Dual Spray Bars for High-Resolution Spot Spraying on Uneven Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural spraying systems face challenges in achieving precise spot spraying due to limited spatial precision and accuracy, leading to excessive agrochemical usage and reduced capability for full application, with issues in nozzle-to-nozzle distance, camera tilt causing mapping errors, and terrain irregularities affecting spray accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural system with dual spray bars of different nozzle densities and independent height control systems, combined with 3D depth sensors and camera modules for accurate object mapping and tracking, allows for low and high-resolution spraying, and includes segmenting high-resolution nozzles for uneven terrain adaptation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the nozzle-to-nozzle distance is reduced to improve spray precision, then spatial precision is improved, but the flow of each nozzle must be reduced which limits the sprayer capability for full application
Solution Approach 1:
The spray bar is divided into multiple segments, each equipped with its own height control system. This allows different segments to operate at different heights, enabling high-resolution spot spraying at low height while maintaining full application capability at higher heights. Each segment can be independently adjusted to follow terrain contours.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray bar is made dynamically adjustable through multiple height control systems that can independently regulate the position of each segment. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt between high-resolution spot spraying mode (low height) and full application mode (high height), resolving the contradiction between precision and versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If the spray bar height is reduced to decrease spray spot size, then spatial precision is improved, but the inertial behavior of the wide spray ramp makes it prone to collision with the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The spray bar is segmented into multiple sections, each with its own height control system. This segmentation allows each segment to independently adjust its height to follow terrain contours, reducing the overall spray bar height for precision spraying while avoiding collision through localized height adjustment rather than uniform low positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
Distance sensors mounted along the spray bar provide real-time feedback on the distance to the ground surface. This feedback is used by the height control systems to dynamically adjust spray bar positions, preventing collision while maintaining low heights for high-resolution spraying. The system continuously adapts to terrain changes based on sensor input.
3Device complexity
If a single spray bar is used for both full application and spot spraying, then device simplicity is maintained, but the spatial precision for spot spraying is limited by the uniform nozzle arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The spray bar is divided into multiple segments with different nozzle densities. High-resolution segments have nozzles spaced closer together for precise spot spraying, while low-resolution segments have wider spacing suitable for full application. This segmented configuration enables a single spray bar to perform both high-precision and conventional spraying operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the spray bar are equipped with locally optimized nozzle arrangements. High-resolution segments use dense nozzle spacing for precise spot spraying in specific zones, while other segments maintain standard spacing for general application. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve high spatial precision where needed without compromising overall device simplicity.
4Loss of time
If the camera is tilted forward to detect objects early, then detection time is improved, but object mapping precision deteriorates due to absence of distance measurement
Solution Approach 1:
Distance sensors are introduced as intermediary devices that measure the distance between the camera and the ground surface. This distance information serves as a mediator that corrects the mapping errors introduced by camera tilt, allowing accurate object localization while maintaining early detection capability. The distance measurements compensate for the geometric distortion caused by the tilted camera angle.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an agricultural system (100) for spraying an area of a cultivated field (10), including a spraying equipment (200). The spraying equipment comprises a first and a second spray bar (210, 215) extending perpendicularly to the travel direction of the agricultural system (100) when operating. The first spray bar (210) comprises a first array of nozzles (220) separated from each other by a first distance while the second spray bar (215) comprises a second array of nozzles (240) separated from each other by a second distance smaller than said first distance. Consequently, the spatial resolution of spot sprays (242) that may be sprayed by the second array of nozzles (240) is higher than the spatial resolution of spot sprays (222) that may be sprayed by the first array of nozzles (220) when the first and second spray bars (210, 215) are at the same height such that the first and second arrays of nozzles (220, 240) may perform respectively low and high-resolution spot sprays (222, 242).