A coconut harvesting device and harvesting method

Abstract

This invention discloses a coconut harvesting device and method, belonging to the field of harvesting technology. The device includes a harvesting unit; the harvesting unit includes a support assembly, a track assembly, two sets of guide rail assemblies, and a harvesting component; the track assembly includes one fixed moving track and two movable moving tracks mounted on the support assembly; both the fixed and movable tracks are L-shaped track structures composed of horizontal and vertical sections; the two movable tracks can move relative to the fixed moving track; the guide rail assembly includes a semi-circular guide rail mounted on the support assembly and capable of movement; the semi-circular guide rails of the two guide rail assemblies can move to close and form a circular guide rail, and can also separate and unfold; the harvesting component can move along the semi-circular guide rail for harvesting coconuts. This invention has the advantages of high harvesting efficiency and wide applicability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of harvesting technology, and relates to a harvesting device, and more particularly to a coconut harvesting device and harvesting method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Coconut cultivation in tropical regions continues to expand; however, the shortcomings of traditional harvesting methods, particularly in terms of efficiency, are becoming increasingly apparent. When manually climbing tall coconut trees, the limited number of fruits that can be processed at a time leads to low overall efficiency, making it difficult to meet the concentrated harvesting needs of large-scale plantations. Furthermore, during peak harvest seasons, a large number of temporary workers are often needed, with labor costs accounting for a significant proportion of total planting costs. Coupled with the increasing difficulty in recruiting workers each year, these factors further exacerbate the operational pressure on plantations. Meanwhile, the traditional harvesting method also presents significant problems regarding operational safety and fruit quality. During manual climbing, workers are highly susceptible to falls due to smooth tree trunks, obstructed vision by branches and leaves, or sudden weather events; in fact, there are reports of harvester injuries and deaths every year in tropical regions. Existing coconut harvesting equipment is mostly a single ground-based robotic arm structure, which, limited by the arm length and operating radius, cannot accurately harvest the fruit at the top of tall coconut trees. Furthermore, traditional harvesting methods easily damage coconut tree branches and leaves, as well as unripe fruit, affecting the subsequent growth and yield of the coconut trees. Existing mechanical harvesting equipment lacks flexible harvesting mechanisms, resulting in a high fruit breakage rate during harvesting and reducing the commercial value of coconuts. Although some drone technology has been attempted for application in agricultural harvesting, standalone drone harvesting solutions suffer from limited load capacity, poor harvesting stability, and difficulty in grasping and lowering fruit. Moreover, they cannot form a collaborative operating system with ground equipment, leading to difficulties in the rapid transfer and collection of harvested fruit, further hindering the improvement of harvesting efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a coconut harvesting device and harvesting method to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a coconut harvesting device, comprising a harvesting unit; the harvesting unit includes a support assembly, a track assembly, two sets of guide rail assemblies, and a harvesting component; the track assembly includes a fixed movable track and two movable tracks disposed on the support assembly; both the fixed movable track and the movable tracks are L-shaped track structures composed of horizontal and vertical portions; the horizontal portions of both the fixed and movable tracks are located on the same plane; the two movable tracks are movable relative to the fixed movable track, and when the movable tracks... When the movable track moves to the point where its horizontal portion is parallel to the horizontal portion of the fixed movable track, the track assembly can move on the ground. When the movable track moves to the point where its vertical portion is opposite to the vertical portion of the fixed movable track to form an encircling structure, the track assembly can clamp onto the tree trunk and move along the tree trunk. The guide rail assembly includes a semi-circular guide rail that is disposed on the support assembly and is movable. The semi-circular guide rails of the two guide rail assemblies can be moved to close and form a circular guide rail, and can also be separated and unfolded. The harvesting assembly can move along the semi-circular guide rail for harvesting coconuts.

[0006] To optimize the above technical solution, the specific measures also include:

[0007] Furthermore, the support assembly includes a fixed support and two movable supports; the two movable supports are rotatably connected to both sides of the fixed support and are capable of rotating relative to the fixed support; the fixed movable track is fixedly mounted on the fixed support; the two movable tracks are respectively mounted on the two movable supports and are capable of rotating relative to the movable supports.

[0008] Furthermore, the non-end position of the movable support is rotatably connected to the fixed support; the movable support is equipped with a support electric push rod; one end of the support electric push rod is rotatably connected to the fixed support, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the corresponding movable support; when the support electric push rod extends or retracts, it drives the movable support to rotate relative to the fixed support; the movable track is fixed with a track shaft passing through the other end of the movable support, and is equipped with a track rotation motor; the track rotation motor is mounted on the movable support and drives the track shaft to rotate; when the track shaft rotates, it drives the movable track to rotate relative to the movable support.

[0009] Furthermore, the two sets of guide rail assemblies are symmetrically arranged; each guide rail assembly also includes a sliding frame, a transmission screw, and a transmission seat; the sliding frames of the two sets of guide rail assemblies are respectively fixed on both sides of the fixed bracket; the transmission screw is disposed inside the sliding frame and can rotate relative to the sliding frame; the transmission seat is divided into a transmission part and a support part, the transmission part is threadedly connected to the transmission screw, the support part extends out of the sliding frame and is fixed to the semi-annular guide rail, and the transmission seat abuts against the sliding frame; when the transmission screw rotates, the transmission seat moves along the sliding frame, driving the semi-annular guide rail to move.

[0010] Furthermore, the harvesting assembly includes two robotic arms, a mechanical gripper, and mechanical scissors; the robotic arms are capable of moving along the semi-circular guide rail; the mechanical gripper and the mechanical scissors are respectively installed at the output ends of the two robotic arms, the mechanical gripper is used to grip the coconut fruit, and the mechanical scissors are used to cut the coconut stem.

[0011] Furthermore, each of the robotic arms is equipped with a slider, a slider motor, and a slider gear; the slider is slidably connected to the semi-annular guide rail; the robotic arm is fixed to the slider; a semi-annular rack is fixed to the side of the semi-annular guide rail; the semi-annular racks of the two semi-annular guide rails are continuously connected; the slider motor is fixed to the slider; the slider gear is fixed to the output shaft of the slider motor and meshes with the semi-annular rack; when the slider motor drives the slider gear to rotate, it drives the slider to move on the annular guide rail.

[0012] Furthermore, the harvesting unit also includes a collection component; the collection component includes at least one hanging rod and at least one collection box; one end of the hanging rod is fixed to the support assembly; the collection box is fixed to the other end of the hanging rod.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a drone; the drone is equipped with a visual recognition module; the drone is also equipped with a connecting rod; one end of the connecting rod is fixed to the drone, and the other end is fixed with a drone electromagnet; a picking electromagnet is fixed to the end of the hanging rod; multiple armature blocks are fixed to the outside of the collection box, which are used to attract and fix to the drone electromagnet and the picking electromagnet respectively; the drone electromagnet and the picking electromagnet attract to the armature blocks by being energized to fix the collection box, and separate from the armature blocks by being de-energized to disassemble the collection box.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a supply vehicle and a charging compartment; the supply vehicle has multiple placement slots on its top for placing the collection box; the supply vehicle also has a flat surface on its top for parking the drone; the charging compartment has two compartments, which are used to place the harvesting unit and the supply vehicle respectively.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention also provides a harvesting method for the above-mentioned coconut harvesting device, comprising the following steps:

[0016] S1: Deploy the charging compartment at the edge of the work area, and move the supply vehicle carrying the empty collection box to the starting point of the work; start the drone, scan the work area through the visual recognition module on the drone, identify the location of the coconut trees, the diameter of the trunk and the maturity of the coconuts, generate the optimal work path and synchronize it to the picking unit.

[0017] S2: Control the movable track so that its horizontal part is parallel to the horizontal part of the fixed track, and move along the working path to the target coconut tree through the track assembly; control the movable track so that its vertical part and the vertical part of the fixed track wrap around the tree trunk;

[0018] S3: Control the two semi-circular guide rails to close and form a circular guide rail; then control the picking component to move on the circular guide rail and pick the coconut based on the visual recognition module;

[0019] S4: After harvesting, the coconuts are transferred by the harvesting component to the collection box fixed by the hanging pole; when the collection box is full, the drone flies to the collection box and fixes the collection box by the drone electromagnet at the end of the connecting rod. When the harvesting electromagnet is de-energized and released, the drone carries the fully loaded collection box to the placement slot of the supply vehicle.

[0020] S5: The drone transfers the empty collection box from the supply vehicle to the harvesting unit, where it is attracted and fixed by the harvesting electromagnet, and the harvesting unit continues harvesting; when the harvesting unit or the drone is low on power, it returns to the charging compartment to recharge.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The device provided by the present invention is a fully automatic air-ground cooperative coconut harvesting robot that can adjust the hugging and clamping state according to the actual thickness of the coconut trunk, so that the climbing track fits closely with the trunk. This effectively solves the problem that traditional harvesting equipment can only be adapted to a single trunk diameter. It can be widely used in coconut harvesting operations of different ages and thicknesses, greatly improving the applicability of the equipment.

[0022] This invention employs a visual recognition module in conjunction with a robotic arm. A pressure sensor regulates the flexible gripping force of the mechanical grippers, and combined with mechanical shears for precise vertical cutting of the coconut stem, achieving damage-free harvesting of the fruit. This coordinated approach of holding the fruit steady before cutting effectively prevents it from falling and being damaged, ensuring the coconut retains its full commercial value.

[0023] This invention employs a collaborative transport mechanism between drones and ground-based harvesting units. Harvested fruit is rapidly transported by drone to a supply vehicle, while empty collection boxes are returned, achieving a closed-loop assembly line operation for harvesting, temporary storage, and transport. This model eliminates the need for frequent vertical movement of the harvesting units, significantly shortening the operational cycle for a single tree and improving overall harvesting efficiency.

[0024] This invention enables coconut harvesting through path planning, target recognition, posture adjustment, and fruit transfer, all without human intervention. Furthermore, the inclusion of a charging compartment automatically recharges the harvesting unit and drone, ensuring continuous operation. The magnetic docking structure guarantees the reliability of the collection box during transfer and securing, ensuring smooth and consistent operation of the entire system. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a coconut harvesting device;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the harvesting unit;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the movable support frame and track assembly;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a top-down structural diagram of a portion of the harvesting unit;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the support assembly, part of the guide rail assembly, and part of the collection assembly;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a front view of part of the harvesting unit;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a supply vehicle;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone grabbing the collection box;

[0033] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 1. Harvesting unit; 11. Support assembly; 111. Fixed support; 112. Movable support; 113. Support electric push rod; 12. Track assembly; 121. Fixed moving track; 1211. L-shaped support; 1212. Track wheel; 1213. Track; 1214. Limit wheel; 122. Movable moving track; 1221. Track shaft; 1222. Track rotation motor; 13. Guide rail assembly; 131. Semi-circular guide rail; 132. Sliding frame; 133. Transmission. 1. Lead screw; 134. Transmission seat; 135. Guide rail motor; 14. Harvesting assembly; 141. Robotic arm; 142. Mechanical gripper; 143. Mechanical scissors; 144. Slider; 145. Slider motor; 146. Slider gear; 147. Semi-ring rack; 15. Collection assembly; 151. Hanging rod; 152. Collection box; 153. Harvesting electromagnet; 154. Armature block; 2. Drone; 21. Connecting rod; 22. Drone electromagnet; 3. Supply vehicle; 31. Placement slot; 4. Charging compartment. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a coconut harvesting device, including a harvesting unit 1, a drone 2, a supply vehicle 3, and a charging compartment 4.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, the harvesting unit 1 includes a support assembly 11, a track assembly 12, two sets of guide rail assemblies 13, and a harvesting assembly 14. The track assembly 12 includes one fixed moving track 121 and two movable moving tracks 122 mounted on the support assembly 11. Both the fixed moving track 121 and the movable moving tracks 122 are L-shaped track structures composed of horizontal and vertical sections. The horizontal sections of both the fixed moving track 121 and the movable moving tracks 122 are located on the same plane. The two movable moving tracks 122 can move relative to the fixed moving track 121. When the movable moving track 122 moves to the point where its horizontal section is parallel to the horizontal section of the fixed moving track 121, the track assembly 12 can move on the ground; when the movable moving track 122 moves to the point where its vertical section forms a triangular encircling structure with the vertical section of the fixed moving track 121, the track assembly 12 can clamp onto the tree trunk and move along the tree trunk. The guide rail assembly 13 includes a semi-circular guide rail 131 that is mounted on the support assembly 11 and is movable. The semi-circular guide rails 131 of the two guide rail assemblies 13 can be moved to close and form a circular guide rail, and can also be separated and unfolded. The harvesting assembly 14 can move along the semi-circular guide rail 131 for harvesting coconuts.

[0037] During operation, the track assembly 12 moves across the ground to the coconut tree to be harvested by adjusting the horizontal portions of the movable track 122 and the fixed track 121 to a parallel state. The track assembly 12 is then clamped onto the tree trunk and moved to the harvesting position by adjusting the vertical portions of the movable track 122 and the fixed track 121 to an encircling position. The two semi-circular guide rails 131 are moved to close on the tree trunk, forming a circular guide rail, which is then used to move the harvesting assembly 14, increasing the harvesting range.

[0038] The L-shaped track structure is a variation of the existing triangular track. Specifically, it involves adding a limiting wheel to a right-angled triangular track, causing the track at its hypotenuse to form an L-shape, thus saving installation space. Figure 3 As shown (other figures not shown), the L-shaped track structure specifically includes an L-shaped bracket 1211, several track wheels 1212, two tracks 1213, two limiting wheels 1214, and a drive mechanism. The track wheels 1212 are mounted on both sides of the L-shaped bracket 1211 via rotating shafts. The rotating shafts of some or all of the track wheels 1212 can be driven to rotate by a drive mechanism (not shown) such as a motor mounted on the L-shaped bracket 1211 through a transmission structure. The two tracks 1213 are respectively fitted onto the track wheels 1212 on both sides of the L-shaped bracket 1211. The two limiting wheels 1214 are mounted on both sides of the L-shaped bracket 1211 and located outside the tracks 1213, allowing them to rotate relative to the L-shaped bracket 1211. The tracks 1213 form an L-shape under the limiting wheels 1214 and move under the drive of the track wheels 1212.

[0039] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the support assembly 11 includes a fixed support 111 and two movable supports 112. The two movable supports 112 are rotatably connected to both sides of the fixed support 111 and are capable of rotating relative to the fixed support 111. A fixed movable track 121 is fixedly mounted on the fixed support 111. Two movable tracks 122 are respectively mounted on the two movable supports 112 and are capable of rotating relative to the movable supports 112.

[0040] During operation, the movable support 112 is rotated relative to the fixed support 111, causing the movable track 122 to move to the surface of the tree trunk. Then, the movable track 122 is rotated relative to the movable support 112, so that its vertical part and the vertical part of the fixed track 121 form a triangular encircling structure, which is clamped on the tree trunk.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the non-end position of the movable support 112 is rotatably connected to the fixed support 111. The movable support 112 is equipped with a support electric push rod 113. One end of the support electric push rod 113 is rotatably connected to the fixed support 111, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the corresponding movable support 112. When the support electric push rod 113 extends or retracts, it drives the movable support 112 to rotate relative to the fixed support 111. The movable track 122 is fixed with a track shaft 1221 passing through the other end of the movable support 112, and is equipped with a track rotation motor 1222 (e.g., ...). Figure 3 (As shown in the attached figures; other figures are not shown). The track rotation motor 1222 is mounted on the movable support 112 and drives the track shaft 1221 to rotate. When the track shaft 1221 rotates, it drives the movable track 122 to rotate relative to the movable support 112.

[0042] The fixed bracket 111 provides mounting support for all components. When the bracket's electric push rod 113 extends, it drives the movable bracket 112 to rotate, which, in conjunction with the track rotation motor 1222, causes the two movable tracks 122 to flip towards the center, forming a structure that encircles the tree trunk with the fixed movable track 121. The bracket's electric push rod 113 can dynamically adjust its extension and retraction according to the trunk diameter to ensure that the three tracks fit tightly against the trunk. When the track assembly 12 is deployed and moving on the ground, by adjusting the travel speed of the two movable tracks 122, a steering torque is generated using the speed difference between the two movable tracks 122, thereby driving the entire harvesting unit 1 to achieve a steering effect during movement.

[0043] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, two sets of guide rail assemblies 13 are symmetrically arranged. Each guide rail assembly 13 also includes a sliding frame 132, a transmission screw 133, and a transmission seat 134. The sliding frames 132 of the two sets of guide rail assemblies 13 are respectively fixed to both sides of the fixed bracket 111. In each guide rail assembly 13, the transmission screw 133 is disposed within the sliding frame 132 and can rotate relative to the sliding frame 132. The transmission seat 134 is divided into a transmission part and a support part. The transmission part is threadedly connected to the transmission screw 133, and the support part extends out of the sliding frame 132 and is fixed to the semi-circular guide rail 131. The transmission seat 134 abuts against the sliding frame 132, meaning the sliding frame 132 restricts the rotation of the transmission seat 134, allowing it to move only along the sliding frame 132. When the transmission screw 133 rotates, the transmission seat 134 moves along the sliding frame 132, driving the semi-circular guide rail 131 to move. Specifically, the guide rail assembly 13 also includes a guide rail motor 135. The guide rail motor 135 is fixed on the sliding frame 132 and drives the transmission screw 133 to rotate. During operation, by controlling the guide rail motors 135 of the two sets of guide rail assemblies 13, the two transmission seats 134 are driven to move towards each other or in opposite directions, thereby driving the two semi-circular guide rails 131 to move towards each other to close or move in opposite directions to unfold.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the harvesting assembly 14 includes two robotic arms 141, a robotic gripper 142, and a robotic shear 143. The robotic arms 141 are multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arms capable of moving along a semi-circular guide rail 131. The robotic gripper 142 and the robotic shear 143 are respectively mounted on the output ends of the two robotic arms 141. The robotic gripper 142 is used to hold the coconut fruit during harvesting, and the robotic shear 143 is used to cut the coconut stem during harvesting. The robotic arms 141, robotic gripper 142, and robotic shear 143 are all existing technologies and will not be described in detail further.

[0045] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, each robotic arm 141 is equipped with a slider 144, a slider motor 145, and a slider gear 146. The slider 144 is slidably connected to a semi-annular guide rail 131. The robotic arm 141 is fixed to the slider 144. A semi-annular rack 147 is fixed to the inner side of the semi-annular guide rail 131. The semi-annular racks 147 of the two semi-annular guide rails 131 are continuously connected. The slider motor 145 is fixed to the slider 144. The slider gear 146 is fixed to the output shaft of the slider motor 145 and meshes with the semi-annular rack 147. When the slider motor 145 drives the slider gear 146 to rotate, the meshing generates a circumferential driving force, which drives the slider 144 to move on the annular guide rail formed by the two semi-annular guide rails 131. During operation, the slider motor 145 drives the slider gear 146 to rotate, thereby driving the robotic arm 141 fixed to the slider 144 to move to the target position. The automated control method driven by the 145 slider motor replaces manual positioning, improves the level of automation in harvesting, and solves the problems of traditional equipment requiring manual calibration and having low operating efficiency.

[0046] This device uses two semi-circular guide rails 131 joined together to form a circular guide rail, which, together with the slider 144, drives the robotic arm 141 to move circumferentially, achieving 360° harvesting without blind spots and solving the problem of blind spots in the operation of traditional robotic arms 141. The two semi-circular guide rails 131 can be separated and unfolded to leave space for the harvesting unit 1 to hug the tree.

[0047] like Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the harvesting unit 1 also includes a collection component 15. The collection component 15 includes at least one hanging rod 151 and at least one collection box 152. One end of the hanging rod 151 is fixed to the fixed bracket 111 of the support assembly 11. The collection box 152 is fixed to the other end of the hanging rod 151 and is used to collect the coconuts harvested by the harvesting component 14.

[0048] like Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, the drone 2 is equipped with a connecting rod 21. One end of the connecting rod 21 is fixed to the drone 2, and the other end is fixed to a drone electromagnet 22. A picking electromagnet 153 is fixed to the end of the hanging rod 151. Multiple armature blocks 154 are fixed to the outside of the collection box 152, which are used to attract and fix the drone electromagnet 22 and the picking electromagnet 153 respectively. The drone electromagnet 22 and the picking electromagnet 153 attract the armature blocks 154 by being energized, thus fixing the collection box 152. They separate from the armature blocks 154 by being de-energized, thus disassembling the collection box 152.

[0049] During operation, the drone 2 flies to the empty collection box 152 and brings the drone electromagnet 22 at the end of the connecting rod 21 close to the corresponding armature block 154. Then, the drone electromagnet 22 is energized and attracts the armature block 154, allowing the drone 2 to grab the empty collection box 152. Then, the drone 2, carrying the empty collection box 152, flies to the harvesting unit 1 and brings the harvesting electromagnet 153 at the end of the hanging rod 151 close to the corresponding armature block 154. Then, the harvesting electromagnet 153 is energized and attracts the armature block 154, fixing the empty collection box 152 to the harvesting unit 1, thus completing the installation of the collection box 152. The harvesting component 14 places the harvested coconuts into the collection box 152 mounted on the harvesting unit 1. When the collection box 152 is full, the drone 2 flies to the fully loaded collection box 152 and brings the drone electromagnet 22 at the end of the connecting rod 21 close to the corresponding armature block 154. Then, the drone electromagnet 22 is energized and attracts the armature block 154, allowing the drone 2 to grab the fully loaded collection box 152. Then, the harvesting electromagnet 153 at the end of the hanging rod 151 is de-energized, causing the collection box 152 to separate from the harvesting component 14, completing the collection of the collection box 152 and the coconuts.

[0050] Specifically, in the harvesting unit 1, there are two hanging rods 151, which are horizontally fixed on both sides of the fixed bracket 111. The drone 2 carries two connecting rods 21, which are vertically fixed to the bottom of the drone 2 and are electrically powered. There are four armature blocks 154, two of which are fixed on both sides of the collection box 152 for attachment to the hanging rods 151 of the harvesting unit 1, and the other two are fixed on the top of the collection box 152 for attachment to the connecting rods 21 of the drone 2. During transport, the connecting rods 21 of the drone 2 extend to bring the drone's electromagnet 22 closer to the armature blocks 154 on the top of the collection box 152.

[0051] The drone 2 is also equipped with a visual recognition module.

[0052] like Figure 7 As shown, the top of the supply vehicle 3 has multiple placement slots 31 for placing collection boxes 152. The top of the supply vehicle 3 also has a flat surface for parking the drone 2.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, the charging compartment 4 has two compartments, which are used to house the harvesting unit 1 and the supply vehicle 3, respectively.

[0054] The harvesting method using this device includes the following steps:

[0055] S1. System Initialization and Path Planning: Deploy the charging compartment 4 at the edge of the work area, and move the supply vehicle 3 carrying the empty collection box 152 to the starting point of the work. Start the drone 2, and use the visual recognition module on the drone 2 to scan the work area, identify the location of the coconut trees, the diameter of the trunks and the maturity of the coconuts, generate the optimal work path and synchronize it to the picking unit 1.

[0056] S2. Harvesting Unit 1 Movement and Tree-Hugging Positioning: Control the movable track 122 so that its horizontal part is parallel to the horizontal part of the fixed track 121, and move it along the working path to the target coconut tree via the track assembly 12. Control the movable track 122 so that its vertical part and the vertical part of the fixed track 121 wrap around the tree trunk, and adjust the clamping force according to the trunk diameter to ensure that each vertical part is in close contact with the tree trunk.

[0057] Specifically, by shortening the electric push rod 113 of the support, the movable support 112 is rotated outward relative to the fixed support 111, so that the picking unit 1 is unfolded. Then, the movable moving track 122 is rotated by the track rotation motor 1222 so that its horizontal part is parallel to the horizontal part of the fixed moving track 121. Then, by driving each track, the picking unit 1 is moved to the target coconut tree, and the vertical part of the fixed moving track 121 is attached to the surface of the trunk, and the two movable moving tracks 122 are located on both sides of the trunk. Then, the movable track 122 is rotated by the track rotation motor 1222, facing the tree trunk surface. Simultaneously, the movable support 112 is rotated inward relative to the fixed support 111 by the extension bracket electric push rod 113. Even when the harvesting unit 1 retracts until the movable track 122 is pressed against the tree trunk surface, by continuously adjusting the track rotation motor 1222 and the bracket electric push rod 113, the vertical part of the movable track 122 is finally made to fit against the tree trunk surface, together with the vertical part of the fixed track 121, encircling the tree trunk. At this time, the two semi-circular guide rails 131 are in the deployed state.

[0058] S3. Harvesting Posture Adjustment and Precision Operation: Control the two semi-circular guide rails 131 to close and form a circular guide rail. Then control the harvesting component 14 to move on the circular guide rail and harvest coconuts based on the visual recognition module.

[0059] Specifically, the transmission screw 133 is driven to rotate by the guide rail motor 135, and the transmission seat 134, which is threaded to the guide rail motor 135 and abuts against the sliding frame 132, moves along the sliding frame 132, causing the semi-circular guide rail 131 fixed on the transmission seat 134 to move. The semi-circular guide rail 131 closes to form a circular guide rail through the opposite movement. Then, the slider gear 146, which meshes with the semi-circular rack 147, is driven to rotate by the slider motor 145, thereby causing the slider 144 to move on the circular guide rail, which in turn causes the robotic arm 141, the mechanical gripper 142, and the mechanical scissors 143 fixed on the slider 144 to move. Based on the vision recognition module, the two robotic arms 141 are aligned with the target coconut. Based on the spatial pose of the coconut stem fed back by the vision recognition module, the robotic arms 141 are adjusted in linkage, the mechanical gripper 142 flexibly grips the coconut, and the mechanical scissors 143 precisely cuts the coconut stem. The gripping force of the mechanical gripper 142 is adjusted by feedback from the pressure sensor, and the gripping force range is 5~30N. The cutting angle of the mechanical shears 143 is dynamically adjusted based on the tilt angle of the coconut stem obtained by the visual recognition module, so that the cutting surface is perpendicular to the coconut stem, ensuring thorough cutting without damaging adjacent fruits or branches.

[0060] S4. Fruit Temporary Storage and Drone 2 Transfer: After harvesting, the coconuts are transferred by the harvesting component 14 to the collection box 152 fixed by the hanging pole 151. When the collection box 152 is full, the drone 2 flies to the collection box 152 and uses the drone electromagnet 22 at the end of the connecting rod 21 to attach and fix the collection box 152. When the harvesting electromagnet 153 is de-energized and released, the drone 2 carries the fully loaded collection box 152 to the placement slot 31 of the supply vehicle 3.

[0061] S5. Cyclic Operation and Energy Replenishment: Drone 2 transfers the empty collection box 152 from the supply vehicle 3 to the harvesting unit 1, where it is attracted and fixed by the harvesting electromagnet 153. The harvesting unit 1 then continues harvesting. When the harvesting unit 1 or Drone 2 runs out of power, it returns to the charging compartment 4 for recharging to ensure continuous operation.

[0062] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, scientific and technical terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art.

[0063] It should be noted that the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", and "back" used in the invention are only for clarity of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention.

[0064] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coconut harvesting device, characterized in that: Includes picking units; The harvesting unit includes a support assembly, a track assembly, two sets of guide rail assemblies, and a harvesting assembly. The track assembly includes one fixed movable track and two movable tracks mounted on the support assembly; both the fixed and movable tracks are L-shaped track structures composed of horizontal and vertical sections; the horizontal sections of both the fixed and movable tracks are located on the same plane; the two movable tracks are movable relative to the fixed movable track; when the movable tracks move to the point where their horizontal sections are parallel to the horizontal sections of the fixed tracks, the track assembly can move on the ground; when the movable tracks move to the point where their vertical sections form an encircling structure with the vertical sections of the fixed tracks, the track assembly can be clamped onto the tree trunk and move along the tree trunk. The guide rail assembly includes a semi-circular guide rail disposed on the bracket assembly and capable of movement; the semi-circular guide rails of the two guide rail assemblies can be moved to close and form a circular guide rail and to separate and unfold. The harvesting component can move along the semi-circular guide rail for harvesting coconuts; The harvesting unit also includes a collection component; the collection component includes at least one hanging rod and at least one collection box; one end of the hanging rod is fixed to the support assembly; the collection box is fixed to the other end of the hanging rod; It also includes a drone; the drone is equipped with a visual recognition module; the drone is also equipped with a connecting rod; one end of the connecting rod is fixed to the drone, and the other end is fixed with a drone electromagnet; a picking electromagnet is fixed to the end of the hanging rod; multiple armature blocks are fixed to the outside of the collection box, which are used to attract and fix the drone electromagnet and the picking electromagnet respectively; the drone electromagnet and the picking electromagnet attract and fix the collection box by being energized, and separate from the armature blocks by being de-energized, thus disassembling the collection box.

2. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support assembly includes a fixed support and two movable supports; The two movable brackets are respectively rotatably connected to both sides of the fixed bracket and are able to rotate relative to the fixed bracket; The fixed mobile track is fixedly mounted on the fixed support; the two movable mobile tracks are respectively mounted on the two movable supports and are rotatable relative to the movable supports.

3. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The non-end position of the movable bracket is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket; the movable bracket is equipped with a bracket electric push rod; one end of the bracket electric push rod is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the corresponding movable bracket; when the bracket electric push rod extends or retracts, it drives the movable bracket to rotate relative to the fixed bracket; The movable track is fixed with a track shaft passing through the other end of the movable support, and is equipped with a track rotation motor; the track rotation motor is mounted on the movable support and drives the track shaft to rotate; when the track shaft rotates, it drives the movable track to rotate relative to the movable support.

4. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The two sets of guide rail assemblies are arranged symmetrically; The guide rail assembly also includes a sliding frame, a transmission screw, and a transmission seat; The sliding frames of the two sets of guide rail assemblies are respectively fixed on both sides of the fixed bracket; The transmission screw is disposed inside the sliding frame and is capable of rotating relative to the sliding frame; The transmission seat is divided into a transmission part and a support part. The transmission part is threadedly connected to the transmission screw, and the support part extends out of the sliding frame and is fixed to the semi-circular guide rail. The transmission seat abuts against the sliding frame. When the transmission screw rotates, the transmission seat moves along the sliding frame, driving the semi-circular guide rail to move.

5. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The harvesting assembly includes two robotic arms, a robotic gripper, and a robotic shears; The robotic arm is capable of moving along the semi-circular guide rail; The mechanical gripper and the mechanical scissors are respectively installed at the output ends of the two mechanical arms. The mechanical gripper is used to hold the coconut fruit, and the mechanical scissors are used to cut the coconut stem.

6. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the robotic arms is equipped with a slider, a slider motor, and a slider gear; The slider is slidably connected to the semi-circular guide rail; the robotic arm is fixed to the slider; A semi-circular rack is fixed to the side of the semi-circular guide rail; the semi-circular racks of the two semi-circular guide rails are continuously connected. The slider motor is fixed to the slider; the slider gear is fixed to the output shaft of the slider motor and meshes with the semi-annular rack; when the slider motor drives the slider gear to rotate, it drives the slider to move on the annular guide rail.

7. The coconut harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes supply vehicles and charging stations; The top of the supply vehicle has multiple slots for placing the collection box; The top of the supply vehicle is also provided with a flat surface for parking the drone; The charging compartment contains two compartments, one for housing the harvesting unit and the other for housing the supply vehicle.

8. The harvesting method of the coconut harvesting device as described in claim 7, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: Deploy the charging compartment at the edge of the work area, and move the supply vehicle carrying the empty collection box to the start point of the work; The drone is activated, and its onboard visual recognition module scans the work area to identify the location of the coconut trees, the diameter of the trunks, and the maturity of the coconuts. The optimal work path is then generated and synchronized to the harvesting unit. S2: Control the movable track so that its horizontal part is parallel to the horizontal part of the fixed track, and move along the working path to the target coconut tree through the track assembly; control the movable track so that its vertical part and the vertical part of the fixed track wrap around the tree trunk; S3: Control the two semi-circular guide rails to close and form a circular guide rail; then control the picking component to move on the circular guide rail and pick the coconut based on the visual recognition module; S4: After harvesting, the coconuts are transferred by the harvesting component to the collection box fixed by the hanging pole; when the collection box is full, the drone flies to the collection box and fixes the collection box by the drone electromagnet at the end of the connecting rod. When the harvesting electromagnet is de-energized and released, the drone carries the fully loaded collection box to the placement slot of the supply vehicle. S5: The drone transfers the empty collection box from the supply vehicle to the harvesting unit, where it is attracted and fixed by the harvesting electromagnet, and the harvesting unit continues harvesting; when the harvesting unit or the drone is low on power, it returns to the charging compartment to recharge.

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