Adjustable Rotary Knife Weeding Device for Crop Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weeding devices face challenges in achieving efficient weed removal over a broad area without damaging crops, often requiring compromises between operational speed and precision, and are susceptible to soil obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A weeding device with adjustable weeding tools and an AI-based plant recognition system that allows for precise weed removal by dynamically switching between weed-removing and plant-bypassing configurations, using rotary and stationary knives, and incorporating lateral displacement and obstacle adaptation mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical arms with swinging blades are used to avoid crops, then crop damage is reduced, but operational speed must be reduced or unweeded area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the weeding tool configuration based on real-time detection of crop positions. The system transitions from static mechanical arms to dynamically controllable rotary knives that can adjust their position and orientation according to detected crop locations, enabling high-speed operation without crop damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical swinging arm system with a sensor-based detection and control system. Image processing technology detects crop positions, and this information is used to control the rotary knives, substituting pure mechanical operation with an integrated sensor-control-mechanism system that enables faster operation
2Productivity
If mechanical arms are used for weeding, then weed removal is effective, but the device is susceptible to damage from soil obstacles like large stones
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary knife mechanism with adjustable configuration allows the weeding tool to dynamically adapt to different ground conditions. When obstacles are detected or encountered, the system can adjust the knife position or rotate the mandrel to bypass obstacles without damaging the mechanical structure, unlike fixed swinging arms
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary mandrel with periodic notches creates a periodic action where the knives pass through defined positions in sequence. This periodic motion allows the system to naturally cycle through different operational states, enabling it to handle obstacles by timing the knife passages appropriately rather than requiring complex impact absorption mechanisms
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A weeding device (1) for use with an agricultural tractor to be guided along rows of crops, the weeding device (1) comprising: a main body (11) configured for attachment to the tractor; and at least one weeding module (12) with weeding tools, connected to the main body (11) and controlled by means of a controller (110) based on image data from a camera (114). The weeding module (12) comprises two tools, of which one is a knife (121) mounted on a rotary mandrel (123) and having arms (121R) with notches (121N) therebetween. The controller (110) is configured to adjust the configuration of the knife (121) between a weed-removing configuration and a plant-bypassing configuration. In the plant-bypassing configuration a distance (DB) between the knife's (121) arm (121R) that is closest to a second tool (122, 151) and said second tool (122, 151) is greater than corresponding distance (DR) in the weed-removing configuration.