Agricultural floating vehicle

Abstract

To perform farming with a special drone to produce a rich harvest or alleviate shortage of agricultural workers.SOLUTION: An agricultural floating vehicle is configured by combining a drone with a spreader.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pesticide atomizer for spraying chemicals and seeds and a method of use thereof.

Background Art

[0002] Pesticide spraying on large fields and the like is labor-intensive and strenuous work, so pesticide spraying is carried out using a power sprayer (power sprayer), a self-propelled power sprayer, helicopter spraying, or a drone or other unmanned aircraft. In pesticide spraying by drone, only liquids or granules diluted with water are approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Spraying (for example, Patent Document 1) or granular chemicals are diffusely sprayed (for example, Patent Document 2) or sown from a drone. However, regarding powdery pesticides, they are not approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and fine powders fly up, etc., and drone spraying is hardly used. And, for example, an agricultural material tank containing a powdery pesticide is self-propelled on the ground (or carried by an operator), and only the powdery pesticide is pressure-fed and sprayed with a motor or an engine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the spraying by drones such as drones (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and the aerial spraying device by helicopter by the present inventor), when loading liquid, granular, or powdery pesticides on the drone, spraying from the air, flying for a long time, and spraying over a wide area, it is necessary to increase the floating ability. If the propeller is enlarged to be able to handle a large amount of pesticides, there is a problem that the propeller size becomes too large and dangerous. In addition, when the drone size is large, since it has a round shape, there is a problem that spraying leakage easily occurs in the spaces at each side and corner of the field. In known drones, for example, when trying to spray 30 to 40 liters, since the maximum loading capacity needs to be 40 kg or more, the drone has a propeller with a diameter of 1.2 m and an overall size of nearly 3 m. It becomes large, heavy, and costly, and it is not possible for anyone to easily perform the work. Also, in the technology where the operator carries an agricultural material warehouse containing pesticides and pumps it to the drone through a tube as in Patent Document 3, the drone may become lighter, but a long hose is required, and there is also a risk of entanglement and falling. Furthermore, when spraying with drones such as drones, if it is liquid or granular, the upward movement due to the downwash after spraying can be suppressed by pressure feeding and ejection or the self-weight of the granules. However, there is a problem that if it is fine powder like powdery pesticides, it will fly up after pressure feeding spraying and the pesticides will diffuse around, causing health hazards. Also, in the case of unmanned drones, when the shape of the paddy field is different or when it is undulating, since it moves automatically from a distance, there is a problem that drone operation becomes difficult. The present invention solves such problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention for solving the above problems is characterized in that a double-reverse propeller is provided in the first duct, a second duct is provided outside the duct, it floats at a height such that the crops are not sucked into the duct, and pesticides are sprayed from the central part or the inner wall part of the first duct. It is a device such as a drone for pesticide spraying.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, by providing a double-reverse propeller in the duct and combining it with the ground effect, a large buoyancy force is generated in a space-saving manner. Therefore, the propeller can be made small, the main body can be lightened and downsized, and the pesticide spraying efficiency is high. In addition, the flying-up of the powder pesticide can be reduced, and seed sowing can also be performed automatically, and lodging in rice cultivation and the like can be reduced. Further, according to the present invention, by moving at a low altitude and providing the first and second ducts inside and outside, the gap therebetween serves as an air suction portion, and the spraying effect is good. The powder that is sprayed and diffused upward can be inhaled efficiently, and the powder pesticide is not diffused to the surroundings, and the effect of requiring less pesticide is achieved. Therefore, there is an effect that no health damage occurs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Pesticide and seed spraying by the current drones have various problems as described above. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention for solving the problems will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009] [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a drone showing the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a drone for agricultural chemicals of the Ukuruma (FV) (application number Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-177916) invented by the present inventor. As shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B), it has a double-reverse propeller to control torque in the duct, is provided with an agricultural material storage (hopper) 102, and by the combined effect of the downwash 60 and the ground effect 61, it floats slightly above the ground surface, and part of the ejected air from the propeller is ejected from the moving ejection nozzle 309 to move and spray agricultural chemicals and seeds 106. FIG. 1 is a drone for agricultural chemicals that sprays agricultural chemicals and seeds from the outside of the duct with a single ducted fan device of the present invention. Powdery agricultural chemicals, seeds, etc. are put into the agricultural material storage 102 and sprayed toward the ground from the end of the pipe 105 provided on the outer periphery of the duct 103 (FIG. 1(B)). The spraying method by the single ducted fan device shown in FIG. 1(B) is to provide an air intake opening, for example, on the side surface of the duct 103 (not shown), and the downwash 60 of the air sent out by the double-reverse propeller 104 is reflected on the ground to kill pests that have escaped to the back of the leaves or is blown out toward the crop 5 and floats. Then, agricultural products such as agricultural chemicals in the agricultural material storage 102 are sprayed 106 through the agricultural product pipe 105 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the duct 103 along the inclined surface 1021 of the funnel-shaped agricultural material storage (hopper). The ejection direction of the agricultural product pipe 105 may be adjusted so that the sprayed agricultural chemicals hit the crop without spreading as much as possible due to the ground effect 61. Also, as described above, the sprayed agricultural chemicals may be ejected to the ground through the propeller at the center of the duct and inside the motor shaft to suppress the diffusion of the sprayed agricultural chemicals. Further, a skirt 110 may be provided at the edge (lower end) of the duct. Also, the agricultural product pipes 105 provided on the outer peripheral surface are provided at four locations in FIG. 1, but are not limited to this.

[0010] [Second Embodiment] FIG. 2 is a drone for agricultural chemicals that sprays from the propeller shaft with a double ducted fan device in the second embodiment of the present invention. The propeller at the center of the duct passes through the motor shaft and sprays straight down towards the ground (Figure 2). Moreover, the invention that separates the double duct and the central spraying is the invention of the sixth embodiment of the present invention. In the spraying method using the double ducted fan shown in Figure 2, the air sent out by the double reversing propeller 104 is blown out towards the ground or the crops 5 as the downwash 60. Then, all or part of the air is inhaled 62 through the gap 109 between the outer duct 107 and the inner peripheral duct 103 and returns to the propeller 104 as ejected air again. Therefore, the air 61 ejected outside the ducted fan pesticide drone of the present invention is less and the efficiency is good. And the agricultural materials stored in the agricultural material warehouse (hopper) 102 provided at the center of the propeller 104 in the duct 103 are guided to the propeller shaft at the inclined part 1021 and sprayed from the central part from the vertical part 1022 of the hopper, and scattered outside. The pesticides and the like are suppressed and efficiently sprayed onto the crops 5. Further, a skirt 110 is provided to improve the lifting force and suppress the diffusion of pesticides and the like. Also, filters 108 are provided at the gap 109 suction port part between the inner and outer ducts and the upper inlet of the duct 103 having the propeller 104 so that the inhaled air, pesticides, etc. do not damage the propeller and the like. 101 is a pesticide inlet. The powder in the agricultural material warehouse 102 moves by gravity and vibration only, or by a screw-shaped rotating shaft or the like provided in the agricultural material warehouse, and is guided to the lower part of the outer periphery of the duct or the center of the duct and sprayed (not shown). The screw-shaped rotating shaft may be connected to the propeller shaft by a gear or a belt. The operator flies the unmanned drone of the present invention by operation or an automatic program, ejects air from the moving ejection nozzle 309 to move, and sows seeds, controls pests, or sprays pesticides in the field.

[0011] The lifting height of the present invention is controlled to be at regular intervals by a height measurement sensor and / or an imaging element. And the floating height is set such that the lower part of the duct does not contact the crops. If the lift is too high, it will diffuse around and be lost, and it will also cause health damage to people around. If the lift is too low, it will have no effect on pest control or there is a risk of contacting the ground. It is preferable that the gap between the ground and the present invention is 0.1 m to 1 m or less. Also, the agricultural chemical preferably has an average particle size of 50 microns or more. In the case of powder with a particle size of less than 50 microns, since diffusion and floating are intense, it is preferable to form it into granules of about 1 mm to 5 mmφ by known techniques or increase the particle size by adding moisture or the like and then perform spraying. Furthermore, needless to say, the present invention includes not only powdery agricultural chemicals but also liquid agricultural chemicals provided with a liquid pressure feeding shower head, a granular feeding mechanism, and granular agricultural chemicals such as seeds.

[0012] According to the first or second embodiment of the present invention, by combining one or two ducts, a double reversing propeller, and a ground effect, a strong lifting force can be obtained, and the size can be reduced and the weight can be reduced. Also, although pesticide spraying by a drone unmanned aircraft is only a liquid or granule diluted with water as designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the present invention exhibits a remarkable effect compared to known spraying methods when spraying powdery agricultural chemicals. Because with one or two ducted fans and flying at a low altitude (floating movement) of 1 m or less above the ground, it is possible to strongly control pests that escape to the back side of the leaves by the ground effect or the downwash without involving the crops, the amount of diffusion after spraying is small, and agricultural supplies such as pesticides can be reduced.

[0013] [Third Embodiment] FIG. 3 shows an agricultural drone 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in which the agricultural chemical passes through a plurality of ducts and the propeller shaft.

[0014] FIG. 3 is the third embodiment of the present invention, (A) is a top view, and (B) is a side view. Four single- or double-ducted fans of Embodiment 1 are combined, and the upper center is utilized as an agricultural material (such as agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, seeds, etc.) storage 202. An air pressure inlet 201 is provided above the agricultural material storage, and the agricultural chemicals in the agricultural material storage can be pressed downward by flight and ejected 206. Adjust the floating ability of the single- or double-ducted fan according to the capacity and loading weight of the agricultural material storage, and move left, right, forward, and backward by relatively adjusting the air ejection amount of each of the four ducted fans. As described above, the upper part of the agricultural material storage has an air intake 201 structure that can receive the moving wind 63, and the powder is further pneumatically conveyed by the wind. If the pressure is insufficient, a pneumatic conveying mechanism such as a screw may be provided. The air intake 201 is directed in the moving direction of the drone, that is, in the direction in which pressure is applied to the agricultural chemicals in the agricultural material storage. Due to the inclination 2021 of the hopper 202, the agricultural chemicals move through the gap 2022 between the combined ducted fans or inside the propeller shaft (not shown). In addition, for the movement of the present invention, a moving ejection nozzle 309 may be provided.

[0015] The powder and liquid in the agricultural material storage are sprayed by a screw-shaped rotating shaft or a compressor. An on-off valve may be provided at the lower end of the agricultural material storage 202. Electric power is supplied by a battery or a capacitor of the present invention, etc. The duct 203 may form a capacitor in a hollow manner and serve as both a duct and a power source. Part or all of the ducts of the four single- or double-ducted fans may be double-ducted fans (the duct configuration shown in FIG. 2). A skirt 110 may be provided at the end of the duct 203. The skirt can be a skirt that integrates the four ducted fans of the present invention and surrounds the outer periphery.

[0016] According to the third embodiment of the present invention, by combining four sets of single or double ducted fans, a stable lifting force can be obtained, and the space in the center of the four sets of single or double ducted fans can be utilized to form a storage for agricultural materials such as pesticides. The downwash becomes upward in the central part. In the case of double ducted fans, there is an effect that powder pesticides and the like are less likely to diffuse to the outside. And, there is an epoch-making effect that the downwash becomes stronger and pesticides can be applied to the back of the leaves where pests are present for extermination. Furthermore, by using a skirt that surrounds the outer periphery, ground effect and downwash are generated by being combined with four ducted fans of the present invention, the spread of pesticide spraying becomes wider, the downwash becomes stronger, and the effect of evenly applying pesticides to the back of the leaves of crops is increased.

[0017] [Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 4 shows the unmanned drone 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4(A) is a top view, and (B) is a side view showing powder spraying. The unmanned drone 2 of the third embodiment of the present invention is applied to a tree or shrub 51 with a sturdy trunk that does not fall even by the downwash 60 of the present invention. When it floats 0.1 to 1 m above the height of the tree and sprays powder pesticides, due to the downwash 60, the bounce 61 occurs on the ground and the pesticides can reach the back of the leaves, improving the effect of the pesticides.

[0018] [Fifth Embodiment] FIG. 5 shows the drone 3 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. A double-reverse propeller 304 is provided at the center of the duct 303, and it is provided under the chair and above the head, and is the drone of the present invention that an operator operates while sitting on the chair. The hoppers 301 and 302 for storing agricultural materials such as pesticides and seeds are provided on the backrest. The driving force is supplied by providing a known battery or a capacitor invented by the inventor of the present invention under the chair 307, on the backrest, or in the duct 303 that also serves as a capacitor. The propeller 304 may be rotated by an electric motor or a hydrogen engine. The duct may use the invention of the present inventor that provides an air intake part as single or double (the duct configuration shown in FIG. 2). While moving from the backrest part agricultural material storage 301, spraying 306 is performed, and the ejected air from the overhead duct 3 that stabilizes the vertical direction does not directly hit the overhead shield 308, and the area around the operator is replaced with the ejected air. As a result, the operator is not exposed to the pesticide, thus maintaining the health of the operator and preventing the powder pesticide from scattering to unnecessary places. The present invention has the effect of being able to perform spraying operations evenly in any forest or field while checking the situation. Also, since the operation is performed while riding on the drone, it has high precision and is easy to operate. Moreover, the case of performing remote operation by a person or automatic flight by a program as an unmanned drone is also included in the present invention.

[0019] [Sixth Embodiment] FIG. 6 shows a drone 4 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. There is one ducted fan, on which an operator rides, and the agricultural material storage hopper 402 is provided on both sides of the ducted fan (403, 404) and the operator. FIG. 6(A) is a top view of the present invention with an operator on it, and (B) is a side view. The agricultural material storage can be loaded with the maximum amount of pesticides, etc., and spraying over a large area is possible.

[0020] [Seventh Embodiment] FIG. 7 shows the seventh embodiment of the present invention. A drone and a charging station 7. The invention of the unmanned drone 2 of the second embodiment is modified such that instead of automatic flight, it is operated by a person, and an automatic electric or hydrogen energy supply to the drone and an agricultural chemical and seed charging station 7 are provided. A line sensor for measuring the reduction amount is provided on the drone of the present invention, and when it returns to the automatic charging station 7, pesticides, seeds, etc. are additionally supplied to the tank 8 such as the agricultural material storage of the drone of the present invention. As a result, spraying work can be performed without manual labor. The automatic battery supply unit 9 supplies power by means of an electromagnetic coil or the like. Alternatively, power may be supplied in a contact manner. The system of the present invention has the effect that it can be implemented day or night even in a large field or the like by programming so as to repeat the spraying operation many times. The station system of the present invention can be provided not only for the unmanned drones (1, 2) of the present invention, but also for the drones (3, 4) of the present invention that can carry drone operators.

Industrial Applicability

[0021] Powdery pesticides and seeds can be safely and uniformly applied without human hands when there is a shortage of manpower, so the industrial applicability is very high.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0022] 1 Device such as the pesticide drone of the present invention 101 Agricultural product inlet 102 Agricultural material storage, hopper 1021 Inclination of the funnel-shaped hopper 1022 Vertical portion of the hopper provided on the propeller shaft 103 Duct 104 Propeller 105 Pipe for agricultural products (for spraying pesticides, etc.) 106 Sprayed agricultural products, pesticides 107 Outer peripheral duct 108 Filter 109 Gap between the inner peripheral duct and the outer peripheral duct 110 Skirt 2 Devices such as the pesticide drone of the present invention (4 sets) 201 Air intake, also serves as agricultural product inlet 202 Agricultural material storage, hopper 2021 Inclination of the funnel-shaped hopper 2022 Vertical portion of the hopper provided in the gap between the combined ducted fans 203 Duct 204 Propeller 205 Agricultural product pipe 206 Sprayed agricultural products, pesticides 3 Devices such as the pesticide drone of the present invention (human-operated) 301 Agricultural product inlet, pillar also used as agricultural material warehouse 302 Agricultural material warehouse, hopper 303 Duct 304 Battery or capacitor or double-reverse propeller rotated by hydrogen energy 305 Agricultural product (for spraying pesticides, etc.) pipe 306 Sprayed agricultural products, pesticides 307 Battery or capacitor 308 Overhead shield 309 Mobile ejection nozzle (jet nozzle, swivel, etc.) 4 Devices such as the pesticide drone of the present invention (human-operated with large hopper) 401 Agricultural product inlet 402 Agricultural material warehouse, hopper 403 Duct 404 Battery or capacitor or double-reverse propeller rotated by hydrogen energy 405 Agricultural product pipe 406 Sprayed agricultural products, pesticides 407 Battery or capacitor 5 Crops, fields, etc. 51 Forests, trees, shrubs 6 Airflow 60 Downwash 61 Ground effect 62 Downwash return air (suction) 63 Airflow due to movement (air) 7 Automatic charging station 8 Pesticide supply section 9 Energy supply section such as battery 10 Spraying location such as fields 11 Flight path of devices such as the pesticide drone of the present invention

Claims

1. A propeller is provided inside a duct, and an agricultural material storage is provided in the duct so that agricultural chemicals and seeds can be put in. The duct is floated above a field or trees, and agricultural chemicals, seeds, etc. are sprayed from the duct to relieve and streamline agricultural operations such as pest control and human labor. An apparatus such as a pesticide drone, etc., characterized by this.

2. An apparatus such as a pesticide drone, etc., characterized in that, in Claim 1, by doubling the duct, agricultural chemicals and seeds are sprayed powerfully.

3. The methods of Claims 1 and 2.

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