Patent Application
20180279562
The present invention relates to a planting cup and a planting device, and more particularly to a planting cup having two wings and a planting device using the planning cup. Through the two wings, the planting cup can be conveniently grasped by a mechanical device or manually.
In recent years, because the economic structural changes, agricultural production is facing the problems of labor shortage, wage rise, and small scale of operation. As a result, the production cost cannot be reduced. Due to the improvement of living standards, the agricultural production tends to specialization and division of labor. The farmers require higher quality of seedlings, so there is a tendency that farmers buy planting trays (also known as a planting structure) from the nursery center for seedling growth.
A planting tray is used to cultivate seedlings, which can separate the seedlings in independent cavities of the planting tray to achieve the effects of rapid grow and stable quality. The greatest advantage of using a planting tray to cultivate seedlings is that the cultivation can be a mass scale or in batches to save the time of cultivation.
An improved planting device comprises a movable planting cup used for planting and a planting tray having a plurality of planting cavities. When the planting device is provided with soil and seeds, the planting cup is placed in the planting cavity of the planting tray for cultivation of seedling. However, the conventional planting cup has only one wing. When the planting cup is placed in the planting cavity of the planting tray, the top of the planting cup is almost attached to the top surface of the planting tray. It is difficult and inconvenient to remove the planting cup from the planting tray to another planting tray for cultivation when the stage of seedling is over. So far, the operation is done manually, which is time-consuming and labor-consuming. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.
In view of the problems of the prior art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a planting cup having two wings and a planting device using the planting cup. Through the two wings, the planting cup can be conveniently grasped by a mechanical device or manually.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a planting cup is provided. The planting cup comprises a side portion, a bottom portion, a top portion, and an accommodation space surrounded by the side portion, the bottom portion, and the top portion. The bottom portion and the side portion each have a plurality of through holes. The top portion is formed with a first wing extending laterally outwardly. The side portion is formed with a second wing extending laterally outwardly. The first wing is spaced from the second wing by a distance.
Preferably, the side portion, the bottom portion, the first wing and the second wing are integrally formed.
Preferably, the side portion is provided with a plurality of first through holes between the first wing and the second wing. The side portion is provided with a plurality of second through holes between the second wing and the bottom portion. The number or the total area of the first through holes is equal to the number or the total area of the second through holes.
Alternatively, the side portion is provided with a plurality of first through holes between the first wing and the second wing. The side portion is provided with a plurality of second through holes between the second wing and the bottom portion. The number or the total area of the first through holes is greater than the number or the total area of the second through holes.
Preferably, the cross-sectional area of an upper half of the side portion is equal to the cross-sectional area of a lower half of the side portion.
Alternatively, the cross-sectional area of an upper half of the side portion is greater than the cross-sectional area of a lower half of the side portion.
Preferably, the planting cup is one of a hollow cylinder and a hollow cuboid.
Preferably, the side portion is provided with a plurality of first through holes between the first wing and the second wing. The side portion is provided with a plurality of second through holes between the second wing and the bottom portion. The number of the first through holes is greater than the number of the second through holes. The planting cup is one of a hollow cylinder and a hollow cuboid.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a planting device is provided. The cutting device comprises at least one aforesaid planting cup and a planting tray. The planting tray has a plurality of spaced cavities penetrating a top surface and a bottom surface of the planting tray. The planting cup is placed in one of the cavities. The second wing leans against the top surface.
Preferably, an edge of the top surface is recessed downwardly by a first height to form a notch. An edge of the bottom surface projects downwardly by a second height to form a retaining wall. The second height is greater than the sum of the first height and the distance.
Advantages and features of the inventive concept and methods of accomplishing the same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements should not be construed as being limited to the proportion and arrangement relationship as shown in the drawings and may be exaggerated for clarity, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment, the side portion 14, the bottom portion 15, the first wing 131 and the second wing 141 are integrally formed. The planting cup 1 may be formed by injection molding, thereby increasing the efficiency of manufacture and reduces the manufacturing cost. Besides, the overall strength of the planting cup 1 is optimal.
In addition, the cross-sectional area of the upper half of the side portion 14 is equal to the cross-sectional area of the lower half of the side portion 14, or the cross-sectional area of the upper half of the side portion 14 is greater than the cross-sectional area of the lower half of the side portion 14. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the upper half of the side portion 14 is greater than the cross-sectional area of the lower half of the side portion 14. Such a design is to reduce the quantity of the soil used in the lower half of the side portion 14 in order to save the cost of soil.
Furthermore, the side portion 14 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 121 between the first wing 131 and the second wing 141, and the side portion 14 is provided with a plurality of second through holes 122 between the second wing 141 and the bottom portion 15. The number or the total area of the first through holes 121 is equal to the number or the total area of the second through holes 122, or the number or the total area of the first through holes 121 is greater than the number or the total area of the second through holes 122. In a preferred embodiment, the number or the total area of the first through holes 121 is greater than the number or the total area of the second through holes 122. Thereby, when the accommodation space 11 filled with soil, plant seeds or plants is watered, the water will flow down, so that the first through holes 121 greater in number or in total area achieve the effect of better water permeability, and the second through holes 122 less in number or in total area achieve the effect of good water retention.
In a specific implementation, the shape of the planting cup 1 may be changed according to the specific demand to be used in a specific situation. Referring to
As shown in
In particular, the planting cup of the present invention is provided with two wings. The second wing located below can lean against the top of the planting tray, and the first wing located at the upper end of the planting cup is adapted for grasping by a mechanical device or by manpower, such that the cultivation of seedling can be carried out conveniently and consistently to save time and labor and to improve the working efficiency.
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
