WO2022111746A1 - Hand-held agricultural tool - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

description

Agricultural hand tool The invention relates to an agricultural hand tool, in particular a hay or pitchfork, with a tool handle and a tool head.

The term agrarian may include agriculture, horticulture, forestry including timber production, fishing including aquaculture, and a number of smaller specialist areas such as hunting, beekeeping, collecting and harvesting uncultivated natural resources, as well as the basic production of food (such as milling), as the first processing stage and summarized (see Wikipedia for the definition of "agriculture").

Such agricultural hand tools, such as pitchforks in particular, have been known for a long time, 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 having several curved tines , usually a metal tool/equipment head and a slightly curved tool/equipment handle connected to it, usually made of wood, which is used to transport hay, etc., or to load or unload it.

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, ^somewhat thicker handle, which also 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 working with hay, straw or fodder, for example when feeding (and/or keeping) livestock such as horses. Here, as a rule, the pitchfork is pierced into 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. is unloaded there.

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 with a 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. Before- Partial developments of the invention are the subject of 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 connec tion can be made detachable to allow a change of Elemen te, in particular of the device head and / or handle of the device. In particular, the device handle can be slightly bent and/or made of wood or aluminum. The device head can be made of metal, in particular light metal, and/or be designed 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 manure forks. Also, the device head as a shovel - be designed - for feed or other bulk material (handicraft, agriculture, industry).

The agricultural hand-held device also provides a weight-measuring device for measuring a weight acting on the device head.

To put it briefly and simply, by means of the weight measurement or measuring device provided for the agricultural handheld device, the weight of the The amount charged by the handheld device - for example hay, straw or fodder - is measured.

In a simplified and descriptive manner, 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

Strain gauges 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 or the weight sensor, in particular a or the pressure sensor.

The lever side can also be understood in particular as 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 a plug-in connection or otherwise in a form-fitting manner or by 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 if the end of the lever acting or pressing 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 a line of contact, in particular as point contact. For example, the end of the lever acting or pressing on the weight sensor can be flattened or beveled (on one, two or more sides) or processed in some other similar way.

Furthermore, it seems appropriate 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 connected to the device handle / intermediate part, for example a sleeve or a tube, if necessary. made of metal,

Steel, aluminum or plastic, which then with the Device handle connected, for example, plugged in, is gela siege.

For this purpose, for example, a bearing block can be provided, which is 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, be fastened, 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 usefully 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 lever side.

It can also be provided that a distance (a) between the weight sensor, in particular the pressure sensor, and the pivot point/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 in a linearly displaceable manner (on/in the device handle).

If the weight acting on the head of the agricultural handheld 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 handheld device or in the lever mechanism there, then this is the case can - due to a change in the (weight) made possible by the mobility of the weight sensor weight) sensor-side lever arm, the weight measurement in the agricultural hand-held device in each case on device heads with modified geometries (e.g. other tines (geometry)) and/or on other cargo to be handled (e.g. different type of feed, such as spherical or stalked goods or hay or straw ) must be adjusted ("calibration").

In other words, if the device head and/or the cargo 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 displacement of the weight sensor ("calibration").

A lever mechanism provided in this way, in particular also an adjustable one, is distinguished by the fact that it can be implemented simply and inexpensively, and also enables the set of cost-effective (standard) weight sensors to be used - and thus a very effective and efficient possibility of measuring the weight of the Agricultural hand tool forms or supplies.

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. Also, the display can have a monochrome LCD display or an E-INK display (if necessary 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 in the agricultural handheld device a power supply, for example for the display device or for a control unit or input unit such as a keyboard, a control / touch / 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, for example, 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 power 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 controls the power supply and/or the devices/devices supplied by it or switched on and/or off according to 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 _. t. In order to the location and/or the position of the agricultural ^handheld 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 manual device is in the horizontal.

It can also be expedient - for example such a Shen determined location / position of the agricultural hand device - with the weight determination - or in other functions in which the agricultural hand device, such as (weight) display or switching on / off the Ener energy supply and/or the (weight) display, or to take them 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 to be determined.

If necessary, the 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 animal feed or other bulk goods (craft, agriculture, industry). The description of ^advantageous configurations of the invention given so far 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 other 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 relevant 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 taken in connection with the or the drawings / figures is / are explained in more detail (same construction parts / components and functions have the same reference symbols 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.

It showed: 1 shows a pitchfork (with weight) according to an embodiment of the invention;

2 shows the pitchfork according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 (with section AA drawn in);

FIG 3 Section A - A through the pitchfork according to FIG 2. - Pitchfork 2 with weight measurement (hand scale) (FIG 1 to

3)

FIG. 1 (loaded) and FIG. 2 (unloaded) show (schematically) an agricultural hand-held device 2, here a pitchfork 2, which is used, for example, when feeding cattle

(e.g. horses) can be used. In FIG. 2, a section AA is indicated, which is shown in FIG. The pitchfork 2 can be used to load hay, straw or other types of fodder (illustrated as a weight 10 in FIG. 1), puncture it for example, and distribute it further.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the pitchfork 2 has a metal fork head 6 with tines at one end and a fork handle 4 made of aluminum (possibly also made of wood) at the other end.

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. As is also shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the clevis 6 is inserted with play through the opening 30 of the intermediate sleeve 22 on the clevis side, 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 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, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. Fork loading" (cf. hay, straw, fodder, for example a round bale of hay) can be measured (stick scales).

For this purpose, as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 also show, the weight measuring device 8 has a lever mechanism 14 with a lever (also 14) and a pressure sensor 12 (cf. also FIG. 3).

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

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

At the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the side of the fork handle, ie on the second lever side 18, this or the lever at 14 makes contact - by means of a two-sided abrasion on the ga- Beistiel end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 enabled point contact - the pressure sensor 12 (see also FIG. 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 to _. pivots, as shown here, the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork stem side, ie the second lever side 18 when loaded by the weight 10 (am

Clevis 6) upwards, above the end 18 of the lever mechanism 14 on the fork stem side, i.e. the second lever side 18, inside the (intermediate) sleeve 22 (cf. FIGS. 1 to 3).

As FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 also makes clear (cf. in particular the variable distance a in FIG. 1), the pressure sensor 12 is attached to the (intermediate) sleeve 22 in a linearly displaceable manner in order in this way to change (extend or shorten) the lever arm 34 on the fork stem side in the lever mechanism , i.e. to be able to change the distance a between the pressure sensor 12 and the pivot point 20/pivot axis 26 in the lever mechanism 14 or lever 14), in order to adapt the weight measuring device 8 to changed geometries in the pitchfork 2, i.e. to a changed fork head side Lever arm 36 to be able to adjust.

Furthermore, the pitchfork 2, as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 also shows, provides a display device 24 (in combination with an input device) which is attached to the outside of the intermediate sleeve 22 and which is connected to the pressure sensor 12 via a cable connection 38 is. The display device 24 thus displays the weight 10 measured by the pressure sensor 12 . If a worker/user (not shown), for example, loads a bale of hay (illustrated by weight 10 in FIG. 1) onto the fork head 6 of the pitchfork 2 and moves the pitchfork 2 into an approximately horizontal position, the lever 14 pivots under this load from the hay bale (weight 10). That is, the clevis end of the lever arm 36 is pushed down by the weight 10 on the clevis 6, whereas the fork end of the lever arm 34 (corresponding to the weight 10) then presses up on the pressure sensor 12 (compare also FIG. 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 foil button LED combination.

The weight 10 is displayed using an LED bar for the integer measured values from l-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). be set.As soon as this is reached, an acoustic signal is emitted by the stick scale.The user therefore does not have to keep an eye on the displayed weight 10 all the time.

The energy supply 40 is provided via a battery. Using a gyroscope 42 (see FIGS. 1 to 3), the weight can be determined as a function of the angle of rotation. 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. The recorded data/weights 10 can be evaluated on a smartphone so that 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 embodiment examples, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom without departing from the scope of the invention.

List of references:

2 agricultural hand tool, hay/pitch fork 4 tool handle, fork handle

6 device head, fork head

8 weight measuring device

10 weight

12 weight/pressure sensor

14 lever mechanism, lever

16 a (first/one) lever side, clevis side end

18 a (second/other) lever side, fork stem 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 of the intermediate sleeve 22 30 on the fork head side of the opening of the intermediate sleeve 22

32 bearing block

34 fork-side lever arm

36 clevis side lever arm

38 cable connection

40 Power Supply, Battery, Accumulator, Energy Harvesting 42 Gyroscope a · Distance

Claims

patent claims 1. Agricultural hand tool (2) with a tool handle (4) and a tool head (6) 5 characterized by a weight measuring device (8) for measuring a weight (10) acting on the device head (6), 2. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding 10 claims, characterized in that the weight measuring device (8) has a weight sensor (12), in particular a pressure sensor (12). 15 3. Agricultural hand-held device (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 the other lever side (18) on a weight sensor (12), in particular a pressure sensor (12), acts. 4. Agricultural hand tool (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, 25 characterized in that the point of action/a physical contact between the other side of the lever (18) acting on the weight sensor (12) and the weight sensor (12), in particular the other side of the lever (18) acting on the weight sensor (12), is designed in this way 30 that the operative/touch contact between the other side of the lever (18) acting on the weight sensor (12) and the weight sensor (12) is a linear contact, in particular a point contact. 5. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the ^{preceding ¬} claims, characterized in that a pivot point (20) of the lever mechanism (14) mounted on the device handle (4) or on a device with the handle (4) connected device part (22). is. 6. 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 re the pressure sensor (12), and the pivot point (20) is adjustable. 7. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a display device (24) for displaying the measured Ge weight (10). 8. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a gyroscope / gyroscope 42 for location and / or position onsdetermination. 9. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by · a power supply (40), in particular a battery, a Button battery and/or energy harvesting, in particular for a display device (24) and/or a display device (24) combined with an input device or an input device. 10. Agricultural hand-held device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agricultural hand-held device (2) is a hay or manure stacker (2).