Patent Publication Number: US-2021185949-A1

Title: Plant cultivating apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0169743, entitled “PLANT CULTIVATING APPARATUS” and filed on Dec. 18, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a plant cultivating apparatus, and, more particularly, to a plant cultivating apparatus configured not to generate green algae inside the plant cultivating apparatus while helping germination of plants. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In cities, buildings are very dense. Accordingly, there are not enough places to cultivate plants in cities. 
     In addition, in cities, apartment-type residential culture has been established, and thus the number of houses with yards or vegetable gardens is very small. 
     On the other hand, due to problems of fine dust or environmental pollution, interest in cultivating plants used as food materials at home has been increasing in recent years. 
     Accordingly, even in houses that do not have yards or vegetable gardens, there is an increasing demand for pots or apparatuses capable of cultivating the plants inside residential spaces. 
     Pots are not suitable for cultivating plants that are sensitive to temperature or humidity. 
     Plant cultivating apparatuses may set environmental factors such as temperature or humidity required for a specific plant. Accordingly, when the plant cultivating apparatus is used, it becomes possible to germinate and cultivate desired plants, even indoors. 
     Usually, in order for seeds to germinate, various environmental factors have to be set appropriately. To this end, existing plant cultivating apparatuses were able to precisely control humidity and temperature in order to germinate the seeds. In addition, a cover was used not only to cover and protect the seeds but also to maintain over-humidity, until the seeds germinate. 
     However, such a cover helps to germinate the seeds, but also promotes the occurrence of green algae. As a result, the existing plant cultivating apparatuses have a disadvantage in that green algae are generated therein. 
     In this regard, in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2019-0132786 (published on Nov. 29, 2019; hereinafter referred to as “related art”), disclosed is a plant cultivating apparatus. In the related art, a space in which plants may be cultivated is formed inside the plant cultivating apparatus. Further, in the related art, disclosed is a structure in which ventilation is smoothly performed. 
     However, when a ventilation facility provided in the plant cultivating apparatus is operated, germination of seeds may be impeded. This is because when ventilation is performed, an environment required for the germination of the seeds cannot be maintained. As a result, since an inner space of the plant cultivating apparatus has to be maintained in a high-temperature and over-humid state so as to germinate the seeds, green algae are likely to occur in the inner space of the plant cultivating apparatus. 
     The above-described related art is technical information that the inventors have held for the derivation of the present disclosure or that the inventors acquired in the process of deriving the present disclosure. Thus, the above-described related art cannot be regarded as known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the present application. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to addressing a disadvantage in the art in which seeds are covered with a separate protective cover so as to germinate the seeds. 
     The present disclosure is further directed to addressing a disadvantage in the art in which when a protective cover is not removed at the right time, green algae occur in a place where plants grow. 
     The present disclosure is still further directed to addressing a disadvantage in the art in which nutrients required for the growth of plants have to be supplied separately. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the contents mentioned above, and other contents not mentioned may be understood by the following description. 
     Particular implementations of the present disclosure provide a plant cultivating apparatus that includes a main body, at least one shelf, and a cultivation container. The main body may define a cultivation space and include a door configured to open or close the cultivation space. The at least one shelf may be disposed at the cultivation space. The cultivation container may be supported on the at least one shelf and configured to receive water from or discharge water to the at least one shelf. The cultivation container is configured to contain a medium. The cultivation container may include a water flow guide and a wick. The water flow guide may protrude downward from a bottom surface of the cultivation container. A lower end of the water flow guide may define an opening. The wick may be received in the water flow guide and configured to absorb water introduced through the opening of the lower end of the water flow guide. The wick may be configured to deliver the water supplied from the at least one shelf to the medium at the cultivation container. 
     In some implementations, the apparatus can optionally include one or more of the following features. The wick includes a nutrient solution that includes nutrients for growth of plants in water. The medium may include a first medium that is contained in the cultivation container, a sowing part that covers a top surface of the first medium and is configured to allow seeds of plants to be planted, and a second medium that covers a top surface of the sowing part. Sizes of particles in the second medium may be smaller than sizes of particles in the first medium. The wick may extend from the lower end of the water flow guide to the second medium below a top surface of the second medium. An upper end of the wick may be located in the second medium. The wick may include a shield that surrounds a portion of an outer circumference of the wick and that is impervious to water. The portion of the outer circumference of the wick may contact the first medium and the sowing part. The second medium may be thinner than the sowing part in the cultivation container. The main body may include a humidity sensor that is disposed at the main body and configured to measure humidity in the cultivation space of the main body. The main body may include a humidity controller that is configured to control humidity in the main body. The at least one shelf may include a temperature controller configured to control temperature in the cultivation container loaded on the shelf The at least one shelf may include a plurality of shelves that are spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction. 
     Particular implementations of the present disclosure provide a plant cultivating apparatus that may include a main body and a cultivation container. The main body may define a cultivation space and be configured to control temperature and humidity in the cultivation space. The cultivation container may be accommodated in the main body. The cultivation container may include a first medium that is disposed inside the cultivation container, a sowing part that covers a top surface of the first medium and is thinner than the first medium, and a second medium that covers a top surface of the sowing part and is thinner than the sowing part. 
     In some implementations, the apparatus can optionally include one or more of the following features. Sizes of particles in the second medium may be smaller than sizes of particles in the first medium. The plant cultivating apparatus may include a wick that is disposed in the cultivation container and configured to absorb water. The wick may extend from the first medium to the second medium below a top surface of the second medium. An upper end of the wick may be located in the second medium. The wick may include a shield that surrounds a portion of an outer circumference of the wick and may be impervious to water. The portion of the outer circumference of the wick may contact the first medium and the sowing part. The main body may include a humidity sensor that is disposed at the main body and configured to measure humidity in the cultivation space of the main body. The main body may include a humidity controller that is configured to control humidity in the main body. The wick may include a nutrient solution that includes nutrients for growth of plants in water. The plant cultivating apparatus may include a temperature controller configured to control temperature in the cultivation container. 
     A plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a main body, a shelf, and a cultivation container. The cultivation container has a medium formed therein and is supplied with water from the shelf 
     Specifically, the main body has a cultivation space of a predetermined size formed therein, and includes a door configured to open or close the cultivation space. The shelf is configured to supply and discharge water to and from the cultivation space. The cultivation container is placed to be supported on the shelf, and configured to receive or discharge water from or to the shelf. The cultivation container contains the medium therein. 
     The cultivation container includes a water flow guide protruding downward from a bottom surface of the cultivation container and having an opening formed at the protruded lower end, and a wick accommodated inside the water flow guide and configured to absorb and hold water introduced through the opening. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wick is impregnated with a nutrient solution obtained by dissolving nutrients required for the growth of plants in water. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the medium includes a first medium contained in the cultivation container, a sowing part configured to cover a top surface of the first medium and to allow seeds of plants to be planted, and a second medium configured to cover a top surface of the sowing part. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, sizes of particles forming the second medium are smaller than those of particles forming the first medium. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wick is disposed from the opening to the second medium without extending beyond the second medium. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, an upper end of the wick is received inside the second medium. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the wick includes a shield that surrounds a portion of an outer circumference of the wick and that is impervious to water. The shield is formed to surround the outer circumference of the wick at a section where the wick passes through the first medium and the sowing part. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second medium is formed to have a thickness thinner than that of the sowing part. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the main body has a humidity sensor provided therein and configured to measure humidity in the cultivation space, and a humidity controller configured to control humidity in the main body. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shelf includes a temperature controller configured to control temperature in the cultivation container loaded thereon. 
     In the plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shelf is provided in plural number, and a plurality of shelves are provided to be spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction. 
     A plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a main body having a cultivation space formed therein and configured to control temperature and humidity in the cultivation space, and a cultivation container accommodated in the main body, wherein the cultivation container includes a first medium disposed therein, a sowing part covering a top surface of the first medium and formed to have a thickness thinner than that of the first medium, and a second medium covering a top surface of the sowing part and formed to have a thickness thinner than that of the sowing part. 
     According to the present disclosure, a structure of an apparatus for germinating seeds is simplified, and management of the apparatus is also convenient. 
     According to the present disclosure, even when a humid environment is created, green algae do not easily occur. 
     According to the present disclosure, since nutrients required for the growth of plants are supplied together with water, it is easier to nourish the cultivated plants, and the required nutrients are also supplied uniformly. 
     The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cultivation container of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a wick is inserted into a first medium in a cultivation container of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a wick is inserted into a second medium in a cultivation container of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are cross-sectional views illustrating a state in which a wick directly supplies water to a second medium in a cultivation container of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The like reference numerals refer to the like components throughout the detailed description. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a main body  10 , a shelf  30 , and a cultivation container  20 . The cultivation container  20  includes a medium, a flow path guide (water flow guide)  110 , and a wick  114 . 
     The wick  114  delivers water supplied from the shelf  30  to the medium. 
     The main body  10  has a predetermined space therein. The predetermined space is a cultivation space in which plants are accommodated and grown. An environment in which the plants may be cultivated is created in the cultivation space. The main body  10  may have various sizes and shapes. 
     According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the main body  10  may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped, and has a cultivation space formed therein. The cultivation space has a door, and may be opened or closed through the door. 
     At least a portion of the door may be formed of a transparent material. Accordingly, a user may observe the cultivation space from outside through the transparent portion of the door. 
     The door may have a locking device. The locking device of the door may be set to unlock when a state of the cultivation space satisfies a predetermined condition. This is to prevent a situation in which seeds cannot germinate due to the door being opened due to the user&#39;s carelessness during the germinating period, which is an important period for the growth of the plants. According to the embodiment to which the present disclosure is applied, the main body  10  and the door may be implemented in various shapes and materials. 
     The main body  10  includes a device configured to ventilate the cultivation space. Ventilation is performed in a manner in which air in the cultivation space is discharged to the outside or outside air is introduced into the cultivation space. 
     The shelf  30  is disposed in the cultivation space. The shelf  30  is provided in plural number. The shelf  30  is formed in a structure that crosses the cultivation space horizontally. The cultivation container  20  is placed on the shelf  30 . The shelf  30  supports the load of the cultivation container  20  and supplies water to the cultivation container  20 . A passage through which water is discharged from the cultivation container  20  is also provided on the shelf  30 . 
     A plurality of shelves  30  are stacked on top of one another in the cultivation space so as to be arranged at a predetermined distance from one another. In addition, at least one cultivation container  20  is seated on each of the shelves  30 . 
     The shelf  30  includes a temperature controller. The temperature controller controls temperature in the cultivation container  20  that is seated on the shelf  30 . In addition, the shelf  30  may further include a humidity controller. The humidity controller controls an amount of water supplied to the cultivation container  20 . 
     In addition, the main body  10  includes at least one of a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor. The humidity sensor measures humidity in the cultivation space, and the temperature sensor measures the temperature in the cultivation space. 
     The humidity sensor and the temperature sensor transmit information on the measured humidity and temperature to a controller. The controller controls the environment inside the cultivation space based on the information on the measured humidity and temperature. 
     A plurality of grooves are formed in the shelf  30 . A water passage connected to the outside is formed in each of the grooves formed in the shelf  30 . The water passage connected from the grooves of the shelf  30  to the outside is formed inside the shelf  30 . The grooves of the shelf  30  have positions and sizes corresponding to a water flow guide  110 , which will be described below. The water flow guide  110  is formed in the cultivation container  20 . When the cultivation container  20  is seated on the shelf  30 , the water flow guide  110  is inserted into the groove of the shelf  30 . 
     Water is maintained at a predetermined height in the groove of the shelf  30 . In addition, water introduced into the groove may be discharged to the outside of the main body  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cultivation container  20  of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     The cultivation container  20  is placed on the shelf  30 . The cultivation container  20  may be provided in plural number. In addition, a plurality of cultivation containers  20  may be placed on one shelf  30 . 
     The cultivation container  20  is formed such that an upper side thereof is open. 
     The cultivation container  20  includes a case  100  and a water flow guide  110 . In addition, the medium may further be contained inside the case  100 . 
     The medium may be divided into a first medium  120 , a second medium  130 , and a sowing part  140 . 
     The case  100  is formed as a container having a flat and wide bottom surface. 
     At least one water flow guide  110  is formed on a bottom surface of the case  100 . Specifically, the water flow guide  110  protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the case  100 . 
     The flow path guide  110  may have a shape corresponding to the groove of the shelf  30  as described above. The water flow guide  110  may be inserted into the groove of the shelf  30 . 
     The groove of the shelf  30  and the water flow guide  110  may be provided in plural number, each of which may be arranged at positions corresponding to one another. 
     An opening  112 , which is a through hole, is formed at the lower end of the water flow guide  110 . 
     A direction in which the opening  112  is open may face downward, or may face a side of the water flow guide  110 , according to the embodiment to which the present disclosure is applied. 
     The wick  114  is provided in an inner space of the water flow guide  110 . The wick  114  is formed to be long in the vertical direction, and a lower end of the wick  114  is disposed adjacent to the opening  112 . The wick  114  may be formed of a porous member. The wick  114  absorbs and holds water. When a portion of the wick  114  comes into contact with the water, an entire wick  114  is wetted with water through a capillary phenomenon. 
     Accordingly, when water is supplied to the lower end of the wick  114  that is adjacent to the opening  112 , the water absorbed by the wick  114  moves upward. 
     Accordingly, when the water is supplied to the grooves of the shelf  30 , the water is introduced into the opening  112  of the flow path guide  110 . The water introduced into the opening  112  moves upward along the wick  114  and is supplied to the first medium  120 , the sowing part  140 , and the second medium  130 . 
     Further, the wick  114  may contain a nutrient solution, which contains nutrients that help plants (crops) to grow. Accordingly, when the water passes through the wick  114 , the nutrient solution is dissolved in the water. Then, the water containing the nutrient solution is supplied to the medium. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a wick  114  is inserted into a first medium  120  in a cultivation container  20  of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a wick  114  is inserted into a second medium  130  in a cultivation container  20  of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an amount of water supplied to the inside of the cultivation container  20  may be adjusted according to a length of the wick  114 . 
     First, a medium contained in the cultivation container  20  includes a first medium  120 , a second medium  130 , and a sowing part  140 . The medium may be soil. The medium contains nutrients required for the growth and development of plants. Alternatively, the medium may be a material having properties similar to soil. The first medium  120  is disposed in a lower portion of the cultivation container  20 . The sowing part  140  covers a top surface of the first medium  120 . Specifically, the sowing part  140  covers the entire top surface of the first medium  120 . The second medium  130  covers a top surface of the sowing part  140 . Specifically, the second medium  130  covers the entire top surface of the sowing part  140 . Accordingly, the first medium  120 , the sowing part  140 , and the second medium  130  are stacked in that order. 
     In such a case, particles forming the second medium  130  are formed to be smaller in size than particles forming the first medium  120 . This may further increase the effect of protecting and warming seeds located in the sowing part  140  by covering the seeds by the second medium  130 . This also allows water to pass through the first medium  120  better than the layers above the first medium  120 . 
     In addition, the second medium  130  is formed to have a thickness thinner than that of the sowing part  140 . This may prevent the growth of the seeds from being disturbed by the second medium  130  while the seeds sown in the sowing part  140  germinate and sprout upward. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , when an upper end of the wick  114  is located inside the first medium  120 , water introduced through the opening  112  is intensively supplied to the first medium  120 . 
     In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , when the upper end of the wick  114  is disposed in the second medium  130 , the water introduced through the opening  112  is evenly supplied to the first medium  120 , the sowing part  140 , and the second medium  130 . In such a case, the upper end of the wick  114  has to be located inside the second medium  130  without extending beyond the upper end of the second medium  130 . This prevents moisture contained in the wick  114  from evaporating to the outside of the cultivation container  20 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are cross-sectional views illustrating a state in which a wick  114  directly supplies water to a second medium  130  in a cultivation container  20  of a plant cultivating apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     The wick  114  may further include a shield  116  surrounding an outer circumference thereof. The shield  116  surrounds a portion of the outer circumference of the wick  114  and prevents water contained in the wick  114  from moving to the outside of the wick  114 . That is, since the shield  116  is formed of waterproof material, water is prevented from escaping to the outside of the wick  114  at an area of the wick  114  that is surrounded by the shield  116 . 
     According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shield  116  surrounds the outer circumference of the wick  114  at a section where the wick  114  passes through the first medium  120  and the sowing part  140 . Accordingly, the water contained in the wick  114  is not supplied to the first medium  120  and the sowing part  140 . When the upper end of the wick  114  is located inside the second medium  130 , the water supplied to the wick  114  through the opening  112  is directly supplied to the second medium  130  without being introduced into the first medium  120  and the sowing part  140 . Accordingly, the water is intensively supplied to the second medium  130 . In such a case, a relatively large amount of water may also be smoothly supplied to the sowing part  140  forming a layer immediately below the second medium  130 . 
     According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, as described above, the medium contained in the cultivation container  20  is divided into the first medium  120 , the second medium  130 , and the sowing part  140 , and thus the water may be selectively supplied to each of the first medium  120 , the second medium  130 , and the sowing part  140 . In addition, as the second medium  130  covers the sowing part  140 , the second medium  130  serves to maintain a constant temperature and humidity while protecting seeds planted in the sowing part  140 . 
     The second medium  130  may be well-ventilated while creating an environment in which the seeds germinate, thereby preventing occurrence of the green algae. 
     In the preceding description, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but these are exemplary. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments and drawings set forth herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In addition, although not all actions or effects according to the configurations of the embodiments have been explicitly described, it is apparent that predictable actions or effects from the configurations should also be recognized as falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 
       10 : Main body
   20 : Cultivation container
 
       30 : Shelf 
       100 : Case 
       110 : Water flow guide 
       112 : Opening 
       114 : Wick 
       116 : Shield 
       120 : First medium
   130 : Second medium
   140 : Sowing part