Post detection procedure and equipment for grape vine pruner uses sensor bar that passes beneath training wires and moves cutters away from obstacles

摘要

The procedure, for use when machine-pruning rows of grape vines planted at equal intervals and supported by horizontal wires (3, 3') strung between posts (4), employs a sensor bar (18) to detect obstacles such as vine stems (2) and posts. The sensor bar defines an active pruning zone after each vine stem, calculating the distance or time after each stem, and automatically moves the cutters (5) away from any obstacle in the active zone, and starts a fresh pruning cycle after it.