Adjustable Sprayer Row Units for Non-Ideal Crop Row Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural sprayers struggle to accurately apply crop inputs when plants deviate from ideal row spacing due to human error or machine inaccuracies, leading to reduced crop yields and environmental impact from over-application or uneven distribution.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural vehicle equipped with adjustable row units that utilize satellite navigation receivers and imaging devices to dynamically adjust nozzle positions in three dimensions, ensuring precise targeting and uniform application of crop inputs regardless of plant row alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fixed row spacing is used in sprayer design, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but accuracy of crop input application deteriorates when plants deviate from ideal rows
Solution Approach 1:
The sprayer employs adjustable row units that can dynamically change their lateral position and orientation during operation. Each row unit is equipped with actuators that allow it to move independently from the sprayer's path of travel, enabling the sprayer to adapt to actual plant row positions rather than following a fixed pattern. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by providing high application accuracy without requiring a completely complex fixed-adjustment mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The sprayer is divided into multiple independent row units, each capable of individual adjustment. This segmentation allows each unit to be controlled separately based on real-time positioning data from GPS and imaging systems. The segmented approach enables precise targeting of individual plant rows while keeping each control module relatively simple, thus improving application accuracy without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If satellite navigation without real-time correction is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to position drift
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system incorporates real-time feedback through differential GPS correction signals from base stations. The system continuously receives correction data that compensates for satellite positioning errors, maintaining accurate position tracking throughout operation. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing high positioning accuracy while using a relatively simple correction implementation that builds upon standard GPS infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses base stations as intermediaries to provide correction signals between the satellite constellation and the moving sprayer. These base stations act as reference points that translate satellite data into locally accurate position information, enabling precise navigation without requiring complex onboard processing or additional satellite infrastructure.
3Productivity
If uniform crop input application is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to over-application in some areas and under-application in others
Solution Approach 1:
The sprayer implements variable rate application where each row unit can deliver different amounts of crop input based on its specific position and the prescribed treatment plan. The system adjusts application rates locally for different zones and individual plants, ensuring optimal input levels rather than uniform distribution. This local quality approach maximizes productivity by matching input levels to actual crop needs while using automated control to manage the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically changes application parameters including flow rate, nozzle positioning, and spray pressure based on real-time location data and prescription information. Each row unit can independently modify its operational parameters to achieve precise application rates, resolving the contradiction between optimized productivity and operational simplicity through automated parameter adjustment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A first leg extends upward from the left frame and a second leg extends upward from the right frame to connect the legs to the beam. One or more satellite navigation receivers are associated with beam to determine a position and an attitude of the beam. One or more row units are suspended from the beam, each row unit having a first nozzle and a second nozzle, wherein the first nozzle and the second nozzle are associated with an adjustable reference position in one or more dimensions with respect to the beam.