An adaptable fruit picking robot and its picking method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability, including a left cage, a left cage base, a left cage support seat, a right cage, a right cage base, a right cage support seat and robotic fingers. The robot includes a robotic arm and a robot body. Two robotic arms are symmetrically installed on the robot body. A right cage is installed at the top of one of the robotic arms, and a left cage is installed at the top of the other robotic arm. The left cage includes a left cage base and a left cage support seat, and the right cage includes a right cage base and a right cage support seat. By the contraction and traction actions of the two robotic arms, the left cage and the right cage form a pulling action, so as to pull the lychees inside the cage space surrounded by the left cage, the right cage and the robotic fingers from the lychee branches. The lychees are separated from the lychee branches and combed down, thereby realizing the picking of lychees. Dozens or hundreds of lychees can be picked at a time, greatly improving the efficiency of workers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of picking fruits on trees, and specifically to a fruit picking method for a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, agriculture is increasingly inclined towards mechanization and automation. When picking fruits on trees, manual picking is still required for some fruits, such as lychees, apples, jujubes, etc. Fruits growing relatively low can be directly picked manually using tools, while fruits growing high cannot be directly picked, otherwise there is a possibility of danger. When picking fruits growing high, intelligent picking equipment is used to facilitate the picking of fruits growing high, ensuring people's personal safety and improving the efficiency of fruit picking.

[0003] The patent document with the authorization announcement number CN208047333U, a lychee picking machine, includes a lychee picking machine body. The lychee picking machine body includes a net bag and a sleeve. A rotating rod is arranged inside the sleeve, and a through hole one is arranged on the handle. The handle is sleeved on one end of the rotating rod through the through hole one. Bearing lower cover one and bearing lower cover two are arranged on the net bag. Threaded holes one are arranged on both sides of the bearing lower cover one and the bearing lower cover two. Bearing upper cover one is arranged on the top of the bearing lower cover one, and bearing upper cover two is arranged on the top of the bearing lower cover two. Fixed blocks are arranged on both sides of the bearing upper cover one and the bearing upper cover two. Threaded holes two are arranged on the fixed blocks. Internal threads are arranged in both the threaded holes one and the threaded holes two. External threads are arranged on the screws. The screws are installed in the threaded holes one and the threaded holes two through the cooperation of the external threads and the internal threads. This lychee picking machine is reasonably designed, can be used for a long time, and has a high lychee picking efficiency.

[0004] In the prior art, there are many designs of fruit picking robots, especially for lychees. These designs basically use scissors to pick lychees one by one (or in small quantities), resulting in extremely low production efficiency. However, in fact, during the annual bumper harvest, a lot of lychees are left unpicked, causing waste because the price of lychees themselves is low, and the labor cost of picking lychees for a day is close to the selling value of the lychees. Therefore, sometimes people would rather waste them than pick them. And most current robots for picking lychees do not consider cost factors. Generally, they consider picking lychees one by one, and they can't pick hundreds of catties in a day, resulting in low production efficiency. Based on this, we propose a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability to improve the efficiency of picking lychees. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability to solve the problems raised in the above background art.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] A fruit picking robot with strong adaptability comprises a robot, wherein the robot comprises a mechanical arm and a robot body, wherein two mechanical arms are symmetrically installed on the robot body, wherein a right cage is installed at the top of one of the mechanical arms, wherein a left cage is installed at the top of the other mechanical arm, wherein the left cage comprises a left cage base and a left cage support seat, wherein the right cage comprises a right cage base and a right cage support seat, wherein the left cage support seat and the right cage support seat are respectively fixedly installed on the top of the corresponding mechanical arm, wherein the left cage base is fixedly connected to one end of the left cage support seat, and the right cage base is fixedly connected to one end of the right cage support seat.

[0008] A plurality of machine fingers are arranged on the left cage base and the right cage base at equal distances along the circumferential direction, and the machine fingers include a cover, a sleeve, a spring support rod, a spring, a step and a telescopic finger.

[0009] The sleeve is transversely penetrated and fixedly connected to the right cage base, one end of the telescopic finger is slidably arranged on the inner side of the sleeve, and the other end of the telescopic finger extends to the outside of the sleeve, one end of the sleeve is fixedly connected to the sleeve cover, one end of the spring support rod is fixedly connected to the sleeve cover, the other end of the spring support rod slides through one end of the telescopic finger and extends into the inner side thereof and then is fixedly connected to the step, and the step is slidably arranged in the telescopic finger.

[0010] The spring is arranged in the sleeve and sleeved on the outside of the spring support rod, one end of the spring abuts against one end of the telescopic finger, and the other end of the spring abuts against the sleeve cover, the machine finger on the left cage base and the machine finger on the right cage base are staggered in sequence, and the machine finger on the left cage base is in the opposite direction to the machine finger on the right cage base.

[0011] The left cage base and the right cage base have the same specifications, and the left cage support seat and the right cage support seat have the same specifications.

[0012] A fruit picking method using a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability, wherein the method steps are as follows:

[0013] S1: The two mechanical arms of the robot drive the left cage and the right cage to extend to the position of the fruit to be picked;

[0014] S2: Enclose the fruit in the cage space formed by the left cage, the right cage and the machine finger;

[0015] S3: Scatter the fruits from the fruit branches and complete the fruit picking work.

[0016] In S1, the robot body in the robot controls two robotic arms. The two robotic arms drive the left cage and the right cage away from each other respectively, so that the left cage and the right cage open. Then, the two robotic arms drive the left cage and the right cage to move to both sides of the fruit and the fruit branch to be picked, so that the fruit to be picked is located between the left cage and the right cage.

[0017] In S2, the two robotic arms drive the left cage and the right cage to approach and close to each other respectively, and the robotic fingers on the left cage and the robotic fingers on the right cage are staggered in sequence.

[0018] In S3, the two robotic arms perform a contraction and traction action to make the left cage and the right cage form a pulling action, so as to form a cage surrounded by the left cage, the right cage and the robotic fingers.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] In the present invention, through the cooperation of the robotic arm, the robotic arm joint, the robot body, the left cage, the left cage base, the left cage support seat, the right cage, the right cage base, the right cage support seat and the robotic fingers, after controlling the left cage and the right cage to open, the two robotic arms control the left cage and the right cage to extend to the position where the fruit needs to be picked. Then, the fruit is surrounded inside the space formed by the left cage, the right cage and the robotic fingers. The two robotic arms perform a contraction and traction action to make the left cage and the right cage form a pulling action, so as to pull the fruit inside the cage space surrounded by the left cage, the right cage and the robotic fingers off the fruit branch. The fruit is separated from the fruit branch and combed off, so as to realize the picking of the fruit. Dozens or hundreds of fruits can be picked at a time, which greatly improves the efficiency of the laborer. Compared with picking fruits one by one, the efficiency is nearly a hundred times higher, and it is easy to popularize and use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of the robotic finger part in a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability.

[0023] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability.

[0024] Figure 4 It is a partial three-dimensional view of a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability.

[0025] Figure 5 It is a partial side view of a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability.

[0026] As shown in the figure: robotic arm 1, robotic arm joint 101, robot main body 2, left cage 3, left cage base 301, left cage support seat 302, right cage 4, right cage base 401, right cage support seat 402, robotic finger 5, sleeve cover 501, sleeve 502, spring support rod 503, spring 504, step 505, telescopic finger 506. Detailed implementation manner

[0027] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention; the following takes picking lychees as an example to illustrate the detailed implementation manner of the present invention in detail.

[0028] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, a fruit picking robot with strong adaptability includes a robot, and the robot includes a robotic arm 1 and a robot main body 2. Two robotic arms 1 are symmetrically installed on the robot main body 2. The robotic arm 1 includes a robotic arm joint 101. The robotic arm 1 is composed of multiple robotic arm joints 101 connected end to end in sequence to meet the height of most lychee tree branches. The multiple robotic arm joints 101 make the robotic arm 1 of the robot relatively long, capable of picking lychees at the top of taller trees and applicable to the height of 99% of lychee trees. A right cage 4 is installed at the top of one of the robotic arms 1, and a left cage 3 is installed at the top of the other robotic arm 1. The left cage 3 includes a left cage base 301 and a left cage support seat 302, and the right cage 4 includes a right cage base 401 and a right cage support seat 402. The left cage support seat 302 and the right cage support seat 402 are respectively fixedly installed at the top of the corresponding robotic arm 1. The left cage base 301 is fixedly connected to one end of the left cage support seat 302, and the right cage base 401 is fixedly connected to one end of the right cage support seat 402. A plurality of robotic fingers 5 are equidistantly arranged along the circumferential direction on both the left cage base 301 and the right cage base 401. The robotic finger 5 includes a sleeve cover 501, a sleeve 502, a spring support rod 503, a spring 504, a step 505, and a telescopic finger 506.

[0029] The sleeve 502 penetrates horizontally and is fixedly connected to the right cage base 401. An installation through-hole for installing the sleeve 502 is provided on the right cage base 401. One end of the telescopic finger 506 is slidably arranged inside the sleeve 502, and the other end of the telescopic finger 506 extends outside the sleeve 502. One end of the sleeve 502 is fixedly connected to the cover 501. One end of the spring support rod 503 is fixedly connected to the cover 501. The other end of the spring support rod 503 slides through one end of the telescopic finger 506 and extends into its inside and then is fixedly connected to the step 505. The step 505 is slidably arranged inside the telescopic finger 506. The spring 504 is arranged inside the sleeve 502 and sleeved outside the spring support rod 503. One end of the spring 504 abuts against one end of the telescopic finger 506, and the other end of the spring 504 abuts against the cover 501. The machine fingers 5 on the left cage base 301 and the machine fingers 5 on the right cage base 401 are arranged staggeredly in sequence. The machine fingers 5 on the left cage base 301 and the machine fingers 5 on the right cage base 401 face in opposite directions. One end of the telescopic finger 506 is provided with a telescopic finger hole for the spring support rod 503 to pass through. By setting the step 505, it is ensured that the telescopic finger 506 is stuck on the spring support rod 503 and can move back and forth along the spring support rod 503. With the head step 505 provided on the spring support rod 503, it is ensured that the telescopic finger 506 does not move away from the spring support rod 503.

[0030] The assembly method of the machine finger 5 is as follows: By inserting the spring support rod 503 into the telescopic finger hole on the telescopic finger 506, then sleeving the spring 504 outside the spring support rod 503, and then welding and fixing the cover 501 and the spring support rod 503. At this time, compressing the spring 504 can make the telescopic finger 506 move back and forth. Finally, the sleeve 502 is sleeved outside the telescopic finger 506, and the cover 501 is welded to the sleeve 502.

[0031] The left cage base 301 and the right cage base 401 have the same specifications, and the left cage support base 302 and the right cage support base 402 have the same specifications.

[0032] The robot body 2 controls the robotic arm 1 to move freely. The robotic arm joints 101 in the robotic arm 1 can move freely. The robot is connected to an external control system. The robot moves through the robot body 2, and the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 are driven to move freely by the two robotic arms 1 respectively.

[0033] The left cage 3, the right cage 4 and the machine finger 5 are all made of lightweight metal materials. Because metal is much more durable than wood, and using lightweight metal ensures the bearing capacity of the robotic arm 1.

[0034] An adaptable fruit picking robot, and its method steps are as follows:

[0035] S1: Drive the left cage and the right cage to extend to the position of the lychees to be picked respectively through the two robotic arms of the robot;

[0036] S2: Enclose the lychees inside the cage space formed by the left cage, the right cage and the robotic fingers;

[0037] S3: Loosen the lychees from the lychee branches to complete the picking of the lychees.

[0038] In S1, the robot body 2 in the robot controls the two robotic arms 1. The two robotic arms 1 drive the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 to move away from each other respectively, so that the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 open. Then, the two robotic arms 1 drive the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 to move to both sides of the lychees to be picked and the lychee branches, so that the lychees to be picked are located between the left cage 3 and the right cage 4.

[0039] In S2, the two robotic arms 1 drive the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 to move closer to each other and close. And the robotic fingers 5 on the left cage 3 and the robotic fingers 5 on the right cage 4 are staggered in turn. (The gap between adjacent robotic fingers 5 is relatively large, which is convenient for the cage to pass through the lychee branches to enclose the lychees. However, in this way, although the left cage 3 encloses the lychees, it cannot comb down the lychees because the gap between the robotic fingers 5 is too large and the lychees will fall through. So, the robotic arm 1 closes the right cage 4, and makes the robotic fingers 5 on the right cage 4 stagger with the robotic fingers 5 on the left cage 3, and closes the right cage 4 and the left cage 3. In this way, the gap between adjacent robotic fingers 5 becomes smaller, so that the distance between adjacent two robotic fingers 5 is much smaller than the size of the lychees, and thus the lychees can be combed down.) Generally, the weak small branches directly enter through the gaps between adjacent robotic fingers 5. At the same time, the size of the lychees is larger than the gaps between the robotic fingers 5, ensuring that the lychees will not fall from inside the cage. When encountering a thicker lychee branch, the lychee branch will press the telescopic finger 506 in the robotic finger 5 in contact with it, and the telescopic finger 506 presses the spring 504, so that the telescopic finger 506 retracts into the sleeve 502 (such as Figure 1 the state where the lychee branch a presses the telescopic finger 506 in contact with it), so that the lychee branch and the lychees to be picked can smoothly enter the cage space formed by the left cage 3, the right cage 4 and the robotic fingers 5 to complete the task of enclosing the lychees.

[0040] In S3, the two robotic arms 1 perform a contraction and traction action to make the left cage 3 and the right cage 4 form a pulling action, so as to pull the lychees located inside the cage space formed by the left cage 3, the right cage 4 and the robotic fingers 5 off the lychee branches. The lychees are separated from the lychee branches and the lychees are combed down, thus realizing the picking of the lychees. Dozens or hundreds of lychees can be picked at a time.

[0041] 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 perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptable fruit picking robot, including a robot, Characterized in that: The robot includes a robotic arm (1) and a robot body (2). Two robotic arms (1) are symmetrically installed on the robot body (2). A right cage (4) is installed at the top of one of the robotic arms (1), and a left cage (3) is installed at the top of the other robotic arm (1). The left cage (3) includes a left cage base (301) and a left cage support base (302), and the right cage (4) includes a right cage base (401) and a right cage support base (402). The left cage support base (302) and the right cage support base (402) are respectively fixedly installed at the top of the corresponding robotic arm (1). The left cage base (301) is fixedly connected to one end of the left cage support base (302), and the right cage base (401) is fixedly connected to one end of the right cage support base (402). The left cage (3) and the right cage (4) can move relative to each other to form an enclosed space; a number of robotic fingers (5) are equidistantly arranged along the circumferential direction on the bases of the left cage (3) and the right cage (4). Each robotic finger (5) includes a sleeve cover (501), a sleeve tube (502), a spring support rod (503), a spring (504), a step (505) and a telescopic finger (506); the sleeve tube (502) is horizontally and fixedly connected to the corresponding cage base. One end of the telescopic finger (506) is slidably arranged inside the sleeve tube (502), and the other end extends outside the sleeve tube (502). One end of the sleeve tube (502) is fixedly connected to the sleeve cover (501). One end of the spring support rod (503) is fixedly connected to the sleeve cover (501), and the other end slides through one end of the telescopic finger (506) and extends into its inside and is fixedly connected to the step (505). The step (505) is slidably arranged inside the telescopic finger (506); the spring (504) is arranged inside the sleeve tube (502) and sleeved outside the spring support rod (503). One end of the spring (504) abuts against one end of the telescopic finger (506), and the other end abuts against the sleeve cover (501); the robotic fingers (5) on the left cage (3) and the robotic fingers (5) on the right cage (4) are arranged staggeredly in sequence and face in opposite directions; A method for fruit picking using the described robot is as follows: S1: Drive the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) to extend to the position of the fruit to be picked through the two robotic arms of the robot; S2: Enclose the fruit inside the cage space formed by the left cage (3), the right cage (4) and the robotic fingers; S3: Loosen the fruit from the fruit branch to complete the fruit picking work.

2. The adaptable fruit picking robot according to claim 1, Characterized in that The left cage base (301) and the right cage base (401) have the same specifications, and the left cage support base (302) and the right cage support base (402) have the same specifications.

3. An adaptable fruit picking robot according to claim 1, It is characterized in that: In S1, the robot body (2) in the robot controls the two robotic arms (1). The two robotic arms (1) drive the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) to move away from each other respectively, so that the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) open. Then, the two robotic arms (1) drive the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) to move to both sides of the fruit and the fruit branch to be picked, so that the fruit to be picked is located between the left cage (3) and the right cage (4).

4. An adaptable fruit picking robot according to claim 1, It is characterized in that: In S2, the two robotic arms (1) drive the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) to move closer to each other and close. Moreover, the robotic fingers (5) on the left cage (3) and the robotic fingers (5) on the right cage (4) are staggered in sequence.

5. An adaptable fruit picking robot according to claim 1, It is characterized in that: In S3, the two robotic arms (1) perform a contraction and traction action to make the left cage (3) and the right cage (4) form a pulling action, so as to form a cage surrounded by the left cage (3), the right cage (4) and the robotic fingers (5).

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