WO2022107274A1 - End effector for harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

This end effector is provided with: a rotating plate having a hollow rotation central region and a notch extending from the outer circumferential edge to the hollow part; a fixing plate disposed adjacent to the rotating plate and having a notch from the outer circumferential edge to a position for supporting a fruit stem in the hollow part of the rotating plate; a cutting blade fixed onto the rotating plate at an angle such that a blade section is perpendicular to the rotation axis; a fruit stem support unit that is connected to the fixing plate and supports a fruit stem such that the longitudinal direction of the fruit stem is perpendicular to the cutting blade; and a fruit stem pressing unit that, when the notch of the rotating plate and the notch of the fixing plate do not align with each other, presses the fruit stem to the fruit stem support unit and thereby holds the fruit stem. By rotating and stopping the rotating plate, an operation of cutting and holding the fruit stem is performed, and the rotating plate is then rotated to the position prior to the operation to harvest the fruit. Thus, the fruit stem can be suitably cut using the simple device structure.

Description

Harvesting device end effector

The present invention relates to an end effector mounted on a manipulator.

In recent years, as a device for automatically harvesting fruit vegetables, fruit trees and leafy vegetables, a device has been proposed in which a manipulator equipped with an end effector at the tip is moved and swiveled to perform a harvesting approach, and the end effector at the tip cuts the fruit stalk for harvesting. Has been done.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes an end effector that slides and drives a U-shaped fruit-picking plate in a plan view for cutting fruit stalks for fruits and vegetables gripped by the left and right grip plates.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes an end effector that cuts the fruit stalk by bringing the fruit-collecting scissors close to the fruit stalk and grips the fruit stalk with a lower blade for holding the fruit stalk attached to the lower side of the fruit-picking scissors. Has been done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-215906 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-180554

As a conventional method of cutting a fruit pattern, there is a method of sliding a plate-shaped blade to cut the fruit pattern, but since the fruit pattern to be cut is pressed by the blade at the time of cutting, the displacement of the position of the fruit pattern is suppressed. Since the gripping means is required and the gripping means and the cutting means need to be linked and controlled, there is a problem that the device configuration becomes complicated.

Further, as a conventional method of cutting the fruit stalk, there is a method of cutting the fruit stalk with a fruit-collecting scissors, but the fruit stalk to be cut is pressed by a set of two blades that rotate at the time of cutting, and the diameter of the rotation shaft. Since the force to push the stalk outward is applied, the position of the stalk may be displaced during cutting depending on the hardness of the stalk, which may result in a poor cut surface or inability to cut reliably. rice field.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is a simple device configuration, in which the stem of a leafy vegetable or the fruit stalk of a fruit vegetable or the fruit stalk of a fruit tree is pressed by a cutting blade and displaced during cutting. It is an object of the present invention to provide an end effector which can suppress the operation and can be appropriately cut.

An end effector with a cutting blade that cuts the stems of leafy vegetables or the stalks of fruit vegetables, or the stalks of fruit trees. With a rotating plate,
A fixed plate, which is adjacent to the rotating plate and has a notch from the outer peripheral edge to a position supporting the fruit handle of the hollow portion of the rotating plate.
The cutting blade fixed on the rotating plate at an angle where the blade is perpendicular to the axis of rotation,
A peduncle support part that supports the peduncle so that the longitudinal direction of the peduncle is perpendicular to the cutting blade, which is connected to the fixed plate.
When the notch of the rotating plate and the notch of the fixed plate are not aligned, the fruit handle supporting portion is provided with a fruit handle pressing portion that presses and grips the fruit handle.

It is provided with a fruit handle support portion connected to the fixed plate through a region where the cutting blade near the center of rotation of the rotating plate does not move.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an end effector provided with a fruit pattern cutting means capable of appropriately cutting a leafy vegetable stem, a fruit pattern of a fruit vegetable, or a fruit pattern of a fruit tree with a simple device configuration.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an end effector according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an end effector viewed from a direction different from that of FIG. FIG. 3A is a schematic view showing a state before the cutting operation. FIG. 3B is a schematic view showing the operation of the cutting blade to cut the fruit stalk. FIG. 3C is a schematic view showing an operation in which the cutting blade moves to a position before the operation. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a range in which the blade portion of the cutting blade moves in the hollow portion of the rotary plate. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an operation at the time of cutting the fruit stalk. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a state when the cut fruit stalk is grasped and the fruit is transported. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a state when the grip of the cut fruit stalk is released. FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an end effector provided with a second cutting blade. FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the position of the cutting blade of the end effector provided with the second cutting blade. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a cutting blade and a fruit handle support portion of an end effector provided with a second cutting blade. FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an end effector provided with a fruit handle pressing portion that rotates to press the fruit handle.

A fixed plate 4 and a fixed plate are used as a swivel means for rotating and moving the cutting blade 2 for cutting the stem of a leafy vegetable, the fruit stalk of a fruit vegetable, or the fruit stalk of a fruit tree in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the fruit stalk. 4 and a rotating plate 3 having a hollow rotation central region arranged adjacent to the 4 are provided, and the rotating plate 3 is rotationally driven by using a motor 7.

The cutting blade 2 is a thin plate-shaped blade, and the blade portion of the cutting blade 2 is fixed on the rotating plate 3 at an angle perpendicular to the rotation axis.

The rotating plate 3 is provided with a notch for inserting and removing the fruit stalk 1 from the outer peripheral edge to the hollow portion in the central region. Further, the fixed plate 4 arranged adjacent to the rotating plate 3 is provided with a notch for inserting and removing the fruit handle from the outer peripheral edge into the moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotating plate. In a state where the notch of the rotary plate 3 and the notch of the rotary plate 3 are aligned, the fruit handle 1 is inserted and removed into the region 9 in which the blade portion of the cutting blade in the hollow portion of the rotary plate 3 moves. The cutting blade 2 is fixed to the rotating plate 3 at a position that does not interfere with the insertion and removal of the fruit handle when the fruit handle 1 is inserted and removed with the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 aligned. ..

The fruit stalk support portion 5 is provided in connection with the fixing plate 4 so as to support the fruit stalk so that the longitudinal direction of the fruit stalk is perpendicular to the cutting blade 2. The fruit handle support portion 5 has a U-shaped recess that supports the fruit handle 1 in the moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotary plate so that the fruit handle axis is parallel to the rotation center axis of the rotary plate 3. Be prepared. The fruit handle support portion 5 is provided so as to support the fruit handle 1 at a position close to the rotational movement surface of the cutting blade 2 when the cutting blade 2 pushes through the fruit handle 1.

The fruit stalk pressing portion 10 is provided so as to press and hold the fruit stalk of the fruit to be harvested on the fruit stalk support portion 5 when the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are not aligned. There is. Further, the fruit handle pressing portion 10 is provided so as not to press the fruit handle when the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned.

The rotating plate 3 is rotationally driven by a motor in response to a signal from the harvesting device.

The operation of the end effector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

An end effector attached to the tip of a manipulator of a harvesting device equipped with a fruit handle cutting means and a fruit handle gripping means shown in FIG. 1, in which the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned. By moving and turning, the fruit handle 1 is directed from the notch on the outer peripheral edge into the moving region 9 of the cutting blade part of the hollow portion of the rotary plate so that the fruit handle support portion 5 is on the fruit side from the cutting position of the cutting blade 2. The fruit stalk is held in the fruit stalk support portion 5 so that the longitudinal direction of the fruit stalk is perpendicular to the cutting blade 2 and the position where the fruit stalk 1 is cut is the rotational movement surface of the cutting blade 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, in response to a signal from the harvesting device, the rotating plate 3 is driven by the belt 6 by the driving force of the motor 7 to rotate the rotating plate 3. By rotating the rotary plate 3, the fruit handle pressing portion 10 presses and grips the fruit handle against the fruit handle support portion 5, while the cutting blade 2 provided on the rotary plate 3 cuts the fruit handle 1. The fruit stalk pressing portion 10 presses the stalk and stops the rotation of the rotating plate 3 while maintaining the gripped state, and the end effector is moved and swiveled by the manipulator to harvest the fruit up to the position above the harvest basket where the fruit is released. After transporting, the rotary plate 3 is rotated to a position where the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotary plate 3 are aligned at the same position as before the start of operation, the fruit stalk is released, and the fruit is dropped and harvested. ..

As described above, the fruit stalk 1 is inserted from the notch on the outer peripheral edge of the fixed plate 3 toward the moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotating plate, and the fruit stalk 1 is held on the fruit stalk support portion 5. In response to the signal from the harvesting device, the rotating plate 3 is rotated so that the cutting blade 2 cuts the fruit stalk and grips the fruit stalk, stops the rotation, and transports the fruit to the harvest basket in the gripped state. By rotating until the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned, the pressing of the fruit stalk is released and the fruit is separated and harvested. In this harvesting method in which the fruit stalk is grasped and transported, the quality of the fruit can be expected to be improved because the fruit does not come into contact with the fruit in the process from the collection of the fruit to the transportation to the harvest basket.

The operation of cutting the fruit stalk will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A shows the state of the cutting blade before the fruit handle cutting operation. The fruit stalk 1 is held on the fruit stalk support portion 5 by a manipulator in a state where the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned.

FIG. 3B shows an operation of cutting and gripping a fruit handle with a cutting blade. The rotating plate 3 rotates in the direction of rotation 8 to cut the fruit stalk 1. At this time, while rotating the cutting blade 2 provided on the rotary plate 3, the cutting blade 2 is used to diagonally push the fruit handle 1 supported by the fruit handle supporting portion 5 to slide the cutting blade as in the conventional case. Compared with the method of moving and pushing the fruit stalk, the displacement of the position of the fruit stalk is suppressed, and the fruit stalk can be suitably cut with a small force. Further, when the rotation is stopped without rotating to the position where the notch of the rotating plate 3 and the notch of the fixed plate are aligned, the fruit handle pressing portion provided on the rotating plate 3 and the fruit handle support portion 5 provide the fruit side. By pressing the fruit stalk 1, the fruit harvested by the end effector is gripped even after the fruit stalk is cut.

FIG. 3 (c) shows the operation of the cutting blade returning to the position before the start of the cutting operation. The cutting blade 2 that has cut the fruit stalk 1 moves by rotating the rotating plate 3 in the direction of rotation 8, moves to the position before starting the rotation shown in FIG. 3A, and stops. At this time, the pressing force on the fruit stalk by the fruit stalk pressing portion 10 is released, and the fruit is separated from the end effector and harvested.

When the rotating plate 3 rotates about half a turn and stops in this way, the operation of cutting the fruit stalk while grasping the fruit stalk is performed, and the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the rotating plate which are the positions before the operation from that position are performed. Harvesting is performed by rotating to the position where the notches of 3 are aligned. As a result, as compared with the case of cutting the fruit stalk by the conventional method, the displacement of the fruit stalk at the time of cutting can be suppressed by a simple mechanism, and the fruit stalk can be cut and harvested with a good cut surface.

FIG. 4 shows a moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotary plate 3. The moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotary plate 3 excludes the circular region having the shortest length as the radius from the rotation center of the rotary plate 3 to the cutting blade portion from the hollow portion region of the rotary plate 3. Is. The cutting blade 2 is provided on the rotating plate so as to push the fruit handle diagonally while rotating, and there may be a range in which the cutting blade does not move in the central region including the rotation center axis of the rotating plate. be. Therefore, the fruit stalk support portion 5 is provided so that the fruit stalk 1 is supported by the moving region 9 of the cutting blade portion of the hollow portion of the rotary plate 3 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an operation in which the rotating plate 3 rotates in the direction of rotation 8 to cut the fruit stalk 1. At this time, the fruit stalk 1 is pressed and gripped on the fruit stalk support portion 5 by the fruit stalk pressing portion 10.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the fruit stalk 1 is cut, the rotating plate is stopped while the fruit stalk 1 is gripped by the fruit stalk support portion 5 and the fruit stalk pressing portion 10, and the fruit stalk 1 is transported to the harvest basket by a manipulator. Is shown.

In FIG. 7, the rotating plate 3 rotates and stops until the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned on the harvest basket, the pressure on the fruit stalk 1 is released, and the fruit falls. It shows the state.

8, 9, and 10 show an end effector equipped with a second cutting blade. As shown in FIG. 4, the cutting blade 2 and the second cutting blade 11 are installed so as to create a region where the cutting blade does not move near the center of the rotary plate, and the cutting blade passes through the region where the cutting blade does not pass. By providing the fruit handle support portion connected to the fixed plate, the cutting blades are rotated on both sides of the fruit handle support portion 5, and the cutting blade 2 and the second cutting blade 11 are provided so that the positions and angles are different. Then, the fruit stalk can be cut at different rotation angles on both sides of the fruit stalk support portion 5.

By the above mechanism, the fruit stalk is cut by the cutting blade 2 to stop, and after being transported to the top of the harvest basket, the rotary plate 3 is rotated and the position on the fruit side from the fruit stalk support portion 5 by the second cutting blade 11. You can cut the fruit stalk with and drop the fruit to harvest. By shortening the fruit stalk of the harvested fruit, it is possible to prevent the harvested fruit from being damaged by the stalk and keep the commercial value of the fruit high.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a mechanism for gripping the fruit stalk by pressing the pressing portion that rotates in the direction of pressing the fruit stalk on the fruit stalk support portion 5 with the rotating plate 3. The method of pressing the fruit handle is arbitrary and not limited as long as it includes a fruit handle pressing portion operated by the rotating plate. For example, a fruit handle pressing portion urged to press the fruit handle by an elastic body is provided, and the fruit handle is in a state where the notch of the fixed plate 4 and the notch of the rotating plate 3 are aligned by the cam provided on the rotating plate. You may try to release the pressure on.

The present invention is not limited to each of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited.

Further, the method of transmitting the driving force is not limited to the belt, and any method can be used as long as the rotating plate can be rotationally driven and stopped. For example, it is a method using a plurality of gears.

Also, the direction of rotation of the rotating plate is not limited. It is possible to make one rotation in the same direction and move to the position where the notches of the rotating plate and the fixed plate are aligned before the start of operation, and one harvest can be performed. It is also possible to rotate and move to the position where the notches of the rotating plate and the fixed plate are aligned before the start of operation, and perform one harvest.

Further, the shape of the fruit handle support portion is not limited to the U-shape, but is arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and is not limited. For example, it has a square shape or a flat shape.

1 Fruit handle 2 Cutting blade 3 Rotating plate 4 Fixed plate 5 Fruit handle support part 6 Belt 7 Motor 8 Rotation direction 9 Rotating plate Hollow cutting blade moving area 10 Fruit handle pressing part 11 Second cutting blade

Claims (2)

An end effector with a cutting blade that cuts the stems of leafy vegetables or the stalks of fruit vegetables, or the stalks of fruit trees. With a rotating plate,
A fixed plate, which is adjacent to the rotating plate and has a notch from the outer peripheral edge to a position supporting the fruit handle of the hollow portion of the rotating plate.
The cutting blade fixed on the rotating plate at an angle where the blade is perpendicular to the axis of rotation,
A peduncle support part that supports the peduncle so that the longitudinal direction of the peduncle is perpendicular to the cutting blade, which is connected to the fixed plate.
When the notch of the rotating plate and the notch of the fixed plate are not aligned, the fruit handle pressing part that presses and grips the fruit handle against the fruit handle support part,
End effector with. The end effector according to claim 1, wherein the fruit handle support portion passes through a region near the center of rotation of the rotating plate where the cutting blade does not move and is connected to the fixed plate.

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