Protective devices

Abstract

To provide a protection device for protecting a growing object such as a plant from rain with a simpler configuration. [Solution] The protection device 1 is translucent and comprises a roof 10 that covers the upper side of an object to be grown, such as a plant, a plurality of vertically extending struts 20 that support the roof 10, a holding member 30 that is fixed to the plurality of struts 20 and holds the plant 3 that is to be grown, an elevating mechanism 40 that raises and lowers the plurality of struts 20 in the vertical direction, and a storage section 50 that has a recess 51 that opens at the top. The holding member 30 is raised and lowered inside the storage section 50.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a protection device for protecting a growing object such as a plant. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, vinyl greenhouses have been used to protect plants from rain and to maintain a constant temperature inside (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-017799 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since greenhouses are usually installed outdoors, they need to be strong enough to withstand strong winds such as those caused by typhoons.

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to simplify the structure of a roof or the like for protecting growing objects such as plants from rain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a protective device according to one aspect of the present invention is provided which is translucent and comprises a roof portion covering the upper side of the object to be cultivated, a plurality of vertically extending pillars supporting the roof portion, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the pillars vertically. With this configuration, the support posts and roof can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism, so that, for example, in strong winds, the support posts and roof can be lowered by the lifting mechanism, making it less susceptible to the effects of strong winds. Therefore, the roof and support posts do not need to be as strong as conventional greenhouses, and a simpler configuration can be achieved.

[0007] In addition, the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a holding member for holding the plant to be grown, the multiple supports being fixed to the holding member, and the lifting mechanism may raise and lower the holding member. With this configuration, the holding member and the roof portion can be raised and lowered as a whole while maintaining the relative positional relationship between them constant.

[0008] The protection device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a housing portion having a recess that is open at the top, and the lifting mechanism may lift and lower the holding member within the recess of the housing portion. With this configuration, for example, when there is a strong wind, the holding member or the like can be housed in the recess of the housing portion, thereby making it less susceptible to the effects of the strong wind.

[0009] In the protection device according to the aspect of the present invention, the container may be a reservoir tank that stores a liquid therein. With this configuration, for example, it becomes possible to hydroponically cultivate the plants held by the holding member using the liquid in the storage tank.

[0010] In the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention, the holding member may float on the liquid in the reservoir, and the lifting mechanism may change the height of the liquid surface in the reservoir. With this configuration, the holding member etc. can be raised and lowered in accordance with changes in the liquid level in the storage tank.

[0011] In the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention, the lifting mechanism may also move liquid in and out of the reservoir. With this configuration, the holding member and the like can be raised and lowered by putting liquid into and taking out of the storage tank using the lifting mechanism.

[0012] In addition, in a protective device according to one aspect of the present invention, the lifting mechanism may change the bag body, which is placed in the liquid in the storage tank, between a contracted state and an expanded state by letting air in and out of the bag body. With this configuration, the holding member or the like can be raised and lowered by letting air in and out of the bag.

[0013] In addition, a protective device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a float fixed to the holding member and having an internal space in which air is stored, and the lifting mechanism may let air in and out of the internal space of the float, and the holding member may rise and fall within the storage tank in response to the air being let in and out of the internal space of the float. With this configuration, the holding member and the like can be raised and lowered by letting air in and out of the internal space of the float.

[0014] In the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention, the lifting mechanism may lift and lower the holding member in a state where the holding member is suspended within the accommodation portion. With this configuration, for example, the holding member can be raised and lowered by winding or unwinding the string member that suspends the holding member.

[0015] The protection device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a light-transmitting sheet member provided above the plurality of support posts over the entire circumferential circumference of the plurality of support posts. With this configuration, for example, by using the lifting mechanism to make only the upper sides of the multiple supports where the sheet members are attached protrude upward from the opening of the storage section, a greenhouse can be constructed using the roof section and the sheet members attached to the upper sides of the multiple supports. Also, by using the lifting mechanism to further raise the supports, for example, it is possible to ventilate through the lower sides where the sheet members are not attached, and it is also possible to prevent the internal temperature from rising too high.

[0016] Furthermore, the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a lid that can open and close the opening of the accommodation portion when the roof portion, the plurality of supports, and the holding member are accommodated in the recess of the accommodation portion. With this configuration, for example, even during strong winds or heavy rain, the roof portion, multiple supports, and the entire holding member are housed in the recess of the storage section, and by closing the openable lid, the roof portion, etc. can be protected from the effects of strong winds and rain can be prevented from entering the interior of the storage section.

[0017] In the protection device according to one aspect of the present invention, the lifting mechanism may lift and lower each of the plurality of support columns in the up and down direction. With this configuration, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism can be used to raise and lower each of the multiple support columns.

[0018] In addition, a protective device according to one aspect of the present invention further includes a plurality of cylindrical containers extending in the vertical direction, each open at the top and capable of holding a liquid therein, wherein the plurality of supports float in the liquid in the cylindrical containers with their lower ends respectively inserted into the plurality of cylindrical containers, and the lifting mechanism may change the height of the liquid surface in the plurality of cylindrical containers. With this configuration, the support columns can be raised and lowered by changing the height of the liquid surface in the cylindrical container.

[0019] The protection device according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a mesh member provided around the entire circumference of the plurality of support posts in the circumferential direction. This configuration can, for example, prevent damage to protected plants, marine life, etc. from birds and animals. As another example, the net members can weaken the wind that enters the enclosure, thereby reducing the impact of the wind on plants and marine life. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, the protection device can protect plants, marine products, and other growing objects from rain, and because the supports and roof can be raised and lowered, for example, the supports and roof can be lowered during strong winds to make them less susceptible to the effects of strong winds. Therefore, the roof and supports do not need to be as strong as those of conventional greenhouses, and a simpler structure can be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a configuration of a protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the protection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 5B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 6A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 6B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the roof portion, the support pillars, and the holding member according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the roof portion, the support pillars, and the holding member according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the sheet member taken along the line A-A of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the protection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the protection device according to the embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The following describes a protection device according to the present invention using an embodiment. In the following embodiments, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and repeated description may be omitted. The protection device according to this embodiment raises and lowers a roof section that covers a growing object such as a plant, and a plurality of supports that support the roof section.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a protection device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the protection device 1 includes a roof 10, a plurality of support columns 20 supporting the roof 10, and an elevating mechanism 40 for vertically raising and lowering the plurality of support columns 20. If necessary, the protection device 1 may further include holding members 30 fixed to the plurality of support columns 20 and a storage section 50 having an internal recess 51 in which the holding members 30 and the like are raised and lowered. For ease of explanation, FIG. 1 shows the roof 10, the plurality of support columns 20, and the holding members 30 protruding from the storage section 50. However, if the protection device 1 includes the storage section 50, they may be raised and lowered within the recess 51 of the storage section 50. The same applies to FIG. 4, which will be described later.

[0024] The protection device 1 protects a growing object such as a plant or marine product from rain and snow, and is usually used outdoors. In this embodiment, a case where the protection device 1 protects a growing object, a plant 3, will be mainly described. By preventing rain and snow from hitting the plant 3, it is possible to avoid, for example, deterioration in the quality of the plant 3. It is also possible to prevent, for example, nutrients from leaking out from the leaves of the plant 3.

[0025] The plant 3 may be, for example, an edible plant. The plant 3 may be, for example, a leafy vegetable, a fruit vegetable, a root vegetable, rice, or any other type of plant. For example, the plant 3 may be lettuce, spinach, chrysanthemum, mizuna, cabbage, etc.

[0026] The roof portion 10 is translucent and covers the upper side of the target to be cultivated. Because the roof portion 10 is translucent, sunlight and the like are irradiated onto the lower side of the roof portion 10, promoting the growth of the plant 3. Furthermore, the roof portion 10 can protect the target to be cultivated, such as the plant 3, by preventing rain and the like from falling on the target to be cultivated. The shape of the roof portion 10 is not particularly limited, but as an example, it may be rectangular in plan view. In this case, the roof portion 10 may include, for example, a frame member 11 that is rectangular in plan view, multiple arch members 12, and a transparent sheet member 13 disposed above the multiple arch members 12. With this configuration, the sheet member 13 has a semi-cylindrical roof shape, preventing rain and the like from accumulating on the sheet member 13.

[0027] The frame member 11 may be made of, for example, wood, metal, resin, etc. The arch member 12 may be an arch-shaped member that is convex upward and has ends fixed to opposing sides of the frame member 11. The arch member 12 may be made of, for example, wood, bamboo, metal, resin, etc. The ends of the arch member 12 may be fixed to the frame member 11 by, for example, inserting them into holes formed in the upper surface of the frame member 11, or may be fixed by other methods. The sheet member 13 may be, for example, a transparent sheet used in greenhouses, etc. The sheet member 13 may be fixed to at least one of the frame member 11 and the arch member 12 by, for example, a fastener, etc.

[0028] As another example, the roof 10 may not have the arch member 12. In this case, the sheet member 13 may be fixed directly to the frame member 11. In this case, the sheet member 13 may be flat. Furthermore, if the sheet member 13 is flat, for example, one of the opposing sides of the frame member 11 may be sloped higher than the other to form a shed roof shape, thereby preventing rain and other debris from accumulating on the sheet member 13. Furthermore, the sheet member 13 in the roof 10 may have a gable roof shape, for example. In this case, for example, the frame member 11 itself may have a gable roof shape, or a member supporting the sheet member 13, similar to the arch member 12, may be attached to the rectangular frame member 11 to form the gable roof shape. Furthermore, for example, the sheet member 13 may be replaced with a flat or curved plate of transparent glass, resin, or the like.

[0029] Furthermore, the sheet member 13 may be, for example, a smart film or a light-control film that can change between transparency and opacity. Alternatively, for example, the sheet member 13 may be covered with an openable / closeable shading sheet. This shading sheet may be opened and closed by, for example, rolling up or unrolling. As an example, when there is a lot of sunlight or when the temperature is high, the sheet member 13 may be made opaque or covered with a shading sheet. As another example, in order to promote the growth of the plant 3, the sheet member 13 may be made opaque or covered with a shading sheet. This is because the growth of the plant 3 is promoted when it is placed in an environment that blocks sunlight after photosynthesis.

[0030] Furthermore, power may be generated by laminating a transparent solar cell, such as a perovskite solar cell, on the sheet member 13. The generated power may then be used to operate the lifting mechanism 40, for example.

[0031] The multiple pillars 20 support the roof portion 10. Each of the multiple pillars 20 may be a member extending in the vertical direction. For example, the roof portion 10 may be fixed to the upper ends of the multiple pillars 20. The pillars 20 may be made of, for example, wood, metal, resin, or the like. As an example, each pillar 20 may be a rod-shaped member whose upper end is fixed to the roof portion 10 and whose lower end is fixed to the holding member 30.

[0032] The holding member 30 holds the plant 3 to be cultivated. The holding member 30 may be, for example, a panel-like member having through holes for holding the plant 3. When the plant 3 is held by the through holes, the stems and leaves of the plant 3 may be located above the holding member 30, and the roots of the plant 3 may protrude from the underside. The number and size of the through holes provided in the holding member 30 may be determined appropriately depending on, for example, the size of the plant 3. The holding member 30 may have the same shape and size as the roof member 10 in a plan view. The size of the holding member 30 is not particularly limited, but, for example, the short-side length may be approximately 20 centimeters to 5 meters and the long-side length may be approximately 80 centimeters to 50 meters in a plan view. If the short-side length of the holding member 30 in a plan view is long, it becomes difficult to harvest the plant 3. Therefore, the short-side length is preferably, for example, 3 meters or less, and more preferably 2 meters or less. Furthermore, if the length of the holding member 30 in the longitudinal direction in a plan view is long, it may become more difficult to move the holding member 30, so the length in the longitudinal direction is preferably, for example, 10 meters or less, and more preferably 8 meters or less. Furthermore, multiple holding members 30 may be connectable, for example, in the short side direction or the longitudinal direction. For information on connectable holding members 30, see, for example, JP 2020-130098 A.

[0033] The panel-shaped holding member 30 may be, for example, a plate-shaped member or a mesh-shaped member. Even if the holding member 30 is a mesh-shaped member, it is preferable that it has a strength sufficient to prevent deformation when holding the plant 3 or when moving it. The material of the panel-shaped holding member 30 is not limited, and may be, for example, resin, wood, metal, etc.

[0034] The holding member 30 may be box-shaped. In this case, a through-hole may be provided on the top surface of the box-shaped holding member 30, and the plant 3 may be held by the through-hole. The box-shaped holding member 30 may be configured to be able to store liquid inside, and the liquid inside may be supplied to the plant 3 held by the through-hole.

[0035] For details of the panel-shaped holding member 30 and the box-shaped holding member 30, see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-130098. The vertical length from the holding member 30 to the roof portion 10, i.e., the longitudinal length of the multiple supports 20, may be, for example, approximately 20 to 80 centimeters, or approximately 30 to 70 centimeters. The roof portion 10 and the multiple supports 20 may not be provided with a translucent sheet member or mesh member except on their upper surfaces where the sheet member 13 is provided. Alternatively, as described below, a translucent sheet member or mesh member may be provided at least partially between the supports 20 or between the end arch members 12 and the frame members 11.

[0036] The holding member 30 may be, for example, one that floats in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50. Therefore, the holding member 30 may be made of, for example, a material having a lower specific gravity than the liquid 5. In this case, the holding member 30 may be made of, for example, a foamed resin such as polystyrene resin or urethane foam resin. The holding member 30 may have enough buoyancy to float the entire holding member 30, including the roof portion 10, the plurality of supports 20, and the roof portion 10 in the liquid 5. When the panel-shaped holding member 30 floats in the liquid 5, for example, the liquid 5 can be supplied to the roots of the plants 3 protruding from the underside of the panel-shaped holding member 30, allowing hydroponic cultivation.

[0037] The lifting mechanism 40 raises and lowers the multiple support columns 20 in the up and down direction. The up and down direction may be the vertical direction. The lifting mechanism 40 may be configured to raise and lower the multiple support columns 20 as a whole, and may, for example, raise and lower the holding members 30 fixed to the multiple support columns 20. When the multiple support columns 20 are fixed to the roof section 10 and the holding members 30, the lifting mechanism 40 raises and lowers the holding members 30, which results in the roof section 10 and the multiple support columns 20 being raised and lowered together. Details of the lifting mechanism 40 will be described later.

[0038] The storage unit 50 has a recess 51 that is open at the top. As an example, the storage unit 50 may be in the shape of a box or a rectangular parallelepiped that is open at the top, as shown in FIG. 1 . The box-shaped or rectangular parallelepiped storage unit 50 may be made of, for example, wood, metal, or resin. As another example, the storage unit 50 may be a recess 51 provided in a field or the like. In this case, the storage unit 50 may be made of, for example, soil or concrete. Note that when the storage unit 50 is made of soil or concrete and stores the liquid 5 inside, a waterproof sheet or the like may be provided on the inner surface of the recess 51 of the storage unit 50.

[0039] If the protection device 1 includes a storage section 50, the lifting mechanism 40 may, for example, lift the holding member 30 within a recess 51 of the storage section 50. In this case, when the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding member 30 are lowered within the recess 51 by the lifting mechanism 40, at least the lower portions of the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding member 30 may be accommodated in the recess 51, or the entirety of these may be accommodated therein. For example, when the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding member 30 lowered by the lifting mechanism 40 are accommodated entirely within the recess 51 of the storage section 50, an openable / closable lid may be provided on the opening of the storage section 50. That is, the protection device 1 may further include a lid that can open and close an upper opening of the storage section 50. Then, the lid may be closed when the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding member 30 are entirely accommodated within the storage section 50. When the lid is closed, for example, the interior of the storage unit 50 may become a dark room. As an example, after the plant 3 has performed photosynthesis, the roof unit 10, the multiple supports 20, and the holding member 30 may be moved into the storage unit 50 as a whole, and the lid of the upper opening may be closed to place the plant 3 in an environment that blocks sunlight, thereby promoting the growth of the plant 3. Furthermore, during strong winds such as a typhoon or heavy rain, the lid of the storage unit 50 may be closed with the roof unit 10, the multiple supports 20, and the holding member 30 all housed in the storage unit 50. This prevents the roof unit 10 and other components from being affected by strong winds and prevents rain from entering the storage unit 50. When the lid is closed to prevent strong winds or rain from entering the recess 51 of the storage unit 50, the lid does not need to be able to block sunlight. In other words, the interior of the storage unit 50 does not need to become a dark room when the lid is closed with the roof unit 10 and other components housed in the storage unit 50. Furthermore, the mechanism for opening and closing the lid at the opening of the storage section 50 is not critical. For example, the lid may be opened and closed by sliding the lid or rotating the lid around a rotation axis, or by other mechanisms. The lid may be opened and closed using a driving means such as a motor, or may be opened and closed manually.Furthermore, when the holding member 30 or the like is raised and lowered in the recess 51 of the storage section 50, it is preferable that the gap between the inner wall of the recess 51 and the roof section 10 or the holding member 30 is small in plan view. This gap may be, for example, 20 centimeters or less, or 10 centimeters or less.

[0040] Furthermore, for example, by using the lifting mechanism 40 to lower the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding members 30 within the recess 51 and storing them in the storage section 50, the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding members 30 can be made less susceptible to the effects of strong winds. As a result, the roof section 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding members 30 do not need to be strong enough to withstand strong winds, and their configuration can be simplified, which can reduce costs, for example.

[0041] The storage unit 50 may or may not be, for example, a storage tank in which the liquid 5 is stored. In the former case, the storage unit 50 may also be called a storage tank 50. The liquid 5 stored inside the storage tank 50 may be, for example, water or a nutrient solution. The nutrient solution is useful for the growth of the plant 3, and may be, for example, organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, or the like dissolved in a solvent such as water. The liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 may be supplied to the plant 3 held by the holding member 30, for example.

[0042] When the storage unit 50 is a storage tank that stores the liquid 5 therein, the lifting mechanism 40 may, for example, change the height of the liquid surface in the storage tank 50. In this case, the holding member 30 may, for example, be one that floats on the liquid 5. The lifting mechanism 40 may also, for example, change the height of the liquid surface by putting the liquid 5 in or taking it out of the storage tank 50, or by letting air in or out of a bag body 44 that is disposed inside the storage tank 50. Each of these will be described below.

[0043] First, a case will be described in which the height of the liquid level in storage tank 50 is changed by adding or removing liquid 5 to or from storage tank 50. In this case, lifting mechanism 40a may change the height of the liquid level by adding or removing liquid 5 to or from storage tank 50. FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing a state in which the liquid level has been lowered by lifting mechanism 40a and a state in which the liquid level has been raised by lifting mechanism 40a, respectively. In this case, lifting mechanism 40a may be, for example, a pump for feeding liquid 5. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the interior of storage tank 50 and the interior of sub-storage tank 41 are connected by piping 42, and liquid 5 may be moved between storage tank 50 and sub-storage tank 41 by lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump. The sub-reservoir 41 is used to store the liquid 5 discharged from the reservoir 50, and may be located next to the reservoir 50, or above or below the reservoir 50, as shown in, for example, FIG. 2A.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2A, by moving the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 to the sub-storage tank 41 by the lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, the liquid level in the storage tank 50 drops, and the holding member 30 floating in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 also drops accordingly. Also, as shown in FIG. 2B, by moving the liquid 5 in the sub-storage tank 41 to the storage tank 50 by the lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, the liquid level in the storage tank 50 rises, and the holding member 30 floating in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 also rises accordingly. In this manner, the holding member 30, the plurality of supports 20, and the roof portion 10 can be raised and lowered. Note that the lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, may also move the liquid 5 between the storage tank 50 and a river, pond, agricultural irrigation channel, etc., instead of the sub-storage tank 41.

[0045] Here, the operation of raising and lowering the holding members 30 and the like in the protection device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. For example, during strong winds or at night, the lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, may be operated to move the liquid 5 from the storage tank 50 to the sub-storage tank 41, thereby moving the roof portion 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding members 30 downward within the storage tank 50, as shown in FIG. 2A. In this manner, for example, the roof portion 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the like can be housed in the storage tank 50 and prevented from being damaged by strong winds. Furthermore, for example, during the daytime when the wind is weak, the lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, may be operated to move the liquid 5 from the sub-storage tank 41 to the storage tank 50, thereby moving the roof portion 10, the multiple support columns 20, and the holding members 30 upward within the storage tank 50, as shown in FIG. 2B. In this manner, for example, by raising the holding members 30, more light can be irradiated onto the plants 3, thereby promoting their growth. In addition, for example, when shipping the plant 3, when attaching a new plant 3 to the holding member 30, or when performing work on the plant 3 such as removing dead leaves, the roof portion 10, the multiple supports 20, the holding member 30, etc. may be moved upward.

[0046] The lifting mechanism 40a, which is a pump, may be controlled manually or automatically by a control unit. In the latter case, for example, a water level gauge for measuring the water level may be provided in the storage tank 50, and the control unit may operate the lifting mechanism 40a so that the water level measured by the water level gauge reaches a predetermined water level. As an example, when lowering the holding member 30, the control unit may use the lifting mechanism 40a to move the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 to the sub-storage tank 41 until the water level measured by the water level gauge reaches a predetermined first water level. As another example, when raising the holding member 30, the control unit may use the lifting mechanism 40a to move the liquid 5 in the sub-storage tank 41 to the storage tank 50 until the water level measured by the water level gauge reaches a predetermined second water level.

[0047] Next, a case will be described in which the liquid level in the storage tank 50 is changed by injecting or evacuating air into or from the bag 44 disposed in the liquid in the storage tank 50. In this case, the lifting mechanism 40b may change the state of the bag 44 between a contracted state and an expanded state by injecting or evacuating air into or from the bag 44 disposed in the liquid in the storage tank 50. FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing a state in which the liquid level is lowered and a state in which the liquid level is raised by the lifting mechanism 40b, respectively. In this case, the lifting mechanism 40b may be, for example, an air pump that injects or evacuates air into or from the bag 44. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the interior of the bag 44 and the lifting mechanism 40b, which is an air pump, may be connected by a pipe 43. The bag 44 may be attached, for example, to the bottom surface and the lower side of the side surface of the recess 51 of the storage tank 50, so that the liquid 5 does not enter between the bag 44 and the inner surface of the recess 51. That is, the liquid 5 in the reservoir 50 may be present above the bag 44, for example.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 3A, by using the lifting mechanism 40b, which is an air pump, to exhaust the air inside the bag 44 and put the bag 44 in a contracted state, the liquid level in the storage tank 50 drops, and the holding member 30 floating in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 also drops accordingly. Also, as shown in Fig. 3B, by using the lifting mechanism 40b, which is an air pump, to send air into the bag 44 and put the bag 44 in an expanded state, the liquid level in the storage tank 50 rises, and the holding member 30 floating in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 also rises accordingly. In this way, the holding member 30, the multiple supports 20, and the roof portion 10 can be raised and lowered.

[0049] Next, a case will be described in which a float 60 is fixed to the holding member 30 and the float 60 is used to raise and lower the holding member 30 in the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50. In this case, the protection device 1 may further include the float 60. The protection device 1 may also include one or more mounting members 61 for mounting the float 60 to the holding member 30, as necessary. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the protection device 1 further including the float 60 and multiple mounting members 61. The float 60 may have, for example, an internal space for storing air. The float 60 may also be attached to the holding member 30 by multiple mounting members 61, as shown in FIG. 4, for example. The multiple mounting members 61 may be, for example, rod-shaped members extending in the vertical direction, with their upper ends fixed to the holding member 30 and their lower ends fixed to the float 60. In this case, the float 60 may be located below the holding member 30. The float 60 may have, for example, the same shape and size as the holding member 30 in a plan view. Note that if the float 60 is present below the holding member 30, stability may be reduced, and therefore, for example, a weight or the like may be attached to the lower side of the float 60 to improve stability. The float 60 may be made of, for example, metal, resin, or the like. As an example, the internal space of the float 60 may be in communication with the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50. In this case, for example, an opening may be provided in the bottom of the float 60 that connects the internal space of the float 60 to the outside (e.g., the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50), and the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 may be able to flow into the internal space of the float 60 through the opening.

[0050] In this case, the lifting mechanism 40c may be, for example, an air pump that pumps air into and out of the internal space of the float 60. The holding member 30 may rise and fall within the storage tank 50 in response to the intake and exhaust of air into and out of the internal space of the float 60. Therefore, the float 60 may be configured to have sufficient buoyancy to allow the roof 10, the multiple support columns 20, the holding member 30, the float 60, and the multiple mounting members 61 to float in the liquid 5 when the internal space is filled with air. Furthermore, the roof 10, the multiple support columns 20, the holding member 30, the float 60, and the multiple mounting members 61 may be configured to have sufficient weight to sink in the liquid 5 when the internal space is filled with the liquid 5. Note that when air is exhausted from the internal space of the float 60, the liquid 5 typically enters the internal space. Therefore, the intake and exhaust of air into and exhaust of the internal space of the float 60 may be considered to be the intake and exhaust of the liquid 5 into and exhaust of the internal space of the float 60. 5A and 5B are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing a state in which float 60 is submerged as liquid 5 in storage tank 50 flows into the internal space of float 60 by lifting mechanism 40c, and a state in which float 60 is floating as air is introduced into the internal space of float 60. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the internal space of float 60 and lifting mechanism 40c, which is an air pump, may be connected by flexible piping 45. Flexible piping 45 may be made of a flexible material such as rubber, vinyl, or silicone.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 5A, when the air is removed from the internal space of the float 60 by the lifting mechanism 40c, which is an air pump, and the liquid 5 in the storage tank 50 flows into that internal space, the float 60 loses its buoyancy, causing the float 60, the holding member 30, and the like to descend within the storage tank 50. As an example, when the float 60 and the like sink within the storage tank 50, the roots of the plant 3 may be immersed in the liquid 5. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5B, when the air is introduced into the internal space of the float 60 by the lifting mechanism 40c, which is an air pump, and the liquid 5 in that internal space is discharged into the storage tank 50, the float 60 becomes buoyant, causing the float 60, the holding member 30, and the like to rise within the storage tank 50. As an example, a valve (not shown) may be provided in the piping 45, and after air is introduced into the internal space of the float 60, the valve may be closed to prevent air from escaping from the internal space of the float 60 through the piping 45. When evacuating the internal space of the float 60, the air may be actively discharged from the internal space using, for example, an air pump, elevating mechanism 40c. Alternatively, a valve provided in the piping 45 may be opened to allow air to escape from the internal space of the float 60 through the piping 45. In this case, the height of the holding member 30, etc., when air is introduced into the internal space of the float 60 and the holding member 30, etc., rises may be adjusted by adjusting the amount of liquid 5 in the storage tank 50. As an example, the holding member 30, etc., may be raised and lowered within the storage tank 50 by introducing and evacuating air into and from the internal space of the float 60 and changing the height of the liquid level in the storage tank 50.

[0052] While the description herein has been primarily directed to a case in which air is pumped into and released from the float 60 by the lifting mechanism 40c, which is an air pump, this is not essential. For example, the float 60 may have an open bottom and an air hole at its top for discharging air from the interior space. The lifting mechanism 40c may be an air supply unit that supplies air to the interior space from below the float 60. The air supply unit may supply air near the bottom of the storage tank 50, for example, and the supplied air may move upward through the liquid and enter the interior space of the float 60. If the air supply unit supplies more air to the interior space of the float 60 than is discharged through the air hole, air will accumulate in the interior space of the float 60, increasing the buoyancy of the float 60 and causing the float 60 and the holding member 30 to rise. On the other hand, when the air supply from the air supply unit is stopped, the air in the internal space of the float 60 is discharged through the air hole and reduced, the buoyancy of the float 60 decreases, and the float 60 and the holding member 30 descend. For details of such a float 60 and air supply unit, see, for example, JP 2020-130098 A.

[0053] Next, a case where the holding member 30 is raised and lowered while suspended within the storage section 50 will be described. In this case, the lifting mechanism 40d may raise and lower the holding member 30 while suspended within the storage section 50. FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic vertical cross-sectional views showing a state in which the holding member 30 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 40d and a state in which the holding member 30 is raised by the lifting mechanism 40d, respectively. In this case, the lifting mechanism 40d may include, for example, a driving means 47 such as a motor, a string member 48 for suspending the holding member 30, and an attachment member 49 for attaching the lower end of the string member 48 to the holding member 30. The string member 48 may be, for example, a wire rope. The attachment member 49 may be fixed to the holding member 30, and the lower end of the string member 48 may be attached to the attachment member 49. Alternatively, the holding member 30 may be raised and lowered by winding or unwinding the string member 48 by the driving means 47. For example, the holding member 30 may be suspended from multiple locations, such as four locations, by string members 48, and the multiple string members 48 may be wound and unwound by multiple drive means 47 in the same amount, thereby allowing the holding member 30 to be raised and lowered while maintaining a horizontal state. For details of the lifting mechanism 40d that raises and lowers the holding member 30 in a suspended state, see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2023-076419. While the case where the mounting member 49 is attached to the holding member 30 has been described here, the mounting member 49 may also be attached to, for example, the support 20 or the roof 10. Because the support 20 or the roof 10 is directly or indirectly fixed to the holding member 30, even when the mounting member 49 is attached to the support 20 or the like, the holding member 30 is raised and lowered in a suspended state.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 6A, by unwinding the string members 48 using the drive means 47, the holding member 30 descends within the storage section 50. Also, as shown in Fig. 6B, by winding up the string members 48 using the drive means 47, the holding member 30 ascends within the storage section 50. In this way, the holding member 30 can be raised and lowered in a suspended state by the lifting mechanism 40d having the drive means 47 and the like.

[0055] Note that when the holding member 30 is raised and lowered using the float 60 or when the holding member 30 is raised and lowered in a suspended state, the holding member 30 does not necessarily have to float in the liquid 5. As an example, if the specific gravity of the holding member 30 raised and lowered in a suspended state is greater than that of the liquid 5, the plant 3 can be immersed in the liquid 5 by submerging the holding member 30. For example, by immersing the holding member 30 in the liquid 5, the plant 3 can also be immersed in the liquid 5. Immersing the plant 3 in the liquid 5 may be performed, for example, to eliminate pests on the plant 3.

[0056] Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been described with reference to the lifting mechanisms 40a to 40d that raise and lower the holding member 30, other lifting mechanisms 40 may also be used. For example, the lifting mechanism 40 may raise and lower each of the multiple support columns 20 in the up and down direction. In this case, the lifting mechanism 40 may have, for example, a linear actuator provided for each of the multiple support columns 20 to move the support column 20 in the up and down direction. The linear actuator may have, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism and a drive means for rotating the pinion, or a ball screw mechanism and a drive means for rotating the screw shaft of the ball screw mechanism, or may have other configurations. It should be noted that mechanisms such as linear actuators that move an object in a linear direction are already known, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] Furthermore, in the protection device 1 according to this embodiment, the net member 71 may be provided on the roof portion 10 or the plurality of supports 20 in locations other than the upper surface where the sheet member 13 is provided. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the roof portion 10, the plurality of supports 20, and the holding member 30, in which the net member 71 is provided between the supports 20 or between the frame member 11 and the arch member 12 at the end. As shown in FIG. 7, the net member 71 may be provided around the entire circumferential direction of the plurality of supports 20. Furthermore, the net member 71 may be provided so that at least the sheet member 13 or the net member 71 is present between the plants 3 arranged inside and the exterior of the structure formed by the roof portion 10, the plurality of supports 20, and the holding member 30. In this way, by further including the net member 71 in the protection device 1, damage to the plants 3 by birds and animals can be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that the net member 71 be fine enough to reduce damage by birds and animals. Furthermore, using a finer net member 71 can also prevent damage by pests, for example. In this way, the net member 71 may be provided, for example, to protect the plants 3. The net member 71 may be, for example, an animal net, a bird net, an insect net, etc. Furthermore, the net member 71 may be fixed to, for example, the support 20, or may be fixed to the frame member 11, the arch member 12, etc.

[0058] Furthermore, in the protection device 1 according to this embodiment, translucent sheet members 72 may be provided on the roof portion 10 or the plurality of pillars 20 in locations other than the upper surfaces on which the sheet members 13 are provided. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the roof portion 10, the plurality of pillars 20, and the retaining member 30 in which the sheet members 72 are provided between the pillars 20 or between the frame member 11 and the arch members 12 at the ends. As shown in FIG. 8, the sheet members 72 may be provided on the upper sides of the plurality of pillars 20, over the entire circumferential circumference of the plurality of pillars 20. For example, the sheet members 72 may be provided in the upper half or two-thirds of the longitudinal length of the pillars 20. The sheet members 72 may be fixed to the pillars 20, the frame member 11, the arch member 12, or the like.

[0059] In this way, for example, by making only the portions of the multiple supports 20 where the sheet member 72 is provided protrude upward through the opening of the storage unit 50, the area enclosed by the sheet member 13 and the sheet member 72 can be turned into a greenhouse. If the temperature inside the greenhouse rises, by further raising the holding members 30, etc., the portions of the supports 20 where the sheet member 72 is not provided will also protrude upward through the opening of the storage unit 50, thereby ventilating the area enclosed by the sheet member 13 and the sheet member 72 and reducing the temperature. When the holding members 30, etc. are automatically raised and lowered, for example, when the temperature inside the structure formed by the roof 10, the multiple supports 20, and the holding members 30 is lower than a threshold value, the height of the holding members 30, etc. may be adjusted so that only the portions where the sheet member 72 is provided protrudes upward through the opening of the storage unit 50, and when the internal temperature is higher than the threshold value, the height of the holding members 30, etc. may be adjusted so that the portions where the sheet member 72 is not provided also protrude upward through the opening of the storage unit 50.

[0060] To construct a more precise greenhouse, at least one of the sheet member 13 and the sheet member 72 may be present between the inside and outside of the portion of the structure formed by the roof 10, the multiple columns 20, and the holding member 30 above the opening of the storage section 50, with only the portion of the columns 20 where the sheet member 72 is provided extending upward from the opening of the storage section 50. As an example, the sheet member 72 may also be provided between the frame member 11 and the arch member 12 at the end. The sheet member 72 may be the same as the sheet member 13, for example.

[0061] To improve ventilation efficiency, for example, as shown in FIG. 8 , one or more openings 73 may be provided on the upper side of the sheet member 72, and a cover member 74 may be provided to cover the openings 73. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of the sheet member 72 where the openings 73 are provided. The cover member 74 may be provided on the outer surface of the sheet member 72. That is, in FIG. 9 , the right side of the sheet member 72 or the cover member 74 may be the outer side, and the left side may be the inner side (the side where the plant 3 is present). As shown in FIG. 9 , the cover member 74 may be arranged to cover the openings 73, and only the upper end may be fixed to the sheet member 72 by adhesive or the like, so that it can be opened and closed, as indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 9 . With this configuration, when the portion of the support 20 not provided with the sheet member 72 is also allowed to exit upward through the opening of the storage section 50, warm air can be easily exhausted to the outside through the openings 73, thereby efficiently reducing the internal temperature.

[0062] As described above, according to the protection device 1 of this embodiment, the roof portion 10 and the support columns 20 can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 40. Therefore, for example, in strong winds, the roof portion 10 and the support columns 20 can be lowered and stored in the storage section 50, making them less susceptible to the effects of strong winds. Therefore, the roof portion 10 and the support columns 20 are not required to be as strong as conventional greenhouses, and the protection device 1 can be made to have a simpler configuration. As a result, for example, costs can be reduced.

[0063] In this embodiment, the case where the holding member 30 is fixed to the support 20 has been mainly described, but this is not necessarily the case. The protection device 1 does not have to include the holding member 30. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the plant 3 is planted in the ground 7 of a field or the like, and a roof portion 10 provided to cover the upper side of the plant 3 and a plurality of support poles 21 supporting the roof portion 10 may be raised and lowered. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the protection device 1 not including the holding member 30, and FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic longitudinal cross-sectional views of the protection device 1 not including the holding member 30.

[0064] The protection device 1 shown in FIGS. 10, 11A, and 11B may include, for example, a roof portion 10, multiple support columns 21 supporting the roof portion 10, multiple cylindrical containers 80 that are open at the top and extend in the vertical direction, and an elevating mechanism 40e that moves the multiple support columns 21 in the vertical direction. A liquid 5 may be placed inside the cylindrical container 80. The cylindrical container 80 may be, for example, a cylindrical or rectangular container that is open at the top. Here, the description will be focused on the case where the cylindrical container 80 is a rectangular container. Since the cylindrical container 80 is filled with the liquid 5, it is preferable that the cylindrical container 80 has a bottom that can store the liquid 5. Furthermore, the cylindrical container 80 may be buried, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, so that the opening at the top is at ground level 7, such as in a field. For ease of explanation, Figure 10 shows multiple supports 21 extending from multiple cylindrical containers 80, but if the protection device 1 is equipped with multiple cylindrical containers 80, the multiple supports 21 may be raised and lowered within the multiple cylindrical containers 80, respectively.

[0065] The multiple supports 21 may be configured to float in the liquid 5 in the cylindrical containers 80 with their lower ends respectively placed in the multiple cylindrical containers 80. Therefore, each support 21 may be made of, for example, a material having a lower specific gravity than the liquid 5. In this case, each support 21 may be made of, for example, a foamed resin such as polystyrene resin or urethane foam resin, or may be made of wood. Furthermore, each support 21 may be a hollow member made of, for example, metal or resin. The multiple supports 21 may have sufficient buoyancy to float the entire roof portion 10 and the multiple supports 21 in the liquid 5. Since the multiple supports 21 are placed in the multiple cylindrical containers 80, respectively, the number of supports 21 may be the same as the number of cylindrical containers 80. The support 21 may be similar to the support 20 except that it floats in the liquid 5 in the cylindrical container 80.

[0066] The lifting mechanism 40e may change the liquid level in the plurality of cylindrical containers 80. Here, the case where the lifting mechanism 40e changes the liquid level by feeding or discharging the liquid 5 into or from the cylindrical container 80 will be mainly described. However, the lifting mechanism may also change the liquid level by feeding or discharging air into or from a bag disposed in the liquid in the cylindrical container 80, thereby changing the bag between a contracted state and an expanded state. Changing the liquid level by changing the bag between a contracted state and an expanded state is as described above, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The lifting mechanism 40e may be, for example, a pump that feeds or discharges the liquid 5 into or from the cylindrical container 80, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The lifting mechanism 40e serving as a pump may, for example, move the liquid 5 between the cylindrical container 80 and a sub-storage tank or the like. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the interior of the cylindrical container 80 and the lifting mechanism 40e serving as a pump may be connected by a pipe 46.

[0067] 11A, by discharging the liquid 5 in each cylindrical container 80 using each lifting mechanism 40e, which is a pump, the liquid level in each cylindrical container 80 drops, and accordingly, each support 21 floating in the liquid 5 in each cylindrical container 80 also drops. Also, as shown in Fig. 11B, by injecting the liquid 5 into each cylindrical container 80 using each lifting mechanism 40e, which is a pump, the liquid level in each cylindrical container 80 rises, and accordingly, each support 21 floating in the liquid 5 in each cylindrical container 80 also rises. In this way, the multiple support columns 21 and the roof portion 10 can be raised and lowered.

[0068] In this way, the roof unit 10 and the multiple supports 21 can be raised and lowered by raising and lowering the multiple supports 21 floating in the liquid 5 within the multiple cylindrical containers 80 in response to changes in the height of the liquid surface. Furthermore, as described herein, the protection device 1 may not include the storage unit 50, and the roof unit 10 and the multiple supports 21 may be raised and lowered in a field or the like. Even in this case, for example, the roof unit 10 and the multiple supports 21 can be made less susceptible to the effects of strong winds by lowering them to be closer to the ground 7 during strong winds. Furthermore, the roof unit 10 and the multiple supports 21 may be raised and lowered, for example, when shipping the plants 3, planting new plants 3, or performing work on the plants 3, such as removing dead leaves. The multiple supports 21 may also be raised and lowered without using the multiple cylindrical containers 80. For example, the multiple supports may be raised and lowered individually using a linear actuator or the like. When the multiple supports 21 are raised and lowered without using multiple cylindrical containers 80, the multiple supports 21 do not have to be, for example, floatable in the liquid 5. Furthermore, in order to protect the growing objects such as the plants 3, a mesh member 71 may be provided on the supports 21, etc. Note that when the multiple supports 21 are raised and lowered inside the multiple cylindrical containers 80, for example, the upper end of the mesh member 71 may be fixed to the frame member 11 of the roof portion 10, and may not be fixed to the supports 21.

[0069] Here, the case has been described where the protection device 1 that raises and lowers the support 21 inside the cylindrical container 80 does not include a storage unit 50, but this is not necessarily the case. When the protection device 1 includes a storage unit 50, multiple cylindrical containers 80 may be disposed inside or outside the storage unit 50, and multiple support columns 21 and roof sections 10 may be raised and lowered inside or outside the storage unit 50. When multiple cylindrical containers 80 are disposed outside the storage unit 50, the multiple cylindrical containers 80 may be disposed such that, for example, when the multiple support columns 21 and roof sections 10 are lowered, the roof sections 10 cover the upper opening of the storage unit 50.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the holding members 30 and the like are raised and lowered inside the storage tank 50, the roof 10 may cover the upper opening of the storage tank 50, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, for example. Fig. 12 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the protection device 1, and Fig. 13 is a plan view of the protection device 1. Note that Fig. 13 omits illustration of the arch members 12 and sheet members 13 of the roof 10, as well as the plants 3 held by the holding members 30.

[0071] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the roof portion 10 may be large enough to cover the opening of the storage tank 50. Furthermore, for example, when the holding member 30 or the like is lowered within the storage tank 50, the upper end of the storage tank 50 may abut against the frame member 11. The frame member 11 may have an opening 11a that is smaller than the opening of the storage tank 50 in a plan view. Furthermore, the roof portion 10 may have, for example, a side plate 14 extending downward from the outer edge of the frame member 11, and may further have an extension portion 15 extending inward from the lower end of the side plate 14. The side plate 14 and the extension portion 15 may be provided, for example, around the entire circumferential circumference of the frame member 11. Because roof 10 has side plates 14 and extensions 15, when holding members 30 and the like are lowered and frame member 11 is supported at the upper end of storage tank 50, wind is less likely to enter between side plates 14 or extensions 15 and storage tank 50, thereby reducing the effects of strong winds. Note that side plates 14 and extensions 15 are not shown in FIG. 13. Furthermore, covering the opening of storage tank 50 with roof 10 prevents rain, snow, and the like from entering storage tank 50. Therefore, for example, even if liquid 5 in storage tank 50 is a culture solution, the culture solution can be prevented from being diluted by rain, etc.

[0072] Furthermore, to prevent rain, snow, and the like from entering the storage tank 50, the protection device 1 may further include a cover member 52 for covering the gap between the storage tank 50 and the structure formed by the roof 10, the plurality of support columns 20, and the holding member 30, as shown in FIG. 14 . The cover member 52 may be, for example, a flexible plate-like member made of rubber, silicone, or the like. The cover member 52 may also be fixed to the upper end of the storage tank 50. Note that, because the cover member 52 is flexible, even if it is in contact with the structure, it does not hinder the structure from moving up and down. The cover member 52 may be provided, for example, around the entire periphery of the gap between the storage tank 50 and the structure.

[0073] 12 to 14 show the configuration for preventing rain and the like from entering the gap between the structure and the storage tank 50 in the protection device 1 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, but it goes without saying that a similar configuration may be provided in other protection devices 1 to prevent rain and the like from entering the gap between the structure and the storage tank 50.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the roof portion 10 and the holding member 30 are connected by multiple support columns 20, the distance between the roof portion 10 and the holding member 30 may be changeable. Therefore, as an example, the multiple support columns 20 and the holding member 30 may be detachably fixed to each other. In this case, for example, each support column 20 may have multiple positions in the longitudinal direction to which the holding member 30 can be detachably fixed. The distance between the roof portion 10 and the holding member 30 may be changed by changing the positions to which the holding member 30 is fixed. The multiple support columns 20 and the holding member 30 may be detachably fixed to each other using, for example, bolts and nuts. Furthermore, for example, when the multiple support columns 20 are slidably inserted into multiple holes provided in the holding member 30 and the positions of the holding members 30 in the longitudinal direction of the support columns 20 are fixed by fixing members, the distance between the roof portion 10 and the holding member 30 may be changed by changing the positions of the holding members 30 fixed by the fixing members. The fixing member may be detachably attached to, for example, a plurality of support columns 20. The plurality of support columns 20 may also be detachably attached to, for example, the roof section 10. In this case, the distance between the roof section 10 and the holding member 30 may be changed, for example, by connecting the roof section 10 and the holding member 30 with a plurality of support columns 20 of different lengths. As another example, the plurality of support columns 20 may be extendable. In this case, the distance between the roof section 10 and the holding member 30 may be changed by changing the length of the support columns 20. In this way, when the distance between the roof portion 10 and the retaining member 30 can be changed, for example, the distance between them can be shortened in winter and a translucent sheet member 72 can be provided around the entire circumference of the multiple supports 20, thereby creating a greenhouse inside the roof portion 10 and the multiple supports 20, and the distance between them can be lengthened in summer and the sheet member 72 can be not provided around the multiple supports 20, thereby preventing the inside of the roof portion 10 and the multiple supports 20 from becoming too hot.

[0075] Furthermore, in order to prevent the temperature around the plants 3 from becoming too high when the roof 10, the multiple supports 20, and the holding members 30 are lowered in the storage tank 50 in summer, at least a portion of the roof 10 may be openable or closable, or an opening may be provided in a portion of the roof 10. This configuration allows internal hot air to be discharged to the outside through the roof 10, preventing the temperature around the plants 3 from becoming too high. The openable / closable mechanism may be similar to the openable / closable mechanism used for ventilation in a greenhouse. The openable / closable mechanism may be, for example, a mechanism that is manually opened and closed, or may be a mechanism that is automatically opened and closed in response to a temperature measured by a sensor or the like. The opening provided in a portion of the roof 10 may be, for example, along the highest point of the roof 10. For example, if the roof 10 has a semi-cylindrical roof shape, an opening may be provided along the top of the arch of the semi-cylindrical roof shape. As another example, if the roof 10 has a gabled roof shape, an opening may be provided along the ridge. For example, multiple openings may be spaced apart along the highest point of roof 10, or one opening may be continuously arranged along the highest point of roof 10. In either case, it is preferable that the openings provided in roof 10 be small enough to prevent rain from entering the lower side of roof 10 during rainy weather. Furthermore, when hot air inside is discharged to the outside through roof 10, aeration may be performed on liquid 5 in storage tank 50 using an air pump or the like. Aeration can cool the area around plant 3 with air supplied through liquid 5 and can also promote the discharge of hot air below roof 10 to the outside through the opening in roof 10, thereby reducing the temperature below roof 10.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the holding member 30 is fixed to multiple supports 20, the holding member 30 may, for example, be detachably fixed to the multiple supports 20. In this case, the holding member 30 may be detached from the multiple supports 20, for example, when harvesting the plants 3 or when attaching the plants 3 to the holding member 30. In this way, by detaching the holding member 30 from the multiple supports 20, harvesting the plants 3 or attaching the plants 3 to the holding member 30 becomes easier. The holding member 30 may be detachably fixed to the multiple supports 20, for example, by bolts or snap-fit. As another example, the holding member 30 may include a fixed portion fixed to the multiple supports 20 and a detachable portion detachably attached to the fixed portion. In this case, for example, the plants 3 may be held by the detachable portion. Then, for example, when harvesting the plants 3 or attaching the plants 3, the detachable portion may be detached from the fixed portion. The fixed part may be, for example, a frame-shaped or flat-plate member fixed to a plurality of support columns 20. In this case, for example, a panel-shaped detachable part or a box-shaped detachable part may be detachably attached to the frame-shaped fixed part, or may be detachably placed on the flat-plate fixed part. The detachable part may be detachably attached to the fixed part by, for example, bolts or snap fits, or by other mechanisms.

[0077] Furthermore, when at least a part of the protection device 1 according to the present embodiment is made of resin, the resin may be, for example, vinyl chloride resin, polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, etc. When the protection device 1 is used outdoors, it is preferable to use a weather-resistant resin.

[0078] Although the present embodiment has been described primarily with reference to a case in which the protection device 1 protects the plant 3, the protection device 1 may also protect, for example, marine products. In this case, the upper side of the aquarium containing the marine products may be covered with a translucent roof 10. This prevents rain and other elements from entering the aquarium, thereby preventing, for example, a decrease in the salinity of seawater due to rain. Furthermore, the translucent roof 10 allows algae and phytoplankton to grow in the aquarium. The marine products grown in this manner may be, for example, algae and phytoplankton, or oysters, abalone, fish, and the like that eat them. In this case, the roof 10 can be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism. Therefore, for example, when shipping the marine products, lifting the roof 10 makes it easy to remove the marine products from the aquarium. Furthermore, for example, during strong winds, the roof 10 can be lowered by the lifting mechanism, thereby reducing the impact of strong winds on the roof 10, the support columns 20, and the like.

[0079] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are merely examples for specifically implementing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments, and is intended to include modifications within the literal scope of the claims and within the scope of equivalent meanings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 Protective device 10 Roof 13, 72 Sheet member 20, 21 pillars 30 Retaining member 40, 40a~40e Lifting mechanism 44 Bag body 50 Storage section (reservoir) 60 float 71 Net components 80 Cylindrical container

Claims

1. a roof portion that is translucent and covers the upper side of the object to be cultivated; a plurality of vertically extending columns that support the roof portion; a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the support column in the vertical direction; a holding member for holding the plant to be grown; a storage section having a recessed portion that is open at the top, the plurality of support columns are fixed to the holding member, the lifting mechanism lifts and lowers the holding member within the recess of the accommodation portion; A protection device in which, when the holding member is lowered by the lifting mechanism, the roof portion, the plurality of support columns, and the holding member are entirely housed in a recess in the housing portion.

2. The protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the container is a reservoir tank that stores a liquid therein.

3. the holding member floats on the liquid in the storage tank, The protection device according to claim 2 , wherein the lifting mechanism changes the height of the liquid surface in the reservoir.

4. The protection device of claim 3 , wherein the lifting mechanism moves liquid into and out of the reservoir.

5. The protection device according to claim 3 , wherein the lifting mechanism changes the bag disposed in the liquid in the storage tank between a contracted state and an expanded state by letting air in and out of the bag.

6. The float is fixed to the holding member and has an internal space for storing air. The lifting mechanism allows air to enter and exit the internal space of the float, The protection device according to claim 2 , wherein the holding member rises and falls within the reservoir tank in response to air being introduced into and released from the internal space of the float.

7. The protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism lifts and lowers the holding member in a suspended state within the accommodation portion.

8. 8. The protection device according to claim 1, further comprising a lid that can open and close the opening of the storage portion when the roof portion, the plurality of supports, and the holding member are housed in the recess of the storage portion.

9. a storage section having a recessed portion that is open upward; A roof portion that is translucent and covers the upper side of the object to be cultivated in the storage portion; a plurality of vertically extending columns that support the roof portion; a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers each of the plurality of columns in the vertical direction within the recess of the storage section, When the plurality of support columns are lowered by the lifting mechanism, the roof portion and the plurality of support columns are entirely accommodated in the recess of the accommodation portion, A protection device in which the multiple supports are not fixed to a holding member that holds the plant to be grown.

Images