WO2021171919A1

WO2021171919A1 - Harvesting device and harvesting method

Info

Publication number: WO2021171919A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/003572
Authority: WO
Inventors: 宇佐美　由久; 正裕北島
Original assignee: 株式会社ファームシップ
Priority date: 2020-02-27
Filing date: 2021-02-01
Publication date: 2021-09-02
Also published as: JPWO2021171919A1

Abstract

Provided are a harvesting device and a harvesting method with which crops can be more simply and safely harvested than prior arts.　This harvesting device has: a laser light-emitting unit that emits laser light; and a movement unit that moves a plurality of crops relative to the laser light, wherein the plurality of crops are each cut by the laser light by applying the laser light to a cutting location of each of the plurality of crops that move relative to the laser light.

Description

Harvesting equipment and harvesting method

The present invention relates to a harvesting apparatus and a harvesting method for harvesting cultivated products.

When harvesting cultivated products such as agricultural products, it is common to cut the cultivated products using a knife such as a cutter or scissors (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The device described in Patent Document 1 is a device for sequentially cutting a plurality of leafy vegetables grown in a tray to harvest stems and leaves, and mechanically moves a cutting blade in the planting direction to produce leafy vegetables. It cuts the root side.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-152785

When cutting a cultivated product with a blade, for example, the cutting edge of the blade is brought into contact with the cut portion of the cultivated product. If the cutting edge is dull at this time, it becomes difficult to cut the cultivated material smoothly, and it takes time to harvest the cultivated product.
In addition, if the cultivated crop to be harvested is sick, the cutlery that comes into contact with the cultivated product may be contaminated by bacteria, etc. possessed by the cultivated product, which is safe (hygienic). There's a problem. In addition, bacteria and the like attached to the blade may be transferred to other cultivated products via the blade, and the disease may be transmitted to the other cultivated products. These problems tend to be especially apparent when multiple cultivated crops are harvested at once.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to solve the following object.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a harvesting apparatus and a harvesting method capable of harvesting a cultivated product more easily and safely than before.

In order to achieve the above object, the harvesting apparatus of the present invention has a stationary laser beam emitting unit that emits a laser beam and a moving unit that moves a plurality of cultivated plants relative to the laser beam. It is characterized in that each of a plurality of cultivated plants is cut by the laser beam by irradiating the cutting points of the plurality of cultivated plants that have and move relative to the laser beam with the laser beam.

With the harvesting device configured as described above, a plurality of cultivated plants can be efficiently and smoothly cut by the laser beam. In addition, when the cultivated product is touched like a knife, it is not contaminated by bacteria derived from the cultivated product, and the infection of the disease to other cultivated products caused by the contamination can be avoided.

In addition, the moving unit moves a plurality of cultivated plants relative to the laser beam in the first direction, and is a cultivated product composed of two or more cultivated plants arranged along the second direction intersecting the first direction. A plurality of columns may be arranged along the first direction. In this case, it is preferable that the laser beam emitting unit emits the laser beam in a state where the traveling direction of the laser beam is tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction.
With the above configuration, the laser beam can be applied to each of the plurality of cultivated plants in an appropriate order, so that the plurality of cultivated plants can be appropriately cut.

Further, the laser beam emitting unit tilts the traveling direction of the laser beam with respect to the first direction and the second direction so that the laser beam first hits the cultivated material farther from the laser beam emitting unit in one cultivation row. It is preferable to emit the laser beam in the state of being in the state.
With the above configuration, in the traveling direction of the laser beam, the laser beam hits the cultivated material on the far side first, so that each of the plurality of cultivated plants can be cut in a more appropriate order.

Further, it is preferable that a stopper member for stopping the progress of the laser light is arranged at a position deeper than the plurality of cultivated plants in the traveling direction of the laser light.
With the above configuration, by stopping the straight-ahead laser beam at the back side of the cultivated product, it is possible to prevent the laser beam from reaching the back side of the position and irradiating the surrounding members.

Further, it is preferable that the laser light emitting unit is provided with a laser beam emitting port and is provided with a dirt suppressing unit for suppressing dirt on the emitting port.
With the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the contamination of the laser beam emission port and maintain a good laser beam emission state (for example, emission intensity).

Further, a plurality of cultivated plants are supported by the support, each cut portion of the plurality of cultivated plants is located above the upper surface of the support, and the laser beam emitting portion is located above the support along the upper surface of the support. You may emit a laser beam that travels straight ahead. In this case, the moving unit may move a plurality of cultivated products with respect to the laser beam by moving the support.
With the above configuration, by moving the support, a plurality of cultivated plants can be sequentially cut by the laser beam.

Further, a plurality of cultivated plants are supported by the support, each cut portion of the plurality of cultivated plants is located above the upper surface of the support, and the laser beam emitting portion travels straight along the support above the support. The laser beam may be emitted. In this case, when the moving portion moves a plurality of cultivated products with respect to the laser beam, it is preferable that the posture of the support is such that the normal direction of the upper surface of the support is tilted with respect to the vertical direction. be.
With the above configuration, the cut cultivated product can be rolled in a predetermined direction (inclination direction of the support) and guided to a position where the laser beam does not hit, for example.

Further, when cutting each of the plurality of cultivated plants with the laser beam, it is preferable that a light-shielding body for blocking the laser beam is provided outside the space where the plurality of cultivated plants exist.
With the above configuration, it is possible to block the laser beam traveling toward the outside of the harvesting apparatus (for example, the place where the worker is).

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the harvesting method of the present invention, a plurality of cultivated plants are relatively moved with respect to the laser beam emitted from the stationary laser emitting unit, and a plurality of crops are moved. By irradiating each cutting portion of the cultivated product with a laser beam, each of the plurality of cultivated products is cut by the laser beam.
According to the above method, the cultivated product can be harvested easily and safely by using the laser beam.

According to the present invention, it is possible to harvest a cultivated product easily and safely by cutting a plurality of cultivated products with a laser beam.

It is a top view of the support in the state where a plurality of cultivated products are supported. It is a figure which shows the II cross section of FIG. It is a perspective view of a harvesting apparatus. It is a side view of a harvesting apparatus. It is a top view of the harvesting apparatus. It is a front view of a harvesting apparatus. It is a figure which shows the blackout curtain. It is a figure which shows how the cultivated thing which a laser beam hits changes (the 1). It is a figure which shows how the cultivated thing which a laser beam hits changes (the 2). It is explanatory drawing of the trouble when the laser beam is emitted along the cultivated row. It is a figure which shows the posture of the support at the time of cutting a cultivated thing by a laser beam. It is a figure which shows the state of cutting the cultivated thing supported by the support which concerns on a modification by a laser beam. It is a figure which shows the variation of a shading body.

The harvesting apparatus and harvesting method according to the embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments described below are examples for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiments described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Also, of course, the present invention includes an equivalent thereof.

In the present specification, the numerical range represented by using "-" means a range including the numerical values before and after "-" as the lower limit value and the upper limit value.
Further, in the present specification, "along" may include a state in which they are parallel to each other and a state in which they are tilted by a slight angle (for example, an angle larger than 0 degrees and 10 degrees or less) from the parallel. Further, in the present specification, "crossing" means a state in which they intersect each other at a predetermined angle (for example, an angle of 20 degrees or more), and may include a state in which they are orthogonal to each other.

In addition, the position (particularly, up / down and front / back) and orientation of each part referred to in the following description shall be the position and orientation under normal use conditions.
Further, in the drawings referred to in the following description, for convenience of illustration, a part thereof may be simplified and illustrated. For example, the cultivated vegetable P described later is simplified and represented by a sphere, and the cultivated vegetable is represented by a sphere. The root part of P is omitted.

[About the support]
In explaining the harvesting apparatus and the harvesting method according to the present embodiment, the support supporting the cultivated product will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the present embodiment, the pre-harvest (that is, during cultivation) and harvest cultivated products are supported by the tray 30, which is an example of the support. The tray 30 is used, for example, in a plant factory for cultivating cultivated vegetables (corresponding to an example of cultivated vegetables). The cultivated vegetables are not particularly limited, but the types of vegetables suitable for cultivation in a plant factory are preferable, and examples thereof include lettuce, spinach, Japanese mustard spinach, chingen greens, arugula, baby leaf, ice plant and other leafy vegetables. Can be mentioned.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tray 30 is composed of a flat plate formed into a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and can simultaneously support a plurality of cultivated vegetables (for example, several to several tens of strains). .. The tray 30 is provided with a plurality of support holes 31, and the plurality of support holes 31 are provided at equal intervals in each of the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction of the tray 30. As shown in FIG. 2, a medium 32 made of a sponge or the like is fitted in each of the support holes 31.

After the seeds of cultivated vegetables are embedded in each medium 32 at the start of cultivation, the tray 30 is floated in a nutrient solution pool (not shown). After that, when the seeds germinate and the cultivated vegetables grow, the roots of the cultivated plants are exposed from the lower part of the medium 32 and are immersed in the nutrient solution. On the other hand, above the medium 32, the leaf stem of the cultivated product grows and the edible portion grows. When the cultivated product grows to a harvestable size, the tray 30 is removed from the nutrient solution pool, and a plurality of cultivated vegetables supported by the tray 30 are harvested by the harvesting apparatus. Specifically, each of the plurality of cultivated vegetables is cut at each cutting point and removed from the tray 30. Here, the cut portion of the cultivated vegetable is located above the upper surface of the tray 30, for example, slightly above the upper end of the medium 32.

The support positions of the plurality of cultivated vegetables (that is, the formation positions of the support holes 31) on the tray 30 will be described in detail. In the following, the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction of the tray 30 will be simply referred to as the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction. The lateral direction and the longitudinal direction are directions orthogonal to each other.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cultivated vegetables are supported by the tray 30 in a state of being lined up side by side in the lateral direction. In the case shown in FIG. 1, two cultivated vegetables P form a row R in the lateral direction. This row R corresponds to a cultivated row, and a plurality of rows R are arranged in the longitudinal direction. The number of cultivated vegetables P lined up in each row R is not particularly limited, and may be 3 or more.

In the case shown in FIG. 1, each cultivated vegetable P is arranged in a staggered pattern in the lateral direction between two rows R adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each cultivated vegetable P may be arranged at the same position in the lateral direction between two rows R adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction.
Further, the arrangement positions of the cultivated vegetables P in the lateral direction are aligned between the odd-numbered rows R counting from one end side in the longitudinal direction, and similarly, among the even-numbered rows R, the arrangement positions of the cultivated vegetables P are aligned. The arrangement positions of the cultivated vegetables P are aligned. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the arrangement positions of the cultivated vegetables P in the lateral direction may be different between the odd-numbered rows R and the even-numbered rows R.

[Structure of harvesting device]
The harvesting device of the present embodiment (hereinafter, harvesting device 10) is used, for example, in a plant factory to harvest a plurality of cultivated vegetables P that have grown to an appropriate size while being supported by a tray 30. The harvesting device 10 can sequentially cut and harvest a plurality of cultivated vegetables P on the tray 30 by a laser beam.
The harvesting device 10 can also be used when harvesting vegetables and the like at a place other than the plant factory.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the harvesting apparatus 10 includes a laser beam emitting unit 12 that emits a laser beam and a moving unit that moves a plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 relative to the laser beam. Has 20 and.
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a stopper member 16 that stops the progress of the laser beam, a stain suppressing portion 18 that suppresses the contamination of the laser beam emission port 12a, and a light-shielding body that blocks the laser beam. 22 and are provided in the harvesting apparatus 10.

The laser light emitting unit 12 is composed of a known laser light irradiating device (for example, a known laser cutter or the like), includes a planar exit port 12a as shown in FIG. 3, and has a beam-shaped laser beam from the emission port 12a. Fire. Examples of the laser beam include carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) laser, fiber laser, YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Galvalume) laser, and YVO (Yttrium Vanadate) laser.

As shown in FIG. 6, the laser beam emitting unit 12 emits a laser beam traveling straight along the upper surface of the tray 30 above the tray 30 supporting the plurality of cultivated vegetables P. At this time, the emission position of the laser beam (that is, the set position of the emission port 12a) is set to be located at the same height as the cutting portion of the cultivated vegetable P supported by the tray 30 in the vertical direction.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a stain suppressing portion 18 is arranged at a position in front of the exit port 12a, whereby the contamination of the outlet 12a is suppressed, and the laser beam in the laser light emitting portion 12 is emitted. The emission state (for example, emission intensity) can be maintained satisfactorily. Examples of the stain suppressing unit 18 include a transmission window through which laser light is transmitted. Since deposits may adhere to the dirt suppressing portion 18, a structure that can be easily wiped or replaced is preferable.

The wavelength, power (output), beam diameter, and the like of the laser light emitted by the laser light emitting unit 12 may be set to values suitable for cutting the cultivated vegetable P. For example, the lower limit of the wavelength may be 0.2 μm, 1 μm, 5 μm or 9 μm, and the upper limit thereof may be 20 μm, 50 μm, 100 μm or 1000 μm. Regarding the power, the lower limit may be 0.01W, 0.1W, 1W or 5W, and the upper limit may be 100W, 500W, 1000W or 10000W. The lower limit of the beam diameter may be 1 μm, 10 μm, 50 μm or 100 μm, and the upper limit thereof may be 500 μm, 1000 μm or 10000 μm.

The moving unit 20 moves a plurality of cultivated vegetables P relative to the laser light while the laser light emitting unit 12 emits the laser light. Here, the direction of relative movement will be referred to as the "first direction" below.

In the present embodiment, the laser beam emitting unit 12 is a stationary type, and the moving unit 20 moves a plurality of cultivated vegetables P with respect to the laser beam emitting unit 12. Specifically, while the laser light emitting unit 12 emits the laser light, the moving unit 20 moves the tray 30 supporting the plurality of cultivated vegetables P with respect to the laser light. As a result, as a result of the laser light hitting each cutting portion of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P, each of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P can be sequentially cut by the laser light.

Here, the direction in which the moving portion 20 moves the tray 30, that is, the first direction will be described. In the present embodiment, the moving portion 20 moves the tray 30 along the longitudinal direction. That is, in the present embodiment, the first direction is along the longitudinal direction, and in the tray 30, two or more cultivated vegetables P are lined up along the lateral direction to form a row R (cultivated row), and the row R is formed. Are arranged in plurality along the first direction. Here, the lateral direction corresponds to the "second direction" that intersects (strictly speaking, orthogonally) with the first direction.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the moving portion 20 is trayed in a state where the traveling direction of the laser beam is inclined with respect to the direction of the row R of the cultivated vegetables P, that is, the lateral direction (second direction). Move 30. In other words, the laser beam emitting unit 12 emits the laser beam in a state where the traveling direction of the laser beam is tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction. More specifically, the traveling direction of the laser beam is tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction so that the laser beam first hits the cultivated vegetable P farther from the laser beam emitting unit 12 in one row R. This point will be described in detail in the section "Harvesting method according to this embodiment".

Returning to the description of the configuration of the moving portion 20, the moving portion 20 of the present embodiment is configured by a roller or a belt conveyor, and operates in a state where the tray 30 supporting the plurality of cultivated vegetables P is placed on the moving portion 20. By doing so, the plurality of cultivated vegetables P are moved in the first direction. Further, the operation of the moving unit 20 may be performed by an electric motor such as a motor, or may be manually performed by an operator or the like.

Further, in the present invention, a plurality of cultivated vegetables P are moved with respect to the laser beam emitting unit 12. On the other hand, although different from the present invention, as in the so-called floodbed type, the laser beam emitting unit 12 is a head that can move straight ahead, and the moving unit 20 moves the laser light emitting unit 12 in a straight line to move a plurality of heads. It may be moved relative to the cultivated vegetable P. That is, the laser beam may be scanned in a certain direction. Further, as in the so-called galvano type, when the laser light emitting unit 12 includes a fixed head and a movable mirror, and the laser light emitted from the head is reflected by the mirror, the moving unit 20 , The laser light may be moved relative to the plurality of cultivated vegetables P by moving the mirror.

The stopper member 16 stops the laser beam at a position opposite to the laser beam emitting portion 12 with the moving tray 30 interposed therebetween. In other words, the stopper member 16 is arranged at a position behind the plurality of cultivated vegetables P in the traveling direction of the laser beam, receives the laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit 12, and is located behind the laser beam. Blocks the progress of the laser beam to. As a result, it is possible to prevent the member located behind the stopper member 16 from being irradiated with the laser beam and being damaged.
As the stopper member 16, for example, a known beam stopper can be used.

The light-shielding body 22 is a so-called eye-safe, and when cutting each of a plurality of cultivated vegetables P with a laser light, the light-shielding body 22 is light-shielded so as to keep the emission range of the laser light within a predetermined range. The light-shielding body 22 of the present embodiment is a gate type or a saddle type, and is used by being placed on a table as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. The light-shielding body 22 has a pair of

vertical portions

22a and 22b standing perpendicular to the upper surface of the table, and a horizontal erection portion 22c erected horizontally on the upper ends of the

vertical portions

22a and 22b. The

vertical portions

22a and 22b and the horizontal erection portion 22c are made of a board material having a high light-shielding property (for example, a light-shielding material and a light-shielding acrylic plate).

In the moving portion 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 are surrounded by the inside of the light-shielding body 22 (that is, a pair of

vertical portions

22a and 22b and a horizontal erection portion 22c). The tray 30 is moved so as to pass through the space).
From the viewpoint of making it easier to see the tray 30 and the plurality of cultivated vegetables P that have passed through the inside of the moving portion 20, each portion of the light-shielding body 22 is preferably transparent or translucent.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a laser beam emitting portion 12 is attached to the inner wall surface of one of the vertical portions 22a. A stopper member 16 is attached to the inner wall surface of the other vertical portion 22b at the same height as the laser beam emitting portion 12. As a result, when the laser beam is emitted from the laser beam emitting unit 12, the optical path of the laser beam is covered by the light-shielding body 22. That is, when cutting each of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P with the laser beam, the shading body 22 shields the laser beam outside the space where the plurality of cultivated vegetables P exist (to be easy to understand, outside the tray 30). .. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the operator of the harvesting device 10 accidentally touches the laser beam during the emission of the laser beam.

Both ends of the light-shielding body 22 in the moving direction of the tray 30 (that is, the first direction) may be open ends, but the light-shielding body 22 may leak laser light to the outside of the light-shielding body 22. A blind-shaped blackout curtain 24 as shown in FIG. 7 may be provided at each end of the. The light-shielding curtain 24 is preferably made of a relatively thin and soft material such as a light-shielding film, and it is particularly preferable that the tray 30 is easily pushed up when passing through the light-shielding body 22.

[About the harvesting method of this embodiment]
Next, a harvesting method using the above-mentioned harvesting apparatus 10 will be described.
When the plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 are harvested by the harvesting device 10, the laser beam is emitted from the laser beam emitting unit 12 and the tray 30 is moved in the first direction by the moving unit 20. The moving portion 20 moves the tray 30 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the first direction, and eventually enters the inside of the light-shielding body 22. At this time, the tray 30 enters the inside of the light-shielding body 22 in a state where the lateral direction (that is, the second direction) is slightly inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the laser beam.

In the present embodiment, the angle between the lateral direction and the traveling direction of the laser beam is set to about 3 degrees, but this angle may be changed as appropriate. Further, a guide that regulates the moving direction of the tray 30 in the light-shielding body 22 so that the tray 30 can move in the light-shielding body 22 in a state where the lateral direction is tilted with respect to the traveling direction of the laser beam by the above angle. It is preferable that a member (not shown) is provided.

While the tray 30 is moved toward the downstream side in the light shielding body 22 by the moving unit 20, the laser light emitting unit 12 emits laser light (laser beam) from the exit port 12a. At this time, the laser beam travels straight along the upper surface of the tray 30 at a position slightly above the upper surface of the tray 30.

Then, as the tray 30 moves, the plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 move relative to the laser beam. Each of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 passes through the straight range of the laser beam, that is, between the laser beam emitting portion 12 and the stopper member 16. As a result, the laser beam hits each cutting portion of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P located above the upper surface of the tray 30, and the plurality of cultivated vegetables P are sequentially cut from the downstream side.

As described above, in the present embodiment, a plurality of cultivated vegetables P supported by the tray 30 can be efficiently and smoothly cut by using the laser beam. In addition, when the cultivated vegetable P is cut with a knife, bacteria and the like do not move through the knife, infection to other cultivated vegetables P can be suppressed, and the cultivated vegetable P can be cut more safely. Further, as a secondary effect of cutting by the laser beam, the cut portion of the cultivated vegetable P is disinfected and sterilized by being exposed to the high temperature laser beam.

Further, in the present embodiment, the laser beam emitting unit 12 emits the laser beam in a state where the traveling direction of the laser beam is tilted with respect to the moving direction (first direction) and the lateral direction (second direction) of the tray 30. do. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the traveling direction of the laser beam is tilted toward the upstream side as the distance from the laser beam emitting unit 12 increases.
As a result, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, among the plurality of cultivated vegetables P arranged in the same row R in the longitudinal direction, the laser beam first hits the cultivated vegetables P on the far side farther from the laser beam emitting unit 12. , The laser beam will later hit the cultivated vegetables P on the labor side closer to the laser beam emitting unit 12. As a result, a plurality of cultivated vegetables P arranged in the same row can be cut in a more appropriate order.

Explaining the above effect in detail, for example, if the traveling direction of the laser beam is parallel to the lateral direction of the tray 30, as shown in FIG. 9, first, the side closer to the laser beam emitting portion 12 (front side). The cultivated vegetable P on the side) is exposed to a laser beam. If the cultivated vegetable P on the front side is cut and falls to the back side, the laser beam does not hit the cultivated vegetable P located on the back side, and it is difficult to cut the cultivated vegetable P on the back side. Become.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the traveling direction of the laser beam is inclined with respect to the moving direction and the lateral direction of the tray 30, and in particular, the laser beam precedes the cultivated vegetables P on the deeper side in each row R. It is tilted to hit. That is, in one row, the cultivated vegetable P on the far side is cut first, and the cultivated vegetable P on the front side is cut later. As a result, as in the case described above, the situation in which the cultivated vegetable P on the front side is cut first and falls to the back side so that the laser beam does not hit the cultivated vegetable P on the back side is avoided, and the vegetables P are lined up in each row R. A plurality of cultivated vegetables P can be appropriately cut.

By the way, for the reason that the cut cultivated vegetable P is moved to one side of the tray 30, when the moving unit 20 moves the plurality of cultivated vegetables P relative to the laser beam, the tray 30 is shown in FIG. May be tilted. That is, the posture of the tray 30 may be a posture in which the normal direction of the upper surface of the tray 30 is tilted with respect to the vertical direction. At this time, it is preferable that the end (labor side) closer to the laser beam emitting portion 12 of both ends of the tray 30 in the lateral direction is tilted so as to be located above the end on the back side. In this case, the traveling direction of the laser beam (specifically, the mounting position of the laser beam emitting portion 12 and the stopper member 16) may be adjusted so as to be along the upper surface of the tilted tray 30.

Then, after the rear end of the tray 30 passes through the opening on the downstream side of the light-shielding body 22 and the entire tray 30 goes out of the light-shielding body 22, the cut cultivated vegetables P placed on the tray 30 are manually or robotically used. Lift with an arm. Then, when all the cultivated vegetables P on the tray 30 are harvested, the harvesting of vegetables for one tray 30 is completed.

[Other Embodiments]
Although the harvesting apparatus and the harvesting method of the present invention have been described above with specific examples, the above examples are merely examples, and other examples are also conceivable.
For example, in the above example, the flat plate type tray 30 has been described as an example of the support, but the support is not limited to the flat plate shape, and for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the shallow bottom container 33 is used. There may be. The shallow bottom container 33 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and a plurality of support holes 31 similar to the tray 30 are regularly arranged in the longitudinal direction and the rectangular direction thereof. A medium 32 is fitted in each support hole 31, and a strain of cultivated vegetable P is supported through the medium 32. Even when such a shallow bottom container 33 is used, a plurality of cultivated vegetables P in the container can be cut by scanning the laser light emitted from the laser light emitting unit 12 as shown in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the exit port 12a of the laser beam emitting unit 12 and the stopper member 16 may be arranged in the shallow bottom container 33.

Further, in the above example, the light-shielding body 22 has a gate-shaped or saddle-shaped shape, and the tray 30 is configured to pass through the light-shielding body 22 by the moving portion 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a substantially box-shaped light-shielding body (light-shielding box 26) that covers the entire tray 30 at the front, back, left, right, and above of the tray 30 may be used. That is, the tray 30 supporting the plurality of cultivated vegetables P is housed in the light-shielding box 26, and the laser beam emitting unit 12 is moved (scanned) in the light-shielding box 26 with the tray 30 standing still. As a result, each of the plurality of cultivated vegetables P can be sequentially cut in the shading box 26.

Further, when cutting the cultivated vegetable P by laser light, it is not necessary to use the light-shielding body 22 and the light-shielding box 26. When a plurality of cultivated vegetables P are cut by a laser beam without using the light-shielding body 22 and the light-shielding box 26, the plurality of cultivated vegetables P can be easily touched (accessed). Therefore, for example, the laser beam can be applied to the cut portion of the cultivated vegetable P while pressing the leaf stem of the cultivated vegetable P with a jig such as a hand or a stick.

10 Harvesting device 12 Laser light emitting part 12a Exit 16 Stopper member 18 Dirt control part 20 Moving part 22

Shading body

22a, 22b Vertical part 22c Horizontal erection part 24 Shading curtain 26 Shading box (shading body)
30 tray (support)
31 Support hole 32 Medium 33 Shallow bottom container (support)
P Cultivated vegetables (cultivated)
R row (cultivated row)

Claims

A static laser beam emitting unit that emits laser light,
It has a moving portion that moves a plurality of cultivated products relative to the laser beam, and has a moving portion.
Harvesting characterized in that each of the plurality of cultivated plants is cut by the laser beam by irradiating the cutting site of each of the plurality of cultivated plants that moves relative to the laser beam. Device.
The moving portion moves the plurality of cultivated products relative to the laser beam in the first direction.
When a plurality of cultivated rows consisting of two or more cultivated plants arranged along the second direction intersecting the first direction are arranged along the first direction, the laser beam emitting unit is the laser. The harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is emitted in a state where the traveling direction of the light is tilted with respect to the first direction and the second direction.
The laser beam emitting unit sets the traveling direction of the laser beam in the first direction and the second direction so that the laser beam first hits a cultivated product farther from the laser beam emitting unit in one of the cultivated rows. The harvesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the laser beam is emitted in a state of being tilted with respect to a direction.
The harvesting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a stopper member for stopping the progress of the laser beam is arranged at a position deeper than the plurality of cultivated plants in the traveling direction of the laser beam. ..
The laser beam emitting unit includes an outlet for the laser beam.
The harvesting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a dirt suppressing portion for suppressing dirt on the outlet is provided.
The plurality of cultivated products are supported by the support,
Each cut portion of the plurality of cultivated plants is located above the upper surface of the support.
The laser beam emitting unit emits the laser beam that travels straight above the support along the upper surface of the support.
The harvesting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the moving portion moves the plurality of cultivated products with respect to the laser beam by moving the support.
The plurality of cultivated products are supported by the support,
Each cut portion of the plurality of cultivated plants is located above the upper surface of the support.
The laser beam emitting unit emits the laser beam that travels straight along the support above the support.
A claim that the posture of the support is such that the normal direction of the upper surface of the support is tilted with respect to the vertical direction when the moving portion moves the plurality of cultivated products with respect to the laser beam. Item 8. The harvesting apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 6.
3. The harvesting apparatus according to any one item.
The plurality of cultivated plants are moved relative to the laser beam emitted from the stationary laser beam emitting unit, and the laser beam is applied to each cutting portion of the plurality of cultivated plants. A harvesting method characterized by cutting each of the cultivated products of the above by the laser beam.