Swinging end effector of a self-pollinating crop pollination robot and its use method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a oscillating end effector for a pollination robot for self-pollinating crops and its use method. The oscillating end effector comprises a housing, a connecting rod, and a clamping device fixed to the end of the connecting rod distal to the housing. A rotating shaft is mounted within the housing, and the end of the connecting rod distal to the clamping device is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft. A slot is defined in the top of the housing for the connecting rod to swing through. The clamping device comprises a light curtain sensor and two opposing clamping plates. A crop stem clamping area is formed between the two clamping plates, and the crop stem clamping area is located between the transmitting and receiving ends of the light curtain sensor. This invention enables non-destructive oscillating pollination of crops in self-pollinating facilities. The light curtain sensor detects whether pre-pollinated plants are fully clamped and measures stem diameter, preventing damage to the plants from high-frequency vibration or contact with the inflorescence. The invention can be applied to pollination robots, significantly improving pollination efficiency and reducing labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural robots, in particular to a crop pollination device for self-pollination facilities, and specifically to a swinging end effector of a self-pollination crop pollination robot and a method for using the same. Background Art

[0002] As a highly efficient modern agricultural production method, greenhouse agriculture is gaining increasing popularity. Self-pollinating crops, such as tomatoes, are primarily grown in greenhouses. Under greenhouse cultivation conditions, poor ventilation and a lack of insects and other pollinators hinder pollination, significantly impacting crop yield and quality. Therefore, efficient and effective pollination methods are crucial for the production of self-pollinating greenhouse crops.

[0003] The pollination method commonly used in most areas where self-pollinating facility crops are grown is artificial pollination such as dipping flowers, spraying flowers or dotting flowers. These methods have high labor costs, high labor intensity, low pollination efficiency, and uneven spraying, which can easily lead to fruit deformities and reduced benefits. Some areas use bee-pollinated pollination, but it is greatly affected by the environmental temperature and has high cultivation costs.

[0004] Most of the crop pollination devices currently available rely on manual pollination through a powder spraying device, which requires a large amount of pollen, and the spraying accuracy cannot be guaranteed. In addition, the device is manually held, which is labor-intensive, takes up a lot of labor, and has low efficiency.

[0005] Although some electric pollination devices have appeared, such as the electric pollinator disclosed in patent application number 2011202329068, which achieves self-pollination to a certain extent, the swing rod intermittently contacts the stem due to the tapping method, which continuously impacts the stem, thereby causing certain damage to the inflorescence and affecting the quality of the fruit. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In response to the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a swinging end effector of a pollination robot for self-pollinating crops and a method for use thereof, which not only realizes damage-free automated pollination of self-pollinating facility crops, but also avoids inflorescence damage caused by knocking contact pollination, while improving pollination efficiency and reducing labor costs.

[0007] The present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions, which provide a swinging end effector of a self-pollinating crop pollination robot, comprising a shell, a connecting rod and a clamping device fixedly mounted on one end of the connecting rod away from the shell, wherein a rotating shaft is installed in the shell, and the end of the connecting rod away from the clamping device is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, and a driving mechanism for driving the connecting rod to swing back and forth around the axis of the rotating shaft is also installed in the shell, and a long hole is provided on the top of the shell for the connecting rod to swing through; the clamping device comprises a light curtain sensor and two oppositely arranged clamping plates, and a crop branch and stem clamping area is formed between the two clamping plates, wherein the emitting end of the light curtain sensor is installed on one clamping plate, and the receiving end of the light curtain sensor is installed on the other clamping plate, and the crop branch and stem clamping area is located between the emitting end of the light curtain sensor and the receiving end of the light curtain sensor.

[0008] When the present invention is in use, the driving mechanism is arranged in the shell, thereby preventing pollen from falling onto the driving mechanism and affecting the normal operation of the driving mechanism. At the same time, the shell provides a mounting body for the end effector, thereby improving the integrity of the end effector. The pre-pollinated plant is clamped in the crop stem clamping area formed by the two clamping plates. In the process of the connecting rod driving the clamping device to swing back and forth, the two clamping plates are always in contact with the pre-pollinated plant, thereby avoiding impact on the plant. The long hole is provided to avoid interference with the reciprocating swing of the connecting rod. The light curtain sensor is provided to detect whether the plant enters the clamping area and to measure the diameter of the plant entering the clamping area, thereby controlling the action and frequency of the driving mechanism.

[0009] As an optimization, the angle between the two clamping plates is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees, and the spacing between the two clamping plates away from the end of the connecting rod is greater than the spacing between the two clamping plates near the end of the connecting rod. This optimization solution sets the two clamping plates at a certain angle, which increases the range of spacing between the two clamping plates and can be used for plants of various sizes. At the same time, the larger spacing between the two clamping plates away from the end of the connecting rod makes it easier for plants to enter the clamping area.

[0010] As an optimization, the adjacent ends of the two clamping plates are fixedly connected to a connecting ear seat, which is detachably fixed to the connecting rod, and the adjacent ends of the two clamping plates are connected by a circular arc transition. This optimization solution uses the connecting ear seat to fix the two clamping plates into one body, and connects them to the connecting rod through the connecting ear seat, which has a simple structure and is easy to install. The arc transition at the adjacent ends of the two clamping plates makes more full use of the space between the two clamping plates, so that the interior of the adjacent ends of the two clamping plates can also be used to clamp the plants, avoiding damage to the plants caused by sharp corners.

[0011] As an optimization, the two clamping plates are provided with mounting holes that are compatible with the light curtain sensor's transmitter and receiver. This optimization solution allows the light curtain sensor's transmitter and receiver to be located in the mounting holes of the two clamping plates, protecting the light curtain sensor from direct contact with the plant and causing damage.

[0012] As an optimization, the drive mechanism includes a motor fixed within the housing, a crank fixed to the motor output shaft, and a U-shaped connecting plate hinged to the connecting rod via a hinge shaft; the connecting rod is mounted on the rotating shaft, the two side plates of the U-shaped connecting plate are respectively located on either side of the connecting end of the connecting rod and the rotating shaft, and the hinge shaft is perpendicular to the rotating shaft. A connecting column extending away from the side plate of the U-shaped connecting plate is vertically fixed to the bottom plate of the U-shaped connecting plate; the crank includes a first connecting plate fixed to the motor output shaft, and a second connecting plate extending upwardly from one end of the first connecting plate, the second connecting plate being rotatably connected to the connecting column. The drive mechanism of this optimized solution breaks away from the conventional cam-type swinging structure. The reciprocating swinging of the connecting rod is achieved by rotating the U-shaped connecting plate around the axis of the hinge shaft and the axis of the rotating shaft at the same time, thereby realizing the conversion of the rotation of the motor output shaft into the swinging of the connecting rod, meeting the installation requirements of the motor axial direction and the length direction of the connecting rod, reducing the width of the end effector, and thus reducing the collision and impact on adjacent branches during the movement of the robotic arm.

[0013] As an optimization, a pressure sensor is installed on the side of the clamping plate facing the crop stem clamping area. The pressure sensor, light curtain sensor, and drive mechanism are all electrically connected to the controller. This optimized solution uses the pressure sensor to detect the force applied by the clamping plate to the crop stem, preventing damage to the stem. It also ensures that the stem is in place and in contact with the two clamping plates, preventing the clamping plates from impacting the stem.

[0014] This solution also provides a method for using a swinging end effector of a self-pollinating crop pollination robot, comprising the following steps:

[0015] 1. Install the end of the housing away from the connecting rod at the end of the robot arm through the quick-change device. Through the movement of the robot and the arm, the clamping device is driven to move to the pre-pollinated plant;

[0016] 2. Use the light curtain sensor to detect whether the pre-pollinated plant has completely entered the clamping area of ​​the clamping device. If it has not entered or has not fully entered, the measurement information is fed back to the controller to correct the movement trajectory of the robotic arm;

[0017] If the stem has fully entered, the light curtain sensor measures the stem thickness and feeds back to the controller, which starts the drive mechanism. For thicker plants, the controller increases the motor speed through pulse width modulation, thereby increasing the swing frequency of the clamping device. For thinner plants, the controller reduces the motor speed, thereby reducing the swing frequency of the clamping device.

[0018] 3. When the motor of the driving mechanism rotates, the crank is driven to rotate through the output shaft of the motor, and the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to rotate through the crank, thereby driving the connecting rod to swing around the axis of the rotating shaft. At the same time, the U-shaped connecting plate rotates around the axis of the hinge shaft. During the rotation of the crank, the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the hinge shaft, and the connecting rod is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the rotating shaft, and the reciprocating swing of the pre-pollinated plants is achieved through the clamping device.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the pre-pollinated plants are clamped by the clamping device so that the pre-pollinated plants are located between the two clamping plates, reducing the impact of the clamping plates on the plants, and the light curtain sensor is used to detect whether the plants are in place and the diameter of the plants, and the swing frequency is adjusted according to the diameter of the plants, further preventing the inflorescence from being damaged, thereby ensuring the quality of pollination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the swing-type end effector of the self-pollination robot of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the clamping device of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the driving mechanism structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 For the present invention, a state diagram is used;

[0024] As shown in the figure:

[0025] 1. Clamping device, 2. Connecting rod, 3. Housing, 4. Quick-change device, 5. Clamping plate, 6. Light curtain sensor, 7. Rotating shaft, 8. U-shaped connecting plate, 9. Crank, 10. Motor, 11. Single-chip microcomputer, 12. Pre-pollination plant. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to clearly illustrate the technical features of this solution, this solution is described below through specific implementation methods.

[0027] like Figure 1The illustrated embodiment of a self-pollinating crop pollination robot with an oscillating end effector comprises a housing 3, a connecting rod 2, and a clamping device 1 fixed to the end of the connecting rod away from the housing. In this embodiment, the clamping device is located at the upper end of the connecting rod, and the lower end of the connecting rod extends into the housing. A rotating shaft 7 is mounted within the housing, and the end of the connecting rod 2 away from the clamping device is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 7. The housing also houses a drive mechanism that drives the connecting rod to swing back and forth about the axis of the rotating shaft. A long hole is provided at the top of the housing for the connecting rod to swing through to prevent interference with the connecting rod's swinging. The lower end of the housing is connected to the end of the robotic arm via a quick-change device 4. The quick-change device utilizes existing technology, and its structure is not further described here.

[0028] The clamping device 1 includes a light curtain sensor 6 and two oppositely arranged clamping plates 5. The two clamping plates are symmetrically distributed and parallel to the rotating shaft 7. A crop branch and stem clamping area is formed between the two clamping plates. The emitting end of the light curtain sensor is installed on one clamping plate, and the receiving end of the light curtain sensor is installed on the other clamping plate. The crop branch and stem clamping area is located between the emitting end of the light curtain sensor and the receiving end of the light curtain sensor. When the branches and stems of the plants enter the crop branch and stem clamping area, they block the light of the light curtain sensor and are thereby recognized by the light curtain sensor.

[0029] The two clamping plates are respectively provided with mounting holes adapted to the light curtain sensor emitting end and the light curtain sensor receiving end. The mounting holes are rectangular stepped holes and are located at the center of the clamping plates. The light curtain sensor emitting end and the light curtain sensor receiving end are respectively installed in the mounting holes of the two clamping plates, and neither protrudes from the inner surface of the clamping plates to avoid pressure damage to the light curtain sensor.

[0030] To accommodate plant stems of varying diameters, the angle between the two clamping plates 5 in this embodiment is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees. The spacing between the two clamping plates farther from the end of the connecting rod 2 is greater than the spacing between the two clamping plates closer to the end of the connecting rod. That is, on either side of the angle formed by the two clamping plates, the spacing between the two clamping plates decreases from top to bottom. The upper portion of the crop stem clamping zone accommodates thicker stems, while the lower portion accommodates thinner stems. When a crop stem moves out of the stem clamping zone and contacts the two clamping plates, it is clamped by the clamping device. In this embodiment, the maximum relative spacing between the two clamping plates is 14±0.5 mm, and the minimum relative spacing is 4±0.5 mm. The connection is an arc.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the adjacent ends of the two clamping plates are fixedly connected to a connecting lug, which is removably connected to the connecting rod. The adjacent ends of the two clamping plates are connected by a circular arc transition, allowing the bottom of the crop stem clamping area to adapt to stems of corresponding diameters, clamping crop stems at different growth stages and reducing the connection stress between the two clamping plates. As a preferred embodiment, the connecting lug is fixed to the connecting rod via bolts, which facilitates disassembly.

[0032] like Figure 3 As shown, the driving mechanism includes a motor 10 fixed in the housing, a crank 9 fixed on the output shaft of the motor, and a U-shaped connecting plate 8 hinged to the connecting rod through a hinge shaft. The output shaft of the motor extends upward, the motor body is fixed to the inner wall of the housing, and a controller is provided under the motor. The lower end of the connecting rod is sleeved on the rotating shaft, the opening of the U-shaped connecting plate faces upward, and the motor is located below the rotating shaft. The U-shaped connecting plate includes a bottom plate, and side plates extending to the same side from both ends of the bottom plate. In this embodiment, the bottom plate of the U-shaped connecting plate is located below the rotating shaft, and the two side plates of the U-shaped connecting plate are respectively located on both sides of the connecting end of the connecting rod and the rotating shaft, and the hinge shaft is perpendicular to the rotating shaft. A connecting column extending away from the side of the side plate of the U-shaped connecting plate is vertically fixed to the bottom plate of the U-shaped connecting plate.

[0033] The crank comprises a first connecting plate fixedly connected to the motor output shaft, and a second connecting plate extending upward at an angle from one end of the first connecting plate. The first and second connecting plates are arranged at an obtuse angle. The second connecting plate is rotatably connected to the connecting post, which is perpendicular to the second connecting plate. As the crank rotates with the motor, it drives the U-shaped connecting plate to rotate around the hinge axis and the rotation axis, achieving a 90-degree conversion of the motor's output torque. This, in turn, causes the connecting rod to oscillate back and forth around the rotation axis, powering the swing-type self-pollination.

[0034] As an optimization solution, the first connecting plate of the crank is a retractable structure, and the swing amplitude is adjusted by the crank length. When the length increases, the swing amplitude increases, and when the length decreases, the swing amplitude decreases.

[0035] The driving mechanism of this embodiment has a simple overall structure, good swing performance, low production cost, and is easy to repair and replace. Compared with the processing of the cam structure, the processing difficulty is greatly reduced.

[0036] A pressure sensor is installed on the side of the clamping plate facing the crop stem clamping area, and the pressure sensor, the light curtain sensor and the driving mechanism are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0037] Preferably, the controller of this embodiment utilizes a single-chip microcomputer, which is electrically connected to the pressure sensor, light curtain sensor, and the motor of the drive mechanism. Light curtain sensor 6 detects whether the pre-pollinated plant has fully entered the clamping area of ​​the clamping device and feeds this measurement information back to the single-chip microcomputer 11. The light curtain sensor also measures stem diameter and feeds this information back to the single-chip microcomputer. This allows the motor speed, and thus the swing frequency of the swing mechanism, to be adjusted for pre-pollinated plants of varying thicknesses, thus enabling intelligent, non-destructive swing pollination. This significantly improves pollination efficiency, ensures pollination quality, and reduces labor intensity and costs.

[0038] Each clamping plate is protected by a convex, curved outer shell that effectively secures and protects the light curtain sensor 6. This also increases the contact area during clamping, reduces contact stress, and prevents damage to crop foliage. A pressure sensor connected to a microcontroller accurately measures the clamping stress state, allowing the microcontroller to more precisely adjust the motor speed to ensure optimal pollination of the crop plants.

[0039] As an optimization solution, the actuator of this embodiment is connected to an external power supply; a camera device is provided on the clamping device to automatically capture crop plants through machine vision and deep learning technology.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, the method for using the swing-type end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0041] 1. Install the end of the housing away from the connecting rod at the end of the robot arm through a quick-change device. The robot moves to an appropriate position. Through the movement of the robot and the arm, the clamping device is driven to move to the pre-pollinated plant 12.

[0042] 2. Use the light curtain sensor to detect whether the pre-pollinated plant has completely entered the clamping area of ​​the clamping device. If it has not entered or has not fully entered, the measurement information is fed back to the microcontroller to correct the movement trajectory of the robotic arm;

[0043] If it enters completely, the light curtain sensor measures the stem thickness and feeds back to the single-chip microcomputer, starting the drive mechanism. For thicker plants, the single-chip microcomputer increases the motor speed through pulse width modulation, thereby increasing the swing frequency of the clamping device. For thinner plants, the motor speed is reduced, thereby reducing the swing frequency of the clamping device. This realizes the swing pollination of facility crops and avoids the damage to crop inflorescences caused by high-frequency vibration pollination or point pollination.

[0044] 3. When the motor of the driving mechanism rotates, the crank is driven to rotate through the output shaft of the motor, and the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to rotate through the crank, thereby driving the connecting rod to swing around the axis of the rotating shaft. At the same time, the U-shaped connecting plate rotates around the axis of the hinge shaft. During the rotation of the crank, the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the hinge shaft, and the connecting rod is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the rotating shaft, and the reciprocating swing of the pre-pollinated plants is achieved through the clamping device.

[0045] The present invention realizes the swing pollination of self-pollinating facility crops, which not only avoids the damage to the inflorescence caused by high-frequency vibration pollination or flower spotting, thereby ensuring the pollination quality and reducing the fruit deformity rate, but also realizes the mechanization of the pollination process of self-pollinating facility crops, greatly improves the pollination efficiency, and reduces labor intensity and labor costs.

[0046] Of course, the above description is not limited to the above examples. Technical features not described in the present invention can be achieved by or by adopting existing technologies, which will not be described here. The above embodiments and drawings are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not limitations of the present invention. The present invention is described in detail with reference to the preferred implementation methods. Ordinary technicians in this field should understand that changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by ordinary technicians in this technical field within the essential scope of the present invention do not depart from the purpose of the present invention and should also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A oscillating end effector for a pollination robot for self-pollinating crops, characterized by: The invention comprises a housing (3), a connecting rod (2) and a clamping device (1) fixed to an end of the connecting rod away from the housing, a rotating shaft (7) is installed in the housing, and the end of the connecting rod away from the clamping device is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft. A driving mechanism for driving the connecting rod to swing back and forth around the axis of the rotating shaft is also installed in the housing, and a long hole for the connecting rod to swing through is opened at the top of the housing; The clamping device (1) comprises a light curtain sensor (6) and two clamping plates (5) arranged opposite to each other, wherein a crop stem clamping area is formed between the two clamping plates, wherein a transmitting end of the light curtain sensor is mounted on one clamping plate, and a receiving end of the light curtain sensor is mounted on the other clamping plate, and the crop stem clamping area is located between the transmitting end of the light curtain sensor and the receiving end of the light curtain sensor. By setting the light curtain sensor, whether a plant enters the clamping area is detected, and the diameter of the plant entering the clamping area is measured.

2. The oscillating end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The included angle between the two clamping plates is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees, and the distance between the two clamping plates away from one end of the connecting rod is greater than the distance between the two clamping plates close to one end of the connecting rod.

3. The oscillating end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: One end of the two clamping plates close to each other is fixedly connected with a connecting ear seat, the connecting ear seat is detachably fixed to the connecting rod, and the one end of the two clamping plates close to each other is transitioned through an arc.

4. The oscillating end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two clamping plates are respectively provided with mounting holes adapted to the light curtain sensor transmitting end and the light curtain sensor receiving end.

5. The oscillating end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism comprises a motor (10) fixed in the housing, a crank (9) fixed on the output shaft of the motor, and a U-shaped connecting plate (8) hinged to the connecting rod via a hinge shaft; the connecting rod (2) is sleeved on the rotating shaft (7), the two side plates of the U-shaped connecting plate are respectively located on both sides of the connecting end of the connecting rod and the rotating shaft, and the hinge shaft is perpendicular to the rotating shaft, and a connecting column extending away from the side of the side plate of the U-shaped connecting plate is vertically fixed to the bottom plate of the U-shaped connecting plate; The crank includes a first connecting plate fixedly connected to the motor output shaft, and a second connecting plate extending obliquely upward from one end of the first connecting plate, and the second connecting plate is rotatably connected to the connecting column.

6. The oscillating end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is installed on the side of the clamping plate facing the crop stem clamping area, and the pressure sensor, the light curtain sensor and the driving mechanism are all electrically connected to the controller.

7. The method for using the swinging end effector of the self-pollinating crop pollination robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: (1) The end of the housing away from the connecting rod is mounted on the end of the robot arm through a quick-change device, and the clamping device is moved to the pre-pollinated plant through the movement of the robot and the arm; (2) The light curtain sensor detects whether the pre-pollinated plant has completely entered the clamping area of ​​the clamping device. If it has not entered or has not fully entered, the measurement information is fed back to the controller to correct the motion trajectory of the robotic arm; If the stem has fully entered, the light curtain sensor measures the stem thickness and feeds back to the controller, which starts the drive mechanism. For thicker plants, the controller increases the motor speed through pulse width modulation, thereby increasing the swing frequency of the clamping device. For thinner plants, the controller reduces the motor speed, thereby reducing the swing frequency of the clamping device. (3) When the motor of the driving mechanism rotates, the crank is driven to rotate through the output shaft of the motor, and the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to rotate through the crank, thereby driving the connecting rod to swing around the axis of the rotating shaft. At the same time, the U-shaped connecting plate rotates around the axis of the hinge shaft. During the rotation of the crank, the U-shaped connecting plate is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the hinge shaft, and the connecting rod is driven to swing back and forth around the axis of the rotating shaft. The reciprocating swing of the pre-pollinated plants is achieved through the clamping device.

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