DE102020007203A1 - Agricultural hand tool - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an agricultural hand-held device (2), in particular a hay or pitchfork, with a device handle (4) and a device head (6). In order to enable efficient agricultural operation, the agricultural hand-held device (2) has a weight measuring device (8) for measuring a weight (10) acting on the device head (6).

Description

The invention relates to an agricultural hand-held device, in particular a hay or pitchfork, with a device handle and a device head.

Agriculture, horticulture, forestry, including logging, fishing, including aquaculture, and a number of smaller specialties, such as hunting, beekeeping, collecting and harvesting uncultivated natural resources, and basic manufacturing may be included under the term agrarian of foodstuffs (such as milling) as the first processing stage and summarized (cf. Wikipedia for the definition of "agriculture").

Such agricultural hand tools, such as pitchforks in particular, have long been known, for example from DE 418 884 B .

Such a hay fork (or hay fork) is a fork-shaped, approximately 170 cm to 300 cm long, manually operated (hand) tool or (hand) device with a fork-like tool having several curved tines, usually metal -/Equipment head and a slightly curved tool/equipment handle connected to it, mostly made of wood, which is used to transport or load or unload hay, etc.

In agriculture, for example in stables, the pitchfork is usually used for straw-like feed.

In contrast to pitchforks, pitchforks, which are primarily designed for lifting power, have more tines and a shorter, slightly thicker handle that allows heavy loads to be lifted for a long time. The handle and tines of the pitchfork are less curved.

A common agricultural use of pitchforks, as is also known, is to work with hay, straw or fodder, for example when feeding (and/or keeping) livestock such as horses. Here, the pitchfork usually pierces a supply of hay/straw/fodder, which then distributes the (hay/straw/fodder) portion pricked onto the pitchfork to the cattle or horse to be fed or unloads it there becomes.

If a precise and targeted (and in particular permanently equal) portioning of hay, straw or fodder to be fed is important for an efficient agricultural operation and healthy animal husbandry, it proves to be disadvantageous that the use of conventional pitchforks does not require any further knowledge of the (hay/straw/fodder) portion pricked on the pitchfork.

Such a disadvantage in this regard has also been shown in other agricultural hand-held devices, such as pitchforks, for example.

It is the object of the invention to provide a hand-held agricultural implement, in particular a hay or pitchfork, which makes working with it more efficient.

This problem is solved by a hand-held agricultural device with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims and the following description.

Terms used, such as top, bottom, front, back, left or right, as well as inside and outside, are to be understood according to the usual understanding unless otherwise explicitly defined.

The agricultural hand tool, in particular a hay or pitchfork, provides a tool handle and a tool head.

In this case, the device handle and the device head are usually connected directly to one another—or possibly also indirectly via a sleeve and/or one (or possibly also several) other (extension) elements. The connection can be designed to be detachable in order to enable the elements, in particular the device head and/or the device handle, to be changed.

In particular, the device handle can be slightly bent and/or made of wood or aluminum. The head of the device can be made of metal, in particular light metal, and/or be in the shape of a fork, for example having several tines, for example two to four tines in the case of pitchforks or four or five tines in the case of a manure fork. The device head can also be designed as a shovel - for feed or other bulk material (craft, agriculture, industry).

The agricultural handheld device also provides a weight measuring device for measuring a weight acting on the device head.

To put it briefly and simply, the weight of the quantity of hay, straw or fodder loaded onto the agricultural hand-held device is measured by means of the weight measurement or measuring device provided in the agricultural hand-held device.

In a simplified and clear way, the agricultural handheld device can also be referred to as a stick scale.

The agricultural hand-held device thus enables - by means of the possible weight measurement - possible weight control/monitoring of the quantity/portion loaded onto the agricultural hand-held device - precise and targeted portioning of - for example - hay, straw or fodder to be fed. Efficient farming and healthy animal husbandry can be guaranteed.

It can be expedient with the agricultural hand-held device if the weight-measuring device has a weight sensor, in particular a pressure sensor. Other types of weight sensors or other types of weight measuring devices, such as DMS, can also be used. Such sensors or DMS are inexpensive and precisely measuring (standard) components that are easy to obtain, install and replace.

Furthermore, it can also be provided that the weight measuring device has a lever mechanism—with a lever—on one side of which the device head acts and the other side of the lever acts on a weight sensor, in particular a pressure sensor.

In this case, the lever side can also in particular be understood to mean the respective lever end of the lever itself or in the case of the lever mechanism—or an area at the end of the respective lever side or of the lever/lever mechanism.

Action may be understood in particular to mean that there is a force-transmitting connection (force flow) (in this case in particular between the device head and one side of the lever or the other side of the lever and the weight sensor).

For example, the head of the device and one side of the lever or one end of the lever can be screwed together or connected to one another by means of a plug-in connection or else in a form-fitting manner or else with a material bond.

The connection between the other side of the lever or the other end of the lever and the weight sensor can, for example, be designed in such a way that - when the device head is loaded - the other side of the lever (then) comes to rest on the weight sensor, so presses on it and thus forces on it transmits ("acts").

It is useful here if the end of the lever that acts or presses on the weight sensor is designed in such a way that when this end of the lever comes to rest on the weight sensor, the contact between this end of the lever and the pressure sensor is designed as a line contact, in particular as a point contact . For example, the end of the lever that acts or presses on the weight sensor can be flattened or beveled (on one, two or more sides)—or processed in some other similar way.

Furthermore, it appears expedient if a pivot point (which defines an axis of rotation in the lever mechanism) of the lever or the lever mechanism on the device handle or on a device part/intermediate part connected to the device handle, for example a sleeve or a tube, if necessary. made of metal, steel, aluminum or plastic, which is then connected to the device handle, for example attached, is stored.

For this purpose, for example, a bearing block can be provided which, in particular, inside the device handle - or one or the intermediate/device part connected to the device handle, such as in a or the sleeve or in a or the tube, if necessary. Made of metal or plastic, attached, for example screwed, is. The fulcrum of the lever or the lever mechanism can then be rotatably accommodated or mounted in this bearing block. That is, the lever/mechanism rotates in the pivot point (mounted in the bearing block) around its axis of rotation (by an angle of rotation).

The weight sensor or the pressure sensor may then also be mounted inside in the area of the other lever side of the lever/lever mechanism, in order to be able to ensure the operative connection between the weight sensor and the other side of the lever.

It can also be provided that a distance (a) between the weight sensor, in particular the pressure sensor, and the pivot point/the axis of rotation can be adjusted/adjusted (and thus the lever arm on the (weight) sensor side can be adjusted/adjusted as a result), for example in that the weight sensor is arranged/attached so that it can be moved linearly (on/in the device handle).

If the weight acting on the device head of the agricultural hand-held device is "transferred" to the weight sensor according to the (known) mechanical lever law, which thus assumes a fixed geometry ("fixed lever lengths") in the agricultural hand-held device or the lever mechanism there, it can - By changing the lever arm on the (weight) sensor side, which is made possible by the mobility of the weight sensor, the weight measurement in the agricultural hand-held device in each case be adapted to device heads with modified geometries (e.g. different tines (geometry)) and/or to other cargo to be handled (e.g. different types of forage, such as bulbous or stalked material or hay or straw) ("calibration").

In other words, if the device head and/or the load changes in the agricultural handheld device, the load application point of the weight to be measured also changes, as does the device head-side lever arm in the lever mechanism in the agricultural handheld device. This can or must then be taken into account by appropriate adjustment/change of the lever arm on the (weight) sensor side in the lever mechanism in the agricultural hand-held device, made possible by the mobility of the weight sensor (“calibration”).

A lever mechanism that is provided in this way, and in particular that is also adjustable, is characterized in that it can be implemented easily and inexpensively and enables the set of inexpensive (standard) weight sensors - and thus forms or .delivers.

Furthermore, it proves to be expedient if the agricultural hand-held device also has a display device for displaying the weight measured (by the weight measuring device). The display device can be optical and/or acoustic.

For example, the weight can be displayed using an LED bar. The display can also take place via a monochrome LCD display or an E-INK display (possibly with partial refresh).

A wireless transmission of measured values (of the weight measuring device), for example to a mobile phone app/internet app, can also be provided in the agricultural hand-held device (“smart hand-held device”).

In addition, it may be useful for the agricultural handheld device to have a power supply, for example for the display device or for an operating unit or input unit, such as a keyboard, an operating/touch panel/touch panel, or for a transmitting device, such as one for the wireless transmission of Measured values to be provided.

Such an energy supply can be a battery, for example in the form of a button cell, or a rechargeable battery. Other energy supply concepts, such as energy harvesting, such as energy charging through movement, can be implemented.

The energy supply and/or the devices/devices supplied by it, such as the display device, can also be equipped with an intelligence and/or automatic system, which, for example, automatically or subsequently switches off the energy supply and/or correspondingly the devices/devices supplied by it on and/or off under certain conditions, such as (pause/rest) times or (detected) touches or movements. In this way, energy can be saved or is it only available when it is actually needed.

Furthermore, it seems expedient if the agricultural hand-held device is also equipped with a gyroscope or a gyroscope or a gyrometer. In this way, the position and/or the position of the agricultural hand-held device can be determined/determined, in particular absolutely in space or also relative to a reference. For example, it can be recognized in this way when the agricultural hand-held device is in the horizontal.

It can also be expedient - for example in this way determined location/position of the agricultural hand-held device - to be included in the weight determination - or also in other functions in which the agricultural hand-held device, such as (weight) display or also switching on/off the power supply and/or or the (weight) display, or to take it into account there.

For example, using such a gyroscope, the weight can be determined as a function of the position of the agricultural handheld device, for example its inclination or pitching, for example/in particular in relation to the axis of rotation (with an angle of rotation as the variable to be taken into account) in the lever mechanism.

If necessary, the display/display orientation can also be changed via the gyroscope so that it can be displayed individually for right and left-handers. The switching on/off of the energy supply and/or the (weight) display can also be linked to the location/position of the agricultural implement.

Furthermore, the agricultural hand-held device can in particular be a hay or pitchfork, which is provided in particular for an agricultural operation, in particular for keeping cattle or horses.

A shovel is also conceivable for measuring the weight of feed or other bulk goods (craft, agriculture, industry).

The description given so far of advantageous configurations of the invention contains numerous features, some of which are combined into several in the individual subclaims. However, these features can expediently also be considered individually and combined to form further meaningful combinations.

Although some terms in the specification and claims are used in the singular or in conjunction with a numeral, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the singular or the respective numeral. Furthermore, the words "a" and "an" are not to be understood as numerals, but as indefinite articles.

The properties, features and advantages of the invention described above and the manner in which they are achieved will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained in more detail in connection with the drawing(s)/figures will/will (same parts/components and functions have the same reference numbers in the drawings/figures).

The exemplary embodiments serve to explain the invention and do not limit the invention to the combinations of features specified therein, not even in relation to functional features. In addition, suitable features of each exemplary embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation, removed from one exemplary embodiment, introduced into another exemplary embodiment to supplement it and combined with any of the claims.

• 1 eine Heugabel (mit Gewicht) gemäß einer Ausführung der Erfindung;
• 2 die Heugabel gemäß der Ausführung nach 1 (mit eingezeichnetem Schnitt A - A);
• 3 Schnitt A - A durch die Heugabel gemäß 2.

It showed:

• 1 a pitchfork (with weight) according to an embodiment of the invention;
• 2 the pitchfork according to the design 1 (with marked section A - A);
• 3 Cut A - A through the pitchfork as per 2 .

- Pitchfork 2 with weight measurement (stick scale) (FIG 1 to FIG 3)

In 1 (burdened) and 2 (unloaded) are (schematically) an agricultural hand-held device 2, here a pitchfork 2, which can be used, for example, when feeding cattle (e.g. horses). In 2 a section A - A is indicated, which in 3 is shown.

With the Pitchfork 2, hay, straw or other types of forage (weight 10 in 1 clarifies) are charged, pierced, for example, and redistributed.

The Pitchfork 2 looks like 1 and 2 show, at one end a metal fork head 6 having prongs and at the other end a fork handle 4 made of aluminum (possibly also made of wood).

The fork head 6 is connected to the fork stem 4 via an intermediate part 22, here an (intermediate) sleeve/tube 22—also made of aluminum.

As an alternative to aluminum or steel, the intermediate part 22 can also be made of plastic.

The fork head 6 is, as in 1 and 2 shown, inserted through the opening 30 of the intermediate sleeve 22 on the clevis side with play, whereby it does not touch the intermediate sleeve 22 or its opening 30 on the clevis side.

On the other end of the intermediate sleeve 22, i.e. on the fork handle side 28 in the case of the intermediate sleeve 22, the fork handle 4 is firmly connected to the intermediate sleeve 22, welded here.

In the (intermediate) sleeve 22 of the pitchfork 2 is how 1 , 2 and 3 show, a weight measuring device 8 is installed, by means of which the weight 10 acting on the fork head 6 (schematically in 1 indicated), ie a “fork load” (cf. hay, straw, fodder, for example a round bale of hay) can be measured (hand scale).

For this see how 1 and 2 also show that the weight measuring device 8 has a lever mechanism 14 with a lever (also 14) and a pressure sensor 12 (cf. also 3 ) before.

The lever 14 is how 1 or. 2 shows, mounted approximately centrally with/at its pivot point 20 by means of a bearing block 32 inside the (intermediate) sleeve 22 so that it can rotate/pivot - and thus rotates about its axis of rotation 26 (by a rotation angle).

At the clevis end 16 of the lever mechanism 14, i.e. on the first lever side 16, this or the lever 14 is firmly connected to the clevis 6 inserted into the (intermediate) sleeve 22, screwed here (in order to loosen or loosen the clevis 6). . to be able to exchange).

At the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork handle side, i.e. on the second side 18 of the lever, this or the lever 14 makes contact with the pressure sensor 12 - due to a two-sided abrasion on the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork handle side - making contact with the pressure sensor (see also 3 ). That is, it presses - the lever 14 pivots when the fork head 6 is loaded (by the weight 10) about the pivot point 20/axis of rotation 26 - (corresponding to the weight 10) on the pressure sensor 12 (cf. FIGS. 1 to 3).

The pressure sensor 12 is for this purpose, as shown here, pivots the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork stem side, i.e. the second lever side 18 when loaded by the weight 10 (on the fork head 6) upwards, above the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork stem side, i.e. the second lever side 18, mounted inside the (intermediate) sleeve 22 (cf. FIGS. 1 to 3).

As 1 or. 2 also clarified (cf. in particular with 1 variable distance a), the pressure sensor 12 is linearly displaceably attached to the (intermediate) sleeve 22 in order to change the lever arm 34 on the fork stem side in the lever mechanism (lengthen or shorten, i.e. change the distance a between the pressure sensor 12 and the pivot point 20/axis of rotation 26 in the lever mechanism 14 or lever 14) in order to be able to adapt the weight measuring device 8 to changed geometries in the pitchfork 2, ie to a changed lever arm 36 on the fork head side.

Furthermore, the Pitchfork 2 looks like 1 or. 2 also shows a display device 24 (in combination with an input device), which is fastened to the intermediate sleeve 22 on the outside thereof—and which is connected to the pressure sensor 12 via a cable connection 38 . The display device 24 thus displays the weight 10 measured by the pressure sensor 12 .

For example, if a worker/user (not shown) loads a bale of hay (by weight 10 in 1 clarified) on the fork head 6 of the pitchfork 2 and moves the pitchfork 2 to an approximately horizontal position, the lever 14 pivots under this load from the hay bale (weight 10). That is, the lever arm end 36 on the fork head side is pressed downwards on the fork head 6 by the weight 10, whereas the lever arm end 34 on the fork stem side (corresponding to the weight 10) then presses upwards on the pressure sensor 12 (cf. also 3 ). The pressure sensor 12 then measures the weight 10 which is displayed on the display device 24 .

The display/representation of the measured weight 10 and an input by the user on the display device 24 (in combination with an input device) takes place using a membrane key/LED combination.

The weight 10 is displayed by means of an LED bar for the integer measurement values from 1-10kg. A separate display on the display device 24 (in combination with an input device is used to display the range 0.25 - 0.75 kg.

A weight preset can be set via a second membrane button on the display device 24 (in combination with an input device). As soon as this is reached, an acoustic signal is emitted by the scales. The user therefore does not have to keep an eye on the displayed weight 10 all the time.

The power supply 40 is ensured by a battery.

The weight can be determined as a function of the angle of rotation using a gyroscope 42 (cf. FIGS. 1 to 3). A user interface of the display device 24 is arranged horizontally, so it can be read equally well by right-hand and left-hand traffickers.

An--alternative--display device 24 (in combination with an input device), also just combined display device 24 for short, can be a monochrome LCD display, implemented in a similar way to a bicycle speedometer. User interaction takes place here via two membrane keys.

In this way, corresponding settings can be made in the menu of the LCD display. The display orientation can be changed here via the gyroscope 42 so that it can be displayed individually for right and left handers. A rechargeable battery 40 is integrated, which can be recharged by removing the electronics from the stick scale.

In the case of a—further alternative—combined display device 24, the display takes place by means of an E-INK display (with partial refresh), as a result of which the user has all the essential information at a glance. It is possible to carry out a weight preset using a membrane button that can evaluate the pressure of the button press.

In addition, it is possible to create several profiles with different target weights via a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) connection. It can be the recorded data / weights 10 at a Smartphone can be evaluated, so there is a better overview of the weight history, for example a feed history of the animals.

The energy required for operation is obtained via Energy Harvesting 40 . A rechargeable battery 40 ensures sufficient buffering in unfavorable environmental conditions.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom without departing from the scope of the invention.

Reference List

2

Agricultural hand tool, hay/pitch fork

4

Device handle, fork handle

6

Device head, fork head

8th

weight measuring device

10

Weight

12

Weight/Pressure Sensor

14

lever mechanism, lever

16

a (first/an) lever side, clevis side end

18

a (second/other) lever side, fork stem side end

20

pivot point

22

Device/intermediate part, element, (intermediate) sleeve/tube

24

display device

26

axis of rotation

28

on the fork shaft side at the intermediate sleeve 22

30

Clevis-side opening of the intermediate sleeve 22

32

bearing block

34

fork-side lever arm

36

clevis-side lever arm

38

cable connection

40

Energy supply, battery, rechargeable battery, energy harvesting

42

gyroscope

a

Distance

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 418884 B [0003]

Claims (10)

Agricultural hand-held device (2) with a device handle (4) and a device head (6) , characterized by a weight measuring device (8) for measuring a weight (10) acting on the device head (6). Agricultural handheld device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weight measuring device (8) has a weight sensor (12), in particular a pressure sensor (12). Agricultural hand tool. (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weight measuring device (8) has a lever mechanism (14), on one lever side (16) of which the device head (6) acts and whose other lever side (18) acts on a weight sensor (12 ), In particular pressure sensor (12), acts. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the point of action/a contact between the other lever side (18) acting on the weight sensor (12) and the weight sensor (12), in particular the one acting on the weight sensor (12). other lever side (18) is designed in such a way that the operative/touch contact between the other lever side (18) acting on the weight sensor (12) and the weight sensor (12) is a line contact, in particular a point contact. Agricultural hand tool (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a pivot point (20) of the lever mechanism (14) on the tool handle. (4) or is mounted on a device part (22) connected to the device handle (4). Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a distance (a) between the weight sensor (12), in particular the pressure sensor (12), and the pivot point (20) is adjustable. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a display device (24) for displaying the measured weight (10). Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a gyroscopic instrument/gyroscope 42 for determining the location and/or position. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an energy supply (40), in particular a rechargeable battery, a button battery and/or energy harvesting, in particular for a display device (24) and/or a display device (24 ) or an input device. Agricultural hand tool (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agricultural hand tool (2) is a hay or pitchfork (2).

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