Patent application for invention of device for agricultural implements filed

On September 23, under number BR 10 2016 021917 5, the patent application “Autonomous level indication device for agricultural implements” was filed with the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI). The deposit was made in joint ownership by the Fundação Universidade de Passo Fundo (FUPF) and INELCA Indústriaelectronic Ltda, the inventors being the professor of the Postgraduate Program in Agronomy at the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (PPGAGRO/FAMV), Dr. Vilson Antonio Klein, Agronomy academic Andre Guilherme Daubermann dos Reis (Scientific Initiation scholarship) and engineers Daniel Luis Martins and Leandro Canal Bonfante, from INELCA. The entire process was conducted by UPFTec.

The invention belongs to the technological sector of agricultural implements and refers to an autonomous level indication device. More specifically, it consists of an electronic device equipped with a human-machine interface (HMI), which is placed on a vehicle. This device aims to indicate to the operator the position of the vehicle on the plane and also indicates the action to be taken so that the vehicle moves level.

Taking into account that carrying out tasks at level, in areas with irregular topography, is a complex and difficult task for the operator, as the inventors point out, the device developed is capable of analyzing the lateral and frontal inclination of the machine in relation to a horizontal line and a straight line to perfectly flat imaginary fronts. Furthermore, there is the possibility of configuring the inclination of these lines at the beginning of the work, so that the machine, when moving, tends to maintain a pre-defined constant inclination, according to the inclination at the beginning of the task.

According to the inventors, the idea for the invention arose from the need to offer farmers a simple and cheap device that could indicate to the operator of agricultural machinery which route to take so that cultivation could be carried out at level ground. The practice of level cultivation is a very efficient practice to reduce soil and water losses due to water erosion in agricultural areas. This procedure has been abandoned and this equipment could, very easily, encourage farmers to once again adopt this important conservation practice.

To achieve success, the support of UPFTec was essential, which intermediated and monitored the entire process with the company INELCA, which, incubated within the Scientific and Technological Park of Planalto Médio, developed the equipment, under the supervision of Professor Klein.

The inventors emphasize that measures like this to protect ideas are important and arise from cooperation between research and companies, enabling the training and training of human resources, the production of knowledge through publications and, mainly, the offer to society solutions that improve quality of life and environmental protection.