Tractor-Mounted Mesh Machine With Articulated Upper Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mesh application machines for fruit trees require moving to flat areas and need multiple operators to manage rotations and positioning, especially on uneven terrain, limiting their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A mesh machine with a structure secured to a tractor, featuring symmetrically extended arms, a vertical central shaft, and a moveable upper arm with a three-dimensional orientation capability, along with a winding mechanism and articulation system including ring gears and secondary gears, allowing for stable mesh application and removal without the need for flat areas or multiple operators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the machine requires rotations and extensions at the output of the cabin, then the mesh can be positioned and gathered, but the tractor must be moved to a flat area without trees and multiple operators are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by elevating the rotation and extension mechanisms to an upper level structure above the tractor cabin. This allows the mesh to be rotated and extended in three-dimensional space, enabling operations to be performed directly over the trees without requiring the tractor to move to flat areas. The upper level structure with its articulated arms and winding mechanisms provides multi-axis movement capability that resolves the terrain adaptability constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine is designed to perform all rotation, extension, and gathering operations automatically through its integrated upper level structure and winding mechanisms. The system can position and gather the mesh independently without requiring multiple operators to manually manage the mesh from the cabin output, thereby eliminating the need for additional personnel while maintaining full operational capability on uneven terrain.
2Reliability
If the machine is designed for stable mesh application, then the structure requires complex articulation systems, but this increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation system is divided into distinct modular segments: the upper level structure, articulated arms, winding mechanisms, and support structures. Each segment performs a specific function and can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the complex movements required for stable mesh application to be broken down into manageable, coordinated actions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An improved mesh applicator and/or gatherer machine for fruit trees or similar, which comprises a structure secured to a tractor, in which the structure comprises two arms symmetrically and perpendicularly extended in the direction of movement of the tractor, a vertical central shaft between both arms, and a moveable upper arm attached to the highest section of the central shaft by means of an articulation system, the ends of said arms having a mesh winding mechanism mutually therebetween, and the attachment of the upper arm to the central shaft being in such a way that the upper arm has free three-dimensional orientation in space, and the upper arm incorporating at least one eyebolt enabled for passage through the inside of the mesh that is rolled up and wound in the ends of the arms.