Completely automated multi-shelf seedling growing system

A seedling growing system comprising:

• a) a storage provided with heat insulating treatment;
• b) a movement means configured to move on a predetermined path in the storage;
• c) seedling growing tray racks including a multi-shelf germination rack configured to hold, until germination, a seedling growing tray on which seeds are sown, a multi-shelf seedling growing rack configured to hold a seedling growing tray on which seedlings have germinated and including an artificial light source and an automatic watering device, and a multi-shelf shipment rack configured to hold a seedling growing tray for shipping grown seedlings, the racks being disposed side by side on a side or sides of the path in the storage;
• and
• d) a transfer means provided to the movement means, consisting of:
• a holding unit capable of moving from the movement means vertically to the path and substantially horizontally;
• a pinion gear capable of meshing with steps on a bottom part of a seedling growing tray and provided at a leading end of the holding unit;
• and
• an arm at a leading end of which steps capable of meshing with steps on a bottom part of a seedling growing tray are provided, the leading tip being movable from immediately below a position where a seedling growing tray is placed on the seedling growing tray rack toward the movement means and movable from the movement means toward immediately below the position,
• including an auxiliary movement means configured to move each seedling growing tray between the seedling growing tray rack and the pinion gear, and configured to transfer each seedling growing tray between the movement means and each of the multi-shelf germination rack, the multi-shelf seedling growing rack, and the multi-shelf shipment rack.

A seedling growing system comprising:

• a) a storage provided with heat insulating treatment;
• b) a movement means including a mounting part for mounting a seedling growing tray and configured to move on a predetermined path in the storage;
• c) seedling growing tray racks including a multi-shelf germination rack configured to hold, until germination, a seedling growing tray on which seeds are sown, a multi-shelf seedling growing rack configured to hold a seedling growing tray on which seedlings have germinated and including an artificial light source and an automatic watering device, and a multi-shelf shipment rack configured to hold a seedling growing tray for shipping grown seedlings, the racks being disposed side by side on a side or sides of the path in the storage;
• and
• d) a transfer means provided to the movement means, including:
• d-1) an arm a leading tip of which is movable from immediately below a position where a seedling growing tray is placed on the seedling growing tray rack toward the mounting part;
• and
• d-2) steps fixed to the leading tip and capable of meshing with steps on a bottom part of a seedling growing tray are provided, and
• configured to transfer each seedling growing tray between the mounting part and each of the multi-shelf germination rack, the multi-shelf seedling growing rack, and the multi-shelf shipment rack.