Intelligent air-blast deep loosening fertilizer applicator for orchards

Abstract

This invention discloses an intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards, comprising a mobile platform integrating a tracked moving component, a high-pressure air pump, and a power source; a support frame vertically mounted at the front end of the mobile platform; an air tank connected to the high-pressure air pump via an air inlet pipe; a drill rod assembly, located below the air tank, comprising a hollow drill rod and a drill bit, the drill rod having an independent fertilizer chamber and air passage pipe inside; and an air-fertilizer linkage mechanism: the fertilizer chamber is connected to a fertilization channel and has fertilization holes, the air passage pipe is connected to a hydraulic rod, and air slits are formed on the side wall of the air passage pipe. This application enables multiple operations to be completed in a single operation, reducing interference with the orchard ecosystem. High-pressure air-blast technology, as a novel soil improvement method, effectively breaks up the plow pan and promotes soil porosity by instantaneously releasing high-pressure gas to form a shock wave, and its synergistic integration with the fertilization function improves fertilization efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural technology, and in particular to an intelligent air-blast deep loosening and fertilization machine for orchards. Background Technology

[0002] In orchard management, soil loosening and fertilization are crucial steps that directly impact fruit yield and quality, and are also vital for the growth and development of fruit tree seedlings. Current orchard soil loosening and fertilization techniques are relatively outdated, relying on manual labor for trenching, fertilization, tilling, and leveling, using traditional granular fertilizers. This approach is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and extremely inefficient, and it also damages the orchard soil environment. In the fertilization process, traditional broadcasting or shallow trenching methods suffer from low fertilizer utilization rates (typically less than 30%) and significant nutrient loss.

[0003] While deep fertilization can improve fertilizer utilization, existing equipment mostly relies on spiral pushing or hydraulic injection, making it difficult to achieve uniform mixing of fertilizer and soil. In addition, orchard terrain is complex, and conventional wheeled equipment has high ground pressure (generally >50kPa), which easily causes soil compaction. While tracked equipment can reduce ground pressure, it lacks terrain adaptability and has poor stability when operating on slopes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems in existing technologies, this invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards. This application enables multiple operations to be completed in a single entry, reducing interference with the orchard ecosystem. High-pressure air-blast technology, as a novel soil improvement method, effectively breaks up the plow pan and promotes soil porosity by instantaneously releasing high-pressure gas to form a shock wave. Its synergistic integration with the fertilization function improves fertilization efficiency.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is: an intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards, comprising:

[0006] Mobile platform, a mobile platform integrating tracked mobile components, high-pressure air pump and power source;

[0007] A support frame is vertically installed at the front end of the mobile platform, and an air tank is connected to a high-pressure air pump through an air inlet pipe.

[0008] The drill rod assembly is located below the gas storage tank. The drill rod assembly includes a hollow drill rod and a drill bit. The drill rod has an independent fertilizer chamber and gas pipeline inside.

[0009] The air-fertilizer linkage mechanism has a fertilizer chamber connected to a fertilizer application channel and has a fertilizer application hole, an air pipeline connected to a hydraulic rod, and an air slit on the side wall of the air pipeline.

[0010] The dynamic isolation assembly includes an isolation plate that divides the drill pipe into multiple zones. The two ends of the electrically controlled push rod are connected to the isolation plate and the air passage pipe, respectively, to control the opening and closing of the air passage.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0012] (1) This invention enables multiple operations to be completed in one field visit, reducing interference with the orchard ecosystem. High-pressure gas explosion technology, as a new soil improvement method, can effectively break the plow pan and promote soil pore formation by releasing high-pressure gas instantaneously to form a shock wave. Its synergistic integration with fertilization functions improves fertilization efficiency.

[0013] (2) The present invention performs deep soil loosening and fertilization through an integrated air-fertilizer linkage mechanism, reducing the number of operations, reducing soil disturbance, and reducing root damage. The dual-cavity design of the hollow drill rod enables independent control of the air-fertilizer channels, avoiding mutual interference. The combination of the dynamic isolation component and the one-way plate enables precise switching between the air and fertilizer paths, ensuring the matching of operation timing.

[0014] (3) The invention improves the reliability of gas circuit control through the mechanical seal structure of the isolation plate, reducing the failure rate by 60%. The rotating conduction design increases the response speed to within 0.5 seconds during the opening of the air gap. The cooperation between the isolation plate and the gas pipeline realizes the physical isolation of the gas fertilizer channel, avoiding the high pressure gas pushing the one-way plate to close during the fall of the fertilizer, which affects the flow of fertilizer. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a preferred embodiment of the intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards provided by the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the support frame of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the control valve and hydraulic rod of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the hydraulic rod and drill rod of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the hydraulic rod of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 This is an internal view of the drill pipe of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0023] Figure label:

[0024] 100. Mobile platform; 120. Tracked mobile assembly; 130. High-pressure air pump; 140. Power source;

[0025] 200, Support frame; 300, Gas storage tank; 310, Air inlet pipe; 311, Liquid inlet pipe; 320, Guide wheel; 350, Control valve; 360, Hydraulic rod; 361, Fertilizer application channel; 362, Gas delivery cavity;

[0026] 370. Drill rod; 371. Fertilizer chamber; 372. Air passage pipe; 373. Air gap; 374. Fertilizer application hole; 375. Isolation plate; 376. One-way plate; 377. Reset seat; 378. Electrically controlled push rod; 380. Drill bit;

[0027] 400. Linear drive mechanism; 410. Guide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0029] It should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0030] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0031] like Figures 1-7 As shown, the intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards of the present invention includes: a mobile platform 100, an integrated tracked mobile component 120, a high-pressure air pump 130 and a power source 140; a support frame 200 is vertically installed at the front end of the mobile platform 100; and an air storage tank 300 is connected to the high-pressure air pump 130 through an air inlet pipe 310.

[0032] The drill rod assembly, located below the gas storage tank 300, includes a hollow drill rod 370 and a drill bit 380. The drill rod 370 has an independent fertilizer chamber 371 and a gas pipeline 372 inside.

[0033] Air-fertilizer linkage mechanism: The fertilizer chamber 371 is connected to the fertilizer application channel 361 and has a fertilizer application hole 374. The air pipeline 372 is connected to the hydraulic rod 360, and an air slit 373 is provided on the side wall of the air pipeline 372.

[0034] The dynamic isolation assembly includes an isolation plate 375 that divides the drill rod 370 into multiple areas. The two ends of the electrically controlled push rod 378 are connected to the isolation plate 375 and the air passage pipe 372, respectively, to control the opening and closing of the air passage.

[0035] The entire equipment is moved via a mobile platform 100. High-pressure gas generated by the high-pressure air pump 130 is stored in an air tank 300 and transported to the bottom of the drill rod 370 via a hydraulic rod 360. The independent fertilizer chamber 371 and air pipeline 372 in the drill rod assembly correspond to the outflow of liquid fertilizer and the storage of high-pressure gas, respectively. The dynamic isolation component controls the opening and closing of the air path via an electric control push rod 378. During operation, after the drill rod 370 descends to the target depth with the assistance of the drill bit 380, the extension end of the electric control push rod 378 is first controlled to rotate. At this time, the air slit 373 opened on the side wall of the air pipeline 372 will be connected to the fertilizer chamber 371, and high-pressure gas will pass through. The air pipeline 372 is then opened for deep loosening by air blasting.

[0036] A liquid inlet pipe 311 is provided on one side of the gas storage tank 300. Liquid fertilizer enters the gas storage tank 300 through the liquid inlet pipe 311. The gas storage tank 300 is double-layered, separating the gas storage section from the fertilizer storage section. The fertilizer in the fertilizer storage section of the gas storage tank 300 is then injected into the fertilizer application channel 361 of the hydraulic rod 360 through the control valve 350. The pressure pushes the one-way plate 376 to rotate, and the fertilizer entering the fertilizer chamber 371 is injected into the soil through the fertilizer application hole 374. In actual use, the length of the hydraulic rod 360 can be replaced according to actual needs.

[0037] During this process, the pressure inside the fertilizer chamber 371 increases, and the one-way plate 376 at the top seals the fertilizer chamber 371 with the fertilizer application channel 361. The high-pressure gas inside the fertilizer chamber 371 makes the sealing of the one-way plate 376 better, and the one-way plate 376 can prevent high-pressure gas from entering the fertilizer application channel 361 and causing loss of high-pressure gas.

[0038] Among them, the integrated air-fertilizer linkage mechanism is used for deep soil loosening and fertilization, reducing the number of operations, reducing soil disturbance, and reducing root damage. The dual-cavity design of the hollow drill rod 370 enables independent control of the air-fertilizer channels to avoid mutual interference. The cooperation between the dynamic isolation component and the one-way plate 376 enables precise switching between the air and fertilizer paths, ensuring matching of operation sequences.

[0039] Table 1 Comparison of the effects of deep soil loosening

[0040]

[0041] In one embodiment, the air gap 373 is a vertical slit distributed circumferentially along the air passage 372, and the length of the air gap axial direction 373 is greater than the diameter of the air passage 372.

[0042] The drill bit 380 has a conical soil-breaking structure at its bottom, and its maximum outer diameter is larger than that of the drill rod 370.

[0043] The air slits 373 are distributed circumferentially along the air passage 372 and their axial length is greater than the pipe diameter. High-pressure gas forms an annular airflow through multiple sets of vertical slits. Combined with the soil-breaking structure of the bottom conical drill bit 380 and multiple sets of fertilizer application holes 374, a three-dimensional loose zone is formed during gas explosion. The three-dimensional loose zone is conducive to the penetration and diffusion of liquid fertilizer.

[0044] The design of the annular air slit 373 and multiple sets of fertilizer holes 374 ensures that airflow is evenly distributed to the soil, expanding the deep loosening range by more than 30%. The large-diameter structure of the conical drill bit 380 reduces the downward resistance of the drill rod 370 and improves the penetration power in hard soil.

[0045] In one embodiment, the dynamic isolation component satisfies:

[0046] The isolation plate 375 is fixed inside the fertilizer chamber 371 and placed outside the air passage pipe 372 to seal the air gap 373;

[0047] When the electric control push rod 378 drives the gas pipe 372 to rotate, the gas pipe 372 is connected to the fertilizer chamber 371 through the air gap 373.

[0048] The isolation plate 375 is fixed inside the fertilizer chamber 371 and seals the air gap 373. When the electric control push rod 378 drives the air passage pipe 372 to rotate, the air gap 373 is released from the sealed state and connects with the fertilizer chamber 371, realizing the instantaneous release of high-pressure gas into the fertilizer chamber 371.

[0049] Among them, the mechanical seal structure of the isolation plate 375 improves the reliability of the air circuit control and reduces the failure rate by 60%. The rotating conduction design increases the response speed of the air gap 373 to within 0.5 seconds during opening. The cooperation between the isolation plate 375 and the air circuit pipe 372 realizes the physical isolation of the air fertilizer channel, preventing the high-pressure gas from pushing the one-way plate 376 to close during the fertilizer's fall, thus affecting the fertilizer's outflow. During fertilization, the low-pressure gas can be used in conjunction with the continuous injection of liquid fertilizer through the liquid inlet pipe 311 to blow out the liquid fertilizer, increasing the fertilizer's diffusion speed.

[0050] In one embodiment, the partition plate 375 divides the drill rod 370 into multiple fertilizer chambers 371. Each fertilizer chamber 371 is provided with a one-way plate 376, and the one-way plate 376 is connected to the top of the divided fertilizer chamber 371 through a reset seat 377.

[0051] The joint surface between the one-way plate 376 and the top of the area is provided with a sealing rubber layer, and the fertilizer channel 361 is completely isolated from the fertilizer chamber 371 when closed.

[0052] The isolation plate 375 divides the drill rod 370 into multiple independent fertilizer chambers 371. The one-way plate 376 at the top of each chamber is controlled to open and close by a reset seat 377. The reset seat 377, via a torsion spring, rotates the one-way plate 376 to seal it. During fertilization, liquid fertilizer is hydraulically pushed downwards by the one-way plate 376 to open it, allowing the fertilizer to enter the soil under gravity. After the operation is completed, the reset seat 377 closes the one-way plate 376. The interface between the one-way plate 376 and the top of the chamber is sealed with a rubber layer, completely blocking the connection between the fertilization channel 361 and the fertilizer chamber 371 when closed, preventing the entry of high-pressure gas.

[0053] Among them, the sealing rubber layer increases the air pressure retention rate to over 98%, preventing high-pressure gas from entering the fertilizer channel 361 and causing air pressure loss. The elastic properties of the rubber material reduce the impact noise when the one-way plate 376 closes.

[0054] In one embodiment, a hydraulic rod 360 is provided at the bottom of the gas storage tank 300, and a control valve 350 for controlling the entry of high-pressure gas and fertilizer is provided in the middle of the hydraulic rod 360 and the gas storage tank 300; the hydraulic rod 360 includes a fertilizer application channel 361 and a gas delivery cavity 362, and the gas delivery cavity 362 of the hydraulic rod 360 is connected to the gas pipeline 372.

[0055] The hydraulic rod 360 at the bottom of the gas storage tank 300 drives the drill rod 370 to rise and fall. The fertilizer channel 361 and the gas delivery chamber 362 inside are respectively connected to the fertilizer chamber 371 and the gas pipeline 372. The control valve 350 synchronously adjusts the delivery volume of high-pressure gas and fertilizer.

[0056] Among them, the hydraulic rod 360 integrates a dual-channel design to simplify the equipment structure and reduce pipeline connection points; the control valve 350 realizes the linkage adjustment of the gas fertilizer delivery volume, improving the operating efficiency by 40%, and the integrated design reduces the equipment failure rate by 35%.

[0057] In one embodiment, the lifting stroke of the linear drive mechanism 400 is ≥1.5m, and guide wheels 320 are connected to both sides of the gas storage tank 300. The guide wheels 320 move along the guide rail 410 to drive the drill rod assembly to lift vertically.

[0058] The power source 140 is a diesel engine, whose output shaft drives both the high-pressure air pump 130 and the hydraulic system via a coupling.

[0059] It also includes a linear drive mechanism 400, one end of which is fixed to the support frame 200 and the other end is connected to the air tank 300. The linear drive mechanism 400 provides a lifting stroke of ≥1.5m. The linear drive mechanism 400 can be a linear motor or other power source capable of generating linear motion. The guide wheel 320 moves along the guide rail 410 to ensure the vertical lifting of the drill rod 370. The diesel engine drives the high-pressure air pump 130 and the hydraulic system simultaneously through the coupling to achieve efficient power distribution.

[0060] The long stroke design meets the deep-rooted fruit tree operation requirements (up to 1.2-1.5m). The guide wheel 320 and the guide rail 410 cooperate to control the verticality error of the drill rod 370 within ±1°. The guide wheel 320 is a grooved nylon wheel.

[0061] In one embodiment, a pressure feedback system is also included: a pressure sensor is installed in the gas storage tank 300, which triggers the electronically controlled push rod 378 to open the gas pipeline 372 when the gas pressure reaches 2-5 MPa.

[0062] The pressure sensor inside the gas storage tank 300 monitors the gas pressure in real time. When the pressure reaches the 2-5MPa threshold, the electric control push rod 378 is automatically triggered to open the gas pipeline 372 and release the high-pressure gas.

[0063] Among them, pressure feedback control enables precise adjustment of the gas explosion intensity to adapt to different soil types; the automatic triggering mechanism reduces manual operation and improves the consistency of operation to over 90%; the pressure range of 2-5MPa balances deep loosening effect and energy consumption.

[0064] In one embodiment, the ground pressure of the track moving assembly 120 is ≤25kPa, and the track surface is provided with a terrain-following floating mechanism.

[0065] The track movement component 120 adopts a wide track design, and the ground pressure is controlled at ≤25kPa to avoid excessive compaction of the ground. The surface's terrain-following floating mechanism can automatically adjust the track tension according to the terrain undulations.

[0066] Lowering ground pressure reduces soil compaction, reducing soil bulk density by 10%–15%. The terrain-following mechanism improves stability on slopes, expanding the slope adaptability range to 25°. The track design enhances the equipment's passability, allowing it to operate normally in muddy orchards.

[0067] A method for orchard soil preparation, comprising:

[0068] S1: Drill pipe descends 370 degrees to the target depth;

[0069] S2: Open gas pipeline 372 to perform high-pressure gas explosion deep loosening;

[0070] S3: After closing the air circuit, open fertilizer chamber 371 to perform targeted fertilization;

[0071] S4: During the lifting process of drill rod 370, the fertilizer application channel 361 is automatically closed by the reset seat 377.

[0072] After the drill rod 370 descends to the target depth, the soil is first loosened by high-pressure air blasting. After the air circuit is closed, the fertilization channel 361 is opened to connect with the fertilizer chamber 371 for targeted fertilization. Finally, the fertilization channel 361 is automatically closed during the lifting process of the drill rod 370.

[0073] The present invention has the following advantages: the sequential operation process ensures the synergistic effect of gas explosion and fertilization, and the fertilizer utilization rate is increased to more than 60%; the fertilization hole 374 is automatically closed when the drill rod 370 is lifted to avoid fertilizer overflow and waste; the integrated process shortens the operation time of a single plant to 30-40 seconds and increases efficiency by 50%.

[0074] Table 2. Operational effects for different soil types

[0075]

[0076] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0077] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Orchard intelligent air-blast subsoiling and fertilizing machine, characterized in that, include: Mobile platform, a mobile platform integrating tracked mobile components, high-pressure air pump and power source; A support frame is vertically installed at the front end of the mobile platform, and an air tank is connected to a high-pressure air pump through an air inlet pipe. The drill rod assembly is located below the gas storage tank. The drill rod assembly includes a hollow drill rod and a drill bit. The drill rod has an independent fertilizer chamber and gas pipeline inside. A hydraulic rod is installed at the bottom of the gas storage tank, and a control valve for controlling the entry of high-pressure gas and fertilizer is installed in the middle of the gas storage tank along the hydraulic rod. The hydraulic rod includes a fertilizer application channel and an air delivery cavity, and the air delivery cavity of the hydraulic rod is connected to the air pipeline; The air-fertilizer linkage mechanism has a fertilizer chamber connected to a fertilizer application channel and has a fertilizer application hole, an air pipeline connected to a hydraulic rod, and an air slit on the side wall of the air pipeline. The dynamic isolation assembly includes an isolation plate that divides the drill pipe into multiple areas. The two ends of the electrically controlled push rod are connected to the isolation plate and the air passage pipe, respectively, to control the opening and closing of the air passage. The air gap is a vertical slit distributed along the circumference of the air passage pipe, and the axial length of the air gap is greater than the diameter of the air passage pipe. The bottom of the drill bit is provided with a conical soil-breaking structure, the maximum outer diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the drill rod; The isolation plate of the dynamic isolation component is fixed inside the fertilizer chamber and placed outside the air passage pipe to seal the air gap. When the electrically controlled push rod drives the gas delivery pipe to rotate, the gas pipeline is connected to the fertilizer chamber through the gas gap.

2. The intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The isolation plate divides the drill pipe into multiple fertilizer chambers. Each fertilizer chamber is equipped with a one-way plate, which is connected to the top of the separated fertilizer chamber through a reset seat.

3. The intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The joint surface between the one-way plate and the top of the area is provided with a sealing rubber layer, and the fertilizer channel is completely isolated from the fertilizer chamber when closed.

4. The intelligent air-blast deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchards as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a linear drive mechanism, one end of which is fixed on the support frame and the other end is connected to the gas storage tank. The lifting stroke of the linear drive mechanism is ≥1.5m. Guide wheels are connected to both sides of the gas storage tank. The guide wheels move along the guide rail to drive the drill rod assembly to lift vertically. The output shaft of the power source simultaneously drives the high-pressure air pump and the hydraulic system via a coupling.

5. The intelligent air explosion deep tillage and fertilization machine for orchard of claim 1, wherein, It also includes a pressure feedback system: a pressure sensor is installed inside the gas tank, which triggers an electronically controlled push rod to open the gas pipeline when the gas pressure reaches 2-5MPa.

6. The intelligent air explosion deep fertilizing machine for orchard of claim 1, wherein, The grounding pressure of the track moving component is ≤25kPa, and the track surface is provided with a terrain-following floating mechanism.

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