Plant culture system and method using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant culture system a base structure and a front panel cooperating with the base structure to define a culturing chamber, the front panel comprising at least one chamber hole comprising a chamber end opening in an insertion direction perpendicular to a chamber hole axis on a panel edge of the front panel, each chamber hole being configured to accommodate at least one plant so that roots of said at least one plant are disposed inside the culturing chamber.

Description

PLANT CULTURE SYSTEM AND METHOD USING THE SAMEFIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant culture system and method to remove at least one plant from a plant culture system.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Soilless plant culture system allows to control the growing environment of the plants to optimize plant growing. For example, automation allows for real-time monitoring and adjustment of pH levels, nutrient concentration, and humidity. Moreover, the controlled plant culture allows to reduce water and fertilizer usage compared to conventional farming. Thanks to its scalability, soilless plant culture is a promising solution for addressing global food security challenges. At the end of the growing period in the soilless plant culture system, the cultured plants may be planted in soil or in a secondary system where the plant will develop.

[0003] However, the known culturing systems are not satisfactory.

[0004] Soilless plant culture is usually used to exploit the emerging part of the plant (the shoot system). However, there may be situations where the whole plant (shoot system and roots) needs to be exploited. This is the case, for example, with certain crops, such as vines, which, after a soilless growth phase, undergo a development phase in soil. Known culturing systems are unable to preserve the integrity of the plant, particularly the roots, when the plants are removed from the soilless system. Indeed, in most of the soilless culturing systems, plants are cultured in plant supports. Plant supports have a front access from which the shoot system of the plant emerges so that the user can have a visual inspection on leaves, flowers and fruits. Opposite the front access, roots are growing in a closed controlled environment to control the growing parameters. To transfer plants fromknown culturing systems to the soil at the end of the soilless growth phase, plants have to be removed from the culturing systems by pulling the plants through the front access thereby leading to possible damages of the young roots against the structure of the culturing system. Moreover, plant supports are usually filed with substrate, for example: rock wool, coconut fiber, polymer foam, etc. Therefore, removing the roots from the substrate may also lead to damages on the roots.

[0005] There is thus a need for a soilless culturing system preventing damages on roots when plants are removed from or inserted in the system.SUMMARY

[0006] This invention thus relates to a plant culture system comprising an outer frame, the outer frame comprising a base structure and a front panel cooperating with the base structure to define a culturing chamber, the front panel comprising an internal surface facing towards the culturing chamber, an external surface opposite the internal surface and a panel edge connecting the external surface and the internal surface, the front panel comprising at least one chamber hole, each chamber hole opening through the front panel from the external surface to the internal surface along a chamber hole axis, each chamber hole comprising a chamber end opening in an insertion direction perpendicular to the chamber hole axis on the panel edge of the front panel, each chamber hole being configured to accommodate at least one plant so that roots of said at least one plant are disposed inside the culturing chamber.

[0007] Indeed, the culturing chamber allows to control the growing environment of the plants to optimize plant growing. This is advantageous since it allows an optimal root growing, especially at early stages of development of the plants, allowing the development of firms roots which maintain their integrity during the transfer to the next environment allowing an increase of success of transplantation of the plants.

[0008] Moreover, the chamber end allows for removing or inserting the plants from the outer frame without damaging the roots. Indeed, for removing or inserting plants, plants are moved in a direction parallel to the direction of movement towards or from the chamber end, respectively. The insertion end is thus an opened extremity allowing todispose the roots and the shoot system on either side of the front panel without crossing the front panel. This is advantageous compared to known culturing systems comprising a hole with a closed periphery wherein the only possible moving direction is a direction extending from the roots to the shoot system. Indeed, in these known systems, the roots have to pass through the hole therefore risking damages against the periphery of the hole.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the outer frame extends along a vertical direction perpendicular to a floor surface onto which the plant culture system is disposed, the front panel comprising at least two chamber holes superposed in the vertical direction.

[0010] Indeed, the vertical farming system maximizes space efficiency, allowing crops to be grown, for example, in urban environments.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system comprises a plurality of chamber holes superposed along a Z-axis and disposed parallelly to each other along a X- axis perpendicular to the Z-axis.

[0012] The number of plants that may be disposed in the plant culture system is thus optimized while the access to individual plants is easy.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the base structure comprises at least one separation panel extending in a depth direction of the base structure thereby separating the culturing chamber in subchambers.

[0014] This is advantageous because different plants or plants at different stages of growing may be cultured in the different subchambers so as to provide individual cultivation environment.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the front panel is moveable relatively to the base structure of the outer frame, the base structure comprising a base edge, the front panel having a closed configuration wherein the front panel is abutted against the base edge thereby preventing removing or disposing plants in the chamber hole through the chamber end, the front panel having an open configuration wherein the front panel is remote from the base edge thereby allowing to remove or dispose plants in the chamber hole through the chamber end.

[0016] Indeed, this allows to move the front panel relatively to the base structure. This eases the manipulation inside the plant growing chambers and the access to the roots of the plants for visual inspection.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the outer frame comprises a sealing arrangement between the base edge and the front panel and configured to seal the culturing chamber in the closed configuration of the front panel.

[0018] Indeed, the sealing arrangement ensures the hermeticity of the culturing chamber in order to provide a controlled culture environment.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the front panel is mounted on the base structure of the outer frame so as to pivot around a pivot axis between the panel edge of the front panel and the base edge.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the chamber end of the chamber hole is opposite the pivot axis.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system further comprises at least one plant growing device comprising at least one root chamber configured to accommodate at least one plant, each chamber hole being configured to accommodate at least one plant growing device, each plant growing device being configured to be disposed in the chamber hole via the chamber end of said chamber hole.

[0022] This allows to provide a support for plants which is easily removeable from the outer frame while maintaining and protecting the plants during the moving.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system comprises a plurality of plant growing devices, each chamber hole being a slit extending along the direction of movement and configured to accommodate at least two plant growing devices.

[0024] This is advantageous since it allows to move the plants by a sliding movement which is simple for the user and atraumatic for the plants.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the plant growing device comprises a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being configured to cooperate with the second wall to form the at least one root chamber configured to accommodate roots of said at least one plant, the first wall and the second wall being attachable and detachable, each root chamber is delimited by an opening edge, the opening edge comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first wall comprising the first portion of the opening edge, the second wall comprising the second portion of the said opening edge, the first wall being detachable from the second wall.

[0026] Indeed, since the first wall comprises a part of the opening edge, detaching the first wall from the second wall allows to create a gap in the opening edge in the first wall and the second wall. Therefore, the cultured plant may be removed from or inserted in the root chamber through the gap in the opening edge by simply spacing the plant and the root chamber apart. In other words, the roots do not have to be pulled through the opening edge thereby preventing any risk of damaging the roots against the opening edge. Thanks to the plant growing chamber of the invention, this is the stem of the plant which is move out from the root chamber through the gap of the opening edge. Therefore, the roots do not come into contact with sharp edges of the system.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the first wall and the second wall are impervious to light.

[0028] This prevents contamination of the roots by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses, and microalgae. Infection by viruses, bacteria and fungi in plants, can cause various diseases. Moreover, microalgae compete with plants for nutrients. They can foul the growing system and cover the roots, preventing them from receiving the nutrient solution. Even if the root chamber is not completely airtight, darkness helps prevent the development of microalgae.

[0029] According to one embodiment, each plant growing device comprises at least one hanging device configured to allow the hanging of the plant growing device in the chamber hole wherein it is accommodated, the hanging device being a groove configured to accommodate a periphery of the chamber hole.

[0030] The groove shape of the hanging device is advantageous because it allows to easily move the hanging device by sliding along the direction of movement to dispose the plants inside the culturing chamber or to remove the plants out from or dispose the plants in the outer frame.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the first portion of the opening edge comprised in the first wall is ranging from 20% to 80% of a length of the opening edge, preferably ranging from 40% to 60% of a length of the opening edge.

[0032] Indeed, this allows to provide a gap of the opening edge which has sufficient dimensions to allow the spacing of the plant apart the plant growing device without contact with the opening edge therefore reducing the risk of damaging the stem.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the root chamber comprises a backward opening opposite the opening edge.

[0034] This advantageously allows the roots to be in contact with the environment of the culturing chamber.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system comprises a plurality of plant growing devices, plant growing devices of the plurality of plant growing devices being configured to interlock together, the chamber opening being configured to accommodate at least two interlocked plant growing devices.

[0036] This reduces the space needed for plant growing by stacking the plant growing devices.

[0037] Moreover, interlocking is advantageous to easily remove or insert a plurality of plant growing devices disposed in one chamber hole together in a single movement.

[0038] According to one embodiment, each chamber hole is configured to accommodate the roots of one plant, each plant being individually accommodated in one chamber hole.

[0039] This allows to avoid contamination between the roots of several plants. Moreover, this allows each plant to individually receive nutrients, guaranteeing uniformity of nutrient distribution between each plant.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system further comprises at least one room conditioning system configured to provide, in the culturing chamber, at least one condition of culture environment.

[0041] This allows to control the culture environment to optimize the plant growing.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the room conditioning system comprises at least one of: a supplying device configured to supply nutrients to roots of plants accommodated in the at least one chamber hole, a temperature device configured to control a temperature in the culturing chamber, an air circuit configured to circulate air in the culturing chamber, or a humidity control device configured to control humidity in the culturing chamber.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the plant culture system further comprises at least one sensor configured to output a condition signal representative of a culture environment in the culturing chamber, the room conditioning system being configured to control said culture environment based on the condition signal.

[0044] This allows an automation to the plant culturing process.

[0045] The invention also relates to, a method to remove at least one plant from a plant culture system comprising a front panel, the front panel comprising at least one chamber hole wherein at least one plant is disposed along a culturing direction, each chamber hole opening through the front panel, each chamber hole comprising a chamber end opening in an insertion direction perpendicular to the culturing direction on the panel edge of the front panel, the method comprising removing at least one plant from the chamber hole by sliding said at least one plant along the direction of movement towards the chamber end.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary and non-limitative embodiment of the invention made in relation with the accompanied drawings in which:

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a plant culture system according to an embodiment of the invention, the plant culture system comprising a base structure and a front panel, the front panel being provided with chamber holes for accommodating plants, the front panel pivotally mounted to the base structure being in a closed configuration.

[0048] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the plant culture system of figure 1, showing an external face of the front panel in an open configuration, two plant growing devices being disposed in two of six chamber holes, one of the plant growing devices being slid in an direction of movement towards an chamber end.

[0049] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the plant culture system of figure 1 illustrating the front panel in the open configuration further spaced apart from the base structure to show an internal surface of the front panel, wherein twelve plant growing devices are disposed in the six chamber holes.

[0050] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a plant growing device according to an embodiment of the invention comprising two handing devices as well as a first wall and a second wall each comprising a part of an opening edge.

[0051] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of detaching the first wall from the second wall of the plant growing devices of Figure 4 to remove the plants.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Figure 1 schematically represents a plant culture system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0053] The plant culture system 100 finds particular applications in the culture of plants at early stages of development before being transferred in a next environment where they will be planted (soil or secondary system) or before exploitation of the roots of the plants. In this respect, the plant culture system 100 includes notches or slots specially adapted to remove the plants from the plant culture system 100 or dispose the plants in the plant culture system 100 without damaging the roots. Using the plant culture system 100 at early stages of development of plants is advantageous since it allows an optimal root growing allowing the development of firms roots which maintain their integrity during the transfer to the next environment allowing an increase of success of transplantation of the plants.

[0054] The plant culture system 100 allows the culture of several types of plants such as strawberry plants, vines, tomato plant, many types of trees in their initial development stage, young shoots, ...

[0055] In the represented embodiment, although not limited thereto, the plant culture system 100 comprises a culturing apparatus. The culturing apparatus comprises an outer frame comprising a base structure 110 and a front panel 120.

[0056] The base structure 110 has a general opened concave shape. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the outer frame is parallelepipedic therefore comprising six sides. The base structure 110 has a cuboidal shape with three sides, a top and a bottom forming five of the six sides of the outer frame and the front panel 120 forms the sixth side of the outer frame. The front panel 120 of Figure 1 is a frontal part of the outer frame. The shape of the base structure 110 and the outer frame is not limited. The base structure 110 may have any cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross-section. In an alternative embodiment, the base structure 110 has a dome shape comprising one curved side.

[0057] The base structure 110 is delimited by a base edge 115. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the base edge 115 is the perimeter of the parallelepiped formed by the top, the bottom and two of the three sides of the base structure 110. One of the three sides, named the back side, is opposite the base edge 115. The base edge 115 is the border of the base structure 110 with which the front panel 120 cooperates and onto which the front panel 120 is abutted to define the culturing chamber 130.

[0058] The concave shape of the base structure 110 defines a depth direction hereafter named the Y-axis. In the embodiment of figure 1, the Y-axis is parallel to the top, the bottom and two of the three sides of the base structure 110 and perpendicular to the base edge 115. The back side is preferably perpendicular to the Y-axis. The depth direction of the base structure 110 is thus defined perpendicularly to the side of the outer frame comprising the front panel 120. The height of the base structure 110 is defined along a Z- axis perpendicular to the Y-axis whereas the width of the base structure 110 is defined along an X-axis perpendicular to the Y-axis and to the Z-axis as represented in Figure 1. In the embodiment wherein the front panel 120 comprises subpanels (as described hereafter), the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis may be defined for each subpanel leading to a definition of the depth, the height or the width of the base structure 110 that may be different for different subpanel.

[0059] For example, the base structure 110 has a width ranging from 15 cm to 500 cm, preferably ranging from 50 cm to 300 cm, even more preferably ranging from 90 cm to 150 cm. For example, the base structure 110 has a height ranging from 20 cm to 1000 cm, preferably ranging from 50 cm to 500 cm, even more preferably ranging from 200 cm to 400 cm. For example, the base structure 110 has a depth ranging from 5 cm to 100 cm, preferably ranging from 10 cm to 50 cm, even more preferably ranging from 15 cm to 30 cm. In figure 1, the base structure 110 has a width of 100 cm, a height of 300 cm and a depth of 20 cm. The base structure 110 may comprise composite or polymeric material.

[0060] The culturing apparatus of Figure 1 further comprises four legs 105 allowing to place the culturing apparatus on a floor surface. One extremity of the legs 105 is disposed on the base structure 110 whereas the other extremity of the legs 105 is disposed on thefloor surface. The number of legs is not limited to those of the embodiment of Figure 1.The culturing apparatus may comprise at least three legs 105.

[0061] The plant culture system 100 may be a vertical farming system as represented in Figure 1. In vertical farming systems, the Z-axis is parallel to the direction of the gravity. In other words, in vertical farming systems, the Z-axis is perpendicular to a floor surface onto which the vertical farming system is disposed. The outer frame thus extends along a vertical direction perpendicular to a floor surface.

[0062] The front panel 120 cooperates with the base structure 110 to define a delimited volume hereafter named a culturing chamber 130. The culturing chamber 130 thus defines an inside of the plant culture system 100 separated from an outside of the plant culture system 100 by the outer frame.

[0063] As represented in Figure 2 which is a zoom of the embodiment of Figure 1, the front panel 120 has an internal surface 122 facing towards the culturing chamber 130 and an external surface 124 opposite the internal surface 122. A panel edge 126 preferably connects the external surface 124 and the internal surface 122. The front panel 120 has a general planar shape. The external surface 124 and internal surface 122 are parallel to each other and the panel edge 126 extends perpendicularly to the external surface 124 and internal surface 122. When forming the culturing chamber 130, the external surface 124 and internal surface 122 extend along the X-axis and the Z-axis defining the width and height of the front panel 120, respectively whereas the panel edge 126 extends parallelly to the direction of the Y-axis therefore defining the depth of the front panel 120. For example, the front panel 120 has a depth ranging from 0.3 cm to 3 cm, preferably ranging from 0.5 cm to 2 cm. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the front panel 120 has a depth of 1.5 cm.

[0064] The shape of the front panel 120 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Indeed, the respective positions of the external surface 124, internal surface 122 and the panel edge 126 may be adapted to the need and the front panel 120 may have a non-planar shape.

[0065] In Figure 1, the front panel 120 is a set of four subpanels. All subpanels cooperate with the base structure 110 to define the culturing chamber 130. The number of subpanels is not limited. The front panel 120 may comprise a single front panel or as many as subpanels as many panels as needed. In Figure 1, the four subpanels are disposed opposite the back side. In other words, the subpanels are aligned and superposed side-by-side along the Z-axis. However, in other embodiments, the subpanels may be comprised or may replace different sides of the base structure 110.

[0066] For example, the front panel 120 or each subpanel has a height ranging from 1% to 100% of the height of the base structure 110, preferably ranging from 10% to 98% of the height of the base structure 110, even more preferably ranging from 20% to 95% of the height of the base structure 110. For example, the front panel 120 has a width ranging from 30% to 100% of the width of the base structure 110, preferably ranging from 60% to 98% of the width of the base structure 110, even more preferably ranging from 85% to 95% of the width of the base structure 110. The front panel 120 may comprise composite or polymeric material. In the embodiment of Figure 1, each subpanel has a height of 65 cm and a width of 88 cm.

[0067] In Figure 1, the base structure 110 further comprises three separation panels 117, each separation panel 117 being positioned between two adjacent subpanels. The separation panels 117 flushing the base edge 115 in the direction of the Y-axis, the base edge 115 comprises the edge of the separation panels 117 since the front panel 120 is also abutted against the separation panel 117 in the closed configuration.

[0068] The separation panel 117 of Figure 1 extends in the depth direction of the base structure 110 thereby separating the culturing chamber 130 in subchambers. This is advantageous because different plants 200 or plants 200 at different stage of growing may be cultured in the different subchambers.

[0069] In the embodiment of Figure 1 and as better represented in Figure 2, each subpanel comprises six U-shaped chamber hole 140 superposed in the direction of the Z- axis. The chamber hole 140 is a hole opening into the culturing chamber 130. In other words, the chamber hole 140 connects the inside of the outer frame to the outside. Thenumber of chamber holes is not limited. Indeed, the front panel 120 may comprise at least one chamber hole 140. Moreover, the shape of the chamber hole 140 is not limited to the embodiment of Figure 1.

[0070] Each chamber hole 140 is configured to accommodate at least one plant 200 so that roots 210 of said at least one plant 200 are disposed in the culturing chamber 130, i.e., inside the outer frame. The shoot system of the plant 200 is preferably disposed outside the outer frame. In the embodiment of Figure 1, each chamber hole 140 is configured to accommodate 16 plants 200.

[0071] Each chamber hole 140 opens through the front panel 120 from the external surface 124 to the internal surface 122 along a chamber hole axis A. The chamber hole axis A defines the depth of the chamber hole 140. When forming the culturing chamber 130, the chamber hole axis A is perpendicular to the X-axis. In Figure 1, the chamber hole axis A is further parallel to the Y-axis so that the depth of the chamber hole 140 is equal to the distance between the external surface 124 and the internal surface 122. However, in other embodiments, the chamber hole axis A may present an angle with respect to the Y-axis and the Z-axis therefore leading to the depth of the chamber hole 140 which is greater than the distance between the external surface 124 and the internal surface 122.

[0072] Each chamber hole 140 has a periphery having dimensions along a direction of movement I perpendicular to the chamber hole axis A. In figure 1, the direction of movement I is parallel to the X-axis. This is particularly advantageous for vertical farming systems as represented in Figure 1 since several chamber holes 140 are disposed on the front panel 120 and superposed along the Z-axis, i.e., disposed parallelly to each other along the X-axis. The number of plants that may be disposed in the plant culture system 100 is thus optimized while the access to individual plants is easy as explained hereafter. However, in other embodiments, the direction of movement I may present an angle with respect to the X-axis and the Z-axis.

[0073] The direction of movement I defines the width of the chamber hole 140 along the external surface 124, the height of the chamber hole 140 being defined perpendicularlyto the direction of movement I along the external surface 124. For example, the chamber hole 140 has a width ranging from 30% to 99% of the width of the front panel 120, preferably ranging from 60% to 97% of the width of the front panel 120, even more preferably ranging from 85% to 95% of the width of the front panel 120. For example, the chamber hole 140 has a height ranging from 1% to 80% of the height of the front panel 120 or the subpanel, preferably ranging from 2% to 30% of the height of the front panel 120 or the subpanel, even more preferably ranging from 5% to 15% of the height of the front panel 120 or the subpanel. For example, the chamber hole 140 has a height configured to nest the shoot system of the plant 200. For example, the chamber hole 140 has a height ranging from 1 cm to 30 cm, preferably ranging from 2 cm to 15 cm, even more preferably ranging from 4 cm to 7 cm. In the embodiment of Figure 1, each chamber hole 140 has a width of 82 cm and a height of 5.2 cm.

[0074] When the plant 200 are disposed in the chamber hole 140 they will grow towards outside the outer frame along a general direction named hereafter the culturing direction C. The culturing direction C is perpendicular to the direction of movement I. In some embodiment, the culturing direction C is parallel to the chamber hole axis A.

[0075] The chamber hole 140 comprises a chamber end 142 opening on the panel edge 126 of the front panel 120 in the insertion direction I. In other words, the periphery of the chamber hole 140 is not closed and is open at the chamber end 142 so that the chamber hole 140 may be accessed transversally in the direction of movement I from the panel edge 126. The chamber hole 140 thus forms a slot or a notch in the front panel 120. In Figure 1, the chamber hole 140 is a slit in the front panel 120 and all the chamber ends 142 open on the same part of the panel edge 126 so that the front panel 120 is a comb- shaped panel.

[0076] The chamber end 142 allows for removing the plants 200 from the outer frame or inserting the plants 200 in the outer frame without damaging the roots 210. Indeed, a method for removing the plants 200 disposed in the chamber hole 140 along a culturing direction C comprises a step of moving the plants 200 in a direction parallel to the direction of movement I and perpendicular to the culturing direction C towards the chamber end 142, the plants 200 exiting the culturing chamber 130 via the chamberend 142 thanks to the opened periphery as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, during the moving of the plants 200 until the chamber end 142, the roots 210 remain inside the culturing chamber 130 and the shoot system remains outside the outer frame. This is advantageous compared to a hole with a closed periphery wherein the only possible moving direction is the culturing direction C. Therefore, when using a hole with a closed periphery, the roots 210 of the plant have to pass through the hole therefore risking damages against the periphery of the hole.

[0077] The U-shaped chamber hole 140 of Figure 2 is advantageous since it allows to move the plants 200 by a sliding movement which is simple for the user and atraumatic for the plants 200.

[0078] In the embodiment of Figure 1 and as better represented in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the front panel 120 is mounted on the base structure 110 so as to pivot around a pivot axis P parallel to the Z-axis (perpendicular to the chamber hole axis A) and joining the front panel 120 and the base edge 115. The front panel 120 is thus swivel-mounted. The front panel 120 is thus rotatable relatively to the base structure 110 around the Z-axis therefore being angled with respect to the X-axis and Y-axis which is particularly advantageous for vertical farming systems.

[0079] The front panel 120 has a closed configuration (Figure 1) and an open configuration (Figure 2 and Figure 3). In the closed configuration, the front panel 120 is abutted against the base edge 115 thereby preventing access to the chamber hole 140 through the chamber end 142. In the open configuration, the front panel 120 is remote from the base edge 115 thereby providing access to the chamber hole 140 through the chamber end 142. Moreover, the open configuration allows a wider access inside the culturing chamber 130 than the access provided by the chamber hole 140 thus providing visual inspection of the roots 210 of the plants 200 thereby allowing to analyze root health and condition and adding a new dimension to plant monitoring. The open configuration thus allows to remove the plants 200 from the chamber hole 140 or insert the plants 200 in the chamber hole 140.

[0080] In Figure 1, the chamber end 142 of the chamber hole 140 is opposite the pivot axis P so as to ease the removing or inserting of the plants 200 even if the front panel 120 has a small angle with the X-axis and Y-axis in the open configuration. In Figure 2, the pivot axis P is created by three hinges 114 fixed to the base edge 115 and to the external surface 124 close to the panel edge 126 for each subpanel. The position of the hinges 114 is not limited to the representation of Figure 2.

[0081] The movement of the front panel 120 is not limited to a rotation around the pivot axis P parallel to the Z-axis. Indeed, the pivot axis P may be positioned parallel to the X- axis. Moreover, the front panel 120 may be moveable relatively to the base structure 110 of the outer frame by sliding, translating,... Finally, the front panel 120 may be fixed relatively to the base structure 110. In an example of this embodiment, the side of the base structure 110 adjacent to the chamber end 142 may comprise slots at the position of the chamber end 142. The slots are preferably dimensioned to prevent the roots 210 contacting the base structure 110 when exiting the culturing chamber 130. In another example of this embodiment, the part of the chamber hole 140 comprising the chamber end 142 has a height larger than in the rest of the chamber hole 140. The plants 200 are thus removed from or inserted in the plant culture system 100 by first moving the plant 200 in the direction of movement I until the chamber end 142 and then by pulling the plant 200 in the culturing direction C or in the direction of the chamber hole axis A. Said part of the chamber hole 140 comprising the chamber end 142 is preferably dimensioned to prevent the roots 210 contacting the front panel 120 when exiting the culturing chamber 130.

[0082] As represented in Figure 3, the front panel 120 further comprises a stopper 127 configured to close the chamber end 142 even in the open configuration. The stopper 127 is attachable and detachable from the front panel 120 so that, in the open configuration, the stopper 127 may be detached to remove or insert the plants 200. The stopper 125 may be a single piece configured to close the chamber ends 142 of at least two chamber holes 140. The stopper 127 may comprise a handle allowing to ease the moving of the front panel 120 by a user.

[0083] As represented in Figure 2, the base structure 110 further comprises at least one locking device 112 configured to lock the front panel 120 abutted against the base edge 115 in the closed configuration.

[0084] As represented in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the base edge 115 comprises several sealing arrangements 150 (or gaskets) disposed between the base edge 115 and the front panel 120 in the closed configuration and configured to seal the culturing chamber 130 in the closed configuration. Two sealing arrangements 150 are positioned along the X-axis at the upper and lower the base edge 115 and three sealing arrangements 150 are positioned along the separation panels 117. The front panel 120 comprises four sealing arrangements 150 positioned on the stoppers 127. In other embodiments, the sealing arrangements 150 may be positioned all along the base edge 115. The sealing arrangements 150 of the front panel 120 may be positioned on the internal surface 122 all along the panel edge 126.

[0085] In Figure 1, the plant culture system 100 further comprises several plant growing devices 160 better represented in Figure 4 and Figure 5. The plant growing device cooperates with the culturing apparatus. More precisely, each chamber hole 140 is configured to accommodate at least one plant growing device 160. Each plant growing device 160 is configured to be disposed in the chamber hole 140 via the chamber end 142 of said chamber hole 140. As represented in Figure 3, each chamber hole 140 is configured to accommodate two plant growing devices 160 disposed side-by-side along the direction of movement I. Only two plant growing devices 160 are represented in Figure 2. In figure 1, 48 plant growing devices 160 are disposed in the chamber holes 140.

[0086] The plant growing devices 160 are configured to accommodate at least one plant 200. For example, the plants 200 are disposed in the at least one plant growing device 160 so that the roots 210 and / or at least part of the shoot system of the plants is contained in the plant growing device 160 as represented in Figure 3. In Figure 5 and Figure 3, the plant growing device 160 accommodates 8 plants 200. However, in another embodiment, each plant growing device 160 may be configured to accommodate the roots 210 of only one plant 200 so that each plant 200 is individually accommodated inone root chamber 166. The number of plants 200 accommodated in the plant growing device 160 is not limited.

[0087] The plant growing devices 160 are moveable relatively to the front panel 120 so as to be separated from the outer frame.

[0088] As represented in Figure 4, each plant growing device 160 comprises two grooveshaped hanging device 161 configured to cooperate with the periphery of the chamber hole 140 so as to allow the hanging of the plant growing device 160 in the chamber hole 140 wherein it is accommodated. The groove shape of the hanging device 161 is advantageous because it allows to easily move the hanging device 161 by sliding along the direction of movement I. The shape of the hanging device 161 is not limited.

[0089] Each plant growing device 160 may comprise an interlocking device configured to allow interlocking of at least two plant growing device 160 together. This is advantageous to easily remove a plurality of plant growing devices 160 disposed in one chamber hole 140 together in a single movement or to easily insert a plurality of plant growing devices 160 in one chamber hole 140 together in a single movement.

[0090] Since the plant growing device 160 is configured to accommodate at least one plant 200, the plant growing device 160 has at least one root chamber 166 allowing the roots 210 and / or part of the shoot system to be disposed in the plant growing device 160.

[0091] In Figure 4, the plant growing device 160 has a concave shape and each plant growing device 160 has one root chamber 166. The plant growing device 160 has a wall defining the at least one concave root chamber 166.

[0092] The shape of the plant growing device 160 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Indeed, the root chamber 166 may be a hole in a planar plant growing device 160.

[0093] The wall of the plant growing device 160 may be impervious to light.

[0094] In the illustrated embodiment, the wall of the plant growing device 160 comprises a first wall 162 and a second wall 164. The first wall 162 is configured to cooperate withthe second wall 164. The first wall 162 and the second wall 164 form the root chamber 166. The first wall 162 and the second wall 164 are attachable together and detachable from each other as represented in Figure 5. This advantageously allow to detach the first wall 162 from the second wall 164 when the plant growing device 160 is not accommodated in the chamber hole 140 so as to easily remove the plants 200 from the plant growing device 160 or to easily insert the plants 200 in the plant growing device 160 without damaging the roots 210.

[0095] Each root chamber 166 is delimited by an opening edge. In other words, the opening edge is the border of the root chamber 126. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening edge is defined by the edge of the wall defining the root chamber 166. In the embodiment wherein the root chamber 166 is a hole in a planar plant growing device 160, the opening edge is the periphery of the hole.

[0096] In Figures 1 to 3, the plant growing devices 160 are disposed in the chamber hole 140 so that the opening edge opens towards outside of the outer frame and the opening edge flushes the external surface 124 of the front panel 120.

[0097] The opening edge comprises a first portion 168a and a second portion 168b. The first wall 162 comprises the first portion 168a of the opening edge. The second wall 164 comprises the second portion 168b of the opening edge. This is advantageous since detaching the first wall 162 from the second wall 164 implies separating the first portion 168a from the second portion 168b of the opening edge therefore uncaging the roots 210 of the plants as represented in Figure 5. The plants 200 can therefore be freely spaced apart from the plant growing device 160 without damaging the roots 210. In Figure 4, the first wall 162 comprises 50% of the opening edge while the second wall 164 comprises the other 50% of the opening edge. However, in other embodiments, the first portion 168a of the opening edge may range from 20% to 80% of a length of the opening edge, preferably from 40% to 60% of a length of the opening edge.

[0098] In the illustrated embodiment, the root chamber 166 comprises a backward opening 167 opposite the opening edge. This advantageously allows the roots 210 to be in contact with the environment of the culturing chamber 130.

[0099] The plant culture system 100 may further comprise at least one room conditioning system configured to provide, in the culturing chamber 130, at least one condition of culture environment. The room conditioning system may comprise at least one room conditioning device configured to regulate at least one condition of culture environment. In the illustrated embodiment, the room conditioning device is a supplying device 170 disposed inside the outer frame and configured to supply nutrients to roots 210 of plants 200 accommodated in the at least one chamber hole 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the supplying device 170 comprises several spraying nozzles. The spraying nozzles may be in stainless steel. The backward opening 167 of the root chamber 166 is advantageous when using a supplying device 170 since the nutrients may be directly sprayed onto the roots 210 emerging from the backward opening 167. The supplying device 170 may comprise at least one high-pressure semi-flexible tube configured to deliver the nutrients in a solution towards the spraying nozzle. In other embodiments, the room conditioning device may be at least one of: a temperature device configured to control a temperature in the culturing chamber 130, an air circuit configured to circulate air in the culturing chamber 130, or a humidity control device configured to control humidity in the culturing chamber 130.

[0100] The room conditioning system may comprise a controller configured to control at least one of the room conditioning devices. The controller may be handled manually or automatically. The controller may be disposed inside or outside the outer frame. For example, the controller may comprise at least one solenoid valve configured to control the delivering of the nutrients towards the spraying nozzle of the supplying device 170. For example, the controller may comprise a current modulator configured to control the current delivered to the temperature device comprising an electrical resistance. For example, the controller may comprise a ventilator configured to generate air movement in the air circuit. For example, the controller may comprise a mist generator configured to generate humidity to provide to the humidity control device.

[0101] The plant culture system 100 may further comprise at least one sensor configured to output a condition signal representative of a culture environment in the culturing chamber 130. The room conditioning system may be configured to control the cultureenvironment based on the condition signal. For example, the condition signal is a measure representative of at least one of: the temperature, the humidity, the oxygen level, the carbon dioxide level, or the luminosity level.

[0102] The plant culture system 100 may further comprise at least one camera configured to record at least one image of the roots 210. The recorded images may be analyzed by the user or by a computer program to determine the growing level of the roots 210 or the requirements of the roots 210. The room conditioning system may be configured to control at least one room conditioning device based on the analysis of the recorded images. For example, if the analysis leads to a lack of nutrient for at least one plant 200, the room conditioning system controls the supplying device 170 to bring the nutrients to said plants. For example, if the analysis leads to the detection of mold on the roots 210, the room conditioning system controls the humidity control device and / or the air circuit to reduce the humidity in the culturing chamber 130.

[0103] The plant culture system 100 may further comprise at least one liquid collector positioned at the lowest altitude of the outer frame to collect the excess of liquid from the supplying of the nutrients to the roots 210.

[0104] The disclosure also relates to a method for plant culturing in a plant culture system comprising a front panel 120, the front panel 120 comprising at least one chamber hole 140 opening through the front panel 120, each chamber hole 140 comprising a chamber end 142 opening in an insertion direction I on the panel edge 126 of the front panel 120. In this method, a plant 200 is inserted in the chamber hole 140 by depositing the plant 200 at the chamber end 142 and sliding the plant 200 from the chamber end 142 along a direction parallel to the insertion direction I. The plant 200 is positioned in the chamber hole 140 along a culturing direction C perpendicular to the insertion direction I so that the roots of the plant 200 is disposed inside the culturing chamber 130 whereas at least part of the shoot system of the plant 200 is disposed outside the culturing chamber 130. The plant 200 may be previously deposited in a plant growing device 160. The plant growing device 160 is then deposited at the chamber end 142 and slid from the chamber end 142 along a direction parallel to the insertion direction I.

[0105] The method for plant culturing then comprises a step of growing the plant 200 along the culturing direction C.

[0106] Finally, the method for plant culturing comprises a step of removing the plant 200 from the by moving the plants 200 in a direction parallel to the direction of movement I and perpendicular to the culturing direction C towards the chamber end 142, the plants 200 exiting the culturing chamber 130 via the chamber end 142 thanks to the opened periphery.

[0107] Said method for plant culturing may be implemented using the plant culture system 100 described above.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A plant culture system ( 100) comprising an outer frame, the outer frame comprising a base structure (110) and a front panel (120) cooperating with the base structure (110) to define a culturing chamber (130), the front panel (120) comprising an internal surface (122) facing towards the culturing chamber (130), an external surface (124) opposite the internal surface (122) and a panel edge (126) connecting the external surface (124) and the internal surface (122), the front panel (120) comprising at least one chamber hole (140), each chamber hole (140) opening through the front panel (120) from the external surface (124) to the internal surface (122) along a chamber hole axis (A), each chamber hole (140) comprising a chamber end (142) opening in an insertion direction (I) perpendicular to the chamber hole axis (A) on the panel edge (126) of the front panel (120), each chamber hole (140) being configured to accommodate at least one plant (200) so that roots (210) of said at least one plant (200) are disposed inside the culturing chamber (130).

2. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 1 wherein the outer frame extends along a vertical direction perpendicular to a floor surface onto which the plant culture system (100) is disposed, the front panel (120) comprising at least two chamber holes (140) superposed in the vertical direction.

3. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front panel (120) is moveable relatively to the base structure (110) of the outer frame, the base structure (110) comprising a base edge (115), the front panel (120) having a closed configuration wherein the front panel (120) is abutted against the base edge (115) thereby preventing removing or disposing plants (200) in the chamber hole (140) through the chamber end (142), the front panel (120) having an open configuration wherein the front panel (120) is remote from the base edge (115) thereby allowing to remove or dispose plants (200) in the chamber hole (140) through the chamber end (142).

4. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 3 wherein the outer frame comprises a sealing arrangement (150) between the base edge (115) and the front panel (120) and configured to seal the culturing chamber (130) in the closed configuration of the front panel (120).

5. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the front panel (120) is mounted on the base structure (110) of the outer frame so as to pivot around a pivot axis (P) between the panel edge (126) of the front panel (120) and the base edge (115).

6. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 5, wherein the chamber end (142) of the chamber hole (140) is opposite the pivot axis (P).

7. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims claim 1 to 6, further comprising at least one plant growing device (160) comprising at least one root chamber (166) configured to accommodate at least one plant (200), each chamber hole (140) being configured to accommodate at least one plant growing device (160), each plant growing device (160) being configured to be disposed in the chamber hole (140) via the chamber end (142) of said chamber hole (140).

8. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 7, comprising a plurality of plant growing devices (160), each chamber hole (140) being a slit extending along the direction of movement (I) and configured to accommodate at least two plant growing devices (160).

9. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 8, wherein the plant growing device (160) comprises a first wall (162) and a second wall (164), the first wall (162) being configured to cooperate with the second wall (164) to form the at least one root chamber (166) configured to accommodate roots (210) of said at least one plant (200), the first wall (162) and the second wall (164) being attachable and detachable, each root chamber (166) is delimited by an opening edge, the opening edge comprising a first portion (168a) and a second portion (168b), the first wall (162) comprising the first portion (168a) of theopening edge, the second wall (164) comprising the second portion (168b) of the said opening edge, the first wall (162) being detachable from the second wall (164).

10. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 9, wherein the first portion (168a) of the opening edge comprised in the first wall (162) is ranging from 20% to 80% of a length of the opening edge, preferably ranging from 40% to 60% of a length of the opening edge.

11. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the root chamber (166) comprises a backward opening (167) opposite the opening edge.

12. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising at least one room conditioning system configured to provide, in the culturing chamber (130), at least one condition of culture environment.

13. The plant culture system (100) according to claim 12 wherein the room conditioning system comprises at least one of: a supplying device (170) configured to supply nutrients to roots (210) of plants (200) accommodated in the at least one chamber hole (140), a temperature device configured to control a temperature in the culturing chamber (130), an air circuit configured to circulate air in the culturing chamber (130), or a humidity control device configured to control humidity in the culturing chamber (130).

14. The plant culture system (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 13, further comprising at least one sensor configured to output a condition signal representative of a culture environment in the culturing chamber (130), the room conditioning system being configured to control said culture environment based on the condition signal.

15. A method to remove at least one plant (200) from a plant culture system (100) comprising a front panel (120), the front panel (120) comprising at least one chamber hole (140) wherein at least one plant (200) is disposed along a culturing direction (C), each chamber hole (140) opening through the front panel (120), eachchamber hole (140) comprising a chamber end (142) opening in an insertion direction (I) perpendicular to the culturing direction (C) on the panel edge (126) of the front panel (120), the method comprising removing at least one plant (200) from the chamber hole (140) by sliding said at least one plant (200) along the direction of movement (I) towards the chamber end (142).

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