Patent ID: 12185683

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this process, the thicknesses of lines or the sizes of components illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of description.

Furthermore, terms described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention and may change according to the intention or custom of a user or an operator. Therefore, definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout the present specification.

FIGS.1and2are perspective views illustrating a culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.3is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.4is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.5is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a shelf part accommodated inside a culture table in the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.6is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the shelf part moved to the front side of the culture table in the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG.7is a front cross-sectional view illustrating an light emitting diode (LED) light source unit in the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention, andFIG.8is a diagram illustrating a connection relationship between a condensation measurement unit and a cooling unit in the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS.1to8, the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a culture table100, a shelf part200, an LED light source unit300, a condensation measurement unit400, a cooling unit500, and a culture container fixing unit600.

The culture table100has a prismatic structure having a rectangular bottom surface and open front, rear, left, and right sides, and includes a vertical frame part110, an upper plate part120, and a horizontal frame part130.

The vertical frame part110is a rod-shaped member having a predetermined length, and a plurality of vertical frame parts110are arranged to be spaced apart from each other and vertically erected at positions of corners of the culture table100.

The upper plate part120is a flat plate-shaped member, is formed to shield an open support portion of the culture table100, is horizontally seated on the vertically erected vertical frame part110, and is horizontally coupled to upper ends of each of the vertical frame parts110.

The horizontal frame part130is orthogonal to the vertical frame parts110and horizontally connects the vertical frame parts110in a front-rear direction on both left and right sides of the culture table100. The horizontal frame part130has a shape in which both ends are opened and an opening is formed in an outer surface thereof and which has a “C”-shaped cross-section.

The horizontal frame part130is provided inside the culture table100in a state in which the openings formed in the outer surface thereof face each other and is coupled to an outer surface of the vertical frame part110.

The horizontal frame part130may include an upper frame portion131and a lower frame portion132. The upper frame portion131is spaced apart from the upper plate part120, provided below the upper plate part120, and is coupled to upper sides of each of the vertical frame parts110.

The lower frame portion132is spaced apart from the upper frame portion131, is provided below the upper frame portion131, and is coupled to a lower side of each of the vertical frame parts110. Thus, the upper frame portion131and the lower frame portion132are arranged to be vertically spaced apart from each other.

The shelf part200is a flat plate-shaped member, and a culture container10which accommodates a plantlet cultured in a medium and which is made of a transparent material is accommodated in the shelf part200.

The plantlet accommodated in the culture container10is a potato tissue cultured plantlet as an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the plantlet may be changed to various types of plant tissue plantlets.

The shelf part200is made of a non-metallic material that does not conduct electricity, such as plastic, wood, and glass.

A downwardly concave engraved seating part201is formed on an upper surface of the shelf part200except for an edge of the shelf part200. The shelf part200may include a plurality of holes202vertically formed so that air may flow onto a bottom surface of the seating part201on which the culture container10is seated.

The shelf part200is horizontally rail-coupled to an inside of the horizontal frame part130.

Both left and right ends of the shelf part200are inserted into the horizontal frame part130through open front ends of the horizontal frame part130arranged on both sides of the shelf part200, and the shelf part200linearly and slidably moves in a lengthwise direction (axial direction) of the horizontal frame part130. That is, the shelf part200is slidably installed on the horizontal frame part130.

Thus, the shelf part200may be extracted from or retracted into a front side of the culture table100through a front surface of the culture table100.

The shelf part200may include a first shelf portion210and a second shelf portion220. The first shelf portion210is rail-coupled to the upper frame portion131, and the second shelf portion220is rail-coupled to the lower frame portion132.

That is, the first shelf portion210is slidably installed on the upper frame portion131, and the second shelf portion220is slidably installed on the lower frame portion132.

Thus, the first shelf portion210and the second shelf portion220of the shelf part200are configured in multiple stages to be vertically spaced apart from each other.

The LED light source unit300is provided in the culture table100and serves to irradiate the culture container10seated on the shelf part200with an LED light beam to perform a photosynthetic reaction of the plantlet accommodated in the culture container10.

The LED light source unit300has a hollow shape, is made of a transparent material so that light is transmitted therethrough, and includes a housing301having a partition wall302in a lengthwise direction such that an inner space is partitioned vertically.

A lower space inside the housing301partitioned by the partition wall302includes a printed circuit board (PCB)303installed on a lower surface of an outer side of the partition wall302and an LED element304surface-mounted on a lower surface of an outer side of the PCB303.

In an upper space inside the housing301, a cooling water transfer line530of the cooling unit500, which will be described below, is inserted into the housing301in a lengthwise direction.

The LED light source unit300includes a first light source unit310and a second light source unit320.

The first light source unit310is fixedly installed on a bottom surface of an outer side of the upper plate part120and irradiates the culture container10seated on an upper surface of the first shelf portion210with an LED light beam.

The second light source unit320is provided below the first shelf portion210, and irradiates the culture container10seated on an upper surface of the second shelf portion220with an LED light beam.

The second light source unit320is not fixedly installed in the first shelf portion210and is installed to be spaced apart from the first shelf portion210so as not to interfere with a sliding linear movement of the first shelf portion210rail-coupled to the upper frame portion131.

In other words, the housing301is held on the cooling water transfer line530passing through the housing301of the second light source unit320in a lengthwise direction and passing through the upper space of the housing301.

The condensation measurement unit400is installed in the first shelf portion210and the second shelf portion220to measure condensation generated on an inner surface of the culture container10.

The condensation measurement unit400measures the condensation by irradiating the culture container10from the outside of the culture container10with infrared rays in a non-contact manner.

The condensation measurement unit400may include a light emission unit410, a light reception unit420, a light quantity measurement module430, and a controller440.

The light emission unit410is an optical element from which the infrared rays are emitted and is installed on a first surface of an inside of the seating part201formed on the upper surface of the shelf part200. The light emission unit410irradiates an outer surface of the culture container10with the infrared rays. That is, the infrared rays are irradiated in a lateral direction of the culture container10.

The light reception unit420is a sensor for detecting the infrared rays, and is installed on a second surface of the inner side of the seating part201formed on the upper surface of the shelf part200facing the light emission unit410. The light reception unit420detects the infrared rays that are irradiated from the light emission unit410and pass through the culture container10.

The light quantity measurement module430is electrically connected to the light emission unit410and the light reception unit420and measures a light quantity of the infrared rays detected by the light reception unit420.

When the light quantity of the infrared rays irradiated from the light emission unit410and measured by the light quantity measurement module430and the light quantity of the infrared rays received by the light reception unit420are the same, a determination module of the controller440determines that the condensation is not generated in the culture container10, and the controller440turns off the cooling unit500.

When the condensation in which water drops are formed is generated on the inner surface of the culture container10, a light quantity smaller than the total light quantity of the infrared rays irradiated from the light emission unit410, which are scattered by the water drops or absorbed to the water drops, is received by the light reception unit420, and the cooling unit500electrically connected to the condensation measurement unit400is operated under control of the controller440.

In other words, a circulation pump510of the cooling unit500is operated by the controller440, and thus cooling water circulates in the cooling water transfer line530.

The cooling unit500is installed in the culture table100and is electrically connected to the condensation measurement unit400. When the condensation of the culture container10is measured by the condensation measurement unit400, the cooling water passing through the inside of the LED light source unit300circulates to control a temperature of the LED light source unit300.

That is, the condensation measurement unit400measures condensation information of the culture container10and transmits the measured condensation information to the controller440, and the controller440controls operation of the cooling unit500according to the received condensation information. As the cooling water circulates by the operation of the cooling unit500, heat generated by the LED light source unit300can be cooled.

The cooling unit500may include a circulation pump510, a heat dissipation unit520, and the cooling water transfer line530.

The circulation pump510is installed on the upper plate part120. An inlet port through which the cooling water is suctioned and an outlet port through which the cooling water is discharged are formed on each side of the circulation pump510.

The circulation pump510pumps the cooling water so that the cooling water, discharged from the outlet port, passes through the cooling water transfer line530, which will be described below, is suctioned to the inlet port, and thus circulates.

The heat dissipation unit520is mounted on a side of the inlet port of the circulation pump510. The circulation pump510and the heat dissipation unit520communicate with each other so that the cooling water flows.

The heat dissipation unit520serves to reduce the temperature of the cooling water by radiating heat of the cooling water suctioned to the circulation pump510.

The heat dissipation unit520may include a hollow body521forming a coil-shaped flow path to maximally buffer the cooling water suctioned into the circulation pump510and a plurality of heat dissipation pins522formed on an outer surface of the body521to maximize cooling efficiency.

The cooling water transfer line530pass through the LED light source unit300and both ends thereof are connected to the outlet port of the circulation pump510and the heat dissipation unit520. The cooling water is transferred through the cooling water transfer line530.

The cooling water transfer line530may be made of an aluminum material having excellent thermal conductivity.

Heat generated by the PCB303of the LED light source unit300installed in the lower space inside the housing301can be cooled using the cooling water passing through the housing301of the LED light source unit300in a lengthwise direction and circulating through the cooling water transfer line530inserted into the upper space inside the housing301.

The culture container fixing unit600fixes the culture container10to the shelf part200using an attractive force between the culture container10and the shelf part200.

The culture container fixing unit600may include an iron plate610, an electromagnet620, and a switch unit630.

The iron plate610is thin and is detachably attached to a bottom surface of an outer side of the culture container10.

The electromagnet620has a flat plate shape and is mounted on a bottom surface of an outer side of the shelf part200to be spaced apart from and face the iron plate610.

The switch unit630is an ON/OFF switch and performs on-off controls of a current applied to the electromagnet620. the switch unit630includes a nonconductor631and an electrical connecting rod632.

The nonconductor631is provided at a rear end of the outer side of the electromagnet620. In other words, the nonconductor631may be made of a material, which does not conduct electricity, such as plastic, wood, and glass. The nonconductor631is mounted on the outer surface of the rear end of the electromagnet620.

The electrical connecting rod632is provided in the culture table100. The electrical connecting rod632is positioned at a front end of the culture table100and is installed in the vertical frame part110.

The electrical connecting rod632is in contact with the outer surface of the electromagnet620and transfers the current to the electromagnet620. Power is applied to the electrical connecting rod632from the outside.

The electrical connecting rod632is positioned on a side portion of the electromagnet620, and a free end of the electrical connecting rod632is in contact with the outer surface of the electromagnet620.

That is, in a state in which the shelf part200is positioned inside the culture table100, the free end of the electrical connecting rod632is in contact with the electromagnet620, the current is transferred to the electromagnet620by the electrical connecting rod632, and the electromagnet620is magnetized to have a polarity.

In this case, the culture container10is firmly fixed to the shelf part200by an attractive force between the electromagnet620and the iron plate610mounted on a lower portion of the culture container10seated on the upper surface of the shelf part200.

In this case, when the shelf part200is moved toward the front side of the culture table100by a user and the shelf part200is exposed to the front side of the culture table100, as the electrical connecting rod632comes into contact with the outer surface of the nonconductor631positioned at a rear end of the electromagnet620, the current applied to the electromagnet620is cut off.

In this way, when the current applied to the electromagnet620is cut off, the attractive force between the iron plate610and the electromagnet620is released, and thus a user may freely move or replace the culture container10fixed to the shelf part200.

In the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention, through the condensation measurement unit400for measuring the condensation generated on the inner surface of the culture container10by irradiating the culture container10with infrared rays in a non-contact manner, the heat generated by the LED light source unit300is cooled, the temperature of the culture table100is maintained at a constant level, and thus the condensation generated in the culture container10while potato tissue is cultured can be prevented.

In the culturing apparatus for culturing potato tissue according to an embodiment of the present invention, through the culture container fixing unit600for fixing the culture container10to the shelf part200using the attractive force through a magnetic force between the culture container10and the shelf part200, the culture container10can be firmly fixed to prevent the culture container10from being easily separated from the shelf part200even when an earthquake occurs or an external force is applied to the culture table100.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the description is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art to which the technology belongs can understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments may be made. Thus, the true technical scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.