JPH012512A - Guidance device for fruit and vegetable work machines - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a work hand that captures fruits and vegetables to be harvested, and a capture device that detects that the work hand has captured fruits and vegetables, at the tip of a work arm. A detecting means includes a cutter for cutting the stem extending from the fruits and vegetables caught by the working hand, and the working hand is directed in the direction where the fruits and vegetables to be harvested are located until the catching detecting means detects the fruit and vegetables. The present invention relates to a guiding device for a working machine for fruits and vegetables, which is provided with arm control means for controlling the operation of the working arm for guiding.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in such a guidance device for a working machine for fruits and vegetables, when the capture detection means detects that the work hand has captured fruits and vegetables, the cutter is immediately activated to protrude and cut the fruit stem extending from the fruits and vegetables. was.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above-mentioned conventional configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. 10(a), when the work hand (1) is moved forward to capture the fruit to be worked on, the work hand (1) is moved forward as shown in FIG. If the fruit to be harvested is pushed to the other fruit side due to overrun of the hand ()I) and is brought into close contact with other fruit, or if the fruit is in close contact with other fruit from the beginning. In order to capture the fruit to be harvested and then take it into the working hand (H), the capturing part case (15) is installed as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 10. Even if the fruit is protruded, it may not be possible to take in the fruit to be harvested because it is obstructed by other fruits, branches, etc. Further, as described above, as the catching part case (15) is protruded and the fruit to be harvested is taken into the working hand (H), other small fruits remain in close contact with the fruit to be harvested and the working hand (II) ) may get inside. If the cutter is made to protrude in this state, it may damage other fruits that have entered the work hand (H).

An object of the present invention is to ensure that only fruits and vegetables to be harvested can be harvested without damaging other fruits and vegetables, regardless of their proximity to other fruits and vegetables.

[Means for solving problems]

A characteristic configuration of the present invention is that a retreat control means is provided for controlling the operation of the work arm in order to retreat the work hand by a set distance from the detection operation of the capture detection means to the cutting operation of the cutter. It is in.

[For production]

When fruits and vegetables to be harvested are forced to move and come into close contact with other fruits and vegetables due to overrun of the work hand, or when fruits and vegetables to be harvested are in close contact with other fruits and vegetables from the beginning. Even if the harvesting target fruit and vegetables are harvested, the work hand is moved back by a set distance by the retraction control means between the detection operation of the capture detection means and the cutting operation of the cutter. Can be kept away from fruits and vegetables. By operating the cutter in this state, it is possible to reliably cut the stalks of fruits and vegetables to be harvested that are captured by the work hand.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, even under conditions where it is difficult to harvest fruits and vegetables in close proximity, it is possible to reliably capture and harvest only the target fruits and vegetables without damaging other fruits and vegetables with the cutter, compared to conventional methods. It has become possible to minimize harvest defects and mistakes.

〔Example〕

As shown in FIG. 5, a boom (1) is attached to the vehicle body (2) so as to be able to rise and fall and turn freely, an auxiliary boom (3) is attached to the boom (1) so as to be able to swing freely in the horizontal direction, and a work hand A working manipulator (4) equipped with (H),
It is attached to the tip of the auxiliary boom (3) to constitute a working machine for fruit harvesting. In the figure, (5) is a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the boom, (6) is an electric motor for rotating the boom, (7) is an electric motor for swinging the auxiliary boom, and (14) is the work hand (H), which will be described in detail later. ) is a suction pump that performs a suction action on a vacuum pad (10) provided in the vehicle body (2) after the harvested fruit is discharged from the work hand (H). It is configured to also serve as a negative pressure source that acts as a suction to the bellows-type conveyance hose (42) for conveyance.

Hereinafter, the working hand (H) will be referred to as a fruit harvesting hand.

The working manipulator (4) consists of a multi-jointed working arm (8) and a harvesting hand (H) attached to the tip of the working arm (8). The work arm (8) is rotated around a vertical axis (X) by an electric motor (9a), and swung around a horizontal axis (Y) by an electric motor (9b). At the same time, the electric motor (
It is configured to be expanded and contracted in step 9c).

To explain the harvesting hand (H), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a vacuum pad (10) made of soft rubber is attached with the suction port facing the front side of the hand
A branch pipe (12) for ventilation is fitted externally to the tip of the ventilation pipe (H), and a branch pipe (12) for ventilation is provided at the base of the ventilation pipe (H).
12) is connected to a bellows-type suction hose (13) that is freely expandable, and the proximal end of the branch pipe (12) is bolted to the distal end of the working arm (8). It is. The suction hose (13) is connected to the suction pump (14) by piping.

Also provided are a stalk cutting device for cutting the stalk, or so-called stalk, extending from the fruit captured while being attracted to the vacuum pad (10), and a trapping part case (15).

To explain the trapping part case (15), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the proximal end portion (
15a), a part of the upper cover (15b) fixed to the upper part of the distal end thereof, and a part of the lower cover (15c) fixed to the lower part of the distal end of the base end part (15a), and An air cylinder (16) for sliding operation of the part case (15) is connected to the base end part (15a).
) and the branch (12). Accordingly, the suction port of the vacuum pad (10) is located in the front side of the catcher case (15), and the fruit sucked by the vacuum pad (10) is transferred to the inside of the catcher case (15). Capture space formed in (^)
It is configured so that it can be freely switched between the state in which it is taken into the body.

The upper cover portion (15b) and the lower cover portion (1
To explain 5c), as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the area is formed into a hemispherical shape so as to cover the outer periphery of the hand, and faces the suction port of the vacuum pad (lO). A fruit passage opening (26) is opened as an entrance for fruits and vegetables having a size that allows one fruit to pass through.

Further, the opening (26) of the upper cover portion (15b)
) is formed with a slit-like groove (27) through which the fruit stalk is inserted, so that when the fruit is harvested as described later, the harvested object adsorbed by the vacuum pad (lO) This is so that only the fruit can be taken into the trapping part case (15), and the handle can be moved smoothly when taking the fruit.

Further, a discharge port (8) for discharging the fruit whose handle has been cut is opened at the lower rear side of the lower cover portion (15c).

Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the discharge port (
B) A shutter (29) serving as a lid for opening and closing is swingable around an axis (01) along the vertical direction so as to be opened and closed laterally with respect to the discharge port (B). In this state, it is pivotally attached to the lower part of the proximal end portion (15a) of the trapping part case (15), and is configured to be opened and closed by a single-acting air cylinder (30) for opening and closing. .

In other words, the tip of the arm (29a) protruding from the shaft of the shutter (29), which is pivotably mounted around the axis (Q), toward the side of the hand is connected to the air cylinder. By pushing toward the front side of the hand at (30), the shutter (29) is swung counterclockwise around the axis (01), and the discharge port (B) is opened. As the air cylinder (30) is stopped, the arm (29a) is pulled toward the rear side of the hand by its return force, and the shutter (29a) is pulled toward the rear side of the hand.
9) is swung toward the front side of the hand around the axis (Qυ), and the discharge port (B) returns to the closed state.

To explain the handle cutting device, as shown in FIG.
) and the handle support member (18) in the form of a semi-circular strip and a semi-circular arc.
The cutter (15) is pivotally connected to the base end portion (15a) of the cutter (15).
17) and the handle support member (18) are respectively protruded toward the front side of the hand to support the stalk of the captured fruit between them, and the rear side of the hand to form a passage for introducing the fruit between them. In order to switch between the evacuation state and
It is possible to swing in and out.

An electric motor (19) for swinging the force lid (17) and handle support member (18) is provided, and an air cylinder (20) for driving the slide of the cutter (17).
The handle is supported between the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) when the cutter (17) swings toward the projecting side, that is, when the handle is raised, and the supported handle is moved toward the cutter (17). It is designed to cut by sliding operation.

However, the cutter (17) and handle support member (18) are
It is interlocked and connected to the electric motor (19) via a differential mechanism (21), and the cutter (17) and handle support member (
18) If either one of the two contacts the handle first,
While stopping the raising operation of the cutter (17) or handle support member (18) that came into contact with it first, move the handle support member (18) on the other side.
8) or the cutter (17) can continue to operate in an upright position. In other words, the protruding positions of the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) can be automatically changed in accordance with the position of the handle of the captured fruit.

In addition, various sensors are provided to control the operation of each part of the harvesting hand (H), as will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, a negative pressure sensor (S1) is attached to the branch pipe (12) as a capture detection means for sensing that fruit has been adsorbed to the vacuum pad (10). The structure is such that when the pressure sensor (S,) is turned on, it is detected that the work hand ((1) has captured the fruit).

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the harvesting hand (H)
In other words, a light reflection type proximity sensor (S2) detects when the vacuum pad (10) approaches the target fruit within a set distance, and an image sensor (S3) detects the direction in which the target fruit is located. ) are provided inside the vacuum pad (10) with their detection direction facing the front side of the suction port of the vacuum pad (10), and at the rear of the upper cover portion (15b),
A strobe device that emits light at a set light amount in synchronization with the image processing by the image sensor (S,)! (2B) is provided so that imaging processing can be performed with an appropriate amount of light regardless of the surrounding brightness.

Further, a potentiometer (S4) for detecting the swinging positions of the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) is interlocked with the handle cutting device. ), it is possible to detect the completion of the standing operation and the completion of the retiring operation.

Further, a switch-type cutting completion detection sensor (S,) is installed on the shutter (29) to detect the completion of cutting when the fruit whose handle has been cut falls onto and comes into contact with the shutter (29).
9), and the opening/closing of the shutter (29) is controlled based on the detection information of this cutting completion detection sensor (S,).

To explain the proximity sensor (S2), a sensor body (22) that houses a light emitting part, a light receiving part, a signal processing part for these, etc. is held at the rear upper part of the branch pipe (12), and the sensor body The optical fiber (23) for emitting and receiving light is fed out from the branch pipe (1).
2) and extends into the inside of the vacuum pad (10) through the inside of the ventilation pipe (H), and the proximity sensor (S
The extending end of the optical fiber (23) serving as a detection surface is connected to the holder (S) for supporting the image sensor (S).
24), the front side of the hand is supported on the upper part of the image sensor (S,).

Next, a description will be given of the configuration of a control means for automatically causing the harvesting hand (H) to approach a fruit to be harvested, and for harvesting by cutting the stalk of the captured fruit.

As shown in FIG. 7, the image processing means for determining the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located based on the imaging information from the image sensor (S,), and the harvesting until the capturing detection means (S1) detects the fruit. arm control means (25) for controlling the operation of the working arm (8) in order to guide the harvesting hand 01) in the direction in which the target fruit is located;
, from the detection operation of the capture detection means (S,) to the cutting operation of the cutter (17), the harvesting hand (H)
) is the set distance, that is, the digits described below! (A) for controlling the operation of the working arm (8), and for cutting and harvesting the stalk of the fruit caught in the trapping part case (15). A control device (32
) is provided. That is, the control device (32) includes imaging information from the image sensor (S3), detection information from the negative pressure sensor (Sυ and proximity sensor (S2)), the potentiometer (S4), and the cutting completion detection sensor (S2). ,
), and detection information of a limit switch (51), which will be described later, are input.

Based on these information and previously stored information, the controller (33) for driving the cylinder (5) for raising and lowering the boom, the controller (34) for driving the boom rotation motor (6), Auxiliary boom swing motor (7), (7) drive controller (35), each electric motor (9a), (9b) of the work arm (8)
), (9c) drive controller (36a).

(36b), (36c), the trapping part case (15
) control valve (
52), an air cylinder (2) for operating the cutter (17);
0), a controller (39) for driving the electric motor (19) for raising and lowering the cutter (17) and handle support member (18), and the vacuum pad (
10), a control valve (40) for controlling the suction operation, a control valve (41) for the air cylinder (30) for opening and closing the shutter (29), and the image sensor (S) and the strobe device (28). Output an operation command to each,
Detecting the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located, causing the harvesting hand (If) to approach the fruit to be harvested, harvesting the fruit, and discharging the harvested fruit at a predetermined position. , are configured to be performed automatically.

However, as described above, the control valve (40) for controlling the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is configured so that the suction pump (14) serves as the suction air supply source for the transfer hose (42). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the vacuum pad (1O) is not in suction operation, the conveyance hose (42)
and when the vacuum pad (10) is in a suction operation state,
An air cylinder (43) for switching the suction direction is installed so that the conveying hose (42) stops suction operation.
).

That is, the end of the suction hose (13) is connected to the middle part of the pipe (44) extending from the suction pump (14) toward the front side of the vehicle body (2), and the pipe ( The end of the transport hose (42) is connected to the tip of the transport hose (44). Then, the vacuum pad (l
When one of the first valve body (45), which starts and stops suction to O), and the second valve body (46), which starts and stops suction to the transport hose (42), is in an open state. a pair of gears (47) so that the other is in the closed state,
(48) and the second valve body (48).
6) is connected to the air cylinder (43) for switching the suction direction.
) is configured to be driven to open and close.

In FIG. 6, (49) is a fruit discharge lid which is biased toward the closing side by a spring (50) and is automatically opened by the weight of the harvested fruit, which is attached to the vehicle body ( 2), and is located below the tip of the pipe (44).

Next, the operation of the control device (32) will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 8(A).

First, the vacuum pad (lO) is positioned at a preset approach start position and is oriented in the direction of a predetermined range where the fruits to be harvested are located, and then the strobe device (28) emits light, and images are processed by the image sensor (S,).

However, the imaging visual field range of the image sensor (S,) is
Movement of the vehicle body (2), rotation and elevation of the boom (1), horizontal swing of the auxiliary boom (3), and movement of the work arm (
The harvesting hand (H) or the vacuum pad (
10) will be set by changing the direction.

Next, the captured image information is taken in and image processing is performed to remove the background such as texture and leaves to extract image information corresponding only to the fruit to be harvested, thereby determining the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located.

The harvesting hand (
II) The working arm (8) is extended so as to approach the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located while moving at high speed along a horizontal or nearly horizontal direction.

Then, after starting the approach, while extending the first set distance (in this embodiment, it is set to half the maximum approach distance that the work arm (8) can extend), the proximity sensor (S2) When it is detected that the target fruit has approached within the set distance, the work hand at this time (
The current position (C) of the harvesting hand (H) is stored in the storage unit of the control device (32), and the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is started, and the moving speed of the harvesting hand (H) is reduced to a low speed. Switch to and move forward.

On the other hand, if the proximity sensor (S2) does not turn ON even if the work arm (8) is extended the first set distance, the strobe light is The device (28) is re-imaged without re-emitting light, and the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located is extracted again based on the image information, and the proximity sensor (S2) is directed toward the extracted direction. ) will restart the approach until it turns ON.

However, even if the approach distance reaches the second set distance corresponding to the position where the work arm (8) is extended to its maximum extension position, if the proximity sensor (S2) is not ONL, it is determined that harvesting is not possible. Then, the working arm (8) is shortened and the harvesting hand (H) is returned to the approach starting position.

After the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) starts, it is determined whether or not the fruit has been suctioned based on the detection information of the negative pressure sensor (S,), and as shown in FIG. If the harvesting hand (H
), the harvesting hand (H) is retracted to the position (C) stored in the control device (23), that is, the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 (2)). This separates the fruit to be harvested from other fruits that are in close contact with it. Then, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The handle is positioned within the operating range of the handle cutting device.

However, even if the harvesting hand (H) is moved forward along the setting path #1 (for example, a distance corresponding to the working distance of the proximity sensor (S2)) towards the fruit to be harvested, the negative pressure sensor (S,
) does not operate, it is determined that harvesting is impossible, and the trapping part case (15) is evacuated to the rear side. At the same time, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is stopped, and the work arm ( 8) is shortened to create a harvesting hand (
Return H) to the approach starting position.

After taking the fruit into the trapping part case (15),
In order to erect the cutter (17) and handle support member (18) forward, the erecting motor (
19) in normal rotation. Then, based on the information detected by the potentiometer (S4), the rising operation is temporarily stopped at an intermediate position in front of the completed position of the rising operation, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is stopped, and the work hand ( H) Move the whole thing back a set distance toward the fruit and downward. That is, the position of the handle relative to the handle cutting device is corrected so that the length of the handle cut by the cutter (17) is as short as possible.

However, as mentioned above, the vacuum pad (lO) and the transport hose (14) connected to the suction pump (14)
The direction of the suction action on the two valve bodies (45)
, (46) to control the start and stop of the suction operation of the vacuum pad (lO).
As the suction operation of step 10) is stopped, the conveying hose (42) automatically switches to the state of suction operation.

Thereafter, based on the information detected by the potentiometer (S4), the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) are continuously operated to raise the fruit in the forward direction until the raising operation is completed. The handle is held between the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18), and the handle is cut by the cutter (17).

・However, the cutter (17) and handle support member (18)
) cannot detect that it has reached that position even after the set time required to reach that position, or if the cutting completion detection sensor (S,) does not turn on, it is impossible to harvest. Based on the information detected by the potentiometer (S), the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) are retracted backward to the complete retirement position, and the handle cutting device is returned to the initial position. After the gripping part case (15) is retired to the rear side of the hand, the working arm (8) is shortened and returned to the approach starting position.

Next, based on the detection information of the cutting completion detection sensor (S,) provided in the shutter (29), determine the completion of cutting,
When the cutting completion detection sensor (S,) is ON, the transportation hose (42) is operated while the fruit with the stalk cut off is kept stored in the trapping case (15). After returning to the position where the input port is located, the shutter (29) is swung to open the discharge port (B) and the harvested fruit is discharged.

As described above, the fruit discharged from the U outlet (B) is arranged such that the conveying bowl (42) starts the suction operation when the suction operation of the vacuum pad (lO) stops. Because of this, the transportation hose (42
) is automatically suctioned and conveyed, and is discharged into the storage box (K).

After discharging the harvested fruit, the potentiometer (
Based on the detection information by S4), the cutter (17)
and the handle support member (18) is retracted rearward to its retracted completion position, and the catching part case (15)
Retire the hand to the rear side and remove the vacuum pad (l).
The suction port of O) is connected to the opening (2) of the trapping part case (15).
6) After returning to the initial position in which it protrudes forward, the shutter (29) is closed to complete the harvesting operation for one fruit.

After finishing the harvesting operation for one fruit, the harvesting hand (1) is returned to its approach start position, and, for example, the fruit to be harvested is determined based on the image information drawn by the approach start position device. By determining whether there is any remaining material, it is determined whether the harvesting work has been completed. If there are fruits to be harvested, the above-described series of processes is repeated to restart the harvesting operation for the next fruit.

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, after detecting that the harvesting hand (If) has captured a fruit, the harvesting hand () 1) is retreated to the position (C) where the proximity sensor (S2) is turned on. The harvesting hand (H) may be moved back by a distance arbitrarily set using a setting device.

Furthermore, although the above embodiments illustrate the case of harvesting fruits, the present invention can also be applied to harvesting vegetables such as tomatoes.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] The drawings show an embodiment of the guidance device for a working machine for fruits and vegetables according to the present invention. Partially cutaway side view of hand for use, 3rd
Figure 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of the harvesting hand, Figure 4 is a front view of the harvesting hand, Figure 5 is an overall side view of the fruit harvesting machine, and Figure 6 is a partially cutaway cross section of the main parts. 7 is a block diagram showing the control configuration, FIG. 8(A) and @ are flow charts showing the operation of the control device, and FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing the shutter swing operation structure. FIG. 10(a), @ is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a conventional example of a harvesting operation state. (8)...Working arm, (17)...
Cutter, (25) Arm control means, (31
)... Reverse control means, (H)... Working hand, (S1)... Acquisition detection means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] At the tip of the work arm (8), a work hand (H) that captures fruits and vegetables to be harvested, a capture detection means (S_1) that detects that the work hand (H) has captured fruits and vegetables, and the work hand A cutter (17) is provided for cutting the fruit stalk extending from the fruits and vegetables caught in (H), and the cutter (17) is provided to cut the fruit stem extending from the fruits and vegetables caught in the cutter (H), and the cutter (17) is provided to cut the fruit stem extending from the fruits and vegetables caught in the cutter (H). A guidance device for a work machine for fruits and vegetables, which is provided with an arm control means (25) for controlling the operation of the work arm (8) in order to guide the work hand (H), the guidance device comprising: the capture detection means (S_1); The work arm (
8) A guidance device for a working machine for fruits and vegetables, which is provided with a retraction control means (31) for controlling the operation of.