Processing System for Plant Containers

• US 20110197981A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visser 'S-Gravendeel Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Visser 'S-Gravendeel Holding BV
• Inventors: Visser, Cornelius Frans Taco
• Application Number:
  US12/912,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20110197981A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/561.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/10 Monitoring of the annunciator circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for processing plant holders with at least one plant therein, such as trays and/or pots, which can be arranged on a carrying surface associated with the system. The system comprises at least one processing station on or in the carrying surface and transport means for transporting at least one plant holder at a time from and to the processing station. The transport means comprise at least one guide arranged at a height above a ground surface, a carriage which is displaceable relative to the guide, and at least one gripper for raising and/or lowering on the carriage for selectively picking up from above or setting down the plant holder from or onto the carrying surface, or in or at a processing station. The present invention also relates to a method for processing plant holders with at least one plant therein, such as trays and/or pots.

Claims

1. System for processing plant holders with at least one plant therein, such as trays and/or pots, which can be arranged on a carrying surface associated with the system, the system comprising:

at least one processing station on or in the carrying surface; and

transport means for transporting at least one plant holder at a time from and to the processing station, the transport means comprising;

at least one guide arranged at a height above a ground surface;

a carriage which is displaceable relative to the guide; and

at least one gripper for raising and/or lowering on the carriage for selectively picking up from above or setting down the plant holder from or onto the carrying surface or in or at the processing station.

2. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control connected to at least one of the gripper, the processing station, the carriage etc. for selectively setting into operation thereof.

3. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising location-determining means for recording a momentarily reached position of the gripper relative to a reference, such as a plant holder to be picked up, a position for setting down a plant holder, a position along the guide and/or a position relative to the processing station.

4. System as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location-determining means are connected to the control.

5. System as claimed in claim 3, wherein the location-determining means comprise at least one laser.

6. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a beam which is displaceable along the guide and has a beam drive to be actuated selectively for selective displacement of the beam along the guide, and wherein the carriage drive is adapted to displace the carriage along the beam in a direction substantially transversely of the guide.

7. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrying surface can be subdivided into at least two fields, each of which are related to at least one plant property of a plant in a plant holder disposed or to be disposed in the relevant one of the fields.

8. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing station comprises measuring means for determining a plant property from the group at least comprising:

growth, development, weight, leaf colour, etc.

9. System as claimed in claim 8, wherein the measuring means comprise an image processing device for recording and processing at least one image of a plant in a plant holder in order to visually determine the plant properties.

10. System as claimed in claim 2 and at least one of the claims 8 and 9, wherein the control designates a plant holder for placing in a relevant one of the fields for plant holders with plants having at least one corresponding plant property using the transport means.

11. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising watering means for watering a plant holder.

12. System as claimed in claim 11, wherein the watering means are arranged in or at a processing station.

13. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripper comprises a pivot block and at least two drivable arms reaching downward from and on the pivot block, which arms have a length at least corresponding to the height of plants in the plant holders.

14. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripper comprises an inserting fork for engaging particularly at least one tray.

15. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein two or more grippers are provided, which can be set into operation autonomously and individually, or in combination with each other.

16. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one imaging device is provided in addition to or as an alternative to the at least one gripper.

17. Method for processing plant holders with at least one plant therein, such as trays and/or pots, comprising of:

disposing and/or removing the plant holders respectively on and from a carrying surface associated with the system;

transporting the plant holders from and to at least one processing station on or in the carrying surface using transport means for transporting at least one plant holder at a time;

wherein disposing and/or removing the plant holders comprises of;

picking up the plant holders from above over plants in the plant holders.