Recent Patents on Engineering - Volume 18, Issue 6, 2024

Background: Potato is a major food crop that is widely grown in more than 100 countries around the world. The production of this crop is a labor-intensive process, and its field production mainly includes seed arrangement, seedling cutting, ploughing, ridging, transplanting, field management, and harvesting (vine cutting, digging, cleaning up, and collection). With the improved models, the labor can be reduced to nearly half in the production process of potato. Objective: The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of the classification, characteristics, and development of existing potato harvesters. Methods: In this study, a review on the principle of potato harvesting and related patents has been conducted. We have also introduced the structural characteristics and differences in applications of potato harvesters. Results: The existing potato harvesters have been analyzed and compared in this paper, and the typical characteristics have been summarized. The main problems existing in the development of potato harvesters are analyzed, the development trend of potato harvesters is forecasted, and the research status and future development trend of potato harvesters and patents are discussed. Conclusion: Based on our research, we have found that potato harvesters can be classified into three categories based on the harvesting process, clearing the vine, and harvesting machine. The combine harvester is capable of both clearing the vine and harvesting, and it has been reported to significantly improve the efficiency. However, for special terrain or other conditions not suitable for the combine harvester, the cutting and harvesting machine can perform both the steps. Currently, potato harvesters are not popular at home and abroad, and future development of potato harvesters must focus on them being intelligent, lightweight, and unmanned.

One of the main areas of study within the broader paradigm of quantum machine learning is quantum clustering (QC). Considering the potential time and cost savings that solutions to realworld issues employing QC algorithms bring, in comparison to their classical methods, researchers have recently developed a keen interest in QC. With new algorithms and their applications being invented virtually every other day, this is still a highly young and fascinating area of research. Based on the background information provided, this work aims to analyze research and patent databases spanning twelve years (2010 to mid-2022) to identify and understand the publishing and patent trends in the field of QC. This study aims to study the topological analyses, important study areas, relationships, and collaboration patterns that distinguish traditional and developing research clusters. The graphical representation of the progress of publications and patents over time depends on such rigorous field mapping. This paper presents a comprehensive list of all the sources through the network, bibliometric and patentometric (BibPat) analysis, and future research scope in the QC. The top authors, universities, and research fields were listed after the primary and secondary keywords connected to the quantum K-means clustering algorithm in the analysis design. Reviewing the articles and then delving into the specifics of the patents will help us evaluate the total body of work on the quantum K-means clustering technique. Using the thorough BibPat tools and numerous research and patent databases like Scopus, IEEE, ACM, Google Scholar, Lens, Google Patents, and Espacenet, the analysis design displays the patents and journal papers that have been published. Additionally, it is crucial for later research because it aids in the identification of areas for current research interests and possible avenues for future study. QC offers various studies in disciplines from computer science to psychology. The Ministry of Education, China, produced most publications. Since 2014, the trend has been up, and experts continue studying the issue. The BibPat analysis shows that the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation has facilitated funding for cutting-edge research. In order to open the door for future research and investigation on the substantial amount of unstructured real-time data, the report concluded by proposing an incremental QC approach.

The latest research in soft electronics reveals a substantial demand for devices that can fold, bend and stretch to suit the requirements of technological advances. Cellulose, silk, and elastomers are employed in making biodegradable, environmentally benign substrates that accommodate nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanotubes, graphene, and biomaterials in their nano-form. Flexible materials can hold circuits and sensors and can substitute conventional substrates. Transient electronics, e-skin, and biosensors are the most sought-after in medical technology, sensors, energy storage devices, and wearables. These stretchable materials lead the way for developing eco-friendly and sustainable technology to attain sustainable development goals. This research work discusses nano species imbibed in printable and flexible electronics. An analysis of the documents extracted from the Scopus database using VOSviewer and patents in the domain of flexible electronics are presented along with altmetrics.

Background: Fruit and vegetable picking, as the most important part of fruit and vegetable production, is a labor-intensive industry. Fruit and vegetable picking robots can effectively improve the efficiency of picking and reduce labor requirements. As the most important part of the picking robot, the picking end-effector effectively plays a key role in improving the picking efficiency and ensuring the wholeness of the fruit. Therefore, the development trend of picking end effectors has received more and more attention. Objective: The study aimed to solve the problems of high labor consumption and low picking efficiency of manual picking; thus, the grasping method of the picking end effector has been continuously improved. Methods: This article has presented various representative patents related to the picking end effector, such as the suction end effector, multi-finger end effector, and bionic end effector. Results: Through the investigation of a large number of picking end effector patents, the current problems, such as low accuracy and large clamping damage, are summarized and analyzed. In addition, the future trends of fruit and vegetable picking end effectors are discussed. Conclusion: The optimization of the picking end effector is conducive to reducing manual labor and improving the picking rate of fruits and vegetables. More relevant patents will be invented in the future.

Background: Tractor rollover accidents are the most severe problem in agricultural production. According to the statistical analysis of the rollover incidents, some rollover accidents can be avoided by timely anti-rollover warning and active control. There are a few researches on the anti-rollover control for agricultural tractors, although great progress in the research on tractor security has been achieved, such as rollover protective structure design. Objective: The purpose of this patent study was to develop a controller with the function of warning as well as active anti-rollover control employing the power motor installed on the steering column to adjust the front wheel angle and control the rollover index within the safety range. Methodology: The structure block for the hardware of the controller was devised that included data obtaining, rollover risk estimation, rollover warning, and front-wheel steering control sections. The main circuits have been designed in detail by adopting module methods, such as motor control circuit, positioning and transmission circuit, etc. The control scheme has been demonstrated by designing an overview of the overall architecture, including rollover indicator calculation, load transfer ratio (LTR) controller design, and front-wheel steering angle tracking controller design. C language has been used to accomplish the software design. Results: The active anti-rollover controller can calculate and keep the LTR within the stable range by adjusting the front wheel angle in real-time. The fast response and smoothness of the results demonstrate that the controller can fulfill the designed function. Conclusion: The developed controller can meet the control requirement due to several advantageous aspects, such as reliability, effectiveness, and practicability. It is prospective for the developed controller to provide a valuable reference to reduce tractor rollover accidents.

Background: Knowing that magnesium (Mg) alloys and its composites bear the potential of being used simultaneously for light structural as well as biomedical applications, it appears prudent to look for developing a novel Mg alloy; the concurrent demand is to monitor recent trend in development of functional Mg-alloy and its composite materials through extensive patent search. Review of recent patents in the related field makes it relevant to investigate this aspect. Objective: The authors aim to study the evolution of structure and properties in stir cast of AZ- 61 alloy with minor additions of scandium, calcium and manganese. This paper reports the results of this investigation. Methods: The castings are prepared by stirring the molten alloy at 600 rpm for 10 minutes, followed by pouring into a preheated metal mould. The solidified alloys are homogenized at 550°C for 12 hours. The homogenized alloys are then subjected to solutionising treatment at 500°C for 5 hours; subsequently, the alloys are quenched in iced water. The quenched alloys are subjected to ageing treatment at different temperatures between 100°C to 400°C at an interval of 100°C. Similar experiments are conducted with its statically cast counterparts. The structure and properties of all the samples have been characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy, and XRD analysis; DSC heating run is conducted to study the kinetics of phase transformation. Mechanical behaviour of castings is studied with the aid of tensile testing and fractography. Moreover, tribological behaviour of alloys is assessed by wear testing with the help of pin on disc method. Results: The results show that the stir cast alloy produces a homogeneous structure with significant improvement in properties. The precipitates of Mg17Al12, Al Mn, Mg Zn2, Al2 Ca and Mg2 Ca are formed due to the ageing of both stir cast and statically cast alloy. It is found that the diffusion of Al in magnesium controls the precipitation process. The tribological properties are found to be satisfactory for the stir cast alloy. Conclusion: The modified AZ61 alloy with minor additives, achieves excellent structural homogeneity and mechanical properties after stir casting followed by quench ageing.

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is a new surface treatment technology that can improve wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high voltage insulation, and other metal properties. Therefore, this technology is widely used in automobile manufacturing, aerospace, ship anti-corrosion, medical equipment, sewage treatment, and other fields. This paper reviews the representative patents of micro-arc oxidation technology at home and abroad. The micro-arc oxidation processing device, the process method of micro-arc oxidation processing, the power supply and electrical parameters of micro-arc oxidation, the preparation of electrolytes, and the methods of anticorrosion and protection of metal surface are analyzed. The development trend of micro-arc oxidation technology in the future is discussed. Micro-arc oxidation is a simple, green, and environment- friendly surface treatment technology, and there will be more patents in the field of micro- arc oxidation in the future.

The exterior walls of buildings play a major role in the road for a near-zero energy building. Nowadays, in Portugal, the ETICS system is the most used technology to ensure the thermal insulation of exterior walls of buildings. However, the ETICS system has low resistance to impacts and requires a self-supporting sheet of wall, among other disadvantages. Here, the concept of new technology for exterior walls of residential and commercial buildings is presented. It consists of a hybrid technology for the easy and quick execution of a single sheet wall, which may provide high thermal efficiency for buildings. This hybrid technology relates to parallelepipedshaped cored lightweight concrete blocks comprising two parallel sides separated by one or more solid connectors in which the connectors allow the filling of the block core with lightweight concrete. No bed or head joints are used to connect the blocks because the wall made of cored blocks gets solid and homogeneous when filled with lightweight concrete. When the block thickness is 30 cm and the thermal conductivity of the lightweight concrete is lower than 0.09 W/m.ºC, in Portugal, this type of exterior wall does not require the application of extra thermal insulation materials.

Background: Cerebral palsy is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with various etiological factors and treatment options. This narrative patent review aimed to summarize the causes of cerebral palsy, identify areas needing additional research in treatment approaches, and highlight areas requiring further investigation. In order to provide a thorough overview of management techniques to lessen the effects of the illness and its consequences, this review has drawn data from a number of studies. Introduction: Prematurity increases the risk of brain damage during the developing stage and accounts for a sizable fraction of cerebral palsy cases. In a sizable portion of cases, maternal diabetes and hypertension are listed as the main causes. Damage to the brain tissue results from hypoxic- ischemic injuries sustained during pregnancy that upset the equilibrium of oxidants and antioxidants. To alter the oxidative stress pathway and ease related issues, pharmacological treatments, such as therapeutic hypothermia, free radical inhibition therapy, and mitochondrial therapy, have been proposed. Therapeutic strategies, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and surgical interventions, have added quality to the lives of the children. Some of the most recent developments in this area include the development of biomarkers for muscle activity detection, machine learning to predict the types of cerebral palsy and abnormal movements, disease prediction with eye images, wireless inertia measuring unit for spasticity detection, computerbased video analysis of typical and atypical infants, identification of intellectual disabilities with algorithms, and deep learning methods for predicting cerebral palsy. Methods: This narrative patent review is based on a careful analysis of numerous researches conducted on cerebral palsy, which have served as the basis for statistical distribution. It reviews the causes of cerebral palsy, available treatments, and ongoing research with the goal of providing physicians and researchers in the field with useful information. The objectives, study questions, inclusion criteria, and search approach have all been outlined in a thorough protocol. To find pertinent research published up to September 2021, a literature search was carried out using electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. A combination of pertinent keywords, such as "cerebral palsy," "management," "technology," "wearable technology," "prematurity," and "artificial intelligence," has been used in the search approach. Results: Recent advances in the field include the discovery of biomarkers for the detection of muscle activity, machine learning algorithms to predict the types of cerebral palsy and abnormal movements, disease prediction using eye images, wireless inertia measuring units for the detection of spasticity, computer-based video analysis for the detection of atypical infants, and algorithms to identify intellectual disabilities. Additionally, employing technologies, like virtual reality systems, electrical stimulators, activity trackers, machine learning, and deep learning approaches, has shown promise in evaluating, diagnosing, and predicting treatment outcomes linked to gait, upper limb, and lower limb function. Conclusion: Future research should examine the clinical application of nanomedicine, stem cell therapy, and cutting-edge therapeutic strategies to prevent hypoxic-ischemic damage in the developing brain. Additionally, research is required to effectively assist children with severe speech difficulties using alternate communication modalities and cutting-edge computational tools. The outcomes for people with cerebral palsy can be improved by combining interdisciplinary efforts with cutting-edge technological interventions.

Background: With the continued advancement of industrial internet technology, mechanical manufacturing is increasingly developing towards automation and intelligence. As a result, monitoring the manufacturing process has become an essential requirement for intelligent manufacturing. As one of the fundamental components of cutting processes, tools are inevitably subject to wear and damage during use. Therefore, tool wear monitoring plays a crucial role in modern manufacturing. Introduction: With the development of the manufacturing industry, the requirement for automation manufacturing is higher and higher. In the process of automatic processing, unmanned processing and adaptive processing, it is not only required to be able to know the accurate wear state of the tool in the process real-time but also required to change the milling parameters according to the wear state of the tool, in order to optimize the productivity and processing quality. The tool monitoring system can effectively reduce the operating cost of workshop production and improve the reliability of intelligent workshop and flexible production lines. Method: This article summarizes commonly used online monitoring methods mentioned by articles and patents, such as cutting force, vibration, acoustic emission, temperature, current, and power signals. Each monitoring method is analyzed in terms of its principles, advantages and disadvantages, signal acquisition equipment, and research status. The article also identifies current issues and future development directions. Results: As modern manufacturing technology continues to develop rapidly, unmanned factories have become a significant feature of the manufacturing industry. Consequently, the need for tool wear condition monitoring technology is becoming increasingly urgent. Although tool condition monitoring technology has made significant progress over the past twenty years and has been applied in actual production, several issues need to be addressed to make tool wear condition monitoring systems mo. Conclusion: This serves as a reference for theoretical research and application of online monitoring of tool wear in intelligent manufacturing systems.

Background: The nonlinear problem of the electro-hydraulic servo system directly affects the system accuracy, response speed and other indicators, and the resulting problems of control inaccuracy and response delay urgently need to be solved. Method: This article provides an overview of the working principle of electro-hydraulic servo systems, reviews the development history of electro-hydraulic servo systems, and summarizes the current research difficulties and latest patents of electro-hydraulic servo systems from the characteristics of active and passive loading systems, electro-hydraulic servo system multi flexibility characteristics, gap nonlinearity,parameter time-varying characteristics,mathematical modeling,force tracking accuracy control strategy, etc. Result: A large number of scholars have proposed the latest optimization strategies to address the nonlinear problems in various aspects of the electro-hydraulic servo system, effectively improving the control accuracy and static and dynamic characteristics of the electro-hydraulic servo system. Conclusion: By summarizing the latest progress in the study of nonlinear problems in various links of electro-hydraulic servo systems, it has played a guiding role in their future improvement and optimization strategies.