Light Screen Plant Height Sensor for Precision Corn Castration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical castration systems for corn plants lack precision in automatically adjusting the cutting height, leading to incomplete removal of panicles and increased labor costs, as they often eliminate leaves along with panicles, affecting crop development and requiring manual supplementation to meet purity standards.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a light screen device with a column of light sources and photoreceptors mounted on an adjustable arm, coupled with a calculator that determines a control set point based on measurements of plant height, allowing for precise adjustment of the cutting height of agricultural implements, such as blades or rollers, to optimize panicle removal while minimizing leaf damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual evaluation by driver is used to adjust cutting height, then operation simplicity is maintained, but manufacturing precision of cutting height is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual evaluation method with an optical measurement system (light screen with photodetectors) that automatically measures plant height and controls cutting implement position, substituting human visual judgment with precise optical sensing
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the cutting machine to automatically measure plant heights and adjust cutting implement positions without requiring driver intervention, making the system self-regulating based on real-time optical measurements of the crop
2Productivity
If simultaneous cutting of two rows at same height is implemented, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision for individual plants is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement function into multiple independent light screens, each dedicated to measuring one row of plants. Each light screen operates independently to measure its assigned row, allowing simultaneous measurement of multiple rows without cross-interference while maintaining individual measurement precision
3Productivity
If mechanical castration eliminates panicles with leaves, then productivity is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to crop damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different cutting heights to different locations based on individual plant measurements. Each cutting implement is positioned at the specific height corresponding to its target plant's panicle location, enabling precise removal of only the panicle portion while preserving the leaves and lower plant structure
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
The system enhances precision and productivity by adapting the cutting height to individual plant heights, reducing manual intervention and improving crop output by ensuring accurate panicle removal without excessive leaf loss, thus optimizing mechanical castration operations.
Implementation Method 1
a light screen device formed by an emitter in the form of a column of light sources and a receiver in the form of a column of photoreceptors
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for adjusting the height of an agricultural implement, including an arm that can be controlled so as to raise and lower the implement; a height measuring sensor mounted on the arm and positioned in front of the implement in the direction of travel of the vehicle equipped with the arm. A calculator configured to provide a control set point for the height of the arm on the basis of the measurements obtained by the sensor, wherein the sensor is a light screen device formed by an emitter in the form of a column of light sources and a receiver in the form of a column of photoreceptors. The emitter and the receiver are mounted on the arm facing one another and extending along their longitudinal axis, perpendicularly to the ground, in order to measure the height of plants located therebetween.