AU2022256183A1 - A chemical de-suckering machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A chemical de-suckering machine is provided that has a pair of spray shields that straddle each row of grapes and wherein the machine has two pairs of spray shields (132) for selectively spraying the suckers on two rows of grapes. The machine is adapted to be driven in between two rows of grapes on a tractor or a pair of spray shields can be mounted on a harvester type vehicle that straddles a row of grapes at height. The spray shields are maintained with their open faces parallel by means of double telescopic pivoting arms which connect the spray shields with telescopic T bars (112). The T bars (112) are in turn connected to an extendible gantry (106) which can be expanded to accommodate different vineyard row spacings. The spray shields have mounted on them, retroreflective laser/sensors and reflective surfaces that can identify a spray target when it breaks the reflected laser light sensed at the laser/sensor. After a set (and adjustable) period of time the machine activates the solenoids and nozzles to emit chemical spray for a set period of time. The Sensors (138) and reflectors (150) are mounted on mounting plates with protective elements and under a roof to further protect the sensor equipment from coming into contact with hanging grape vines. 20/10/2022 2/33 0 co 000 C`00 CDY CDY C0 (0 coo CN CYN

Description

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AUSTRALIA Patents Act, 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

APPLICANT/S: PASTRO-CUSTOM AG Pty Ltd (ACN 134 240 832)

INVENTOR: PASTRO, John Emilio

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: Maxwells Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Pty Ltd PO Box R1466 Royal Exchange Sydney, NSW, 1225

INVENTION TITLE: A CHEMICAL DE-SUCKERING MACHINE

PRIORITY: Nil

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to the applicant:

20/10/22

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention lies in agricultural machinery and specifically,

machines for applying chemicals to plants.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The growth of crops and plants often requires the application of chemicals including pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. These chemicals are applied to

the surface of plant in order to reduce disease, improve crop quality and to

remove weeds or parts of plants that are undesired.

Vineyards are paddocks that are set up for the growing of grape vines.

Grape vines are conventionally grown by training a single shoot from the

ground to a trellis wire which is suspended above the ground by way of posts.

The single shoot bifurcates at the level of the post with one shoot being trained

to grow on opposite directions along the trellis wire. With the passing of each

season the initial vertical shoot becomes the trunk of the vine and can get quite

thick and often gnarly. Every year one of the tasks that needs to be performed in a vineyard is to

"de-sucker" the grape vines. Suckers are young shoots of the grape vine that

shoot from the base of the trunk or up along the trunks length. If left to grow,

they change the shape of the vines and result in fruit growing in places that the

mechanical harvester would not harvest. Further, suckers can divert the

resources of the vines such that vigorous sucker growth can come at the cost

of the established parts of the vines. As a result, every year the suckers must

be removed.

The most common method of de-suckering a grape vine is to simply walk

along side it and physically remove the suckers from the trunk of the vines. This

is effective, but labour intensive and slow. As a result various mechanical

methods of de-suckering have been employed. These include mechanical whips which spin a cylinder with attached polymeric whips which when spun at high speeds adjacent a grape vine growing on a trellis wire, causes the whips to snap off any suckers they encounter when moving at high speed. Such spinning cylinders with whips attached can be placed alongside both sides of grape vine growing on a trellis and de-sucker the vines in this way when moved forward by a tractor. Whilst much faster and less labour intensive than the purely manual method, the mechanical whips tend to damage the vines and further, they often become entangled with the plastic drip tubes through which the vast majority of vineyards are irrigated. This entanglement can cause downtime and often requires pieces of the irrigation pipes to be replaced when cut off the spinning cylinder it has become attached and entangled with.

Other potential solutions involve the application of chemicals, particularly

non-systemic herbicides that only affect the leaves that are spayed upon.

These chemicals can be sprayed onto the suckers of a grape vine without the

herbicide entering the plant and killing. However utilising chemical means also has downsides. Many crops have maximum levels for traces of agricultural

chemicals. If a farmer uses too much chemicals the crop may be rendered

unsellable due to excess chemical residue. Similarly, the earth or soil the plants

are grown in are not suitable to repeated chemical applications which over time

accumulates residues which can transfer to the plants grown in it.

Some spraying machines have employed components that have

facilitated the identification of spray targets and only emit chemicals when the

targets are identified. These components include proximity sensors or

ultrasonic sensors for sensing the presence of a plant. Others include

hyperspectral cameras for detecting specific frequencies or colours of light that

are specific to the spray targets. Many of these have proven to be ineffective in

certain environments. It is an object of the invention to provide a chemical de- suckering machine that minimises ineffective sensing of spray targets and is easy to use and reliable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the invention there is provided a chemical

de-suckering machine for spraying the suckers of grape vines grown on elevated trellis wire with chemicals including herbicides wherein the machine

comprises:

-at least one pair of spray shields having an interior and exterior and

wherein the at least one pair of spray shields has at least one open side or face

wherein each of the at least one pair of spray shields are adapted to be

orientated, either side of the grape vines and trellis wire such that their open

sides face each other and the trunk of the grape vines the spray shields being

sized such that they can be situated in the space below the canopy of the

grape vines and above the ground;

-at least two spray nozzles and solenoids or combined nozzle/solenoids wherein each nozzle is located in the interior of the spray shields and are

spaced apart vertically within the interior;

-at least two laser sensors and corresponding reflector surface or

surfaces situated forward of and in line with the at least two spray nozzles such

that the laser sensors (i) are arranged vertically, (ii) correspond in height with

the nozzles and (iii) are not in the interior of the spray shields and wherein each

laser is situated in proximity to one of the at least two spray shields on one side

of the grape vine and trellis and the reflectors with the other at least one spray

shield on the other side of the grape vine and trellis, and where the laser

sensor and reflector surface are orientated perpendicularly such that the laser

emitted by the laser/sensor hits the reflector surface and is reflected back to the

laser/sensor where it is sensed, and wherein a break in the sensing of at least one reflected laser beam indicates a spray target has been identified in front of at least one of the laser sensors and wherein when a spray target passes in front of at least one of the at least two laser sensors and corresponding reflector surface or surfaces at least one of two solenoids are activated for a certain period of time after a duration of time has passed from the breaking of the laser beam, and wherein the spray is emitted from the at least one nozzle towards the spray target during the activated period; and the at least one pair of spray shields and each spray shield and mounted components are suspended on pivoting arms and wherein each spray shield has a bumper extending forward of the spray shield, wherein during use, when the machine is moved forward, if a spray shield encounters an immovable object, the shape of the bumper as adapted to cause the spray shield to pivot around the immovable object before the pivoting arms become vertical again after passing the immovable object, and wherein, throughout the pivoting movement, the lasers and corresponding reflective surface or surfaces are maintained in a perpendicular orientation such that the operation of the laser sensors and spray nozzles/solenoids is not affected by the pivoting motion.

Preferably the machine has two pairs of spray shields that are mounted

on a tractor which is driven in between two rows of grape vines and wherein the

pivoting arms are mounted to the ends of two T bars and where the arms and T

bar are themselves telescopic such that the width between a pair of spray

shields that straddle a row of grapes is adjustable together with the length of

the pivoting arms.

More preferably the T bars are suspended on the ends of an extendible

gantry which can be extended outwardly by the use of one or more hydraulic rams such that the distance between the T bars can be dynamically modified by the operator. Preferably the pivoting arms are comprised of two telescoping members which are attached to the shield and to the T bar such that pivoting the arms away from the grape vines results in the spray shield maintaining its perpendicular orientation towards the grape vines and to the corresponding other half of the pair of spray shields located on the other side of the grape vines.

Preferably the laser sensors and the reflective surface or surfaces are

mounted on a front side of the spray shield, outside of the interior of the spray

shield.

Preferably the laser sensors and the reflective surface or surfaces are

connected to a mounting plate orientated in a forward direction and

perpendicular to the grape vines, wherein the mounting plate is adapted to

receive laser sensors or reflective surface or surfaces. Preferably the mounting plate is adapted to receive laser sensors or

reflective surface or surfaces by its ability to have mounted on it, a second plate

or member which in turn hold the lasers or reflective surface or surfaces.

More preferably the second plate or member can be mounted at variable

positions along a horizontal axis on the mounting plate, which modifies the

horizontal distance between the laser sensors and the spray nozzles.

Preferably the mounting plate has a leading edge and top edge which that

have sides edges providing a protected area behind the edges which protect

the lasers from being contacted by overhanging grape vines and suckers.

Preferably the lasers have above them, a roof to protect the lasers from

being contacted by overhanging grape vines and suckers.

More preferably the second plate has a lip on its leading edge that

provides some protection to the lasers from overhanging grape vines and

suckers.

Preferably the machine is adapted to spray from nozzles that are only at

the same height as the laser sensors that are triggered. More preferably the machine is adapted to spray from nozzles that are at

the same height as the laser sensors that are triggered, or where the machine

is also adapted to spray from nozzles that are on the same side as triggered

sensor or sensors, but at different heights to the triggered sensor or sensors, at the choice of the operator.

Preferably the length of the delay between triggering the sensors and the

activation of the solenoids can be varied.

More preferably the length of time the nozzles spray chemicals can be

varied.

Preferably the machine has a limit switch installed on the top of each pivoting arm that is adapted to close a sensing circuit when pivoting arm pivots

away from the centred grape vine row.

More preferably the machine is adapted to actuate a hydraulic ram when

one limit switch sensing circuit is closed but not the other on the adjacent

pivoting arm, wherein the hydraulic ram is actuated such that horizontal

telescoping member is shifted in the direction that the pivoting parm pivots

away from the row of grapes, having the effect of recentring the pair of spray

shields over the centre of the row of grapes.

Preferably the operating height of the spray shields is dynamically

adjustable.

More preferably the operating height of the spray shields is modified by

using the front three point linkage of the tractor to raise and lower the de

suckering machine.

Alternatively, or in addition, the operating height of the spray shields can

be modified by raising and lowering the one or more T bars via hydraulic means in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Preferably each T bar can be raised or lowered independently facilitating

its use on sloping vineyards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1 shows a front perspective view of the de-suckering machine drawn

against two rows of grape vines shown in dotted lines in accordance with a

second embodiment;

Fig 2 is a front perspective view showing two pairs of spray shields being

held different distances apart in a first embodiment;

Fig 3 is a front perspective view showing the machine's connection with the tractor it is mounted on via the tractors front hydraulically operated three

point linkage which is used to raise and lower the overall machine in the first

embodiment;

Fig 4 is a side view of the de-suckering machine in accordance with the

first embodiment in use on a row of grape vines;

Fig 5 Is a rear perspective view of the back of the de-suckering machine

of Fig 2;

Fig 6 is a close up view of a control box and hydraulics manifold located

on the rear of the de-suckering machine of Fig 2;

Fig 7 is a close up of the de-suckering machine of Fig 2 mounted on the

front three point linkage

Fig 8 is a close up of pivoting arms showing the bolts used to secure the

length of each telescoping arm;

Fig 9 is a close up of the pivot connection between the pivoting arms and

the spray shield;

Fig 10 is a close of the pivoting connection between the pivoting arms and the telescoping frame assembly and breakaway mechanism;

Fig 11(a) is a front plan view of the machine's pivoting arms pivoting

around a central post that hold up the trellis wire;

Fig 11(b) is a front plan view of the machine's pivoting arms falling back to

vertical after passing the central post;

Fig 12(a) is a front plan view of an off centre arrangement whereby only

one pivoting arm pivots away from the row of grapes it has become lopsided

on;

Fig 12(b) is a front plan view which shows the resultant activation of a

hydraulic ram to shift the assembly back over the centre of the row. Fig 13 is view of the controllers for the de-duckering machine of Fig 2

inside the tractor cabin;

Fig 14 shows a top plan view of a pair of spray shields together with their

bumpers and noting the distance between the sensors and the spray nozzles.

Fig 15 is a perspective view showing the polymeric fibres used to extend

the interior of the spray shields and to in effect form one interior space shared

between the two shields and where it is shown that the fibres on the top side

are longer than the ones on the front or rear sides thereby shielding the grape

canopy whilst the grape trunks travel in between the two spray shields;

Fig 16 shows the inside of a spray shield (with the fibres removed);

Fig 17 shows the mounting plate and laser plate mounted at its most

forward position;

Fig 18 shows the mounting plate and laser plate mounted at its most

rearward position;

Fig 19 shows the reflector plate mounted at its most forward position on

the mounting plate;

Fig 20 shows the reflector plate mounted at its most rearward position on the mounting plate;

Fig 21 shows the rear of the mounting plate with lasers mounted in a laser

plate attached to the mounting plate;

Fig 22 shows the rear of the mounting plate with reflectors mounted in a

reflector plate attached to the mounting plate;

Fig 23 is a top plan view of the machine, a tractor and spray tank;

Fig 24 is a schematic of the components of the spraying and tracking

systems;

Fig 25 is a wiring diagram of the power and communications module;

Fig 26 is drawing of a controller for controlling the system incorporated into the de-suckering machine;

Figs 27-42 are screenshots of the controller in various specific states.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Removing suckers from established grape vines is usually a laborious

process. A farmer will usually pay a crew of workers to walk along each row of

grapes and manually pull the suckers off. Suckers are new shoots that grow

from the trunk of the vine each year. Unless they are removed they can

become established and detract from growth in the canopy where it is desired.

For the purposes of this specification the invention will be described in

respect of a machine that is attached to the front of a conventional tractor that

drives in between two rows of grape vines. The skilled reader would appreciate

that a pair of spray shields and associated componentry could be suspended from an over-row tractor or grape harvester which are taller and straddle a single row of grapes. Alternatively, the machine can also be used on other vine and trellis grown produce that have the same basic structure as a trellised grape vine including passionfruit and other fruits such as some citrus. In addition the machine may also have application in spraying plants that are not grown on a trellis but in a straight row that can be accommodated by the present inventive machines.

Further in the present description, a forward direction means in line with

the tractors direction which is parallel to the two rows of grapes it is travelling in

between. Further, a reference to left is a reference to the left side of the

machine when viewed from behind in the position of the tractor driver.

Fig 1 and other figures depict de-suckering machines that are mounted on

the front of a tractor 102 that is adapted to travel in between two rows of grape

vines 104. De-suckering machines in accordance with the invention are

described in the accompanying figures where the following references in Table 1 are applicable.

Table 1 - Glossary of Terms 100 De-suckering machine Second 160 Tractor front three point Embodiment linkage 101 De-suckering machine First 162 suckers Embodiment 102 tractor 164 weeds 103 Trunks 166 Vertical hydraulic ram 104 Row of grape vines 168 electrical circuit box 106 Extendable gantry 170 Hydraulics manifold 108 Machine mounting frame 172 Gas strut 110 T bar mounting plate 174 Extension bolts 112 T bar 176 Post 114 T bar adjusting screws 178 Instant left control 116 t bar outer sleeve 180 Instant right control 118 t bar inner members 181 Switch panel 120 Control arm mount 182 Mode control 122 Telescoping RHS arm 184 Inside controller 124 Secondary telescoping arm 186 Nozzles/Solenoids

126 grease point for telescoping 158 Right extendible gantry RHS arm 128 grease point for secondary 190 Lip telescoping arm 130 Spray shield mount 192 Reflector lip 132 Spray shield 194 Laser plate 134 Shield enclosure 196 Mounting plate cut out 136 Shield bristles 198 Mounting bolts 138 Laser/sensors 200 Mounting slots 140 Bumper 140 202 Chemical tank and pump 142 Bumper cover 142 204 Rear three point linkage 144 Mounting plate 206 Communications cable 146 Reflector/laser plate 208 Distance D between sensors and nozzles 148 Chemical supply hose 210 Mounting plate tracks 150 reflectors 212 Power and Communications Unit (PCU) 152 Front hydraulic ram 214 Field Input/Field Output module or 10 module 153 Rear hydraulic ram 216 Limit switches 154 gantry frame 156 Left extendible gantry Figure 2 depicts de-suckering machine 100 in accordance with a second

embodiment which is adapted for flat and non-sloping vineyards. It is shown in

more detail than in respect to machine 101 and is the default embodiment of

the invention. De-suckering machine 100 and 101 are the same except for the

tilting componentry. De-suckering machine 100 is shown in Fig 2 with both a left and right pair

of spray shields 132. The spray shields 132 have a hollow body 134 with a front

side, top side and rear side. Spray shields 132 are best depicted in Figs 14, 15

and 16. As shown in Fig 16 the bottom of the spray shields 132 is open to and

orientated towards the ground. The front, rear and top sides of the spray

shields have polymeric fibres or shield bristles 136 attached to their edges. The shield bristles 136, in use, when two spray shields 132 are collocated either

side of a row of grapes in the zone shown in Fig 4, have overlapping edges

such that they create an interior volume or spray zone which contains the emitted aerosolised chemicals. At the same time, the bristles 136 permit the trunks 103 of the grape vines 102 to pass into the zone of overlapping bristles

136 and interior of spray shields 132 or spray zone where the combined

nozzles/solenoids 186 spray chemical onto the trunk. Turning to Fig. 4 there is

depicted a de-suckering machine 101 and tractor 102 and a row of grapes 104. The grape vines 104 have trunks 103 and also associated suckers 162 which

grow from the base of the trunk 103. In addition to the suckers 162, weeds 164

are also undesirable and can be sprayed by the de-suckering machine 100

when they pass between two spray shields 132. Further, rather than spray

continuously, the de-suckering machine 100 uses combined laser/sensors 138

and reflectors 150 (best shown in fig 3) to determine when there is an object in

between them and then after a set delay period, opens one or more spray

nozzles 186 in the spray shields 132 for a set period of time to produce a

stream of chemical spray which is deposited on spray target. As shown in Fig

3, the lasers 138 and reflectors 150 are opposite each other and maintained in a perpendicular orientation with respect to each other. Where there is nothing

to spray the laser light is emitted by the combined laser/sensor and then

reflected by the reflector back to the combined laser/sensor which detected the

reflected light. Any break in this detected light results in the registration of a

spray target. In a grape vineyard the spray targets will also include posts 176

and trunks 103 even though they are not suckers or weeds. This is acceptable

as suckers often grow in association with trunks 103 and weeds with posts 176

so their inclusion as spray targets makes the machines overall better able to

manage the unwanted vegetation.

Turning back to Fig 2 it is noted that the left side paid of spray shields 132

is represented in their working configuration where the bristles 136 touch and

form a continuous spray zone through which the trunks, suckers, weeds and posts pass through as the tractor advances and the left side pair of spray shields 132 in a more spaced apart configuration. The width in between the two halves of a pair of spray shields 132 can be adjusted via the T bar 112 which has an outer sleeve 116 which it is suspended from. T bar 112 also have

T bar inner members 118 that slide out of either side of the T bar outer sleeve 116. When at the appropriate width, T bar screws 114 are tightened fixing the

length of the T bars.

The T bars 112 are connected to T bar mounting plates 110 which are

situated at the movable ends of the extendible gantry 106. Extendible gantry

106 is comprised of a gantry frame 154 which houses two hydraulic rams of

which the front hydraulic ram 152 is visible in Fig 2 and the rear hydraulic ram

partially visible in Fig 5. The hydraulic rams are connected to left extendible

gantry 156 and right extendible gantry 158 which contain the T bar mounting

plate 110 at their ends. They are operated independently allowing the operator

of the de-suckering machine 100 to extend the pairs of spray shields 132 outwardly to accommodate rows that are more spaced apart. It also allows

them to be brought back into a central position for movement on roads and

longer distances on farm.

The extendible gantry 106 is maintained in position by the machine

mounting frame 108 which is connected to the tractors 102 front three point

linkage 160. This is best shown in Fig 7. The operator in the tractor 102 can

raise and lower the whole de-suckering machine 100 by raising and lowering

the three point linkage 160. This is contrast to the de-suckering machine 101

shown in Fig 1 which uses independent vertical rams 166 to raise and lower the

assemblies of spray shields 132 which is adapted for sloping vineyards. In this

machine 101 the spray shields 132 that are suspended from T bars that can be

lifted independently using the vertical hydraulic rams 166 that connect the T bar with the extendible gantry 106. The selective and independent operation of the vertical hydraulic rams 166 allows the operator to adjust the position of the machinery components to match the contour of the sloping vineyard.

In addition to raising and lowering the entire de-suckering machine 100 it

is possible to adjust the length of telescopic arms 122 and 124 via their telescopic members. Once adjusted to the right length, the telescopic RHS arm

122 and telescopic secondary arm 124 can be fixed in position through the use

of extension bolts 174. By the nature of their connection with spray shield

mount 130 and control arm mount 120, the lengths of telescopic control arms

122 and 124 are adjusted to ensure that the connected spray shield 132 is

maintained perpendicular to the row of grapes and direction of travel. By virtue

of the double pivoting arms of fixed length and the manner in which they have

been connected to the control arm mount 120 the arms holding the spray shield

132 can be pivoted away from the row of grapes that it faces. The spray shields

have bumpers 140 that extend outwardly into the space in front of the spray shields 132 such that they encounter any object that is in line to collide with the

body 134 of the spray shields 132. The bumpers 140 are angled such that the

forward moving force provided by the tractor is transferred to the pivoting arms

as a lateral force, pushing the spray shield around any object such as a thick

post 176 shown in Fig 11(a). In this figure arms 122 and 124 are bumped

outwardly as indicated by the arrows to allow the immovable object to pass

through in between the pair of spray shields. After the immovable object is

passed, the spray shield 132 and control arms 122 and 124, under the

influence of gravity and gas strut 172 (shown in Fig 10), return to their normal

vertical orientation. Referring to Fig 10, there is behind control arm mount 120

a limit switch which is activated when the control arms are pivoted as a result of

an object hitting the bumper 140. A small degree of movement at the top of the control arms 122 and 124, at pivot points located under grease points 126 and 128, on one side only, results in an electrical signal being sent to the electrical circuit box 168 (shown in Fig 5) which then actuates the relevant hydraulic ram in the gantry 106 to shift the connected T bar carrying the pivoting control arm and shield assembly in the direction that the control arm and shield is pivoting as shown in Fig 12(a) and 12(b). In Fig 12(b) a tractor operator has allowed the de-suckering machine 100 to drift off centre and contact made with the bumper

140 which results in a small pivoting motion, on one side only. This results in

the whole suspended assembly being shifted back to the centre of the row.

This is an automatic function provided by the controller and circuits in the

electrical circuit box 168. This automatic mode is selected in the cab of the

tractor 102 through engaging mode switch 182 which can be set to auto row

tracking or manual mode. In manual mode the instant left control 178 and

instant right control 180 can be used to manually operate the gantry hydraulic

rams 152 and 153 as shown in Fig 13. One of the more important aspects of the invention is the fact that during a

pivoting motion, the orientation of the spray shield remains perpendicular to the

row of grapes and any other spray shield located on the other side of them.

This is important because if the laser 138 and reflector 150 became out of

registration and the laser light was reflected in a direction other than back to the

laser/sensor 138, it would register a spray target and spray continuously. After

a set period of time, the inside controller 184 which is a combined controller

and input device, is adapted to identify when a sensor firing due to a lack of

sensed laser light after a certain period of time and shut down the

corresponding laser/sensor and nozzle/solenoid. The machine is adapted to do

this to prevent the machine from operating whilst it appears to be

malfunctioning. Accordingly, if the spray shields 132 were no longer facing each other precisely such that laser light reflected by the reflectors 150 did not get sensed as laser/sensor 138 then the suckers of the grape vines may not be sprayed as a result of a controlled shut down.

By engineering the control arms 122 and 124 and associated mounting

plates 120 and 130, the operator can ensure that the faces of the spray shields will always face each other, even if it just one spray shield assembly which is

pivoting away. In the case where one assembly pivots away, the face of the

pivoting spray shield remains perpendicular but at a higher point than the spray

shield that is not pivoting. Provided that the reflectors are big enough they

should accommodate that small vertical movement.

The reflectors utilised in the present invention are those manufactured

and sold by IFM Electronic GmbH in Germany and as sold as a "retroreflective

electronic sensor reflector" under model number OGP700 and which is

prismatic "corner" reflector with hexagonal tiling for red and infrared emitting

sensors. The reflectors 150 are available in a largest size of 92mmx92mm. Provided the laser sensor 138 is targeted towards the centre of the reflective

square the roughly 5 cm of reflective surface either side of the centre is

sufficient to maintain a reflective connection with the sensor even when the

control arm sprayer assembly is pivoted. The laser sensors 138 employed in

the invention are red light retroreflective sensors manufactured by IFM

Electronic GmbH in Germany model no OGP700 which is a red light emitting

laser sensor. It is able to detect target sizes down to 3mm at 1m distance or

20mm at up to 15 metres. The maximum light spot dimension of the

laser/sensor 138 at 15 metres is 78mm.

The successful operation of the de-suckering machine 100 involves

precisely timing the application of chemical via the nozzles. The combined

nozzle/solenoids employed in the present invention are manufactured in the

USA by Goyen, a division of Pentair. The nozzles 186 are combined

solenoids/nozzles. The solenoid components receive electrical signals to open

the chemical supply hose 148 which is under pressure. The pressure is derived

from the tank 202 which incorporates a conventional pump driven by the tractor

102 PTO (power take off). Thus nozzle/solenoid 186 merely needs to open and the liquid supplied in chemical supply hose 148 is atomised at the nozzle and a

spray generated which is directional and directed at a target directly opposite.

As will be described in more detail when the system controller is discussed, the

de-suckering machine is adapted to pause for a set period of time in between

the sensing of a spray target at the position of the laser/sensors 138 and reflectors 150 and the opening of the chemical supply hose 148 and spray

nozzles/solenoids 186. This delay is created to allow for the de-suckering

machine to physically advance forward such that the spray target, formally

outside of the spray shield 132 is now in front of the spray nozzle/solenoid 186

within the interior of the spray zone. This distance between the sensors 136 and nozzles 186 is shown in Fig 14 as distance 208. The length of Distance

208 will depend on the position of lasers/sensors 138 and reflectors 150. The

position of these components can be adjusted by the user as set out in Figs 17

to 20.

Importantly, the laser sensors are located outside of the spray zone and

not in the interior of the spray shield. This is because the atomised spray can

interrupt the laser beam and can occlude the laser and also reflector surfaces.

This results in an over application of chemical which is deleterious and

expensive. In the present invention the de-suckering machine 100 has a

mounting plate 144 mounted on the leading front side of the spray shield 132

as shown in Fig 2 and 3 and in Figs 17 to 22. Mounting plate 144 is screwed or

otherwise attached to the front of the spray shields 132 such that it is its face is perpendicular to the grape vines. Reflector/laser plate 146 is then attached to the mounting plate 144 by screws 198 which sit in mounting plate tracks 210 formed in the mounting plate. Due to the length and orientation of mounting plate tracks 210 it is possible to mount the lasers and/or reflectors at various horizontal positions on the mounting plate 144. This allows the user or operator to modify distance D 208 from between 400mm to 480mm. Nozzle and laser sensor can be mounted further apart depending on the job application to a maximum of 500-580mm. Any further and the speeds the operator would need to travel to accommodate distance D 208 would tend to start to spray constantly obviating the savings provided by the invention. At a distance of between 400mm to 480mm and a delay of 0.1seconds with a 1 second spray a tractor can travel between 3 kph and 8 kph, between 4kph and 7kps, between

5kph and 7 kph and preferably 6 kph. By extending the lasers and reflectors

forward on the mounting plate 144 the operator can increase the speed of the

tractor. Once the maximum distance D 208 has been set, the only way to go faster is to reduce the spray time and/or the delay time such that less time

expires between the detection and the spraying of the spray target. The skilled

reader will also appreciate that the controller 184 may be supplied information

from a speed sensor which is then translated into compatible delays and spray

times which are automatically adjusted dynamically as the tractor 102 is

travelling down the row of grapes.

Backing plate 144 has depth in order to protect the laser sensors 138

which protrude from the rear of the mounting plate 144 as shown in Fig 21. The

laser/reflector plates 146 also has a lip 190 on its forward edge this lip helps

prevent any foliage or vines that may be in the path of the machine 100 from

coming into direct contact with the laser/sensor. The mounting plate 144 has a

cut out 196 in addition to the mounting plate tracks 210. The cut-out 196 is shaped to allow for a laser/reflector plate with lasers 138 and a laser/reflector plate with reflectors, both be able to be accommodated on the same backing plate allowing the user to interchange the laser/sensors 138 and reflectors 150 if desired.

Utilising the de-suckering machine 100 can reduce the volume of chemicals applied by up to 70% when compared to constant spraying.

The discussion will now turn to the electrical systems incorporated into the

de-suckering machine 100 that provide it with the advantages and functions

described earlier and further below.

The control system for the de-suckering machine is formed in two parts.

One of which may be optionally offered as it is not necessary for the operation

of the de-suckering machine. The first system is in control of the

nozzles/solenoids and sensors and any associated spray tank with advance

sensors. The second system controls the automatic adjustment to the

positioning of the spray shields as described earlier. The first system is comprised of a touchscreen controller 184 which is

depicted in Fig 13 in situ and in Fig 26 schematically. The touchscreen

controller 184 is a 7inch ecomat display model no CR1077 from IFM electronics

GmbH in Germany. It is an ARM based computer with limited inputs and

outputs including USB, ETHERNET and CAN bus. The touch interface is

optimised for use in wet conditions and with gloves which are often used during

spraying. It has a number of function keys and a touchscreen capabilities and

rated IP65/67.

The touchscreen controller 184 is connected to and powered by the

Power and Communications Unit 212 which operates on battery power derived

from the tractor 102. The Power and Communications Unit 212 is shown in

schematic form in Fig 25. The PCU 212 contains a 4G modem to communicate with a remote server allowing the machine to be accessed electronically in the vineyard to troubleshoot any problem or view any setting or value. The PCU

212 provides power and communications means to the lasers/sensors 136 and

to the solenoid/nozzles 186. The PCU 212 does this via Field Input/Output

module or 10 module 214 located on the outside of the tractor. The 10 module is CAN based remote 10 device with connects hardware on a machine or

implement to the control system. It is manufactured by IFM electronics GmbH

in Germany and is available under model no CR2052 I/O. It has 8 inputs which

can be configured for analogue sensors. It also has 8 outputs with switchable

DC power supply of up to 16A continuously. It is the I/O module 214 which

connects the sensors back to the controller 184 via PCU 212.

The second system is the row centring system which uses limit switches

216 to determine if an object has been encountered and the control arms 122

and 124 have pivoted on one side which then is transmitted to the controller

168 which then opens the circuit for the relevant hydraulic ram as described earlier in respect of Figs 12(a) and 12(b). This system can be set to manual or

automatic mode.

Turning now to the screenshots in Figs 27 - 42 they demonstrate the

method of operating the de-suckering machine 100.

Fig 27 is the general menu which is accessible by hitting the home button.

If the "Desucker" option is selected it takes you to the menu in Fig 28. The

desucker menu in Fig 28 provides the user the option of turning the left and

right side pair of spay shields 132 on or off. It will also take the user to

statistics and setpoint menus as set out in Fig 29.

Fig 32 shows the setpoints screen. It shows a number of implement

statuses at a glance including:

-mode of all solenoid valves

-state of all solenoid valves

-state of all sensors

-state of any alarm

-spray modes

The spray modes available are one to one or one to all. - In one to one mode each solenoid valve is activated by its

corresponding (height) sensor being triggered; or - In one to all mode - all solenoid valves are activated by any sensors

on the same side of the implement being triggered. This mode can be

useful if a sensor has failed midway through a de-suckering session.

Fig 33 shows the key or legend to the icons shown in Fig 32.

Fig 35 shows the sensor control screen. It allows the user to select which

sensors to activate.

Fig 36 shows the screen through which the user is able to set the mode of

each valve/nozzle 186 individually. Using the sliders the values can be set to OFF, MANUAL, AUTO as shown in Fig 37. Manual has the solenoid and

nozzle 186 operate continuous and no sensor input is considered by the

system.

Fig 38 depicts the site setpoints screen where the user can set the delay

between detection of the spray target and actuation of the solenoids. The user

is also able to set the spraying time and also the time the sensor needs to be

continuously activating in order to be considered blocked/occluded. The top

and bottom sensors/nozzles can be set independently to allow for further fine

tuning of the machine to as to better match conditions in the orchard.

The de-suckering machine 100 is adapted such that the operator can

activate the top or bottom level sensors and nozzles in either auto or manual

modes, on left and right sides, separately and independently. The delay and spray time can also be individually set. This provides great flexibility in its applications. For instance, the bottom one may be set to manual and the top to auto if there are few suckers 162 and more weeds 164.

The inventor has also found applicability for the present invention in the

application of pesticides to grape vines, and in particular the trunks of grape vines which harbour mealybugs which are harboured mainly under the bank of

the grape vine trunk. The ability to efficiently spray the trunks of grape vines by

de-suckering machine 100 has adapted the use of the machine to deliver

pesticides in addition to herbicides as described above.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention has application in the field of agricultural

machinery.

Claims (20)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. a chemical de-suckering machine for spraying the suckers of grape

vines grown on elevated trellis wire with chemicals including herbicides wherein

the machine comprises:

-at least one pair of spray shields having an interior and exterior and

wherein the at least one pair of spray shields has at least one open side or face

wherein each of the at least one pair of spray shields are adapted to be

orientated, either side of the grape vines and trellis wire such that their open

sides face each other and the trunk of the grape vines the spray shields being

sized such that they can be situated in the space below the canopy of the

grape vines and above the ground;

-at least two spray nozzles and solenoids or combined nozzle/solenoids

wherein each nozzle is located in the interior of the spray shields and are

spaced apart vertically within the interior;

-at least two laser sensors and corresponding reflector surface or

surfaces situated forward of and in line with the at least two spray nozzles such

that the laser sensors (i) are arranged vertically, (ii) correspond in height with

the nozzles and (iii) are not in the interior of the spray shields and wherein each

laser is situated in proximity to one of the at least two spray shields on one side

of the grape vine and trellis and the reflectors with the other at least one spray

shield on the other side of the grape vine and trellis, and where the laser

sensor and reflector surface are orientated perpendicularly such that the laser

emitted by the laser/sensor hits the reflector surface and is reflected back to the

laser/sensor where it is sensed, and wherein a break in the sensing of at least one reflected laser beam indicates a spray target has been identified in front of

at least one of the laser sensors and wherein when a spray target passes in

/10/2022 front of at least one of the at least two laser sensors and corresponding reflector surface or surfaces at least one of two solenoids are activated for a certain period of time after a duration of time has passed from the breaking of the laser beam, and wherein the spray is emitted from the at least one nozzle towards the spray target during the activated period; and the at least one pair of spray shields and each spray shield and mounted components are suspended on pivoting arms and wherein each spray shield has a bumper extending forward of the spray shield, wherein during use, when the machine is moved forward, if a spray shield encounters an immovable object, the shape of the bumper as adapted to cause the spray shield to pivot around the immovable object before the pivoting arms become vertical again after passing the immovable object, and wherein, throughout the pivoting movement, the lasers and corresponding reflective surface or surfaces are maintained in a perpendicular orientation such that the operation of the laser sensors and spray nozzles/solenoids is not affected by the pivoting motion.

2. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the machine has two

pairs of spray shields that are mounted on a tractor which is driven in between

two rows of grape vines and wherein the pivoting arms are mounted to the

ends of two T bars and where the arms and T bar are themselves telescopic

such that the width between a pair of spray shields that straddle a row of

grapes is adjustable together with the length of the pivoting arms.

3. The de-suckering machine of claim 2 wherein the T bars are

suspended on the ends of an extendible gantry which can be extended outwardly by the use of one or more hydraulic rams such that the distance between the T bars can be dynamically modified by the operator.

4. The de-suckering machine of any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the pivoting

arms are comprised of two telescoping members which are attached to the

shield and to the T bar such that pivoting the arms away from the grape vines

results in the spray shield maintaining its perpendicular orientation towards the

grape vines and to the corresponding other half of the pair of spray shields

located on the other side of the grape vines.

5. The de-suckering machine of claims 1 to 4 wherein the laser sensors and the reflective surface or surfaces are mounted on a front side of the spray

shield, outside of the interior of the spray shield.

6. The de-suckering machine of claim 5 wherein the laser sensors and the

reflective surface or surfaces are connected to a mounting plate orientated in a

forward direction and perpendicular to the grape vines, wherein the mounting

plate is adapted to receive laser sensors or reflective surface or surfaces.

7. The de-suckering machine of claim 6 wherein the mounting plate is

adapted to receive laser sensors or reflective surface or surfaces by its ability

to have mounted on it, a second plate or member which in turn hold the lasers

or reflective surface or surfaces.

8. The de-suckering machine of claim 7 wherein the second plate or

member can be mounted at variable positions along a horizontal axis on the

mounting plate, which modifies the horizontal distance between the laser

sensors and the spray nozzles.

9. The de-suckering machine any of claims 6 to 8 wherein the mounting plate has a leading edge and top edge which that have sides edges providing a

protected area behind the edges which protect the lasers from being contacted

by overhanging grape vines and suckers.

10. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the lasers have above

them, a roof to protect the lasers from being contacted by overhanging grape

vines and suckers.

11. The de-suckering machine of claims 7 to 8 wherein the second plate

has a lip on its leading edge that provides some protection to the lasers from

overhanging grape vines and suckers.

12. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the machine is adapted

to spray from nozzles that are only at the same height as the laser sensors that

are triggered.

13. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the delay between triggering the sensors and the activation of the solenoids can be varied.

14. The de-suckering machine of claim 13 wherein the length of time the

nozzles spray chemicals can be varied.

15. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the machine has a limit switch installed on the top of each pivoting arm that is adapted to close a

sensing circuit when pivoting arm pivots away from the centred grape vine row.

16. The de-suckering machine of claim 15 wherein the machine is adapted

to actuate a hydraulic ram when one limit switch sensing circuit is closed but

not the other on the adjacent pivoting arm, wherein the hydraulic ram is actuated such that horizontal telescoping member is shifted in the direction that the pivoting parm pivots away from the row of grapes, having the effect of recentring the pair of spray shields over the centre of the row of grapes.

17. The de-suckering machine of claim 1 wherein the operating height of

the spray shields is adjustable.

18. The de-suckering machine of claim 17 wherein the operating height of

the spray shields is modified by using the three point linkage of the tractor to

raise and lower the de-suckering machine.

19. The de-suckering machine of claim 17 wherein the operating height of

the spray shields can be modified by raising and lowering the one or more T

bars via hydraulic means.

20. The de-suckering machine of claim 19 wherein each T bar can be

raised or lowered independently facilitating its use on sloping vineyards.

Dated this day of 2021

PASTRO-CUSTOM AG Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant MAXWELLS PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS PTY LTD