Data acquisition device for tracking plant growth process
By designing a highly adaptable data acquisition device, dynamic correlation analysis between plant growth process and environmental factors was realized, solving the problems of insufficient sealing and interference in existing technologies, and providing comprehensive support for plant growth tracking and environmental data acquisition.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520540329.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-03-25
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies are insufficient to systematically analyze the dynamic correlation between plant growth processes and environmental factors. Furthermore, monitoring devices are not well-sealed in the field, are easily damaged by moisture, and are too large, which can interfere with the plant growth microenvironment.
A data acquisition device comprising an outer shell, a solar panel, a motion mechanism, a shooting mechanism, and a soil sensor was designed. It is constructed using a transparent acrylic sheet and combined with a lead screw driven by a stepper motor and a camera base to achieve omnidirectional shooting and soil data acquisition. Data is transmitted in real time through an ESP32 control board.
It enables comprehensive tracking of plant growth processes and real-time collection of environmental data, adapts to complex field environments, ensures the device's airtightness and normal operation, and provides key information to support plant growth research.
Smart Images
Figure CN223827080U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of monitoring equipment technology, and in particular to a data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of research on the relationship between plant growth and the environment, environmental monitoring technologies have emerged.
[0003] Among related technologies, environmental monitoring methods have many shortcomings. Currently, commonly used technical solutions mainly include manual observation and recording, monitoring by single-function sensors, or timed shooting by ordinary cameras. However, none of these methods can systematically achieve dynamic correlation analysis between plant growth processes and environmental factors.
[0004] Specifically, plants grow over time; fixed-point and fixed-time shooting methods are not adaptable enough; in addition, the related monitoring devices are not well adapted to the field environment, and have problems such as insufficient sealing and susceptibility to moisture damage; at the same time, the excessive size of the monitoring equipment will also interfere with the plant growth microenvironment. Utility Model Content
[0005] In response to the shortcomings of the existing production technologies, the applicant provides a data acquisition device for tracking the plant growth process, which can periodically take real-time environmental photos, track the plant growth process, and record image and environmental data during the plant growth process, thereby facilitating the study of the relationship between the plant growth process and the external environment.
[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: A data acquisition device for tracking the plant growth process, comprising:
[0007] The outer shell includes an upper shell composed of a first shell and a second shell, and a lower shell formed by a third shell, the lower shell being located below the soil surface;
[0008] Solar panels are arranged around the inner surface of the upper housing;
[0009] The motion mechanism is located inside the second housing and includes a drive motor and a lead screw connected to the output end of the drive motor.
[0010] The shooting mechanism includes a camera base and multiple cameras. The camera base is threadedly engaged with the lead screw and moves vertically under the drive of the lead screw. The cameras are fixed on the camera base and are staggered from the solar panel to avoid the solar panel from obstructing the shooting field of view.
[0011] A soil sensor, located at the bottom of the third housing, is used to collect soil environmental data.
[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:
[0013] Preferably, both the upper and lower shells are made of transparent acrylic sheets.
[0014] Preferably, the inner surface of the second housing is provided with a guide groove, and the camera base cooperates with the guide groove to restrict the movement direction of the camera base.
[0015] Preferably, the top of the third housing has a passage hole, the second housing passes through the passage hole and extends downward to form an extension section, and the camera base moves into the extension section to take underground pictures.
[0016] Preferably, the upper housing has a hexagonal structure, the solar panel has three pieces, the camera has three pieces, and each camera has a shooting angle of 120°, with the overall shooting range of the three cameras covering 360°.
[0017] Preferably, the diameter of the third housing is larger than the diameter of the second housing, so that the camera meets the focusing distance requirements when shooting underground inside the third housing.
[0018] Preferably, the drive motor is a stepper motor, used to precisely control the rotation angle and speed of the lead screw.
[0019] Preferably, the soil sensor includes at least one of a soil moisture sensor, a soil temperature sensor, and a soil nutrient sensor.
[0020] Preferably, it also includes a control mechanism, which is disposed within the first housing; the control mechanism is an ESP32 control board, which integrates a battery module, a light sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a communication module.
[0021] More preferably, the control mechanism is wirelessly connected to an external terminal via the communication module to transmit image data and environmental data in real time.
[0022] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0023] This utility model has a compact structure with matching upper and lower shells, which protects the internal components and facilitates installation and maintenance. At the same time, the outer shell is made of transparent acrylic sheet, which enhances the sealing performance and ensures the normal operation of the camera and solar panel, making it suitable for complex outdoor environments.
[0024] This utility model also has the following advantages:
[0025] (1) The shooting mechanism of this utility model moves vertically in conjunction with the motion mechanism, and combines multiple cameras to shoot in all directions without blind spots, so as to meet the needs of tracking the plant growth process.
[0026] (2) The soil sensor of this utility model is configured to collect soil data in real time, providing key information for plant growth research. Attached Figure Description
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.
[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the outer shell of this utility model.
[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure after the upper shell is hidden.
[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure after the solar panels have been removed.
[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the cooperation between the motion mechanism and the shooting mechanism of this utility model.
[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the soil sensor of this utility model.
[0033] Wherein: 100, first housing; 200, second housing; 300, third housing; 400, solar panel; 500, motion mechanism; 600, imaging mechanism; 700, soil sensor; 800, control mechanism;
[0034] 210. Second outer shell body; 220. Guide groove;
[0035] 310. Third outer shell body; 320. Passage hole;
[0036] 510. Drive motor; 520. Lead screw;
[0037] 610. Camera base; 620. Camera. Detailed Implementation
[0038] The specific embodiments of this utility model are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0039] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this utility model are shown in the drawings. However, this utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this utility model.
[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0041] When using the terms “including,” “having,” and “comprising” as described herein, another component may be added unless explicitly qualifying terms such as “only,” “consisting of,” etc. are used. Unless otherwise stated, singular terms may include plural forms and should not be construed as having a quantity of one.
[0042] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this invention, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.
[0043] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are not drawn to a 1:1 scale, and the relative dimensions of the components are shown in the drawings only as examples and not necessarily to actual scale.
[0044] like Figures 1-6 The accompanying drawing shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to an embodiment of the present invention; for ease of description, the drawing only shows the structure related to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] Please see Figures 1 to 4 In this embodiment, a data acquisition device for tracking plant growth is provided, including an outer shell, a solar panel 400, a motion mechanism 500, a shooting mechanism 600, a soil sensor 700, and a control mechanism 800.
[0046] In this embodiment, the outer shell is divided into an upper shell and a lower shell. The upper shell is composed of a first shell 100 and a second shell 200, and the lower shell is composed of a third shell 300. The lower shell is buried below the soil surface, and the bottom of the second shell 200 penetrates the top of the third shell 300 to form an extension.
[0047] Furthermore, the first housing 100 and the second housing 200 are connected by snaps or threads to form an upper housing. The inner surface of the second outer shell body 210 of the second housing 200 is provided with a guide groove 220. The top of the third outer shell body 310 of the third housing 300 is provided with a passage hole 320. The second housing 200 passes through the passage hole 320 and extends downward into the interior of the third housing 300.
[0048] Specifically, both the upper and lower housings are made of transparent acrylic sheets, ensuring airtightness while allowing light to pass through, thus avoiding interference with the operation of the solar panel 400 and the imaging mechanism 600.
[0049] like Figure 3 As shown, the solar panel 400 consists of three panels arranged in a ring around each other, evenly distributed on the inner surfaces of the first housing 100 and the second housing 200, and staggered from the camera 620 to avoid obstructing the shooting view; at the same time, it ensures that the solar panel 400 can receive sufficient sunlight to provide power support for the device.
[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the motion mechanism 500 is located inside the second housing 200 and includes a drive motor 510 and a lead screw 520. Further, the drive motor 510 is a stepper motor, and its output end is coaxially connected to the lead screw 520. The rotation angle and speed of the lead screw 520 are precisely adjusted by the control mechanism 800.
[0051] In this embodiment, the shooting mechanism 600 includes a camera base 610 and three cameras 620.
[0052] Furthermore, the camera base 610 has a threaded hole in the middle that matches the lead screw 520, so that vertical movement can be achieved through the threaded engagement;
[0053] Furthermore, the camera base 610 has protrusions on both sides, which slide in conjunction with the guide groove 220 on the inner surface of the second housing 200 to ensure the stability of the movement trajectory;
[0054] Please see Figure 5 Specifically, the three cameras 620 have a shooting range of 120° and are fixed around the camera base 610, covering a total shooting range of 360°. When the drive motor 510 is started, the lead screw 520 drives the camera base 610 to move up and down along the guide groove 220, realizing 360° all-round shooting in the vertical direction.
[0055] Please continue reading. Figure 2 When the camera base 610 moves to the extension of the second housing 200 (i.e., inside the third housing 300), the camera 620 takes pictures of the underground part through the transparent wall of the third housing 300.
[0056] Furthermore, the diameter of the third housing 300 is larger than that of the second housing 200 to ensure that there is sufficient focusing distance between the camera 620 and the soil;
[0057] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 6 The soil sensor 700 is placed at the bottom of the third housing 300 to ensure that the soil sensor 700 can directly contact the soil in order to collect soil environmental data.
[0058] For example, the soil sensor 700 may include at least one of a soil moisture sensor, a soil temperature sensor, and a soil nutrient sensor.
[0059] In this embodiment, a control mechanism 800 is also included, which is integrated inside the first housing 100. Specifically, the control mechanism 800 adopts an ESP32 control board and has a built-in battery module, light sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, barometric pressure sensor and communication module (such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth).
[0060] More specifically, the control mechanism 800 controls the movement frequency of the shooting mechanism 600 through the drive motor 510, and periodically activates the camera 620 to capture images. The collected image data and environmental data are wirelessly transmitted to an external terminal through the communication module to achieve remote monitoring and analysis.
[0061] In practice, the workflow of this utility model is as follows:
[0062] Install the outer casing, assemble the upper casing (first casing 100 and second casing 200) with the lower casing (third casing 300), the second casing 200 passes through the passage hole 320 and penetrates the top surface of the third casing 300 and enters the interior of the third casing 300 to ensure sealing;
[0063] The control mechanism 800 is activated, and a command is sent through an external terminal. The control mechanism 800 then starts the drive motor 510, which drives the camera base 610 to move vertically along the lead screw 520.
[0064] Data acquisition: The camera 620 takes multi-angle pictures of the above-ground and underground parts of the plant according to a preset program, and the soil sensor 700 collects soil data simultaneously.
[0065] Data transmission: The collected data is uploaded to the terminal in real time via the communication module, allowing researchers to analyze the relationship between plant growth and the environment.
[0066] In practice, for example, the lengths of the second housing 200 and the lead screw 520 are adaptively configured according to the plant growth height to be observed; at the same time, the length of the solar panel 400 configured inside is matched to them.
[0067] The structure of this utility model is reasonable. The motion mechanism 500 precisely controls the vertical displacement of the shooting mechanism 600. The diameter of the third shell 300 is larger than that of the second shell 200, which provides the distance required for the shooting mechanism 600 to focus on the ground. This solves the problems of poor adaptability and single data of traditional monitoring equipment. It is especially suitable for long-term dynamic tracking of plant growth process in the wild environment.
[0068] 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.
[0069] The embodiments described above merely illustrate the implementation of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes, characterized in that, include: The outer shell includes an upper shell composed of a first shell (100) and a second shell (200), and a lower shell formed by a third shell (300), the lower shell being located below the soil surface; Solar panels (400) are arranged around the inner surface of the upper housing; The motion mechanism (500) is disposed inside the second housing (200) and includes a drive motor (510) and a lead screw (520) connected to the output end of the drive motor (510); The shooting mechanism (600) includes a camera base (610) and multiple cameras (620). The camera base (610) is threadedly engaged with the lead screw (520) and moves vertically under the drive of the lead screw (520). The cameras (620) are fixed on the camera base (610) and are staggered from the solar panel (400) to avoid the solar panel (400) from obstructing the shooting field of view. A soil sensor (700) is disposed at the bottom of the third housing (300) for collecting soil environmental data.
2. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the upper and lower shells are made of transparent acrylic sheets.
3. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner surface of the second housing (200) is provided with a guide groove (220), and the camera base (610) cooperates with the guide groove (220) to restrict the movement direction of the camera base (610).
4. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the third housing (300) is provided with a passage hole (320), the second housing (200) passes through the passage hole (320) and extends downward to form an extension section, and the camera base (610) moves into the extension section to take underground pictures.
5. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper housing has a hexagonal structure, and there are three solar panels (400) and three cameras (620). Each camera (620) has a shooting angle of 120°, and the overall shooting range of the three cameras (620) covers 360°.
6. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the third housing (300) is larger than that of the second housing (200) so that the camera (620) meets the focusing distance requirements when shooting underground inside the third housing (300).
7. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive motor (510) is a stepper motor, used to precisely control the rotation angle and speed of the lead screw (520).
8. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The soil sensor (700) includes at least one of a soil moisture sensor, a soil temperature sensor, and a soil nutrient sensor.
9. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a control mechanism (800), which is disposed within the first housing (100); The control mechanism (800) is an ESP32 control board, which integrates a battery module, a light sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a communication module.
10. The data acquisition device for tracking plant growth processes according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control mechanism (800) is wirelessly connected to an external terminal through the communication module to transmit image data and environmental data in real time.