Automated planter
AssigneeUltraCell Corporation
InventorsChristopher Fountain, Nicholas Fountain, Robin Fountain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated planter includes a locating device arranged to locate a propagation tray; at least one plant extraction device adapted to pull a plant out of a propagation tray located by the locating device; and a delivery assembly arranged to receive a plant extracted by the at least one plant extraction device and deliver the received plant to the ground. The planter lifts the plants out of their cells in the tray by inserting fingers, which are caused to converge to pinch the root ball. A plant transport includes two tracks, such that one can be loaded while the other is transporting plants to the delivery assembly.
Claims53
An automated planter comprising:
- a) locating means arranged to locate a propagating tray;
- b) means adapted to extract a plant out of a propagation tray;
- c) a delivery assembly arranged to receive extracted plants and to deliver the plants to the ground;
- d) plant transport means arranged to receive extracted plants from the extraction means to present said plants to the delivery assembly;
- characterised in that
- the plant transport means comprises a first and a second plant conveyor, each conveyor being adapted to receive extracted plants, and control means operable to hold one conveyor in a static state to receive the plants from said plant extraction means whilst the second conveyor is driven to present previously deposited plants to the delivery assembly.
A planter according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transport means are adapted to receive an extracted row of plants from the plant action means and to present the extracted plants sequentially to the delivery assembly.
An automated planter comprising;
- a) a delivery assembly for receiving extracted plan and to deliver said plants to the ground;
- b) a plant transport means to present plants to the delivery assembly, the plant transport means comprising a plurality of holding ports;
- c) a controller for controlling the position of the holding ports relative to the delivery assembly,
- d) a sensor.
- characterised in that the controller advances the plant transport means in response to the sensor such that the delivery assembly receives plants at a uniform rate.
An automated planter comprising:
- a) means adapted to extract a plant out of a propagation tray;
- and
- b) a delivery means arranged to receive extracted plants and deliver the plants to the ground;
- c) the extraction mean comprising means for inserting at least one insertion member into the root portion of a plant to grip the root portion;
- characterised in that the extraction means are adapted to approach a row of plants from a direction transverse to the row;
- the extraction means are adapted to push the foliage of the plants to one side before inserting the inserting member;
- and
- the extraction means are adapted to pull the plant out of the propagation tray.
A planter according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the extraction means exact a row of plants in alignment and translates the plants in a direction perpendicular to that line, the extraction means depositing the line of plants in relation to the plant transport means.
An automated planter comprising:
- a) means adapted to extract the plants from a propagation tray;
- b) holding ports to locate and hold the plants;
- characterised in that the planter comprises extraction members adapted for insertion into the root portion of the plants, the extraction members being driven generally transversely into the root portion of the plants to hold the plants in said holding ports whilst said extraction means are withdrawn.
A plant extraction means comprising:
- a) fingers, the fingers being sprung such that ends of the fingers are biassed towards each other,
- b) a spacer member located between the finder,
- characterised in that
- c) the extraction means comprises means for positioning the spacer member and fingers adjacent to an upper surface of a root portion of a plant and means for holding the position of the spacer member constant whilst driving the fingers down past the sides of the spacer member.
A plant extraction means comprising:
- a) fingers, the fingers being sprung such that ends of the fingers are biassed towards each other,
- b) a spacer member located between the fingers,
- characterised in that the spacer member is adapted to engage with an upper surface of a root portion of a plant to allow the fingers to be driven down past the sides of the spacer member, whereby the fingers are inserted into the root portion and the fingers converge to grip the root portion.
A method of automated planting comprising providing:
- a) locating means arranged to locate a propagating tray;
- b) means adapted to extract a plant out of a propagation tray;
- c) a delivery assembly arranged to receive extracted plants and to deliver the plants to the ground;
- d) plant transport means arranged to receive extracted plants from the extraction means to present said plants to the delivery assembly.
- characterised in that
- the plant transport means comprises a first and a second plant conveyor, each conveyor being adapted to receive extracted plants, and means for controlling the conveyors, the method comprising
- controlling the plant transport means to hold one conveyor in a static state to receive the plants from said plant extraction means whilst the second conveyor is driven to present previously deposited plants to the delivery assembly.
A method of automated planting comprising providing;
- a) a delivery assembly for receiving extracted plants and to deliver said plants to the ground;
- b) a conveyor to present plants to the delivery assembly, the conveyor comprising a plurality of holding ports;
- c) a controller for controlling the position of the holding ports relative to the delivery assembly;
- d) a sensor
- characterised in that the method comprises advancing the conveyor in response to the sensor such that the delivery assembly receives plants at a uniform rate.
A method of automated planting comprising
- a) providing means for extracting a plant out of a propagation tray;
- b) providing means for delivering extracted plants to the ground;
- the extraction means comprising means for inserting at leas one insertion member into the root portion of a plant to grip the root portion;
- characterised in that the extraction means:
- approach a row of plants from a direction transverse to the row;
- and
- pull the plant out of the propagation tray.
A method of automated planting comprising.
- a) providing a planter comprising means for extracting plants from a propagation tray;
- b) providing holding ports to locate and hold the plants;
- characterised in that the planter comprises extraction members adapted for insertion into the root portion of the plants,
- the method comprising driving the extraction members generally transversely into the root portion of the plants to hold the plants in the holding ports whilst said extraction means are withdrawn.
A method of extracting plants comprising providing:
- a) fingers, the fingers being sprung such that ends of the fingers are biassed towards each other,
- b) a spacer member located between the fingers,
- the method comprising engaging the spacer member with an upper surface of a root portion of a plant to allow the fingers to be driven down past the sides of the spacer member, whereby the fingers are inserted into the root portion and the fingers converge to grip the root portion.
A planter as hereinbefore described and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.