Vacuum Pruning Head for Strawberry Canopy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management and harvesting of strawberry plants are labor-intensive due to the accumulation of leaves, runners, and other foliage, which complicates fruit retrieval and increases the risk of pests and diseases, requiring significant resources for sanitation and pesticide application.
Innovation Solution
The development of apparatuses and methods that utilize a tube assembly connected to a vacuum source and a cutting head assembly with upper and lower blades to remove unwanted plant material, such as leaves and runners, from strawberry plants, improving visibility and accessibility for fruit harvesting and reducing foliage-related issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If strawberry plants are allowed to grow for multiple months to produce fruit, then fruit yield increases, but accumulation of leaves, runners, and foliage makes harvesting more labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing unwanted plant material (leaves, runners, foliage) during the growth period before harvest. This pre-cleaning process maintains the plant canopy open and accessible throughout the growing season, so that when harvest time arrives, the fruit remains accessible and harvesting efficiency is maintained despite multiple months of growth. The system performs the cleaning action in advance and continuously, rather than allowing accumulation and then dealing with it later.
2Area of stationary object
If strawberry plants are allowed to grow densely to maximize space utilization, then field capacity increases, but visibility and accessibility of fruit among dense foliage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by selectively removing unwanted plant material (leaves, runners, excess foliage) from the plant canopy while leaving the fruit-bearing structures intact. This extraction process creates pathways and openings in the dense foliage, making fruit accessible for harvesting while maintaining high plant density and field capacity. The system extracts only the problematic vegetation that obstructs access, not the productive plant structures.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If plant canopy is maintained open through regular pruning to improve ventilation and reduce disease, then field sanitation improves, but additional labor and time are required for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using an automated robotic system that autonomously identifies, targets, and removes unwanted plant material from the strawberry canopy. The system uses vision sensors to detect and distinguish between unwanted vegetation and fruit-bearing structures, then automatically prunes the canopy to maintain openness and ventilation. This automated self-service approach improves field sanitation by continuously managing plant density without requiring manual labor intervention.
4Manufacturing precision
If hand-picking is used to harvest strawberries to ensure quality selection, then fruit quality control improves, but significant labor resources are required to sort through accumulated foliage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing automated pruning and canopy management before and during the harvesting period. This preliminary cleaning of the plant canopy removes obstructing foliage and creates clear access pathways to the fruit, enabling harvesters to efficiently locate and pick fruit without having to sort through dense accumulated vegetation. The preliminary action maintains visibility and access throughout the harvesting season.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces labor requirements for harvesting, improves plant manageability and ventilation, decreases the need for pesticides, and enhances field sanitation, ultimately increasing crop yield and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a tube assembly connected to a vacuum source and a cutting head assembly with upper and lower blades to remove unwanted plant material
Data Source
AI summary
A pruning system includes a cutting head comprising upper and lower cutting rings positioned along a bottom portion of one or more tubes. At least one of the cutting rings is adapted to rotate in a circular motion, while the other cutting ring may be adapted to remain stationary. A vacuum may be applied to suction target plant material, and the cutting head may be lowered toward the target plant material. As adjacent blades from the upper and lower cutting rings are separated in an open position, plant material may be collected in the opening defined by the adjacent blades of the cutting rings. As the blades converge, the opening may close, and plant material collected in the opening may be severed from the plant. System variables, such as blade orientation, vacuum speed, blade rotation speed, barrel size, and the cutting mechanisms, may be adjusted to accommodate different types of plant material. The pruning system may be installed on a vehicle and used with a vision system to remove materials from plant beds in a field.