System and method for cultivating plant products

The invention concerns a system for cultivating plant products without soil comprising a plurality of shelves for cultivating plant products. The shelves have a reference axis and comprise: a supporting frame, a plurality of cultivation bars which have an approximately rectilinear shape, extend along respective longitudinal axes, and are coupled to the supporting frame so as to be arranged approximately coplanar and alongside one another, and have the respective longitudinal axes parallel to the reference axis and mechanical spacing members, which are interleaved between the adjacent cultivation bars, and are each structured so that the actuation of a mechanical spacing member causes a variation of the distance transverse to the reference axis, between two cultivation bars immediately adjacent to the same member. The invention also concerns a method for cultivating plant products.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102019000022191 filed on Nov. 11, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system for cultivating plant products without soil and to the operating method thereof.

In particular, the present invention relates to cultivation shelves that can be used in a system for cultivating plant products without soil, preferably a vertical structure cultivation system (Vertical Farm System), in which the cultivation shelves are each provided with sowing and growth bars and with spacing members, which are structured to conveniently adjust/vary the transverse distance between the sowing and growth bars on the basis of the required cultivation distance between the plant products grown on the bars themselves.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, soil-less Vertical Farm Systems comprise horizontal cultivation shelves, which are arranged one above the other over several levels (multi-layers, multi-level) and are structured to house the seeds in the sowing step and then to grow the plant products in the cultivation step, after sowing. A cultivation system is described for example in JP H03 127919 A.

In the sowing step, the seeds are arranged on the cultivation shelf at close distances, i.e. at minimum distances, so as to have a maximum sowing density (number of seeds/m2). Following germination, the plant products grow and increase in size, progressively occupying the space that surrounds them. Consequently, to ensure a correct cultivation and to have a certain plant homogeneity on the shelf, it is necessary, during cultivation, to increase the distances between the plant products in order to reduce the density thereof.

For this purpose, the cultivation methods implemented by means of the aforementioned cultivation systems comprise, among the different steps, also the execution of transfer operations, in which the plant products provided in a cultivation shelf, when reaching a pre-established maximum plant size, are divided and transplanted (stably planted) into several shelves so as to be able to increase the mutual distances on each shelf that houses them and, at the same time, to reduce the density thereof on the shelf.

The aforementioned transplant operations, generally referred to as “repatching operations”, are commonly carried out manually and are therefore subject to relatively long execution times, which have a significant impact on the overall production costs. These operations are also disadvantageous since, in addition to increasing the risk of contamination of plant products by operators, they can cause damage, thus determining an increase in waste and therefore in production costs.

The aforementioned drawbacks represent relatively important criticalities in soil-less Vertical Farm Systems given that, among the objectives set by producers who use “vertical farms”, there are on the one hand, the reduction of production costs and on the other, the reduction in the use of pesticides and phytochemicals. The technical problems deriving from the transplant operations described above have not been solved in a satisfactory manner to date in order to fully achieve the objectives set by the producers.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for cultivating plant products without soil, preferably of the vertical structure type, which allows to overcome the aforesaid technical problems.

This object is achieved by the present invention as it relates to a system for cultivating plant products without soil, and to the operating method thereof, as defined in the corresponding attached claims.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached Figures so as to allow a person skilled in the art to make and use it. Various modifications to the embodiments described will be immediately apparent to the persons skilled in the art and the generic principles described can be applied to other embodiments and applications without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the attached claims. Therefore, the present invention should not be considered limited to the embodiments described and illustrated, but should be granted the broadest scope according to the principles and features described and claimed herein.

The present invention is essentially based on the idea of using mechanical spacing members, which are interposed/interleaved between the cultivation bars of a shelf, and are actuated, preferably manually, to mutually space the cultivation bars so as to thus position them at a pre-established distance one from the other.

According to a preferred embodiment shown inFIG.1, number1schematically denotes, as a whole, a system for cultivating plant products without soil. In the Figures and in the following disclosure, reference will be made to a system for cultivating plant products without soil of the Vertical Farm System type without however losing generality. In fact, it is understood that the present invention must not be considered limited to a Vertical Farm System which represents a preferred embodiment, but can also be applied to other types of systems for cultivating plant products without soil, such as, for example, systems provided with a traditional greenhouse that uses natural (solar) lighting, rather than artificial lighting.

According to the preferred exemplary embodiment, the system1can comprise at least one cultivation module2, which internally delimits an artificial cultivation environment for the intensive growth of plant products in controlled environmental conditions. The cultivation module2can comprise, for example, an external cultivation casing/container3, which internally delimits/contains the aforementioned artificial cultivation environment. The external cultivation container3is preferably closed and can have, for example, a conveniently parallelepiped shape which internally delimits the artificial cultivation space/environment.

It is understood that in the following discussion by the term “soil-less” we mean a system that involves the cultivation of plant products without the use of supporting layers/substrates able to support the roots that are formed by soil/topsoil, and/or tissue and/or inorganic granular compounds, or the like.

It is also understood that by the term “artificial cultivation environment” we mean a soil-less or above-ground production area/space (growing area) within which the cultivation method is implemented.

It is also understood that by the term “plant product”, according to the present invention, we preferably mean any plant product for food use, such as, for example, salads, vegetables, plants, aromatic herbs (for example basil, mint), or the like.

However, it is understood that the aforementioned invention is not limited to plant products for food use of the type mentioned above by way of example, but can be applied in addition and/or alternatively for cultivating other types of plant products which (unlike the present invention wherein no type of support layer is used) are generally grown in traditional “with-soil” greenhouses, such as for example flowers, plants or the like.

With reference toFIG.1, the system1further comprises a plurality of cultivation structures4. The cultivation structures4are preferably arranged inside the cultivation container3. The cultivation structures4comprise a plurality of cultivation shelves6on which both the sowing and the cultivation (growth) of the plant products are carried out, and frames5structured to support the cultivation shelves6.

In the preferred embodiment, the cultivation structures4have a vertical structure in which the cultivation shelves6are arranged on the frames5so as to form a plurality of cultivation planes which are arranged on several levels, spaced apart one above the other. A one-level cultivation plane can comprise a series of cultivation shelves6arranged horizontally, alongside one another.

It should be noted that according to an alternative embodiment, the system1can have a structure different from that shown inFIG.1, such as, for example, a horizontal development type structure wherein only one single level is provided (not the multilevel) in which the shelves are coplanar to one another and are preferably arranged alongside one another.

With reference toFIGS.2-7, the shelves6each have a reference axis A and comprise a supporting frame7and a plurality of cultivation rods or bars8arranged on the supporting frame7. The cultivation bars8are provided with seats20designed to house the seeds for cultivating plant products. The cultivation bars8have an approximately rectilinear shape and extend along respective longitudinal axes B.

The cultivation bars8are coupled to the supporting frame7of the shelf6so as to be arranged approximately coplanar and alongside, one with respect to the other, so as to have the respective longitudinal axes B parallel to the reference axis A.

With reference toFIGS.2-7, the shelves6comprise, furthermore, mechanical spacing members9, which are interposed/interleaved between the cultivation bars8, and are each structured so that the actuation thereof causes a variation of the distance between a cultivation bar8and the immediately adjacent cultivation bar8, along a direction R transverse to the reference axis A, and to the longitudinal axes B.

With reference to the example illustrated inFIGS.2and3, the mechanical spacing members9are structured so as to be operated between a first operating condition, in which the mechanical spacing member9arranges the two cultivation bars8connected thereto at a first pre-established distance D1one with respect to the other (by keeping them parallel to the reference axis A) (FIGS.2and5), and a second operating condition in which the two cultivation bars8are arranged at a second pre-established distance D2different from the first distance D1(keeping them parallel to the axis A) (FIGS.3and6).

According to a preferred embodiment shown inFIGS.2-7, the mechanical spacing member9comprises a rectangular bellows-structured sheet10, foldable along a folding line P, which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the bars8and is approximately defined by the intersection of the rectangular sheet10and the (vertical) centre-line plane M thereof.

The folding line P, made on the sheet10, delimits two rectangular side edges10awhich, in the first operating position in which the sheet10is completely folded on itself like a book (FIGS.2,5and13), are arranged approximately parallel to the centre-line plane M and face one another so that the bars8connected to the same are approximately close to one another at the first distance D1.

Starting from the first operating condition (FIGS.2,5and13), the foldable sheet10is opened by spreading the two edges10a. The spreading of the edges10amoves the two bars8connected to the same, moving them away and spacing them one from the other until reaching, at the end of the opening movement of the edges10aof the sheet10, the second distance D2in which the bars8are still parallel one with respect to the other (FIGS.3,6and14).

With reference to the preferred embodiment shown inFIGS.2,4,5and7, the first distance D1between the adjacent bars8can approximately correspond to the overall thickness of the two edges10aset vertically alongside one another. The second distance D2can instead correspond approximately to the width of the extended sheet10, measured transversely to the folding line P (FIGS.6and7).

It is understood that the width of the sheet10, and therefore the second distance D2, depends on the space required around the plant product in the second operating condition and/or on the dimensions of the shelf6which receives the bars8. In other words, the widths of the sheets10can be sized on the basis of the pre-established space required for the growth of the plant product.

According to a possible embodiment, the width of the sheet10can be greater than the width of the bar8measured transversely to the longitudinal axis B. For example, the width of the sheet10can be a multiple of the width of the bar8. Preferably, the spacing members9of a cultivation shelf6can be coupled to the bars8so as to form at least two groups of distinct bars separated from one another (FIG.5).

In other words, a pair of adjacent bars8comprised between the bars8forming the shelf6, for example the two bars8arranged centrally in the shelf6, can be completely separated, i.e. not connected to one another by means of a spacing member9, as shown in the enlarged portion K1inFIG.5.

In this case, each group of bars8can therefore occupy, when the respective mechanical spacing members9are in the first operating position, at least half of the overall width of the shelf6while, when the respective mechanical spacing members9are in the second operating position (open/spread) the group of bars8can occupy the entire width of a shelf6. The Applicant has found that the use of the mechanical spacing members9between the adjacent bars8has the technical effect of allowing the operator to modulate at will the distance between the plant products present on the shelf6, at least between the first and second operating positions, by carrying out a simple and quick manual operation.

With reference to the preferred embodiment shown inFIGS.5and6, the mechanical spacing member9is structured to be coupled in a stable yet easily removable (separable) manner to the two adjacent bars8to be spaced apart/drawn near.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the lateral ends of the edges10a, i.e. the free edges parallel to the folding line P, are shaped so as to be engaged in respective slots8awhich are formed on the (vertical) side walls of the bars8and extend in a rectilinear manner parallel to the axis B. Preferably, the free border of the edge10acan have an enlarged portion which axially engages the slot8aso as to slide in the same along a direction parallel to the axis B.

The slot8acan be shaped so as to prevent the extraction of the same from the enlarged portion of the edge10aalong a direction transverse to the axis B. In other words, the enlarged portion of the edge10acan be manually inserted/fitted into the slot8aand made to progressively slide axially along the same so that the sheet10can reach a longitudinal position in which it is arranged between the two bars8. The enlarged portions of the sheet10and the slots8aare, therefore, shaped and sized to keep the sheet10trapped and thus avoid the extraction thereof along the direction transverse to the axis B.

According to an embodiment shown inFIGS.8-12, the shelves6comprise connection devices11, which are designed to couple the bars8to the supporting frame7in a stable yet removable manner. Preferably, the two opposite distal ends of each bar8can be coupled to the supporting frame7by means of respective connection devices11. Each connection device11is structured so as to be mechanically coupled onto the distal end of the bar8to form a closure plug of the end thereof. The connection device11is also structured so as to be snap-fitted onto the supporting frame7.

In the example illustrated inFIGS.9-12, the connection device11has a coupling portion11ahaving an approximately C-shaped section (FIGS.10and12) to snap-engage on a profile7awhich forms one of the sides of the supporting frame7and is orthogonal to the reference axis A.

The coupling portion11ais furthermore structured so as to prevent the displacement of the bar8along a direction transverse to the reference axis A. In other words, the coupling portion11ais furthermore structured so that it cannot slide along the profile7ato which it is coupled, but remains stably in the position in which the fitting/engaging took place. It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the use of a connection device11provided with a coupling portion11aof the type described above, but according to a variation of an alternative embodiment, the coupling portion11acan be shaped/structured so as to slide along the section7akeeping the respective bar8coupled to the same.

In the example illustrated, the connection device11has, furthermore, a fixing portion11b, preferably opposite to the connection coupling portion11a, which is shaped to connect with one end of the bar8(FIGS.8,9and10) and is designed to close the longitudinal ends of the slots8aso as to pre-vent the extraction of the edges10afrom the bar8. The coupling portion11acan be provided with vertical teeth11cdesigned to be engaged in a locking manner in respective seats8cobtained on the end of the bar8.

The connection coupling portion11aof the other connection device11arranged on the other end of the bar8(FIGS.8,11and12) can instead be provided with seats11ddesigned to receive respective teeth (not shown) present on the end of the bar8, opposite to the end provided with teeth11c. The connection portion11bmay also have a through hole11ecoaxial with a through hole8dobtained on the end of the bar8to house a fixing screw (not illustrated) which fixes the connection portion11bto the bar8itself.

The bars8are preferably manufactured with a polymeric-based material (plastic material) or the like. The mechanical spacing members9are preferably manufactured with a polymeric-based material (plastic material) or the like. The connection devices11are preferably manufactured with a polymeric-based material (plastic material) or the like.

With reference toFIG.1, the cultivation system1can comprise, furthermore: a sensor system1a(partially and schematically illustrated), which is arranged inside the cultivation container2and is configured so as to cause/detect the pre-established cultivation parameters associated with the cultivation process implemented.

According to a possible embodiment, the cultivation parameters measured by the sensor system1a, for example by means of respective sensors, may comprise, for example, one or more of the following parameters: parameters that are indicative of humidity, parameters that are indicative of temperature, parameters that are indicative of carbon dioxide.

The cultivation system1can comprise, furthermore, a fertigation system1b(only schematically and partially illustrated inFIG.1), which is arranged at least partially inside the cultivation container3and is structured to feed, selectively and in a controlled manner in terms of quantity and/or type and/or feeding moments, fertilizer-based substances to cultivated plant products. Preferably, the fertigation system1bcan comprise an aeroponic and/or hydroponic fertigation system provided with respective aeroponic and/or hydroponic devices.

The cultivation system1can comprise, furthermore, a lighting system1c(only schematically and partially illustrated inFIG.2), which is arranged inside the cultivation container3. The lighting system1ccan be configured to illuminate in a controlled manner the cultivation environment according to pre-established lighting parameters.

The pre-established lighting parameters can be indicative of the intensity and/or wavelength of the light. The lighting system1ccan comprise electrical lighting sources, for example, LED lighting sources (not illustrated) or similar electrical sources, arranged at the shelves/trays6, for example above the same, so as to be able to illuminate the growing area below.

As for the bars8, they are each provided with seats20which, according to an embodiment, can be obtained on the upper surface of the bar8and are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis B (FIGS.7,8and13).

According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, the seats20can be formed by recesses or concave niches which have, on the bottom, a through opening22structured to be crossed by, and remain in direct contact with, the roots of the plant product during the growth of the same. Preferably, the seats20are approximately cup-shaped. Preferably, the seats20are arranged approximately equidistant from one another along the axis B.

The internal surface of the seats20which houses the seeds (and the roots) is devoid of, i.e. it is not coated with, any support/gripping layer, and does not contain soil or the like. In use, the seeds (not illustrated) are arranged inside the seats20so as to be supported by, i.e. in direct contact with the internal surface (made of polymeric/plastic material) of said seats20, without any interposition of support/gripping layers. Preferably, the bars8have a substantially parallelepiped shape and a substantially square section transverse to the axis B.

In order to increase the clarity of the operating method of the system1, the use of the spacing members9in a first shelf6will be described in the following disclosure, given that this operation is the same for the remaining shelves6present in the system1.

The first shelf6, in the initial step, can be assembled/formed in the following manner: the mechanical spacing members9are connected to the bars8so that they are each arranged between two adjacent bars8and the connection devices11are coupled to the opposite distal ends of each bar8so as to close them and thus prevent the mechanical spacing members9from slipping out of the slots8a.

Following the completion of the mutual coupling of the mechanical spacing members9and the bars8, the connection devices11are then snap-fitted on the frame7(on the sides). In this step, two groups of independent bars8can be formed in the shelf6in which each group of bars8, when coupled to the frame7, has the mechanical spacing members9in the first operating position (folded) (FIGS.2and5).

The connection devices11of the bars8of the two groups are then coupled to the supporting frame7of the shelf6so that the two groups of bars8are arranged one beside the other, so that the bars8are arranged parallel to the reference axis A and so that the mechanical spacing members9are in the first operating position in which the distance between the bars8is D1.

Once the first shelf6is completed, the sowing step is carried out, during which the seeds are placed in the seats20.

Following the germination of the plant products, the step of transplanting the plant products from the first shelf into second shelves is performed, for example a pair of second shelves6. In this step the operator decouples each of the two groups of bars8from the supporting frame7(decouples the connection devices11from the sides of the frame7) so as to separate them from the first shelf6, mutually spaces the bars8of the group by making the mechanical spacing members9spread apart so as to reach the second distance D2and mechanically couples the connection devices11on the supporting frame7of the second shelf6.

Thanks to the opening movement of the mechanical spacing members9, on the one hand, a space is created in each second shelf around the plant products which allows the continued growth of the same and, on the other hand, a reduction of the density thereof is created.

The advantages of the system described above are as follows: the use of the mechanical spacing members described above makes it possible to simplify the execution of repatching, reduce time and therefore costs and reduce the risk of contamination of plant products.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the vertical cultivation system and to the method described and illustrated above without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention defined by the attached claims.