Vegetable seedling transplanting device

Abstract

The invention discloses a vegetable seedling transplanting device. The vegetable seedling transplanting device comprises a frame, and a ditching mechanism, a transplanting mechanism, a soil covering mechanism and a watering mechanism which are sequentially arranged in the advancing direction. The transplanting mechanism comprises a seedling storage box, a conveying assembly and a seedling guide pipe; the conveying assembly is provided with a connection station used for manually placing a single seedling and a lowering end used for releasing the seedling. A buffer structure is arranged in a pipe cavity of the seedling guide pipe and used for blocking free falling motion of seedlings so as to reduce the falling speed of the seedlings. Through the mode of manual connection and mechanical conveying, the operation rhythm is guaranteed, and meanwhile the automation cost and complexity are reduced; the core innovation is that the buffer structure (preferably a spiral bending section) in the seedling guide pipe can effectively consume the falling kinetic energy of the seedlings, so that soft planting is realized, the physical damage of the seedlings in the planting process is obviously reduced, and the transplanting survival rate is improved. The device integrates the functions of ditching, planting, soil covering and watering, and is continuous and efficient in operation and high in adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vegetable transplanting technology, and in particular to a vegetable seedling transplanting device. Background Technology

[0002] Transplanting vegetable seedlings is a crucial step in agricultural production, and its quality directly affects the seedlings' recovery speed, growth status, and final yield. Traditional transplanting is done manually, which heavily relies on skilled labor. Workers must maintain a bent-over or squatting posture for extended periods, performing a series of repetitive actions such as picking seedlings, digging planting holes, placing seedlings, and covering them with soil. This method is extremely labor-intensive, inefficient, and makes it difficult to ensure consistent spacing and planting depth. With rising agricultural labor costs and changing population structures, this model has become a bottleneck restricting the industry's scaling up and standardization.

[0003] To replace manual labor, mechanical transplanting equipment has emerged. Among them, the seedling guide tube transplanter, with its relatively simple structure, is widely used. This type of equipment usually has a vertical or near-vertical seedling guide tube. After the seedling is delivered to the tube opening by the conveying mechanism, it falls directly into the pre-dug trench below by gravity.

[0004] However, existing seedling tube transplanting devices have a common and prominent technical flaw: seedlings undergo free fall within the vertical seedling tube, impacting the bottom of the trench at a high final velocity. This violent impact easily causes seedling stems to bend, fragile root systems to be damaged, or the nutrient soil ball to crack, resulting in so-called "planting damage." This physical damage prolongs the seedling recovery period, increases the risk of disease, and can even lead to seedling death, severely restricting the improvement of transplanting quality and the effectiveness of the equipment.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a vegetable seedling transplanting device that is relatively simple in structure, has controllable cost, and can effectively reduce impact damage during seedling planting and improve transplanting quality. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable seedling transplanting device.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A vegetable seedling transplanting device, characterized in that it comprises: A chassis for connection to a traction power unit; A trenching mechanism is located at the front bottom of the vehicle frame and is used to dig planting trenches in the direction of travel. The transplanting mechanism is mounted on the vehicle frame and located behind the trenching mechanism. The transplanting mechanism includes a seedling storage box for storing a batch of seedlings, a conveying component for receiving and transporting individual seedlings, and a seedling guide tube. The conveying assembly has a receiving station for manually placing a single seedling and a lowering end for releasing the seedling, the lowering end being configured to correspond to the inlet of the seedling guide tube; The seedling guide tube extends vertically, and a buffer structure is provided inside its cavity. The buffer structure is used to prevent the seedling from falling freely inside the seedling guide tube, so as to reduce its falling speed. A soil covering mechanism is located at the bottom of the vehicle frame and behind the outlet of the seedling guide tube, and is used to backfill soil into the planting trench. A watering mechanism, located at the rear of the vehicle frame and downstream of the soil covering mechanism, is used to water the seedlings after soil covering has been completed.

[0008] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. High efficiency of human-machine collaboration and low cost of operation: By setting up a circulating conveyor component with clearly defined connection stations, the flexibility of manual seedling picking is combined with the rhythm of mechanical conveying. While ensuring operational efficiency, it reduces the dependence on complex automatic identification and grasping systems, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and the threshold for use.

[0009] 2. Innovative Gentle Planting Core: By integrating a unique spiral bending section into the seedling guide tube as a buffer structure, the trajectory of the seedling's fall is forcibly changed, converting the harmful vertical impact kinetic energy into controllable rotational sliding friction energy dissipation. This fundamentally reduces the impact speed between the seedling and the bottom of the trench, effectively avoiding stem bending, root damage, and soil ball breakage, and significantly improving transplanting quality and survival rate.

[0010] 3. Continuous and smooth operation process: By integrating the five functional modules of ditching, conveying and connecting, buffering and guiding seedlings, covering soil and watering into the frame in the order of agronomic process and rationally arranging their front and rear positions, continuous and integrated operation of "ditching a ditch, planting a seedling, covering a layer of soil and watering once" is realized. The operation process is smooth and the production efficiency is high.

[0011] 4. Good adjustability and adaptability: Key components such as the furrowing plow adopt a detachable design, and the installation angle of the soil covering plate is adjustable, which allows the device to be easily adjusted according to different crop seedling types, soil conditions and agronomic requirements, enhancing the versatility and practicality of the equipment.

[0012] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort: Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying assembly of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the seedling guide tube portion of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the soil covering mechanism of the present invention.

[0014] Figure label: 1. Frame; 2. Furrowing plow; 3. Seedling storage box; 4. Drive motor; 5. Drive sprocket; 6. Driven sprocket; 7. Chain; 8. Seedling container; 9. Seedling guide tube; 10. Buffer structure; 11. Support rod; 12. Soil covering board; 13. Water storage tank; 14. Water delivery pipe; 15. Sprinkler head. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "vertical," "circumferential," "radial," "axial," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0018] 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 connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0019] like Figures 1-4 The vegetable seedling transplanting device shown includes a frame 1, a trenching mechanism, a transplanting mechanism, a soil covering mechanism, and a watering mechanism.

[0020] The frame 1 is used to connect to traction power devices such as tractors, providing support and a base for movement for the entire device.

[0021] The trenching mechanism is located at the front bottom of the frame 1 and is used to dig a continuous trench in the ground in front of the device for planting seedlings during the device's movement.

[0022] The transplanting mechanism is mounted on the frame 1 and located behind the trenching mechanism. Its core function is to precisely and gently place individual vegetable seedlings into the prepared trenches. The transplanting mechanism includes a seedling storage box 3 for storing batches of seedlings, a conveying component for receiving individual seedlings from the seedling storage box 3 and transporting them to the designated placement point, and a seedling guide tube 9 for guiding the seedlings as they fall.

[0023] The conveying assembly has a clearly defined operating position: a receiving station for manually placing individual seedlings and a lowering end for releasing seedlings. During operation, the operator takes an individual seedling from the seedling storage box 3 and manually places it onto the conveying assembly carrier that has just moved to the receiving station. The conveying assembly then smoothly transports the carrier carrying the seedling to the lowering end, which is positioned to correspond to the inlet of the seedling guide tube 9, allowing the seedling to smoothly transition from the conveying assembly into the seedling guide tube 9.

[0024] The seedling guide tube 9 extends roughly vertically. Its unique feature is that a buffer structure 10 is set inside the tube cavity. The main function of the buffer structure 10 is to actively hinder the free fall motion of the seedling inside the tube. By consuming the gravitational potential energy of the seedling falling through friction and changing the movement path, the final velocity of the seedling falling into the bottom of the ditch is significantly reduced.

[0025] The soil covering mechanism is located at the bottom of the frame 1 and behind the outlet of the seedling guide tube 9. After the seedling falls from the seedling guide tube 9 into the soil trench, the soil covering mechanism immediately follows and pushes the soil on both sides back to cover the roots of the seedling, completing the initial planting.

[0026] The watering mechanism is located at the rear of the frame 1 and downstream of the soil covering mechanism. It is used to water the roots of the seedlings that have just been covered with soil and planted, so as to help the soil and roots to be in close contact and improve the survival rate.

[0027] Therefore, the device provided in this embodiment of the invention, by setting a conveying component with a specific connection station, achieves efficient coordination between manual seedling feeding and mechanical conveying, reduces automation costs and the stringent requirements for seedling uniformity; more importantly, by setting a buffer structure 10 inside the seedling guide tube 9, the problem of seedling damage caused by the traditional direct-fall seedling guide tube 9 is fundamentally solved, realizing "gentle planting" and improving the quality of transplanting operations and seedling survival rate.

[0028] In some embodiments, the ditching mechanism includes a ditching plow 2 detachably connected to the frame 1. The ditching plow 2, as a simple, robust, and durable agricultural implement, effectively breaks up the soil to form planting furrows. The detachable connection method, such as fixing with bolts or quick-connect pins, allows users to easily replace different models or sizes of the ditching plow 2 according to different soil conditions or planting depth requirements, and even remove it when ditching is not required, enhancing the versatility and flexibility of the device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the conveying assembly includes a drive motor 4, a drive sprocket 5, a driven sprocket 6, a chain 7, and multiple seedling trays 8. The drive sprocket 5 and the driven sprocket 6 are rotatably supported on the frame 1 by bearings or other structures, and are connected by the chain 7. The output shaft of the drive motor 4 (such as a stepper motor or a servo motor) is connected to the drive sprocket 5, providing it with rotational power. Multiple seedling trays 8 are fixedly arranged at certain intervals along the circumference of the chain 7. Each seedling tray 8 is a cylindrical or square structure with openings at both the top and bottom, and its inner cavity is just large enough to accommodate one seedling with a nutrient soil ball.

[0030] The entire chain 7's movement loop passes through two key stations: the connection station and the lowering end. When the drive motor 4 rotates the chain 7 in a cycle, each seedling container 8 moves sequentially to the connection station, where the operator can place a seedling into the container from above. Subsequently, the seedling container 8 carrying the seedling continues to move with the chain 7 until it reaches the lowering end, located directly above the inlet of the seedling guide tube 9. Since there is no support below the lowering end, the seedling falls from the bottom of the seedling container 8 under gravity and accurately enters the seedling guide tube 9. This cyclical transport method achieves continuity and rhythm in transplanting operations, effectively improving work efficiency.

[0031] In some embodiments, the seedling guide tube 9 includes a tube extending along its axial direction, and the buffer structure 10 is a spirally bent section formed on the tube. Specifically, a section of the originally straight tube is bent into a spiral shape similar to a spring. When the seedling falls into this spirally bent section from the upper inlet, its trajectory is forcibly changed by the tube wall, changing from a vertical fall to a rotating slide down the spiral tube wall. During this process, the seedling continuously contacts and rubs against the tube wall, its gravitational potential energy is gradually consumed, and the falling speed is effectively controlled. This buffering method, which requires no moving parts and relies entirely on structural design, is simple and reliable, and has significant deceleration and seedling protection effects.

[0032] In some embodiments, the soil covering mechanism includes a vertically arranged support rod 11 and a pair of soil covering plates 12. The upper end of the support rod 11 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the frame 1, and the pair of soil covering plates 12 are symmetrically hinged or fixedly connected to the lower end of the support rod 11, located on the left and right sides of the frame 1 in the direction of travel.

[0033] Both covering plates 12 are installed at a certain angle to the outside (i.e., away from the direction of the seedling) relative to the vertical plane. Looking from the front of the device to the rear, the two covering plates 12 are arranged in a figure-eight shape, and the lateral distance between them gradually decreases from front to back. As the device moves forward, these inclined covering plates 12 act like plowshares, pushing the loose soil turned up by the furrowing plow 2 on both sides of the seedling guide tube 9 inward and backward, naturally covering the roots of the seedlings already placed in the furrow, completing the covering operation. The inclined angle and figure-eight shape design make the covering process smooth, prevents soil accumulation, and ensures an appropriate amount of soil is formed.

[0034] In some embodiments, the watering mechanism includes a water storage tank 13, a water delivery pipe 14, and a nozzle 15. The water storage tank 13 is fixedly installed at the rear of the frame 1 and is used to store irrigation water. One end of the water delivery pipe 14 is connected to the bottom outlet of the water storage tank 13, utilizing the water level difference to generate natural water pressure. The other end of the water delivery pipe 14 is equipped with a nozzle 15, the position and angle of which are precisely configured so that the water outlet direction is directly facing the planting point behind the soil covering mechanism where soil has just been covered. When the seedling passes under the nozzle 15 after soil covering, the water sprayed by the nozzle 15 can accurately irrigate the soil at the roots of the seedling. This follow-up watering method realizes the synchronization of planting and irrigation, timely replenishes water for the seedlings, and improves work efficiency and survival rate.

[0035] In summary, this device has the following characteristics: 1. High efficiency of human-machine collaboration and low cost of operation: By setting up a circulating conveyor component with clearly defined connection stations, the flexibility of manual seedling picking is combined with the rhythm of mechanical conveying. While ensuring operational efficiency, it reduces the dependence on complex automatic identification and grasping systems, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and the threshold for use.

[0036] 2. Innovative Gentle Planting Core: By integrating a unique spiral bending section as a buffer structure 10 within the seedling guide tube 9, the trajectory of the seedling's fall is forcibly altered, converting harmful vertical impact kinetic energy into controllable rotational sliding friction energy dissipation. This fundamentally reduces the impact speed between the seedling and the bottom of the trench, effectively preventing stem bending, root damage, and soil ball breakage, and significantly improving transplanting quality and survival rate.

[0037] 3. Continuous and smooth operation process: By integrating the five functional modules of ditching, conveying and connecting, buffering and guiding seedlings, covering soil and watering into the frame 1 in the order of agronomic process and rationally arranging their front and rear positions, continuous and integrated operation of "ditching a ditch, planting a seedling, covering a layer of soil and watering once" is realized. The operation process is smooth and the production efficiency is high.

[0038] 4. Good adjustability and adaptability: Key components such as the furrowing plow 2 adopt a detachable design, and the installation angle of the soil covering plate 12 is adjustable, which allows the device to be easily adjusted according to different crop seedling types, soil conditions and agronomic requirements, enhancing the versatility and practicality of the equipment.

[0039] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A vegetable seedling transplanting device, characterized in that, include: A chassis for connection to a traction power unit; A trenching mechanism is located at the front bottom of the vehicle frame and is used to dig planting trenches in the direction of travel. The transplanting mechanism is mounted on the vehicle frame and located behind the trenching mechanism. The transplanting mechanism includes a seedling storage box for storing a batch of seedlings, a conveying component for receiving and transporting individual seedlings, and a seedling guide tube. The conveying assembly has a receiving station for manually placing a single seedling and a lowering end for releasing the seedling, the lowering end being configured to correspond to the inlet of the seedling guide tube; The seedling guide tube extends vertically, and a buffer structure is provided inside its cavity. The buffer structure is used to prevent the seedling from falling freely inside the seedling guide tube, so as to reduce its falling speed. A soil covering mechanism is located at the bottom of the vehicle frame and behind the outlet of the seedling guide tube, and is used to backfill soil into the planting trench. A watering mechanism, located at the rear of the vehicle frame and downstream of the soil covering mechanism, is used to water the seedlings after soil covering has been completed.

2. The vegetable seedling transplanting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trenching mechanism includes a trenching plow that is detachably connected to the frame.

3. The vegetable seedling transplanting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying assembly includes a drive motor, a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket, a chain, and multiple seedling cylinders; the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket are rotatably supported on the frame and are connected by the chain drive; the drive motor is used to drive the drive sprocket to rotate; the multiple seedling cylinders are fixedly arranged at intervals along the circumference of the chain, and the seedling cylinders are cylindrical with open ends; The transmission path of the chain is configured such that any of the seedling carriers can move sequentially to the receiving station to receive seedlings placed manually, and then move to the lowering end to release the seedlings.

4. The vegetable seedling transplanting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seedling guide tube includes a tube body extending along its axial direction, and the buffer structure is a spirally curved section formed on the tube body, which forces the seedling to fall along a spiral trajectory.

5. The vegetable seedling transplanting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The soil covering mechanism includes a vertically arranged support rod and a pair of soil covering plates; The support rod is connected to the bottom of the vehicle frame; A pair of soil covering plates are symmetrically connected to the support rod on both sides in the width direction of the frame, and the soil covering plates are inclined outward relative to the vertical plane; the distance between the two soil covering plates gradually decreases in the front-to-back direction.

6. The vegetable seedling transplanting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The watering mechanism includes a water tank, a water supply pipe, and a nozzle; the water tank is located at the rear of the vehicle frame; one end of the water supply pipe is connected to the bottom of the water tank, and the other end is equipped with the nozzle; the nozzle is positioned to face the planting point after soil covering.

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