JPH11113418A - Cultivation bed apparatus and plant cultivation apparatus using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cultivation bed apparatus enabling the easy installation and the easy layout-change or the like of the apparatus, and enabling the reduction of production cost, for a plant cultivation apparatus controlling the temperature in the rhizosphere zone of a plant, and also provide a plant cultivation apparatus using the cultivation bed apparatus. SOLUTION: This plant cultivation apparatus 6 comprises a cultivation bed part 12 which has an upper groove 16 with an upper-side opening formed in a roughly rectangular heat-insulating material in the longitudinal direction, a lower groove 17 having a width smaller than that of the upper groove 16 and formed on the lower surface of the upper groove 16 in the longitudinal direction, and engaging grooves 15 extending in the longitudinal direction formed on the lower side of the heat-insulating material, and a stand 13 having plural parallel piping members 14 which are engaged with the engaging grooves 15 and support the cultivation bed part 12 from downside.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cultivation bed apparatus for cultivating a plant by controlling the temperature of a rhizosphere of the plant and a plant cultivation apparatus using the cultivation bed apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a plant cultivation apparatus for controlling the temperature of a rhizosphere of a plant is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-71432.

In this plant cultivation apparatus for controlling the temperature of the rhizosphere of a plant, it has been proposed to efficiently use cold energy for controlling the temperature of the rhizosphere of the plant.

[0004]

The plant cultivation apparatus disclosed in the above publication uses energy efficiently, but the plant cultivation apparatus is a fixed facility, and the installation of the facility and the installation of the facility are difficult. The layout is complicated, so that the layout can be changed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and facilitates installation of equipment and layout change of equipment in a plant cultivation apparatus for controlling the temperature of a rhizosphere of a plant, thereby producing cultivated plants. It is an object to provide a cultivation bed device capable of reducing costs and a plant cultivation device using the cultivation bed device.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, an invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a substantially rectangular heat insulating material is formed with an upper groove opened upward along the longitudinal direction thereof. A lower groove having a groove width smaller than the groove width of the upper groove is formed on the bottom surface of the upper groove along the longitudinal direction, and an engaging groove extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on a lower surface of the heat insulating material. A cultivation bed device comprising: a cultivation bed portion; and a gantry having a plurality of parallelly disposed pipe members that engage with the engagement grooves and support the cultivation bed portion from below. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cultivation bed device according to the first aspect, the cultivation bed portion includes a plurality of cultivation beds, and a connection means is provided on the longitudinal end surface of the cultivation bed. A cultivation bed device wherein the adjacent cultivation beds are connected to each other by the connection means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cultivation bed apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a culture medium storage section mounted on the upper groove, an air conditioning duct disposed in the lower groove, An air conditioner connected to one end side, and the other end side of the air conditioning duct is closed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the plant cultivating apparatus according to the third aspect, a plurality of the cultivation bed devices are provided in parallel, and one end of the air conditioning duct provided in each cultivation bed device is provided. The plant cultivation apparatus is characterized in that it is connected to the air conditioner and connected to each other, and the other end sides of the air conditioning duct are closed to each other.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 indicates a vinyl house,
In the greenhouse 1, a plant cultivation device 2 is installed. The plant cultivation apparatus 2 includes an air conditioner 3, a main duct 4 and a branch duct 5 as air conditioning ducts, and a cultivation bed apparatus 6.
, A nutrient solution supply device 7, a nutrient solution supply line 8, and a drainage line 9.

A plurality of cultivation bed units 6 are provided in parallel on both sides of the main duct 4. Each cultivation bed device 6 is provided with a branch duct 5 branched from the main duct 4 and a medium storage unit 11 that stores a medium 10 described below. Cultivation bed device 6
Will be described in detail later.

The air conditioner 3 is capable of performing cooling and heating operations and has an air blowing function. The temperature-controlled air sent from the air conditioner 3 is installed in each cultivation bed device 6 through the main duct 4 and the branch duct 5. The medium is guided to the culture medium 10 in the culture medium storage unit 11. The air conditioner 3 is appropriately operated in response to a signal from a temperature sensor (not shown) embedded in the culture medium 10 of each culture medium storage unit 11 so that the culture medium 10 is maintained in a predetermined temperature range. .

The nutrient solution supply device 7 supplies a nutrient solution to the culture medium 10 in each medium storage unit 11. A predetermined amount of the nutrient solution is discharged from the nutrient solution supply device 7 in a timely manner. The nutrient solution is sprinkled on the culture medium 10 through the nutrient solution supply line 8 and given to the cultivated plant P planted in the culture medium 10.

The cultivation bed device 6 includes, as shown in FIG.
The cultivation bed unit 12 is provided on a gantry 13. The pedestal 13 assembled by the pipe members has two parallelly disposed pipe members 14 and 14 extending in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface.
The cultivation bed portion 12 is supported from below by engaging the pipe members 14, 14 with the engagement grooves 15, 15 provided on the lower surface of the cultivation bed portion 12, respectively. The height of the gantry 13 is adjusted so that the cultivation bed 12 placed on the pipe members 14 is maintained at a height at which it is easy to work.

The cultivation bed section 12 is constituted by connecting a plurality of cultivation beds 12a shown in FIG. In the cultivation bed 12a, an upper groove 16a which is opened upward along a direction A which is a longitudinal direction thereof is formed in a substantially rectangular styrene foam material as a heat insulating material, and a groove of the upper groove 16a is formed on a bottom surface of the upper groove 16a. A lower groove 17a having a groove width smaller than the width is formed along the A direction. On the lower surface of the cultivation bed 12a, engagement grooves 15a, 15a are formed along the A direction. Further, a connecting projection 19 as a connecting means is provided on one end face 18 in the direction A of the cultivation bed 12a,
Are provided with connection recesses 21 as connection means, respectively. The connection protrusion 19 of the cultivation bed 12a is fitted with the connection recess 21 of the adjacent cultivation bed 12a.
The cultivation bed portion 12 is formed integrally with the cultivation bed 12a by fitting the connection concave portion 21 of 2a with the connection protrusion 19 of the adjacent cultivation bed 12a. Further, since the cross-sectional shape of the cultivation bed 12a is uniform along the direction A, the cross-sectional shape of the cultivation bed 12 is also uniform along the longitudinal direction, and the engaging groove 15 of the cultivation bed 12a is formed.
a, the cultivation bed 12 adjacent to the upper groove 16a and the lower groove 17a
a of the cultivation bed portion 12 by being continuous with the engagement groove 15a, the upper groove 16a, and the lower groove 17a.
5, an upper groove 16 and a lower groove 17 are respectively formed. Both ends of the upper groove 16 and the lower groove 17 are, as shown in FIG.
The cultivation bed 12 is closed by styrofoam end plates 22 provided at both ends.

The upper groove 16 and the lower groove 1 of the cultivation bed 12
7 is covered with a policy 23 as shown in FIG. 2, the medium accommodating section 11 is installed in the upper groove 16 via the policy 23, and the branch duct 5 is arranged in the lower groove 17. I have. For example, a polyethylene sheet is used as the policyt 23, and the edge of the policyt 23 is fixed to an appropriate position of the cultivation bed unit 12 by an adhesive tape (not shown).

The medium containing section 11 is provided with a nonwoven fabric 2
7, the granular cotton lock 28 and the culture medium 10 are stacked, and the side surfaces of the granular cotton lock 28 and the culture medium 10 are wrapped by a nonwoven fabric 27, and the upper surface thereof is covered with a Tyvek sheet 25 for shielding light. In addition, granular cotton lock 2
No. 8 is formed by gathering stones processed in a linear shape into granules so as to form gaps, and laying a large number of them.

The perforated plate 26 is formed in a wave shape as shown in FIG. 5, and the strength is increased and the surface area is increased as compared with the flat plate. The perforated plate 26 is provided with a large number of through-holes 29, and the bottom surface of the medium storage unit 11 is provided with sufficient air permeability by the through-holes 29. As will be described later, air whose temperature is controlled is blown out from the branch duct 5 toward the culture medium storage unit 11.
Pass through and escape to the atmosphere. At this time, the culture medium 10 is heated or cooled by the temperature-controlled air, so that the rhizosphere of the cultivated plant P is maintained in a predetermined temperature range.

As shown in FIG. 4, the branch duct 5 includes a branch duct main body 30, a connecting member 31 for connecting one end of the branch duct main body 30 to the main duct 4, and a branch duct main body 30.
And a cap member 32 that closes the other end. On the other hand, the main duct 4 includes a main duct main body 33 provided underground, and a connection duct 34 extending vertically upward from the main duct main body 33 at predetermined intervals along the extending direction of the main duct main body 33. The connection duct 34 is connected to the connection member 31, and the temperature-controlled air sent from the air conditioner 3 is guided to the branch duct 5.

A spout 35 is provided at the upper part of the branch duct body 30 toward the culture medium accommodating portion 11 located above the branch duct main body 30. As described above, the temperature-controlled air is sent into the branch duct main body 30 from the connection member 31 side, but the opposite side is closed by the cap member 32, so that the static pressure P1 in the branch duct 5 is reduced. It is kept almost uniform. In the embodiment of the present invention, the differential pressure P2 between the static pressure P1 and the atmospheric pressure P0 in the branch duct 5 is set to satisfy the following relationship, and the temperature-controlled air sent into the branch duct body 30 is controlled. Spouts from the spout 35.

Differential pressure P2 = Static pressure P1−Atmospheric pressure P0 Differential pressure P2> 0 This differential pressure P2 has an optimal value according to the air permeability of the culture medium 10. When the differential pressure P2 is large, the pressure from the jet port 35 is increased. The efficiency of the heat exchange performed by the ejected air passing through the culture medium 10 decreases, and when the differential pressure P2 is small, the heating effect or the cooling effect of the culture medium 10 performed by the air ejected from the ejection port 35 is not sufficient. Here, by controlling the operation of the air conditioner 3 so that the value of P2 becomes the optimum value, it is possible to prevent both a reduction in the efficiency of heat exchange and a sufficient heating effect or cooling effect. Moreover, it is preferable that the air conditioner 3 is operated using midnight power.

The drainage line 9 is provided on the perforated plate 26 without water or nutrient solution supplied to the culture medium 10 being absorbed by the cultivated plant P.
When it flows down from the through hole 29 to the policyt 23 covering the lower groove 17, it is provided to discharge this to the outside of the plant cultivation apparatus 2. The drainage line 9 is formed at the bottom surface of the lower groove 17 near the cap member 32 by passing the policyt 23 through the drainage port 36, and is connected to the drainage port 36 and extends to the outside of the plant cultivation apparatus 2. It is constituted by a drain pipe 37.

According to the plant cultivation apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the gantry 13 can be manufactured by combining inexpensive pipe-shaped steel members which are mass-produced and marketed. Is achieved.

Further, since the cultivation bed section 12 can be installed simply by placing a plurality of cultivation beds 12a on the pipe members 14 in sequence, it is easy to change the layout of the equipment due to the installation of the equipment and the change of the cultivation area. When the medium storage unit 11 is installed on a styrofoam cultivation bed, for example, when the cultivation bed is merely mounted on the gantry, there is a concern that the light-weight cultivation bed generally shifts from a predetermined position on the gantry. However, the cultivation bed portion 12 has an engagement groove 1 on its lower surface.
5 and 15 are provided and engaged with and supported by the pipe members 14, 14, so that there is little possibility that these will deviate from a predetermined position of the gantry 13, and the installation workability is improved.

Further, by combining these effects, the production cost of the cultivated plant P can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the cultivation bed 12a is made of styrene foam. However, the cultivation bed 12a may be formed by using high-density urethane foam or other various synthetic resin foams. .

The cultivation bed device 6 is configured such that the pipe members 14, 14 on which the above-described cultivation bed portion 12 is placed constitute a part of the gantry 13. The cultivation bed unit 12 may be configured such that the cultivation bed unit 12 is placed directly on the ground and used as a stand, and the cultivation bed unit 12 is placed thereon.

In order to reduce the cost, the medium storage unit 11
Has a structure in which the medium 10 is accommodated by laying the nonwoven fabric 27 on the perforated plate 26, but a medium such as a container may be used to accommodate the medium in the container, which may be used as the medium accommodating portion.

In the plant cultivation apparatus 2, the branch duct 5
Is closed by a cap member 32,
As shown in FIG. 6, one end 3 of the branch duct 5 of each cultivation bed device 6 is formed by using a communication pipe 38 instead of the cap member.
9 may be closed by communicating with each other. In this case, the static pressure P1 in each branch duct 5 is made more uniform.

It is needless to say that various types such as peat moose, ceramic medium, sand, gravel, and coconut hulls may be used in place of the granular cotton rock 28 according to the type of the cultivated plant P.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a gantry can be manufactured by combining inexpensive pipe-shaped steel members which are mass-produced and marketed. Cost reduction is achieved. Further, since the cultivation bed portion of the present invention is provided with an engagement groove on the lower surface thereof and is engaged with and supported by the pipe member, the cultivation bed portion is less likely to be displaced from a predetermined position of the gantry, and the installation workability is good.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cultivation bed section can be installed simply by sequentially placing a plurality of cultivation beds on the pipe member. Therefore, it is easy to change the layout of the equipment due to the installation of the equipment and the change of the cultivation area. It is.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plant cultivation apparatus is configured using the cultivation bed apparatus according to the first or second aspect, so that the equipment can be reduced in cost.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the static pressure of the temperature-controlled air sent from the air conditioner is substantially uniform at each point in the branch duct, and the difference between the static pressure and the atmospheric pressure is applied to the culture medium. By operating the air conditioner so as to have a corresponding value, the medium can be efficiently heated or cooled.

Furthermore, by combining these effects, the production cost of cultivated plants can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall outline of a plant cultivation apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

3A and 3B show a cultivation bed according to an embodiment, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the plant cultivation apparatus in a state where the medium storage unit is not installed.

5A and 5B show a perforated plate according to the embodiment, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a side view as viewed from a direction C.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a case where one ends of branch ducts of the plant cultivation apparatus are connected and closed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 6 cultivation bed device 12 cultivation bed part 13 gantry 14 pipe member 15 engagement groove 16 upper groove 17 lower groove

Claims (4)

[Claims] An upper groove which is open upward along a longitudinal direction of the heat insulating material having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a lower groove having a groove width smaller than a groove width of the upper groove is formed on a bottom surface of the upper groove. A cultivation bed portion formed along the longitudinal direction and having an engaging groove extending in the longitudinal direction formed on the lower surface of the heat insulating material, and engaging the engaging groove with the cultivating bed portion from below. A cultivation bed device comprising: a support having a plurality of supporting pipe members arranged in parallel. 2. The cultivation bed section comprises a plurality of cultivation beds, and a connecting means is provided on the longitudinal end surface of the cultivation bed, and the adjacent cultivation beds are connected to each other by the connecting means. The cultivation bed device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The cultivation bed device according to claim 1 or 2,
A medium storage unit placed in the upper groove, an air conditioning duct arranged in the lower groove, and an air conditioner connected to one end of the air conditioning duct, the other end of the air conditioning duct is closed A plant cultivation apparatus characterized in that: 4. A plurality of said cultivation bed devices are installed in parallel, one ends of said air conditioning ducts arranged in each cultivation bed device are connected to each other and connected to said air conditioner, and said air conditioning duct is provided. The plant cultivation device according to claim 3, wherein the other end of the plant cultivation is closed.