Plant cultivation equipment

Abstract

To facilitate various works including harvesting work in a plant cultivation facility.SOLUTION: In a plant cultivation facility in which a cultivation bed 5 for cultivating a plant P is provided and the cultivation bed 5 is provided with vertical attracting members 17 at predetermined intervals, a plant support frame 20 is configured on the left and right sides of the plant P, and the plant support frame 20 comprises vertical frames 21 extending vertically from the attracting hooks 16 on at least the left and right sides of the plant P, respectively. In addition, the plant support frame 20 comprises a horizontal frames 22 between the plurality of the vertical frames 21, with which branches, leaves and fruits are brought into contact.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant cultivation facility. [Background technology]

[0002] In the plant cultivation equipment, a guide wire is provided on the upper side of the cultivation bed along the cultivation rows, and the cultivated plants are guided and supported by guide strings hanging down from the guide wire (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-158598 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, as the plants grow and the fruits are harvested, the fruits gradually grow higher, so the harvesting work can be done by lowering the fruit position by lowering the guide string. However, the branches and leaves of the plants extend beyond the cultivation bed into the aisle, making it difficult to carry out various work while moving along the aisle.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to make it easier to perform various tasks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect of the present invention is In a plant cultivation facility provided with a cultivation bed (5) for cultivating a plant (P), and with vertical attracting members (17) provided at a predetermined interval on the cultivation bed (5), a plant support frame (20) is configured on the left and right of the plant (P), and the plant support frame (20) is provided with vertical frames (21) extending in the vertical direction from attracting hooks (16) from which the attracting members (17) hang down, at least on the left and right sides of the plant (P), respectively; The plant support frame (20) is a plant cultivation facility characterized by having horizontal frames (22) between a plurality of vertical frames (21) against which branches, leaves and fruits are abutted. The second aspect of the present invention is This is a first plant cultivation facility of the present invention, in which a reel portion (16a) of an attracting hook (16) that pays out an attracting member (17) is supported on an upper portion of a vertical frame (21). The third aspect of the present invention is The vertical frames (21) are a pair, and the spacing between the pair of vertical frames (21a, 21b) is parallel to each other over a predetermined range on the upper side, and bent and sloped downward from the middle part, so that the spacing is gradually wider toward the lower side compared to the upper side, in the first or second plant cultivation equipment of the present invention. The fourth aspect of the present invention is This is a plant cultivation facility according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, in which the lower end of the vertical frame (21) is supported by being inserted into girders (23, 23) that are arranged in parallel to the side of the cultivation bed (5) and allow waste liquid to flow. The first invention related to the present invention In the plant cultivation facility, a cultivation bed 5 for cultivating a plant P is provided, and vertical attraction members 17 are provided at predetermined intervals on the cultivation bed 5. A plant support frame 20 is formed on the left and right of the plant P, and the plant support frame 20 has vertical frames 21 extending vertically from the attraction hooks 16 on at least the left and right sides of the plant P.

[0007] The second invention related to the present invention is the first invention related to the present invention. In the plant support frame 20, a plant support frame 20 is provided between a plurality of vertical frames 21 and has horizontal frames 22 against which branches, leaves and fruits are placed.

[0008] The third invention related to the present invention is the first or second invention related to the present invention. In the vertical frame 21, a reel portion 16a of the attracting hook 16 that pays out the attracting member 17 is supported on the upper portion of the vertical frame 21.

[0009] The fourth invention related to the present invention is any one of the first to third inventions related to the present invention. In the vertical frame 21, a pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b are formed such that the spacing between them is parallel over a predetermined range on the upper side and bent downward at an angle from the middle part, so that the spacing becomes gradually wider toward the lower side compared to the spacing on the upper side.

[0010] The fifth invention related to the present invention is any one of the first to fourth inventions related to the present invention. In the above, the lower end of the vertical frame 21 is inserted into and supported by girders 23, 23 that are provided in parallel on the side of the cultivation bed 5 and allow waste liquid to flow. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the branches and leaves of the plant P can be prevented from coming into contact with the vertical frames 21a, 21b and the horizontal frame 22 and protruding into the aisle, so that various tasks can be performed smoothly on the aisle side. The first or second invention related to the present invention According to this, the branches and leaves of the plant P can be prevented from coming into contact with the vertical frames 21a, 21b and the horizontal frame 22 and protruding into the aisle, so that various tasks can be performed smoothly on the aisle side.

[0012] In addition, the fruit can be easily separated from the branches and leaves, which improves the fruit harvesting work, and in particular, the work of the harvesting machine using the harvesting arm robot can be simplified.

[0013] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the first or second aspect of the present inventionIn addition to this effect, since the reel portion 16a that reels out the attraction member 17 is supported on the upper portion of the vertical frame 21, the attraction member 17 and the support frame 20 can be attached and detached as a unit.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, In addition to this effect, it is easy to provide support in contact with lush branches and leaves.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the first to fourth aspects of the present invention In addition to this effect, the structure is simplified and attachment and detachment is easy. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view showing an overview of a part of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a front view showing an overview of a part of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2A is a side view of an overview of a portion of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention and a harvesting work mobile vehicle, and FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a side view of an overview of a portion of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention and a harvesting work mobile vehicle. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view of an overview of a portion of a plant cultivation facility according to an embodiment of the present invention and a harvesting work mobile vehicle. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are side views showing an outline of the operation of a harvesting work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are front views showing an example of a harvest storage box and a fruit case according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are side views showing an outline of the operation of a harvesting vehicle according to a different embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the operation of the transport conveyor according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] A greenhouse system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows an example of a cultivation facility, which includes a cultivation room 1, which is a greenhouse in which the temperature, humidity, and other indoor conditions are controlled by heaters and humidifiers, and a shipping room 2 adjacent to the cultivation room 1. In the center of the cultivation room 1, a main passage 4 is provided through which workers or mobile work vehicles (work carts) 3, also called mobile work vehicles, or pest control vehicles, can pass, and the main passage 4 is a concrete passage with a concrete road surface. At both sides of the main passage 4, a cultivation space 6 for cultivating crops is formed by arranging a large number of cultivation beds 5, which are cultivation units, in rows. The cultivation beds 5 are cultivation beds made of rock wool, which serves as a culture medium, and nutrient solution is supplied to each cultivation bed 5 from a nutrient solution supplying device 7 in the shipping room 2.

[0019] In addition, entrances 8 to the cultivation room 1 equipped with opening and closing doors are provided at both ends of the main passage 4, and one of the entrances 8 can be used to access the adjacent shipping room 2. The other entrance 8 can be used to access the cultivation facility from the outside. The work vehicle 3 can be moved from the main passage 4 to a sub-passage 9 between each cultivation bed 5, and various tasks can be performed on the plants being cultivated while moving the work vehicle 3 along the cultivation beds 5 on the sub-passage 9. The sub-passage 9 is a passage formed in the front-rear direction between the left and right sides of each cultivation bed 5. The work vehicle 3 runs on rails 13 on the left and right heating pipes laid on the sub-passage 9 for heating the entire greenhouse.

[0020] The shipping room 2 is provided with the nutrient solution supplying device 7 and a sorting device 10 that sorts the harvested crops (fruits) such as tomatoes by weight, size, or grade. The sorting device 10 is a pre-treatment device that processes the cultivated crops before shipping. The sorting device 10 is configured with a sorting conveyor 11 that transports and sorts the harvested crops, and harvested product storage sections 12 for each class provided on both sides of the sorting conveyor 11, and is configured to supply the harvested crops from the sorting conveyor 11 to each harvested product storage section 12 and sort them into each class. The sorting conveyor 11 is configured to be bent in an L-shape in a plan view. Each harvested product storage section 12 is provided with a storage box for storing the harvested crops, and the harvested crops are shipped by this storage box.

[0021] An attracting wire 15 is provided on the upper side of the cultivation bed 5 along the cultivation line, and the cultivated plant P is attracted by an attracting string 17 as an attracting member that hangs down from the attracting wire 15 via an attracting hook 16. The attracting hook 16 is configured to be hung from the attracting wire 15, and is configured as known in the art to appropriately unwind the attracting string 17 wound around the reel part 16a and hang down. After the plant grows to a predetermined height (near the attracting hook 16), the attracting string 17 is unwound from the attracting hook 16 while being shifted in sequence in the arrangement direction of the multiple cultivated plants, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation bed 5, to lower the height of the plant, and the plant P is continuously cultivated. Therefore, for example, when a tomato is cultivated, the tomato stem c will extend from the cultivation bed 5 along the attracting string 17.

[0022] A plant support frame 20 is formed on the left and right of the plant P. The plant support frame 20 is composed of vertical frames 21 extending vertically from the attraction hook 16 on the left and right sides of the plant P, and horizontal frames 22 in a ladder shape between the vertical frames 21. In the illustrated example, a pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b are used. Therefore, the stem of the plant P is located between the pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b in a side view, and the branches and leaves abut against the pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b and the horizontal frame 22 to prevent them from protruding into the aisle. As the fruit grows, it tends to come out of the frame formed by the vertical frames 21a, 21b and the horizontal frame 22, and the overgrown branches and leaves tend to abut against the frame formed by the vertical frames 21a, 21a and the horizontal frame 22, making it easier to distinguish between the two. The pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b are connected at their upper ends to the attraction hook 16 and are provided with a length that reaches the cultivation bed 5 at their lower ends. The vertical frames 21 are provided on the left and right sides of the plant P, i.e., on both sides of the cultivation bed 5. As described above, a pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b are provided on the left and right sides and in the front-rear direction of the plant P, and a plurality of horizontal frames 22a, 22b, 22c are formed in a ladder shape between the pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b, so that the fruit of the plant P can be produced, but the branches and leaves can be held in contact with each other so that they do not protrude into the sub-passage 9 side.

[0023] The reel portion 16a of the attraction hook 16 is supported in a clamped manner at the upper portion of the pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b constituting the plant support frame 20. The plant support frame 20 is also supported in a suspended state as a whole by supporting the attraction wire 15 with the hanging hook portion 16b of the attraction hook 16.

[0024] The spacing between the pair of vertical frames 21a, 21b is formed so that the upper portion is almost parallel to the upper portion, and the lower portion is bent and slanted downward from the middle portion, so that the spacing between the upper portion is gradually wider toward the lower portion than the spacing between the upper portion. Therefore, since the lower portion where the fruit f grows is wider, the fruit f is easily separated from the stems and leaves.

[0025] The lower ends of the vertical frames 21a, 21b of the plant support frame 20 and the lowermost horizontal frame 22c are inserted into gutters (grooves) 23, 23 that are provided in parallel on the sides of the cultivation bed 5 to drain waste liquid, thereby forming a support structure for the lower end. Therefore, the support frame 20 can be easily attached and detached.

[0026] The mobile work vehicle 3 is a harvesting work vehicle equipped with front, rear, left and right running wheels 25, a step 26 on which an operator boards, and a harvesting arm 27. The harvesting arm 27 is located on the upper part of a mechanism body 28 containing a drive mechanism, and is composed of a first arm 27a which can rotate 360 ​​degrees around a vertical axis and whose length can be controlled to expand and contract, a second arm 27b which is connected to the first arm 27a and whose lift height can be changed and controlled, and a hand unit 27c which grasps and harvests fruits f such as tomatoes. The operation of the first arm 27a, the second arm 27b and the hand unit 27c is controlled to harvest the fruits f, and the control output is based on the image output of an image capturing camera (not shown). That is, the step 26 of the mobile work vehicle 3 is equipped with an image capturing camera on one or both sides of the front and rear in the traveling direction, and is configured so that location information and coloring information can be transmitted to a mobile work vehicle control unit (not shown) based on image data of the fruits f while the mobile work vehicle 3 is moving. The control unit can determine whether or not it is the appropriate time for harvesting based on the coloring information, and based on the position information of the fruit that is appropriate for harvesting, output a harvesting command signal to the harvesting arm 27 to rotate, extend, and retract the arm and perform harvesting operations.

[0027] Next, the harvest storage box 30 for storing harvested fruit will be described. The harvest storage box 30 is configured with multiple shelves and is capable of storing fruit cases 31, 31.... The harvest storage box 30, with an empty fruit case 31 set therein and waiting in the sub-passage 9, can be placed on the forklift unit 29 provided at the front of the mobile work vehicle 3 and lifted.

[0028] The fruit case 31 is formed into a fruit inlet by removing the wall on the side corresponding to the mobile work vehicle 3 body, and furthermore, this fruit inlet side is formed into an inclined bottom surface which is slightly higher and lower on the rear side, thereby allowing the harvested fruit f by the harvesting arm 27 to be received and easily rolled to the rear side for storage.

[0029] The mobile work vehicle 3 moves forward and approaches the storage box 30 that has already been placed in the sub-passage 9 (Fig. 4), and is then placed on the forklift unit 29 and held at a specified height (Fig. 5). As the mobile work vehicle 3 moves forward, the harvesting arm 27 harvests the fruit f, and the fruit f is stored through the fruit inlet of the topmost fruit case 31 (Fig. 6). When the topmost fruit case 31 is full (Fig. 7(A)), it rises in sequence so that the fruit can be stored in the lower fruit cases 31 (Fig. 7(B)).

[0030] 8(A) and (B) show an example of a multi-tiered fruit case 31, where multiple fruit cases 31 are arranged side by side at the same height on both the left and right sides, so that harvested fruit f can be stored while being guided in a line, simplifying control of the relative positions of the harvesting arm 27 and the fruit cases 31. Also, by varying the width of the fruit inlet opening of the fruit cases 31, Fig. 8(A) can accommodate spherical fruit, and Fig. 8(B) can accommodate long vegetables such as cucumbers.

[0031] FIG. 9 shows the state of fruit storage in the fruit case 31 when the harvesting arms 27A and 27B are arranged at the front and rear of the vehicle body to improve work efficiency. The harvested fruits f by the harvesting arm 27A installed at the front are directly supplied to the fruit case 31, and the harvested fruits f by the harvesting arm 27B installed at the rear are transported forward by a transport conveyor 32 installed on the vehicle body and supplied to the fruit case 31 in the middle of the storage box 30. With this configuration, the work efficiency can be improved by having the front and rear harvesting arms 27A or 27B correspond to the plants P in the cultivation beds 5, 5 on the left or right side of the sub-passage 9 to perform harvesting work. The work efficiency can be improved by configuring the front harvesting arm 27A to supply to the fruit case 31 at the position closest to the position of the fruit f to be harvested and held by the harvesting arm 27A. Incidentally, by providing a sensor that can detect fullness in each fruit case 31 or harvesting arm 27A, oversupply can be prevented and appropriate fruit supply can be achieved. Moreover, the transport conveyor 32 can be made wide so that the supply to the waiting fruit cases 31 can be varied depending on the drop position of the harvesting arm 27B, thereby improving work efficiency (FIG. 10). [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 5. Cultivation Beds 16 Attracting Hook 16a Reel section 17 Attraction Materials 20 Plant Support Frame 21 Vertical Frame 22 Horizontal Frame 23 Ghata P plant f Fruit

Claims

1. In a plant cultivation facility provided with a cultivation bed (5) for cultivating a plant (P) and with vertical attracting members (17) provided at a predetermined interval on the cultivation bed (5), a plant support frame (20) is configured on the left and right of the plant (P), and the plant support frame (20) is provided with vertical frames (21) extending in the vertical direction from attracting hooks (16) from which the attracting members (17) hang down, at least on the left and right sides of the plant (P), respectively; The plant support frame (20) is a plant cultivation facility characterized by having horizontal frames (22) between a plurality of vertical frames (21) against which branches, leaves and fruits are abutted.

2. 2. The plant cultivation facility according to claim 1, wherein a reel portion (16a) of an attracting hook (16) for paying out an attracting member (17) is supported on an upper portion of the vertical frame (21).

3. 3. The plant cultivation facility according to claim 1, wherein the vertical frames (21) are a pair, and the spacing between the pair of vertical frames (21a, 21b) is parallel to each other over a predetermined range on the upper side and bent and downward from the middle part, so that the spacing is gradually wider toward the lower side compared to the spacing on the upper side.

4. 4. A plant cultivation facility as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower end of the vertical frame (21) is inserted into and supported by gutters (23, 23) arranged in parallel on the side of the cultivation bed (5) for draining waste liquid.

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