Mist supply apparatus

Abstract

To provide a mist supply apparatus that can promote cultivation of plants and visual presentation effect.SOLUTION: A mist supply apparatus comprises: a mist generator which generates mist; a pot supporting part which supports a pot into which plant culture medium with a plant planted therein is placed; a mist discharging hole formed in the pot support part; and a mist supply space which supplies mist generated in the mist generator to the plant culture medium portion of the pot.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mist supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a system for greening the roof and / or wall surfaces of a building with greening plants, which includes a planting bed for greening plants installed with a predetermined space between the planting bed and the roof and / or wall surface of the building, and a spraying device that sprays water and / or culture solution for cultivating greening plants into the space between the planting bed and the roof and / or wall surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-090623 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a mist supplying device that can promote plant cultivation and produce visual effects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The mist supply device of the present disclosure includes a mist generating device that generates mist, a pot support part that supports a pot containing a plant culture medium in which a plant is planted, a mist exhaust hole formed in the pot support part, and a mist supply space for supplying the mist generated by the mist generating device to the plant culture medium part of the pot. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, by sending mist generated by a mist generator to a mist supply space, moisture can be supplied to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant. Then, by sending the mist sent to the mist supply space out of the mist supply space through a mist exhaust hole, watering can be performed on the leaves of the plant. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a mist supply device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a part of a pot support plate of the mist supply device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a mist supply device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a mist supply device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] A longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 4 in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time when the inventors came up with the idea for the present disclosure, there was a technology in existence that allowed the greening plants to be cultivated and the factory rooftop to be greened by having each spray nozzle of a spray device spray a mist of nutrient solution for greening plants into the space between the rooftop of a factory and the planting bed of greening plants, and having the mist of nutrient solution be directly absorbed by the root hairs of the greening plants planted in the planting bed. However, in conventional techniques, the space below the planting bed is covered with a curtain or the like to prevent the mist of water or culture solution for plant cultivation from leaking outside. Here, when a plant is placed indoors for ornamental purposes, it is thought that releasing a mist of water outside can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect. However, the inventors discovered a problem in that the above-mentioned conventional technology does not anticipate releasing the mist outside, and in order to solve this problem, they came up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a mist supplying device that can cultivate plants and produce visual effects.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [1-1.Configuration] Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a mist supplying device in accordance with Embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a part of a pot support plate of the mist supplying device in accordance with Embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the mist supply device 1 has a box-shaped housing 10. A partition plate 11 is provided in the approximate center of the housing 10 in the vertical direction. The upper surface of the partition plate 11 is an inclined surface 12 formed so that the height of one end is lower than the height of the other end. A drain outlet 13 is provided at the lowest portion of the inclined surface 12 of the partition plate 11. A drain receiver 14 is provided below the drain outlet 13. One end of a drain hose 15 is connected to the drain outlet 13, and the other end of the drain hose 15 is disposed inside the drain receiver 14.

[0012] The space above the partition plate 11 is a mist supply space 20, and the space below the partition plate 11 is a mist generation space 21. The front of the mist supply space 20 is a window 22 made of a transparent material such as acrylic. The window 22 can be opened and closed by an opening and closing door (not shown). That is, when the opening and closing door is open, the mist supply space 20 can be seen from the outside, and when the opening and closing door is closed, the mist supply space 20 cannot be seen from the outside. An opening / closing door (not shown) is also provided in front of the mist generating space 21, and in a normal state, the opening / closing door is kept closed. When maintenance of the mist generating device, which will be described later, is to be performed, the mist generating space 21 can be accessed by opening the door.

[0013] A mist generating device 30 is housed inside the mist generating space 21. The mist generator 30 includes, for example, an ultrasonic mist generator 31 and a mist fan 32 for supplying the mist generated from the mist generator 31. The mist generating unit 31 is not limited to the ultrasonic type, and known methods such as water crushing type and spray type can be applied. Inside the mist generating device 30, a water level detecting device 33 for managing the water level stored inside the mist generating device 30 is provided. A communication pipe 34 that passes through the partition plate 11 and communicates with the mist supply space 20 is connected to the upper part of the mist generator 30 .

[0014] The mist generating space 21 also contains a water tank 35 for storing water to be sent to the mist generating device 30. The water tank 35 is connected to the mist generator 30 via a water supply pipe 36. A water supply pump 37 is provided midway through the water supply pipe 36.

[0015] Above the mist supply space 20, a pot support plate 40 made of a transparent material such as acrylic is provided. 2, pot support holes 41 are formed at predetermined intervals in pot support plate 40. In this embodiment, pot support plate 40 and pot support holes 41 constitute a pot support portion of the present disclosure. A plurality of mist exhaust holes 42 are formed on the outer periphery of the pot support hole 41 . A plurality of mist exhaust holes 42 are arranged concentrically with respect to the pot support hole 41. It is preferable that three or more mist exhaust holes 42 are formed for one pot support hole 41.

[0016] The diameter of the mist exhaust hole 42 is preferably, for example, about 2 mm to 20 mm. If the diameter of the mist exhaust hole 42 is too small, a water film will be formed by the mist filling the mist supply space 20, which may block the mist exhaust hole 42. On the other hand, if the diameter of the mist exhaust hole 42 is too large, the amount of mist sent to the mist supply space 20 that is exhausted from the mist exhaust hole 42 will increase, which may make it impossible to ensure sufficient internal humidity in the mist supply space 20.

[0017] The mist exhaust hole 42 is preferably disposed at a distance of, for example, about 2 mm to 200 mm from the outer edge of the pot support hole 41. If the mist exhaust hole 42 is too far from the outer edge of the pot support hole 41, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole 42 will not directly hit the leaves of the plant, etc., and there is a risk that the watering effect will not be as expected.

[0018] A pot 50 is placed in the pot support hole 41. A plant medium 51 is accommodated in the pot 50, and a plant 52 is planted in the plant medium 51. As the plant culture medium 51, any medium such as soil, sponge, or sphagnum moss may be used as long as it is capable of planting the plants 52. The upper part of the pot 50 is located above the pot support plate 40 , and the lower part of the pot 50 is located below the pot support plate 40 . In addition, a plurality of exposure holes 53 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the pot 50. These exposure holes 53 expose a portion of the plant culture medium 51 to the mist supply space 20, and also expose the roots of the plant 52 that have grown out of the plant culture medium 51 to the mist supply space 20. On the upper surface of the pot support plate 40, for example, decorative grass or moss is laid, which covers the periphery of the pot 50 and the mist exhaust hole 42, although this is not shown.

[0019] [1-2. Effect] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. First, the water supply pump 37 is driven to send water from the water tank 35 to the mist generator 30 via the water supply pipe 36. The mist generating unit 31 and the mist fan 32 of the mist generator 30 are driven to cause the mist generator 30 to generate mist. The mist generated by the mist generator 30 is sent to the inside of the mist supply space 20 via a communication pipe 34 . This mist fills the inside of the mist supply space 20 and supplies moisture to the plant medium 51 in the pot 50 and the roots of the plant 52.

[0020] The mist that fills the inside of the mist supply space 20 is sent to the upper surface side of the pot support plate 40 through the mist exhaust hole 42. The mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole 42 hits the leaves of the plant 52, thereby watering the leaves. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole 42 can give people around the mist supply device 1 a feeling of coolness and a fantastic visual effect.

[0021] The mist supply device 1 generates mist at predetermined intervals. For example, the mist generator 30 is operated for one minute, and then, after five minutes have passed, the mist generator 30 is operated again for one minute, and this process is repeated. The operating time of the mist generator 30 and the interval between operations of the mist generator 30 can be set arbitrarily. Furthermore, the operating time and interval of the mist generator 30 may be changed between daytime and nighttime. Such an operation can be controlled by a control device that controls the operation of the mist generating unit 31 and the mist fan 32, by managing the operation using a timer.

[0022] Alternatively, when the mist generator 30 is not in operation, only the mist fan 32 may be operated. In this case, air that does not contain mist is sent into the mist supply space 20, which allows the roots of the plants 52 to dry out. By drying the roots of the plants 52, the moisture supply effect when mist is supplied by the mist generator 30 is increased.

[0023] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, the mist supply device 1 in this embodiment includes a substantially box-shaped housing 10, with a partition plate 11 provided in the approximate vertical center of the housing 10 to separate the housing 10 into upper and lower sections, and a pot support plate 40 (pot support portion) extending laterally provided above the partition plate 11, with a mist exhaust hole 42 formed in the pot support portion. The mist generator 30 is housed below the partition plate 11, and the partition plate 11 is provided with a communication pipe 34 that sends mist generated from the mist generator 30 to the mist supply space 20 surrounded by the housing 10, the upper surface of the partition plate 11, and the pot support plate 40. As a result, by sending the mist generated by the mist generator 30 to the mist supply space 20, moisture can be supplied to the plant medium 51 in the pot 50 and the roots of the plant 52. The mist sent to the mist supply space 20 is then discharged above the pot support plate 40 via the mist exhaust holes 42, allowing watering of the leaves of the plant 52. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust holes 42 can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device 1.

[0024] In addition, in the mist supply device 1 of this embodiment, the pot support portion is composed of a flat pot support plate 40 and a pot support hole 41 formed in the pot support plate 40 into which the pot 50 is inserted, and multiple mist exhaust holes 42 are arranged in the vicinity of the periphery of the pot support hole 41. This allows the mist discharged from the mist exhaust hole 42 to directly hit the plant 52 in the pot 50 inserted in the pot support hole 41, thereby improving the watering effect on the plant 52.

[0025] (Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. [2-1.Configuration] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a mist supply device in embodiment 2. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a mist supply device in embodiment 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of Fig. 4. 3 to 6, in this embodiment, the mist supply device 1 includes a substantially cylindrical base 60. A mist generator (not shown) is housed inside the base 60. The mist generator has the same configuration as in the first embodiment. A communication pipe 34 is provided on the upper surface of the base 60 .

[0026] A plurality of pot support plates 40 are provided on the upper surface side of the base 60. The pot support plates 40 have a shape that extends in the vertical direction, and a plurality of pot support holes 41 are formed in the vertical direction at predetermined intervals. The pot support plates 40 are arranged without gaps along the circumferential direction of the base 60, so that the plurality of pot support plates 40 are arranged in a polygonal shape in plan view. A disk-shaped top plate 61 is attached to the upper end of the pot support plate 40.

[0027] The space surrounded by the upper surface of the base 60, the top plate 61, and the pot support plate 40 is the mist supply space 20 according to this embodiment. In addition, the pot support plate 40 is not limited to a polygonal shape when viewed from above, as long as it can form the mist supply space 20, and can be formed into any shape when viewed from above, such as a triangular, rectangular, circular, semicircular, or elliptical shape.

[0028] A plurality of mist exhaust holes 42 are formed on the outer periphery of the pot support hole 41 . A pot containing a plant (not shown) is inserted into the pot support hole 41. In this embodiment, the pot is supported sideways.

[0029] [2-2. Effect] Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, mist is generated by operating the mist generating device. The mist is sent to the mist supply space 20 through the communication pipe 34, and fills the inside of the mist supply space 20, supplying moisture to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant.

[0030] The mist that fills the mist supply space 20 is sent to the outside of the pot support plate 40 through the mist exhaust hole 42. The mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole 42 hits the leaves of the plant, thereby watering the leaves.

[0031] In this embodiment, the pot support plate 40 is provided to extend vertically, and the pots are placed horizontally, so that the plants can be placed side by side vertically. This allows for use as a wall greening system. In particular, the mist supplying device 1 of this embodiment directly supplies moisture to the roots and leaves of plants with mist, eliminating the need for a large amount of plant culture medium and enabling significant weight reduction. Therefore, for example, the pot support plate 40 can be suspended from the ceiling for support, increasing the variety of ways in which the mist supplying device 1 can be installed.

[0032] [2-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, the mist supply device 1 in this embodiment includes a base 60 that houses a mist generator, and a pot support plate 40 (pot support portion) that extends in the vertical direction and is formed in a ring shape in a plan view is provided on the top of the base 60, and a mist exhaust hole 42 is formed in the pot support portion. A top plate 61 is provided on the top of the pot support plate 40, and a communication pipe 34 is provided on the top surface of the base 60 that sends mist generated from the mist generator to the mist supply space 20 that is surrounded by the top surface of the base 60, the top plate 61, and the pot support plate 40. As a result, by sending the mist generated by the mist generator to the mist supply space 20, moisture can be supplied to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant. The mist sent to the mist supply space 20 is then discharged to the outside of the pot support plate 40 via the mist exhaust holes 42, allowing the leaves of the plant to be watered. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust holes 42 can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device 1.

[0033] (Other embodiments) As described above, the above-mentioned first embodiment has been described as an example disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the above-mentioned first embodiment to create new embodiments.

[0034] For example, the mist supply device may be formed as a wall-mounted type that can be hung and held on a wall inside a room. In this case, the mist supply device has a roughly flat box-shaped housing, and a mist supply space is formed on the back side (indoor wall side) of the housing to supply mist from the mist generator. Plants are planted in plant culture medium on the front side (indoor side) of the housing, and the roots of the plants are placed in the mist supply space. By sending the mist from the mist generator to the mist supply space, moisture can be supplied to the roots of plants, and by discharging the mist sent to the mist supply space to the front side of the housing, it is possible to water the leaves of plants, etc., and it is also possible to provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device.

[0035] (Addendum) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0036] (Technology 1) A mist supply device comprising: a mist generator that generates mist; a pot support portion that supports a pot containing a plant culture medium in which a plant is planted; a mist exhaust hole formed in the pot support portion; and a mist supply space for supplying the mist generated by the mist generator to the plant culture medium portion of the pot. With this configuration, by sending the mist generated by the mist generator to the mist supply space, moisture can be supplied to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant. Then, by sending the mist sent to the mist supply space out of the mist supply space through the mist exhaust hole, the leaves of the plant can be watered. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device.

[0037] (Technology 2) A mist supply device according to Technology 1, comprising a roughly box-shaped housing, a partition plate that separates the housing into upper and lower sections provided at roughly the center in the vertical direction of the housing, the pot support portion extending laterally provided above the partition plate, the mist generator housed below the partition plate, and a communication pipe provided in the partition plate that sends mist generated from the mist generator to the mist supply space surrounded by the housing, the upper surface of the partition plate, and the pot support portion. With this configuration, the mist generated by the mist generator is sent to the mist supply space, thereby supplying moisture to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant. The mist sent to the mist supply space is then discharged above the pot support part through the mist exhaust hole, allowing watering of the plant's leaves, etc. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device.

[0038] (Technology 3) A mist supply device according to Technology 1, comprising a base on which the mist generator is housed, the pot support portion extending in the vertical direction and formed in a ring shape in a plan view is provided on the top of the base, a top plate is provided on the top of the pot support portion, and a communication pipe is provided on the top surface of the base for sending mist generated from the mist generator to the mist supply space surrounded by the top surface of the base, the top plate, and the pot support portion. With this configuration, the mist generated by the mist generator is sent to the mist supply space, which supplies moisture to the plant medium in the pot and the roots of the plant. The mist sent to the mist supply space is then discharged to the outside of the pot support plate through the mist exhaust hole, allowing watering of the plant's leaves, etc. Furthermore, the mist exhausted from the mist exhaust hole can provide a cooling sensation and a fantastic visual effect to people around the mist supply device.

[0039] (Technology 4) The mist supply device according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 3, wherein the pot support portion is composed of a flat pot support plate and a pot support hole formed in the pot support plate into which the pot is inserted, and the mist exhaust holes are arranged in plurality around the pot support hole. According to this configuration, the mist discharged from the mist exhaust hole can be directly directed onto the plant in the pot inserted into the pot support hole, thereby improving the watering effect on the plant. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The present disclosure can be suitably used as a mist supplying device that can cultivate plants and achieve visual effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Mist supply device 10. Cabinet 11 Divider 12 Slope 13 Drain outlet 14 Drain pan 15 Drain hose 20 Mist supply space 21 Mist generating space 22 Window 30 Mist Generator 31 Mist generating unit 32 Mist Fan 33 Water level detection device 34 Communication pipe 35 Water Tank 36 Water supply piping 37 Water supply pump 40 Pot support plate 41 Pot support hole 42 Mist exhaust hole 50 pots 51 Plant Media 52 Plants 53 Exposure hole 60 Foundations 61 Top plate

Claims

1. a mist generator that generates mist; a pot support portion for supporting a pot containing a plant medium in which a plant is planted; a mist exhaust hole formed in the pot support portion; and a mist supply space for supplying the mist generated by the mist generator to the plant culture medium portion of the pot. Mist supply device.

2. Equipped with a roughly box-shaped housing, a partition plate that separates the housing into upper and lower sections is provided at a substantially central portion of the housing in the vertical direction, The pot support portion is provided above the partition plate and extends in the horizontal direction, The mist generator is housed below the partition plate, The partition plate is provided with a communication pipe that sends the mist generated from the mist generator to the mist supply space surrounded by the housing, the upper surface of the partition plate, and the pot support portion. The mist supply device according to claim 1 .

3. A base is provided on which the mist generating device is housed, The pot support portion is provided on an upper portion of the base, extending in the vertical direction and having a ring shape in a plan view, A top plate is provided on the top of the pot support portion, A communication pipe is provided on the upper surface of the base to send the mist generated from the mist generator to the mist supply space surrounded by the upper surface of the base, the top plate, and the pot support portion. The mist supply device according to claim 1 .

4. the pot support portion is composed of a flat pot support plate and a pot support hole formed in the pot support plate and into which the pot is inserted, The mist exhaust holes are arranged in a plurality in the vicinity of the periphery of the pot support hole. The mist supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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