Plant Tray Inserts With Segmented Walls For Automated Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant trays face difficulties in distinguishing separate cells, especially when transplanting plants, leading to potential damage and manual, cumbersome handling, and risk of contents falling out during automated processing.
Innovation Solution
The tray design includes inserts with partially closed side walls and a bottom, allowing controlled removal of contents through openings, reducing the risk of contents falling out and enabling automated processing by orienting removal access opposite the plant growth direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If completely open side surfaces are provided in inserts for removing contents, then ease of operation for content removal is improved, but reliability is worsened due to risk of contents falling out during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is segmented into an open upper portion for content removal and a closed lower portion for content retention. This segmentation allows the structure to provide both easy access for removing plant material while maintaining reliability to prevent contents from falling out during handling and transport.
2Ease of operation
If inserts are made agile to allow bending for content removal, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability is worsened due to increased risk of contents falling out
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall structure is segmented with an open upper portion that allows flexible access for content removal while the closed lower portion maintains structural integrity and prevents contents from falling out, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and reliability.
3Reliability
If manual removal of contents is used, then reliability of content retention is improved, but productivity is worsened due to cumbersome manual labor
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is designed with pre-provided openings in the side walls at appropriate positions, which enables automated processing equipment to access and remove contents efficiently. This preliminary structural preparation eliminates the need for cumbersome manual operations while maintaining reliable content retention through the controlled opening design.
4Reliability
If special provisions are added to close channels for moisture retention, then reliability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture retention function is merged with the existing side wall structure by providing openings at specific positions rather than adding separate closing mechanisms. This integration maintains reliable moisture retention within the holder while avoiding increased device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly in use forming a tray (1) for plant material, comprising a holder (2); and at least one insert (3) which can be respectively placed in and removed from the holder, wherein the insert comprises at least one cell (4) defining a plant position. The or each cell comprises at least a wall (14) and a bottom (13) for accommodating content in the cell in use of the assembly. The at least one wall substantially encloses the plant position. The wall and/or bottom comprises an opening (10) through which access is provided to means for removing the content of the cell, such as a pusher or a ram, such as a pin, of an apparatus according to the invention. In a row, a sequence of cells, which can be interconnected, in such an insert defines a longitudinal direction of the insert. When the insert is taken out of the holder, at least the plant material from a neighbouring cell in the longitudinal direction cannot form an obstacle during removal of the substrate and/or the plant material from a desired or selected cell.