Plant cultivation system and mobile body

Abstract

To provide a plant cultivation system and a moving body capable of more reliably discharging nutrient solution from a cultivation container. [Solution] The plant cultivation system 10 includes a long cultivation container 2 in which plants to be cultivated are housed and to which a nutrient solution is supplied, a shelf 1 on which the cultivation container 2 is placed, a movable body 3, and an abutment part 36. The movable body 3 is disposed between the shelf 1 and the cultivation container 2 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 2 when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container 2. The abutment part 36 is provided on the movable body 3 and abuts against the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant cultivation system that cultivates plants using a nutrient solution, and in particular to a technique for efficiently discharging the nutrient solution from a cultivation container. [Background technology]

[0002] Plant cultivation in facilities such as plant factories has been widely practiced. In particular, hydroponic cultivation, which involves irrigation and fertilization using a nutrient solution without using soil, has various advantages, such as the ability to control the composition of the nutrient solution, rapid growth and short shipping time, no need for cleaning because there is no soil attached, and ease of harvesting.

[0003] Hydroponic culture includes hydroponics, which does not use a culture medium, and fixed-media culture, which uses a fixed medium made of foam resin, rock wool, or the like. In both hydroponics and fixed-media culture, if the roots of the plants being cultivated are continuously immersed in a stagnant nutrient solution, the amount of oxygen supplied to the roots decreases, resulting in a hypoxic state, which can cause various problems such as reduced yield, root withering, root rot, disease, and plant death. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to supply oxygen to the roots.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the bottom of a tray (cultivation container) for cultivating plants is inclined by extending the length of the two most upstream legs of the four corners of a shelf on which the tray (cultivation container) for cultivating plants is placed. This configuration is said to allow the nutrient solution to flow smoothly, thereby preventing root rot and allowing the nutrient solution to be smoothly and reliably discharged from the tray. Furthermore, Prior Art Document 2 discloses a configuration in which the bottom of a cultivation tank (cultivation container) for cultivating plants is inclined from the supply side to the drain side by extending legs provided on the underside of a stand on which the cultivation tank (cultivation container) for cultivating plants is placed. This configuration is said to improve the fluidity of the nutrient solution and allow sufficient nutrients to be supplied to plants. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6026033 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 54-146738 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To avoid the above-mentioned problems, a method has been adopted in which the nutrient solution in the cultivation container is periodically drained to expose the plant roots and supply oxygen to the roots. However, if the nutrient solution cannot be completely drained, the nutrient solution will remain partially in the cultivation container, adversely affecting the roots in that area. This problem becomes particularly noticeable when the plants have grown to a certain extent and the roots are densely packed in the cultivation container.

[0007] By adopting the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it becomes possible to efficiently discharge the nutrient solution in the cultivation containers out of the containers. However, in recent years, vegetable factories have been increasing the size (length) of cultivation containers in order to improve cultivation efficiency. Specifically, cultivation containers with longitudinal lengths exceeding 10 m are being adopted. It is difficult to adopt the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 for such large cultivation containers.

[0008] That is, even if the angle of inclination is small, a large difference in height occurs between the end of the cultivation container on the supply side and the end on the drain side (if the length in the longitudinal direction is 10 m at an inclination angle of 1 degree, the difference in height is 17.5 cm), and the depth of the nutrient solution at the end on the drain side of the cultivation container becomes large. In such a state, it is difficult to control the composition of the nutrient solution throughout the cultivation container and maintain a homogeneous cultivation environment. It is also possible to tilt the cultivation container only when discharging the nutrient solution. However, in a plant factory, cultivation containers are arranged in multiple tiers in the vertical direction, and each tier is equipped with various devices for growing plants, such as lighting devices and air blowers. Therefore, there is no space to lift the liquid supply side end of a large cultivation container. While it is possible to provide a space in advance to lift the liquid supply side end of the cultivation container, this reduces the space utilization efficiency and is therefore difficult to adopt in a plant factory.

[0009] Furthermore, large cultivation containers need to be lightweight, so they are often made of resin materials such as plastic. Furthermore, because constructing a long cultivation container as a single member is costly, multiple members are often joined together in the longitudinal direction. Because such cultivation containers are flexible, for example, when the end of the cultivation container on the supply side is lifted upward, a recess is created upstream of the joint, and nutrient solution remains in the recess, making it impossible to completely remove the nutrient solution.

[0010] In addition, if some of the nutrient solution remains, it may affect the composition of the nutrient solution that is newly introduced into the cultivation container.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the conventional technology, and aims to provide a plant cultivation system and a mobile body that can more reliably discharge nutrient solution from cultivation containers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention employs the following technical means. The plant cultivation system according to the present invention comprises a long cultivation container in which a plant to be cultivated is housed and to which a nutrient solution is supplied, a shelf on which the cultivation container is placed, a movable body, and an abutment part. The movable body is disposed between the shelf and the cultivation container so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container. The abutment part is provided on the movable body and abuts against the bottom surface of the cultivation container.

[0013] In the plant cultivation system of the present invention, when nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container, a movable body disposed between the shelf and the cultivation container moves along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container. For example, in a configuration in which nutrient solution is supplied from one longitudinal end of the cultivation container and discharged from the other longitudinal end, the movable body moves from the liquid supply end to the liquid discharge end. During this process, the bottom of the cultivation container is gradually lifted upward as the contact point of the movable body approaches, and is raised to its highest position as the contact point passes. Thereafter, as the contact point moves away, the bottom is gradually lowered to the top surface of the shelf. During this process, the nutrient solution in the cultivation container is sent to the liquid discharge end of the cultivation container. This allows for more reliable discharge of nutrient solution from the cultivation container.

[0014] On the other hand, from another point of view, the present invention can provide a moving body. First, the moving body according to the present invention is premised on a moving body applied to a plant cultivation system including a long cultivation container in which a plant to be cultivated is housed and to which a nutrient solution is supplied, and a shelf on which the cultivation container is placed. The moving body according to the present invention is self-propelled and is disposed between the shelf and the cultivation container when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container. The moving body also includes a driving unit, an abutting unit, and a guided unit. The driving unit rotates a rotation shaft disposed along the short direction of the cultivation container. The abutting unit is supported by the rotation shaft and abuts against the bottom surface of the cultivation container. At the same time, the bottom surface of the cultivation container is positioned higher than when the cultivation container is placed on the top surface of the shelf. The guided portion is guided by guiding portions arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container at both ends of the shelf in the shorter direction of the cultivation container. The moving body moves along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container as the rotation shaft is driven and rotated by the driving portion, causing the abutting portion to rotate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plant cultivation system and a moving body that can more reliably discharge nutrient solution from cultivation containers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view schematically illustrating an example of a shelf and a cultivation container placed on the shelf included in the plant cultivation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view schematically illustrating an example of a shelf and a cultivation container placed on the shelf included in a plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of a shelf and a cultivation container placed on the shelf included in the plant cultivation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a shelf included in the plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing an example of a moving body included in the plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing an example of a moving body included in the plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a moving body included in the plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a moving body included in the plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 5A to 5C are diagrams showing the operation of a moving body included in a plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a planting panel lift operation performed by a moving body included in a plant cultivation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples. That is, the embodiments described below can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the spirit thereof. Note that, although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the present invention is embodied by applying it to the cultivation of leafy vegetables such as lettuce.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically illustrating a plant cultivation system 10 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating the plant cultivation system 10 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically illustrating the plant cultivation system 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the plant cultivation system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a cultivation container 2 for accommodating a plant to be cultivated and a shelf 1 on which the cultivation container 2 is placed. Note that FIG. 1 illustrates the shelf 1 having a single mounting portion 11 and only one cultivation container 2 placed on the mounting portion 11, but the shelf 1 may be configured to include multiple mounting portions 11 arranged vertically. In this case, the cultivation container 2 is placed on each mounting portion 11. Note that, hereinafter, for convenience, the direction along the longitudinal direction of the mounting portion 11 (cultivation container 2) will be referred to as the "longitudinal direction," and the direction along the lateral direction of the mounting portion 11 (cultivation container 2) will be referred to as the "lateral direction."

[0019] First, the shelf 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a plan view that schematically shows the structure of the shelf 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the shelf 1 comprises support posts 12, support beams 13, and shelf beams 14. The support posts 12 are arranged at the four corners of the shelf 1, extending vertically from a horizontal plane such as the floor. The support beams 13 are arranged along the longitudinal direction parallel to the horizontal plane, facing each other between adjacent support posts 12 in the longitudinal direction. The shelf beams 14 are arranged along the short side, and multiple beams are fixed between the opposing support beams 13. Although not particularly limited, the shelf beams 14 are arranged at equal intervals at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. Note that if the interval between adjacent support posts 12 in the longitudinal direction is wide, To ensure strength, one or more additional supports 12 may be placed between the supports 12. In this case, the support beam 13 is fixed not only to the supports 12 at both ends but also to the intermediate supports 12.

[0020] For example, a hollow rod-shaped member can be used for the support column 12. Furthermore, a hollow rod-shaped member or a plate-shaped member can be used for the support beam 13 and the shelf beam 14. The material of the rod-shaped member or the plate-shaped member is not particularly limited, but for example, a lightweight metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy can be used. Furthermore, any known fixing method can be used to fix the support column 12 and the support beam 13, such as screwing using bolts and nuts or welding. Similarly, any known fixing method can be used to fix the support beam 13 and the shelf beam 14, such as screwing using bolts and nuts or welding.

[0021] In the shelf 1 having the above configuration, the mounting portion 11 is formed by the support beams 13 and shelf beams 14. When providing multiple stages of the mounting portion 11, it is sufficient to further arrange the support beams 13 and shelf beams 14 at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. Although not shown here, a lighting device such as an LED lamp that irradiates the cultivation containers 2 placed on the mounting portion 11 with light for growing plants is arranged in a position opposite the mounting portion 11. As described above, in a configuration in which the mounting portion 11 is provided in multiple stages in the vertical direction, the lighting device can be supported on the underside of the mounting portion 11 one stage above the mounting portion 11 on which the cultivation containers 2 are placed.

[0022] The cultivation container 2 placed on the placing portion 11 is configured as a long, bottomed container that is open at the top. In this embodiment, the cultivation container 2 is designed so that the length in the short direction is slightly smaller than the length of the shelf beam 14, and the length in the long direction is slightly smaller than the length of the support beam 13. The depth of the cultivation container 2 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, about 15 cm. The cultivation container 2 can be made of a resin material such as plastic, although it is not particularly limited.

[0023] Nutrient solution for plant cultivation is supplied to the cultivation container 2 from a nutrient solution tank (not shown) via a pump or the like. The nutrient solution is supplied from one longitudinal end of the cultivation container 2 and discharged from the other longitudinal end of the cultivation container 2. Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , a supply pipe 15 for supplying the nutrient solution is provided at the center of the width of the left sidewall, and a discharge pipe 16 for discharging the nutrient solution is provided at the center of the width of the bottom surface of the right sidewall. The discharge pipe 16 is connected to the nutrient solution tank, and the nutrient solution discharged through the discharge pipe 16 is stored in the nutrient solution tank. The plants to be cultivated are inserted and fixed in through holes 18 provided in a planting panel 17 made of, for example, a foamed resin having a thickness of approximately 1 cm and placed in the cultivation container 2. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the planting panel 17 is configured to be lifted as described in detail below. Therefore, the planting panel 17 is placed in a state covering the upper ends of the opposing sidewalls 2b of the cultivation container 2 along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 2. Furthermore, although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of (here, four) planting panels 17 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 2 so as to facilitate lifting of the planting panels 17. Note that in this embodiment, in order to prevent the planting panels 17 from moving in the lateral direction, a recess 17a into which the side wall 2b of the cultivation container 2 fits is formed on the underside of the planting panel 17 at a position where the planting panel 17 abuts against the side wall 2b of the cultivation container 2 (see FIG. 10(c)).

[0024] The plant cultivation system 10 of this embodiment includes a moving body 3 that is arranged between the shelf 1 and the cultivation container 2 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 2 when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container 2. Fig. 5 is a front view schematically showing an example of the moving body 3. Fig. 6 is a side view schematically showing an example of the moving body 3. Fig. 7 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the moving body 3. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 7, which schematically shows the configuration of the moving body 3. As shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the moving body 3 has two wheels 34 arranged along the moving direction of the moving body 3, and each wheel 34 is arranged to move in the longitudinal direction of the moving body 3. The movable body 3 includes wheel supports 31 and 32 that support the movable body 3, respectively. The wheel supports 31 and 32 are integrated by two rod-shaped connecting bodies 33 arranged along the short side. The connecting bodies 33 are arranged at both ends of the moving direction of the movable body 3, and a rotating shaft 35 is arranged along the short side between the two connecting bodies 33. The rotating shaft 35 is rotatably supported by the wheel supports 31 and 32, and is connected via a reducer or the like to a driving unit 37 such as a motor arranged inside one of the wheel supports 31. For the sake of explanation, in FIGS. 5 to 8, the driving unit 37 inside the wheel support 31 is schematically shown by a dashed line. Note that power for driving the driving unit 37 may be supplied from a battery provided in the wheel support 31, or may be supplied from an external source via a power line (not shown).

[0025] An abutment portion 36 is provided at the center of the rotation shaft 35. The abutment portion 36 abuts against the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2. Although not particularly limited, here, the abutment portion 36 is configured as a cylindrical member made of an elastic material with a high friction coefficient, such as rubber. The diameter of the hollow portion of the abutment portion 36 is designed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the rotation shaft 35, and the abutment portion 36 is attached to the rotation shaft 35 by press-fitting the rotation shaft 35 into the hollow portion. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the abutment portion 36 may be provided with irregularities to further increase the friction coefficient between the abutment portion 36 and the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2.

[0026] In the cultivation system 10 having the above configuration, when storing the nutrient solution to a predetermined depth in the cultivation container 2, a pump is driven to supply the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution tank to the supply pipe 15 of the cultivation container 2. At this time, it is possible to store the nutrient solution in the cultivation container 2 by supplying the nutrient solution in an amount that exceeds the amount discharged from the discharge pipe 16 of the cultivation container 2, but in this case, the valve interposed in the discharge pipe 16 is closed to prevent the nutrient solution from being discharged through the discharge pipe 16.

[0027] When the nutrient solution in the cultivation container 2 is discharged to supply oxygen to the roots in order to prevent root withering or root rot, the pump is stopped and the valve of the discharge pipe 16 is opened. This causes the nutrient solution stored in the cultivation container 2 to be discharged through the discharge pipe 16. Under this condition, the movable body 3 is disposed between the shelf 1 (mounting portion 11) and the cultivation container 2 in a state in which it can move along the longitudinal direction (with the wheels facing the longitudinal direction). At this time, the contact portion 36 of the movable body 3 contacts the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2.

[0028] 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams illustrating the operation process of the movable body 3. In addition, in Fig. 9(a) to 9(c), for the sake of explanation, the contact portion 36 of the movable body 3 and the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2, which are hidden by the wheel support 31, are shown by dashed lines.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 9(a), the moving body 3 is disposed between the placing part 11 and the growing container 2 at the end of the growing container 2 on the supply pipe 15 side. When the driving part 37 of the moving body 3 is driven in this state, the contact part 36 rotates in a direction to move the growing container 2 further upward (counterclockwise in FIG. 9(a)). As a result, the moving body 3 moves toward the other end side (the discharge pipe 16 side) of the growing container 2 due to friction between the contact part 36 and the bottom surface 2a of the growing container 2. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, two guide rails 41 are arranged parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction on each of the upper surfaces of the two support beams 13, and the moving body 3 is guided by the two guide rails 41. In this embodiment, guided parts 42 that match the cross-sectional shape of the guide rails 41 are provided on the circumferential surfaces of the wheels 34 corresponding to each of the two guide rails 41. The guided portions 42 are arranged in a state of being engaged with the corresponding guide rails 41, so that the movable body 3 can move stably along the longitudinal direction.

[0030] The guide rail 41 may be integral with the support beam 13, or may be configured such that the guide rail 41 is a separate member attached to the support beam 13. The guide rail 41 may be configured to guide the moving body 3 along the longitudinal direction, and may be configured to be in a position on the upper surface of the support beam 13. Instead, they can be provided at any position on the mounting portion 11, or can be fixed to the support 12 separately from the mounting portion 11. Furthermore, the number of guide rails 41 is also arbitrary. The guided portions 42 do not necessarily have to be provided on the wheels 34, and the guided portions 42 may be provided somewhere other than the wheels 34. Furthermore, the guiding portions only need to be able to guide the moving body in the longitudinal direction, and any known configuration can be adopted instead of the guide rails 41.

[0031] When the moving body 3 moves, the portion of the cultivation container 2 where the contact portion 36 contacts the bottom surface 2a is inclined from the supply pipe 15 side to the discharge pipe 16 side, so that the nutrient solution remaining in the cultivation container 2 flows down more reliably to the discharge pipe 16 side. Also, as shown in Figure 9(b), the portion of the cultivation container 2 that the moving body 3 passed through (the portion on the supply pipe 15 side) will descend to the placing portion 11 side due to the flexibility of the resin material and its own weight, but when the contact portion 36 contacts the bottom surface 2a, the nutrient solution remaining in that portion of the cultivation container 2 flows down to the discharge pipe 16 side, so the nutrient solution remaining in the cultivation container 2 will not remain in the portion to which it has descended.

[0032] As the moving body 3 moves further, it reaches the vicinity of the end of the growing container 2 on the discharge pipe 16 side, as shown in FIG. 9(c). At this time, it is preferable that the moving body 3 be configured to automatically stop or reverse its direction of movement. Therefore, in this embodiment, the moving body 3 is equipped with a sensor that detects the end point of movement. The sensor is, for example, a contact sensor that detects contact between a protrusion 51, which is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of movement of the moving body 3, and another object. In this embodiment, the protrusion 51 protrudes from the wheel support 31 toward the discharge pipe 16, and is configured to contact a stopper 43 arranged on the guide rail 41 when the moving body 3 reaches the end point of movement. With this configuration, when the end point of movement is detected by the sensor, the moving direction of the moving body 3 can be reversed. Note that a sensor that detects the end point of movement is also provided in the reversed direction of movement. That is, protrusion 52, which is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of movement of movable body 3, protrudes from wheel support 31 toward supply pipe 15, and is configured so that when movable body 3 reaches the end point of movement, protrusion 52 comes into contact with stopper 44 arranged on guide rail 41. With this configuration, movable body 3, which has once reversed its direction of movement, can stop moving when the end point of movement is detected by a sensor.

[0033] The end point of the movement of the movable body 3 on the discharge pipe 16 side can also be set at the end of the cultivation container 2 on the discharge pipe 16 side. However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9(c), the end point of the movement on the discharge pipe 16 side is set at a position a predetermined distance away from the discharge pipe 16 side toward the supply pipe 15 side. This is because, if it is set at the end of the cultivation container 2 on the discharge pipe 16 side, the end of the cultivation container 2 on the discharge pipe 16 side will be located on the abutment portion 36, and the cultivation container 2 will have a downward slope from the discharge pipe 16 side toward the supply pipe 15 side, which is meaningless from the viewpoint of flowing the nutrient solution down to the discharge pipe 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, the end point of the movement on the discharge pipe 16 side is set within a range where the cultivation container 2 has a downward slope from the supply pipe 15 side toward the discharge pipe 16 side.

[0034] In the plant cultivation system 10 of the present invention, when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container 2, the movable body 3 disposed between the shelf 1 and the cultivation container 2 moves along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 2. For example, in a configuration in which the nutrient solution is supplied from one longitudinal end of the cultivation container 2 and discharged from the other longitudinal end, the movable body 3 moves from the end of the supply pipe 15 to the end of the discharge pipe 16. During this movement, the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2 is gradually lifted upward as the contact portion 36 of the movable body 3 approaches, and is raised to the highest position when the contact portion 36 passes. Thereafter, as the contact portion 36 moves away, the bottom surface 2a gradually descends to the upper surface (the support portion 11) of the shelf 1. During this process, the nutrient solution in the cultivation container 2 is sent to the end of the discharge pipe 16 of the cultivation container 2. This allows the nutrient solution to be more reliably discharged from the cultivation container 2. This configuration is particularly suitable for a plant cultivation system employing a large cultivation container made of a resin material.

[0035] However, when the plants have grown to a certain extent and the roots of the plants are densely packed in the cultivation container 2, the densely packed roots may hinder the flow of the nutrient solution even if the cultivation container 2 is tilted. Therefore, in this embodiment, the movable body 3 is provided with a lift unit 61 that moves the planting panel 17 upward. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating the lifting operation of the planting panel 17 by the movable body 3 provided in the plant cultivation system 10. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10(a) to 10(c), the lift unit 61 is composed of two pulleys 62 and 63 provided on the wheel support 31 and a belt 64 stretched between the pulleys 62 and 63. The pulleys 62 and 63 are not driven and can rotate freely. The material of the pulleys 62 and 63 is not particularly limited. The belt 64 can be made of an elastic material with a high friction coefficient, such as rubber. In this embodiment, the movable body 3 is provided with two lift units 61 corresponding to each of the moving directions.

[0036] The pulley 63, which is disposed on the front side in the moving direction of the movable body 3, is positioned lower than the pulley 62, which is disposed on the rear side in the moving direction of the movable body 3. Therefore, the belt 64 is disposed in a state in which it descends from the rear side to the front side in the moving direction of the movable body 3. For example, when the movable body 3 moves from the state shown in FIG. 9(a) toward the discharge pipe 16, at the joint of the planting panels 17 (the position where one planting panel 17 switches to the next planting panel 17), the end of the supply pipe 15 side of the underside of the planting panel 17 abuts against the belt 64, as shown in FIG. 10(a). Then, as the movable body 3 further moves, the underside of the planting panel 17 is placed on the belt 64, as shown in FIG. 10(b). In this embodiment, the lift unit 61 is disposed only on the wheel support 31. Therefore, at this time, as shown in FIG. 10(c), only the end of the planting panel 17 on the wheel support 31 side is released from the upper end of the side wall 2b of the cultivation container 2 and lifted upward.

[0037] As described above, in this embodiment, the wheel support 31 of the moving body 3 is configured to include the lift portion 61, so that the planting panel 17 on the side wall of the cultivation container 2 on the wheel support 31 side can be moved upward. With this upward movement of the planting panel 17, the roots of the cultivated plants also move upward, so that a gap can be formed between the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2 and the roots of the plants. As a result, when the cultivation container 2 is tilted, the nutrient solution in the cultivation container 2 is sent through the gap to the end of the discharge pipe 16 of the cultivation container 2. Therefore, the nutrient solution can be more reliably discharged from the cultivation container 2.

[0038] As described above, the plant cultivation system 10 can more reliably discharge the nutrient solution from the cultivation container 2.

[0039] The above-described embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, although the above-described embodiments use one abutment portion 36, the number of abutment portions 36 is not particularly limited. For example, two or more abutment portions 36 may be provided on a single rotation shaft 35, or multiple rotation shafts 35 may be provided with multiple abutment portions 36. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, a configuration in which the movable body 3 includes a lift portion 61 has been described as a particularly preferred embodiment, but the lift portion 61 is not an essential element of the present invention. In a configuration without a lift portion 61, the planting panel 17 does not need to be arranged so that it can move upward. Therefore, for example, a configuration in which the planting panel is arranged inside the cultivation container 2 may be adopted. In this case, a stopper may be provided on the cultivation container 2 to prevent the planting panel from descending below a predetermined height from the bottom surface 2a of the cultivation container 2, or a configuration in which the gap between opposing wall surfaces 2b in the short direction gradually narrows as the panel approaches the bottom surface of the cultivation container 2 may be adopted. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a configuration in which the movable body 3 is moved by driving the abutment portion 36 has been exemplified as a particularly preferred embodiment, but a configuration in which the movable body 3 is moved by driving the wheels 34 may also be used. Furthermore, it is not essential that the movable body 3 be self-propelled; for example, a drive unit may be disposed outside the movable body, such as the shelf 1, and the movable body may be moved in the longitudinal direction via a known drive force transmission mechanism, such as a wire, chain, or slide screw. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a plant cultivation system and a mobile body that can more reliably discharge nutrient solution from cultivation containers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 shelf 2 cultivation container 2a Bottom of the cultivation container 2b Side wall of cultivation container 3. Mobile 11 Shelf placement area 17 Planting Panel 31, 32 Wheel support 34 wheels 35 Rotation axis 36 Contact part 37 Drive unit 41 Guide rail (guide part) 42 Guided part 43, 44 Stopper 51, 52 Protrusions (contact sensors) 61 Lift section 62, 63 Pulleys 64 Belt

Claims

1. a long cultivation container in which a plant to be cultivated is housed and to which a nutrient solution is supplied; A shelf on which the cultivation container is placed; a movable body disposed between the shelf and the cultivation container so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container; A contact portion provided on the movable body and contacting the bottom surface of the cultivation container; A plant cultivation system comprising:

2. The moving body further includes a drive unit that rotates a rotation shaft arranged along the short side direction of the cultivation container, The plant cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is supported by the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is driven to rotate, thereby rotating the contact portion and moving the movable body along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container.

3. The shelf further includes guide portions arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container at both ends in the short direction of the cultivation container, The plant cultivation system according to claim 2 , further comprising a guided portion that is guided by the guiding portion.

4. Further provided is a planting panel arranged to cover the upper ends of opposing side walls of the growing container along the longitudinal direction of the growing container, The plant cultivation system according to claim 3 , wherein the moving body further comprises a lift unit that moves the planting panel on at least one of the side walls upward.

5. The moving body further includes a sensor for detecting an end point of the moving body; The plant cultivation system according to claim 4 , wherein the moving body reverses the direction of movement when the end point of movement is detected by the sensor.

6. The plant cultivation system according to claim 3 , wherein the guided parts are wheels provided on the moving body for movement in the longitudinal direction.

7. In a plant cultivation system including a long cultivation container in which a plant to be cultivated is housed and to which a nutrient solution is supplied, and a shelf on which the cultivation container is placed, a self-propelled mobile body is disposed between the shelf and the cultivation container when the nutrient solution is discharged from the cultivation container, A drive unit that rotates a rotation shaft arranged along the short side direction of the cultivation container; A contact portion supported by the rotating shaft, contacting the bottom surface of the growing container, and positioning the bottom surface of the growing container higher than when the growing container is placed on the upper surface of the shelf; A guided portion is guided by a guide portion arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container at both ends of the shelf in the short direction of the cultivation container; Equipped with The rotary shaft is driven to rotate by the drive unit, causing the contact portion to rotate, thereby moving the movable body along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container.

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