FR2638599A1 - Fruit gripper for a machine for gathering fruits, and machine equipped with such a gripper - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fruit gripper for a machine for gathering fruits, and machine equipped with such a gripper. The gripper includes a gripper member 3 mounted in the body 2 with a latitude for rotational displacement about the axis AA', this member 3 being in engagement with driving members which drive it rotationally when it has seized the fruit so that the latter is separated from the peduncle support by twisting and/or pulling of the stalk and breakage of the latter. The machine is characterised in that the displacement of the gripper towards the fruit takes place along an axis which is parallel to the optical axis of siting the fruit to be gathered, this optical axis being that of an artificial viewing system with which the said machine is equipped.

Description

 The present invention relates to a fruit gripper for fruit picking machine and a harvesting machine equipped with such a gripper.

 Fruit grippers are generally mounted at the end of a manipulator arm arranged and mounted on the machine so as to be movable in the three directions of space.

 We know different types of grippers.

Generally, the grippers are equipped with a member for gripping the fruit and a member for cutting the peduncle thereof.

It has become clear to use that this type of gripper is not entirely satisfactory, on the one hand because of its size which prevents it from penetrating into the plant support, and on the other hand, due to the presence cutting members which damage the fruit or its plant support, in particular when the said fruit is not perfectly placed in the gripping member.

 In addition, such grippers because of the relatively large number of mechanical parts that they comprise are relatively complex to produce.

In addition, dirt or plant waste can get between the moving parts and trap them.

 To overcome this drawback, we have previously implemented grippers without cutting tools and constituted by a suction cup connected to a suction means via a flexible pipe.

When the orifice of the suction cup is closed by the fruit to be picked, a depression is established in the suction cup, which has the effect of pressing the fruit against the conical wall of the latter.

 The fruit is separated from its plant support by pulling on the peduncle caused by the backward movement of the manipulator arm.

Although this method of separation, by pulling on the peduncle can be used for certain fruits, for example apples, the fact remains that it is unsuitable for picking other fruits, for example orange, because it causes removal of the calyx, which is detrimental to the conservation of the fruit.

 The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks mentioned by implementing a new type of gripper devoid of any knife for cutting the peduncle and of great versatility since it can be used both for picking apples or other separable fruits from its plant support by pulling on the peduncle, only for picking oranges or other fruits, the calyx of which must be avoided.

 To this end, the gripper according to the invention for gripping fruit for a fruit picking machine comprising a body by which it is fixed at the end of a handling arm, equipping the machine and a member for gripping the fruit secured to the body , which member defines a concave envelope is essentially characterized in that the gripping member is mounted in the body with a latitude of displacement in rotation around its axis of symmetry, c1 is to say around the axis of symmetry of l concave envelope that it defines and that said gripping member is engaged with motor members which drive it in rotation when it has grasped the fruit so that said fruit is separated from its plant support by twisting and / or traction of the peduncle and rupture of the latter.

 It is therefore understandable that the positioning of the axis of rotation of the gripping member with respect to the axis along which the peduncle develops determines the nature of the forces exerted on the latter with a view to separation.

A traction not exerted on the peduncle when the two axes are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to each other while a torsion on the peduncle will be exerted when these two axes are aligned.

 Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the description of a preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which - Figure 1 is a view of a first embodiment of the gripper, - Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of the gripper, - Figure 3 is a view of a third embodiment of the gripper, - Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal section of a gripper according to FIG. 1 - FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the balancing means of part 2B of the gripper, - FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the suction means associated with the gripper of the gripper, - Figures 7 to 10 show various embodiments of the centering members of the fruit and of the gripper relative to each other, - Figure 11 shows schematically an organ of gripping retractably mounted in the body of the gripper, - Figure 12 shows a protective member of the picked fruit.

- Figure 13 is a view of the fruit picking machine, - Figure 14 is a view showing the handling arm of the machine.

 As shown, the gripper 1 according to the invention for gripping the fruit for a fruit picking machine is intended to be fixed at the end of a manipulator arm 4 fitted to the machine, this manipulator arm being mounted on the machine with the ability to move. towards the fruit to be picked and being associated with motor members which ensure this movement and which can be controlled by a control unit mounted on the machine.

 The gripper comprises a body 2 by which it is fixed at the end of the manipulator arm and a member 3 for gripping the fruit to be grasped which defines a concave envelope.

According to the invention, the gripping member 3 is mounted in the body 2 with a latitude of displacement in rotation about its axis of symmetry AA ', that is to say around the axis of symmetry of the envelope concave which it defines and is engaged with motor organs which drive it in rotation according to a fraction of a turn or according to one or more turns when it has grasped the fruit so that the fruit is separated from its plant support by twisting and / or pulling the peduncle and breaking it.

The gripping force of the fruit is constant and the rotational movement of the gripper 3 is preferably not combined with any other movement relative to the body.

 The body 2 of the gripper is made up of two parts 2A, 2B articulated to one another, one of which, part 2A, by its end is fixed to the manipulator arm of the machine and the other of which, part 2B, according to its free end is equipped with the gripping member 3.

These two parts 2A, 2B develop transversely to one another.

The part 2B of the body 2 is presented in a slender, tapered form, in order to facilitate its penetration into the plant support.

 Preferably, the parts 2A, 2B of the body are articulated to one another along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the part 2B of the body, but according to another embodiment, these two parts are rigidly connected together. one to the other for example via an elbow.

 The hinge axis BB ′ from part 2A to part 2D is preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of part 2B.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the part 2A has a yoke in which the end of the part 2B is articulated.

 To this part 2B, a lever 5 is fixed, the free end of which cooperates with a motor member 6 for pivoting actuation, and for holding in position constituted, for example, by a hydraulic cylinder associated with a hydraulic circuit.

This cylinder is for example fixed by the end of its rod at the end of the lever 5 and by its body to the part 2A.

Preferably, the jack and the lever will be lateral to the body 2.

Thanks to the presence of this actuating member, it will be possible to grasp the fruit to slightly tilt the gripper up or down or laterally depending on the position of the axis BB 'so that its member gripping comes to meet the fruit to be picked.

 In addition, after separation of the fruit from its support, the gripper can be moved apart by pivoting from the zone in which the fruit has been picked.

 Advantageously, the actuating member as described is associated with balancing means which maintain the part 2B of the body 2 according to the chosen position but which allow a limited angular movement of the part 2B on either side of its initial position.

 Thanks to this arrangement without direct action of the drive member 6, the part 2B can move on either side of its original position under the effect of external actions exerted by the plant support during penetration into this last.

In this way, the part 2B can, within the permitted limits, give way before an obstacle constituted by the branches of the plant support for example.

According to this embodiment, the gripper may be associated with two position sensors embodying the extreme positions of the angular travel allowed.

These two sensors will be placed on either side of part 2B on a structure integral for example with part 2A, and this on the path likely to be traversed by part 2B during its pivoting in one direction or in the other.

From the information delivered by these sensors when one of them is actuated by part 2B, the recoil movement of the manipulator arm will be controlled and therefore the release of the gripper from the plant support into which it has penetrated.

In this way, the risks of breakage of the branches of the plant support will be eliminated.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the balancing means comprise an elastic means which exerts an action against the displacement of the part 2B on either side of its original position.

In this way, the part 2B will be brought back automatically to the original position as soon as the external action having caused its displacement will cease.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the elastic means consists of a mass of gas trapped in a variable volume chamber 7 formed in an enclosure and separated by a deformable elastic membrane 8 from another chamber 9 of this enclosure which receives a liquid. and which is connected via a hydraulic line 10 to the front chamber of the cylinder 6, that is to say the chamber into which must be introduced liquid to cause the movement of output from the rod of the cylinder.

The enclosure, the two chambers 7 and 9 the membrane 8, the volume of gas trapped in the chamber 7 and the liquid in the chamber 9 constitute the balancing means.

 According to this preferred embodiment, the axis BB 'of articulation of the part 2B to the part 2A is horizontal and the gas volume trapped in the variable volume chamber 7 is pressurized.

This pressure via the liquid contained in the front chamber of the jack is exerted on the piston of the jack and its value is such that the effort resulting therefrom is canceled by the effort exerted on the rod of the jack by the lever 5 , which effort depends on the value of the tilting moment of the part 2B around BB 'under the effect of its own weight.

Thus, the part 2B will remain in equilibrium according to the original position previously chosen.

 Still according to this embodiment, the rear chamber of the jack 6, by means of hydraulic lines and a two-way distributor 10A, two positions is connected either to a tank 11 put at atmospheric pressure in order to create the conditions d 'balances of part 2B, or to a pressure source to force the pivoting of part 2B downwards.

 It should be noted that the volume of the chamber -7 is relatively large compared to the volume of liquid expelled by the piston of the jack and introduced into the chamber 8 so that the pressure of the gas trapped in the chamber 7 varies very little.

 Preferably, at the predetermined initial position of the part 2B or equilibrium position, there corresponds an end-of-travel position for output of the rod of the jack 6.

In addition, the end of the cylinder rod engages in an oblong vertical slot made in the lever 5 and comes to bear against the lower end of this slot.

In this way, the part 2B can freely pivot upwards without driving the rod of the jack.

Preferably, the rod of the jack is of adjustable length in order, by variation of its length, to adjust the inclination of the part 2B relative to the part 2A and to arrange the part 2B according to the desired initial position.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the part 2B of the body 2 of the gripper is constituted by an elongated waterproof box of cross section in the form of a quadrilateral and is oriented so that two of its opposite faces are parallel to the axis of articulation. BB '.

 According to a first embodiment, the axis AA ′ of the gripping member is in the extension of the longitudinal axis of the part 2B and the said gripping member is directed towards the front, engages in a orifice 12 formed in the front wall 13 of the part 2B and this wall is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of this part 2B.

This embodiment is mainly suitable for gripping the fruit transversely to the direction in which the peduncle develops.

 The force exerted on the latter to separate the fruit from its plant support will be a tensile force, resulting from the rotation of the gripping member around its axis.

 According to a second embodiment, the axis AA 'of the gripping member is transverse and intersecting & the longitudinal axis of the part 2B and is engaged in an orifice made in one of the walls of the box, this wall always being perpendicular to the axis AA '.

Preferably, the front end of part 2B will be rounded.

 According to a first variant of this second embodiment, the axis AA 'is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the part 2B and the orifice 13 is formed in one of the longitudinal walls of this part 2B, preferably in one of the walls parallel to the axis BB '.

 According to a second alternative embodiment, the axis AA ′ is oblique and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the part 2B and extends forward from this axis.

According to this embodiment, one of the longitudinal walls of the part 2B, for example one of the two walls of the part 28 parallel to the axis BB 'has a facet 14 in the front part in which the orifice 12 is made.

This facet 14 is oblique to the longitudinal axis of the part 2B and is perpendicular to the axis AA '.

This provision aims to further facilitate the penetration of the gripper into the vegetation of the plant support.

 According to these two alternative embodiments, the axis AA ′ may be horizontal, the orifice 12 may be formed in the upper wall of the part 2B, and the gripping member will be directed upwards so as to grasp the fruit from below and separate this fruit from the plant support by twisting it on the peduncle.

To pick fruit growing on the ground, one can provide a gripper whose axis BB 'is always horizontal but whose gripping member is directed downward.

According to this new embodiment, the orifice 12 will be formed in the bottom wall of the part 2B.

It is also possible to provide a gripper whose axis BB ′ is vertical and whose gripping member develops laterally relative to the part 2B.

 The gripping member 3 has a cylindrical bearing surface 15 which engages in a sealed bearing 16 fixed on the periphery of the circular orifice 12 formed in the corresponding wall of the part 2B.

The gripping member 3 has an axial extension 17 which penetrates into the part 2B and which cooperates in training with the motor members for driving in rotation.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the drive members comprise a hydraulic motor 18, for example, or any other type of rotary engine, and a movement transmission, internal to the part 2B which cooperates kinematically with the output shaft of the engine 18 and with the axial extension 17 of the gripping member.

The hydraulic motor is fixed to the periphery of an orifice made in one of the walls of part 2B with the interposition of a seal.

The output shaft of this motor enters the box formed by part 2B to cooperate in training with the movement transmission.

 In order not to hinder the penetration of the gripper into the plant support, the motor 18 is fixed to the part 2B at a distance from the front end of the latter.

Preferably, this motor will be fixed near the other end.

 According to a first embodiment, the mechanical transmission consists of a shaft 19 engaged on the one hand by means of a bevel torque 20 with the axial extension 17 of the gripping member and on the other hand, in taken with the output member of the drive member either directly or by means of a bevel torque depending on whether the output shaft is in the axial extension of the shaft 19 or is oblique with respect to this shaft .

This embodiment is mainly intended for grippers whose axis AA ′ of the gripping member extends the longitudinal axis of the part 2B or is arranged obliquely relative to the latter.

 According to another embodiment, the transmission of movement between the output shaft of the motor 18 and the axial extension 17 of the gripping member 3 is constituted by a toothed belt 21 engaged respectively with a first pinion 22 wedged on the 'motor output shaft and with a second pinion 23 fixed on the axial extension 17.

This embodiment is mainly intended for a gripper whose axis AA ′ of the gripping member is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the part 2B.

 The gripper may be equipped with a sensor 24 for proximity of the fruit to be grasped, connected to the control unit.

The proximity sensor, by considering the direction of advance of the gripper towards the fruit, can be placed upstream of the gripping member.

The proximity sensor can be of any known type.

An ultrasonic sensor can be used.

It can also be used a rangefinder 25 mounted on part 2A of the body of the gripper.

From the fruit detection signal delivered, either by the sensor 24 or by the rangefinder 25, the deceleration of the movement of the manipulator arm is controlled by the control unit so that the gripper is slowly approached the fruit to be grasped , then stopping the movement of the manipulator arm when the gripping member is in a position very close to that of the fruit to be grasped.

 After entering the fruit and before putting the motor into operation, it will be possible to control the penetration of the gripper into the plant support over a distance of a few centimeters so that the peduncle is forced to come to occupy a position close to the vertical and so that the torsional movement of the peduncle is carried out along its axis.

However, it should be noted that this penetration movement is not compulsory and will not be carried out for fruits detachable by traction on the peduncle.

 According to the preferred embodiment, the gripping member 3 is constituted by a conical suction cup with an open bottom connected by means of suction ducts 26 to a suction chamber 27 comprising a suction member 28.

 This suction cup is made of a flexible and elastic material.

The suction device is put into operation by the computer system when the proximity sensor 24 where the range finder has delivered a signal representative of the presence of the fruit to be picked within a radius of a few centimeters.

 After centering the gripper relative to the fruit to be grasped, the latter will be sucked by the suction cup and held against the wall of the latter by the effect of the depression prevailing in the suction cup and in the suction ducts, this depression effect being created by the suction member and by closing the orifice of the suction cup with the fruit to be picked.

On the pipe 26 is arranged a vacuum sensor 29.

The signal delivered by this sensor 29, representative of a vacuum prevailing in the suction duct, is also representative of the presence of the fruit to be picked in the gripping member.

Thus, the emission of this signal will result in the operation of the motor member 18 of the gripping member 3 so as to separate the fruit from its plant support.

 Subsequently for placing the fruit, the vacuum effect will be interrupted and the motor member of the gripping member will be put into operation so that the fruit can be evacuated under the effect of centrifugal force.

 The suction cup comprises an axial cylindrical sleeve 30 for fitting into a tubular cylindrical ring 31 whose external surface constitutes the cylindrical surface 15.

This ring is extended beyond the bearing so as to form the axial extension 17 mentioned above.

 Preferably, the end section of the suction duct is formed by the body of the gripper.

To this end, the part 2A is tubular and is connected to a nozzle 32 of the part 2B by means of a flexible deformable sleeve.

This end piece is fixed to part 2B at a distance from its front end.

The suction chamber 25 with its suction member 26 can be placed in any known manner on the platform 3 that the pickup machine has.

 We have previously described a gripper whose gripping member protrudes from the part 2B.

 According to another embodiment, the gripping member 3 is retractable in the part 2B of the gripper and is extracted from the latter only for taking, separating and transporting the fruit.

Thus, the penetration of the gripper into the plant support will be facilitated.

According to this embodiment, the part 2B of the arm along the axis of the gripping member will be provided with a hollow 33 in which will be housed the conical part of the suction cup in the retracted position and the ring 31 for driving the latter will be mounted with the possibility of axial sliding in its bearing 16 and will be integral with an internal motor member in the arm of the gripper which will communicate to it an axial traction force or else an axial thrust force depending on whether the suction cup is retracted or projecting .

The drive member may be constituted by a small cylinder 34 and there may be provided an articulated fork lever 35 pivotally mounted in the arm and integral by its fork end with the gripper ring and by its other end of the cylinder .

 The gripper 1 as described is provided with means for centering the fruit and with the gripping member relative to each other.

According to a first embodiment, the centering means is constituted by a vee 36 disposed on the arm of the gripper immediately upstream of the gripping member 3.

 According to another embodiment, the centering vee can be formed by the conical part of the suction cup 3.

For this purpose, this conical part will be truncated obliquely.

 According to another embodiment more specifically adapted to a gripper one of the walls of which has a slope at the front, the centering means is produced by forming a concave slope in the form of a picker.

 According to yet another embodiment, the centering means is constituted by a set of three proximity sensors 24, 37, 38 arranged upstream of the gripping member, fixed on the upper face of the arm.

One of these sensors is arranged along the longitudinal median axis of said face of the arm.

The other two sensors are respectively arranged on the left and on the right of this median sensor.

From the information given by these proximity sensors, the control unit can control the movement of the arm 4 so that to center the gripping member 3 relative to the fruit.

Centering will be considered as done when the three proximity sensors simultaneously detect the presence of the fruit.

 Preferably, the gripper as described is provided with a member 39 for protecting the fruit picked so that the latter during the folding of the manipulator arm and therefore of the return movement of the gripper cannot strike the branches of the plant support.

 According to an exemplary embodiment, this protective member 39 is constituted by a cover articulated on the part 2B of the gripper, secured to a driving member such as a hydraulic jack or other member which brings it projecting in front of the fruit (considering the direction of the return movement) so as to completely hide the said fruit.

 The gripper as described can, for example, be mounted on the manipulator arm 4 of a collection machine in accordance with French application No. 86.15522.

 The machine according to this request comprises a chassis 40 mounted on rolling members 41 on which is fixed a platform 42 which supports an elevating system 43 of the manipulator arm 4.

 The manipulator arm is mounted on the lifting system with the ability to pivot in rotation around two concurrent axes, perpendicular to each other.

To this end, at the end of the lifting system is mounted a yoke 45 articulated along the first pivot axis of the arm on which is mounted in articulation along the second pivot axis a turret 46 to which the manipulator arm 4 is secured. .

Driving elements such as hydraulic cylinders ensure the pivoting of the yoke and the turret and consequently of the manipulator arm along the two above-mentioned pivot axes.

 The manipulator arm 4 is constituted by two deformable parallelograms 4A, 4B of the same length arranged as a compass and symmetrically deformable.

 There is provided a drive member such as a hydraulic cylinder to ensure the pivoting of the first parallelogram with respect to the yoke.

 Preferably, the movement of the gripper during the deployment or folding of the manipulator arm takes place along a straight line.

 The machine is preferably provided with an artificial vision system 44.

 This system 44 is mounted at the intersection of the two pivot axes of the manipulator arm.

 The axis of movement of the gripper towards the fruit to be grasped for a gripper whose axis AA ′ of the gripping member is perpendicular or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the part 2B, will be parallel to the optical aiming axis and will be located below this axis when the fruit must be picked from below, above this axis, when the fruit to be picked is of the type of those growing at ground level or lateral to this axis when the fruit to be picked must be grasped from the side.

For a gripper whose axis AA ′ of the gripping member is in line with the longitudinal axis of part 2B, the axis of movement of the gripper towards the fruit will be coincident with the optical aiming axis.

 Advantageously, the part 2A of the body 2 is bent laterally so as to disengage from the optical sighting axis.

 In addition, a visual cue visible on the artificial vision system may be placed on the gripping member or on the gripper.

Thanks to this intermediary, the control unit associated with the artificial vision system and controlling the movement of the arm and therefore of the gripper that it carries can possibly correct the trajectory of the gripper 6.

 The gripper as described can be used both for the collection of fruit growing on trees, such as apples, oranges, etc ... as for the collection of fruit growing on the ground, melons and others.

In addition, it can be used with the same efficiency for collecting the detachable fruits from their plant support by pulling on their peduncle as by twisting.

 Better harvesting efficiency can be obtained for certain types of fruit by combining a torsional force with a tensile force.

These two efforts combined resulting simply from an oblique grasped position relative to the axis along which the fruit's peduncle develops.

 It goes without saying that the present invention can receive all arrangements and all variants without departing from the scope of this patent.

Claims (28)

 1. Fruit gripper (1) for fruit picking machine comprising a body (2) by which it is fixed at the end of a handling arm (4) of the machine and a member (3) for gripping fruit (3) integral with the body (2), which member defines a concave envelope characterized in that the gripping member is mounted in the body with a latitude of displacement in rotation around its axis AA 'of symmetry, that is to say around the axis of symmetry of the concave envelope which it defines and that said gripping member is engaged with motor members which drive it in rotation according to a fraction of a turn or according to one or more turns when 'He grabbed the fruit so that said fruit is separated from its plant support by twisting and / or pulling the peduncle and breaking the latter.  2. gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the body (2) of the gripper is made up of two parts (2A), (2B) developing transversely with respect to one another, one of which (2A), by its end is fixed to the manipulator arm (4) and the other at its end is provided with the gripping member.  3. Gripper according to claim 2 characterized in that the two parts of the body are rigidly joined to one another by an elbow.  4. Gripper according to claim 2 characterized in that the two parts (2A), (2E) of the body are articulated to each other.  5. Gripper according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the part (2B) is elongated and tapered so as to facilitate its penetration into the plant support.  6. Gripper according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized by a lever (5) fixed to the part (2B) and by a member (6) motor for pivoting actuation and holding in position of the part (2B).  7. Gripper according to claims 1 and 6 characterized in that the member 6 is constituted by a hydraulic cylinder and that said gripper comprises balancing means which hold the part (2B) according to the chosen position but which allow a movement limited angularity of the part (2B) on either side of its initial position.  8. Gripper according to claim 7 characterized by two position sensors embodying the extreme positions of the permitted angular movement of the part (2B), these two sensors being placed on either side of the part (2B), on the path susceptible to be traversed by the latter during its pivoting and that from the information delivered by these sensors when one of these is actuated by the part (2B) is controlled the backward movement of the manipulator arm and therefore the release of the gripper from the plant support.  9. Gripper according to claim 7 characterized in that the balancing means comprise an elastic means which exerts an action against the movement of the part (28) on either side of its angular position.  10. Gripper according to claims 7 and 9 characterized in that the elastic means consists of a mass of gas trapped in a variable volume chamber (7) formed in an enclosure and separated by a deformable elastic membrane (8), another chamber (9) of this enclosure which receives a liquid and which is connected via a hydraulic line (10) to the front chamber of the jack (6).  11. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the axis AA 'of the gripping member is in the extension of the longitudinal axis of the part (2B) and that said gripping member (3) is directed towards the front and engages in an orifice (12) formed in the front wall (13) of the part (2B), this wall (13) being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the part (2B).  12. gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the axis AA 'of the gripping member (3) is transverse and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the part (2B) and is engaged in an orifice (12) made in one of the walls of the part (2B), this wall always being perpendicular to the axis AA '.  13. Gripper according to claim 12 characterized in that the axis AA 'is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the part (2B) and the orifice (12) is formed in one of the longitudinal walls of the part (2B).  14. Gripper according to claim 12 characterized in that the axis AA ′ of the gripping member is oblique and intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the part (2B) and extends forward from this axis and that one of the longitudinal walls of the part (2B) has a facet (14) in the front part in which the orifice (12) is made, this facet being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the part (2B) and always being perpendicular to the axis AA '.  15. Gripper according to claims 12, 13 and 14 characterized in that the gripping member is directed upward so as to pick the fruit from below.  16. Gripper according to claims 12, 13 and 14 characterized in that the gripping member is directed downwards.  17. Gripper according to claims 12, 13 and 14 characterized in that the gripping member (3) develops laterally with respect to the part (2B).  18. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the gripping member (3) has a cylindrical part (15) which engages in a sealed bearing (16) fixed to the periphery of the circular orifice (12), that this member is provided with an axial extension (17) which penetrates into the part (2B) and which cooperates in training with the motor members for driving in rotation and that these motor members comprise a transmission of movement internal to the part ( 2B) which kinematically cooperates with the axial extension (17) and with the output shaft of a motor (18) fixed to the part (28) in separation from the front part of the latter.  19. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that it is provided with a sensor (24) for proximity of the fruit to be grasped placed upstream of the gripping member.  20. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the gripping member is constituted by a conical suction cup with an open bottom connected via suction conduits (26) to a suction chamber (27) comprising-a suction member (28) and that the suction duct (26) comprises a vacuum sensor (29) from the information of which the rotation of the gripping member is controlled.  21. Gripper according to claim 20 characterized in that the end section of the suction duct (26) is constituted by the body (2) of the gripper.  22. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that it is provided with means for centering the gripping member (3) and the fruit to be grasped with respect to one another.  23. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the gripping member (3) is retractable in the part (2B) of the gripper and is extracted from this part only for setting the separation and transport of the fruit.  24. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that it is provided with a member (39) for protecting the picked fruit which member is constituted by a hinged cover & the part (2B) of the gripper and is integral with a member motor which projects it in front of the fruit (considering the direction of return movement of the gripper) so as to completely mask the said fruit.  25. gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that the part (2A) of the gripper is bent laterally.  26. Gripper according to claim 1 characterized in that it is provided with a visual cue.  27. Fruit picking machine characterized in that it is provided with a gripper according to claims 1 to 26.  28. Machine according to claim 27 characterized in that the displacement of the gripper towards the fruit takes place along an axis parallel to the optical axis of sight of the fruit to be picked this optical axis being that of an artificial vision system (44 ) equipping said machine.