Greenhouse system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11937562-B2
Application number	US-202217703405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 25, 2021
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A method for operating a greenhouse system with block storage, at least one block storage container and at least one vehicle. Each block storage container has a carrier frame and a plant receptacle, the plant receptacle being detachably engaged with the carrier frame, the block storage having at least one first zone and one second zone, and at least one first carrier frame and at least one second carrier frame, the plant receptacle in the first zone being detachably engaged with the first carrier frame; and the plant receptacle being subsequently transferred into the second zone, the plant receptacle being transferred from the first carrier frame to the second carrier frame as part of the transferal from the first zone into the second zone, the plant receptacle in the second zone being detachably engaged with the second carrier frame.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for operating a greenhouse system with a block storage, at least one stackable block storage element and at least one vehicle,
wherein the stackable block storage element is stored in or retrieved from a block storage element receiving room through a loading room by means of a vehicle,
wherein the loading room is arranged below the block storage element receiving room in a direction of gravity,
wherein several block storage elements being stored in the block storage element receiving room form a block storage element stack,
wherein each block storage element includes a carrier frame and a plant receptacle, with the plant receptacle being detachably engagable with the carrier frame, and
wherein the block storage has at least one first zone and one second zone, and at least one first carrier frame and at least uric second carrier frame;
said method comprising:
detachably engaging the plant receptacle of the first zone with the first carrier frame, and, subsequently,
transferring the plant receptacle into the second zone, said transferring the plant receptacle from the first zone into the second zone comprising:
transferring the plant receptacle from the first carrier frame to the second carrier frame, and

wherein the plant receptacle in the second zone is detachably engaged with the second carrier frame.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
illuminating a plant receptacle stocked with seedlings and/or plants in the first zone during a first growth phase by a first lighting system of the first carrier frame arranged above in a direction of gravity and/or illuminating a plant receptacle having plants in the second zone during a second growth phase by a second lighting system of the second carrier frame arranged above in a direction of gravity.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the plant receptacle is stocked with seedlings and/or plants at a stocking site outside of the block storage, and subsequently engaged with the first carrier frame and stored in the first zone of the block storage.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
as part of a transferal from the first carrier frame to the second carrier frame, the plant receptacle is relocated to a relocation site.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
transferring a carrier frame having a plant receptacle with harvestable plants to a retrieval site,
the plant receptacle is separated from the carrier frame at the retrieval site.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising
transferring a plant receptacle proceeding from the retrieval site to a stocking site, and
cleaning a plant receptacle on the way from the retrieval site to the stocking site.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the greenhouse system has a first buffer and a second buffer,
removably stocking first carrier frames with an unloaded plant receptacle or without the plant receptacle in the first buffer, and
removably stocking second carrier frames with an unloaded plant receptacle or without the plant receptacle in the second buffer.

8. A greenhouse system comprising:
a block storage, at least one block storage element, and at least one vehicle,
wherein the stackable block storage element is stored in or retrieved from a block storage element receiving room through a loading room by means of a vehicle,
wherein the loading room is arranged below the block storage element receiving room in a direction of gravity,
wherein several block storage elements being stored in the block storage element receiving room form a block storage element stack,
wherein at least one block storage element is configured to be stored in the block storage,
wherein the block storage element has a carrier frame and a plant receptacle detachably engaged with the carrier frame,
wherein the block storage comprises at least one first zone and one second zone,
wherein a first carrier frame forms a first block storage element with the plant receptacle, and a second carrier frame forms a second block storage element with the plant receptacle,
wherein the first block storage element is configured to be stocked in the first zone, and the second block storage element is configured to be stocked in the second zone,
wherein the plant receptacle is configured to be transferred from the first carrier frame to the second carrier frame.

9. The greenhouse system according to claim 8 , wherein:
the first carrier frame has a first lighting system and/or the second carrier frame has a second lighting system.

10. The greenhouse system according to claim 8 , wherein:
an expansion of the first carrier frame in the direction of gravity is smaller than an expansion of the second carrier frame in a direction of gravity.

11. The greenhouse system according to claim 8 , wherein:
the greenhouse system has a stocking site, a retrieval site and a relocation site.

12. The greenhouse system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the stocking site and/or the retrieval site comprises the relocation site, and/or the stocking site comprises the retrieval site.

13. The greenhouse system according to claim 11 , wherein:
a transfer system is provided between the retrieval site and the stocking site.

14. The greenhouse system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the transfer system has a cleaning device.

15. The greenhouse system according to claim 8 , wherein:
the greenhouse system has a first buffer for accommodating at least one first carrier frame, and a second buffer for accommodating at least one second carrier frame.

Assignees

• Jungheinrich Ag

Inventors

• Rollwa Volker
• Cavelius Jörg
• Liebhaber Markus

Classifications

• Y02A40/25

  Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor · CPC title

• A01G9/0299 Primary

  Handling or transporting of soil blocks or seedlings · CPC title

• A01G9/088

  Handling or transferring pots · CPC title

• A01G9/14 Primary

  Greenhouses · CPC title

• A01G9/249

  Lighting means (with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045) · CPC title