Method and apparatus for controlling weeds with solar energy
First Claim
1. A system for at least damaging weeds or unwanted plants comprising:
- a plurality of solar modules configured to be connected together to form an interconnected solar photovoltaic cell powered vehicle hereinafter referred to as “
solar vehicle”
, with a number of said plurality of solar modules making up said solar vehicle selected considering at least characteristics of a crop field said solar vehicle is to traverse,said plurality of solar modules being operatively connected together so that said solar vehicle is moved in a coordinated manner, each said solar module of said plurality of solar modules further comprising,an upper surface extending over a length and breadth of said solar module,a solar energy collection and concentration device on said upper surface of said solar module, said solar energy collection and concentration device sized to collect a sufficient amount of solar energy to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants, said solar energy collection and concentration device configured to concentrate collected said solar energy and emit collected and concentrated solar energy as a solar beam of an intensity sufficient to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants,selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus mounted at said solar energy collection and concentration device, said selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus configured to be normally closed during daylight hours to block said solar energy and selectively opened for brief periods of time to pass a sufficient amount of collected said solar energy to at least damage targeted said weeds or unwanted plants,an optical beam director for receiving said solar beam and directing said solar beam to said weeds or unwanted plants,a remainder of said upper surface of said solar module comprising solar photovoltaic cells, for generating electrical power for powering said solar vehicle,a plurality of means for transporting said solar vehicle, one or each of said plurality of means for transporting said solar vehicle powered by said electrical power and attachable to respective selected ones of said plurality of solar modules, for transporting said solar vehicle in said coordinated manner across said crop field where said weeds or unwanted plants are growing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling weeds using concentrated solar energy is disclosed. Solar energy may be concentrated by Fresnel lens and directed by manual or automated methods at surfaces of weed plants to heat portions thereof causing damage. Shutters or other devices may be used to direct, and control intensity of concentrated, solar energy, such control preferably applied before significant concentration. In some embodiments, solar energy concentration apparatus may be integrated with ground, air, or water vehicles which may use solar photovoltaic cells for electric power for propulsion and other purposes. Vehicles may use global positioning satellite (GPS) receivers or other methods and apparatus, including video cameras, for navigation and selection of areas (e.g., row middles), plants, or portions of plants to be exposed to concentrated solar energy. Air vehicles may use hydrogen gas electrolyzed from water condensed from humid air to replenish hydrogen gas lost from containment vessels.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A system for at least damaging weeds or unwanted plants comprising:
-
a plurality of solar modules configured to be connected together to form an interconnected solar photovoltaic cell powered vehicle hereinafter referred to as “
solar vehicle”
, with a number of said plurality of solar modules making up said solar vehicle selected considering at least characteristics of a crop field said solar vehicle is to traverse,said plurality of solar modules being operatively connected together so that said solar vehicle is moved in a coordinated manner, each said solar module of said plurality of solar modules further comprising, an upper surface extending over a length and breadth of said solar module, a solar energy collection and concentration device on said upper surface of said solar module, said solar energy collection and concentration device sized to collect a sufficient amount of solar energy to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants, said solar energy collection and concentration device configured to concentrate collected said solar energy and emit collected and concentrated solar energy as a solar beam of an intensity sufficient to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants, selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus mounted at said solar energy collection and concentration device, said selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus configured to be normally closed during daylight hours to block said solar energy and selectively opened for brief periods of time to pass a sufficient amount of collected said solar energy to at least damage targeted said weeds or unwanted plants, an optical beam director for receiving said solar beam and directing said solar beam to said weeds or unwanted plants, a remainder of said upper surface of said solar module comprising solar photovoltaic cells, for generating electrical power for powering said solar vehicle, a plurality of means for transporting said solar vehicle, one or each of said plurality of means for transporting said solar vehicle powered by said electrical power and attachable to respective selected ones of said plurality of solar modules, for transporting said solar vehicle in said coordinated manner across said crop field where said weeds or unwanted plants are growing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system for at least damaging weeds or unwanted plants comprising:
-
a plurality of solar modules configured to be coupled together to form a multi-module vehicle, with a number of said plurality of solar modules making up said multi-module vehicle selected considering at least characteristics of a crop field said multi-module vehicle is to traverse, said plurality of solar modules operatively connected together so that said plurality of solar modules cooperatively move said multi-module vehicle in a coordinated manner, each said solar module of said plurality of solar modules further comprising, an upper surface extending over a length and breadth of said solar module, a solar energy collection and concentration device on said upper surface of said solar module, said solar energy collection and concentration device sized to collect a sufficient amount of solar energy to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants, said solar energy collection and concentration device configured to concentrate collected said solar energy and emit collected and concentrated solar energy as a solar beam of an intensity sufficient to damage or destroy said weeds or unwanted plants, selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus mounted at said solar energy collection and concentration device, said selectively controllable solar energy control apparatus configured to be normally closed during daylight hours to block said solar energy and selectively opened for brief periods of time to pass a sufficient amount of collected said solar energy to at least damage targeted said weeds or unwanted plants, an optical beam director for receiving said solar beam and directing said solar beam to said weeds or unwanted plants, a remainder of said upper surface of said solar module comprising photovoltaic cells, for generating electrical power, for powering said multi-module vehicle, a plurality of wheel truck assemblies powered by said electrical power from said photovoltaic cells, one of each of said plurality of wheel truck assemblies attached to respective selected ones of said plurality of solar modules, for supportably moving said multi-module vehicle, a control system for steering and driving each wheel truck assembly of said plurality of wheel truck assemblies, for maneuvering said multi-module vehicle responsive to a precision position reference system over said crop field where said weeds or unwanted plants are growing. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification