Electronic Pulsing Valve for Seed-Linked Chemical Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seed and chemical granule dispensing systems often result in excessive chemical usage due to dispensing along the entire seed furrow, leading to inefficiency and unnecessary exposure for agricultural workers, as well as reduced effectiveness of the chemical application.
Innovation Solution
An electronically controlled system that senses the passage of seeds through a tube and electronically pulses chemical granules in close proximity to the seeds, using a chemical granule tube, seed sensing device, and electrical pulsing valve to dispense a controlled quantity of chemicals only when a seed is detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If chemical granules are dispensed along the entire length of the seed furrow, then the chemical coverage is comprehensive, but the amount of chemical used is excessive and much of it is not effectively used
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the seed position before chemical dispensing occurs. The seed detection mechanism identifies where seeds are placed in the furrow, and this information is used to trigger chemical granule dispensing at the precise location, preventing waste from unnecessary chemical application along the entire furrow length.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by changing from uniform chemical distribution along the entire furrow to localized chemical application only at seed positions. The system delivers chemical granules with specific spatial precision, ensuring chemical is applied only where needed (at seed locations) rather than uniformly across the entire furrow, thereby reducing waste.
2Reliability
If chemical granules are dispensed along the entire seed furrow, then continuous chemical coverage is achieved, but the effectiveness is reduced due to distance from planted seed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of seed placement before triggering chemical dispensing. This preliminary action ensures that chemical granules are released only after confirming seed presence, thereby maximizing chemical effectiveness by ensuring proximity to the seed while avoiding waste from dispensing chemical in seedless areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical continuous dispensing system with an electronically controlled on-demand dispensing system. Instead of mechanical continuous flow along the furrow, the system uses electronic sensors to detect seeds and triggers chemical release only when needed, improving both effectiveness and efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional chemical dispensing is used along the entire furrow, then chemical application is simple and continuous, but agricultural workers have greater exposure to hazardous chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the simple mechanical continuous dispensing system with an electronically controlled system that uses sensors and electronic valves. This substitution reduces worker exposure by enabling precise control over when and where chemical is dispensed, limiting chemical presence in the environment despite the increased system complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If chemical granules are dispensed without seed detection, then the dispensing system is simple and continuous, but the precision of chemical placement with seed is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces simple mechanical dispensing with an electronically controlled system incorporating seed detection sensors. This substitution enables precise chemical placement by triggering dispensing only when a seed is detected, achieving high precision despite the increased complexity of the electronic control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using seed detection signals to control chemical dispensing. The detection mechanism provides real-time information about seed presence, which feeds back to the control system to trigger or inhibit chemical release, thereby achieving precise chemical placement matched to actual seed positions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures that chemical granules are applied more effectively and efficiently, reducing waste and minimizing exposure risks for agricultural workers by delivering the precise amount of chemicals directly to the seed placement, enhancing soil-applied chemical effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a seed sensing device configured to sense a dispensation of a seed
Implementation Method 2
an electrical pulsing valve operably coupled to both the chemical granule tube and the seed sensing device and disposed between the discharge opening and the outlet aperture of the chemical granule metering system, the valve being configured to open to dispense chemical granules from the chemical granule tube when the seed sensing device senses the dispensation of the seed
Implementation Method 3
a chemical granule metering system operably coupled to the chemical granule tube and configured to receive chemical granules from the chemical granule tube through an inlet aperture and to dispense a particular quantity of the chemical granules through an outlet aperture with the seed
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for electronically pulsing chemical with seed. The system and method incorporate a seed dispensing tube (220) configured to dispense seeds, a granule tube (250) configured to dispense chemical, an electrical valve (260) configured to open so that chemical granules may be dispensed from the chemical granule tube (250), and a proximity sensor (270) operably coupled to the electrical valve (260), the sensor (270) being configured to sense a seed dispensed from the seed dispensing tube (220). The system may also include a metering mechanism (217) for metering the quantity of chemical that is dispensed with the seed. The metering mechanism (217) may be controlled by a radar unit on a tractor associated with the system, and the metering mechanism (217) may be programmed to dispense a predetermined quantity of chemical with the seed.