Growing device and method for growing plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a growing device 22, 31 for plants 20, 24, the growing device comprising a planting side 23, 36, a harvesting side 24, 37, a flexible conveyor belt 1, 32, 43 for transporting the plants 20, 34 from the planting side 23, 36 to the harvesting side 24, 37 along a transport path 2, 35, 45, and a conveyor belt 1, 32, 43 for transporting the plants 20, 34 from the planting side 23, 36 to the harvesting side 24, 37, so that the plants 20, 34 are rooted on the rooting side 7, 42 and germinate on an illuminated germination side 8, 41 of the conveyor belt 1, 32, 43, which is arranged opposite the rooting side 7, 42. and a nutrient device for delivering a liquid nutrient medium 30 for the plants 20, 34 to the rooting side 7, 42 of the flexible conveyor belt 1, 32, 43, characterized in that the conveyor belt 1, 32, 43 is folded into folds at the planting side 23, 36 in a direction transverse to the conveying path 2, 35, 45, the folds being moved from the planting side 23, 36 to the harvesting side 24, 37 and thus straightened and leveled along the conveying path 2, 35, 45.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a growing apparatus comprising a planting side, a harvesting side, a flexible conveyor belt for transporting plants along a conveying path extending from the planting side to the harvesting side, and a nutrient device for delivering a liquid nutrient medium for plants to the rooting side of the conveyor belt so that the plants are rooted at the rooting side and germinate at an illuminated germination side of the conveyor belt arranged opposite the rooting side. The present invention also relates to a growing method for plants using the apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Growing devices, particularly industrial hydroponics, typically involving artificial lighting, for growing plants using a liquid nutrient solution instead of soil are well known in the art. Specific examples of hydroponics are aquaponics, aeroponics and fogponics, among others. In aquaponic methods, fish and aquatic animals are maintained in a nutrient solution and their waste fertilizes the plants. In aeroponic methods, the nutrient solution is sprayed or misted at the root side. In fogponic methods, the misting is performed by ultrasonic foggers.

[0003] European Patent Application No. 3 409 103 A1 proposes running a conveyor belt up and down in an alternating pattern within a growing apparatus to accelerate plant growth.

[0004] In the known growing devices, the plants are grown through holes in a conveyor belt. The long distance between the plants on the planting side and therefore the free surface created facilitates the growth of the plants both vertically and horizontally of the conveyor belt. Artificial lighting of the free surface therefore does not help the growth.

[0005] US Patent Application No. 2008 / 029 5400 A1 discloses a growing device having a flexible conveyor belt assembled from polyester fleece strips, in which seeds are placed in the grooves between the strips, after which the conveyor belt is placed under tension in the feed direction, causing the grooves to close.

[0006] WO 2016 / 023947 A1 discloses a further-growing device which comprises a flexible conveyor belt which is wound on rollers transverse to the feeding direction and under tension along the transport path, such that the conveyor belt is not continuously wound during operation.

[0007] WO 2009 / 067194 A1 discloses a growing apparatus having a conveyor belt that runs endlessly from a planting side to a harvesting side and back.

[0008] US Pat. No. 4,972,627 A discloses a growth apparatus having a conveyor belt made of open pore polyurethane.

[0009] US Pat. No. 4,118,891 A discloses a growing apparatus having a hose for delivering nutrient medium to the plants. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application No. 3 409 103 A1 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application No. 2008 / 029 5400 A1 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2016 / 023947 A1 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2009 / 067194A1 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent No. 4,972,627 A [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent No. 4,118,891 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to make lighting of plants more efficient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to the invention, an improvement to the known growing device is proposed in which the conveyor belt is folded in folds at the planting side transverse to the transport path, the folds extending from the planting side to the harvesting side and straightened and leveled along the transport path. At the planting side, because the conveyor belt is folded in folds, the plants move closer together in the longitudinal direction of the transport path. This reduces the free surface between the plants that are unnecessarily illuminated. The stretching and straightening of the folds along the transport path releases vertical space as required for the growth of the plants. The folds can be formed by corrugation or by folding the conveyor belt.

[0013] In the growing device according to the invention, the conveyor belt is advantageously made essentially of plastic foil, more advantageously of polypropylene. The conveyor belt can therefore be economically manufactured in any shape required. Furthermore, by implementing the aeroponic method, the conveyor belt according to the invention prevents uncontrolled migration of nutrient medium from the rooting side to the germination side.

[0014] Conveyor belts made from polypropylene are easy to clean and are resistant to moisture and light. Alternatively, the plastic foil may be made from polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polycarbonate (PC) or may be made from several layers of the same or different materials.

[0015] In the growth device according to the invention, the conveyor belt is advantageously made of thin plates which are adjacent in a transverse direction to the transport path, so that the conveyor belt can be constructed in a modular manner as required.

[0016] The conveyor belt according to the invention advantageously extends endlessly in the growing device according to the invention from the harvesting side and back to the planting side. The conveyor belt thus facilitates the continuous operation of the growing device. Alternatively, it is also possible for the harvested lamellae of the conveyor belt made of lamellae to be removed at the harvesting side and reapplied at the planting side.

[0017] In the growing device according to the invention, the plants are advantageously mounted in the conveyor belt in an open-pore cellular material, more advantageously in a polyurethane foam. On the one hand, the cellular material retains moisture for the plants and on the other hand allows air penetration to prevent the formation of mildew. The polyurethane foam has been found to be useful in hydroponic methods for mounting the plants.

[0018] The growing apparatus according to the invention, comprising a horizontally extending conveyor belt, extending transversely to the transport path, advantageously comprises a capillary hose extending from the rooting side into the nutrient device, which delivers the nutrient medium to the plants. In the aquaponic method, the capillary hose supplies the seedlings with the nutrient medium at least in a temporary or supplementary manner until the plants themselves form sufficient roots to reach into the nutrient medium.

[0019] Alternatively, the growing device according to the invention advantageously includes a fogger for atomizing the nutrient medium and a gas introduction system for delivering the atomized nutrient medium to the rooting side. As a further alternative, it is possible to spray a mist of the nutrient medium onto the rooting side. Thus, in particular in the aeroponic method with a conveyor belt that runs vertically and transversely to the transport path, the plants are provided with the nutrient medium.

[0020] The growing apparatus according to the invention advantageously comprises a lighting device for illuminating the germination side. Artificial lighting facilitates the growth of plants in defined environmental conditions and independent of solar radiation and weather.

[0021] The growing apparatus according to the invention advantageously includes support elements in the conveyor belt section and a drive device having a plurality of drive dogs for running the support elements along the conveying path. The drive with independent drive dogs facilitates changing the distance of the support elements and thus the size of the folds along the conveying path.

[0022] In the growing device according to the invention, the conveyor belt advantageously comprises guide holes on at least one edge along the transport path, similar to Remaliner punch holes in the endless paper and bars formed as support elements between the support holes. The conveyor belt is thereby constructed in a particularly simple and economical manner. The drive dog may be a mandrel or a hook formed on the drive device extending through the guide hole.

[0023] Alternatively, the growing apparatus according to the invention, advantageously having a horizontal or downwardly inclined transport path, can be operated without a drive device, if suitable support elements, such as clamps or bands, maintain the support elements at the respective desired distances. Alternatively, or in addition to the support elements, the folds can be straightened and levelled by weights or spring forces impacting the conveyor belt, by the elastic reset force of the conveyor belt itself, and / or by forces exerted by the plants against each other.

[0024] Advantageously, successive support elements in the drive device of the growing apparatus according to the invention have an increasing distance from each other support element along the transport path from the planting side to the harvesting side, in which case the folds have a decreasing height along the transport path.

[0025] In the growth device according to the invention, the transport path advantageously has segments, the support elements each having a constant distance from each other in the respective segment, in which case the drive dogs of the segments can be attached in a particularly simple manner by orbital conveyor chain sections.

[0026] In the growing device according to the invention, the conveying paths advantageously ascend and descend in an alternating manner, which accelerates the growth of the plants.

[0027] According to the invention an improvement to the known method is proposed in that the conveyor belt is folded in folds transverse to the transport path, the folds extending from the planting side to the harvesting side and thus being stretched and level along the transport path. The method according to the invention is carried out in particular by the growing device according to the invention and is characterized by the advantages described above.

[0028] Advantageously, the plants are placed on the ridge line of each fold in the method according to the invention. By placing only one row of plants on each individual fold, a uniform distance is created between the rows, which supports uniform growth of the plants.

[0029] Advantageously, in the method according to the invention the plants are arranged on successive folds and offset from one another transversely with respect to the transport path in order to achieve an even distribution on the conveyor belt.

[0030] Advantageously, in accordance with the method according to the invention, a planting block is mounted in the conveyor belt and the plants are mounted in the planting block, which simplifies cleaning of the conveyor belt after harvesting and starting and handling of the seedlings.

[0031] Advantageously, the conveyor belt is moved continuously from the planting side to the harvesting side according to the method according to the invention. The continuous movement without sudden position changes corresponds closely to the natural situation in agricultural fields.

[0032] The invention will now be described on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1a] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a first growing device according to the invention without a plant. [Figure 1b] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a first growing device according to the invention without a plant. [Figure 2a] FIG. 2 shows a planting block of a growing device according to the present invention, in which a notch is introduced into the planting block. [Figure 2b] FIG. 2 shows a planting block of a growing device according to the present invention, in which a notch is introduced into the planting block. [Figure 3a] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 3b] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 3c] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 3d] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 3e] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 3f] FIG. 1 shows the growth steps of a plant in a planting block. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a first growth apparatus according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a second growth apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 shows details of the conveyor belt of another growth apparatus according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The conveyor belt 1, shown in detail in Fig. 1a, is made of 15 adjacent sheets 3 in the direction of the transport path 2, each having a width 4 of 30 cm and a length 5 of 120 cm, shown in Fig. 4. The sheets 3 are made of polypropylene foil with a thickness of 0.8 mm and are connected to each other in tubular support elements 6.

[0035] The lamella 3 and the conveyor belt 1 have a rooting side 7 and a germination side 8 and a circular cutout 9 with a diameter 10 of 40 mm, located centrally between the support elements 6, into which the planting block 11 can be inserted as shown in Figure 1b.

[0036] The planting blocks 11, shown in detail in Fig. 2a, are made of open-pore polyurethane foam with a width 12 and length 13 of 50 mm each and a height 14 of 25 mm. Notches 15, 16, 17 are introduced into each planting block 11 as shown in Fig. 2b, namely a horizontal circular notch 15 with the diameter 10 of the notch 9 around a centre 18 and two vertical notches 16, 17 arranged transversely to each other and extending up to the centre 18.

[0037] Figure 3 shows six stages of growth in a plant block 11, starting with the seeds (partial view a), through seedlings 19 (partial view b) to harvestable plants 20 (partial view f). The seeds and growing plants 20 are fed via a capillary hose 21 until suitable roots are formed. The seeds and roots are not shown.

[0038] In a first growing device 22 according to the invention, which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, the conveyor belt 1 extends along a transport path 2 from a planting side 23 to a harvesting side 24. Planting blocks 11 with germinated seedlings are introduced into holes in a first lamella on the planting side 23. The support elements 6 of three adjacent lamellas 3 have a starting distance of 5 cm in the direction of the transport path 2 in a first segment 25, a distance of 10 cm in a second segment 26, a distance of 15 cm in a third segment 27, a distance of 20 cm in a fourth segment 28 and an end distance of 25 cm in a fifth segment 29. The capillary hose 21 hangs vertically downwards into the tub of a nutrient device containing a liquid nutrient medium 30. These distances are not shown in the figure.

[0039] The support elements 6 of the conveyor belt 1 are in contact with the lateral walls of the first growing device 22, successive support elements 6 being supported by clamps having different lengths against the elastic reset force of the lamellae 3 and the weight force of the plants 20 at the respective distances from each other support element. The walls and the clamps are not shown in the figure.

[0040] After a growth period of two days each, three slats 3 are removed on the harvest side 24 and reapplied on the planting side 23 with starting distances and new seedling plants 19. The remaining slats 3 are lengthened accordingly by replacing the clamps. Plants 20 are harvested from the originally inserted slats 3 after ten days.

[0041] A second growing apparatus 31 according to the invention shown in Figure 5 includes a conveyor belt 32, a lighting device 33 and a nutrient device and a drive device. The nutrient device and the drive device are not shown.

[0042] The conveyor belt 32 is made up of lamellae 3 known from the first growing device 22, which lamellae 3 are connected by support elements 6 as explained above. The lamellae and the support elements are not shown in the figure.

[0043] The conveyor belt 32 transports the plants 34 along a transport path 35 from the planting side 36 to the harvest side 37 of the growing apparatus 31 during the ten day growth stage. The transport path begins at the planting side 36, where germinated seedlings 38 are added to the conveyor belt 32 as described above, and extends in five segments 39 first vertically upwards, then vertically downwards to the harvest side 37, and from the harvest side 37 back to the planting side 36 below the segment 39. The segments 39 have increasing distances from each other moving from the planting side 36 to the harvest side 37 to avoid collisions of the plants 34.

[0044] The lighting device 33 comprises six LED panels 40 arranged on the planting side 36 and on the harvesting side 37, respectively, and between two adjacent segments 39, illuminating the germination side 41 of the lamella and conveyor belt 32 with an artificial day / night rhythm.

[0045] The planting block essentially corresponds to the planting block 11 of the first growing apparatus 22, but does not have the capillary hose of the first growing apparatus 22.

[0046] The nutrient device includes a reservoir with liquid nutrient medium for the plants 34, an ultrasonic fogger for the nutrient medium, and a conduit for evenly distributing the fog on the rooting side 42 of the conveyor belt 32 opposite the germination side 41.

[0047] The drive device includes an orbital conveyor chain with drive dogs for the support elements for each of the segments 39, the distance between the drive dogs and the support elements increasing in increments of 5 cm from a starting distance of 5 cm at the planting side 36 to an end distance of 25 cm between the segments 39 at the harvesting side 37.

[0048] The second growing apparatus 31 may be operated using a conveyor belt 43 extending horizontally or vertically transverse to the transport path 35 .

[0049] A third embodiment of the growing apparatus according to the invention essentially corresponds to the first growing apparatus 22, but comprises a different drive device. The conveyor belt 43 of the third embodiment of the growing apparatus, shown in detail in Fig. 6, comprises support holes 36 arranged at a uniform distance on both edges 44 along the transport path 45. The drive device comprises a dome which is moved continuously at a variable distance along the transport path 45 from the planting side to the harvesting side, the dome being supported by the support holes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Conveyor belt 2. Transportation route 3 thin plate 4 Width 5 Length 6 Supporting elements 7. Root side 8 Germination side 9 Notch 10 diameter 11 Planting Block 12 Width 13 Length 14 Height 15 Sectional view 16 Sectional view 17 Sectional view 18 center 19 Seedlings 20 plants 21 Capillary hose 22 Growth equipment 23 Planting side 24 Harvesting Side 25 Segments 26 Segments 27 Segments 28 Segments 29 Segments 30 Nutrient media 31 Growth equipment 32 Conveyor Belt 33 Lighting Devices 34 Plants 35 Transport Route 36 Planting side 37 Harvesting Side 38 Seedlings 39 Segments 40 LED panels 41 Germination side 42 Root side 43 Conveyor Belt 44 Edge 45 Transport Route 46 Support hole

Claims

1. A growing device (22, 31) for a plant (20, 34), said growing device comprising: A planting side (23, 36), Harvesting side (24, 37) and a flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) for transporting the plants (20, 34) in the cutout (9) from the planting side (23, 36) to the harvesting side (24, 37) along a transport path (2, 35, 45); a nutrient device for delivering a liquid nutrient medium (30) for the plants (20, 34) to the rooting side (7, 42) of the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) so that the plants (20, 34) are rooted at the rooting side (7, 42) and germinate at an illuminated germination side (8, 41) of the conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) arranged opposite the rooting side (7, 42); Equipped with said flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) is folded in folds at said planting side (23, 36) in a direction transverse to said transport path (2, 35, 45) and is essentially made of a synthetic material foil, advantageously polypropylene, the folds are moved from the planting side (23, 36) to the harvesting side (24, 37) and thus straightened and levelled along the transport path (2, 35, 45); A growth device (22, 31), characterized in that said notches (9) are each located on a ridge line of said fold.

2. the conveying path (35) comprises segments (39) in which the support elements (6) arranged on the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) portions each have a fixed distance from each other of the support elements (6); and 2. A growing device (31) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport path (35) starts from the planting side (36) and extends through the segment (39) first vertically upwards, then vertically downwards towards the harvesting side (37) and from the harvesting side (37) below the segment (39) back to the planting side (36).

3. 3. A growing device (22, 31) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) is made of adjacent sheets (3) in a transverse direction to the transport path (2, 35, 45).

4. 4. A growing device (31) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible conveyor belt (32) runs endlessly from the harvesting side back to the planting side.

5. 5. A growing device (22, 31) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plants (20, 34) are mounted in the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) in an open-pore cellular material, advantageously in a polyurethane foam.

6. A growing apparatus (22, 31) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized by a capillary hose (21) extending from the rooting side (7) into the nutrient device and delivering the nutrient medium (30) to the plant (20).

7. 7. A growing apparatus (31) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized by a fogger for atomizing the nutrient medium and a gas introduction system for delivering the atomized nutrient medium to the rooting side (42).

8. A growing apparatus (31) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized by an illumination device (33) arranged to illuminate the germination side (41).

9. A growing apparatus (22, 31) according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized by a support element (6) arranged on the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) section and a drive device having a number of drive dogs supporting the support element (6) along the transport path (2, 35, 45).

10. 10. The growth device (22, 31) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible conveyor belt (43) comprises support holes (46) on at least one edge (44) along the transport path (45) and also comprises bars configured as support elements arranged between the support holes (46).

11. 11. A growing device (22, 31) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent support elements have a distance from each other that increases along the transport path (2, 35, 45) from the planting side (23, 36) to the harvesting side (24, 37).

12. 12. The growth device (31) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport path (35) ascends and descends in an alternating pattern.

13. A method for growing a plant (20, 34), comprising: planting said plants (20, 34) on a planting side (23, 36) on a flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43); transporting the plants (20, 34) on the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) along a transport path (2, 35, 45) from the planting side (23, 36) to a harvesting side (24, 34) and harvesting the plants (20, 34) at the harvesting side (24, 37); delivering a liquid nutrient medium (30) for said plants (20, 34) to the rooting side (7, 42) of said flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43); illuminating the germination side (8, 41) of the conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) located opposite the rooting side (7, 42) so that the plants (20, 34) take root on the rooting side (7, 42) and germinate on the germination side; Including, said conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) is folded in folds at said planting side (23, 36) in a direction transverse to said transport path (2, 35, 45) and is essentially made of a synthetic material foil, advantageously polypropylene, the folds are moved from the planting side (23, 36) to the harvesting side (24, 37) and thus straightened and levelled along the transport path (2, 35, 45); The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plants (20, 34) is placed on a ridge line of said fold.

14. 14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the plants (20, 34) are arranged on successive folds and offset from one another laterally with respect to the transport path (2, 35, 45).

15. 15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that a planting block (11) is mounted in the flexible conveyor belt (1, 32, 43) and the plants (20, 34) are mounted in the planting block.

16. 16. The method according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the conveyor belt (43) is moved continuously from the planting side to the harvesting side.

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