CPC A01G 31/045 (2013.01) [A01G 31/06 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A crop production facility for controlled environment agriculture, comprising:
a growth environment having a first end and a second end, the growth environment comprising a grow conveyance mechanism for conveying crop modules from the first end to the second end; wherein the growth environment and the grow conveyance mechanism comprises
a vertical grow tower conveyance system comprising
one or more grow lines extending from the first end to the second end of the growth environment;
a plurality of grow towers, each of the plurality of grow towers vertically attached to, and moveable along, a respective one of the one or more grow lines, wherein each of the plurality of grow towers includes a plurality of grow sites extending at least along one face thereof; and
a grow tower conveyance mechanism operative to move the one or more grow towers along a respective grow line from a first end to a second end;
a central processing system located adjacently to the growth environment comprising
a transplanter station arranged proximal to the first end of the growth environment;
a harvester station arranged proximal to the second end of the growth environment; and
a post-harvest processing facility located adjacent to the central processing system and proximal to the harvester station;
wherein the harvester station comprises a crop harvesting machine, and a feeder mechanism to receive a grow tower in a horizontal orientation and feed the grow tower through the crop harvesting machine in a horizontal orientation; and
wherein the crop production facility further comprises an automated laydown station comprising a first robot including an end effector adapted to releasably grasp a grow tower, and control logic operative to cause the first robot to pick the grow tower from a pick location in a vertical orientation, rotate the grow tower to a horizontal orientation and place the grow tower on a conveyor for loading into the harvester station.
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