Arboreal small animal capture and collection device and capture and collection method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals and a method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, and relates to the technical field of outdoor capture of arboreal small animals, especially arboreal insects. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals includes a collection device and a vibration generating device, the vibration generating device is used to vibrate the tree branches, that is, to generate a falling force, and at the same time stimulate insects with a habit of suspended animation to produce a stress response and then automatically fall off, the collection port is arranged directly below the tree branches and is used to receive target arboreal small animals that fall from the tree branches. The present invention also provides a method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, that is, according to the number of target small animals observed on the tree branches, a one-by-one grasping method or a vibration dropping method is selected. The capturing and collecting device provided by the present invention is simple and portable, and the capturing scheme provided can enable staff to save time and effort in collecting small animals high on the tree branches, and can also improve the efficiency, accuracy and success rate of capturing arboreal small animals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of capturing arboreal small animals, in particular to a device and method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals. Background Art

[0002] Small arboreal animals are usually captured in the wild using a long-pole insect net, which usually requires the assistance of two people to complete the collection. In addition, this traditional method has low efficiency, accuracy and success rate, and is time-consuming and labor-intensive, which is not conducive to scientific researchers collecting small arboreal animals in the wild.

[0003] Some arboreal insects, such as beetles, loopers, caterpillars, adult stink bugs, and larvae of armyworms, become paralyzed and drop to the ground when attacked. This behavior is a defensive strategy used by these insects, as natural enemies are less interested in, or unable to locate, "dead" prey or hosts, reducing their chances of being preyed upon. The inventors discovered that researchers can exploit this paralyzed behavior in arboreal insects for field collection. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device and method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, especially arboreal insects, to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art and improve the capture efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0006] The present invention provides a device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, comprising: a collecting device and a vibration generating device, wherein the vibration generating device is used to vibrate tree branches, that is, to generate a falling force, and at the same time stimulate insects with a habit of suspended animation to produce a stress response and then automatically fall; the collecting device has a collecting port, which is used to be arranged directly below the tree branches and to receive target small animals that fall from the tree branches.

[0007] Preferably, a negative pressure generating device is further included, and the collecting device includes a collecting bottle and a funnel-shaped collecting port, the collecting bottle is located below the collecting port and is connected to the bottom of the collecting port, the exhaust port of the negative pressure generating device is connected to the collecting bottle, and the negative pressure generating device exhausts air to generate negative pressure suction at the collecting bottle and the collecting port.

[0008] Preferably, the vibration generating device includes a vibration device, a robotic arm and a controller, the vibration device and the robotic arm are both controlled by the controller, the robotic arm is arranged at the vibration end of the vibration device, and the controller can control the mechanical claw of the robotic arm to grasp the branch and control the vibration device to vibrate.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes a camera, and the controller can also control the mechanical claw to perform a grasping action. The camera is set on the mechanical arm, and the camera is used to record the image information on the tree branch and display it on the user's mobile phone. When the number of target small animals on the target tree branch is less than a predetermined number threshold, the user controls the mechanical arm through the controller to grasp and capture the target small animals one by one. When the number is not less than the predetermined number threshold, the user controls the mechanical arm through the controller to grasp the tree branch and control the vibration device to vibrate, shaking off the target small animals on the tree branch so that they fall into the collection port.

[0010] Preferably, a screen is provided inside the collection port to separate the target small animals from impurities such as leaves and branches.

[0011] Preferably, the collecting device, the robotic arm and the vibrating device are all arranged on a supporting mechanism, and the supporting mechanism is a portable supporting mechanism.

[0012] Preferably, the supporting mechanism is a hand-held rod, one end of the hand-held rod is a hand-held end, and the other end is detachably provided with a cross bar, and the collecting device is detachably provided at the end of the cross bar away from the hand-held rod; the hand-held rod is a telescopic rod and is detachably provided at the other end of the cross bar, and the angle between the hand-held rod and the cross bar is adjustable.

[0013] Preferably, two of the robotic arms and two of the vibration devices are provided, and a camera is provided on the mechanical claws of the two robotic arms.

[0014] Preferably, the vibration device can be slidably arranged on the cross bar along the length direction of the cross bar, and is driven to move laterally by a transverse driving device. The user controls the transverse driving device through a controller to drive the vibration device to drive the robotic arm to move laterally.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, comprising: first checking the number of target small animals on a tree branch; when the number of target small animals is less than n, capturing the target small animals one by one; and when the number of target small animals is not less than n, vibrating the target tree branch so that the target small animals fall from the target tree branch and fall into a collection port pre-set below the tree branch.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects:

[0017] The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals provided by the present invention uses a vibration generator to vibrate tree branches, shaking off small animals from the tree. It also stimulates insects in suspended animation to produce a stress response, causing them to "die" and fall, thereby quickly capturing small animals. The solution provided by the present invention facilitates the precise or large-scale capture of small animals high up on tree branches, and also improves the efficiency, accuracy, and success rate of capturing arboreal small animals, saving time and effort. Furthermore, the device provided by the present invention is simple and portable, making it convenient for collecting arboreal small animals in the wild. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a device for capturing and collecting small arboreal animals provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] In the figure: 1-collecting device; 11-collecting port; 12-screen; 13-collecting bottle; 14-side door; 15-negative pressure generating device; 2-vibration generating device; 21-mechanical arm; 22-mechanical claw; 23-vibration device; 3-support mechanism; 31-handheld rod; 32-cross bar; 4-camera. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] The present invention provides a device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, which is suitable for arboreal small animals, especially insects with the habit of feigning death, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a collecting device 1 and a vibration generating device 2. The collecting device 1 has a collecting port 11. The collecting port 11 is used to be set just below the tree branch and to receive the target small animals dropped from the tree branch.

[0024] The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals provided by the present invention uses a vibration generator (2) to vibrate tree branches, generating a force that causes them to fall. This simultaneously stimulates insects that exhibit a habit of feigning death, causing them to produce a stress response (self-paralysis followed by pseudo-death) and automatically fall, thereby quickly capturing small animals. The solution provided by the present invention facilitates the precise or large-scale capture of small animals high on tree branches, and also improves the efficiency, accuracy, and success rate of capturing arboreal small animals, saving time and effort.

[0025] The arboreal small animal capture and collection device provided in the above embodiment does not limit the structure of the vibration generating device 2, which means that the vibration generating device 2 used in the present invention only needs to be able to cause the tree branches to vibrate. In some embodiments, even a traditional hook can be used as a vibration generating device. When a hook is used, the hook hooks the tree branches and vibrates up and down to cause the branches to vibrate.

[0026] In some embodiments, the arboreal small animal capture and collection device provided by embodiments of the present invention further includes a negative pressure generating device 15. The collection device 1 includes a collection bottle 13 and a funnel-shaped collection port 11. The collection bottle 13 is located below the collection port 11 and communicates with the bottom of the collection port 11. The air extraction port of the negative pressure generating device 15 is communicated with the collection bottle 13. The negative pressure generating device 15 extracts air, thereby generating a negative pressure suction force between the collection bottle 13 and the collection port 11. This embodiment uses negative pressure suction to improve the success rate of small animal collection, so that small animals are sucked into the collection bottle 13 under the action of the negative pressure suction.

[0027] In order to take out the collected small animals, in some embodiments, a side door 14 that can be opened and closed may be provided on one side of the collecting bottle 13, so that the side door 14 can be opened to take out the small animals.

[0028] To improve the automation level of the device, in some embodiments, the vibration generating device 2 includes a vibration device 23, a robotic arm 21, and a controller. Both the vibration device 23 and the robotic arm 21 are controlled by the controller. The robotic arm 21 is located at the vibrating end of the vibration device 23. The controller can control the mechanical claw 22 of the robotic arm 21 to grasp the branch and control the vibration device 23 to vibrate. This embodiment uses automated machinery to drive vertical vibration, saving time and effort.

[0029] The vibration device 23 can be any product in the prior art, and is preferably a vibration device 23 whose actuator is a cam. The top of the vibration device 23 is used to install the mechanical arm 21.

[0030] The robotic arm 21 is a multi-joint robotic arm 21 , which can realize the free movement of the robotic claw 22 , thereby improving the applicability of the device.

[0031] In some embodiments, a screen 12 is provided inside the collection port 11. The peripheral edge of the screen 12 is connected to the inner wall of the collection port 11, and the screen 12 is used to separate debris such as dead branches and leaves except for the target small animals.

[0032] In some embodiments, the robotic arm 21 and the vibration device 23 are both disposed on a supporting mechanism 3 .

[0033] This embodiment does not limit the type of the support mechanism 3, that is, the support mechanism 3 can be a vehicle body to reduce manual load, or it can be a handheld mechanism to achieve portability.

[0034] In some embodiments, this embodiment defines the structure of the support mechanism 3. In the embodiment of the present invention, the support mechanism is a hand-held rod, one end of the hand-held rod is a hand-held end, and the other end is detachably provided with a cross bar, and the collection device is detachably provided at the end of the cross bar away from the hand-held rod; the hand-held rod is a telescopic rod, and the telescopic state of the hand-held rod 31 is adjusted according to the height of the tree branch, so that the robotic arm 21 and the robotic hand are adapted to the height of the tree branch.

[0035] When not in use, the hand-held rod, the collecting device and the crossbar can be disassembled and carried around, thereby achieving the purpose of portability. The hand-held rod, the collecting device and the crossbar can be assembled when in use.

[0036] In some embodiments, the angle between the assembled handle and cross bar can be manually changed, for example, the angle between the two can be 90 degrees, or 60 degrees, etc., to make it more convenient for users to use.

[0037] In some embodiments, the vibration device 23 can be slidably arranged on the cross bar 32 along the length direction of the cross bar 32, and is driven to move laterally by a transverse driving device. The user controls the transverse driving device through the controller to drive the vibration device 23 to drive the robotic arm 21 to move laterally.

[0038] Specifically, the transverse driving device can be a gear rack, which is fixed on the cross bar 32. The gear is connected to the vibration device 23 and is driven by a motor. The gear is engaged with the rack, and the motor drives the gear to rotate and thereby drives the robotic arm 21, the vibration device 23 and the motor as a whole to move transversely on the cross bar 32. Of course, this is only one feasible way. In other embodiments, the transverse movement can also be driven by any mature transverse driving mechanism or linear driving mechanism in the prior art.

[0039] In some embodiments, the material of the components in the device is preferably carbon or other lightweight materials, such as the crossbar and the handheld pole, so that the device has the characteristics of portability and is convenient for use in the wild forest.

[0040] In some embodiments, two robotic arms 21 and two vibration devices 23 are provided, and each of the mechanical claws 22 of the two robotic arms 21 is provided with a camera 4. Specifically, each mechanical claw 22 has four fingers, one of which is a fixed structure with a camera 4 provided thereon, and the remaining three fingers can perform grasping actions. In a preferred embodiment, pressure sensors can be provided on each finger to detect the pressure of the finger on the branch and transmit the information to a controller to determine the degree of grasping of the mechanical claw 22.

[0041] During the implementation of this embodiment, a field collector first assembles the collecting device 1, the horizontal bar, and the handheld bar 31. The user then selects a target branch and adjusts the angle between the horizontal bar and the handheld bar so that the mechanical claw on the horizontal bar can grasp the small animal and the branch on the target branch when the user holds the handheld bar. The user raises the handheld bar 31 to bring the mechanical hand closer to the branch. If the branch is high, the handheld bar 31 can be extended. A switch on the handheld bar 31 is used to control the cameras 4 on the mechanical claws 22 on the two mechanical arms 21 to slide left and right on the horizontal bar 32. Before sliding, the camera 4 is wirelessly connected to a mobile phone. The switch is used to control the position of the mechanical claws 22, while the user uses the mobile phone to observe whether there are small animals on the tree trunk. If any are found, the transverse drive device is controlled to drive the mechanical arm 21 to move to the position of the target small animal, and then the mechanical claw 22 is controlled to flexibly grab the target small animal; if it is found that there are many target species on the branch, grabbing them one by one may be slow, the mechanical claw 22 can be moved to a suitable position, grab the branch, and the vibration device 23 is controlled to drive the mechanical arm 21 to shake the branch, on the one hand to disturb the insects in suspended animation and fall, and on the other hand to use vibration and suction to absorb the target small animals on the trunk, so that the target small animals can be collected faster and more efficiently into the trumpet-shaped collection port 11. A screen 12 is provided in the middle of the collection port 11 to preliminarily separate dead branches and leaves from the target small insects. Finally, the target small animals collected in the collection bottle 13 are poured out from the side opening of the collection bottle 13 to complete the collection of the target small animals. Finally, the collection device 1 and the handheld rod 31 are unloaded from the cross bar 32 and stored in the tool box. In a preferred embodiment, the left and right vibration generating devices 2 can be folded together with the cross bar 32 and stored in the tool box for portability.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] This embodiment provides another device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, particularly arboreal insects. Based on the first embodiment, this embodiment adds the function of catching insects. To achieve the catching function, the following improvements are made on the basis of the first embodiment:

[0044] The arboreal small animal capture and collection device provided in an embodiment of the present invention also includes a camera 4. The controller can also control the mechanical claw to perform a grasping action. The camera 4 transmits data via wireless signals. The camera 4 is set on the mechanical arm 21. The camera 4 is used to record image information on the tree branches and display it on the user's mobile phone. When the number of target small animals on the target tree branches is less than the predetermined number threshold, the user controls the mechanical arm 21 through the controller to grasp and capture the target small animals one by one. When the number is not less than the predetermined number threshold, the user controls the mechanical arm 21 through the controller to grasp the tree branches and control the vibration device 23 to vibrate, shake off the tree branches and stimulate the insects in suspended animation so that the target small animals fall into the collection port.

[0045] During use, the user observes the number of small animals on the target branch through the mobile phone and camera 4, and makes a decision on single grabbing or overall vibration based on the number of small animals, and then controls the robotic arm 21 and the robotic hand to perform corresponding actions.

[0046] In some embodiments, in order to further improve the degree of automation, the controller can make decisions automatically, that is, the camera 4 transmits image information to the controller, the controller calculates the number of small animals based on the image information, and makes decisions based on preset logic. The controller controls the robotic arm 21, the robotic hand and the vibration device 23 to perform corresponding work based on the decision.

[0047] Example 3

[0048] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, comprising: first observing the number of target small animals on a tree branch; when the number is less than n, selecting a one-by-one capture method; and when the number is not less than n, vibrating the target tree branch so that the target arboreal small animals fall from the target branch and fall into a collection port pre-set below the branch.

[0049] The method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals provided by the present invention can accurately or in large quantities capture arboreal small animals, especially arboreal insects, thereby improving the efficiency, accuracy and success rate of capturing arboreal small animals, saving time and effort. In addition, the capturing and collecting device provided by the present invention is simple and portable, making it convenient to collect arboreal small animals in the wild.

[0050] In some embodiments, the collection port is formed on a collection device, and the collection device is equipped with a negative pressure generating device so that negative pressure suction can be generated at the collection port to attract the target arboreal small animals.

[0051] In some embodiments, when collecting target arboreal small animals, it is preferred to mechanically grasp them by means of a robotic arm driving a robotic claw, and when vibrating branches, it is preferred to use a mechanical device with a vibration drive function to save time and manpower.

[0052] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for capturing and collecting small arboreal animals, characterized by: include: A collecting device and a vibration generating device, wherein the vibration generating device is used to vibrate the tree branches, that is, to generate a falling force, and at the same time stimulate insects with a habit of suspended animation to cause them to produce a stress response and then automatically fall. The collecting device has a collecting port, which is used to be set directly below the tree branches and is used to receive target small animals that fall from the tree branches; it also includes a negative pressure generating device, the collecting device includes a collecting bottle and a funnel-shaped collecting port, the collecting bottle is located below the collecting port and is connected to the bottom of the collecting port, the air suction port of the negative pressure generating device is connected to the collecting bottle, and the negative pressure generating device extracts air to generate negative pressure suction at the collecting bottle and the collecting port; the vibration generating device includes a vibration device, a robotic arm and a controller, and the vibration device and the robotic arm are both controlled by the controller Control work, the robotic arm is arranged at the vibration end of the vibration device, and the controller can control the mechanical claw of the robotic arm to grasp the branch and control the vibration device to vibrate; it also includes a camera, and the controller can also control the mechanical claw to perform a grasping action. The camera is arranged on the robotic arm, and the camera is used to record the image information on the branch and display it on the user's mobile phone. When the number of target small animals on the target branch is less than the predetermined number threshold, the user controls the robotic arm through the controller to grasp and capture the target small animals one by one. When the number is not less than the predetermined number threshold, the user controls the robotic arm through the controller to grasp the branch and control the vibration device to vibrate, shaking off the target small animals on the branch and making them fall into the collection port.

2. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals according to claim 1, characterized in that: A screen is provided inside the collecting port to separate the target small animals from leaves and branches.

3. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collecting device, the mechanical arm and the vibrating device are all arranged on a supporting mechanism, and the supporting mechanism is a portable supporting mechanism.

4. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals according to claim 3, characterized in that: The supporting mechanism is a hand-held rod, one end of which is a hand-held end, and a cross bar is provided at the other end. The collecting device is detachably provided at the end of the cross bar away from the hand-held rod; the hand-held rod is a telescopic rod and is detachably provided at the other end of the cross bar, and the angle between the hand-held rod and the cross bar is adjustable.

5. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are two of each of the mechanical arms and the vibration device, and a camera is provided on each of the mechanical claws of the two mechanical arms.

6. The device for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals according to claim 4, characterized in that: The vibration device can be slidably arranged on the cross bar along the length direction of the cross bar, and is driven to move laterally by a transverse driving device. The user controls the transverse driving device through a controller to drive the vibration device to drive the robotic arm to move laterally.

7. A method for capturing and collecting arboreal small animals, characterized by: The arboreal small animal capture and collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used for collection, comprising: first checking the number of target small animals on a branch; when the number of target small animals is less than n, capturing the target small animals one by one; and when the number of target small animals is not less than n, vibrating the target branch so that the target small animals fall from the target branch and fall into a collection port pre-set below the branch.

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