# US 12,765,473 B2 · Method of growing a crop and harvesting device for use in the method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,765,473 B2 - Document ID: US12765473B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/857,481 - Filed: 2023-05-11 - Published: 2025-08-28 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-12 - Assignees: Belua Beheer B.V. - Applicants: Belua Beheer B.V. - Inventors: Johannes Adrianus Hendricus Maria Van Der Sande; Dirk Vermeulen; Jeroen Wim Van Lent - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765473B2 ## CPC - A01G 9/0299: {Handling or transporting of soil blocks or seedlings} - A01D 46/00: Picking of fruits, vegetables, hops, or the like; Devices for shaking trees or shrubs - A01G 22/05: Fruit crops, e.g. strawberries, tomatoes or cucumbers - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING ## Abstract A method of growing a crop includes growing a seedling (1) in a first growing substrate plug/pellet (2,4), and placing the substrate plug/pellet (2,4) in a holder member (10,20), the holder member having a tubular body (11,23) and a flange (12,24) extending transversely to the tubular body, the body having a bottom (13, 22) with a root opening. A number of holder members are placed in growth trays (25; 35,36,37) The growth trays (25; 35,36,37) are placed in a conditioned growth chamber (40) and the plants are exposed to artificial light. After a predetermined period of time, the growth trays are removed to a harvesting area (50), and the crop is removed from the holder members (10,20) and transported through a harvesting device (52, 70) for separating fruit from leaves, and collecting the fruit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method of growing a fruit-bearing crop comprising the steps of: growing a seedling in a first growing substrate plug/pellet, placing the substrate plug/pellet in a holder member, the holder member comprising a tubular body and a flange extending transversely to the tubular body, the body having a bottom with a root opening, placing a number of holder members, each carrying a crop, in a growth tray, the growth tray having a bottom and upstanding sidewalls, defining an irrigation space that is adapted for receiving water and nutrients, and a top surface spaced from the bottom, with openings for receiving a holder member, the flange being supported on near the top surface, a bottom of the holder members being in fluid communication with the irrigation space, placing growth trays in a conditioned growth chamber and exposing the plants to artificial light and arranging the growth trays along a number of parallel rows extending in a length direction Lg of the growth chamber, after a predetermined period of time, removing of the growth trays to a harvesting area, by contacting the trays with transport members and moving the trays by the transport members along their respective rows to a side conveyor extending in a width direction Wg of the growth chamber, the crop having, at a moment of moving to the harvesting area, a height that is no larger than 1 m, the crop being transported with the growth trays to the harvesting area in an upright position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, comprising the step of removing the crop from the holder members and transporting the crop through a harvesting device in the harvesting area for separating fruit from stems and leaves. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, comprising excluding the entrance of sunlight from the growth chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, the flange covering the area of the opening in the top surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, the growth tray being elongate, comprising a row of at least 3 holder members. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, comprising placing the growth trays at a height of about 1-2 m from a floor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, and further comprising separating the fruit from stems and the leaves in the harvesting area and collecting the fruit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, using an assembly of a growth tray and a number of holder members the growth tray being of elongate shape, with the openings arranged along the length of the growth tray wherein the top surface forms a lid that can be completely removed from the sidewalls. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the holder member comprises a guide member extending from the tubular body in an axial direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising operating a harvesting device in the harvesting area for separating fruits from crop, comprising a shaft with at a contact end a number of radial fingers that are pivotable about an axis of the shaft and a number of guide members extending along a circumferential path in the proximity of an end part of the fingers, from a contact position to an exit position, and a drive member for oscillating the shaft around its axis, the shaft at a drive end being provided with a servomotor with a variable frequency of oscillation and variable intervals between oscillations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, the harvesting device comprising an infeed adjustment member for adjusting the height of an infeed position of the guide members. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, the harvesting device, comprising an adjustment member for changing the vertical and sideways position of the shaft relative to the guide members. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, the harvesting device comprising a base member carrying two or more fingers, the base member being connected to the shaft.