Sensor Support Arm Structure for Vibration-Isolated Farm Implements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural implements vibrate due to topographical irregularities and impediments, causing poor quality data capture by vision-based and chemical detection sensors.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural implement with a support arm that includes multiple support plates and structural members, positioned aft of the frame, to increase rigidity and reduce vibration transmission to sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are mounted directly on the implement frame, then the structure is simple, but vibrations from topographical irregularities degrade data quality
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm is segmented into multiple components including primary structural members, support plates, and cross members that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for reduced vibration transmission while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm acts as an intermediary structure between the implement frame and the sensor. It includes vibration-reducing features such as support plates with dampening characteristics and flexible connections that isolate the sensor from frame vibrations caused by topographical irregularities.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid support structure is used to minimize sensor movement, then measurement stability improves, but vibration transmission from the frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm incorporates flexible elements such as thin-walled tubular members and support plates with specific geometric configurations that provide controlled flexibility. These flexible structures allow the sensor to remain stable while isolating it from high-frequency vibrations transmitted through the implement frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure uses composite construction combining rigid primary structural members for overall stability with more compliant support plates and cross members for vibration isolation. This composite approach achieves both sensor stability and reduced vibration transmission simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Agricultural implements often include one or more vision-based or chemical detection-based sensors mounted thereon to monitor various parameters associated with the performance of such agricultural operations. During the performance of agricultural operations, the implement may encounter topographical irregularities or impediments within the field. The topographical irregularities or impediments may jar the implement, thereby causing one or more components of the implement to vibrate. Such vibrations are, in turn, transmitted from the implement frame to the sensors, which may result in the data being captured by the sensors having poor quality. Therefore, an agricultural implement may include a support arm coupled thereon and configured to reduce the magnitude of the vibrations transferred to the sensors by dissipating or otherwise absorbing the vibrations being transferred to the sensors.