Work handling

• US 7,506,472 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cropdesign N.V. (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: Cropdesign N.V. (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Dillen, Willy, Leyns, Frederik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; T.
• Application Number:
  US10/740,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20040200146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 47/10.1 P, 47/485, 47/17, 47/65
• US Class Current: 47/1.01P
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/143 Equipment for handling produce in greenhouses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

Appartus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growing and associated with it a device for recieving an enquiry signal and automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifier signal the apparatus comprising

• • (a) transporter means by which a container may be supported for moving the container,
  • (b) means for transmitting the enquiry signal,
  • (c) means for recording the identifier signal as a digital output and
  • (d) computer means to which the digital output is supplied for storage of the data in prescribed format in a database for manipulation to afford comparsion of data related to the container.

Claims

1. Apparatus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growing, the container having a associated with it a device for receiving an enquiry signal and automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifier signal wherein the enquiry and identifier signals are radio signals, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a workstation at which an operation is automatically performed on the plant or plants or on the growing medium in the container.

(b) means for transporting the container to the workstation, said means comprising a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters each providing support for a row of several containers, the storage transporters being disposed adjacent one another to support rows of containers in a horizontally disposed array and to co-operate with a transfer conveyor located adjacent and transversely to an end portion of each storage tranporter;

(c) means for transmitting the enquiry signal;

(d) means for recording the identifier signal as a digital output; and

(e) means for storing the digital output as data in perscribed format in a database for manipulation to afford comparsion of the data related to the container.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for transmitting the enquiry signal comprises a plurality of transmitters located in the storage transporters and each transmitting an unique enquiry signal.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for storing the digital output is organizied to enable identification of the location of the container by reference to the enquiry and identifier signals and to information about the location of the transmitters.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 comprising means for operating a storage transporter to move a row of containers supported thereon towards a first transfer station at which an endmost container of the row is transferred to the transfer conveyor, and means for moving the storage transporter to move the row of containers supported thereon away from a second transfer station.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 comprising means for operating the transfer conveyor to move the container supported thereon to a second-transfer station or to a workstation.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the means for operating a storage transporter and the means for operating the transfer conveyor are actuated in response to data contained in the database so as to move the container from the one location to another.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising means for performing an operation automatically on the plant or plants presented at the workstation.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means for performing an operation automatically on the plant or plants presented at the workstation is selected form the group consisting of means for sorting of plants according to specified characteristics, harvesting, imaging, packaging, photographing and pruning.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein transmission of the identifier signal of the container presented at the workstation actuates the means for performing the operation.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 comprising camera means for performing said operation by obtaining one or more digital images of the plant or plants in the container present at the work station.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the workstation comprises a work support mounted for rotation when a container is supported thereon and the images are obtained.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 comprising algorithm means for tranposing the digital images into a form in which selected criteria of the plant or plants in the container may be evaluated.

13. Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising means for recording that the operation has been performed and supplying the record in digital format to the computer database.

14. Apparatus is according to claim 7 comprising a conveyor on which a container is transported towards the workstation and means for urging the container from the conveyor into the position at the workstation.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 comprising a conveyor on which a container may be carried away from the workstation and means for urging the container from the workstation onto this conveyor.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container contains a single plant.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data in said database is derived from recording characteristics of a plant presented at an operating station, said plant having an associated device for receiving an enquiry signal and automatically responding thereto by transmitting an unique identifier signal, passing the container comprising said plant automatically to a workstation at which there is located means for transmitting the enquiry signal, causing the identifier signal to actuate means for performing an operation on the plant or plants in the container and transferring the identifier signal and information concerning the operation on the plant or plants in the container as digital output to a database for recording in prescribed format for manipulation according to desired characteristics.