Cultivated Plant stalk fixing device that can measure soil moisture content

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium, and more specifically, comprises a fixed support having a certain length and erected in the growing medium surrounding a plant to be cultivated, and a moisture content measuring part installed at the lower end of the fixed support to measure the moisture content of the growing medium. According to the present invention as described above, by fixing the cultivated plant using a string or the like, it is possible to prevent it from tilting or breaking due to rain, wind, etc., and also to measure the moisture content of the cultivation soil, thereby checking the condition of the cultivation soil in real time and inducing a rapid response.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing device for a plant stem, and more specifically, to a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium, which fixes the plant being cultivated using a string or the like to prevent it from tilting or breaking due to rain, wind, etc., and also allows for real-time verification of the condition of the growing medium by measuring the moisture content of the growing medium, thereby inducing a rapid response. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, when cultivating crops such as chili peppers, sesame, eggplants, and tomatoes, the stems must be tied to a designated support to stand upright so that they do not bend, fall over, or break as they grow, and so that they can grow straight.

[0003] These supports were typically made by cutting bamboo into suitable sizes or by cutting thin wood into appropriate sizes.

[0004] However, such conventional supports are installed close to crops and connected to them with wires, requiring as many supports as there are crops, and there was the inconvenience of having to periodically tie them with wires as the crops grew.

[0005] In light of these points, the "crop support stake" of Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0017722 has been disclosed.

[0006] The prior art of the above-mentioned crop support pole relates to a crop support pole that can reduce labor and working time when installing and removing the support pole and prevent crops from falling over due to rain or wind, and is composed of a first support member and a second support member formed to have the same shape and the same length.

[0007] However, conventional crop support stakes cannot be used on various crops due to standardized production, and their complex structure results in high manufacturing costs; furthermore, there are problems such as the inability to install wires at the desired height depending on the size of the crop.

[0008] Furthermore, people who have recently returned to farming face the problem of being unable to respond to the condition of the growing soil due to a lack of experience.

[0009] Accordingly, there is an urgent need for the development of technology to assist plant growth and guide plants in growing easily by precisely measuring the amount of moisture required by plants, that is, the moisture content of the growing medium. The problem to be solved

[0010] Accordingly, the present invention has been devised to resolve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing soil, comprising a fixed support post having a certain length and erected in the growing soil surrounding the plant to be cultivated, and a moisture content measuring part installed at the lower end of the fixed support post to measure the moisture content of the growing soil, thereby preventing the plant to be cultivated from tilting or breaking due to rain, wind, etc. by fixing it with a string, etc., and also allowing the condition of the growing soil to be checked in real time by measuring the moisture content of the growing soil, thereby inducing a rapid response. means of solving the problem

[0011] The present invention for achieving the above objective comprises a fixed support having a certain length and erected in the cultivation soil surrounding a plant to be cultivated, and a moisture content measuring unit installed at the lower end of the fixed support for measuring the moisture content of the cultivation soil.

[0012] Preferably, the fixed support comprises a support body having a hollow formed therein that is open upward, and a striking block installed at the upper end of the support body that strikes when installed in the culture soil.

[0013] And the above moisture content measuring unit includes an installation frame for absorbing moisture contained in the culture medium and maintaining it at the same moisture content as the culture medium, an electrode unit provided on one side and the other side of the installation frame for electrical conduction, a power supply unit for supplying power to the electrode unit, and a control unit for controlling the power supply unit to measure the voltage conducted to the electrode unit through the installation frame and to calculate the moisture content of the culture medium.

[0014] In addition, the above-mentioned installation frame is formed to be elongated in the vertical direction and is made of metal or synthetic resin.

[0015] And the electrode portion includes an anode portion provided on one side of the installation frame and a cathode portion provided on the other side of the installation frame.

[0016] In addition, the anode is provided on one side of the installation frame, and the cathode is provided on the other side of the installation frame, so as to be in direct contact with the culture soil located on one side and the other side of the installation frame.

[0017] And the above-mentioned positive electrode is provided inside one side of the installation frame, and the above-mentioned negative electrode is provided inside the other side of the installation frame and comes into contact with moisture absorbed by the installation frame to conduct electricity.

[0018] In addition, at least one electrode is arranged and spaced apart from each other at a certain distance along the longitudinal direction of the installation frame.

[0019] And the electrode portion comprises a lower electrode portion provided at the lower end of the installation frame, an intermediate electrode portion provided at the middle end of the installation frame, and an upper electrode portion provided at the upper end of the installation frame.

[0020] In addition, the control unit receives signals from the lower electrode unit, the middle electrode unit, and the upper electrode unit, and calculates the moisture content of the culture medium using at least one measurement value.

[0021] And the above-mentioned installation frame further includes a protective cap at the bottom that protects the lower portions of the anode and cathode from the culture medium.

[0022] In addition, the above-mentioned installation frame is manufactured integrally with the lower part of the above-mentioned fixed support or is manufactured to be detachable.

[0023] And it further includes a GPS unit for verifying the position of the above fixed support.

[0024] In addition, it further includes a power generation unit for charging power to the above moisture content measuring unit by a self-generation method.

[0025] And the power generation unit comprises a pair of stoppers formed to be spaced apart from each other in a certain part of the fixed support, a movable block installed to be movable along the fixed support located between the pair of stoppers, a magnet installed inside the fixed support located between the pair of stoppers, a coil formed inside the movable block to react to the magnet, electrodes formed at the upper and lower ends of the movable block respectively, and a rechargeable battery in which the power of the electrodes is charged.

[0026] In addition, the coil is installed with the same length as the magnet and at least one is formed along the longitudinal direction of the movable block.

[0027] And it further includes a display unit for checking the charge amount of the above-mentioned battery.

[0028] In addition, it further includes a light that can be turned on and off by receiving power from the rechargeable battery.

[0029] And when the above-mentioned power generation unit is not in use, it further includes a cover that is detachably installed to surround the above-mentioned movable block and a pair of stoppers.

[0030] In addition, the cover includes a pair of cover bodies formed to be openable and closable by a hinge, and a cover packing that seals between the pair of cover bodies and between the fixed support posts. Effects of the invention

[0031] As described above, the plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium according to the present invention is a very useful and effective invention that not only prevents the plant being grown from tilting or breaking due to rain, wind, etc. by fixing it with a string or the like, but also enables real-time verification of the condition of the growing medium by measuring the moisture content of the growing medium, thereby inducing a rapid response. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0032] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the culture medium according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a fixed support according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a moisture content measuring unit according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a graph showing a comparison of measurement values ​​between a moisture content measuring unit according to the present invention and a conventional moisture sensor. FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an electrode portion of another embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating an electrode portion of another embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a protective cap is further provided on a moisture content measuring part according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a GPS unit and a power generation unit are further provided in a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the culture medium according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating a power generation unit according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0033] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description disclosed below, together with the accompanying drawings, is intended to describe exemplary embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiment in which the present invention may be practiced. The following detailed description includes specific details to provide a complete understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will know that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details.

[0034] In some cases, to avoid obscuring the concept of the present invention, known structures and devices may be omitted or illustrated in the form of a block diagram focusing on the core functions of each structure and device.

[0035] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" or "including" a component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, the term "...part" as used in the specification refers to a unit that performs at least one function or operation. Additionally, "one (a or an)," "one," "the," and similar related terms may be used in the context describing the invention (particularly in the context of the following claims) to include both singular and plural forms, unless otherwise indicated in the specification or clearly contradicted by the context.

[0036] In describing the embodiments of the present invention, specific descriptions of known functions or configurations will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention. Furthermore, the terms described below are defined in consideration of their functions in the embodiments of the present invention, and these definitions may vary depending on the intentions or practices of the user or operator. Therefore, such definitions should be based on the content throughout this specification.

[0037] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the culture medium according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a fixing support according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a moisture content measuring unit according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a graph comparing the measured values ​​of a moisture content measuring unit according to the present invention and a conventional moisture sensor, FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an electrode unit according to another embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating an electrode unit according to yet another embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a protective cap is further provided on the moisture content measuring unit according to the present invention, FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a GPS unit and a power generation unit are further provided on the plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the culture medium according to the present invention, FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating a power generation unit according to the present invention.

[0039] As illustrated in the drawing, the growing plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium includes a fixing support (40) and a moisture content measuring part (10).

[0040] The fixed support (40) has a certain length and is erected in the cultivation soil around the plant to be grown.

[0041] And the moisture content measuring unit (10) is installed at the lower end of the fixed support (40) to measure the moisture content of the culture soil.

[0042] When examining the usage state of the growing plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing soil, the moisture content measuring part (10) is installed in the growing soil of the fixing support (40) so that it is positioned in the ground, and is installed at regular intervals.

[0043] Accordingly, the plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of each growing medium is fixed to the growing plant using a string or the like to prevent it from tilting or breaking due to rain, wind, etc., and also measures the moisture content of the growing medium.

[0044] Here, the plants are chili peppers, sesame, eggplants, and tomatoes, etc.

[0045] For this purpose, the fixed support (40) includes a support body (42) and a striking block (44), as shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] The support body (42) has a hollow formed inside that is open upward.

[0047] And the impact block (44) is installed on the upper part of the support body (42) and is a part that is struck by a hammer, etc. when installed in the cultivation soil, thereby preventing and minimizing damage to the upper part of the support body (42).

[0048] In addition, the above-mentioned moisture content measuring unit (10) includes an installation frame (100), an electrode unit (200), a power supply unit (300), and a control unit (400), as shown in FIG. 3.

[0049] The installation frame (100) is installed in the culture soil (2) and is provided to absorb moisture contained in the culture soil and maintain the same moisture content as the culture soil.

[0050] And the electrode part (200) is provided on one side and the other side of the installation frame (100) to enable electrical conduction.

[0051] This electrode part (200) includes an anode part (202) and a cathode part (204).

[0052] The positive electrode (202) is provided on one side of the installation frame (100), and the negative electrode (204) is provided on the other side of the installation frame (100).

[0053] In addition, the power supply unit (300) is provided to supply power to the electrode unit (200) and to conduct the positive electrode unit (202) and the negative electrode unit (204).

[0054] The control unit (400) is provided to control the power supply unit (300) to measure the voltage conducted to the electrode unit (200) through the installation frame (100) and to calculate the moisture content of the culture soil.

[0055] Here, the installation frame (100) is formed of a non-conductive material, but is made of a material capable of absorbing moisture from the potting soil, so that it can maintain the same moisture content as the potting soil.

[0056] This installation frame (100) is formed to be long in the vertical direction, and in one embodiment, it is preferably made of wood, is non-conductive, and is made of a material capable of absorbing moisture.

[0057] Of course, it can also be manufactured using porous resin materials or metals.

[0058] And as an example of an electrode part (200), the positive electrode part (202) is provided on one side of the installation frame (100), and the negative electrode part (204) is provided on the other side of the installation frame (100) and comes into direct contact with the culture soil located on one side and the other side of the installation frame (100).

[0059] Accordingly, the moisture content of the culture medium can be measured more precisely through an installation frame (100) that maintains the same moisture content as the culture medium.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 4, it can be seen that there is a clearer difference when comparing the precise values ​​of these moisture content with the measurements from the moisture sensor in the conventional fork type.

[0061] After installing the moisture content measuring unit (10) and the conventional fork-type moisture sensor, water is supplied to the corresponding flowerpot and the measured values ​​over time are compared. The measured value of the moisture content measuring unit (10) of the present application is measured to correspond to the speed at which water drains downward, and a graph is drawn.

[0062] On the other hand, in the case of a conventional fork-type moisture sensor, it can be seen that the measured value drops significantly from the time water is supplied, and subsequently, as the water drains downward, it decreases slightly and then maintains that state.

[0063] This is because, in a conventional fork-type moisture sensor, the positive and negative electrodes conduct through the potting soil, and since the potting soil is not pure soil, conduction is possible, resulting in the result of Fig. 2.

[0064] Accordingly, the measurement precision of the moisture content measuring unit (10) of the present invention can be clearly confirmed.

[0065] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 5, in another embodiment, the positive electrode (202) is provided inside one side of the installation frame (100), and the negative electrode (204) is provided inside the other side of the installation frame (100) and comes into contact with moisture absorbed by the installation frame (100) to conduct electricity.

[0066] Accordingly, the positive electrode (202) and the negative electrode (204) do not come into direct contact with the culture medium, so when the installation frame (100) is installed in the culture medium, it is possible to prevent it from being separated from the installation frame (100) by the culture medium.

[0067] For this purpose, the installation frame (100) includes a base frame (110), a one-sided frame (120), a other-sided frame (130), and a frame fixing part (140).

[0068] One side frame (120) is provided to accommodate the positive electrode (202) inside one side of the base frame (110), and the other side frame (130) is provided to accommodate the negative electrode (204) inside the other side of the base frame (110).

[0069] And as the one-sided frame (120) and the other-sided frame (130) are fixed to the base frame (110) by the frame fixing part (140), the positive part (202) and the negative part (204) can be installed.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 6, at least one electrode portion (200) of each of these embodiments is arranged and spaced apart from each other at a certain distance along the longitudinal direction of the installation frame (100).

[0071] In one embodiment, the electrode portion (200) includes a lower electrode portion (210), an intermediate electrode portion (220), and an upper electrode portion (230).

[0072] The lower electrode part (210) is provided at the lower end of the installation frame (100) to measure the moisture content of the lower end of the culture soil, the middle electrode part (220) is provided at the middle end of the installation frame (100) to measure the moisture content of the middle end of the culture soil, and the upper electrode part (230) is provided at the upper end of the installation frame (100) to measure the moisture content of the upper end of the culture soil.

[0073] The control unit (400) receives signals from the lower electrode unit (210), the middle electrode unit (220), and the upper electrode unit (230), measures the moisture content of the upper, middle, and lower parts of the culture soil, respectively, and checks the moisture content of each layer of the culture soil to respond accordingly.

[0074] In addition, the control unit (400) can calculate and determine the total moisture content of the culture medium by checking the average value of each moisture content of the lower electrode unit (210), the middle electrode unit (220), and the upper electrode unit (230).

[0075] In other words, it is possible to determine the appropriate response by checking not only the moisture content of the top, middle, and bottom sections of the growing medium, but also the overall moisture content.

[0076] And the installation frame (100) further includes a protective cap (150) as shown in FIG. 7.

[0077] This protective cap (150) is provided to protect the lower portions of the positive portion (202) and the negative portion (204) from the culture soil at the bottom.

[0078] Such protective caps (150) may be provided to cover not only the lower part of the installation frame (100) but also the part where the positive part (202) and the negative part (204) are connected to the installation frame (100), and it is obvious that this can be used optionally by the user.

[0079] Here, the installation frame (100) is manufactured integrally with the lower part of the fixed support (30) or is manufactured to be detachable.

[0080] And the growing plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium further includes a GPS unit (50) for confirming the position of the fixing support (30), as shown in FIG. 8.

[0081] This GPS unit (50) has a unique identification ID and is installed on the fixed support (30) to check the installation location of the culture soil and to check the moisture content of the culture soil where the fixed support (30) is installed.

[0082] This allows you to check the groundwater flow and drainage direction of the entire cultivation soil.

[0083] Additionally, the plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium further includes a power generation unit (60).

[0084] This power generation unit (60) is installed to charge the above moisture content measuring unit (10) with power in a self-generation manner.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 9, this power generation unit (60) includes a stopper (61, 62), a moving block (63), a magnet (64), a coil (65), an electrode (66), and a rechargeable battery (67).

[0086] The stoppers (61, 62) are each formed at a certain portion of the fixed support (30) so as to be spaced apart from each other.

[0087] Additionally, the movable block (63) is installed to be movable along the fixed support (30) located between the pair of stoppers (61, 62).

[0088] The magnet (64) is installed inside the fixed support (30) located between the pair of stoppers (61, 62).

[0089] And the coil (65) is formed inside the moving block (63) to respond to the magnet (64).

[0090] The electrode (66) is formed at the upper and lower ends of the moving block (63), respectively.

[0091] In addition, the battery (67) is charged with the power of the electrode (66).

[0092] When looking at the operating state of the power generation unit (60), a worker holds a moving block (63) and moves it back and forth along the fixed support (30) while a plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium is installed.

[0093] At this time, as the coil (65) passes back and forth over the magnet (64), current is generated, and the generated current is charged into the battery (67) through the electrode (66).

[0094] Here, the magnet (64) is installed with the same length as the coil (65) and at least one is formed along the length direction of the fixed support (42) to increase the amount of power generated.

[0095] And it further includes a display unit (68) for checking the charge amount of the above-mentioned battery (67).

[0096] It is preferable that this display part (68) be formed with LEDs such as red and green, or with step LEDs, so that the remaining amount can be checked more precisely.

[0097] Additionally, the growing plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium further includes lighting (70).

[0098] The light (70) operates by receiving power from the rechargeable battery (67) and can be turned on or off using a separate switch.

[0099] And the growing plant stem fixing device (30) capable of measuring the moisture content of the growing medium further includes a cover (80).

[0100] This cover (80) is detachably installed to cover the moving block (63) and a pair of stoppers (61, 62) when the power generation unit (60) is not in use.

[0101] This cover (80) includes a cover body (81) and a cover packing (82).

[0102] The cover body (81) is formed as a pair and can be opened and closed by a hinge.

[0103] And the cover packing (82) seals between a pair of cover bodies (81) and between the fixed support posts (40). Explanation of the symbols

[0104] 30 : Stem fixing device for cultivated plants 40 : Fixing support 42 : Support body 44 : Impact block 50: GPS Department 60: Power Generation Department 70 : Lighting 80 : Cover 10 : Moisture content measuring unit 100 : Installation frame 200 : Electrode section 300 : Power supply section 400 : Control unit

Claims

Claim 1 A fixed support (40) having a certain length and erected in the cultivation soil surrounding a plant to be cultivated; and a moisture content measuring unit (10) installed at the lower end of the fixed support to measure the moisture content of the cultivation soil; wherein the fixed support (40) includes a support body (42) having a hollow formed inside that is open upward; and a striking block (44) installed at the upper end of the support body to strike when installed in the cultivation soil; and the moisture content measuring unit (10) includes an installation frame (100) for absorbing moisture contained in the cultivation soil and maintaining the moisture content of the cultivation soil at the same level as the moisture content of the cultivation soil; an electrode unit (200) provided on one side and the other side of the installation frame for electrical conduction; a protective cap (150) provided at the lower end of the installation frame to protect the lower end of the electrode unit from the cultivation soil; and a power supply unit (300) for supplying power to the electrode unit. A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of a plant culture medium, comprising: a control unit (400) for controlling the power supply unit to measure the voltage conducted to the electrode unit through the installation frame and to calculate the moisture content of the culture medium; and further comprising a self-generating power unit (60) that generates power through the relative movement of a magnet and a coil, wherein the power unit (60) comprises: a pair of stoppers (61, 62) formed to be spaced apart from each other at a certain part of the fixed support; a movable block (63) installed to be movable along the fixed support between the pair of stoppers; a magnet (64) installed inside the fixed support; a coil (65) formed inside the movable block to react to the magnet; electrodes (66) formed at the upper and lower parts of the movable block, respectively; and a rechargeable battery (67) in which the power of the electrodes is charged, wherein the fixed support (40) is configured to support the plant being cultivated. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of culture soil according to claim 1, wherein the electrode portion (200) comprises: an anode portion (202) provided on one side of the installation frame; and a cathode portion (204) provided on the other side of the installation frame. Claim 5 A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of culture soil, characterized in that, in claim 1, one or more electrodes are arranged and spaced apart from each other at a certain distance along the longitudinal direction of the installation frame. Claim 6 A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of culture soil, characterized in that, in claim 1, the installation frame is manufactured integrally with the lower end of the fixed support or is manufactured to be detachable. Claim 7 A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of the culture soil, further comprising: a GPS unit (50) for confirming the position of the fixed support in claim 1. Claim 8 delete Claim 9 delete Claim 10 A plant stem fixing device capable of measuring the moisture content of culture soil, characterized in that, in claim 1, the coil (65) is installed with the same length as the magnet and at least one is formed along the longitudinal direction of the movable block.

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