Soil cultivation tool support device

Abstract

The invention relates to a support device (1) for tillage tools, particularly for under-row implements, comprising a chassis (5) including a base (6) having, on the one hand, means for attaching it to the rear of a motor vehicle (2) with a direction of travel (Y) and, on the other hand, means for attaching it to an inter-row implement (3), an upper sleeve (7) and two main arms (15) extending from the upper sleeve (7) along a plane P(X,Z) perpendicular to the direction (Y), each of the main arms (15) having an upper beam (16) capable of translating along the direction (X) within the upper sleeve (7) and a vertical mast (17) including means for attaching it to a complete-row implement (4). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for supporting soil working tools

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of a device for supporting soil working tools and in particular under-row tools.

[0002] In the field of viticulture, a major difficulty is the maintenance of the underside of the vine row, namely between the vines. There are chemical weed control solutions which present dangers such as the impoverishment of soil microfauna and the pollution of water and soil.

[0003] Several mechanical solutions also exist, such as excavation using a tillage tool, mowing, or even using a rotary tiller. However, such methods have slow working speeds.

[0004] It is also known to work the soil by means of a so-called half-row working tool which makes it possible to work the soil on a half-row or two half-rows opposite each other. Such a half-row working tool is towed or pushed by a motor vehicle of the tractor type. Such a half-row working tool can also be mounted on a robotic arm.

[0005] The invention aims to propose a support device for already existing tools allowing to work two complete rows or even two complete rows and two additional half-rows depending on the row or half-row tools used. On the one hand, the support device allows the use of an inter-row working tool, namely for working the soil of two half-rows opposite each other or only one of the half-rows, and, on the other hand, two soil tools called full-row tools for working the two outer half-rows. The support device according to the invention thus allows working on the soil on two complete rows or even two complete rows and two additional half-rows.

[0006] The invention relates to a device for supporting soil working tools and in particular under-row tools, comprising a chassis comprising a base comprising, on the one hand, means for attachment to the rear of a motor vehicle with a forward direction Y and, on the other hand, means for attachment to an inter-row tool, an upper sleeve and two main arms extending from the upper sleeve along a plane P(X,Z) perpendicular to the direction Y, each of the main arms comprising an upper beam capable of translating along the direction X in the upper sleeve and a vertical mast comprising means for attachment to a complete row tool.

[0007] Advantageously, the support device according to the invention makes it possible to use existing inter-row tools and the support device according to the invention is adaptable to different dimensions of vine rows.

[0008] According to a characteristic of the invention, one of the upper beams is capable of slide into the other upper beam. The implementation of such upper beams makes it possible to reduce the size of the support device. This configuration also makes it possible to design upper beams that have a greater deployment amplitude.

[0009] According to another characteristic of the invention, each vertical mast comprises a vertical arm capable of translating into a vertical sleeve of the vertical mast, thus forming a vertical slide. Such a vertical slide makes it possible both to reduce the size of the support device in the transport position and to be able to adapt to the type of terrain by raising and lowering the inter-row tools accordingly.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the support device comprises two tool lifting cylinders, one tool lifting cylinder being fixed between the vertical arm and the vertical sleeve.

[0011] According to a characteristic of the invention, the support device comprises two row width cylinders, each row width cylinder being fixed to the upper sleeve and the respective upper beam.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper sleeve comprises a carriage capable of translating in the X direction and the two row width cylinders are fixed to the carriage.

[0013] The implementation of a carriage connected to the row width cylinders allows a system for compensating for drift in the motor vehicle. The correct position of the full row tools in relation to the vines is thus maintained. The equipment is thus preserved.

[0014] According to a characteristic of the invention, the support device further comprises at least two carriage jacks, each carriage jack being fixed to the upper sleeve and on each side of the carriage.

[0015] According to another characteristic of the invention, each upper beam comprises a cam strip and a cam sensor for adapting to a row width. The implementation of a cam strip makes it easier to position the width of each side of the support device defined by the positioning of the vertical masts to adapt to standard row widths.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the support device s comprises two tilting jacks fixed to the base and the upper sleeve.

[0017] Such a tilting system makes it possible to preserve the equipment by raising the structure of the support device and therefore the inter-row and full-row tools when a tool encounters an obstacle such as a rock for example.

[0018] According to a characteristic of the invention, the support device further comprises a parallelogram soil tracking device located between the full row tool and the vertical arm comprising a ground tracking sensor and a depth wheel capable of translating in the Z direction. The implementation of a parallelogram ground tracking device makes it possible to independently control the height of a full-row tool. The vertical mast then only serves to raise the full-row tool, for example at the end of a row. The function dedicated to adjusting the height of the full-row tool according to the terrain is thus ensured by the parallelogram ground tracking device.

[0019] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the support device comprises a grounding cylinder fixed between the grounding wheel and the ground tracking device on a parallelogram.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the support device further comprises a lifting sensor capable of knowing the position of the support device relative to the motor vehicle.

[0021] The combined use of motion sensors and cylinders, and more particularly hydraulic cylinders, facilitates the movement of the structure of the support device. Each element of the support device can be actuated via a control unit.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the support device comprises a control unit capable of recovering information from the sensors and controlling each jack.

[0023] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0024] Furthermore, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting forms of embodiment of the invention and where:

[0025] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the tool support device mounted at the rear of a tractor and provided with soil working tools,

[0026] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the tool support device support according to the invention,

[0027] [Fig.3] is a flat view along the plane (Y,Z) of the support device of [Fig.2] equipped with full-range tools,

[0028] [Fig.4] is a flat view along the plane (Y,Z) of the support device of [Fig.2] equipped with full row tools in tilted position,

[0029] [Fig.5] is a flat view along the plane (X,Z) of the support device of [Fig.2] equipped with full-range tools,

[0030] [Fig.6] is a detail of [Fig.l],

[0031] [Fig.7] is a sectional view along the plane (X,Z) of a detail of [Fig.2],

[0032] [Fig-8] is a view of a detail of [Fig.5],

[0033] [Fig.9] is a view of a detail of [Fig.5],

[0034] [Fig. 10] is a flat view along the plane (X,Z) of the support device of [Fig.2] equipped with full row tools in the raised position,

[0035] [Fig. 11] is a flat view along the plane (X,Z) of the support device of [Fig.2] equipped with full row tools in the lowered position,

[0036] [Fig. 12] is a view of an exemplary embodiment of the transverse beams of a support device according to the invention,

[0037] [Fig. 13] is a view of an exemplary embodiment of a carriage of the support device according to the invention,

[0038] [Fig. 14] is a perspective view of a detail of an exemplary embodiment of a support device according to the invention, and

[0039] [Fig.15] is an exploded view of [Fig.14].

[0040] It should be noted that in these figures the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references. The orthogonal reference (X,Y,Z) is used for each figure and the description.

[0041] The invention aims to facilitate soil working in the field of viticulture. The invention proposes a support device designated as a whole by the reference 1 as illustrated in [Fig.l] forming a gantry allowing the use of several soil working tools.

[0042] [Fig.l] illustrates the support device 1 according to the invention fixed to the rear of a motor vehicle 2 of the tractor type and on which are mounted an inter-row tool 3 located behind the device between two central half-rows facing each other and two full-row tools 4 intended to work the soil on the outer side of each half-row. Two full rows are thus worked simultaneously for this example of use of the support device 1 according to the invention.

[0043] An inter-row tool 3 compatible with the invention is intended for a single right or left half-row or two half-rows facing each other. Such an inter-row tool 3 may comprise a mower, a shredder or even an inter-row. Other types of inter-row tools 3 are compatible with the invention.

[0044] A full-row tool 4 compatible with the invention is intended for a single outer half-row or two facing half-rows located outside each row. Such a full-row tool 4 may comprise a mower, a shredder or even an intercep. Other types of full-row tools 4 are compatible with the invention.

[0045] Such inter-rank 3 tools and full-rank 4 tools advantageously exist commercially.

[0046] The support device 1 illustrated alone in Figures 2 to 5 comprises for its purposes a chassis 5 formed by an assembly of parts forming a structure. The chassis 5 thus comprises a base 6 and an upper sleeve 7. The upper sleeve 7 is pivotally mounted relative to the base 6 by means of a pivot beam 8.

[0047] According to the illustrated embodiment, the upper sleeve 7 comprises two central beams 9 each resting on a removable wheel 10 and two transverse beams 11. Fixing plates 12 visible in particular in [Fig. 2] are located on the central beams 9 and the transverse beams 11 so as to be able, on the one hand, to fix the three-point lift to the rear of the motor vehicle 2 of the tractor type, and on the other hand, to fix the inter-row tool 3. The inter-row tool 3 is also fixed to the chassis 5 by means of two coupling hands 13 visible in particular in [Fig. 6]. Other embodiments of means for attaching the support device 1 to the rear of a motor vehicle 2 are compatible with the invention as well depending on the inter-row tool 3 used.

[0048] The motor vehicle 2 has a horizontal direction of advance Y substantially parallel to the ground. The support device 1 extends along a plane P (X,Z) substantially orthogonal to the direction Y.

[0049] Two tilting jacks 14 connect the base 6 to the upper sleeve 7.

[0050] In order to produce the support device 1 in the form of a tool support gantry, two main arms 15 extend from the upper sleeve 7 in the direction X.

[0051] Visible in figures 7 to 9, each main arm 15 comprises an upper beam 16 capable of sliding in the upper sleeve 7.

[0052] According to the embodiment illustrated in particular in [Fig.7], one of the upper beams 16 is also capable of sliding in the other upper beam 16.

[0053] Visible in figures 10 and 11, each main arm 15 also comprises a vertical mast 17 fixed perpendicularly in the Z direction to an upper beam 16.

[0054] The vertical mast 17 comprises a vertical arm 18 capable of translating in the Z direction in a vertical sleeve 19, thus forming a vertical slide. A tool lifting cylinder 20 is fixed between the vertical arm 18 and the respective vertical sleeve 19.

[0055] The vertical arm 18 also comprises a tool fixing structure 21, visible in particular in [Fig.6], on which a complete row 4 tool is fixed.

[0056] Two row width 22 cylinders are visible in Figures 8 and 9. A row width 22 cylinder is fixed between the upper sleeve 7 and the vertical mast 17.

[0057] According to an embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 12], the upper beams 16 comprise a cam strip 23 and a cam sensor 24 making it possible to position the vertical arms 18 according to standard row width values.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper sleeve 7 comprises a carriage 25. Two carriage cylinders 26 are fixed on each side of the carriage 25 and the upper sleeve 7. The carriage 25 is thus able to translate in the X direction.

[0059] In this particular embodiment visible in [Fig. 13], the two row width cylinders 22 join and are fixed to the carriage 25.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the support device 1 according to the invention, the vertical masts 17 are provided with a ground sensor 27 visible in particular in [Fig. 6] making it possible to know the position of the full row tool 4 relative to the ground. According to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 13, such a ground sensor 27 is mounted on the tool fixing structure 21.

[0061] A full row tool 4 compatible with the invention and illustrated in dotted lines in [Fig.6] comprises a sensor on the decavalillonneur 28 and a deformable parallelogram thus allowing the full row tool 4 to bypass the foot or vine.

[0062] Figures 14 and 15 illustrate an alternative embodiment for the interface between the vertical arm 18 and a full row tool 4.

[0063] According to an embodiment illustrated in figures 14 and 15, a parallelogram ground tracking device 29 is placed between the vertical arm 18 and the full row tool 4 at an anchoring point of the parallelogram ground tracking 30.

[0064] The parallelogram ground tracking device 29 comprises a ground tracking frame 31 comprising a ground tracking sensor 32, a parallelogram ground tracking 33 and a ground tracking wheel 34 equipped with a ground tracking cylinder 35 connecting the ground tracking wheel 34 to the ground tracking frame 31. The parallelogram ground tracking device 29 is thus capable of translating in the Z direction.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the invention, particularly visible in [Fig. 6], the support device 1 also comprises a lifting sensor 36 located at a removable wheel 10 near one of the lifting points of the tractor-type motor vehicle 2. The lifting sensor 36 is capable of recovering information relating to the position of the support device 1 relative to the tractor-type motor vehicle 2. Indeed, according to an embodiment of the invention, the support device 1 is mounted on the three-point lift at the rear of a tractor.

[0066] A support device 1 according to the invention is fixed to the rear of a motor vehicle 2 of the tractor type at three lifting points, which makes it possible to raise the support device 1 for a transport position or, when leaving the row of vines, to carry out the repositioning maneuver to enter a new row.

[0067] The motor vehicle 2 has a direction of advance Y between the rows of a vine. The row width jacks 22 are then activated so as to place the vertical masts 17 on each outer side of the rows of vines. [Fig. 12] shows a deployed upper beam 16. The motor vehicle 2 and the support device 1 can thus advance in the ranks.

[0068] The tool lifting cylinders 20 are then activated so as to place the full row tools 4 as close as possible to the vines as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The full row tools 4 or the lower row working tool 3 are then started.

[0069] If the motor vehicle 2 does not follow an exactly rectilinear trajectory, the information on the distance or approach of the vines is recovered by at least one full-row tool 4. One of the parallelograms of the full-row tools 4 is deformed and the sensor on the decavalillonneur 28 emits information on the approach of the foot or vine. This information can be processed by a control unit (not shown) so as to activate the carriage cylinders 26. The carriage 25 then translates relatively to the right or to the left in the direction X in order to adjust the position of the vertical masts 17 as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0070] For a support device such as illustrated in Figures 1 to 13 in operation, the ground sensor 27 makes it possible to obtain information on the height of the ground in real time. The tool lifting cylinders 20 are then actuated according to this information so as to raise or lower the respective full row tool 4.

[0071] Alternatively, for a support device 1 as illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, the ground tracking sensor 32 makes it possible to obtain information relating to the position of the full row tool 4 relative to the ground. The earthing cylinder 35 is activated to adapt the appropriate height of the parallelogram ground tracking device 29.

[0072] Furthermore, if one of the full row tools 4 encounters an obstacle which may be dangerous for the equipment, the two tilting cylinders 14 are activated so as to tilt the upper sleeve 7, thus driving the upper beams 16, the vertical masts 17 and therefore the full row tools 4, as shown in [Fig.4].

[0073] When the motor vehicle 2 reaches the end of a row, it then raises the support device 1 by means of the three-point lifting. The information is detected by the lifting sensor 36. The control unit orders the actuation of the tool lifting cylinders 20 in order to also raise the full row tools 4. The motor vehicle 2 can then perform a half-turn in order to advance into one of the adjacent rows with the possibility of skipping one.

[0074] Of course, various other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims

1. Support device (1) for soil working tools and in particular for under-row tools, comprising a chassis (5) comprising a base (6) comprising, on the one hand, means for attachment to the rear of a motor vehicle (2) with a direction of advance (Y) and, on the other hand, means for attachment to an inter-row tool (3), an upper sleeve (7) and two main arms (15) extending from the upper sleeve (7) along a plane P(X,Z) perpendicular to the direction (Y), each of the main arms (15) comprising an upper beam (16) capable of translating along the direction (X) in the upper sleeve (7) and a vertical mast (17) comprising means for attachment to a complete row tool (4).

2. Support device (1) according to the preceding claim in which one of the upper beams (16) is capable of sliding in the other upper beam (16).

3. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims in which each vertical mast (17) comprises a vertical arm (18) capable of translating in a vertical sleeve (19) of the vertical mast (17) thus forming a vertical slide.

4. Support device (1) according to the preceding claim comprising two tool lifting cylinders (20), one tool lifting cylinder (20) being fixed between the vertical arm (18) and the vertical sleeve (19).

5. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims comprising two row width cylinders (22), each row width cylinder (22) being fixed on the upper sleeve (7) and the respective upper beam (16).

6. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims in which the upper sleeve (7) comprises a carriage (25) capable of translating in the direction (X) and the two row width cylinders (22) are fixed on the carriage (25).

7. Support device (1) according to the preceding claim further comprising at least two carriage cylinders (26), each carriage cylinder (26) being fixed on the upper sleeve (7) and on each side of the carriage (25).

8. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims in which each upper beam (16) comprises a cam strip (23) and a cam sensor (24) allowing adaptation to a row width.

9. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims comprising two tilting jacks (14) fixed on the base (6) and the upper sleeve (7).

10. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims further comprising a parallelogram ground tracking device (29) located between the full row tool (4) and the vertical arm (18) comprising a ground tracking sensor (32) and a ground wheel (34) capable of translating in the direction (Z).

11. Support device (1) according to the preceding claim comprising a grounding cylinder (35) fixed between the grounding wheel (34) and the parallelogram ground tracking device (29).

12. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims further comprising a lifting sensor (36) capable of knowing the position of the support device (1) relative to the motor vehicle (2).

13. Support device (1) according to one of the preceding claims comprising a control unit capable of recovering information from at least one sensor (24,28,32,36) and of controlling at least one jack (14,20,22,26,35).

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