Telescopic Cover for Precision Spraying and Transport
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spraying systems face challenges in achieving high precision spot spraying while being foldable for road transportation, especially for larger machines.
Innovation Solution
The development of an agricultural telescopic unit with a telescopic structure that can be actuated between a retracted and deployed configuration, equipped with a vision system and plant treatment device, allowing for precise spraying and easy folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a cover structure extending down to ground is added to protect the camera field of view and spray bar, then droplet drift is reduced and illumination control is improved, but device complexity and structural complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cover structure is divided into multiple telescopic segments (first telescopic segment, second telescopic segment, third telescopic segment) that can be independently controlled. Each segment can extend or retract based on operational requirements, allowing the system to provide drift protection only when and where needed, rather than requiring a complete fixed cover structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover structure transitions from a static fixed design to a dynamic telescopic design. The segments can extend downward to ground level during spraying operations to provide drift protection and illumination control, then retract upward for road transportation, adapting the structure's configuration to different operational states.
2Manufacturing precision
If the spray bar is positioned at low height from ground to achieve small spot spray, then spray precision is improved, but the risk of droplet drift increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is segmented into multiple telescopic sections that can independently extend and retract. This allows the cover to provide drift protection specifically around the low-positioned spray bar during operation, while not interfering with the precision spraying capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover structure provides localized protection only in the immediate vicinity of the spray bar and camera field of view, rather than enclosing the entire machine. This localized approach reduces droplet drift in the critical spray zone while maintaining spray precision and minimizing overall structural complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a complete cover structure extending down to ground is implemented, then droplet drift reduction is achieved, but the machine cannot be folded for road transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The cover structure is designed with telescopic segments that can dynamically change their configuration. During road transportation, all segments retract upward to a compact position, allowing the machine to be transported without the cover interfering. During spraying operations, the segments extend downward to provide drift protection.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the cover into multiple independent telescopic segments, each segment can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows the cover to provide protection when needed while being collapsible for transportation, resolving the contradiction between drift reduction and transportation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an agricultural telescopic unit (10) for treating an area of a cultivated field (400), comprising a telescopic structure (20) adapted to be actuated between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. The telescopic structure (20) comprises at least a proximal case (100) and a distal nestable case (300). The distal nestable case (300) is slidably connected to the proximal case (100) to move into or outside the proximal case (100) when the telescopic structure (20) is respectively moved in the retracted and deployed configuration. The proximal case (100) and the distal nestable case (300) each comprises each a top wall (102, 302) arranged to be in a plane substantially parallel to the cultivated field (400) when the agricultural telescopic unit (10) is operating with the telescopic structure (20) in the deployed configuration, and two opposite side walls (104, 106, 304, 306). The distal case (100, 300) further comprises an extremity wall (308) extending between the two opposite side walls (304, 306) to form an enclosure with an open side facing the cultivated field (400) when the telescopic structure (20) is in the deployed configuration. The agricultural telescopic unit (10) further comprises a vision system (30) and a plant treatment device (40) mounted inside each of the proximal case (100) and the distal nestable case (300).