above the storage area and has an opening area larger than an area of the end plates. It is something that The planter comprises a first plate made of resin in which the bottom plate, the side plates, and the end plates are integrally formed, and a second plate made of resin attached to the bottom plate to form the support surface, wherein the pair of side plates are foldably connected to edges of the bottom plate extending in the first direction, and the end plates are foldably connected to edges of the bottom plate extending in the second direction, and either one of the side plates or the end plates has an insertion groove into which an edge of the other is inserted, an elastically deformable claw formed inside the insertion groove, and a through hole that passes through the insertion groove in the first direction in the area where the claw is formed, and the other of the side plates or the end plates has an engagement hole that engages with the claw inside the insertion groove, and the outer shell of the planter is formed by bending each edge of the bottom plate, side plates, and end plates of the first plate and engaging the claws with the engagement hole. do. The planter support structure of the present invention is a support structure for supporting a planter on the stand, the bottom plate of which has a fifth air vent that connects the first air vent to the outside, and the stand has a plurality of beams to which the bottom plate is fixed, and gaps are formed between the plurality of beams that connect to the fifth air vent. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] According to the planter of claim 1, both ends of the storage area for the culture medium in the extension direction (first direction) of the ridge-shaped support surface are a pair of ends. board The storage area for the medium is blocked by the board and end board Above this storage area is a board Since an opening with an opening area larger than the area of the opening is formed, the opening area of the opening can be made larger than when openings for putting in and taking out the culture medium are formed on both ends of the axial direction (first direction) of the pipe body as in the conventional case, which has the effect of making it easier to fill and discharge the culture medium into and from the planter.
[0009] According to the planter of claim 2, in addition to the effects of the planter of claim 1, the following effects are achieved. The bottom plate is provided with a fifth vent that connects the first vent to the outside, ensuring ventilation through the first vent, the second vent, and the fifth vent. Therefore, even if the lower part of the first vent is covered with the bottom plate, the temperature of the culture medium is prevented from rising. It has the effect of being able to do so.
[0010] According to the planter of claim 3, in addition to the effects of the planter of claim 1, the following effects are achieved. The planter is placed on the stand at a position higher than the ground, and the bottom plate of the planter has a fitting hole into which a protrusion protruding upward from the stand is fitted. This allows the protrusion to fit (catch) into the fitting hole, thereby restricting relative movement of the bottom plate with respect to the stand. Therefore, the planter is stably supported on the stand. It has the effect of being able to do so.
[0011] According to the planter of claim 4, in addition to the effects of the planter of claim 1, the following effects are achieved. The end plate has a holding portion capable of holding the irrigation pipe extending in the first direction, so that moisture from the irrigation pipe can be appropriately supplied to the culture medium stored in the planter. It has the effect of being able to do so.
[0012] The planter according to claim 5 Support structure According to the claim 2 Listed planter The stand that supports the planter has multiple beams to which the bottom plate is fixed, and gaps are formed between these beams that connect to the fifth ventilation hole in the bottom plate, ensuring ventilation through the ventilation holes in the planter and the gaps in the stand. This effectively suppresses the temperature rise of the culture medium. It has the effect of being able to do so.
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[0020] [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tunnel planter. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the resin plate that forms the outer shell of the tunnel planter. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter showing how the support plate is engaged with the base plate. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter showing how the side plates are engaged with the bottom plate. [Figure 7] 1(a) is a cross-sectional view of a tunnel planter showing a method of engaging an end plate with a support plate, a side plate, and a connecting plate, and FIG. 1(b) is a partially enlarged front view of a tunnel planter showing a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the overall configuration of a tunnel planter 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tunnel planter 1, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. Note that in FIG. 1, the multiple through-holes formed in the ventilation openings 21a, 21b, and 40 are schematically illustrated by dotted hatching, while in FIG. 2, these ventilation openings 21a, 21b, and 40 are not illustrated. Also, FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the tunnel planter 1 (the same applies to FIGS. 5 and 6, which will be described later).
[0023] 1 and 2, tunnel planter 1 is a container for holding a culture medium (for example, culture soil) in which plants such as strawberries are planted. Tunnel planter 1 includes a support plate 2 that supports the culture medium from below.
[0024] The upper surface of the support plate 2 is configured as a support surface 20 that supports the culture medium. The support surface 20 is formed in an arc shape when viewed in cross section (the cross section shown in Figure 2), and this arc-shaped support surface 20 continues in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1. In other words, the support surface 20 is formed in the shape of ridges that extend in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1.
[0025] Both ends of the support plate 2 in the width direction (second direction) of the tunnel planter 1 (left-right direction in Fig. 2) are fixed to the rectangular bottom plate 3 (see Fig. 4 for the rectangular shape of the bottom plate 3). Because the support plate 2 is fixed inside both ends of the bottom plate 3 in the width direction, edge portions 30 on both ends of the bottom plate 3 in the width direction are exposed on both sides of the support plate 2 in the width direction. In other words, the bottom surface of the culture medium storage area is formed by the support plate 2 (support surface 20) and the edge portions 30 of the bottom plate 3.
[0026] A pair of side plates 4a, 4b rise upward from both widthwise ends of the bottom plate 3, and these pair of side plates 4a, 4b face each other with the support plate 2 in between. The ends (upper ends) of the side plates 4a, 4b in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 are connected by a connecting plate 5. These plates 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 5 form a storage area for culture medium that extends in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1, and both ends of this storage area are closed by a pair of end plates 6.
[0027] Above the culture medium storage area (support surface 20), an opening 7 is formed by the edges of the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5, and the culture medium is filled and discharged through this opening 7. The opening area of this opening 7 (the area of the opening 7 when viewed from above) is preferably made larger than at least the area of the end plate 6 (the area of the end plate 6 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1). This makes it possible to increase the area of the opening 7 compared to the prior art (JP Patent Publication No. 2014-217286) in which openings for filling and discharging the culture medium are formed on both longitudinal ends of the tubular body 6. This makes it easier to fill and discharge the culture medium into and from the tunnel planter 1.
[0028] In this embodiment, the opening dimension of the opening 7 in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 is a dimension that spans almost the entire length of the support surface 20 in the same direction (for example, 80% or more of the entire length of the support surface 20). Also, the opening dimension of the opening 7 in the width direction of the tunnel planter 1 is larger than the width dimension of the support surface 20 in the same direction. In this way, by providing an opening 7 with a large opening area above the culture medium storage area, it is possible to easily fill and discharge the culture medium into and from the tunnel planter 1.
[0029] Thus, the larger the area of opening 7, the easier it is to fill and discharge the culture medium, so for example, the opening area of opening 7 is preferably an area where 40% or more of the area of support surface 20 overlaps with opening 7 when viewed from above, and more preferably an area where 60% or more of the area of support surface 20 overlaps with opening 7. Furthermore, the opening area of opening 7 is most preferably an area where 80% or more of the area of support surface 20 overlaps with opening 7 when viewed from above.
[0030] The tunnel planter 1, which has been filled with culture medium through the opening 7, is placed on a mounting base 100 (see FIG. 2) for elevated cultivation. This type of mounting base 100 has a plurality of legs 101 that rise from the ground and a plurality of beams 102a, 102b that are installed on the upper ends of the plurality of legs 101.
[0031] Beams 102a extend in the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2) of tunnel planter 1. Beams 102a are provided in pairs at a predetermined distance in the width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 2) of tunnel planter 1, and this pair of beams 102a are connected by beam 102b.
[0032] The upper surface of the beam 102a is provided with a plurality of protrusions 103 for fixing the tunnel planter 1. These protrusions 103 are bolts that have a cylindrical small diameter portion 103a that extends upward from the beam 102a and a large diameter portion 103b that is provided above the small diameter portion 103a and has an outer diameter larger than that of the small diameter portion 103a, but it is of course possible to form the protrusions 103 using other known materials.
[0033] Meanwhile, the bottom plate 3 of the tunnel planter 1 is formed with fitting holes 31 (see FIG. 1) for fitting the convex portions 103 of the mounting base 100, and these fitting holes 31 are arranged at the four corners of the bottom plate 3 (see FIG. 4). The fitting holes 31 include an insertion portion 31a (see FIG. 1) for inserting the large diameter portion 103b of the convex portion 103, and a locking portion 31b for hooking the large diameter portion 103b. The insertion portion 31a is a circular hole with a diameter larger than that of the large diameter portion 103b of the convex portion 103.
[0034] The locking portion 31b is a long hole extending from the insertion portion 31a in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1, and the width dimension of the locking portion 31b is a dimension that allows the small diameter portion 103a of the convex portion 103 to be inserted, and is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the large diameter portion 103b.
[0035] Therefore, when placing the tunnel planter 1 on the mounting base 100, the convex portion 103 is inserted into the insertion portion 31a of the fitting hole 31, and then the tunnel planter 1 is slid in its longitudinal direction, and the small diameter portion 103a of the convex portion 103 is fitted into the locking portion 31b. This allows the fitting (hooking) between the fitting hole 31 and the convex portion 103 to restrict relative movement of the bottom plate 3 with respect to the mounting base 100. Therefore, the tunnel planter 1 can be stably supported on the mounting base 100. Note that after fitting the small diameter portion 103a of the convex portion 103 into the locking portion 31b, the bottom plate 3 may be fixed to the beam 102a by screwing in the convex portion 103 (bolt).
[0036] When tunnel planter 1 is placed on beams 102a, 102b that are higher than the ground, the temperature of the culture medium inside tunnel planter 1 tends to rise, so support plate 2 (support surface 20) is provided with vents 21a, 21b (see FIG. 1) for cooling the culture medium. Vent 21a is provided on the top surface of support plate 2, and vent 21b is provided on the side surface of support plate 2.
[0037] Ventilation opening 21a is formed by providing a plurality of through holes in an oval region extending in the longitudinal direction of tunnel planter 1, and a plurality of these oval vents 21a are provided along the longitudinal direction of tunnel planter 1 (in this embodiment, two locations). Ventilation opening 21b is formed by providing a plurality of through holes in a circular region, and a plurality of circular vents 21a are provided along the longitudinal direction of tunnel planter 1 (in this embodiment, six locations on each side of support plate 2, for a total of 12 locations). Forming vents 21a, 21b in an oval or circular shape can improve the appearance of tunnel planter 1.
[0038] Additionally, a tunnel-shaped ventilation hole 8 is formed between the support plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, passing through the tunnel planter 1 in the longitudinal direction. Ventilation through these ventilation holes 8, 21a, 21b can prevent the temperature of the culture medium inside the tunnel planter 1 from rising, thereby improving the culture medium environment.
[0039] Furthermore, a gap 104 surrounded by the beams 102a and 102b is formed in the mounting base 100, and an air vent 32 (see FIG. 1) connected to the gap 104 in the mounting base 100 is formed in the bottom plate 3 of the tunnel planter 1. The air vent 32 is formed in an oval shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 (see FIG. 4), and a plurality of these oval air vents 32 (two in this embodiment) are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 (see FIG. 4). By forming such air vents 32 in the bottom plate 3, an air passage passing through the air vent 32 in the bottom plate 3 and the gap 104 in the mounting base 100 can also be formed below the air vent 8. This ensures ventilation through the air vents 8, 21a, 21b, and 32 and the gap 104 in the mounting base 100, thereby effectively suppressing a rise in the temperature of the culture medium.
[0040] A plurality of ventilation holes 40 are also formed in the pair of side plates 4a, 4b. The ventilation holes 40 are formed by providing a plurality of through holes in a circular area, and a plurality of these circular ventilation holes 40 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 (in this embodiment, six holes are provided in each of the side plates 4a, 4b, for a total of 12 holes). Ventilation through the ventilation holes 40 in the side plates 4a, 4b can also prevent the temperature of the culture medium from rising. Furthermore, by making the ventilation holes 40 the same shape (circular) as the ventilation holes 21b in the support plate 2, the appearance of the tunnel planter 1 can be improved.
[0041] Although the end plate 6 in this embodiment is a single plate without any vent holes, multiple vent holes may be formed in the end plate 6. By providing vent holes in the end plate 6, the rise in the culture medium temperature can be more effectively suppressed.
[0042] In this way, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the tunnel planter 1 is placed on the mounting base 100 for planting, but as in the prior art, it is also possible to perform elevated cultivation with the tunnel planter 1 suspended from a support (a rod or string-like object) installed at a position higher than the ground and inserted into the ventilation hole 8. As a known configuration can be used for such a support, detailed description will be omitted, but examples include the support body 10 and hanging rope 13 disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-217286.
[0043] That is, the tunnel planter 1 of this embodiment can be suspended by inserting the above-mentioned known support tool into the ventilation hole 8, or the bottom plate 3 covering the lower part of the ventilation hole 8 can be supported on the mounting base 100 or the like. Therefore, the tunnel planter 1 can be supported in a variety of ways, improving the versatility of the tunnel planter 1.
[0044] Furthermore, when the tunnel planter 1 is used by hanging it using the above-mentioned known support device, the lower side of the bottom plate 3 is open (there is no member supporting the bottom plate 3), so that ventilation through the ventilation holes 32 in the bottom plate 3 can prevent the temperature of the culture medium from rising.
[0045] Furthermore, if the posture of the tunnel planter 1 suspended from the above-mentioned known support device is unstable (for example, if the tunnel planter 1 rotates relative to the support body 10), a separate member (means for restricting the rotation of the tunnel planter 1 relative to the support body 10) can be provided to connect both longitudinal ends of the tunnel planter 1 to the hanging rope 13.
[0046] The culture medium held in the tunnel planter 1 is supplied with moisture, such as water or nutrient solution, from a supply means (not shown, for example, the irrigation pipe 200 shown in FIG. 7(b)). This moisture tends to accumulate on the edge 30 (bottom wall) of the bottom plate 3, which is located between the support plate 2 and the side plates 4a and 4b. Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple drainage holes 33 are formed in the edge 30 of the bottom plate 3. The multiple drainage holes 33 are arranged at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1, and drainage through these drainage holes 33 prevents excess moisture from accumulating on the edge 30 of the bottom plate 3. This prevents the culture medium environment from deteriorating. Furthermore, ventilation through the drainage holes 33 is ensured, which helps prevent the culture medium temperature from rising.
[0047] Next, the detailed configuration and assembly method of the tunnel planter 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and subsequent figures. First, the detailed configuration of the support plate 2 and the method for engaging the support plate 2 with the bottom plate 3 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the support plate 2, and Fig. 4 is an expanded plan view of the resin plate 10 that forms the outer shell of the tunnel planter 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter 1 showing the method for engaging the support plate 2 with the bottom plate 3.
[0048] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tunnel planter 1 is assembled from two resin (synthetic resin, etc.) plates: a flat, rectangular support plate 2 (see Figure 3) and a resin plate 10 (see Figure 4) that is integrally formed with a bottom plate 3, side plates 4a, 4b, connecting plate 5, and end plate 6.
[0049] 3, the support plate 2 has rectangular engagement pieces 22 that protrude from the long sides in the width direction of the support plate 2, and claws 23 (see the enlarged portion in FIG. 1) that protrude from the engagement pieces 22 in the plate thickness direction (toward the support surface 20) of the support plate 2. These engagement pieces 22 and claws 23 are formed integrally with the support plate 2.
[0050] A plurality of engaging pieces 22 (in this embodiment, five on each long side, a total of ten) are formed and arranged at equal intervals along each long side of the support plate 2. Claws 23 formed on each of these engaging pieces 22 are protrusions that extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the support plate 2, and these claws 23 fix the engaging pieces 22 to the bottom plate 3 (see FIG. 4).
[0051] As shown in Fig. 4, the bottom plate 3 is formed with engagement holes 34 for engaging with the engagement pieces 22. The engagement holes 34 are rectangular elongated holes extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 3, and are formed in multiple locations (ten locations in this embodiment) into which the engagement pieces 22 (see Fig. 3) of the support plate 2 can be inserted. The spacing between the engagement holes 34 in the width direction of the bottom plate 3 is smaller than the spacing between the engagement pieces 22 in the same direction (the width dimension of the support plate 2 including the engagement pieces 22).
[0052] Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, when fixing the support plate 2 to the bottom plate 3, the support plate 2 is curved by bending both widthwise ends of the support plate 2 downward, and each engagement piece 22 of the support plate 2 is inserted into the engagement hole 34 of the bottom plate 3.
[0053] An engagement piece 35 for hooking the claw 23 of the support plate 2 is formed integrally with the bottom plate 3 at the edge on the outer side of the engagement hole 34 in the width direction of the bottom plate 3 (to the right in the enlarged portion of FIG. 5). The engagement piece 35 covers part of the engagement hole 34 from above, and when the engagement piece 22 is inserted into the engagement hole 34, the claw 23 (engagement piece 22) elastically deforms, thereby engaging with the engagement piece 35. The engagement between the claw 23 and the engagement piece 35 prevents the engagement piece 22 from coming off the engagement hole 34.
[0054] Because the support plate 2 is engaged with the bottom plate 3 in a state in which it is bent into an upwardly convex curved shape, a restoring force acts on the engagement portion between the support plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, causing the support plate 2 to return from the curved shape to its original flat shape (before being engaged with the bottom plate 3). This restoring force acts in a direction that increases the engagement between the claw 23 and the engagement piece 35 (pushing the claw 23 to the right in the enlarged portion of Figure 5), making it difficult for the claw 23 and the engagement piece 35 to disengage.
[0055] 4 and 6, a detailed configuration of the side plates 4a, 4b and a method for engaging the side plate 4b with the bottom plate 3 will be described. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter 1 showing a method for engaging the side plate 4b with the bottom plate 3.
[0056] As shown in Fig. 4, one of a pair of substantially rectangular side plates 4a, 4b, side plate 4a, is integrally connected to one long side (the left side in Fig. 4) of bottom plate 3 of resin plate 10. Of the two long sides of side plate 4a, the side connected to bottom plate 3 will be referred to as long side 41a, and the side opposite thereto (the side that will become the upper end of side plate 4a after assembly) will be referred to as long side 42a.
[0057] A strip-shaped connecting plate 5 is integrally connected to both ends of the long side 42a in the longitudinal direction of the side plate 4a, and the side plate 4b is integrally connected to the side plate 4a via this connecting plate 5. In other words, before the tunnel planter 1 is assembled, the side plates 4a, 4b and connecting plate 5 are formed as a whole into a roughly rectangular plate, and the opening 7 is formed by hollowing out a rectangular portion of the center of this plate.
[0058] Of the two long sides of side plate 4b, the side connected to connecting plate 5 (the side that will become the upper end of side plate 4b after assembly) will be referred to as long side 41b, and the side opposite thereto will be referred to as long side 42b. Engagement pieces 43b that protrude from long side 42b in the width direction of side plate 4b are integrally formed with side plate 4b. A plurality of engagement pieces 43b (five in this embodiment) are formed and arranged at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction of side plate 4b, and these engagement pieces 43b engage with engagement holes 36 of bottom plate 3. Engagement holes 36 are rectangular elongated holes extending in the longitudinal direction of bottom plate 3, and a plurality of engagement holes (five in this embodiment) are formed at positions where the engagement pieces 43b of side plate 4b can be inserted.
[0059] As shown in Figure 6, when engaging the engaging piece 43b of the side plate 4b with the engaging hole 36 of the bottom plate 3, the side plate 4a is bent relative to the bottom plate 3 while curving the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5. To enable this bending of the side plate 4a relative to the bottom plate 3, the bottom plate 3 and the side plate 4a are connected together via a belt-shaped bending edge 11 (see the enlarged portion at the bottom left of Figure 6) that is thinner than the plates 3, 4a.
[0060] A claw 44b that protrudes in the thickness direction (toward the outer surface of the side plate 4b after assembly) is integrally formed at the tip of the engagement piece 43b. When the engagement piece 43b is inserted into the engagement hole 36, the claw 44b (engagement piece 43b) passes through the engagement hole 36 while elastically deforming, and the claw 44b engages with the underside of the bottom plate 3. This engagement between the underside of the bottom plate 3 and the claw 44b prevents the engagement piece 43b from coming out of the engagement hole 36.
[0061] Because the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5 are fixed to the bottom plate 3 in a bent tunnel shape (a curved shape that is convex upward), a restoring force acts on the engaging portion between the bottom plate 3 and the side plate 4b, trying to return them from the curved shape to their original flat shape (before they were engaged with the bottom plate 3). This restoring force acts in a direction that increases the engagement between the underside of the bottom plate 3 and the claw 44b (pushing the claw 44b to the right in the enlarged portion on the right side of Figure 6), making it difficult for the underside of the bottom plate 3 and the claw 44b to come out of engagement.
[0062] A guide wall 37 extending vertically from the engagement hole 36 is formed on the inside of the engagement hole 36 in the width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 6 ) of the bottom plate 3 (to the left of the engagement hole 36 in the enlarged portion at the bottom right of FIG. 6 ). The guide wall 37 is longer vertically than the engagement hole 36 and is formed along the inner circumferential surface of the engagement hole 36, so that the guide wall 37 can guide the insertion of the engagement piece 43b toward the engagement hole 36. This facilitates the insertion of the engagement piece 43b into the engagement hole 36 (engaging the bottom plate 3 with the claw 44b). Note that a wall equivalent to this guide wall 37 may be formed at the engagement portion between the engagement piece 22 (see FIG. 5 ) of the support plate 2 and the bottom plate 3.
[0063] After engaging the side plate 4b with the bottom plate 3, the end plate 6 is engaged with the support plate 2, side plates 4a and 4b, and connecting plate 5 (see Figure 7(a)), thereby completing the assembly of the tunnel planter 1.
[0064] Next, with reference to Figures 4 and 7(a), the detailed configuration of the end plate 6 and the method of engaging the end plate 6 with the support plate 2, side plates 4a and 4b, and connecting plate 5 will be described. Figure 7(a) is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel planter 1 showing the method of engaging the end plate 6 with the support plate 2, side plates 4a and 4b, and connecting plate 5. Note that Figure 7(a) illustrates a cross-section cut along a plane perpendicular to the width direction of the tunnel planter 1, that is, a cross-section cut at the center of the tunnel planter 1 in the width direction.
[0065] As shown in Figure 4, the end plates 6 are foldably connected to the two short sides of the bottom plate 3 via bending edges 12. The bending edges 12 are strip-shaped plates that are thinner than the bottom plate 3 and the end plates 6. The end plates 6 are provided with through holes 60 formed by hollowing out a portion of the connection portion with the bending edges 12 (the edges of the end plates 6 connected to the bending edges 12). The through holes 60 have an inner peripheral surface that is arc-shaped and convex in the direction away from the bending edges 12, and the arc shape of the inner peripheral surface of the through holes 64 approximately matches the curved shape of the support plate 2 (i.e., the semicircular shape of the ventilation openings 8) when the support plate 2 is engaged with the bottom plate 3 (the state shown in Figure 5 or 6).
[0066] Furthermore, an insertion groove 61 extending in a semi-elliptical shape is formed along the edge of the end plate 6. The semi-elliptical shape of this insertion groove 61 roughly matches the curved shapes of the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5 when the side plate 4b is engaged with the bottom plate 3 (see FIG. 6).
[0067] Therefore, by bending the end plate 6 along the bending edge 12 as shown in Figure 7(a) with the support plate 2 and side plate 4b engaged with the bottom plate 3 (as shown in Figure 6), the support plate 2 can be fitted into the inner periphery of the through hole 60 at the same time as bending, and the edges of the side plates 4a, 4b and connecting plate 5 can be easily inserted into the insertion groove 61.
[0068] When the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5 are inserted into the insertion grooves 61, the deformation of the plates 4a, 4b, 5 that would otherwise return to their original flat shape (before the tunnel planter 1 was assembled) is restricted by the insertion grooves 61. This makes it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0069] As shown in the enlarged lower portion of FIG. 7(a), the outer peripheral surface (top surface) of the support plate 2 is formed with claws 24 for engaging the end plate 6. The claws 24 are protrusions that protrude toward the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 60 of the end plate 6, and engagement holes 62 (recesses) are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 60 at positions corresponding to the claws 24. Therefore, when the support plate 2 is fitted into the inner peripheral side of the through hole 60, the claws 24 (support plate 2) elastically deform, causing the claws 24 to engage with the engagement holes 62. The engagement between the claws 24 and the engagement holes 62 prevents the support plate 2 and the end plate 6 from disengaging. This makes it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0070] 7(a), claws 63 for hooking the edges of the connecting plate 5 are formed inside the insertion groove 61. The claws 63 are protrusions that protrude toward the outer peripheral surface of the connecting plate 5 inserted into the insertion groove 61, and a plurality of engagement holes 50 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting plate 5 at positions corresponding to the claws 63.
[0071] As a result, when the connecting plate 5 is inserted into the insertion groove 61, the claws 63 elastically deform and engage with the engagement holes 50. Although not shown, this engagement by the engagement holes 50 and the claws 63 is also provided at the insertion portions of the side plates 4a, 4b in the insertion groove 61. Therefore, the engagement by the engagement holes 50 and the claws 63 can prevent the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5 from coming out of the insertion groove 61. This makes it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0072] In the region where the claw 63 is formed, a through-hole 64 is formed that penetrates the insertion groove 61 (end plate 6). In this case, for example, it is possible to omit the engagement hole 50 and the claw 63, and form an engagement piece on the connecting plate 5 that extends so as to penetrate the through-hole 64 (passing to the right in Figure 7(a)), and to have the claw provided on the engagement piece engage with the outer surface of the end plate 6. However, with such a configuration, the engagement portion between the end plate 6 and the claw is exposed to the outside, making it easier for external force to be applied to this engagement portion.
[0073] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, by engaging the engagement hole 50 and the claw 63 inside the insertion groove 61, it is possible to prevent external force from being applied to the engagement portion of the engagement hole 50 and the claw 63. This prevents the engagement from coming loose, making it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0074] Here, the dimensions of the side plates 4a, 4b in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 (left and right direction in Fig. 7(a)) are formed to be larger than the dimensions of the end plate 6 in the width direction of the tunnel planter 1 (direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Fig. 7(a)), so the load acting on the side plates 4a, 4b due to the weight of the culture medium tends to be larger than that on the end plate 6. In other words, the load that deforms the side plates 4a, 4b by pushing them apart when they are bent from the bottom plate 3 tends to act on the side plates 4a, 4b.
[0075] In response to this, by inserting the side plates 4a, 4b into the insertion grooves 61 formed in the end plate 6, the deformation of the side plates 4a, 4b as described above can be restricted by the engagement between the insertion grooves 61 and the side plates 4a, 4b. This makes it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0076] It is also possible to omit the connecting plate 5 and insert only the side plates 4a, 4b into the insertion groove 61, but in this embodiment, both longitudinal ends of the pair of side plates 4a, 4b are connected by the connecting plate 5, and this connecting plate 5 is also inserted into the insertion groove 61. This makes it possible to more effectively restrict deformation of the side plates 4a, 4b as described above, compared to when the connecting plate 5 is omitted and only the side plates 4a, 4b are inserted into the insertion groove 61. This makes it easier to maintain the shape of the tunnel planter 1 after assembly.
[0077] As described above, the tunnel planter 1 of this embodiment is formed by assembling two resin plates, the support plate 2 and the resin plate 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). This reduces the storage space required for the tunnel planter 1 before assembly and makes it easier to transport the tunnel planter 1 before assembly. In addition, by disengaging the engaging portions of the support plate 2 and the resin plate 10, the tunnel planter 1 can be disassembled into the two plates.
[0078] Next, a modified example of the tunnel planter 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7(b). Fig. 7(b) is a partially enlarged front view of the tunnel planter 1 showing the modified example. Fig. 7(b) corresponds to the front view of the tunnel planter 1 as viewed in the direction of arrow VIIb in Fig. 7(a), and shows only the upper end portion of the end plate 6 in a partially enlarged view.
[0079] In the modified tunnel planter 1 shown in Figure 7(b), an irrigation pipe 200 is held by an end plate 6. The irrigation pipe 200 is a pipe that supplies moisture such as water or nutrient solution to the culture medium stored in the tunnel planter 1. The irrigation pipe 200 is formed in a cylindrical shape that extends in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 7(b)).
[0080] An arc-shaped recess 65 is formed at the upper end of the end plate 6, and a pair of locking pieces 66 protrude upward from both ends of the recess 65 in the width direction of the tunnel planter 1 (the left-right direction in Figure 7(b)). The locking piece 66 has an arc portion 66a formed in an arc shape concentric with the arc-shaped recess 65, and a bent portion 66b bent from the upper end of the arc portion 66a. The arc portion 66a and the bent portion 66b are formed integrally with the end plate 6.
[0081] The distance between the upper ends of the pair of arcuate portions 66a is narrower than the diameter of the irrigation pipe 200, while the pair of bent portions 66b are inclined upward so as to move away from the opposing space between the pair of arcuate portions 66a. Therefore, by inserting the irrigation pipe 200 between the bent portions 66b, the locking pieces 66 elastically deform so as to widen the space between them, and this elastic deformation allows the irrigation pipe 200 to fit into the inner periphery of the arcuate portions 66a of the locking pieces 66. This allows the irrigation pipe 200 to be fixed to the tunnel planter 1, so that moisture from the irrigation pipe 200 can be appropriately supplied to the culture medium housed in the tunnel planter 1.
[0082] In this modified example, a locking piece 66 is formed on the edge of the recess 65, but the locking piece 66 may be omitted and the irrigation pipe 200 may simply be hooked (placed) on the recess 65.
[0083] The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above form in any way, and it can be easily inferred that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.
[0084] In the above embodiment, the tunnel planter 1 is used for elevated cultivation, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the tunnel planter 1 may be used by placing it on the ground or other known support means.
[0085] In the above embodiment, the relative displacement of the tunnel planter 1 with respect to the mounting base 100 is restricted by the engagement between the engagement hole 31 in the bottom plate 3 and the convex portion 103 of the mounting base 100, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, an engagement hole (hole or recess) may be provided on the mounting base 100, and a convex portion that fits into the engagement hole may be provided on the bottom plate 3. Alternatively, an engagement hole (recess) for fitting the beams 102a, 102b of the mounting base 100 may be formed in the bottom plate 3, and the engagement hole (recess) may be engaged with the beams 102a, 102b (convex portion). Alternatively, the engagement hole 31 may be omitted.
[0086] The shapes and numbers of the ventilation holes and drain holes described in the above embodiment are merely examples and can be set as appropriate. Therefore, for example, the cross-sectional shape of the ventilation hole 8 may be formed into a circle, a rectangle, or another polygonal shape, and two or more ventilation holes 8 may be formed. Also, either (or both) of the ventilation hole 32 and the drain hole 33 in the bottom plate 3 may be omitted.
[0087] In the above embodiment, the shape of the support surface 20 of the support plate 2 (cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1) is described as semicircular, but the shape of the support surface 20 may also be rectangular or another polygonal shape.
[0088] In the above embodiment, the case has been described in which the support plate 2 is fixed inside both widthwise ends of the bottom plate 3, and the bottom surface of the culture medium storage area is formed by the support plate 2 (support surface 20) and the edge portion 30 of the bottom plate 3, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, one widthwise end of the support plate 2 may be fixed to one of the pair of side plates 4a, 4b. Also, both widthwise ends of the support plate 2 may be fixed to the side plates 4a, 4b, and the bottom surface of the culture medium storage area may be formed only by the support plate 2 (support surface 20).
[0089] In the above embodiment, the case where the vent hole 8 is covered from below by the bottom plate 3 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the bottom plate 3 may be omitted, leaving the entire vent hole 8 open. When the bottom plate 3 is omitted, the support plate 2 may be part of the resin plate 10, and the tunnel planter 1 may be assembled from a single plate.
[0090] In the above embodiment, the tunnel planter 1 is assembled by bending and engaging each of the plates (hereinafter referred to as "each plate"), namely the support plate 2, the bottom plate 3, the side plates 4a and 4b, the connecting plate 5, and the end plate 6, but this is not necessarily limited to this. Instead of assembling each plate to form the tunnel planter 1, for example, the tunnel planter 1 may be integrally molded (i.e., a tunnel planter shaped as shown in FIG. 1 is integrally formed by molding, making it virtually impossible to disassemble the tunnel planter).
[0091] Furthermore, the parts that make up the bottom wall, side walls, and end walls of the tunnel planter 1 (each part that surrounds the storage area for the culture medium) do not need to be flat; as long as they are formed into a wall that at least surrounds the storage area for the culture medium, the thickness (cross-sectional shape) of each of these walls can be set appropriately.
[0092] Alternatively, some or all of the plates may be formed separately and connected by engaging the engaging pieces (claws) with the engaging holes as described in the above embodiment, or the plates may be connected by known joining methods such as gluing or welding. Also, some of the plates surrounding the storage area (for example, end plates) may be replaced with other known materials (capable of holding culture media), such as mesh, instead of resin plates.
[0093] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which an engagement piece (claw) is formed on one member (for example, support plate 2) and an engagement hole is formed on the other member (for example, bottom plate 3), but it is of course possible to reverse this relationship (for example, forming the engagement piece on bottom plate 3 and forming the engagement hole on support plate 2). Furthermore, the direction in which the claw protrudes can be set appropriately (for example, claw 23 shown in the enlarged portion of FIG. 5 can be made to protrude to the left of FIG. 5 or in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 5), and the engagement hole may be a recess rather than a through hole.
[0094] In the above embodiment, the side plates 4b and the end plates 6 are foldably connected to the bottom plate 3, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, each of the side plates 4a, 4b may be foldably connected to the bottom plate 3. Also, the end plates 6 may be foldably connected to the side plates 4a, 4b instead of the bottom plate 3, or the side plates 4a, 4b may be foldably connected to the end plates 6.
[0095] In the above embodiment, the side plates 4a, 4b are connected by the connecting plate 5, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, instead of (or in addition to) the connecting plate 5, a connecting section may be provided that connects the side plates 4a, 4b closer to the center of the tunnel planter 1 in the longitudinal direction than the connecting plate 5. Such a connecting section may be integral with the side plates 4a, 4b, or a connecting section separate from the side plates 4a, 4b may be attached after assembling the tunnel planter 1. Furthermore, the connecting plate 5 may be omitted. In this case, the side plates 4a, 4b may each be connected to the bottom plate 3 in a foldable manner.
[0096] In the above embodiment, the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5 are inserted into the insertion groove 61 of the end plate 6, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, insertion grooves into which the end plate 6 can be inserted may be formed on the side plates 4a, 4b and the connecting plate 5, or the insertion groove 61 may be omitted.
[0097] In the above embodiment, the engaging hole 50 and the claw 63 are engaged inside the insertion groove 61, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, an engaging piece extending (to the right in FIG. 7(a)) through the through-hole 64 of the insertion groove 61 may be formed on the connecting plate 5, and a claw provided on the engaging piece may be engaged with the outer surface of the end plate 6.
[0098] In the above embodiment, the tunnel planter 1 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above (the dimension of the side plates 4a, 4b in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel planter 1 is greater than the dimension of the end plate 6 in the width direction of the tunnel planter 1), but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the tunnel planter 1 may be configured to be formed in a square shape when viewed from above. Furthermore, the shape of the tunnel planter 1 when viewed from above is not limited to a rectangle, and can be set as appropriate.
[0099] In the above embodiment, the end plate 6 is semi-elliptical, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the end plate 6 may be formed in a circular, rectangular or other polygonal shape. <Other> JP 2014-217286 A (for example, paragraphs 0032 and 0047, Figures 1 and 3) describes a technique in which a tunnel-shaped (U-shaped) tubular body 6 is formed by an outer pipe wall 3 and an inner pipe wall 4, and plants are grown in a culture medium 7 filled in a conduit 5 inside the tubular body 6. In this technique, a hollow passage 8 is formed on the inner periphery of the U-shaped tubular body 6, and a support 10 installed at a position higher than the ground is inserted into this hollow passage 8. Therefore, by planting plants in the culture medium 7 through a plurality of through-holes 2 formed in the outer pipe wall 3, so-called "elevated cultivation," in which the plants are grown at high altitudes, becomes possible. In such elevated cultivation, the tubular body 6 is placed at a high position, which makes it easy for the temperature of the culture medium 7 inside the tubular body 6 to rise. In response to this, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of through-holes 2 are formed in each of the outer tubular wall 3 and the inner tubular wall 4. The rise in the culture medium temperature can be suppressed by ventilation through these through-holes 2, and therefore deterioration of the culture medium environment can be suppressed. However, in the conventional technology described above, when filling or discharging the culture medium 7 into or from the tubular body 6, it is necessary to take the culture medium 7 in or out from openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the tubular body 6. Therefore, there is a problem in that filling and discharging the culture medium 7 is time-consuming. The present technical idea has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a planter that can easily fill and discharge the culture medium. <Means> The planter of technical idea 1 has a first air vent extending in a first direction and a plurality of second air vents connected to the first air vent, and is equipped with a ridge-shaped support surface extending in the first direction above the first air vent, and a pair of side walls having a plurality of third air vents and facing each other across the support surface in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a storage area for culture medium is formed by the support surface and the pair of side walls, and is equipped with a pair of end walls that close both ends of the storage area in the first direction, and an opening formed above the storage area and with an opening area larger than the area of the end walls. The planter of Technical Concept 2 is the planter according to Technical Concept 1, wherein the opening dimension of the opening is larger than the dimension of the support surface in the second direction. The planter of Technical Concept 3 is the planter according to Technical Concept 1, wherein the end wall has a plurality of fourth vent holes that connect the storage area to the outside. The planter of Technical Idea 4 is a planter according to Technical Idea 1, which is provided with a bottom wall that connects the lower end of the support surface and the lower end of the side wall in the second direction, and the bottom wall has a plurality of drainage holes. The planter of Technical Concept 5 is the planter according to Technical Concept 1, further comprising a bottom plate that covers the lower part of the first vent hole. The planter of Technical Concept 6 is the planter according to Technical Concept 5, wherein the bottom plate is provided with a fifth vent hole that connects the first vent hole to the outside. The planter of Technical Idea 7 is a planter described in Technical Idea 5 that is placed on a support stand at a position higher than the ground, and the bottom plate has a fitting hole into which a protrusion protruding upward from the support stand is fitted, and the relative movement of the bottom plate with respect to the support stand is restricted by the fitting of the protrusion with the fitting hole. The planter of Technical Idea 8 is a planter described in Technical Idea 5, which comprises a first plate made of resin that is integrally formed with the rectangular bottom plate, a pair of side plates that form the side walls, and a pair of end plates that form the end walls, and a second plate made of resin that is attached to the bottom plate to form the support surface, and the outer shell is formed by bending each side of the bottom plate, side plates, and end plates of the first plate and fixing the bent state. The planter of Technical Idea 9 is a planter described in Technical Idea 8, in which the pair of side plates are foldably connected to the edges of the bottom plate extending in the first direction, the end plates are foldably connected to the edges of the bottom plate extending in the second direction, and one of the side plates or the end plates has an insertion groove into which the edge of the other plate is inserted. The planter of Technical Idea 10 is a planter described in Technical Idea 9, in which one of the side panels and the end panels has an elastically deformable claw, and the other has an engagement hole with which the claw engages due to the elastic deformation of the claw, and the claw and the engagement hole engage inside the insertion groove. The planter of Technical Idea 11 is a planter according to Technical Idea 9, in which the dimensions of the side panels in the first direction are larger than the dimensions of the end panels in the second direction, and the end panels are provided with the insertion grooves. The planter of Technical Idea 12 is a planter described in Technical Idea 11, in which the first plate is provided with a connecting plate that connects both ends of the pair of side plates in the first direction and whose edge is inserted into the insertion groove, only one of the pair of side plates is foldably connected to the bottom plate, and the other side plate is engaged with the bottom plate, and the insertion groove has an upwardly convex curved shape. <Effects> According to the planter described in Technical Idea 1, both ends of the culture medium storage area in the extension direction (first direction) of the ridge-shaped support surface are closed by a pair of end walls, so the culture medium storage area is surrounded on all sides by the side walls and end walls. An opening with an opening area larger than the area of the end walls is formed above this storage area, so the opening area can be made larger than in conventional cases where openings for introducing and retrieving culture medium are formed on both ends of the axial direction (first direction) of the pipe body. This has the effect of facilitating the filling and emptying of culture medium into and from the planter. The planter according to Technical Concept 2 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Concept 1. In the opposing direction of the pair of side walls (second direction), the opening dimension of the opening is larger than the dimension of the support surface, so the opening area of the opening can be made larger. This has the effect of making it easier to fill and discharge the culture medium. The planter according to Technical Concept 3 has the following effect in addition to the effect of the planter according to Technical Concept 1. The end wall has a plurality of fourth vents that connect the culture medium storage area to the outside, so ventilation through the fourth vents has the effect of suppressing an increase in the culture medium temperature. The planter described in Technical Concept 4 achieves the same effect as the planter described in Technical Concept 1, but also achieves the following effect: The lower end of the support surface and the lower end of the side wall are connected by a bottom wall, and multiple drainage holes are formed in the bottom wall. Drainage through these drainage holes prevents excess water from remaining on the bottom wall, which has the effect of preventing the culture medium environment from deteriorating. The planter according to Technical Idea 5 achieves the following effects in addition to the effects achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 1. Because it is provided with a bottom plate that covers the lower part of the first vent, the bottom plate can be supported on a stand (frame) or the like. Furthermore, by inserting a known support into the first vent, the planter can be suspended at a high place. This has the effect of enabling the planter to be supported in a variety of ways. The planter according to Technical Idea 6 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 5. The bottom plate is provided with a fifth vent that connects the first vent to the outside, ensuring ventilation through the first vent, second vent, and fifth vent. Therefore, even if the lower part of the first vent is covered with the bottom plate, there is an effect that the rise in culture medium temperature can be suppressed. The planter according to Technical Idea 7 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 5. The planter is placed on a stand at a position higher than the ground, and the bottom plate of the planter has a fitting hole into which a protrusion protruding upward from the stand is fitted. This allows the protrusion to fit (catch) into the fitting hole, thereby restricting relative movement of the bottom plate with respect to the stand. This has the effect of allowing the planter to be stably supported on the stand. The planter described in Technical Concept 8 achieves the following effects in addition to the effects achieved by the planter described in Technical Concept 5. It includes a first resin plate that is integrally formed with a rectangular bottom plate, a pair of side plates that form the side walls, and a pair of end plates that form the end walls. The outer shell of the planter is formed by bending each side of the bottom plate, side plates, and end plates of this first plate and fixing the folded state. A second resin plate is attached to the bottom plate of the first plate, forming a support surface for the culture medium, so the planter can be formed from two resin plates. In other words, because the planter before assembly is made up of two resin plates, it has the effect of reducing the storage space for the planter before assembly and making it easier to transport the planter before assembly. The planter according to Technical Idea 9 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 8. A pair of side panels are foldably connected to the sides of the bottom panel that extend in the extension direction of the support surface (first direction), and a pair of end panels are foldably connected to the sides that extend in the opposing direction of the pair of side panels (second direction). Either one of the side panels or the end panels has an insertion groove into which the edge of the other panel is inserted, so that the insertion groove can restrict deformation of the folded panel (the other panel) so that it returns to its original shape. This has the effect of making it easier to maintain the shape of the planter after assembly. The planter according to Technical Idea 10 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 9. One of the side panels and the end panels has an elastically deformable claw, and the other has an engagement hole (hole or recess) into which the claw engages due to the elastic deformation of the claw. Because the claw and the engagement hole engage inside the insertion groove, the engagement portion between the claw and the engagement hole can be prevented from being exposed to the outside. This prevents external force from being applied to the engagement portion, which has the effect of making it difficult for the claw to disengage from the engagement hole. The planter according to Technical Idea 11 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 9. The dimensions of the side panels in the extension direction of the support surface (first direction) are larger than the dimensions of the end panels in the opposing direction of the pair of side panels (second direction). Therefore, the load acting on the side panels due to the weight of the culture medium is likely to be larger than that on the end panels. In other words, the weight of the culture medium tends to push the side panels apart and deform them. By inserting the side panels into the insertion grooves of the end panels, the aforementioned deformation can be regulated by the engagement between the side panels and the insertion grooves. This has the effect of making it easier to maintain the shape of the planter after assembly. The planter according to Technical Idea 12 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by the planter according to Technical Idea 11. The first plate has a connecting plate that connects both ends of the pair of side plates in the extension direction of the support surface (first direction), and the edges of this connecting plate are inserted into the insertion grooves of the end plates. This makes it possible to effectively restrict deformation such as the side plates being pushed apart by the connecting plate inserted into the insertion grooves. This has the effect of making it easier to maintain the shape of the planter after assembly. A pair of side panels are connected by a connecting plate, and only one of the pair of side panels is foldably connected to the bottom panel, while the other side panel is engaged with the bottom panel. The planter is assembled by bending one side panel while engaging the other side panel with the bottom panel. When the other side panel is engaged with the bottom panel, the connecting plate assumes an upwardly convex curved shape, and the insertion grooves of the end panels are similarly formed with upwardly convex curved shapes. Therefore, by bending the end panel relative to the bottom panel while the other side panel is engaged with the bottom panel, the side panel and end panel can be easily inserted into the insertion grooves simultaneously with the bending. This effectively improves the ease of assembly of the planter. [Explanation of symbols]
[0100] 1 Tunnel planter (planter) 2 Support plate (second plate) 20 Support surface 21a, 21b Ventilation port (second ventilation port) 3 Bottom plate 30 Edge of bottom plate Department 31 Mating hole 32 Vent (5th Vent) 33 Drain hole 4a, 4b side board 40 Vent (3rd Vent) 5 Connecting plate 50 engagement hole 6 ends board 61 Insertion groove 63 Nails 64 through holes 65 Recess (holding part) 66 Locking piece (holding part) 7 Openings 8 Vent (First Vent) 10 Resin plate (1st plate) 100 Mounting table 102a, 102b beam 103 Convex part 104 gap 200 irrigation pipe
Claims
1. A planter having a first vent extending in a first direction and a plurality of second vents connected to the first vent, a ridge-shaped support surface extending in the first direction above the first vent, and a pair of side walls having a plurality of third vents and facing each other across the support surface in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a storage area for a culture medium is formed by the support surface and the pair of side walls, a pair of end walls that close both ends of the storage area in the first direction; A planter characterized by having an opening formed above the storage area and having an opening area larger than the area of the end wall.
2. 2. The planter according to claim 1, wherein the opening dimension of the opening is larger than the dimension of the support surface in the second direction.
3. 2. The planter of claim 1, wherein the end wall includes a plurality of fourth vents connecting the storage area to the exterior.
4. a bottom wall connecting a lower end of the support surface and a lower end of the side wall in the second direction; 2. The planter of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of drainage holes.
5. 2. The planter according to claim 1, further comprising a bottom plate covering a lower portion of the first vent hole.
6. The planter according to claim 5, wherein the bottom plate is provided with a fifth vent hole that connects the first vent hole to the outside.
7. The planter is placed on a stand at a position higher than the ground, the bottom plate has a fitting hole into which a protrusion protruding upward from the mounting table is fitted, 6. The planter according to claim 5, wherein the relative movement of the bottom plate with respect to the stand is restricted by the engagement of the protrusion with the engagement hole.
8. a first plate made of resin, in which the rectangular bottom plate, a pair of side plates constituting the side walls, and a pair of end plates constituting the end walls are integrally formed; a second plate made of resin that is attached to the bottom plate to form the support surface, 6. The planter according to claim 5, wherein the outer shell is formed by bending each side of the bottom plate, the side plates, and the end plates of the first plate and fixing the bent state.
9. The pair of side plates are foldably connected to sides of the bottom plate extending in the first direction, the end plate is foldably connected to a side of the bottom plate extending in the second direction, 9. The planter according to claim 8, wherein one of the side panels and the end panels has an insertion groove into which the edge of the other panel is inserted.
10. One of the side plate and the end plate has an elastically deformable claw, and the other has an engagement hole with which the claw engages by elastic deformation of the claw, 10. The planter according to claim 9, wherein the claw and the engagement hole are engaged inside the insertion groove.
11. The side plate has a dimension in the first direction greater than a dimension of the end plate in the second direction, 10. The planter of claim 9, wherein the end plate includes the insertion groove.
12. the first plate includes a connecting plate that connects both end portions of the pair of side plates in the first direction and has an edge that is inserted into the insertion groove; Only one of the pair of side plates is foldably connected to the bottom plate, and the other side plate is engaged with the bottom plate, 12. The planter according to claim 11, wherein the insertion groove has an upwardly convex curved shape.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Assembled planting device
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Plant growth environment-adjusting device
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