Collection method and collection device for drip tubes of drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural areas

Abstract

The irrigation of agricultural and horticultural crops is a very important component of modern agriculture for ensuring reliably high yields. In this context, drip irrigation, and in particular underground drip irrigation, is an approach that saves a great deal of water. However, a high amount of effort is required for the installation, deinstallation, and operation of drip irrigation systems. In particular, when gathering together the drip tubes, in previously known solutions all drip tubes for insertion into corresponding machines have to be manually picked up. The present invention relates to a collection method and a collection device for drip tubes of drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural areas. Using drip tubes having metallic markers and a collection device, the present invention makes it possible to carry out the process of collecting the drip tubes without manual labour. As a result, the costs of the process are significantly reduced and the acceptance of the drip irrigation is increased overall. This also provides preconditions for the (further) automation and autonomisation of the collection process.

Description

[0001] Collection method and collection device for drip hoses of drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural land.

[0002] The present invention relates to a collection method and a collection device for drip hoses of drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural land.

[0003] Irrigation of agricultural and horticultural crops is a crucial component of modern agriculture, ensuring consistently high yields. This is especially true given the increasingly frequent and prolonged periods of drought resulting from climate change. On the other hand, irrigation is already one of the largest consumers of freshwater, a very limited resource in many regions.

[0004] In this context, drip irrigation, and in particular subsurface drip irrigation, is a very water-saving approach. Unlike irrigation with linearly pulled sprinkler carts or rotary sprinklers, which distribute water under relatively high pressure and deliver a large amount of water to a single point in the field in a short period, drip irrigation delivers water directly to the plants in small, measured amounts at relatively low pressure over a longer period. For this purpose, drip lines are laid across the field at regular intervals, for example, one line per 0.5 to 2 meters of field width or one line per row of plants. These lines contain drip emitters at regular intervals (for example, every 0.2 to 1.5 meters). At low pressure, water emerges from the drip emitters in a continuous, measured flow close to the plants, at rates of, for example, 1.5 liters per square meter per day.

[0005] Drip irrigation can be carried out above ground (meaning the drip lines are installed above the soil) or underground (meaning the drip lines are installed below the soil). The former has the advantage of lower installation costs, while the latter offers the advantage of further improving water efficiency, as above-ground evaporation is completely avoided and the water is applied directly to the plant roots.

[0006] Subsurface drip irrigation is particularly economically attractive if the drip lines can remain in the ground for several years.

[0007] This spreads the initially high installation costs over several growing seasons. Annual installation and collection of the hoses after each growing season is only economically viable for specialty crops with high yields per hectare. For more commonly grown crops with average yields per hectare, subsurface drip irrigation is only feasible if the drip lines can remain in the ground for several years.

[0008] There are also approaches to laying the drip lines below the soil horizon where tillage is typically carried out. For example, if tillage is carried out to a depth of 30 cm, the drip lines are then laid at a depth of 35 cm to 45 cm.

[0009] This creates a safety distance between the drip lines and the horizon of the soil cultivation.

[0010] A disadvantage of drip irrigation compared to other irrigation methods is its comparatively high investment costs. These are due, firstly, to the cost of the components (e.g., drip lines, supply lines, pumps, and control technology). Secondly, the costs of installation and deinstallation must also be considered. Deinstallation, in addition to other steps, particularly involves the complete removal of all drip lines from the fields at the end of their service life. This service life may end because the lines are defective or degraded, or because their planned lifespan has been reached, or because, for example, in the case of shallow or near-surface installation in annual cultivation, the irrigated crop is harvested and the drip irrigation system must be removed before planting the next crop.For this purpose, NP1, NP2, and NP3, for example, reveal suitable prior art collection machines. However, the use of these previously known collection machines still requires a significant amount of manual labor, as each individual hose must be manually inserted into the machines before the collection process begins. This high level of manual labor regularly has a severely negative impact on the economic viability of drip irrigation, particularly in high-wage regions, resulting in the preference for other, less water-efficient irrigation methods.

[0011] The significant time investment required for collection often leads to drip irrigation hoses remaining, in whole or in part, in agricultural fields in less regulated regions of the world. These hoses are only gradually broken down in subsequent processing steps, polluting the fields and surrounding natural areas or being carried further by wind and weather. Therefore, the availability of better hose collection solutions is not only beneficial for the economic viability of drip irrigation, but also helps to reduce uncollected plastic waste and microplastics in the landscape and, in the long term, in rivers and oceans.

[0012] Another problem with drip irrigation using drip hoses is the handling of rodents, such as field mice, which regularly clog the drip hose lines.

[0013] To prevent damage caused by rodents or insects, solutions already exist which aim to introduce chemicals or reinforcements into the plastic mixture from which the dripper tubing is made (see CN107629302A and US2020305364A1).

[0014] To solve or mitigate one or more problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a collection method for drip irrigation hoses from drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land, wherein at least one drip irrigation hose comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker over at least a portion of its length or is firmly connected to at least one at least partially metallic marker, and the collection method is carried out mechanically using a collection device which comprises at least one field-generating unit and is driven or moves over the agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land from which drip irrigation hoses are to be collected during the execution of the method.wherein, during the collection process, at least one material mixture comprising at least one or more dripper tubes and further material from at least one of the material groups soil, stones, plant material, harvested crops or fertilizers is set in relative motion to at least one field-generating unit, and the at least one material mixture is guided at least along this field-generating unit, and the separation of the dripper tube(s) with the enclosed or firmly attached at least partially metallic marker from the surrounding material of at least another material group occurs at least temporarily due to the force acting on the at least partially metallic marker by the at least one field-generating unit.

[0015] To solve or mitigate one or more problems of the prior art, the present invention further provides a collection device for collecting drip irrigation hoses from drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural land, comprising at least one field-generating unit and at least one hose-moving unit, and designed to be driven or moved over the agricultural, forestry or horticultural land from which drip irrigation hoses are to be collected, wherein the collection device is further designed to collect one or more drip irrigation hoses, which at least over a partial length comprise at least one at least partially metallic marker or are firmly connected with at least one at least partially metallic marker.to separate material from at least one mixture of materials brought into relative motion to at least one field-generating unit of the collecting device, comprising at least one or more dripper tubes and further material from at least one of the material groups soil, stones, plant material, harvested crops or fertilizer, wherein this occurs at least temporarily due to the force acting on the at least partially metallic marker by at least one field-generating unit.

[0016] The collecting device and the collecting method according to the invention are particularly advantageous because they significantly reduce the labor involved, especially manual labor in the field, when removing drip irrigation systems from the field, as the manual threading or insertion of the beginning of each individual dripper hose is eliminated. This allows the collection process of the dripper hoses to be carried out entirely by machine. The previously known prior art, which required a driver to get on and off the machine and / or other personnel in the vicinity of the machine to thread or insert hoses, is no longer necessary, which would otherwise lead to higher costs and waiting times. Furthermore, the complete mechanization of the dripper hose collection opens up the possibility of automation. The same applies to combining it with other crop management processes.Likewise, the collecting device and the collecting method according to the invention lay the foundation for the optional feasibility of autonomous collection from dripper tubes by driverless vehicles.

[0017] Dripping hoses according to the invention are characterized by the fact that they can be laid underground or above ground on agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land and typically comprise dripper elements distributed regularly along their length. These dripper elements, operating at typically relatively low pressures of less than 10 bar, can release precisely metered quantities of liquid in a typically continuous flow over extended periods. An exemplary flow rate would be 1.5 liters per square meter per day.Dripper elements can be designed in various ways, for example relatively simply as punctures or small cuts in the wall of the dripper tube, as well as more complexly, for example comprising at least one outlet and other components, such as one or more pressure equalization modules to ensure a uniform outflow over the entire length of a dripper tube despite potential pressure drop, or components or substances to prevent or reduce root ingrowth.

[0018] Dripper hoses can be collected using the inventive collection method and / or the inventive collection device, either in their full length, corresponding to the installation situation in the field, or in sections or partial lengths. In the latter case, the shredding into sections or partial lengths can occur due to unwanted damage during use of the dripper hoses, or intentionally after use, before the collection method is carried out, or during the collection method, in combination. However, shredding is not a necessary component before or during the method. Shredding or the use of dripper hose sections, etc., can be advantageous in certain embodiments of the collection method or the collection device. In the following, we will refer to dripper hose sections or partial lengths.The unspecified use of the term "drip hose" in the following text includes drip hoses in their entirety as well as in partial lengths or sections. Dripper hoses can be made of plastic, preferably by extrusion.

[0019] A drip irrigation system according to the invention comprises at least a plurality of drip lines, which are laid underground or above ground on the area in question, supply and / or distribution lines, optionally subdivided into segments or sections, which typically supply several drip lines together with liquid and are connected directly or indirectly, for example by further lines, to these and to one or more irrigation control units. The irrigation control unit connects the field, several fields, or a partial area to the liquid source, such as wells, pumping stations from bodies of water or retention basins, tanks, or similar. The irrigation control unit can, for example, include elements such as switchable distributors, pressure control devices, filtration devices, or dosing or additive systems for auxiliary substances.In addition to applying water for irrigation, drip irrigation systems can also be used to apply liquid fertilizers, pesticides, or other substances to influence plant growth. This can be done simultaneously with or alongside irrigation, or independently of combined irrigation.

[0020] According to the invention, at least one dripper tube comprises, at least over a partial length, at least one marker that is at least partially metallic, or is rigidly connected to at least one marker that is at least partially metallic. Such a marker can be, for example, a cable, a sheath, a plate, or a solid body such as a sphere or a cuboid. This marker can be located inside the dripper tube, embedded in the wall of the dripper tube, forming the wall wholly or partially, or connected to the dripper tube from outside the dripper tube.The marker can be integrated, attached, or connected to the drip irrigation tubing during its production process. This can be achieved, for example, by embedding at least one marker ball inside the tubing or by integrating at least one element, such as a wire or cable, into the tubing wall during manufacturing, for instance, by extrusion. Alternatively, the marker can be connected to the tubing in a subsequent manufacturing step at the factory, such as by wrapping the tubing with wire or attaching metallic clips to the ends. Furthermore, the connection between the drip irrigation tubing and the metallic marker can be made before, during, or after the tubing is laid in the field as part of the drip irrigation system installation.The connection between the metallic marker and the drip tube can be either direct or indirect, using additional elements. For example, a metallic plate serving as a marker can be connected to the drip tube, particularly at its end and / or beginning, via a cord, rope, or similar device, provided the connection is secure enough to allow the drip tube to separate from the surrounding material during collection. Alternatively, the marker can be connected to a section of supply line connected to the drip tube, provided this section remains connected until collection is complete. The marker or connecting element can encircle the drip tube or be attached using a suitable joining method, such as gluing, welding, screwing, clamping, or riveting.

[0021] The collection process is carried out using a collection device. This collection device, as well as the collection device according to independent claim 11, can be designed as an attachment for an agricultural, forestry, or horticultural tractor, for example, a tractor, a single-axle tractor, a wide-span vehicle, or a quad bike. In exemplary embodiments, the attachment can be designed as a mounted attachment without its own chassis and, for example, mounted in a three-point linkage of an implement, or it can be designed as a trailed attachment with its own chassis. Furthermore, the collection device can be designed as a self-propelled agricultural, forestry, or horticultural vehicle in which the chassis, drive, and work-process-related components are combined in one vehicle.The collection device can also be designed as a field robot or as a module for a field robot. These vehicles can be operated and driven directly by humans while traversing agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas, or they can be operated autonomously. Furthermore, the collection device can perform additional functions and, in addition to collecting the drip irrigation hoses, can also serve as a harvester for collecting crops and / or as a soil cultivation machine for loosening the soil. Another possible configuration is the collection device as a combinable module for mounting / connecting / combining with agricultural machinery, such as a soil cultivation or harvesting machine.

[0022] Various components, such as permanent magnets, permanent electromagnets, electromagnets, Van de Graaff generators, or vortex field generators, are suitable as field-generating units according to the invention. The field-generating unit can consist of one or more components. It can comprise one or more field-generating components as well as other auxiliary components, such as mounts, bearings, circuitry, control technology, wipers, deflectors, or similar items. If the field-generating unit combines several field-generating components, these can be of the same type or of different types. A magnetic, electric, or electromagnetic field can be generated by the field-generating unit.This field or these fields must be sufficiently strong to generate a force on metallic markers to move them without contact or to influence their movement. Mere generators of signal fields, which are measurable and can, for example, serve for signal transmission or cause interference in electromagnetic systems, but cannot generate forces sufficient to move or influence the movement of drip tubes or markers on drip tubes, are therefore unsuitable as field-generating units according to the invention. Preferably, the metallic marker is located at a distance of less than 1.0 m when its movement is influenced by the field-generating unit, and particularly preferably at a distance of less than 0.3 m.The force can be caused by the repulsion or attraction of differently magnetized poles, or by the force exerted by a magnetic field on iron-, cobalt-, or nickel-containing metal alloys. Similarly, the force can be generated by induction-based effects in metallic conductors within an electric field. The generated field can be static or variable. It can also be a dynamic alternating field. The generated field can remain constant throughout the operation of the collecting device, or it can be switched by a control unit connected to the field-generating unit, for example, by being activated and deactivated, having its strength changed, or its direction of force inverted.

[0023] The collecting method and the collecting device according to the invention separate the dripper tubing from a material mixture. This material mixture comprises at least one or more dripper tubing and further material from at least one of the material groups: soil, stones, plant material, harvested crops, or fertilizer. The material mixture need not necessarily be homogeneous. The dripper tubing(s) can be placed in this material mixture at regular or approximately regular intervals. The dripper tubing(s) can be aligned lengthwise in this material mixture. Likewise, the dripper tubing(s) can be distributed irregularly in the material mixture.The drip line(s) may be located on the surface of agriculturally, forestry, or horticulturally used areas and may be completely or partially overgrown or covered by plants, or may be completely or partially buried or covered by crop residues, preferably shredded crop residues, dead plant material, or stubble from a previous harvest, and thus mixed with plant material. Likewise, the drip line(s) may be located in the soil and thus mixed with the soil.

[0024] Additionally, the drip line(s) may be surrounded by roots that developed during the growing season or by crops grown in or near the soil surface, such as root crops like potatoes or root vegetables, and thus mixed with them. During the separation process, the material mixture is in relative motion to at least one field-generating unit. For example, this can occur when the field-generating unit, as part of the collection device, is moved across agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas with the material mixture and drip line(s) located at or near the surface. Alternatively, the material mixture and drip line can be conveyed by the collection device and set in relative motion to the machine frame of the collection device, while the field-generating element may, for example, be rigidly connected to the machine frame of the collection device.

[0025] During the collection process, or by the collection device, the dripper tube(s) are separated from the surrounding material. This means that the at least one dripper tube is removed from the surrounding material mixture and can then be transported to other locations independently of the surrounding material mixture. For example, it may be desirable to reuse the dripper tube(s) or individual components thereof in the same function, preferably at a different location, preferably after appropriate cleaning and / or other processing. Alternatively, the collection process can be used to reuse the dripper tube(s) or individual components thereof in a different function, preferably at a different location, preferably after appropriate cleaning and / or other processing.Similarly, the collection process can be used to recycle the material of the dripper tubing or individual components thereof, preferably after appropriate cleaning and / or other processing and reshaping, for example by melting or shredding followed by reshaping, for the same function as dripper tubing or components thereof, or for further use in a different function. Finally, particularly with dripper tubing made of plastic, collection also offers the possibility of thermal utilization, that is, preferably by combustion or gasification, to extract thermal energy from it.If none of these uses for the drip irrigation tubing or its components are feasible, collecting and subsequently disposing of the tubing can at least achieve a cleanup of the relevant agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas from this waste, typically plastic waste. This separation does not necessarily involve a complete separation of the drip irrigation tubing and surrounding material. It is also possible that directly adhering dirt, such as soil or surrounding plant material, will initially remain on the drip irrigation tubing due to the force exerted by at least one electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic field generated by the at least one field-generating unit. In this process, a further field may be generated within the collection device or collection method.

[0026] A cleaning, stripping, or combing step may be provided. Likewise, the dripper tubing(s) with any unavoidable residual contamination can be transported for further use, recycling, thermal utilization, other recycling, or landfilling. However, the collection method and the collection device should preferably ensure the separation of the dripper tubing(s) from the majority of the other components of the surrounding material mixture. Preferably, the collection device or the collection method separates more than 90% of the other components of the material mixture surrounding the dripper tubing, and particularly preferably more than 98% of the other components of the material mixture surrounding the dripper tubing.

[0027] According to the invention, the separation of the dripper tube(s) occurs at least temporarily due to the force exerted by at least one electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic field generated by the at least one field-generating unit. "Temporarily" here means that the dripper tube(s) do not necessarily have to be separated from the remaining material mixture along their entire length due to this force, although separation along the entire length of the dripper tube(s) is also possible in this way.

[0028] The at least one hose-moving unit moves the dripper hose in relative motion to the main frame of the collecting device. Preferably, this movement is not caused by the force applied to the metallic marker, and thus to the dripper hose, by the field of the field-generating unit. This movement caused by the hose-moving unit can occur before, during, or after the separation, which is carried out with the aid of the force applied by the field of the field-generating unit. An advantage of the additional relative movement of the dripper hose is that it allows larger quantities of dripper hose to be collected by the collecting device, and the field-generating element is not directly occupied after the first section(s) of the dripper hose or the first dripper hose itself.A hose-moving unit can, for example, be designed as a winding drum, which sets the hose into a rotary motion relative to the machine frame after it is wound into the winding, utilizing in particular the wrapping force of the winding caused by friction. Another exemplary embodiment of at least one hose-moving unit is its construction from one or more conveying elements, such as conveyor or screen belts, roller conveyors, chutes, screw conveyors, trough chain conveyors, or elevators, which convey the dripper hose(s) relative to the machine frame.

[0029] Pneumatic conveyors, for example consisting of pipes or guide plates and blowers, are also possible as conveying elements. If at least one hose-moving unit is formed from such conveying elements, a relative movement of the dripper hose caused by this unit is possible both before separation, which occurs with the aid of the force applied by the field of the field-generating unit, in which case the conveying preferably takes place as part of a material mixture, and also during or after this separation.Another possible embodiment of at least one hose-moving unit is the design as a tool penetrating the soil, which moves soil aggregates together with dripper hose, preferably in the form of dripper hose sections, as a mixture of materials from deeper layers upwards due to the shape of the tool and the forward movement of the collecting device, and thus also moves them in relation to the machine frame.

[0030] Particular advantages of the collecting method according to the invention arise in specific embodiments. In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the collecting device further comprises at least one intake unit and / or at least one winding unit. This allows various methods for separating and advancing the dripper tube during the collecting process to be cleverly combined. Exemplary advantageous variants follow.

[0031] In one embodiment of the inventive collection method, the beginning of at least one dripper tube is separated from the surrounding material by the force of a field generated by at least one field-generating unit and inserted into at least one drawing unit or at least one winding unit, wherein the further separation of the dripper tube from the surrounding material is effected by the tensile force applied by the drawing or winding unit. This is particularly advantageous because the force applied by the field of a field-generating unit then only needs to be sufficient to grasp the beginning of the dripper tube, and subsequently, tensile forces of at least one winding or drawing unit can be used for the separation or can be used additionally for the separation.This can be particularly advantageous when the tubing is heavily embedded in surrounding plant material or otherwise strongly bonded to surrounding material, as the tensile forces applied by one or more winding or retraction units are regularly significantly higher than the field-induced force acting on the metallic marker(s). Furthermore, in this configuration, at least one field-generating unit can optionally be deactivated for a large part of the collection process. This is achieved by activating the at least one field-generating unit only for the initial capture of the dripper tubing, for example, at the beginning of the row, and then deactivating it during the separation of most of the tubing's length. This can be advantageous, for example, if the field-generating unit is designed as an electromagnet, as this reduces the energy consumption of the collection device.

[0032] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one dripper hose to be collected from the area comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker only at its beginning and / or end, preferably on the first or last meter of hose length in the direction of flow, or on a partial length thereof, or is firmly connected to at least one at least partially metallic marker, while the remaining length is not provided with such a marker. This has the advantage, particularly in combination with the detection of the ends by the field-induced force and further retraction by other tensile forces described in the immediately preceding paragraph, that only the beginning and / or end of a dripper hose needs to be provided with at least one metallic marker, but not the entire length.This serves primarily to save costs, as the total material required for the metallic marker(s) is reduced. Preferably, in this configuration, the beginning and end of the drip line – viewed along the flow direction of the liquid, for example, water, through the drip line – are equipped with metallic markers. This allows for a free choice of driving direction along the laying direction of the drip lines when carrying out the collection process. On agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land, this enables driving up and down from headland to headland. Unidirectional operation with an empty return trip in the opposite direction after each row is not necessary.

[0033] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one dripper tube to be collected from the surface comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker along its entire length or is rigidly connected to at least one at least partially metallic marker. This has the advantage that the dripper tube can be separated along its entire length by the force applied by the field of at least one field-generating unit. Likewise, in this embodiment, the marker can serve as a detection marker for sensory detection of the dripper tube along its entire length during the installation period.

[0034] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one at least partially metallic marker, encompassed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube, is designed as a cable. This has the advantage that, in addition to its function during the collection process, the marker can also serve for signal or energy transmission along the dripper tube during the installation period, for example, to control valves or sensors that are positioned, for example, along the dripper tube or at its end.

[0035] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one at least partially metallic marker, enclosed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube, is designed as a tube covering, preferably in the form of a metal mesh. This has the advantage that, in addition to its function during the collection process, the marker can also serve as rodent protection during the installation period.

[0036] In one embodiment of the inventive collection method, at least one marker, encompassed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube, is at least partially metallic and made at least partially of ferritic stainless steel. Manufacturing the metallic marker from stainless steel has the advantage that the marker remains rust-free even after prolonged installation in the ground or on the ground surface, particularly during the installation period, even when surrounded by corrosive substances such as fertilizers. Alternatively, this can be achieved by appropriate painting or coating of the metallic marker, but the environment and potential bending during installation place high demands on this. When manufacturing from stainless steel, either ferritic or austenitic stainless steel is possible. However, austenitic stainless steels are typically non-magnetic.When using non-magnetic metals, the use of an eddy current separator is regularly required within the scope of the inventive collection process. Ferritic stainless steels, on the other hand, are typically magnetic, so that comparatively simpler magnetic field generators can still be used as field-generating units or within the field-generating units.

[0037] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one dripper hose is further shredded, preferably along its length, before the dripper hose is guided along at least one field-generating unit. This has the advantage that, at the time of separation, entanglement of the hose with surrounding material, in particular plant material or larger soil aggregates, is avoided due to the field-induced force. Furthermore, the dripper hose(s) are shredded during the collection process, which enables better compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper hose(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0038] In one embodiment of the collection method according to the invention, at least one dripper tube is further fragmented, preferably along its length, after the dripper tube has been guided along at least one field-generating unit, preferably the last field-generating unit along the path of at least one material mixture, and separated from the surrounding material. Fragmenting the dripper tube(s) during the collection process has the advantage of improved compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper tube(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0039] Particular advantages of the collecting device according to the invention arise in specific embodiments.

[0040] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one hose-moving unit is designed as an actively driven, rotating winding drum, and at least one field-generating unit is arranged in the core of the winding drum. The collecting device is configured to guide the winding drum close to the beginning of a dripper hose, for example at a distance of less than 25 cm, preferably less than 15 cm, so that the at least partially metallic marker is detected by the field-generating unit and the beginning of the hose is thus drawn towards the winding drum, so that the winding process begins. The collecting device is further configured, after detecting the hose, to rotate the winding drum in such a way that a tensile force is applied by the wrapping force of the hose and the rotational movement of the drum, which separates the hose from other surrounding material.This design has the particular advantage that the dripper tubing is wound up, thus maintaining its full length and allowing it to be unwound. This, in principle, enables the dripper tubing to be reused in other areas. Furthermore, manual insertion of the dripper tubing into the winding point is not required. In this design, the winding drum is actively driven, so that the dripper tubing is pulled onto the reel once the winding process begins. This drive for the rotational movement can be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric, or a combination of these drive technologies. The aforementioned "beginning" of a dripper tubing refers to the end at which the winding of the tubing begins. In the direction of liquid flow through the dripper tubing, this can be either the beginning or the end of the tubing.In this configuration, the winding drum can be positioned above the ground and collect the dripper hose directly from the ground, encompassing the dripper hose and, for example, plant material, within a material mixture located on or near the soil surface. Alternatively, in this configuration, the winding drum can also be positioned, after the dripper hose has been collected in the collecting device, along with further material mixture, above a conveying element that moves this material mixture and dripper hose. The latter has the advantage that it also allows for the winding collection of dripper hoses positioned significantly below the soil surface, for example, more than 10 cm below the soil surface.

[0041] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is configured to pick up the at least one dripper tube from the soil surface at the beginning of the collecting process. For this purpose, the winding drum is positioned close to the soil surface, for example, at a distance of less than 25 cm, preferably less than 15 cm. This has the advantage of generating very little soil disturbance during the collection of the dripper tubes. In another embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is configured to increase the distance between the winding drum and the starting position of the dripper tube after the start of the winding process in order to achieve better separation of the dripper tube from surrounding material and to reduce the risk of damage to the winding drum.The position of the winding drum is preferably changed by an adjustment, folding, or sliding unit driven mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically, or by a combination of these drive technologies. The change in position is preferably controlled automatically, for example, by time or distance control, or after sensor detection of the start of the drip tube.

[0042] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the hose-moving unit comprises, in addition to at least one winding drum, at least one or more lateral winding guides which are variably adjustable to the winding drum, for example, by sliding or folding, and the collecting device is configured to retract these winding guides at the beginning of the winding process, thereby reducing the overall diameter of the winding drum so that the winding drum can be guided closer to the dripper hose, and these winding guides are extended after the beginning of the winding process and the increase in the distance of the winding drum to the initial position of the dripper hose in order to ensure improved lateral winding guidance of the wound hose during winding onto the winding drum.The adjustment of the side guides is preferably achieved by an adjustment, folding, or sliding unit driven mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically, or by a combination of these drive technologies. This adjustment is preferably controlled automatically. Particularly preferably, the automatic control of this adjustment is combined, for example, in a time-based or time-sequential manner, with an automatically controlled increase in the distance between the winding drum and the initial position of the dripper hose.

[0043] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the winding drum can be opened once or multiple times, in particular between each pair of fixed or adjustable lateral winding guides, so that the wound dripper hose can be easily and quickly released from the winding drum after completion of a winding process. The opening device preferably comprises an adjustment, folding, or sliding unit driven by a mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically, or by a combination of these drive technologies. This unit is preferably designed to be controllable, so that it is easy for the operator to use or can be integrated into automation processes within the framework of path and sequence planning strategies.

[0044] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the winding drum is designed such that at least one support element, for example in the form of a tube, can be inserted into it before the start of the collecting process of one or more dripper tubes, and the opening mechanism is designed such that this support element remains at the origin of the winding of the dripper tube when the winding drum is opened to release the wound dripper tube(s). This has the advantage that the collected dripper tube(s) remain marketable as a wound roll after collection, which is usually a prerequisite for reuse as dripper tubing in other areas.

[0045] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device further comprises a receiving unit which is configured to receive the at least one material mixture together with the encompassed dripper tube from the surface, and at least one tube-moving unit is designed as a conveying element, for example in the form of at least one conveyor belt, at least one roller conveyor or at least one chute, or comprises at least one such conveying element which actively conveys the at least one dripper tube together with the material mixture encompassing it through the collecting device and thereby sets this material mixture in relative motion to the machine frame of the collecting device and at least one field-generating unit.This design is particularly well-suited for combining, or making combinable, the function of the collecting device with other functions, such as those of a harvesting machine or a destoning machine. In this context, individual components and modules, for example, at least one receiving unit or at least one conveying element, can serve different functions, such as both the collecting and harvesting functions. This reduces the additional manufacturing costs incurred by the collecting function, as the manufacturing costs of the elements used for both or more functions can be allocated across these functions for cost purposes.

[0046] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit comprises at least one permanent magnet or electromagnet or permanent electromagnet, or is designed as such, and is arranged, for example as an overfeed element magnet, above a conveying element, above the feed point onto a conveying element, above the discharge point from a conveying element, or above the transfer point between two or more conveying elements. Preferably, at least one field-generating unit is designed as an overband magnet, which is arranged above one or more conveyor belts and picks up metallic elements, such as metallic markers from drip tubes, from the material flow lying on the belt. This represents a particularly efficient and robust embodiment of the collecting device.

[0047] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit comprises at least one rotating magnetic roller and at least one scraper. This represents a particularly simple and therefore particularly advantageous embodiment of the field-generating unit with integrated cleaning, since the magnetic roller attracts the metallic markers and is then regularly cleaned of collected markers by a rotational movement, preferably against the scraper. This allows the markers and connected drip tubes to be conveyed further without permanently blocking the magnetic roller. Another advantageous embodiment allows the field-generating unit to be designed as a rotating magnetic roller with or without a scraper, wherein the magnetic field of the roller is activated segment by segment depending on the angle of rotation.The latter allows the magnetic roller to initially capture the markers during its rotation and then release them again during the course of the rotation, so that the markers with connected drip tubes are conveyed further without permanently blocking the magnetic roller.

[0048] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit comprises at least one circulating belt and at least one magnet arranged within the belt's orbit. Preferably, this embodiment of the field-generating unit is positioned above one or more conveying elements. Here, the marker(s), together with the connected drip tubes, are first drawn towards the circulating belt, preferably from below, by the force exerted by the magnet.

[0049] The rotating belt propels the marker(s), along with their attached drip tubes, out of the magnet's range and onto the circulating belt. Alternatively or additionally, at least one field-generating unit can also include one or more magnets with opposing forces in the discharge area to enable faster or more efficient discharge of the captured metallic markers with their attached drip tubes.

[0050] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit is designed as an eddy current separator and is preferably arranged in the discharge head drum of a hose-moving unit designed as a conveyor belt. Preferably, the conveyor belt is driven on the discharge side, i.e., operated in push mode. Furthermore, the eddy current separator is preferably integrated as a rapidly rotating permanent or electromagnet in the deflection roller of the conveyor belt on the discharge side. This allows the generation of rapidly rotating electromagnetic alternating fields in the discharge area, which generate eddy fields in conductive (non-ferrous) metals. Through the interaction of these alternating fields and eddy fields, non-ferrous metals or other non-ferrous metals are also influenced in their trajectory compared to the surrounding material and separated.A particular advantage of this design is that metallic markers made of non-magnetic metals can also be used in this type of collecting device.

[0051] In one embodiment of the collection device according to the invention, the collection device further comprises at least one shredding unit, for example in the form of a cutting unit, a shredder, or a chipper. This is advantageous because the dripper tube(s) are shredded during the collection process itself, which allows for better compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper tube(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0052] In one embodiment of the collection device according to the invention, at least one shredding unit is arranged in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture upstream of at least one field-generating unit, preferably the first field-generating unit in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture. This has the advantage that, at the time of separation, entanglement of the hose with surrounding material, in particular plant material or larger soil aggregates, is avoided due to the field-induced force. Furthermore, the dripper hose(s) are shredded during the collection process itself, which enables better compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper hose(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0053] In one embodiment of the collection device according to the invention, at least one shredding unit is arranged in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture downstream of at least one field-generating unit, preferably the last field-generating unit in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture. This is advantageous because the dripper tube(s) are shredded during the collection process itself, which allows for better compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper tube(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0054] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device comprises at least one intake unit. Such an intake unit can be designed, for example, as a driven, counter-rotating pair of rollers or cylinders, or as a plucking or pinching roller or cylinder running against a belt deflection. The intake unit offers the possibility of applying tensile forces to the dripper tube(s), which are typically higher and / or more controllable compared to the field-induced force direction. Preferably, when using counter-rotating rollers or cylinders, or when using at least one roller or cylinder running against a belt deflection, the axis of one or more rollers or cylinders is spring-mounted so that it can deflect when larger foreign objects are drawn in with the tube.Alternatively or additionally, it can also be advantageous if at least one roller is coated with a damping rubber or plastic material to ensure more reliable friction and better grip on the dripper tube surface. Optionally, at least one roller of the intake unit can also be enclosed by a tire filled with a pressurized fluid, such as air. This can, in turn, offer the advantage of better adaptation to the surface and shape of the dripper tube(s).

[0055] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to separate the beginning of at least one dripper tube from the surrounding material by the force of a field generated by at least one field-generating unit and to insert it into at least one intake unit, wherein the further separation of the dripper tube from the surrounding material preferably occurs through the tensile force applied by the intake unit. This has the advantage that the dripper tube(s) only need to be marked at the beginning, which enables cost savings in their manufacture. Likewise, this also allows a higher force to be applied optionally over a large portion of the length of the dripper tube(s) during the intake process, which is, for example, beneficial for separating the dripper tube(s) from coarse plant material.

[0056] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one shredding unit is further arranged downstream of the intake unit in the conveying direction of the dripper tube(s). This is advantageous because the dripper tube(s) are shredded during the collection process itself, which allows for better compaction and easier handling of the collected dripper tube(s) for further use, recycling, utilization, or disposal.

[0057] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device further comprises at least one collecting container, wherein the collecting device is configured to introduce the dripper tube(s) in their entirety or in shredded form into this collecting container after separation from at least one material mixture, for example by means of at least one field-generating unit, or by at least one intake unit, or by at least one shredding unit. This is advantageous because the collecting container allows for a long reach of the collecting device even when the dripper tube is collected in unwound form, particularly with a focus on material recycling or thermal utilization of the tube material.This means that the drip hose(s) can be collected over a long distance in agricultural, forestry or horticultural areas before the collected hose material needs to be emptied.

[0058] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one collecting container comprises at least one flap and / or an emptying unit, and / or the collecting device further comprises at least one tipping unit, so that the collecting container can be mechanically emptied after filling, allowing the collected hose material to be tipped, for example, onto collection piles at the edge of a field or transferred into transport or storage containers or transport equipment. Alternatively or additionally, the collecting container can be equipped with a roller base, augers, or similar conveying elements at its bottom. One or more such emptying aids are helpful for quick, convenient, and manual emptying or transferring.In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit and / or at least one collection container is fully and / or partially hinged to the machine frame of the collecting device, enabling it to be pivoted between at least one working position and at least one transport position, thus allowing road transport within the legally permissible dimensions of the machine. Such a pivoting or folding device permits road transport when it is not possible to arrange the elements required for carrying out the collection process within the dimensions permitted for road transport during the collection operation. Typically, a maximum width of 3 meters and a maximum height of 4 meters are permitted for the road transport of agricultural machinery in many European countries. These values ​​may differ for other countries.

[0059] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one hose-moving unit is designed as a tool engaging in the soil, for example as a harrow, cultivator or harrow tine or share, or harrow disc or disc coulter, or comprises such a tool which is configured to move lengthwise fragmented, preferably soil-laid, dripper hose sections with firmly attached or encompassed at least partially metallic markers upwards together with soil material and optionally other materials during the collection process, and at least one field-generating unit is arranged above the soil-engaging tool and is configured to separate dripper hose sections with firmly attached or encompassed at least partially metallic markers from at least one material mixture.by adhering to the field-generating unit. This design of the collection device allows for particularly easy combination or combinability with agricultural tillage machinery. Furthermore, this design also allows for the collection of already shredded dripper hoses from the field, and is therefore very robust against damage that occurs during the service life of the dripper hoses. However, it is necessary that each dripper hose section is connected to or includes a metallic marker. This typically requires that the dripper hoses are marked with metallic markers along their entire length during installation.

[0060] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, at least one field-generating unit is switchable, such that the magnetic, electric, or electromagnetic field is switched on during the collecting process and can be deactivated after the collection process has been carried out on, for example, one or more rows of the area. This allows, for example, the dripper hose sections that have adhered to the field-generating unit during the collecting process to fall off, preferably without further intervention. This may be desirable, for example, after lifting the device at the headland and positioning it over a collection pile at the field edge or over a transport or storage container or a transport device. This enables particularly simple and targeted placement of the collected dripper hose sections.

[0061] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device further comprises at least one shredding unit, for example in the form of a disc harrow section, which is arranged in the direction of travel in front of the tools engaging the soil, with at least one field-creating element located above it. This enables the use of such a collecting device with tools engaging the soil without the drip line sections having to be shredded into drip line segments in the soil or on the soil surface prior to the use of the collecting device. Both processes take place in a single operation.

[0062] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device comprises at least one intake unit and / or at least one winding unit, as well as at least one combing, scraping, vibrating, and / or brushing unit, which is configured to remove or reduce any remaining adhering material residues after the dripper tubing has been separated from at least one material mixture. Such adhering material residues can be, for example, soil adhering to the dripper tubing or wrapped or attached plant stems. To reduce the transport weight of the collected dripper tubing for further use or recycling, it is advantageous if these adhering material residues are cleaned off the dripper tubing during the collection process.

[0063] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device comprises at least one driven feed unit and / or at least one driven winding unit, and the respective drives are controlled or operated such that a maximum force, which is below the tensile strength of the dripper tubes, is not exceeded. This type of control or operation ensures that the forces applied to the dripper tubes are sufficiently high to achieve separation of the dripper tube from the surrounding material along its entire length, as well as ensuring that the dripper tube(s) do not tear during the collecting process. This force can preferably be ensured by setting an operating pressure or constant torque of the drive of at least one feed or winding unit.Alternatively or additionally, a preferably electronic control of the drive of at least one feed or winding unit is possible. In this case, the aforementioned feed or winding force is preferably regulated. Alternatively or additionally, the control system can regulate the feed or winding speed so that it corresponds to the movement speed of an upstream conveying element or the forward movement speed of the collecting device across the agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas, whereby a slight lead or lag, preferably less than 10%, particularly preferably less than 3%, is possible and technically advantageous.

[0064] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, it comprises at least one roller guide which directs the dripper tube before it is introduced into a feed or winding unit. This reduces the risk of the dripper tube becoming entangled during collection. Optionally, at least one roller guide can be equipped with at least one force sensor which measures the force exerted by the roller guide on the machine frame of the collecting device. In combination with the deflection angle of the roller guide, which is typically known from the design, the tensile force exerted on the dripper tube can be calculated from this force. This sensor signal can serve as an input for at least one electronic control of at least one drive of at least one feed or winding unit.

[0065] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the field-generating unit comprises at least one permanent magnet or is designed as a permanent magnet. This embodiment has the advantage of a particularly simple construction of the field-generating unit, which requires no energy supply in any operating condition.

[0066] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the field-generating unit comprises at least one electromagnet or is designed as an electromagnet. In this embodiment, the field-generating unit preferably comprises typical elements of an electromagnet, such as a coil, core, and circuitry, each in single or multiple configurations. An advantage of this embodiment is that a comparatively simple static magnetic field can still be used for separation. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that the magnet must be continuously energized during the time of field-induced separation, thus requiring a power supply for the field-generating unit.

[0067] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the field-generating unit comprises at least one permanent electromagnet or is designed as a permanent electromagnet. A permanent electromagnet typically consists of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet is opposite to the magnetic field of the permanent magnet and can thereby neutralize the magnetic field of the permanent magnet when activated. In the de-energized state, the permanent electromagnet is typically not magnetic; in the energized state, it is typically not. Therefore, the use of permanent electromagnets can be advantageous if it is necessary to maintain the magnetic field over a longer period and to deactivate it switchably within a short period. The use of a permanent electromagnet as a field-generating unit is particularly advantageous in combination with tools that penetrate the ground as hose-moving units.In this configuration, the field-generating unit must be active throughout the entire collection period, and the field is only briefly deactivated to release the collected drip tube sections. A permanent electromagnet is particularly advantageous here from an energy perspective, as it requires power when deactivated (i.e., when the magnetic field is deactivated), but not when activated.

[0068] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to act as a harvesting machine, receiving harvested materials, separating them from other material mixtures, and collecting or transferring them, or the collecting device can be combined with or is combined with a harvesting machine. The combination or combinability of several work steps in one or more functions within a common device is advantageous from both an efficiency standpoint and in terms of the machine's manufacturing costs.

[0069] Similarly, individual components of the machine can also be useful for both purposes, especially in this case.

[0070] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to act as a destoning machine, picking up stones and / or clods, separating them from other material mixtures, and collecting or overloading them. Alternatively, the collecting device can be combined with or is combined with a destoning machine. The combination or combinability of several work steps in one or more functions within a single device is advantageous from both an efficiency and manufacturing cost perspective. Likewise, individual components of the machine can also be suitable for both applications, particularly in this context.

[0071] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to loosen the soil and break down soil aggregates as a soil cultivation machine, or the collecting device can be combined with or is combined with a soil cultivation machine. The combination or combinability of several work steps in one or more functions in a common device is advantageous from an economic and manufacturing cost perspective.

[0072] Similarly, individual components of the machine can also be useful for both purposes, especially in this case.

[0073] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to act as a sowing, planting, and / or setting machine for distributing seed or planting material, or the collecting device can be combined with or is combined with a sowing, planting, and / or setting machine. The combination or combinability of several work steps in one or more functions in a common device is advantageous from an economic and manufacturing cost perspective.

[0074] Similarly, individual components of the machine can also be useful for both purposes, especially in this case.

[0075] In one embodiment of the collecting device according to the invention, the collecting device is further configured to act as a laying machine for drip irrigation hoses on agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land, or the collecting device can be combined with or integrated into a drip irrigation hose laying machine. The combination or combinability of several work steps in one or more functions within a single device is advantageous from both an efficiency and manufacturing cost perspective. Likewise, individual components of the machine can also be used for both purposes, particularly in this context.

[0076] In the course of using the collecting device according to the invention or carrying out the collecting method according to the invention, it can be particularly advantageous if the dripper tubes to be collected are laid as pre-assembled units. This applies especially to those configurations in which a connection with metallic markers is only required at the beginning and / or end of the dripper tubes. In this case, the dripper tubes can already be provided with metallic markers at their ends during factory-supported assembly, taking into account the field geometry of the area on which the dripper tubes are to be laid after assembly. These markers then also correspond to the respective beginning and end in the field.

[0077] To execute control steps, the data collection device can comprise one or more computing units, including typical components such as a CPU, volatile and non-volatile memory, interfaces, etc. The data collection device can also include a graphical user interface (GUI) through which the user can parameterize and monitor the corresponding control processes. Furthermore, the data collection device can include one or more communication modules, such as radio modules, through which one or more computing units comprised of the data collection device can communicate with external servers, for example in the cloud, or with computing units on / in connected tractors or carrier vehicles.

[0078] The features of the collecting method and the collecting device described above can be combined with each other in any way with the features of the independent claims, insofar as this is technically feasible. The same applies to the features introduced in the element-by-element description and the drawings.

[0079] Further modifications and embodiments of the collecting method and the collecting device according to the invention can be found in the following element-by-element description and the drawings. A more detailed description will now follow with reference to some exemplary embodiments. Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of suitable drip tubes.

[0080] Fig. 2: An exemplary possible design of an installation of a suitable drip irrigation system with pre-assembled units in a field of agricultural, forestry or horticultural land in a top view,

[0081] Fig. 3: An exemplary possible design of a suitable dripper tube and possible positions of installed dripper tubes before collection,

[0082] Fig. 4: an exemplary possible embodiment of a tractor-mounted implement designed as a collecting device with tools engaging in the ground, in side view,

[0083] Fig. 5: An exemplary possible embodiment of a collecting device with a winding drum designed as a tractor attachment in various operating situations in side view,

[0084] Fig. 6: An exemplary possible design of a winding drum with hinged lateral winding guides in various operating situations in side and front view,

[0085] Fig. 7: An exemplary possible design of a winding drum with opening capability in various operating situations, shown in front view.

[0086] Fig. 8: An exemplary possible design of a collecting device with receiving unit, conveying elements and collection container in side view,

[0087] Fig. 9: An exemplary possible embodiment of a collecting device with receiving unit, conveying elements and collection container with open collection container in side view; Fig. 10: An exemplary possible embodiment of a collecting device with receiving unit, conveying elements and collection container with overband magnet in and collection container in transport position in side view.

[0088] Fig. 11: an exemplary possible embodiment of the separation process with overband magnet and feed unit as well as a dripper tube equipped with metallic markers only at the beginning of the separation process and in the further course of the separation process in the side view.

[0089] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary possible design of suitable dripper hoses. The upper part of the figure depicts a dripper hose 6, which is provided along its entire length with an enclosing wire mesh 16 that serves as a metallic marker. Such a wire mesh 16 can be made of ferritic stainless steel. The dripper hose 6 is connected to the supply line 7 via the connection 8, so that during operation the liquid to be distributed, for example water, flows through it in the direction of arrow 3. The dripper hose is equipped with dripper elements 15 along its length. Here, the dripper hose 6 is designed, for example, as a branch line and therefore includes an end cap 9 at the end opposite the connection 8 to the supply line 7.

[0090] The lower part of the figure shows a drip line 6, which, in the flow direction 3, is equipped with a metallic marker 16 only at its beginning and end, here also designed as an enclosing wire mesh 16. These metallic markers 16 are attached to the first length unit 10a and the last length unit 10b of the drip line 6 in the flow direction 3. These lengths can be, for example, 0.3 m, 0.5 m, or 1.0 m, wherein the first length unit 10a and / or the last length unit 10b of the drip line 6 can be provided entirely or partially with metallic markers, while the area in between is preferably not provided with metallic markers. The drip line 6 is connected to the supply line 7 via the connection 8, so that during operation the liquid to be distributed, for example, water, flows through it in the direction of arrow 3.The drip line is equipped with dripper elements 15 along its length. The drip line 6, for example, is designed as a branch line and therefore includes an end cap 9 at the end opposite the connection 8 to the supply line 7.

[0091] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary configuration of a suitable drip irrigation system with pre-assembled units in a field of agricultural, forestry, or horticultural land, viewed from above. The field is defined by the field geometry 11 and, with the exception of the headland 35, is fully equipped with installed drip lines 6. Alternatively, installation is possible only on one or more sub-areas. The irrigation control unit 33 is located outside the field geometry. It is also possible to place the irrigation control unit 33 within the field geometry. Furthermore, it is possible to use one irrigation control unit 33 for several fields or sub-areas, or several irrigation control units 33 for one field or one or more sub-areas.The installation area for the supply lines 7a is, for example, located centrally in the field geometry and runs, for example, perpendicular to the laying direction of the drip hoses 6. Starting from the installation area for the supply lines 7a, which is located centrally in the area, drip hoses 6 were laid in both directions. The supply line segments 7a of the pre-assembled units are connected to each other and to the irrigation control unit 33. For this purpose, it may be necessary to install additional connectors 31 between the supply line segments. Likewise, it may be necessary to install one or more connector and / or distribution lines 32 between the supply line segments 7a and the irrigation control unit 33.The two field areas designated with reference numeral 34 indicate exemplary areas of the field, each of which is covered and irrigated by a pre-assembled unit comprising at least a plurality of dripper hoses 6 and supply line segment 7a cut to length to fit the field geometry. It is evident that the lengths of the dripper hoses 6 differ both within the field areas and between the field areas of individual pre-assembled units 34. This is preferably achieved through suitable planning of the cutting of the dripper hoses 6 to length and the assembly of the pre-assembled units with dripper hoses 6 during the preferably factory-supported production of the pre-assembled units. This planning is preferably carried out with knowledge of the field geometry 11 using suitable algorithms with a computer program.It is particularly advantageous if the dripper tubes 6 are already connected with metallic markers at points along their length corresponding to the target positions in the field of agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas during the factory-supported production of the pre-assembled units 34, or if metallic markers are integrated into them during tube production or pre-assembly. For example, as shown here, metallic markers can be attached to the dripper tubes 6 at the beginning 17 and / or end 18 during tube production or the manufacture of the pre-assembled units 34.

[0092] Fig. 3 shows an exemplary possible design of a suitable dripper hose and possible positions of installed dripper hoses before collection.

[0093] The upper part of the figure shows a possible embodiment of a suitable dripper tube with a covering in cross-section 46. The flow direction of the liquid through the tube is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and extends into the plane of the drawing. The dripper tube 6 is encased by a metallic covering 16, for example, in the form of a wire mesh. This covering 16 also serves as a metallic marker for subsequent collection within the framework of the collection method according to the invention or using the collection device according to the invention. The covering 16 can comprise one or more lateral projections 19. These projections 19 can improve the winding properties of the dripper tube 6, or improve its detectability by the force exerted by the electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic field of at least one field-generating unit, or enhance its detectability during sensory detection of the marker 16.

[0094] The middle part of the figure shows a drip line 6 in an underground installation 47. The drip line 6 includes drip elements 15 along its length and is connected to a metallic marker 16 designed as an enclosing wire mesh. The drip line 6 is positioned below the soil surface 20 in the soil 21 beneath the plants 22 to be irrigated. The lower part of the figure shows a drip line 6 in a surface installation 48. The drip line 6 includes drip elements 15 along its length and is connected to a metallic marker 16 designed as an enclosing wire mesh. The drip line 6 lies on the soil surface 20 of the soil 21 and is positioned next to or between the plants 22 to be irrigated.

[0095] Fig. 4 shows an exemplary possible embodiment of a collecting device designed as a tractor attachment with tools engaging in the ground in a side view.

[0096] The drip line is cut into drip line sections 23, and these sections 23 are located in the soil 21 below the soil surface 20 before processing. The main frame of the collecting device 26 is moved across the soil surface 20 by the tractor 1 in the forward direction 2. Due to their shape and the forward movement 2, the tools 12 engaging in the soil 21 convey a mixture of soil aggregates 24 and drip line sections 23a upwards along the direction of arrow 27. After the upward movement 27 is complete, the drip line sections 23b adhere to the field-generating element 25, for example a magnet, which is located above the tools 12 engaging in the soil 21, or rather above their point of engagement in the soil 21, while the non-magnetic soil aggregates 24 fall back onto / into the soil 21.

[0097] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary possible embodiment of a collection device with a winding drum, designed as a tractor-mounted implement, in various operating situations in a side view. The upper part of the figure shows the beginning of the pickup 49 of the dripper hose 6. The dripper hose 6 is located on the soil surface 20 of the soil 21, where it is mixed, for example, with plant material 39. The beginning 28 of the dripper hose 6 is encased in a metallic marker 16 and, due to the force exerted by the field-generating unit in the core of the winding drum 30, is drawn towards the winding drum 5. The dripper hose 6 also includes dripper elements 15. The main frame of the collection device 26 is driven by the forward movement 2 of the tractor 1 across the agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas from which the dripper hose(s) 6 are to be collected.The winding drum 5 is connected to the main frame of the collecting device 26 via the holder 13 and is actively rotated in the direction of rotation 36, so that the winding process begins after the start of the dripper tube 28 is drawn towards the winding drum 5. Due to the typically short effective distance of, for example, magnetic fields (field strength decreases proportionally to the square of the distance), the winding drum 5 is moved at a short distance from the starting position 37 of the dripper tube 6 at the beginning of the receiving 49 of the dripper tube 6, preferably at a distance 37 of less than 50 cm, particularly preferably less than 25 cm. A hold-down roller 29 is also connected to the main frame of the collecting device 26, which, however, is typically not yet engaged in this operating situation.

[0098] The lower part of the figure shows the further course of the insertion 50 of the dripper hose 6. The dripper hose 6 is located on the soil surface 20 of the soil 21, where it is mixed with plant material 39, for example. The beginning of the dripper hose 6 is now integrated into the winding 4 that has formed around the winding drum. The tensile force exerted on the dripper hose 6 now arises only to a very small extent from the force exerted on the winding drum 5 by the field-generating unit in the core of the winding drum 30. The main part of the tensile force is generated by the wrapping force of the dripper hose 6 around the winding drum 5 in the winding 4. Optionally, the field-generating unit 30 can also be completely switched off in this operating situation after a sufficiently stable winding 5 has been formed. The dripper hose 6 also includes dripper elements 15.The main frame of the collecting device 26 is driven by the forward movement 2 of the tractor 1 across the agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas from which the drip line(s) 6 are to be collected. The winding drum 5 is connected to the main frame of the collecting device 26 via the holder 13 and is actively rotated in the direction 36 so that the drip line 6 is further wound onto the winding 4 of the winding drum 5 during the forward movement 2. To prevent damage to the winding drum 5 and to better separate the drip line 6, for example, from surrounding plant material 39, the distance 38 of the winding drum 5 from the starting point of the drip line 6 is preferably increased in this operating situation by raising the winding drum 5 and / or the main frame of the collecting device 26. Distances 38 greater than 50 cm are preferably targeted.In this consideration, a distance of at least 50 cm between the winding drum 5 and the ground surface 20 can also be aimed for if the dripper hose is laid below the ground surface 20. The at least one preferably freely rotatable hold-down roller 29 and / or at least one comparable, immobile hold-down plate is typically in contact with the dripper hose 6 in this operating situation and guides the dripper hose 6 on a path that is away from the main frame of the collecting device 26 and the traction unit 1, so that the dripper hose 6 does not become entangled with them.

[0099] Fig. 6 shows an exemplary possible design of a winding drum with foldable lateral winding guides in various operating situations in side view and front view.

[0100] In the upper left part of Figure 42, the winding drum 5 with the field-generating unit 30 integrated into its core is shown in a side view. The lateral winding guides 40a are folded against the winding drum 5. This allows the winding drum 5 to be moved close to the ground surface and brought close to the starting position of dripper hoses.

[0101] In the lower left part of Figure 43, the winding drum 5 is shown in a front view. The lateral winding guides 40a are folded against the winding drum 5. This allows the winding drum 5 to be moved close to the ground surface and brought close to the starting position of dripper hoses. In this embodiment, the folding of the lateral winding guides 40a is made possible by the rotatably mounted connection in the hinge 41.

[0102] In the upper right part of Figure 45, the winding drum 5 with the field-generating unit 30 integrated into its core is shown in a side view. The lateral winding guides 40b project radially from the winding drum 5. This ensures secure lateral guidance of the dripper tube 6 and / or the winding 4. In this embodiment, the folding of the lateral winding guides 40b is made possible by the rotatably mounted connection in the hinge 41.

[0103] In the lower right part of Figure 44, the winding drum 5 is shown in a front view. The lateral winding guides 40b project radially from the winding drum 5. This ensures secure lateral guidance of the dripper hose 6 and / or the winding 4. In this embodiment, the folding of the lateral winding guides 40b is made possible by the rotatably mounted connection in the hinge 41.

[0104] Fig. 7 shows an exemplary possible design of a winding drum with opening capability in various operating situations in a front view in cross-section.

[0105] In the upper part 88 of the figure, the winding drum 5 is closed, as is necessary, for example, during the winding process. The winding drum 5, shown here hatched at a 45° angle, has the field-generating unit 30, shown here hatched vertically, integrated into its core. Lateral winding guides 40a are attached to the radius of the winding drum 5, projecting radially from the winding drum 5 and thus ensuring good lateral guidance of the dripper hose 6 during winding into the winding 4 on the winding drum 5. A support element 85, for example, a tube, is also inserted into the winding drum 5. In this embodiment, the winding drum 5 can have an opening 87 at which it can be opened. This opening is preferably located between two winding guides 40b, each of which guides a winding 4.The winding drum 5 is connected via the holder 86 to the displacement device 84, via which the opening of the winding drum 5 can be triggered, for example by means of a linear actuator encompassed by the displacement device 84, such as a hydraulic cylinder.

[0106] In the lower part 89 of the figure, the winding drum 5 is open, as is necessary, for example, for depositing the collected winding 4 of dripper tubing 6. The winding drum 5, shown here hatched at an angle of 45°, has the field-generating unit 30 integrated into its core. Lateral winding guides 40b are attached to the radius of the winding drum 5, which are folded against the winding drum here. This allows the winding 4 of the dripper tubing 6 to be deposited directly onto the surface 20 of the base 21 without having to drop the winding 4. The support element 85, for example in the form of a tube, remains at the origin of the winding 4 when deposited, so that the collected dripper tubing 6 can be handled as a wound roll. The support element 85 is released from the winding drum 5 along with the winding 5 by opening the winding drum 5 at the opening point 87.The winding drum 5 is connected to the shifting device 84 via the bracket 86. The shifting device 84 is shown here in its extended position. The shifting device 84 can also include a hydraulic telescopic cylinder.

[0107] A carrier element 85 suitable for use with such a collecting device may also include lateral guides, clamping devices, flaps and / or cords which allow safe transport and safe handling of the winding 4 without unintentional unwinding after the collecting process.

[0108] Fig. 8 shows an exemplary possible embodiment of a collection device with a receiving unit, conveying elements, and a collection container in a side view. The drip line 6 is laid underground below the soil surface 20 before collection and is mixed, for example, with soil 21 and crops 52 grown in the soil, such as root crops or vegetables. The frame of the collection device 51, shown here with dashed lines, is driven by the tractor 1 in the direction of travel 2 across the agricultural, forestry, or horticultural areas. The drip line 6 is drawn into the collection device by the receiving device 53, which here, for example, comprises one or more spade blades. Soil 21 or soil material can also be drawn into the collection device along with the drip line 6.In this configuration, the machine or collecting device can also simultaneously perform the function of, for example, a harvesting machine. In this case, for instance, in addition to the drip hose 6 and optionally further material from other material groups, plant material 39 and / or harvested crops 52 can also be taken into the machine. The separation of the different components of the material mixture flowing through the machine can also take place in several stages. In the configuration of the collecting device shown here as a module combined or combinable with a harvesting machine, the separation of the soil material is preferably carried out largely by one or more sieve belts. A first circulating sieve belt, for example a receiving belt, is shown with reference numeral 54 and conveys the material flow along the conveying direction 55.A second circumferential sieve belt 56 serves not only the sieving function but also the vertical conveying along the direction 57.

[0109] Preferably, the collecting device can comprise at least one circumferential mesh belt 62, for example, a coarse weed belt. This at least one mesh belt is preferably designed to separate the drip line 6 and / or coarse plant material 39 from the harvested material 52 and / or finer soil material by allowing the harvested material 52 to fall through the wide mesh, while coarser and / or lighter material flow components, such as drip line 6, coarse plant material 39, or similar, remain on the mesh structure and are thus conveyed further by the mesh belt 62. In the embodiment shown here, the harvested material can, for example, be separated from further soil by one or more additional separators 58 and conveyed by one or more additional conveying elements 59 in the conveying direction 60 into a harvested material storage container 61.In the embodiment shown here, the separation of the dripper tube 6 occurs due to the force exerted by the field-generating unit 65 on the metallic marker encompassed by the dripper tube 6, in the position above the discharge end of the mesh belt 62. The dripper tube 6 is preferably separated substantially from the conveyed plant material 39. The field-generating unit 65 is preferably designed as an internal magnet enclosed by a circulating belt 64. The arrow 66 indicates the direction of rotation of the belt 64. After the dripper tube 6 is grasped by the force of the field-generating unit 65, the dripper tube 6 is then conveyed in the direction of arrow 67 along the underside of the belt arranged above the mesh belt 62.This separates the drip line 6, for example, from the plant material 39 conveyed on the mesh conveyor belt and / or other coarse non-metallic material conveyed along with it, which is ejected in the direction of arrow 63 and remains on the soil surface 20. In this embodiment, after separation by means of the field-generating unit 65 and further conveyance by the circulating belt 64, the drip line can be conveyed further by at least one intake unit 70. At least one guide plate 69 can serve to introduce the drip line into the intake unit or other downstream elements. The embodiment can also include at least one shredding unit 71. Preferably, the separated drip line 6 is introduced into a collection container 72 provided for this purpose at the end of the process.This collection container can, for example, be used to collect the dripper hose 6 or shredded dripper hose sections 73 during the collection of individual rows in the field and for the collected material to be deposited at the field edge or headland. To prevent the dripper hose 6 from becoming entangled, the collection device can also include one or more hose deflector rollers 68.

[0110] Fig. 9 shows an exemplary possible design of a collecting device with receiving unit, conveying elements and collection container with the collection container open in a side view.

[0111] In this embodiment, the collecting device is designed to be used in combination with, or combinable with, a harvesting machine. The machine includes, for example, a crop storage container 61 into which the harvested material is collected during operation. The main frame of the machine 51 is shown here with dashed lines. The collecting device, or the harvesting machine, is moved across the soil surface 20 of the soil 21 by a tractor 1. The collecting device, or the harvesting machine, is configured to pick up drip lines containing other components of a material mixture, such as plant material, harvested material, or soil material, from or into the soil 21. For this purpose, a collection unit 53 and a collection belt 54 are included. In this operating situation, however, these are raised above the soil surface 20, allowing the machine to be freely maneuvered, for example, at the headland.To separate the dripper tubing from other material, the collecting device comprises a circulating belt 64 with an internal magnet, which is arranged above a mesh belt 62. For further processing and conveying of the tubing, the collecting device in this embodiment optionally includes one or more deflectors 69, one or more intake units 70, and / or one or more shredding units 71. In the illustrated embodiment, the collecting device further comprises one or more collection containers 72. At least one collection container 72 is equipped with at least one flap 75 or similar opening or emptying device. This flap 75 or similar opening or emptying device can be opened or triggered by a control mechanism. This releases the collected dripper tubing onto a pile at the field edge 74 or onto a transport system or container for removal from the field.

[0112] Fig. 10 shows an exemplary possible design of a collecting device with receiving unit, conveying elements and collection container with overband magnet in and collection container in transport position in side view.

[0113] In this embodiment, the collecting device is designed to be used in combination with, or combinable with, a harvesting machine. The machine includes, for example, a crop storage container 61 into which the harvested material is collected during operation. The main frame of the machine 51 is shown here with dashed lines. The collecting device, or the harvesting machine, is moved across the soil surface 20 of the soil 21 by a tractor 1. The collecting device, or the harvesting machine, is configured to pick up drip lines containing other components of a material mixture, such as plant material, harvested material, or soil material, from or into the soil 21. For this purpose, a collection unit 53 and a collection belt 54 are included. In this operating situation, however, these are raised above the soil surface 20, allowing the machine to be freely maneuvered, for example, at the headland or transported over roads or paths.To separate the dripper tubing from other material, the collecting device comprises a circulating belt 64 with an internal magnet. In the operating configuration for collecting the dripper tubing, this circulating belt 64 is arranged over a mesh belt 62. In the transport configuration shown here, however, the circulating belt 64 is swung down behind the frame of the machine 51 to allow transport within the permissible transport height 76 for road transport. For further processing and conveying of the tubing, the collecting device in this configuration optionally includes one or more deflectors 69, one or more intake units 70, and / or one or more shredding units 71. In the configuration shown, the collecting device also includes one or more collection containers 72.For these elements, a swivel device may also be required to swivel / switch between operating position Z-configuration and transport position Z-configuration in order to maintain the transport height.

[0114] Fig. 11 shows an exemplary possible embodiment of the separation process with overband magnet and feed unit, as well as a drip tube equipped with metallic markers only at the beginning of the separation process and in the further course of the separation process in a side view.

[0115] The upper part of the figure shows the beginning of a separation process 82. The field-generating unit 65 is designed here as an internal magnet in a circulating band 64, which is positioned above the discharge end of a mesh belt 62. The at least one dripper tube 6 is taken from a material mixture comprising at least plant material 39. At the beginning of the separation process shown here, the dripper tube 6 is drawn towards the upper circulating band 64 from below due to the force exerted by the magnet 65 on the metallic marker(s) attached to the beginning of the dripper tube, for example, in the form of clips, and is moved forward in the direction of arrow 67 due to the rotational movement of the band 64. The dripper tube 6 is then guided towards at least one intake unit 70 by at least one guide plate 69.In this embodiment, the intake unit 70 is positioned above at least one collection container 72. A space exists between the mesh belt 62 and the frame of the collection device 51, as well as between the collection container 72 and the mesh belt 62, through which the plant material 39, not affected by the magnetic field, can be discharged from the mesh belt 62. A guide or support roller 68, preferably freely rotatable, can be mounted in the trajectory of the dripper tube. The direction of rotation of the rollers of the intake unit 70 is indicated by the arrows 78.

[0116] The lower part of the figure shows the further course of a separation process 83 of one or more dripper tubes. The field-generating unit 65 is designed here as an internal magnet in a circumferential band 64, which is positioned above the dispensing end of a mesh band 62. The at least one dripper tube 6 is taken from a material mixture comprising at least plant material 39. The part of the dripper tube 6 currently within the effective range of the magnet 65 is no longer influenced by the magnetic field, as this section is not equipped with metallic markers 77. The metallic marker(s) 77, which are attached to the beginning of the dripper tube, for example in the form of clips, are already in the collection container 72 at this point in the separation process.The force required to separate plant material 39 and dripper tubing 6, which causes the dripper tubing to move in the direction of arrow 79, is applied at this point in the separation process by the tensile force of the intake unit 70 due to the counter-rotating, driven rotation 78 of the rollers. To prevent the dripper tubing from jamming, a guide roller 68 is attached to the frame of the collecting device 51. The deflector 69 and the circulating belt 64 can be positioned so that they are no longer engaged during this phase of the separation process. Optionally, the movement 66 of the circulating belt 65 can also be deactivated during this phase. Likewise, the electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic field of the field-generating unit 65 can optionally be deactivated during this phase of the separation process if this reduces energy consumption.In this embodiment of the collection device, the dripper hose 6 can in particular also be collected uncut and not wound up 81, which is particularly robust to implement in agricultural, forestry or horticultural areas and is typically sufficient for material or thermal uses.

[0117] The preceding figures, illustrations, descriptions, and embodiments, as well as the element-by-element description, serve only to explain the invention. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It will be easy for a person skilled in the art to modify the embodiments in a manner deemed suitable to adapt them to a specific application. [List of reference symbols]

[0118] 1 towing vehicle.

[0119] 2. Priority direction.

[0120] 3. Flow direction through the dripper hose.

[0121] 4 windings, shown here with horizontal hatching.

[0122] 5 winding drum.

[0123] 6 dripper tubes.

[0124] 7 Supply line.

[0125] 7a Supply line segment.

[0126] 8 Connection to the supply line.

[0127] 9 End closure of the dripper tube.

[0128] 10a First unit of length of the dripper hose.

[0129] 10b Last unit of length of the dripper tube.

[0130] 11 Field geometry.

[0131] 12. Tool that penetrates the ground.

[0132] 13 holders for winding drum.

[0133] 15 dripper elements.

[0134] 16 Metallic marker, here metal mesh as sheathing of the dripper tube.

[0135] 17. Metallic marker at the beginning of the drip tube, symbolized here as a triangle.

[0136] 18. Metallic marker at the end of the drip tube, symbolized here as a rhombus.

[0137] 19 Lateral shaping of the metal mesh.

[0138] 20 Soil surface.

[0139] 21 Ground, shown here with diagonal hatching at an angle of +45°.

[0140] 22 plants.

[0141] 23 Drip tube section with metallic marker (e.g. cut lengthwise).

[0142] 23a Dripper hose section with metallic marker, shown here in upward movement caused by the tool penetrating the soil.

[0143] 23b Drip tube section with metallic marker, here adhering to the magnet.

[0144] 24 Soil aggregate, shown here with oblique hatching at an angle of +45°. 25 Field-generating element arranged above the tools engaging in the soil, for example a magnet, shown here with vertical hatching.

[0145] 26 Main frames of the collecting device.

[0146] 27 Direction of movement of the material mixture in front of the tool engaging the ground.

[0147] 28 Dripper hose start with metallic marker, here pulled towards the winding drum by the field-generating unit.

[0148] 29 Hold-down roller.

[0149] 30 Core of the winding drum with integrated field-generating unit, shown here with vertical hatching.

[0150] 31 connectors between supply line segments.

[0151] 32 connectors between supply line segments and irrigation central unit.

[0152] 33 Irrigation Central Unit.

[0153] 34. Partial area of ​​the field which is covered by a prefabricated unit.

[0154] 35 headlands.

[0155] 36 Direction of rotation of the winding drum.

[0156] 37 Distance of the winding drum to the starting position of the dripper tube at the beginning of the recording.

[0157] 38 Distance of the winding drum to the starting position of the dripper hose during further recording.

[0158] 39 plant material.

[0159] 40a winding guide, folded in here.

[0160] 40b Winding guide, shown here unfolded.

[0161] 41 Hinged joint of the winding guide.

[0162] 42 Winding drum with lateral winding guide in folded position in side view.

[0163] 43 Winding drum with lateral winding guide in folded state in front view.

[0164] 44 Dripper hose, winding, winding drum with lateral winding guide in unfolded state, front view. 45 Winding drum with lateral winding guide in unfolded state, side view.

[0165] 46 dripper hose in cross-section.

[0166] 47 dripper hoses in underground installation.

[0167] 48 dripper hoses laid near the surface.

[0168] 49 Collection device with winding drum at the beginning of the collection process of a dripper hose.

[0169] 50 Collection device with winding drum in the further course of the collection process of a dripper hose.

[0170] 51 Frame of the harvesting machine (shown here as a dashed line).

[0171] 52 crops, for example root crops or vegetables, shown here with crossed hatching.

[0172] 53 reception unit, for example trained as or comprising a group.

[0173] 54 recording screen tape.

[0174] 55 Conveyor direction receiving screen belt.

[0175] 56 Steep conveying conveyor belt.

[0176] 57 Conveying direction steeply conveying sieve belt.

[0177] 58 Separator, shown here with oblique hatching at an angle of -45° ö .

[0178] 59 Conveyor element for filling harvested crop storage container.

[0179] 60 Direction of conveying of the conveying element for filling the harvested crop storage container.

[0180] 61 Harvest storage container.

[0181] 62 Circumferential mesh band.

[0182] 63 Direction of drop of larger plant material behind the surrounding mesh band.

[0183] 64 Circumferential band around internal magnet.

[0184] 65 field-generating element, here designed as an internal magnet, shown here with vertical hatching.

[0185] 66 Direction of rotation of the band around magnets.

[0186] 67 Direction of flow of the section of the drip tube separated from the material by the magnet.

[0187] 68 hose deflector rollers.

[0188] 69 guide plate.

[0189] 70 Feed unit. 71 Shredding unit.

[0190] 72 Collection container for collected drip tubes.

[0191] 73 Collected and shredded dripper tubes in the collection container.

[0192] 74 Collected and shredded drip irrigation tubing in a pile at the edge of the field. 75 Open flap of the collection container.

[0193] 76 Clearance height for road transport.

[0194] 77 Metallic marker, here for example a circular clip.

[0195] 78 Direction of rotation of the rollers of the feed unit.

[0196] 79 Movement of the caused by the pulling force of the feed unit

[0197] drip hose.

[0198] 81 Uncut, unwound dripper tubing found in the collection container.

[0199] 82 Start of the collection process with overband magnet over coarse weed belt and dripper hose initially marked with a metallic marker.

[0200] 83 Further course of the collection process with overband magnet over coarse weed belt and dripper hose initially marked with a metallic marker.

[0201] 84 Shifting device.

[0202] 85 Support element, for example pipe.

[0203] 86 Winding drum bracket.

[0204] 87 Opening point of the winding drum.

[0205] 88 Winding drum with opening point closed during or after the winding process.

[0206] 89 Winding drum with opening point opened during the release of the wound drip tube. Non-patent literature

[0207] NP1: Berry Hill Irrigation, „RH250 WRAPPER- 24" Wide Spool rolls up the leftover mess of plastic, hose and tape at the end of a season.“, https: / / www.berrvhilldriD.com / RH250-WRAPPER-24-Wide-SDOol-rolls-up-the-leftover-mess-of-plastic-hose-and-tape-at-the-end-of-a-season..html. abgerufen am 22.12.2024.

[0208] NP2: Agrishield, „Drip Irrigation Winder - 90 Degree Rolling Guide Demo“, https.7 / www.voutube.com / watch?v=iBo6VfSCpHo. abgerufen am 22.12.2024.

[0209] NP3: H. Zhu, C. L. Butts, M. C. Lamb, P. D. Blankenship: AN IMPLEMENT TO INSTALL AND RETRIEVE SURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION LATERALS, Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 20(1): 17-23, 2004, DOI: 10.13031 / 2013.15690 (https: / / doi.org / 10.13031 / 2013.15690. abgerufen am 29.12.2024).

Claims

Claims 1. Collection method for drip irrigation hoses (6) from drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural land, wherein at least one drip irrigation hose (6) comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) over at least a partial length or is firmly connected to at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77), the collection method is carried out mechanically using a collection device which comprises at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) and is driven or moves over the agricultural, forestry or horticultural land from which drip irrigation hoses (6) are to be collected during the execution of the method (2), characterized in that during the collection method at least one material mixture comprising at least one or more drip irrigation hoses (6) and further material from at least one of the material groups soil (21, 24), stones,Plant material (39), harvested crops (52) or fertilizer is brought into relative motion to at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) and the at least one material mixture is guided at least along this field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) and the separation of the dripper tube(s) (6) with enclosed or firmly connected at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) from the surrounding material of at least another material group occurs at least temporarily due to the force acting on the at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) by the at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65).

2. Collection method according to claim 1, characterized in that the collection device further comprises at least one intake unit (70) and / or at least one winding unit (5).

3. Collection method according to claim 2, characterized in that the beginning of at least one dripper tube (6) is separated from the surrounding material by the force of a field generated by at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) and is inserted into at least one draw-in unit (70) or at least one winding unit (5), wherein the further separation of the dripper tube (6) from the surrounding material is effected by the tensile force applied by the draw-in unit (70) or winding unit (5).

4. Collection method according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one dripper hose (6) to be collected from the area comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) only at its beginning (10a) and / or end (10b), preferably on the first or last meter of hose length in the direction of flow or a partial length of the first or last meter in the direction of flow, or is firmly connected with at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77), but the remaining length is not provided with such a marker (16, 77).

5. Collection method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one dripper hose (6) to collect from the area comprises at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) along its entire length or is firmly connected with at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77).

6. Collection method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one at least partially metallic marker encompassed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube (6) is designed as a cable.

7. Collection method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one at least partially metallic marker (16) encompassed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube (6) is designed as a tube covering, preferably in the form of a metal mesh.

8. Collection method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) encompassed by or firmly connected to a dripper tube (6) is made at least partially of ferritic stainless steel.

9. Collection method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one dripper tube (6) is further comminuted, preferably along the tube length, before the dripper tube (6) is guided along at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65).

10. Collection method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one dripper tube (6) is further comminuted, preferably along the tube length, after the dripper tube (6) has been guided along at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65), preferably the last field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) along the path of at least one material mixture, and separated from the surrounding material.

11. Collection device for collecting drip hoses (6) from drip irrigation systems on agricultural, forestry or horticultural land, comprising at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) and at least one hose-moving unit (5, 12, 54, 56, 63, 64) and designed to be driven or moved over the agricultural, forestry or horticultural land from which drip hoses (6) are to be collected (2), characterized in that the collection device is further designed to collect one or more drip hoses (6), which comprise at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) over at least a partial length or are firmly connected with at least one at least partially metallic marker (16, 77), made of at least one material mixture set in relative motion to at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65) of the collection device.

12. Collecting device according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one hose-moving unit (5) is designed as an actively driven, rotating winding drum (5) or comprises such a winding drum (5) and at least one field-generating unit (30) is arranged in the core of the winding drum (5), wherein the collecting device is configured to move the winding drum (5) at the beginning (10a, 10b) of at least one hose (6) close to the hose (6),for example, at a distance of less than 25 cm, preferably less than 15 cm, so that the at least partially metallic marker (16, 77) is detected by the field-generating unit (30) and the beginning (10a, 10b) of the at least one dripper tube (6) is thus drawn towards the winding drum (5) so that the winding process begins, and the collecting device is further configured to rotate the winding drum (5) after detecting the tube in such a way that a tensile force is applied by the wrapping force of the dripper tube (6) and the rotational movement of the winding drum (5) which separates the dripper tube (6) from other surrounding material.

13. Collection device according to claim 12, characterized in that the collection device is configured to pick up the at least one dripper tube (6) from the soil surface (20) at the beginning of the collection process, for which purpose the winding drum (5) is guided close to, for example at a distance (37) of less than 25 cm, preferably less than 15 cm, the soil surface (20).

14. Collecting device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the collecting device is configured to increase the distance (38) of the winding drum (5) to the starting point of the dripper tube (6) after the start of the winding process in order to achieve better separation of the dripper tube (6) from surrounding material and to reduce the risk of damage to the winding drum (5).

15. Collecting device according to claim 14, characterized in that at least one hose-moving unit comprises at least one or more lateral winding guides (40a, 40b) in addition to at least one winding drum (5), which are variably adjustable relative to the winding drum (5), for example, by being slidable or foldable (41), and the collecting device is configured to retract these winding guides (40a) at the beginning of the winding process, thereby reducing the overall diameter of the winding drum (5) so that the winding drum (5) can be guided closer to the dripper hose (6), and these winding guides (40b) are extended after the beginning of the winding process and the increase in the distance of the winding drum (5) to the starting point of the dripper hose (6) in order to ensure improved lateral guidance of the dripper hose (6) and / or the winding (4) during winding onto the winding drum (5).

16. Collection device according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the winding drum (5) can be opened (87) simply or multiple times, in particular between each of two fixed or adjustable lateral winding guides (40a, 40b), so that the wound (4) dripper hose (6) can be easily and quickly released from the winding drum (5) after completion of a winding process.

17. Collection device according to claim 16, characterized in that the winding drum (4) is designed such that at least one support element (85), for example in the form of a tube, can be inserted into it before the start of the collection process of one or more dripper tubes (6), and the opening mechanism (84) is designed such that this support element (85) remains in the winding origin of the dripper tube winding (4) when the winding drum (4) is opened (87) to release the wound (4) dripper tube(s) (6).

18. Collecting device according to one of claims 11 to 12 or 14 to 17, characterized in that the collecting device further comprises a receiving unit (53) which is configured to receive the at least one material mixture together with the enclosed dripper tube (6) from the surface, and at least one tube-moving unit (54, 56, 63, 64) as a conveying element, for example in the form of at least one conveyor belt (54, 56, 63, 64), at least one roller conveyor or at least one chute, or comprises at least one such conveying element which actively conveys the at least one dripper tube (6) together with the material mixture enclosing it through the collecting device and thereby brings this material mixture into relative motion to the machine frame of the collecting device (26) and at least one field-generating unit (25, 30, 65).

19. Collecting device according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) comprises or is designed as at least one permanent magnet or electromagnet and is arranged, for example as an overfeed element magnet, over a conveying element (54, 56, 63, 64) or over the feed onto a conveying element (54, 56, 63, 64) or over the discharge from a conveying element (54, 56, 63, 64) or over the transfer between two or more conveying elements (54, 56, 63, 64).

20. Collecting device according to claim 19, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) comprises at least one rotating magnetic roller and at least one scraper.

21. Collecting device according to claim 19, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (65) comprises at least one circulating belt (64) and at least one magnet (65) arranged within the orbit of the belt (64) or is designed as an internal magnet (65) in a circulating belt (64).

22. Collection device according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) is designed as an eddy current separator and is preferably arranged in the discharge head drum of a hose-moving unit (54, 56, 63, 64) designed as a conveyor belt (54, 56, 63, 64).

23. Collection device according to any one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that the collection device further comprises at least one comminution unit (71), for example in the form of a cutting unit, a shredder or a chipper.

24. Collection device according to claim 23, characterized in that the comminution unit (71) is arranged in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture upstream of at least one field-generating unit (30, 65), preferably the first field-generating unit (30, 65) in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture.

25. Collection device according to claim 23, characterized in that the comminution unit (71) is arranged in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture after at least one field-generating unit (30, 65), preferably the last field-generating unit (30, 65) in the conveying direction of at least one material mixture.

26. Collecting device according to one of claims 18 to 25, characterized in that the collecting device further comprises at least one intake unit (70).

27. Collecting device according to claim 26, characterized in that the collecting device is further configured to separate the beginning of at least one dripper tube (6) from the surrounding material by the force of a field generated by at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) and to introduce it into at least one intake unit (70), wherein the further separation of the dripper tube (6) from the surrounding material preferably takes place by the tensile force applied by the intake unit (70).

28. Collection device according to claim 23 and one of claims 26 or 27, characterized in that the comminution unit is further arranged in the conveying direction of the dripper hose(s) (6) behind the intake unit (70).

29. Collection device according to one of claims 18 to 28, characterized in that the collection device further comprises at least one collection container (72), wherein the collection device is configured to introduce the dripper tube(s) (6) in their entirety (81) or in comminuted form (73) into this collection container (72) after separation from at least one material mixture, for example by means of at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) or by means of at least one intake unit (70) or by means of at least one comminution unit.

30. Collection device according to claim 29, characterized in that the collection container (72) comprises at least one flap (75) and / or the collection device further comprises at least one tilting device, so that the collection container (72) can be opened or tilted switchably in order to be emptied mechanically after filling, and so that the collected hose material can be tipped, for example, at the edge of the field onto collection piles (74) or can be transferred into transport or storage containers or transport equipment.

31. Collecting device according to one of claims 18 to 30, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (30, 65) or at least one collecting container is wholly or partially foldable and connected to the machine frame of the collecting device in order to be pivoted between at least one working position and at least one transport position and to allow road transport within the legally permissible dimensions (76) of the machine.

32. Collection device according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one hose-moving unit (12) is designed as a tool (12) engaging in the soil (21), for example as a harrow, cultivator or harrow tine or share or harrow disc or disc coulter, or comprises such a tool (12) which is configured to move lengthwise comminuted dripper hose sections (23) laid in the soil (21) with firmly attached or comprising at least partially metallic markers (16, 77) together with soil material (21, 24) and optionally further materials upwards during the collection process, and at least one field-generating unit (25) is arranged above the tool engaging in the soil (21) and is configured to move dripper hose sections (23) with firmly attached or comprising at least partially metallic markers (16, 77) upwards together with soil material (21, 24) and optionally further materials during the execution of the collection process.77) to separate from at least one material mixture by adhering to the field-generating unit (25).

33. Collection device according to claim 32, characterized in that at least one field-generating unit (25) is switchable, such that the magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field is switched on during the collection process, and after the collection process has been carried out on, for example, one or more rows of the area, the magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field can be deactivated, so that the dripper hose sections (23), which have remained attached to the field-generating unit (25) during the collection process, now preferably fall off without further intervention, which may be desirable, for example, after lifting the device at the headland (35) and positioning it over a collection pile (74) at the field edge or over a transport or storage container or a transport device.

34. Collecting device according to one of claims 32 or 33, characterized in that the collecting device further comprises at least one shredding unit, for example in the form of a disc harrow field, which is arranged in the direction of travel in front of the tools engaging in the soil (21) with at least one field-generating element (25) located above it.

35. Collecting device according to one of claims 11 to 34, characterized in that the collecting device comprises at least one intake unit (70) and / or at least one winding unit (5) and furthermore comprises at least one combing, scraping and / or brushing unit, is configured to remove or reduce residual adhering material after the separation of the dripper tube (6) from at least one material mixture.

36. Collecting device according to one of claims 11 to 35, characterized in that the collecting device comprises at least one driven intake unit (70) and / or at least one driven winding unit (5) and the respective drives are controlled or operated in such a way that a maximum force which is below the tensile strength of the dripper tubes (6) is not exceeded.

Images