Hydroponic cultivation equipment

Abstract

To provide a device that can efficiently perform hydroponics utilizing a dead space.SOLUTION: A hydroponic device 1 is constituted of a rack 10, a container 20, a light 30, a water tank 40, a connection pipe 50, a tray 60, and a fertilizer case 70, for example, and the rack 10 on which the container 20 and its content are mounted is easily fixed to a suspension cupboard KS of a kitchen without using a fastening component. The container 20 has an opening / closing mechanism on a front side, and raising or harvesting of plants, taking in / out of the tray 60, or the like can be performed while the water tank 40 is housed in the device. On one side end part of the water tank 40, the connection pipe 50 which is provided while being capable of changing a bending direction is water-tightly fixed, and water feeding into the water tank 40 or draining from the water tank 40 can be easily performed by changing the bending direction. Because the fertilizer case 70 housing solid fertilizer is arranged on end part of the water tank 40, and fertilizer is supplied from the fertilizer case 70 into water, there is no need to separately fabricate and supply solution into which fertilizer is dissolved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there are known home hydroponic cultivation devices that can cultivate plants indoors without using soil (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-161107 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-181352 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a plant cultivation device is disposed in a multipurpose space within a support column of a kitchen appliance. When the plant cultivation device is disposed in such a space, it is necessary to take the plant cultivation device in and out of the support column carefully to prevent water from spilling every time water is supplied to or changed in the plant cultivation device, which is extremely time-consuming.

[0005] In addition, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, a cultivation space is formed surrounding the top of a container located at the upper rear of a kitchen, and equipment and mechanisms for supplying hydroponic solution to the cultivation container are arranged in the interior space of the kitchen, forming a circulation path for the hydroponic solution. With this configuration, the hydroponic solution can be circulated by the mechanism, which presumably eliminates the need for laborious tasks such as supplying and replacing the hydroponic solution. However, in this case, a certain amount of space is required to install the equipment and mechanisms for supplying the hydroponic solution, and depending on the size of the kitchen, installation can be difficult. Even if installation is possible, this will monopolize the interior space of the kitchen, making it impossible to use that space for its intended purpose.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can efficiently perform hydroponic cultivation by utilizing dead space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following hydroponic cultivation device. Note that the following words in parentheses are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0008] That is, the hydroponic cultivation device of the present invention comprises an aquarium for placing plants in water, a base on which the aquarium is placed, a rack having arms that can be hung on the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet and is supported on the wall cabinet via the arms, a tubular connecting pipe that has one end fixed to the aquarium and the other end capable of connecting to a pipe for supplying water to the aquarium and whose bending direction can be changed, and a fertilizer case that is placed at the end of the aquarium and has a hole in the bottom and that contains solid fertilizer.

[0009] According to this aspect of the hydroponic cultivation device, the rack has arms, so the rack can be easily fixed to the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet by placing the arms on the bottom and sliding them toward the back. Furthermore, since the connecting pipe is fixed to the water tank, water can be easily supplied to the water tank by connecting it to a water faucet in the kitchen with a pipe (such as a hose). Furthermore, since the fertilizer case is located at the end of the water tank, fertilizer can be easily supplied to the water through a hole in the bottom.

[0010] Preferably, in the above-described hydroponic cultivation device, the connecting pipe is bent upward when supplying water to the water tank, and is bent downward when draining water from the water tank.

[0011] According to this aspect of the hydroponic cultivation device, the connecting pipe is bent upward when supplying water, so that water can flow into the tank through the pipe connected to the end without resisting gravity, making it easy to supply water. Also, the connecting pipe is bent downward when draining water, so that the water in the tank can fall into the sink located below and flow directly into the drain, making it easy to drain water.

[0012] More preferably, the hydroponic cultivation device further includes a container having an openable / closable mechanism on the front side thereof for partitioning the space above the water tank, and at least the front side of the container is made of a transparent material.

[0013] According to this aspect of the hydroponic cultivation device, the container has an openable mechanism on the front side, so by opening the front side, the cultivated plants can be tended or harvested without removing the aquarium from the container. Also, because at least the front side of the container is made of a transparent material, the growth status of the plants can be checked from the outside without opening the container.

[0014] More preferably, in the above-described hydroponic cultivation device, the fertilizer case has a lower portion having a hole in the bottom surface and an upper portion that supplies the stored fertilizer to the lower portion at approximately regular intervals, and the hole is positioned opposite the water surface of the aquarium so that the fertilizer supplied from the upper portion to the lower portion is introduced into the water through the hole. Alternatively, the fertilizer case has a hole in the bottom surface that is positioned so that the hole can reach the water surface of the aquarium so that the stored fertilizer dissolves into the water.

[0015] According to this aspect of the hydroponic cultivation device, the solid fertilizer is periodically poured into the water through the holes in the bottom and then gradually dissolved, or the solid fertilizer is allowed to soak into the water through the holes in the bottom and gradually dissolved, thereby eliminating the need to separately prepare a solution of the solid fertilizer and supply it to the water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an apparatus that can efficiently carry out hydroponic cultivation by utilizing dead space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hydroponic cultivation device 1 in use. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rack 10. [Figure 3] 1A to 1C are sequential views illustrating the manner in which the rack 10 is attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container 20. [Figure 5] 2A to 2C are sequential views illustrating a first embodiment of an opening and closing mechanism of a container 20. FIG. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are sequential views illustrating a second embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. FIG. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are sequential views illustrating a third embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. FIG. [Figure 8] 2A and 2B are a perspective view and a plan view showing a state in which a connecting pipe 50 is fixed to a water tank 40. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a plan view showing a tray 60. FIG. [Figure 10] 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9) showing the water tank 40 and the tray 60. FIG. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a manner in which the connecting pipe 50 is used. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiment, a preferred example of a hydroponic cultivation device is given, but the form of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example.

[0019] [Configuration of the hydroponic cultivation device] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a hydroponic cultivation device 1 in use. For ease of explanation, Fig. 1 shows a simplified view of some of the components that make up the hydroponic cultivation device 1. In addition, to facilitate understanding of the invention, the interior of a container 20 is shown by solid lines.

[0020] The hydroponic cultivation device 1 is composed of, for example, a rack 10, containers 20, a light 30, an aquarium 40, a connecting pipe 50, a tray 60, and a fertilizer case 70. The rack 10 is a stand for placing the containers 20 and their contents, and is attached to the bottom plate of a kitchen wall cabinet KS and supported by the wall cabinet KS. The containers 20 contain the aquarium 40 and define the space above it. Although not shown, an openable / closable mechanism is provided on the front side of the container 20, and opening the front side allows the contents to be removed to the front side. The light 30 is provided on the top of the container 20 and irradiates light toward the plants.

[0021] The connecting pipe 50 is a tubular member whose bending direction can be changed, and one end of the connecting pipe 50 is fixed watertight to one side end of the water tank 40. It is used when supplying water to or draining water from the water tank 40. A tray 60 with multiple holes is set in the water tank 40, and when water is supplied via the connecting pipe 50, plants are watered directly through the plant cultivation holes in the tray 60 or indirectly through a culture medium. In addition to the plant cultivation holes, the tray 60 has a fertilizer supply hole at its end for supplying solid fertilizer into the water. A fertilizer case 70 for storing solid fertilizer is placed at the end of the water tank 40 close to the fertilizer supply hole, and fertilizer is supplied from the fertilizer case 70 into the water.

[0022] The details of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20, the manner of use of the connecting pipe 50, and the structure of the fertilizer case 70 (method of supplying fertilizer) will be described in detail later with reference to other drawings.

[0023] 〔rack〕 FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rack 10. As shown in FIG. The rack 10 has a roughly rectangular base 11 on which the containers 20 and their contents are placed, four vertical frames 12 extending upward from the four corners of the base 11, a horizontal frame 13 connecting the four vertical frames horizontally, a standing plate 14 that stands upward and is connected to each end of the two vertical frames 12 and horizontal frame 13 on the front side, and two arms 15 that bend 90 degrees and extend from the upper left and right ends of the standing plate 14 toward the back.

[0024] The distance H between the horizontal frame 13 and the arms 15 is slightly larger than the thickness of the bottom plate of a standard kitchen wall cabinet KS to which the rack 10 will be attached. By setting the distance H to this size, the rack 10 can be stably fixed to the wall cabinet KS. Furthermore, since the rack 10 is used to place an aquarium 40 containing water and plants and a container 20 for accommodating these, the total weight of the hydroponic cultivation device 1 in use becomes considerable. For this reason, the rack 10 is made of a strong, lightweight material (for example, carbon fiber or aluminum).

[0025] FIG. 3 is a series of diagrams illustrating how the rack 10 is attached. (A) shows the rack 10 before it is attached to a kitchen wall cabinet KS, and (B) shows it after it has been attached. As described above, the gap H is slightly larger than the thickness of the bottom plate FP, so the arm 15 can be placed on the bottom plate FP and the rack 10 can be slid toward the back. When the upright plate 14 contacts the front end of the bottom plate FP, the rack 10 is fully pushed in and fixed to the bottom plate FP (wall cabinet KS). Furthermore, by sliding the rack 10 toward the front in this state, the rack 10 can be removed from the wall cabinet KS. In this manner, in this embodiment, the rack 10 can be easily attached to and detached from the wall cabinet KS without using fastening parts such as screws.

[0026] To prevent the surface of the bottom plate FP from being damaged during installation or the rack 10 from slipping after installation, a sheet made of vinyl, polyester, or the like may be attached to the bottom surface of the arm 15 and the upper surface of the opposing horizontal frame 13, or rubber or the like with anti-slip properties may be provided on the bottom surface of the arm 15 or the upper surface of the opposing horizontal frame 13. Alternatively, to fix the rack 10 more securely, a structure using fastening parts may be used.

[0027] 〔container〕 FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the container 20. As shown in FIG. The container 20 has an aquarium holder 21 that receives the aquarium 40, and a transparent case 22 that is fixed to the top of the aquarium holder 21 and defines the space above the aquarium 40. The transparent case 22 can maintain the temperature and humidity of the internal space, i.e., the plant cultivation space, to prevent sudden changes, and can also prevent insects and foreign objects from entering. The aquarium holder 21 is made of a material (e.g., resin) that is resistant to the effects of water spilling from the aquarium 40. Furthermore, the transparent case 22 is made of a transparent material, so the growth status of the cultivated plants can be checked from the outside.

[0028] Although not shown in the figure, the water tank holder 21 and the transparent case 22 are provided with structures (positioning holes, positioning protrusions, etc.) for easily fitting the two together, and the transparent case 22 can be easily fixed to the water tank holder 21 by placing it over the water tank holder 21 from above.

[0029] A light 30 is provided on the front side of the ceiling surface of the transparent case 22. The light 30 has a built-in LED and irradiates the plants with light of a wavelength suitable for plant growth (effective for photosynthesis). The location of the light 30 is not limited to the example shown in the figure. For example, the light 30 may be provided on the far side of the ceiling surface of the transparent case 22, or may be provided at the top of the back or side of the inside of the transparent case 22, or may be provided on the outside of the transparent case 22.

[0030] The transparent case 22 has an inverted U-shaped notch 23 at the lower front part of its right side surface. The notch 23 is provided to allow the connecting pipe 50 fixed to the water tank 40 to pass through. As described above, an openable / closable mechanism is provided at the front side of the container 20, and as an example, FIG. 2 shows a door 24 provided at the front side of the transparent case 22. The door 24 is opened by pulling up the bottom end toward the front. In this embodiment, three modes are assumed as the opening / closing mechanism for the container 20, and the user can freely select any of the modes when installing the hydroponic cultivation device 1.

[0031] [Container opening and closing mechanism] 5 to 7 are sequential diagrams illustrating three modes of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. To facilitate understanding of the invention, the details of the container 20 and the light 30 are omitted from these figures. Each mode will be described below in order.

[0032] 5 shows a first embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The first embodiment is a sliding opening and closing mechanism in which the door 24 is slid and stored on the upper side of the container 20.

[0033] In the first mode, when the lower end of the door 24 is pulled forward, the door 24 opens forward around the upper end as an axis (FIG. 5(A)). When the door 24 is lifted forward by 90 degrees, the door 24 is guided by a guide portion (not shown) provided at the upper end of the transparent case 22, and it becomes possible to push the door 24 toward the back along the top surface of the transparent case 22 (FIG. 5(B)). When the door 24 is pushed all the way back, the door 24 is stored in the upper side of the transparent case 22 and becomes a completely open state (FIG. 5(C)). Moreover, by performing these steps in the reverse direction, the door 24 can be closed. In this way, the first mode is advantageous in that the entire door 24 can be stored using a simple mechanism.

[0034] 6 shows a second embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The second embodiment is a roll-type opening and closing mechanism in which a transparent sheet 25 is wound around a roller pipe .

[0035] In the second mode, the transparent sheet 25 covers the front side of the transparent case 22 to close it (FIG. 6(A)). A handle 27 is provided at the lower end of the sheet 25, and when the handle 27 is pulled downward with the sheet 25 covering the front side of the transparent case 22, a spring in the roller pipe 26 acts to gradually wind up the sheet 25, gradually opening the front side (FIG. 6(B)). When the entire sheet 25 is wound up around the roller pipe 26, it is in a completely open state (FIG. 6(C)). In this state, the front side can be closed again by pulling the handle 27 downward and withdrawing the sheet 25 from the roller pipe 26. In this way, the second mode has the advantage that opening and closing is not restricted by the surrounding space.

[0036] In the above example, the sheet 25 is opened and closed (wound up and pulled out) manually, but an automatic opening and closing mechanism may be used instead. Also, magnets may be attached to the periphery of the sheet 25 and the front edge of the transparent case 22 (the portion where the periphery of the sheet 25 contacts) to prevent a gap from occurring between the sheet 25 and the transparent case 22.

[0037] 7 shows a third embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The third embodiment is a left-right opening and closing mechanism that allows the door to be opened to the left and right. If there is sufficient space on the left and right in the installation location of the hydroponic cultivation device 1, the third embodiment can also be an option.

[0038] In the third embodiment, a left door 28 and a right door 29 are provided on the front side of the transparent case 22 ((A) in FIG. 7). When either door (left door 28 in the illustrated example) is opened, the front side is half-opened ((B) in FIG. 7), and when the other door (right door 29 in the illustrated example) is opened, the front side is completely opened ((C) in FIG. 7). When caring for some of the plants or refilling the fertilizer case 70 with solid fertilizer, it is not necessary to completely open the front side. Therefore, the third embodiment is advantageous in that the desired work can be performed by opening only one door.

[0039] [Aquarium] FIG. 8 is a perspective view and a plan view showing the state in which the connecting pipe 50 is fixed to the water tank 40. Water tub 40 is elongated in the width direction, and its inner wall is formed with a step 42 extending along the entire circumference. Step 42 is provided to restrict the descent of tray 60 set in water tub 40, and its inner peripheral length is slightly smaller than that of edge 41.

[0040] Furthermore, a connecting pipe 50 is fixed to the front side of one widthwise end of water tub 40 (the right end in the illustrated example). To prevent water leakage, connecting pipe 50 has fixed end 51 fixed to water tub 40 in a watertight manner, with, for example, an annular packing sandwiched between connecting pipe 50 and water tub 40. Although not shown in the figure, the rear side of the position where fixed end 51 is fixed to water tub 40 penetrates all the way to the inside, and water can be supplied to and drained from water tub 40 via connecting pipe 50 (inlet / outlet end 52).

[0041] [Tray] FIG. 9 is a perspective view and a plan view showing the tray 60. As shown in FIG.

[0042] 9(A): A perspective view of the tray 60. The tray 60 is a flat, elongated member that has multiple plant cultivation holes 61 and one fertilizer supply hole 62 drilled in it. Handles 63 are provided on both ends of the tray 60 in the width direction. The handle 63 is a rod-shaped member with an extendable mechanism; when not in use, only the tip protrudes and the rest is stored inside the mechanism (solid line in the figure); when in use, the handle 63 can be extended upward by pulling the tip (two-dot chain line in the figure), and the tray 60 can be easily taken in and out by lifting the extended handle 63.

[0043] 9(B): A plan view of the tray 60. The tray 60 has a plurality of plant cultivation holes 61 arranged in two rows. In the illustrated example, the plant cultivation holes 61 are arranged in two rows of five holes each, but the number of rows of the plant cultivation holes 61 and the number of plant cultivation holes 61 in each row are not limited to this. The tray 60 also has a fertilizer supply hole 62 at one end on the front side thereof (the front right end in the illustrated example).

[0044] 9(C): A perspective view showing the tray 60 set in the aquarium 40. The tray 60 has an outer periphery slightly smaller than the inner periphery of the edge 41 of the aquarium, and is set with almost no gap between it and the inner wall of the aquarium 40. By making the tray 60 this size, the position of the tray 60, and therefore the plants, can be stabilized when in use.

[0045] 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9) showing the aquarium 40 and the tray 60. Note that (B) and (C) show the state of use, and although plants and culture media are actually set in the plant cultivation holes 61, they are not shown.

[0046] 10(A): A vertical cross-sectional view showing water tank 40. As described above, step 42 is formed on the inner wall of water tank 40. Step 42 has a height equivalent to, for example, approximately half the depth of water tank 40 (the height from floor 43 to the top surface of step 42 and the height from the top surface of step 42 to the top surface of edge 41 are approximately the same). Note that the height of step 42 is not limited to the above example, and may be even greater.

[0047] 10(B): A vertical cross-sectional view showing the state in which the tray 60 is set in the water tank 40 and filled with water LQ. When the water tank 40 is filled with water LQ, the tray 60 floats on the water surface due to buoyancy. In actual use, plants and culture media are set in the plant cultivation holes 61, and depending on the growth conditions of the plants, the weight of the plants may cause the tray 60 to descend below the water surface.

[0048] 10(C): When the water LQ is gradually absorbed by the plants and the water level gradually drops, the tray 60 drops along with the water level. However, when the water level drops below the upper surface of the step 42, the tray 60 is restricted by the upper surface of the step 42 and remains at the height of the step 42. This ensures that there is enough space for the roots of the plants to grow even if the water level drops below a certain height.

[0049] [Connecting pipe] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating how the connecting pipe 50 is used. Connecting pipe 50 is a tubular member whose bending direction can be changed, and in this embodiment, a flexible member that can be bent freely (for example, a flexible tube whose outside is surrounded by a braid woven from stainless steel (so-called braid flex), or a pipe with a bellows-shaped portion) is used. Connecting pipe 50 is used by changing its bending direction when supplying water to or discharging water from water tank 40.

[0050] 11(A): Shows how the connecting pipe 50 is used when supplying water to the water tank 40. When supplying water, the connecting pipe 50 is bent upward so that the inlet / outlet end 52 faces upward, and one end of the hose HS is connected to the inlet / outlet end 52 and the other end is connected to a water faucet in the kitchen. Then, by turning the faucet, tap water can be supplied to the water tank 40 via the connecting pipe 50. Once the water tank 40 is filled with water, the hose HS is removed, and the connecting pipe 50 is kept facing upward, so that water will not spill. Note that in case the connecting pipe 50 is accidentally pointed downward, a plug may be provided at the inlet / outlet end 52, and the inlet / outlet end 52 may be closed with the plug when water is not being supplied.

[0051] 11(B): This shows how the connecting pipe 50 is used when draining water from the water tank 40. When draining water, the connecting pipe 50 is bent downward with the inlet / outlet end 52 facing downward. Because a kitchen sink is located below the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1, by facing the inlet / outlet end 52 downward, the water stored in the water tank 40 can be drained through the connecting pipe 50 toward the sink and then directly into the drain. Note that if the sink is not located directly below the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1, or if the distance between the sink and the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 is large (the drain position is high) and there is a risk of water splashing around, a drain hose may be connected to the inlet / outlet end 52 to drain water.

[0052] In this way, in the hydroponic cultivation device 1, water can be easily supplied to and drained from the water tank 40 by changing the bending direction of the connecting pipe 50 without removing the water tank 40 from the container 20.

[0053] In this embodiment, a bendable, flexible member is used for the connecting pipe 50, but instead, an arc-shaped bent outlet of a so-called universal home faucet, which is often used in drinking fountains in schools, may be used for the connecting pipe 50. In this case, the connecting pipe 50 is rotatably fixed to the water tank 40, and the pipe is rotated upward when filling with water and downward when draining, allowing for easy filling and draining of water in the same way as in the above example.

[0054] [Fertilizer case] 12 to 14 are diagrams illustrating three aspects of the fertilizer case 70. In the perspective views showing the use state, the interior of the fertilizer case 70 is shown by solid lines, and the container 20 is not shown, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Furthermore, the fertilizer case 70 and the edge 41 (water tank 40) are provided with structures (positioning grooves, claws, claw receivers, etc.) for easily fixing the fertilizer case, but these structures are also not shown. Each aspect will be described in order below.

[0055] 12 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. In the first embodiment of the fertilizer case 70, the stored solid fertilizers are periodically thrown into water one by one.

[0056] 12(A): A perspective view showing a fertilizer case 70 of a first embodiment. The fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment has an upper part 71 including a solid fertilizer storage section 71a and its lid section 71b, a cylindrical lower part 72 located below the upper part 71, and a rotating plate 73 rotatably provided between the upper part 71 and the lower part 72 and having a drop hole 73a perforated therein, the drop hole 73a having substantially the same diameter as the solid fertilizer. The solid fertilizer is stored in a state aligned in the storage section 71a with the lid section 71b open upward. The storage section 71a is formed to penetrate the bottom surface of the upper part 71 and has a hole at its lower end, but the drop of the solid fertilizer is restricted by the rotating plate 73 as long as the drop hole 73a is not located directly below the storage section 71a.

[0057] (B) in Figure 12 is a plan view of the rotating plate 73. Although not shown, the rotating plate 73 has a battery-powered or spring-powered mechanism for rotating at a substantially constant speed. As the rotating plate 73 rotates at a substantially constant speed, the position of the drop hole 73a changes at a substantially constant speed, and the drop hole 73a is positioned directly below the storage section 71a at substantially constant intervals. When the drop hole 73a is positioned directly below the storage section 71a, the restriction of the solid fertilizer by the rotating plate 73 is released, and one solid fertilizer stored in the storage section 71a passes through the drop hole 73a and falls. Note that the rotating plate 73 continues to rotate while one solid fertilizer falls, and the plate immediately returns to being restricted by the rotating plate 73, so that multiple solid fertilizers do not fall consecutively.

[0058] 12(C): A perspective view showing the fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment in use. As described above, the lower part 72 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is open at the top and bottom. Therefore, the solid fertilizer that passes through the drop hole 73a further passes through the bottom hole 72a of the lower part 72 and falls into the fertilizer supply hole 62 located below the fertilizer case 70, and is then dropped into the water. The dropped solid fertilizer then gradually dissolves in the water and drifts in the water, eventually spreading throughout the entire water tank 40.

[0059] 13 is a diagram illustrating a fertilizer case 70 according to a second embodiment. In the fertilizer case 70 according to the second embodiment, the solid fertilizers contained therein are manually dropped into water one by one.

[0060] 13(A): A perspective view showing a fertilizer case 70 of a second embodiment. The fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment has a cylindrical body 74 including a solid fertilizer storage section 74a and its lid section 74b, a push-in section 75 provided on the bottom side of the cylindrical body 74, and an extrusion hole 76 provided in a position facing the push-in section 75 on the bottom side of the cylindrical body 74. The solid fertilizer is stored in a line in the storage section 71a with the lid section 71b open upward. Unlike the first embodiment, the lower end of the storage section 74a is located at a height above the floor of the cylindrical body 74 that is greater than the thickness of one solid fertilizer, and the bottom of the cylindrical body 74 is completely closed.

[0061] A push-out plate 75a for pushing out one solid fertilizer stored in the storage section 74a is provided at the rear side of the pushing-in section 75, and a guide groove 75b for guiding the movement of the push-out plate 75a is provided on the floor surface of the cylindrical body 74. In addition, a spring (not shown) is provided below the pushing-in section 75, one end of which engages with the pushing-in section 75 and the other end of which engages with the end of the floor surface of the cylindrical body 74. When the pushing-in section 75 is pressed with a finger, the push-out plate 75a moves toward the rear along the guide groove 75b and the spring expands, and when the finger is released from the pushing-in section 75 in this state, the pushing-in section 75 returns to its original position due to the biasing force of the spring.

[0062] 13(B): A perspective view showing the fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment in use. For ease of explanation, the water tank 40 is not shown here. When the extrusion hole 76 is pressed with a finger, the extrusion plate 75a moves toward the rear, and the bottom solid fertilizer is pushed toward the rear and extruded from the extrusion hole 76. The solid fertilizer falls into the fertilizer supply hole 62 located close to the fertilizer case 70 and is then dropped into the water. The dropped solid fertilizer then gradually dissolves in the water, drifts in the water, and eventually spreads throughout the water tank 40.

[0063] The above structure is merely an example of the fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment, and the present invention is not limited to this structure. Any structure may be used as long as the solid fertilizer can be pushed out one by one by manually performing some kind of operation. For example, the pushing part 75 may be a simple hole without the above-mentioned mechanisms (push-out plate 75a, guide groove 75b), and the bottom solid fertilizer may be pushed out through the extrusion hole 76 by inserting a finger into the hole and directly pushing it in.

[0064] 13 does not show the position of the water tank 40 in which the fertilizer case 70 is placed, the fertilizer case 70 may be placed at a position on the end of the water tank 40 that does not interfere with the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20, and the fertilizer supply hole 62 may be drilled at an appropriate position on the tray 60 in accordance with the placement position of the fertilizer case 70. In the example shown in the figure, the tube body 74 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be formed in a rectangular tube shape, for example.

[0065] 14 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. The fertilizer case 70 of the third embodiment is set in the fertilizer supply hole 62, and its bottom contacts the water surface of the water tank 40. This causes the contained solid fertilizer to gradually dissolve into the water.

[0066] 14(A): An exploded perspective view showing a fertilizer case 70 of a third embodiment. For ease of explanation, the fertilizer case 70 is shown upside down. The fertilizer case 70 of the third embodiment has a cylindrical storage tube 77 and a bottom lid 78 that covers the bottom of the storage tube 77. The solid fertilizer is stored inside through an opening that appears when a lid portion 77b provided at the top of the storage tube 77 is opened. A plurality of bottom holes 77a are drilled in the bottom surface of the storage tube 77 at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, a plurality of lid holes 78a having approximately the same diameter as the bottom holes 77a are drilled in the bottom lid 78 at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction at positions corresponding to the plurality of bottom holes 77a. Furthermore, protrusions 78b that protrude outward are provided on the edge of the bottom lid 78 over the entire circumferential area.

[0067] 14(B): A bottom view showing a third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. The bottom lid 78 and the storage cylinder 77 are provided so as to be rotatable relative to each other in the circumferential direction. By rotating one of the bottom lid 78 and the storage cylinder 77 relative to the other, the degree of overlap between the bottom hole 77a and the lid hole 78a can be changed, thereby opening and closing the opening at the bottom of the fertilizer case 70 (changing the degree of opening).

[0068] 14(C): A front view showing the fertilizer case 70 of the third embodiment in use. Note that, although a wall portion of the water tub 40 is actually present on the front side, for ease of explanation, the water tub 40 is not shown here. As described above, in the third embodiment, the fertilizer case 70 is set in the fertilizer supply hole 62, so the fertilizer supply hole 62 is formed larger than those in the other embodiments. When the bottom lid 78 of the fertilizer case 70 containing solid fertilizer is inserted into the fertilizer supply hole 62, the protrusion 78b engages with the upper edge of the fertilizer supply hole 62, preventing the fertilizer case 70 from falling, and therefore, the fertilizer case 70 is fixed to the tray 60 with the bottom lid 78 in contact with the water.

[0069] Water enters the fertilizer case 70 through the lid holes 78a and the bottom holes 77a. When water enters the fertilizer case 70, the solid fertilizer is submerged and the fertilizer gradually dissolves into the water. The dissolved fertilizer flows out into the water tank 40 through the bottom holes 77a and the lid holes 78a and gradually drifts through the water LQ, eventually spreading throughout the water tank 40. When the storage cylinder 77 is rotated relative to the bottom lid 78 with the fertilizer case 70 fixed to the tray 60 (or when the fertilizer case 70 is removed from the tray 60 and the bottom lid 78 is rotated relative to the storage cylinder 77), the degree of opening of the bottom of the fertilizer case 70 changes, and therefore the degree of outflow of the dissolved fertilizer, and therefore the nutrient concentration in the water LQ, can be adjusted.

[0070] According to the above-described embodiment, the following advantages are obtained. (1) The rack 10 is attached to the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet, and the hydroponic cultivation device 1 is installed in the dead space that is normally unused, namely, below the wall cabinet. This allows hydroponic cultivation to be carried out by utilizing the dead space without occupying space that can be used for other purposes, such as a table or shelf.

[0071] (2) The rack 10 is fixed to the floor board FP by simply placing the arm portion 15 on the floor board FP of the hanging cupboard KS and sliding it toward the back, and in this state the rack 10 can be removed from the floor board FP by simply sliding it toward the front, so the rack 10 can be easily attached and detached (mounted and removed) without using any fastening parts.

[0072] (3) Because the container 20 has an opening / closing mechanism on the front side, it is possible to care for and harvest plants, and to take in and out the tray 60, without removing the aquarium 40 from the container 20. In addition, because the space above the aquarium 40 is partitioned by the transparent case 22, it is possible to keep the cultivation space warm and moist while preventing insects and foreign objects from entering, and it is also possible to check the growth status of the plants from the outside.

[0073] (4) Since the connecting pipe 50 is fixed watertight to the water tank 40 with its bending direction changeable, the bending direction of the connecting pipe 50 can be changed according to the situation without removing the water tank 40 from the container 20, thereby easily supplying water to the water tank 40 and draining water from the water tank 40 while reliably preventing water leakage, thereby significantly reducing the hassle of dealing with water when performing hydroponic cultivation.

[0074] (5) A fertilizer case 70 is provided at the end of the water tank 40, and the solid fertilizer contained in the fertilizer case 70 is automatically and periodically (or manually) dropped into the water one by one and gradually dissolved, or the solid fertilizer that has been submerged in water gradually dissolves, eliminating the need to separately prepare and supply a solution in which the solid fertilizer has been dissolved.

[0075] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be practiced in various modified forms.

[0076] In the above-described embodiment, the water tank 40 is placed on the rack 10 while being housed in the container 20, but the water tank 40 may be placed directly on the rack 10 without using the container 20. Alternatively, the water tank 40 may be placed directly on the rack 10 without using the water tank holder 21 of the container 20, and only the transparent case 22 may be placed thereon.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment, the entire transparent case 22 is made of a transparent material, but instead, only the front side may be made of a transparent material. With such a configuration, the growing status of the plants can be observed from the outside through the transparent case 22.

[0078] Furthermore, all of the examples shown in the drawings in the embodiments are merely preferred examples, and it goes without saying that appropriate modifications are possible when implementing the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 Hydroponic cultivation equipment 10 racks 20 containers 30 Light 40 aquarium 50 Connecting pipe 60 trays 70 Fertilizer Case KS kitchen wall cabinet FP wall cabinet floor

Claims

1. A tank for placing plants in water, a rack having a base on which the water tank is placed and arms that can be hung on a bottom plate of a kitchen wall cabinet, the rack being supported by the wall cabinet via the arms; a connecting pipe having a tubular shape, one end of which is fixed to the water tank and the other end of which can be connected to a pipe for supplying water to the water tank, and which is capable of changing the bending direction; a fertilizer case having a hole at the bottom, the fertilizer case being disposed at the end of the water tank and containing solid fertilizer; A hydroponic cultivation device equipped with the above.

2. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 1, The connecting pipe is A hydroponic cultivation device characterized in that the device is bent upward when supplying water to the water tank, and bent downward when draining water from the water tank.

3. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 1 or 2, The hydroponic cultivation device further includes a container having an openable / closable mechanism on the front side, which partitions the space above the water tank.

4. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 3, The container comprises: A hydroponic cultivation device characterized in that at least the front side is made of a transparent material.

5. The hydroponic cultivation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The fertilizer case includes: A hydroponic cultivation device comprising a lower portion having a hole on the bottom surface and an upper portion that supplies the stored fertilizer to the lower portion at approximately regular intervals, wherein the hole is positioned opposite the water surface of the aquarium, so that the fertilizer supplied from the upper portion to the lower portion is introduced into the water through the hole.

6. The hydroponic cultivation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The fertilizer case includes: A hydroponic cultivation device having holes on the bottom surface, the holes being positioned so that the fertilizer contained therein can be landed on the water surface of the tank, thereby dissolving the fertilizer into the water.

7. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 6, The fertilizer case includes: A hydroponic cultivation device comprising: a substantially cylindrical container portion having a plurality of holes on its bottom surface; and a bottom lid portion covering the bottom of the container portion having a plurality of holes on its surface facing the bottom surface of the container portion; wherein the degree of opening of the plurality of holes on the bottom surface of the container portion can be changed by rotating the bottom lid portion in the circumferential direction of the container portion.

Images