A low-damage flexible harvesting knife and a method for harvesting tobacco leaves

Abstract

This invention discloses a low-damage flexible harvesting knife and a method for harvesting tobacco leaves. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife includes a left corrugated blade and a right corrugated blade. Each corrugated blade includes a blade holder and blades disposed on both sides of the blade holder. The blades are composed of a structural fabric with adjustable bending modulus, which consists of three-dimensional particles arranged in a layered chain. The blades are wavy, and their outer layer is wrapped with a thin film. The hardness of the blade is controlled by adjusting the amount of air inside the film. This invention's low-damage flexible harvesting knife can adapt to tobacco stems of varying hardness and can harvest tobacco leaves with low damage from all directions (360 degrees), resulting in higher harvesting efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tobacco leaf harvesting technology, specifically relating to a low-damage flexible harvesting knife and a method for harvesting tobacco leaves. Background Technology

[0002] Tobacco is an important economic crop in my country, playing a significant role in promoting national economic development. The harvesting season begins once the lower and middle leaves of the tobacco plant mature. Currently, farmers in tobacco-growing areas mainly use knives or hand-picking, a method that works well in small tobacco fields. However, in large tobacco-growing regions like Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, due to the vast number of tobacco plants, picking each leaf individually is extremely time-consuming and inefficient, thus requiring significant labor resources. Currently, there are no mature tobacco harvesting machines in China; they are mainly found abroad, such as the double-row tobacco harvester from Canada. In this machine, the blades have straight edges, and during operation, the blades support and strike the side of the tobacco leaf. Therefore, leaves with stems growing in the forward direction of the double-row harvester are difficult to harvest, easily leading to missed harvests or incomplete harvesting. When encountering harder tobacco stems, it is necessary to increase the force applied to the harvesting blades or replace the harvesting blades to complete the harvest. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a low-damage flexible harvesting knife that can adapt to tobacco stem necks of different hardness and can harvest tobacco leaves with low damage from all directions in 360 degrees, resulting in higher harvesting efficiency.

[0004] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for harvesting tobacco leaves.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is:

[0006] A low-damage flexible harvesting knife includes a left corrugated blade and a right corrugated blade. The left and right corrugated blades each include a blade holder and blades disposed on both sides of the blade holder. The blades are composed of a structural fabric with adjustable flexural modulus, which consists of three-dimensional particles arranged in a layered chain-like structure. The blades are wavy, and their outer layer is covered with a thin film. The hardness of the blade is controlled by adjusting the amount of air inside the film.

[0007] Preferably, the wave-shaped cutting edge of the left corrugated blade and the wave-shaped cutting edge of the right corrugated blade can be combined to form a sine wave.

[0008] Preferably, both the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade are symmetrical about the central axis of the tool holder.

[0009] Preferably, both the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade are fixed between the upper clamp and the lower clamp by a clamp fixing device.

[0010] Preferably, the upper and lower surfaces of the tool holder are provided with drill holes; the clamp fixing device includes screws and nuts, wherein the upper clamp and the lower clamp are provided with mounting holes at positions corresponding to the drill holes; the tool holder is fixed to the mounting holes of the upper clamp and the lower clamp by passing the screws through the drill holes, and is locked by the nuts.

[0011] Preferably, the number of layers of the three-dimensional particles arranged in a layered chain armor is 1-3.

[0012] Preferably, the material of the structural fabric is nylon plastic, resin, or metal.

[0013] Preferably, the adjustable flexural modulus of the structural fabric is:

[0014]

[0015] In the formula, E, K, L, b, and h are the bending modulus, elastic stiffness, length, width, and height of the structured fabric, respectively.

[0016] Preferably, the combined sine waveform should satisfy the following formula:

[0017]

[0018] In the formula, A is the peak value of the wave blade, and x is the independent variable, with a value range of 800-1200.

[0019] A method for harvesting tobacco leaves includes the following steps:

[0020] S1: Before harvesting, start the fan to control the amount of air in the film at the blades on both sides of the left and right corrugated blades, so that the blades are squeezed by the film, and the three-dimensional particles in the structured fabric rotate and are squeezed, causing the bending resistance of the structured fabric to increase sharply and change from a soft state to a hard state.

[0021] S2: During harvesting, the tobacco plant enters the middle of the left and right corrugated blades along the front of the tobacco harvester. Then, the left and right corrugated blades rotate and knock the tobacco leaves off the plant.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife of the present invention controls the amount of air in the film at the blade edges on both sides of the left and right corrugated blades, so that the blade edges are squeezed by the film, thereby causing the three-dimensional particles in the structured fabric to rotate and be squeezed, which in turn causes the bending resistance of the structured fabric to increase sharply, changing from a soft state to a hard state; thus adapting to the harvesting of tobacco stem necks with different hardness.

[0024] 2. When the low-damage flexible picking knife of the present invention encounters a hard tobacco stem neck during picking, the left and right corrugated blades become compacted due to the pressure, which increases the hardness of the blade. When it comes into contact with the tobacco stem neck, it is enough to break it, thereby completing the picking of the tobacco leaf. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the low-damage flexible harvesting knife of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fabric used in the low-damage flexible harvesting knife of the present invention.

[0027] Figures 3-5 These are schematic diagrams of the tobacco leaf harvesting method of the present invention from three different perspectives.

[0028] In the diagram, 1-left corrugated blade, 2-right corrugated blade, 3-structured fabric, 4-blade, 5-drill hole, 6-film, 7-upper clamp, 8-lower clamp, 9-three-dimensional particle. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0030] See Figures 1-5 The low-damage flexible harvesting knife of the present invention includes a left corrugated blade 1 and a right corrugated blade 2. The left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 include a blade holder and blades disposed on both sides of the blade holder. The blades are composed of a structural fabric 3 with adjustable bending modulus. The structural fabric 3 with adjustable bending modulus is composed of three-dimensional particles 9 arranged in a layered chain (the layered chain structure is beneficial to strengthening the strength of the structural fabric 3). The blade is a wave-shaped blade 4, and the outer layer of the blade is wrapped with a thin film. The hardness of the blade is controlled by controlling the amount of air inside the thin film. In addition, the wave-shaped blades 4 of the left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 can be combined to form a sine wave.

[0031] The working principle is as follows: The left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 obtain rotational power through connection with a motor. Before harvesting, the fan is started to control the amount of air in the film at the blade edges of the left and right corrugated blades 1 and 2, causing the blades to be compressed by the film. This causes the three-dimensional particles 9 in the structured fabric 3 to rotate and be compressed, resulting in a sharp increase in the bending resistance of the structured fabric 3, changing it from a soft state to a hard state. During harvesting, the tobacco plant enters the middle of the left and right corrugated blades 1 and 2 along the front of the tobacco harvester. The left and right corrugated blades 1 and 2 then rotate and knock the tobacco leaves off the plant. In the above process, because the blades of the left and right corrugated blades 1 and 2 can combine to form a sine wave, tobacco leaves in all directions on the plant can be knocked off. When encountering a hard tobacco stem neck, the left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 become compacted under pressure, which increases the hardness of the blades. When they come into contact with the tobacco stem neck, they are hard enough to break it, thus completing the harvesting of the tobacco leaf.

[0032] See Figures 1-5 Both the left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 are symmetrical about the central axis of the tool holder.

[0033] See Figures 1-5 The tool holder has drill holes 5 on both its upper and lower surfaces; the left corrugated blade 1 and the right corrugated blade 2 are fixed between the upper clamp 7 and the lower clamp 8 by a clamp fixing device, which includes screws and nuts. The upper clamp 7 and the lower clamp 8 have mounting holes at positions corresponding to the drill holes 5. The tool holder is fixed to the mounting holes of the upper clamp 7 and the lower clamp 8 by screws passing through the drill holes 5 and locked by the nuts.

[0034] See Figures 1-5 The three-dimensional particles 9 arranged in a layered chain armor have 1-3 layers.

[0035] See Figures 1-5 The material of the structural fabric 3 is nylon plastic, resin, or metal.

[0036] See Figures 1-5 The adjustable flexural modulus of the structural fabric 3 is:

[0037]

[0038] In the formula, E, K, L, b, and h are the bending modulus, elastic stiffness, length, width, and height of the structural fabric 3, respectively. The use of the structural fabric 3 with adjustable bending modulus allows the picking knife to change its own hardness according to the stress state, thereby adapting to the picking of tobacco stems with different hardness.

[0039] See Figures 1-5 The combined sine waveform should satisfy the following formula:

[0040]

[0041] In the formula, A is the peak value of the waveform blade 4, and x is the independent variable, with a value range of 800-1200.

[0042] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above content. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, or simplifications made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be considered equivalent substitutions and shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-damage flexible harvesting knife, characterized in that, It includes a left corrugated blade and a right corrugated blade, wherein the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade include a blade holder and blades disposed on both sides of the blade holder, wherein the blades are composed of a structural fabric with adjustable flexural modulus, the structural fabric with adjustable flexural modulus being composed of three-dimensional particles arranged in a layered chain; the blades are corrugated blades, the outer layer of which is wrapped with a thin film, and the hardness of the blades is controlled by controlling the amount of air inside the thin film.

2. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wave-shaped cutting edges of the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade can be combined to form a sine wave.

3. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade are symmetrical about the central axis of the tool holder.

4. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the left corrugated blade and the right corrugated blade are fixed between the upper and lower clamps by a clamp fixing device.

5. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tool holder has drilled holes on both its upper and lower surfaces; the clamp fixing device includes screws and nuts, wherein the upper clamp and the lower clamp have mounting holes at positions corresponding to the drilled holes; the tool holder is fixed to the mounting holes of the upper clamp and the lower clamp by passing the screws through the drilled holes, and is locked by the nuts.

6. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three-dimensional particles arranged in a layered chain armor have 1-3 layers.

7. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the structural fabric is nylon plastic, resin, or metal.

8. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustable flexural modulus of the structural fabric is: In the formula, E, K, L, b, and h are the bending modulus, elastic stiffness, length, width, and height of the structured fabric, respectively.

9. The low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to claim 1, characterized in that, The combined sine waveform should satisfy the following formula: In the formula, A is the peak value of the wave blade, and x is the independent variable, with a value range of 800-1200.

10. A method for harvesting tobacco leaves using the low-damage flexible harvesting knife according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Before harvesting, start the fan to control the amount of air in the film at the blades on both sides of the left and right corrugated blades, so that the blades are squeezed by the film, and the three-dimensional particles in the structured fabric rotate and are squeezed, causing the bending resistance of the structured fabric to increase sharply and change from a soft state to a hard state. S2: During harvesting, the tobacco plant enters the middle of the left and right corrugated blades along the front of the tobacco harvester. Then, the left and right corrugated blades rotate and knock the tobacco leaves off the plant.

Images