JPH0144281B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an automatic seed sowing device that is useful for planting a single seed and for cultivating and cultivating large quantities of plants to improve workability.

[Prior art]

For example, in the field of indoor cultivation of plants, it is necessary to process a large amount of plants in order to improve yield and work efficiency, and to grow plants by planting multiple seeds at each planting location. To prevent poor growth, etc., it is preferable to plant only one seed.

However, although there was a manual method of sowing seeds using vacuum tweezers, it was difficult to process large quantities and expect high work efficiency, and it was difficult to use vacuum tweezers to collect single, irregularly shaped seeds. Since the yield is extremely low, there has been a desire for technology to automate large-volume processing by planting a single tiny seed.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was made in response to the above-mentioned technical demands mainly in the field of indoor cultivation, and is capable of automatically picking a single irregularly shaped minute seed without manual intervention and planting it in a predetermined manner. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a seed sowing device that can sow seeds at any location.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the seed sowing device of the present invention includes a seed supplying means for supplying seeds one by one, and a plurality of integrally arranged side-by-side systems into which the seeds are fed one by one by the seed supplying means. a seed sowing loader including a charging cup, a plurality of seed sowing nozzles arranged in parallel, and a driving means for moving the seed sowing nozzles to a predetermined seed planting position; It is characterized by comprising a transfer means for circulating and transferring the input cups.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to an illustrated embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, this seed sowing device includes a seed feeder 1 as a seed supply means for automatically supplying seeds, and a transparent seed input device provided on a cup base 7 to receive seeds from the seed feeder 1. Cups 5 (five in the illustrated embodiment) and a feeding confirmation sensor 6 that detects that seeds have been thrown into the seed feeding cup 5 and sends a control signal to the seed feeder 1 and a cup base feeder 8 to be described later. and the first to third moving means for moving the cup base 7 on which the seed input cup 5 is provided according to the work stage.
4th cup base feeder 8, 9, 10, 11
and a seed-seeding loader 12 equipped with seed-seeding nozzles 14 (five in the illustrated embodiment) that adsorb seeds with negative pressure generated by a vacuum device 18.

First, in the seed feeder 1, as shown on the right side of FIG. It communicates horizontally in the tangential direction of the alignment part 1b, and furthermore, the supply gutter 1
The tip of c is bent downward at 90 degrees, and communicates with the seed input cup 5 for inputting seeds into the supply port 1e.
It is becoming. Further, in the middle of the supply gutter 1c, the tip of the return gutter 1d is branched and opened, and the return gutter 1d
The proximal end of the seed aligning portion 1b of the main body 1a is connected to the seed aligning portion 1b. The side wall of the supply gutter 1c is provided with an air nozzle 2 for supplying seeds that blows air into the return gutter 1d at a branch point of the return gutter 1d. Near the seed feeder 1 is a quantitative sensor 4 that monitors the amount of seeds in the seed feeder 1.
is provided and connected to control the drive means 3a of the automatic seed replenishing tray 3 for replenishing seeds into the seed feeder 1.

Next, a cup base 7 having a rectangular shape in plan view is provided at a seed supply position directly below the supply port 1e (this will be referred to as position A), and a seed input cup is provided on the upper surface of the cup base 7 along the longitudinal direction. 5 are fixedly installed in a row at equal intervals. The seed input cup 5 is made of a transparent material, and its inner bottom is rounded.

Next, a feeding confirmation sensor 6 is installed near the seed feeding cup 5 toward the inner bottom of the seed feeding cup 5 at position A. When the seed input confirmation sensor 6 confirms the seeds in the seed input cup 5, it operates the air nozzle 2 provided on the seed feeder 1 in response to a command signal, and also operates the cup base 7 installed outside the A position. The cup base 7
The cup base feeder 8 is configured to operate a first cup base feeder 8 that moves the cup in the longitudinal direction (referred to as the X direction).

Next, as shown in FIG.
Outside in the X direction of position A where the cup is supplied with seeds, there is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cup base 7 in the horizontal plane (referred to as the Y direction) and a perpendicular up and down direction (referred to as the Z direction). A seeding loader 12 is installed which is configured to be movable. The seed sowing loader 12 can be moved in the Y direction by a first driving means 12a via a first spiral rod 12b and a first nut member 12c. Further, the seed sowing loader 12 is driven by a second driving means 12d to a second helical rod 12e and a second nut member 12 screwed thereto.
It is generally configured to be able to move in the Z direction via f. In the lower part of the drive mechanism in the Z direction,
The support plate 15 is suspended by the support rod 13 so that the X direction is the longitudinal direction, and the support plate 15 is attached to the support rod 13 by the screw portion 3a at the lower end of the left and right bent portions of the support rod 13 and the nut 15a. Fixed. Also,
A seed sowing nozzle 14 is fixed to the support plate 15.

Next, the configuration of the seed sowing nozzle 14 fixed to the support plate 15 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, circular through holes 15b are provided in the support plate 15 in a row at equal intervals in the X direction (in the illustrated embodiment, there are five holes). They communicate with each other through an airway 15c bored in the side wall in the X direction within the support plate 15. The airway 15
c is opened to the outside at one end surface of the support plate 15, and this opening is connected to a vacuum device 18 via a vacuum valve 17 and an air tube 19.
The air tube 19 is also provided with a vacuum switch 20 on the suction side of the vacuum valve 17 for sending an operation command signal to the seeding loader 12. A recessed step 15d is formed around the entire circumference at the lower end of the through hole 15b, and the base end of the approximately cylindrical seed sowing nozzle 14 is fitted and fixed therein. The seed sowing nozzle 14 includes a generally conical nozzle portion 14b provided with a conduit 14a penetrating in the axial direction at the center, and a generally cylindrical seed cover 14c surrounding the nozzle portion 14b covers the nozzle portion 14b.
The distal end surface of the seed cover 14c and the distal end of the nozzle portion 14b can be adjusted to be approximately at the same height. Further, the seed sowing nozzle 14 is provided with an inclined portion 14d over the entire circumference at the rear end opening of the pipe line 14a. A guide plate 1 is provided at the upper position of the support plate 15.
6 is vertically slidably held between the support rod 13 via a sliding ring 16a, and is slid vertically by a nozzle push rod actuator 21. A circular recess 16b is provided on the lower surface of the guide plate 16 at a position facing the through hole 15b of the support plate 15, and the upper end of a guide cylinder 23 continuously fixed to the nozzle push rod 22 is fitted therein. It is fixed by a fastener 23a such as a bolt. When the guide cylinder 23 is fitted into the through hole 15b and slides up and down, its outer diameter matches the through hole 15 of the support plate 15 so that the sliding surface can be kept airtight from the outside.
The nozzle push rod 22 has an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the conduit 14a of the nozzle portion 14b, and a height thereof is set approximately equal to the length of the through hole 15b. Further, the length is set to be approximately the same as the length of the conduit 14a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, it is called position B, which is to the left of position A in the X direction and directly below the seed sowing loader 12, and is viewed from above in the Y direction with the A position and B position as two corners. Assuming that the other two corners of the rectangle are positioned D and E from the left, the cup base 7 is moved in the order of positions A→B→D→E→A. Press 7 1st to 4th cup base feeder 8, 9, 10,
11 are installed near each position A, B, D, and E, respectively. Next, on the opposite side of position D in the Y direction across position B, a seed planting position C is set, and a seed planting member 24 is provided.

In the above configuration, in order to maintain the amount of seeds in the seed feeder 1 at a constant level, the amount of seeds in the seed feeder 1 is transferred from the automatic seed supply tray 3 to the seed feeder 1 while being monitored by the quantitative sensor 4.
Seeds are automatically supplied to

The seeds arranged in a row on the seed feeder 1 are
The seeds move to the left side of the supply gutter 1c and are introduced into the seed input cup 5 through the supply port 1e. When only one seed is inserted into the seed input cup 5, the input confirmation sensor 6
detects this, issues an operation command signal, and injects air from the air nozzle 2, causing the supply gutter 1c to
The subsequent seed rows advancing towards the supply port 1e are branched into the return gutter 1d to eliminate seeds falling from 1e, and by automatically operating the cup base feeder 8, the cup base 7 is
Move it one cup towards the left. When the movement is completed, the injection of the air nozzle 2 is stopped, and the seeds again advance in the supply gutter 1c and fall from the supply port 1e, and only one seed is thrown into the seed introduction cup 5 on the right side of the seed introduction cup 5. Ru. The seed row branched into the return gutter 1d continues in the return gutter 1d in the branching direction, and returns to the seed feeder 1.
returned to the top.

Next, by repeating the seed feeding operation described above, one seed is fed into each of the seed feeding cups 5 on the cup base 7, and the cup base 7 is moved from the A position by the first cup base feeder 8 in the X direction. It is transferred to the left and set at position B. Then, the seeding loader 12 is automatically operated.
is moved in the Y direction and Z direction, and the seeding nozzle 1
4 is positioned at an appropriate upper position in the seed feeding cup 5, and the vacuum device 18, vacuum valve 17, and vacuum switch 20 are operated automatically, and the seeding nozzle 14 is passed through the air tube 19 and airway 15c. Negative pressure is generated at the opening of the pipe line 14a at the tip to adsorb the seeds in the seed input cup 5. In this case, the position of the guide plate 16 is set so that the guide tube 23 is in airtight contact with the lower part of the peripheral wall and the upper part of the inner periphery of the through hole 15b, as shown in FIG.
The nozzle push rod 22 is connected to the conduit 14a of the nozzle portion 14b.
Needless to say, it is located far away from the

Next, when seeds are attracted to the tips of the various sowing nozzles 14, the sowing loader 12 is automatically operated by a command signal from the vacuum switch 20, and the tips of the sowing nozzles 14 are set on the upper surface of the seed planting member 24 at the seed planting position C. At the same time, the vacuum is released by operating the vacuum valve 17, and the seeds at the tips of the various sowing nozzles 14 are dropped. During the above-mentioned planting, the seed cover 14c of the seed sowing nozzle 14 is set by threading adjustment so that its tip surface is substantially flush with the tip of the nozzle part 14b. This serves to keep the planting surface of the seed planting member 24 on which the seeds are planted flat, and to prevent the seeds from scattering when the seeds are dropped.

Further, with the release of the vacuum, the nozzle push rod actuator 21 is operated to move the nozzle push rod 22 to the pipe line 14a.
By inserting it into the nozzle pipe 14a, it is possible to ensure that the seeds fall, and at the same time, to clean the nozzle pipe 14a.

Empty seed feeding cup 5 at position B
The cup is placed on the cup base 7 and is transferred by the second and third cup base feeders 9 and 10 to the D position and then to the E position, and waits at the E position. When the push plate 8a of the first cup base feeder 8 is retracted and the A position becomes empty, the cup base 7 is set to the A position by the fourth cup base feeder 11.
Seeds are supplied again, and the operations described above are repeated.

[Function and effect of the invention]

As explained above, according to the seed sowing device of the present invention, seeds are put into a plurality of input cups one by one, transferred to a seed sowing loader, and taken out all at once by a seed sowing loader having a plurality of seed sowing nozzles. It is designed to be implanted in a predetermined position. Therefore, according to the present invention, since one seed is taken out from the beginning, it is possible to plant a single seed much more reliably than with a method of adsorbing one seed from a large number of seeds. Furthermore, since there are multiple sets of feeding cups and seed sowing nozzles, the work is efficient.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a seed sowing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section F in FIG. 1. 1... Seed feeder as a seed supply means, 5
...Seed input cup, 6...Insertion confirmation sensor, 7
... Cup base, 8, 9, 10, 11 ... 1st to 4th cup base feeders as transport means,
12... Seed loader, 14... Seed nozzle, 18
...Vacuum device, 22...Nozzle push rod.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Seed supply means for supplying seeds one by one; a plurality of input cups disposed in parallel, into which seeds are input one by one by the seed supply means; and the plurality of input cups. A seed sowing loader equipped with a plurality of seed sowing nozzles that are arranged side by side, each sucking and holding the seeds in the cup, and a driving means that moves the plurality of seed sowing nozzles, each holding the seeds by suction, to a predetermined seed planting position. and a transfer means for circulating and transferring the plurality of input cups between the seed supply means and the seed sowing loader.