DE102014007995A1 - Aircraft with storage for receiving granular bulk material - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft with memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains, with a device for conveying out the grains from the memory, and with a device for discharging the discharged from the memory grains.

Description

The invention relates to an aircraft with memory for receiving granular bulk material or bulk grains.

One important pest for maize cultivation is the European corn borer. This can be combated chemically or biologically. One possibility of biological control is the application of eggs of the Trichogramma parasitic wasp. The larvae of the parasitic wasp feed on the eggs of the European corn borer.

The eggs of the Trichogramma parasitic wasp are grouped in groups, namely on cards or in balls. The balls usually have a diameter of 15 mm to 20 mm and can have a slightly oval cross section or an egg shape.

The application of the cards or balls is done manually so far (very expensive) or with a drawn by a tractor device. Since the maize plant must be protected when it has already reached a certain height, the tractor must be raised higher, for example by special wheels with a larger diameter or by measures on the chassis side. Both are very expensive.

The object of the invention is to provide an alternative to deploying the Trichogramma parasitic wasp.

According to the invention, an aircraft with memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains is provided, with a device for conveying the granules out of the reservoir, and with a device for discharging the granules discharged from the reservoir. Grains within the meaning of the invention also include spheres with a diameter of several centimeters or other large grains.

The aircraft is preferably one with wings or a fixed-wing aircraft. But it can also be provided a rotorcraft or multicopter. In particular, the aircraft is a so-called UAV, ie an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is autonomous, semi-autonomous and / or remote-controlled.

Preferred is a small aircraft with 1 m to 4 m span or with a maximum of 5 kg take-off weight or a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the store has a sloping floor, wherein at least a lowest point of the floor is associated with the means for conveying out the grains. The bottom of the memory can also be funnel-shaped or conical. The floor is preferably inclined at least against one direction of flight, i. h., A lying in the direction of flight bottom section is lower than a lying in the direction of flight bottom section.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the device for feeding out the grains comprises a rotating wheel with individual, consecutive cells in the direction of rotation. It is preferred to match the size of the cells to the size of the grains, in particular such that only one grain is located in each cell. The rotating wheel then has the function of a separating wheel. The cells are preferably round, similar in shape to the grains.

According to a further aspect of the invention, each cell is designed to be continuous in the axial direction of the wheel and otherwise has a particularly circular contour. The grains can enter the cells (in the axial direction) from one side and exit the cells to the other side. Preferably, the wheel is a disc having circumferentially consecutive holes, similar to dials of older type telephones. The cells are approximately dimensioned in the axial direction of the wheel so that the diameter of at least one grain is recorded. The disc has a corresponding thickness.

According to a further idea of the invention, the wheel takes the front - to the memory - the grains in the cells and is back at least partially covered by a fixed wall, the wall - as well as the wheel - is arranged inclined. From the sloping ground, the grains roll or slip in front of the cells of the rotating wheel and are prevented by the fixed wall at the rear exit from the cells, as far as the wall covers the wheel. The wall preferably extends over at least two thirds or three quarters of the rear surface of the wheel, so that only one or a few cells are not covered by the wall and thus are continuous. Wheel and fixed wall are arranged approximately perpendicular to the inclined bottom of the memory.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the wall has an opening for the exit of the grains from the cells. The wall extends over the full back surface of the wheel, apart from the opening. The opening is dimensioned so that it corresponds approximately to the cross section of a cell in the radial direction of the wheel and corresponds in the circumferential direction at least the cross section of a cell or is slightly larger. The cross section of the opening in the wall should be such that the content of a cell from this with a rotating wheel exit the cell and enter the opening.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the means for discharging the discharged from the memory grains comprises a downwardly directed pipe, which in particular connects to the means for conveying out the grains from the memory. The grains fall from the cells of the wheel in the downwardly directed tube, so that a defined direction can be specified.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the device for discharging the granules discharged from the storage device comprises a discharge tube lying transversely to the direction of flight, in particular for ejecting the granules from both tube openings. It is envisaged that the grains are conveyed into the discharge pipe and thence ejected from both pipe openings, alternately or simultaneously, individually or in groups, preferably alternately and individually. Also possible is an ejection of the grains only to one side, d. H. only from a pipe opening.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the transversely directed ejection tube connects to the downwardly directed tube and both form a T-piece which stands upside down. The transverse ejector tube preferably connects with a central portion to a lower end of the downwardly directed tube. The grains pass from the downwardly directed tube into the transversely directed ejector tube.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a discharge device is associated with the ejection tube for actively discharging the grains from the ejection tube. In particular, the discharge device for discharging the grains in both directions, d. H. provided from both openings of the ejector tube.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the discharge device comprises a sliding member reciprocable in the ejection tube. The sliding member pushes the grains out of the two openings of the ejector tube.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the discharge tube has a longitudinal slot, wherein the discharge device comprises a particularly elastic ejection lever with a protruding into the longitudinal slot lever portion, wherein the ejection lever in particular in the longitudinal direction of the ejector tube is reciprocally movable. The lever portion may be formed relatively thick, depending on the required strength, also depending on the mass of the individual grains. The reciprocating movement of the particular elastic ejection lever is carried out, for example, by a motor motor or a motor with crank mechanism. When ejecting the grains only to one side of the eject lever takes in only one direction grains with and runs in the opposite direction empty. This can be controlled for example by reducing the speed of the rotating wheel or by increasing the stroke rate of the eject lever.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a mechanical resistance for the ejection lever is provided, wherein the ejection lever comes to rest during its movement at the resistor and is moved past by bending the resistor. In this way, energy is stored in the ejection lever for a short time, which discharges abruptly and thus increases the momentum for ejecting the grains.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the mechanical resistance is a mandrel directed transversely to the plane of movement of the ejection lever, in particular outside the ejection tube, wherein the ejection tube preferably has two longitudinal slots which are opposite one another and in which the ejection lever moves. The mandrel lies in the path of movement of the eject lever. The ejection lever is so long that it just can not be moved past the mandrel in the normal state. The movement is possible only by bending the eject lever or a thin end of the same. The motor drive for the ejection lever is designed sufficiently powerful.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a sensor is provided, in particular a light barrier, on or in the downwardly directed tube for detecting grains falling in the tube and in particular for controlling the drive for an ejection lever. As soon as a grain falls past the sensor, the ejection lever is triggered with a certain delay of a few hundredths of a second. As a result, a permanent drive of the eject lever can be avoided.

According to a further aspect of the invention elastic cross-sectional constrictions are provided in the ejection tube, in particular at least partially inner circumferential lips. The cross-sectional constrictions are matched to the diameter of the individual grains and are intended to prevent a grain from rolling out of the ejector tube without pressure of the ejector lever, for example, in strong inclinations or lateral accelerations of the aircraft.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the wheel - associated with the reservoir - is assigned a pitot tube, which is provided with an inlet opening has the direction of flight and which is directed with an outlet opening in particular in the axial direction against the wheel, namely in the region of at least one cell. Preferably, the pitot tube is arranged so that at least the contents of a cell is acted upon by dynamic pressure. The pressure in the pitot tube depends on the airspeed and facilitates the emergence of the grains from the respective cell in the downwardly directed pipe.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an electronic control is provided for controlling the means for conveying out the grains and / or for controlling a discharge device, as a function of a speed of the aircraft and / or in dependence on one another. The faster the aircraft flies, the more grains are to be dropped per unit of time. The device for conveying out the grains from the memory on the one hand and the discharge device (in particular the ejection lever) on the other hand should be coordinated with each other, as well as the airspeed. Also, the electronic controller may include a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) module, e.g. GPS, Galileo, GLONASS or others, and means for controlled departure of individually programmable flight routes. The electronic control is tuned to the area to be covered. At the edge of the surface, only one-sided ejection of the grains can make sense. The controller automatically takes this into account and influences the device for removing the grains from the storage and / or the discharge device accordingly. Additionally or alternatively, the possibility of remote control may be provided.

According to a further aspect of the invention, it is provided that memory, means for conveying the granules from the memory and the means for discharging the discharged from the memory grains are components of a module, wherein the module provided as a tip of the aircraft and the aircraft in other respects removable is, or wherein the module is an independent unit which is connectable to the aircraft, in particular as a load under a fuselage of the aircraft. Preferably, the module is provided with an electrical connection and connected via this to an electrical energy source of the aircraft. Fasteners for the module are provided so that a secure but detachable connection between the module and aircraft is otherwise given, for example, by terminals, snaps, screws, resilient rivets or other easily detachable fasteners. The module may be integrated into the aircraft, for example as part of it, or additionally be provided as a load for the aircraft.

The invention also relates to a module as a load for an aircraft, in particular with means for attachment under a fuselage of the aircraft, with a memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains, with a device for conveying out the grains from the memory, and with a device for discharging the discharged from the memory grains. The module may also have the features discussed above in this specification.

The invention is also a system of the aforementioned module and an aircraft, wherein the module is attached as a load under the aircraft, wherein the aircraft has a memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains, and preferably a connecting pipe to Transfer of grains from the memory of the aircraft to the memory of the module is provided.

In the module, a conveyor belt for conveying the grains may be provided to the area of the means for feeding out the grains or another transport means. This can be dispensed with a continuously inclined bottom of the memory.

The aircraft / system according to the invention is particularly suitable for deploying Trichogramma parasitic wasps over corn fields. But there are also other uses possible, which involves the distribution of bulk grains on a surface to be overflowed.

Further features of the invention are the description of the remainder and the claims removable. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to drawings. Show it:

1 A wing aircraft, namely a fixed-wing UAV in perspective,

2 a front module of the UAV according to 1 in transparent side view,

3 the module according to 2 in side view with marked memory and on a slightly smaller scale,

4 a partially transparent representation of the module in plan view,

5 A wing aircraft with a suspended module in side view,

6 the aircraft according to 5 in a sectional view.

A UAV 10 Here is a small aircraft with a wingspan of about 1.80 m, a take-off weight of up to 5 kg and designed in the manner of an aircraft as a fixed-wing aircraft. The UAV is powered by an electric motor-driven propeller. A hull is divided into a front module 11 and a back section 12 , on both sides of the wing 13 are arranged. At trailing edges of the wings 13 close support tubes 14 with vertical stabilizers 15 at. The latter are via a horizontal stabilizer 16 connected with each other.

The front module 11 points near a bottom 17 a transversely directed ejector tube 18 with ejection openings 19 . 20 on. The ejection opening 19 is in 1 visible, noticeable. Here are the ejection openings 19 . 20 directed slightly obliquely against the direction of flight, so that no back pressure in the ejector tube 18 arises, see 4 , There it can be seen that each ejection opening 19 . 20 forms a plane that faces away from the direction of flight. Accordingly, a front projection protrudes on both sides 21 . 22 of the ejector tube 18 from the module 11 out.

In the module 11 and partly already in the back section 12 is a store 23 for grains or balls 24 provided with Trichogramma parasitic wasps. In the storage room 23 There are about 200 to 600 balls. A floor 25 of the memory 23 is inclined at least just before his forward in the direction of flight end in the direction of flight preferably with about 20 ° downwards, so that the balls 24 roll down in the direction of flight. At a forward end of the ground in the direction of flight 25 is a conveyor disc 26 as a device for conveying out the balls 24 from the store 23 intended. The conveyor disc 26 is about an axis 27 rotatably mounted and by an electric motor 28 driven, which is preferably a stepping motor.

The conveyor disc 26 is inclined, with a little more than 90 ° to the ground 25 , In 3 recognizable is an angle between the conveyor disc 26 and soil 25 from about 115 °. Also different angles are possible. An angle of the conveyor disc is preferred 26 to a horizontal or to a bottom of the module 11 of about 30 ° or less.

The conveyor disc 26 has circumferentially consecutive, through holes 29 up, see 4 and is back (from the store 23 turned away) with a fixed wall 30 Mistake. According to 4 a total of 6 holes are consecutive and provided with equal distances to each other. Number and size of the holes is based on the size of the balls 24 Voted.

The wall 30 has an opening in an upper area 31 on which is slightly larger than the individual holes 29 and a safe passage of individual balls 24 through the wall 30 should allow.

The balls in the store 23 roll by their own weight and by the movement of the aircraft in the memory 23 open holes 29 the conveyor disc 26 , By the rotation of the conveyor disc 26 The balls are successively in front of the opening 31 in the wall 30 moved and fall through the opening 31 down into a downwardly directed tube 32 , The pipe 32 closes immediately to the opening 31 and is dimensioned here so that the cross section is slightly larger than the cross section of a single ball 24 ,

To the pipe 32 closes below the ejector tube lying transversely to the direction of flight 18 at. pipe 32 and ejector tube 18 together form an upside down tee 33 ,

The ejector pipe 18 is on two opposite long sides 34 . 35 each provided with a longitudinal slot, not shown. In the longitudinal slots and transverse to this protrudes a rod-shaped ejection lever 36 , which in the ejector tube 18 can be moved back and forth, driven by one in the direction of flight in front of the pipe 32 arranged electric servo motor 37 ,

The balls 24 be from the conveyor disc 26 in front of the opening 31 promoted, fall there in the pipe 32 and finally into the ejector tube 18 , The reciprocation of the ejector lever 36 can be set and controlled such that an incoming ball 24 immediately from one of the ejection openings 19 . 20 is ejected. Then the ejection lever moves 36 in the opposite direction and takes the next ball 24 to the opposite ejection opening with. Here are speed and movement of the eject lever 36 so measured that the balls 24 safely out of the ejector tube 18 be ejected. The eject lever 36 can be flexible or spring-elastic.

The transition of the balls 24 from the conveyor disc 26 in the pipe 32 is due to the effect of a pitot tube 38 supported. This is on top of the module 11 arranged and deflected to the front of the conveyor disc 26 namely opposite the opening 31 , see pitot tube kink 39 in 2 ,

The stepper motor or electric motor 28 for the conveyor disc 26 on the one hand and the servo motor 37 for driving the eject lever 36 On the other hand, preferably matched by an electronic control not shown in detail, so that in the pipe 32 falling balls are ejected without or with little congestion. At the same time is a vote on the airspeed provided a well-planned number of bullets 24 each distance traveled is ejected.

As in 2 can be seen in the tube 32 an optical sensor 40 be arranged in the manner of a light barrier, namely between the ejector tube 18 and the opening 31 , in particular just below the opening 31 , Once a ball 24 in the pipe 32 falls while the sensor 40 happens, an electronic control unit, not shown, receives a signal from the sensor 40 and then controls the servo motor with a delay 37 for moving the eject lever 36 at. The now in the ejector tube 18 arrived ball is from the ejector lever 36 to one of the ejection openings 19 . 20 spun. The delay in triggering the eject lever 36 is on the falling speed of the ball 24 and the position of the sensor 40 in the pipe 32 Voted.

In the module 11 is near the pipe 32 an upright thorn 41 fixed, namely on a servo motor 37 opposite side of the pipe 32 So, for example, below the conveyor disc 26 , The eject lever 36 extends through the longitudinal slots in the ejector tube 18 to the thorn 41 and stays with a thin end 42 at each pivotal movement briefly on the mandrel 41 hang. The thin end 42 bends slightly and shortens itself until the ejector lever 36 the thorn 41 can happen.

In the ejector tube 18 are bilateral and preferably near the tube 32 preferably circumferential, elastic lips 43 provided as resilient cross-sectional constrictions. The lips 43 prevent a rolling out of the balls 24 out of the ejector tube 18 with stronger inclination or lateral acceleration of the UAV 10 and without pressure of the ejector lever 36 ,

5 shows a modified embodiment of the UAV 10 , As a tip is a module 44 provided, which serves here only as storage for balls. Under the back section 12 and partly under the module 44 hangs another, streamlined module 45 with elongated shape and substantially rectangular cross section, see 6 , In the module 45 a memory for the balls, a device for discharging the balls from the memory, a means for discharging the discharged from the memory grains arranged, in particular those previously with reference to FIG 2 to 4 discussed components and details. Instead of a total inclined bottom, a conveyor belt may be provided, which the balls forward to the top of the module 45 or to the conveyor disc 26 promotes. Just before the conveyor disc 26 is. then provided a sloping floor.

The module 45 is under the rear section with fasteners not shown (buckles, clips, hooks, snaps, screws, or similar) 12 held. There is also a connection to the module 44 and its memory by means of a vertically directed tube 46 , The in the module 44 stored balls fall through the pipe 46 in the module 45 , The UAV can thus take a relatively large amount of balls at the same time and fly off a relatively large area.

Powered is the UAV 10 by a rear drive 47 with propeller 48 , Under the back section 12 is a suspension 49 held. In an embodiment not shown, the UAV is with the module 45 but does not itself have a module with memory (like the module 44 ) on.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

UAV

11

Front module

12

Rear section

13

Hydrofoil

14

support tubes

15

vertical stabilizers

16

horizontal stabilizers

17

bottom

18

ejector pipe

19

ejection port

20

ejection port

21

head Start

22

head Start

23

Storage

24

roll

25

ground

26

feeder wheel

27

axis

28

electric motor

29

holes

30

wall

31

opening

32

pipe

33

Inverted tee

34

long side

35

long side

36

eject lever

37

Servo Motor

38

Pitot tube

39

Pitot tube bend

40

sensor

41

mandrel

42

Thin finish

43

Elastic lips

44

module

45

module

46

pipe

47

drive

48

propeller

49

landing gear

Claims (21)

Aircraft with memory ( 23 ) for receiving granular bulk material / bulk grains, with a device for removing the granules from the storage ( 23 ), and with a device for ejecting the from the memory ( 23 ) discharged grains. Aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that the memory ( 23 ) a sloping floor ( 25 ), and that at least a lowest point of the soil is associated with the means for conveying out. An aircraft according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means for conveying comprises a rotating wheel with individual, successive in the direction of rotation cells. An aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that each cell is formed continuously in the axial direction of the wheel and otherwise has a particular circular contour. Aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that the wheel front - to the memory ( 23 ) - the grains in the cells receives and back at least partially from a fixed wall ( 30 ) and that the wall ( 30 ) - as well as the wheel - is arranged inclined. Aircraft according to claim 5, characterized in that the wall ( 30 ) an opening ( 31 ) for the exit of the grains from the cells. Aircraft according to claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the means for discharging the from the memory ( 23 ) conveyed down a downwardly directed tube ( 32 in particular to the means for feeding the granules from the reservoir ( 23 ). Aircraft according to claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the means for discharging the from the memory ( 23 ) conveyed grains transverse to the direction of flight ejector tube ( 18 ), in particular for ejecting the grains from both tube openings ( 19 . 20 ). Aircraft according to claim 7 and 8, characterized in that the transversely directed discharge tube ( 18 ) to the downwardly directed tube ( 32 ) and both together form a tee that is upside down. Aircraft according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the ejector tube ( 18 ) is associated with a discharge device, for actively discharging the grains from the discharge tube ( 18 ). An aircraft according to claim 10, characterized in that the discharge device in a discharge tube ( 18 ) comprises a reciprocable sliding member. An aircraft according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the ejector tube ( 18 ) has a longitudinal slot and that the discharge device has a particularly elastic ejection lever ( 36 ) comprises a projecting into the longitudinal slot lever portion, wherein the eject lever ( 36 ) in particular motor in the longitudinal direction of the ejector tube ( 18 ) is movable back and forth. An aircraft according to claim 12, characterized by a mechanical resistance for the ejection lever ( 36 ), whereby the ejection lever ( 36 ) comes to rest against the resistor during its movement and can be moved past the resistor by bending. Aircraft according to claim 13, characterized in that the mechanical resistance is transverse to the plane of movement of the ejection lever ( 36 ) directed thorn ( 41 ), in particular outside the ejector tube ( 18 ), and that the ejector tube ( 18 ) preferably has two mutually opposite longitudinal slots, in which the ejection lever ( 36 ) emotional. An aircraft according to claim 7 or any of the further claims, characterized by a sensor ( 40 ), in particular a light barrier on or in the downwardly directed tube ( 32 ) for detecting in the pipe ( 32 ) falling grains and in particular for controlling the drive for an ejection lever ( 36 ). Aircraft according to claim 8 or one of the further claims, characterized by elastic cross-sectional constrictions in the discharge tube ( 18 ), in particular at least partially inner circumferential lips ( 43 ). Aircraft according to claim 5 or one of the further claims that the wheel - to the memory ( 23 ) - a pitot tube ( 38 ), which faces with an inlet opening against the direction of flight and which is directed with an outlet opening in particular in the axial direction against the wheel, namely in the region of at least one cell. Aircraft according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized by an electronic control for regulating the device for conveying out the grains and / or for regulating the discharge device, as a function of one another and / or as a function of a speed of the aircraft. Aircraft according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that memory ( 23 ), Means for feeding the granules from the storage ( 23 ) and the device for dropping the from the memory ( 23 ) are components of a module, the module ( 11 ) is provided as a tip of the aircraft and is otherwise removable from the aircraft, or wherein the module ( 45 ) is an independent unit which is connectable to the aircraft, in particular as a load under a fuselage of the aircraft. Module ( 45 ) as a load for an aircraft, in particular with means for attachment under a fuselage of the aircraft, with a memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains, with a means for conveying out the grains from the memory, and with a means for ejecting the grains discharged from the store. System from module ( 45 ) according to claim 20 and an aircraft, said module ( 45 ) is attached as a load under the aircraft, wherein the aircraft has a memory for receiving granular bulk / bulk grains, and preferably a connecting tube ( 46 ) for transferring grains from the memory of the aircraft to the memory of the module ( 45 ) is provided.

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