JPS63296617A - Suction structure of hand for harvesting fruit vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the gap formed in the suction of fruit vegetables and to enable sure suction of fruit vegetables to be harvested with a vacuum pad with reduced power consumption, by making the outer circumference of the edge of the vacuum pad softer than the other part. CONSTITUTION:The outer circumference 10a of the edge of a vacuum pad 10 having sufficient strength is made to be soft to enable the deformation according to the shape and surface irregularity of the fruit and to prevent the formation of a gap between the pad and the fruit. The vacuum pad can support the objective fruit vegetables to be harvested in a sucked state and the contact between the inner face of the pad and the fruit vegetables can be improved by the flexible deformation of the outer circumference of the pad.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a suction structure for a fruit and vegetable harvesting hand provided with a vacuum pad for suctioning fruits and vegetables to be harvested.

[Conventional technology]

-a, the vacuum pad used in the fruit and vegetable harvesting hand is integrally molded with resin into a flared trumpet shape, and has sufficient strength to adsorb the fruits and vegetables to be harvested.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, in order to efficiently adsorb fruits and vegetables with a vacuum pad, it is desirable that the inner surface of the vacuum pad and the fruits and vegetables be in close contact with each other, so that there is no gap for air to leak, but in reality, fruits and vegetables are not perfectly spherical and Due to the unevenness of the surface, some gaps had to be created. This gap can be closed to some extent by the deformation of the vacuum pad due to suction, but as mentioned above, conventional vacuum pads are molded from a material that is strong enough to support fruits and vegetables. The transformation was not enough.

The present invention focuses on these points and aims to eliminate the gaps that occur when suctioning fruits and vegetables by improving the vacuum pad, thereby making it possible to perform strong suction with a small amount of power.

[Means for solving problems]

A characteristic feature of the present invention is that the outer peripheral edge of the tip of the vacuum pad that adsorbs fruits and vegetables to be harvested is made softer than other parts, and its functions and effects are as follows.

[For production]

In other words, the main part of the vacuum pad has sufficient strength so that it can normally support the fruits and vegetables to be harvested while adsorbing them. It can be flexibly deformed depending on the situation and can close gaps caused by adsorption.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As a result, the degree of adhesion between the inner surface of the vacuum pad and the fruits and vegetables has increased, making it possible to perform strong and reliable suction with a small amount of power.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in Fig. 4, 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 fruit harvesting is carried out. A working manipulator (4) equipped with a working hand (I) for fruit harvesting is attached to the tip of the auxiliary boom (3) to constitute a working machine for fruit harvesting. In addition, 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 (W) is a box for storing the harvested fruit.

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

To explain the working hand (H), as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a vacuum pad (10) made of silicone rubber is inserted into the ventilation pipe (11) with its suction port facing the front side of the hand. ), and the vent pipe (1
A branch pipe (12) for ventilation is provided at the base of the branch pipe (12), and a telescopic bellows type hose (13) is connected to the branch pipe (12). the end,
It is bolted to the tip of the telescoping arm (8).

The outer peripheral edge portion (10) of the tip of the vacuum pad (10)
In a), in order to increase the degree of adhesion when adsorbing fruit, it is especially formed to be thinner than other parts. To add,
As shown in FIG. 9, it is made flexible so that it deforms according to the shape of the fruit and the unevenness of its surface to close the gap between the fruit and the fruit and prevent air from leaking. Further, the bellows type hose (13) is connected to an intake pump (14) by piping, as shown in FIG.

Also provided is a delivery cutter for cutting off the stem, or so-called stalk, of the fruit captured while being attracted to the vacuum pad (10), and a capture unit case (15).

To explain the trapping part case (15), as shown in FIGS. 1 to 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 pipe (12). Accordingly, the suction port of the vacuum pad (lO) is located in the front side of the trapping part case (15), and the fruit sucked by the vacuum pad (10) is transferred to the inside of the trapping part case (15). It is configured so that it can be freely switched between

The upper cover portion (15b) and the lower cover portion (1
To explain 5c), they are formed into a hemispherical shape so as to cover the outer periphery of the hand, and are large enough to allow one fruit to pass through the area facing the suction port of the vacuum pad (10). An opening (26) is opened for the fruit to pass through. In addition, a slit-like groove (27) through which the fruit stalk is inserted is formed in a portion of the upper cover portion (15b) close to the opening (26), so that when harvesting the fruit, as will be described later. To,
It is designed so that only the fruit to be harvested that has been absorbed by the vacuum pad (10) can be taken into the trapping part case (15), and the handle can be smoothly moved when taking the fruit (No. 8). (See figure (c)).

Further, an opening is formed on the lower rear side of the lower cover part (15b) for discharging the fruit with the handle cut off and held in the trapping part case (15), and the fruit is moved downward. A shutter (29) for discharging is fixed to the lower part of the proximal end portion (15a) of the trapping part case (15) so as to be openable and closable by an air cylinder (30) for opening and closing.

To explain the sliding 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 projected toward the front side of the hand so as to support the handle of the fruit captured in the trapping part case (15) between them, and the fruit is introduced between them. The hand is swingable in and out so that it can be switched to a state in which the hand is retracted to the rear side to form a passage for the hand.

An electric motor (19) for swinging the cutter (17) and handle support member (18);
17) is provided with a slide driving air cylinder (20),
As a result, along with the rocking toward the protruding side, that is, the standing operation,
A handle is supported between the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18), and the supported handle is cut by sliding operation of the force cover (17) (see FIG. 8).

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 be operated 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.

Further, as will be described later, various sensors are provided to control the operation of each part of the working hand (11).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a negative pressure sensor (S,) is attached to the upper part of the branch pipe (12) to detect when fruit is adsorbed to the vacuum pad (11). .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a light reflective proximity sensor (S2) detects when the work hand (H), that is, the vacuum pad (10) approaches the fruit to be harvested within a set distance. ), and an image sensor (S,) as a visual device that detects the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is positioned, and the negative output direction of these is the vacuum pad (10).
With the suction port facing forward, insert the vacuum pad (
10), and a portion of the upper cover (1
5b), a strobe device (2
8), so that imaging processing can be performed with an appropriate amount of light regardless of the surrounding brightness.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cutter (17
) and the handle support member (18) are interlocked and connected to the differential mechanism (21), and a potentiometer (S#) for detecting the swinging position of the cutter (17) and the handle support member (18) is interlocked with the differential mechanism (21).
) is designed to detect the completion of the standing operation and the completion of the retiring operation.

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 (11), and a proximity sensor (
the above-mentioned optical fiber (23) as a detection working surface of sg)
The extending end of the image sensor (S,) is supported on the upper part of the image sensor (S,) by the holder (24) for supporting the image sensor (S,) in a state facing the front side of the hand.

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

As shown in FIG. 5, an 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 (S3), and guiding the work hand (H) toward the fruit to be harvested. and a control device (32) constituting a harvesting operation control means etc. that controls the operation of each part in order to cut and harvest the stalk of the fruit caught in the trapping part case (15). It is. That is, the control device (32) receives imaging information from the image sensor (S3), the negative pressure sensor (St) and the proximity sensor (
Sz) detection information, and the potentiometer Sz)
4) Input each detection information.

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), A drive controller (35) for the auxiliary boom swing motor (7), each electric motor (9a), (9b) for the telescoping arm (8),
(9c) drive controller (36a).

(36b), (36c), the trapping part case (15
) control valve (
37), an air cylinder (2) for operating the force lid (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 (
1o), 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 each of the image sensor (s3) and the strobe device (28). output an operation command to
Detecting the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located, causing the work hand (I) 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, the field of view of one inflated image of the image sensor (S3) is limited to the movement of the vehicle body (2), the rotation and elevation of the boom (1),
The work hand (H), that is, the vacuum pad (
The setting is made by changing the direction of 10).

Next, the operation of the control device (32) will be explained based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

First, the vacuum pad (10) is set at a preset initial position and facing a predetermined range where the fruits to be harvested are located, and then the strobe device (28) is turned on to emit light. Then, the image sensor (S) performs imaging processing. Next, the captured image information is taken in and image processing is performed to remove the background such as branches and leaves and extract image information corresponding only to the target fruit, thereby determining the direction in which the target fruit is located.

To explain the image processing that removes the background such as branches and leaves and extracts image information corresponding only to the target fruit, the image information 11a (seventh image) captured by the image sensor (S3) will be described.
(See figure (a))) is binarized based on the color of the fruit to extract an area (Fo) that corresponds only to the fruit (F) and find the position of the center of gravity (Po) of that area (Fo). By doing this, the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located is determined by the center of gravity (P
It is determined based on the coordinate values on the image where o) is located (see FIG. 7(b)).

Next, since the position of the vacuum pad (10) in the obtained direction, that is, the approach start position and the center of the imaging field of view of the image sensor (S3) are lost, the coordinate value of the center of gravity (Po) is determined. Based on this, while maintaining the state in which the suction port of the vacuum pad (10) faces in the direction where the center of gravity (Po) is located, that is, toward the fruit to be harvested, the work hand ( ) is moved in the direction where the fruit to be harvested is located. Have them approach while moving at high speed.

However, if a plurality of fruits to be harvested are recognized from the image information captured by the image sensor (S3), the strobe device (28) is made to emit light during image capture processing by the image sensor (S3), so the distance is Since the closer the fruit appears, the brighter it appears, the brighter the area (F, > based on the difference in average brightness of each fruit, the earlier the area corresponding to the color of the fruit is approached.
Alternatively, the approach order may be set so that the lower position is approached first. In other words, the closer to the vacuum pad (1o) or the easier to capture the items, the earlier they will be harvested.

Then, after starting the approach, the proximity sensor (S2)
When it is detected that the target fruit has approached within a set distance, the operation of the telescoping arm (8) is stopped to temporarily stop the approach of the work hand (H), and then the work hand (H) is stopped. The hand (H) is moved back a predetermined distance (in this embodiment, it is set to about 200 mm) so that the amount of light received by the image sensor (s3) does not become saturated, and The retraction distance and the proximity sensor (S2) are adjusted so that the change in light amount with respect to the imaging distance becomes large.
The light intensity of the strobe device (28) is reduced to a preset light intensity based on the working distance of the strobe device (28), and re-imaging processing is performed while re-emitting light (see FIG. 8(a)).

However, if the proximity sensor (s2) does not operate even if the approach distance exceeds the set value corresponding to the position where the telescoping arm (8) is extended to its maximum extension position,
When it is determined that harvesting is impossible, the telescoping arm (8) is shortened and the working hand (H) is returned to the approach starting position.

Then, by performing image processing again on the image information that has been re-imaging processed, one area corresponding only to the color of the fruit (
Fo) is re-extracted, and the re-extracted region (F
o), the highlight part (p
+) (see FIG. 7(c)), correct the approach direction so that the vacuum and -mbad (1o) approach the highlighted part, and then move the proximity sensor (S2). The approach will be resumed at low speed until it is turned on again.

However, if there are multiple highlighted parts (P,) in the re-extracted area (Fo) (indicated by broken lines in FIG. 7(C)), multiple fruits are adjacent to each other in a plane. Select only one highlighted part (p+) to approach the object located in a preset direction, for example, to the left or below. Become.

In addition, when a plurality of fruits grow adjacent to each other in the front-back direction, the amount of light reflected by the strobe device (28) is greater from the fruit located at the front than from the fruit located at the rear. Therefore, the position information for the fruit located on the rear side is automatically removed, and even if multiple fruits are adjacent, only one highlighted part (p+) is extracted. Only the position corresponding to one fruit located on the near side with respect to the work hand (l()) will be automatically extracted.

When the proximity sensor (S2) is turned on again, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is started, and the work hand (H) is moved forward at a low speed.

After starting the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10), move the work hand (H) to the set path # (for example, the proximity sensor (
si) by a distance corresponding to the working distance of si) toward the fruit to be harvested (see Fig. 8 (I)), and based on the detection information of the negative pressure sensor (S+), determine whether or not the fruit has been adsorbed. is determined, and if the fruit is being adsorbed as desired, the vacuum pad (10) is stopped, and at the same time, the catching part case (15) is made to protrude forward, and the fruit to be harvested is removed from the catching. Take it into the case (15),
The fruit is placed within the operating range of the delivery limit device (see FIG. 8(c)).

However, if the negative pressure sensor (S,) does not operate, it is determined that harvesting is not possible, and the trapping part case (15) is evacuated to the rear side, and the bagième pad (1
0) is stopped, the telescopic arm (8) is shortened, and the working hand (H) is returned to the approach starting position.

After taking the fruit into the trapping part case (15),
The cutter (17) and handle support member (18) should be operated to raise up and down toward the front (and the motor for raising and lowering operation (
19) in normal rotation. Then, based on the information detected by the potentiometer (S4), the raising operation is temporarily stopped at an intermediate position on the front side of the completed position of the raising operation, and the suction operation of the vacuum pad (10) is stopped, and the work hand 01 ), by retracting the whole body a set distance downward toward the front side with respect to the fruit, so that the cutter (17) comes into contact with the captured fruit, that is, the cutter (17) The position of the handle relative to the cutter (17) is corrected so that the length of the handle cut by the cutter (17) is as short as possible (see FIG. 8 (=)).

Thereafter, based on the information detected by the potentiometer (S,), 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) (see FIG. 8(E)).

However, the cutter (17) and handle support member (18) are
If it cannot be detected that the standing operation has reached that position even after the set time required to reach the completion position or intermediate position has elapsed, it is determined that harvesting is impossible, and the operation is performed based on the detection information by the potentiometer (S4). , retracting the force lid (17) and the handle support member (1) rearward to their retirement completion positions, and retiring the catching part case (15) to the rear side of the hand ([1); The suction port of the vacuum pad (10) is connected to the trap case (
After returning to the initial position in which it protrudes forward from the opening (26) of 15), the telescoping arm (8) is shortened and returned to the approach starting position.

After cutting the handle, while maintaining the state in which the fruit is held within the trapping part case (15), the telescopic arm (8)
After returning the working hand (11) to a predetermined position, the shutter (29) is opened downward to place the harvested fruit in the storage area beside the vehicle body (2). Discharge into the designated 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 (1() to the rear side and return it to the initial position where the suction port of the vacuum pad (10) protrudes to the front side of the opening (26) of the trapping part case (15). Then, the harvesting operation for one fruit is completed.

[Another example]

To carry out the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, the outer peripheral edge portion (10a) of the tip of the vacuum pad (10) may be made of a closed-cell flexible foamed resin material (42). Furthermore, the specific configuration of the work hand (H) and the telescoping arm (
The configuration of each part, such as the specific configuration of 8), can be changed in various ways.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case of harvesting fruits was illustrated, but the present invention can also be applied to harvesting of vegetables such as tomatoes. Further, the present invention can be applied to works other than harvesting work, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenience of reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the attached drawings.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the suction structure of the hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of the work hand, FIG. 2 is a cutaway plan view of the work hand, FIG. 3 is a front view of the work hand, and FIG. The figure is an overall side view of the fruit harvesting machine, Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the control configuration, Figures 6 (A) and (II) are flow charts showing the operation of the control device, and Figure 7 (<), ( 0),
(c) is an explanatory diagram of image processing, and Fig. 8 (a), (b), (
C), (D), and (N) are explanatory diagrams of the harvesting operation, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal side view of the vacuum pad in the suction state,
FIG. 10 is a cutaway side view of a vacuum pad according to another embodiment. (10)...Vacuum pad, (10a)・
...The outer periphery of the tip.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Vacuum pad (10
) A suction structure for a hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, in which the outer peripheral edge portion (10a) of the tip is made softer than other portions. 2. The outer peripheral edge of the tip of the vacuum pad (10) (
The suction structure for a hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables according to claim 1, wherein 10a) is made thinner than other parts.