Cultivation Shelf Shutter Control to Prevent Mold and Algae
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant cultivation apparatuses face issues with mold and green algae growth due to uncontrolled nutrient solution distribution, leading to contamination and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a cultivation shelf that includes a shutter mechanism to selectively supply water only to the area where plants are cultivated, preventing water from reaching empty spaces and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nutrient solution is supplied to the entire tray, then plants receive adequate water and nutrients, but mold and green algae grow in empty spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple seats, each with its own shutter mechanism. This segmentation allows independent control of water supply to each seat, enabling water to be supplied only to seats with plants rather than the entire tray, thus preventing mold and algae growth in empty spaces while ensuring adequate hydration for planted areas
Solution Approach 2:
Each seat is equipped with a shutter that can be individually opened or closed based on whether a plant package is present. This local control mechanism ensures that water supply characteristics differ between occupied and empty seats, providing appropriate moisture conditions only where needed and preventing contamination in unused areas
2Quantity of substance
If culture solution is supplied to the entire tray, then all areas receive nutrients, but contamination occurs in areas without seed packages
Solution Approach 1:
The tray structure is segmented into multiple independent seats with individual shutter controls. This allows the nutrient solution supply to be divided into separate controllable streams, enabling precise delivery only to seats containing seed packages while keeping empty seats dry and contamination-free
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter mechanism automatically responds to the presence or absence of seed packages in each seat. When a seed package is detected, the shutter opens to allow nutrient solution supply; when empty, the shutter remains closed. This self-regulating system eliminates the need for manual intervention while preventing contamination autonomously
3Quantity of substance
If water is supplied to the entire cultivation shelf, then comprehensive hydration is achieved, but sanitation deteriorates in unused areas
Solution Approach 1:
The cultivation shelf is divided into multiple seats with individual shutter mechanisms for each seat. This segmentation enables selective water supply to only those seats containing plants, maintaining comprehensive hydration coverage for planted areas while preventing water accumulation and sanitation degradation in empty areas
Solution Approach 2:
Each seat receives customized water supply treatment based on its occupancy status. Seats with plants receive adequate water through opened shutters, while empty seats remain dry with closed shutters. This local differentiation maintains high sanitation standards across the entire shelf while ensuring proper hydration where needed
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for cultivating plants includes a cabinet having a cultivation space, a temperature control device provided in the cabinet to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space, a door configured to open and close the cultivation space, a cultivation shelf provided in the cabinet and configured to seat a seed package, a lighting device provided in the cabinet to radiate light onto the cultivation shelf, and a water supply pipe provided in the cabinet to supply water to the cultivation shelf. The cultivation shelf includes a shelf tray that supports the seed package, a shelf base provided under the shelf tray to accommodate the water supplied from the water supply pipe, and a shutter provided to be openable on the seat. The water accommodated into the shelf base is introduced to the inside of the seat by passing through the shutter when the shutter is opened.