JP7789377B2 - Fruit cultivation system, fruit cultivation kit, and fruit production method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fruit cultivation system that cultivates fruit by regulating the environment surrounding the fruit, a fruit cultivation kit for constructing the system, and a method for producing fruit cultivated using the system.

In order to cultivate grapes and other fruits and ship them commercially, it is necessary to ensure that they are of a certain level of quality. Fruit quality is greatly influenced by the surrounding environment, including climate, soil, and even pests and diseases, so consideration of the surrounding environment is essential to growing high-quality fruit. Insufficient consideration of the surrounding environment can result in various types of damage, such as stunted growth and pest damage. One of the phenomena that can occur as a result of such damage is fruit cracking.

Fruit cracking is the phenomenon in which the fruit splits, and is sometimes called nut cracking. Fruit cracking can occur due to pests, diseases, or excessively tightly packed berries, but one of the main causes is an increase in moisture content within the berries due to rainfall, etc. It is thought that when moisture content within the berries increases due to water absorption during ripening, the berries are unable to resist the turgor pressure and burst. This increase in moisture content within the berries can occur not only due to excess soil moisture, but also due to high air humidity, and some believe that the latter has a greater impact on fruit cracking.
Fruit cracking also occurs in grapes, and the abnormal weather conditions experienced in recent years during the grape ripening period from July to September may exacerbate the damage caused by grape cracking, so immediate measures are needed.

As mentioned above, high air humidity is one of the causes of fruit cracking, so controlling humidity can be expected to prevent fruit cracking. However, even when grapes are grown in greenhouses such as vinyl houses to control humidity, controlling the humidity of the entire greenhouse is economically problematic and difficult to achieve. Therefore, there is a need for humidity control technology that also takes economic aspects into consideration.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a plant cultivation device that dissipates temperature- and humidity-regulated air into fruit bags, with the aim of reducing capital investment and enabling localized cooling that aids plant growth and fruit coloring. The plant cultivation device in Patent Document 1 obtains temperature- and humidity-regulated air from the hot and cold air generated by a vortex tube, and then uses the back pressure of the vortex tube to dissipate this air locally onto plants such as grapes.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-246879

However, the plant cultivation device in Patent Document 1 dissipates temperature- and humidity-regulated air into the fruit bags, so while the air is being dissipated, it is necessary to continuously generate hot and cold air using a vortex tube, which can result in significant energy consumption.

The present invention was made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a fruit cultivation system, fruit cultivation kit, and fruit production method that can efficiently adjust the environment surrounding fruit to suit fruit cultivation and suppress damage such as fruit cracking.

As a result of extensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that the following invention meets the above objectives, leading to the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to the following inventions.
<1> A fruit cultivation system comprising: an air conditioning unit that adjusts at least the humidity of the air; a circulation pipe connected to the air conditioning unit and through which conditioned air conditioned by the air conditioning unit circulates; a plurality of covering parts that form gaps between the fruit and the covering parts and cover the fruit; delivery capillaries connected to the circulation pipe and the covering parts and that guide the conditioned air to the covering parts; and receiving capillaries connected to the covering parts and the circulation pipe and that guide the air in the covering parts to the circulation pipe, wherein the delivery capillaries and the receiving capillaries are connected to the circulation pipe so that the opening faces of the end of the delivery capillaries that connects to the circulation pipe and the opening faces of the end of the receiving capillaries that connect to the circulation pipe are fixed anywhere within a range from the outer periphery of an opening drilled in the circulation pipe to connect the delivery capillaries and the receiving capillaries to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation pipe that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction.
<2> A fruit cultivation system comprising: a plurality of air conditioning units that adjust at least the humidity of the air; a circulation pipe connected to the air conditioning units and through which conditioned air conditioned by the air conditioning units circulates; a plurality of covering units that form gaps between the fruit and the covering units and cover the fruit; a delivery capillary connected to the circulation pipe and the covering units and that guides the conditioned air to the covering units; and a receiving capillary connected to the covering units and the circulation pipe and that guides the air in the covering units to the circulation pipe, wherein the circulation pipe is arranged so that the circulating conditioned air passes through at least two of the air conditioning units; and the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary are connected to the circulation pipe so that an opening face of the end of the delivery capillary that connects to the circulation pipe and an opening face of the end of the receiving capillary that connects to the circulation pipe are fixed anywhere within a range from an outer periphery of an opening drilled in the circulation pipe to connect the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation pipe that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction.
<3> The fruit cultivation system according to <1> or <2>, wherein a portion of the outer periphery of the opening surface of the delivery capillary and a portion of the outer periphery of the opening surface of the receiving capillary are in close contact with the outer periphery of an opening formed in the circulation pipe.
<4> The fruit cultivation system according to <1> or <2>, wherein the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary are fastened to an inner surface of the circulation pipe.
<5> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the delivery capillary is connected to the circulation piping so that the opening surface of the delivery capillary faces in a direction opposite to a direction in which the conditioned air flows through the circulation piping, and the receiving capillary is connected to the circulation piping so that the opening surface of the receiving capillary faces in a direction in which the conditioned air flows through the circulation piping.
<6> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the air conditioning unit adjusts the humidity and temperature of the air.
<7> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the inner diameters of the connected delivery tubules and receiving tubules increase as the position of the circulation piping increases downstream in the flow of the conditioned air in the circulation piping from the point where the circulation piping connects to the air conditioning unit.
<8> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the opening formed in the circulation pipe has an elliptical shape whose major axis is in the longitudinal direction of the circulation pipe.
<9> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <8>, wherein the end of the delivery capillary connected to the covered portion and the end of the receiving capillary connected to the covered portion have small holes and are inserted into the inside of the covered portion.
<10> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <9>, wherein the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary are detachable.
<11> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the circulation piping is composed of a plurality of circulation component pipes with different inner diameters, and the inner diameters of the circulation component pipes connected to the air adjustment unit are gradually reduced from the circulation component pipes connected to the delivery tubules and the receiving tubules.
<12> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <11>, further comprising a chemical adding means for adding a chemical used for cultivating the fruit to the conditioned air.
<13> The fruit cultivation system according to any one of <1> to <12>, wherein the air conditioning unit adjusts the air so as to suppress cracking of the fruit.
<14> A fruit cultivation kit for producing the fruit cultivation system described in any one of <1> to <13>, the fruit cultivation kit including at least the circulation piping of a predetermined length, the delivery tubule, the receiving tubule, and the covering part.
<15> A method for producing fruit grown using the fruit cultivation system described in any one of <1> to <13>.
<16> The method for producing a fruit according to <15>, wherein the fruit is a grape fruit.

The fruit cultivation system, fruit cultivation kit, and fruit production method of the present invention circulate and flow conditioned air through the covering that encases the fruit, allowing for localized and efficient adjustment of the environment surrounding the fruit and reducing damage such as fruit cracking at low cost. Furthermore, by fastening the delivery and receiving capillaries connected to the circulation piping near the connection openings, obstruction to the flow of circulating air can be reduced.

1 is a perspective view showing an example (first embodiment) of a greenhouse in which a fruit cultivation system according to the present invention is used. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example (first embodiment) of a fruit cultivation system according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example (first embodiment) of a connection point between a delivery capillary and a receiving capillary and a circulation pipe. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a covering portion covering grape berries. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an example of a connection point between a separable delivery capillary and a receiving capillary and a circulation pipe. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of the covering portion covering grape berries. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an example (second embodiment) of a connection point between a delivery capillary and a receiving capillary and a circulation pipe; FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example (third embodiment) of a greenhouse in which the fruit cultivation system according to the present invention is used. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example (third embodiment) of a fruit cultivation system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example (fourth embodiment) of a greenhouse in which the fruit cultivation system according to the present invention is used. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example (fourth embodiment) of a fruit cultivation system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a modified example of the example (fourth embodiment) of the fruit cultivation system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example (fifth embodiment) of a fruit cultivation system according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of components included in a fruit cultivation kit according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to a fruit cultivation system comprising an air conditioning unit that adjusts at least the humidity of the air; a circulation pipe connected to the air conditioning unit and through which conditioned air circulates (i.e., air conditioned by the air conditioning unit); multiple covering sections that form gaps between the fruit and the fruit and cover the fruit; delivery capillaries connected to the circulation pipe and the covering section and that guide the conditioned air to the covering section; and receiving capillaries connected to the covering section and the circulation pipe and that guide the air within the covering section to the circulation pipe. The delivery capillaries and receiving capillaries are connected to the circulation pipe so that the opening faces of the end of the delivery capillaries that connects to the circulation pipe and the opening faces of the end of the receiving capillaries that connect to the circulation pipe are positioned anywhere within a range from the outer periphery of an opening drilled in the circulation pipe to connect the delivery capillaries and the receiving capillaries to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation pipe that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction.

The present invention also relates to a fruit cultivation system comprising: multiple air conditioning units that adjust at least the humidity of the air; circulation pipes connected to the air conditioning units and through which conditioned air circulates; multiple covering units that form gaps between the fruit and the fruit and cover the fruit; delivery capillaries connected to the circulation pipes and the covering units and directing the conditioned air to the covering units; and receiving capillaries connected to the covering units and the circulation pipes and directing the air in the covering units to the circulation pipes. The circulation pipes are arranged so that the circulating conditioned air passes through at least two of the air conditioning units, and the delivery capillaries and receiving capillaries are connected to the circulation pipes so that the opening faces of the end of the delivery capillaries that connect to the circulation pipes and the opening faces of the end of the receiving capillaries that connect to the circulation pipes are positioned anywhere within a range from the outer periphery of an opening drilled in the circulation pipe to connect the delivery and receiving capillaries to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation pipe that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction.

The present invention also relates to a fruit cultivation kit for constructing the fruit cultivation system, and a method for cultivating fruit using the fruit cultivation system.

In this invention, air conditioned by the air conditioning unit (conditioned air) is circulated through a circulation pipe. The air is then circulated through an outlet tube connected to the circulation pipe into the covering that encases the fruit, and the air inside the covering is returned to the circulation pipe through an inlet tube connected to the circulation pipe. Therefore, the scope of the regulated ambient environment is limited to the air conditioning unit, circulation pipe, outlet tube, inlet tube, and covering, rather than the entire greenhouse, such as a plastic greenhouse, where the fruit is grown. This allows for localized regulation, and the ambient environment around the fruit can be accurately regulated without the use of large-scale equipment.

In addition, the present invention is configured so that a portion of the air circulating within the circulation piping is returned to the circulation piping via the flow from the delivery capillary tube to the covering section to the receiving capillary tube. This prevents weakening of the air flow within the circulation piping and allows for efficient air regulation.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the delivery capillary and receiving capillary connected to the circulation piping are fastened near the openings drilled in the circulation piping to connect them, thereby preventing the connected delivery capillary and receiving capillary from obstructing the flow of air within the circulation piping.
In this way, the present invention adjusts the surrounding environment locally, accurately, and efficiently, thereby making it possible to suppress damage to fruits such as cracking at low cost.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that in each drawing, identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, the numerical values, shapes, etc. in the following description are examples only and the present invention is not limited to these. Furthermore, while this embodiment uses the suppression of fruit cracking in grape cultivation as an example, the present invention is not limited to grape cultivation and can also be applied to the cultivation of other fruits, and is also effective in suppressing damage to fruit other than cracking, and promoting fruit development such as coloring.

This section describes an example (first embodiment) of the fruit cultivation system of the present invention used to cultivate grapes in a greenhouse.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a greenhouse 1, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a fruit cultivation system 2 used in the greenhouse 1. In Fig. 2, the fruit cultivation system 2 is drawn larger than the greenhouse 1 in order to clearly show the structure of the fruit cultivation system 2 within the greenhouse 1.
The greenhouse 1 is a row of buildings, five in this embodiment, which are lined up horizontally in Figures 1 and 2. Each building has an arched ceiling. The width (horizontal length in Figure 2) and depth (vertical length in Figure 2) of each building can be set as appropriate, and in this embodiment, the width is 4 m and the depth is 50 m. No vinyl is laid at the boundaries between the buildings (hereinafter referred to as "building boundaries"), and multiple pillars support the greenhouse 1.

The grapes 3 are planted along the ridge boundaries using the H-shaped pruning method. In other words, the main trunks of multiple grapes 3 extend vertically from the ground at the ridge boundaries, and the main branches spread out in an H shape from there, extending toward the depth of the greenhouse 1 (the vertical direction in Figure 2), as shown in Figure 2. Small branches extend from the main branches, and fruit (grape berries) grow on each small branch. Only the main branches are shown in Figure 2.

The fruit cultivation system 2 includes an air conditioning unit 80 that adjusts the air to a humidity and temperature suitable for preventing cracking of the grapes 3, a covering unit 70 that covers the grape berries 3A (see Figure 4 below), a circulation pipe that circulates the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 80, a delivery tubule 50 that directs the circulating air to the covering unit 70, and a receiving tubule 60 that directs the air in the covering unit 70 to the circulation pipe.

The air conditioning unit 80 is located approximately in the center of the greenhouse 1 and is connected to a circulation pipe arranged inside the greenhouse 1.
The air conditioning unit 80 is a closed space surrounded by walls or the like to prevent cracking of the grapes 3, and uses commercially available devices to adjust the air in the space to a predetermined humidity and temperature and then blows out the adjusted air. Specifically, an air conditioner (hereinafter abbreviated as "air conditioner") that automatically adjusts the humidity and temperature to set values and an electric blower are used.

In order to prevent cracking, it is preferable to keep the area around the grape berries 3A in a low-humidity, low-temperature environment, so an air conditioner is used to adjust the air in the air conditioning unit 80 to the humidity and temperature of such an environment.
The specific humidity and temperature are appropriately determined based on experiments and known knowledge in the field, taking into consideration the grape variety, the state of growth of the grape berries 3A, and the like.

For example, with regard to humidity, the humidity should be kept at the same level as inside the greenhouse 1 (60-70%) during the early stages of grape berry growth. To prevent cracking, the humidity of the circulating air within the covering unit 70 should be controlled to 50% or less, 30% or less, and 20% or less (just before harvest) as the grape berries 3A grow. Furthermore, since the grape berries 3A begin to color at approximately 23°C, it is preferable to control the temperature of the circulating air to 15°C to 23°C (nighttime temperature). Furthermore, caution is required regarding phenomena other than cracking, such as excessive drying of the grape berries 3A during the late stages of ripening, which can cause berry shedding from the berries farthest from the base. Air conditioned by the air conditioner is delivered to the circulation piping connected to the air conditioning unit 80 using an electric blower. The number of electric blowers installed in the air conditioning unit 80 and the air volume delivered by each electric blower are determined based on the size and structure of the circulation piping within the greenhouse 1. For example, four electric fans are installed in the air conditioning unit 80, and the volume of air blown by each electric fan is set to 11.5 m ³ /min.

In addition, since simply creating a low-humidity environment is effective in preventing fruit cracking, it is also possible to use an air conditioner to adjust only the humidity within the air conditioning unit 80. In this case, a dehumidifier may be used instead of an air conditioner. In cases where humidity (and temperature) can be adjusted simply by blowing air from the air conditioning unit 80, it is also possible to use only an electric blower. If the air conditioner is equipped with an air purification function, this function may be enabled. To efficiently adjust the air within the air conditioning unit 80, an air mixer such as a circulator may be used. Instead of configuring the air conditioning unit 80 as a commercially available device, a dedicated device may be manufactured. The air conditioner's outdoor unit is usually located outside the greenhouse 1. However, if placing it inside is difficult because of the difficulty in placing it outside, a path is provided to send heat emitted from the outdoor unit to the outside of the greenhouse 1. For example, an exhaust port is drilled in the ceiling of the greenhouse 1 above the air conditioning unit 80, and a path is provided connecting the outdoor unit to the exhaust port. Heat from the outdoor unit is sent through this path.

In addition, the air conditioning unit 80 is set so that the humidity and temperature inside the air conditioning unit 80 are appropriate for preventing cracking. However, it is also possible to measure the humidity and temperature inside the covering unit 70 and adjust the settings on the air conditioning unit so that these measured values are appropriate for preventing cracking. This allows for more appropriate adjustment of humidity and temperature.

The circulation piping is composed of four types of circulation component pipes (first circulation component pipe 10, second circulation component pipe 20, third circulation component pipe 30, and fourth circulation component pipe 40).
The circulation pipes are made of rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. The inner diameters of the first circulation pipe 10, the second circulation pipe 20, the third circulation pipe 30, and the fourth circulation pipe 40 decrease in this order. Inside the greenhouse 1, the pipes are connected in this order from the air conditioning unit 80, and then connected in the reverse order to return to the air conditioning unit 80.

The different types of circulation pipes are connected in a structure in which two circulation pipes with smaller inner diameters are connected to one circulation pipe with a larger inner diameter, i.e., the two are either separated or joined. Therefore, from the viewpoint of uniformity of the amount of air circulating, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the circulation pipe with the smaller inner diameter is 1/2 of the cross-sectional area of the circulation pipe with the larger inner diameter, i.e., 1/√2 of the inner diameter. However, when using prefabricated PVC pipes to reduce costs, the available inner diameters are limited, so the inner diameters should at least be kept small. For example, the inner diameter of the first circulation pipe 10 is 75 mm, the inner diameter of the second circulation pipe 20 is 65 mm, the inner diameter of the third circulation pipe 30 is 65 mm, and the inner diameter of the fourth circulation pipe 40 is 40 mm.
The circulation pipe is wrapped with a sheet that has heat insulating and heat-shielding properties, such as a polyethylene foam light cover, and on top of that is wrapped with a light-shielding sheet, such as an aluminum vapor deposition sheet (a sheet with aluminum vacuum-deposited on the surface). Note that if the benefits of using these are not required or can be met by other means, it is not necessary to wrap these around the circulation pipe.
The circulation pipe is positioned higher than the grapes 3A and is fixed to the pipes that form and support the greenhouse 1 with metal fittings, wires, etc.

Inside the greenhouse 1, the circulation piping is arranged symmetrically in four areas divided around the air conditioning unit 80. Below, the arrangement of the circulation piping in one area (the area in the upper right corner of Figure 2) is explained. In the other areas, the arrangement is symmetrical to that in that area. In one area, four main branches of grapevines 3 extend in the depth direction.

The first circulation component pipe 10 is composed of first circulation component pipes 11 and 12, both of which are connected to the air conditioning unit 80.

The first circulation component pipe 11 is connected to the outlet of the electric blower in the air conditioning unit 80 and penetrates the wall of the air conditioning unit 80. It is arranged so as to extend horizontally in the frontage direction of the greenhouse 1 (the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 ) up to a distance equivalent to one frontage (4 m).
The end of the first circulation component pipe 11 that is not connected to the electric blower outlet is connected to the second circulation component pipe 20. Two second circulation component pipes 20 (21 and 22) are connected to one first circulation component pipe 11. Since the second circulation component pipes 21 and 22 are arranged to extend in the same direction as the first circulation component pipe 11, the first circulation component pipe 11 and the second circulation component pipes 21 and 22 are connected, for example, using a combination of an L-shaped pipe and a T-shaped pipe as a joint. That is, the end of the first circulation component pipe 11 is connected to one opening of the L-shaped pipe, and the other opening is connected to an opening on the branch pipe side of the T-shaped pipe (openings that are not facing each other), and the ends of the second circulation component pipes 21 and 22 are connected to the two openings on the main pipe side of the T-shaped pipe (openings that are facing each other). Note that combinations of pipes of other shapes may also be used as joints.

The first circulation component pipe 12 is connected to the air conditioning unit 80 by fitting an end of the first circulation component pipe 12 into a connection port drilled in the wall of the air conditioning unit 80. The first circulation component pipe 12 extends horizontally in the depth direction of the greenhouse 1 to one end face (the upper part in FIG. 2), bends vertically near the end face toward one end face (side face) in the width direction (the face on the right side in FIG. 2), and extends along the end face for about one width (4 m).
The end of the first circulation component pipe 12 that is not connected to the air conditioning unit 80 is also connected to the second circulation component pipe 20, and the second circulation component pipes 23 and 24 are connected to the first circulation component pipe 12. As in the case of the first circulation component pipe 11, the first circulation component pipe 12 and the second circulation component pipes 23 and 24 are also connected using, for example, a combination of an L-shaped pipe and a T-shaped pipe as a joint.

As described above, the second circulation component pipe 20 is composed of second circulation component pipes 21, 22, 23, and 24, with second circulation component pipes 21 and 22 connected to the first circulation component pipe 11, and second circulation component pipes 23 and 24 connected to the first circulation component pipe 12.

The second circulation component pipe 21 is connected to the first circulation component pipe 11 via a joint, and is arranged so as to extend horizontally in the frontage direction of the greenhouse 1 toward one side.
The end of the second circulation component pipe 21 that is not connected to the first circulation component pipe 11 is connected to the third circulation component pipe 30. Two third circulation component pipes 30 (31 and 32) are connected to one second circulation component pipe 21. The connection between the second circulation component pipe 21 and the third circulation component pipes 31 and 32 is made using, for example, a combination of an L-shaped pipe and a T-shaped pipe as a joint, similar to the connection between the first circulation component pipe 11 and the second circulation component pipes 21 and 22.

The second circulation component pipe 22 is connected to the first circulation component pipe 11 via a joint and is positioned so that it extends horizontally toward the other side of the greenhouse 1 in the direction of the greenhouse's frontage. The end of the second circulation component pipe 22 that is not connected to the first circulation component pipe 11 is connected to two third circulation component pipes 30 using a structure similar to that of the second circulation component pipe 21.

The second circulation component pipe 23 is connected to the first circulation component pipe 12 via a joint, and is connected to the third circulation component pipes 33 and 34 with the same arrangement and structure as the second circulation component pipe 21. The second circulation component pipe 24 is also connected to the first circulation component pipe 12 via a joint, and is connected to two third circulation component pipes 30 with the same arrangement and structure as the second circulation component pipe 22.

The third circulation component pipe 30 is composed of eight circulation component pipes, including third circulation component pipes 31, 32, 33, and 34. The third circulation component pipes 31 and 32 are connected to the second circulation component pipe 21, and the third circulation component pipes 33 and 34 are connected to the second circulation component pipe 23.

The third circulation component pipe 31 is connected to the second circulation component pipe 21 via a joint and is arranged so as to extend horizontally in the frontage direction of the greenhouse 1 and toward one side to the vicinity of the main branches of the grapes 3.
The end of the third circulation component pipe 31 that is not connected to the second circulation component pipe 21 is connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40. Two fourth circulation component pipes 40 (41 and 42) are connected to one third circulation component pipe 31. Since the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42 are arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to the third circulation component pipe 31, the third circulation component pipe 31 and the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42 are connected, for example, using a combination of an L-shaped pipe and a two-branched Y-shaped pipe as a joint. That is, the end of the third circulation component pipe 31 is connected to one opening of the L-shaped pipe, and the other opening is connected to the opening on the non-branched side of the two-branched Y-shaped pipe, and the ends of the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42 are connected to the two branched openings of the two-branched Y-shaped pipe, respectively. Note that combinations of pipes of other shapes may also be used as joints.

The third circulation component pipe 32 is connected to the second circulation component pipe 21 via a joint and is positioned so that it extends horizontally in the direction of the greenhouse 1's frontage toward the other side, up to the vicinity of another adjacent main branch of grapevines 3. The end of the third circulation component pipe 32 that is not connected to the second circulation component pipe 21 is connected to two fourth circulation component pipes 40 using a structure similar to that of the third circulation component pipe 31.

The third circulation component pipes 33 and 34 and the other sets of third circulation component pipes connected to the second circulation component pipe 20 are also connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 in the same arrangement and structure as the third circulation component pipes 31 and 32, respectively.

The fourth circulation component pipe 40 is composed of eight circulation component pipes, including the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42, which are connected to the third circulation component pipes 31 and 33 via joints.

The fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42 extend in parallel toward the depth of the greenhouse 1, sandwiching the main branches of the grapevines 3 between them. The other fourth circulation component pipes 40 also extend in pairs in parallel toward the depth of the greenhouse 1, sandwiching the main branches of the grapevines 3 between them.

In this embodiment, the depth of the greenhouse 1 is 50 m, so taking into account the installation area of the air conditioning unit 80, etc., the length of each fourth circulation component pipe 40 is approximately 24 m.

With this circulation piping configuration, the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 80 flows from the air conditioning unit 80, as shown by the arrows in Figure 2, through the first circulation component pipe 11, the second circulation component pipes 21 and 22, four third circulation component pipes 30 including the third circulation component pipes 31 and 32, eight fourth circulation component pipes 40 including the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42, and then four third circulation component pipes 30 including the third circulation component pipes 33 and 34, the second circulation component pipes 23 and 24, and the first circulation component pipe 12, before returning to the air conditioning unit 80.

It is also possible to install valves near the joints of the circulation piping to adjust the amount of air flowing through the circulation piping. While the circulation piping is composed of four types of circulation component pipes, the number of types of circulation component pipes is not limited to four and may be other numbers. Furthermore, while the different types of circulation component pipes are connected in a structure that separates or combines them into two, they may also be connected in a structure that separates or combines them into three or more. The inner diameter of each circulation component pipe is also not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate, and the inner diameter of all circulation component pipes may be the same.

The delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 are tubes made of silicone rubber, a rubber-like type of silicone resin, and have an inner diameter smaller than that of the fourth circulation component tube 40, for example, 7 to 9 mm. Note that other materials may also be used instead of silicone rubber.

The delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 are paired adjacently and connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 at regular intervals. The ends of the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 not connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 are inserted inside the covering portion 70. Therefore, the number of delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 connected to one fourth circulation component pipe 40 corresponds to the number of grape berries 3A expected to grow within the length of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. For example, in this embodiment, the length of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 is approximately 24 m, so the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 are connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 at intervals of approximately 20 cm, resulting in 120 pairs of delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 connected to one fourth circulation component pipe 40. Alternatively, the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 may not be adjacent to each other, and may be alternately connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 at approximately equal intervals.

As the air flows through the fourth circulation component pipe 40, air from the sheath 70 enters the sheath 70 via the receiving capillaries 60, raising the air temperature. Therefore, the inner diameters of the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 increase from upstream to downstream in the flow direction, i.e., from positions closer to the third circulation component pipes 31 and 32 to positions closer to the third circulation component pipes 33 and 34. For example, the 120 sets of delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 connected to one fourth circulation component pipe 40 are divided into three groups from upstream to downstream in the air flow direction, with the inner diameters of the 40 sets in the first group being 7 mm, the 40 sets in the second group being 8 mm, and the 40 sets in the last group being 9 mm. This increases the amount of air flowing into the sheath 70 as you move downstream, preventing a decrease in the cooling effect. In addition, if the rise in air temperature downstream is not significant or if the decline in cooling effect is suppressed by other means, the inner diameters of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 may remain the same.

Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the connection points between the delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 and the fourth circulation component tube 40. Figure 3 shows the internal structure of the fourth circulation component tube 40 when cut along a plane that passes through these connection points and extends in the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component tube 40 (horizontal direction in Figure 3). The arrows indicate the direction of air flow.

The delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 are inserted into the fourth circulation component pipe 40 through separate openings formed in the fourth circulation component pipe 40. The delivery capillary tube 50 is installed so that the opening at its end faces the opposite direction to the air flow in the fourth circulation component pipe 40, while the receiving capillary tube 60 is installed so that the opening at its end faces the same direction as the air flow in the fourth circulation component pipe 40. In Figure 3, air flows from left to right in the fourth circulation component pipe 40, so the opening of the delivery capillary tube 50 faces left and the opening of the receiving capillary tube 60 faces right. This makes it easier for air flowing through the fourth circulation component pipe 40 to flow into the delivery capillary tube 50, and easier for air flowing through the receiving capillary tube 60 to flow out into the fourth circulation component pipe 40.

The delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 are inserted into openings formed in the fourth circulation component pipe 40, then bent into an L shape and secured to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. The delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 secured to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 extend in the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 so that the open surfaces of their ends are located within a predetermined length (for example, 10 to 15 cm) from the openings.
The delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 are attached to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 using, for example, a stainless steel wire. That is, holes or grooves for passing the wire are drilled near the ends of the inserted delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60, and the wire is passed through the holes or grooves and wound around the outer surfaces of the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60. The wire is then drawn to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40, attaching the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 to the inner surface, and the wire is fixed so that it does not move, thereby attaching the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. In this way, by attaching the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 to the inner surface near the openings, the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 are prevented from interfering with the flow of air within the fourth circulation component pipe 40. The delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 may be fixed together using adhesive or the like.

As described above, the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 are inserted into the opening and then bent into an L-shape. This means that the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 may be compressed radially from the fourth circulation component pipe 40 at the bend, potentially narrowing the area through which air passes. To prevent this, the opening is drilled so that it is elliptical, with its major axis aligned with the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. This allows the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 to be compressed circumferentially from the fourth circulation component pipe 40 at the opening, thereby reducing radial compression. However, in cases where radial compression does not significantly narrow the area through which air passes, the opening may be circular.

In consideration of the air flow in the fourth circulation component pipe 40, it is preferable that the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 are connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 so as to be in a single row in the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. Alternatively, the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 may be connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 in two rows. In this case, for example, the fourth circulation component pipes 41 and 42 can be integrated into one.
The ends of the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 that are not connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 are inserted inside the covering portion 70. The end faces of these delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 are open, and a plurality of small holes are drilled in the ends. The drilling of the small holes prevents the end faces of the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 from adhering to the inner surface of the covering portion 70 and causing a closed state. Note that drilling of the small holes is not necessary if there is no risk of such adhesion occurring.

The covering unit 70 covers the grape berries 3A, forming a gap around the grape berries 3A that serves as a closed space isolated from the outside. Air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 80 is sent into this gap to regulate the environment surrounding the grape berries 3A.

A schematic diagram of the covering portion 70 covering the grape berries 3A is shown in Fig. 4. The covering portion 70 is bag-shaped and has a size that covers the entire grape berries 3A while leaving a gap of a certain width.
The covering portion 70 preferably has low moisture permeability so as to be less susceptible to the influence of the external humidity environment, and high visible light transmittance so that the state of the grapes 3A can be confirmed from the outside. In this embodiment, the covering portion 70 is formed of a transparent film made of a material such as polyvinylidene chloride or polypropylene. However, the covering portion 70 may be made of a material other than the transparent film, or may be a container that is harder than a film rather than a bag.

To reduce the impact of outside temperatures on the interior of the covering 70, a sheet with insulating or heat-shielding properties, such as a paper grape bag, is attached to the covering 70. To enhance heat retention, two grape bags may be attached. In cases where the outside temperature is high, a light-shielding sheet, such as an aluminum-evaporated sheet, may be attached on top of the above. In this case, to promote the coloring of the grapes 3A, multiple holes are drilled in the aluminum-evaporated sheet to allow external light to enter the covering 70. The number and size of the holes vary depending on the grape 3 variety; to enhance coloring, more external light is allowed to enter. Furthermore, to deter birds, a polyethylene bag or nylon netting with an opening at the bottom may be attached on top of these sheets. Conversely, if the effect of these sheets is not required or other measures can be used, the covering 70 does not need to be covered with them.

The grape berries 3A, along with the delivery tubules 50 and receiving tubules 60, are inserted through the opening of the covering portion 70, and the opening is closed with the twigs on which the grape berries 3A are growing, the delivery tubules 50, and the receiving tubules 60 bundled together. The closed portion is then tied with a string-like member or the like.

The delivery capillary 50 is inserted so that its end is located above the covering portion 70, and the receiving capillary 60 is inserted so that its end is located below the covering portion 70. This allows air conditioned by the air conditioning portion 80 to be efficiently distributed from the delivery capillary 50 to the entire grape berries 3A, and air within the covering portion 70 to be efficiently discharged from the receiving capillary 60. Note that the positions of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 within the covering portion 70 do not have to be as described above.
As described above, small holes 51 and 61 are drilled at the end of the delivery capillary 50 and the end of the receiving capillary 60, respectively, to prevent the end faces of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 from adhering to the inner surface of the covering portion 70.

In addition, the exposed portions of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 that are not inserted into the fourth circulation component pipe 40 and the covering portion 70 and are not inserted into the fourth circulation component pipe 40 and the covering portion 70 may be wrapped with a sheet having heat insulating or heat-shielding properties, such as bubble cushioning material. In this case, the sheet may be wrapped around each of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 individually, or the sheet may be wrapped around both of them together.

Furthermore, while the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 are fixedly attached so as not to come off the fourth circulation component pipe 40, the delivery capillaries 50 and the receiving capillaries 60 may be detachably connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the delivery capillaries 150 and the receiving capillaries 160 may be configured to be separable near the outside of their connection points with the fourth circulation component pipe 40. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the connection points of the delivery capillaries 150 and the receiving capillaries 160 to the fourth circulation component pipe 40. One of the separated ends is connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40, and the other is inserted into the covering portion 70. The two are connected by fitting their ends together. With this configuration, grape berries 3A can be harvested while the covering portion 70 remains attached to the delivery capillaries 150 and the receiving capillaries 160.

In the covering section 70, the twigs on which the grape berries 3A are growing, the delivery capillaries 50, and the receiving capillaries 60 are inserted into the openings. However, another opening may be provided, and the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 may be inserted into the newly provided opening. For example, the covering section 170 shown in Figure 6 has openings at the top and bottom, with the twigs inserted into the upper opening and the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 inserted into the lower opening. This structure makes it possible to position the circulation piping lower than the grape berries 3A. Furthermore, because the twigs are separated from the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60, the grape berries 3A are easier to harvest.

The delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 are inserted through the opening of the covering portion 70, the opening is closed while they are bundled, and the closed portion is tied with a string-like member or the like. However, the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 may be pre-attached with adhesive tape or the like at the points where they come into close contact with the opening, and then inserted through the opening of the covering portion 70. This improves the efficiency of the covering portion 70 for covering the grape berries 3A and prevents the expansion of gaps that occur in the closed portion. A sealant or the like may be used at the adhesive points between the delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 to further fill the gaps. Sealant is a material used to seal gaps such as joints and cracks in buildings to improve airtightness and waterproofing. Sealant is available in silicone, urethane, acrylic, and other types, so use the appropriate sealant.

In the above-described fruit cultivation system 2, the air conditioning unit 80 is located approximately in the center of the greenhouse 1, but it may also be located elsewhere within the greenhouse 1, such as near the center of the side. The air conditioning unit 80 may also be installed outside the greenhouse 1 rather than inside. However, in these cases, the distance from the air conditioning unit 80 to each pipe of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 will be different, so in order to equalize the conditions of the air flowing through each pipe of the fourth circulation component pipe 40, it will be necessary to adjust the air volume of the electric blower connected to each pipe of the first circulation component pipe 10.

More than one air conditioning unit 80 may be installed, and if the greenhouse 1 is large, it is practical to install more than one air conditioning unit 80. The air conditioning unit 80 may be made smaller, and multiple air conditioning units 80 may be installed for the greenhouse 1 of the size shown in Figure 1. For example, one air conditioning unit may be installed in each of the four areas shown in Figure 2.

Other embodiments of the present invention will now be described.
First, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the first embodiment, the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 are inserted through an opening drilled in the fourth circulation component pipe 40 and are attached to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. However, it is also possible for the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 not to extend to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40, but to extend only to a position where the opening surfaces of the ends of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 come into contact with the outer periphery of the opening.

Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the connection points between the delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 and the fourth circulation component pipe 40 when the delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 are connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 as described above. As with Figure 3, Figure 7 shows the internal structure of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 when the fourth circulation component pipe 40 is cut at a plane passing through the connection points and extending in the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component pipe 40.

The delivery capillary tube 50 is inserted into the opening 40a drilled in the fourth circulation component tube 40, and the upper portion of the open end of the delivery capillary tube 50 is in intimate contact with the fourth circulation component tube 40 at the location indicated by arrow S1 on the outer periphery of the opening 40a in Figure 7. The lower side of the delivery capillary tube 50 is in intimate contact with the fourth circulation component tube 40 at the location indicated by arrow S2, which is the location opposite the location indicated by arrow S1 on the outer periphery of the opening 40a. The delivery capillary tube 50 and the fourth circulation component tube 40 are connected by adhering the delivery capillary tube 50 to the fourth circulation component tube 40 at the locations indicated by arrows S1 and S2 using an adhesive or the like, and then coating the connection between the delivery capillary tube 50 and the fourth circulation component tube 40 with a sealant or the like to fill the gap that occurs between the delivery capillary tube 50 and the fourth circulation component tube 40 at the opening 40a. Note that in cases where the delivery capillary tube 50 and the fourth circulation component pipe 40 can be connected simply by coating with a sealant or the like, adhesion with adhesive or the like at the locations indicated by arrows S1 and S2 is not necessary. Furthermore, in cases where the delivery capillary tube 50 can be fixed to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 simply by adhesion at the location indicated by arrow S1, adhesion with adhesive or the like at the location indicated by arrow S2 is not necessary.

The receiving capillary tube 60 is inserted into the opening 40b drilled in the fourth circulation component tube 40, and is tightly connected to the fourth circulation component tube 40 at the locations indicated by arrows R1 and R2 in Figure 7 using the same structure and means as the delivery capillary tube 50.

By connecting the delivery capillary tube 50 and the receiving capillary tube 60 to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 in this manner, the opening at the end of the delivery capillary tube 50 faces the opposite direction to the air flow in the fourth circulation component pipe 40, and the opening at the end of the receiving capillary tube 60 faces the same direction as the air flow in the fourth circulation component pipe 40. Therefore, air flowing through the fourth circulation component pipe 40 is more likely to flow into the delivery capillary tube 50, and air flowing through the receiving capillary tube 60 is more likely to flow out of the fourth circulation component pipe 40. Furthermore, because the range of the delivery capillary tubes 50 and receiving capillary tubes 60 inserted into the fourth circulation component pipe 40 is smaller than in the first embodiment, the delivery capillary tubes 50 and receiving capillary tubes 60 are less likely to interfere with the flow of air in the fourth circulation component pipe 40 than in the first embodiment. Furthermore, since there is no need to fasten the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 to the inner surface of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 with wire or the like, the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 can be easily connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40. Note that the openings at the ends of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 may be formed at a slight angle relative to the short side (the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60, respectively, so that they are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fourth circulation component pipe 40 when the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 are connected to the fourth circulation component pipe 40. This allows air to flow into the delivery capillary 50 and out of the receiving capillary 60 more efficiently.

This section describes the third embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the circulation piping is configured with a structure in which different types of circulation component pipes are connected in two separate or combined connections. However, with this configuration, if the number of circulation component pipes to which the delivery and receiving capillaries are connected is increased to accommodate grapes 3 grown over a wider area, the number of stages of circulation component pipes connected from the air adjustment unit 80 to the circulation component pipes will increase, potentially making the configuration more complicated. This can be addressed by preparing multiple air adjustment units 80 and arranging multiple configurations such as those shown in Figure 2, or by changing the configuration of the circulation piping.

An example of a fruit cultivation system (third embodiment) that addresses the above will be described.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a greenhouse 4 in the third embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a plan view of a fruit cultivation system 5 used in the greenhouse 4. As in Fig. 2 , in Fig. 9 , the fruit cultivation system 5 is drawn larger than the greenhouse 4 in order to clearly show the structure of the fruit cultivation system 5 in the greenhouse 4.

In the third embodiment, the greenhouses 4 are connected together in a row of 10 buildings, and as in the first embodiment, each has a width of 4 m and a depth of 50 m. The air conditioning unit 80 is located outside the greenhouses 4.

The circulation piping in the third embodiment is composed of a main circulation pipe 110, a branch circulation pipe 120, a small branch circulation pipe 130, and a thin circulation pipe 140. Furthermore, the branch circulation pipe 120 is composed of branch circulation pipes 121 and 122, the small branch circulation pipe 130 is composed of small branch circulation pipes 131 and 132, and the thin circulation pipe 140 is composed of thin circulation pipes 141 and 142. The main circulation pipe 110, branch circulation pipe 120, small branch circulation pipe 130, and thin circulation pipe 140 correspond to the constituent circulation pipes.

The inner diameters of the main circulation pipe 110, branch circulation pipe 120, small branch circulation pipe 130, and thin circulation pipe 140 decrease in this order. For example, the inner diameter of the main circulation pipe 110 is 100 mm, the inner diameter of the branch circulation pipe 120 is 65-70 mm, the inner diameter of the small branch circulation pipe 130 is 30 mm, and the inner diameter of the thin circulation pipe 140 is 25 mm.

The circulation main pipe 110 is connected to the air conditioning unit 80. Specifically, it is connected to the outlet of the electric blower in the air conditioning unit 80, passes through the wall of the air conditioning unit 80, and extends into the interior of the greenhouse 4. Inside the greenhouse 4, the circulation main pipe 110 is located approximately in the center of the depth direction of the greenhouse 4, and is piped so as to extend horizontally in the width direction. Therefore, it is preferable to install the air conditioning unit 80 near the center of one side of the greenhouse 4.
For example, when the air conditioning unit 80 is installed on the outside of one side of the greenhouse 4 as shown in Figure 9, the circulation main pipe 110 extends from the point where it is inserted into the greenhouse 4 in the frontage direction to the other side. The end of the circulation main pipe 110 facing the other side is closed.

Circulation branch pipes 121 and 122, which make up circulation branch pipe 120, are also connected to air conditioning unit 80. Circulation branch pipes 121 and 122 are connected by fitting their respective ends into separate connection ports drilled in the wall of air conditioning unit 80.

As shown in Figure 9, inside the greenhouse 4, the circulation branch pipe 121 extends from the point where it is inserted into the greenhouse 4 along the side to one of the end faces (the upper part in Figure 9), then bends vertically near the end face and extends along the end face to the other side face.

The arrangement of the circulation branch pipe 122 is symmetrical to the arrangement of the circulation branch pipe 121. That is, the circulation branch pipe 122 extends from the point where it is inserted inside the greenhouse 4 along the side to the other end face (the lower part in Figure 9), bends vertically near the end face, and extends along the end face to the other side face. The end faces of the circulation branch pipes 121 and 122 facing the other side face are closed.

The circulation branch pipe 131 that constitutes the circulation branch pipe 130 is connected to the main circulation pipe 110, and the circulation branch pipe 132 is connected to the circulation branch pipe 120 (circulation branch pipe 121 or 122).

The circulation branch pipes 131 extend from the main circulation pipe 110 toward each main branch of the grapevines 3 that spread out on both sides of the main circulation pipe 110 (above and below the main circulation pipe 110 in Figure 9), with four of each arranged near the ridge boundary. Air flowing through the main circulation pipe 110 passes through the circulation branch pipes 131 and flows into the circulation thin tubes 140, so the circulation branch pipes 131 are connected at an angle to the main circulation pipe 110 to facilitate air flow. Specifically, the circulation branch pipes 131 are connected to the main circulation pipe 110 so that the angle formed by the direction of air flowing through the main circulation pipe 110 and the direction of air flowing through the circulation branch pipes 131 from the connection point is acute. A Y-shaped pipe is used as a joint for the connection. Therefore, the circulation branch pipes 131 connected in one direction to the circulation main pipe 110 (the circulation branch pipes 131 connected to the upper part of the circulation main pipe 110 or the circulation branch pipes 131 connected to the lower part in Figure 9) are connected to the circulation main pipe 110 offset from the circulation branch pipes 131 connected in the other direction.

The circulation stubble 132 is paired with the circulation stubble 131 and extends from the circulation stubble 120 toward each main branch of the grapevine 3. Four stubbles are arranged near the ridge boundary, two connected to the circulation stubble 121 and two connected to the circulation stubble 122. Air from the circulation tubes 140 flows through the circulation stubble 132 into the circulation stubble 120, so like the circulation stubble 131, the circulation stubble 132 is connected at an angle to the circulation stubble 120 to facilitate air flow. Specifically, the circulation stubble 132 is connected to the circulation stubble 120 so that the angle formed by the direction of air flowing through the circulation stubble 120 toward the connection point and the direction of air flowing through the circulation stubble 132 is acute. As with the circulation stubble 131, a Y-shaped joint is used for the connection.

Furthermore, the circulation branch pipe 131 may be connected to the circulation main pipe 110 at a right angle rather than at an angle, and the circulation branch pipe 132 may be connected to the circulation branch pipe 120 at a right angle rather than at an angle.

A valve 90 is installed in the circulation branch pipe 130. The valve 90 adjusts the amount of air flowing through the circulation branch pipe 130, thereby adjusting the amount of air ultimately delivered to the covering portion 70. Note that the valve 90 may be omitted in consideration of costs, etc.

The circulation capillary 140 is connected to the circulation branch pipes 131 and 132. Two circulation capillaries 140 (circulation capillaries 141 and 142) are connected to one set of circulation branch pipes 131 and 132. Specifically, a two-branch Y-pipe is used as a joint, and the end of the circulation branch pipe 131 that is not connected to the main circulation pipe 110 is connected to the opening of the Y-pipe that does not branch, and one end of each of the circulation capillaries 141 and 142 is connected to the two openings of the branched Y-pipe.

Like the fourth circulation component pipe 40 in the first embodiment, the circulation capillaries 141 and 142 extend in parallel toward the depth of the greenhouse 4, sandwiching the main branches of the grapevine 3. The other ends of the circulation capillaries 141 and 142 and the end of the circulation branch pipe 132 are each connected to the opening of a two-branch Y-shaped pipe joint, just like the circulation branch pipe 131.

In this embodiment, the depth of the greenhouse 4 is 50 m, so the length of each circulation capillary 140 is approximately 25 m.

With this circulation piping configuration, the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 80 flows from the air conditioning unit 80 through the main circulation pipe 110, the small circulation branch pipe 131, and the thin circulation tube 140 (those thin circulation tubes 141 and 142), as shown by the arrows in Figure 9, and then through the small circulation branch pipe 132 and the thin circulation tube 120 (those thin circulation tubes 121 or 122), before returning to the air conditioning unit 80.

In the third embodiment, the circulation capillary 140 is connected to the delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60. Therefore, when the number of circulation capillaries 140 is increased to accommodate grapes 3 grown over a wider area, the main circulation pipe 110 and the branch circulation pipe 120 can be extended, and the small branch circulation pipe 130 and the circulation capillary 140 can be connected to the extended portions.
In the third embodiment, the circulation piping is composed of four types of pipes: the main circulation pipe 110, the branch circulation pipe 120, the small branch circulation pipe 130, and the thin circulation pipe 140. However, the number of types of pipes is not limited to four, and other numbers of types may be used. The number of each pipe is also not limited to the above, and other numbers may be used. The inner diameter of each pipe is also not limited to the above, and may be changed as appropriate, and all pipes may have the same inner diameter.

This section describes the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the fruit cultivation system 2 basically has one air conditioning unit 80, and the air discharged from the air conditioning unit 80 flows through the circulation piping, delivery capillaries, receiving capillaries, and covering section before returning to the air conditioning unit 80 (hereinafter referred to as a "single-part configuration"). Even when multiple air conditioning units are provided, the single-part configuration is arranged side by side. In contrast, the fruit cultivation system can also be configured with multiple air conditioning units in a single-part configuration (hereinafter referred to as a "multi-part configuration"), i.e., the air discharged from an air conditioning unit flows through the circulation piping, delivery capillaries, receiving capillaries, and covering section, as well as through another air conditioning unit, before returning to the original air conditioning unit. With a single-part configuration, if the circulation piping is long, the effectiveness of the air conditioning unit may be weakened near the most downstream part of the air flow. However, a multi-part configuration can prevent this weakening of the conditioning effect.

An example of a multi-part fruit cultivation system (fourth embodiment) will be described.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a greenhouse 6 in the fourth embodiment, and Fig. 11 is a plan view of a fruit cultivation system 7 used in the greenhouse 6. As in Figs. 2 and 9, in Fig. 11, the fruit cultivation system 7 is drawn larger than the greenhouse 6 in order to clearly show the structure of the fruit cultivation system 7 in the greenhouse 6.

In the fourth embodiment, the greenhouses 6 are connected together in a row of three buildings, and as in the first embodiment, they have a width of 4 m and a depth of 50 m. Inside the greenhouse 6, four main branches of grapes 3 extend in the depth direction.

The fruit cultivation system 7 has a multi-part structure, including two air conditioning units 181 and 182. The circulation piping is arranged to connect the air conditioning units 181 and 182, and is composed of an A circulation component pipe 210 and a B circulation component pipe 220, which are identical in shape and material. The inner diameter of the A circulation component pipe 210 and the B circulation component pipe 220 is, for example, 65 mm.

Air conditioning unit 181 is located near one end of the greenhouse 6 (top in Figure 11) and is connected to one end of all of the circulation pipes. Air conditioning unit 182 is located near the other end of the greenhouse 6 (bottom in Figure 11) and is connected to the other end of all of the circulation pipes.

Like the air conditioning unit 80 of the first embodiment, the air conditioning units 181 and 182 are closed spaces, and use air conditioners and electric fans to adjust the air in the spaces to a predetermined temperature and humidity, and send the adjusted air to the circulation piping. Four electric fans are installed in each of the two air conditioning units 181 and 182, and because the air is circulated by the electric fans installed in the two air conditioning units 181 and 182, the air volume can be smaller than that of the electric fan installed in the air conditioning unit 80, for example, 8 ^m3 /min.
The air conditioning units 181 and 182 do not need to have the same configuration as the devices installed therein, as long as they can adjust the humidity (and temperature) of the air. For example, the air conditioning unit 182 may be equipped with only an electric blower.

The A circulation component pipe 210 is composed of four circulation component pipes (A circulation component pipes 211, 212, 213, and 214), and is arranged in one of the areas (the left half in Figure 11) roughly divided in half by the boundary line in the depth direction of the greenhouse 6. Similar to the fourth circulation component pipe 40 in the first embodiment, the pipes extend in parallel in the depth direction of the greenhouse 6, two at a time, sandwiching the main branches of the grapevines 3 between them. In other words, the A circulation component pipes 211 and 212 form a pair to sandwich the main branches of the grapevines 3, and the A circulation component pipes 213 and 214 form a pair to sandwich the main branches of the grapevines 3 between them.

One end of the A circulation component pipe 210 is connected to the outlet of the electric blower inside the air conditioning unit 181 and passes through the wall of the air conditioning unit 181. The other end of the A circulation component pipe 210 is connected to the air conditioning unit 182 by fitting into a connection port drilled in the wall of the air conditioning unit 182. In this embodiment, the depth of the greenhouse 6 is 50 m, so the length of one A circulation component pipe 210 is approximately 50 m.

The B circulation component pipe 220 is composed of four circulation component pipes (B circulation component pipes 221, 222, 223, and 224), and is arranged symmetrically to the A circulation component pipe 210 within the greenhouse 6. That is, the B circulation component pipe 220 is arranged in the other area (the right half area in Figure 11) that is roughly divided into two equal parts by the boundary line in the depth direction of the greenhouse 6, and like the A circulation component pipe 210, it extends in parallel in the depth direction of the greenhouse 6, two pipes at a time, sandwiching the main branches of the grapevine 3 between them. The B circulation component pipes 221 and 222 form a pair and sandwich the main branches of the grapevine 3 between them, and the B circulation component pipes 223 and 224 form a pair and sandwich the main branches of the grapevine 3 between them.

One end of the B circulation component pipe 220 connects to the discharge port of the electric blower inside the air conditioning unit 182 and passes through the wall of the air conditioning unit 182. The other end of the B circulation component pipe 220 is connected to the air conditioning unit 181 by fitting into a connection port drilled in the wall of the air conditioning unit 181. The length of one B circulation component pipe 220 is approximately 50 m, the same as the length of one A circulation component pipe 210.

The delivery capillary 50 and the receiving capillary 60 are connected to the A circulation arrangement 210 and the B circulation arrangement 220 .
With this multiple-section configuration, in air conditioning unit 181, air from B circulation component pipe 220 is conditioned by air conditioning unit 181 and sent to A circulation component pipe 210, and in air conditioning unit 182, air from A circulation component pipe 210 is conditioned by air conditioning unit 182 and sent to B circulation component pipe 220. As shown by the arrows in Figure 11, the conditioned air circulates through air conditioning unit 181, A circulation component pipe 210, air conditioning unit 182, and B circulation component pipe 220. Because the circulating air is conditioned at two locations, air conditioning units 181 and 182, it is possible to suppress weakening of the air conditioning effect without increasing air conditioning parameters such as the air volume of the electric blower in each air conditioning unit. The circulation piping is composed only of A circulation component pipe 210 and B circulation component pipe 220, which extend linearly, and has no bends, so this configuration also contributes to suppressing weakening of the air conditioning effect.

In the fruit cultivation system 7, the A circulation component pipe 210 and the B circulation component pipe 220 each consist of four circulation component pipes. However, the number of circulation component pipes may be other than four, as long as the A circulation component pipe 210 and the B circulation component pipe 220 are the same. Furthermore, while the fruit cultivation system 7 has a multi-part configuration with two air conditioning units 181 and 182, a multi-part configuration with three or more air conditioning units may be used. In this case, the configuration of each air conditioning unit may be the same or different. This allows for flexible adaptation to the size of the greenhouse and the scale of the air conditioning unit. For example, as in the fruit cultivation system 7A shown in FIG. 12, an air conditioning unit 183 may be provided midway between the A circulation component pipe 210 and the B circulation component pipe 220, and the air conditioning unit 183 may be equipped with only an electric blower. This further reduces the weakening of the air flow.
Furthermore, the fruit cultivation system may be a mixture of single-part and multi-part configurations, i.e., the circulation piping may be arranged to form a mixture of circulation paths including only one air conditioning unit and circulation paths including two or more air conditioning units.

The circulation piping in the fourth embodiment is composed of a linear A circulation component pipe 210 and a linear B circulation component pipe 220, but as with the circulation piping in the first and third embodiments, it may also be composed of circulation component pipes with different inner diameters or with branching points.

This section describes the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the air conditioning unit 80 simply emits humidity- and temperature-regulated air, but it may also be equipped with a chemical addition means for adding chemicals used for fruit cultivation to the air conditioned by the air conditioning unit. For example, it is possible to add a mist of chemicals used to promote grape 3 growth or prevent disease to the emitted air. For example, vapors of fumigants or hypochlorous acid water can be added to the emitted air. Adding fumigants can control pests, and adding hypochlorous acid water can sterilize and disinfect.

When the grape berries 3A are covered with a bag or the like, such as the covering unit 70, it is usually difficult to spray such aerosolized chemicals onto the grape berries 3A, but by adding them to the air blown out from the air conditioning unit, it becomes possible to spray them.

An example of a fruit cultivation system (fifth embodiment) corresponding to the above is shown in Figure 13. Compared to the fruit cultivation system 2 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 2, the fruit cultivation system 8 of the fifth embodiment has an air conditioning unit 280 instead of the air conditioning unit 80, and the air conditioning unit 280 is equipped with a chemical application means 281.

The chemical adding means 281 is composed of a fumigant and hypochlorous acid water sprayer. These are used simultaneously or individually to add a mist of the fumigant and/or hypochlorous acid water to the air sent out from the air adjusting unit 280 to the first circulation component pipe 11.
The chemical addition means 281 may generate a gas containing beneficial bacteria such as noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) in addition to a smoky fumigant or hypochlorous acid water. The chemical addition means 281 is provided within the air conditioning unit 280, but may also be independent of the air conditioning unit 280 and directly connected to the first circulation component pipe 11. When multiple air conditioning units are provided, as in the fruit cultivation system 7 of the fourth embodiment, all air conditioning units may be provided with the chemical addition means, or any number of air conditioning units may be provided with the chemical addition means. Even when the chemical addition means is provided independent of the air conditioning unit, two or more chemical addition means may be provided.

In the above-described embodiments (first to fifth embodiments), the entire greenhouse may be covered with a windbreak net. The delivery and receiving capillaries are made of silicone rubber, and the ends inserted into the covering are not fixed. Therefore, if the covering is exposed to strong winds, there is a possibility that they may become detached from the circulation component pipes. Covering the entire greenhouse with a windbreak net reduces this possibility. Using a windbreak net also helps prevent damage to grape berries and new shoots.

The present invention can also be realized as a fruit cultivation kit including a predetermined length of circulation piping, delivery capillaries, receiving capillaries, covering parts, etc. used to manufacture the above-mentioned fruit cultivation system. For example, as shown in Figure 14, the fruit cultivation kit can be realized as a kit including multiple components in which detachable delivery capillaries 150 and receiving capillaries 160 are connected at regular intervals to a circulation component pipe 310 that constitutes a predetermined length of circulation piping, and a corresponding number of covering parts.

The components shown in FIG. 14 are configured by connecting multiple sets (11 sets in FIG. 14 ) of delivery capillaries 150 and receiving capillaries 160 to a circulation component 310 that constitutes part of the circulation component (corresponding to the fourth circulation component 40 in the first and second embodiments, the circulation component 140 in the third embodiment, and the A circulation component 210 and the B circulation component 220 in the fourth embodiment) to which the delivery capillaries 150 and receiving capillaries 160 are connected. By connecting the required number of circulation component 310 together, the circulation piping of a fruit cultivation system can be configured. It should be noted that delivery capillaries 50 and receiving capillaries 60 may be connected to the circulation component 310 instead of the delivery capillaries 150 and receiving capillaries 160. The length of the circulation component 310 and the number of delivery and receiving capillaries connected thereto can be set arbitrarily, and two rows of delivery and receiving capillaries may be connected to the circulation component 310. The fruit cultivation kit may also include a circulation component tube where the delivery and receiving tubules are not connected.

The present invention can be realized not only as the above-mentioned fruit cultivation system, but also as a method for producing fruit (preferably grapes) grown using the same system or the above-mentioned fruit cultivation kit. The fruit production method of the present invention efficiently adjusts the environment surrounding the fruit to be suitable for fruit cultivation, allowing fruit to be cultivated while suppressing damage such as fruit cracking, and fruit can be produced by harvesting the grown fruit.

The above describes an embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Note that matters not explicitly disclosed in the above embodiments, such as the dimensions and weight of components, do not deviate from the scope of ordinary skill in the art, and values that a person of ordinary skill in the art could easily assume can be used.

1, 4, 6 Greenhouses 2, 5, 7, 7A, 8 Fruit cultivation system 3 Grapes 3A Grapes 10, 11, 12 First circulation component pipes 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 Second circulation component pipes 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Third circulation component pipes 40, 41, 42 Fourth circulation component pipes 40a, 40b Openings 50, 150 Delivery tubes 51, 61 Small holes 60, 160 Receiving tubes 70, 170 Covering portions 80, 181, 182, 183, 280 Air adjustment portion 90 Valve 110 Circulation main pipes 120, 121, 122 Circulation branch pipes 130, 131, 132 Circulation branch pipes 140, 141, 142 Circulation tubes 210, 211, 212, 213, 214 A circulation component pipes 220, 221, 222, 223, 224 B circulation component pipe 281 Drug addition means 310 Circulation component pipe

Claims (16)

an air conditioning unit that adjusts at least the humidity of the air;
a circulation pipe connected to the air conditioning unit and through which conditioned air circulates;
A plurality of covering portions that form gaps between the fruit and the covering portions and cover the fruit;
a delivery capillary connected to the circulation pipe and the covering portion, for leading the conditioned air to the covering portion;
a receiving thin tube connected to the covering portion and the circulation pipe, and configured to guide air within the covering portion to the circulation pipe;
a delivery capillary and a receiving capillary connected to the circulation piping such that the opening faces of the end of the delivery capillary connected to the circulation piping and the opening faces of the end of the receiving capillary connected to the circulation piping are fixed at any position within a range from the outer periphery of an opening bored in the circulation piping to connect the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation piping that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction. a plurality of air conditioning units that adjust at least the humidity of the air;
a circulation pipe connected to the air conditioning unit and through which conditioned air circulates;
A plurality of covering portions that form gaps between the fruit and the covering portions and cover the fruit;
a delivery capillary connected to the circulation pipe and the covering portion, for leading the conditioned air to the covering portion;
a receiving thin tube connected to the covering portion and the circulation pipe, and configured to guide air within the covering portion to the circulation pipe;
The circulation piping is arranged so that the circulating conditioned air passes through at least two of the air conditioning units,
a delivery capillary and a receiving capillary connected to the circulation piping such that the opening faces of the end of the delivery capillary connected to the circulation piping and the opening faces of the end of the receiving capillary connected to the circulation piping are fixed at any position within a range from the outer periphery of an opening bored in the circulation piping to connect the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary to a predetermined length of the inner surface of the circulation piping that connects to the opening in the longitudinal direction. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein a portion of the outer periphery of the opening surface of the delivery capillary and a portion of the outer periphery of the opening surface of the receiving capillary are in close contact with the outer periphery of an opening drilled in the circulation pipe. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary are attached to the inner surface of the circulation pipe. the delivery capillary is connected to the circulation pipe so that the opening of the delivery capillary faces in a direction opposite to a direction in which the conditioned air flows through the circulation pipe;
3. The fruit cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving tubule is connected to the circulation pipe so that the opening surface of the receiving tubule faces in the same direction as the direction in which the conditioned air flows through the circulation pipe. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning unit adjusts the humidity and temperature of the air. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner diameters of the connected delivery and receiving capillaries increase as they move downstream in the flow of conditioned air within the circulation pipe, starting from the point where the circulation pipe connects to the air conditioning unit. A fruit cultivation system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening drilled in the circulation pipe is elliptical in shape, with its major axis oriented in the longitudinal direction of the circulation pipe. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the end of the delivery capillary that connects to the covered portion and the end of the receiving capillary that connects to the covered portion have small holes and are inserted inside the covered portion. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the delivery capillary and the receiving capillary are detachable. The circulation piping is composed of a plurality of circulation component pipes with different inner diameters,
3. The fruit cultivation system according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the circulation component pipes connected to the air conditioning unit decreases from the inner diameter of the circulation component pipes connected to the delivery capillary tube and the receiving capillary tube. The fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2 further comprises a chemical addition means for adding chemicals used for cultivating the fruit to the conditioned air. A fruit cultivation system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the air conditioning unit adjusts the air to suppress cracking of the fruit. A fruit cultivation kit for producing the fruit cultivation system according to claim 1 or 2,
A fruit cultivation kit comprising at least a predetermined length of the circulation piping, the delivery capillary, the receiving capillary, and the covering portion. A method for producing fruit, characterized by cultivating the fruit using the fruit cultivation system described in claim 1 or 2. The method for producing fruit according to claim 15, wherein the fruit is grape fruit.