Planting – Seed tape planter
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-20
2003-07-22
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Planting
Seed tape planter
C047S056000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06595149
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a seedling-growing sheet adapted for growing seedlings of, for example, paddy rice, a method of manufacturing the same, a planting device used in planting the seedling-growing sheet, and a planting machine equipped with said planting device.
BACKGROUND ART
A method of growing seedlings from rice seeds and planting the grown seedlings in a paddy field is disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 50-57808. In this prior art, an assembly prepared by mutually bonding a large number of paper cylinders on a single plane is used for growing seedlings. Each paper cylinder is loaded with soil, and a rice seed is sown in the soil loaded in each paper cylinder so as to grow the seedlings of the paddy rice. After growth of the seedlings, the paper cylinders are individually separated from each other, and the separated paper cylinder housing the grown rice seedling is planted manually or by a planting machine in a paddy field.
In the prior art described above, however, a large area is required for growing the seedlings because a large number of paper cylinders are arranged side by side on a single plane. Naturally, it is laborious to handle the assembly of the paper cylinders. In addition, since soil is loaded in each paper cylinder, each paper cylinder is so heavy that it is highly laborious to transfer the assembly of the paper cylinders. Also, the soil tends to be scattered about in loading the soil in the paper cylinder so as to stain the working environment.
What should also be noted is that, when the paper cylinders housing the rice seedlings are planted in a paddy field by using a planting machine, it is necessary to regulate highly accurately the positional relationship between the planting machine and the paper cylinders, making it necessary to define strictly the relative positions of the paper cylinders arranged on a single plane. It follows that it is highly laborious to prepare the assembly of the paper cylinders so as to inhibit the mass production of the rice seedlings.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a seedling-growing sheet that permits growing seedlings without using soil so as to make the seedling-growing sheet small in size and light in weight and also permits easily mass production of seedlings.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a seedling-growing sheet of a laminate structure comprising receptacles of seeds and seedlings grown from the seeds and cutting perforations along which a planting piece including a receptacle is cut away from the seedling-growing sheet.
Further, a third object of the present invention is to provide a planting device that permits cutting away a planting piece from the seedling-growing sheet easily and without fail and also permits planting the planting pieces continuously in the field, and to provide a planting machine provided with the particular planting device.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The first object of the present invention can be achieved by a seedling-growing sheet, comprising:
a laminate body including a band-like support member and a porous sheet body laminated on the support member;
a large number of receptacles for housing seeds and seedlings grown from the seeds, the receptacles being formed in the sheet body of the laminate body and arranged apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the support member; and
cutting perforations consisting of a large number of cut lines, the cutting perforations extending across the width of the laminate body and arranged a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the laminate body to have a planting piece including at least one receptacle defined between two adjacent cutting perforations.
According to the seedling-growing sheet of the construction described above, the seedling is grown with the seed housed in the receptacle of the sheet body, making it unnecessary to use soil for growing the seedling. Therefore, the seedling can be grown under a clean environment. In addition, the seedling-growing sheet itself can be made small in size and light in weight so as to facilitate the handling such as transference of the seedling-growing sheet.
Also, since cutting perforations are formed in the seedling-growing sheet, the planting piece defined between adjacent cutting perforations can be cut away easily from the seedling-growing sheet along the cutting perforation. Naturally, it is possible to prevent the planting piece from being partially broken and to prevent a plurality of planting pieces from being cut away together when the planting pieces are planted in the field. It follows that the seedlings can be planted continuously in the field.
In addition, a large number of receptacles are formed a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the seedling-growing sheet, making it possible to grow a large number of seedlings in a single seedling-growing sheet. What should also be noted is that the seedling-growing sheet is in the form of a band, making it possible to wind the sheet to form a sheet roll in the step of growing the seedlings. In this case, it is possible to send out easily the seedling-growing sheet from the sheet roll in the longitudinal direction of the sheet so as to avoid troubles in the step of sending out the seedling-growing sheet.
The second object of the present invention can be achieved by a method of manufacturing a seedling-growing sheet, comprising:
a first step of forming a large block consisting of a porous material;
a second step of slicing the large block to form a band-like sheet body having an optional thickness;
a third step of forming a laminate body by laminating the band-like sheet body on a band-like support member; and
a fourth step of forming a large number of receptacles for housing seeds in the sheet body of the laminate body a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the laminate body and a large number of cutting perforations extending across the width of the laminate body and arranged a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the laminate body to have a planting piece including at least one receptacle defined between two adjacent cutting perforations.
The particular method of the present invention makes it possible to arrange the first to fourth manufacturing steps on a continuous single line to manufacture efficiently a laminate body having receptacles and cutting perforations.
The third object of the present invention can also be achieved by a planting device, comprising:
a sheet holding section for holding a seedling-growing sheet including a band-like body, a large number of receptacles for housing seeds, which are formed a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the band-like body, and a large number of cutting perforations extending across the width of the band-like body and arranged a predetermined distance apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the band-like body to have a planting piece including at least one receptacle defined between two adjacent cutting perforations;
a transfer mechanism for sending out the seedling-growing sheet from the sheet holding section;
a planting mechanism equipped with a planting claw movable substantially in a vertical direction, the planting claw of the planting mechanism being engaged with a tip portion of the seedling-growing sheet sent out from the sheet holding section to permit the planting piece to be cut away from the seedling-growing sheet along the cutting perforation and to be planted in a field; and
a sheet-fixing mechanism arranged contiguous to the engaging section between the seedling-growing sheet and the planting claw so as to fix the seedling-growing sheet when the planting piece is cut away by the planting claw from the seedling-growing sheet.
The third object of the present invention can also be achieved by a planting machine, comprising:
a running vehicle provided with
Fukuzumi Yasumi
Ichikawa Katsuhisa
Isoyama Shigetaka
Onodera Tsuneo
Watanabe Yoshiaki
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushki Kaisha
Novosad Christopher J.
LandOfFree
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