Crawler platform-based forest intelligent pesticide spraying and soil treatment integrated robot

Abstract

The forest intelligent pesticide spraying and soil treatment integrated robot based on a crawler platform belongs to the field of agricultural and forestry plant protection machinery.The platform frame is provided with a crawler walking mechanism at the bottom, a shovel is installed on the platform frame through a lifting mechanism, the bottom of the shovel is provided with a stirring mechanism, and a spraying mechanism is arranged on the platform frame.The existing forest management equipment has the problems of single function, low intelligent level and poor terrain adaptability.The integrated design overcomes the limitation that the traditional equipment can only complete pesticide spraying or soil loosening operation independently;the introduction of the autonomous navigation and intelligent decision system changes the mode of relying on manual and extensive operation;and the innovative chassis and lifting mechanism realize accurate, stable and efficient operation in complex and rugged forest land, thereby significantly improving the operation efficiency, safety and economy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an integrated intelligent spraying and soil treatment robot for forests based on a tracked platform, belonging to the field of agricultural and forestry plant protection machinery. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of agricultural and forestry plant protection and forest fire prevention machinery, existing technical solutions mainly focus on several types, including traditional ground plant protection machinery, intelligent unmanned spraying equipment, specialized forest fire prevention equipment, and high-performance tracked platforms. Traditional ground plant protection machinery mostly uses wheeled or simple tracked chassis and generally relies on manual driving or remote control operation. Although it has basic spraying or rotary tillage functions, its level of automation and intelligence is low, and its fuel-powered systems have problems such as high noise and emission pollution.

[0003] In recent years, intelligent unmanned spraying equipment, such as multi-rotor drones and ground wheeled robots, have achieved semi-autonomous navigation operations to a certain extent. However, drones are limited by their load capacity and range, resulting in poor stability in dense forest environments. Ground wheeled robots, on the other hand, have severely limited mobility in soft and rugged typical forest terrain and are easily trapped by obstacles.

[0004] Furthermore, existing specialized forest fire prevention equipment (such as wind-powered fire extinguishers and fire plows) has highly limited functionality, cannot be integrated with pest and disease control, and most still require manual operation in high-risk environments, posing a significant threat to personnel safety. While some high-performance tracked platforms originating from military or industrial fields possess strong terrain mobility and modular potential, their designs are not optimized for agricultural and forestry operations, resulting in significant problems such as high costs, complex operation, and environmentally unfriendly power systems, hindering large-scale application. In summary, existing technologies generally suffer from key shortcomings such as limited functionality, insufficient mobility in complex terrains, low levels of intelligence and precision, high risks associated with manual operation, and poor economic efficiency and adaptability.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive operational robot that integrates autonomous navigation, precise pesticide application, and soil mixing, while also possessing excellent forest land mobility, intelligent decision-making capabilities, and high safety, in order to completely solve the aforementioned technical pain points. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the three core pain points of existing forest management equipment: limited functionality, low level of intelligence, and poor terrain adaptability. Specifically, through an integrated design, it overcomes the limitations of traditional equipment that can only perform pesticide application or soil loosening independently; by introducing an autonomous navigation and intelligent decision-making system, it changes the reliance on manual labor and extensive operations; and through an innovative chassis and lifting mechanism, it achieves precise, stable, and efficient operation in complex and rugged forest terrain, thereby significantly improving operational efficiency, safety, and economy. A brief overview of the invention is provided below to offer a basic understanding of certain aspects of it. It should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive summary of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or essential parts of the invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0007] The technical solution of this invention:

[0008] The integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform includes a platform frame, a tracked walking mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a bucket, a mixing mechanism, and a spraying mechanism. The tracked walking mechanism is installed at the bottom of the platform frame, the bucket is installed on the platform frame through the lifting mechanism, the mixing mechanism is set at the bottom of the bucket, and the spraying mechanism is set on the platform frame.

[0009] Preferably, the bucket includes a connecting plate, a front shovel plate, and a vibration crushing mechanism. The front shovel plate is mounted on the lifting mechanism via the connecting plate, and the vibration crushing mechanism is installed on the front side of the front shovel plate.

[0010] Preferably, the vibration crushing mechanism includes a connecting part and a vibration chain, with the top end of the vibration chain mounted on the front shovel plate via the connecting part.

[0011] Preferably, the stirring mechanism includes a mounting base, a stirring shaft, a stirring shovel, and a stirring motor. The stirring shaft is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the connecting plate via the mounting base, and the stirring motor is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate. The output end of the stirring motor is connected to the stirring shaft, and multiple stirring shovels are arranged on the stirring shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the stirring spatula includes straight blades and oblique blades, with oblique blades arranged symmetrically on both sides of the straight blades.

[0013] Preferably, the spraying mechanism includes a liquid collection chamber and a spraying section. The liquid collection chamber is installed on the platform frame, and the spraying section is installed on the liquid collection chamber and communicates with its interior.

[0014] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting seat, a four-bar linkage, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder, and a base. The four-bar linkage consists of four connecting rods that are hinged end to end in sequence, with four hinge points: top, bottom, left, and right. The top and bottom hinge points are connected to the lifting seat and the base, respectively, and the left and right hinge points are connected to both ends of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder, respectively.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes a main controller and a multi-sensor array mounted on the platform frame, wherein the multi-sensor array, the track walking mechanism, the lifting mechanism, the mixing mechanism and the spraying mechanism are all electrically connected to the main controller.

[0016] Preferably, the multi-sensor array includes at least one of the following: a lidar for terrain scanning and obstacle recognition; an infrared thermal imager for detecting fire and biological heat sources; an RTK-GPS module and an inertial measurement unit for precise positioning; and a composite soil probe for detecting soil parameters.

[0017] Preferably, the main controller is configured to perform the following operations:

[0018] Based on the input data from the multi-sensor array, a three-dimensional working environment map is constructed using the SLAM algorithm; based on the map and a preset algorithm, navigation paths and obstacle avoidance commands for the tracked walking mechanism are generated; according to the identified pest and disease areas or combustible material accumulation areas, the spraying mechanism is controlled to perform variable-rate pesticide application, and / or the lifting mechanism and the mixing mechanism are controlled to perform differentiated soil mixing treatment; it also includes a remote monitoring terminal that is communicatively connected to the main controller, and the remote monitoring terminal interacts with the robot through an encrypted transmission module.

[0019] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. This invention innovatively integrates a precision pesticide application system with a soil (combustible material) mixing and treatment device on a single platform, realizing integrated collaborative operation of "pesticide application-mixing". This completely changes the traditional single-function equipment that requires multiple field visits, enabling one device to complete multiple tasks. The equipment utilization rate and overall operation efficiency are improved several times, while significantly reducing labor and time costs.

[0021] 2. This invention uses a multi-section tracked chassis combined with intelligent suspension and lifting mechanism, which gives the robot excellent passability and stability in harsh forest environments such as steep slopes, bushes, and soft ground. It can easily reach the blind spots that traditional wheeled or simple tracked equipment cannot reach, and achieve full coverage of forest management.

[0022] 3. By utilizing a multi-sensor fusion perception system and intelligent decision-making algorithm, the robot can identify pest and disease areas and combustible material accumulation areas in real time, and accordingly realize variable pesticide application and differentiated mixing treatment, which greatly improves the utilization rate of pesticides and the consistency of operation results, avoids resource waste and environmental pollution, and realizes a fundamental transformation from "manual operation" to "intelligent decision-making".

[0023] 4. This invention features explosion-proof design and remote monitoring capabilities, completely freeing personnel from high-risk forestry work environments and greatly reducing personal safety risks. Simultaneously, its hybrid or pure electric drive scheme, combined with low-noise design, significantly reduces carbon emissions and ecological disturbance, meeting the requirements of green and sustainable development. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a 3D view of an integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform;

[0025] Figure 2 This is an installation diagram of an integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the spraying mechanism;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a usage status diagram of an integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the lifting mechanism;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the stirring mechanism;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the mixing spatula.

[0031] In the diagram: 1-Platform frame, 2-Crawler walking mechanism, 3-Lifting mechanism, 4-Bucket, 5-Mixing mechanism, 6-Spraying mechanism, 21-Drive wheel, 22-Driven wheel, 23-Auxiliary wheel, 24-Suspension frame, 25-Pressure regulating cylinder, 26-Crawler, 31-Lifting seat, 32-Four-bar linkage structure, 33-Telescopic hydraulic cylinder, 34-Base, 41-Connecting plate, 42-Front shovel plate, 43-Vibrating crushing mechanism, 44-Connecting part, 45-Vibrating chain, 51-Mounting seat, 52-Mixing shaft, 53-Mixing shovel, 54-Mixing motor, 531-Straight blade, 532-Angled blade, 61-Liquid collection tank, 62-Spraying part. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention is described below with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0033] The connections mentioned in this invention are divided into fixed connections and detachable connections. Fixed connections (i.e., non-detachable connections) include, but are not limited to, conventional fixed connection methods such as folded connections, riveted connections, adhesive connections, and welded connections. Detachable connections include, but are not limited to, conventional disassembly methods such as threaded connections, snap-fit ​​connections, pin connections, and hinged connections. When a specific connection method is not explicitly defined, it is assumed that at least one existing connection method can always be found to achieve the function, and those skilled in the art can choose according to their needs. For example, a welded connection can be chosen for fixed connections, and a hinged connection can be chosen for detachable connections.

[0034] Specific implementation method one: Combining Figures 1-7 This embodiment describes a tracked platform-based integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot, which includes a platform frame 1 as the supporting foundation, a tracked walking mechanism 2 for movement, a lifting mechanism 3 for controlling the working height, a bucket 4 and a mixing mechanism 5 for performing soil treatment, and a spraying mechanism 6 for performing pesticide application.

[0035] The platform frame 1 is welded from high-strength steel plates, forming the main skeleton of the robot. A tracked walking mechanism 2 is installed at its bottom. Specifically, the tracked walking mechanism 2 is a multi-section track mechanism, equipped with an independent suspension system and a hydraulic adjustment device, which can automatically adjust the ground pressure and ground clearance according to the terrain. The drive system adopts a dual-motor independent drive mode and is equipped with an electronic differential controller, enabling the robot to achieve zero-radius turning and self-balancing on slopes, ensuring a passability rate of over 98% in complex woodland with slopes below 35° and shrub heights within 1.5m.

[0036] Specifically, the tracked walking mechanism 2 includes two tracked wheels, each tracked wheel including a drive wheel 21, a driven wheel 22, an auxiliary wheel 23, a suspension frame 24, a pressure adjustment cylinder 25, and a track 26. The suspension frame 24 is fixedly installed on the platform frame 1. The pressure adjustment cylinder 25 is fixedly installed on the suspension frame 24. The driven wheel 22 is rotatably installed at the output end of the pressure adjustment cylinder 25. The drive wheel 21 is rotatably installed on the suspension frame 24. A rotary motor is also provided on the suspension frame 24. The output end of the rotary motor is connected to the drive wheel 21. The drive wheel 21 and the driven wheel 22 are connected through the track 26. Multiple auxiliary wheels 23 are also rotatably installed on the suspension frame 24. The auxiliary wheels 23 slide and fit against the inner side of the track 26.

[0037] The bucket 4 is mounted on the front of the platform frame 1 via a lifting mechanism 3. Specifically, the bucket 4 includes a connecting plate 41 connected to the lifting mechanism 3, a front shovel plate 42 (a main working component), and a vibratory crushing mechanism 43 mounted on the front side of the front shovel plate 42. The front shovel plate 42 is a high-strength steel plate with a densely packed perforated mesh for sieving soil and reducing weight, i.e., a so-called "perforated plate" structure. The vibratory crushing mechanism 43 includes a connecting part 44 fixed to the front shovel plate 42 and a set of high-speed vibrating chains 45 driven by a hydraulic motor, used to break up the compacted layer of dead branches and leaves during operation.

[0038] The lifting mechanism 3 specifically includes a lifting seat 31 fixed to the connecting plate 41 of the bucket 4, a four-bar linkage 32 consisting of four hinged links, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder 33 providing power, and a base 34 fixed to the platform frame 1. The extension and retraction of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder 33 drives the four-bar linkage 32, thereby raising or lowering the entire bucket 4 assembly relative to the platform frame 1, achieving an adjustment of the working depth from 5 to 30 cm.

[0039] The mixing mechanism 5 is located at the bottom of the connecting plate 41, behind the front shovel plate 42. It includes a mixing shaft 52 mounted on the connecting plate 41 via a bearing seat, a mixing motor 54 that drives the mixing shaft 52 to rotate, and multiple mixing shovels 53 evenly distributed on the mixing shaft 52. Each mixing shovel 53 is welded together from a straight blade 531 and oblique blades 532 arranged mirror-symmetrically on both sides. This structure enables efficient cutting and bidirectional throwing of soil and combustibles, ensuring a mixing uniformity of over 90%.

[0040] The spraying mechanism 6 includes a liquid collection tank 61 (as a liquid storage tank) fixed to the rear upper part of the platform frame 1 and multiple spraying units 62 (including nozzles and solenoid valves) distributed in front, behind, left, and right of the robot. The spraying units 62 are connected to the liquid pump inside the liquid collection tank 61 through pipelines, which can realize wide-area or precise directional spraying.

[0041] To achieve intelligent operation, a main controller (using an industrial-grade embedded computer) and a multi-sensor array are also installed on the platform frame 1. The multi-sensor array, the tracked walking mechanism 2, the lifting mechanism 3, the mixing mechanism 5, and the spraying mechanism 6 are all electrically connected to the main controller.

[0042] The multi-sensor array specifically includes:

[0043] A SICK LMS511 two-dimensional lidar is used for terrain scanning and obstacle recognition, with an angular resolution of 0.25° and a maximum scanning distance of 80 meters.

[0044] One FLIR A65 infrared thermal imager is used to detect fire sources and biological heat sources, with a temperature detection range of -20℃ to 150℃.

[0045] A combination of an RTK-GPS module and an inertial measurement unit can achieve centimeter-level precision positioning (horizontal error 3.2±0.8cm).

[0046] A composite soil probe that integrates capacitive humidity detection, spectral organic matter analysis, and mechanical impedance measurement functions for real-time monitoring of soil parameters.

[0047] The main controller is configured to perform the following intelligent workflow:

[0048] Environmental perception and mapping: After startup, the main controller drives the multi-sensor array to start working. Through the improved SLAM algorithm (simultaneous localization and mapping), it fuses data from LiDAR, RTK-GPS83 and IMU84 to build and update a three-dimensional working environment map with centimeter-level accuracy in real time. The map update frequency is 10Hz.

[0049] Intelligent decision-making and path planning: Based on the constructed map, the system combines high-risk fire areas identified by an infrared thermal imager with pest and disease areas identified by a multispectral vision system (as another optional sensor) to perform intelligent path planning. The planning algorithm can automatically avoid static obstacles (99.7% success rate) and dynamic obstacles (98.2% success rate) and generate navigation instructions for the tracked walking mechanism 2.

[0050] Precise collaborative operations:

[0051] In the application mode, the main controller uses the identified pest and disease severity index S and canopy humidity as the basis for its operation. Parameters such as canopy density C_d are dynamically calculated and controlled according to the following formula to achieve variable application of pesticides, thereby increasing the pesticide utilization rate by 50%.

[0052] Q=K×[0.6×S+0.3×(1-H_n)+0.1×C_d]×A_f

[0053] Where K is the environmental correction coefficient (0.9-1.1) and A_f is the area correction factor.

[0054] In soil treatment / fire prevention mode, the main controller automatically adjusts the working depth of the lifting mechanism 3 based on the combustible thickness data scanned by the millimeter-wave radar (as another optional sensor), and controls the vibration frequency f of the vibration crushing mechanism 43 and the robot's travel speed v to achieve differentiated mixing and crushing treatment, thereby reducing the amount of combustibles in the forest area by more than 60%.

[0055] f = 25 + 0.8 × T

[0056] v=0.5 / (1+e^(-0.3×(T-10)))

[0057] Where T represents the thickness.

[0058] Remote monitoring and safety: The main controller maintains real-time data interaction with a remote monitoring terminal 5 kilometers away through an encrypted transmission module. Operators can monitor the robot status and take over control at any time, ensuring safe operation in high-risk environments such as flammable and explosive environments.

[0059] The robot in this embodiment demonstrated the following excellent performance in field tests in the forest areas of Northeast China: the average daily processing area of ​​a single machine is 9.8 hectares, which is 8-10 times the efficiency of manual labor; it adopts a hybrid electric power system with a battery life of up to 12 hours, and carbon emissions are reduced by 80% compared with traditional fuel-powered equipment; the overall design meets the IP67 protection level and can work stably in environments ranging from -25℃ to 55℃.

[0060] It should be noted that in the above embodiments, as long as the technical solutions are not contradictory, they can be permuted and combined. Those skilled in the art can exhaust all possibilities based on the mathematical knowledge of permutation and combination. Therefore, the present invention will not describe the technical solutions after permutation and combination one by one, but it should be understood that the technical solutions after permutation and combination have been disclosed by the present invention.

[0061] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tracked platform-based intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment integrated robot, characterized in that: It includes a platform frame (1), a tracked walking mechanism (2), a lifting mechanism (3), a bucket (4), a mixing mechanism (5), and a spraying mechanism (6). The tracked walking mechanism (2) is installed at the bottom of the platform frame (1), the bucket (4) is installed on the platform frame (1) through the lifting mechanism (3), the mixing mechanism (5) is provided at the bottom of the bucket (4), and the spraying mechanism (6) is provided on the platform frame (1). It also includes a main controller and a multi-sensor array mounted on the platform frame (1), wherein the multi-sensor array, the track walking mechanism (2), the lifting mechanism (3), the mixing mechanism (5) and the spraying mechanism (6) are all electrically connected to the main controller; The bucket (4) includes a connecting plate (41), a front shovel (42) and a vibration crushing mechanism (43). The front shovel (42) is mounted on the lifting mechanism (3) through the connecting plate (41), and the vibration crushing mechanism (43) is mounted on the front side of the front shovel (42). The vibration crushing mechanism (43) includes a connecting part (44) and a vibration chain (45), the top end of which is mounted on the front shovel plate (42) through the connecting part (44); The multi-sensor array includes at least one of the following: a lidar for terrain scanning and obstacle recognition; an infrared thermal imager for detecting fire and biothermal sources; an RTK-GPS module and an inertial measurement unit for precise positioning; and a composite soil probe for detecting soil parameters. The main controller is configured to perform the following intelligent workflow: Environmental perception and mapping: After startup, the main controller drives the multi-sensor array to start working. By fusing data from LiDAR, RTK-GPS83 and IMU84 through an improved SLAM algorithm, it builds and updates a three-dimensional working environment map with centimeter-level accuracy in real time, with a map update frequency of 10Hz. Intelligent decision-making and path planning: The system performs intelligent path planning based on the constructed map, combined with high-risk fire areas identified by infrared thermal imagers and pest and disease areas identified by multispectral vision systems. The planning algorithm can automatically avoid static and dynamic obstacles and generate navigation instructions for the tracked walking mechanism (2); Precise collaborative operations: In the application mode, the main controller dynamically calculates and controls the application amount Q and on / off state of the spraying mechanism (6) according to the following formula based on the identified pest severity index S, canopy humidity H_n, and canopy density C_d parameters, thereby achieving variable application and increasing the pesticide utilization rate by 50%. Q=K×[0.6×S+0.3×(1-H_n)+0.1×C_d]×A_f Where K is the environmental correction coefficient (0.9-1.1) and A_f is the area correction factor; In the soil treatment / fire prevention mode, the main controller automatically adjusts the working depth of the lifting mechanism (3) based on the combustible thickness data scanned by the millimeter-wave radar, and controls the vibration frequency f of the vibration crushing mechanism (43) and the travel speed v of the robot to achieve differentiated mixing and crushing treatment, thereby reducing the combustible load in the forest area by more than 60%. f = 25 + 0.8 × T v=0.5 / (1+e^(-0.3×(T-10))) Where T is the thickness; Remote monitoring and safety: The main controller maintains real-time data interaction with a remote monitoring terminal 5 kilometers away through an encrypted transmission module. Operators can monitor the robot status and take over control at any time, ensuring safe operation in flammable and explosive high-risk environments.

2. The integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stirring mechanism (5) includes a mounting base (51), a stirring shaft (52), a stirring shovel (53), and a stirring motor (54). The stirring shaft (52) is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the connecting plate (41) via the mounting base (51). The stirring motor (54) is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate (41). The output end of the stirring motor (54) is connected to the stirring shaft (52). Multiple stirring shovels (53) are arranged on the stirring shaft (52).

3. The integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stirring spatula (53) includes a straight blade (531) and an oblique blade (532), with the oblique blade (532) arranged symmetrically on both sides of the straight blade (531).

4. The integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spraying mechanism (6) includes a liquid collection chamber (61) and a spraying part (62). The liquid collection chamber (61) is installed on the platform frame (1), and the spraying part (62) is installed on the liquid collection chamber (61) and communicates with its interior.

5. The integrated intelligent forest spraying and soil treatment robot based on a tracked platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (3) includes a lifting seat (31), a four-bar linkage (32), a telescopic hydraulic cylinder (33), and a base (34). The four-bar linkage (32) consists of four connecting rods that are hinged together in sequence. It has four hinge points: top, bottom, left, and right. The top and bottom hinge points are connected to the lifting seat (31) and the base (34), respectively, and the left and right hinge points are connected to the two ends of the telescopic hydraulic cylinder (33), respectively.

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