Planting apparatus

Abstract

The invention proposes a planting apparatus (1) which is designed to introduce a plant into the ground and to form a vehicle or a part of a vehicle during use, and which has the following components: • a hole former for creating a plant hole in the ground; • a plant tube (19) which is designed to guide the plant into the plant hole; • a guide tube (8) which is designed to guide a tubular protective sleeve (16) in such a way that the protective sleeve (16) surrounds the plant introduced into the ground during use; • and a watering device which has an outlet opening (18) for water, which is arranged between the plant tube (19) and the guide tube (8).

Description

[0001] July 14, 2025

[0002] 86968-0003- P WO - Lha / Lha

[0003] Applicant: Jan-Philipp Rose, Zur Gräfte 8, 48346 Ostbevern, Germany

[0004] Planting device

[0005] The invention relates to a device used for planting plants in the ground, and which is therefore referred to as a planting device. Unlike sowing, no seeds are placed in the soil, but rather plants, also called seedlings, which already have roots. Apart from the possibility of planting bare-rooted plants without leaves in autumn and winter, in practice the plants usually also have leaves, so the presence of leaves will be repeatedly referred to below.

[0006] It is common practice to plant manually. First, an open-topped depression is created in the soil, which in this proposal is referred to as a planting hole. The depth of the planting hole is chosen so that the plant's roots can be accommodated within it. The planting hole is typically created using a specially designed tool, with the tool's moving parts being operated either manually or by a small motorized device, such as a cordless screwdriver, depending on the tool's design and function.

[0007] The plant is placed in the planting hole. This can be done manually, requiring the person to bend over. Alternatively, it is common practice to use a planting tube, which extends to approximately hip height. This allows the person planting to stand upright and insert the plant into an opening at the top of the tube, such as the open end. The plant then slides down the tube into the planting hole, maintaining its orientation. This is particularly effective if the plants have a well-formed root ball, shaped and dimensioned by a growing tray or container. In such cases, the plants slide easily through the planting tube. Various planting tubes with defined diameters are available, typically ranging from 50 to 80 mm.

[0008] Soil material, such as earth, removed from the ground to create the planting hole is then used to fill the hole and cover the roots. This prevents the plant from developing aerial roots, which would impair or at least delay its growth. Moving this soil material, which is typically placed next to the planting hole, is usually done with a foot movement, allowing the person planting to perform this task in an upright position without having to bend over.

[0009] The actual core of the planting process, namely placing the plant in the ground, is now complete. In practice, however, two further steps are typically added to ensure the plant establishes itself successfully in its new location: the first step involves setting up a protective cover, typically using a ground stake that is firmly attached to the cover and anchored in the ground. The protective cover surrounds the plant in a tubular shape and serves, to a lesser extent, as protection against browsing animals, but primarily to create a microclimate within the cover that promotes plant growth and to ensure that any water applied to the plant is optimally available to it. The second step involves giving the plant its first watering to support the seedling's establishment.The water is usually added to the protective sleeve so that the water penetrates the soil directly around the root ball and cannot run off the plant, for example, across the soil surface. Especially if the root ball contains a substrate with nutrients, these are made available to the plant by the watering, thus further supporting growth.

[0010] The individual steps do not necessarily have to be carried out in the described order. For example, the protective cover can be set up first, and then – for example, using the aforementioned planting tube – the planting hole can be created inside the cover, and the plant placed in the soil. Watering as described after setting up the protective cover can impair plant growth if the water hits the ground from a great height, because splashes can carry soil material, such as earth, upwards, partially covering the plant's leaves and impairing photosynthesis, which is essential for plant growth.If the described procedure is deviated from and the water is applied before the protective cover is put in place, an uncontrolled amount of water may run off the soil surface and thus not reach the plant. This, too, can impair plant growth.

[0011] The planting process described above requires a number of manual tasks. Typically, the planting site is visited at least twice: once after planting, to administer the first watering. If the protective cover is not erected simultaneously with planting, the planting site is visited three times, either consecutively by the same person at appropriately long intervals, or by several people who successively visit the planting site, plant the plant, erect the protective cover, and water the plant. The invention aims to provide a planting device designed to insert a plant into the ground and to perform the planting operations quickly and with mechanical assistance.

[0012] Features according to the invention are specified in claim 1. Embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0013] According to the invention, the problem is solved by a planting device designed to insert a plant into the ground and, in use, to form a vehicle or part of a vehicle, comprising a planting pit, a planting tube, a guide tube, and an irrigation device. The planting pit is designed to penetrate the ground and create a planting hole in the ground to receive the plant's root. The planting tube extends from an upper to a lower end, has a receiving opening designed to insert the plant into the planting tube (19), and has an output opening at its lower end designed to guide the plant out of the planting tube and into the planting hole.The guide tube runs around the outside of the planting tube, at least in its lower section, and is designed to guide a tubular protective sleeve in such a way that, during use, the sleeve surrounds the plant placed in the ground. The irrigation system includes a water tank, a water outlet connected to the tank and located inside the guide tube, and a metering device designed to selectively release water from the outlet.

[0014] Preferably, the planting tube has a pit pattern at its lower end. Preferably, the guide tube has a longitudinal slot that opens at the lower end of the guide tube and is designed to receive and guide a ground rod, which can be connected to the protective sleeve and projects downwards beyond the protective sleeve. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the outlet opening of the irrigation device is arranged between the planting tube and the guide tube. Preferably, the guide tube is aligned coaxially with the planting tube and runs at a distance around the outside of the planting tube.Preferably, the protective cover is formed from a ring-shaped curved plate, and the planting device includes a plate holder configured to receive a plurality of flat plates and a feed unit configured to remove a plate from the plate holder and guide it to the guide tube. Preferably, the planting device includes a forming device that is movable back and forth between a receiving position and a forming position. In particular, the forming device has a first distance from the guide tube in the receiving position and a second distance from the guide tube in the forming position, which is less than the first distance, such that a plate brought towards the guide tube is pressed against the guide tube when the forming device is moved from the receiving position to the forming position.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the forming device has two wings that are pivotally mounted, the pivot axis being parallel to the central axis of the guide tube, and the wings extending along the guide tube and having pressure elements designed to bear against the plate and press it against the guide tube when the forming device is in its forming position. Preferably, the forming device is arranged outside the guide tube. Preferably, the metering device has several outlet openings arranged in a ring. In particular, the outlet opening is height-adjustable with respect to the planting tube and / or the guide tube. Preferably, the outlet opening is designed as a nozzle that, in use, produces a downward-directed jet of water.Preferably, the planting device has its own chassis and drive unit, such that the planting device is designed as an independent vehicle. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the planting device is designed as a trailer and has a connection means for attaching the planting device to a towing vehicle, in particular an agricultural tractor. Particularly preferably, the planting device has its own chassis, such that the planting device is designed as a mobile trailer. Preferably, the planting device has a loosening device designed to loosen a soil area located below the planting pit. Preferably, the loosening device is designed to penetrate the soil obliquely downwards below the planting pit during use. Particularly preferably, the loosening device is designed as an auger.

[0015] In other words, the invention proposes to design the planting device to be mobile, so that all the objects and materials required for planting, including the plants themselves, can be carried on the vehicle and do not need to be carried by people. In one embodiment, the planting device has a drive unit, so that it is designed as a powered vehicle, while in another embodiment it can be attached to a towing vehicle as a trailer. Accordingly, in these two embodiments, the planting device has a chassis by means of which it can move across the ground. In another embodiment, the planting device constitutes part of a vehicle, for example, if it is designed to be attached to the triangular coupling of an agricultural tractor.In this case, the planting device can be designed without its own chassis and be carried by the tractor.

[0016] The first element of the planting device according to the invention is a planting hole cutter. This cutter serves to create a planting hole in the ground so that the plant can be placed into it with its roots. The cutter is accordingly designed to penetrate the soil and displace soil material to create the depression in the soil surface that forms the planting hole. For example, the planting hole cutter can be designed in the form of an auger. Various types of augers are known in practice, and an auger can be used to create the planting hole by displacing material from the soil and moving it to another location, e.g., by bringing it upwards from the soil so that the excavated soil material falls onto the soil surface next to the created planting hole.

[0017] Secondly, the planting device according to the invention has a planting tube that runs from an upper to a lower end, so that, as described above, the plants can be placed into the planting hole through the planting tube. The planting tube can, in principle, run in a straight line, like the manually operated planting tubes known from practice. For economic reasons, it may be advantageous, for example, to use a planting tube known from practice, designed for manual operation, as a component of the planting device according to the invention, which is designed as a vehicle. For example, elements of such a planting tube that are designed for manual operation can be mechanically operated by means of plungers, levers, pull ropes, or similar devices in order to increase the work output of the planting device and to relieve the planter.The planting tube can deviate from a straight line, also be curved, or have any other shape, so that the plants can be inserted into the planting tube at an optimally suitable point and moved over the planting hole. This point might be particularly ergonomically convenient if the person planting is manually inserting the plants into the planting tube, or it might be a point that can be optimally supplied by a conveying system if, for example, the plants are automatically transported from a storage area of ​​the planting device to the planting tube.

[0018] The planting tube can be of virtually any length. Especially when planting container plants, whose roots have formed a defined shape in a propagation tray or container, the planting tube can be several decimeters long and even significantly more than 1 meter, for example, several meters. Depending on the design of the planting device, which is often a vehicle-like unit, the planting tube can thus connect a location where several plants are stored with the point on the planting device where a single plant is to be placed in the prepared planting hole.The planting tube can have such a cross-section that it can accommodate not only the plant with its roots, but also the aforementioned growing container, which is made, for example, of a biodegradable material and therefore does not need to be removed from the plant, but can be placed in the planting hole together with the roots.

[0019] As an alternative to such a long design, the planting tube can be deliberately shorter than the manually operated planting tubes commonly found in practice, whose length is determined by the need to allow operation while standing upright. The design of the planting device, which is conceived as a vehicle, can thus permit a shorter planting tube. A shorter planting tube leaves more free space on the planting device and therefore offers greater design flexibility, particularly regarding the arrangement of its individual components.

[0020] Particularly when planting bare-rooted plants rather than container plants, whose roots have been able to spread freely and have not been guided into a specific shape by a growing container, and whose roots therefore extend in a diameter exceeding that of the planting tube, a very short planting tube can be advantageous. This ensures that the roots do not impede the plant's movement through the tube and, ideally, do not cause the plant to tilt within the tube and consequently in the planting hole. The planting tube can therefore be a few centimeters long or, for example, approximately 1 to 2 decimeters.

[0021] The planting tube has an opening designed to allow the plant to be inserted. For example, one of the two ends of the planting tube can be an open end face, allowing the plant to be inserted axially. Alternatively, the outer surface of the planting tube can have an opening along a certain length, allowing the plant to be inserted at an angle or radially.

[0022] Especially when planting container plants whose roots have a defined shape, either with or without the container, the cross-section of the planting tube can be adapted to these plants so that the plant almost completely fills the cross-section. If the receiving opening is closable, it can be closed after the plant has been inserted into the planting tube, allowing the plant to be moved through the tube not only by gravity but also with pressure assistance, for example, using compressed air. The shape and length of the planting tube can therefore be chosen with great flexibility.

[0023] Finally, the planting tube has an outlet opening at its lower end through which the plant can leave the planting tube, in such a way that it is guided out of the planting tube and into the planting hole.

[0024] A further component of the planting device according to the invention is a guide tube. The guide tube serves to guide a protective cover so that it can be positioned at the planting site. This can be done, for example, before the plant is subsequently inserted into the planting hole through the planting tube, ensuring that the plant is placed inside the protective cover and that mechanical damage to the plant, particularly to the leaves, is reliably prevented by the cover. The guide tube runs around the outside of the planting tube, specifically at least around the lower section of the planting tube. The planting tube can, for example, be curved, run diagonally like a slide, or it can run vertically. In its lower section, it will run approximately perpendicular to the soil surface to ensure that the plant is inserted into the planting hole almost vertically, rather than at an angle.Therefore, the desired alignment of the guide tube depends on reference to the lower part of the planting tube.

[0025] The guide tube is designed to guide the aforementioned protective sleeve, which is permeable to light and tubular in shape, so that it surrounds the plant placed in the ground. The light permeability of the sleeve can be achieved, for example, through openings in its outer surface or by using a translucent or transparent material. The guide tube can guide the sleeve either by having the sleeve wrap around the outside of the tube or by having it rest against the guide gate on the inside. The guide gate ensures that the sleeve is positioned on the soil surface in its desired orientation, typically perpendicular to the ground.

[0026] The planting device according to the invention enables high productivity, as planting and setting up the protective cover can be carried out quickly and almost simultaneously compared to manual processes. In particular, if the protective cover is set up first and the plant is then placed in the ground inside the cover, the plant and its immediate surroundings are optimally protected from the outset by the cover, but are also difficult to access.

[0027] According to the invention, the planting device further comprises an irrigation system with a water tank and an outlet connected to the water tank, either directly in the wall or base of the water tank, or by means of a water line. Within the scope of this proposal, the liquid used to irrigate the plant is referred to as "water," regardless of the substances actually contained in the irrigation liquid. Typically, the liquid will consist entirely or at least predominantly of water, possibly with nutrients or other additives that support the plant's growth at its new location, namely the planting site.

[0028] According to the invention, the water outlet is located inside the guide tube. The water exiting this outlet can therefore act on the soil material that was previously removed from the ground to create the planting hole and now lies on the ground beside or around the plant. By applying water from the irrigation device, this soil material, which would otherwise be difficult to access due to the protective covering (e.g., for mechanical processing), can be acted upon. The irrigation process displaces the loosened soil material removed from the ground and lying next to the planting hole, thus closing the initially open planting hole into which the plant had been placed.

[0029] Aside from the effect on the soil material, which is displaced by washing soil towards the plant, irrigation also delivers water to the plant. Because the irrigation system's outlet is located inside the guide tube, irrigation is considerably more efficient and water-saving than if water were added externally to an already erected protective cover, or even than if the plant were watered before the cover was installed. In both of these cases, it's possible that water would flow away from the plant and only be partially available to it. By supplying water inside the protective cover, the cover prevents the water from flowing outwards.Particularly efficient irrigation is also achieved with regard to the required time: the planting site does not need to be revisited; instead, irrigation takes place in the same operation as setting up the protective cover and planting the plant, even though these three steps are performed sequentially within the same operation. The operation consists of moving the planting device according to the invention to the planting site and carrying out the three steps, so that neither two nor, in particular, three operations are required; the planting site does not need to be visited two or three times to perform the described steps.According to the invention, the irrigation system comprises a metering device so that the water supply is not continuous, but can be started at the desired time and, in particular, can also be stopped in a controlled manner, for example, after a predetermined period of time or after the dispensing of a predetermined quantity of water. The metering device prevents uncontrolled water dispensing and thus efficiency-reducing losses, e.g., while traveling to the next planting site to plant the next plant. The metering device can, for example, have a valve that can be selectively opened or closed, e.g., near the outlet, and / or it can have a pump that can be selectively switched on and off.

[0030] The mobile design of the planting device eliminates the need for the individual items (e.g., plants or protective covers), substances (e.g., water), and tools (e.g., the planting tube) to be carried by the person or persons planting, as would be necessary with manual planting. This is particularly beneficial when planting a large number of plants, such as several hundred, as it significantly reduces the physical strain on the person planting by minimizing the distances they would otherwise have to cover. Furthermore, the mobile design allows the person planting to travel these distances without having to walk.For example, the person planting can position the protective covers against the guide tube while on the moving planting device, guide the plants into the receiving opening of the planting tube, and trigger the watering mechanism. This significantly reduces the person's workload compared to the manual tasks mentioned earlier. With a more mechanized design of the planting device, these tasks can also be performed automatically, requiring the person to only operate controls that trigger the individual, automated actions. In an even more advanced design, the aforementioned tasks can be performed fully automatically, one after the other, by means of an automatic control system, requiring the person to simply start the sequence using a control element.Finally, in a further, automated design of the planting device, it can be provided that the individual planting locations are stored in a digital map and are approached using GPS control, so that when one of the predetermined planting locations is reached, the aforementioned activities are automatically triggered, including, for example, automatically slowing down the vehicle's speed or braking the vehicle to a standstill.

[0031] The planting hole pattern can be designed as a component of the planting device that is spatially separate from the planting tube and, for example, positioned in front of the planting tube in the direction of travel. In another embodiment, however, the lower end of the planting tube features the planting hole pattern, as is known from manually operated planting tubes. In this case, as mentioned above, the lower end of the planting tube can also run essentially perpendicular to the soil surface, both to allow it to penetrate the soil more effectively and to create a nearly vertical planting hole, ensuring that the plant placed in the hole is oriented as perpendicular as possible to the soil surface. The lower end of the planting tube with the planting hole pattern is designed to penetrate the soil to create the aforementioned planting hole.For example, the lower end of the planting tube can be designed to rotate, so that, with its sloping ramp (possibly threaded), it draws the soil upwards and out of the ground when rotated. This rotation also facilitates penetration into the soil. Alternatively, the planting hole can be created by a spreading motion, for instance, if the lower end of the planting tube is shaped like a bird's beak that can be opened or closed as needed. Regardless of the mechanism used to create the planting hole, the lower end of the planting tube can taper downwards to further facilitate penetration into the soil.

[0032] In one embodiment, the guide tube has a slot running lengthwise along its length, which opens at the lower end. A ground stake can be inserted into this slot and connected to the protective cover, which is guided either on the outside or inside of the guide tube. This allows the protective covers and ground stakes to be stored separately in the planting device, saving space, and assembled just before the cover is put in place. The ground stake extends downwards beyond the lower end of the protective cover, thus anchoring it in the ground. Because the slot opens at the lower end of the guide tube, it accommodates a ground stake that extends accordingly far downwards. Depending on whether the protective cover is located inside or outside the guide tube, the ground stake rests against the outer or inner surface of the protective cover.For example, the protective cover and the ground stake can be connected using screws and later easily separated again after the end of the service life, whereby the screwing can be carried out either by means of an automatic screwdriver or by the person planting, who uses, for example, a cordless screwdriver.

[0033] The irrigation system's outlet is located inside the guide tube. If the guide tube fits snugly against the planting tube, the planting tube can be moved relative to the guide tube, i.e., lifted, after the plant has been placed in the planting hole. This creates a space in the lower part of the guide tube into which the irrigation system's outlet can be moved to deliver the first watering to the plant just above the soil surface. This design of the planting device can be advantageous, for example, when the horizontal space available for the guide tube is limited. In another embodiment, the irrigation system's outlet is located between the planting tube and the guide tube.The corresponding distance between the planting tube and the guide tube allows the outlet opening to always remain in the same position relative to the guide tube, thus supporting the simplest possible design of the planting device, which is advantageous both economically and in terms of minimizing susceptibility to malfunctions.

[0034] In one embodiment, the guide tube is aligned coaxially with the planting tube and runs around the outside of it at a distance. Alternatively, the axes of the two guide and planting tubes can also be aligned obliquely or parallel to each other, for example, running parallel to each other at a distance, resulting in an annular gap of varying width around the planting tube up to the guide tube. With a sufficiently long planting tube, the plant is typically guided completely within it, from the roots to the leaves. Therefore, in these cases, it is irrelevant whether the guide tube runs around the planting tube at regular or irregular intervals, even if the plant is first placed in the ground and the protective cover is only subsequently installed.Until this point, the plant can remain in the planting tube, so placing the protective cover won't damage the plant's leaves, for example. However, maintaining a consistent distance between the protective cover and the planting tube can be advantageous in several ways: for instance, when the planting tube is very short, such as for bare-rooted plants whose roots extend radially outwards beyond the tube's diameter. The risk of root damage is reduced if the distance around the planting tube is as large as possible.

[0035] A concentric arrangement of the guide and planting tubes is also advantageous for the water delivery system's function of displacing the soil material removed to create the planting hole and then closing it. This ensures that water is released as evenly as possible around the planted plant. For example, a surge of water can be generated that flows through the protective cover towards its central axis or back again, carrying the soil material with it and closing the planting hole. A uniform distance between the protective cover and the plant is beneficial both for the behavior of the water in such a surge and for the design of the outlet opening. Since the plant's position is determined by the planting tube, this uniform distance is achieved through a coaxial arrangement of the guide and planting tubes.Finally, an even distribution of water around the plant is also beneficial to support even and not one-sided root growth.

[0036] The protective covers can be provided as tubular elements and carried on the planting device, for example, if the covers are already manufactured in the form of tubes. In one embodiment, however, the protective cover is formed from a ring-shaped bent plate and is not first formed into a tube shape and then provided to the planting device. Instead, a number of plates, intended to be processed into protective covers, are stored in a plate holder within the planting device. A feeding unit removes one plate at a time from the plate holder and guides it to the guide tube of the planting device, so that the plate can be formed into the desired tube shape either inside or on the outside of the guide tube. Thus, the protective covers are manufactured directly within the planting device.This allows for a significantly more space-saving storage of materials compared to the use of prefabricated protective covers. The tubular shape of the protective covers can have a circular, oval, or polygonal cross-section, and along their axial length, the protective covers can have a constant or a changing cross-section, for example, by widening upwards in a funnel shape.

[0037] The height of the protective cover is determined by the corresponding dimensions of the plate, and the diameter of the protective cover depends on whether and to what extent the two ends of the ring-shaped plate overlap at the resulting seam. In one embodiment, the two ends overlap, and the aforementioned base rod rests against the protective cover along this seam. Connecting elements can then be used to attach both the base rod to the protective cover and to fix the overlapping ends, thus defining the diameter of the protective cover. Suitable connecting elements include, for example, nails or staples that can be driven into the materials using electric or pneumatic tools, enabling rapid work progress.In one embodiment, screws are used as connecting elements, allowing for the subsequent separation of the base stake from the protective sleeve and the reshaping of the sleeve back into a plate. This enables the reuse of all components of the protective sleeve: the plate, the base stake, and the screws themselves. If any of these components become unusable, separating them allows for the sorting and recycling of the unusable parts. The screws can be inserted into the overlapping area between the plate and the base stake, typically without pre-drilling when using suitable screws. Depending on the design of the planting device, this can be done manually using a cordless screwdriver or fully automatically using a screwdriving device.

[0038] In one embodiment, the planting device for creating the protective covers includes a forming element. This element is movable back and forth between a receiving position and a forming position. In the receiving position, the forming element is spaced from the guide tube, either from its inner or outer surface. The plate, which is subsequently formed into the tubular protective cover when the forming element is moved from its receiving position to the forming position, can be received in the space thus created between the forming element and the guide tube. In the forming position, the distance between the forming element and the guide tube is smaller, namely such that the forming element presses the previously received plate against the guide tube, so that the plate—and thus later the protective cover—has a defined diameter determined by the guide tube.

[0039] The forming device can, for example, be designed as a cloth that is stretched around the outside of the guide tube and the plate, thus pressing the plate against the outside of the guide tube. Alternatively, the forming device can be designed as a balloon that is filled with a gas or liquid inside the guide tube and expands, thereby pressing the plate against the inner surface of the guide tube.

[0040] In one embodiment, the molding device has two movable wings, which can be arranged inside or outside the guide tube. The wings are pivotally mounted, with the pivot axis running parallel to the central axis of the guide tube. There can be a single pivot axis to which both wings are hinged. Alternatively, each wing can pivot about its own axis, with the two pivot axes running close together so that the wings move in opposite directions, or the two pivot axes can be widely separated along the circumference of the guide tube, for example, nearly diametrically opposed, so that the two wings can move in the same direction.

[0041] The wings extend along the guide tube and have pressure elements that act on the plate and can press it against the guide tube when the molding device is in its molding position.

[0042] The forming device can be arranged inside the guide tube to press the plate against its inner surface. This allows for particularly compact dimensions in the planting unit's workstation, where the protective covers are produced. However, in one embodiment, the forming device is located outside the guide tube. This simplifies the design of the forming device, as the planting tube and the irrigation outlet are located inside the guide tube. Sufficient space can be provided around the outside of the guide tube to accommodate the forming device, for example, with the two aforementioned wings, and to easily provide enough room for the wings to move freely.

[0043] The metering device can have a single outlet opening. This opening can, for example, act like a nozzle, directing a jet of water approximately tangentially towards the inner surface of the protective cover. The water spreads around the circumference of the cover inside the cover and flows inwards from the cover towards the center. In this way, the soil material removed from the ground to create the planting hole is displaced radially inwards to close the planting hole and cover the plant's roots. In one embodiment, however, the metering device has several outlet openings, namely at least three, arranged in a ring, for example, on a circular line concentric to the protective cover within the cover, and which are therefore distributed around the plant during use.With appropriate alignment of the outlet openings and a sufficiently high water pressure, these outlet openings act like nozzles, so that the water does not act indirectly, but rather directly on the soil material lying on the ground, and the desired displacement of this soil material can be achieved particularly reliably in order to close the planting hole.

[0044] In one embodiment, the outlet of the irrigation system is height-adjustable, either relative to the planting tube and / or the guide tube. This height adjustability allows the outlet to be lowered close to the soil surface, potentially even to ground level, and in any case, to below the plant's leaves during use. This prevents soil from splashing up, which could otherwise cover the leaves and impair the plant's photosynthesis and consequently its growth. The ability to lower the outlet facilitates and intensifies the direct contact of the water with the soil, thereby achieving the desired soil movement.For example, the outlet opening can be height-adjustable together with the guide tube: when the guide tube is lowered and the protective cover is raised, for instance, its ground stake being pressed into the ground, the first watering can then occur for the plant via the outlet opening of the irrigation system. Since the lower edge of the protective cover acts as a stop for the lowering movement of the guide tube, the outlet opening can be positioned at a specific height relative to the lower edge of the protective cover. However, the outlet opening can also be height-adjustable independently of both the planting tube and the guide tube, so that the height of the outlet opening above the soil surface can be adjusted depending on the soil conditions and also on the growth habit of the respective plant variety, for example, at what height the lowest leaves of the plants are located.Depending on the design of the planting tube, different, typical distributions of the soil material can occur. This soil material was previously removed from the ground to create the planting hole and now lies on the ground next to it. The adjustable height of the outlet allows the water to be optimally directed to move the soil material, thus closing the planting hole and covering the plant's roots.

[0045] In one embodiment, the outlet of the irrigation device is designed as a nozzle that, in use, produces a downward-directed jet of water. In this way, with appropriate nozzle alignment, the desired effect on the soil material lying on the ground is ensured.

[0046] In one embodiment, the planting device has an integrated drive unit, eliminating the need for an external drive unit. This allows for a particularly small and maneuverable design of the planting device by eliminating the need for a towing vehicle, enabling its use in confined spaces. The planting device can, for example, be designed as a fully autonomous vehicle. However, if the planting device is designed to be driven by a person, this person can operate, for example, the planting tube, the feeding unit, and the forming device for creating protective covers from initially flat sheets, or even the dosing device. Furthermore, the person can handle certain elements, such as...the plants themselves, but also the ground stakes and connecting elements, as well as, if necessary, the initially flat slabs, thus supporting a cost-effective design of the planting device.

[0047] Alternatively, in another configuration, the planting device is designed as a trailer and features connection points that allow it to be attached to a towing vehicle, which can be, in particular, an agricultural tractor. The trailer design facilitates fatigue-free work for personnel, especially depending on the design of the towing vehicle's cab, e.g., regarding weather protection, suspension, and air conditioning. Furthermore, depending on the towing vehicle's design, precise, GPS-guided navigation to each planned planting location can be ensured.The design of the planting device as a trailer means that both the handling of materials such as plants, ground stakes, protective covers or the necessary components, as well as the operation of certain elements such as moving parts of the planting tube or the dosing device, is carried out mechanically, either fully automatically or by the person merely operating a specific control element, which then triggers the mechanical action.

[0048] Finally, a mobile design of the planting device can also be achieved without its own chassis by attaching and carrying the planting device to a transport vehicle, so that it hovers above the ground and only has point contact with the ground, for example to create the planting pit or to anchor the protective cover in the ground.

[0049] The establishment of plants at their planting site can be promoted by loosening the soil surface. This can involve, for example, loosening the topsoil to a depth of about 20 to 30 cm. This encourages downward root growth, enabling the plants to draw nutrients from deeper soil layers as soon as possible. In practice, it is common to loosen the entire area where a large number of plants are to be planted, for example, by first cultivating and then mulching the soil. This represents a considerable amount of work, especially since the planting holes comprise only 1% or even less of the total area, resulting in a correspondingly large proportion of the area being unnecessarily worked. One disadvantage of this method is that planting requires multiple passes, i.e., revisiting each planting site several times.Secondly, a disadvantage is that in the areas that have been unnecessarily loosened – which is almost the entire area – nutrients can be washed out of the soil during rainfall. An alternative approach, loosening the soil only where planting holes are planned, requires manual labor and is therefore also very time-consuming and expensive. However, it offers the advantage that the areas that remain unloosened retain nutrients longer, thus making nutrients available to the plants over a longer period during rainfall.

[0050] In one embodiment, the planting device according to the invention therefore includes a loosening device designed to loosen a soil area located below a respective planting hole. This loosening can, for example, take place before the planting hole is created. Since both the loosening device and the planting hole are located on the same planting device, these individual components can be easily coordinated in the design of the planting device so that the planting hole is created precisely where the soil has previously been loosened. Alternatively, the soil can be loosened after the planting hole has been created.If, for example, no ready-made protective covers are used, but the cover is first formed from a flat material and connected to a ground stake, the loosening device can be placed under the planting hole during this time and aerated a specific area of ​​soil located below the planting hole. Since this is not done in two separate steps requiring the planting site to be revisited each time, but rather as two steps within the same operation, damage to the roots is prevented, and the soil loosening can be carried out after the plant has already been placed in the planting hole.Especially when soil loosening is carried out while the protective cover is being created and installed, either no additional time or at least no significant additional time is required for the soil loosening process. This allows for excellent plant propagation results and correspondingly high plant quality, combined with highly efficient planting performance in terms of the number of plants planted per unit of time. In one embodiment, the loosening device is designed to penetrate the soil diagonally downwards beneath the planting hole. The soil is thus loosened only in a specific area located below the already created planting hole, for example, in an area with a diameter of approximately 15 to 25 cm. As mentioned above, this can be done while the protective cover is being created and installed.

[0051] In one embodiment, the loosening device is designed as an earth auger. Earth augers are known in various forms in practice, for example, some that transport material, similar to certain twist drills used in woodworking, while others that do not transport material, similar to some milling cutters used in woodworking. Such a non-transporting earth auger can be used for soil loosening, so that the soil material remains below the planting hole, but is loosened, thus directing root growth downwards and facilitating the penetration of moisture and nutrients into this loosened soil layer.

[0052] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the wording of the claims and from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the purely schematic drawings. These show:

[0053] Fig. 1 shows a side view of a planting device,

[0054] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the area of ​​a guide tube including

[0055] Forming device of the planting device, and the

[0056] Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the lower part of a planting tube of the planting device, and the

[0057] Fig. 5 shows an oblique view from above of the planting and guide tubes.

[0058] Fig. 1 shows a planting device 1, designed as a self-propelled vehicle, which, to minimize ground pressure, has a chassis with tracks 2. Fig. 1 shows the planting device 1 in a side view from a rearward angle, so that it would appear to be moving forward in the upper right direction. A compartment 3, containing several ground stakes 4, is located on the right side of the planting device 1, next to the chassis (in the direction of travel). A cordless screwdriver 6 is suspended from a wire rope 5 and interacts with a screw belt. The screw belt acts as a screw magazine and feeds screws 7 sequentially to the cordless screwdriver 6. A driver's seat, not visible in Fig. 1, is located next to the compartment 3, allowing the person sitting on it to handle the ground stakes 4, the cordless screwdriver 6, and the screws 7, as will be explained in more detail later.

[0059] In the direction of travel, in front of the quiver 3, an upright guide tube 8 is arranged. The guide tube 8 is provided with a slot 9, which is limited at the top and extends to the lower edge of the guide tube 8, thus opening freely at the bottom. The width of the slot 9 is slightly wider than a base rod 4, so that, as can be seen in Fig. 1, a base rod 4 can be received in the slot 9 and guided laterally within it. Inside the guide tube 8, a stop limits the insertion depth of the base rod 4, so that it is essentially flush with the outer surface of the guide tube 8.

[0060] A ring-shaped curved plate 10 rests against the outside of the guide tube 8 and is pressed against the outside of the guide tube 8 by means of a forming device 11. The forming device 11 has two wings 12 for this purpose, each of which, in the illustrated embodiment, is provided with an upper and a lower contour plate 13, with each of the four contour plates 13 having a circular arc-shaped cutout 14. The two contour plates 13 of each wing 12 are connected to each other by vertically extending connecting struts 15. The two wings 12 are pivotally mounted opposite the slot 9. Fig. 1 shows the wings 12 in their forming position, in which they apply the plate 10 to the guide tube 8, thus forming the plate 10 into an almost finished protective cover.

[0061] Fig. 2 shows that, to complete the protective cover 16, the plate 10 is fitted with the base rod 4 and screws 7: the plate 10 is dimensioned so that it overlaps in the area of ​​the slot 9 and the base rod 4 arranged therein. The person operating the planting device 1, who is seated on the aforementioned seat (not shown in Fig. 1), manually screws several screws 7 at intervals above one another using the cordless screwdriver 6, each through the overlapping area of ​​the plate 10 and into the base rod 4. This ensures, firstly, that the plate 10 retains its annular, closed cross-section and thus forms the protective cover 16. Secondly, the base rod 4 is thus firmly connected to the protective cover 16. Figs. 1 and 2 each show the lower end of the base rod 4, as the base rod 4 protrudes from the slot 9 and also extends downwards over the lower edge of the plate 10.After the screws 7 have been set, the forming device 11 can be opened by pivoting the wings 12 from the forming position into a receiving position in which they have a greater distance to the guide tube 8 than in the forming position.

[0062] The completed protective cover 16, together with the base rod 4, can then be lowered, for example by lowering the entire guide tube 8. The upper edge of the slot 9 and / or a component of the aforementioned stop located inside the guide tube 8, against which the base rod 4 rests, acts as a pressure element that exerts downward pressure on the base rod 4, so that the lower end of the base rod 4 can be pressed into the ground until the lower edge of the plate 10 makes contact with the ground.

[0063] Fig. 3 shows the lower end of the guide tube 8 without a plate 10 or a complete protective cover 16. The two wings 12 of the forming device 11 have been opened by pivoting them about their respective pivot axes. Compared to their forming position, they are now at a greater distance from the guide tube 8 and thus in their receiving position, which allows a plate 10 to be inserted between the guide tube 8 and the forming device 11. The plate 10 is already bent by the arc-shaped cutouts 14 when it is guided into the receiving space between the guide tube 8 and the two wings 12. The final shaping of the plate 10 and the overlapping of its two ends is achieved when the two wings 12 are subsequently moved into their forming position and thus closer to the guide tube 8, so that the plate 10 is pressed against the guide tube 8.

[0064] Through the slot 9, a water pipe 17 is visible inside the guide tube 8, extending downwards beyond the lower end of the guide tube 8. The lower end of a second, diametrically opposite water pipe 17, also running inside the guide tube 8, is also visible. At their lower ends, the two water pipes 17, which are connected to a water tank, each form an outlet 18 for the water. The water pipes 17 and outlet 18, together with the water tank, are part of an irrigation system, which may also include a pump and valves. The valves may be located near the respective outlet 18 to minimize dripping. Alternatively, one or more valves may be located at a greater distance from the outlet 18 to prevent dripping, e.g.,The idling of the water pipes 17 can be taken into account when determining the water supply, so that, if necessary, the dosage of the water supply is determined by the pumping duration even without a single valve.

[0065] Fig. 3 further shows a planting tube 19, which is arranged coaxially inside the guide tube 8. In the illustrated embodiment of the planting device 1, a commercially available planting tube 19 is used, which is designed for manual operation. However, elements that are operated, for example, by means of a hand lever, a pedal, a pulley, or the like, are mechanically operated in the planting device 1, for example, by means of a plunger, an eccentric arrangement, a cable winding drum, or the like, which are driven by an electric motor, pneumatically, or hydraulically.

[0066] At its lower end, the planting tube 19 has a dispensing opening 20 and a beak that serves to create a planting hole and selectively opens or closes the dispensing opening 20. The beak has a first, fixed shell 21 and a second, movable shell 22. In its nearly closed arrangement, as shown in Fig. 3, the two shells 21 and 22 either lie completely against each other or at least with a small gap, so that the beak tapers downwards. This closes the dispensing opening 20 and allows the beak to be lowered into the soil with minimal resistance when the planting tube 19 is lowered.

[0067] Fig. 4 shows the beak at the lower end of the planting tube 19 in its open position, in which the movable bowl 22 is further away from the stationary bowl 21 than in Fig. 3, and the discharge opening 20 is open in this way. The opening movement occurs when the beak 22 is in the soil, thus displacing soil material from the ground to the surface and creating a planting hole. A plant can then be guided through the planting tube 19 until its roots are in the planting hole. In the illustrated embodiment, the planting tube 19 is oriented upright, so that the plant falls through the planting tube 19 and out of its discharge opening 20 into the planting hole solely by gravity.

[0068] Fig. 5 shows a top-down oblique view of the upper end of the guide tube 8 and the planting tube 19. The planting tube 19 is open at the top, forming a receiving opening 23 through which plants can be placed into the planting tube 19 from above, so that they then fall into the planting hole up to the area of ​​the spout and from the outlet 20. The planting tube 19 is fixed coaxially in the center of the guide tube 8 by means of centering pins 24, which in the illustrated embodiment are designed as screws and are therefore infinitely adjustable. Furthermore, a stop bar 25 is visible in Fig. 5, which runs inside the guide tube 8 behind the slot 9 and thus forms a depth stop for a soil rod 4 inserted into the slot 9.A projection arranged on the stop bar 25 at the level of the upper edge of the slot 9 forms the aforementioned pressure element, which acts on the base rod 4 when the guide tube 8 is lowered, thus allowing the base rod 4 to be lowered into the ground. The guide tube 8 and the planting tube 9 are suspended from a hydraulic lifting cylinder 26, so that they can be raised or lowered relative to the ground surface by means of the lifting cylinder 26. Finally, Fig. 5 also shows a main water line 27, which runs to the aforementioned water tank and feeds the two water lines 17 via a distributor.

[0069] All features and advantages arising from the claims, the description, and the drawings, including design details, spatial arrangements, and process steps, can be essential to the invention, both individually and in various combinations. Reference numeral list

[0070] Planting device

[0071] caterpillar

[0072] quiver

[0073] Ground stake

[0074] wire rope

[0075] Cordless screwdriver

[0076] screw

[0077] Guide tube

[0078] slot

[0079] plate

[0080] Forming device

[0081] wing

[0082] Contour plate

[0083] arc-shaped cutout

[0084] connecting strut

[0085] Protective cover

[0086] water pipe

[0087] Exit opening

[0088] Planting tube

[0089] Opening

[0090] Fixed bowl

[0091] movable bowl

[0092] opening

[0093] Centering pin

[0094] Stop bar

[0095] Lifting cylinder

[0096] Main water line

Claims

Patent claims 1. Planting device (1) designed to plant a plant in the ground and, in use, to form a vehicle or part of a vehicle, • with a pit drill designed to penetrate the ground and create a planting hole in the ground to receive the plant's root, • and with a planting tube (19) extending from an upper to a lower end, o having a receiving opening (23) designed to introduce the plant into the planting tube (19), o and having at its lower end a discharge opening (20) designed to guide the plant out of the planting tube (19) and into the planting hole, • and with a guide tube (8), o which runs around the outside of the planting tube (19) with respect to at least the lower part of the planting tube (19), o and which is designed to guide a tubular protective cover (16) in such a way that the protective cover (16) surrounds the plant placed in the ground during use, • and with an irrigation device comprising a water tank, and an outlet opening (18) for the water connected to the water tank, which is arranged inside the guide tube (8), and a metering device which is designed to selectively discharge water from the outlet opening (18).

2. Planting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the planting tube (19) has the pit pattern at its lower end.

3. Planting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide tube (8) has a slot (9) extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide tube (8), which opens at the lower end of the guide tube (8), and which is designed to receive and guide a ground rod (4), which can be connected to the protective cover (16) and extends downwards beyond the protective cover (16).

4. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet opening (18) of the irrigation device is arranged between the planting tube (19) and the guide tube (8).

5. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide tube (8) is aligned coaxially to the planting tube (19) and runs at a distance outside around the planting tube (19).

6. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protective cover (16) is formed from an annularly bent plate (10), and the planting device (1 ) has a plate bearing which is designed to receive a plurality of flat plates (10), and has a feed unit which is designed to remove a plate (10) from the plate bearing and guide it to the guide tube (8).

7. Planting device according to claim 6, characterized by a forming device (11) which is movable back and forth between a receiving position and a forming position, wherein in the receiving position it has a first distance from the guide tube (8) and in the forming position it has a second distance to the guide tube (8) which is less than the first distance, such that a plate (10) brought towards the guide tube (8) is applied to the guide tube (8) when the forming device (11) is moved from the receiving position to the forming position.

8. Planting device according to claim 7, characterized in that the forming device (11) has two wings (12) which are pivotably mounted, wherein the pivot axis runs parallel to the central axis of the guide tube (8), and wherein the wings (12) extend along the guide tube (8). and have pressure elements designed to rest against the plate (10) and press it against the guide tube (8) when the forming device (11) is in its forming position.

9. Planting device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the forming device (11) is arranged outside the guide tube (8).

10. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metering device has several outlet openings (18) which are arranged together in a ring shape.

11. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet opening (18) is height-adjustable in relation to the planting tube (19) and / or the guide tube (8).

12. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet opening (18) is designed as a nozzle which generates a downward-directed jet of water in use.

13. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the planting device (1) has its own chassis and drive unit, such that the planting device (1) is designed as an independent vehicle.

14. Planting device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the planting device (1 ) is designed as a trailer and has connecting means which are arranged to connect the planting device (1 ) to a towing vehicle, in particular to an agricultural tractor.

15. Planting device according to claim 14, characterized in that the planting device (1 ) has its own chassis, such that the planting device (1) is designed as a mobile trailer.

16. Planting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a loosening device which is designed to loosen a soil area located below the planting pit.

17. Planting device according to claim 16, characterized in that the loosening device is designed to penetrate the soil obliquely downwards under the planting pit during use.

18. Planting device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the loosening device is designed as an earth auger.

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