JPS6291117A - Hand for harvesting fruit vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a fruit vegetable harvesting hand used in a fruit vegetable acid i device for harvesting fruit vegetables such as apples, tangerines, tomatoes, etc. This invention relates to a hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, which is equipped with a vacuum pad that sucks target fruits and vegetables, and a cutter that cuts the handle of the fruits and vegetables that are sucked to the vacuum pad.

[Conventional technology]

In this type of hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, a vacuum pad provided on the hand absorbs and captures the fruits and vegetables to be harvested, and a cutter cuts the handle of the captured fruits and vegetables. It is.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in this type of hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, since the fruit and vegetables to be harvested are suctioned and captured using a vacuum pad, the handle portion to be cut is placed in front of the suction vacuum pad. It will be in the position.

Therefore, it is necessary to configure the cutter so that the handle is cut in front of the vacuum pad that has absorbed the fruits and vegetables. If this approach is taken, there is a disadvantage that the cutter and the target fruits and vegetables collide with each other and damage the target fruits and vegetables before the vacuum pad adsorbs the target fruits and vegetables. Also, during the approach, the cutter may damage other fruits and vegetables.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent the cutter from having to approach the fruits and vegetables to be harvested every time.

Means for Solving Problem c] The characteristic configuration of the hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables according to the present invention includes a capturing position in which the vacuum pad is projected closer to the fruit and vegetables to be harvested than the cutter, and In order to switch to the handle cutting position which is retracted toward the power lid side, a drive mechanism is provided for moving the vacuum blade throat and the cutter relative to the fruit and vegetables to be harvested in the distance direction, and its operation and The effects are as follows.

[For production]

In other words, the fruit and vegetables are captured with the vacuum pad protruding toward the target fruit and vegetables than the cutter,
The cutter is prevented from colliding with the fruit vegetables during this capturing operation, and when cutting the handle of the captured fruit vegetables,
The handle can be cut without damaging the target fruits and vegetables.
In order to operate the cutter with the vacuum pad retreating toward the cutter, the vacuum pad and the cutter are moved relative to each other in the direction of distance from the fruits and vegetables to be harvested.

In other words, until the target fruits and vegetables are captured, the vacuum pad protrudes further toward the target fruits and vegetables than the cutter, and when cutting the handle, the canter protrudes further toward the target fruits and vegetables than the vacuum blade throat. The vacuum pad and cutter are moved relative to each other so that

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, when capturing target fruits and vegetables, the vacuum pad can be positioned closer to the target fruits and vegetables than the cutter, so that the cutter does not collide with and damage the target fruits and vegetables during the capture operation. In addition to being able to prevent
When cutting the stalks of the captured fruits and vegetables, the cutter can be positioned closer to the target fruits and vegetables than the vacuum pad, so that the stalks can be reliably cut without damaging the fruits and vegetables.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 6, a fruit harvesting device (2) is provided at the front of the passenger vehicle body (1), a fruit storage container (3) is provided on the side of the passenger vehicle body (1), and a fruit harvesting device is provided at the front of the passenger vehicle body (1). (2) A conveying device (
4) is installed to constitute a fruit harvesting flu mainly used for harvesting apples and tangerines.Hereinafter, the fruit harvesting device (
2) will be explained in detail.

A guide frame (6) is attached to the front part of the passenger vehicle body (1) to guide the boom mount (5) in a vertically movable manner, and a lifting electric motor (M) and the boom mount (5) are connected to each other. The boom mounting base (5) is configured to be able to be adjusted up and down by being interlocked with a chain (7).

A plate-like boom (8) is pivotally attached to the boom mounting base (5) so as to be horizontally swingable around a vertical axis (Pl), and an electric motor (M) for swinging the boom is provided.

Further, a multi-joint telescopic arm (9) is rotatably attached to the tip of the plate-like boom (8) around a vertical axis (P2), and an electric motor (M3) for rotating the arm is attached. A harvesting hand (11) is provided at the tip of the telescoping arm (9).

The telescoping arm (9) is composed of a first arm (9a) on the base end side, a second arm (9b) pivotally supported at the distal end of the first arm (9a), and the second arm (9a). (9b
), each of which is provided with a third arm (9c) that is pivotally supported at the tip of the boom (8), and which swings the first arm (9a) about the horizontal axis relative to the plate-shaped boom (8). The motor (Ma) connects the second arm (9b) to the first arm (9a
) is an electric motor (M
b), an electric motor (Mc) that swings the third arm (9c) about the horizontal axis with respect to the second arm (9b);
Each of these is provided.

Further, inside the first arm (9a), there is a fruit to be harvested (
A video camera (So) as an imaging means for imaging F)
is provided. The imaging field of view of this video camera (SO) includes the movement of the passenger vehicle body (1), the lifting and lowering of the boom mount (5), the horizontal swing of the plate-like boom (8), and the plate of the telescoping arm (9). The setting is made by horizontally swinging or back-and-forth swinging with respect to the shaped boom (8).

To configure the harvesting hand (H), as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a base frame (10) having a U-shape in plan view is bolted to the tip of the telescoping arm (9). the base frame (
10), a catching part case (11) is connected with a bolt.

Then, the ventilation pipe (12) is inserted into the trapping part case (11).
A vacuum pad (13) made of soft rubber is slidably fitted and supported in the cylindrical part (Ila) of the vent pipe (Ila).
A branch pipe (14) for ventilation is disposed on the outer surface of the tip of the vent pipe (12), and a branch pipe (14) for ventilation is disposed on the base of the vent pipe (12).
14) is connected to a flexible bellows type hose (15), and as shown in Fig. 4, the bellows type hose (15) is connected to an intake pump (16) by piping. Further, a negative pressure sensor (S,) that detects when fruit is adsorbed to the Hakyum Pasoto (page 13) is attached to the branch pipe (14).
It is attached to.

A light reflection type proximity sensor (S2) that detects when the harvesting hand ()l) approaches the target fruit within a set path of ¥4i is mounted so that its detection surface faces toward the target fruit. and is provided at the center of the opening of the vacuum pad (13). In other words, the sensor main body (17) housing the light emitting part that irradiates light toward the target fruit, the light receiving part that receives the reflected light, the circuit that processes the signal, etc. is held in the branch pipe (14). At the same time, an optical fiber cable (18) for emitting and receiving light is fed out from the sensor main body (17) and extends into the vacuum pad (13) through the inside of the ventilation pipe (12), and the extending end thereof is Attach the vacuum pad (1) to the holder (19).
3) is supported.

The air cylinder (20) that operates the vacuum pad (13) in and out is connected to the trap case (11) and the ventilation pipe (
12), and by sliding the ventilation pipe (12) in the front-back direction with respect to the cylindrical part (lla) of the trapping part case (11), the vacuum pad (13) is removed. It is designed to be operated in and out of the trap case (11). In other words, the hand (
H) When guiding as described below, operate the vacuum pad (13) to the protruding side approaching the target fruit side, and after the fruit is adsorbed to the vacuum pan (13), as described below. , the vacuum pad (13) is moved to the retirement side away from the target fruit, and a drive mechanism (to be described later) that moves the cutter (21) and vacuum pad (13) relative to the target fruit in the far and near directions. B) [
1) Yes.

The trapping case (11) includes a stem cutting device comprising a clipper-type cutter (21) having an arc shape and a band plate shape, and a stem supporting member (22) which also has an arc shape and a band plate shape. (2
3) is provided. In other words, the trapping part case (11)
In contrast, the cutter (21) and the stem support member (22
) are pivoted around the coaxial core for up-and-down swing operation,
An electric motor (M4) is provided for raising and lowering the force/slip (21) and the stem support member (22), and an air cylinder (24) for driving the cutter (21) is provided. Accordingly, the vacuum pad (13) is placed between the cutter (21) and the fruit stem support member (22).
The cutter (21) is configured to support the fruit stem adsorbed to the fruit stem, and to cut the supported fruit stem by the operation of the cutter (21). In addition, the cutter (2I) and the stem support member (2
2) is operatively connected to the electric motor (M4) for up-and-down swinging via a differential mechanism (25), and the cutter (2)
1) and the fruit stem support member (22) contact the fruit stem first, and the other side continues to operate in a state where the raising action of the side that came into contact first is stopped. This is so that you can do it.

Further, a switch (S3) for detecting the completion of the standing operation and a switch (S4) for detecting the completion of the retiring operation are connected to the protrusion (27) attached to the manual gear (26) of the differential mechanism (25). It is provided to be operated 0N10FF.

As shown in FIG. 4, a control device (28) composed of a microcomputer receives imaging information from the video camera (So), fruit detection information from the proximity sensor (s2), and fruit information from the negative pressure sensor (sl). Adsorption/adhesion detection information,
Switches (Sol), (S
4), and an electric motor (2) that operates the raising, lowering, and rocking of the harvesting device (2) based on the various kinds of detected information and information stored in advance.
M+-1'l: I) drive motor controller (29
a), an electric motor (M) for driving the telescoping arm (9);
a + M b + M c ); a motor controller (29c) that operates the electric motor (M4) for raising and lowering the cutter (21) and the stalk support member (22); , a control valve (30a) for the air cylinder (25) for operating the cutter (21), and a control valve (30b) for the air cylinder (20) for operating the vacuum pad (13).
, and a control valve (3) for the vacuum pad (13).
0c) to automatically guide the harvesting hand (H) to the fruit to be harvested and to harvest the fruit.

That is, the control device (28) guides the harvesting hand (H) toward the target fruit (F) with the suction port of the vacuum vat (13) facing toward the target fruit (F). The hunt guiding means and the harvesting hand (11) guided by the BM are automatically operated to move the fruit to be harvested (F
) for cutting and harvesting the fruit stalks.

Next, each of the above means will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

In other words, the video camera (So) captures an image of the range in which the fruit to be harvested (F) is located, and image processing is performed to remove the background such as leaves and leaves to extract image information corresponding only to the target fruit. and calculate the direction in which the extracted fruit is located.

Next, based on the calculated direction, the telescoping arm (9) is telescopically operated while maintaining the state in which the suction port of the vacuum pad (13) faces toward the fruit to be harvested, and the harvesting hand (11 ) to approach the target fruit.

After this approach operation, when it is determined that the hand (H) has approached the fruit to be harvested within a set distance based on the detection information of the proximity sensor (S2), the suction operation of the vacuum pad (13) is performed. will be started. However, even if the approach distance exceeds the set value, the proximity sensor (S
If 2) is not activated, the telescopic arm (9) is shortened, the harvesting hand (II) is returned to the approach starting position, and the approach is stopped.

After the suction operation of the vacuum pad (13), the harvesting hand (11) is moved at a set distance (for example, 30 to 50 mm).
the negative pressure sensor (
Determine whether or not the target fruit has been suctioned based on the detection information of S,), and if the target fruit has been suctioned as desired, operate the air cylinder (20) to retract the vacuum pad (13), At the same time, the harvesting hand (1) is moved forward along the direction in which the vacuum bat (13) moves in and out to bring the fruit to be harvested into the operating range of the cutter (22).

However, if the negative pressure sensor (Sl) does not operate, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (13) is stopped, the telescoping arm (9) is shortened, and the harvesting hand (11) is moved to the approach start position. Return to

After taking in the fruit to be harvested into the harvesting hand (II), the cutter (21) and the stem support member are erected toward the front side, and the erecting operation completion detection switch (s3) is activated. Based on the detection information, it is determined whether or not the standing operation has been completed. When this rising operation has been completed, the suction operation of the vacuum pad (13) is stopped, and in this state, the harvesting hand (1
1) is moved back to position the cutter (21) on the base side of the fruit stem, and then the cutter (21) is operated to cut the fruit stem. Immediately after cutting, use a vacuum pad (13
) starts the suction operation to re-adsorb the fruit after cutting the stem, and then the cutter (21) and the stem support member (22) are operated to fall down until the retirement operation completion detection switch (S4) is activated. and shorten the telescoping arm (9),
Return the harvesting hand (II) to the approach starting position,
The vacuum pad (13) is protruded and its suction operation is stopped, and the harvested fruit is transferred to the conveying device (4).
) to complete the harvesting operation for one fruit. However, if the stand-up operation completion detection switch (S3) does not operate and the stand-up operation is not completed, it will be determined that a problem has occurred such as another object being caught, and the cutter (21) and fruit stem will be removed. The support member (22) is operated to fall down until the retirement operation completion detection switch (S4) is activated, the telescoping arm (9) is shortened, and the harvesting hand (H
) to the approach start position and stop the harvesting operation.

As mentioned above, when calculating the position direction of the fruit to be harvested, if a plurality of fruits are extracted based on one imaging information G, for example, the fruits are sequentially extracted from the lower fruit to the upper part. Each time, the work is continued in order, such as picking the largest fruit, that is, the fruit closest to the harvesting hand (H).

Therefore, each time the harvesting operation for - fruits is completed, it is determined whether there are any unharvested fruits, and the above-mentioned harvesting operation is repeated until no fruit can be extracted within the range of the harvested image.

[Another example]

A drive mechanism that moves the vacuum pad (13) and cutter (21) relative to the fruits and vegetables to be harvested
To configure B), in the above embodiment, the vacuum pad (13) is moved relative to the cutter (21), but the cutter (21) is moved relative to the vacuum pad (13). You may also do so. or,
As the drive mechanism, in addition to the air cylinder (20), various actuators such as a hydraulic cylinder and an electric motor can be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the configuration of the harvesting hand in a fruit harvesting device has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to a device for harvesting vegetables such as tomatoes.

Further, in carrying out the present invention, various changes may be made to the configuration of each part, such as the specific configuration of the harvesting hand (H) and the specific configuration of the telescopic arm (9) provided for guiding.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the fruit and vegetable harvesting hand according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the harvesting hand, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 is a front view thereof, and FIG. 4 is a control diagram. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device during harvesting operation, and FIG. 6 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the fruit harvesting device. (13)...Vacuum pad, (21)...
... Cutter, (B) ... Drive mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, comprising a vacuum pad (13) for adsorbing fruits and vegetables to be harvested, and a cutter (21) for cutting the handle of the fruits and vegetables adsorbed by the vacuum pad (13), In order to switch the vacuum pad (13) between a capturing position in which the vacuum pad (13) protrudes toward the fruit and vegetables to be harvested from the cutter (21) and a handle cutting position in which the vacuum pad (13) is retracted from that position toward the cutter (21), A hand for harvesting fruits and vegetables, which is provided with a drive mechanism (B) that moves the vacuum pad (13) and cutter (21) relative to the fruits and vegetables to be harvested in the distance direction.