Vine Stripping Apparatus with Counter-Rotating Wheels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hop harvesting devices transport entire hop vines to processing facilities, incurring unnecessary labor and transportation costs, and often miss hops, resulting in a lower crop yield due to inefficiencies in vine stripping.
Innovation Solution
A vine stripping apparatus with counter-rotating wheels and interchangeable threaded stripping dies, designed for efficient removal of hops from vines in the field or at a central processing location, utilizing a mobile harvesting unit to minimize waste and maximize yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If entire hop vines are transported to processing facilities, then hops can be harvested, but labor and transportation costs increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The vine processing is segmented into two stages: field stripping of hops from vines using the apparatus, and separate processing of only the valuable plant material. This separates the useful hops harvest from the unnecessary transport of entire vines, reducing transportation costs while maintaining harvesting efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus extracts and removes hops and valuable plant material from the vine in the field, leaving only the stripped vine stalks behind. This extraction of useful materials at the source eliminates the need to transport entire vines to processing facilities, directly addressing the cost issue
2Productivity
If conventional combing or raking methods are used, then hops can be removed from vines, but hops are often missed resulting in lower crop yield
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus uses dynamic counter-rotating wheels that actively engage with and pull vines through the stripping mechanism, rather than passive combing or raking. This active dynamic process ensures thorough contact and complete removal of hops from vines, improving both reliability and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The counter-rotating wheels create mechanical action and vibration as they rotate in opposite directions, which helps to thoroughly dislodge and remove all hops from the vines. This mechanical action ensures no hops are missed, increasing harvesting completeness
3Ease of operation
If vines, support twine, leaves and stems are transported to processing facilities, then hops can be separated, but additional labor and transportation costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus performs preliminary stripping of hops and plant material from vines in the field before transport. By completing the separation action at the source, it eliminates the need to transport entire vines to facilities, reducing both labor and transportation costs while maintaining processing simplicity
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
The apparatus effectively removes nearly all plant material from vines with minimal damage and waste, allowing for efficient on-site processing and reducing transportation costs by leaving unusable vine parts in the field, while ensuring thorough harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of counter-rotating wheels
Implementation Method 2
vine stripping component includes interchangeable threaded stripping dies
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for removing plant material from a vine. The apparatus generally comprises a support frame, a pair of counter-rotating wheels, and a vine stripping component. In an embodiment, the vine stripping component includes interchangeable stripping dies. In an additional embodiment, the apparatus is incorporated in a mobile harvesting unit. The invention further includes a method for removing plant material from vines.