JP7687654B2 - plant cultivation equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a plant cultivation device.

The present applicant has proposed many inventions relating to plant cultivation devices. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a plant cultivation device that includes trays for cultivating a large number of seedlings, a conveyor for transporting the trays from the entrance side to the exit side, a supplying means for supplying water and nutrients to the trays, and a lighting means for irradiating light to the plants in the trays, with the supplying means and the lighting means arranged along the conveyor. As a result, the plants in the trays transported by the conveyor are given the appropriate nutrients and moisture according to their respective growth states, and are irradiated with the appropriate light.
The applicant has also proposed a cultivation container and a cultivation method that can efficiently circulate the cultivation solution even when a large number of plants are growing (Patent Document 2).

On the other hand, it is known that as the plant grows, the leaves overlap one another, and light cannot reach the lower leaves (lower leaves), which reduces the efficiency of photosynthesis in the lower leaves. Lower leaves that become less efficient in photosynthesis in this way generally senesce. And such senescent lower leaves are usually picked off.
In recent years, it has been reported that aging of the lower leaves located in the first to third layers can be suppressed by irradiating the plant with upward light from below (non-patent literature).
In addition, although not directly aimed at suppressing aging of lower leaves, Patent Document 3 discloses a method of irradiating light from below a plant using a reflector. And Patent Document 4 discloses an artificial light source unit for cultivating plants, etc., which aims to regulate and promote the growth of plants by irradiating light to the undersides of leaves, since there are many stomata on the undersides of leaves.

Patent No. 4279379 JP 2020-162507 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 117222/1983 JP 2002-272271 A

Zhang, G., S. Shen, M. Takagaki, T. Kozai, and W. Yamori. Frontiers in Plant Science, December 2015, Volume 6, Article 1110

However, when a reflector is used as in Patent Document 3, it is not possible to provide the lower leaves with a sufficient amount of light to photosynthesize in the same way as the upper leaves. In particular, as the plant grows, the leaves grow double or triple, creating shadows, limiting the range of illumination of the reflected light. In addition, the cultivation methods of Non-Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4 are both not suitable for long-term cultivation because they place a light source on the medium in which the plants are cultivated. For example, in order to use the space efficiently in a plant cultivation device, a spacing process may be performed to separate the plants according to the size of the plants, but when the light source is placed on the medium, such a spacing process becomes complicated. In addition, maintenance of each device of the plant cultivation device and the cultivation container is also complicated. In addition, there is a risk that the heat of the light source will be transmitted to the plants and inhibit the growth of the plants. Furthermore, even in the case of a light source unit that has been waterproofed as in Patent Document 4, the durability of the light source unit when it is continuously placed for a long period of time under a plant that is supplied with water on the medium is not taken into consideration.
The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has an object to provide a plant cultivation device for efficiently cultivating plants.

The plant cultivation device of the present invention comprises a cultivation container that contains a culture medium for cultivating plants, upper lighting that irradiates light onto the plants from above, and lower lighting that irradiates light onto the plants from below, and is characterized in that the lower lighting is provided below the opening of the cultivation container .

The plant cultivation device of the present invention is equipped with lower lighting that irradiates light onto plants from below, which can prevent the aging of the lower leaves of grown plants. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for leafy vegetables such as lettuce. In addition, since the lower lighting is provided below the opening of the cultivation container, at least the wall surface of the cultivation container is interposed between the lower lighting and the culture medium, allowing it to be separated from the culture medium and making the lower lighting less likely to deteriorate. In addition, it does not impede the growth of the cultivated plants.

In the plant cultivation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the lower lighting and the upper lighting are integrated. In this case, by integrating the light source that serves as the heat source, it becomes easier to control the temperature in the cultivation space. In addition, cleaning and maintenance of the inside of the plant cultivation device becomes easier.
The plant cultivation device of the present invention includes a base material supporting the cultivation container, the base material being at least partially light-transmitting, and the lower lighting being provided below the base material. In this case, the base material is also interposed between the lower lighting and the culture medium, so that deterioration of the lower lighting can be further prevented. The lower lighting may also serve as the base material, or the base material and the lower lighting may be integrated. In this case, maintenance within the plant cultivation device is facilitated. The lower lighting is preferably provided below the cultivation container.
In the plant cultivation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the cultivation container is suspended within the cultivation space. In particular, it is preferable that the lower lighting is provided below the cultivation container.

A second aspect of the plant cultivation device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a trough-shaped cultivation container that contains a culture medium for cultivating plants, upper lighting that irradiates light onto the plants from above, and lower lighting that irradiates light onto the plants from below, with a plurality of the cultivation containers being arranged in parallel, and the lower lighting being provided between the plurality of cultivation containers arranged in parallel.
The second aspect of the plant cultivation device of the present invention also includes lower lighting that irradiates the plants from below, so that the aging of the lower leaves of the grown plants can be prevented. In addition, since the lower lighting is provided between multiple cultivation containers arranged in parallel, the lower lighting can be separated from the culture medium, so that the lower lighting is less likely to deteriorate. Furthermore, the growth of the cultivated plants is not hindered.

In the second aspect of the plant cultivation device of the present invention, the plurality of cultivation containers arranged in parallel are connected by a connecting plate, and the sub-illumination is preferably arranged above the connecting plate or below the connecting plate. In this case, it is preferable that the device further has a duct for supplying gas to control the cultivation space, and that the duct is provided in the space between the cultivation containers arranged side by side. In particular, it is preferable that the duct is provided in the space surrounded by the outer wall of the cultivation container, the connecting plate, and the base material.

A third aspect of the plant cultivation device of the present invention includes a cultivation container that contains a medium for cultivating a plant, a base material that supports the cultivation container, an upper lighting that irradiates light to the plant from above, and a duct that supplies air to control the cultivation space, the base material having a plurality of grooves formed in parallel, the cultivation container is contained in the groove,
The duct is characterized in that it is provided between grooves aligned to the left and right.
A fourth aspect of the plant cultivation device of the present invention comprises a trough-shaped cultivation container that contains culture medium for cultivating plants, upper lighting that irradiates light onto the plants from above, a base material that supports the cultivation container, and a duct that supplies air to control the cultivation space, wherein a plurality of the cultivation containers are arranged in parallel and connected by a connecting plate, and the duct is provided in a space surrounded by the outer walls of the cultivation containers lined up on the left and right, the connecting plate, and the base material.
In the third and fourth aspects of the plant cultivation device of the present invention, ducts are provided between the cultivation containers, making it possible to save space.

The plant cultivation device of the present invention can prevent the aging of the lower leaves of the cultivated plants. In addition, cleaning and maintenance of the inside of the plant cultivation device is easy. The plant cultivation device of the present invention can produce high-quality plants with high efficiency.

1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a plant cultivation device of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the plant cultivation device of FIG. 1. 3a is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device used in the plant cultivation device of FIG. 1, FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of a cultivation container used in the plant cultivation device of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3c and 3d are plan views of different cultivation containers used in the plant cultivation device. 1 is a process diagram showing a cultivation method using the plant cultivation device of the present invention. 5a and 5b are plan views showing other configurations of the shelf board of the plant cultivation device of FIG. 1, FIGS. 5c and 5d are cross-sectional views showing other configurations of the lighting device of the plant cultivation device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5e is a cross-sectional view showing the other configuration of the plant cultivation device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the plant cultivation device of the present invention. FIG. 7a is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the plant cultivation device of the present invention, FIG. 7b is a partially enlarged view thereof, and FIG. 7c is a partially enlarged view showing another embodiment. FIG. 8a is a cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the plant cultivation device of the present invention, FIG. 8b is a cross-sectional view showing the cultivation container thereof, and FIG. 8c is a cross-sectional view showing another form of the cultivation container. 9a and 9b are cross-sectional views showing still other forms of the cultivation container. 10a and 10b are cross-sectional views showing fourth and fifth embodiments of the plant cultivation device of the present invention, respectively.

"Plant cultivation device 1"
The multi-tiered plant cultivation device 1 of Figures 1 and 2 comprises a frame body 10, a shelf board 20 supported by the frame body, a lighting device 30 (only in Figure 2) provided below the shelf board 20, and a cultivation container 40 placed on the shelf board 20.
In the plant cultivation device 1 of Fig. 1, the top plate 20A is omitted. As shown in Fig. 2, the top plate 20A is provided with a lighting device 30A that irradiates light only downward, and the bottom surface of the bottom shelf 20B is provided with a lighting device 30B that irradiates light only upward. The plant cultivation device 1 has six cultivation spaces S, but the number of stages is not particularly limited.

"Frame 10"
Returning to FIG. 1, the frame 10 includes columns 11 arranged on all four sides in a rectangular shape, girders 12 connecting the columns 11 in the horizontal long side direction, and beams 13 connecting the columns 11 in the horizontal short side direction. The shelves 20, 20B and the top plate 20A are supported by the girders 12 and the beams 13. Although not particularly limited, walls (not shown) may be provided on the front, back, left and right sides to cover the columns 11 on all four sides. By providing the walls, the cultivation space can be sealed, making it easier to control the environment within the cultivation space. Furthermore, by making at least one wall openable and closable, the cultivation container 40 and the shelves 20 can be removed and installed.
However, the structure of the frame 10 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the shelves 20 at a predetermined interval above and below. For example, some or all of the girders and beams may be omitted, and supports may be provided between the columns 11.

"Shelf 20"
The shelf board 20 (and shelf board 20B) is a translucent board that supports the cultivation container 40 described below. The shelf board 20 has a rectangular shape with the long sides extending from front to back. The shelf board 20 divides the inside of the frame body 10 into a plurality of cultivation spaces S in the upper and lower directions. The cultivation spaces S are rectangular parallelepiped spaces with the long sides extending in the front to back direction. By making the shelf board 20 translucent, light from the lighting device 30 located below the shelf board 20 can be irradiated to the plants without being blocked.
Examples of materials for the shelf board 20 include glass and synthetic resin boards. The color of the shelf board 20 is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected depending on the plants to be cultivated and the cultivation conditions.
Meanwhile, the top plate 20A is preferably made of an opaque plate, although this is not particularly limited.

"Lighting device 30"
As shown in Fig. 3a, the lighting device 30 is an integrated unit of a panel-shaped first lighting section 31 (upper lighting) that irradiates light downward and a panel-shaped second lighting section 32 (lower lighting) that irradiates light upward. The lighting device 30 is provided on the lower surface or below the shelf board 20 along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation space S.
The lighting device 30 is provided with a laminated portion 30a in which a first transparent plate 31a, a first light guide plate 31b, a shielding portion P, a second light guide plate 32b, and a second transparent plate 32a are laminated in this order from the bottom, a first light source 31c that irradiates light onto the first light guide plate 31b along both sides of the first light guide plate 31b in the laminated portion, a second light source 32c that irradiates light onto the second light guide plate 32b along both sides of the second light guide plate 32b, and a U-shaped frame 36 provided on the side of the laminated portion via the first light source 31c and the second light source 32c. The frame 36 and the laminated portion 31a are fixed by a sealing material 30b.
The first transparent plate 31a and the second transparent plate 32a are not particularly limited as long as they are translucent. However, by making them transparent, light can be efficiently irradiated onto the object. Examples of the material include glass and resin plates. Although the first transparent plate 31a and the second transparent plate 32a may be omitted, providing the first transparent plate 31a and the second transparent plate 32a can improve waterproofing.
The first light guide plate 31b and the second light guide plate 32b guide the light received from the sides downward and upward, respectively.
The first light source 31c and the second light source 32c each include a vertically long substrate (not shown) and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (not shown) arranged evenly in the longitudinal direction of the substrate. However, the light source is not limited to LEDs, and artificial light sources such as fluorescent lamps, light bulbs, and electroluminescence (EL) may be used. The first light source 31c and the second light source 32c are provided on both sides of the first light guide plate 31b and the second light guide plate 32b, respectively, but may be provided on only one side.
The shielding portion 35 is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, a reflecting plate (reflecting sheet) such as aluminum foil. This allows the light to be irradiated efficiently. The shielding portion 35 does not have to be provided. However, if the shielding portion 35 is not provided, light leakage occurs between the cultivation spaces adjacent above and below, making it difficult to control the light.
The frame 36 is not particularly limited as long as it can integrate the first illumination section 31 and the second illumination section 32 together.

Since the lighting device 30 is equipped with a first lighting section 31 and a second lighting section 32, it can irradiate light from above onto plants grown below the lighting device 30, and can also irradiate light from below via the shelf board 20 onto plants grown above the lighting device 30 (the upper cultivation space).
Since the first illumination section 31 and the second illumination section 32 are integrated into the illumination device 30, the illumination device 30 can be easily attached and detached, and maintenance such as cleaning can be easily performed.
Since the lighting device 30 is provided below the shelf board 20 (particularly on the bottom surface), water or nutrient solution supplied to the plants does not directly contact the lighting device 30. Therefore, it is less likely to deteriorate even with long-term use. On the other hand, the impact of heat generated by the lighting device 30 can be reduced, which is kind to the plants being cultivated.
Because the lighting device 30 uses a light guide plate, the heat-generating light source can be positioned at the edge of the cultivation space, along the girders 12 or beams 13 of the frame body 11, thereby further reducing the impact on the plants.

"Cultivation container 40"
The cultivation container 40 is for containing a culture medium for cultivating plants, and as shown in Figure 3b, comprises a trough-shaped container body 41 with a U-shaped cross section that is open at the top, and a lid 42 that is provided on the opening.
The lid 42 has a groove 42a extending in the longitudinal direction of the gutter axis and a hole 42b provided at the bottom of the groove. The lid 42 may be a combination of multiple lid members with one or more holes 42b arranged in the longitudinal direction as shown in Fig. 3c, or may be an integrated unit as shown in Fig. 3d. By arranging multiple lid members in a row as shown in Fig. 3c, longitudinal spacing is possible. In either case, multiple holes 42b are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction to support the plants to be cultivated. The opening of the cultivation container 40 is the upper end of the groove 42a of the lid 42, as shown by the dotted line.
The container body 41 and the lid 42 are made of an opaque material. By making the container body 41 opaque, it is possible to prevent the intrusion of light from the first illumination unit 31 and the second illumination unit 32 into the container body 41. In the case of hydroponic cultivation, it is possible to suppress the growth of algae in the container by blocking the light entering the container. However, depending on the plant to be cultivated and the cultivation method, the container body 41 may be formed from a material having translucency.
The cultivation container 40 supports or houses a plurality of plants in one or more rows. The number of rows is not particularly limited, but two or less rows are preferable, and one row is particularly preferable. With one row, the light of the second lighting device 32 can be irradiated onto the undersides of the lower leaves of the plants from both sides of the cultivation container 40, and even with two rows, the light can be irradiated from at least one side. Even with three or more rows, the light can be efficiently irradiated onto the undersides of the lower leaves of the plants by making the container body 41 translucent.
In the case of a single row, the width of the container body 41 is preferably made smaller than the size of the plants to be grown. In other words, if the grown plants do not protrude from the cultivation container 40, there is a risk that light cannot be efficiently irradiated to the lower leaves of the plants. However, the size of the cultivation container can be appropriately selected depending on the type of plants to be cultivated.
The culture medium contained in the cultivation container 40 may be a solution or soil containing nutrients used to cultivate plants, such as water, nutrient solution, soil such as compost, and stones.

Next, a method for cultivating plants using this plant cultivation device 1 will be described as shown in FIG.
First, a plant seedling is planted (step 1). That is, the cultivation container 40 is filled with a medium, and the plant seedling to be cultivated is planted in the medium.
Next, the seedlings planted in the plant container 40 are grown using only the light from the first lighting unit 31 (step 2). In other words, the seedlings are irradiated with light from only the first lighting unit 31. The second lighting unit 32 may be turned on, but this is not necessary because light from above reaches the lower leaves of the seedlings. In this way, by not using the second lighting unit 32 (lower lighting) in step 2, production efficiency can be improved.
Next, the grown plant is cultivated with light from the first lighting unit 31 and the second lighting unit 32 (step 3). Here, grown plants refer to plants in a state where upper leaves have been generated. In particular, grown plants refer to plants in a state where multiple upper leaves have been generated overlapping each other, and light from above does not reach the lower leaves, or does not reach them sufficiently. In such a state, aging of the lower leaves can be prevented by irradiating light from the second lighting unit 32.
Finally, the plants are harvested (step 4).

As a result of being configured in this manner, the plant cultivation device 1 can cultivate plants efficiently, and has high overall productivity.
In other words, since light can be irradiated from above and below the grown plants, aging of the lower leaves can be prevented without impeding the growth of the plants, and the amount of leaf picking can be minimized. Therefore, the plant cultivation device 1 is particularly suitable for leafy vegetables such as lettuce, and allows the harvesting of vegetables with a large weight per bunch.
In addition, since the lighting device 30 of the plant cultivation device 1 is provided below the shelf board 20, there is little risk that the heat generated by the lighting device 30 will directly affect the plants. Furthermore, since the lighting device 30 is also isolated from the culture medium, particularly the nutrient solution, it is less likely to deteriorate and it is easy to apply a waterproofing treatment to the lighting device 30.
Since the plant cultivation device 1 uses the cultivation container 40 that contains a plurality of plants, the spacing between grown plants can be easily adjusted by moving the cultivation container 40. In addition, the entire plant cultivation device 1 can be easily cleaned and the lighting device 30 can be easily maintained by simply taking the cultivation container 40 in and out.

The plant cultivation device 1 of FIG. 1 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration.
The shelf board 20 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1 may be light-transmitting at least in a part thereof. For example, a shelf board 20 in Fig. 5a having a plurality of holes 25 for transmitting light between the cultivation containers 40, or a shelf board 20 in Fig. 5b having a plurality of pipes 26 fixed in a rectangular shape at a predetermined interval, may be used. It is preferable to provide a light-transmitting film or the like between the holes 25 and the pipes 26.
1, the first illumination section 31 and the second illumination section 32 may be separate from each other instead of being integrated. In this case, durability is not particularly different.
The first lighting section 31 and the second lighting section 32 of the lighting device 30 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1 use light guide plates, but for example, a reflector type lighting device may be used in which a transparent plate 37a and a reflecting plate 37b are laminated at a predetermined interval and an internal reflecting plate 37c is provided in the space, as in the lighting device 30 in Fig. 5c, in which the light of a light source 37d is reflected by the reflecting plate 37b and the internal reflecting plate 37c, or a light source 38b may be directly provided on a panel 38a as in the lighting device 30 in Fig. 5d. The reference symbol 38c denotes a transparent plate.
The cultivation container 40 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1 supports a plurality of plants in one or more rows, but is not particularly limited as long as it can support one or more plants. For example, it may support one plant at a time. In this case, the cultivation containers are lined up in the same number as the number of plants. Note that the cultivation containers may be supported in groups of two to five. However, it is preferable that the plants to be cultivated are lined up at least along the longitudinal direction of the rectangular parallelepiped cultivation space.
The plant cultivation device 1 in FIG. 1 has a plurality of cultivation spaces, but a single cultivation space S may be formed by a top plate 20A and a shelf plate 20B as in the plant cultivation device 1A in FIG. 5e.

Next, another embodiment of the plant cultivation device will be described.
"Plant cultivation device 1A"
The plant cultivation device 1A in Fig. 6 includes a frame body 10, a lighting device 30 supported by the frame body, and a cultivation container 40 placed on the lighting device 30. In other words, the shelf board 20 in the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1 is omitted, and the lighting device 30 also serves as the shelf board. The rest is the same as the plant cultivation device 1.

"Plant cultivation device 2"
The plant cultivation device 2 in Figure 7a includes a frame body 10, a shelf board 27 supported by the frame body, a cultivation container 40, a first lighting device 70 (upper lighting) that irradiates light to the plants from above, a second lighting device 80 (lower lighting) that irradiates light to the plants from below, and a duct 90.
The frame body 10 and the cultivation container 40 are substantially the same as the frame body 10 and the cultivation container 40 of the plant cultivation device 1 of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7b, the shelf board 27 is a translucent board having grooves 27a extending in the front-rear direction and a connecting plate 27b connecting the grooves 27a and the connecting plate 27b. Air conditioning holes 27c are formed in the connecting plate 27b.

The first lighting device 70 and the second lighting device 80 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation space S having a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
The first lighting device 70 is a panel-shaped light. The first lighting device 70 is provided on the lower surface of the shelf board 27.
The second lighting device 80 is a linear light. The second lighting device 80 is housed between the adjacent grooves 27a of the shelf board 27 and below the connecting plate 27b. In this embodiment, the second lighting device 80 is placed on the first lighting device 70, but as shown in FIG. 7c, it may be fixed to the lower surface of the connecting plate 27b. In this case, depending on the size of the cultivation container 40, light is also irradiated from the side of the cultivation container 40, so that light can be efficiently irradiated to the base of the plant (the part protruding from the medium).
As the first lighting device 70 and the second lighting device 80, known lighting devices are used.

The duct 90 uses the space between the grooves 27a of the shelves 27 arranged side by side. For example, carbon dioxide flows from the front to the rear of the plant cultivation device 2. By flowing carbon dioxide into this duct 90, carbon dioxide is supplied into the cultivation space S from the air conditioning holes 27c provided in the connecting plate 27b, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the cultivation space can be controlled. Note that the gas flowing into the duct 90 is not limited to carbon dioxide, but may be any gas necessary for cultivation, such as oxygen, nitrogen, or air. In addition, by flowing cooled gas or heated air, it is also possible to control the temperature in the cultivation space.

Because of this configuration, the plant cultivation device 2, like the plant cultivation device 1, can also cultivate plants efficiently, resulting in high overall productivity.
In particular, since the cultivation container 40 is housed in the groove 27a, the arrangement of the cultivation container 40 is simple. In addition, since the shelf board 27 can be interposed between the second lighting device 80 and the cultivation container 40, and the second lighting device 80 can be installed at a height close to the opening surface of the cultivation container 40, cultivation can be performed more efficiently.

"Plant cultivation device 3"
The plant cultivation device 3 in Fig. 8a includes a frame 10, a shelf board 50 supported by the frame, a cultivation panel 60 placed on the shelf board 50, a first lighting device 70 (upper lighting) that irradiates light to plants from above, a second lighting device 80 (lower lighting) that irradiates light to plants from below, and a duct 90. The frame 10 is substantially the same as the frame 10 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1, which is provided with walls on the front, rear, left and right sides. The shelf board 50 is substantially the same as the shelf board 20 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1, except that it may be opaque.

As shown in Fig. 8b, the cultivation panel 60 has two or more parallel-arranged trough-shaped cultivation containers 61 and a connecting plate 62 provided to close the gap between the cultivation containers arranged side by side. The connecting plate 62 also functions as a lid for the cultivation containers 61 and has a groove 62a and holes 62b for supporting plants.
The cultivation containers 61 are formed of an opaque material. Each cultivation container 61 accommodates or supports a plurality of plants in one or more rows. The number of rows of plants supported or supported by each cultivation container 61 is not particularly limited, but is preferably two rows or less, and more preferably one row or less. It may be three or more rows. In this case, by making the cultivation container 61 translucent, the light of the second lighting device 80 can be efficiently irradiated to the lower leaves.
The connecting plate 62 is made of a synthetic resin or glass having translucency. The connecting plate 62 is provided with air conditioning holes 62c at a predetermined interval so as to communicate the space S1 between the cultivation space and the cultivation container 61. It is preferable to provide a shielding film or the like on the connecting plate 62 at a portion that acts as a lid for the cultivation container 61. The connecting plate 62 is provided at the upper end of the cultivation container 61, but the position is not particularly limited as long as it forms the space S1, that is, other than the lower end of the cultivation container 61. The connecting plate 62 also acts as a lid for the cultivation container 61, but the portion that connects the cultivation containers 61 to each other and the portion that corresponds to the lid may be separate.
In FIG. 8b, the dotted line indicates the opening of the growing container 61.

The first lighting device 70 and the second lighting device 80 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation space S having a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
The first lighting device 70 is a panel-shaped light provided on the underside of the shelf board 50 .
The second lighting device 80 is a linear light provided in a long and narrow space S1 provided between the cultivation containers 61 of the cultivation panel 60. The space S1 is formed by the outer walls 61a of the adjacent gutters, the connecting plate 62, and the shelf board 50. Note that the second lighting device 80 may be attached to the underside of the connecting plate 62 as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 8b.
As the first lighting device 70 and the second lighting device 80, known lighting devices are used.

The duct 90 uses the space S1 between the cultivation containers 61 lined up on the left and right. For example, carbon dioxide flows from the front to the rear of the plant cultivation device 3. By flowing carbon dioxide into this duct 90, carbon dioxide is supplied into the cultivation space S from the air conditioning holes 62c provided in the connecting plate 62, and the amount of carbon dioxide in the cultivation space can be controlled. Note that the gas flowing into the duct 90 is not limited to carbon dioxide, but may be any gas necessary for cultivation, such as oxygen, nitrogen, or air. In addition, by flowing cooled gas or heated air, it is also possible to control the temperature in the cultivation space.

The plant cultivation device 3 is provided with the duct 90, so that the environment in the cultivation space S can be controlled. In addition, in the plant cultivation device 3, the light from the second lighting device 80 is irradiated to the plants in the cultivation space S through the connecting plate 65 having translucency. Therefore, the light can be irradiated to the plants P from above and below, and aging of the lower leaves can be prevented.
In the plant cultivation device 3 , the shelf board 50 may be transparent, and the second lighting device 80 may be provided between the shelf board 50 and the first lighting device 70 .
In the plant cultivation device 3, the shelf board 50 may be omitted, and the cultivation panel 60 may be supported by the frame body 10. In this case, a second connecting plate for closing the lower side of the space S1 between the cultivation containers 61 is provided.
In the plant cultivation device 3 of FIG. 8c, the connecting plate 62 has a protruding portion 62d. The second lighting device 80 is provided on the underside of this protruding portion 62d. Therefore, unlike the previous embodiments, the second lighting device 80 is provided above the opening of the cultivation container 61. Therefore, light can be irradiated to the base of the plant, and light can be irradiated more efficiently. Furthermore, the connecting plate 62 (partition) is between the second lighting device 80 (lower lighting) and the culture medium. In other words, at least the connecting plate (partition) is interposed between the lower lighting and the culture medium, so that the lower lighting can be separated from the culture medium, and the lower lighting is less likely to deteriorate. In addition, the growth of the plant is less likely to be hindered.
The cultivation panel 60 of the plant cultivation device 30 in Fig. 9a is an integrated unit of cultivation containers 61 and a connecting plate 62. For example, it can be formed by bending a metal plate such as an aluminum plate. A lid 63 is attached to each cultivation container 61.
9b, the cultivation panel 60 of the plant cultivation device 30 has a groove 62e on the connecting plate 62. The second lighting device 80 is provided on the upper surface of the groove 62e. In this manner, the second lighting device 80 may be provided outside the duct 90.

"Plant cultivation device 4"
The plant cultivation device 4 in Fig. 10a includes a frame body 10, a shelf board 50 supported by the frame body, a cultivation container 40 placed on the shelf board 50, a first lighting device 70 that irradiates light to a plant from above, and a second lighting device 80 that is placed on the shelf board 50 and irradiates light to a plant from below. The frame body 10 is substantially the same as the frame body 10 of the plant cultivation device 1 in Fig. 1. The shelf board 50, the first lighting device 70, and the second lighting device 80 are substantially the same as the shelf board 50, the first lighting device 70, and the second lighting device 80 of the plant cultivation device 3 in Fig. 8, respectively. That is, the second lighting device 80 is provided between adjacent cultivation containers 40.
In this plant cultivation device 4, the second lighting device 80 is placed on the shelf board 50, so there is a possibility that it may receive water sprayed on the plants. However, if the supply pipe for water, etc. is directly connected to the inside of the cultivation container 40, such a risk can be minimized. In this case, too, light can be irradiated from above and below the plants, so that the aging of the lower leaves of the cultivated plants can be prevented. In addition, because the cultivation container 40 is interposed between the second lighting device 80 and the culture medium, deterioration is less likely to occur.

"Plant cultivation device 5"
The plant cultivation device 5 in Figure 10b has a frame body 10, a shelf board 50 supported by the frame body, a cultivation container 40 suspended within the cultivation space S, a first lighting device 70 that irradiates light onto the plant from above, and a second lighting device 80 that irradiates light onto the plant from below.
In this manner, the cultivation container 40 may be supported so as to be suspended from above. Note that the cultivation container 40 may be one that supports a plurality of plants, or one that supports plants one by one.

S Cultivation space S1 Space 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Plant cultivation device 10 Frame body 11 Pillar 12 Beam 13 Beam 20 Shelf board 20A Top plate 20B Bottom shelf board 25 Hole 26 Pipe 27 Shelf board 27a Groove 27b Connecting plate 27c Air conditioning hole 30, 30A, 30B Illumination device 30a Lamination part 30b Sealing material 31 First illumination part 31a First transparent plate 31b First light guide plate 31c First light source part 32 Second illumination part 32a Second transparent plate 32b Second light guide plate 32c Second light source 35 Shielding part 36 Frame body 37a Transparent plate 37b Reflection plate 37c Internal reflection plate 37d Light source 38a Panel 38b Light source 40 Cultivation container 41 Container body 42 Lid 42a Groove 42b Hole 50 Shelf 60 Cultivation container 61 Cultivation container 61a Outer base 62 Connecting plate 62a Groove 62b Hole 62c Air conditioning hole 63 Lid 70 First lighting device 80 Second lighting device 90 Duct

Claims (4)

The cultivation system includes an opaque cultivation container that contains a medium for cultivating plants, a shelf that supports the cultivation container, an upper lighting unit that irradiates light onto the plants from above, and a lower lighting unit that irradiates light onto the plants from below,
The shelf board is translucent,
The lower lighting is provided below the shelf board,
The medium is a solution containing nutrients used to cultivate plants,
The medium is contained only in the cultivation container;
Plant cultivation equipment. A multi-level plant cultivation device having a plurality of cultivation spaces,
The lighting device is provided with an integrated lighting system in which the lower lighting of one cultivation space and the upper lighting of one lower cultivation space are integrated.
The plant cultivation device according to claim 1. The lower lighting is provided on the underside of the shelf.
The plant cultivation device according to claim 1 or 2. The illumination device includes a laminated portion in which a first transparent plate, a first light guide plate, a shielding portion, a second light guide plate, and a second transparent plate are laminated in this order from the bottom, a first light source that irradiates light to the first light guide plate along a side portion of the first light guide plate of the laminated portion, a second light source that irradiates light to the second light guide plate along a side portion of the second light guide plate, and a frame body provided on the side portion of the laminated portion via the first light source and the second light source.
The plant cultivation device according to claim 2.

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