Intelligent plant protection machine for small-plot crops

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent plant protection machine for small-plot crops, and belongs to the technical field of agricultural machinery. The core of the device comprises an intelligent control system, a self-propelled integrated chassis and a pesticide application system, the intelligent control system has intelligent recognition and self-adaption capabilities, can automatically adjust the wheel track, the pesticide application height and the pesticide application amount according to the crop row spacing and the canopy height, and integrates an intelligent obstacle avoidance module to effectively recognize and actively avoid; the self-propelled integrated chassis is compact in structure, electrically driven, flexible in operation and beneficial to small-plot operation, and is provided with the unique mechanical seedling protecting-pulling unit, so that seedlings are pulled aside and guided in the advancing process, and damage is avoided; the pesticide application system has the function of automatically calculating and preparing pesticide liquid according to the plot information. According to the invention, whole-course intelligentization and unmanned operation of plant protection operation are realized, the labor intensity is effectively reduced, the poisoning risk is completely eradicated, and the operation safety, precision and efficiency are effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery technology, specifically to a plant protection operation device suitable for small plots of land and medium-tall densely planted crops, and in particular to an intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops that integrates intelligent identification, adaptive adjustment, automatic pesticide dispensing and precision application. Background Technology

[0002] Plant protection machinery is a key piece of equipment used for pest and disease control in modern agriculture. Its development level is directly related to the quality and safety of agricultural products, the ecological environment, and the labor intensity and physical health of agricultural producers.

[0003] Currently, there have been numerous technological attempts in the field of small-scale intelligent plant protection equipment. For example, the "Intelligent Precision Variable Spraying Plant Protection Robot" project developed by Shanghai University of Applied Technology integrates lidar and machine vision technologies to achieve real-time perception of crop canopy structure and pathological characteristics, and realizes variable spraying based on an intelligent decision-making model, effectively reducing pesticide usage. This technology represents an advanced level of ground-based plant protection robots, but it mainly focuses on controlling spraying accuracy. It does not provide solutions to the specific problems faced when operating on tall, densely planted crops (such as peppers and sugarcane) in small plots, such as the adaptability of the walking mechanism to the crop row spacing, physical protection of seedlings during movement, and automation of pesticide dispensing. Another example is the "3ZFWD-12 Unmanned Electric Plant Protection and Topdressing Integrated Machine" (which can be considered existing technology), developed by Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University and other institutions. It integrates multi-sensor navigation and plant contouring technology, enabling three-dimensional spraying and topdressing of tall crops (such as corn). This indicates that the industry has begun to pay attention to the plant protection challenges of tall crops. However, such equipment is mostly designed for relatively regular open fields, and its walking mechanism is usually based on a fixed wheel track, making it difficult to adapt to the narrow and variable row spacing of chili fields under different growth stages or agronomic requirements. At the same time, although its operation functions are integrated, it fails to solve the core pain point of low efficiency in multiple round trips for pesticide application in small plots, and the automation process is still incomplete.

[0004] Regarding patents, the "Intelligent Variable Variable Spraying Dispersed Control System for Plant Protection Robots" (CN206895647U), developed by Jinan University and other institutions, uses a main controller, speed encoder, ultrasonic distance sensor, and infrared sensor to detect information such as robot speed and distance from crops, and can control the spraying volume based on the detected data, achieving variable spraying. This represents an advanced control approach for ground-based plant protection robots. However, this technical solution mainly focuses on the precise control of the spraying volume, and does not provide solutions for the special problems faced when operating on tall, densely planted crops (such as chili peppers) in small plots, such as the adaptability of the walking mechanism to the crop row spacing and the physical protection of seedlings during movement. In addition, "A Fixed-Path Intelligent Precision Variable Spraying Robot Based on Internet of Things Technology and Canopy Segmentation Model" (CN207182032U) provides a solution for running on a fixed track. It uses an ultrasonic sensor array to detect plants and can adjust the spraying and airflow according to the crop canopy volume. However, this system heavily relies on a preset fixed track, which greatly limits its application flexibility in scattered, irregular small plots.

[0005] While agricultural drones have been used in small plots of hilly land in southern China, they suffer from drawbacks such as droplet drift and limited effectiveness in controlling pests and diseases in the lower canopy of tall crops. Therefore, for tall, densely planted crops in small plots, developing intelligent ground-based agricultural equipment remains an irreplaceable approach.

[0006] In summary, existing small-scale intelligent plant protection equipment has one or more of the following defects: lack of adaptability to variable row spacing in small plots; the wheel spacing of the equipment is mostly fixed or has a limited range of adjustment, making it impossible to flexibly switch between fields with different agronomic requirements throughout the crop's growth cycle, and easily damaging seedlings.

[0007] The lack or inadequacy of physical protection mechanisms for crops: existing equipment is rarely equipped with dedicated physical guidance and protection mechanisms, and the walking mechanism or body is prone to scratching the seedlings when moving between dense crop rows.

[0008] There are gaps in the automated closed loop: Although sensing and spraying technologies have become more precise, the crucial pesticide preparation process still relies heavily on manual labor. It has not yet achieved fully unmanned operation from "sensing-decision-pesticide preparation-execution". Operators still need to come into contact with pesticides, and the safety risks have not been fundamentally resolved.

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a fully intelligent plant protection machine that can meet the special agronomic requirements of small plots and medium-to-tall densely planted crops, and has intelligent recognition and adaptive walking capabilities, dedicated physical seedling protection, and automatic pesticide dispensing. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Based on the deficiencies of the prior art mentioned in the background section, the present invention aims to solve one or more of the following technical problems: How can plant protection machines be made to automatically adapt to the varying row spacing of crops in small plots, so as to avoid crushing or damaging seedlings during operation? How to achieve effective physical guidance and protection of medium-tall, densely planted crops (such as chili peppers) by plant protection drones while they are in motion; How can we overcome existing technological bottlenecks and integrate automatic pesticide dispensing into plant protection drones to achieve a closed-loop, fully unmanned operation from perception, decision-making, pesticide dispensing to execution, thus completely freeing operators from the high-risk, high-intensity labor of pesticide dispensing? How can we ensure that the machine has a compact structure, flexible operation, and is perfectly suited for small-plot operation scenarios while guaranteeing the above functions?

[0011] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following core technical solutions: A smart plant protection machine for small plots of crops has an overall architecture comprising three core components: an intelligent control system, a self-propelled integrated chassis electrically connected to the intelligent control system, and a pesticide application system connected to the intelligent control system. Through deep coupling and collaborative control with the intelligent control system, they together constitute a complete intelligent operation system.

[0012] Furthermore, the intelligent control system is the "brain" of the entire device, and it includes: Environmental perception module: Used to acquire environmental information such as crop row spacing and canopy height in real time. This module may specifically include an image acquisition unit (such as a visible light and multispectral camera) and / or a distance sensing unit (such as an ultrasonic sensor or lidar) to achieve multi-source information fusion and improve recognition accuracy; Decision control module: Based on the information obtained by the environmental perception module, it calculates using built-in algorithm models (such as PID controllers and intelligent decision models) to generate and output control commands for adjusting wheel spacing, application location, and application amount. Intelligent obstacle avoidance module: This function is integrated into the intelligent control system. It can process signals from the environmental perception module, identify obstacles such as people, and trigger active avoidance actions such as emergency stop or automatic path planning adjustment of the self-propelled integrated chassis.

[0013] Furthermore, the self-propelled integrated chassis is the self-propelled base of the device, including: a power unit: using a power battery to provide clean and stable power to the system.

[0014] Walking mechanism: wheels driven by an electric motor; Wheelbase adjustment mechanism: This mechanism is directly controlled by the intelligent control system and includes a support unit and a lateral movement unit, capable of automatically adjusting the distance between the left and right traveling wheels. Its specific implementation can be, but is not limited to, one of an electric push rod, hydraulic cylinder, or screw-nut mechanism. These linear motion mechanisms push or pull the wheel axle to achieve stepless or stepped adjustment of the wheelbase within the range of 0.6-0.9 meters. Seedling guiding unit: This unit is key to achieving physical seedling protection. It consists of curved, flexible guide plates located at the front and sides of the chassis. The material can be flexible engineering plastics or rubber. As the machine moves between crop rows, the curved guide plates gently and smoothly guide the seedlings to the sides, effectively preventing rigid collisions and crushing of the seedlings by the machine body and walking mechanism. Frame: Integrates the aforementioned units and mechanisms to form a self-propelled integrated chassis.

[0015] Furthermore, the drug delivery system is the "end point" of the device. It includes: Medicine box: Used to hold liquid medicine, with a maximum capacity of 100L, which can meet the needs of large medicine loads; The pesticide preparation module is capable of automatically calculating the required ratio and total amount of active ingredient and diluent (usually water) based on the field information (such as area and crop growth information) sent by the decision control module. It also controls the metering pump, solenoid valve and other actuators to perform high-precision automatic mixing and proportioning according to the calculated amount of active ingredient and diluent. Spraying module: Its spraying height and row spacing are controlled by an intelligent control system. It is equipped with a height / width adjustment unit and a spraying unit for implementing plant protection spraying. The adjustment unit can be a scissor lift mechanism, electric push rod or hydraulic cylinder, etc., and is connected to a self-propelled integrated chassis. The spraying unit includes a sprayer, pipelines and accessories to ensure efficient plant protection spraying operations.

[0016] Furthermore, this invention also protects the operating methods based on the intelligent plant protection machine, forming a complete protection system of "product + method".

[0017] An automated pesticide dispensing method based on a small-scale intelligent plant protection machine for crops includes the following core steps: Parameter input: Receives user input of plot area parameters and target pesticide application rate parameters, or the intelligent control system automatically determines plot area parameters and target pesticide application rate parameters after mapping or visual recognition of crop information; Intelligent calculation: Based on the information of the work site and the target application rate parameters, automatically calculate the required amount of raw material and diluent; Precise execution: The control actuator (such as metering pump, liquid level sensor, stirrer) automatically mixes and prepares the solution according to the calculated amount of original drug and diluent to ensure accurate drug concentration.

[0018] A plant protection operation method based on a smart plant protection machine for small plots of crops, the core steps of which include: Environmental perception: Intelligent identification is used to obtain information about the working environment, including crop distribution, seedling height, growth status, etc. Adaptive adjustment: Based on environmental information, the device adaptively adjusts the wheel track, application height, and application rate. Safe travel: During travel, the seedlings are parted by the seedling-pulling unit, and dynamic obstacles are avoided in real time by the intelligent obstacle avoidance module; Intelligent pesticide application: The pesticide solution is automatically prepared based on the information of the work site, and the spraying operation is started at the set location to achieve precise and uniform pesticide application under constant speed cruising.

[0019] Compared with the prior art mentioned in the background section, the beneficial effects of this invention are significant and multi-dimensional: High level of intelligence and adaptability: Through a closed loop of environmental perception and decision control, it realizes "one-click" automatic adjustment of row spacing, application height and application amount, which greatly reduces the difficulty of operation and dependence on operator experience, and can perfectly adapt to the entire growth cycle of crops and different agronomic requirements. Exceptional crop friendliness: The unique mechanical seedling-pulling unit, combined with adaptive wheel spacing adjustment, fundamentally solves the core pain point of small plant protection machines being able to "enter" between densely planted crop rows without damaging seedlings, effectively protecting crop growth and ensuring final yield; Complete liberation of labor and improvement of safety: The integrated automatic pesticide dispensing module completely liberates operators from the most dangerous and arduous pesticide dispensing process, completely eliminates the risk of poisoning during the process, and realizes true full-process unmanned operation of plant protection. Excellent adaptability to different scenarios: The compact design of the whole machine, with adjustable wheel track and spray boom height, makes it have a small turning radius and good passability. It is particularly suitable for flexible and efficient operation in small, scattered, and irregularly shaped plots of land, filling the market gap between large machinery and drones. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a side view of the structure of this application.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front structural diagram of this application.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 100-Intelligent control system, 110-Environmental perception module, 111-Image acquisition unit, 112-Visible light image acquisition device, 113-Multispectral information acquisition device, 114-Distance sensing unit, 120-Decision control module, 130-Intelligent obstacle avoidance module; 200-Drug application system, 210-Medicine tank, 220-Medication dispensing module, 221-Metering unit, 222-Actuator, 230-Spraying module, 231-Adjustment unit, 232-Drug application unit, 233-Spray head, 234-Spraying arm; 300-Self-propelled integrated chassis, 310-Power unit, 320-Walking mechanism, 330-Wheel width adjustment mechanism, 331-Support unit, 332-Transverse movement unit, 340-Seedling lifting unit, 350-Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solution of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only used to simplify the description of this application 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 this application.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections 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 application based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] like Figure 1-3As shown, a small-plot intelligent crop protection machine includes: an intelligent control system 100, a self-propelled integrated chassis 300 electrically connected to the intelligent control system 100, and a pesticide application system 200 connected to the intelligent control system 100. The intelligent control system 100 is installed in the middle, the pesticide application system 200 is located in front of the intelligent control system 100, and the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 is located below the intelligent control system 100. The intelligent control system 100 deeply couples and coordinates the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 and the pesticide application system 200 to form a complete intelligent operation system. Based on the environmental information collected by the intelligent control system 100, the system then makes decisions to control the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 and the pesticide application system 200 to apply pesticides while autonomously moving. It can also identify dynamic obstacles such as people in real time and issue control commands to actively avoid them.

[0028] The intelligent control system 100 is the control core of the entire intelligent plant protection machine, including: an environmental perception module 110, a decision control module 120, and an intelligent obstacle avoidance module 130. The three modules are integrated on the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 and the spraying system 200, and play the role of collecting information and issuing control commands.

[0029] Furthermore, the environmental perception module 110 is used to acquire environmental information such as crop row spacing, canopy height, and growth status in real time. This module includes an image acquisition unit 111 and a distance sensing unit 114 to achieve multi-source information fusion and improve recognition accuracy.

[0030] Furthermore, the image acquisition unit 110 comprises a visible light image acquisition device 112 and a multispectral information acquisition device 113. The image acquisition unit 110 is installed at the front, rear, and sides of the self-propelled integrated chassis 300, acquiring high-resolution and comprehensive images of the external environment, facilitating accurate identification. Furthermore, the distance sensing unit 114 is preferably an ultrasonic sensor or a lidar. The distance sensing unit 114 is installed at the front and left and right sides of the self-propelled integrated chassis 300, measuring and collecting environmental information such as crop spacing, canopy height, and growth status.

[0031] Furthermore, the decision control module 120 is used to calculate and output control commands for adjusting wheel spacing, application position and application amount based on the information obtained by the environmental perception module 110 and through the built-in algorithm model (such as PID controller, intelligent decision model).

[0032] Furthermore, the intelligent obstacle avoidance system 130 is integrated into the intelligent control system 100, which can process the sensing signals from the distance sensing unit 114, identify dynamic obstacles such as people in real time, and trigger active avoidance actions such as emergency stop or automatic path planning adjustment of the self-propelled integrated chassis 300.

[0033] The self-propelled integrated chassis 300 is the mobile carrier of this device. The self-propelled integrated chassis 300 is designed with a symmetrical structure and has high stability. It includes: a power unit 310, a walking mechanism 320, a wheel track adjustment mechanism 330, a seedling lifting unit 340, and a frame 350. The power unit 310 is usually a power battery or other power supply device, which is installed on both sides of the chassis to provide clean and stable power to the entire system. The walking mechanism 320 includes motor-driven wheels, which are installed at the bottom of the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 and in contact with the ground to enable the entire device to move freely.

[0034] Furthermore, the wheel track adjustment mechanism 330 is located at the lower end of the intelligent control system 100 and is directly controlled by the intelligent control system 100. It includes a support unit 331 and a lateral movement unit 332. The support unit 331 supports the chassis so that the lateral movement unit 332 can adjust the distance between the left and right walking wheels. The specific implementation method can be, but is not limited to, one of an electric push rod, a hydraulic cylinder, or a screw and nut mechanism. Through these linear motion mechanisms, the walking wheels are pushed or pulled to achieve stepless or stepped adjustment of the wheel track within the range of 0.6-0.9 meters.

[0035] Furthermore, the seedling-pulling unit 340 is an arc-shaped flexible shovel set at the front and side of the chassis. This unit is the key to realizing physical seedling protection. When the machine moves between crop rows, the arc-shaped shovel can gently and smoothly push the seedlings to both sides and guide them through, effectively avoiding rigid collisions and crushing of the seedlings by the machine body and the walking mechanism 320.

[0036] Furthermore, the arc-shaped flexible lever is made of elastic engineering plastic or rubber.

[0037] The application system 200 is the plant protection execution facility of the device, including: a medicine tank 210, a medicine dispensing module 220 and a spraying module 230. The medicine tank 210 is located on the top and is used to carry the medicine liquid. The maximum capacity is 100L, which can meet the needs of large medicine load.

[0038] Furthermore, the spraying module 230 is located at the lower end of the medicine tank 210 and includes an adjustment unit 231 and a spraying unit 232. The intelligent control system 100 controls the adjustment unit 231 to adjust the position of the spraying arm 234 and the spraying head 233 to meet the crop spraying requirements. The spraying arm 234 is located at the bottom front side of the medicine tank 210 and communicates with the medicine tank 210. The middle section of the spraying arm 234 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the self-propelled integrated chassis 300, and both ends can be retracted for easy transport when not in use. The spraying head 233 is installed on the lower side of the spraying arm 234 for easy spraying. Furthermore, the number of spraying heads 233 is greater than or equal to 5.

[0039] Furthermore, the adjustment unit 231 can be implemented in a manner that is not limited to, but can be, one of, a scissor lift mechanism, an electric push rod, or a hydraulic cylinder, and can be connected to the self-propelled integrated chassis 300 through a linear lifting mechanism such as a scissor lift mechanism, an electric push rod, or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0040] Furthermore, the dispensing module 220 is located inside the medicine tank 210. This module is used to realize fully unmanned dispensing. The module can automatically calculate the required ratio and total amount of raw material and diluent based on the input field information, such as area, crop information, season, etc., and control the metering unit 221, solenoid valve and other actuators 222 to perform high-precision automatic mixing and proportioning according to the calculated amount of raw material and diluent and store it in the medicine tank 210. After receiving the instruction, the spray arm 234 can be opened, and the spray head 233 installed on the spray arm 234 can be used to spray the crop.

[0041] Furthermore, this invention also protects the operating methods based on the intelligent plant protection machine, forming a complete protection system of "product + method".

[0042] An automated pesticide dispensing method based on a small-plot intelligent crop protection machine includes the following core steps: Parameter input: Receives user input of plot area parameters and target pesticide application rate parameters, or the intelligent control system 100 automatically determines these parameters through map planning or visual recognition; Intelligent calculation: Based on the parameters of the work site and the target application rate, the system automatically calculates the required amount of active ingredient and diluent, and executes the calculation precisely. The control actuators (such as metering units, level sensors, and stirrers) automatically mix and prepare the solution according to the calculated amount of raw drug and diluent to ensure accurate drug concentration.

[0043] A plant protection operation method based on a smart plant protection machine for small plots of crops, the core steps of which include: Environmental perception: Intelligent identification is used to obtain information about the working environment, including crop distribution, seedling height, and growth status; Adaptive adjustment: Based on environmental information, the device adaptively adjusts the wheel track, application height, and application rate. Safe travel: During travel, the seedlings are parted by the seedling-pulling unit, and dynamic obstacles are avoided in real time by the intelligent obstacle avoidance system; Intelligent pesticide application: The pesticide solution is automatically prepared based on the information of the work site, and the spraying operation is started at the set location to achieve precise and uniform pesticide application under constant speed cruising.

[0044] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A smart plant protection machine for small plots of crops, characterized in that, include: The intelligent control system, the self-propelled integrated chassis electrically connected to the intelligent control system, and the drug application system connected to the intelligent control system.

2. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent control system includes: an environmental sensing module for acquiring crop row spacing and canopy height information in real time; and a decision control module for generating and outputting control commands for adjusting the wheel spacing, application location, and application amount based on the information acquired by the environmental sensing module.

3. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 2, characterized in that: The environmental perception module includes an image acquisition unit and / or a distance sensing unit; the intelligent control system also integrates an intelligent obstacle avoidance module to identify and trigger the active obstacle avoidance action of the self-propelled integrated chassis.

4. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-propelled integrated chassis includes a power unit, a walking mechanism, and a wheel track adjustment mechanism, and is controlled by the intelligent control system to adjust the wheel track of the walking mechanism; further, the power unit is a power supply device.

5. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 4, characterized in that: The wheel track adjustment mechanism adopts one of the following: electric push rod, hydraulic cylinder, or screw and nut mechanism.

6. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-propelled integrated chassis is equipped with a seedling-pulling unit, which is an arc-shaped flexible pulling plate set at the front and side of the chassis.

7. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 1, characterized in that: The application system includes: a pesticide tank, an automatic pesticide mixing module, and a spraying module; the pesticide mixing module automatically mixes pesticide solution according to the information of the work site; the spraying height and row spacing of the spraying module are controlled by the intelligent control system, and it is equipped with a height / width adjustment unit and a pesticide application unit for implementing plant protection spraying.

8. The intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops according to claim 7, characterized in that: The adjustment unit of the spraying module is connected to the self-propelled integrated chassis via a scissor lift mechanism, an electric push rod, or a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the spraying height / width.

9. An automatic pesticide dispensing method based on the intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops as described in claim 7, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: (1) Receive the plot area parameters and target application rate parameters input by the user, or determine the parameters after intelligent identification by the intelligent control system; (2) Based on the parameters of the work site and the target application rate, automatically calculate the required amount of raw material and diluent; (3) Control the actuator to automatically mix and proportion the original drug and diluent according to the calculated amount.

10. A plant protection operation method using the intelligent plant protection machine for small plots of crops as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The method includes: (1) Obtaining work environment information through intelligent identification; (2) Adaptive adjustment of the wheel track, application height and application rate of the device; (3) During the journey, the seedlings are separated by the seedling-pulling unit and obstacles are avoided in real time; (4) Automatically prepare the medicine solution and carry out the spraying operation based on the information of the work site.

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