Patent Publication Number: US-2021176919-A1

Title: Field Cart

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/948,975 filed Dec. 17, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a planting or harvesting field cart. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Harvesting strawberries involves back-breaking work. Typically, strawberry harvesting requires a worker to repeatedly bend, hunch, crouch, and stoop for extended periods of time as they inspect and harvest the low-lying strawberry fruit. Repetitive and extended periods in these unnatural and uncomfortable positions can, in turn, lead to knee, back, neck, shoulder and other health problems for the workers. Not only is harvesting strawberries agonizing and injurious at times, the harvesting process is time intensive, and thus costly. 
     In addition, current methods of harvesting strawberries are inefficient. Workers walk down furrows, harvest strawberries and place them in a container. After filling each container, they carry it to a collection point, drop it off and pick up another empty container. They must then walk the empty box back to where they left off, fill the box, and then return it to the collection point. Workers do this time and again throughout the day. As a result, workers have to travel long distance to reach roads to offload fruit-filled containers and subsequently collect empty containers to fill. Accordingly, the workers spend a significant portion of time moving containers to collection points, which is time that cannot be spent harvesting strawberries. The traveling of long distances causes workers to become tired, and eventually exhausted, thereby negatively affecting the speed of the crop harvesting. 
     Workers could use existing wheeled devices such as wheelbarrows, garden cars and the like, to assist in the strawberry picking. However, these devices suffer from a number of drawbacks. In particular, these devices do not work well in strawberry fields. In use, they do not resolve the drawbacks of manual, container harvesting. For example, they difficult to move and are readily bogged down in deep or sandy soil. Moreover, they do not eliminate the need for constant or frequent return trips to collections points. 
     Existing wheeled devices require the user to contort sideways within the cart to reach strawberries, and further contort to place the strawberries in their proper containers. Additionally, conventional wheeled devices have a propensity to drive over strawberry plants, thereby damaging the plants and fruit. Further, these conventional devices do nothing to establish a more healthy, more comfortable position, or reduce the amount of strain to the worker&#39;s body. In addition, the workers still spend a significant portion of their time for moving boxes back and forth between the picking point and the box collection point. 
     SUMMARY 
     What is needed is a field cart that resolves or improves upon one or more of the foregoing drawbacks. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the field cart for using in a crop field having crop beds and furrows includes a base frame assembly having upper frames, lower frames, and connecting frames, which are arranged and connected between the upper frames and the lower frames, and two more wheels rotatably connected to the lower frame. The field cart further includes a chair attached to the upper frames, and the chair is positioned in the direction of the crop bed and perpendicular to a moving direction of the field cart along the furrow. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the field cart may alternatively include a chair attached to the upper frames, the chair is positioned in the direction of the furrow and parallel to a moving direction of the field cart along the furrow. The field cart may move forwards or backwards in the furrow. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the field cart includes at least one tub attached to the upper frames and positioned at a same level as a position of the chair. When two tubs can be attached on the upper frames, the chair is situated between the two tubs in a longitudinal direction. The connecting frames are configured to adjust a level of the upper frames according to a depth of the furrow in the crop field to avoid damaging of the crops. The position of the chair and tubs attached to the upper frames is higher than the depth of the furrow in the crop field so that the chair and tubs are positioned above the crop bed. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the field cart includes a tub support frame configured to hold tubs. The field cart may also contain a securing bracket and a stability bracket coupled to the base frame assembly of the cart. The tub support frame, securing bracket, and stability bracket working together and configured to create a tub receiving area and frictionally hold tubs to the cart. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a seatback portion of the chair is positioned above the crop bed for having a space in front of the chair inside the furrow. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a wheel assembly includes a wheel member and two wheels rotatably connected to both ends of the wheel member such that a length of the wheel assembly in the lateral direction is less than a furrow width in the crop field. Due to the length of the wheel assembly, the wheels are maintained inside the furrow of the crop field when the field cart moves along a longitudinal direction. The length of the wheel assembly in the lateral direction is 16 inches. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, each of the wheels is formed of a solid type of tire for preventing a flat tire of the wheel. 
     According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the field cart further includes a detacheable shade frame assembly having a shade fixing member and a shade. The shade is attached to a top frame of the shade fixing member for protecting a worker from the sunlight or the rain. 
     Further details and benefits will become apparent from the following detailed description of the appended drawings. The drawings are provided herewith purely for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  shows a top view of a strawberry field; 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional side view of the strawberry field of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of a field cart in the strawberry field of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of the field cart in the strawberry field of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective front view of a field cart in accordance with an exemplary form of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective rear view of the field cart of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective side view of a base frame assembly of the field cart of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective side view of the field cart of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the field cart; 
         FIG. 10  shows a top view of the field cart of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows a rear view of the field cart of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  shows a side view of the field cart of  FIG. 9  with a bin; 
         FIG. 13  shows a side view of a detachable shade; 
         FIG. 14  shows a top view of the detacheable shade of  FIG. 13 ; and 
         FIG. 15  shows a rear view of the detacheable shade of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure or its application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an example of a crop field such as a strawberry field  10 .  FIG. 1  shows a top view of the strawberry field  10 , and  FIG. 2  shows a side view of the strawberry field  10 . The strawberry field  10  includes strawberry beds  12  for planting and growing strawberry plants  8  and furrows  14 . However, while the strawberry plants and strawberry harvests are treated as exemplary, the embodiments described herein can be used for growing and harvesting numerous types of plants and fruits, especially ground level fruit. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the strawberry beds  12  include raised beds where the strawberry plants  8  are located. The raised strawberry beds  12  are protected because machines and people move through the furrows  14 . The furrows  14  between the raised strawberry beds  12  include areas where no strawberry plants grow. The floor of the furrow  14  remains clear to permit passage of machines and/or people. In addition, a person or machine can be moved through the strawberry bed  12  with all parts in contact with the ground located on the floor of the furrow  14 . Accordingly, the parts in contact with the ground (floor) do not damage the strawberry plants or the fruit growing on the strawberry bed  12 . 
       FIG. 2  further shows a dimension of the strawberry field  10 . The dimensions of the furrow width Wf and the strawberry bed width Wb can be standardized. The standardization may have any basis, including production efficiency, state or local regulations or any other basis. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the furrow width Wf is approximately 18 inches, and the strawberry bed width Wb is approximately 48 inches. However, other dimensions of both the furrow width Wf and the strawberry bed width Wb may be implemented in accordance with other forms of the present disclosure. For example, another width of the strawberry beds  12  may be 24 inches according to the condition of the strawberry field  10 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a field cart  100  for planting and harvesting the strawberry plants in the strawberry field  10 . The field cart  100  is used to plant or harvest strawberries or other low-lying fruits. Generally, the field cart includes a laterally facing seat or chair  106 , upper frame  110  and lower frame  112 , an optional shade  136  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) and wheels  108 . The field cart  100  allows the workers to plant and harvest strawberries while in a laterally-seated position, without being forced to stand and bend over. The field cart  100  further permits the user to drive or propel the field cart using the user&#39;s feet without the frame of the field cart interfering with normal lateral foot movement. This allows workers to comfortably and more ergonomically continue to harvest for long periods of time during a harvest day. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , accordingly, when the field cart  100  is used in the strawberry field  10 , workers maintain reasonable posture without standing and bending-over, thereby reducing worker strain and discomfort. It also reduces the number of trips necessary for each worker since the field cart can contain far higher numbers of strawberries before it is necessary for the worker to need to drop off strawberries at collection points. Therefore, harvesting can be more productive and efficient by reducing time lost due to the workers&#39; recovery from the strain and exertion. 
       FIGS. 5, 6, and 7  illustrate an example of the field cart  100 . The field cart  100  includes a base frame assembly  102 , a shade frame assembly  104 , a chair  106 , and wheels  108 . The field cart  100  further includes one or more containers or tubs  120 . The base frame assembly  102  includes upper frames  110 , lower frames  112 , and connecting frames  114 . The upper frames  110  of the base frame assembly  102  further include a chair fixing member  116  and tub fixing members  118 . 
     The chair fixing member  116  of the upper frames  110  secures the chair  106  and tub fixing members  118  secures the tubs  120 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the chair  106  and the tubs  120  are arranged along a longitudinal direction X, which is defined along a direction of the furrow  14  in the strawberry field  10 . (See  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). In  FIG. 5 , for example, the field cart  100  includes two tubs  120 , and the chair  106  disposed between both the tubs  120  along the longitudinal direction X. Chair  106  is ideally offset (not centered over) the X-axis, thus providing movement room for the user. However, other arrangements of the chair  106  and the tubs  120  in accordance with other forms of the present disclosure may be implemented. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5-6 , the lower frames include first and second axles  122  and  124 , and a longitudinal connecting member  126  connected between the first and second axles  122  and  124  for securing the axles  122  and  124 . The first and second axles  122  and  124  are parallel to each other and arranged along a lateral direction Y which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The wheels  108  are rotatably coupled to both ends of each of the axles  122  and  124 . The longitudinal connecting member  126  disposed between the first and second axles  122  and  124  is perpendicularly connected to the axles  122  and  124  in the longitudinal direction X. 
     In  FIGS. 4 and 7 , for example, the wheels  108  can travel through the furrow  14  between the strawberry beds  12 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , for example, a length L 1  of each of the axles  122  and  124  is approximately 8 inches and the thickness t of each wheel  108  is approximately 4 inches. Accordingly, the total length L 2  of a wheel assembly  128  in the lateral direction Y is approximately 16 inches. Since the furrow width Wf between the strawberry beds  12  is approximately 18 inches, the total length L 2  of the wheel assembly  128  combined the length L 1  of the respective axles  122  and  124  and the thickness t of each wheel  108  in the lateral direction Y is less than 18 inches (furrow width Wf). Accordingly, the dimension of the wheel assembly  128  allows the field cart  100  to move inside the furrow  14  without damaging the strawberry plants  8  on the strawberry beds  12 , or the furrows  14  or getting hung up. However, other dimensions of the wheel assembly  128  in accordance with other forms of the present disclosure may be implemented for using in strawberry fields having a different Wf. 
     The wheels  108  of the field cart  100  each have a solid, treaded tire for allowing the field cart  100  to smoothly and efficiently operate in the strawberry field  10  with limited or no bogging down or deflating. The solid type tire of the wheels  108  effectively rolls inside the furrow  14  of the strawberry field  10  because of less deformation and stable operation of solid tires. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the plurality of connecting frames  114  are disposed and connected between the upper frames  110  and the lower frames  112 . The dimensions and arrangement of the connecting frames  114  between the upper and lower frames  110  and  112  are determined according to an allowable height of the base frame assembly  102 . For example, the height of the base frame assembly  102  including the wheels  108  may be greater than the depth Df of the furrow  14  so that the tubs  120  attached to the upper frames  110  are positioned above the strawberry beds  12  when the field cart  100  is moved through the furrow  14 . Accordingly, the field cart  100  is moved inside the furrow  14  without damaging the strawberry plants on the strawberry beds  12 , while providing sufficient room for the user&#39;s legs and feet to travel laterally when driving the field cart. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3, 4, and 6 , the chair  106  is attached to the chair fixing members  116  and faced to the strawberry beds  12  in the lateral direction Y, which is perpendicular to the moving direction (longitudinal direction X) of the field cart  100  inside the furrow  14 . Preferrably, the chair is offset from the centerline of the field cart. This offsets the user&#39;s center of gravity relative to the centerline and facilitates balancing of the user near the strawberries while working, and it provides added room to accommodate a user&#39;s legs and feet. Accordingly, when the field cart  100  is used in the strawberry field  10 , the worker effectively harvests the strawberries while the worker is sitting on the chair  106 . In this position, the worker can readily and rapidly fill the tubs without undue strain. When the worker completes the harvest of the strawberry at one location of the strawberry beds, the worker moves the field cart  100  with the worker&#39;s feet along the longitudinal direction X without standing or substantially changing his/her position. Accordingly, it is effective for the worker to use the field cart  100  when the strawberries are planted and harvested. In addition, one or more tubs  120  can be stacked. This reduces the need to continuously pick up tubs  120  on the way back from dropping off a single, full tub  120 . As a result, the worker saves a significant portion of his/her time and energy moving the tubs  120  and effectively spends more time harvesting the strawberries in the field  10 . 
     In accordance with other forms of the present disclosure, the field cart  100  may be automatically moved with an electric motor or an engine installed into the field cart  100 . The installed electric motor or the engine drives the field cart  100  to move inside the furrow  14  with a low, constant or variable speed. In particular, the field cart  100  with the electric motor easily is operated by turning on/off switch or other drive controls. Accordingly, the field cart  100  with the automatic power driver (motor or engine) allows the worker to effectively harvest the strawberries in the field  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , for example, the chair  106  is attached to the chair fixing member  116  of the upper frames  110  and positioned at a same level (height) as the tubs  120 . When the field cart  100  moves inside the furrow  14 , the attached chair  106  does not damage the strawberry plants on the beds  12  because a seatback portion  130  of the chair  106  is positioned over or beside the strawberry plants. For example, the seatback portion  130  of the chair  106  is laterally positioned beyond the upper frames  110  in the lateral direction Y so that the seatback portion  130  of the chair  106  is positioned above or beside the strawberry bed  12  because a space  132  is needed for placing the legs of the worker in front of the chair  106  inside the furrow  14 . Accordingly, when the worker sits on the chair  106  for planting and harvesting in the field  10 , the worker places his/her legs and feet in the limited space  132 . (See  FIG. 3 ). In  FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 , for example, a lateral distance D 1  between the rearmost point (seatback) of the chair  106  and the middle line of the field cart  100  is approximately 16 inches along the lateral direction Y, so the worker places his/her legs and feet in the space  132  between the edge of the chair  106  and the edge line of the strawberry beds  12 . 
     In  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 , the tubs  120  are also positioned beyond the upper frames  110  and above the strawberry bed  12  in the lateral direction Y relative to the furrow  14 . Depending on what works for the convenience of the worker, the field cart  100  may be used with smaller tubs, which have a dimension of 27.5 inches by 20 inches, or larger tubs, which have a dimension of 36 inches by 24 inches. For example, the present disclosure shows larger tubs  120 . Irrespective of the tubs&#39; size, however, the tubs  120  are positioned above the strawberry bed  12  because the tub width Wtub is greater than the furrow width Wf in the lateral direction Y. Accordingly, the attached tubs  120  on the upper frames  110  do not damage the strawberry plants when the field cart  100  moves inside the furrow  14 . 
     As described above, the chair  106  is positioned between two tubs  120  for easily planting and harvesting the strawberries. During the planting season, for example, the worker sowing on the field cart  100  has plants in the tubs  120  on both sides and sow strawberry plants with pre-cut holes in the plastic covered “humps”. During the harvest season, the worker sitting on the chair  106  of the field cart  100  can maintain a strong, ergonomic posture while working quickly to inspect and pick the strawberries that are ripe and ready to be removed from the plants. With the tubs  120 , the worker easily stores the strawberries and delivers the picked strawberries to the collection point. 
     In addition, the smaller tubs may be beneficial so that another worker collecting the tubs full of strawberries is better able to handle the tubs since it would be lighter than the larger tubs. In accordance with a form of the present disclosure, extra tubs nest, stack or rest in the exact same tub  120  that is attached to the upper frames  110  of the field cart  100 . For example, the inner tubs for harvesting just nest inside the attached tub  120  and are simply lifted out when full, revealing an empty tub while the worker continues to pick the strawberries in the field  10 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  also show the shade frame assembly  104  installed in the field cart  100 .  FIGS. 13, 14, and 15  show only the shade frame assembly  104 . The shade frame assembly  104  is detacheable and includes shade fixing members  134  vertically attached to the upper frames  110  of the base frame assembly  102  and a shade  136  attached to a top frame  138  of the shade fixing members  134 . The shade  136  in the shade frame assembly  104  is configured to screen or protect the worker who is sitting on the chair  106  from the sunlight or the rain. The shade  136  that covers the worker is easily removable for transportation and storage purposes. In addition, the shade fixing members  134  attached to the upper frames  110  are configured to adjust according to the direction of the sunlight or rain, and also the height of the worker who is sitting on the chair  106 .  FIGS. 9, 10, and 11  show a field cart  100  with an accessory sleeve  148  coupled to the base frame assembly  102 . The accessory sleeve is configured to couple with accessories. For example, in some embodiments the shade frame assembly  104  is coupled to the accessory sleeve  148 . 
       FIGS. 9-12  show an alternative embodiment of the field cart  100  in which the chair  106  is configured in a longitudinal direction of travel. The chair  106  is attached to a chair fixing member  116  and faced to the longitudinal direction, which is parallel to the moving direction of the field cart  100  inside a furrow  14 . In some embodiments the chair is offset from the center of the field cart so that the chair is closer to either the first axle  122  or the second axle  124 . The offset chair may give the user room to accommodate their legs and feet for moving the cart, it may facilitate balancing of the user near the strawberries while working, it may facilitate balancing the weight of the tubs  120  to prevent the cart  100  from tipping, and it provides room for affixing tubs  120  to the cart for collecting strawberries. Accordingly, when the field cart  100  is used in the strawberry field  10 , the worker effectively harvests the strawberries while the worker is sitting on the chair  106 . In this embodiment with the chair  106  configured in a longitudinal direction, the worker may have the benefit of tubs  120  located directly in front of them for easier access with less strain. When the worker completes the harvest of the strawberries at one location of the strawberry beds  10 , the worker manually moves the field cart  100  by the worker&#39;s feet along the longitudinal direction without standing or changing his/her position. The worker may move the cart in the direction they are facing by, for example, using their feet to walk the field cart  100  forward while the worker remains in their seated position. Alternatively, the worker may move the cart backwards, away from the direction they are facing, by, for example, using their feet to push the field cart  100  backwards while the worker remains in their seated position. 
     According to a further aspect, as shown in  FIGS. 9-12 , in some embodiments the field cart  100  is configured to hold and secure tubs  120  ( FIG. 13 ). In such an embodiment, the base frame assembly  102  is modified to contain a tub support frame  146  that is located adjacent to the upper frames  110  and is connected to the upper frames  110  and the lower frame  112 . The tub support frame  146  is dimensionally configured so that it is sized to hold tubs  120  placed on top of the tub support frame  146 . In some embodiments the tub support frame  146  may contain a securing member  140 ; the securing member  140  preferably located distally away from the center of the cart  100  and the chair  106 , and extending upwards. The securing member  140  may help secure tubs  120  from sliding off the cart  100 . The securing member  140  may also facilitate stacking multiple tubs  120  on the cart to allow for more efficient harvesting of strawberries if the securing member  140  is tall enough to help support multiple stacked tubs  120 . 
     According to yet another aspect shown in  FIGS. 9-12 , in some embodiments the field cart  100  may include one or both of a securing bracket  144  and a stability bracket  142  coupled to the base frame assembly  102 . For example, the securing bracket  144  and the stability bracket  142  may couple to the upper frames  110  or the tub support frame  146  of the base frame assembly  102 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the securing bracket  144  extends upwards from the base frame assembly  102  and in some embodiments is configured to work with the securing member  140  to create a tub receiving area  152 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the securing bracket  144  can be configured to frictionally hold a tub  120  in the tub receiving area  152  by having the securing bracket coupled to the base frame assembly  102  in a location that corresponds with the width or length of a tub  120 . The stability bracket  142  may be used with the securing bracket  144  or by itself.  FIG. 9  shows the stability bracket  144  coupled to the base frame assembly  102 , preferably located between the securing member  140  and the securing bracket  144  and within the tub receiving area  152 . The stability bracket  142  may extend outwards laterally from the base frame assembly  102  (e.g.  FIG. 10 ). Accordingly, when a tub  120  is placed in the tub receiving area  152  (e.g.  FIG. 12 ), the stability bracket  142  may provide lateral support to the tub  120 , making it more difficult for the tub  120  to laterally fall off the cart  100 . 
     As described above, due to the field cart  100  used in the strawberry field  10 , the process of the sowing and harvesting the strawberry plants is effectively performed and is sped up so that labor cost is saved. The workers are less tired working in a sitting position while being shaded. Furthermore, the field cart allows workers to enjoy dramatically improved ergonomic conditions, thus limiting strains and injuries. 
     While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.