Agricultural Weed Removal System
AssigneeGreentech Robotics Limited
InventorDonald H. Sandbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for efficient targeting or removal of weeds or other plants. The apparatus may include a vehicle having a frame, a motor and a plurality of ground engaging members adapted to propel the vehicle over a surface. It may also include a robotic arm comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the frame, and an implement, such as a tool or hoe connected to the distal portion of the robotic arm. The implement can be raised and lowered, and also moved relative to the surface by the robotic arm by pivoting or rotating the robotic arm at or near the proximal portion.
Claims20
A weed removal apparatus, comprising:
- a robotic arm comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to a frame of a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging members that move the vehicle over a surface;
- an actuator coupled to the proximal portion of the robotic arm, wherein the actuator raises and lowers the distal portion of the robotic arm;
- and
- a weed removal implement connected to the distal portion of the robotic arm and having a beveled cutting edge;
- wherein the weed removal implement is raised above the surface and lowered below the surface by the actuator of the robotic arm causing the beveled cutting edge of the weed removal implement to cut a root of a weed as the vehicle moves over the surface.
A weed removal system, comprising:
- a plurality of robotic arms, each of the plurality of robotic arms having a distal portion and having a proximal portion rotatably coupled to a frame of a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging members that move the vehicle over a surface;
- at least one actuator coupled to the proximal portion of the plurality of robotic arms, wherein the at least one actuator rotates the proximal portion of the plurality of robotic arms and wherein the at least one actuator raises and lowers the distal portion of the plurality of robotic arms;
- and
- a weed removal implement connected to the distal portion of each of the plurality of robotic arms, wherein the weed removal implement has a beveled cutting edge;
- wherein each of the weed removal implements is raised above the surface and lowered below the surface by the actuator of the robotic arm causing the beveled cutting edge of the weed removal implement to cut a root of a weed as the vehicle moves over the surface.
A weed removal system, comprising:
- a plurality of robotic arms, each of the plurality of robotic arms having a distal portion and having a proximal portion rotatably coupled to a frame of a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging members that move the vehicle over a surface;
- at least one actuator coupled to the proximal portion of the plurality of robotic arms, wherein the at least one actuator rotates the proximal portion of the plurality of robotic arms and wherein the at least one actuator raises and lowers the distal portion of the plurality of robotic arms;
- and
- a weed removal implement in a form of a tool having a flat ring shape connected to the distal portion of each of the plurality of robotic arms, wherein the weed removal implement has a beveled cutting edge;
- wherein each of the weed removal implements is raised above the surface and lowered below the surface by the actuator of the robotic arm causing the beveled cutting edge of the weed removal implement to cut a root of a weed as the vehicle moves over the surface;
- and
- wherein each of the weed removal implements is raised above the surface and lowered below the surface responsive to detection of a presence of the weed and responsive to detection of an absence of the weed, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.