Patent Publication Number: US-2022210977-A1

Title: Device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the technical field of soilless culture, and in particular to a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Soilless culture is a technology of growing plants with the use of nutritional ingredients required for plant growth and natural light, artificial light or supplementary light. Recently, the soilless culture has been widely applied in large-area culture in greenhouses, plastic houses, plant factories, etc. 
     But in the prior art, a device is horizontally arranged during harvest, so sprouts cut by the device will fall onto a culture plate and have to be manually picked later, thereby wasting a large amount of human and material resources and influencing harvest progress. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of this, it is necessary to provide a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts. Through the rational layout and cooperative operation of all structures, the sprouts cut by the device may fall into a collecting tank instead of falling onto a culture plate, so later treatment procedures are effectively and directly reduced and production progress is increased. 
     In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts. The device includes a bottom supporting frame, a conveying mechanism and a cutting mechanism, where the conveying mechanism is arranged on the bottom supporting frame, the cutting mechanism is arranged on the conveying mechanism, the conveying mechanism moves horizontally, an included angle α is formed between the conveying mechanism and a horizontal plane, and the included angle α is larger than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°. Due to the fact that the conveying mechanism is inclined so the sprouts may incline after being cut by the cutting mechanism, the sprouts may fall down towards a lower end, so that the sprouts are prevented from falling onto a culture plate. 
     Furthermore, the bottom supporting frame includes a supporting plate and a supporting leg fixedly arranged under the supporting plate, a sprout collecting box is arranged beside the supporting leg, and a supporting plate is provided with an avoidance groove. Thus, a whole supporting frame is formed, and the device is stable and firm during operation. 
     Furthermore, the bottom supporting frame is provided with a lifting mechanism, and an output end of the lifting mechanism is fixedly connected to the conveying mechanism. Thus, the conveying mechanism may be controlled and lifted. 
     Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting machine and a control console, the control console is fixedly connected to a bottom of a supporting plate, the lifting machine is fixedly connected to the control console, and an output end of the lifting machine penetrates through an avoidance groove to be fixedly connected to the conveying mechanism. Thus, the conveying mechanism may be controlled and stably lifted up and inclined. 
     Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes a mounting seat, a conveying belt and limiting structures, a lifting rod is arranged under the mounting seat, the lifting rod is arranged on the supporting plate, the mounting seat is fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting machine, the conveying belt is arranged on the mounting seat, the limiting structures are arranged at two sides of the mounting seat, an included angle α is formed between the mounting seat and the supporting plate, and the included angle α is larger than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°. Thus, the culture plate is stably conveyed and positioned at a designated position so as to prevent the culture plate from moving and deviating, and thus avoiding an insignificant effect when an angle is too small and toppling when the angle is too large. 
     Furthermore, the conveying belt on the conveying mechanism is a chain bar conveying belt, the chain bar conveying belt is provided with a plurality of movable connecting seats and a plurality of lifting air cylinders, the supporting leg is provided with a supporting seat, one ends of the plurality of movable connecting seats are arranged on the supporting seat, the plurality of lifting air cylinders are arranged on the supporting seat, output ends of the lifting air cylinders are fixedly connected to the other ends of the movable connecting seats, the lifting air cylinders drive the other ends of the movable connecting seats to ascend or descend, the number of the movable connecting seats is consistent with the number of the lifting air cylinders, and a chain bar on the chain bar conveying belt is provided with a clasp. Thus, the culture plate moving horizontally is gradually changed to an inclined moving state. 
     Furthermore, the cutting mechanism includes a fixed supporting frame and a cutting machine, the fixed supporting frame is arranged on a mounting seat of the conveying mechanism, and the cutting machine is arranged below the fixed supporting frame. Thus, the cutting mechanism may operate more stably. 
     Furthermore, the cutting machine includes a fixed machine shell, a servo motor and a cutter, the fixed machine shell is fixedly connected to a connecting block, the servo motor is arranged on the fixed machine shell, and an output end of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the cutter. Thus, the sprouts are effectively and stably harvested. 
     Furthermore, the sprout collecting box includes a collecting tank and an anti-throw plate, the collecting tank is arranged on the supporting leg, the anti-throw plate is fixedly connected to the collecting tank, and the collecting tank is internally provided with an automatic conveying belt. Thus, the cut sprouts are well collected without manual operation. 
     Compared with the prior art, the technical solution has the following beneficial effects: 
     1. According to the present invention, the lifting mechanism lifts a longer side edge of one end of the conveying mechanism up, such that an included angle is formed between the conveying mechanism and the bottom supporting frame, and the sprouts cut by the cutting mechanism incline to fall down into a sprout collecting box, so that the sprouts are effectively prevented from directly falling onto the culture plate, thus reducing later treatment procedures and increasing production efficiency. 
     2. The present invention is provided with the lifting mechanism, and the control console on the lifting mechanism controls the lifting machine, so that a range of the included angle formed between a conveying device and the bottom supporting frame may be more conveniently controlled, thus avoiding the insignificant effect when the angle is too small and the toppling when the angle is too large. 
     3. The present invention modifies the conveying belt on the conveying mechanism into the chain bar conveying belt, the device is provided with the plurality of movable connecting seats and lifting air cylinders, and then the lifting air cylinders lift movable plates to different levels correspondingly, so that the movable plate is inclined, the conveying belt becomes inclined due to increase in angle from one horizontal end to the other end, the culture plate moving horizontally may change into the inclined moving state, and the culture plate does not need to be placed on the device manually in an inclined mode, thus reducing manual labor pressure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural schematic diagram of a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts; 
         FIG. 2  is a structural schematic diagram of a bottom supporting frame in Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 3  is a structural schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 4  is a structural schematic diagram of a conveying mechanism in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 5  is a structural schematic diagram of a side view of the conveying mechanism in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 6  is a structural schematic diagram of a cutting mechanism in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 7  is a structural schematic diagram of a cutting machine in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 8  is a structural schematic diagram of a sprout collecting box in the Embodiment 1; 
         FIG. 9  is a structural schematic diagram of a conveying mechanism in Embodiment 2; 
         FIG. 10  is a structural schematic diagram of a rear view of the conveying mechanism in the Embodiment 2; and 
         FIG. 11  is a structural schematic diagram of a side view of the conveying mechanism in the Embodiment 2. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1 , bottom supporting frame,  101 , supporting leg,  102 , supporting plate,  103 , avoidance groove,  104 , sprout collecting box,  1041 , collecting tank,  1042 , anti-throw plate,  1043 , automatic conveying belt,  2 , lifting mechanism,  201 , control console,  202 , lifting machine,  3 , conveying mechanism,  301 , mounting seat,  302 , conveying belt,  303 , limiting structure,  304 , lifting rod,  305 , movable connecting seat,  306 , chain bar conveying belt,  307 , supporting seat,  308 , lifting air cylinder,  309 , clasp,  4 , cutting mechanism,  401 , fixed supporting frame,  402 , cutting machine,  4021 , fixed machine shell,  4022 , servo motor, and  4023 , cutter. 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     In order to describe the technical contents, structural features, achieved objectives and effects of the technical solution in detail, the following detailed description will be given in conjunction with specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
     Example 1 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-8 , a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts of the present invention includes a bottom supporting frame  1 , a conveying mechanism  3  and a cutting mechanism  4 , where the conveying mechanism  3  is arranged on the bottom supporting frame  1 , the cutting mechanism  4  is arranged on the conveying mechanism  3 , the conveying mechanism  3  moves horizontally, an included angle α is formed between the conveying mechanism  3  and a horizontal plane, and the included angle α is larger than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°. The bottom supporting frame  1  includes a supporting plate  102  and a supporting leg  101  fixedly arranged under the supporting plate, a sprout collecting box is arranged beside the supporting leg  101 , the four supporting legs  101  are vertically and symmetrically arranged, the sprout collecting box  104  is arranged at a long side of the supporting leg  101 , a face at a long side of the sprout collecting box  104  abuts against the long side of the supporting leg  101 , a length of the sprout collecting box  104  is consistent with that of the long side of the supporting leg  101 , the sprout collecting box  104  includes a collecting tank  1041  and an anti-throw plate  1042 , a face at a long side of the collecting tank  1041  abuts against the long side of the supporting leg  101 , a lower end of the anti-throw plate  1042  is fixedly connected to an upper end of the collecting tank  1041 , the anti-throw plate  1042  is provided with three faces and an opening facing the supporting leg  101 , the collecting tank  1041  is internally provided with an automatic conveying belt  1043 , and the automatic conveying belt  1043  is used to convey out and package the sprouts in the collecting tank  1041 . The four supporting legs  101  are vertically and fixedly connected to four corners of a supporting plate  102  correspondingly, the supporting plate  102  is provided with an avoidance groove  103 , and the avoidance groove  103  in the supporting plate  102  is used to erect an output end of a lifting mechanism  2 . 
     In the example, the lifting mechanism  2  includes a lifting machine  202  and a control console  201 , the control console  201  is fixedly connected to a bottom of the supporting plate  102 , an upper end of the control console  201  is fixedly connected to a lower portion of one end, without the avoidance groove  103 , of the supporting plate  102 , a side face of the lifting machine  202  is fixedly connected to a side face of the control console  201 , and an output end of the lifting machine  202  penetrates through the avoidance groove  103  to be fixedly connected to the conveying mechanism  3 . Specifically, the conveying mechanism  3  includes a mounting seat  301 , a conveying belt  302  and limiting structures  303 , a lifting rod  304  is arranged under the mounting seat  301 , the lifting rod  304  is fixedly mounted at a lower end at a long side of the mounting seat  301 , a lower end of the lifting rod  304  is fixedly mounted at a long side, symmetrical to the avoidance groove  103 , of the supporting plate  102 , it is ensured that the other end is stable and not inclined while one end ascends, the other end of the mounting seat  301  is fixedly connected to the output end of the lifting machine  202 , the lifting machine  202  is symmetrical to the lifting rod  304 , the conveying belt  302  is arranged on the mounting seat  301 , the conveying belt  302  is integrally embedded in the mounting seat  301 , the limiting structures  303  are symmetrically arranged at long sides of the mounting seat  301 , the mounting seat  301  forms an included angle with the supporting plate  102  when being lifted by the lifting machine  202 , that is, the included angle α is formed between a short side of the mounting seat  301  and a short side, intersecting with the short side of the mounting seat, of the supporting plate  102 , and the a is larger than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°. 
     In the example, the cutting mechanism  4  includes a fixed supporting frame  401  and a cutting machine  402 , the fixed supporting frame  401  is arranged on the mounting seat  301  of the conveying mechanism  3 , four supporting legs of the fixed supporting frame  401  are symmetrically and fixedly mounted at the long side of the mounting seat  301 , the cutting machine  402  is arranged below the fixed supporting frame  401 , specifically, the cutting machine  402  includes a fixed machine shell  4021 , a servo motor  4022  and a cutter  4023 , an upper end of the fixed machine shell  4021  is fixedly connected to a lower end of a connecting block  4014 , the servo motor  4022  is fixedly mounted at a side face of the fixed machine shell  4021 , the cutter  4023  is mounted at the other side, symmetrical to the servo motor  4022 , of the fixed supporting frame  4021 , an output end of the servo motor  4022  is fixedly connected to a side end of the cutter  4023 , and then the servo motor  4022  drives the cutter  4023  to conduct cutting. 
     In specific operation, an inclination angle required for the conveying mechanism  3  is controlled by means of the lifting mechanism  2 , a culture plate to be subjected to harvest is conveyed to a position below the cutting mechanism by means of the conveying mechanism  3 , then the limiting structures  303  fix the culture plate, the sprouts on the culture plate are cut, and then the culture plate is conveyed to a next procedure. Specifically, the control console  201  on the lifting mechanism  2  controls the lifting machine  202 , the output end of the lifting machine  202  drives one end of the mounting seat  301  on the conveying mechanism  3  to ascend, then the mounting seat  301  drives the conveying belt  302  and the cutting mechanism  4  to incline together, and meanwhile, the lifting rod  304  under the other end of the mounting seat  301  may also ascend according to a lifting condition, so that the mounting seat  301  is stable and firm. The conveying belt  302  on the conveying mechanism  3  conveys the culture plate to be subjected to harvest to the position below the cutting mechanism  4 , and the limiting structures  303  fix the culture plate, so that the servo motor  4022  on the cutting mechanism  4  drives the cutter  4023  to cut the sprouts on the culture plate. The cut sprouts may fall downwards due to an inclined state of the conveying mechanism  3 , so that the sprouts fall into the collecting tank  1041  on the sprout collecting box  104 . The anti-throw plate  1042  may effectively prevent some sprouts from being accidentally thrown out during operation. In conclusion, the sprouts cut by the device may fall into the collecting tank  1041  but may not directly fall onto the culture plate, so that later manual treatment procedures are effectively and directly reduced, human and material resources are reduced, and production progress is accelerated. 
     Example 2 
     With reference to  FIGS. 9-11 , a device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts of the present invention includes a bottom supporting frame  1 , a lifting mechanism  2 , a conveying mechanism  3  and a cutting mechanism  4 , where the lifting mechanism  2  includes the bottom supporting frame  1 , the conveying mechanism  3  and the cutting mechanism  4 , the conveying mechanism  3  is arranged on the bottom supporting frame  1 , the cutting mechanism  4  is arranged on the conveying mechanism  3 , the conveying mechanism  3  moves horizontally, an included angle α is formed between the conveying mechanism  3  and a horizontal plane, and the included angle α is larger than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°. The bottom supporting frame  1  includes a supporting plate  102  and a supporting leg  101  fixedly arranged under the supporting plate, a sprout collecting box is arranged beside the supporting leg  101 , the four supporting legs  101  are vertically and symmetrically arranged, the sprout collecting box  104  is arranged at a long side of the supporting leg  101 , a face at a long side of the sprout collecting box  104  abuts against the long side of the supporting leg  101 , a length of the sprout collecting box  104  is consistent with that of the long side of the supporting leg  101 , the sprout collecting box  104  includes a collecting tank  1041  and an anti-throw plate  1042 , a face at a long side of the collecting tank  1041  abuts against the long side of the supporting leg  101 , a lower end of the anti-throw plate  1042  is fixedly connected to an upper end of the collecting tank  1041 , the anti-throw plate  1042  is provided with three faces and an opening facing the supporting leg  101 , the collecting tank  1041  is internally provided with an automatic conveying belt  1043 , and the automatic conveying belt  1043  is used to convey out and package the sprouts in the collecting tank  1041 . The four supporting legs  101  are vertically and fixedly connected to four corners of a supporting plate  102  correspondingly, the supporting plate  102  is provided with an avoidance groove  103 , and the avoidance groove  103  in the supporting plate  102  is used to erect an output end of a lifting mechanism  2 . 
     In the example, the lifting mechanism  2  includes a lifting machine  202  and a control console  201 , the control console  201  is fixedly connected to a bottom of the supporting plate  102 , an upper end of the control console  201  is fixedly connected to a lower portion of one end, without the avoidance groove  103 , of the supporting plate  102 , a side face of the lifting machine  202  is fixedly connected to a side face of the control console  201 , and an output end of the lifting machine  202  penetrates through the avoidance groove  103  to be fixedly connected to the conveying mechanism  3 . Specifically, the conveying belt  302  on the conveying mechanism  3  is a chain bar conveying belt  306 , the chain bar conveying belt  306  is provided with a plurality of movable connecting seats  305  and a plurality of lifting air cylinders  308 , the supporting leg  101  is provided with a supporting seat  307 , one ends of the plurality of movable connecting seats  305  are arranged on the supporting seat  307 , the plurality of lifting air cylinders  308  are arranged on the supporting seat  307 , output ends of the lifting air cylinders  308  and the output end of the lifting machine  202  are located at the same side, the output ends of the lifting air cylinders  308  are fixedly connected to the other ends of the movable connecting seats  305 , and the lifting air cylinders  308  drive the other ends of the movable connecting seats to ascend or descend so as to drive one end of the chain bar conveying belt  302  to ascend or descend. Through cooperation of the plurality of lifting air cylinders  308  and the plurality of movable connecting seats  305 , angles of the movable connecting seats are gradually increased, the angle ranges from 30° to 90°. The number of the movable connecting seats  305  is consistent with the number of the lifting air cylinders  308 . A chain bar on the chain bar conveying belt  306  is provided with a clasp  309 , the clasps  309  sleeve two symmetrical ends of the chain bar, and the clasp  309  is used to prevent the culture plate from moving back. 
     During actual use, the lifting mechanism  2  lifts one end of the chain bar conveying belt  306  to a certain level, heights are increased from a horizontal end to one end lifted by the lifting mechanism  2  by a certain angle by means of the lifting air cylinder  308 , the movable connecting seat  305  is driven to ascend, and then an inclination angle of the movable connecting seat  305  is consistent with that of a part close to the end lifted by the lifting mechanism  2 , so that a horizontal state is gradually changed to an inclined state. The clasp  309  is used to prevent the culture plate from moving back, so the culture plate does not need to be manually placed on the device in an inclined mode, thus reducing manual labor pressure. 
     The beneficial effects of the Example 2 are further highlighted by selecting different angles of the device for automatically harvesting sprouts in the example for harvesting sprouts with different heights and counting corresponding falling ratios of the sprouts in a harvest process under conditions of the different selected heights of the device and the different heights of the sprouts below. 
     In the comparative statistical example, four sprouts with different heights 12 cm, 14 cm, 16 cm and 18 cm are selected for harvest, an angle of the device for automatically harvesting sprouts is adjusted for the sprout with each height, and six different harvest angles 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 80° and 90° are selected. The device suitable for automatically harvesting soilless culture sprouts in the Example 2 and a harvest mode used by the same are used to conduct harvest tests, and detailed results are as shown in the following table: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Sprout height (cm) 
                 Inclination angle (°) 
                 Falling ratio (%) 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 12 
                 30 
                 60.5 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 73.6 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 94.7 
               
               
                   
                 75 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 80 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 90 
                 100 
               
               
                 14 
                 30 
                 66.5 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 85.6 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 96 
               
               
                   
                 75 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 80 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 90 
                 100 
               
               
                 16 
                 30 
                 58.9 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 88 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 75 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 80 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 90 
                 100 
               
               
                 18 
                 30 
                 66.6 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 91.1 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 75 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 80 
                 100 
               
               
                   
                 90 
                 100 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Note: the falling ratio is a ratio of sprouts falling from a sprout culture plate to harvested sprouts; and when the inclination angle is 80°-90° and sprouts are harvested when having large heights such as 16 cm and 18 cm, sprouts at a side may bend, so harvest and cutting cannot be completed thoroughly, and a harvest ratio may be reduced. 
       Falling ratio (%)=falling mass g/(mass before harvest (including the sprout culture plate)−mass after harvest (including the sprout culture plate)) g.
 
     From the above statistical data, is may be seen that the higher sprout height and inclination angle of the device for harvest result in the higher falling ratio, which further shows the beneficial effects of the device for harvesting sprouts of the example, that is, the device can adjust the angle in a wide range so as to be suitable for the harvest of the sprouts with the different heights, and can effectively improve harvest efficiency of the sprouts through free adjustment of various angles. 
     It should be noted that relational terms herein such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relation or order between such entities or operations. Moreover, the terms “include”, “comprise” or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or terminal device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes those elements that are not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to this process, method, article or terminal device. Without more restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence “including a . . . ” or “comprising a . . . ” do not exclude the existence of other elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device including the elements. In addition, herein, “larger than”, “less than”, “exceeding”, etc. are understood as excluding the number; “above”, “below”, “within”, etc. are understood as including the number. 
     Although the above examples have been described, once the basic inventive concepts are known to those skilled in the art, additional changes and modifications may be made to these examples, so the foregoing is merely examples of the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the patent of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process change made by using the description and the accompanying drawings of the present invention and applied to other related technical fields directly or indirectly shall still fall within the scope of protection of the patent of the present invention.