An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of crop harvesting technology and discloses an automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation. The device includes a frame with connecting parts fixedly mounted on it for assembling potato-digging equipment. A pre-screening component is fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the frame, and a stopping plate is also fixedly installed on the inner wall. The stopping plate is located at the conveying end of the pre-screening component. The end of the stopping plate near the pre-screening component is a stopping plane, and the end away from the pre-screening component is a sliding surface, which is composed of multiple sets of inclined arc surfaces. Multiple sets of separating boxes are mounted on the frame, and the separating boxes work in conjunction with the stopping plate. A pallet-based accumulation conveying system for moving the separating boxes is also provided on the frame. This invention directly isolates the soil clods and potatoes through the stopping plate and separating boxes, achieving a non-contact conveying method that reduces surface damage to potatoes caused by bumps, resulting in lower selling prices and shorter storage time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of crop harvesting, and more specifically, to an automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation. Background Technology

[0002] Crop harvesting is the agricultural process of collecting the main products of crops and processing them into commodities. The timing of harvesting directly affects yield, quality and labor efficiency. As a key link in agricultural production, its operation standards and strategies are adjusted according to crop type and regional differences.

[0003] Tuber crops generally refer to crops whose underground tubers or rhizomes are used for food. They are rich in starch and are characterized by high yield and strong adaptability. Examples include potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, and yams. Among them, potatoes are the world's fourth largest food crop and an important crop in the staple food strategy. The appearance of potatoes directly affects their commercial value when sold. If potato tubers encounter stones during growth, they are prone to deformities (such as pits or branching), thus affecting their selling price. Therefore, growers use specialized machinery such as stone removers, toothed rakes, or rotary screens to remove stones from the top and shallow layers of soil before planting potatoes to ensure the quality of the harvested potatoes. Subsequently, potato harvesters are used for harvesting. Because the tubers cannot be removed during harvesting... To avoid this, some hard soil clods will be carried into the potato harvester and remain on the vibrating screen. Because the hard soil clods and potatoes have different weights, there will be a speed difference between them moving on the vibrating screen, causing the potatoes to collide with the hard soil clods. Since the hard soil clods are harder than the potatoes, the collision will damage the surface of the potatoes, affecting their appearance and lowering their selling price. At the same time, the damaged parts of the potato surface will also affect the normal storage of the potatoes, causing them to rot during storage and resulting in economic losses. This is especially true for potato varieties such as Shabote and Atlantic, which are used for potato chips and French fries, but have strict requirements for shape and quality, resulting in a raw material price that is much higher than that of ordinary potatoes on the market. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation, solving technical problems in crop harvesting in related technologies.

[0005] This invention provides an automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation, including a frame, with a connector fixedly mounted on the frame for assembling potato harvesting equipment. A pre-screening component is fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the frame, and a stopping plate is also fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the frame. The stopping plate is located at the conveying end of the pre-screening component. The end of the stopping plate near the pre-screening component is a stopping plane, and the end of the stopping plate away from the pre-screening component is a sliding surface, which is composed of multiple sets of inclined arc surfaces.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the frame is provided with multiple sets of partition boxes, which are used in conjunction with stop plates. The frame is also provided with a pallet accumulation conveyor system for moving the partition boxes.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the pallet accumulation conveyor system is equipped with a vibrating screen at the conveying end, and the vibrating screen is fixedly installed on the frame. A receiving box is also fixedly installed on the frame, and the receiving box is used in conjunction with the vibrating screen.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, a water tank is fixedly installed on the frame, and a pallet-accumulating conveyor system is fixedly installed inside the water tank. The pallet-accumulating conveyor system has a bucket-shaped design, and each compartment is provided with filter holes.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, a water pump assembly is also provided inside the water tank. The water pump assembly includes a self-priming pump that is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the water tank, and one end of the self-priming pump is fixedly connected to a first water pipe.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the other end of the self-priming pump is fixedly connected to a second water pipe, which is located above the first water pipe. Both the second water pipe and the first water pipe have one end that penetrates the inner wall of the water tank and extends into the interior of the water tank.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the second water pipe is connected to multiple sets of third water pipes, which are inclined and used in conjunction with the conveying front end of the pallet accumulating conveyor system. The inclination angle of the third water pipe is the same as that of the conveying front end of the pallet accumulating conveyor system. Each set of third water pipes is connected to multiple sets of nozzles, which are used in conjunction with the partition box.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a cover plate for closing the partition box is rotatably mounted on the partition box, and filter holes are also provided on the cover plate. Brushes are fixedly mounted on the inner side wall of the partition box and the bottom surface of the cover plate, and the cover plate has a hollow design inside.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the water spray direction of each group of nozzles is vertically upward, and the water spray direction of each group of nozzles is close to the side of the partition box.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the vibrating screen is designed to be inclined, and the horizontal position of the vibrating screen is lower than the horizontal position of the highest point of the pallet accumulation conveyor system.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention directly isolates soil clods and potatoes by using a stop plate and a partition box, achieving a non-contact transportation method between the two, thereby reducing surface damage to potatoes caused by bumps, lower selling prices, and shorter storage time. 2. This invention cleans the surface of potatoes by immersing the separator box in water, which disperses the soil clods in the water. At the same time, it can reduce the volume of the soil clods, allowing them to be discharged from the separator box through the filter holes. This reduces the amount of soil clods leaving the equipment, minimizes the impact on potato quality, and ensures the quality of the final potatoes. 3. This invention achieves the effect of washing potatoes through a cover plate, filter holes, and brushes. At the same time, the hard soil clods that are not easily decomposed by water are gradually brushed away during the rotation process, so that their volume is reduced more quickly. Finally, they leave the separator through the filter holes, ensuring that only potatoes with clean surfaces leave the equipment, thus further guaranteeing the quality of the potatoes. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of the vibrating screen, receiving box, water tank, and internal structure of the water tank of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structural combination of the pallet accumulation conveying system and the water pump assembly of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structural assembly of the pumping component of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the partition box of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the state of the potatoes and soil on the holding plate according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a distribution diagram of the partition boxes of the present invention on a pallet-accumulating conveyor system.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the state in which potatoes are thrown onto a vibrating screen from the separator box of the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Frame; 2. Connector; 3. Pre-screening assembly; 4. Dwelling plate; 5. Dwelling plane; 6. Sliding surface; 7. Separating box; 8. Pallet accumulation conveyor system; 9. Vibrating screen; 10. Receiving box; 11. Water tank; 12. Filter holes; 13. Pump assembly; 14. Self-priming pump; 15. First water pipe; 16. Second water pipe; 17. Third water pipe; 18. Nozzle; 19. Brush; 20. Cover plate. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The subject matter described herein will now be discussed with reference to exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the subject matter described herein, and changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements discussed without departing from the scope of this specification. Various processes or components may be omitted, substituted, or added as needed in the examples. Furthermore, features described in some examples may be combined in other examples.

[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an automatic harvesting device for potato planting includes a frame 1, on which a connector 2 is fixedly installed for assembling potato harvesting equipment. A pre-screening component 3 is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the frame 1, and a stopping plate 4 is also fixedly installed on the inner wall of the frame 1. The stopping plate 4 is located at the conveying end of the pre-screening component 3. The end of the stopping plate 4 near the pre-screening component 3 is a stopping plane 5, and the end of the stopping plate 4 away from the pre-screening component 3 is a sliding surface 6, which is composed of multiple sets of arc surfaces with inclination angles.

[0027] The frame 1 is equipped with multiple sets of partition boxes 7, which are used in conjunction with the stop plate 4. The frame 1 is also equipped with a pallet accumulation conveyor system 8 for moving the partition boxes 7.

[0028] The pallet accumulation conveying system 8 is equipped with a vibrating screen 9 at the end of the conveying process. The vibrating screen 9 is fixedly installed on the frame 1. The receiving box 10 is also fixedly installed on the frame 1. The receiving box 10 is used in conjunction with the vibrating screen 9.

[0029] In this embodiment, the specific implementation scenario is as follows: When harvesting potatoes using the equipment, the machine body is first combined with the external potato-digging equipment through the connector 2. Then, the equipment is started. After being processed by the external potato-digging equipment, the potatoes and soil clods will enter the pre-screening component 3 together. Under the action of the pre-screening component 3, only the potatoes and soil clods that cannot be screened due to size issues are left, and they are conveyed to the stopping plane 5 in sequence. Since the pre-screening component 3 is constantly conveying soil clods and potatoes, the soil clods and potatoes located on the stopping plane 5 will enter the lower partition box 7 in sequence through the sliding surface 6. Through the stopping plate 4 and the partition box 7, the soil clods and potatoes are directly isolated from each other, realizing a conveying method in which the two do not come into contact with each other, so as to reduce the surface damage of potatoes caused by bumps, the lower selling price, and the reduced storage time. It should be noted that most potato digging devices on the market are assembled with a tractor cab. The way the connector 2 in this device is combined with the potato digger is similar to the way the two are combined. The pre-screening component 3 is an existing device that uses two spiral blades of different sizes with a speed difference and rotating in the same direction. The spiral directions of the blades are opposite, and there are multiple sets of them. It has a conveying effect. Due to the irregular shape of the soil clods, the two rotating blades with opposite spiral directions will break large hard soil clods into small soil clods within a certain size range. The debris will be screened out, thereby separating large hard soil clods from potatoes. The number of separating boxes 7 can be increased according to the conveying speed of the pre-screening component 3, so as to minimize the number of potatoes and soil clods inside the separating box 7, thereby reducing the number of soil clods and potatoes coexisting, reducing the possibility of collision between the two, and improving the quality of the potatoes after discharge.

[0030] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a water tank 11 is fixedly installed on the frame 1, and a pallet-accumulating conveyor system 8 is fixedly installed inside the water tank 11. The pallet-accumulating conveyor system 8 is designed in the shape of a bucket, and each partition box 7 is provided with a filter hole 12.

[0031] Before starting the equipment, water should be added to the water tank 11, and then the equipment should be started. After the soil and potatoes in the separating box 7 enter each separating box 7, each separating box 7 will be submerged in water under the action of the pallet accumulation conveying system 8. At this time, the mud on the surface of the potatoes will be dispersed in the water, and the small soil clods will also be dispersed in the water until the size is smaller than the size of the filter hole 12. Then the soil clods will leave the separating box 7 through the filter hole 12. By submerging the separating box 7 in the water, the soil clods are dispersed in the water to clean the surface of the potatoes. At the same time, the volume of the soil clods can be reduced so that they can be discharged from the separating box 7 through the filter hole 12, thereby reducing the number of soil clods leaving the equipment, reducing the impact on the quality of the potatoes, and ensuring the quality of the final potatoes. It is important to note that for large farms, in order to ensure potato quality and increase selling price, water can be replaced with brine to separate bad potatoes. Good potatoes have a firm, plump internal structure, full of water and starch, and their average density is slightly greater than that of water. Therefore, good potatoes will remain inside the separating box 7. Bad potatoes, on the other hand, have a loose internal structure and are full of air, which significantly reduces their overall average density. As a result, they will float in the brine, thus filtering out the bad potatoes. However, brine will accelerate the electrolysis of the pallet accumulation conveyor system 8, causing it to corrode more quickly and reducing its service life.

[0032] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, a water pump assembly 13 is also provided inside the water tank 11. The water pump assembly 13 includes a self-priming pump 14 fixedly installed on the outer wall of the water tank 11. One end of the self-priming pump 14 is fixedly connected to the first water pipe 15.

[0033] The other end of the self-priming pump 14 is fixedly connected to the second water pipe 16. The second water pipe 16 is located at the upper end of the first water pipe 15, and one end of both the second water pipe 16 and the first water pipe 15 penetrates the inner wall of the water tank 11 and extends into the interior of the water tank 11.

[0034] The second water pipe 16 is connected to multiple sets of third water pipes 17. The multiple sets of third water pipes 17 are inclined and are used in conjunction with the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system 8. The inclination angle of the third water pipe 17 is the same as the inclination angle of the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system 8. Each set of third water pipes 17 is connected to multiple sets of nozzles 18, and the nozzles 18 are used in conjunction with the partition box 7.

[0035] The second water pipe 16 is connected to multiple sets of third water pipes 17. The multiple sets of third water pipes 17 are inclined and are used in conjunction with the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system 8. The inclination angle of the third water pipe 17 is the same as the inclination angle of the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system 8. Each set of third water pipes 17 is connected to multiple sets of nozzles 18, and the nozzles 18 are used in conjunction with the partition box 7.

[0036] When the pallet accumulation conveyor system 8 starts working, the self-priming pump 14 is started at the same time. Water located at the bottom of the water tank 11 is sucked into the second water pipe 16 through the first water pipe 15 and enters the third water pipe 17. Then, the water is sprayed into the partition box 7 through the nozzle 18. The soil on the surface of the potatoes is quickly removed by rinsing through the nozzle 18, which increases the dispersion speed of the soil on the surface of the potatoes. At the same time, the water flow can also impact the soil clods, making them disperse faster in the water. This can further reduce the soil clods that leave the equipment and further ensure the quality of the potatoes. It is important to note that, to ensure effective cleaning of potatoes, if the potatoes leaving the equipment are not thoroughly cleaned, it indicates excessive mud buildup at the bottom of the water tank 11. In this case, a filter screen can be added to the end of the first water pipe 15 that extends into the water tank 11. When this occurs, simply stop the equipment and use an external control switch to switch the self-priming pump 14 from suction to discharge. The clean water drawn by the second water pipe 16 will then flush the entire first water pipe 15, removing the mud clogging the filter screen. Only the water in the water tank 11 needs to be replaced, and the bottom sludge removed. There is no need to disassemble and clean the first, second, and third water pipes 15 and 17, thus reducing the maintenance difficulty of the equipment to some extent. For special potato varieties, such as Shaboti and Atlantic, strict requirements on shape and quality result in raw material prices that are much higher than ordinary potatoes on the market. However, the costs of water and brine, among other things, are very low compared to the quality and price of these potatoes. Therefore, this method is used to improve the quality of potatoes after harvest.

[0037] A cover plate 20 for closing the partition box 7 is rotatably mounted on the partition box 7. The cover plate 20 is also provided with filter holes 12. Brushes 19 are fixedly mounted on the inner side wall of the partition box 7 and the bottom surface of the cover plate 20. The cover plate 20 has a hollow design inside.

[0038] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the water spray direction of each group of nozzles 18 is vertically upward, and the water spray direction of each group of nozzles 18 is close to the side of the partition box 7.

[0039] The vibrating screen 9 is designed to be inclined, and the horizontal position of the vibrating screen 9 is lower than the horizontal position of the highest point of the pallet accumulation conveyor system 8.

[0040] Due to the hollow design of the cover plate 20, under the conveying action of the front end of the pallet accumulation conveyor system 8, the entire partition box 7 moves vertically from top to bottom. The cover plate 20 will rotate due to the buoyancy of the water, thus achieving the function of sealing the partition box 7. At this time, the potatoes inside the partition box 7 can be rinsed with a higher pressure nozzle 18, making the potatoes cleaner when they leave the equipment. Since the water spray direction of the nozzle 18 is close to the side of the partition box 7, when the potatoes are rinsed, only one side is repeatedly impacted by the water flow, causing the potatoes to rotate continuously inside the partition box 7. At the same time, due to the water pressure of the nozzle 18, the potatoes will stick tightly to the brush 19 at the bottom of the cover plate 20. While rotating, the potatoes can be scrubbed. The hard soil clods inside the partition box 7 are also washed away. The potatoes soften after being soaked in water, and during the rotation process, the irregular parts on their surface are gradually brushed away by the brush 19, causing them to shrink in size. Finally, they leave the separating box 7 through the filter holes 12 and are then sent to the vibrating screen 9. Under the action of the vibrating screen 9, the moisture on the surface of the potatoes is drained. The potatoes are then stored in a dry and ventilated place to ensure their storage time. The cover plate 20, filter holes 12, and brush 19 can achieve the effect of washing the potatoes. At the same time, the hard soil that is not easily decomposed by water is gradually brushed away during the rotation process, causing its volume to shrink more quickly. Finally, it leaves the separating box 7 through the filter holes 12, ensuring that only potatoes with clean surfaces leave the equipment, thus further guaranteeing the quality of the potatoes. It is worth noting that the material of the cover plate 20 is ABS or reinforced polypropylene. Both can be immersed in water for a long time without any performance degradation. The hollow grid plate with internal reinforcing ribs can also be produced in one go. It is lightweight, has high buoyancy, and is structurally stable. At the same time, the mounting base of the brush 19 can be designed directly into the bottom of the plate and injection molded as part of the whole. The manufacturing difficulty is low and the service life is long, which can reduce the cost of purchasing equipment. In order to reduce the damage of potatoes hitting the cover plate 20, flexible materials can be added to the cover plate 20. With the buoyancy of water, the damage of potatoes in this process can be reduced. Each adjacent separating box 7 is connected by a common greenhouse plastic sheet, reducing the possibility of gaps between corner separating boxes 7 and potatoes getting stuck at that position. Also, since the potatoes screened in this stage are more round, the gap between the two separating boxes 7 is slightly reduced. Because the surface of the greenhouse plastic sheet is relatively smooth and has a certain thickness, the potatoes can enter the separating box 7 without damage. When the potatoes are poured out of the separating box 7, the gap between the two separating boxes 7 will increase. At this time, the greenhouse plastic sheet will tighten and then drop the potatoes onto the vibrating screen 9. If the potatoes are damaged in this stage, it indicates that the potato shape is not perfect, which also has a certain screening function for potatoes. If brine is used, the rotten potatoes, due to their own dirt, have a density greater than the brine and will not be screened out. However, through the design of the cover plate 20, filter holes 12, and brush 19, the rotten potatoes will be cleaned at the front end of the pallet-accumulating conveyor system 8. When the potatoes pass through the end of the pallet-accumulating conveyor system 8, since the separating box 7 moves from bottom to top in the vertical direction, the cover plate 20 will rotate in the water, making the separating box 7 open. At this time, the rotten potatoes will float up and be screened out.

[0041] It should be noted that when the equipment is started, the pallet accumulation conveyor system 8 is designed as one implementation of transporting the partition box 7. It can be replaced by other methods. The positioning belt conveyor and synchronous belt precision conveyor in the existing equipment both use this conveying structure. Meanwhile, the vibrating screen 9 is used to shake off the large amount of moisture on the surface of the potatoes. Workers can then wait at the back end of the vibrating screen 9 to collect the potatoes. With the large amount of moisture removed from the surface of the potatoes, the weight of the collected potatoes will not be as heavy, reducing the workload for the workers. Finally, the potatoes are placed in the drying yard for drying, which reduces the chance of the potatoes sprouting or becoming moldy and damaged.

[0042] The embodiments of this example have been described above. However, this example is not limited to the specific implementation methods described above. The specific implementation methods described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms based on the guidance of this example, and all of them are within the protection scope of this example.

Claims

1. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation, comprising a frame (1), characterized in that, A connector (2) is fixedly installed on the frame (1). The connector (2) is used to assemble the potato digging equipment. A pre-screening component (3) is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the frame (1). A stop plate (4) is also fixedly installed on the inner wall of the frame (1). The stop plate (4) is located at the conveying end of the pre-screening component (3). The end of the stop plate (4) near the pre-screening component (3) is the stop plane (5), and the end of the stop plate (4) away from the pre-screening component (3) is the sliding surface (6). The sliding surface (6) is composed of multiple sets of arc surfaces with inclination angles.

2. The automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame (1) is provided with multiple sets of partition boxes (7), which are used in conjunction with the stop plate (4). The frame (1) is also provided with a pallet accumulation conveyor system (8) for moving the partition boxes (7).

3. The automatic harvesting device for potato planting according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pallet accumulation conveying system (8) is equipped with a vibrating screen (9) at the conveying end, and the vibrating screen (9) is fixedly installed on the frame (1). The receiving box (10) is also fixedly installed on the frame (1), and the receiving box (10) is used in conjunction with the vibrating screen (9).

4. The automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 3, characterized in that, A water tank (11) is fixedly installed on the frame (1), and the pallet accumulation conveying system (8) is fixedly installed inside the water tank (11). The pallet accumulation conveying system (8) is designed in the shape of a bucket, and each of the partition boxes (7) is provided with filter holes (12).

5. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 4, characterized in that, The water tank (11) is also equipped with a water pump assembly (13), which includes a self-priming pump (14) fixedly installed on the outer wall of the water tank (11), and one end of the self-priming pump (14) is fixedly connected to the first water pipe (15).

6. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 5, characterized in that, The other end of the self-priming pump (14) is fixedly connected to the second water pipe (16), which is located at the upper end of the first water pipe (15). Both the second water pipe (16) and the first water pipe (15) have one end that penetrates the inner wall of the water tank (11) and extends into the interior of the water tank (11).

7. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second water pipe (16) is connected to multiple sets of third water pipes (17). The multiple sets of third water pipes (17) are inclined and used in conjunction with the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system (8). The inclination angle of the third water pipe (17) is the same as the inclination angle of the front end of the pallet accumulation conveying system (8). Each set of third water pipes (17) is connected to multiple sets of nozzles (18), and the nozzles (18) are used in conjunction with the partition box (7).

8. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 7, characterized in that, The partition box (7) is rotatably provided with a cover plate (20) for closing the partition box (7). The cover plate (20) is also provided with filter holes (12). The inner side wall of the partition box (7) and the bottom surface of the cover plate (20) are both fixedly provided with brushes (19). The cover plate (20) is hollow inside.

9. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 8, characterized in that, The spray direction of each set of nozzles (18) is vertically upward, and the spray direction of each set of nozzles (18) is close to the side of the partition box (7).

10. An automatic harvesting device for potato cultivation according to claim 9, characterized in that, The vibrating screen (9) is designed to be inclined, and the horizontal position of the vibrating screen (9) is lower than the horizontal position of the highest point of the pallet accumulation conveyor system (8).

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