WO2018015842A1

WO2018015842A1 - Fruit plants lashing device

Info

Publication number: WO2018015842A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/054190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Rolla
Original assignee: Agritec S.R.L.
Priority date: 2016-07-21
Filing date: 2017-07-12
Publication date: 2018-01-25
Also published as: IT201600076613A1

Abstract

A fruit lashing device (100) comprising a handle rod (101), at least a supporting body (105) connected in a removable way to the handle rod (101), and a plurality of wands (110) connected to, or to each one of, the supporting body (105), said wands (110) acting as resonant elements having a first predetermined resonance frequency. The lashing device (100) comprises also actuation means able of generating an alternating movement of, or of each one of, the supporting body (105) with respect to the handle rod (101), said alternating movement causing a respective alternating movement of the wands (110), said alternating movement having a predetermined frequency and predetermined amplitude. The actuation means are configured for causing the alternating movement of, or of each one of, the supporting body (105) with a frequency between 45% and 98% of the first predetermined resonance frequency of the wands (110), in such a way as to oscillate the wands (110) with an increased frequency to be at least from 1.5 to 10 times greater of the oscillation amplitude received from the actuation means. The lashing device (100) also comprises a plurality of flexible linings (111), each flexible coating (111) being able to slide in a removable way on a corresponding wand (110). Fixing means (120) of the flexible linings (111) able to prevent that the flexible linings (111) move axially away from the wands (110), while the alternating movement takes place.

Description

Fruit plants lashing device

DESCRIPTION

Scope of the invention

This invention relates to a device able to shake the branches of fruit plants for harvesting small fruit, such as, for example, olives or coffee, and/or for thinning of the flowers.

Description of the prior art

Devices that shake the branches of plants for harvesting of small fruit are known, as described, for example, in EP2374345.

Another lashing device of this type, describes in EP0427170A1, foresees a hydraulic circuit managing a plurality of vibrating parts with flexible wands to which they transmit an oscillating movement, in such a way that when pushed among the branches of the plant cause the fall of the fruit. The flexibility of the wands and the oscillation of the components from which the wands extend have the result that they take an undulated shape facilitating the fall of the fruit.

The device submitted in EP0427170A1 has the disadvantage that, for obtaining the undulated shape of the wands, oscillating frequencies greater than the natural resonance frequency of the second order of the wands thereof, must be reached. This involves other values of kinetic energy which can damage and break the plant's thinnest braches and ruin also the fruit.

In addition, to reach these oscillating frequencies, the natural frequencies of the first and of the second order must precisely be overcome, by risking breaking or damaging the wands thereof.

Other lashing devices are described in EP1116432 and WO2007129207, which substantially foresee stiff wands able to operate at much lower frequencies than those of resonance of the first order of the wands. To have the necessary power sufficient to harvest the fruit, these devices must oscillate with very large amplitude, dispersing a large quantity of energy due to the high moment of the wands with respect to the support thereof. In addition, the power of the described devices in EP1116432 and WO2007129207 cannot be increased beyond a certain value, as it could damage, due to the stiffness of the wands, the plant and the fruit.

Generally, whatever the oscillation type of the wand devices known in the prior art, there is constantly the problem that, to keep a good harvesting speed, some plants can be damaged seriously. It is the case, for example, of the coffee or young olive plants.

Synthesis of the invention

It is therefore object of this invention to provide a fruit plant lashing device that allows oscillating the wands with a very high frequency without damaging the plant or the fruit to be harvested.

It is also object of this invention to provide such a lashing device that allows to lower the wands' oscillating speed so as to thin out the flowers of the plant.

It is furthermore object of this invention to provide such a lashing device which is economically competitive with the devices of the prior art.

It is still object of this invention to provide such a lashing device which allows easy maintenance.

These and other objects are reached by a lashing device of fruit plants comprising:

a handle rod;

at least a supporting body connected in a removable way to the handle rod;

a plurality of wands connected to the, or to each supporting body, said wands acting as resonant elements with a first predetermined resonance frequency;

actuation means able to generate an alternating movement of the, or of each supporting body with respect to the handle rod, said alternating movement causing a respective alternating movement to the wands, said alternating movement having a predetermined frequency and a predetermined amplitude ;

said actuation means being configured for causing the alternating movement of the, or of each one of the supporting body with a frequency between 45% and 98% of the first predetermined resonance frequency of the wands, in such a way as to oscillate the wands with an increased amplitude that it is at least from 1.5 to 10 times greater than the oscillation amplitude received from the actuation means,

the main characteristic of which is that of comprising a plurality of flexible linings, each flexible lining being able to slip in a removable way onto a corresponding wand.

and that are in addition foreseen fixing means of the flexible linings able to prevent that the flexible linings thereof move axially away from the wands, while the alternating movement takes place.

Thanks to the flexibility thereof, the linings follow adequately the undulated shape assumed by the wands, by reducing the impact of the wands on the plant and thus preventing it from excessive damages. In addition, thanks to the fixing means, the linings do not risk of being moved away axially from the wands during the alternating movement generated by the actuation means.

Particularly, the fixing means are placed alternatively :

at the end of the wands opposite to the supporting body;

at the end of the wands adjacent to the supporting body;

- at, at least an intermediate point between the ends of the wands;

- at a plurality of points chosen among the preceding .

Advantageously, each flexible lining is able to rotate relatively to a corresponding wand onto which it is slided, about a longitudinal axis Y of the wand thereof. In this way also the damages generated by brushing of the wands on the plant are reduced, since the flexible lining can rotate jointly with the plant during impact .

Particularly, each flexible lining comprises a plurality of portions free to rotate independently the one from the other about the longitudinal axis Y of the wand.

In this way the moment of inertia of the individual portions is reduced, increasing rotation of the latter when they strike by brushing the plants. In this case the fixing means must be both in the lower part and in the upper part of the wand.

Advantageously, a speed regulator of the actuation means is foreseen able to reduce the frequency of the alternating movement to cause the fall of some of the plant's flowers. In this way, only some flowers will continue growing, hence giving rise to stronger and healthier fruit.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and/or advantages of this invention will become clearer with the description that follows of one embodiment thereof, made by way of example and not limiting, with reference to the annexed drawings wherein : Figure 1 shows, in prospective, a first embodiment of the lashing device, according to this invention, wherein there are two supporting bodies placed in series;

Figure 2 shows, in side view, the embodiment of Figure 1 during the alternating movement generated by the actuation means;

Figure 3 shows, in prospective, a second embodiment of the lashing device, according to this invention, wherein there are two supporting bodies placed in parallel;

Figure 4 shows, in prospective, a third embodiment of the lashing device, according to this invention, wherein there is a cylindrical supporting body;

Figure 5 shows, in section, a first embodiment of the flexible lining and of the fixing means applied to each wand;

Figure 5A shows a detail of Figure 5;

Figure 6 shows, in section, a second embodiment of the flexible lining and of the fixing means applied to each wand;

Figure 6A shows a detail of Figure 6; Figure 7 shows, in section, a third embodiment of the flexible lining and of the fixing means applied to each wand;

- Figure 7A shows a detail of Figure 7 ;

- Figure 8 shows, in section, a fourth embodiment of the flexible lining and of the fixing means applied to each wand;

- Figure 8A shows a first detail of Figure 8;

- Figure 8B shows a second detail of Figure 8; - Figure 9 shows, in section, a first embodiment of the flexible lining and of the fixing means applied to each wand;

- Figure 9A shows a detail of Figure 9.

Description of some preferred embodiments With reference to Figures 1 and 2, in a first embodiment the lashing device 100, according to the invention, comprises a handle rod 101 and two supporting bodies 105, arranged in series and connected in a removable way to the handle rod 101. The lashing device 100 comprises in addition a plurality of wands 110 connected to the supporting bodies 105 and to the actuation means able of generating an alternating movement of the supporting bodies 105 with respect to the handle rod 101.

Particularly, the wands 110 act as resonance elements having a first predetermined resonance frequency, and the alternating movement of the actuation means cause a respective alternating movement of the wands 110 thereof, with a predetermined frequency and predetermined amplitude.

In Figures 3 and 4 are shown two variant embodiments of this invention. Particularly, the variant of Figure 3 foresees that the two supporting bodies 105 are arranged in parallel, while in the variant of Figure 4 the supporting body is cylindrical and the alternating movement takes place about a longitudinal axis.

With reference to Figures from 5 to 9A, this invention foresees that the lashing device 100 is equipped with a plurality of flexible linings, able to slide in a removable way on corresponding wands 110.

In this way are reduced the damages due to the impact of the wands 110 on the plant during the alternating movement generated by the actuation means. Particularly, the flexibility of the linings, besides allowing a total freedom of handling of the wand, it also allows to absorb part of the impact with the plant, by reducing the

possibility of breaking branches or leaves of the plant thereof .

More particularly, in Figures 5 and 5A is shown a first embodiment of the lashing device 100 wherein the fixing means 120 comprise a clamp 121 able to fix the lining 111 to the base of the wand 110.

In Figures 6 and 6A is shown a second embodiment of the lashing device 100, wherein the flexible lining 111 comprises a horizontal extension 111', in circular or square section, and wherein the fixing means 120 comprise a stiff clamp 122 able to press the horizontal extension 111' in order to fix the lining 111 to the base of the wand 110. The clamp 122 is furthermore adjustable by means of a screw located in the hole 122' .

In Figures 7 and 7A is shown a third embodiment of the lashing device 100, wherein the fixing means 120 comprise a plug 124' glued in the upper part of the wand 110 and able to prevent the axial sliding of the lining 111 upwards. Furthermore, the wand is fixed to the base by means of a screw support 124'' that prevents the axial sliding of the lining 111 also downwards. In this embodiment, furthermore, the flexible lining 111 is able to rotate in relation to the wand 110 about longitudinal axis Y, thanks to the ring 112, which can be placed in one or more points of the wand. In this way are reduced also the damages generated by the brushing of the wands on the plant since the flexible lining can rotate jointly with the plant during impact.

In Figures 8 and 8A is shown a fourth embodiment of the lashing device 100, wherein the fixing means 120 comprise a support 123' glued in the upper part of the wand 110 and a hood 123' ' which blocks the axial sliding of the lining 111 thanks to the support 123' thereof.

Also in this embodiment the flexible lining 111 can rotate in relation to the wand 110. Furthermore, it is divided in a plurality of portions 111a, 111b, 111c, llld, llle which can rotate independently among them. In this way the inertia of the individual portions with respect to the complete lining is reduced by increasing the rotation of the latter when they brush against the plants. Also in this embodiment the relative sliding between lining 111 and wand 110 can be made through rings 112 placed at each portion 111a, 111b, 111c, llld, llle.

In both embodiments wherein there is relative rotation between lining 111 and wand 110, the fixing means 120 must prevent only the axial sliding, and not the rotation, and therefore they cannot function by friction, but rather act as a plug both in the lower part and in the upper part.

In Figures 9 and 9A is shown a fifth embodiment of the lashing device 100, wherein the fixing means 120 comprise a plurality of fixing steps 125 able to slide in grooves 113 arranged in the flexible lining 111 so as to prevent the axial sliding of the lining 111 both upwards and downwards. In a possible variant embodiment, there is a fixing step 125, possibly of greater length.

The above description of some specific embodiments can show the invention from a conceptual point of view so that others, by using the known prior art, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications this specific embodiment without any further researches and without departing from the inventive concept, and, therefore it is intended that these adaptations and modifications will be considered as equivalent of the specific embodiment. The means and the materials for producing the various described functions can be of various natures without consequently departing from the object of the invention. It is intended that the expressions or the terminology used have a merely descriptive scope and therefore not limiting.

Claims

A fruit lashing device (100) comprising:

- a handle rod (101);

- at least a supporting body (105) connected in a removable way to said handle rod (101);

- a plurality of wands (110) connected to said, or to each one of the supporting body (105), said wands (110) acting as resonant elements having a first predetermined resonance frequency;

actuation means able of generating an alternating movement of said, or of each one of the supporting body (105) with respect to said handle rod (101), said alternating movement causing a respective alternating movement of said wands (110), said alternating movement having a predetermined frequency and a predetermined amplitude;

said actuation means being configured for causing the alternating movement of said, or of each one of the supporting body (105) with a frequency between 45% and 98% of said first predetermined resonance frequency of said wands (110), in such a way as to oscillate said wands (110) with an increased amplitude that it is at least from 1.5 to 10 times greater than the oscillation amplitude received from said actuation means ,

said lashing device (100) being characterised in that it comprises a plurality of flexible linings (111), each flexible lining (111) being able to slide in a removable way on a corresponding wand (110) of said plurality,

and in that in addition are foreseen fixing means (120) of said flexible linings (111) able to prevent that said flexible linings (111) move axially away from said wands (110), while the alternating movement takes place.

2. The lashing device (100), according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means (120) are placed alternatively :

- at the end of said wands (110) opposite to said supporting body (105) ;

- at the end of said wands (110) adjacent to said supporting body (105) ; - at, at least an intermediate point between the ends of said wands (110);

- at a plurality of points chosen among the preceding .

The lashing device (100), according to claim 1, wherein each flexible lining (111) is able to rotate relatively to a corresponding wand (110) on which said flexible lining (111) has slid about a longitudinal axis Y of said wand (110) .

The lashing device (100), according to claim 3, wherein each flexible lining (111) comprises a plurality of portions free to rotate independently from one another about said longitudinal axis Y of said wand (110) .

The lashing device (100), according to claim 1, wherein is foreseen a speed regulator of said actuation means able to reduce the frequency of said alternating movement to cause the fall of some flowers of the plant.