Plant shaking device

Abstract

To install a plant shaking device that shakes the stems and branches of plants so that it is not easily noticeable.SOLUTION: A plant branch 12 is accommodated within a receiving groove 14 of a multi-jointed arm 16 composed of a plurality of connected arm segments 20. The adjacent arm segments 20 are connected so that one can swivel relative to the other. Drive linear members 30 extending along the multi-jointed arm 16 are located on the right and left sides of the multi-jointed arm 16. A drive actuator 18 applies tension to one of the drive linear members 30, thereby bending the multi-jointed arm 16. The multi-jointed arm 16 is bent to the right and left, causing the accommodated branch 12 to shake.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant swaying device that sways the stems and branches of plants.

Background Art

[0002] In indoor facilities such as offices, meeting spaces, break spaces, or lobbies, foliage plants may be placed. Indoors, unlike the natural environment outside, the plants are not exposed to wind, and the branches and leaves do not sway or sway very little.

[0003] Patent Document 1 below shows a swaying device (100) that pulls the other end of a wire (120) whose one end is hung on a branch of a plant with a driving unit (110) to sway the branch. Note that the signs in the above ( ) are the signs used in Patent Document 1 below and are not related to the signs used in the embodiments of the present application.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the swaying device of Patent Document 1 above, since the branch is directly bent by the tension applied to the wire, the wire is stretched in the direction intersecting the branch. Therefore, the wire is easily noticeable and looks bad.

[0006] The present invention provides a plant swaying device in which a mechanism for swaying branches or the like is less conspicuous.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The plant rocking device according to the present invention comprises a bendable articulated arm composed of a plurality of arm segments connected together and having a receiving groove formed therein for accommodating a plant stem or branch; at least one pair of linear members extending along the articulated arm; and a drive actuator that applies tension to one of the pair of linear members, thereby bending the articulated arm toward the linear member to which the tension is applied.

[0008] The arm segments are connected such that one adjacent arm segment can pivot relative to the other. Furthermore, recesses are formed on the sides of each arm segment, and these recesses connect to form a receiving groove that extends in the same direction as the articulated arm. Plant stems or branches are housed in this receiving groove.

[0009] The paired linear members are positioned opposite each other with respect to the centerline of the articulated arm. Each linear member is connected to an arm segment at its tip and extends along the articulated arm, guided by each arm segment.

[0010] The drive actuator is integrated with the arm segment at the base end of the articulated arm.

[0011] The bending of the multi-jointed arm causes the stem or branch housed in the receiving groove to swing.

[0012] The above-described plant shaking device may be equipped with a pair of linear members.

[0013] Furthermore, in a plant shaking device equipped with a pair of linear members, the drive actuator may include a drive motor and a rotating arm to which the drive motor is coupled in the center and which is rotated by the drive motor. A pair of linear members are coupled to both ends of the rotating arm.

[0014] Furthermore, the above-described plant shaking device may be equipped with two pairs of linear members, wherein the surface defined by the first pair of linear members intersects with the surface defined by the second pair of linear members.

[0015] Furthermore, in a plant swaying device including two pairs of linear members, the drive actuator can include a drive motor and a rotating arm having a proximal end coupled to the drive motor and rotated by the drive motor. A corresponding linear member is coupled to the tip of the rotating arm. The drive actuator is provided corresponding to each linear member.

[0016] Furthermore, in the above-described plant swaying device, a fixing base for fixing the plant swaying device to a stem, branch, or trunk different from the stem or branch accommodated in the accommodation groove can be further provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] By arranging the multi-joint arm that swings the stem or branch along the stem or branch, the device is not conspicuous and can improve the appearance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a plant swaying device. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing a cross section of the multi-joint arm of the plant swaying device. [Figure 3] It is a side view showing a cross section of the multi-joint arm of the plant swaying device. [Figure 4] It is a view showing a cross section orthogonal to the center line of the multi-joint arm. [Figure 5] It is a view showing a state where the multi-joint arm of the plant swaying device is curved to the left. [Figure 6] It is a view showing a state where the multi-joint arm of the plant swaying device is curved to the right. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a plant swaying device of another embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a plant swaying device of still another embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a view showing a state where the multi-joint arm of the plant swaying device shown in FIG. 8 is curved to the right. [Figure 10] It is a figure showing a state where the articulated arm of the plant swaying device shown in Fig. 8 is curved upward. [Figure 11] It is a figure showing a state where the articulated arm of the plant swaying device shown in Fig. 8 is curved downward. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A pair of drive wires 30 are arranged extending along the articulated arm 16. The drive wires 30 may be steel wires, wire ropes made of twisted steel wires, or strings made of twisted fibers. Each of the pair of drive wires 30 is positioned on opposite sides of the articulated arm 16, straddling the centerline. The tip of each drive wire 30 is fixed to the arm segment 20B at the tip of the articulated arm 16. Each drive wire 30 is guided by each arm segment 20 and extends along the articulated arm 16, extending beyond the base arm segment 20A to the pivot arm 28. The base ends of each drive wire 30 are fixed to both ends of the pivot arm 28.

[0022] Figures 2-4 show cross-sections of the plant shaking device 10, particularly the articulated arm 16. Figure 2 is a plan cross-sectional view taken along line II-II shown in Figure 3, and Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in Figure 3, with the drive linear member 30 omitted. The cross-sections shown in Figures 2 and 3 are perpendicular to each other at the center line of the articulated arm 16, and the cross-section shown in Figure 4 is perpendicular to the center line of the articulated arm 16.

[0023] The four intermediate arm segments 20C, 20D, 20E, and 20F connecting the arm segments 20A and 20B at both ends of the articulated arm 16 have the same shape. The intermediate arm segments 20C-20F have a cylindrical large-diameter portion 32 with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction, and a cylindrical small-diameter portion 34 which is smaller in diameter than the large-diameter portion 32 and also has a portion cut out in the circumferential direction. The cross-sectional shape of the large-diameter portion 32 and the small-diameter portion 34 is C-shaped, as shown in Figure 4. The base arm segment 20A and the tip arm segment 20B also have a C-shaped cross-sectional shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction. As a result, recesses 22 are formed on the side surface of each arm segment 20, and when the arm segments 20 are connected, the recesses 22 connect to form a receiving groove 14 in which the branch 12 is accommodated.

[0024] The small-diameter portion 34 of the intermediate arm segments 20C-20E enters the inside of the large-diameter portion 32 of the adjacent intermediate arm segments 20D-F, and the adjacent intermediate arm segments 20C-F are connected by a single connecting pin 36 at the point where the small-diameter portion 34 and the large-diameter portion 32 overlap. The base arm segment 20A has a roughly cylindrical shape with a notch in the circumferential direction, similar to the intermediate arm segments 20C-F, and one end enters into the large-diameter portion 32 of the adjacent arm segment 20C. The base arm segment 20A and the adjacent intermediate arm segment 20C are connected by a single connecting pin 36 at the point where they overlap. The tip arm segment 20B has a cylindrical shape with a part of it notched in the circumferential direction, and the small-diameter portion 34 of the adjacent intermediate arm segment 20F enters one end of it. The tip arm segment 20B and the adjacent intermediate arm segment 20F are connected by a single connecting pin 36 at their overlapping portion. Each connecting pin 36 connects adjacent arm segments 20 at the side opposite the notch on the side of each arm segment 20, that is, at the bottom of the housing groove 14. The arm segments 20 connected by the connecting pins 36 can rotate relative to each other around the connecting pins 36, enabling a swivel motion.

[0025] Guide pieces 38 are provided on the outer circumference of each arm segment 20, on opposite sides of the centerline of the articulated arm 16, to guide the drive wire 30. Each guide piece 38 has a guide hole 40 through which the drive wire 30 passes. Each of the pair of drive wires 30 extends along the articulated arm 16 through the guide hole 40, with one end connected to the tip arm segment 20B and the other end connected to the rotating arm 28 of the drive actuator 18. The two drive wires 30 are positioned on opposite sides of the centerline of the articulated arm 16.

[0026] When the motor 26 of the drive actuator 18 rotates the rotating arm 28 counterclockwise in Figure 2, the left drive wire 30A is tensed when viewed from the base to the tip of the articulated arm 16, and a tension acts on the tip arm segment 20A, pulling it towards it. On the other hand, the tension on the opposite drive wire 30B is released and it becomes slack. As a result, the articulated arm 16 curves to the left, as shown in Figure 5. Conversely, when the rotating arm 28 rotates clockwise, the right drive wire 30B is tensed and the left drive wire 30A is slackened, causing the articulated arm 16 to curve to the right. The articulated arm 16 curves to the left and to the right within the plane to which the two drive wires 30 belong. As the articulated arm 16 curves, the branches 12 housed in the articulated arm 16 also curve, and these branches 12 swing as they curve alternately to the left and right.

[0027] When the articulated arm 16 bends, the arm segments 20 bend together in each pair of adjacent arm segments 20. As a result, the branch 12 bends throughout the entire articulated arm 16, preventing the bending from concentrating in one place and suppressing excessive force from being applied to the branch 12.

[0028] One of the two drive wires 30 may be replaced with an elastic wire. The elastic wire is connected at one end to the base arm segment 20A and at the other end to the tip arm segment 20B, biasing the arm segments 20A and 20B at both ends toward each other. The elastic wire is not connected to the rotating arm 28. When the drive wire 30 is pulled, the articulated arm 16 bends and the elastic wire stretches. When the tension in the drive wire 30 is released and it relaxes, the articulated arm 16 bends toward the opposite side due to the biasing force of the elastic wire.

[0029] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of another embodiment of the plant shaking device 50. The plant shaking device 50 comprises a multi-joint arm 16, a drive linear member 30, a drive actuator 18, and a base block 24, similar to the plant shaking device 10 described above. The plant shaking device 50 further comprises a fixing base 54 for fixing the plant shaking device 50 to a stem, branch, or trunk 52 separate from the branch 12 in which the multi-joint arm 16 is housed. The separate stem or branch 52 may be a stem or branch thicker than the aforementioned branch 12. For simplicity, this separate stem or branch or trunk 52 will be referred to as the trunk 52. The fixing base 54 is coupled to the base block 24 and forms an integral part of it. The fixing base 54 has two clamping pieces 56 that clamp the trunk 52. The plant shaking device 50 is fixed to the trunk 52 by clamping the trunk 52 with the clamping pieces 56. If the clamping force of the clamping piece 56 is insufficient to secure the plant shaking device 50, the fixing base 54 and the trunk 52 may be tied together with tape or the like to secure them. The trunk 52 can then support the plant shaking device 50, reducing the burden on the branches 12.

[0030] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of another embodiment of the plant shaking device 60. The plant shaking device 60 has a similar configuration to the plant shaking device 10 described above, but the configuration of the articulated arm 62 is different. While the articulated arm 16 described above could only bend in the plane to which the drive linear member 30 belongs, this articulated arm 62 can bend in any direction.

[0031] The articulated arm 62 has a receiving groove 64 for accommodating plant stems or branches. The receiving groove 64 extends along the direction in which the articulated arm 62 extends. The articulated arm 62 is composed of a plurality of arm segments 66 connected together. Adjacent arm segments 66 are connected so that one can pivot relative to the other, thereby allowing the articulated arm 62 to bend. In this embodiment, the articulated arm 62 is composed of six arm segments 66. A recess 68 is formed on the side of each arm segment 66, and a series of recesses 68 form a receiving groove 64 that extends in the same direction as the articulated arm 16. Stems or branches accommodated in the receiving groove 64 bend along with the bending of the articulated arm 62.

[0032] The base arm segment 66A of the articulated arm 62 is fixed to the base block 70. Furthermore, four drive actuators 72 are mounted on the base block 70. Each drive actuator 72 includes a motor (e.g., a servo motor) 74 and a rotating arm 76 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 74. The rotating arm 76 rotates when driven by the motor 74.

[0033] Two pairs of drive wires 78 are arranged extending along the articulated arm 62. The drive wires 78 may be steel wires, wire ropes made by twisting steel wires, or strings made by twisting fibers. Each pair of drive wires 78 is arranged on opposite sides of the articulated arm 16, straddling the centerline. The first pair consists of drive wire 78A and drive wire 78B, and the second pair consists of drive wire 78C and drive wire 78D. The planes defined by the drive wires 78A and 78B of the first pair intersect at the centerline of the articulated arm 62 with the planes defined by the drive wires 78C and 78D of the second pair. The tip of each drive wire 78 is fixed to the arm segment 66B at the tip of the articulated arm 62. Each drive wire 78 is guided by each arm segment 66 and extends along the articulated arm 62, extending beyond the base arm segment 66A to the pivot arm 76. The four drive wires 78 are each fixed to one of the four pivot arms 76.

[0034] The six arm segments 66 are identical in shape, each having a spherical protrusion 80 at its tip and a spherical recess 82 at its base. The spherical protrusions 80 and spherical recesses 82 of adjacent arm segments 66 engage with each other, forming a spherical joint. This connects adjacent arm segments 66 so that they can pivot relative to each other. The cross-sectional shape of each arm segment 66 is C-shaped, similar to the arm segment 20 described above.

[0035] Each arm segment 66 has four guide pieces 84 provided on its side, particularly on the side where the spherical recess 82 is formed, with each guide piece 84 positioned in a four-way direction. A drive linear member 78 extends along the articulated arm 62 through guide holes formed in the guide pieces 84, with one end connected to the tip arm segment 66B and the other end connected to the corresponding pivot arm 76.

[0036] When a drive actuator 72 pulls on one drive wire, for example, drive wire 78A, the articulated arm 62 bends in the direction in which this drive wire 78A is positioned. At this time, the drive wire 78B that is paired with drive wire 78A may be relaxed by its corresponding drive actuator 72. The articulated arm 62 can bend in four directions in which four drive wires 78 are positioned. Furthermore, the articulated arm 62 can also bend in directions between these four directions. The articulated arm 62 can bend in an intermediate direction between the directions in which adjacent drive wires 78 are positioned by pulling and tensing them. For example, as shown in Figure 8, by tensing drive wires 78A and 78D and relaxing drive wires 78B and 78C, it can bend to the left.

[0037] By controlling the tension and relaxation of the four drive wires 78A-78D, the articulated arm 62 can be curved in any direction radially with respect to its centerline. For example, by similarly tensing the two drive wires 78B and 78C on the right and similarly relaxing the two drive wires 78A and 78D on the left, the articulated arm 62 can be curved to the right, as shown in Figure 9. Also, by similarly tensing the two upper drive wires 78B and 78D and similarly relaxing the two lower drive wires 78A and 78C, the articulated arm 62 can be curved upward, as shown in Figure 10. Furthermore, by similarly tensing the two lower drive wires 78A and 78C and similarly relaxing the two upper drive wires 78B and 78D, the articulated arm 62 can be curved downward, as shown in Figure 11. By appropriately adjusting the tension and relaxation levels of each drive wire 78A-78D, the articulated arm 62 can be bent in any direction.

[0038] The plant shaking device 60, like the plant shaking device 50 described above, may also be equipped with a fixing base for fixing the plant shaking device 60 to another stem or branch or stem.

[0039] Figure 12 shows a plant in a pot 90 with the aforementioned plant shaking device 10, plant shaking device 50, or plant shaking device 60 attached. The pot 92 in which the plant is planted is housed in a pot cover 94, and a control unit 96 that controls the drive actuators 18 and 72 of the plant shaking devices 10, 50, and 60 is located in the space between the pot 92 and the pot cover 94. The control unit 96 controls the drive actuators 18 and 72 according to a predetermined program, causing the branch 12 to which the plant shaking device 10, 50, or 60 is attached to shake.

[0040] Figure 13 shows the potted plant 90 shown in Figure 12 placed on the pot drive unit 98. The pot drive unit 98 can move along the floor surface on which it is placed and can also rotate around a vertical axis. The pot drive unit 98 may be controlled by the control unit 96. The movement of the pot drive unit 98 can cause the entire plant in the potted plant 90 to oscillate. By combining the overall movement by the pot drive unit 98 with the movement of individual branches by the plant oscillating devices 10, 50, and 60, more complex movements can be achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 10, 50, 60 Plant shaking device, 12 Stem or branch, 14, 64 Retaining groove, 16, 62 Multi-joint arm, 18, 72 Drive actuator, 20, 66 Arm segment, 20A, 66A Base arm segment, 20B, 66B Tip arm segment, 20C-F Intermediate arm segment, 22, 68 Recess, 24, 70 Base block, 26, 74 Motor, 28, 76 Rotating arm, 30, 78 Drive linear member, 36 Connecting pin, 38 Guide piece, 40 Guide hole, 52 Stem or branch or trunk, 54 Fixed base, 56 Clamping piece.

Claims

1. A bendable articulated arm is composed of multiple connected arm segments, wherein one of the adjacent arm segments is connected to the other so as to be able to pivot, a recess is formed on the side surface of each arm segment, and the recesses are connected to form a receiving groove that extends in the same direction as the articulated arm, and a plant stem or branch is to be accommodated in the receiving groove, At least one pair of linear members extending along the articulated arm, wherein the pair of linear members are positioned opposite each other with respect to the centerline of the articulated arm, are coupled to the arm segment at the tip, and are guided by each arm segment; A drive actuator is provided integrally with the arm segment at the base end of the articulated arm, and applies tension to one of the pair of linear members, thereby bending the articulated arm toward the linear member to which the tension is applied. Equipped with, A plant shaking device that shakes a plant by curving the stem or branch through the bending of the multi-jointed arm.

2. A plant shaking device according to claim 1, comprising a pair of the linear members.

3. A plant shaking device according to claim 2, The aforementioned drive actuator is The drive motor and A rotating arm is provided, the rotating arm having a drive motor coupled to its central part and rotated by the drive motor, with the pair of linear members coupled to both ends of the rotating arm. Having, Plant shaking device.

4. A plant shaking device according to claim 1, comprising two pairs of linear members, wherein the surface defined by the first pair of linear members intersects with the surface defined by the second pair of linear members.

5. A plant shaking device according to claim 4, The aforementioned drive actuator is The drive motor and A rotating arm to which the drive motor is coupled at its base end and which is rotated by the drive motor, wherein the corresponding linear member is coupled to the tip of the rotating arm, Including, and provided corresponding to each of the linear members, Plant shaking device.

6. A plant shaking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a fixing base for fixing the plant shaking device to a stem, branch or trunk separate from the stem or branch housed in the housing groove.

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