Agricultural machine for cutting field crop's stem

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stem cutting device for field crops, and more specifically, to a stem cutting device for field crops that is equipped with a stem pickup unit for lifting the stem of a crop and a stem cutting unit for cutting the lifted stem of a crop, so as to be able to accurately cut the stem even when the field crop is lying horizontally. A stem cutting device for field crops according to the present invention comprises: a working body capable of moving in a forward and backward direction along a ridge of a field where crops are planted; a stem pickup unit installed on the working body for lifting a stem of a crop lying on the ridge; a stem cutting unit installed on the working body for cutting a stem of a crop lifted by the stem pickup unit; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the working body, the stem pickup unit, and the stem cutting unit, wherein the stem pickup unit comprises a rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis parallel to the left and right directions of the working body, and a pickup blade having a plurality of rotating blades protruding radially symmetrically from the rotating body; and a lifting support having a lower end connected to the pickup blade and an upper end connected to the working body to support the pickup blade on the working body, and having a length adjustable to allow height adjustment of the pickup blade; and wherein the control unit adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the height of the ridge so that the pickup blade rotates and lifts a stem of a crop lying on the ridge.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stem cutting device for field crops, and more specifically, to a stem cutting device for field crops that is equipped with a stem pickup unit for lifting the stem of a crop and a stem cutting unit for cutting the lifted stem of a crop, so as to be able to accurately cut the stem even when the field crop is lying horizontally. Background Technology

[0002] Field crops such as onions or garlic are grown with the soil covered with mulching film, so after the crop grows, the top of the mulching film becomes covered with the stems of the crop.

[0003] And, in order to harvest the crops, the stems of the crops that have grown over the mulching film are cut, the mulching film is removed, and the exposed crops are dug up and collected.

[0004] Here, cutting the crop stems is a very important task because it can significantly affect marketability.

[0005] However, while crop digging and collection operations are being mechanized to some extent, the cutting of crop stems still relies heavily on manual labor, and manual work poses the problem of requiring a significant amount of labor time.

[0006] Accordingly, stem cutters are being developed, but existing stem cutters have difficulty mechanically cutting the stems without damaging the crops because the mulching film and the stems of the field crops are entangled.

[0007] As a prior art for the mechanization of crop stem cutting operations, Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2020-00399978 (published April 17, 2020) proposed a 'stem cutting device for bulbous crops'.

[0008] However, the above-described conventional technology has a structure in which first and second erecting plates for raising the stem and first and second cutting blades for cutting the stem are provided on the same first and second rotational axes, and erecting and cutting are performed by the rotation of the first and second rotational axes. It has the disadvantage that the uneven tip portions of the first and second erecting plates are formed in a straight line, making it impossible to effectively lift the stem that comes into contact. In the case of the first and second cutting blades, the cutting efficiency is poor compared to the rotary cutter method as they cut by striking the stem. Furthermore, it has the disadvantage that the cutting height of the stem is inconsistent because the height at which the first and second cutting blades strike the stem varies depending on the position.

[0009] Meanwhile, as another prior art, a 'onion stem cutting device' was proposed in Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2021-0048259 (published May 3, 2021).

[0010] However, the aforementioned other conventional technology adopts a stem riser as a configuration for standing up stems, but the stem riser is configured to stand up onion stems that have fallen over in the furrows between ridges and have been pressed down by the wheels of agricultural machinery, and has the disadvantage of not being able to stand up onion stems that are lying down in the middle of the ridges. The problem to be solved

[0011] The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a stem cutting device for field crops that can effectively lift and cut the stem of a crop even when the crop is lying horizontally in the middle of a ridge. means of solving the problem

[0012] To achieve the above objective, a stem cutting device for field crops according to the present invention comprises: a working body capable of moving in a forward and backward direction along a ridge of a field where crops are planted; a stem pickup unit installed on the working body for lifting a stem of a crop lying on the ridge; a stem cutting unit installed on the working body for cutting the stem of a crop lifted by the stem pickup unit; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the working body, the stem pickup unit, and the stem cutting unit; wherein the stem pickup unit comprises a rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis parallel to the left and right directions of the working body, and a pickup blade equipped with a plurality of rotating blades protruding radially symmetrically from the rotating body. and a lifting support having a lower end connected to the pickup blade and an upper end connected to the working body to support the pickup blade on the working body, and having an adjustable length to allow height adjustment of the pickup blade; wherein the control unit adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the height of the ridge so that the pickup blade rotates and lifts the stem of a crop lying on the ridge.

[0013] Here, the pickup blade and lifting support are provided in multiple numbers and are arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the work body.

[0014] Herein, the working body comprises a coupling connection part in which the upper end of the lifting support is connected through a coupling hole in which a plurality of through holes are formed at regular intervals along the left-right direction or an elongated hole formed along the left-right direction in which the plurality of through holes are interconnected; and the lifting support comprises a cylinder-type actuator in which the pickup blade is connected to the lower end and the length is adjustable; and a spacing fixing member that is fastened to the upper end of the actuator by passing through the coupling hole while the left-right spacing between the plurality of pickup blades is adjusted, and which fixes the actuator to the working body.

[0015] Here, the rotating body is characterized in that the rotating blade, which contacts the stem of a crop lying on a ridge, rotates in a direction in which it moves backward, and the rotating blade is formed with a hook portion bent in the direction of rotation at its tip so that the contacted stem of the crop can be caught and lifted when rotated.

[0016] Here, the stem cutting unit is characterized by comprising: a horizontal rotary cutter that rotates around a rotation axis perpendicular to the ground at a rear position of the stem pickup unit so as to cut the stem of a crop lifted by the stem pickup unit as the working body advances; and a cutter support that supports the horizontal rotary cutter on the working body at a certain height away from the ground.

[0017] Here, the horizontal rotary cutter and cutter support are provided in multiple numbers and arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the work body.

[0018] Herein, the work body includes a towing connection part that can be connected to the agricultural machine so that it can be moved by being towed by the agricultural machine while floating at a certain height above the ground; wherein the towing connection part includes a connecting bracket provided at the front of the work body; a height adjustment link that is hinged at one end to the agricultural machine and hinged at the other end to the connecting bracket to enable height adjustment of the work body, and is capable of vertical rotation and fixation; and a cylinder-type horizontal adjustment link disposed at the upper or lower part of the height adjustment link, which is hinged at one end to the agricultural machine and hinged at the other end to the connecting bracket to enable horizontal adjustment of the work body, and is capable of length adjustment.

[0019] Here, the control unit receives input from the user regarding the height of the ridge to be worked on, adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the input height of the ridge, advances the working body while simultaneously operating the stem pickup unit and the stem cutting unit, and adjusts the length of the lifting support to the initial length when the work is completed.

[0020] In addition, the stem cutting device for field crops according to the present invention further includes a ridge detection sensor provided in the working body to detect the height of the ridge; and the control unit adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the height of the ridge detected by the ridge detection sensor, and simultaneously advances the working body and operates the stem pickup unit and the stem cutting unit, and when the work is completed, adjusts the length of the lifting support to an initial length. Effects of the invention

[0021] With the above configuration, the field crop stem cutting device according to the present invention has the advantage of improving the efficiency and accuracy of cutting crop stems by adjusting the height of the pickup blade capable of lifting the stem according to the height of the ridge.

[0022] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of being able to adjust the number of pickup blades and the spacing between them according to the number of crops planted in the ridges and the spacing between them, and has the advantage of improving the efficiency and accuracy of picking up crop stems by forming a hook portion at the tip of the pickup blade that can hook and lift the crop stem.

[0023] In addition, the present invention has the advantage of enabling effective stem cutting by providing a stem cutting unit of the rotary cutter type at the rear of the stem pickup unit, as well as efficient stem pickup and cutting operations by allowing the stem pickup unit and the stem cutting unit to operate sequentially in conjunction with each other as the working body advances. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a main part according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the usage state of a stem pickup unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a stem cutting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0025] Hereinafter, a stem cutting device for field crops according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part of a stem cutting device for field crops according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a main part according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view showing the usage state of a stem pickup unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a plan view of a stem cutting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a stem cutting device (1) for field crops according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device for cutting a stem of a crop (A) planted on a ridge (R) of a field while it is lifted, and includes a working body (10), a stem pickup unit (20), a stem cutting unit (30), and a control unit (40).

[0028] The above-mentioned working body (10) is configured to move in the forward and backward directions along the ridge (R) of a field where crops (A) are planted, and is formed in the shape of a box with an empty interior, and in one embodiment of the present invention, includes a connecting part (11) and a traction connecting part (12).

[0029] The above-mentioned connecting part (11) is provided on the upper surface of the above-mentioned working body (10) and is configured to allow the upper part of the lifting support (22) to be detachably connected.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the coupling connection part (11) has a plurality of through holes formed at regular intervals along the left and right directions, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0031] Meanwhile, the above-mentioned coupling hole (111) may be configured in a form in which a long hole (not shown) in which the plurality of through holes are interconnected is formed lengthwise along the left and right directions.

[0032] The connection of the lifting support (22) through the above coupling hole (111) will be described later.

[0033] The above towing connection part (12) is configured to be connected to the agricultural machine (T) so that the above work body (10) can be towed and moved by the agricultural machine (T), such as a tractor, while floating at a certain height above the ground.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the traction connection part (12) includes a connection bracket (121), a height adjustment link (122), and a horizontal adjustment link (123) as shown in FIG. 3.

[0035] The above connecting bracket (121) is provided at the front of the above working body (10) and is configured so that the other ends of the height adjustment link (122) and the horizontal adjustment link (123) can be hinge-connected to each other.

[0036] The height adjustment link (122) is configured to allow height adjustment of the work body (10), with one end hinged to the agricultural machine (T) and the other end hinged to the connecting bracket (121), and is configured to allow up and down rotation and fixation.

[0037] That is, the height adjustment link (122) rotates up and down, and while the height of the work body (10) is adjusted, the rotation of the height adjustment link (122) is fixed, and the height of the work body (10) can be maintained in the adjusted state.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, a horizontal rotary cutter (31) of a stem cutting part (30) is connected to the working body (10) by a cutter support (32), and the height of the horizontal rotary cutter (31) can also be adjusted by adjusting the height of the working body (10) through the height adjustment link (122).

[0039] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the work body (10) adopts a configuration in which it is lifted to a certain height from the ground by the traction connection part (12) without separate auxiliary wheels, and the height adjustment link (122) may be configured as a left and right pair to support the weight of the work body (10), and may be configured by a combination of multiple links to reinforce strength.

[0040] The horizontal adjustment link (123) is configured to enable horizontal adjustment of the work body (10) while the height of the work body (10) is adjusted by the height adjustment link (122), is positioned at the upper (or lower) side of the height adjustment link (122), has one end hinged to the agricultural machine (T), and the other end hinged to the connecting bracket (121), and is configured as a cylinder type that allows for length adjustment.

[0041] That is, when the length of the horizontal adjustment link (123) changes, the work body (10) can adjust the horizontal level of the work body (10) by rotating the hinge-connected part of the other end of the height adjustment link (122) around the rotation center.

[0042] The stem pickup unit (20) is installed on the working body (10) and is configured to lift the stem of a crop (A) lying on a ridge (R).

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, the stem pickup unit (20) includes a pickup blade (21) and a lifting support (22).

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the above pickup blade (21) is configured to rotate and lift the stem of a crop (A) lying on a ridge (R). The rotating body (211) rotates around a rotation axis parallel to the left and right directions of the working body (10), and a plurality of rotating blades (212) protrude radially symmetrically from the rotating body (211).

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotating body (221) is rotated in a direction in which a rotating blade (212) that contacts the stem of a crop (A) lying on a ridge (R) as shown in FIG. 3 moves backward, and a hook portion (212a) is formed at the tip of the rotating blade (212) that is bent in the direction of rotation so that the stem of the crop contacted can be caught and lifted when the rotating blade (212) is rotated.

[0046] The forward direction of the above-mentioned work body (10), the rotational direction of the above-mentioned rotating body (221), and the hook portion (212a) formed on the above-mentioned rotating blade (222) are organically combined so that the stem of the crop (A) lying on the ridge (R) is caught on the hook portion (212a) and effectively lifted.

[0047] The above lifting support (22) is configured to support the pickup blade (21) on the work body (10) and simultaneously enable height adjustment of the pickup blade (21). To this end, the lower end is connected to the pickup blade (21), the upper end is connected to the work body (10), and the length is adjustable.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lifting support (22) includes an actuator (221) and a spacing fixing member (222).

[0049] The actuator (221) is configured as a cylinder type with adjustable length, and the pickup blade (21) is connected to the lower end of the actuator.

[0050] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the height of the pickup blade (21) can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the actuator (221).

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, the above spacing fixing member (222) is configured to pass through the coupling hole (111) formed in the coupling connection part (11) of the above work body (10) and to be fastened to the upper part of the actuator (221), thereby fixing the actuator (221) to the above work body (10).

[0052] Meanwhile, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pickup blade (21) and the lifting support (22) are provided in multiple numbers and arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the work body (10), and the left and right spacing of the multiple pickup blades (21) can be adjusted by the combination of the coupling hole (111), the actuator (221), and the spacing fixing member (222).

[0053] The stem cutting unit (30) is installed on the working body (10) and is configured to cut the stem of a crop (A) lifted by the stem pickup unit (20).

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, the stem cutting part (30) includes a horizontal rotary cutter (31) and a cutter support (32).

[0055] The horizontal rotary cutter (31) is configured to rotate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the ground at a rear position of the stem pickup unit (20) so as to cut the stem of the crop (A) lifted by the stem pickup unit (20) as the working body (10) advances.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, by adopting a rotary cutter method for cutting the stem of a crop (A), effective cutting is possible compared to the impact cutting method.

[0057] The cutter support (32) is configured to support the horizontal rotary cutter (31) on the work body (10) at a certain height away from the ground.

[0058] As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the height adjustment of the horizontal rotary cutter (31) is implemented by adjusting the height of the work body (10) through the height adjustment link (122), but is not limited thereto and may adopt a height-adjustable structure for the cutter support (32).

[0059] Meanwhile, in one embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal rotary cutter (31) and cutter support (32) are provided in multiple numbers as shown in FIG. 6 and are arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the work body (10).

[0060] By configuring the above horizontal rotary cutters (31) in multiple numbers, it is possible to adopt small rotary cutters, thereby minimizing the space occupied by the above horizontal rotary cutters (31), and by arranging the above multiple horizontal rotary cutters (31) at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the above work body (10), the entire width of the above ridge (R) can be covered.

[0061] The above control unit (40) is configured to control the operation of the above work body (10), stem pickup unit (20), and stem cutting unit (30).

[0062] In particular, the control unit (40) is configured to adjust the length of the lifting support (22) according to the height of the ridge (R) so that the pickup blade (21) can rotate and lift the stem of the crop (A) lying on the ridge (R).

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (40) receives the height of the ridge (R) to be worked on from the user as shown in FIG. 7, adjusts the length of the lifting support (22) according to the input height of the ridge (R), advances the working body (10) and simultaneously operates the stem pickup unit (20) and the stem cutting unit (30), and when the work is completed, adjusts the length of the lifting support (22) to the initial length.

[0064] Meanwhile, a stem cutting device (1) for field crops according to another embodiment of the present invention further includes, in addition to the first embodiment of the present invention, a ridge detection sensor (not shown) provided on the working body (10) to detect the height of the ridge (R).

[0065] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (40) is configured to adjust the length of the lifting support (22) according to the height of the ridge detected by the ridge detection sensor (not shown), advance the working body (10) while simultaneously operating the stem pickup unit (20) and the stem cutting unit (30), and adjust the length of the lifting support (22) to the initial length when the work is completed.

[0066] The stem cutting device for field crops described above and illustrated in the drawings is merely one embodiment for carrying out the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the technical scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is determined solely by the matters described in the following claims, and embodiments that are improved and modified without departing from the gist of the present invention shall be deemed to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they are obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. Explanation of the symbols

[0067] 1 Stem cutting device for field crops 10 work units 11. Joint connection part 111 coupling hole 12 Towing connection 121 connecting bracket 122 Height adjustment link 123 Leveling Link 20 stem pickup unit 21 Pickup Blade 211 Rotating body 212 rotor blades 212a Hook part 22 Elevator support 221 Actuator 222 Spacing Fixture 30 stem cutting sections 31 Horizontal rotary cutter 32 Cutter Support 40 control unit

Claims

Claim 1 A working body capable of moving in a forward and backward direction along a ridge of a field where crops are planted; a stem pickup unit installed on the working body for lifting the stem of a crop lying on the ridge; a stem cutting unit installed on the working body for cutting the stem of a crop lifted by the stem pickup unit; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the working body, the stem pickup unit, and the stem cutting unit; wherein the stem pickup unit comprises a rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis parallel to the left and right directions of the working body, and a pickup blade equipped with a plurality of rotating blades protruding radially symmetrically from the rotating body. and a lifting support having a lower end connected to the pickup blade and an upper end connected to the working body to support the pickup blade on the working body, and having an adjustable length to allow height adjustment of the pickup blade; wherein the control unit adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the height of the ridge so that the pickup blade rotates and lifts the stem of a crop lying on the ridge; wherein the pickup blade and the lifting support are provided in a plurality and arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the working body; and the working body includes a coupling connection part in which the upper end of the lifting support is connected through a coupling hole formed in a form in which a plurality of through holes are formed at regular intervals along the left and right directions or an elongated hole formed along the left and right directions in a form in which the plurality of through holes are interconnected; and wherein the lifting support has a lower end connected to the pickup blade and is a cylinder-type actuator with an adjustable length. A stem cutting device for field crops characterized by including: a spacing fixing member that passes through the coupling hole and is fastened to the upper part of the actuator while the mutual left-right spacing of the plurality of pickup blades is adjusted, and fixes the actuator to the working body. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A stem cutting device for field crops according to claim 1, wherein the rotating body is rotated in a direction in which a rotating blade that contacts the stem of a crop lying on a ridge moves backward, and the rotating blade is formed with a hook portion bent in the direction of rotation at its tip so that the stem of the crop contacted can be caught and lifted when rotated. Claim 5 A stem cutting device for field crops according to claim 4, wherein the stem cutting unit comprises: a horizontal rotary cutter rotated around a rotation axis perpendicular to the ground at a rear position of the stem pickup unit so as to cut the stem of a crop lifted by the stem pickup unit as the working body advances; and a cutter support that supports the horizontal rotary cutter on the working body at a certain height apart from the ground. Claim 6 A stem cutting device for field crops according to claim 5, characterized in that the horizontal rotary cutter and cutter support are provided in multiple numbers and arranged at regular intervals along the left and right directions of the working body. Claim 7 A stem cutting device for field crops according to claim 1, wherein the working body comprises a towing connection part capable of being connected to the agricultural machinery so as to be moved by being towed by the agricultural machinery while suspended at a certain height from the ground; wherein the towing connection part comprises: a connecting bracket provided at the front of the working body; a height adjustment link capable of vertical rotation and fixation, with one end hinged to the agricultural machinery and the other end hinged to the connecting bracket to enable height adjustment of the working body; and a cylinder-type horizontal adjustment link disposed at the upper or lower part of the height adjustment link, with one end hinged to the agricultural machinery and the other end hinged to the connecting bracket to enable horizontal adjustment of the working body, and capable of length adjustment. Claim 8 A stem cutting device for field crops according to any one of claims 1, 4 to 7, wherein the control unit receives input of the height of a ridge to be worked on from a user, adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the input height of the ridge, advances the working body while simultaneously operating the stem pickup unit and the stem cutting unit, and adjusts the length of the lifting support to an initial length when the work is completed. Claim 9 A stem cutting device for field crops according to any one of claims 1, 4 to 7, wherein the field crop stem cutting device further comprises a ridge detection sensor provided on the working body for detecting the height of the ridge; and the control unit adjusts the length of the lifting support according to the height of the ridge detected by the ridge detection sensor, advances the working body while simultaneously operating the stem pickup unit and the stem cutting unit, and adjusts the length of the lifting support to an initial length when the work is completed.

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