This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U. K. Patent Application 2118539.2, “Vehicles and Methods for Treating an Agricultural Field,” filed Dec. 20, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,455,826, “Method for Autonomously Weeding Crops in an Agricultural Field,” granted Oct. 29, 2019, discloses an autonomous agricultural machine for destroying weeds growing within crop rows. The machine has a tool housing including four tool receptacles that can be loaded with a weeding module for destroying weeds. Though the main application of the machine is weeding, the receptacles can be loaded with other tools. For example, the weeding module can be replaced by a fertilizer tool. Thus, the machine can be used for different tasks or field operations.
In one aspect, a vehicle for treating an agricultural field includes a weeding-injection unit and a control unit. The weeding-injection unit includes a valve, at least one weeding knife, at least one actuator configured to move the at least one weeding knife, an injection line carried by the at least one weeding knife, and a valve configured to regulate flow of a substance through the injection line. The control unit is configured to identify a plant and control the at least one actuator and the valve to treat the identified plant.
The vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle may also include a camera configured to detect the plant. The control unit may be configured to distinguish between a crop and a weed. The control unit may also be configured to adjust an orientation of the injection line.
The vehicle may include a storage tank configured to contain the substance and a pump configured to deliver the substance to the injection line via at least one distribution line.
The at least one weeding knife may optionally include a left weeding knife and a right weeding knife. Each weeding knife may include a blade. Each weeding knife may carry an injection line. The injection line(s) may each include a nozzle.
The vehicle may also include a second storage tank configured to contain a second substance and a second pump configured to deliver the second substance to the injection line via at least a second distribution line. In such embodiments, the valve is configured to alternately regulate flow of the first substance or the second substance through the injection line.
Another aspect includes a method of treating an agricultural field with a vehicle traversing the agricultural field. The method includes detecting a plant in a crop row, and determining whether the plant is a crop or a weed. If the plant is a crop, at least one weeding knife is moved to prevent the at least one weeding knife from contacting the plant as the vehicle traverses the agricultural field, and a substance is injected through an injection line (which may include a fixed or adjustable nozzle) carried by the weeding knife. If the plant is a weed, the at least one weeding knife is moved to cause the at least one weeding knife to disturb the plant as the vehicle traverses the agricultural field.
The plant may be detected with an autonomous vehicle traveling along the crop row in the agricultural field. The plant may be detected in a crop row by analyzing captured image data from a camera carried by the vehicle. Determining whether the plant is a crop or a weed may include analyzing stored map data. The method may also include analyzing a growth stage of the plant.
Moving the at least one weeding knife to cause the at least one weeding knife to disturb the plant may include opening and closing a pair of weeding knives.
The method may also include determining an amount of the substance to inject and/or an injection pattern of the substance based at least in part on the growth stage of the plant.
If the plant is a weed, a second substance may be injected through the injection line carried by the weeding knife. In such embodiments, the method may also include determining an amount of the second substance to inject and/or an injection pattern of the second substance based at least in part on the growth stage of the plant.
Some embodiments have one integrated tool for weeding (damaging or removing) unwanted plants and injecting a substance for wanted plants (crops). Methods includes a way of injecting liquid fertilizer into the soil. A benefit of some disclosed embodiments is to supply a selected amount of fertilizer to a specific plant directly into the soil around the roots, such that the fertilizer is readily accessible to the crop.
Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any weeding machine or portion thereof, but are merely idealized representations to describe example embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
The following description provides specific details of embodiments. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing many such specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not include all the elements that form a complete structure or assembly. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional conventional acts and structures may be used. The drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only, and are thus not drawn to scale.
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps, but also include the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof.
As used herein, the term “may” with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term “is” so as to avoid any implication that other, compatible materials, structures, features, and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded.
As used herein, the term “configured” refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a predetermined way.
As used herein, the singular forms following “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “bottom,” “above,” “upper,” “top,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the materials in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. By way of example, depending on the particular parameter, property, or condition that is substantially met, the parameter, property, or condition may be at least 90.0% met, at least 95.0% met, at least 99.0% met, or even at least 99.9% met.
As used herein, the term “about” used in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter).
As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range.
The agricultural vehicle 101 has a storage tank 102 for storing the injecting substance 128. Alternatively or additionally, the storage tank 102 could be integrated into the implement 127.
The implement 127 has a carrier 119 to integrate or mount all components of the implement 127. The carrier 119 also has an interface to connect with the vehicle 101. The implement 127 includes a pump 103 connected with the storage tank 102 via a pipe 115 to pressurize the substance 128 in a distribution line 105. The distribution line 105 has one or more interfaces 116, 118 for connecting a weeding-injection unit 106. Alternatively, the pump 103 can be integrated into another component, such as the storage tank 102.
The weeding-injection unit 106 has a left weeding knife 110 and a right weeding knife 122 to treat or to destroy weeds. The weeding-injection unit 106 is connected to the interface 116 of the distribution line 105 via a connection pipe 117 configured to be supplied with the pressurized substance 128. Analogously, additional weeding-injection units 106 may be connected to one of the other interfaces 118.
If multiple weeding-injection units 106 are connected to the distribution line 105, then there may be a relatively high demand for the substance 128 from all weeding-injection units 106, causing a pressure drop in the distribution line 105. This pressure drop can be compensated by an expansion vessel 104 at the end of the distribution line 105. This expansion vessel 104 helps maintain the pressure on the distribution line 105 long enough for the pump 103 to maintain the desired pressure.
The weeding-injection unit 106 comprises a flowmeter 107 to control the amount of substance 128 to be injected into the soil and a 2/2-way solenoid valve 108 (e.g., a 2/2-way solenoid valve) to control the timing of the injection. The 2/2-way solenoid valve 108 has an input connected with the connection pipe 117. The output of the 2/2-way solenoid valve 108 is connected with a flow divider 147 to distribute the substance 128 evenly to the left and to the right injection line 111 of the left weeding knife 110 and right weeding knife 122. The 2/2-way solenoid valve 108 can be switched between two different positions. In a first position, as shown in
The implement 127 has a control unit 124 to monitor and adjust the flowmeter 107 and to control the 2/2-way solenoid valve 108, as well as to control the actuation of the left weeding knife 110 and right weeding knife 122. Instead of or in addition to the central control unit 124, each individual weeding-injection unit 106 can also include a local control unit communicating with the central control unit 124 and/or with a local control unit of another weeding-injection unit 106.
Alternatively, the left weeding knife 110 and the right weeding knife 122 can be actuated by a common actuator, such as a hydraulic double-piston cylinder.
Both weeding knives 110, 122 have blades 121 for cutting the weed 130 (e.g., to cut the leaves of the weed 130) and/or for cutting into the soil 112 to damage the roots of the weed 130 when the knives 110, 122 are in the closed position (as shown in
The injection nozzles 113, 123 are adjustable by the control unit 124 so that each nozzle 113, 123 can inject the substance 128 independently from the other in different directions, as indicated in
The implement 127, respectively the weeding-injection unit 106, has a camera 109 or other selected sensor for sensing the crop 129 or weed 130 in or near a crop row 144. The camera 109 is connected to the control unit 124 for sending its captured image data to the control unit 124.
Alternatively or additionally, the implement 127 comprises a GNSS receiver 143 (
The memory 126 (
The method starts at 604 and proceeds to 606.
At 606, the camera 109 captures information about the soil 112 to detect a plant 129, 130 of the crop row 144. Additionally or alternatively, the control unit 124 compares the position of the implement 127 with the map data stored in the memory 126 including the positions of the crop 129 and the weed 130 to detect a plant of the crop row 144.
As shown at 608, the control unit 124 checks whether the detected plant is crop 129. The control unit 124 analyzes the captured image data of the camera 109 and/or evaluates the map data for this determination.
If crop 129 is present, the weeding knives 110, 122 open, as shown at 610. If no plant is detected or if the detected plant is a weed 130, the knives 110, 122 are closed, as shown at 622.
When crop 129 is detected, the control unit 124 controls the actuators 133, 134 to open the weeding knives 110, 122, as depicted at 610, so that the blades 121 move out of a weeding section 131 of the crop row 144 and avoid damaging the crop 129 (see
As indicated at 612, the control unit 124 analyzes the growth stage of the crop 129. For example, insights in the plant growth stage may be obtained by the camera 109 based on the captured image data of the crop 129. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 124 can evaluate the map data stored in the memory 126 to analyze the growth stage of the crop 129.
As indicated at 614, the control unit 124 determines the amount of substance 128 to apply to the crop 129 based on the growth stage of the crop 129. An underdeveloped crop 129 may benefit from more of the substance 128 (e.g., fertilizer) to promote the growth of the crop 129. Alternatively, the amount of substance 128 can be predefined (e.g., by an operator), in which case a fixed amount of substance is injected independent of the growth of the crop 129.
As indicated at 616, the control unit 124 determines an appropriate injection pattern. As can be seen in
The substance 128 is injected into the soil 112 at 618. Depending on the pattern selected at 616, the fertilizer injection typically starts just before the weeding knives 110, 122 open (
In the injection pattern shown in
In the injection pattern shown in
Besides the injection patterns mentioned, other injection patterns are possible, for example a combination of two of the patterns shown in
The control unit 124 also controls the orientation of the left nozzle 123 of the left weeding knife 110 and the orientation of the right nozzle 113 of the right weeding knife 122. As can be seen in
After the injection has finished, the method proceeds to 620, in which the control unit 124 determines whether the end of the crop row 144 has been reached. If not, the method 602 repeats 606.
If an absence of a crop 129 (and/or presence of weed 130) was detected by the check of 608, the control unit 124 closes the weeding knives 110, 122 to remove or damage the weed 130 (see
As can be seen in
After weeding the detected weeds 130, the method proceeds to 620, and the control unit 124 checks whether the implement 127 has reached the end of the crop row 144. If so, the method 602 ends at 624. If not, the method 602 repeats 606.
To improve the life span of the vehicle 101 and components, the system can be flushed at the end of a working cycle. This is done by changing the source from fertilizer to a cleaning substance (e.g., water, a detergent, etc.) and flushing the lines 105, 111, 138.
When the agricultural vehicle 101 drives in the headland of the agricultural field, the weeding knives 110, 122 can be opened to avoid a damage of the weeding-injection unit 106.
As can be seen in
The implement 127 as shown in
As shown for example in
If multiple weeding-injection units 146 are connected to the second distribution line 138, then there may be a high demand for the second substance 145, which may at times cause a pressure drop in the second distribution line 138. This pressure drop can be compensated by a second expansion vessel 137 at the end of the second distribution line 138 analogous to the expansion vessel 104 shown in
The weeding-injection unit 146 includes a 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 (instead of a 2/2-way solenoid valve 108, shown in
The control unit 124 of the implement 127 controls the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142, as well as to control the actuation of the left weeding knife 110 and the right weeding knife 122.
The 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 can be switched between three different positions. In a first position, as shown in
After the weeding knives 110, 122 are closed as shown at 620 or actuated in a zig-zag open-and-close pattern alternatively to kill the weed 130, the control unit 124 determines whether a weed 130 is present, as indicated at 904. The control unit 124 analyzes the captured image data of the camera 109 and checks whether the detected plant is a weed 130. Additionally or alternatively, the control unit 124 evaluates the map data comprising the positions of the weed 130.
If a weed 130 is present (i.e., the blades 121 of the weeding knives 110, 122 approach a weed 130), the control unit 124 analyzes the growth stage of the weed 130, as shown in 906. If no weed 130 is detected, the method proceeds to 622 as discussed above with respect to
In some embodiments, insights into the weed growth stage may be obtained by the camera 109 based on the captures image data of the weed 130. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 124 can evaluate the map data stored in the memory 126 to analyze the growth stage of the weed 130.
In 908, the control unit 124 determines the amount of the second substance 145 to use to treat the weed 130 based on the growth stage of the weed 130. More-developed weeds 130 may be treated with relatively more of the second substance 145 to destroy the weeds 130.
The second substance 145 is injected into the soil 112 near to the roots of the weed 130 at 910. The injection of the second substance 145 typically starts just before the weeding knives 110, 122 close and continues until the desired dosage has been delivered.
The control unit 124 controls the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 to control the start position and end position of the injection as well as the amount of second substance 145 to be injected into the soil 112 from the start position to the end position of the injection. Thus, each weed 130 can be individually treated depending on the settings such as pressure of the second substance 145, driving speed of the agricultural vehicle 101, selected dosage of the second substance 145, wind speed, and more.
Whereas the 2/2-way solenoid valve 108 of the weeding-injection unit 106 can be switched between an open and a closed position, the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 of the weeding-injection unit 146 can be switched between three positions as mentioned above. Thus the control unit 124 switches the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 to the first position at 910 to connect the connection pipe 140 with the injection line 111 of the weeding knives 110, 122 to introduce the second substance 145. However, at 618, the control unit 124 switches the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 to the third position to connect the connection pipe 117 with the injection line 111 of the weeding knives 110, 122 to introduce the first substance 128. That is, the position of the 3/3-way solenoid valve 142 depends on the detection of crop (see 608) or weed (see 904), and is switched accordingly to promote or to damage the detected plant.
The control unit 124 also controls the orientation of the left nozzle 123 of the left weeding knife 110 and the orientation of the right nozzle 113 of the right weeding knife 122. As can be seen in
The injection of the second substance 145 at the same time as mechanical weeding based on the closed or in a zig-zag open-and-close pattern actuated weeding knives 110, 122 can be performed along the weeding section 131 of the crop row 144. After weeding and treating the detected weeds 130, the control unit 124 checks whether the implement 127 has reached the end of the crop row 144 as described already above and shown at 622.
The method 602 or method 902 can be used to treat the crop 129 with a fluid other than a fertilizer or water, for example, if the crop 129 is infected by a fungus or parasitic insects. In such case, is desirable that the crop 129 not be damaged by the blades 121 of the weeding-injection unit 106, 146. Thus, in both methods 602, 902, the control unit 124 may decide to open the weeding knives 110, 122 (see 610) after crop 129 is detected (see 608). An appropriate fluid is used as the first substance 128 to treat the infection, such as a fungicide or an insecticide. At 612, the growth stage of the infection (e.g., fungus or insect) is analyzed instead of the growth stage of the crop 129 to determine the amount of the first substance 128 based on the growth stage of the infection. The other acts can be performed as described above.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein in their entireties. If there is a conflict between definitions herein and in an incorporated reference, the definition herein shall control.
101 vehicle
102 storage tank
103 pump
104 expansion vessel
105 distribution line
106 weeding-injection unit
107 flowmeter
108 2/2-way solenoid valve
109 camera
110 left weeding knife
111 injection line
112 soil
113 nozzle
114 working direction
115 pipe
116 interface
117 connection pipe
118 interfaces
119 carrier
120 left injection section
121 blade
122 right weeding knife
123 nozzle
124 control unit
125 controller
126 memory
127 implement
128 substance
129 crop
130 weed
131 weeding section
132 right injection section
133 actuator
134 actuator
135 second storage tank
136 second pump
137 second expansion vessel
138 second distribution line
139 second interface
140 connection pipe
141 interfaces
142 3/3-way solenoid valve
143 GNSS receiver
144 crop row
145 second substance
146 weeding-injection unit
147 flow divider
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2118539.2 | Dec 2021 | GB | national |