A01D45/00

HEMP HARVESTER
20210100167 · 2021-04-08 · ·

A hemp harvester which strips the leaves and flowers from the stalks and branches of a hemp plant and separates them for subsequent processing includes a branch lifter for lifting and bunching the branches of the hemp plants as the harvester advances towards them; a stripper with counter rotating stripper rollers having radially extending resiliently flexible paddles which converge as said rolls turn to trap said flowers and leaves between them and strip the flowers and leaves from said stalks and branches; a capture system for capturing the separated flowers and leaves as they are stripped from the stalk and branches of the plants, a transfer and mulcher system for mulching and transferring said flowers and leaves from said capture system to a collection chamber; and an uprooting system for uprooting and collecting the stripped plants as said hemp harvester passes.

HEMP HARVESTER
20210100167 · 2021-04-08 · ·

A hemp harvester which strips the leaves and flowers from the stalks and branches of a hemp plant and separates them for subsequent processing includes a branch lifter for lifting and bunching the branches of the hemp plants as the harvester advances towards them; a stripper with counter rotating stripper rollers having radially extending resiliently flexible paddles which converge as said rolls turn to trap said flowers and leaves between them and strip the flowers and leaves from said stalks and branches; a capture system for capturing the separated flowers and leaves as they are stripped from the stalk and branches of the plants, a transfer and mulcher system for mulching and transferring said flowers and leaves from said capture system to a collection chamber; and an uprooting system for uprooting and collecting the stripped plants as said hemp harvester passes.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SENSING HARVESTED CROP LEVELS UTILIZING A STOWABLE SENSOR ARRAY
20210120742 · 2021-04-29 · ·

A system for sensing harvested crop levels within a crop tank of an agricultural harvester includes a tank cover section movable between an open position and a covered position relative to an opening of the crop tank. The system includes a sensor array including crop level sensors configured to capture data indicative of a crop level of harvested crop. The sensor array is supported, at least in part, relative to the crop tank such that the sensor array is configured to have a first orientation when the tank cover section is in the covered position and a second orientation when the tank cover section is in the open position. The sensor array defines a first vertical dimension when the sensor array is disposed in the first orientation that is less than a second vertical dimension defined by the sensor array when the sensor array is disposed in the second orientation.

Asparagus severing assembly with heated valve unit, asparagus lifting apparatus with asparagus spear guides and interfering member, and asparagus harvester formed therewith
10993372 · 2021-05-04 ·

An asparagus harvester includes a chassis movable over a bed of growing asparagus. Spears above a selected height are severed at the ground by a severing assembly. A conveyor receives from a pick-up apparatus and conveys away asparagus spears severed by the severing assembly. The severing assembly includes a severing blade carried by a plunger mounted in a pneumatic cylinder. Conduits couple the pneumatic cylinder to a source of air under pressure through a valve unit operable for actuating the pneumatic cylinder to repeatedly fire and withdraw the plunger for repeatedly moving the severing blade back-and-forth along a stroke path between a raised set position and a lowered severing position proximate to the ground. A heater mounted proximate to the valve unit is configured to sufficiently heat the valve unit to enable the valve unit to operate in the presence of an ambient temperature sufficiently low to impair its operation.

AGRICULTURAL WORK APPARATUS, AGRICULTURAL WORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM
20210076570 · 2021-03-18 ·

An object of the present invention is to provide an agricultural work apparatus, an agricultural work management system, and a program capable of appropriately managing agricultural work information and smoothly implementing agricultural work and business in the future by making use of agricultural work information. An agricultural work apparatus may include: a first image-capturing device; an agricultural work determination unit that determines, on the basis of first image information obtained by capturing an image of a target of agricultural work through the first image-capturing device, whether or not to execute the agricultural work on the target; an agricultural work execution unit that executes the agricultural work; an agricultural work information generation unit that generates agricultural work information including a result of the agricultural work; a measurement unit that measures a position of the target; and an agricultural work information management unit that manages the agricultural work information and positional information.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PICKING METHOD AND DEVICE BASED ON MACHINE VISION AND STORAGE MEDIUM
20210212257 · 2021-07-15 · ·

A fruit and vegetable picking method and device based on machine vision and storage medium that includes: acquiring fruit image of fruit or vegetable to be picked currently, calling pre-trained neural network model to identify fruit image, and determining type of fruit or vegetable; acquiring type of fruit or vegetable, and determining cuttable area on stalk of fruit or vegetable according to type of fruit or vegetable, locating cutting point; controlling end picking apparatus to cut off stalk of fruit or vegetable, according to cutting point being determined. By using pre-trained neural network model to detect fruit and cut stalk for picking, one device may be able to pick multiple fruits and vegetables, have high versatility and picking accuracy, avoid hurting pulp, and have improved harvest efficiency and quality of fruits and vegetables picked.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PICKING METHOD AND DEVICE BASED ON MACHINE VISION AND STORAGE MEDIUM
20210212257 · 2021-07-15 · ·

A fruit and vegetable picking method and device based on machine vision and storage medium that includes: acquiring fruit image of fruit or vegetable to be picked currently, calling pre-trained neural network model to identify fruit image, and determining type of fruit or vegetable; acquiring type of fruit or vegetable, and determining cuttable area on stalk of fruit or vegetable according to type of fruit or vegetable, locating cutting point; controlling end picking apparatus to cut off stalk of fruit or vegetable, according to cutting point being determined. By using pre-trained neural network model to detect fruit and cut stalk for picking, one device may be able to pick multiple fruits and vegetables, have high versatility and picking accuracy, avoid hurting pulp, and have improved harvest efficiency and quality of fruits and vegetables picked.

Asparagus severing assembly with heated valve unit, asparagus lifting apparatus with asparagus spear guides and interfering member, and asparagus harvester formed therewith
11058057 · 2021-07-13 ·

An asparagus harvester includes a chassis movable over a bed of growing asparagus. Spears above a selected height are severed at the ground by a severing assembly. A conveyor receives from a pick-up apparatus and conveys away asparagus spears severed by the severing assembly. The severing assembly includes a severing blade carried by a plunger mounted in a pneumatic cylinder. Conduits couple the pneumatic cylinder to a source of air under pressure through a valve unit operable for actuating the pneumatic cylinder to repeatedly fire and withdraw the plunger for repeatedly moving the severing blade back-and-forth along a stroke path between a raised set position and a lowered severing position proximate to the ground. A heater mounted proximate to the valve unit is configured to sufficiently heat the valve unit to enable the valve unit to operate in the presence of an ambient temperature sufficiently low to impair its operation.

Systems and methods for the management of waste associated with processing guayule shrubs to extract rubber

Systems and methods for managing the waste associated with the extraction of rubber from guayule shrubs are provided. Also provided is a portable local sub-station for reducing the transportation costs associated with the processing of guayule shrubs for the extraction of rubber. Use of the disclosed systems, methods and/or local sub-station can reduce transportation costs, reduce processing costs and reduce the downstream processing complexity associated with the extraction of rubber from guayule shrubs.

Systems and methods for the management of waste associated with processing guayule shrubs to extract rubber

Systems and methods for managing the waste associated with the extraction of rubber from guayule shrubs are provided. Also provided is a portable local sub-station for reducing the transportation costs associated with the processing of guayule shrubs for the extraction of rubber. Use of the disclosed systems, methods and/or local sub-station can reduce transportation costs, reduce processing costs and reduce the downstream processing complexity associated with the extraction of rubber from guayule shrubs.