EP4698331A1 - Machine for treating tree crops - Google Patents

Machine for treating tree crops

Info

Publication number
EP4698331A1
EP4698331A1 EP24723403.2A EP24723403A EP4698331A1 EP 4698331 A1 EP4698331 A1 EP 4698331A1 EP 24723403 A EP24723403 A EP 24723403A EP 4698331 A1 EP4698331 A1 EP 4698331A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
dispensing
directing
machine
movable
crown
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24723403.2A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Giancarlo Spezia
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Spezia Srl
Original Assignee
Spezia Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Spezia Srl filed Critical Spezia Srl
Publication of EP4698331A1 publication Critical patent/EP4698331A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
    • A01M7/0003—Atomisers or mist blowers
    • A01M7/0014—Field atomisers, e.g. orchard atomisers, self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
    • A01M7/005—Special arrangements or adaptations of the spraying or distributing parts, e.g. adaptations or mounting of the spray booms, mounting of the nozzles, protection shields
    • A01M7/0053—Mounting of the spraybooms
    • A01M7/0057—Mounting of the spraybooms with active regulation of the boom position
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
    • A01M7/0089—Regulating or controlling systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B15/00—Details of spraying plant or spraying apparatus not otherwise provided for; Accessories
    • B05B15/60—Arrangements for mounting, supporting or holding spraying apparatus
    • B05B15/68—Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
  • Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Special Spraying Apparatus (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Abstract

Machine for treating the crown of tree crops with a nebulized treatment liquid, comprising: one or more devices for dispensing and directing said liquid; a support frame of said one or more devices for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid; one or more hydraulic assemblies for supplying said treatment liquid and one or more pneumatic assemblies supplying an air stream to said one or more dispensing and directing devices. At least one of said one or more devices for dispensing and directing the treatment liquid is a dispensing and directing device which is movable with respect to the frame and is operatively connected to an actuator assembly adapted to move said movable dispensing and directing device. The machine further comprises: a device for detecting the distance D of a top portion of the crown of said tree crop; a control device which is configured to receive from said detection device a signal indicative of the detected distance D and to control the actuator assembly so as to selectively move the movable dispensing and directing device in a substantially vertical direction according to said detected distance D.

Description

MACHINE FOR TREATING TREE CROPS
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a machine for treating tree crops, and in particular to a machine for treating the crown of tree crops with a nebulized treatment liquid, and more in particular of tree crops organized in rows. The machine of the present invention is particularly suitable for treating tree crops, typically organized in rows, on uneven terrain or in any case in conditions in which the crown of the tree crops has variable heights with respect to the working plane of the machine.
The use of pesticide products, and more generally of plant protection products, is widely known and generally occurs through crop spraying with nebulized liquids containing one or more active ingredients intended for treating the crops. In general, the liquid is nebulized according to a variety of known technologies and is directed towards the crops to be treated.
However, the known spraying treatment technologies with nebulized products have the serious problem of the non-optimal and often off-target distribution of the nebulized mixture of water and active ingredient which is distributed not only on the crown of the plant to be treated, but also on the ground and in the air above the crown with consequent contamination of the aquifers and dispersion into the atmosphere.
This therefore results in both damage to the environment due to dispersion in the air and ground (and therefore also in the aquifer), and an increase in the overall treatment cost, due to the excess liquid which is nebulized to have the certainty that the treatment is effective with respect to an ideal situation in which all the product nebulized for the treatment (pesticide or plant protection product in general) reaches the objective, i.e., the crown of the plant to be treated.
In order to minimize these problems which constitute a useless waste of money for the farmer and damage to the ecology of the environment and community - and therefore to optimize the distribution of the plant protection product on the crown of the plant to be treated - it is essential that the air stream which carries the nebulized mixture of water and active ingredient is carefully directed onto the crown and not outside of it. For this purpose, the machines currently used for such work are generally provided with adjustable air stream deflectors or air outlet devices which need to be oriented manually so that the nebulized mixture reaches the target while the machine proceeds inside the rows.
If in agricultural situations on flat terrain this adjustment remains approximately the same on the entire plot, in the case of hilly terrain with changes in slope it must be monitored by the operator and he must have the possibility of regulating the position of the tools which direct the nebulized mixture onto the top of the crown, so that the stream is not dispersed above it. This operation of orienting the stream of the nebulized mixture is often difficult to actuate except in situations of macroscopic differences in level, also because the operator must also drive the tractor or the self-propelled vehicle connected to the machine for the distribution of plant protection products and often is not able to check the position of the diffusers in relation to the crown to be treated with the necessary frequency.
The same considerations apply, more generally, if the tree crops to be treated have a non- homogeneous trend, in terms of vertical extension, along the row in which they are arranged.
In short, the features of the current machines for treating the crown of tree crops with nebulized liquids do not allow to have precise and constant control of the direction and orientation of the stream of the nebulized mixture in relation to the position, and in particular the height, of the crown of the tree crop to be treated.
The need is therefore felt to have a machine for treating tree crops which is different from the existing ones, overcoming the problems of the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which allows to avoid the dispersion of the nebulized treatment liquids in the air and ground, limiting contamination and possible damage to the environment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which allows to minimize the waste of nebulized treatment liquids, limiting as much as possible the quantity of treatment liquid which does not reach the target.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which allows for effective and constant control of the direction and orientation of the stream of the nebulized mixture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which allows it to operate effectively and without wasting liquids even in cases where the tree crops to be treated have a non-homogeneous trend, in terms of vertical extension, along the row in which they are arranged, both due to the different height of the plants and the non-uniformity of the terrain, and typically in the case of hilly terrain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which does not require or which minimizes the need for manual interventions to regulate the orientation of the air stream which transports the nebulized mixture of water and active ingredient.
Not least, an object of the present invention is to provide a machine for treating tree crops which has high reliability and is easy to manufacture and at competitive costs.
The aforesaid and other objects, as will be apparent from the following description, are achieved by means of a machine for treating the crown of tree crops with a nebulized treatment liquid which comprises: one or more devices for dispensing and directing said nebulized treatment liquid; a support frame of said one or more devices for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid connectable to a moving machine along an operating direction; one or more hydraulic assemblies for supplying said treatment liquid to said one or more devices for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid; one or more pneumatic assemblies supplying an air stream to said one or more dispensing and directing devices.
The machine of the present invention is characterized in that at least one of said one or more devices for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid is a dispensing and directing device which can be moved with respect to said frame and is operatively connected to an actuator assembly adapted to move said movable dispensing and directing device with respect to said frame.
The machine of the present invention is further characterized in that it comprises: a device for detecting the distance D of a top portion of the crown of said tree crop; a control device configured to receive from said detection device a signal indicative of the detected distance D and to control said actuator assembly to selectively move in a substantially vertical direction said movable dispensing and directing device according to said detected distance D.
Thereby, a machine for treating tree crops is provided which meets the above-mentioned objects.
In practice, the machine of the present invention is provided with a detection device - for example an ultrasonic device or an optical distance reader - which is capable of reading the position of the top of the crown of the plant to be treated. The machine is further provided with at least one movable dispensing and directing device and a corresponding actuator assembly and thanks to the control device - typically a device provided with appropriate control electronics - it is capable of orienting one or more of the movable dispensing and directing devices so as to direct the stream of nebulized mixture so that it does not point above the crown of the plant to be treated, with harmful and useless dispersion into the environment
In other words, the positioning of the actuators - and consequently the direction of the stream of nebulized liquid - is controlled by the control device which has an input signal given by the response of a sensor (placed for example at the top of the diffuser) which detects the distance from the crown and a piloting output signal of the actuator assembly according to the distance detected by the sensor.
Operatively, the direction of the movable dispensing and directing device (or devices), and therefore the direction of the stream of nebulized mixture, occurs by means of an actuator assembly, typically a linear actuator (for example an electric, or hydraulic, or pneumatic actuator), which orients the movable dispensing and directing device on a vertical plane perpendicular to the plant so as to hit not above the top of the crown of the tree crop.
As better explained below, the solution adopted for the machine of the present invention allows to avoid, or at least minimize, the dispersion of the nebulized mixture outside the crown of the tree crop to be treated, eliminating or minimizing the problems of environmental contamination and of product waste previously illustrated.
For the purposes of the present invention, the term movable dispensing and directing device means the set comprising the actual dispensing device (for example a nozzle or a dispensing mouth) and, if present, the possible device (or devices) for orienting the stream exiting the nebulizer (for example one or more stream deflectors).
In other words, the machine of the present invention is adapted to operate with nebulizers having all the operating principles (hydraulic, by aeroconvection, pneumatic) which may or may not be provided with a device (or devices) for orienting the stream exiting the nebulizer, (e g., one or more stream deflectors). The actuator assembly can therefore be operatively connected to the actual dispensing device (for example to a nozzle movable with respect to the frame), or to the stream orientation device (for example a deflector movable with respect to the frame), or to both.
The machine for treating the crown of tree crops of the present invention also has the notable advantage of relieving the operator from the burdensome task of controlling and moving any actuators which regulate the position of the devices directing the nebulized mixture onto the top of the crown, making driving free of distractions with great safety advantages for the operator himself.
In any case, the management of the stream directioning in a substantially automatic manner by means of the control device certainly makes the operation more precise and continuous with respect to a manual and occasional control carried out by the operator.
In an embodiment of the machine for treating the crown of tree crops, according to the present invention, the control device is preferably configured to move said movable dispensing and directing device upwards when the detected distance D is below a predetermined threshold value, for example when it is less than, or less than or equal to, a predetermined distance Dx, and to move said movable dispensing and directing device downwards when the detected distance D is above a predetermined threshold value, for example when it is greater than, or greater than or equal to, said predetermined distance Dx.
In practice, as previously mentioned, the positioning of the movable dispensing and directing device and of the stream of nebulized mixture directed by it is controlled by the on-board electronics (by means of the actuator assembly) which has as input signal the response of a sensor placed for example at the top of the movable dispensing and directing device which senses the distance from the crown, and as an output signal a piloting signal of the actuator assembly.
When the dispensing and directing device is oriented on the target and the detected distance D is substantially less than or equal to the distance Dx expected in the presence of the crown (for example, half the inter-row distance), the actuator is commanded to move the movable device for dispensing and directing the nebulized treatment mixture upwards.
Continuing the upwards movement, the movable dispensing and directing device reaches the top of the crown and when this is exceeded, the distance detection sensor detects a distance D greater than the expected distance Dx. For example, in the case of an ultrasonic detector or an optical detector, this may be due to the lack of the return signal to the detector or because the return signal is reflected by any body/object placed at a distance greater than Dx. The actuator is then piloted by the control device so as to reverse its motion, returning the stream of nebulized mixture exiting the movable dispensing and directing device onto the crown itself.
Operating with this principle, as the machine advances along the rows, the movable device for dispensing and directing the nebulized mixture moves in a substantially sinusoidal manner immediately below the top of the crown, chaining upward and downward movements on a substantially vertical plane parallel to the front of the row, and maintaining the stream of nebulized mixture always positioned around the target.
In particular, in an embodiment of the machine for treating the crown of tree crops, according to the present invention, the control device is advantageously configured to continuously receive from said detection device the signal indicative of the detected distance D and is configured to continuously move said movable dispensing and directing device through said actuator assembly according to said detected distance D.
In another embodiment of the machine for treating the crown of tree crops, according to the present invention, alternative to the previous one, the control device can instead be configured to receive the signal indicative of the distance D detected by said detection device at predetermined intervals and can be configured to continuously move said movable dispensing and directing device through the actuator assembly according to said detected distance D. This embodiment can be particularly advantageous in cases where, for example, the machine of the present invention is provided with a plurality of detection devices which can generate detection signals, for example ultrasonic signals, interfering with each other.
In a further embodiment of the machine of the present invention, the control device can instead be configured to receive at predetermined intervals from said detection device the signal indicative of the detected distance D and can be configured to discontinuously move said movable dispensing and directing device through the actuator assembly according to said detected distance D.
In other words, according to this embodiment, once the signal indicative of the detected distance D has been received from the detection device, the control device gives the actuator assembly a command to move the movable dispensing and directing device by a predetermined distance upwards or downwards according to the detected distance D. At the next signal indicative of the detected distance D received from the detection device, the control device gives the actuator assembly a further command to move the movable dispensing and directing device by a further predetermined distance (equal to or different from the previous one) upwards or downwards according to the next detected distance D. Thereby, the substantially sinusoidal movement of the movable device for dispensing and directing the nebulized mixture around the top part of the crown itself is obtained through a sequence of discontinuous movements upwards and downwards on a substantially vertical plane parallel to the front of the row.
In preferred embodiments of the machine for treating the crown of tree crops of the present invention, the detection device is mechanically connected to said movable dispensing and directing device and follows it in its movement. Thereby, the mechanical connection ensures that there is always correspondence between the direction of emission/orientation of the nebulized mixture stream and the detection direction of the distance signal.
Alternatively, and more generally, the detection device can be moved independently through the same actuator assembly which moves the movable dispensing and directing device or through another actuator assembly. In practice in this embodiment the control device, in addition to moving the movable dispensing and directing device, also moves the detection device - by means of the same actuator assembly or by means of a dedicated actuator assembly - so that said detection device follows the movement of the movable dispensing and directing device and the detection direction of the distance signal substantially corresponds to the direction of emission/orientation of the stream of the nebulized mixture.
In general embodiments, the machine for treating the crown of tree crops, according to the present invention, preferably comprises at least one stack of dispensing and directing devices and at least one device for detecting the distance D which are positioned on one side of said machine with respect to the operating travel direction of the machine. In these embodiments, the actuator assembly is operatively connected to at least one dispensing and directing device movable with respect to said frame which is positioned at the top of said stack of dispensing and directing devices. In other words, in this embodiment, a row of dispensing and directing devices is positioned on one side of the machine with respect to the direction of travel and at least the dispensing and directing device positioned at the top of the row (i.e., that, or those, intended to treat the top of the crown of the tree crop) is moved through the actuator assembly. In widely preferred embodiments, the machine for treating the crown of tree crops of the present invention comprises a first stack of dispensing and directing devices and a first device for detecting the distance D positioned on a first side of the machine with respect to the operating travel direction of the machine; the machine further comprises at least a second stack of dispensing and directing devices and at least a second device for detecting the distance D positioned on a second side of the machine opposite said first side with respect to said operating direction.
In this embodiment, the machine further comprises a first actuator assembly which is operatively connected at least to a first dispensing and directing device movable with respect to said frame positioned at the top of said first stack of dispensing and directing devices, and further comprises a second actuator assembly which is operatively connected at least to a second dispensing and directing device movable with respect to said frame positioned at the top of said second stack of dispensing and directing devices.
In practice, in this embodiment, a row of dispensing and directing devices is positioned on each side of the machine with respect to the travel direction and at least the dispensing and directing device positioned at the top of each row (i.e., that, or those, intended to treat the top of the crown of the tree crop) is moved through the respective actuator assembly.
Thereby, the machine of the present invention allows two adjacent rows of tree crops to be treated simultaneously.
Preferably, in this embodiment of the machine for treating the crown of tree crops of the invention, the control device is configured to receive from said first detection device a first signal indicative of the distance Du detected by said first detection device and to receive from said second detection device a second signal indicative of the distance D12 detected by said second detection device. The control device is further configured to control said first and second actuator assemblies to selectively move said first and second movable dispensing and directing devices in a substantially vertical direction according to said detected distances Du and D12, respectively.
In practice, in this embodiment, at least the dispensing and directing device positioned at the top of the first row (i.e., that, or those, intended to treat the top of the crown of the tree crops of a row) is moved through the respective actuator assembly according to the detected distance Du, while at least the dispensing and directing device positioned at the top of the second row (i.e., that, or those, intended to treat the top of the crown of the tree crops of the opposite row) is moved through the respective actuator assembly according to the detected distance D12. Advantageously, in preferred embodiments of the machine of the present invention, the control device is configured to control said first and second actuator assemblies independently of each other. In practice, in this embodiment, it is possible to set for each stack of dispensing and directing devices a predetermined distance Dxi and DX2 which can be different from each other. In other words, the machine according to the invention allows to treat contiguous rows of tree crops by making the dispensing and directing devices positioned at the top of the opposite rows rise or fall according to the respective detected distances D11 and D12 and according to the distance expected in the presence of the crown, which can be the same predetermined distance Dx for both rows or can be predetermined distances Dxi and DX2 different from each other.
In a particular embodiment, the machine of the present invention can comprise a frame comprising a vertical support which extends upwards from a main body connectable to the moving machine and one or more of said movable dispensing and directing devices for said treatment liquid positioned on said vertical support.
Thereby, the machine of the present invention also allows to treat rows facing those immediately adjacent to the machine itself, using the same principle of controlling the direction of the stream of the nebulized mixture.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the description of some embodiments of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying Figures, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a view of a first embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a first operating condition;
Figure 2 illustrates a view of a first embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a second operating condition;
Figure 3 illustrates a view of a first embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a third operating condition;
Figure 4 illustrates a view of a second embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a first operating condition; Figure 5 illustrates a view of a second embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a second operating condition;
Figure 6 illustrates a view of a second embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a third operating condition;
Figure 7 illustrates a view of a second embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a fourth operating condition;
Figure 8 illustrates a view of a third embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a first operating condition;
Figure 9 illustrates a view of a third embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a second operating condition;
Figure 10 illustrates a view of a third embodiment of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention, illustrated in a third operating condition;
Figures l la-l lc illustrate some details of a detail of a machine for treating tree crops, according to the present invention.
With reference to the attached Figures, in its most general embodiment, the machine 1, 10 for treating the crown 100 of tree crops with a nebulized treatment liquid, according to the present invention, comprises one or more devices 2, 20, 21 , 22, 82 for dispensing and directing the nebulized treatment liquid.
For the purposes of the present invention, the movable dispensing and directing devices 2, 20, 21, 22, 82 comprise the assembly comprising the actual dispensing device (for example a nozzle or a dispensing mouth) and, when present, any device (or devices) for orienting the stream exiting the nebulizer (for example one or more stream deflectors). As previously mentioned, the machine 1, 10 of the present invention is in fact adapted to operate with nebulizers having all the operating principles (hydraulic, by aeroconvection, pneumatic) which may or may not be provided with a device (or devices) for orienting the stream exiting the nebulizer, (e.g., one or more stream deflectors).
The machine 1, 10 of the present invention further comprises a support frame 3, 30 of said one or more devices 2, 20, 21, 22, 82 for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid which is installable on and operatively connectable to a moving machine 50, for example an agricultural tractor, along an operating direction. In the attached figures, the operating travel direction of the moving machine 50 is given by an axis perpendicular to the sheet and directed towards it. The supply of the treatment liquid to the various dispensing and directing devices 2, 20, 21, 22, 82 occurs by means of one or more hydraulic assemblies of known type, which will therefore not be illustrated further in detail. Likewise, the supply of the air stream to the various dispensing and directing devices 2, 20, 21, 22, 82 to generate the nebulized mixture occurs by means of one or more pneumatic assemblies of known type, for example a fan 51, which will therefore not be further illustrated in detail. One of the peculiar features of the machine 1, 10 for treating the crown 100 of tree crops is given by the fact that at least one of the plurality of devices 2, 20, 21, 22, 82 for dispensing and directing the treatment liquid is a dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 which is movable with respect to the support frame 3, 30.
The movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 is operatively connected to an actuator assembly 4, 41, 42 which is adapted to move the movable device 20, 21, 22, 82 for dispensing and directing with respect to the support frame 3, 30, with operating methods better described below. The actuator assembly 4, 41, 42 can typically be constituted by a linear actuator, for example an electric, or hydraulic, or pneumatic actuator. In general, any assembly capable of moving the movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 can be used in the machine 1, 10 of the present invention.
The actuator assembly 4, 41, 42 is operatively connected to the movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 and this can occur by means of the operative connection of the actuator assembly 4, 41, 42 with the actual dispensing device (for example with a nozzle movable with respect to the frame 3), or with the stream orientation device (for example with a deflector movable with respect to the frame 3), or with both.
Another of the peculiar features of the machine 1, 10 for treating the crown 100 of tree crops of the present invention is given by the fact of comprising a device 7, 71, 72 for detecting the distance D of a top portion 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop, which can be for example an ultrasonic device or an optical distance sensing device.
The machine 1, 10 further comprises a control device (not shown in the figures) which is configured to receive from said detection device 7, 71, 72 a signal indicative of the detected distance D and which is also configured to control the actuator assembly 4, 41, 42 so as to selectively move in a substantially vertical direction the movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 according to the detected distance D. Thereby the positioning of the movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 can be controlled so as to keep the stream of nebulized air always directed towards the crown 100 of the tree crop to be treated.
In particular, with reference to the attached Figures 1-3, the control device of the machine 1 of the invention is configured to move at least the movable dispensing and directing device 21 upwards when the distance D detected by the detection device 71 is substantially less than or equal to a predetermined distance Dx and to move the same movable dispensing and directing device 21 downwards when the distance D is substantially greater than said predetermined distance Dx.
In practice, with reference to Figure 1, when the movable dispensing and directing device 21 is correctly oriented towards the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop, the distance D detected by the detection device 71 is less than a predetermined distance Dx, which can for example be the average distance in operating conditions between the moving machine 50 and the row of plants to be treated, as shown in Figure 1-3. In these conditions, the control device sends to the actuator assembly 41 (for example a linear actuator) a signal for the upward movement of the movable dispensing and directing device 21.
The upward movement continues until the top of the crown 100 of the tree crop is reached, as shown in Figure 2.
With reference to Figure 3, continuing the upward movement, when the orientation of the movable dispensing and directing device 21 is such as to exceed the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop, the distance D detected by the detection device 71 is greater than the predetermined distance Dx (for example - and according to the type of distance detection sensor used - this can occur due to the lack of the return signal to the detector or because the return signal is reflected by any body /object placed at a distance greater than Dx).
In these conditions, the actuator 41 is piloted by the control device so as to reverse its motion, thus moving the movable dispensing and directing device 21 downwards. Consequently, the stream of nebulized mixture exiting the movable dispensing and directing device 21 is returned to the top part 101 of the crown 100.
The situation of Figure 1 is then returned to, where the distance D detected by the detection device 71 is less than the predetermined distance Dx and the actuator 41 is commanded by the control device so as to move the movable dispensing and directing device 21 upwards. As previously mentioned, operating with this principle, during the travel of the moving machine 50 along the rows, the movable dispensing and directing device 21 determines a pattern of the nebulized mixture stream such that it moves in a substantially sinusoidal manner in a vertical plane immediately below the top of the crown 100, maintaining the nebulized mixture stream always positioned around the top part 101 of the crown 100 itself.
The control device can be configured to continuously receive from the detection device 71 the signal indicative of the detected distance D and to move - always continuously and through the actuator assembly 41 - the movable dispensing and directing device 21 according to the detected distance D, according to the methods previously described.
Alternatively, the control device can be configured to receive at predetermined intervals from the detection device 71 the signal indicative of the detected distance D and to continuously move, through the actuator assembly 41, the movable device 21 for dispensing and directing according to the detected distance D, always according to the methods previously described. As a further alternative, the control device can be configured to receive at predetermined intervals from the detection device 71 the signal indicative of the detected distance D and can be configured to discontinuously move the movable dispensing and directing device 21 according to the detected distance D. In practice, according to this embodiment, once the signal indicative of the detected distance D has been received from the detection device 71, the control device gives the actuator assembly 41 a command to move the movable dispensing and directing device 21 by a predetermined distance upwards or downwards according to the detected distance D. At the next signal indicative of the detected distance D, received from the detection device 71, the control device gives the actuator assembly 41 a further command to move the movable dispensing and directing device 21 by a further predetermined distance (equal to or different from the previous one) upwards or downwards according to the next detected distance D. The substantially sinusoidal trend of the nebulized mixture stream described previously is therefore approximated by means of a segmented trend along a broken line.
With reference to the attached Figures 1-7, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the machine 1 for treating the crown 100 of tree crops comprises at least one stack 201 of dispensing and directing devices 2, 21, 82 positioned on one side of the machine 1 with respect to the operating travel direction of the moving machine 50. A certain number of these dispensing and directing devices 2 are fixed and oriented in a substantially horizontal direction towards the lower part of the crown 100 of the tree crop, while at least the dispensing and directing device 21 positioned at the top of said stack 201 of dispensing and directing devices is movable with respect to the frame 3. Advantageously, the dispensing and directing device 82 positioned immediately below the dispensing and directing device 21 at the top of the stack 201 is also movable with respect to the frame 3.
The movement of the movable dispensing and directing device 21 occurs by means of an actuator assembly 41 operatively connected thereto. If a further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82 is present, its movement can occur through the same actuator assembly 41 or through a further actuator assembly (not shown) specific for the further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82.
In general, if there are several movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82, these can be connected to each other operatively, for example through a mechanical connection, so that the movement imparted to one of them - for example to the movable dispensing and directing device 21 - from a single actuator assembly 41 is also transmitted to one or more of the others. Alternatively, the actuator assembly 41 can be provided with mechanical connections with each movable dispensing and directing device 1, 82, so as to directly control the movement of each movable dispensing and directing device 21, 82.
In these embodiments, the machine 1 further comprises at least one device 71 for detecting the distance D which is positioned on the same side of the machine 1 on which the stack 201 of dispensing and directing devices 2, 21, 82 is positioned. The one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82 are moved through the actuator assembly 41 controlled by the control device according to the signal indicative of the detected distance D received from the detection device 71, according to the methods previously described.
Thereby, while the lower part of the crown 100 of the tree crop is treated by the fixed dispensing and directing devices 2, the top part 101 of the crown 100 itself is effectively treated by the one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82, in accordance with what was previously illustrated.
With reference to Figures 4-7, in further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the machine 1 for treating the crown 100 of tree crops has a first 201 and a second 202 stack of dispensing and directing devices 2, 21, 22, 82 which are respectively positioned on a first side and a second side opposite each other of the machine 1 with respect to the operating travel direction of the moving machine 50, each stack being intended for treating a respective row of tree crops, opposite each other.
The first stack 201 comprises one or more fixed dispensing and directing devices 2 which are oriented in a substantially horizontal direction towards the lower part of the crown 100 of the tree crop and one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82. In particular, at least the dispensing and directing device 21 positioned at the top of said first stack 201 of dispensing and directing devices is movable with respect to the frame 3. Advantageously, the dispensing and directing device 82 positioned immediately below the dispensing and directing device 21 at the top of the first stack 201 is also movable with respect to the frame 3.
The movement of the movable dispensing and directing device 21 occurs by means of a first actuator assembly 41 operatively connected thereto. If a further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82 is present, its movement can occur through the same actuator assembly 41 or through a further actuator assembly (not shown) specific for the further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82. The methods of movement and operational connection between the first actuator assembly 41 and the one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82 occur as previously described.
The machine 1 further comprises at least a first device 71 for detecting the distance D which is positioned on the same side of the machine 1 on which the first stack 201 of dispensing and directing devices 2, 21, 82 is positioned. The operating modes managed by the control device occur as described above.
The second stack 202 comprises one or more fixed dispensing and directing devices 2 which are oriented in a substantially horizontal direction towards the lower part of the crown 100 of the tree crop and one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 22, 82. In particular, at least the dispensing and directing device 22 positioned at the top of the second stack 202 of dispensing and directing devices is movable with respect to the frame 3. Advantageously, the dispensing and directing device 82 positioned immediately below the dispensing and directing device 22 at the top of the second stack 202 is also movable with respect to the frame 3.
The movement of the movable dispensing and directing device 22 occurs by means of a second actuator assembly 42 operatively connected thereto. If a further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82 is present, its movement can occur through the same actuator assembly 42 or through a further actuator assembly (not shown) specific for the further movable dispensing and directing device(s) 82. The methods of movement and operational connection between the second actuator assembly 42 and the one or more movable dispensing and directing devices 21, 82 occur as previously described.
The machine 1 further comprises at least a second device 72 for detecting the distance D which is positioned on the same side of the machine 1 on which the second stack 202 of dispensing and directing devices 2, 22, 82 is positioned. The operating modes managed by the control device occur as described above.
Again with reference to Figures 4-7, in particular embodiments of the machine 1 of the invention, the control device is configured to receive from the first detection device 71 a first signal indicative of the distance Du detected by said first detection device 71 and to receive from the second detection device 72 a second signal indicative of the distance D12 detected by said second detection device 72.
As previously described with reference to Figures 1-3, the control device is configured to control the first 41 and the second 42 actuator assembly to selectively move in a substantially vertical direction at least the first 21 and the second 22 movable dispensing and directing device according to the detected distances Du and D12, respectively.
In practice, with reference to Figure 4, when the movable dispensing and directing devices 21 and 22 (and possibly 82) are correctly oriented towards the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row, the distances Du and D12 detected by the detection devices 71 and 72 are less than a predetermined distance Dx, which can for example be half the average inter-row distance DL. In these conditions, the control device sends to the actuator assemblies 41 and 42 a signal for the upward movement of the respective movable dispensing and directing devices 21 and 22 (and possibly 82).
The upward movement of the movable dispensing and directing devices 21 and 22 (and possibly 82) continues until reaching the top of the crown 100 of the tree crop, as shown in Figure 5.
With reference to Figure 6, continuing the upward movement, when the orientation of one of the movable dispensing and directing devices 21 and/or 22 is such as to exceed the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row, the distance D11 and/or D12 detected by the detection devices 71 and 72 is greater than the predetermined distance Dx.
In these conditions, the corresponding actuator 41 and/or 42 is piloted by the control device so as to reverse its motion, thus moving the movable dispensing and directing device 21 and/or 22 downwards. Consequently, the stream of nebulized mixture exiting the movable dispensing and directing device 21 and/or 22 is returned to the top part 101 of the crown 100.
In particular, as depicted in Figure 6, in the illustrated embodiment of the treatment machine 1 of the invention, the control device is advantageously configured to control the first 41 and the second 42 actuator assemblies independently of each other.
In the case illustrated in Figure 6, the orientation of the movable dispensing and directing device 21 (and possibly 82) is such as to exceed the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row. The distance Du detected by the corresponding detection device 71 is therefore greater than the predetermined distance Dx and the corresponding actuator 41 is piloted by the control device so as to reverse its motion, thus moving the movable dispensing and directing device 21 (and possibly 82) downwards.
The orientation of the movable dispensing and directing device 22 is instead correctly directed towards the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row. The distance D12 detected by the corresponding detection device 72 is therefore less than the predetermined distance Dx and the corresponding actuator 42 is piloted by the control device so as to continue moving the movable dispensing and directing device 22 upwards.
As illustrated in the attached Figures, the machine 1 according to the invention thus allows to treat contiguous rows of tree crops by making the dispensing and directing devices positioned at the top of the opposite rows rise or fall according to the respective detected distances Du and D12 and according to the distance expected in the presence of the crown, which can be the same predetermined distance Dx for both rows or can be predetermined distances Dxi and Dx2 different from each other. This allows to effectively treat rows in which the tree crops have a non-uniform height within the same row, as well as contiguous rows of different heights, as well as rows located in non-flat terrain, for example hilly or terraced, such as illustrated in Figure 7.
With reference to Figures 8-10, in a particular embodiment, the machine 10 for treating the crown of tree crops of the invention comprises a vertical support 301 which extends upwards from a main body 30 of the frame 3 connectable to the moving machine 50. The machine 10 further comprises one or more movable devices 20 for dispensing and directing the treatment liquid which are positioned on the vertical support 301.
As illustrated in the aforementioned Figures 8-10, this embodiment of the machine 10 of the present invention allows it to also treat rows facing those immediately adjacent to the machine itself, using the same principle of controlling the direction of the nebulized mixture stream.
In practice, in this embodiment, the machine 10 comprises two movable dispensing and directing devices 20 which are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the machine 10 with respect to the operating travel direction of the moving machine 50, each device 20 being intended to treat rows facing those immediately adj cent to the machine itself.
The movement of the movable dispensing and directing devices 20 occurs by means of corresponding actuator assemblies 4 operatively connected thereto. The methods of movement and operational connection between each actuator assembly 4 and the corresponding movable dispensing and directing device 20 occur as previously described. The machine 10 further comprises at least two devices 7 for detecting the distance D which are positioned on the same sides of the machine 10 on which the movable dispensing and directing devices 20 are positioned. Also in this case, the operating modes managed by the control device can occur as described above.
In practice, with reference to Figure 8, when the movable dispensing and directing devices 20 are correctly oriented towards the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row, the distances D detected by the detection devices 7 are less than a predetermined distance. In these conditions, the control device sends to the actuator assemblies 4 a signal for the upward movement of the respective movable dispensing and directing devices 20.
The upward movement continues until the top of the crown 100 of the tree crop is reached, as shown in Figure 9.
With reference to Figure 10, continuing the upward movement, when the orientation of one of the movable dispensing and directing devices 20 is such as to exceed the top part 101 of the crown 100 of the tree crop of the respective row, the distance detected by the corresponding detection device is greater than the predetermined distance.
In these conditions, the corresponding actuator 4 is piloted by the control device so as to reverse its motion, thus moving the dispensing and directing device 20 connected thereto downwards. Consequently, the stream of nebulized mixture exiting the movable dispensing and directing device 20 is returned to the top part 101 of the crown 100.
In particular, as depicted in Figure 10, in the illustrated embodiment of the treatment machine 10 of the invention, the control device is advantageously configured to control the actuator assemblies 4 independently of each other, according to the distances detected by the corresponding detection devices 7, controlling the actuator assemblies 4 so that the nebulized mixture stream exiting the movable dispensing and directing devices 20 always remains around the top part 101 of the crown 100, as previously described.
In general, in embodiments of the machine 1, 10 of the present invention, the detection device 7, 71, 72 is mechanically connected to at least one movable dispensing and directing device 20, 21, 22, 82 and follows it in its movement.
For example, as illustrated in Figures 1 la-11c, the movable dispensing and directing device 21 can consist of a mouth 252 for emitting the nebulized treatment mixture, the stream of which is controlled through a deflector 251. The deflector is movable with respect to the frame 3 and is moved through the actuator assembly 41, for example a linear actuator.
A device 71 for detecting the distance D with respect to the crown to be treated is also mounted on the frame 3, in a movable manner with respect thereto. The detection device 71 is mechanically connected, by means of a suitable mechanical member 90, to the movable part of the movable dispensing and directing device 21, in this case to the deflector 251, and follows it in its movement when this is actuated by the actuator assembly 41. The same principle applies when the detection device 71 is mechanically connected, for example, to a nozzle movable with respect to the frame 3.
The mechanical member 90 can be of the fixed type or, as illustrated in Figures 1 la-11c, it can be adjustable so as to allow the relative angle between the detection device 71 and the movable part of the movable dispensing and directing device 21 to be varied, in this case the deflector 251. This allows an initial calibration of the system to be carried out in order to fix the detection direction of the detection device 71 according to the width of the cloud of nebulized mixture which is emitted by the movable dispensing and directing device 21, ensuring consistency between detection direction and area affected by the nebulized mixture.
As can be seen from the description and the attached drawings, the technical solutions adopted by the present invention allow the intended tasks and objects to be fully achieved, obtaining a machine for treating tree crops of undoubted usefulness and practicality of use.
The embodiments described for the present invention are susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the same innovative idea defined in the attached claims. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions and contingent shapes, may be any according to needs and the state of the art.

Claims

1. A machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops with a nebulized treatment liquid comprising:
- one or more devices (2, 20, 21, 22, 82) for dispensing and directing said nebulized treatment liquid;
- a support frame (3, 30) of said one or more devices (2, 20, 21, 22, 82) for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid connectable to a moving machine (50) along an operating direction;
- one or more hydraulic assembly for supplying said treatment liquid to said one or more devices (2, 20, 21, 22, 82) for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid;
- one or more pneumatic assembly (51) supplying an air stream to said one or more devices (2, 20, 21, 22, 82) for dispensing and said treatment liquid; characterized in that at least one of said one or more of said one or more devices (2, 20, 21, 22, 82) for dispensing and directing said treatment liquid is a dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) movable with respect to said support frame (3, 30) and is operatively connected to an actuator assembly (4, 41, 42) capable of moving with respect to said support frame (3, 30) said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82); and characterized in that it comprises:
- a device for detecting (7, 71, 72) the distance D of a top portion (101) of the crown (100) of said tree crop;
- a control device configured to receive from said detecting device (7, 71, 72) a signal indicative of said detected distance D and to control said actuator assembly (4, 41, 42) to selectively move in a substantially vertical direction said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) according to said detected distance D.
2. A machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to claim 1, characterised in that said control device is configured to move upwards said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) when the detected distance D is less than or equal to a predetermined distance Dx and to move downwards said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) when the detected distance D is greater than said predetermined distance Dx.
3. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said control device is configured to receive continuously from said detection device (7, 71, 72 ) the signal indicative of the detected distance D and to continuously move said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) according to said detected distance D.
4. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said control device is configured to receive at predetermined intervals from said detection device (7, 71, 72) the signal indicative of the detected distance D and to continuously move said movable dispensing and directing device (20, 21, 22, 82) as a function of said detected distance D
5. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said detection device (7, 71, 72) is mechanically connected to said movable dispensing and directing device (20 , 21, 22, 82) and follows it in its movement.
6. Machine (1, 10) for treating the foliage (100) of tree crops, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one stack (201) of dispensing and directing device (2, 21, 22, 82) and at least one detection device (71, 72) of the distance D positioned on a side of said machine (1, 10) with respect to said operating direction, and by the fact that said actuator assembly (41, 42) is operatively connected at least to a dispensing and directing device movable (21, 22) with respect to said frame (3) and positioned at the top of said stack (201) of dispensing and directing devices (2, 21, 22, 82)
7. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least a first (201) and a second (202) stack of dispensing and directing devices (2, 21 , 22, 82) and at least a first (71) and a second (72) detection device of the distance D respectively positioned on a first and a second side opposite each other of said machine (1, 10) with respect to said operating direction, and by the fact that it comprises a first actuator assembly (41) operatively connected to at least one first dispensing and directing device (21) movable with respect to said frame (3) positioned at the top of said first stack (201) of dispensing and directing devices (2, 21, 82) and a second actuator assembly (42) operatively connected to at least one second dispensing and directing device (22) movable with respect to said frame (3) positioned at the top of said second stack (202) of dispensing and directing devices (2, 22, 82).
8. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to claim 7, characterized in that said control device is configured to receive from said first detection device ( 1) a first signal indicative of the distance Du detected by said first detection device (71) and to receive from said second detection device (72) a second signal indicative of the distance D12 detected by said second detection device (72), and by the fact that said control device is configured to control said first (41) and second (42) actuator assembly to selectively move in a substantially vertical direction at least said first (21) and second (22) movable dispensing and directing device respectively according to said detected distances Du and D12.
9. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to claim 8, characterized in that said control device is configured to control said first (41) and second (42) actuator assembly independently from each other.
10. Machine (1, 10) for treating the crown (100) of tree crops, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a vertical support (301) which extends upwards from a main body (30) of said frame (3) connectable to said moving machine (50) and one or more of said movable dispensing and directing devices (20) for said treatment liquid positioned on said vertical support (301).
EP24723403.2A 2023-04-20 2024-04-19 Machine for treating tree crops Pending EP4698331A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102023000007782A IT202300007782A1 (en) 2023-04-20 2023-04-20 MACHINE FOR TREE TREATMENT.
PCT/EP2024/060780 WO2024218327A1 (en) 2023-04-20 2024-04-19 Machine for treating tree crops

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EP4698331A1 true EP4698331A1 (en) 2026-02-25

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5172861A (en) * 1990-10-26 1992-12-22 Ag-Spray Corporation Agricultural sprayer
IL112095A (en) * 1994-12-21 1999-07-14 Gedalyahu Manor Equipment for spraying of plants with the aid of pulsating air streams
SI22903B (en) * 2009-07-20 2016-01-29 Kmetijski inštitut Slovenije Oddelek za kmetijsko tehniko Sprinkler for target application of phytopharmaceutical preparations in permanent plantations
WO2011048593A1 (en) * 2009-10-20 2011-04-28 Airgreen Ltd. A new method of adjusting directions of air jets carrying spray droplets and devices to do it

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