Adjustable Crop Cutting and Pick-Up Apparatus for Controlled Traffic Farming
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern agricultural machinery causes ground compaction and mechanical damage to crops, leading to reduced plant growth, impaired nitrogen production, and increased environmental load, while also being energy-intensive and prone to contamination.
Innovation Solution
A versatile agricultural apparatus with a cutting device and pick-up device that can be adjusted between cutting and non-cutting positions, allowing for controlled traffic farming by minimizing wheel tracks and reducing ground compaction, while also improving crop handling and feedstuff quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional agricultural machines run back and forth over the field to cover the whole area, then the field coverage is improved, but ground compaction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The field is divided into multiple zones or sections that can be treated in a systematic pattern. The apparatus processes crops in segments rather than requiring complete back-and-forth coverage, reducing the number of times any single ground area is traversed while still achieving overall field treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus introduces a new operational dimension by processing crops in place or with minimal movement, rather than relying solely on linear back-and-forth traversal. This could involve vertical processing, radial patterns, or other dimensional approaches that reduce ground track repetition.
2Productivity
If machines are used to treat crops, then crop treatment efficiency is improved, but mechanical damage to plants increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces heavy mechanical harvesting or processing systems with a lighter apparatus that uses minimal mechanical interaction with the plants. The cutting device and pick-up mechanism are designed to handle crops with reduced force and contact, substituting aggressive mechanical systems with gentler processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus adjusts operational parameters such as cutting height, pick-up speed, and processing intensity to optimize plant handling. By dynamically changing these parameters, the system maintains high productivity while minimizing mechanical stress and damage to the crops.
3Productivity
If cutting device is used to cut crop, then crop harvesting is improved, but contamination of feedstuff increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus extracts or removes potential contaminants from the crop processing stream. The cutting and pick-up mechanisms are designed to separate clean crop material from contaminated material, extracting only the desired feedstuff while leaving behind soil, stones, and other contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus introduces an intermediary processing stage between cutting and feedstuff collection. This intermediate mechanism (the pick-up device and processing chamber) acts as a mediator that filters and cleans the crop material, preventing contamination from entering the final feedstuff while maintaining harvesting efficiency.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus (5, 7, 9) for treating a crop (21), the apparatus having a longitudinal (L) and a transverse direction (T) and comprising - a cutting device (19), adapted to cut the crop (21) - a pick-up device (27), adapted to pick-up the crop and to move it substantially rearwards in the longitudinal direction. The cutting device (19) is displaceable between a cutting position (23) and a non-cutting position (25). The pick-up device (27) is adapted to pick-up the crop either from the cutting device (19) or from ground (12). The apparatus may further comprise a transport device, a front cover and/or a rear guide. The disclosure further relates to an arrangement comprising such an apparatus and a use of such an apparatus or arrangement.