IP Library Granted Patent US 9,027,279
Granted Patent B2
US 9,027,279 · App. 13/512,096 · Granted May 12, 2015

Plant cultivation device and feed-water control method

Inventors: Masaki Hashimoto (Ibaraki, JP); Makoto Nomachi (Takatsuki, JP)
Assignee: Suntory Holdings Limited
A01G1/002A01G27/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,027,279
App. No.
13/512,096
Granted
May 12, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plant cultivation device and feed-water control method, in which a detected moisture amount to start watering and a water amount to be used per watering are easily determined, includes a plant cultivation container for pooling plant cultivation water; a water-absorbing plant cultivation bed material; a feed-water device for supplying the plant cultivation water to the plant cultivation container; a first moisture sensor for detecting moisture around an immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material; a second moisture sensor for detecting moisture around a growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where a root of a plant is received; and a controller for supplying water when values detected by both of the first and second moisture sensors are below respective reference values, and for stopping water supply when a value detected by either the first or second moisture sensor is above the corresponding reference value.

Claims (28)

1. A plant cultivation device comprising:

a plant cultivation container having a water reservoir portion for pooling plant cultivation water;

a water-absorbing plant cultivation bed material disposed in the plant cultivation container;

a feed-water device for supplying the plant cultivation water to the water reservoir portion;

a first moisture sensor for detecting a moisture amount around an immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material immersed in the plant cultivation water of the water reservoir portion or a water amount in the water reservoir portion, the first moisture sensor being positioned around the immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material or in the water reservoir portion;

a second moisture sensor for detecting a moisture amount around a growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where a root of a plant is received, the second moisture sensor being positioned around the growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where the root of the plant is received; and

a controller for allowing the feed-water device to supply water when values detected by both the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor are below respective reference values, and for stopping water supply when a value detected by one of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor is above the corresponding reference value.

2. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a first time period measuring means for measuring a time period during which water is continuously supplied by the feed-water device, and when a time period measured by the first time period measuring means exceeds a predetermined base time, forced water stop is performed in which the water supply is stopped.

3. The plant cultivation device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller comprises a second time period measuring means for measuring a continuous drying time during which both of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor continuously detect moisture detection values below respective reference values, and when a time period measured by the second time period measuring means exceeds a predetermined base time, a warning is issued.

4. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a second time period measuring means for measuring a continuous drying time during which both of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor continuously detect moisture detection values below respective reference values, and when a time period measured by the second time period measuring means exceeds a predetermined base time, a warning is issued.

5. A feed-water control method in a plant cultivation device comprising: a plant cultivation container having a water reservoir portion for pooling plant cultivation water; a water-absorbing plant cultivation bed material disposed in the plant cultivation container; and a feed-water device for supplying the plant cultivation water to the water reservoir portion, in which a supply of the plant cultivation water by the feed-water device is controlled, the method comprising:

a step of installing a first moisture sensor for detecting a moisture amount around an immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material immersed in the plant cultivation water of the water reservoir portion or a water amount in the water reservoir portion, the first moisture sensor being positioned around the immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material or in the water reservoir portion;

a step of installing a second moisture sensor for detecting a moisture amount around a growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where a root of a plant is received, the second moisture sensor being positioned around the growth part of the plant cultivation bed material; and

a step of allowing the feed-water device to supply water when values detected by both the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor are below respective reference values, and for stopping water supply when a value detected by either the first moisture sensor or the second moisture sensor is above the corresponding reference value.

6. A plant cultivator comprising:

a plant cultivation container having a water reservoir portion to pool plant cultivation water;

a water-absorbing plant cultivation bed material disposed in the plant cultivation container;

a feed-water device to supply the plant cultivation water to the water reservoir portion;

a first moisture sensor to detect a moisture amount around an immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material immersed in the plant cultivation water of the water reservoir portion or a water amount in the water reservoir portion, the first moisture sensor being positioned around the immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material or in the water reservoir portion;

a second moisture sensor to detect a moisture amount around a growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where a root of a plant is received, the second moisture sensor being positioned around the growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where the root of the plant is received; and

a controller to allow the feed-water device to supply water when values detected by both the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor are below respective reference values, and to stop water supply when a value detected by one of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor is above the corresponding reference value.

7. The plant cultivator according to claim 6 , wherein the controller comprises a first time period gauge to measure a time period during which water is continuously supplied by the feed-water device, and when a time period measured by the first time period gauge exceeds a predetermined base time, forced water stop is performed in which the water supply is stopped.

8. The plant cultivator according to claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises a second time period gauge to measure a continuous drying time during which both of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor continuously detect moisture detection values below respective reference values, and when a time period measured by the second time period gauge exceeds a predetermined base time, a warning is issued.

9. The plant cultivator according to claim 6 , wherein the controller comprises a second time period gauge to measure a continuous drying time during which both of the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor continuously detect moisture detection values below respective reference values, and when a time period measured by the second time period gauge exceeds a predetermined base time, a warning is issued.

10. A feed-water control method in a plant cultivator comprising: a plant cultivation container having a water reservoir portion to pool plant cultivation water; a water-absorbing plant cultivation bed material disposed in the plant cultivation container; and a feed-water device to supply the plant cultivation water to the water reservoir portion, in which a supply of the plant cultivation water by the feed-water device is controlled, the method comprising:

installing a first moisture sensor to detect a moisture amount around an immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material immersed in the plant cultivation water of the water reservoir portion or a water amount in the water reservoir portion, the first moisture sensor being positioned around the immersed part of the plant cultivation bed material or in the water reservoir portion;

installing a second moisture sensor to detect a moisture amount around a growth part of the plant cultivation bed material where a root of a plant is received, the second moisture sensor being positioned around the growth part of the plant cultivation bed material; and

allowing the feed-water device to supply water when values detected by both the first moisture sensor and the second moisture sensor are below respective reference values, and for stopping water supply when a value detected by either the first moisture sensor or the second moisture sensor is above the corresponding reference value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2012
From: HASHIMOTO, MASAKI; NOMACHI, MAKOTO
To: SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 028803/0080 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-272838 · Nov 30, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120297675A1 · Nov 29, 2012