Strip Tillage Depth Control for Compacted Tyre Tracks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional strip tilling systems face challenges in dealing with varying soil conditions, particularly compacted soil along tyre tracks, which affects tilling depth and fertilizer delivery efficiency, and lack flexibility in adjusting to different tilling conditions.

Innovation Solution

A strip tilling system that uses a control system and positioning system to adjust tilling depth and fertilizer delivery based on real-time soil data, including mapping compacted areas and tyre tracks, allowing for dynamic adjustment of tilling members and fertilizer delivery devices to optimize tilling and fertilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional strip tilling apparatus is used with fixed tilling members, then the structure is simple and easy to operate, but the system cannot adapt to varying soil conditions and compacted tyre tracks, resulting in inadequate tilling depth in compacted areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to soil conditionsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of tilling member deployment positions through a control system that responds to real-time soil condition data. The tilling members can be dynamically positioned to increase deployment depth in compacted areas ( tyre tracks) while maintaining standard depth in non-compacted areas, allowing the system to adapt to varying soil conditions without requiring complete redesign of the apparatus structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates soil condition sensors that continuously monitor soil compaction levels and provide feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the control system to automatically adjust tilling member deployment positions based on actual soil conditions, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to varying field conditions including compacted tyre tracks and different soil types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If uniform tilling depth is applied across the entire field, then the operation is simple and fast, but compacted soil along tyre tracks is not adequately broken, leading to poor seed growth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetilling depth precisionVSAvoidtilling operation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the principle of local quality by enabling different tilling member deployment positions for different locations in the field. Specifically, tilling members are deployed to greater depths in compacted tyre track areas to adequately break the compacted soil, while maintaining standard deployment positions in non-compacted areas. This localized adjustment ensures precise tilling depth control where needed without compromising overall operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Length of moving object

If the tilling member deployment position is fixed relative to the support frame, then the apparatus structure is simple, but the system cannot increase tilling depth in compacted areas to break through tyre track compaction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetilling depthVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of tilling member deployment positions through a control system that responds to real-time soil condition data. The tilling members can be dynamically positioned to increase deployment depth in compacted areas ( tyre tracks) while maintaining standard depth in non-compacted areas, allowing the system to adapt to varying soil conditions without requiring complete redesign of the apparatus structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2953440B1Strip tilling system
Publication Date: 2022.01.05 KVERNELAND GRP LES LANDES GENUSSON
  • EP2953440B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2953440B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2953440B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A strip tilling system. The strip tilling system includes: at least one strip tilling unit (13) having a support frame (19) and a tilling member (15) mounted to the support frame (19); a positioning system (39); map data (41) relating to a field to be tilled, said map data (41) including data identifying areas of compacted ground in the field; and a control system (17) for adjusting the position of the tilling member (15) with respect to the support frame (19), wherein said control system (17) is arranged to receive signals from the control system (17), to access the map data (41), and to automatically adjust the position of the tilling member (15) with respect to the support frame (19) when the control system (17) determines that the tilling member (15) is located at an area of compacted ground. A method for strip tilling is also provided.