Researchers and growers want to know how much light orchard trees intercept, so they wanted to build a machine to map the cast shadows. The challenge is many orchards are planted at different row widths and they want to get as close to the trunks as they can with the light sensors. Getting close means inevitably making contact, so it needs to handle impacts and rough terrain. I designed it with a sliding center section and removable modular sections so it can cover from 10 ft to 30 ft wide rows.
In the orchard.
Full width deployment.
Narrowest width with modular sections removed.
The center two sections can slide to give nearly continuous width adjustment.
The "Wing" sections can swing back when they hit a tree trunk then return via a gas spring.
A four bar linkage acts as a hinge to allow the arm to move out of the way if the vehicle pitches sideways and drives the arm into the ground.