JPS6291116A - Fruit vegetable 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 Field of Application J] The present invention relates to a fruit and vegetable harvesting device for harvesting fruit and vegetables such as apples, mandarin oranges, and tomatoes.

[Conventional technology]

In such a fruit and vegetable harvesting device, it has been considered to provide a trapping section equipped with a vacuum pad for adsorbing fruits and vegetables so that fruits and vegetables can be accurately captured with a simple configuration.

The guide is automatically guided based on the information of the imaging means, but conventionally, as shown in FIG.
is once guided to a location below the fruits and vegetables to be harvested (52), and then the trapping part (51) is moved upward toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the trapping section is once guided to a location below the target fruits and vegetables, and then the trapping section is moved upward to trap the target fruits and vegetables. This has the disadvantage that it is difficult to carry out harvesting work efficiently because it cannot be moved anywhere.

In addition, when another fruit vegetable is located below the fruit vegetables to be harvested, the movement of the trapping part is obstructed by the other fruit vegetable, making it impossible to guide the trapping part as specified. There was also a risk that it would disappear.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to enable a fruit trapping section equipped with a vacuum pad to be efficiently and appropriately guided to fruits and vegetables to be harvested. be.

[Solve the problem. means for

The characteristic structure of the fruit and vegetable harvesting device according to the present invention is that it is provided with a capturing section equipped with a vacuum pad for adsorbing fruits and vegetables, and is provided with an imaging means for taking an image of the fruits and vegetables to be harvested, and based on the information of the imaging means. The device is provided with a trap guiding means that automatically guides the trap toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested while the suction port of the Baquième pad is directed toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested, and its functions and effects are as follows. That's right.

[For production]

That is, with the suction port of the vacuum pad facing toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested, the catching section is guided directly toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested to perform the harvesting operation.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, compared to the conventional method in which the trapping section is once guided to the lower part of the fruits and vegetables to be harvested and then moved upward, the trapping section can be moved to the fruits and vegetables to be harvested more efficiently, and the trapping section can be moved to the fruits and vegetables to be harvested more efficiently. Even if there are other fruits and vegetables located on the lower side, it is possible to harvest them accurately without being obstructed by the other fruits and vegetables. It has become possible to perform good harvesting work while avoiding as much as possible.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, practical examples of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fruit harvesting device (2) is provided at the front of the passenger vehicle body +11, a fruit storage container (3) is provided on the side of the passenger vehicle body (1), and a fruit harvesting device (2) is provided at the side of the passenger vehicle body (1). ) is provided with a conveying device (4) for conveying the fruits from the container (3) to a storage container (3), and constitutes a fruit harvesting machine mainly used for harvesting apples and mandarin oranges.The fruit harvesting device (2) will be described in detail below. do.

A guide frame (6) is attached to the front part of the passenger vehicle body (1) to guide the boom mount (6) in a vertically movable manner, and an electric motor for lifting (7) and the boom mount (6) are connected to each other. The zoom mount (6) is connected by a chain (8) so that the zoom mount (6) can be adjusted up and down.

A plate-shaped boom (9) is pivotally attached to the boom mounting base (5) so as to be horizontally swingable around a vertical axis (Pl), and an electric motor (10) for swinging the boom is provided, and the boom (9) At the tip of the
A motor for rotating the arm is provided, and a fruit catching section is provided at the tip of the telescoping arm (11).

The telescoping arm (constituting one arm) includes a first arm (lla) on the proximal end side, a second arm (llb) supported by the distal end of the first arm (lla), and the second arm. The eighth arm (llc) is pivotally supported at the tip of (llb).
), and an electric motor (18a) for swinging the first arm (lla) around the horizontal axis relative to the boom (5), and an electric motor (18a) for swinging the first arm (lla) about the horizontal axis with respect to the boom (5), and an electric motor (18a) for swinging the second arm (llb) to the first arm (
An electric motor (18bJ) swings the third arm (llc) around the horizontal axis with respect to the second arm (lla).
Electric motors (18c) are provided for swinging operation around horizontal axes relative to the motors (18c).

To construct the fruit catching section I, as shown in FIGS.
A capture unit zoom (+5) is bolted to the tip of the base frame 04).

The ventilation pipe Jf9 is slidably supported by the cylindrical part (15a) of the catching part zoom 1151, and a soft rubber vacuum pad (Iη) is externally attached to the tip of the ventilation pipe Q. At the base of the ventilator, there is a branch pipe (2) for ventilation, and a flexible bellows-type hose (4) is connected to the branch pipe (2). (19) is connected to the suction pump by piping. Also, a negative pressure sensor 21) for sensing when fruit is adsorbed to the vacuum pad Oη is attached to the branch pipe.

A photosensor 4 is provided to detect when the trapping section (1) approaches the fruit to be harvested. In other words, the sensor main body (22a) that houses the light emitting part, the light receiving part, etc. is held in the branch pipe (181), and the light emitting and receiving light 7-eyeper group (22b) is delivered from the sensor main body (22a). passes through the inside of the ventilation pipe (33) and extends into the inside of the vacuum pad Oη, and the extending end is connected to the holder (
At (c), it is supported by the cuum pad Oη.

An air cylinder 124) for moving the vacuum pad Oη in and out is interposed between the trapping part case (X61 and the ventilation pipe steel. In other words, the trapping part is guided towards the fruit to be harvested as described below. When doing so, use the vacuum pad αη
to the protruding side, and then move the vacuum pad O″7i
After the fruit has been absorbed by the vacuum pad u, as described below.
This is done so that i is operated to the retirement side.

A stalk cutting device is provided which includes a clipper-type cutter 4 having an arc shape and a band plate shape and a stalk support member having an arc shape and a band plate shape.

In other words, each of the ends of the clipper-type cutter and the stem support member is movable up and down around the coaxial center of the catching boom t1.
5), and is provided with an electric motor that swings up and down the clipper type cutter and the stem support member (4), and an air cylinder (C) for W and # of the clipper type cutter (C). The cutter 4 supports the fruit stem between the clipper type cutter 4 and the fruit stem support member (to) when the cutter 4 is raised, and the cutter 4 cuts the supported fruit stem. Although not described in detail, the clipper-type cutter and the stalk support member are interlocked and connected to the electric motor (b) via a differential mechanism, and the clipper-type cutter and the stalk support member (c) are connected. In the case where either one of the stems contacts the fruit stem first, the other side fruit stem support member - or This allows the clipper type cutter 4 to be operated in an upright position.

Also, an example of a limit switch for detecting completion of standing operation, and
A limit switch υ for detecting the completion of the retirement operation is provided to be operated by six protrusions attached to the input gear (29A) of the differential mechanism (33).

As shown in FIG. 1, a television camera as an imaging means for photographing fruits to be harvested is provided inside the telescopic arm (the first arm (lla) in the river). Range, passenger car body (1)
The settings are made by moving the boom mounting base (5) up and down, horizontally swinging the zoom (9), and horizontally swinging the telescopic arm (11) relative to the boom (9) and back and forth.

As shown in FIG. 4, a control device diagram configured using a microcomputer includes imaging information of the television camera 1331, detection information of the 7 otosenpu, detection information of the negative pressure sensor circle, and information for detecting the completion of the standing operation. Nori mint switch (
Detection information of 30) and limit switch for detecting completion of retirement operation are input, and based on these information and previously stored information, the telescopic arm drive motor (13a), ( L3b), (18c) operating circuit 3-, electric morph control circuit for raising and lowering the clipper-type cutter (to) and the stem support member, control valve port for the air cylinder μs for operating the clipper-type cutter μs η
, the opening of the control valve for the air cylinder for moving in and out of the vacuum pad aη, and the control valve for the vacuum pad 0η are given various operation types from the control device @, and the trapping part I is Guidance to the fruit to be harvested and harvesting of the fruit to be harvested are automatically performed. That is, using the control device I, as shown in FIG. Acquisition F that automatically guides towards! A trapping unit driving means is configured to automatically create an AS lure and a trapping unit that is specialized in fat to cut and harvest the stems of the fruit to be harvested. The means will be explained based on the 70-chart in Figure @5.

In other words, the television camera captures images of the range in which the fruit to be harvested is located, performs image processing to remove branches, leaves, etc., and extracts only the fruit to be harvested, and then performs image processing in the direction in which the extracted target fruit is located. Performance 31? , process.

Based on the calculated direction, the vacuum band (1
While maintaining the suction port of 7I facing toward the fruit to be harvested, the telescopic arm (+1) is extended and moved to approach the fruit to be harvested.

After the above-mentioned approach cropping, the detection information of the photo sensor (b) is checked, and when it is determined that the capture unit has approached the fruit to be harvested, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (lη) is started. If it is determined that B) is not approaching the fruit to be harvested, it is determined whether the approach distance is greater than or equal to the set value, and if it is determined that it is less than the set value, the approach is continued. ,and,
When it is determined that it is equal to or greater than the set value, the 77" roach is stopped, the telescopic arm (11) is shortened, and the capture unit is returned to the position before the approach.

After the suction operation of the Paquim pad (1η), the trapping part is moved forward by a set distance (for example, 30 to 50 m) toward the fruit to be harvested. Thereafter, based on the detection information of the negative pressure sensor circle, the fruit to be harvested is moved to the vacuum pad. (It is determined whether or not it is attracted to Lη, and if it is attracted as desired, the vacuum pad Oη is operated to retire, and at the same time, the capturing part (H) is moved forward along the vacuum pad egress and retraction direction. and collect the fruits to be harvested.

If the suction is not as desired, the suction operation of the vacuum band (17) is stopped, the wire drawing arm (11) is shortened, and the catching part (H) is returned to the position before the approach.

After the fruits to be harvested have been collected as described above, the clipper type cutter 4 and the stem support member side are operated to stand up. and,
Based on the detection information of the limit switch example for detecting the completion of the standing operation, it is determined whether or not the standing operation has been completed, and if it is not completed, troubles such as branches or other objects getting caught will occur. After determining that this is the case, the clipper type cutter 4 and the stem support member 126 are operated to fall down, and then the telescopic arm is shortened to return the catching part (H) to the position before the approach.

In addition, when the upright operation is completed, the suction operation of the vacuum pad Oη is stopped, and in this state, the catching section is moved back to position the clipper-type cutter on the base side of the fruit stem. After that, a clipper-type cutter (manufactured by Co., Ltd.) is driven to cut the stem. Immediately after cutting, the suction operation of the paquième padri η is started to suck the fruit after cutting the stem again, and then the clipper type cutter 4 and the stem support member 4 are operated to fall down, and the telescopic arm (11) is moved. 17' Return to the previous position, make the vacuum pad (17) protrude, then stop the U-pulling operation of the vacuum pad αη, and feed the harvested fruit to the conveying device (4).

Note: When calculating the direction in which the fruit to be harvested is located as described above, if multiple fruits are extracted based on one imaging information, the upper extracted fruit is harvested from the lower extracted fruit. The work will continue in the order specified. Therefore, each time the harvesting operation for one fruit is completed, it is determined whether or not there are any unharvested fruits, and if there are any unharvested fruits, the harvesting operation is performed according to the above-mentioned operation.

[Another example]

In carrying out the present invention, the configuration of each part can be changed in six ways, such as the specific configuration of the trapping section and the specific configuration of the telescopic arm provided for guiding the trapping section.

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

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the fruit and vegetable harvesting device according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the fruit harvesting machine, FIG. 2 is a side view of a notch of the trap, and FIG. 8 is a plan view of the notch. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control configuration, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control operation, and FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the guiding operation of the capturing section. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a conventional example. Oη...Vacuum pad, i, 331...
...Imaging means, wholesaler...Capturing unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A capturing unit (H) equipped with a vacuum pad (17) for adsorbing fruits and vegetables is provided, and an imaging means (
33), and direct the capturing part (H) toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested while the suction port of the vacuum pad (17) is directed toward the fruits and vegetables to be harvested, based on the information from the imaging means (33). A device for harvesting fruits and vegetables, which is provided with a trap guiding means that automatically guides the fruit and vegetables.