Greenhouse and Horticultural Systems

Abstract

A horticultural crop growing system includes a growing tray preparation station where a plurality of growing trays are pre-processed, growing beds are filled, and planted, a growing tray transfer system for transporting the planted growing trays from the growing tray preparation station to a horticultural crop growing facility, a controlled environment treatment system, an enclosed structure with one or more growing tray entry / exit ports, and one or more horticultural crop growing modules, the horticultural crop growing modules including a plurality of parallel-arranged single-row growing towers each including an array of vertically supported growing trays, and a growing tray handling system for receiving the planted growing trays via the growing tray entry ports, loading them into assigned growing towers, moving the growing trays between the growing towers through processing stations within the horticultural crop growing modules, and moving the growing trays to the growing tray exit ports.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a greenhouse and a horticultural system utilizing the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an automated greenhouse and eco-cultivation system. [Background technology]

[0002] References believed to be relevant background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below. ·US20180235156 WO19056057 ·WO20098890

[0003] The acknowledgement of the above references herein should not be inferred as meaning that they are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0004] US Patent Publication No. 2018 / 235156 discloses a high density horticulture system including a plurality of containers in which crops are grown and one or more elevator devices for automatically moving the containers between vertically spaced levels of one or more modular racks. Each elevator device includes a carrier for transporting the containers between the vertically spaced levels and a ram for pushing the containers from the carrier onto one or more longitudinal supports of the vertically spaced levels. A first transport device moves the containers at least horizontally from a crop planting area to each rack, and a second transport device moves the containers at least horizontally from each rack to a crop storage area. One or more processors control the movement of the containers, watering of the crops, temperature, lighting, and other parameters of the system. The plurality of high density horticulture systems are in communication with a centralized data monitoring and collection system for transmitting and receiving data regarding the cultivation of the crops.

[0005] International Patent Publication No. WO 2019 / 056057 discloses an apparatus for sequential transport of growing trays around and through a mechanized multi-level agricultural structure having an entry side or path and an exit side or path for said growing trays of a crop, the transporting apparatus including an inward transporter arranged along the entry side of the agricultural structure for transporting at least one tray containing a growing medium from a sowing station, an upright elevator for raising the at least one tray to a selected level of the agricultural structure and inserting the tray into the entry side of the agricultural structure, an automatic controller for coordinating the movement of the tray to the entry side and / or from the exit side of the agricultural structure, an upright receiver for receiving and lowering the at least one tray containing a mature crop from the exit side of the agricultural structure, an outward transporter arranged along the exit side of the agricultural structure for transporting the at least one tray to a harvesting station, a growing medium removal device for removing the growing medium from each of the at least one tray, and a tray washer for emptying the trays and cleaning the empty trays. Also disclosed is a method for sequentially transporting growing trays around and within a multi-level agricultural structure.

[0006] International Patent Publication No. WO2009 / 8890 discloses a cultivation house including a housing defining an interior space. The interior space is provided with a storage structure including a plurality of vertically displaced storage levels, each configured to receive one or more tray members with one or more plants. The housing includes an opening, is opaque, and is configured to prevent sunlight from entering the interior space. The cultivation house includes a movably arranged transport unit configured to move the one or more tray members horizontally and vertically, thereby transporting the one or more tray members between a first position outside the housing and a second position on the storage structure inside the housing, and a plurality of light sources are arranged to emit light toward the plants. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure is directed to automated greenhouse and horticultural growing systems, including large-scale, fully automated crop growing facilities.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is a horticultural crop cultivation system, the horticultural crop cultivation system comprising: a growth tray preparation station where a plurality of growth trays are prepared and the growth beds are filled and planted; a growth tray transfer system for transporting the planted growth trays from the growth tray preparation station to a horticultural crop cultivation facility; a horticultural crop growing facility including a controlled environment treatment system, an enclosed structure with one or more controlled growing tray inlet / outlet ports, and a plurality of horticultural crop growing modules; Each horticultural crop cultivation module includes a plurality of parallel arranged single row cultivation towers, each including an array of vertically supported cultivation trays, and a cultivation tray handling system for receiving planted cultivation trays at a cultivation tray entry port, loading them into assigned tray positions along the cultivation tower, moving the cultivation trays between the assigned tray positions through a processing station within the horticultural crop cultivation module, and moving the cultivation trays to a cultivation tray exit port.

[0009] The terms "planted" and "planting" refer collectively to the process of sowing seeds or planting seedlings.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is a horticultural crop cultivation facility including a controlled environment treatment system, and an enclosed structure with one or more controlled cultivation tray inlet / outlet ports, and a plurality of horticultural crop cultivation modules; Each horticultural crop cultivation module includes a plurality of parallel arranged single row cultivation towers, each including an array of vertically supported cultivation trays, and a cultivation tray handling system for receiving planted cultivation trays at a cultivation tray entry port, loading them into assigned tray positions along the cultivation tower, moving the cultivation trays between the assigned tray positions through a processing station within the horticultural crop cultivation module, and moving the cultivation trays to a cultivation tray exit port.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is a horticultural crop growing module for use in a horticultural crop growing facility including a controlled environment handling system and an enclosed structure with one or more (e.g., controlled) growing tray inlet / outlet ports, each horticultural crop growing module including a plurality of parallel arranged single row growing towers, each of the plurality of single row growing towers configured to receive an array of vertically supported growing trays, and a growing tray handling system for receiving planted growing trays at the growing tray inlet ports, loading them into an assigned growing tower, moving the growing trays through a processing station in the horticultural crop growing module, and moving the growing trays to a growing tray outlet port. The single row growing towers can be configured to move the growing trays vertically along / within the growing tower. The growing tray handling system can include one or both of a top tray transport system extending above the growing tower and a bottom tray transport system extending below the growing tower.

[0012] According to yet another aspect, there is an automated horticultural crop growing system, the automated horticultural crop growing system including a growing tray preparation station where a plurality of growing trays are pre-processed and growing beds are filled and planted, a growing tray transfer system for transporting the planted growing trays from the growing tray preparation station to a horticultural crop growing facility, a controlled environment handling system, an enclosure structure with one or more growing tray inlet / outlet ports, and one or more horticultural crop growing modules, each of which includes a plurality of parallel arranged single row growing towers, each of which is configured to receive a vertically supported growing tray and move the growing tray vertically within the single row growing tower along the single row growing tower to transfer the growing tray between tray positions therein, and a growing tray handling system including one or both of a top tray transport system for loading or unloading the growing tray from an upper end of each growing tower and a bottom tray transport system for loading or unloading the growing tray from a lower end of each growing tower.

[0013] The growth tray handling system can be configured to receive planted growth trays from the growth tray transfer system via the growth tray entry / exit ports, load them into assigned growth towers of the horticultural crop cultivation module, move the growth trays between the assigned growth towers to a processing station within the horticultural crop cultivation module, and unload the growth trays by moving the growth trays out of the horticultural crop cultivation facility via the growth tray entry / exit ports.

[0014] In an apparatus according to the present disclosure, a plurality of growing trays are autonomously introduced into a horticultural crop growing module via a growing tray entry port and automatically loaded into a growing tower, and a crop growing cycle includes exposing the growing trays to a processing station including essential processing within the growing tower and moving the growing trays along a processing path, whereby each tray undergoes additional processing at processing stations extending along said processing path, whereby when the crop is ready for harvest, the growing trays are autonomously transported out of the horticultural crop growing module through an exit port.

[0015] The treatment stations may include any one or more of the treatments applied along the cultivation cycle and configured to promote and enhance the growth of the crop, i.e., provide ideal growing conditions to obtain a fast-growing, healthy and nutritious crop. To that end, in some embodiments, the horticultural crop cultivation module further comprises an artificial intelligence system (AI). A number of sensors distributed in the horticultural crop cultivation module along the treatment path are used to obtain parameter signals associated with the cultivation cycle of the crop, the positions and conditions of the cultivation trays and the treatment stations. A controller is used to receive and process the parameter signals and responsively generate operating signals to control the operation of the treatment stations and the automated movement of the cultivation trays along the cultivation path.

[0016] The treatment station may include any one or more of irrigation, lighting, humidity, air temperature, fertilization / nutrition, hydrogenation, growing tray heating, radiation of different wavelengths, sound reproduction, pollination, sterilization, etc. It is understood that parameters of such treatments may be controlled, for example, duration, intensity (e.g., temperature, wavelength of light, etc.) of each treatment. The treatment station may be used to apply multiple treatments, for example, fertilization / nutrition by irrigation, etc. Heating may be applied by heating one or more of air, irrigation solution, growing trays, etc.

[0017] For example, the sensors of the AI ​​system may include any one or more of image sensors (to obtain data on the maturity and / or health of the crop, e.g., crop shape, size, density, color, and temperature, and to identify defective crops and pests), sugar content analyzers (e.g., Brix meters / Brix refractometers), temperature sensors, humidity sensors, chemical sensors (e.g., to measure acidity and detect different chemicals), etc. The AI ​​system is also suitable for determining, based on the continuously collected parameters, when the crop has reached a harvest state and is ready for discharge from the horticultural crop growing module.

[0018] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a horticultural crop cultivation module includes a cultivation tray handling system including a bottom tray transport system configured to extend below the cultivation towers and receive / deliver cultivation trays from / to respective inlet / outlet ports and transport the cultivation trays to a tray load / unload station below at least one of the cultivation towers, and in some embodiments, below each of the cultivation towers, and / or transport the cultivation trays to a cultivation tray lift, e.g., configured to receive cultivation trays from the bottom tray transport system and transport them to a top tray transport system extending above the cultivation towers, which can be configured to transport the cultivation trays to a tray unload station above each of the cultivation towers.

[0019] Each one or more of the bottom tray transport system, the growth tray lift, and the top tray transport system can be further configured to transport the growth trays to one or more processing stations extending along the growth tray transport path. Each of the bottom tray transport system, the growth tray lift, and the top tray transport system can be used to transport the growth trays in either direction.

[0020] The horticultural crop growing system further includes a finished crop station configured to receive growing trays from one or more horticultural crop growing modules, and an automated hands-free handling station where the grown crops are properly harvested, packed, stored, and prepared for delivery / shipment.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is a horticultural crop cultivation method for use in combination with a horticultural crop cultivation module according to the present disclosure, the horticultural crop cultivation method comprising: i. receiving a plurality of planted growing trays into a horticultural crop growing module via an entry port and loading them onto a bottom tray transport system; ii. loading the cultivation trays into the cultivation tower from a bottom tray transport system; iii. initiating a cultivation cycle in which the cultivation trays are rotated among a plurality of treatment stations disposed within the horticultural crop cultivation module; iv. monitoring and acquiring data associated with each growing tray relating to the maturity and / or health of the crop being grown in the growing tray; v. repeating steps iii and iv until the crop is ready for harvest; vi. transporting the growth trays from the growth tower to an exit port and collecting the growth trays; Includes.

[0022] Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurations may be applied separately or in various combinations thereof to any one or more of the different aspects of the present disclosure. Horticultural crop growing systems may be accommodated within an enclosed treated environment location. The term treated environment refers to a clean environment that is free of pesticides and biological agents and has controlled humidity and temperature. Horticultural crop growing facilities may be accommodated within a closed, treated environment location. The horticulture crop growing module can be accommodated within a closed, controlled environment location. The grow tray preparation station can be accommodated within a closed, controlled environment location. Prior to the growing cycle, the growing tray preparation station, growing trays and horticultural crop growing facilities can be pre-treated to sanitize the surroundings and equipment. The one or more grow tray inlet ports and grow tray outlet ports of the horticultural crop growing facility may be uniform openings or dedicated openings for each of the inlet and outlet ports, with a controlled door for maintaining a controlled environment adjacent the facility. The horticultural crop growing facility may be compartmentalized, with each horticultural crop growing module housed within a compartment, each of which is a controlled environment. The grow towers are each configured with a grow tray support system for holding the trays in vertical alignment, with a serving lowest grow tray blocked by a tray blocking mechanism at the bottom of the support system, and each successive grow tray is supported on top of another grow tray but is easily movable to move along the tower. The cultivation tray handling systems may each include one or both of a top tray transport system for loading (or unloading) cultivation trays into the cultivation towers from an upper end of each cultivation tower, and a bottom tray transport system for loading (or unloading) cultivation trays into the cultivation towers from a lower end of each cultivation tower. The growing tray handling system is configured to deploy the growing trays in the growing tower and transport the growing trays between the processing station of the horticultural crop growing module and the growing tower. The lighting system can be configured to illuminate each growing tray. The lighting system may be located on the tray support rails of the grow tower and / or on the underside of the grow trays. The tray support rails define a sliding path along which the trays in the grow tower can slide under the force of gravity. Irrigation can be applied to the growing trays in a cascade configuration, where irrigation is applied to one or more top growing trays in a growing tower and the irrigation solution flows by gravity to the lower growing trays in turn. Irrigation can be done by drip irrigation on the topmost growing tray. The growing tray may be configured with an irrigation inlet port located at its top and an irrigation outlet port located at its bottom, with an irrigation flow path extending between the ports. Normally closed valves may be provided at the irrigation outlet ports of the growing trays, said valves being configured to be opened by a valve opening member configured at the inlet port of an adjacent lowermost growing tray only when the growing trays are stacked on top of each other in the growing tower. One or both of the irrigation inlet and outlet ports can be configured with a filtering device to prevent drift of grow bed material between grow trays. The valve may be associated with a filtering device, which filters the liquid arriving at the valve. A bottom growing tray in a growing tower can be selectively engaged by a valve opening mechanism configured to open a valve of an irrigation outlet port of the bottom growing tray when disposed on the valve opening mechanism. A lowest cultivation tray in the cultivation tower can be positioned above a drainage container, and the valve opening mechanism is configured to open a valve of an irrigation outlet port of the lowest cultivation tray when the lowest cultivation tray is positioned above the drainage container. The drainage basin can be configured to treat the irrigation solution (e.g., filter, add nutrients, treat water hardness, adjust temperature, etc.) and recycle the irrigation solution to the topmost growing tray. The drainage basins in the horticultural crop growing modules may be in fluid communication with each other or a common drainage basin may be configured for two or more growing towers of the horticultural crop growing module. Irrigation fluid discharged from one or more of the growing towers in the horticulture crop growing module can be collected directly in an external irrigation fluid treatment station. Irrigation fluid discharged from one or more of the growing towers in the horticultural crop growing module flows by gravity along the growing trays in the growing tower and after flowing through all the growing trays in the tower, the irrigation fluid flows to an irrigation fluid treatment station inside or outside the growing module where the irrigation fluid is analysed and treated, i.e. washed, nutrients and minerals added, hardness and pH treated, etc., before being recycled. Each cultivation tray may be configured with a readable identifier, e.g., a tray ID code such as a barcode, QR code, color code, RFID, digital code, etc., allowing the tray data associated with each cultivation tray to be registered in the controller. The tray data may include data regarding the location and status of the growing tray and / or data regarding the growing cycle of the crop grown on said growing tray. · Data and control signals from the sensors can be transmitted to an external control station (e.g., wirelessly and / or via a serial / parallel data bus). When system malfunctions and abnormal parameters along the crop cultivation cycle are detected, warning signals can be generated. The grow tower is configured to accommodate a vertical stack of grow trays supported between side bars, with a bottommost grow tray being blockable by a tray blocking mechanism, with successive grow trays arranged one above the other, whereby disengaging the bottommost tray from the tray blocking mechanism facilitates loading the bottommost tray onto the bottom tray transport system, and further, gravity shifts the grow trays downward within the grow trays. The bottom tray transport system may be implemented by a pair of conveyor chains arranged in parallel and configured to support both sides of the bottom surface of the growing tray. A lighting device can be associated with each growing tray in the growing tower. The lighting device can be connected to the side bar of the growing tower. Each grow tray can be illuminated from two sides. The tray blocking mechanism is configured at the bottom of the cultivation tower, and is operable between a normal tray blocking position in which one or more obstructing elements protrude into a space below the lowest cultivation tray, and a disengaged position in which the one or more obstructing elements retract from the space, making it easier for the lowest cultivation tray to move out of the cultivation tower. One or more obstructing elements of the tray blocking mechanism can be driven by different mechanisms, e.g. solenoids, cam and follower, hydraulic / pneumatic pistons, electric motors, etc. The tray blocking mechanisms of the grow towers in the horticultural crop growing modules can be configured for simultaneous operation, whereby all of the tray blocking mechanisms in the horticultural crop growing module shift simultaneously between their respective tray blocking and disengaged positions, or the tray blocking mechanisms can shift upon a command signal being received from the controller, and any one or more of the tray blocking mechanisms can operate individually. According to a particular example, the tray blocking mechanism includes an actuation rod rotatably secured to a bottom of the horticultural crop growing module and configured with a threaded portion disposed adjacent each growing tower, and a plurality of threaded riders, at least one associated with each growing tower, each rider engaged with a respective threaded portion and constrained to move axially along the actuation rod, each rider including a tray engagement member, whereby rotation of the threaded rod in one direction is accompanied by simultaneous axial movement of the rider to a tray blocking position and rotation of the threaded rod in the opposite direction is accompanied by simultaneous axial movement of the rider to a disengaged position. The tray engagement member may be a pin configured to protrude from the rider and lock into an opening in the bottom of the bottommost tray. The tray blocking mechanism may include a pair of opposed pins, whereby in the tray blocking position the pins move towards each other and in the disengaged position the pins move away from each other. The growing trays may be solid trays made of metal or plastic material, having a flat growing portion and two parallel upright side frames located at opposite side ends of the tray, and the growing trays in the growing tower are configured such that the bottom surface of the top growing tray rests on the side frames of the adjacent bottom growing tray. A valve opening member (for opening the normally closed valve of the topmost growing tray) is configured on the upright side frame of the adjacent bottommost growing tray. The grow tray can be engaged by a grow tray lift at the bottom of the tray or its upright frame. The upright side frames of the growing tray can be configured with engagement recesses, and the top tray transport system can be configured with two side rails each housing a plurality of pick-up hooks movable along the side rails, and can be configured to selectively block in the engagement recesses. The two side rails of the top tray transport system can be fixed above the growing tower in the horticultural crop growing module, and engagement with one or more trays occurs as the growing trays are moved upwardly towards said side rails. · Crop harvesting can be selective, where only crops that have reached a predefined (e.g. maturity) stage are harvested. The horticultural crop cultivation module may include a cultivation tray propulsion unit configured to lift and lower a cultivation tray serving as a bottom tier from / to the bottom tray transport system into / from the respective cultivation tower. Each cultivation module can be configured as an autonomous cultivation module, independent of other cultivation modules, and is self-supplied with all elements required to obtain a cultivation cycle, including inlet / outlet ports and a constrained controlled environment. A top tray transport system can also be fitted to transport grow trays to or from the exit / entry ports. The growing tray may include a perforated trough element configured to distribute irrigation solution received from the irrigation inlet port. The horticultural crop growing module may include an irrigation station configured to supply irrigation fluid to growing trays introduced therein via the irrigation inlet port. The irrigation station can be configured to drain residual irrigation solution accumulated in the growing trays via the irrigation outlet port. The irrigation station may include a tilting mechanism configured to drain residual liquid. The bottom tray transport system may include one or more rails extending below the grow towers and a frame structure configured to move along the one or more rails to transfer or receive grow trays from a selected one of the grow towers. The frame structure may include a manipulator unit configured to engage a tray blocking mechanism of the growing tower and controllably vary the tray blocking mechanism between a tray blocking position and a disengaged position. The frame structure may include a lift assembly configured to transfer a growth tray carried thereby to or receive a growth tray from the growth tower. The horticultural crop cultivation module may be configured to change the tray blocking mechanism to its disengaged position when transferring a growing tray to the growing tower, and then to return the tray blocking mechanism to its tray blocking position to secure the transferred growing tray in the bottom tray position of the growing tower. The horticultural crop cultivation module may be configured to change the tray blocking mechanism to its disengaged position when receiving a cultivation tray from the cultivation tower, and then to return the tray blocking mechanism to its tray blocking position to secure the downwardly moved cultivation tray at the bottommost tray position of the tower.

[0023] In order to better understand the subject matter disclosed herein, and to illustrate how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a horticultural crop growing system according to an example of the present disclosure. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a horticultural crop cultivation facility found in the horticultural crop cultivation system of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1B illustrates the horticultural crop growing facility of FIG. 1A with the walls made transparent to allow visualization of its interior, exposing the horticultural crop growing module. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the horticultural crop cultivation module portion shown in FIG. 2A. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2C is a front right perspective view of the horticultural crop growing module shown in FIG. 2B with a wall removed. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a front left perspective view of the horticultural crop growing module shown in FIG. 3A. [Figure 4A] FIG. 3B illustrates the horticultural crop cultivation module seen in FIG. 3A with some elements removed for simplicity. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of the area marked 4B in FIG. 4A. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4C is an enlarged view of the area marked 4C in FIG. 4B. [Figure 4D] FIG. 4D is an enlarged view of the area marked 4D in FIG. 4B. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is an enlarged view of the area marked 5A in FIG. 4A. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the portion marked 5B in FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5C is a left side perspective view of the portion shown in FIG. 5B. [Figure 5D] FIG. 5D is an enlarged view of the area marked 5D in FIG. 5A. [Figure 5E] FIG. 5C is a bottom perspective view of the portion shown in FIG. 5B. [Figure 6] FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of the area marked 6A in FIG. 4D. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 7A-7A of FIG. 4D. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a close-up view of the valve system seen in FIG. 7A, marked 7B, with the valve in the open position. [Figure 7C] Same as FIG. 7B, with the valve in the closed position. [Figure 7D] FIG. 7D is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 7D-7D of FIG. 4C. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 8A-8A of FIG. 4C. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of the portion marked 8B in FIG. 8A. [Figure 8C] FIG. 8C is an enlarged view of the portion marked 8C in FIG. 8A. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of the area marked 9A in FIG. 3A. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is an enlarged view of the portion marked 9B in FIG. 9A. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9C is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 9C-9C of FIG. 9B. [Figure 10A] FIG. 3B is the same view as FIG. 3A, but with the growth trays loaded onto the growth tray lift. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the portion marked 10B in FIG. 10A. [Figure 11A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a growing tray according to an example of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 11B-11B of FIG. 11A. [Figure 12A] FIG. 4D is an enlarged view of the area marked 12A in FIG. 4C, showing the grow tray locking mechanism in the tray blocking position. [Figure 12B] A diagram showing the cultivation tray locking mechanism in the tray loading position. [Figure 13A] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of a grow tray propulsion unit according to one example, with some other subassemblies hidden for clarity. [Figure 13B] FIG. 13B is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the portion marked 13B in FIG. 13A. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 illustrates the cultivation tray loading stages of a possible embodiment. [Figure 15] 15A-15D show possible configurations of the bottom tray transport system and its lifting mechanism. [Figure 16] 16A-16E are diagrams illustrating the loading of growing trays according to possible embodiments. [Figure 17] 17A-17C are diagrams illustrating unloading of the growing tray according to a possible embodiment utilizing a tray locking mechanism. [Figure 18] 18A-18F show possible configurations of the top tray transport system. [Figure 19] 19A-19K show the loading of growth trays using the top tray transport system. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 shows a plant cultivation device and a cultivation cycle according to a possible embodiment. [Figure 21] 21A-21C show possible embodiments of the irrigation device. [Figure 22] 22A-22H show other possible embodiments of the irrigation device. [Figure 23] 22A-22H show possible embodiments of the drainage device. [Figure 24] 24A-24D show possible embodiments of the system ventilation device. [Diagram 25] 25A-25H are diagrams showing the pollination sequence of possible embodiments. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 shows a possible embodiment of an environmental control device. [Figure 27] 27A-27B show possible embodiments of a crop monitoring device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Attention is initially directed to Figure 1A of the drawings which illustrates generally a horticultural crop growing system according to one example of the present disclosure, indicated generally at 10. The horticultural crop growing system 10 includes a growing tray preparation station, indicated generally at 12, a finished crop station, indicated generally at 13, and a horticultural crop growing facility, indicated generally at 14.

[0026] The grow tray treatment and preparation station 12 is an enclosed, typically treated environment configured for cleaning and sanitizing grow trays, application of growing medium (i.e., any type of treated grow soil, natural or artificial or a mixture thereof), and application of growing material, i.e., planting or sowing, etc. The term "treated environment" refers to a clean environment that is substantially free of pesticides or any biological material, with controlled humidity, temperature, etc.

[0027] Once prepared, the plurality of growing trays 20 are unfolded from the growing tray preparation station 12 and transported towards the horticultural crop growing facility 14 via a transport system 22. It will be appreciated that the transport system 22 may be a closed environment system (i.e., extending through the treated environment), i.e., the horticultural crop growing system 10 may be contained in its entirety within the treated environment.

[0028] The horticultural crop growing facility 14 is an enclosed structure that includes one or more (five in this example) horticultural crop growing modules, generally indicated at 25 and numbered 25i-25v, each module being a separate processing environment. Each horticultural crop growing module 25 includes a growing tray entry / exit port 27 fitted with a door (e.g., guillotine type) movable between a closed position and an open position to facilitate entry / exit of the growing trays 20. In the following figures, the walls 26 of the horticultural crop growing modules 25 have been removed for clarity.

[0029] It is understood that each cultivation module can be configured as an autonomous cultivation module independent of other cultivation modules and is self-supplied with all elements necessary to obtain a cultivation cycle, including inlet / outlet ports and a constrained controlled environment, as described below.

[0030] Each horticultural crop growing module 25 is configured to include a plurality of single-row growing towers, generally designated 30, each configured to receive an array of vertically supported growing trays 20. The horticultural crop growing module 25 is further configured to include a growing tray handling system for receiving planted growing trays 20 at a growing tray entry port 27, loading them into assigned tray positions in the growing tower 30, moving the growing trays between the assigned tray positions through a processing station within the horticultural crop growing module, and moving the growing trays to a growing tray exit port, as will be described in more detail later herein. In this example, each horticultural crop growing module 25 includes ten growing towers, generally designated 30i-30x.

[0031] The cultivation tray handling system is configured to include a bottom tray transport system, generally indicated at 35, extending below the cultivation tower 30 and configured to receive / deliver the cultivation trays 20 from / to the entrance / exit ports 27 and transport the cultivation trays 20 to tray load / unload stations, generally indicated at 40, below each cultivation tower 30i-30x (numbered with the same indexes 40i-40x as the respective cultivation towers). The bottom tray transport system 35 is further designed to transport the growing trays 20 to a growing tray lift, generally designated 45, located at the opposite end of the horticultural crop growing module 25 and configured to receive the growing trays 20 from the bottom tray transport system 35 and transport them to a top tray transport system, generally designated 48, extending along the horticultural crop growing module 25 above the growing towers 40i-40x, which is configured to transport the growing trays 20 to a tray unload station 50 above each growing tower, generally designated 50 (numbered with the same index 50i-50x as each growing tower), as described below. According to another example of the present disclosure, the top tray transport system 48 can also be fitted to transport the growing trays to and from the exit / entry ports, which can be single ports or auxiliary ports, i.e., configured in addition to the port 27.

[0032] 11A and 11B, a growing tray 20 is shown configured to include a tray-like portion 60 with a peripheral sidewall 62 configured to receive a growing medium (not shown), and two normally closed valves 64, each located near a respective end of the growing tray 20 and covered by a screen cover 66 to prevent malfunction of the valves by soil or growing medium, as described below. The growing tray 20 is further configured to include a frame support 70 at each end, with a central top portion thereof mounting a valve-operating hollow tubular segment 72, and an engagement recess 76 along a top bar 79 of the frame 70, with an opening 78 defining a pick-up hook engagement opening. It can be seen that the engagement recess 76 has a first narrow portion 76i, a second narrow portion 76ii, and an intermediate wide section 76iii connecting between the first narrow portion 76i and the second narrow portion 76ii.

[0033] 7B, 7C, 7D, 8B, 8C, and 11B, the valve 64 includes a tubular housing 80 having an upper inlet opening 82 extending to a lower outlet opening 84, and a sealed mushroom-shaped plunger 86 normally biased to a closed position by a coiled spring 88 (FIG. 7C). Thus, in this arrangement, the valve 64 is normally sealed when the plunger 86 sealingly bears against the upper inlet opening 82, but when the valved hollow tubular segment 72 of the adjacent bottom tray penetrates the bottom outlet opening 84, the plunger 86 moves to an open position disengaged from the upper inlet opening 82 (see, e.g., FIGS. 7B and 8B), allowing liquid to flow from the top tray into the tubular segment 72 along arrow line 90 (see FIG. 7B) and down to the adjacent bottom tray, as described further below.

[0034] Attention will now turn further to the elements of the tray handling system. Referring first to the bottom tray transport system 35 (see, for example, Figures 4A, 4C, 5B, 8B and 8C), there is a pair of parallel extending support rails 100, each in the form of a double hollow profile housing an endless tray transport belt 102, the upper part of which protrudes slightly from a recess 106 in one of the upper parts of the hollow profile, the transport belt 102 being tensioned via an idle pulley 107 (see Figures 4C and 5C) and a drive pulley 108 fixed on a pulley rod 110, which is engaged with an electric motor 114. In this apparatus, the bottom surface 120 of the bottom transit growing tray 20b rests on (protrudes from the hollow profile of) the conveyor belt 102, and movement of the conveyor belt 102 (when the motor 114 is rotated in either direction) entails corresponding linear movement of the bottom transit growing tray 20b between positions along a path extending between an entry / exit station adjacent the entry / exit port 27 and a growing tray lift position adjacent the growing tray lift 45. It is to be understood that the outer surface of the conveyor belt 102 and / or the bottom surface 120 of the growing tray 20 may be configured with a friction enhancing device.

[0035] The next subassembly that is part of the tray handling system is a grow tray lift, generally designated 45, which is positioned adjacent the distal end of the bottom tray transport system 35 and configured to receive one tray at a time therefrom and lift it towards the top tray transport system 48.

[0036] 5A, 5C and 5D, the growing tray lift 45 includes an endless belt 120 supported by a ladder-like rigid frame structure 126, said endless belt 120 tensioned between a pair of top idler pulleys 128 coaxially coupled to the frame 126 and a pair of bottom drive pulleys 130 coaxially mounted on an axle 132 which in turn is coupled to an electric motor 136 via a chain 138 (see FIG. 5C). Pairs of growing tray support arms 140 are fixedly secured to the endless belt 120 and are carousel-like movable around the frame 126 as the endless belt 120 is rotated by the motor 136. The cultivation tray support arm 140 is configured to extend beneath a serving bottom cultivation tray 20db (see FIG. 5E) at the distal end of the bottom tray transport system 35 when the pair of arms are positioned in the tray collection position, thereby allowing the serving cultivation tray 20db to be lifted by the cultivation tray lift 45 to the topmost stage designated 20dt (see FIG. 10B) and ready for collection by the top tray transport system 48.

[0037] Turning now to the top tray transport system 48, as seen in FIG. 10B, this includes two parallel running endless belts 150, each supported by a longitudinal rail 154 and each tensioned between an idle pulley 158 (extending rearward of the grow tray lift 45, as best seen in FIG. 4A) and a drive pulley 160 (extending in front of the tray load / unload station designated 30x, as best seen in FIG. 4D), said drive pulleys 160 being coaxially mounted on an axle 162 coupled for rotation by an electric motor 166.

[0038] Each of the two endless belts 150 is configured with a plurality of pairs of equally spaced pick-up hooks 170 having an inverted mushroom-like cross section, i.e. extending radially from the belt such that the stems of the mushrooms are connected to the endless belt 150, such that the pick-up hooks 170 are suspended upside down from the bottom path of the endless belt. As can be best seen in Figures 9B and 9C, the thickness of the stems of the pick-up hooks 170 is smaller than the width of the narrow portions 76i and 76ii of the engagement recess 76, and the diameter of the head portion of the pick-up hooks 170 is larger than the thickness of the wide portion 76iii of the engagement recess 76 so that the pick-up hooks 170 can pass therethrough. However, the diameter of the head portion of the pick-up hooks 170 is smaller than the width of the hook engagement opening 78 (see Figures 9B, 9C), thereby allowing the pick-up hooks 170 to be introduced into the engagement recess 76 through the hook engagement opening 78. The distance D between each pair of pickup hooks 170 is longer than the length of the wide portion 76iii but shorter than the overall length of the engagement recess 76 in order to fix the grip of the pair of pickup hooks 170 on the upper bar 79 of the frame 70. The distance between each adjacent pair of pickup hooks 170 is similar to the distance between the cultivation towers 30i to 30x.

[0039] The horticultural crop growing module 25 further includes a growing tray loading / unloading device configured to load the trays into the growing towers 30i-30x. Thus, as seen in FIG. 4B, each of the growing towers 30i-30x includes a cage-like support frame 180 along which the growing trays 20 can slide with little clearance. The upper end 184 of the support frame 180 is open, so that a growing tray placed on the upper end 184 is free to fall down by gravity until it comes to rest on an obstacle, typically another growing tray 20 placed below, as will be described. As seen in FIG. 4D, the support frame 180 is fitted with an array of treatment elements 188, which according to a specific example are an array of light emitters, typically LED bars, extending on both sides of each growing tray 20 for ideal light exposure. Notably, the treatment elements 188 may also include a heat radiation unit, an optical sensor, a temperature / humidity sensor, and the like.

[0040] With further attention to Figures 12A and 12B, it can be seen that the lower end 190 of the support frame 180 is open, but is fitted with grow tray locking mechanisms located on both sides of the horticultural crop growing module 25. For clarity, only the front system is mentioned, but it is understood that both the front and rear locking mechanisms are identical and can be synchronized in operation. In this example, the grow tray locking mechanism includes an elongated rod 200 that extends along the lower end of all the grow towers 30i-30x. The rod 200 is coupled to receive rotational motion from an electric motor 201 and includes spaced apart reverse threaded portions 202A and 202B associated with each grow tower 30, and is configured to mount threaded riders 204A and 204B on the respective threaded portions 202A and 202B. The riders 204A and 204B are configured with blocking pins 206A, 206B extendable through the openings of the blocking plates 208A, 208B, such that the rotation of the rod 200 is accompanied by the axial movement of the riders 204A, 204B toward and away from each other. When the riders 204A and 204B move toward each other (see FIG. 12A), the tips of the blocking pins 206A, 206B protrude into the openings 210 configured at the bottom of each growing tray 20, thus blocking the bottommost growing tray 20i and preventing it from moving within the support frame 180, and further, the bottommost growing tray 20i supports the load of the successive growing trays stacked thereon in the growing tower. However, when the rod 200 rotates in the opposite direction, the riders 204A and 204B move axially away from each other (see FIG. 12B), causing the tips of the blocking pins 206A, 206B to move out of the openings 210 in the growing tray 20i, thereby allowing the tray to move upwards or towards the bottom tray transport system 35 by the bottom growing tray 20db which will be responsible for this, as described below.

[0041] The cultivation tray loading / unloading device is further configured to include a cultivation tray propulsion unit configured to lift a bottom cultivation tray 20db serving a respective cultivation tower 30 from the bottom tray transport system 35, or to receive the lowest cultivation tray 20i, place the tray on the bottom tray transport system 35, and move it towards the entrance / exit port 27 or the cultivation tray lift 45 (with optional processing stops along the path).

[0042] The grow tray propulsion unit, best shown in Figures 13A and 13B, includes a pair of solid bars 212 extending under the horticultural crop growing modules 25 beneath all the grow towers 30, and a number of pistons 214 (or other mechanical equivalent mechanisms) configured below the bars 212 and operable between contracted and extended positions (as seen in the figures). In this arrangement, the bottom surface 120 of the bottom transit grow tray 20b extends above the top surface 218 of the bars, such that manipulating the pistons 214 to the extended position entails vertically deploying the bottom transit grow tray 20b within the respective grow tower 30i-30x (provided that the grow tray locking mechanism is in the open position). Similarly, ejecting the tray from the grow tower 30i-30x onto the bottom tray transport system 35 is accomplished by opening / unlocking the grow tray locking mechanism, allowing the bottommost grow tray 20i to move downwards (by gravity) and rest on the transport belt 102 of the bottom tray transport system 35.

[0043] The horticultural crop growing module 25 is further configured to include an irrigation and drainage system. For irrigation, in some embodiments, adjacent to the top tier 20xi of growing trays (11 in this example), there is an irrigation supply line 220 (best seen in FIG. 9A ) that runs along both sides of the horticultural crop growing module 25, and includes a number of irrigation ports 226 each configured to irrigate the soil of the adjacent growing tray. The irrigation regime can be controlled, such as flood / drip / or spray irrigation, or alternating.

[0044] Irrigation of the cultivation trays 20i-20x in each cultivation tower 30i-30x is achieved by liquid flow between levels / layers, with each bottommost cultivation tray being operated to open the flow of liquid in a cascade manner via the valves 64 of the cultivation tray above it, as described by way of example in connection with Figures 7B and 7C.

[0045] The irrigation system, in some embodiments, further includes a plurality of drainage receptacles 240, each disposed beneath a respective grow tower 30 and configured with a valve operating device 244 (FIGS. 8A-8C) for draining the bottom tier / layer of grow trays 20i. The valve operating device 244 includes an activator bar 246 mounted on a pair of activators 248 (hydraulic / pneumatic pistons, solenoids, etc.) and a pair of hollow plungers 250 aligned with the valves 64 of the bottom tier of grow trays 20i / 20b, which, when actuated by a command signal, urge the bar 246 upwardly to engage the plungers 86 of the valves 64, opening the valves and facilitating the flow of liquid through the hollow plungers 250 and into the drainage receptacles 240 (schematically represented by arrows 253).

[0046] In the illustrated example, each grow tower 30 is associated with a drainage bin 240, which includes a drain outlet 260 and collects all irrigation liquid, treats it for a new irrigation cycle, e.g., filters, hydrogenates, enriches it with nutrients and minerals, temperature controls, disinfects it, etc., and then recycles it to the irrigation system. However, rather than providing a separate drainage bin 240 for each grow tower 30 as shown in FIG. 21A, it is understood that an arrangement may be made to provide one or more drainage bins for any two or more grow towers, or to provide a single drainage bin integral to the horticultural crop growing module 25, either below or to the side of the module (as shown in FIG. 21B).

[0047] In some embodiments, irrigation solution discharged from one or more of the growing towers 30 in the horticultural crop growing module 25 flows by gravity along the growing trays 20 in the growing tower, and after flowing through all the growing trays 20 in the tower, the irrigation solution flows to an irrigation solution treatment station, either inside or outside the growing module, where the irrigation solution is analyzed and treated, i.e., washed, has nutrients and minerals added, treats water hardness and pH, etc., and then recycled.

[0048] The horticultural crop growing module 25, in some embodiments, is further configured to include a plurality of processing stations. For example, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, there is a processing station 270 located at the distal end of the module, said processing station including a dome 272 operable by a pair of pistons 276 (or other equivalent mechanism) for moving between raised and lowered positions (as shown). The interior space (not shown) of the dome 272 is configured to include a plurality of nozzles 278z (seen in Figure 25E) to which tubes 278 are connected.

[0049] In some embodiments, the apparatus allows the treated growing tray 20t to reach the treatment station 270, for example, using the bottom tray transport system 35, as shown in Figures 25A-25C, and then the dome 272 is lowered to cover the growing tray 20t, and the treatment is applied to the growing plants by the nozzle through the tube 278, as shown in Figures 25D-25F. Once treatment is complete, the piston 278 raises the dome 272, which moves the treated growing tray 20t (by the bottom tray transport system 35) to the growing tray lift 45, for example, as shown in Figures 25G-25H and 25A-25B, and the treatment station 270 is ready to receive and treat another growing tray.

[0050] It will be appreciated that the treatment station 270 may provide one or more different treatments, such as pollination, disinfection, heating / cooling / aeration, beautifying treatments, and the like.

[0051] 10B, in some embodiments, a processing station generally designated 284 is disposed at a distal upper position of the horticultural crop growing module 25, said processing station 284 being static and configured to process the growing trays as they are discharged from the growing tray lift 45 and collected by the top tray transport system 48. The processing station 284 has a dome shape facing the growing trays, and processing is applied to the growing trays when they reach the upper position of the top tray transport system 48. The processing station 284 can be, for example, a radiation station, a sterilization station, etc., and / or can include an imaging unit for obtaining images of the plant growth on the growing trays.

[0052] The horticultural crop cultivation module 25 is further configured to include a control system including a controller (77 in FIG. 20), a number of sensors, and actuators. The controller 77 is configured to control the environment and cultivation processes (i.e., temperature, humidity, light, irrigation, pollination, nutrition, etc.) within the module, to detect, determine, and monitor the progress of the cultivation of the teaching cultivation trays, and to cycle the cultivation trays from the time they enter the module until they are discharged with the cultivation ready for harvest, as described below.

[0053] A crop control station 290 is shown juxtaposed to the processing station 284 as the grow trays are discharged from the grow tray lift 45, by way of example.

[0054] In order to individually acquire data associated with each cultivation tray, each cultivation tray, in some embodiments, is configured with a readable identifier such as a barcode, QR code, color code, RFID, digital code, etc. (e.g., ID code 20y in FIG. 27B), thereby allowing the tray data associated with each cultivation tray 20 to be registered in the controller 77.

[0055] Returning now to the finished crop station 13 (FIG. 1A), there is a finished crop transport system 23 (actually an extension of transport system 22) extending from each of the at least one inlet / exit port 27 and configured to transport growing trays from one or more horticultural crop growing modules 25 towards the finished crop station 13. Growing trays 20 received at the finished crop station 13 enter an automated hands-free processing station where the growing products (e.g., fruits such as strawberries) are harvested and then packed, optionally wrapped, and stored in suitable conditions until ready for delivery / shipment.

[0056] A horticultural crop cultivation method using a horticultural crop cultivation module 25 according to the present disclosure, i. receiving a plurality of planted growing trays 20 into the horticultural crop growing module 25 via the inlet / outlet port 27 and loading into the bottom tray transport system 35; ii. loading the cultivation trays 20 into the cultivation tower 30 from the bottom tray transport system 35; iii. initiating a cultivation cycle in which the cultivation trays 20 are rotated among a plurality of treatment stations 270, 284, and / or 290 disposed within the horticultural crop cultivation module 25; iv. monitoring and acquiring data associated with each growing tray 20 and relating to the maturity of the crops grown in the growing tray; v. repeating steps iii and iv until the crop is ready for harvest; vi. transporting the growth trays 20 from the growth tower 30 to the inlet / outlet port 27 and collecting the growth trays; vii. transporting the trays 20 to a finished crop transport system 13, such as an automated, hands-free harvesting, packing and delivery station; Includes.

[0057] Attention will now be directed to the drawings, with reference to the steps of a method of growing horticultural crops utilising the horticultural crop growing system 10 described above, in particular steps ii) through vi) above.

[0058] In step (i), after preparation at the growing tray handling and preparation station 12, the plurality of growing trays 20 are transported via the transport system 22 to the inlet port 27 of the assigned horticultural crop growing module 25, as shown in stages (a) and (b) of FIG. 14. Upon entering the vicinity of the module 25 in stage (c), in stage (d), the growing trays 20 are placed on the bottom tray transport system 35 and gradually moved (in a direction toward the growing tray lift 45) until the conveyor belt 35 is fully occupied by the growing trays 20. As shown, in some embodiments, the growing trays 20 are transferred from the transport system 22 onto the slide frame structure 35f of the bottom tray transport system 35, which will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 15A-15D.

[0059] In step (ii), when the serving cultivation tray 20db is placed under each cultivation tower 30i-30x, then the cultivation tray locking mechanism is shifted to an unlocked position by the activation motor 201, and the blocking pins 206A and 206B move away from each other to the unlocked position with the retraction of the blocking pins, and then the cultivation tray propelling unit is actuated by the piston 214, and the substance bar 212 moves vertically upward, and the serving cultivation tray 20db moves upward to each cultivation tower 30i-30x. When the serving cultivation tray 20db is placed in the cultivation tower, the cultivation tray locking mechanism is actuated in the reverse direction again, which moves the blocking pins 206A and 206B to blockingly engage in the opening 210 of the cultivation tray 20i. This step is repeated until the cultivation tower is loaded with multiple cultivation trays.

[0060] The cultivation cycle then begins (step (iii)) and each cultivation tray receives "horticultural care", i.e. each tray is treated individually or collectively in a respective tower or dedicated treatment station. Such treatment may include one or more of irrigation, lighting, humidity, temperature, fertilization / nutrition, hydrogenation, cultivation tray heating, radiation of different wavelengths, sound reproduction, pollination, sterilization.

[0061] 21A-21C, irrigation is performed in some embodiments by applying irrigation liquid via an irrigation supply line 220 to the topmost growing tray 20xi of each growing tower 30 through one or more nozzles 220z, for example, in this particular example, each topmost growing tray 20 is irrigated by two nozzles 220z, from which the irrigation liquid flows by gravity to the growing tray 20 below the topmost growing tray in a cascade configuration, as shown in Figures 21A and 21B. The irrigation liquid from the bottommost growing tray is drained into a drainage container 240, from where it is collected and transferred to a new irrigation cycle, for example, for processing, such as filtration, hydrogenation, enrichment with nutrients and minerals, temperature control, disinfection, etc., from where it is recycled to the irrigation system.

[0062] The cultivation cycle further includes cycling the cultivation trays in the horticultural crop cultivation module 25, in particular moving the cultivation trays 20 along different processing and monitoring stations. Accordingly, at a predetermined period, controlled by the controller 77, a shift cycle of the cultivation trays is performed depending on the growth parameters. To that end, the lowest cultivation tray in each tower 30 is moved to the bottom tray transport system 35 (controlled operation of the cultivation tray locking mechanism allows one tray at a time to move to the bottom tray transport system 35). Then, one tray at a time can be moved towards the processing station 270 as described above in this specification. Once processed, the processed cultivation tray 20t in said role is moved, for example, to the cultivation tray lift 45, where the tray engages with the cultivation tray support arm 140 and then rises to the top for collection by the top tray transport system 48.

[0063] Each tray that reaches the top of the grow tray lift 45 is then engaged by the pick-up hooks 170 of the endless belts 150 as previously described herein, and as it extends above its respective grow tower, the grow tray is released from the top tray transport system 48 and moves under gravity into the grow tower 30 where it may be placed on top of the tray below. As the grow tray is placed on top of another, the valves and filtration system are activated as previously described to facilitate the flow of irrigation solution in a cascade-like manner.

[0064] The cultivation process is fully automated and constantly monitored and controlled (step (iv)), with each cultivation tray receiving a defined and monitored amount of treatment. Once the controller identifies that the cultivation on the tray has reached the so-called ready / maturity stage, the particular tray is moved to the exit port 27. This is done by identifying the tray (by a readable identifier / ID code 20y) and once the tray reaches the bottom tray transport system 35, the conveyor belt rotates in the opposite direction (unloading direction) and moves said cultivation tray towards the exit port.

[0065] The control unit 77 is in some embodiments configured to perform some or all of the above-mentioned method steps utilizing sensor units, identifier readers, and various planning and / or monitoring units as disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, one or more imagers / cameras are installed in each horticultural crop cultivation module 25 and used to control one or more of the following: disease quantification, i.e. plant disease level, plant health, i.e. plant disease level and cultivation conditions, plant senescence, i.e. plant senescence to adjust nutrient solution, LED exposure, temperature, humidity, etc., chlorophyll level to adjust growth quality by LED irradiation exposure, carotenoid content indicating the level of light absorption. N content, nitrogen level in the growing medium. Flowering state, beginning of the pollination process. Pollination control, re-pollination or adjustment of pollination parameters. Crops ripening and harvesting begins.

[0066] 15A shows another possible embodiment of the bottom tray transport system 35, in which the growing trays 20 are received by a sliding frame structure 35f and transported on rails 35r. As better shown in FIG. 15C, the sliding frame structure 35f includes an actuator (e.g., linear actuator / motor) 35f coupled to a gear rack rail 35c configured to move (e.g., rack and pinion conveyor drive) the sliding frame structure 35f on the rails 35r along the horticultural crop growing module 25. In this manner, the growing trays 20 received from the entry / exit ports 27 or from the growing tray lift 45 can be moved to any one of the growing towers 30, or vice versa.

[0067] The slide frame 35f includes a lifting mechanism configured to transfer the growing tray 20 from the slide frame 35f to the growing tower 30 and vice versa. The lifting mechanism includes a lift platform 35a on which the growing tray 20 is placed and moved vertically (e.g., by linear actuation) along the vertical bar 35b of the slide frame 35f. FIG. 15B illustrates the vertical movement of the growing tray 20 by the lift platform 35a in the growing tower 30 and the locking / release of the bottommost growing tray 20 in the growing tower 30 by the locking mechanism 29, for example, four locking mechanisms 29 are illustrated here for locking the growing tray 20 in each growing tower 30.

[0068] For example, the lift platform 35a can lift the growing tray 20 placed thereon upward toward and along the support frame 180 of the growing tower 30, thereby pushing the bottommost growing tray 20i of the growing tower 30, and any other growing trays 20 stacked thereon, upward. After the growing tray 20 placed on the lift platform 35a reaches the bottommost tray position of the growing tower 30, the locking (e.g., spring) mechanism 29 attached to the support frame 180 changes from an unlocked state to a locked state by pushing its locking pin 29p into the fixed opening 210 of the growing tray 20. When the growing tray 20 is securely locked by the locking mechanism 29 to the bottommost tray position of the growing tower 30, the lift platform 35a moves downward to return to the bottommost base / floor of the slide frame 35f.

[0069] 15C and 15D show that the lift mechanism utilizes lock manipulators (e.g., piston mechanisms) 29a attached to support elements 35s extending vertically upward from the slide frame 35f to move the growing tray 20. Each lock manipulator 29a is configured to engage and manipulate (e.g., mechanically, magnetically, electrically) a respective lock mechanism 29 of the growing tower 30 to change the lock pin 29p between a released state and a locked state.

[0070] 16A-16E show the arrangement sequence of the crop cultivation module 25 utilizing the bottom tray transport system 35 of FIG. 15A-15D. In FIG. 16A, all the cultivation towers 30 of the crop cultivation module 25 are empty, and a first cultivation tray 20 is introduced into the crop cultivation module 25, for example, via its inlet / outlet port 27, and loaded onto the slide frame 35f of the bottom tray transport system 35. In FIG. 16B, the slide frame 35f is moved to a selected one of the cultivation towers 20, and its lock manipulator 29a is engaged with the respective lock mechanism 29 of the cultivation tower 30 and operated to move the respective lock pin 29p to the release state.

[0071] In Fig. 16C, the lift platform 35a is moved vertically along the vertical bar 35b of the slide frame 35f to translate the cultivation tray 20 to the lowest tray position of the cultivation tower 30, and then the lock manipulator 29a is operated again to cause each lock mechanism 29 to move the lock pin 29p to the locked state, thereby fixing the cultivation tray 20 to the lowest tray position of the cultivation tower 30. In Fig. 16D, the frit platform 35a is moved vertically downward to the base of the slide frame 35f.

[0072] In FIG. 16E, a new grow frame 20i is introduced onto the slide frame 35f, for example, via its inlet / outlet port 27, and is lifted vertically upward into the grow tower 30 by the lift platform 35a after its lock manipulator 29a is operated to change the respective lock pins 29p to a released state. As the new grow tray 20i moves up the grow tower 30, the bottommost grow tray 20, and any other grow trays 20 stacked thereon, are pushed upward along the grow tower. Once the new grow tray 20i is positioned at the bottommost tray position of the grow tower 30, its lock manipulator 29a is operated to change the respective lock pins 29p to a locked state, and then the lift platform 35a is moved back down to the base of the slide frame.

[0073] 16A-16E may be repeated any number of times to introduce a new growing tray to a selected growing tower 30 of a crop cultivation module 25 until the allocated tray position of the growing tower 30 is fully / partially positioned. After a growing tray 20 is fully / partially positioned in a crop cultivation module 25, a cultivation cycle may begin as disclosed herein.

[0074] 17A-17D illustrate the unloading sequence of the growing tray 20 according to a possible embodiment. In FIG. 17A, the slide frame 35f is moved on the rails 35r to a selected one of the growing towers 30, and its locking manipulator 29a is engaged with the respective locking mechanism 29 of the growing tower 30. In FIG. 17B, the lift platform 35a is moved vertically upward until it reaches the growing tray 20i at the bottom tray position of the growing tower 30, and its locking manipulator 29a is operated to change the respective locking pin 29p to the release state to release the growing tray 20i onto the lift platform 35a. In FIG. 17c, the lift platform 35a moves downward and returns to the base of the slide frame 35f, thereby translating the growing tray placed thereon into the slide frame and all other growing trays stacked thereon down one level. In this way, when the cultivation tray 20 from the upper level of the cultivation tower 30 reaches the lowest tray position, the lock manipulator 29a is operated again to change each lock pin 29p to a locked state, thereby fixing the cultivation tray 20 descending from the upper level to the lowest tray position of the cultivation tower 30.

[0075] 18A-18C show a top tray transport system 48 according to some possible embodiments. The top tray transport system 48 includes an elongated rail 48r extending above and along the horticultural crop growing module 25, a motor transmission unit 48m coupled to rotate an endless belt 48e that passes (e.g., timing) along or within the elongated rail 48r, and a tray carrier assembly 48f coupled to the endless belt 48e via one or more support elements 48s to translate the tray carrier assembly 48f along the elongated rail 48r. In this manner, the tray carrier assembly 48f can be moved to one end of the elongated rail 48r to receive / transfer the growing tray 20 from / to the growing tray lift 45 and from there to / from any one of the growing towers 30 of the horticultural crop growing module 25. In some embodiments, one or more plant treatment and / or monitoring stations are positioned above at least a portion of the cultivation tower 30, and a top tray transport system 48 is used to transport cultivation trays from the cultivation tray lift 45, or from one of the cultivation towers 30, to the treatment and / or monitoring station for applying one or more treatments and / or monitoring.

[0076] The tray carrier assembly 48f includes one or more carrier bars 48b (two in this particular example) coupled to the support elements 48s for moving the tray carrier assembly 48f along the elongated rails 48r, two pairs of linear guides 48g extending downward from the ends of the carrier bars 48b, and a movable tray slider mechanism 48q located between each pair of linear guides 48g. The tray slider mechanism 48q is configured to grip and hold a growth tray 20 and controllably slide the gripped growth tray 20 along the pair of linear guides 48g to move the growth tray 20 downward or upward to / from a selected one of the support arms 140 of the growth towers 30 or the growth tray lift 45, or to approach and grip the topmost growth tray 20 in one of the growth towers and move it upward therefrom for transport, for example, by the growth tray lift 45 or to another growth tower 30, and / or for application of one or more treatments and / or monitoring at one or more treatment / monitoring stations.

[0077] In this configuration, the frame 70 of the growing tray 20 includes one or more gripping holes 70c, e.g., two gripping holes 70c formed in the top of the frame 70, configured to receive, grip and move the respective gripping arms 48x of the tray slider mechanism 48q. Figures 18D-18F show a growing tray transport sequence performed utilizing the top tray transport system 48. In Figure 18D, the growing tray 20 gripped by the tray slider mechanism 48q is loaded onto the tray carrier assembly 48f, e.g., to move the tray 20 from another growing tower 30 or to a selected one of the growing towers 30 retrieved from the growing tray lift 45.

[0078] In FIG. 18E, the growing tray 20 is moved downwards, for example by a lifter cable 48y coupled to a tray slider mechanism 48q, to ​​engage the growing tray 20 with a guide channel (not shown) of the support frame 180 of the growing tower 30 for a sliding movement, for example by utilizing a sliding pin 20k shown in FIG. 22B. In this manner, the growing tray 20 is slid downwards along the support frame 180 of the growing tower 30 until it abuts another growing tray 20, typically the slid growing tray being disposed at the topmost tray position of the growing tower 30. After the growing tray 20 is disposed in the growing tower 30, the gripping arms 48x can change from a tray gripping state to a tray releasing state, for example by moving one against / towards the other, and releasing their gripping tips / fingers from the gripping holes 70c of the growing tray 20. After changing the gripping arms 48x to the tray-releasing state, the tray slider mechanism 48q is retracted upwardly, for example by the lifter cable 48y, and returns to the undeployed state adjacent the carrier bar 48b, as shown in FIG. 18E.

[0079] 19A-19K show a growing tray loading sequence utilizing the top tray transport system 48 according to some embodiments. FIG. 19A shows some possible embodiments of the horticultural crop growing module 25 prior to the introduction of any growing tray 20 into the growing tower 30. The slide frame 35f of the bottom tray transport system 35 is shown loaded with a growing tray 20, e.g., received via the tray inlet / outlet port 27. In FIG. 19B, the slide frame 35f moves on the rail 35r of the bottom tray transport system 35 towards the growing tray lift 45, and in FIG. 19C, the growing tray 20 is transferred from the slide frame 35f of the bottom tray transport system 35 to the growing tray support arm 140 of the growing tray lift 45. In Figure 19D, the growth tray lift 45 moves the growth tray 20 upward toward the top tray transport system 48, in Figure 19E, the tray carrier assembly 48f of the top tray transport system 48 moves on the rail upper portion 48r toward the growth tray lift 45, and in Figure 19F, the growth tray 20 is engaged by the tray carrier assembly 48f.

[0080] In Fig. 19G, the tray slider mechanism 48q is moved downward to engage the gripping holes 70c with the gripping tips / fingers of its gripping arms 48x, and then changed to a gripping state, for example, by moving one away from the other, thereby gripping the growing tray 20. In Fig. 16H, the tray carrier assembly 48f moves on the upper rail 48r with the gripped growing tray 20 to a selected one of the growing towers 30. In Fig. 19I, the gripped growing tray 20 is moved downward / lowered by the tray slider mechanism 48q, for example, by the lifter cable 48y, along a guide channel (not shown) of the tower's support frame 180 to an allocated position in the growing tower 30, in this example, the bottom tray position of the tower 30. The cultivation tray 20 can then be fixed to the support frame 180 by the lock pin 29p of the lock mechanism 29, and the grip arm 48x of the tray slider mechanism 48q can be changed from the tray gripping state to its tray releasing state, and the tray slider mechanism 48q can be lifted upwardly and returned to the non-deployed state.

[0081] FIG. 19K illustrates the placement of a new growing tray 20 in the horticultural crop growing module 25 after performing the steps illustrated in FIG. 19A-19H. As illustrated, the new growing tray 20 is gripped by the tray slider mechanism 48q and lowered / moved down, for example, by the lifter cable 48y, along a guide channel (not shown) of the tower's support frame 180 to an allocated position in the growing tower 30, in this example, a tray position above the bottommost tray position of the tower 30. The growing tray 20 can then be secured to the support frame 180 by the locking pin 29p of the locking mechanism 29, and the gripping arm 48x of the tray slider mechanism 48q can be changed from its tray gripping state to a tray releasing state to lift the tray slider mechanism 48q upward back to the undeployed state. As illustrated in FIG. 19K, the steps illustrated in FIG. 19A-19I can be repeated any number of times to at least partially fill at least one, or all, of the growing towers 30.

[0082] FIG. 20 illustrates a plant cultivation apparatus 20g according to some possible embodiments. In some embodiments, each horticultural crop cultivation module 25 is configured to form a tray cultivation cycle 20u implemented utilizing a bottom tray transport system 35, a cultivation tray lift 45, a top tray transport system 48, and a vertical cultivation tray translation mechanism implemented in each cultivation tower 30. For example, the tray cultivation cycle 20u includes, in some embodiments, a pollination station 20p (e.g., as described herein with reference to FIGS. 25A-25H), and / or an irrigation station 20i (e.g., as described herein with reference to FIGS. 22A-22D), and / or a sterilization station 20s (e.g., a radiation station as described herein), and / or a crop control / monitoring station 20c (e.g., as described herein with reference to FIGS. 27A and 27B), and / or a lighting arraignment 20h, for example, as described above, where one or more light emitters 188 are disposed at each tray position of the cultivation tower 30, which may be disposed in any suitable order.

[0083] 20, in some embodiments, each tray position of each growing tray 30 includes one or more treatment elements 188. In this particular example, each tray position includes two such treatment elements 188 that are used to provide radiant light to the plants (e.g., using light emitting diodes, or LEDs) and / or to ventilate the plants within each growing tray 20, as described below with reference to FIGS.

[0084] In a possible embodiment, the irrigation device shown in Figures 22A-22D is utilized to individually irrigate the growing trays 20 in the irrigation station 20i one at a time. To this end, in some embodiments, the growing tray 20 includes one or more perforated liquid trough elements 20v (e.g., a single trough 20v is shown in this example) extending along the length of the growing tray 20 and attached, for example, to a frame 70 of the growing tray 20 by a support element 20w, and one or more liquid tubes 20j (e.g., a single tube 20j is shown in this example) extending downward from a liquid inlet port 20n formed on the upper side of the frame 70 toward the perforated liquid trough element 20v. The liquid tubes 20j are configured to receive irrigation liquid via the liquid inlet port 20n and to flow it by gravity to the perforated liquid trough element 20v, from where the flowed irrigation liquid is sprayed on the plants via the perforations 20z.

[0085] As seen in Figures 22C-22H, the irrigation station 20i is configured in some embodiments to receive the cultivation tray 20 from one or more selected cultivation towers 30 via the bottom tray transport system 35. The slide frame 35f picks up the cultivation tray 20 from the cultivation tower 30 and transfers it to the tray support arm 140 of the tray lift 45, whereby the liquid supply tube 24p is fluidly coupled to the liquid inlet port 20n of the cultivation tray 20 and the liquid outlet tube 24b is fluidly coupled to the normally closed valve 64 of the cultivation tray 20 via the interface funnel element 24f, thereby changing the normally closed valve 64 to an open state. Thus, the irrigation liquid is supplied by the liquid supply tube 24p to the perforated trough 20v and sprayed on the plants via the perforations 20z, while the residual irrigation liquid accumulated in the tray-like portion 60 of the cultivation tray 20 is discharged to the drainage container 240 via the liquid outlet tube 24b.

[0086] After supplying a certain amount of irrigation liquid to the cultivation tray 20, the liquid supply pipe 24p and the liquid discharge pipe 24b are removed / retracted and the cultivation tray 20 is returned to its assigned position in one of the cultivation towers 30, for example, by lifting the cultivation tray 20 to the top tray transport system 48 by the tray lift 45 for lowering the cultivation tray 20 into the selected one of the cultivation towers 30, or by returning the cultivation tray 20 to the slide frame 35f and lifting it into the selected one of the cultivation towers 30.

[0087] 23A-23C show a drainage device 28 that can be used in some embodiments to remove residual irrigation liquid accumulated inside the tray-like portion 60 of the growing tray 20. The drainage device 28 includes a tilting element 28a configured to apply a predetermined tilt angle to the growing tray 20 to drain residual liquid accumulated inside the tray-like portion 60 toward a normally closed valve 64 after the supply of irrigation liquid is stopped. Optionally, but preferably in some embodiments, a normally open valve is provided at the irrigation outlet port of the growing tray, or an irrigation outlet port is provided without any valve, so that residual irrigation liquid accumulated in the growing tray is drained therefrom in a continuous and uninterrupted manner.

[0088] 24A-24D show a system ventilator 33a used to flow gas / air over the growing trays 20 of the horticultural crop growing module 25 in a possible embodiment. In this embodiment, each growing tower 30 tray position includes one or more gas / air distribution pipes 33 with multiple gas / air outlets 33t for flowing gas / air to the plants in the growing trays 20. The ventilator 33a includes, in some embodiments, one or more main gas / air ducts 33d from which multiple gas / air distribution pipes 33 extend toward the growing trays 30. In this particular example, the side of the horticultural crop growing module 25 is fitted with a main gas / air duct 33d, and the gas / air distribution pipes 33 are alternately distributed from the main gas / air duct 33d on each side of the growing tower 30. The main gas / air duct 33d is configured to receive gas / air flowing thereto via a gas / air inlet 33i and uses a gas / air duct transition element 33t for the gas / air flow.

[0089] 26 shows a possible embodiment of the environmental control device 26a, including one or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units k1 configured to control the temperature in the system, and / or one or more dehumidification units k2 configured to control the humidity unit eh system, and / or one or more air circulation fans k3 for circulating fresh air through the system, and / or one or more light emitting (e.g., LED) units k4 for providing artificial plant growing lighting, and / or one or more irrigation units k5 configured to mix the irrigation solution and / or optionally also integrate measurement data obtained from sensor devices indicative of the acidity, and / or electrical conductivity, and / or temperature of the irrigation solution. The control unit 77 is, in some embodiments, configured to analyze and process the measurement data from the various sensors and control / adjust the operation of each unit k1-k5 based thereon.

[0090] 27A and 27B show possible embodiment crop monitoring / controlling device 27a utilizing multiple tray tracking zones in horticultural crop growing module 25. In some embodiments, each one of the growing trays 20 includes a unique readable identifier (e.g., Datamatrix identification code) 20y. The tray identifier 20y is used by the system to record information / measurement data from sensors in association with each plant in the horticultural crop growing module 25.

[0091] In some embodiments, the horticultural crop cultivation module 25 includes a tray identification zone c1 at the sterilization 20s and / or crop control 20c station for recording information of the cultivation trays 20 undergoing sterilization / crop control (e.g., ID, date, time, sterilization and crop control), and / or an upper tray passing zone c2 above / adjacent to each cultivation tower 30 for recording information of each cultivation tray 20 transported to / from the cultivation tower 30 (e.g., ID, date, time, tower ID), and / or a tray entry zone c3 near / at the entry / exit port 27 for identifying cultivation trays being loaded and unloaded from the system, and / or c4 at / near the entrance to the pollination station 20p and / or irrigation station for recording information of the cultivation trays 20 undergoing the pollination / irrigation process (e.g., ID, date, time, pollination / irrigation).

[0092] The control unit 77 may be configured to collect and record tray identification information for the various tray identification zones c1,...,c4 for each growing tray 20 transported within the system, optionally in association with specific conditions / characteristics such as light exposure duration, nutrients, sterilization, pollination, etc. along with input regarding produce type, seed type, or mother plant. The collected data may be processed and analyzed to generate a standard growing profile that may be utilized to determine optimal growing conditions for the system.

[0093] This tray identification / traceability device 27a of each growing tray 20 transported within the system can be used by the control unit 77 to determine the individual growing status / profile of each growing tray 20, e.g., position in the growing tower, fast / slow moving speed within the system, etc.

[0094] As described above and shown in the associated figures, the present disclosure provides a greenhouse and horticulture system for an automated plant growing facility and related methods. Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto, as modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, especially in light of the teachings set forth above. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be implemented in a wide variety of ways, employing more than one of the techniques described above, without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. An automated horticultural crop cultivation system, comprising: a growth tray preparation station where a plurality of growth trays are prepared and the growth beds are filled and planted; a growth tray transfer system for transporting the planted growth trays from the growth tray preparation station to a horticultural crop cultivation facility; the horticultural crop growing facility includes a controlled environment treatment system, an enclosed structure with one or more growing tray inlet / outlet ports, and one or more horticultural crop growing modules; The horticultural crop cultivation module comprises: a plurality of parallel arranged single-row growing towers, each of the plurality of parallel arranged single-row growing towers configured to receive a vertically supported growing tray and to move the growing tray vertically within the single-row growing tower along the single-row growing tower to transfer the growing tray between tray positions therein; a growth tray handling system including one or both of a top tray transport system for loading or unloading growth trays from an upper end of each growth tower and a bottom tray transport system for loading or unloading growth trays from a lower end of each growth tower; The cultivation tray operation system comprises: receiving planted growing trays from the growing tray transfer system via the growing tray entry / exit ports and loading them into assigned growing towers of the horticultural crop growing module; moving the growing trays between the assigned growing towers to a processing station within the horticultural crop growing module; unloading the growing tray by moving the growing tray out of the horticultural crop growing facility through the growing tray entry / exit port; It is configured as follows: Automated horticultural crop cultivation system.

2. 2. The automated horticultural crop growing system of claim 1, further comprising a finished crop station configured to receive growing trays from the horticultural crop growing module, where the grown crops are harvested, packed, stored and prepared for delivery / shipment in an automated hands-free handling station.

3. 1. A horticultural crop cultivation facility comprising an enclosed structure with a controlled environment handling system, the enclosed structure having one or more growing tray entry / exit ports, and one or more horticultural crop cultivation modules, each horticultural crop cultivation module comprising a plurality of parallel arranged single row growing towers, each of the plurality of single row growing towers configured to receive an array of vertically supported growing trays and move the growing trays vertically along the single row tower, a growing tray handling system including one or both of a top tray transport system and a bottom tray transport system, the growing tray handling system configured to receive planted growing trays via the growing tray entry / exit ports, load them into assigned growing towers of the horticultural crop cultivation modules, move the growing trays through a processing station within the horticultural crop cultivation modules, and move the growing trays out of the horticultural crop cultivation facility via the growing tray entry / exit ports.

4. 1. A horticultural crop cultivation module comprising an enclosed structure with a controlled environment handling system and one or more cultivation tray inlet / outlet ports, each horticultural crop cultivation module comprising a plurality of parallel arranged single-row cultivation towers, each of the plurality of single-row cultivation towers configured to receive an array of vertically supported cultivation trays and move the cultivation trays vertically along the single-row tower, a cultivation tray handling system including one or both of a top tray transport system extending above the cultivation towers and a bottom tray transport system extending below the cultivation towers, the cultivation tray handling system configured to receive planted cultivation trays via the cultivation tray inlet / outlet ports, load them into assigned cultivation towers of the horticultural crop cultivation module, move the cultivation trays through a processing station within the horticultural crop cultivation module, and move the cultivation trays out of the horticultural crop cultivation facility via the cultivation tray inlet / outlet ports.

5. 5. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, configured to autonomously introduce a plurality of cultivation trays into the horticultural crop cultivation module via the cultivation tray entrance / exit ports, automatically load the plurality of cultivation trays into the cultivation tower, and move one or more of the cultivation trays along a processing path such that the cultivation trays undergo processing at processing stations extending along the processing path, whereby the cultivation trays are autonomously transferred out of the horticultural crop cultivation module via the entrance / exit ports when the crops are ready for harvest.

6. 6. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 5, wherein the treatment station is configured to apply one or more treatments along the treatment path to promote and enhance growth of the crop.

7. 7. The horticultural crop cultivation module according to claim 4, wherein the processing stations include one or more of irrigation, lighting, humidity, temperature, fertilization / nutrient, hydrogenation, cultivation tray heating, radiation of different wavelengths, sound reproduction, pollination, and sterilization.

8. 8. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, wherein the horticultural crop cultivation module is configured to include an artificial intelligence (AI) system including a plurality of sensors distributed within the horticultural crop cultivation module along the processing path and configured to acquire parameter signals associated with the growth cycle of the crop and associated with the position and status of the cultivation trays and processing stations, and a controller configured to receive and process the parameter signals and in response generate operation signals for controlling the operation of the processing stations and the automatic movement of the cultivation trays along the cultivation path.

9. 9. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 8, wherein the sensors of the AI ​​system include one or more of an image sensor, a temperature sensor, a sugar content analyzer, a humidity sensor, a chemical condition and / or a property sensor.

10. 10. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 4, wherein the growing tray handling system includes a growing tray lift configured to receive the growing trays from the bottom tray transport system and transport them to the top tray transport system.

11. 11. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 10, wherein each one or more of the bottom tray transport system, the growing tray lift, and the top tray transport system may be further configured to transport the growing trays to one or more of the processing stations.

12. 12. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein each of the bottom tray transport system, the growing tray lift and the top tray transport system are operable to transport growing trays in either direction.

13. 13. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, wherein each of the cultivation towers is configured with a cultivation tray support system for holding the cultivation trays vertically aligned, a serving lowest cultivation tray being blocked by a tray blocking mechanism at the bottom of the support system, and each successive cultivation tray being supported on top of another cultivation tray and easily movable for movement along the cultivation tower.

14. 14. A horticultural crop growing module according to any one of claims 4 to 13, comprising a lighting system configured to illuminate the growing trays.

15. 15. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 14, wherein each growing tower includes tray support rails defining a slide path along which trays within the growing tower are slidably movable under the force of gravity.

16. 16. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, wherein irrigation is applied to the cultivation trays in a cascade configuration, with irrigation being applied to a topmost cultivation tray in the cultivation tower and irrigation solution flowing by gravity to the cultivation trays below in turn.

17. 17. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 4, wherein the growing tray is configured to include an irrigation inlet port located at an uppermost portion thereof and an irrigation outlet port located at a lowermost portion thereof and to define an irrigation flow path extending between the ports.

18. 20. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 17, wherein the irrigation outlet ports of the growing trays include normally closed valves configured to be opened by a valve opening member configured on an inlet port of an adjacent lowermost growing tray only when the growing trays are stacked on top of each other.

19. 19. A horticultural crop growing module according to claim 17 or 18, wherein one or both of the irrigation inlet port and the irrigation outlet port are configured with a filtering device.

20. 20. The horticultural crop growing module of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein a lowest growing tray in a growing tower is selectively engaged by a valve opening mechanism configured to open the valve of the irrigation outlet port of the lowest growing tray when placed on the valve opening mechanism.

21. 21. The horticultural crop growing module of any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the growing tray includes a perforated trough element configured to distribute irrigation fluid received from the irrigation inlet port.

22. 22. A horticultural crop growing module according to any one of claims 17 to 21, comprising an irrigation station configured to supply irrigation liquid to growing trays introduced therein via the irrigation inlet port.

23. 23. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 22, wherein the irrigation station is configured to drain residual irrigation solution accumulated in the growing tray through an irrigation outlet port.

24. 24. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 23, wherein the irrigation station includes a tilting mechanism configured to drain the residual liquid.

25. 25. A horticultural crop growing module according to any one of claims 4 to 24, wherein the valve is associated with a filtering device, whereby liquid arriving at said valve is filtered.

26. 26. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, wherein a lowest cultivation tray in a cultivation tower is positioned above a drainage receptacle, and a valve opening mechanism is configured to open the valve of the irrigation outlet port of the lowest cultivation tray when the lowest cultivation tray is positioned above the drainage receptacle.

27. 27. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 26, configured to process irrigation liquid and recycle said irrigation liquid.

28. 28. A horticultural crop growing module according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the drainage basins are in fluid communication with each other or a common drainage basin is configured for two or more growing towers of said horticultural crop growing module.

29. 29. A horticultural crop cultivation module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 28, wherein irrigation fluid discharged from one or more of the cultivation towers within the horticultural crop cultivation module is collected directly in an external irrigation fluid treatment station.

30. 29. The horticultural crop cultivation module according to any one of claims 4 to 28, wherein irrigation liquid discharged from one or more of the cultivation towers in the horticultural crop cultivation module flows by gravity along the cultivation trays in the cultivation towers, and after flowing through all the cultivation trays in the towers, the irrigation liquid flows to an irrigation liquid treatment station within or outside the cultivation module, where the irrigation liquid is analyzed, treated, and then recycled.

31. 31. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 4, wherein the cultivation tower is configured to accommodate a vertical stack of cultivation trays supported between side bars, a lowest cultivation tray being blockable by a tray blocking mechanism, and successive cultivation trays being arranged one on top of the other, whereby disengaging the lowest tray from the tray blocking mechanism facilitates loading the lowest tray into the bottom tray transport system, and further wherein gravity shifts the cultivation trays downward within the cultivation tower.

32. 32. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 4, wherein the bottom tray transport system comprises a pair of conveyor chains arranged in parallel and configured to support both sides of a bottom surface of the growing tray.

33. A horticultural crop cultivation module as described in any one of claims 4 to 32, wherein a tray blocking mechanism is configured at the bottom of the cultivation tower, and the tray blocking mechanism is operable between a normal tray blocking position in which one or more obstructing elements are extended to secure the lowest cultivation tray to the cultivation tower, and a disengaged position in which the one or more obstructing elements are retracted to release the lowest cultivation tray from the cultivation tower.

34. 34. The horticultural crop cultivation module of claim 33, wherein the tray blocking mechanisms of the cultivation tower are configured for simultaneous operation, whereby all tray blocking mechanisms in the horticultural crop cultivation module are configured to shift between their respective tray blocking and disengaged positions simultaneously or when a command signal is received from a controller, and any one or more tray blocking mechanisms can be individually operated.

35. 35. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 33 or 34, wherein the tray blocking mechanism includes an actuation rod rotatably fixed to the bottom of the horticultural crop growing module and configured with a threaded portion disposed adjacent to each growing tower, and a plurality of threaded riders, at least one associated with each growing tower, each rider engaged with a respective threaded portion and constrained to move axially along the actuation rod, each rider including a tray engagement member, whereby rotating the threaded rod in one direction is accompanied by simultaneous axial movement of the rider to shift the tray blocking mechanism to a tray blocking position, and rotating the threaded rod in the opposite direction is accompanied by simultaneous axial movement of the rider to shift the tray blocking mechanism to a disengaged position.

36. 36. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 35, wherein the tray engagement member is a pin that protrudes from the rider and is configured to block within an opening in a lowermost tray.

37. 37. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein the tray blocking mechanism includes a pair of opposed pins whereby in the tray blocking position the pins move towards each other and in the disengaged position the pins move away from each other.

38. 35. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 33 or 34, wherein the bottom tray transport system includes one or more rails extending below the growing towers and a frame structure configured to move along the one or more rails to transfer or receive growing trays from selected ones of the growing towers.

39. 39. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 38, wherein the frame structure includes a manipulator unit configured to engage with the tray blocking mechanism of the growing tower and controllably vary the tray blocking mechanism between the tray blocking position and the disengaged position.

40. 40. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 38 or 39, wherein the frame structure includes a lift assembly configured to transport growing trays carried thereby to or receive growing trays from the growing tower.

41. 41. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 40, configured to shift the tray blocking mechanism to its disengaged position when the growing tray is transferred to the growing tower, and then return the tray blocking mechanism to its tray blocking position to secure the transferred growing tray at a bottom tray position of the growing tower.

42. 42. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in claim 40 or 41, configured to change the tray blocking mechanism to its disengaged position when receiving the growing tray from the growing tower, and then to return the tray blocking mechanism to its tray blocking position to secure the downwardly moved growing tray at the lowest tray position of the tower.

43. 43. A horticultural crop cultivation module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 42, wherein the cultivation trays are sturdy trays made of metal or plastic material, having a flat cultivation portion and two parallel upright side frames arranged at opposite side ends of the trays, and the cultivation trays in the cultivation tower are configured such that the bottom surface of the top cultivation tray rests on the side frames of the adjacent bottom cultivation tray.

44. 44. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in claim 43, wherein the upright side frame of the adjacent lowermost growing tray is configured with a valve opening member for opening a normally closed valve of the uppermost growing tray.

45. 45. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in claim 43 or 44, wherein the growing tray is engaged by a growing tray lift at the bottom of the tray or at its upright frame.

46. 46. ​​A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the upright side frames of the growing tray are configured with engagement recesses and the top tray transport system is configured with two side rails housing one or more pick-up hooks movable along the side rails and configured to selectively block in the engagement recesses.

47. 47. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 46, wherein the two side rails of the top tray transport system are fixed above the growing tower in the horticultural crop growing module, and engagement with one or more trays is effected when a growing tray is moved upwardly toward the side rails.

48. 48. A horticultural crop cultivation module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 37 and 43 to 47, further comprising a cultivation tray propulsion unit configured to raise and lower a cultivation tray acting as a lowest stage from the bottom tray transport system into and out of the respective cultivation tower.

49. 13. A horticultural crop growing module as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the top tray transport system is also fitted for transporting growing trays to and from the inlet / outlet ports.

50. 50. A horticultural crop growing module according to any one of claims 4 to 49 received within an enclosed controlled environment location.

51. 51. The horticultural crop growing module of any one of claims 4 to 50, wherein a light irradiation source is associated with each growing tray in the growing tower.

52. 52. The horticultural crop growing module of claim 51, wherein the light irradiation source is disposed on a tray support rail of the growing tower and / or on a bottom surface of the growing tray.

53. 53. A horticultural crop cultivation module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 52, wherein each cultivation tray is configured with a readable identifier, whereby tray data associated with each cultivation tray can be registered in a controller of the horticultural crop cultivation module.

54. 54. A horticultural crop cultivation module as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 53, configured as an autonomous cultivation module independent of other cultivation modules and self-supplied with all elements required to obtain a cultivation cycle, including inlet / outlet ports and a restricted controlled environment.

55. 55. A method for cultivating a horticultural crop for use in combination with a horticultural crop cultivation module according to any one of claims 4 to 54, comprising: vii. receiving a plurality of planted growing trays into said horticultural crop growing module through said entry / exit ports and transporting them by said bottom tray transport system; viii. Loading the growing trays from the bottom tray transport system into the growing tower; ix. initiating a cultivation cycle in which the cultivation trays are rotated among a plurality of treatment stations disposed within the horticultural crop cultivation module; x. monitoring and acquiring data associated with each growing tray and relating to the maturity of the crop being grown in said growing tray; xi. Repeating steps iii and iv until the crop is ready for harvest; xii. transporting the growing tray from the growing tower to the inlet / outlet port and collecting the growing tray; A method for cultivating a horticultural crop comprising:

56. 56. The method of claim 55, wherein prior to a cultivation cycle, the cultivation trays and the horticultural crop cultivation facility are pre-treated at a cultivation tray preparation station and the surroundings and equipment are sanitized.

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