JPS61108308A - Robot hand for fruit harvester - 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] Kimio relates to a robot hand for fruit harvesting, and more specifically, for detecting the positional relationship of a cylindrical case for fruit intake relative to a fruit to be harvested. Regarding the improvement of the structure of.

[Conventional technology]

In general, such a robot hand is automatically guided to a lower part of the fruit to be harvested, and then automatically raised to take the fruit into a cylindrical case for taking in the fruit. Further, during the raising operation, the horizontal position of the fruit intake cylindrical case is automatically corrected so as to position the fruit intake cylindrical case directly below the fruit to be harvested. It turns out.

Therefore, in such a robot hand, there is a means for detecting that there is a fruit to be harvested directly above the opening of the cylindrical case for taking in fruit, and a means for detecting that there is fruit in the cylindrical case for taking in fruit. A means for detecting this will be provided.

For this reason, the present applicant has previously proposed a means for providing seven contact sensors for fruit detection in positions that can be freely changed between a location immediately above the opening of the case and a location inside the case. (See, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 59-529gg.) [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the above means, the bottom of the cylindrical fruit intake case is closed with a contact sensor, and the fruit to be harvested is collected. Su's! E
It becomes something that no one dares to bring out. the result,
It is not necessary to turn the cylindrical arm upside down to release the harvested fruit outside the case, which does not reduce the efficiency of the harvesting operation, but requires a special structure to drive the cylindrical arm upside down. This also had the disadvantage of complicating the overall structure.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to enable harvested fruits to be taken out from the bottom of a cylindrical case while simplifying the structure. .

[Means for solving problems]

Features of the robot hand for fruit harvesting according to the present invention! IIr
! Lri, directly above the opening of the cylindrical case for fruit intake;
and a first and a 6g sensor for fruit detection, which are respectively located on the inner side of the arm, are provided so as to be switchable to a detection release position that is retired to the outer side of the case, and / actuators are provided, Both spinning centimeters are interlocked with both sensors so as to be selectively moved to the detection position, and their functions and effects are as follows.

[For production]

That is, a first contact type sensor detects the presence of fruit directly above the opening of the cylindrical fruit intake case, and a first contact sensor detects the presence of fruit within the fruit intake cylindrical arm. Since each of the two contact type seven pinners can be switched to the detection release position where they are retired to the outside of the case, it is possible to take out the fruit to be harvested in the arm from the bottom of the arm while allowing the desired fruit detection to take place. I can do it.

Moreover, the first. By selectively switching the B contact type sender to the detection position, desired detection can be performed and the fruit can be taken out from the bottom of the cylindrical case.
By making effective use of the fact that the sensor can move, the positions of both sensors can be changed by one move.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, it has become possible to take out fruit from the bottom of the case with a simple configuration in which the positions of both centimeters are changed using seven single cutter units, making it possible to use the fruit more efficiently. I finally got a robotic hand for harvesting.

〔Example〕

As shown in Figure 8, a pair of left and right propulsion wheels (1), a pair of front and rear idle wheels (3), and an actuator (3
) is equipped with a rotating platform (4) that can be driven and rotated freely.
), and the drive lift device (6) is positioned at the center of rotation, and the swivel table (4) K is attached, and the fruit harvesting robot (6) is attached to the upper end of the lift device (6). Ditch the fruit harvester! It is jl. However, the prisoner in the figure is attached to the lift device (6) and the swivel table (4).
This is the operation section.

A screw member (6) for lifting and lowering the base end of the lift device +51ri (old robot) and a guide member for guiding the lift (
7) and (7), and are configured so that the robot (8) can be raised and lowered by the forward and reverse movement of the screw member (fl).

・The robot for future harvest) The first arm (9a), the second arm (9b) supported so as to be able to swing up and down, the arm (9i) K, the arm (9i)
) and a hand (6) attached to the tip of the arm (9C).
), and each arm (9m), (9b
), (9c) are provided with an electric motor with an encoder that swings each arm separately.
, (9b), (9c) due to the extension action /! 17 do (
6) is configured to guide the crocodile to the fruit to be harvested and cause the crocodile to harvest the fruit.

To explain the hand (6), as shown in Figs. (7) A cylindrical case (12) rotatably attached to the circumference for taking in fruit.
is attached to the distal end of the forked support frame (11) so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis, so that the entire hand is maintained in an upward position by its own weight. .

Then, the stalk pressing member 041, which presses and supports the so-called stalk, which is the handle-like part that connects the fruit into which the internal pressure has been introduced into the booth and the technique, is held in a predetermined position by the protruding operation. The cutter frame is attached to the cylindrical case H for taking in fruit so as to be able to swing in and out. It is provided on the case side so as to be able to swing in and out, rather than being able to protrude into the cutting position for the fruit stem.

In other words, as described later, the fruit harvesting hand @ is moved to a position below the fruit to be harvested, and then moved upward into the fruit intake cylindrical case 021 (into the fruit intake cylindrical case 021, and in that state, The fruit stem is harvested by operating the fruit stem suppressing member α to support the fruit stem and cutting the fruit stem with the cutter a.

In addition, on the periphery of the opening of the fruit intake cylindrical case (la,
Air supply (therefore, the first tube made of rubber that can be elastically bent inward)
One of the sixth finger members (F8) to (F,) is juxtaposed, and the finger member (Fi ) to (F
, ) is designed so that the size of the fruit insertion opening formed between the tips of the fruit can be adjusted according to the fruit to be harvested.

To explain about the cutter a~, the arcuate strip-shaped blades (15m) and (15b) are stacked vertically and connected with a pin so that they can slide relatively freely in the longitudinal direction, and each blade ( 15a) and (15b) A cutting recess into which the fruit stem can be freely inserted is formed in the longitudinal center portion of each.

Then, a pair of bottles (16m) and (16b) that lock one end of each blade body (15m) and (15b) separately are attached.
A cylindrical cutter operation member (1η) rotatably supported through the cylindrical booth (14), and the operation member (lη
The rack 4 that engages with the pinion C barrel provided at the outer end of the case is attached to the pneumatic cylinder attached to the cylindrical booth α, so that the double-edged body (15 m), (15 b ) so that it can be driven relative to the slide for cutting.

However, the body υ in the figure is a cutter support bin that also serves as a pivot support bin for the stalk pressing member. Further, when the cutters 0-- are moved in and out of the case, the pneumatic cylinder is maintained in a state of communication with the outside air, and expands and contracts as the cutters move in and out.

To explain the structure for driving the fruit stem pressing member a and the cutter in and out, the cylindrical member, which is reciprocally rotated by an electric motor (e), is connected to the fruit intake cylindrical case (l).
4, and the peduncle pressing part 401: formed with a long hole (14
a) Locking bottle (28m) that engages K, and cutter (l)
A locking bottle (23b) that engages in a long hole (15A) formed at the end opposite to the side where the structure for sliding in @ is linked (but also serves as a bottle for operating the fruit stalk pressing member) (23b)
Each is attached to the cylindrical member (2), and the cylindrical member (2) is attached to the cylindrical member (2).
The structure is such that it swings in and out as the part (a) rotates.

However, the elongated holes (14a) and (15A) are formed so that the protruding operating force of the fruit stalk pressing member 04) is completed.

Next, the guiding means for automatically moving the hand helmet for fruit harvesting to a position below the fruit to be harvested will be explained in detail.

As shown in FIG. 8, a television camera (24) is attached to the upper end of the third arm (97) as an imaging means for recognizing the direction in which the fruits to be harvested are located, and a monitor (24) is attached to the upper end of the third arm (97), and a monitor ( A light pen is provided to select the fruit to be harvested from among the fruits displayed on the monitor μsK, and an infrared pen is provided to detect when the fruit harvesting hand (6) approaches the fruit to be harvested within a set distance. A floodlight type spot distance sensor (roller) is provided at the upper end of the eighth arm (9c), and the detection information from them, the rotation information of the arm drive motor tta and the swivel base (4), and the s7t device (6) A control device +af is provided which outputs an operation command based on the elevation information and control information stored in advance.

As shown in chart 70 of Figure 810, when the fruit to be harvested (transfer) among the fruits cultivated by the TV camera 241 is indicated by the 2-ite pen (to), the fruit to be harvested is The swivel base (4) performs arithmetic detection processing on the direction and directs the television camera (goods) toward the target fruit based on the result, in other words, directs the movement direction of the hand (6) toward the target fruit. Lift device (5) or arm (9a)s (9b).

(9c) is activated to adjust the direction, and then the hand (6) is moved a set distance toward the target fruit by the arm extension operation, and each time the hand (6) is moved the set distance. The direction in which the target fruit is located is calculated and detected, and the hand (b) is moved in the detected direction. Then, when the spot distance sensor (Incorporated) detects the fruit, it decelerates and moves toward the target fruit, and then performs the harvesting operation as described above.

However, as mentioned above, if you move the set distance a predetermined number of times (,
) Even if the spot distance centimeter-gradient is not detected, it is determined that harvesting is impossible, and the hand ( )0 is operated to return to the predetermined position. Note that the predetermined number of times (n) can be obtained as a value obtained by dividing the amount of arm extension and contraction by the set distance to be moved.

To configure the spot distance sensor (b), as shown in FIG. 9, one light-emitting element (,) and a light-receiving element (b) for detecting the light projected from the light-emitting element and reflected on the fruit are provided, respectively. Then, the distance is determined based on the amount of light received by the light receiving element (b).

In addition, in Fig. 12 (a), (mouth it?:), the monitor (
18(a) and (b) show the direction v4! in the middle of moving the hand (6) to the target fruit side. ! IVc# Indicates the image change on the monitor (to).

Harvest control will be explained in detail below.

Contact-type fruit detection first to sixth finger sensors (S8) to (S6) are provided at the tips of the first to sixth finger members (Fl) to (F6), respectively. In addition, a first contact type sensor (hereinafter referred to as upper centimeter) μs for fruit detection, which is located directly above the opening of the cylindrical fruit intake booth O'4, is exposed to the cylindrical case a. It is attached to a semicircular arc-shaped support bracket 4 that is swingably attached, and can be switched to the detection release position in which the upper centimeter is retracted to the outside of the case as the support bracket swings downward. The second contact sensor for fruit detection (hereinafter referred to as "lower centimeter") located in the inner part of the cylindrical booth 0 for taking in fruit is arranged in a cylindrical booth that can freely swing up and down. It is attached to the swinging arm (2) attached to the zero point, and as the arm (2) swings downward, it is configured so that it can be switched to the detection release position where the lower sensor figure is retracted to the outside of the case. Furthermore, connect the pneumatic cylinder port attached to the cylindrical case (12) to the relay arm that swings together with the upper cm-□□□, and press the relay arm and the lower sensor mounting swing arm ■. They are connected together by a pull rod (support), and both sensors □□□, m are configured to be alternatively operated to the detection action position in accordance with the operation of the pneumatic cylinder □□□.

As shown in the 70-chart in Figure K11, as the hand (6) is raised as described above, when the upper sensor engages the detection action, the centimeter is switched to the detection release position and at the same time the lower When the sensor country is switched to the detection action position and the hand (9) is further raised, the lower sensor state becomes the detection action position, and the hand (6)
In this state, the lifting operation of the stem pressing member 04 and the cutter +151 are operated upward, and the cutter 0 is operated for cutting.

When the upper sensor 4 is placed in the detection position and operated to raise, the above 1.
When any of the finger sensors (Sl) to (S6) performs a detection action, the hand (6) is moved horizontally in the direction of the finger sensor that performed the detection action, and the finger-like members (F) to (F6) ) to ensure that the fruit is taken into the opening formed by the hole. Furthermore, if the upper sensor side does not act as a detection even after performing a predetermined raising operation, it is determined that harvesting is impossible and the hand ((support) is operated to return to the desired position.

When the lower sensor (■) is positioned at the detection position and operated to raise, the hand (Enoki) is swung each time it is raised by a predetermined amount to ensure that the fruit is properly introduced into the hand (6). It is.

Moreover, when the lower centimeter diagram does not detect the operation even after the predetermined raising operation is performed, at 6 o'clock, it is determined that harvesting is impossible, and the hand (6) is operated to return to the desired position.

Further, after the protruding operation of the keratus pressing member (141 is completed, and
Before the protruding operation of the cutter Q51 is completed, the lower sensor is positioned at the detection position and the hand (6) is lowered by the amount raised to separate the fruit from other fruits, branches, etc. It's Nishide.

Incidentally, the discharge of the harvested fruits is carried out by returning the hand (B) to the intended position on the vehicle body side and then switching between the two hands (-).

[Another example]

In carrying out the present invention, the specific configuration of the fruit harvesting node (6), the specific configuration of the imaging means, and the specific configuration of the fruit direction detection means and the automatic movement means constituting the I. Each can be changed in various ways.

A configuration for supporting the tth and gg contact type sensors (c) and - in a manner that allows the position to be changed freely, and an actuator for both the
The configuration for linking c) and c) can be changed in various ways.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Kaiten shows an embodiment of the fruit harvesting robot according to the present invention. Figures 1 and 2 are plan views of the robot hand, and Figure #I3 is a top view of the robot hand. 31st g! Fig. 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing the linkage structure between the tactile sensor and the pneumatic cylinder; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the robot hand. , Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are side views showing the linkage structure with the cutter 7 pneumatic cylinder, Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the control configuration, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the distance sensor, and Fig. 1θ is the control. Flowchart showing the operation, Figure K11 is the 70-chart showing the harvesting operation, 1st
FIGS. 2(a) and 18(b) and FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b) are schematic diagrams showing image changes in the directions yi and y.

Claims (1)

[Claims] First and second contact sensors (28) for detecting fruit are located directly above the opening of the fruit intake cylindrical case (12) and inwardly of the case (12), respectively.
, (30) are provided so as to be freely switchable to the detection release position retracted to the outside of the case, and one actuator (30)
3), both sensors (28), (30) are selectively operated to the detection action position;
(30) A robot hand for fruit harvesting that is interlocked and connected.