A soil moisture intelligent monitoring device and a monitoring method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of soil monitoring, in particular to a soil moisture intelligent monitoring device and a monitoring method, wherein the soil moisture intelligent monitoring device comprises a pressing rod, a monitoring unit, a sampling assembly and a driving assembly. The monitoring unit is used for monitoring the soil moisture. When monitoring the deep soil moisture, the driving assembly first controls the outer cylinder to advance, cuts into and extrudes and crushes the soil in front, thereby reducing the advancing resistance; then the driving assembly controls the inner cylinder to advance and fills the soil sample into the accommodating cavity. Therefore, the driving assembly controls the axial alternating movement of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to produce extrusion and crushing effect on the soil, thereby reducing the subsequent advancing resistance and effectively improving the penetration ability of the device in the deep soil.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of soil monitoring technology, and in particular to an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Soil moisture is a key indicator reflecting soil water supply, and it is of vital importance for crop irrigation decisions, drought early warning, water resource management, and ecological research. Traditional soil moisture monitoring has long relied on manual sampling and laboratory drying and weighing methods. Although these methods are highly accurate, they have inherent drawbacks such as being time-consuming and labor-intensive, having limited spatial representativeness, and being unable to provide real-time feedback, making them difficult to adapt to the needs of modern agriculture's precision and intelligent management.

[0003] With the rapid development of sensing technology and information systems, on-site rapid soil moisture monitoring equipment has gradually developed and been widely applied. Currently, most existing equipment measures soil moisture in real time by inserting probe-type sensors into the surface soil. This method enables rapid on-site data acquisition, significantly improving monitoring efficiency. However, its monitoring depth is usually limited to shallow soil layers, and the data obtained mainly reflects the surface soil moisture. It is easily affected by severe environmental factors such as evaporation and rainfall, exhibiting large fluctuations and failing to accurately characterize the water accumulation and transport status of the main root activity layer or deeper soil layers.

[0004] Furthermore, to obtain deep and reliable soil moisture profile data, soil sampling is often used for stratified monitoring. This involves pressing or driving a sampling tool into the target soil layer to extract a columnar soil sample, which is then sealed, preserved, and sent to a laboratory for analysis. While this method can obtain actual soil samples at different depths, the frictional resistance between the soil and the cylinder wall increases significantly with increasing sampling depth, making it difficult to press down and further hindering the entry of soil samples. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device to address the problem of difficulty in pressing down existing equipment when conducting deep soil sampling and monitoring.

[0006] The above objectives are achieved through the following technical solutions: A smart soil moisture monitoring device includes: Downward pressure rod; A monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit is used to monitor soil moisture; A sampling assembly for deep soil sampling; the sampling assembly includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the inner cylinder being coaxially sleeved on the outside of the pressure rod, and the outer cylinder being coaxially sleeved on the outside of the inner cylinder, both the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder being able to slide along the axial direction of the pressure rod; the inner cylinder has a receiving cavity extending along its own axial direction, the receiving cavity being used to receive soil samples; The drive assembly is used to drive the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to slide alternately along the axial direction of the pressure rod during deep soil sampling, so as to reduce the resistance when the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are inserted into the soil.

[0007] Furthermore, the inner cylinder has an opening extending along its own axis, which is used to connect the receiving cavity with the external environment; the outer cylinder has a through-hole extending along its own axis, which is used to ensure that the opening is in the open state when deep soil sampling is performed.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer cylinder includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder, which are fitted at an angle to the outside of the pressure rod. During deep soil sampling, the first cylinder and the second cylinder can slide synchronously along the axial direction of the pressure rod to maintain the opening. A plurality of first sawtooth blocks are fixedly arranged on the first cylinder, circumferentially around the central axis of the first cylinder. A plurality of second sawtooth blocks are fixedly arranged on the second cylinder, circumferentially around the central axis of the second cylinder. A plurality of third sawtooth blocks are fixedly arranged on the inner cylinder, circumferentially around the central axis of the inner cylinder. During deep soil sampling, the first, second, and third sawtooth blocks are used to cut long obstructions.

[0009] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a motor, a gear unit, and a cam mechanism. The motor provides power to the cam mechanism through the gear unit, and the cam mechanism is capable of driving the inner cylinder to generate axial relative displacement with respect to the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

[0010] Furthermore, the gear unit includes a gear carrier, a driving gear, a driven gear, and a transmission unit. The gear carrier is slidably connected to the lower pressure rod. The driving gear and the driven gear are respectively disposed on both sides of the gear carrier and are rotatably connected to the gear carrier. A first rack and a second rack extending along their own axial direction are fixedly disposed on the lower pressure rod. The driving gear meshes with the first rack, and the driven gear meshes with the second rack. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to the driving gear. When the driven gear rotates around its own axial direction, the transmission unit can drive the cam mechanism to work.

[0011] Furthermore, the cam mechanism includes a first cam and a second cam, which are rotatably disposed at both ends of the gear frame. The first cam has a first major diameter end and a first minor diameter end, which are used to push the first cylinder and the second cylinder to slide along their own axial direction. The second cam has a second major diameter end and a second minor diameter end, which are used to push the inner cylinder to slide along its own axial direction.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a limiting component, wherein both the first cylinder and the second cylinder are rotatably connected to the pressure rod, and both the first cylinder and the second cylinder are capable of rotating about the axial direction of the pressure rod; when the first cylinder and the second cylinder slide to the required depth, the limiting component can drive the first cylinder and the second cylinder to rotate relative to each other about the axial direction of the pressure rod, for circumferential shearing of the soil sample.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a cutting component that can cut the bottom of the soil sample when the first cylinder and the second cylinder rotate relative to each other.

[0014] Furthermore, a plurality of first protrusions are fixedly provided on the first cylinder, and a plurality of second protrusions are fixedly provided on the second cylinder. Both the first protrusions and the second protrusions are used to fix the soil sample.

[0015] The present invention also provides a monitoring method for an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device, used to execute the intelligent soil moisture monitoring device described in any one of the above claims, comprising the following steps: S100, Select surface soil moisture monitoring or deep soil sampling monitoring; S200. After selecting surface soil moisture monitoring, the monitoring unit is inserted into the soil surface for monitoring. S300. After selecting deep soil sampling and monitoring, start the drive component; S310. The drive component first controls the outer cylinder to advance, cuts into and crushes the soil in front, and reduces the advancing resistance. S320, the drive assembly then controls the inner cylinder to advance and collects soil samples into the receiving cavity, and the monitoring unit monitors the soil moisture of the soil samples.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention provides an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device and method. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device includes a pressure rod, a monitoring unit, a sampling component, and a driving component. The monitoring unit is used to monitor soil moisture. The sampling component includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the pressure rod, and the outer cylinder is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the inner cylinder. Both the inner and outer cylinders can slide along the axial direction of the pressure rod. The inner cylinder has a cavity extending axially to hold soil samples. Furthermore, when monitoring the surface soil moisture, pressing the pressure rod allows the monitoring unit to directly monitor the surface soil moisture. For deep soil moisture monitoring, the driving component first controls the outer cylinder to advance, cutting into and crushing the soil in front to reduce subsequent resistance. Then, the driving component controls the inner cylinder to advance, filling the cavity with soil samples, and the monitoring unit then monitors the soil moisture. Because the outer cylinder's initial advance has already compressed and loosened the soil ahead, it reduces the inner cylinder's resistance to entering the soil. Therefore, by controlling the alternating axial movement of the inner and outer cylinders through the drive assembly, the soil is compressed and broken, reducing subsequent propulsion resistance and effectively improving the device's penetration capability in deep soil. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the inner cylinder, the first cylinder, and the second cylinder; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Exploded view; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the drive component; Figure 6 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the medium-flexible cutting component; Figure 7 for Figure 1 Top view; Figure 8 for Figure 7 A sectional view along section BB. Figure 9 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view along section AA when the first and second cams are working; Figure 10 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view along section AA of the first and second cams in another working state; Figure 11 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure during the sampling process of medium-deep soil; Figure 12 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a soil sample cut in China.

[0018] in: 110. Pressing rod; 111. Inner rod; 112. Outer rod; 113. Pressing head; 121. Monitoring plate; 122. Sensor; 123. Fixed shaft; 124. First guide groove; 201. Inner cylinder; 202. Receiving cavity; 203. Opening; 204. Push rod; 210. Outer cylinder; 211. First cylinder; 212. Second cylinder; 213. First opening; 214. Second opening; 215. First connecting shaft; 216. Second connecting shaft; 221. First protrusion; 222. Second protrusion; 231. First serrated block; 232. Second serrated block; 233. Third serrated block; 241. First groove; 242. Second groove; 300. Drive assembly; 301. Motor; 302. Gear carrier; 303. Drive gear; 304. Driven gear; 305. Transmission rod; 306. Transmission bevel gear; 311. First rack; 312. Second rack; 321. First cam; 322. Second cam; 331. First bevel gear; 332. Second bevel gear; 401. Rotating housing; 402. Handle; 411. First hinge rod; 412. Second hinge rod; 421. First hinge arm; 422. Second hinge arm; 501, First steel wire; 502, Second steel wire; 511, First fixed shaft; 512, Second fixed shaft; 521, First inner sleeve; 522, Second inner sleeve; 523, Second coil spring; 524, Fixing plate. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0020] The component designations used in this document, such as "first" and "second," are merely for distinguishing the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this invention, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). It should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description. They 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 limiting the invention.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0022] The following reference Figures 1 to 12 This invention describes an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device includes a pressure rod 110 and a monitoring unit. The pressure rod 110 is installed vertically, and a pressure head 113 extending horizontally is fixedly installed at the top of the pressure rod 110. This pressure head 113 facilitates the operator's pressing to insert the device into the soil. The monitoring unit includes a monitoring disc 121 and multiple sensors 122, wherein the monitoring disc 121 is coaxially fixedly installed at the bottom end of the pressure rod 110. The multiple sensors 122 are fixedly installed at the bottom of the monitoring disc 121 for collecting soil moisture parameters. When soil moisture monitoring of the soil surface is required, the operator presses the pressure rod 110 with the pressure head 113, causing the sensors 122 to be vertically inserted into the soil surface, thereby ensuring that the sensors 122 directly contact the soil medium at the target depth for rapid monitoring. Furthermore, multiple fixed shafts 123 are also fixedly installed at the bottom end of the monitoring disc 121. During the pressing down of the pressure rod 110, the fixed shaft 123 is inserted into the soil synchronously with the sensor 122, which plays a fixed support role and effectively prevents the monitoring disk 121 from deflecting or tilting when entering the soil, ensuring that the sensor 122 enters the soil vertically.

[0023] The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device also includes a sampling component and a drive component 300. The sampling component can sample deep soil for moisture monitoring. The sampling component includes an inner cylinder 201 and an outer cylinder 210. The inner cylinder 201 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the pressure rod 110 and can slide along the axial direction of the pressure rod 110. The outer cylinder 210 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the inner cylinder 201 and can slide along the axial direction of the pressure rod 110. Furthermore, a sensor 122 is also disposed on the inner wall of the top of the inner cylinder 201. During deep soil moisture monitoring, the drive component 300 controls the inner cylinder 201 and the outer cylinder 210 to move alternately along the axial direction of the pressure rod 110. The drive component 300 first drives the outer cylinder 210 downwards, cutting into the soil in front and squeezing it, while simultaneously breaking up hard soil to reduce subsequent propulsion resistance. Subsequently, the drive component 300 drives the inner cylinder 201 downwards. Because the outer cylinder 210's advance has already compressed and initially loosened the soil ahead, the resistance to the inner cylinder 201's penetration into the soil is reduced. The inner cylinder 201 has a hollow cavity 202 extending axially within it, used to receive and store soil samples entering from the bottom during the inner cylinder 201's descent. Once the inner cylinder 201 has completed its descent and filled the cavity 202 with soil samples, if only monitoring is required, the sensor 122 on the inner cylinder 201 will be inserted into the soil within the cavity 202 to directly monitor soil moisture. Therefore, the alternating axial movement of the inner cylinder 201 and the outer cylinder 210 effectively improves the device's penetration capability in deep soil layers.

[0024] Understandably, during deep soil moisture monitoring, the outer wall of the outer cylinder 210 rubs against the external soil, while the inner cylinder 201 slides inside the outer cylinder 210, with its inner wall rubbing against the sample soil in the receiving cavity 202. At the same time, the inner wall of the outer cylinder 210 and the outer wall of the inner cylinder 201 maintain a smooth metal-to-metal sliding friction fit, with a friction coefficient much lower than that between soil and metal. This avoids the high resistance problem caused by the simultaneous friction between the inner and outer walls and the soil during a single pressing process of traditional integral sampling cylinders, further reducing movement resistance and improving operational smoothness.

[0025] In one embodiment, openings 203 extending axially are provided on both sides of the inner cylinder 201, allowing the receiving cavity 202 to remain in communication with the external environment. Specifically, sluices extending axially are provided on both sides of the outer cylinder 210, ensuring that the openings 203 remain open during deep soil sampling. Due to the presence of the sluices and openings 203, the receiving cavity 202 is not a completely closed space. During soil sample storage, the soil sample within the receiving cavity 202 maintains partial radial communication with the surrounding soil through the sluices and openings 203, significantly reducing the effective contact area between the inner and outer cylinders 201 and 210 and the overall soil. This reduces the frictional resistance between the outer and inner cylinders 210 and the soil during sampling, avoiding the significant resistance caused by large-area friction in traditional closed sampling cylinders.

[0026] In one embodiment, the outer cylinder 210 includes a first cylinder 211 and a second cylinder 212, which are arranged at an angle and slidably fitted onto the outside of the lower pressure rod 110. A first connecting shaft 215 is coaxially fixedly mounted on the first cylinder 211, and a second connecting shaft 216 is coaxially fixedly mounted on the second cylinder 212. The first connecting shaft 215 is coaxially fitted onto the outside of the second connecting shaft 216 to ensure that the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 move axially synchronously. Both the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 are hollow cylinders with open sides. Since the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 are arranged at an angle, one edge of the first cylinder 211 and one edge of the second cylinder 212 together form a first opening 213, and the other edge of the first cylinder 211 and the other edge of the second cylinder 212 together form a second opening 214. Both the first opening 213 and the second opening 214 extend axially along the lower pressure rod 110. Specifically, when performing deep soil sampling, the drive assembly 300 drives the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to slide synchronously along the axial direction of the pressure rod 110, ensuring that the first port 213 and the second port 214 are aligned and connected with the opening 203, thereby ensuring that the soil sample in the receiving cavity 202 maintains partial communication with the surrounding soil in the radial direction through the opening 203.

[0027] Furthermore, a plurality of first sawtooth blocks 231 are fixedly disposed at the bottom of the first cylinder 211, and the plurality of first sawtooth blocks 231 are arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the first cylinder 211. A plurality of second sawtooth blocks 232 are fixedly disposed at the bottom of the second cylinder 212, and the plurality of second sawtooth blocks 232 are arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the second cylinder 212; a plurality of third sawtooth blocks 233 are fixedly disposed on the inner cylinder 201, and the plurality of third sawtooth blocks 233 are arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the inner cylinder 201. Specifically, when monitoring deep soil moisture, the drive component 300 drives the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to move synchronously, and alternately move axially with the inner cylinder 201, thereby enabling the first sawtooth blocks 231, the second sawtooth blocks 232 and the third sawtooth blocks 233 to loosen the soil, enhancing the loosening ability of the soil for plants; at the same time, when encountering plant roots and other long strip-shaped obstacles, they can also cut them, further reducing resistance.

[0028] In one embodiment, the drive assembly 300 includes a motor 301, a gear unit, and a cam mechanism. The motor 301 provides power to the cam mechanism through the gear unit, enabling the cam mechanism to drive the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to generate axial relative displacement with respect to the inner cylinder 201. The gear unit includes a gear carrier 302, a driving gear 303, a driven gear 304, and a transmission unit. The gear carrier 302 is slidably sleeved on the outside of the lower pressure rod 110, and the driving gear 303 and the driven gear 304 are rotatably disposed on opposite sides of the gear carrier 302. A first rack 311 and a second rack 312 are fixedly disposed on the outer wall of the lower pressure rod 110, both extending axially along the lower pressure rod 110, and are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the outer wall of the lower pressure rod 110. The output end of the motor 301 is fixedly connected to the drive gear 303, which meshes with the first rack 311, while the driven gear 304 meshes with the second rack 312.

[0029] Specifically, after the fixed shaft 123 and sensor 122 are inserted into the soil, if it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture in the deep soil, the motor 301 is started, and the motor 301 drives the drive gear 303 to rotate around its own axis. Since the pressure head 113 is always pressed and fixed by the operator during operation, the lower pressure rod 110 and its connecting parts remain in a fixed position. Therefore, the drive gear 303 meshes with the first rack 311, causing the gear carrier 302 to move downwards along the axis of the lower pressure rod 110, thereby causing the gear carrier 302 to drive the driven gear 304 to move downwards synchronously. Since the driven gear 304 meshes with the second rack 312, the driven gear 304 rotates around its own axis. Furthermore, when the driven gear 304 rotates around its own axis, its power is transmitted to the cam mechanism through the transmission unit, thereby driving the cam mechanism to start working.

[0030] Furthermore, the transmission unit includes a transmission rod 305, a first bevel gear 331, a second bevel gear 332, and two sets of transmission bevel gears 306. The transmission rod 305 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the driven gear 304, and the two sets of transmission bevel gears 306 are coaxially fixed at both ends of the transmission rod 305. The cam mechanism includes a first cam 321 and a second cam 322, which are rotatably mounted at both ends of the gear carrier 302. The first cam 321 is fixedly connected to the first bevel gear 331, which meshes with one set of transmission bevel gears 306; the second cam 322 is fixedly connected to the second bevel gear 332, which meshes with the other set of transmission bevel gears 306. Specifically, the first cam 321 has a first major diameter end and a first minor diameter end, and the second cam 322 has a second major diameter end and a second minor diameter end. Furthermore, a push rod 204 extending axially along the lower pressure rod 110 is fixedly mounted on the inner cylinder 201.

[0031] Specifically, when the driven gear 304 rotates around its own axis, the transmission rod 305 rotates synchronously with the driven gear 304, driving the transmission bevel gear 306 to rotate synchronously. The transmission bevel gear 306, through meshing connection, drives the first bevel gear 331 and the second bevel gear 332 to rotate, which in turn causes the first bevel gear 331 to drive the first cam 321 to rotate synchronously, and the second bevel gear 332 to drive the second cam 322 to rotate synchronously. When the first cam 321 rotates to its first long diameter end abutting the first cylinder 211, it pushes the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to move downward along the axial direction of the lower pressure rod 110. At the same time, the second cam 322 rotates to its second short diameter end abutting the push rod 204. Since the lift of the second short diameter end is small, the force on the push rod 204 is weak at this time, and the inner cylinder 201 does not move downward significantly. As the motor 301 continues to run, the first cam 321 and the second cam 322 continue to rotate to enter the next working phase. The first cam 321 rotates to its first short-diameter end and contacts the first cylinder 211. Due to the small lift of the first short-diameter end, the force exerted on the first cylinder 211 is weak at this time, and the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 do not move significantly downward. At this time, the second long-diameter end of the second cam 322 rotates to abut against the push rod 204, and uses a larger lift to push the inner cylinder 201 to move downward along the axial direction of the lower pressure rod 110.

[0032] Subsequently, driven by the motor 301, the first cam 321 and the second cam 322 continue to rotate. The first long diameter end and the first short diameter end alternately act on the first cylinder 211, and the second long diameter end and the second short diameter end alternately act on the push rod 204, thereby driving the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to move alternately with the inner cylinder 201 in the axial direction, further reducing the motion resistance and improving the smoothness of operation.

[0033] Understandably, during the alternating downward movement, the gear carrier 302 itself is also in a state of downward movement along the axial direction of the pressure rod 110, ensuring that no matter how the first cam 321 and the second cam 322 rotate, the first long diameter end or the first short diameter end can stably contact and push the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212, and the second long diameter end or the second short diameter end can stably contact and push the inner cylinder 201, avoiding the interruption of thrust or the phenomenon of disengagement due to relative position offset.

[0034] In one embodiment, the intelligent soil moisture monitoring device further includes a limiting component. Both the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 are rotatably connected to the lowering rod 110, and both cylinders 211 and 212 are capable of rotating about the axial direction of the lowering rod 110. The limiting component includes a rotating housing 401, a handle 402, a first hinge rod 411, and a second hinge rod 412. The rotating housing 401 is rotatably connected to the lowering rod 110, and the handle 402 is slidably connected to the rotating housing 401. The handle 402 extends radially along the lowering rod 110, and both the first hinge rod 411 and the second hinge rod 412 are hinged to the handle 402. A first hinge arm 421 is fixedly installed on the first cylinder 211. One end of the first hinge arm 421 is coaxially connected to the lower pressure rod 110 and can rotate and slide relative to the lower pressure rod 110. The first hinge rod 411 is hinged to the first hinge arm 421. A second hinge arm 422 is fixedly installed on the second cylinder 212. One end of the second hinge arm 422 is coaxially connected to the lower pressure rod 110 and can rotate and slide relative to the lower pressure rod 110. The second hinge rod 412 is hinged to the second hinge arm 422.

[0035] Specifically, during the monitoring of deep soil moisture, the handle 402 does not slide relative to the rotating shell 401 in the radial direction of the pressure rod 110. The handle 402 always maintains a fixed relative state with the rotating shell 401, and consequently the first hinge rod 411 and the second hinge rod 412 do not rotate relative to each other, thus restricting the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 from rotating relative to each other around the axial direction of the pressure rod 110, thereby ensuring that the first port 213 and the second port 214 are always aligned with and connected to the opening 203.

[0036] Once the target sampling depth is reached, if the collected soil sample needs to be sealed and preserved for subsequent monitoring, the operator can manually pull handle 402, causing it to slide radially away from the pressure rod 110. This causes the first hinge rod 411 and the second hinge rod 412 to rotate relative to each other around the hinge point. This, in turn, pushes the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 to rotate relative to each other axially around the pressure rod 110 via the first hinge arm 421 and the second hinge arm 422, gradually moving the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 away from the inner cylinder 201. As the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 rotate, the first opening 213 and the second opening 214 gradually decrease in size until they close. Ultimately, the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 cover the openings 203 on both sides of the inner cylinder 201, thus closing the openings 203. Meanwhile, during the relative rotation of the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212, the side walls of the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 will shear the soil sample in the receiving cavity 202 that is radially connected to the surrounding soil through the opening 203, thereby shearing the soil sample circumferentially and leaving the soil sample in the receiving cavity 202.

[0037] In one embodiment, the intelligent soil moisture monitoring device further includes a cutting assembly that can cut the bottom of the soil sample when the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 rotate relative to each other. Further, the cutting assembly is configured in two sets, symmetrically arranged radially along the lower pressure rod 110. Each cutting assembly includes a first steel wire 501, a second steel wire 502, a first coil spring, a second coil spring 523, a first inner sleeve 521, a second inner sleeve 522, a first fixed shaft 511, and a second fixed shaft 512. A fixing plate 524 is fixedly mounted on the first cylinder 211. The first fixed shaft 511 extends vertically and is fixedly connected to the fixing plate 524, while the second fixed shaft 512 extends vertically and is fixedly connected to the second cylinder 212. A first coil spring is coaxially rotatably fitted outside the first fixed shaft 511, and a first inner sleeve 521 is coaxially rotatably fitted outside the first coil spring. The inner end of the first coil spring is fixedly connected to the first fixed shaft 511, and the outer end of the first coil spring is fixedly connected to the first inner sleeve 521. A second coil spring 523 is coaxially rotatably fitted outside the second fixed shaft 512, and a second inner sleeve 522 is coaxially rotatably fitted outside the second coil spring 523. The inner end of the second coil spring 523 is fixedly connected to the second fixed shaft 512, and the outer end of the second coil spring 523 is fixedly connected to the second inner sleeve 522. A first steel wire 501 is wound around the outside of the first inner sleeve 521, and a second steel wire 502 is wound around the outside of the second inner sleeve 522. Furthermore, the first cylinder 211 has a first through groove extending along its own axial direction, through which the first steel wire 501 passes and is slidably connected to the first cylinder 211; the second cylinder 212 has a second through groove extending along its own axial direction, through which the second steel wire 502 passes and is slidably connected to the second cylinder 212. It is worth noting that the first steel wire 501 passes through the first through groove and connects with the second steel wire 502 at the bottom end of the first cylinder 211 and the second steel wire 502 at the bottom end of the second cylinder 212, thus forming a continuous closed flexible cutting line.

[0038] Specifically, during the deep soil sampling process, as the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 rotate relative to each other, the first steel wire 501 is unwound from the first inner sleeve 521 and gradually pulled out, and the second steel wire 502 is unwound from the second inner sleeve 522 and gradually pulled out. Simultaneously, tension is generated at the bottom connecting sections of the first steel wire 501 and the second steel wire 502. With the continued relative rotation of the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212, the bottom connecting sections of the first steel wire 501 and the second steel wire 502 adhere tightly to the bottom edge of the soil sample and move radially towards the lower pressure rod 110. This causes the first steel wire 501 and the second steel wire 502 to cut into the soil, completing the cutting of the bottom of the sample and achieving effective separation of the sample from the underlying soil layer.

[0039] Understandably, during the gradual pulling out of the first wire 501 and the second wire 502, the first coil spring and the second coil spring 523 connected to them undergo torsional deformation, and elastic potential energy is stored inside both the first coil spring and the second coil spring 523. After the soil sample collection is completed, this elastic potential energy is used to drive the first wire 501 and the second wire 502 to rewind and retract, gradually restoring them from the unfolded state to the initial coiled position.

[0040] In one embodiment, a plurality of first protrusions 221 are fixedly disposed on the first cylinder 211, and the plurality of first protrusions 221 are evenly spaced along the radial and axial directions of the first cylinder 211; a plurality of second protrusions 222 are fixedly disposed on the second cylinder 212, and the plurality of second protrusions 222 are spaced along the radial and axial directions of the second cylinder 212. Furthermore, a plurality of sets of axially extending first sliding grooves and a plurality of sets of second sliding grooves extending around the central axis of the inner cylinder 201 are formed on the outer side wall of the inner cylinder 201. The plurality of sets of first sliding grooves are radially spaced along the inner cylinder 201, and the plurality of sets of second sliding grooves are axially spaced along the inner cylinder 201. Specifically, during the monitoring of deep soil moisture, when the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 move alternately axially with the inner cylinder 201, the first protrusion 221 and the second protrusion 222 can both slide along the first groove 241 to achieve smooth movement; during the sampling of deep soil, the first protrusion 221 and the second protrusion 222 can both slide along the second groove 242 to achieve smooth movement. Simultaneously, during the sampling and lifting process, the first protrusion 221 and the second protrusion 222 can embed themselves into the soil sample, assisting in fixing the sample and preventing it from falling out, thereby effectively improving the integrity of the sample and the reliability of its retrieval.

[0041] Furthermore, the pressure rod 110 adopts a split coaxial structure, comprising an inner rod 111 and an outer rod 112. The outer rod 112 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the inner rod 111, allowing relative rotation between the outer rod 112 and the inner rod 111. Specifically, the first rack 311 and the second rack 312 are both axially fixed on the outer wall of the outer rod 112, respectively for meshing with the driving gear 303 and the driven gear 304. Radially extending limiting holes are provided near the top of the outer rod 112 and the top of the inner rod 111. During deep soil moisture monitoring, the operator inserts an external limiting rod into the limiting holes of the outer rod 112 and the inner rod 111, thereby locking the relative rotation between the inner rod 111 and the outer rod 112, making the entire pressure rod 110 a rigid whole. The outer rod 112 has a first guide groove 124 and a second guide groove extending along its own axial direction, symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the outer wall of the outer rod 112. When sampling is completed and the device needs to be reset as a whole, the driving gear 303 and the driven gear 304 move to the bottom of the outer rod 112 and disengage from the first rack 311 and the second rack 312, respectively. At this time, the operator pulls the limiting rod out of the limiting hole and then rotates the outer rod 112 so that the first guide groove 124 and the second guide groove are aligned with the positions of the driving gear 303 and the driven gear 304, respectively. Therefore, the driving gear 303 is embedded in the first guide groove 124, and the driven gear 304 is embedded in the second guide groove. Since the first guide groove 124 and the second guide groove are continuous grooves without toothed structures, the driven gear 304 of the driving gear 303 will not rotate during the return movement, thus avoiding the accidental triggering of other components such as the first cylinder 211, the second cylinder 212, and the inner cylinder 201, and ensuring the smooth reset of other components such as the first cylinder 211, the second cylinder 212, and the inner cylinder 201.

[0042] The embodiments of the present invention also include a monitoring method for an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device, used to execute the intelligent soil moisture monitoring device in any of the above embodiments.

[0043] The following are the working steps of the soil moisture intelligent monitoring device: S100. Select the monitoring mode according to the monitoring needs: surface soil moisture monitoring or deep soil sampling monitoring.

[0044] S200. After selecting surface soil moisture monitoring, the operator presses down the pressure bar 110 through the pressure head 113, and the sensor 122 is inserted into the soil surface for monitoring.

[0045] S300. After selecting deep soil sampling and monitoring, start motor 301. Motor 301 drives the drive gear 303 and driven gear 304 to rotate, causing the first cam 321 and the second cam 322 to operate.

[0046] S310, the first cam 321 pushes the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 downward to cut into the soil and reduce subsequent resistance.

[0047] S320 and the second cam 322 push the inner cylinder 201 down. Since the soil in the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 has been loosened, the inner cylinder 201 smoothly enters and collects soil samples into the receiving cavity 202.

[0048] S400, Determine whether soil samples need to be removed.

[0049] S410. If not required, the sensor 122 on the inner cylinder 201 monitors the soil sample in the receiving cavity 202 in real time.

[0050] S420. If necessary, the operator pulls the handle 402 to make the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 rotate relative to each other around the lower pressure rod 110. The first opening 213 and the second opening 214 gradually decrease until they are closed. Finally, the first cylinder 211 and the second cylinder 212 cover the openings 203 on both sides of the inner cylinder 201, thereby closing the openings 203.

[0051] S430, the first steel wire 501 and the second steel wire 502 are gradually pulled out, and the bottom connecting section of the first steel wire 501 and the second steel wire 502 can cut off the connection between the soil sample and the underlying soil.

[0052] S440, the first protrusion 221 and the second protrusion 222 are embedded in the soil sample to prevent the sample from falling off during the lifting process.

[0053] S500, reset first cylinder 211, second cylinder 212, inner cylinder 201 and other components.

[0054] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0055] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A smart soil moisture monitoring device, characterized in that, include: Downward pressure rod; A monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit is used to monitor soil moisture; A sampling assembly for deep soil sampling; the sampling assembly includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the inner cylinder being coaxially sleeved on the outside of the pressure rod, and the outer cylinder being coaxially sleeved on the outside of the inner cylinder, both the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder being able to slide along the axial direction of the pressure rod; the inner cylinder has a receiving cavity extending along its own axial direction, the receiving cavity being used to receive soil samples; The drive assembly is used to drive the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to slide alternately along the axial direction of the pressure rod during deep soil sampling, so as to reduce the resistance when the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are inserted into the soil. The inner cylinder has an opening extending along its own axis, which is used to connect the receiving cavity with the external environment; the outer cylinder has a through-hole extending along its own axis, which is used to ensure that the opening is in the open state when deep soil sampling is carried out. The outer cylinder includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder, which are fitted at an angle to the outside of the pressure rod. During deep soil sampling, the first cylinder and the second cylinder can slide synchronously along the axial direction of the pressure rod to maintain the opening. Multiple first sawtooth blocks are fixedly mounted on the first cylinder, arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the first cylinder. Multiple second sawtooth blocks are fixedly mounted on the second cylinder, arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the second cylinder. Multiple third sawtooth blocks are fixedly mounted on the inner cylinder, arranged circumferentially around the central axis of the inner cylinder. During deep soil sampling, the first, second, and third sawtooth blocks are used to cut long obstructions.

2. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a motor, a gear unit, and a cam mechanism. The motor provides power to the cam mechanism through the gear unit, and the cam mechanism can drive the inner cylinder to generate axial relative displacement with respect to the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

3. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gear unit includes a gear carrier, a driving gear, a driven gear, and a transmission unit. The gear carrier is slidably connected to the lower pressure rod. The driving gear and the driven gear are respectively disposed on both sides of the gear carrier and are rotatably connected to the gear carrier. A first rack and a second rack extending along their own axial direction are fixedly disposed on the lower pressure rod. The driving gear meshes with the first rack, and the driven gear meshes with the second rack. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to the driving gear. When the driven gear rotates about its own axis, the transmission unit can drive the cam mechanism to work.

4. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cam mechanism includes a first cam and a second cam, which are rotatably disposed at both ends of the gear frame. The first cam has a first major diameter end and a first minor diameter end, which are used to push the first cylinder and the second cylinder to slide along their own axial direction. The second cam has a second major diameter end and a second minor diameter end, which are used to push the inner cylinder to slide along its own axial direction.

5. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting component, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are rotatably connected to the pressure rod, and the first cylinder and the second cylinder are both capable of rotating about the axial direction of the pressure rod; when the first cylinder and the second cylinder slide to the required depth, the limiting component can drive the first cylinder and the second cylinder to rotate relative to each other about the axial direction of the pressure rod, for circumferential shearing of the soil sample.

6. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a cutting component that can cut the bottom of the soil sample when the first cylinder and the second cylinder rotate relative to each other.

7. The intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cylinder is fixedly provided with a plurality of first protrusions, and the second cylinder is fixedly provided with a plurality of second protrusions. Both the first protrusions and the second protrusions are used to fix the soil sample.

8. A monitoring method for an intelligent soil moisture monitoring device, used to execute the intelligent soil moisture monitoring device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S100, Select surface soil moisture monitoring or deep soil sampling monitoring; S200. After selecting surface soil moisture monitoring, the monitoring unit is inserted into the soil surface for monitoring. S300. After selecting deep soil sampling and monitoring, start the drive component; S310. The drive component first controls the outer cylinder to advance, cuts into and crushes the soil in front, and reduces the advancing resistance. S320, the drive assembly then controls the inner cylinder to advance and collects soil samples into the receiving cavity, and the monitoring unit monitors the soil moisture of the soil samples.

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