A RAIL VEHICLE, A LEAF-STRIPPING SYSTEM, A GREENHOUSE COMPRISING THE LEAF-STRIPPING SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR STRIPPING LEAFS

Description:

According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a rail vehicle.

According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a leaf stripping system comprising the rail vehicle according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.

According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a greenhouse comprising a leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

According to fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for stripping leaf from a crop.

Crops provided in a greenhouse are partly stripped from their leafs to improve the production of vegetables such a tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. The stripping of leafs from crops provided in the greenhouse is, however, a manual operation that requires a significant amount of labour. It is an objective of the present disclosure to provide a solution to overcome this drawback.

The objective is achieved by providing a rail vehicle comprising a frame and a leaf-stripping device arranged for stripping leafs from a crop, such as tomato plants or cucumber plants, provided in a greenhouse.

By providing the rail vehicle, the leaf-stripping device may be guided along a rail provided in the greenhouse between two rows of crops. Guiding the leaf stripping device along a rail is beneficial for allowing the leaf-stripping device to be applied in a relative small space between the two rows of crops in the greenhouse while realizing a relative accurate positioning of the leaf-stripping device relative to the crops provided in the two rows.

Leaf-stripping devices for stripping leafs from vines or fruit trees are known. An example of such a leaf-stripping device is disclosed in WO 2005/022985 A1.

An additional advantage of the rail device according to the present disclosure is to by stripping leaves from the crops infections of the crops may be reduced.

In an embodiment of the rail vehicle according to the present disclosure, said rail vehicle comprises a pivoting arrangement for pivoting said leaf-stripping device relative to said frame, wherein in a first position of said pivoting arrangement said leaf-stripping device is arranged for stripping leafs from said crop at a first side of said rail vehicle, and wherein in a second position of said pivoting arrangement said leaf-stripping device is arranged for stripping leafs from said crop at a second side, opposite of said first side, of said rail vehicle. This is beneficial for allowing a single leaf-stripping device to be used for stripping leafs from both rows next to the rail.

Preferably, said leaf-stripping device comprises a suction arrangement and two rotatable rollers that are disposed parallel to each other, wherein said suction arrangement is arranged for realizing, in use, an air flow for sucking said leafs of said crop towards said two rotatable rollers, wherein said leaf-stripping device comprises a driving arrangement arranged for rotating, in use, at least one of said two rotatable rollers for said stripping of said leafs from said crop.

In this regard, it is beneficial if the rail vehicle comprises an urging element that is arranged for urging said two rollers towards each other. This is beneficial for removing the leafs in a reliable manner. Preferably, said at least one of said two rotatable rollers is provided with a hydrophobic surface material. This is beneficial for removing the leafs in a reliable manner.

Preferably, the other of said two rotatable rollers is provided with a resilient surface material, preferably an elastomer. This is beneficial for removing the leafs in a reliable manner.

In an embodiment of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect, said rail vehicle comprises a further driving arrangement arranged for moving, in use when said rail vehicle is arranged on a rail, said rail vehicle relative to said rail at a predetermined speed. This is beneficial for further reducing the manual labour for stripping the leafs from the crops, thereby allowing an autonomous operation of the rail vehicle for instance during the night. Moreover, by moving the rail vehicle at a predetermined speed along the rail a relative controlled process for stripping the leafs may be realized.

The present disclosure relies at least partly on the insight that manually pushing the known leaf-stripping device along the crops may result in variations in leaf-stripping that may result in locally damaging the crops thereby locally reducing the production of vegetables.

Preferably, the rail vehicle according to the first aspect comprises batteries for powering said leaf-stripping device and said pivoting arrangement. This is beneficial for avoiding, or at least significantly reducing the impact of the operation of the rail vehicle on the climate in an interior space of the greenhouse.

In an embodiment of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the rail vehicle comprises an emitter arranged for emitting ultraviolet radiation for treating leaves remaining at the crops, during use of the leaf stripping device, after said leaf-stripping device has stripped leaves from said crop. This is beneficial for reducing infections of the crop. Preferably, said rail vehicle comprises a storage unit arranged for storing leaves that are removed from said crop.

In this regard, it is beneficial if said storage unit is removably connected to said rail vehicle. This is beneficial for allowing removal of stripped leaves from said storage unit and/or providing an empty storage unit to said rail vehicle.

Preferably, said rail vehicle comprises wheels attached to said frame and arranged for moving said rail vehicle relative to a rail.

Preferably, said storage unit is provided with a further frame and further wheels arranged for moving said storage unit relative to a rail.

In an embodiment, said rail vehicle further comprise a radiation source arranged for providing ultraviolet radiation to said leaf stripping device. Applying ultraviolet radiation to the leaf stripping device, in particular to the rotatable rollers is beneficial for disinfecting the leaf stripping device.

Preferably, said radiation source is provided onto the rail vehicle such that for disinfecting the leaf stripping device is providable in a third position.

Preferably, said third position is chosen such that said leaf stripping device is moveable from said first position, via said third position, to said second position and moveable from said second position, via said third position, to said first position.

According to the second aspect, the present disclosure provides a leaf stripping system arranged for stripping leafs from a crop, such as a tomato plant or a cucumber plant, provided in a greenhouse, said leaf-stripping system comprising: a rail; a rail vehicle according to the fist aspect of the present disclosure, wherein said rail vehicle is provided on said rail such that said rail vehicle is movable along said rail. Embodiments of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to embodiments of the leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

Effects of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to effects of the leaf stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

Preferably, said leaf-stripping system further comprises a detection arrangement arranged for detecting that said rail vehicle has reached a predetermined position along said rail.

In this regard, it is advantageous if said leaf-stripping system is arranged for reversing a direction of movement of said rail vehicle relative to said rail after said detecting that said rail vehicle has reached said predetermined position along said rail.

Preferably, said leaf-stripping system is arranged for moving, by said pivoting arrangement, said leaf-stripping device from said first position to said second position after said detecting that said rail vehicle has reached said predetermined position along said rail.

In an embodiment, the leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect comprises a receiving station arranged for receiving said rail vehicle from said rail and arranged for providing said rail vehicle to a further rail. This is beneficial for allowing a single rail vehicle to strip leafs from crops in a greenhouse that is provided with a plurality of rows of crops that are separated respectively by said rail and said further rail.

In this regard, it is advantageous, if said receiving station is provided with a charging arrangement for charging said batteries of said rail vehicle.

According to the third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a greenhouse for growing a crop, such as a tomato plants or a cucumber plants, in an interior of said greenhouse, provided with a leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, wherein said rail of said leaf-stripping system is provided between two rows of said crop.

Embodiments of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect and the leaf stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to embodiments of the greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure.

Effects of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect and the leaf stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to effects of the greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure.

In this regard, it is beneficial if said greenhouse is provided with a leaf leaf-stripping system comprising a receiving station arranged for receiving said rail vehicle from said rail and arranged for providing said rail vehicle to a further rail, wherein said further rail is provided between two further rows of said crop. This is beneficial for allowing a single rail vehicle to strip leafs from crops in a greenhouse that is provided with a plurality of rows of crops that are separated respectively by said rail and said further rail.

According to the fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for stripping leafs from a crop, such as tomato plants or cucumber plants, provided in a greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, said method comprising the steps of: moving said rail vehicle in a first direction along said rail between said two rows of said crop; stripping leafs, by said leaf-stripping device, from a row of said two rows during said moving of said rail vehicle in said first direction along said rail.

Embodiments of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect, the leaf stripping system according to the second aspect and the greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to embodiments of the method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure.

Effects of the rail vehicle according to the first aspect, the leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect and the greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure presented previously correspond to or are similar to effects of the method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure.

In this regard, it is beneficial if said method further comprises the steps of: detecting, by said detection arrangement, that said rail vehicle has reached said predetermined position along said rail; pivoting, by said pivoting arrangement, said leaf-stripping device from said first position to said second position; moving said rail vehicle in a second direction, opposite to said first direction along said rail between said two rows of said crop; stripping leafs, by said leaf-stripping device, from the other row of said two rows during said moving of said rail vehicle in said second direction along said rail.

The present disclosure will now be explained by means of a description of an embodiment of a rail vehicle in accordance to the first aspect, a leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect, a greenhouse according to the third aspect and a method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in which reference is made to the following schematic figures, in which:

Fig. 1 a schematic top view of a rail vehicle according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is shown;

Fig. 2 a schematic side view of the rail vehicle of Fig. 1 is shown;

Fig. 3 a schematic overview of a leaf-stripping system according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is shown;

Fig. 4 a schematic overview of a greenhouse according to the third aspect of the present disclosure is shown; Fig. 5 a schematic overview of a method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is shown;

Fig. 6 a schematic overview of another method according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is shown.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a schematic overview of a rail vehicle 101 according to the present disclosure, in a top view and side view respectively. The rail vehicle 101 comprises a frame 103 and a leaf-stripping device 201 arranged for stripping leafs 11 from a crop 15, for example cucumber plants provided in a greenhouse. Cucumber plants are typically provided in rows in the greenhouse, wherein in between each two rows a space is provided for allowing access to the plants. The rail vehicle 101 comprises wheels 111 attached to the frame 103 and arranged for moving the rail vehicle 101 relative to a rail 305.

The rail vehicle 101 comprises a pivoting arrangement 105 for pivoting the leaf-stripping device 201 relative to the frame 103. The pivoting arrangement 105 is for example provided as a gearbox, driven by an electromotor 115. The pivoting arrangement 105 is arranged for rotating the leaf-stripping device 201 relative to the frame 103 around an axis of rotation R1 from a first position of the pivoting arrangement 105 to a second position of the pivoting arrangement 105. In the first position of the pivoting arrangement 105, the leaf-stripping device 201 is arranged for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 at a first side A of the rail vehicle 101, and in the second position of the pivoting arrangement 105, the leaf-stripping device 201 is arranged for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 at a second side B, opposite of the first side A, of the rail vehicle 101.

The leaf-stripping device 201 comprises a suction arrangement 205 and two rotatable rollers 207, 209 disposed parallel to each other. The suction arrangement 205 is provided as an axial exhauster, driven by an electromotor 215. The suction arrangement 205 is arranged for realizing an air flow F1 towards the leaf-stripping device 201 for sucking the leafs 11 of the crop 15 towards the two rotatable rollers 207, 209. For removing the leafs 11 of the crop 15 in a reliable manner, one of the rotatable rollers 207, 209 is provided with a hydrophobic surface material. Furthermore, the rotatable roller 209 is provided with a resilient surface material and provided with protrusions extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable roller 209. The rail vehicle comprises an urging element 217 arranged for urging the two rollers 207, 209 towards each other.

The leaf-stripping device 201 comprises a driving arrangement 211 , arranged for rotating the two rotatable rollers 207, 209 around an axis of rotation R2 and R3 respectively and in opposite directions relative to each other, for stripping of the leafs 11 from the crop 15.

The stripped leaves 11 are sucked into the leaf-stripping device 201 and are shredded by the blades of the impeller provided in the axial exhauster. The resulting stripped and shredded leaves are blown out of the leaf-stripping device 201 by an air flow F2 generated by the axial exhauster. A storage unit (not shown) arranged for storing stripped leaves blown out of the leaf-stripping device 201 is removably connected to the rail vehicle 101.

The rail vehicle 101 comprises a further driving arrangement 107 arranged for moving the rail vehicle 101 , when the rail vehicle 101 is arranged on a rail 305, over the rail 305 at a predetermined speed, in either a first direction or a second direction, opposite to the first direction. Furthermore, the rail vehicle 101 comprises batteries for powering the rail vehicle 101, including powering and/or driving the leaf-stripping device 201 , the pivoting arrangement 105 and the further driving arrangement 107.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic overview of a leaf-stripping system 301 according to the present disclosure, wherein the rail vehicle 101 is deployed on a rail 305 such that the rail vehicle 101 is movable along the rail 305.

The rail vehicle 101 is moving in a first direction D1 along the rail 305, while the pivoting arrangement 105 is in the first position. In the first position of the pivoting arrangement 105, the leaf-stripping device 201 is arranged for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 at a first side A.

The leaf-stripping system 301 further comprises a detection arrangement 307 arranged for detecting that the rail vehicle 101 has reached a predetermined position along the rail 305. In this embodiment, the detection arrangement 307 is positioned at a first end of the rail 305.

The rail vehicle 101 is moving in a first direction D1 along the rail 305, while stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 positioned in a row along the first side A, parallel to the rail 305. When the detection arrangement 307 detects that the rail vehicle 101 has reached the predetermined position along the rail 305, the leaf stripping device 201 is moved by the pivoting arrangement 105 from the first position to the second position, in which the leaf-stripping device 201 is arranged for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 at the second side B. Subsequently, the direction of movement of the rail vehicle 101 is reversed for moving in a second direction D2, opposite to the first direction D1, along the rail 305. The rail vehicle 101 further moves in the second direction D2 along the rail 305, while stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15 positioned in a row along the second side B, parallel to the rail 305.

Alternatively, the rail vehicle 101 may be moved in the first direction D1 and subsequently in the second direction D2 without moving the leaf-stripping device 201 from the first position to the second position, thereby maintaining the leaf-stripping device 201 in either the first position or the second position. In this approach, the crop 15 at one of the sides of the rail vehicle 101 are stripped from leaves twice. This may for instance be beneficial for realizing stripping of a relative large number of leaves from crop 15 or for stripping leaves from the crop 15 at different heights in an embodiment of the rail vehicle 101 , wherein the leaf-stripping device 201 may be moved between a lower position and a higher position relative to the rail 305.

The leaf-stripping system 301 furthermore comprises a receiving station 315 arranged for receiving the rail vehicle 101 from the rail 305 at a second end of the rail 305, opposite to the first end of the rail 305. The receiving station 315 is arranged for providing the rail vehicle 101 to a further rail 305’ and is provided with a charging arrangement 317 for charging the batteries 109 of the rail vehicle 101.

In an alternative embodiment of the leaf-stripping system 301, the rail vehicle is connected via a flexible cable element to a power source, such as a the receiving station, for powering the rail vehicle. This is beneficial for avoiding the need for providing the rail vehicle with batteries 109.

The rail vehicle may further comprise a radiation source arranged for providing ultraviolet radiation to said leaf stripping device. Applying ultraviolet radiation to the leaf stripping device, in particular to the rotatable rollers is beneficial for disinfecting the leaf stripping device. The radiation source may be provided onto the rail vehicle such that for disinfecting the leaf stripping device is in a third position. Preferably, the third position is chosen such that when moving the leaf stripping device from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position goes through the third position.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic overview of a greenhouse 401 according to the present disclosure. The greenhouse 401 for growing a crop 15, 15’, 15”, such as cucumber plants, in an interior of the greenhouse 401 , is provided with the leaf stripping system 301 as disclosed above. The rail 305 of the leaf-stripping system 301 is provided between two rows of crop 15 , the further rail 305’ is provided between further rows of crop 15’. A yet further rail 305” is provided between yet further rows of crop 15”.

The rail vehicle 101 moves along each of the rail 305, 305’, 305” in the first direction for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15, 15’, 15” at the first side of the rail vehicle 101. After the detection arrangement 307 detects that the rail vehicle 101 has reached the first end of the rail 305, 305’, 305”, the leaf-stripping device 201 is moved from the first position to the second position, and the rail vehicle 101 further moves along each of the rail 305, 305’, 305” in the second direction, opposite to the first direction, for stripping leafs 11 from the crop 15, 15’, 15” at the second side of the rail vehicle 101. When the rail vehicle 101 reaches the second end of the rail 305, 305’, 305”, the receiving station 315 transports the rail vehicle 101 from one of the rail 305, 305’, 305” to another of the rail 305, 305’, 305”.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic overview of a method 501 according to the present disclosure, for stripping leafs 11 from a crop 15 provided in the greenhouse 401 as disclosed above. The method 501 comprises a step of moving the rail vehicle 503 and a step of stripping leafs 505. During the step of moving the rail vehicle 503, the rail vehicle 101 is moved in a first direction along the rail 305 between the two rows of the crop 15. During the step of stripping leafs 505, leafs 11 are stripped by the leaf stripping device 201, from a row of the two rows during the moving of the rail vehicle 503 in the first direction along the rail 305.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic overview of another method 601 according to the present disclosure, being an alternative embodiment of the method 501. Elements of method 601 that are the same as elements of method 501 are provided with a corresponding reference number.

Method 601 further comprises the step of detecting 507, by the detection arrangement 307, that the rail vehicle 101 has reached the predetermined position along the rail 305. During the subsequent step of pivoting 509, by the pivoting arrangement 105, the leaf-stripping device 201 is pivoted from the first position to the second position. The step of pivoting 509 is followed by the step of moving the rail vehicle 511 and the step of stripping leafs 513. During the step of moving the rail vehicle 511, the rail vehicle 101 is moved in a second direction, opposite to the first direction along the rail 305 between the two rows of the crop. During the step of stripping leafs 513, leafs 11 are stripped by the leaf-stripping device 201 , from the other row of the two rows during the moving of the rail vehicle 511 in the second direction along the rail.