JP7725378B2 - Hydroponic cultivation equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation device.

Conventionally, household hydroponic cultivation devices that allow plants to be grown indoors without using soil have been known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-161107 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-181352

In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a plant cultivation device is placed in a multipurpose space within a support column installed in a kitchen appliance. Placing a plant cultivation device in such a space requires careful movement of the plant cultivation device in and out of the support column to avoid spilling water each time water is supplied to or replaced in the plant cultivation device, which is extremely time-consuming.

In addition, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, a cultivation space is formed surrounding the top of a container located at the top rear of the kitchen, and equipment and mechanisms for supplying hydroponic solution to the cultivation container are arranged within the interior space of the kitchen, forming a circulation path for the hydroponic solution. With this configuration, the hydroponic solution can be circulated by the mechanism, which is thought to eliminate the need for the labor of supplying and replacing the hydroponic solution. However, in this case, a certain amount of space is required to install the equipment and mechanisms for supplying the hydroponic solution, and depending on the size of the kitchen, installation can be difficult. Even if installation is possible, this will monopolize the interior space of the kitchen, making it impossible to use that space for its original purpose.

The present invention aims to provide a device that can utilize dead space to efficiently carry out hydroponic cultivation.

To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following hydroponic cultivation device. Note that the following parenthetical text is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

That is, the hydroponic cultivation device of the present invention comprises an aquarium for watering plants, a base on which the aquarium is placed, a rack with arms that can be hung on the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet and is supported on the wall cabinet via the arms, a tubular connecting pipe with one end fixed to the aquarium and the other end capable of connecting to a pipe for supplying water to the aquarium and whose bending direction can be changed, and a fertilizer case with a hole in the bottom that is placed at the end of the aquarium and contains solid fertilizer.

With this type of hydroponic cultivation device, the rack has arms, so the rack can be easily secured to the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet by placing the arms on the bottom and sliding them toward the back. Furthermore, since the connecting pipe is fixed to the water tank, water can be easily supplied to the water tank by connecting it to a water faucet in the kitchen with a pipe (such as a hose). Furthermore, since a fertilizer case is located at the end of the water tank, fertilizer can be easily supplied to the water through a hole in the bottom.

Preferably, in the above-mentioned hydroponic cultivation device, the connecting pipe is bent upward when supplying water to the tank, and bent downward when draining water from the tank.

With this type of hydroponic cultivation device, the connecting pipe is bent upward when supplying water, allowing water to flow into the tank through the pipe connected to the end without resisting gravity, making water supply easy. Furthermore, the connecting pipe is bent downward when draining water, allowing the water in the tank to fall into the sink located below and then flow directly into the drain, making water drainage easy.

More preferably, the hydroponic cultivation device described above further includes a container having an openable/closable mechanism on the front side, which partitions the space above the tank. Furthermore, at least the front side of the container is made of a transparent material.

With this type of hydroponic cultivation device, the container has an openable/closable mechanism on the front side, so by opening the front side, you can care for and harvest the plants being cultivated without removing the aquarium from the container. Furthermore, because at least the front side of the container is made of a transparent material, you can check the growth status of the plants from the outside without opening the container.

More preferably, in the above-mentioned hydroponic cultivation device, the fertilizer case has a lower portion with a hole on the bottom surface and an upper portion that supplies the stored fertilizer to the lower portion at approximately regular intervals, and the hole is positioned opposite the water surface of the aquarium, so that the fertilizer supplied from the upper portion to the lower portion is introduced into the water through the hole. Alternatively, the fertilizer case has a hole on the bottom surface, and is positioned so that the hole can land on the water surface of the aquarium, allowing the stored fertilizer to dissolve into the water.

With this type of hydroponic cultivation device, solid fertilizer is periodically added to the water through the holes in the bottom and gradually dissolves, or the solid fertilizer is allowed to soak into the water through the holes in the bottom and gradually dissolves, eliminating the need to separately prepare a solution of solid fertilizer and supply it to the water.

The present invention provides an apparatus that utilizes dead space to efficiently carry out hydroponic cultivation.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hydroponic cultivation device 1 in use. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rack 10. 1A to 1C are sequential diagrams illustrating the manner in which the rack 10 is attached. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container 20. 3A to 3C are sequential views illustrating a first embodiment of an opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. FIG. 10A to 10C are sequential views illustrating a second embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. 10A to 10C are sequential views illustrating a third embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. 10A and 10B are a perspective view and a plan view showing a state in which a connecting pipe 50 is fixed to a water tank 40. FIG. 2A and 2B are a perspective view and a plan view showing a tray 60. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9) showing the water tank 40 and the tray 60. FIG. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a manner in which the connecting pipe 50 is used. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment provides a preferred example of a hydroponic cultivation device, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[Configuration of the hydroponic cultivation device]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the hydroponic cultivation device 1 in use. For ease of explanation, Fig. 1 shows a simplified view of some of the components that make up the hydroponic cultivation device 1. In addition, to facilitate understanding of the invention, the interior of a container 20 is shown by solid lines.

The hydroponic cultivation device 1 is composed of, for example, a rack 10, containers 20, a light 30, an aquarium 40, a connecting pipe 50, a tray 60, and a fertilizer case 70. The rack 10 is a stand on which the containers 20 and their contents are placed, and is attached to the bottom plate of a kitchen wall cabinet KS and supported by the wall cabinet KS. The container 20 contains the aquarium 40 and defines the space above it. Although not shown, an openable mechanism is provided on the front side of the container 20, and opening the front side allows the contents to be removed to the front side. The light 30 is provided on the top of the container 20 and shines light toward the plants.

The connecting pipe 50 is a tubular member whose bending direction can be changed, and one end of it is fixed watertight to one side end of the water tank 40. It is used when supplying water to or draining water from the water tank 40. A tray 60 with multiple holes is set in the water tank 40, and when water is supplied via the connecting pipe 50, plants are watered directly through the plant cultivation holes in the tray 60 or indirectly via the culture medium. In addition to the plant cultivation holes, the tray 60 has a fertilizer supply hole at its end for supplying solid fertilizer into the water. A fertilizer case 70 containing solid fertilizer is placed at the end of the water tank 40 close to the fertilizer supply hole, and fertilizer is supplied from the fertilizer case 70 into the water.

Details of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20, the use of the connecting pipe 50, and the structure of the fertilizer case 70 (fertilizer supply method) will be described in detail below with reference to separate drawings.

〔rack〕
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rack 10. As shown in FIG.
The rack 10 has a roughly rectangular base 11 on which the containers 20 and their contents are placed, four vertical frames 12 extending upward from the four corners of the base 11, a horizontal frame 13 connecting the four vertical frames horizontally, a standing plate 14 connected to each end of the two vertical frames 12 and horizontal frame 13 on the front side and standing upward, and two arms 15 bent 90 degrees from the upper left and right ends of the standing plate 14 toward the back.

The distance H between the horizontal frame 13 and the arms 15 is slightly larger than the thickness of the bottom plate of a standard kitchen wall cabinet KS to which the rack 10 will be attached. Setting the distance H at this size allows the rack 10 to be stably fixed to the wall cabinet KS. Furthermore, since the rack 10 is used to hold an aquarium 40 containing water and plants, as well as the containers 20 that house them, the total weight of the hydroponic cultivation device 1 when in use is considerable. For this reason, the rack 10 is made of a strong, lightweight material (such as carbon fiber or aluminum).

Figure 3 is a series of diagrams illustrating the mounting method of the rack 10. (A) shows the rack 10 before it is mounted to a kitchen wall cabinet KS, and (B) shows it mounted. As mentioned above, the gap H is slightly larger than the thickness of the bottom plate FP, so the arm 15 rests on the bottom plate FP and the rack 10 can be slid toward the back. When the upright plate 14 contacts the front end of the bottom plate FP, the rack 10 is fully pushed in and secured to the bottom plate FP (wall cabinet KS). Furthermore, by sliding the rack 10 toward the front in this state, the rack 10 can be removed from the wall cabinet KS. In this manner, in this embodiment, the rack 10 can be easily attached to and detached from the wall cabinet KS without using fastening parts such as screws.

To prevent damage to the surface of the bottom plate FP during installation or to prevent the rack 10 from slipping after installation, a sheet made of vinyl, polyester, or the like may be attached to the bottom surface of the arm 15 and the upper surface of the opposing horizontal frame 13, or anti-slip rubber or the like may be provided on the bottom surface of the arm 15 or the upper surface of the opposing horizontal frame 13. Alternatively, to more securely secure the rack 10, a fastening part may be used to secure it in place.

〔container〕
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the container 20. As shown in FIG.
The container 20 has an aquarium holder 21 that receives the aquarium 40, and a transparent case 22 that is fixed to the top of the aquarium holder 21 and defines the space above the aquarium 40. The transparent case 22 maintains the temperature and humidity of the internal space, i.e., the plant cultivation space, to prevent sudden changes, and also prevents insects and foreign objects from entering. The aquarium holder 21 is made of a material (e.g., resin) that is resistant to the effects of water spilling from the aquarium 40. Furthermore, the transparent case 22 is made of a transparent material, so the growth status of the cultivated plants can be observed from the outside.

Although not shown in the figure, the water tank holder 21 and transparent case 22 are provided with structures (positioning holes, positioning protrusions, etc.) to allow them to be easily fitted together, and the transparent case 22 can be easily fixed to the water tank holder 21 by simply placing it over the water tank holder 21 from above.

A light 30 is provided on the front side of the ceiling surface of the transparent case 22. The light 30 has a built-in LED and irradiates the plants with light of a wavelength suitable for plant growth (effective for photosynthesis). The location of the light 30 is not limited to the example shown in the figure. For example, the light 30 may be provided on the back side of the ceiling surface of the transparent case 22, at the top of the inside back or side of the transparent case 22, or on the outside of the transparent case 22.

The transparent case 22 has an inverted U-shaped notch 23 at the lower front of its right side. The notch 23 is provided to allow the connecting pipe 50 fixed to the water tank 40 to pass through. As mentioned above, an openable/closable mechanism is provided on the front side of the container 20, and Figure 2 shows an example of this, with a door 24 provided on the front side of the transparent case 22. The door 24 is opened by pulling the bottom end toward the front. In this embodiment, three configurations are envisioned for the container 20 opening/closing mechanism, allowing the user to freely select any of the configurations when installing the hydroponic cultivation device 1.

[Container opening and closing mechanism]
5 to 7 are sequential diagrams illustrating three aspects of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. To facilitate understanding of the invention, these figures omit the details of the container 20 and the light 30. Each aspect will be described below in order.

Figure 5 shows a first embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The first embodiment is a sliding opening and closing mechanism in which the door 24 slides and is stored on the upper side of the container 20.

In the first mode, when the bottom end of the door 24 is pulled forward, the door 24 pivots around the top end and opens forward (see (A) in Figure 5). When the door 24 is lifted 90 degrees forward, it is guided by a guide section (not shown) provided at the top end of the transparent case 22, allowing it to be pushed toward the back along the top surface of the transparent case 22 (see (B) in Figure 5). When the door 24 is pushed all the way back, it is stored in the upper part of the transparent case 22 and is in a fully open state (see (C) in Figure 5). The door 24 can also be closed by performing these steps in the reverse direction. As such, the first mode has the advantage of being able to store the entire door 24 using a simple mechanism.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The second embodiment is a roll-type opening and closing mechanism in which a transparent sheet 25 is wound around a roller pipe 26.

In the second mode, the transparent sheet 25 covers the front side of the transparent case 22, closing it (Figure 6 (A)). A handle 27 is provided at the bottom end of the sheet 25. When the handle 27 is pulled downward while the sheet 25 is covering the front side of the transparent case 22, the spring inside the roller pipe 26 acts to gradually wind up the sheet 25, gradually opening the front side (Figure 6 (B)). When the entire sheet 25 is wound around the roller pipe 26, it is completely open (Figure 6 (C)). In this state, the front side can be closed again by pulling the handle 27 downward and withdrawing the sheet 25 from the roller pipe 26. In this way, the second mode has the advantage that opening and closing is not restricted by the surrounding space.

In the above example, the sheet 25 is opened and closed (wound up and pulled out) manually, but an automatic opening and closing mechanism may be used instead. Furthermore, magnets may be attached to the periphery of the sheet 25 and the front edge of the transparent case 22 (the area where the periphery of the sheet 25 touches) to prevent gaps from forming between the sheet 25 and the transparent case 22.

Figure 7 shows a third embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20. The third embodiment is a left-right opening and closing mechanism that allows the door to be opened to the left and right. If there is ample space on both sides at the installation location of the hydroponic cultivation device 1, the third embodiment may also be an option.

In the third embodiment, a left door 28 and a right door 29 are provided on the front side of the transparent case 22 (see (A) in Figure 7). When either door (the left door 28 in the illustrated example) is opened, the front side is half-opened (see (B) in Figure 7), and when the other door (the right door 29 in the illustrated example) is opened, the front side is completely opened (see (C) in Figure 7). When tending to some of the plants or refilling the fertilizer case 70 with solid fertilizer, it is not necessary to completely open the front side. Therefore, the third embodiment has the advantage that the desired work can be performed by opening only one door.

[Aquarium]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view and a plan view showing the state in which the connecting pipe 50 is fixed to the water tank 40.
Water tub 40 is elongated in the width direction, and its inner wall is formed with a step 42 extending along the entire circumference. Step 42 is provided to restrict the descent of tray 60 set in water tub 40, and its inner peripheral length is slightly smaller than that of edge 41.

A connecting pipe 50 is fixed to the front side of one widthwise end of the water tub 40 (the right end in the illustrated example). To prevent water leakage, the fixed end 51 of the connecting pipe 50 is fixed to the water tub 40 in a watertight manner, with, for example, an annular gasket sandwiched between the connecting pipe 50 and the water tub 40. Although not shown in the figure, the rear side of the position where the fixed end 51 is fixed to the water tub 40 penetrates all the way to the interior, allowing water to be supplied to and drained from the water tub 40 via the connecting pipe 50 (inlet/outlet end 52).

[Tray]
FIG. 9 is a perspective view and a plan view showing the tray 60. As shown in FIG.

Figure 9 (A): A perspective view of the tray 60. The tray 60 is a flat, elongated member with multiple plant cultivation holes 61 and one fertilizer supply hole 62 drilled into it. Handles 63 are provided on both ends of the tray 60 in the width direction. The handle 63 is a rod-shaped member with an extendable mechanism; when not in use, only the tip protrudes and the rest is stored within the mechanism (solid line in the figure). When in use, the handle 63 can be extended upward by pulling the tip (dash-dotted line in the figure). By lifting the extended handle 63, the tray 60 can be easily inserted or removed.

Figure 9 (B): Plan view of the tray 60. The tray 60 has a plurality of plant cultivation holes 61 arranged in two rows. In the illustrated example, the plant cultivation holes 61 are arranged in two rows of five, but the number of rows of plant cultivation holes 61 and the number of plant cultivation holes 61 in each row are not limited to this. The tray 60 also has a fertilizer supply hole 62 at one end on its front side (the front right end in the illustrated example).

Figure 9 (C): A perspective view showing the tray 60 set in the aquarium 40. The tray 60 has an outer periphery slightly smaller than the inner periphery of the aquarium's edge 41, and is set with almost no gap between it and the inner wall of the aquarium 40. By making the tray 60 this size, the position of the tray 60, and therefore the plants, can be stabilized when in use.

Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view along line X-X in Figure 9) showing the aquarium 40 and tray 60. Note that (B) and (C) show the device in use; although plants and culture media are actually set in the plant cultivation holes 61, these are not shown.

Figure 10 (A): A vertical cross-sectional view of the water tank 40. As described above, a step 42 is formed on the inner wall of the water tank 40. The step 42 has a height that is, for example, approximately half the depth of the water tank 40 (the height from the floor 43 to the top surface of the step 42 is approximately the same as the height from the top surface of the step 42 to the top surface of the edge 41). Note that the height of the step 42 is not limited to the above example, and may be made even higher.

Figure 10 (B): A vertical cross-sectional view showing the state in which the tray 60 is set in the aquarium 40 and filled with water LQ. When the aquarium 40 is filled with water LQ, the tray 60 floats on the water surface due to buoyancy. In actual use, plants and culture media are set in the plant cultivation holes 61, and depending on the growth conditions of the plants, the weight of the plants may cause the tray 60 to drop below the water surface.

Figure 10 (C): When the water LQ is gradually absorbed by the plants and the water level gradually drops, the tray 60 drops along with the water surface. However, when the water level drops below the top surface of the step 42, the tray 60 is restricted by the top surface of the step 42 and remains at the same height as the step 42. This ensures that there is enough space for the plant roots to grow even when the water level drops below a certain height.

[Connecting pipe]
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a mode of use of the connecting pipe 50.
The connecting pipe 50 is a tubular member whose bending direction can be changed, and in this embodiment, a flexible member that can be bent freely (for example, a flexible tube surrounded on the outside by a braid made of stainless steel (so-called braid flex), or a pipe with a bellows-shaped portion) is used. The bending direction of the connecting pipe 50 can be changed when supplying water to the water tank 40 or when draining water from the water tank 40.

Figure 11 (A): Shows how the connecting pipe 50 is used when supplying water to the water tank 40. When supplying water, the connecting pipe 50 is bent upward so that the inlet/outlet end 52 faces upward, and one end of the hose HS is connected to the inlet/outlet end 52 and the other end is connected to a water faucet in the kitchen. By turning the faucet, tap water can be supplied to the water tank 40 via the connecting pipe 50. Once the water tank 40 is filled with water, the hose HS is removed, and the connecting pipe 50 is left facing upward to prevent water from spilling. Note that in case the connecting pipe 50 is accidentally pointed downward, a plug can be provided at the inlet/outlet end 52, and the inlet/outlet end 52 can be plugged when water is not being supplied.

Figure 11 (B): Shows how the connecting pipe 50 is used when draining water from the water tank 40. When draining water, the connecting pipe 50 is bent downward with the inlet/outlet end 52 facing downward. Because a kitchen sink is located below the hydroponic cultivation device 1, by pointing the inlet/outlet end 52 downward, the water stored in the water tank 40 can be drained through the connecting pipe 50 toward the sink and then directly into the drain. Note that if the sink is not located directly below the hydroponic cultivation device 1, or if the distance between the sink and the hydroponic cultivation device 1 is large (the drain position is high) and there is a risk of water splashing around, a drain hose can be connected to the inlet/outlet end 52 to drain the water.

In this way, in the hydroponic cultivation device 1, water can be easily supplied to and drained from the water tank 40 by changing the bending direction of the connecting pipe 50 without removing the water tank 40 from the container 20.

In this embodiment, a flexible, bendable member is used for the connecting pipe 50. Alternatively, the connecting pipe 50 may have an arc-shaped outlet, as found on so-called universal home faucets, which are often used in places like school drinking fountains. In this case, the connecting pipe 50 is rotatably fixed to the water tank 40, and the pipe is rotated upward when filling with water and downward when draining, allowing for easy water filling and draining, just like the example above.

[Fertilizer case]
12 to 14 are diagrams illustrating three aspects of the fertilizer case 70. In the perspective views showing the use state, the interior of the fertilizer case 70 is shown with solid lines, and the container 20 is not shown, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Furthermore, the fertilizer case 70 and the edge 41 (water tank 40) are provided with structures (positioning grooves, claws, claw receivers, etc.) for easily fixing the fertilizer case, but these structures are also not shown. Each aspect will be described below in order.

Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment. In the fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment, the stored solid fertilizers are periodically dropped into water one by one.

Figure 12 (A): A perspective view showing a fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment. The fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment has an upper part 71 including a solid fertilizer storage section 71a and its lid 71b, a cylindrical lower part 72 located below the upper part 71, and a rotating plate 73 rotatably disposed between the upper part 71 and the lower part 72 and having a drop hole 73a bored therein with approximately the same diameter as the solid fertilizer. The solid fertilizer is stored aligned in the storage section 71a with the lid 71b open upward. The storage section 71a is formed through the bottom surface of the upper part 71 and has a hole at its lower end, but the rotating plate 73 prevents the solid fertilizer from falling as long as the drop hole 73a is not located directly below the storage section 71a.

Figure 12 (B): Plan view of the rotating plate 73. Although not shown, the rotating plate 73 has a battery-powered or spring-powered mechanism that rotates at a substantially constant speed. As the rotating plate 73 rotates at a substantially constant speed, the position of the drop hole 73a changes at a substantially constant speed, and it is positioned directly below the storage section 71a at substantially constant intervals. When the drop hole 73a is positioned directly below the storage section 71a, the restriction of the solid fertilizer by the rotating plate 73 is released, and one solid fertilizer stored in the storage section 71a passes through the drop hole 73a and falls. Note that the rotating plate 73 continues to rotate while one solid fertilizer falls, and the plate immediately returns to being restricted by the rotating plate 73, preventing multiple solid fertilizers from falling consecutively.

Figure 12 (C): A perspective view showing the fertilizer case 70 of the first embodiment in use. As described above, the lower part 72 is cylindrical and open at the top and bottom. Therefore, solid fertilizer that passes through the drop hole 73a passes further through the bottom hole 72a of the lower part 72 and falls into the fertilizer supply hole 62 located below the fertilizer case 70, where it is dropped into the water. The dropped solid fertilizer then gradually dissolves into the water and floats in the water, eventually spreading throughout the entire water tank 40.

Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. In the second embodiment of the fertilizer case 70, the stored solid fertilizers are manually dropped into water one by one.

Figure 13 (A): A perspective view showing a fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment. The fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment has a cylindrical body 74 including a solid fertilizer storage section 74a and its lid section 74b, a push-in section 75 provided on the bottom side of the cylindrical body 74, and an extrusion hole 76 provided in a position opposite the push-in section 75 on the bottom side of the cylindrical body 74. The solid fertilizer is stored in a line in the storage section 71a with the lid section 71b open upward. Unlike the first embodiment, the lower end of the storage section 74a is located at a height above the floor of the cylindrical body 74 that is greater than the thickness of one solid fertilizer, and the bottom of the cylindrical body 74 is completely closed.

A pusher plate 75a is provided at the back of the pushing section 75 to push out one solid fertilizer stored in the storage section 74a, and a guide groove 75b is provided on the floor of the cylindrical body 74 to guide the movement of the pusher plate 75a. A spring (not shown) is also provided below the pushing section 75, with one end engaging with the pushing section 75 and the other end engaging with the end of the floor of the cylindrical body 74. When the pushing section 75 is pressed with a finger, the pusher plate 75a moves toward the back along the guide groove 75b and the spring extends. When the finger is released from the pushing section 75 in this state, the pushing force of the spring returns the pushing section 75 to its original position.

Figure 13 (B): A perspective view showing the fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment in use. For ease of explanation, the water tank 40 is not shown here. When the extrusion hole 76 is pressed with a finger, the extrusion plate 75a moves to the rear, and the bottom solid fertilizer is pushed to the rear and extruded out of the extrusion hole 76, dropping into the fertilizer supply hole 62 located close to the fertilizer case 70 and being dropped into the water. The dropped solid fertilizer then gradually dissolves in the water and floats in the water, eventually spreading throughout the entire water tank 40.

The above structure is merely one example of the fertilizer case 70 of the second embodiment, and is not limited to this. Any structure may be used as long as it allows solid fertilizer to be pushed out one by one by manually performing some kind of operation. For example, the pushing section 75 may be simply a hole without the above-mentioned mechanism (push-out plate 75a, guide groove 75b), and a finger may be inserted into this hole to directly push the bottom solid fertilizer out of the push-out hole 76.

Furthermore, while Figure 13 does not show the position of the water tank 40 where the fertilizer case 70 is placed, the fertilizer case 70 may be placed at a position on the end of the water tank 40 that does not interfere with the opening and closing mechanism of the container 20, and the fertilizer supply hole 62 may be drilled at an appropriate position on the tray 60 to match the placement position of the fertilizer case 70. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the tube body 74 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but this is not limited to this and may be formed in a rectangular tube shape, for example.

Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. The third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70 is set in the fertilizer supply hole 62, with its bottom touching the water surface of the water tank 40. This causes the contained solid fertilizer to gradually dissolve into the water.

Figure 14 (A): An exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a fertilizer case 70. For ease of explanation, the fertilizer case 70 is shown upside down. The third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70 includes a cylindrical storage tube 77 and a bottom lid 78 that covers the bottom of the storage tube 77. Solid fertilizer is stored inside through an opening that appears when the lid 77b at the top of the storage tube 77 is opened. A plurality of bottom holes 77a are drilled at approximately equal intervals around the circumference in the bottom surface of the storage tube 77. Furthermore, a plurality of lid holes 78a, each having approximately the same diameter as the bottom holes 77a, are drilled at approximately equal intervals around the circumference in the bottom lid 78 at positions corresponding to the bottom holes 77a. Furthermore, protrusions 78b that protrude outward are provided around the entire periphery of the bottom lid 78.

Figure 14 (B): A bottom view showing a third embodiment of the fertilizer case 70. The bottom lid 78 and the storage cylinder 77 are rotatable relative to each other in the circumferential direction. By rotating one of the bottom lid 78 and the storage cylinder 77 relative to the other, the degree of overlap between the bottom hole 77a and the lid hole 78a can be changed, thereby opening and closing the opening at the bottom of the fertilizer case 70 (changing the degree of opening).

Figure 14 (C): A front view of the fertilizer case 70 in the third embodiment in use. Although the wall of the water tub 40 is actually located on the front side, for ease of explanation, the water tub 40 is not shown here. As mentioned above, in the third embodiment, the fertilizer case 70 is set into the fertilizer supply hole 62, so the fertilizer supply hole 62 is larger than in the other embodiments. When the bottom lid 78 of the fertilizer case 70 containing solid fertilizer is inserted into the fertilizer supply hole 62, the protrusion 78b engages with the upper edge of the fertilizer supply hole 62, preventing the fertilizer case 70 from falling, and the fertilizer case 70 is fixed to the tray 60 with the bottom lid 78 in contact with the water.

Water enters the fertilizer case 70 through the lid hole 78a and bottom hole 77a. When water enters the fertilizer case 70, the solid fertilizer is submerged and gradually dissolves into the water. The dissolved fertilizer flows out into the water tank 40 through the bottom hole 77a and lid hole 78a, gradually drifting through the water LQ and eventually spreading throughout the water tank 40. When the storage tube 77 is rotated relative to the bottom lid 78 while the fertilizer case 70 is fixed to the tray 60 (or the fertilizer case 70 is removed from the tray 60 and the bottom lid 78 is rotated relative to the storage tube 77), the degree of opening of the bottom of the fertilizer case 70 changes, making it possible to adjust the degree of outflow of the dissolved fertilizer and, ultimately, the nutrient concentration in the water LQ.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following advantages are obtained.
(1) The rack 10 is attached to the bottom of a kitchen wall cabinet, and the hydroponic cultivation device 1 is installed in the dead space that is normally unused, below the wall cabinet. This allows hydroponic cultivation to be carried out by utilizing the dead space without occupying space that can be used for other purposes, such as a table or shelf.

(2) The rack 10 is secured to the floor board FP of the wall cabinet KS simply by placing the arm 15 on the floor board FP and sliding it toward the back. Furthermore, the rack 10 can be removed from the floor board FP simply by sliding the rack 10 toward the front in this state. Therefore, the rack 10 can be easily attached and detached (mounted and removed) without using any fastening parts.

(3) Because the container 20 has an opening and closing mechanism on the front side, plants can be cared for, harvested, and trays 60 can be inserted and removed without removing the aquarium 40 from the container 20. Furthermore, because the space above the aquarium 40 is partitioned by a transparent case 22, the cultivation space is kept warm and moist while preventing insects and foreign objects from entering, and the growth status of the plants can be checked from the outside.

(4) Because the connecting pipe 50 is fixed watertight to the water tank 40 with its bending direction adjustable, the bending direction of the connecting pipe 50 can be adjusted according to the situation without removing the water tank 40 from the container 20. This allows water to be easily supplied to and drained from the water tank 40 while reliably preventing water leakage, significantly reducing the hassle of dealing with water when performing hydroponic cultivation.

(5) A fertilizer case 70 is provided at the end of the water tank 40, and the solid fertilizer contained in the fertilizer case 70 is automatically and periodically (or manually) dropped into the water one by one and gradually dissolved, or the solid fertilizer that has been submerged in water gradually dissolves, eliminating the need to separately prepare and supply a solution containing the solid fertilizer.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented in various modifications.

In the above-described embodiment, the aquarium 40 is placed on the rack 10 while housed in the container 20, but the aquarium 40 may be placed directly on the rack 10 without using the container 20. Alternatively, the aquarium 40 may be placed directly on the rack 10 without using the aquarium holder 21 of the container 20, and only the transparent case 22 may be placed over it.

In the above-described embodiment, the entire transparent case 22 is made of a transparent material, but instead, only the front side may be made of a transparent material. With this configuration, the growth status of the plants can also be observed from the outside through the transparent case 22.

In addition, all of the illustrations and examples shown in the embodiments are merely preferred examples, and it goes without saying that appropriate modifications are possible when implementing the present invention.

1 Hydroponic cultivation device 10 Rack 20 Container 30 Light 40 Aquarium 50 Connecting pipe 60 Tray 70 Fertilizer case KS Kitchen wall cabinet FP Wall cabinet floor

Claims (7)

A tank for placing plants in water,
a rack having a base on which the water tank is placed and arms that can be hung on a bottom plate of a kitchen wall cabinet, the rack being supported by the wall cabinet via the arms;
a connecting pipe having a tubular shape, one end of which is fixed to the water tank and the other end of which can be connected to a pipe for supplying water to the water tank, and which is capable of changing the bending direction;
a fertilizer case having a hole in the bottom and disposed at an end of the water tank to store solid fertilizer. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 1,
The connecting pipe is
A hydroponic cultivation device characterized in that the device is bent upward when supplying water to the water tank, and bent downward when draining water from the water tank. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The hydroponic cultivation device further includes a container having an openable/closable mechanism on the front side, which partitions the space above the water tank. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 3,
The container comprises:
A hydroponic cultivation device characterized in that at least the front side is made of a transparent material. The hydroponic cultivation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The fertilizer case includes:
A hydroponic cultivation device comprising a lower portion having a hole on the bottom surface and an upper portion that supplies the stored fertilizer to the lower portion at approximately regular intervals, wherein the hole is positioned opposite the water surface of the aquarium, so that the fertilizer supplied from the upper portion to the lower portion is introduced into the water through the hole. The hydroponic cultivation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The fertilizer case includes:
A hydroponic cultivation device having holes on the bottom surface, the holes being positioned so that the fertilizer contained therein can be landed on the water surface of the tank, thereby dissolving the fertilizer into the water. The hydroponic cultivation device according to claim 6,
The fertilizer case includes:
A hydroponic cultivation device comprising: a substantially cylindrical container portion having a plurality of holes on its bottom surface; and a bottom lid portion covering the bottom of the container portion having a plurality of holes on its surface facing the bottom surface of the container portion; wherein the degree of opening of the plurality of holes on the bottom surface of the container portion can be changed by rotating the bottom lid portion in the circumferential direction of the container portion.