Row-Crop Cultivator Steering Using Plant-Row Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current agricultural attachment systems for cultivating row crops rely on manual steering interventions, which are labor-intensive and result in low working speeds, and existing solutions for improving cultivation results are complex and offer limited practical suitability.

Innovation Solution

An agricultural attachment equipped with a signal generation system that uses row-detection data to generate steering commands for the drive vehicle, allowing precise alignment and positioning of the attachment relative to plant rows, thereby reducing the need for manual steering and enabling automated or partially automated cultivation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual steering intervention is used to correct attachment position and alignment, then the attachment can be adjusted to plant rows, but the working speed is reduced and operator effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidworking speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment performs self-positioning by generating its own steering commands based on row detection data. The attachment independently calculates the required steering corrections and transmits these commands to the drive vehicle, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention while maintaining high positioning accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously detects the position of plant rows and uses this feedback to generate real-time steering commands. The row detection device provides ongoing positional information, which the signal generation system processes to create corrective steering actions, enabling dynamic adjustment without manual input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If a displacement frame is used to adjust attachment position, then alignment flexibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment flexibilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical displacement frame system with an electronic control system. Instead of using complex mechanical components to physically adjust attachment position, the system uses signal generation to create steering commands that guide the drive vehicle, achieving alignment through electronic control rather than mechanical adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The signal generation system serves multiple functions: it processes row detection data, calculates positioning corrections, generates steering commands, and communicates with the drive vehicle. This multi-functional electronic system replaces the specialized mechanical displacement frame, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining alignment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20230225236A1Agricultural Attachment for Cultivating Row Crops

Publication Date: 2023.07.20 AMAZONEN WERKE H DREYER GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

The invention relates to an agricultural attachment for cultivating row crops, comprising a row-detection device designed to detect, during a cultivation process, locations and/or courses of rows of plants on farmland, and a signal generating device designed to generate steering commands for a drive vehicle to which the attachment is attached, in accordance with the locations and/or courses of the rows of plants detected by the row-detection device.