NL1016490C2 - Floor construction, especially for greenhouses, has variable height partition device for screening off irrigation areas - Google Patents

Abstract

At least one trench (11) is provided in the floor construction (1) and at least part of the trench walls comprises a partition device (30) which has a variable height and is secured firmly inside the trench. In the idle state, the partition device is flush with or lies below the floor surface (10), and in the working state it protrudes above the floor surface. Independent claims are also included for (a) a gutter for installation in a trench in a floor construction, which has a partition device with a variable height secured to it, (b) a first method for installing a variable height partition device in a floor construction, by digging a trench and securing the device inside the trench, (c) a second method for installing a variable height partition device in a floor construction, by digging a trench and placing a gutter with a partition device inside the trench, (d) a method for temporarily screening off a floor region using at least one partition device with a variable height using this floor construction, and (e) a plant irrigation method where a floor surface area is defined by a liquid-tight wall at least part of which is formed by a partition device with a variable height inside a trench, providing the partition device in a state where it is flush with or lower than the floor surface, supplying plants to the floor surface area using a transport cart pushed over the trench and partition device inside it, placing plants on the floor surface area, raising the partition device to a level above the floor surface, flooding the floor surface area to a given height, removing the liquid after a given time, lowering the partition device into its idle state, and removing the plants using a transport cart pushed over the trench and the partition device inside it.

Description

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Title: Floor construction with separation element

The present invention relates to a floor construction with a floor surface, provided with walls connecting to the floor surface and arranged over the circumference of a floor section.

Such floor constructions are known in practice, and are intended for use in situations in which a floor section must be able to be submerged. Such floor constructions find their application in greenhouses in which plants are grown, wherein the plants with a substrate or substrate / nutrient medium are placed in groups on the floor surface. The invention will now be described in the context of a greenhouse, this example only being to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

The plants in the greenhouse, and in particular the nutrient medium, must be regularly supplied with liquid. This is usually water to which nutrients have been added. Watering is done in practice by temporarily submerging the floor surface on which the plants are installed, the water reaching a height of a few centimeters relative to the floor surface.

In this connection it is customary to separate the different groups of plants from one another by means of watertight separating elements which connect to the floor surface and which extend upwards from the floor surface, referred to as "walls". The use of walls prevents the water from spreading over the entire floor surface, and also makes it possible to irrigate different groups of plants at different moments if desired. The walls are usually around 10 cm high.

Transport of plants to and from a group usually takes place with the help of transport carts or other aids. The use of walls to separate the different groups of plants then has the important disadvantage that the walls form an obstacle when it is desired to access the plants with a transport cart. This is certainly the case when the walls are designed as, for example, stone edges, or are formed by a difference in height in the floor surface. However, this is also the case when at least a part of the walls is designed as flexible rubber strips. These rubber strips deform when the wheels of a transport trolley roll over them, so that the hindering action of such strips is less than that of said rigid walls. Nevertheless, the rubber strips are experienced as a nuisance. In addition, such strips must be replaced from time to time due to wear or damage.

The present invention has for its object to provide a floor construction which provides for a liquid-tight shielding of floor sections with groups of plants, and which also enables an unimpeded entry and exit of said floor sections with a transport cart. The invention is based on the insight that the desire for liquid-tight screening of the floor sections with groups of plants and the desire to enter these floor sections do not occur simultaneously. Based on this insight, the stated goal is achieved in that a floor construction according to the present invention is characterized in that at least one slot is provided in the floor construction 20; at least a portion of the walls is designed as a partition element, the height of which is variable with respect to the floor surface, the partition element being fixedly secured in the slot; the separating element has a lowest or passing condition, wherein an upper side of the separating element is at most substantially at the same level as the floor surface; the partition element has a highest or active operating condition, wherein a top of the partition element is at a height above the floor surface.

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It is noted that separating elements whose height is variable with respect to a specific surface are known per se, for example from NL-A-9500271. Such separating elements are designed as flexible trunk-like bodies, which are filled in their operative operating condition, so that they have a certain height relative to the surface on which they are placed.

The separating elements described in NL-A-9500271 are placed loosely on a surface, while separating elements according to the invention are contained in a floor construction, wherein the 3 separating elements are attached to this floor construction. Consequently, separation elements according to the invention are in a fixed, predetermined location. Application of the separating elements described in NL-A-9500271 has the drawback that measures are required to keep the separating elements in a fixed location.

Another drawback of the use of the separating elements described in NL-A-9500271 is that they must be removed when their screening effect is not required and the filling 10 has been removed, in order to prevent damage to transport trolleys.

The already described and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further elucidated in the following description of two preferred embodiments of a floor construction according to the invention with reference to the drawing, in which: figure 1 schematically shows a cross section of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention in a passing state; Figure 2 schematically shows a cross-section of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention in an operative operating condition; Figure 3 shows a cross section of a detail of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention in a passing state.

In the figures, the same or comparable parts will be indicated by the same reference numerals.

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Figures 1 and 2 schematically show a cross-section of a floor construction 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The floor construction 1 has a floor body 2 with a floor surface 10, and a slot 11 arranged therein with a slot bottom 15 and upstanding slot walls 16, 17. The slot bottom 15 is lower than the floor surface 10. At the level of the floor surface 10 the slot 11 provided with a hinged lid 20, which covers the slot 11 in a closed position, and can pivot upwards relative to this closed position 4 around any suitable, not further described, hinge 25 arranged at the upper end of the slot 11 wall 16. When the lid 20 is in the closed position, an upper surface 21 of the lid 20 is substantially level with the floor surface 10, as shown in figure 1. Between a lower surface 22 of the lid 20 and the slot bottom 15 there is then a space 12.

A separating element which is designed as an inflatable element 30 with an outer surface 35 is attached to the slot wall 17 in a liquid-tight manner by means of any suitable, not further described fixing means 40.

The inflatable element 30 can be filled with a fluid, for example air, wherein the inflatable element 30 assumes a height relative to the floor surface 10 indicated in figure 2 with h. The inflatable element 30 herein presses against the lower surface of the cover 20, as a result of which the upper surface 21 of the cover 20 makes an angle with the floor surface 10 denoted by α in Figure 2.

When using the floor construction 1 according to the invention in a greenhouse for screening off a floor part with plants that are irrigated, the height h of the inflatable element 30 relative to the floor surface 10 is, for example, approximately 10 cm.

The inflatable element 30 is in a lowest state or pass state when it is entirely in the space 12. The lid 20 is then in the closed position, so that the slot 11 with the inflatable element 30 can be passed unimpeded with a transport cart.

When it is desired that the inflatable element 30 shields a floor portion from liquid, it is filled with a fluid. With a correct arrangement of the slot 11 with the inflatable element 30 relative to the liquid, the liquid-tight attachment of the inflatable element 30 to the slot wall 17 not only prevents the liquid from reaching part of the floor surface 10, but also that the liquid flows into the slot 11. The liquid is then located on the side of the slot wall 17 to which the inflatable element 30 is attached. This is shown schematically in Figure 2.

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During the filling of the inflatable element 30, a portion of the outer surface 35 comes into contact with the bottom surface 22 of the lid 20 at a given moment. From that moment, the outer surface 35 of the inflatable element 30 and the bottom surface 22 of the lid remain 20 in contact with each other. When the height h of the inflatable element 30 relative to the floor surface 10 now increases, the angle α between the upper surface 21 of the hinged cover 20 and the floor surface 10 also increases. The filling of the inflatable element 30 is terminated when it has reached the desired height h with respect to the floor surface 10. The inflatable element 30 is then in a highest position or operating condition.

The inflatable element 30 can be brought back from the operative operating state to the passing state by allowing the fluid to flow out of the inflatable element 30 again.

Starting from the operating condition, the height h of the inflatable element 30 then decreases relative to the floor surface 10. Because the lower surface 22 of the cover 20 is in contact with the outer surface 35 of the inflatable element 30, the angle α between the upper surface 21 of the cover 20 and the floor surface 10 also decreases under the influence of gravity, until the moment at which the upper surface 21 of the cover 20 is substantially at the same level as the floor surface 10. At that moment, the inflatable element 30 is entirely in the space 12, and the passing condition is again present.

The shape of the upper surface 21 of the lid 20 is preferably flat, so that the lid 20 in the closed position does not form an obstacle for, for example, transport trolleys.

When it is desired that the cover 20 is operated exclusively by the inflatable element 30, measures are preferably taken that prevent the value of the angle α from exceeding the value of 90 °. This is based on a horizontal orientation of the floor surface. For example, a stop for the cover 20 may be provided, or a chain may, for example, be provided between the bottom surface 22 of the cover 20 and the slot wall 16. It is also possible to adjust the arrangement of the cover 20 with the hinge 25. relative to the inflatable element 30 such that the value of the angle α will not exceed the value of 90 °. No further measures are then required to open or close the lid 20.

The slot 11 shown in figures 1 and 2 is provided with a hinged cover 20 at the level of the floor surface 10. However, a cover can also be provided on the floor construction 1 in a manner other than hinged. It is also conceivable that no cover is used, for example when the shape of the separating element provides for a cover of the slot 11 when the separating element is in the passing position.

In the embodiment of the floor construction 1 shown in figures 1 and 2, the cover 20 and the inflatable element 30 are in constant contact with each other when the height of the inflatable element 30 is greater than the height of the floor surface 10. The height h of the inflatable element 30 then determines the angle α between the upper surface 21 of the cover 20 and the floor surface 10. When the inflatable element 30 is returned from the operative operating state to the passing state, the cover 20 exerts a certain amount due to its own weight express on the inflatable element 30, which promotes deflation of the inflatable element 30.

In figure 2 it is indicated that the liquid is on the side of the slot wall 17 to which the inflatable element 30 is attached in a liquid-tight manner. An already mentioned advantage hereof is that the liquid is prevented from flowing into the slot 11. Moreover, when the hinge 25 is arranged on the side of the opposite slot wall 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 30, the lid 20 protects the inflatable element 30 during the operative operating condition, thereby preventing the inflatable element 30 from being damaged by for example a transport cart.

It has been described that the inflatable element 30 is attached to the slot wall 17 by means of an attachment means 40. The attachment means 40 is preferably arranged at the upper end of the slot wall 17, so that liquid remains above the floor surface 10 and not in the slot 11. can flow.

The attachment of the inflatable element 30 to the slot 11 is preferably liquid-tight. In practice, however, the slot 11 7 will advantageously be provided with means for discharging liquid from the slot 11.

The fluid with which the inflatable element 30 can be filled is preferably air, but can also be another arbitrary fluid, for example water.

The described floor construction 1 comprises a floor body 2 and a slot 11 arranged therein, the inflatable element 30 being attached to the slot wall 17. In another possible embodiment of the invention, the inflatable element 30 is arranged in an elongated gutter with a substantially U-shaped cross section, which gutter can, for example, be placed in a uniform slot in the floor construction.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a part of the floor construction 1, wherein the fixing means 40 is shown in detail.

The separating element comprises an inflatable hose 32 with an outer surface 35 and a solid or hollow inner hose 33, the inner hose 33 being located inside the inflatable hose 32 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the inflatable hose 32.

The inflatable hose 32 is attached to the slot 11 by means of a first Z-shaped profile part 41 and a second Z-shaped profile part 42. The profile parts 41, 42 are fixed at a distance from each other in the slot 11, a gap between the free ends of the profile parts 41, 42 have been left. A portion of the inflatable hose 32 is enclosed with the inner hose 33 by the profile parts 41, 42, the inflatable hose 32 extending through the slit. The gap between the profile parts 41, 42 is smaller than the diameter of the inner hose 33, so that the inner hose 33 cannot move past the gap, as a result of which also a part of the inflatable hose 32 cannot move past the gap. When the inflatable hose 32 is filled with a fluid, for example air, the volume of the inflatable hose 32 increases and at a given moment the outer surface 35 of the inflatable hose 32 comes into contact with the profile parts 41, 42. From that moment presses the inflatable hose 32 against the profile parts 41, 42, as a result of which liquid cannot come between the outer surface 35 of the inflatable hose 32 and the profile parts 41, 42. In the operating state operating, the attachment of the inflatable hose 32 in the slot 11 is therefore liquid-tight, and no liquid will be able to flow past the profile parts 41, 42. During the deflation of the inflatable hose 32, the outer surface 35 of the inflatable hose and the profile parts 41, 42 come apart again at a given moment, so that the attachment of the inflatable hose 32 into the slot 11 does not occur during the passing condition is liquid-tight.

In the described floor construction 1, the inflatable hose 32 is attached to the slot 11 by means of two profile parts 41, 42 which enclose a part of the inflatable hose 32 with the inner hose 33. However, the attachment can also be effected in a different manner, for example by means of a protrusion 15 formed on the outer surface 35 of the inflatable hose 32, which can be enclosed by the profile parts 41, 42.

The attachment of the inflatable hose 32 in the slot 11 by means of the profile parts 41, 42 is not liquid-tight when the inflatable hose 32 is in the passing position. For fixing the inflatable hose 32 in the slot 11, however, other fixing means can also be used, wherein the fixing is always liquid-tight, regardless of the condition in which the inflatable hose 32 is located.

The profile parts 41, 42 shown in Figure 3 are designed as Z-shaped profile parts. Profile parts with other shapes can also be used, for example profile parts that are designed as C-shaped profile parts.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a floor construction 100 according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In this preferred embodiment, both the separating element and the cover 20 are arranged in a bottom profile 110, which is intended to be mounted in its entirety in the slot.

With a concrete floor construction, the bottom profile 110 is preferably cast into the concrete, wherein use is preferably made of fixing anchors 111, which are located on either side of the bottom profile 110.

The lid 20 can preferably pivot about a ball hinge 25. To prevent contamination of the ball hinge 25, a flexible rubber strip 115 is placed over the ball hinge, which is connected on the one hand to the bottom profile 110 and on the other hand to the lid 20.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the separating element comprises an outer hose 120, an inflatable hose 32 and an inner hose 33. The inflatable hose 32 and the inner hose 33 are located inside the outer hose 120.

The outer hose 120 is attached to the bottom profile 110 by means of a snap-fit trough 130. The snap-fit trough 130 comprises a bottom 131 and upright walls 132, the upper portions of the upright walls 132 sloping towards each other. The snap gutter 130 is made of somewhat flexible material and is fixed in a gutter 112 in the bottom profile 110, whereby a snap connection is established. A portion of the outer hose 120 is enclosed with the inner hose 33 by the snap-chute 130, the dimensions of the snap-chute 130 relative to the dimensions of the inner hose 33 being selected such that the inner hose 33 cannot move out of the snap-chute 130.

The inflatable hose 32 is preferably manufactured from a relatively stiff material, whereby a robust hose is obtained which cannot be easily damaged. The outer hose 120, on the other hand, is preferably made of highly flexible material. This has the advantage that the outer hose 120 can easily deform in the area near the upper parts of the upright walls 132 of the snap channel 130. Moreover, the outer hose 120 can easily change shape when the inflatable hose 32 is inflated or deflated, whereby the outer hose 120 does not interfere with a change in shape of the inflatable hose 32.

When the inflatable hose 32 is inflated, the outer hose 120 and the inflatable hose 32 will erect. Hereby the outer hose 120 will be pulled out of the click-through gutter 130 until the top of the inner hose 33 presses against the upper parts of the upright walls 132 of the click-through gutter 130. The outer hose 120 then sealingly abuts the upper portions of the upright walls 132 of the snap gutter 130, so that liquid cannot flow into the snap gutter 130.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments discussed above, but that various modifications and modifications thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. conclusions.

A floor construction according to the invention can thus be applied in an arbitrary situation in which it is desirable to be able to screen off a floor part.

With the floor construction 1 shown in the figures, the separating element is an inflatable element 30, and the height h of the separating element can be varied relative to the floor surface 10, because the height dimension of the inflatable element 30 itself can be varied. However, it is also possible to use a rigid separating element, the height h of which can vary with respect to the floor surface 10 because the separating element as a whole is mounted movably in height direction in the floor construction 1. Such a rigid separating element can for instance be displaced in height direction are mounted, but can also be hinged to floor construction 1, for example. The use of an inflatable element, however, has the advantages that such an element is relatively inexpensive, and that a liquid-tight attachment of such an element can be realized relatively easily.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, the fastening means 40 comprises the two profile parts 41, 42. The fastening means 40 can also be designed in a different way. A condition is that, using the fastening means 40, the separating element is attached to the slot 11 or, for example, to a trough to be placed in the slot 11.

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Claims (19)

A floor construction with a floor surface, provided with walls connecting to the floor surface and arranged over the circumference of a floor section, characterized in that - at least one slot (11) is arranged in the floor construction; 5. at least a portion of the walls is designed as a partition element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34), the height (h) of which is variable with respect to the floor surface (10), the partition element (30; 32, 33, 32, 33, 34) is fixed in the slot (11); 10. the separation element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) has a lowest or passing condition, wherein a top of the separation element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is at most substantially at the same height with the floor surface (10); - the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) has a highest or active operating condition, wherein an upper side of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is at a height (h) above the floor surface (10). 2. Floor construction as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the attachment of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) in the slot (11) is liquid-tight. 3. Floor construction as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height (h) of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) can be varied by means of an inflatable element (30; 32) . 4. Floor construction as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, characterized by a cover (20) hingedly connected to the floor construction, wherein in the passing position an upper surface (21) of the cover (20) is substantially at the same height as the floor area (10) and cover (20) extending over the slot (11) with the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34). Floor construction according to claim 4, characterized in that the angle (a) between the upper surface (21) of the cover (20) and the floor surface (10) is determined by the height (h) of the separating element (30; 32) , 33; 32, 33, 34) in that the lid (20) is in constant contact with the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) when the height (h) of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is greater than the height of the floor surface (10). 6. Floor construction as claimed in claim 5, characterized by means for ensuring that the value of the angle (a) between the upper surface (21) of the cover (20) and the floor surface (10) cannot exceed the value of 90 °. 7. Floor construction as claimed in any of the claims 4-6, characterized by - a slot (11) with a slot bottom (15) that is lower than the floor surface (10); - an inflatable hose (32) mounted in the slot (11), the inflatable hose (32) in the passing state being located in its entirety in a space (12) between the slot bottom (15) and the cover (20) . 20 A floor construction as claimed in claim 7, characterized by - an inner hose (33) located in the interior of the inflatable hose (32), and extending in the longitudinal direction of the inflatable hose (32); 25. retaining means (40) attached to the floor structure that engage the inner hose (33). 9. Floor construction as claimed in claim 8, characterized by profile parts (41, 42) which are fixed at a distance from each other in the slot (11), wherein a gap that is smaller than the diameter of the inner hose (33) between the ends of the profile parts (41, 42), wherein a portion of the inflatable hose (32) is enclosed with the inner hose (33) by the profile parts (41, 42), the inflatable hose (32) extending through the gap away. 35 The floor structure of claim 7, characterized by - an outer hose (120) that completely encloses the inflatable hose (32), and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the inflatable hose (32); - an inner hose (33) located inside the outer hose (120) and extending in the longitudinal direction of the inflatable hose (32); - retaining means (130) attached to the floor construction that engage on the inner hose (33). 11. Gutter intended for placement in a slot provided in a floor construction, characterized by a separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) fixedly connected to the gutter (110), the height of which is variable (h). Gutter according to claim 11, characterized in that the attachment of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) in the gutter (110) is liquid-tight. 15 Gutter according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the height (h) of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) can be varied by means of an inflatable element (30; 32). Gutter according to any of claims 11-13, characterized by - a lid (20) hingedly connected to the gutter (110) which covers the gutter (110) in a closed position and which can pivot upwards relative to the closed position; 25. a space (12) enclosed by the trough (110) and the lid (20) in the closed position. Gutter according to claim 14, characterized by a lowest or passing state of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34), wherein the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is in entirely within the space (12). A method for providing a variable-height separation element in a floor construction, characterized by 35. providing a slot (11) in the floor construction; - attaching the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) into the slot (11). A method for providing a variable-height partition element in a floor construction, characterized by - providing a slot (11) in the floor construction; - placing a trough (110) with a separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) in the slot (11). 5 18. Method for temporarily shielding a floor part with a floor surface, wherein at least one separating element with variable height is used, characterized in that - the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is arranged according to claim 16 or 17; - the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is brought into a highest or active operating condition, wherein a top of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) has a height (h) with respect to the floor surface (10); 15. the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is brought into a lowest or passing state, with a top of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) at least substantially equal to height with the floor area (10). 19. Method for watering plants, comprising the following steps: - providing a floor section with a floor surface (10) with walls connecting substantially liquid-tightly to the floor surface (10) arranged over the circumference of the floor section , of which at least one wall part is formed by a separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) with variable height (h), the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) being arranged in a slot (11); - bringing the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) into a lowest or passing state, wherein an upper side of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) is at least substantially is at the same height as the floor surface (10); - supplying plants to the floor section by traveling with transport carts over the slot (11) and the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) located therein; - placing plants on the floor section; - bringing the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) into a highest or active operating condition, wherein a top of the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) has a height (h) has fu; · ’1 in relation to the floor surface (10); - applying liquid to the floor section to a predetermined level; - removing the liquid after a predetermined time; 5. bringing the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) into the pass state; - removing plants from the floor section by moving transport trolleys over the slot (11) and the separating element (30; 32, 33; 32, 33, 34) located therein.