Agricultural Shank Sensor Shield for Soil Nitrate Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Farmers face challenges in reliably and conveniently quantifying soil nitrate-N levels, as laboratory tests are time-consuming and provide limited, delayed information, leading to inefficient fertilizer distribution and potential yield reduction.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural implement with a shank equipped with a sensor and a sensor shield that allows real-time nitrate-N level determination while protecting the sensor from soil and debris, enabling continuous soil analysis without disrupting soil flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is exposed to soil flow for real-time nitrate-N measurement, then measurement capability is improved, but the sensor is vulnerable to damage from soil, rocks, or other objects
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor shield acts as an intermediary component between the soil flow and the sensor. The shield is configured to deflect oncoming soil flow away from the sensor, protecting it from damage by soil, rocks, or other objects, while still allowing the sensor to define a probing area and measure nitrate-N levels in the soil
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sensor shield is added to protect the sensor, then sensor protection is improved, but soil flow disruption may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor shield is designed with specific local characteristics - it deflects oncoming soil flow away from the sensor in certain areas while allowing soil flow to continue undisturbed into the probing area in other areas. This localized differentiation enables both protection and measurement functionality
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural implement includes a chassis and a shank carried by the chassis. The shank includes: a shank body configured to penetrate a soil top surface; a sensor attached to an outer surface of the shank body and defining a probing area; and a sensor shield carried by the shank body in front of the sensor, the sensor shield being configured to deflect oncoming soil flow away from the sensor without substantially disrupting soil flow into the probing area.