A Chinese cabbage harvester and harvesting method

Abstract

This invention discloses a Chinese cabbage harvester and harvesting method, belonging to the technical field of agricultural machinery and equipment. It solves the technical problems of existing harvesters having excessive pulling force that damages Chinese cabbage and failing to remove old leaves and stems, requiring subsequent processing. The technical solution is as follows: The Chinese cabbage harvester includes a torsion device, which consists of two relatively spaced torsion structures. The Chinese cabbage is located between the two torsion structures. Each torsion structure includes a torsion flat belt, and the two torsion flat belts contact the Chinese cabbage. The two torsion flat belts rotate at different speeds. A gripping device is located behind the torsion device, used to grip the cabbage heart and move the cabbage heart, the old leaves connected to the heart, and the stems to a storage device via a translation device. The beneficial effects of this invention are: it can effectively harvest Chinese cabbage, separating old leaves and stems from the cabbage heart without damaging the heart, removing old leaves and stems, reducing the burden of farmland cleanup after mechanical harvesting, and improving the integrity of the Chinese cabbage harvesting process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of agricultural machinery and equipment technology, specifically relating to a Chinese cabbage harvester and harvesting method. Background Technology

[0002] The leaves of Chinese cabbage curl inwards, and the heart itself is oval-shaped. Older leaves are located on the outer side of the heart, spreading outwards. The rootstock is a cone shape, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, rather than spreading outwards. The older leaves and the heart are connected at the top of the rootstock. This describes which parts of the Chinese cabbage should be kept (the heart) and which should be removed (the older leaves).

[0003] Existing Chinese cabbage harvesters can be divided into two categories based on the cutting sequence: the first type cuts the root first and then clamps and transports it; the second type pulls the cabbage first and then cuts and transports it. The first type has the advantage of accurate root cutting, but its disadvantages include high requirements for the cutting blade structure, requiring the blade to conform to the ground's contours. Furthermore, after harvesting, old leaves and stems of the Chinese cabbage are scattered, and these large amounts of scattered old leaves and stems accumulate in fields and ditches, leading to rotting and spoilage. The large amount of agricultural waste left after harvesting also seriously pollutes the environment and spreads pathogens. Simultaneously, these vegetable waste resources cannot be recycled in a timely manner, resulting in a huge waste of agricultural resources, reduced economic benefits for farmers, and an increasingly prominent phenomenon of increased production but not increased income. The need for harmless treatment of vegetable waste and protection of the rural production and living environment has become an urgent problem to be solved in current vegetable production. The second type has lower requirements for cutting parts, but the pulling force is greater, causing more damage to the Chinese cabbage. Moreover, most of them lack a dedicated leaf-removing device, and the harvested Chinese cabbage, along with its old leaves, still requires further processing.

[0004] Therefore, in order to pick up the Chinese cabbage and its roots together from the soil without damaging it, the harvester's gripping device needs to adapt to the shape of the Chinese cabbage. At the same time, the harvester also needs to remove the old leaves and roots of the Chinese cabbage together to avoid subsequent processing. The old leaves and the heart of the Chinese cabbage need to be separated to facilitate cutting, which places high demands on the harvester. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the technical problems of existing harvesters causing damage to Chinese cabbage due to excessive pulling force and failing to remove old leaves and stems requiring subsequent processing, the present invention aims to provide a Chinese cabbage harvester and harvesting method that can effectively harvest Chinese cabbage and separate old leaves, stems, and the heart of the cabbage for separate storage, so as to facilitate subsequent processing of old leaves and stems, improve resource utilization, reduce the burden of farmland cleanup after mechanical harvesting, and enhance the integrity of the Chinese cabbage harvesting process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a Chinese cabbage harvester, including a walking device and a twisting device. The twisting device includes two relatively spaced twisting structures, with the Chinese cabbage located between the two twisting structures. Each twisting structure includes a twisting flat belt, and the two twisting flat belts contact the Chinese cabbage. The two twisting flat belts rotate at different speeds. A gripping device is located behind the twisting device. The gripping device is used to grip the cabbage heart and blow the older leaves downwards, and then moves the cabbage heart, the older leaves connected to the cabbage heart, and the rootstock to a storage device via a translation device. The Chinese cabbage twisting device is used to twist the Chinese cabbage, loosening the rootstock from the soil. The gripping device is used to grip the loosened cabbage heart and blow the older leaves downwards.

[0007] Furthermore, the torsional flat belt is sleeved outside the front guide roller, the torsional flat belt tensioning device, the guide roller assembly, and the drive roller shaft; the guide roller assembly is located inside the torsional flat belt tensioning device; the guide roller assembly includes multiple guide roller structures arranged in parallel, each guide roller structure including guide rollers and tension columns located outside the guide rollers. The guide rollers and tension columns are respectively fixedly connected to both ends of the guide support plate. Guide rotating holes are opened on the guide support plate, and the guide support plate is rotatably connected to the frame through the guide rotating holes; the tension columns are connected to the columns by torsion springs, and the columns are mounted on the frame. The guide roller assemblies on both sides of the cabbage move with the cabbage, causing the guide rollers to cooperate with the torsional flat belt to wrap around the cabbage.

[0008] Furthermore, the torsion structure also includes a torsion motor, the drive end of which is connected to the drive roller shaft via a synchronous belt.

[0009] Furthermore, the gripping device includes a gripping frame, with a fan mounted on the upper part of the frame. The frame also includes an upper mounting plate and a lower mounting plate with inner holes. Multiple gripping structures are installed between the upper and lower mounting plates. Each gripping structure includes gripping plates, and the plates form a gripping space at positions corresponding to the inner holes between the upper and lower mounting plates. The connecting parts of the gripping plates are connected to spring columns via gripping tension springs. The two ends of the spring columns are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower mounting plates, respectively. A rotating shaft is provided on each gripping plate, with both ends fixedly mounted on the upper and lower mounting plates, respectively. The gripping device also includes multiple push columns corresponding to the gripping plates. One end of each push column is mounted on a large gear, and the other end is located between the outer wall of the gripping plate and the inner wall of the lower mounting plate. The fan blows the outward-spreading old leaves of the cabbage downwards to touch the ground, facilitating the gripping device to grasp the heart of the cabbage. Multiple gripping blades form a small gripping space. The gripping spring is at its original length, and the center of the gripping space is on the same vertical line as the center of mass of the Chinese cabbage. The gripping device descends, and the inner arc surface of the gripping blades contacts the heart of the cabbage. The gripping blades rotate outward, while the gripping spring is stretched, causing the gripping blades to generate a slight inward force. This makes the gripping space formed by the three gripping blades change according to the cross-sectional size of the Chinese cabbage heart, achieving a shape-mimicking effect. Old leaves that are not blown downward by the wind are excluded by the gripping blades.

[0010] Furthermore, the large gear is positioned above the upper mounting plate, and it is equipped with multiple sliding posts arranged at equal intervals along its circumference. The upper mounting plate has multiple sliding grooves along which the sliding posts can slide. The large gear is meshed with a small gear, which is connected to the output end of the gripping motor. The small gear drives the large gear, causing the components mounted on the large gear to move coaxially. The rotation of the large gear causes the sliding posts to move within their corresponding grooves, which in turn rotates the multiple push posts, causing the multiple gripping plates to clamp inwards, thus achieving the effect of gripping the cabbage heart.

[0011] Furthermore, the translation device includes two opposing lifting structures, which are respectively mounted on the two translation structures. Each lifting structure includes a lifting connecting block, one side of which is connected to the gripping device and the other side is connected to the lifting slide, which is slidably mounted on the synchronous belt lifting module.

[0012] Furthermore, the translation structure includes a slider fixedly connected to the synchronous belt lifting module. The slider is slidably mounted on a slide rail, and both ends of the slide rail are fixedly mounted on the frame. The synchronous belt lifting module is fixedly connected to a horizontal synchronous belt via a synchronous belt connecting block. The translation structure also includes a horizontal motor, the output of which drives the horizontal synchronous belt to rotate. After the gripping device grips the cabbage heart, the synchronous belt lifting module controls the lifting slide to move the gripping device upward, so that the height of the interface between the cabbage heart and the stem is consistent with the height of the cutting blade. Then, the horizontal motor drives the synchronous belt lifting module via the synchronous belt connecting block, causing the gripping device to move backward.

[0013] Furthermore, the storage device includes a storage box for old leaves and roots, and a storage box for the heart of the plant located behind the old leaves and roots storage box; the cutting device includes a cutting motor and a cutting blade, the cutting motor being fixed to the rear inner wall of the old leaves and roots storage box, and the cutting blade being connected above the drive end of the cutting motor; the height of the interface between the heart of the plant and the roots is consistent with the height of the cutting blade. The cutting device and the storage device are used to cut and collect the roots and old leaves, and then collect the heart of the plant.

[0014] Furthermore, the harvester also includes a controller and an image recognition device; the controller controls the walking device, gripping device, twisting device, translating device, and cutting device; the image recognition device includes a depth camera mounted on the twisting device and a regular camera mounted on the gripping device. The depth camera is used to capture images of the rows of cabbages and to obtain the distance and angle between the depth camera's mounting position and the crops; the regular camera is used to capture images of the cabbages; the controller receives and analyzes the images of the cabbages, as well as the distance and angle between the depth camera's mounting position and the crops, to obtain the row position of the cabbages; the controller receives and analyzes the images of the cabbages to obtain the centroid coordinates of the cabbages.

[0015] A method for harvesting Chinese cabbage, using the aforementioned Chinese cabbage harvester, includes the following steps:

[0016] (1) The harvester moves forward and contacts two twisting belts on both sides of the cabbage. The two twisting motors make the two twisting belts rotate at different speeds, thus loosening the cabbage from the ground.

[0017] (2) Obtain an image of the Chinese cabbage, obtain the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage based on the image, control the center of the gripping device to be on the same vertical line as the centroid of the Chinese cabbage based on the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage, and control the gripping device to move downwards using the translation device.

[0018] (3) The gripping device moves downward and grips the heart of the Chinese cabbage. The fan blows the old leaves of the Chinese cabbage downward and flips them over. The translation device controls the gripping device to move upward.

[0019] (4) After the height of the interface between the heart of the cabbage and the root and stem is consistent with the height of the cutting blade, the translation device controls the gripping device to move backward, passing through the cutting device, and cutting the root and stem of the Chinese cabbage and the old leaves that are turned down.

[0020] (5) The cut old leaves and roots fall into the old leaf and root storage box. The translation device controls the grabbing device to reach the top of the vegetable heart storage box. The grabbing device releases the vegetable heart, and the vegetable heart falls into the vegetable heart storage box.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0022] (1) The invention uses a torsion device on the frame to loosen the Chinese cabbage, along with its old leaves and stems, from the soil. A gripping device grips the cabbage heart while a fan folds the old leaves downwards. A translation device moves the gripping device with the Chinese cabbage heart to the top of the storage device. A cutting device cuts the folded old leaves and stems. The old leaves and stems fall into the old leaf and stem storage box due to gravity. The translation device moves the gripping device with the cabbage heart to the cabbage heart storage box and lowers the cabbage heart into the cabbage heart storage box. This invention can effectively harvest Chinese cabbage and separate the old leaves and stems from the Chinese cabbage and store them separately for subsequent processing of the old leaves and stems, thereby improving resource utilization, reducing the burden of farmland cleanup after mechanical harvesting, and improving the integrity of the Chinese cabbage harvesting process.

[0023] (2) The twisting device is based on the fact that the root and stem are a whole cone shape that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, rather than spreading outwards. The twisting device applies different speeds to both sides of the Chinese cabbage through two twisting structures to achieve the effect of twisting and loosening the roots, thereby reducing damage to the Chinese cabbage. The grasping device is based on the fact that the heart of the cabbage is elliptical. The grasping space formed by the grasping structure can adapt to the size of the heart of the cabbage in order to solve the problem of separating the Chinese cabbage from the old leaves. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the Chinese cabbage harvester of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the torsion device of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the guide roller structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front frame of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping device of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is the three-dimensional structure of the translation device of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the rear frame of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the storage device and the cutting device of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the walking device of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the control system framework of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 12 This is a flowchart of the control system of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the torsion device of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 14 (a) is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the gripping device of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 14 (b) is a schematic diagram of the grasping process of the grasping device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 14 (c) is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the present invention;

[0040] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0041] 1. Torsion device; 11. Front guide roller; 12. Torsion flat belt tensioning device; 13. Guide roller assembly; 131. Guide roller; 132. Tension column; 133. Guide support plate; 134. Guide rotating hole; 14. Column; 15. Torsion motor; 16. Drive roller shaft; 17. Torsion flat belt; 18. Synchronous belt; 19. Torsion tension spring;

[0042] 2. Gripping device; 21. Fan; 22. Gripping frame; 23. Gripping motor; 24. Pinion; 25. Gear; 26. Slide column; 27. Spring column; 28. Gripping tension spring; 29. ​​Gripping plate; 30. Slide; 31. Push column;

[0043] 3. Translation device; 301. Horizontal motor; 32. Slide rail; 33. Slider; 34. Synchronous belt lifting module; 35. Lifting slide; 36. Lifting connecting block; 37. Synchronous belt tensioner; 38. Horizontal synchronous belt; 39. Synchronous belt connecting block;

[0044] 4. Storage devices; 41. Storage box for old leaves and rhizomes; 42. Storage box for Chinese cabbage hearts;

[0045] 5. Cutting device; 51. Cutting motor; 52. Cutting blade;

[0046] 6. Frame; 61. Front guide hole; 62. Middle guide hole; 63. Column hole; 64. Front connecting hole; 65. Rear connecting hole;

[0047] 7. Walking device; 71. Walking motor; 72. Walking wheels. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, a Chinese cabbage harvester includes a twisting device 1, a gripping device 2, a translating device 3, a storage device 4, a cutting device 5, a frame 6, and a traveling device 7. The frame 6 includes a front frame and a rear frame. The twisting device 1 is mounted on the front frame, and the gripping device 2, translating device 3, storage device 4, and traveling device 7 are mounted on the rear frame. The gripping device 2 is connected to the translating device 3. The twisting device 1 is used to loosen the roots and stems from the soil, the gripping device 2 is used to grip the cabbage heart and blow the older leaves downwards, the translating device 3 moves the gripping device 2, and the storage device 4 is used to store the cabbage heart, older leaves, and roots and stems.

[0050] like Figures 2-4As shown, the torsion device 1 includes two torsion structures arranged at relative intervals. The cabbage is located between the two torsion structures. The front frame consists of two square frame bodies arranged at relative intervals. The two torsion structures are respectively installed on the two square frame bodies. The torsion structure includes a front guide roller 11, a torsion flat belt tensioning device 12, a guide roller group 13, a column 14, a torsion motor 15, a drive roller shaft 16, a torsion flat belt 17, a synchronous belt 18, and a torsion tension spring 19. Two torsional flat belts 17 are in contact with the Chinese cabbage. The torsional flat belts 17 are sleeved on the outside of the front guide roller 11, the torsional flat belt tensioning device 12, the guide roller group 13, and the drive roller shaft 16. The front guide roller 11 and the drive roller shaft 16 are located in front of and behind the torsional structure. The torsional flat belt tensioning device 12 and the guide roller group 13 are arranged between the front guide roller 11 and the drive roller shaft 16. The guide roller group is located inside the torsional flat belt tensioning device 12. The front guide roller 11, the torsional flat belt tensioning device 12, the guide roller group 13, and the drive roller shaft 16 together support and tension the torsional flat belts 17. The guide roller assembly 13 includes three parallel guide roller structures, each consisting of a guide roller 131, a guide support plate 133, and a tension column 132. The tension column 132 is located outside the guide roller 131. The guide support plate 133 consists of a plate body and a bent section. One end of the roller shaft of the guide roller 131 is connected to one end of the plate body, and the other end of the plate body is integrally formed and connected to one end of the bent section, with a guide pivot hole 134 at the connection point. The other end of the bent section is connected to one end of the tension column 132. The front guide roller 11 is fixedly connected to the front guide hole 61 of the square frame. The guide pivot hole 134 is rotatably connected to the middle guide hole 62 of the square frame, forming a rotating pair, allowing the guide roller assembly 13 to rotate around the guide pivot hole 134. The tension column 132 is connected to the column 14 via a torsion spring 19. The column 14 is fixedly connected to the column hole 63 of the square frame, allowing the guide roller assembly 13 to rotate within a certain angle and provide tension to the torsion belt 17. The drive end of the torsion motor 15 is connected to the drive roller shaft 16 via a timing belt 18. One side of the timing belt 18 is connected to the drive end of the torsion motor 15, and the other side is connected to the drive roller shaft 16.

[0051] like Figures 5-6As shown, the gripping device 2 includes a fan 21, a gripping frame 22, a gripping motor 23, a pinion 24, a gear 25, a sliding column 26, a sliding groove 30, and a push column 31; the gripping structure includes gripping plates 29, spring columns 27, and gripping tension springs 28; the fan 21 is mounted on the upper part of the gripping frame 22, and the gripping frame 22 includes an upper mounting plate and a lower mounting plate with internal holes. Three gripping structures are installed between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate. Each gripping plate consists of a plate body and a connecting part, with one end of the plate body connected to the connecting part. One end of the gripping piece is integrally formed and connected, with a rotating shaft at the connection point between the gripping part and the piece. The gripping piece rotates along the rotating shaft, with both ends of the rotating shaft mounted on the upper and lower mounting plates respectively. The other end of the rotating part is connected to the spring column 27 via a gripping tension spring 28. Both ends of the spring column are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower mounting plates respectively. The three pieces form a gripping space at the corresponding inner hole positions. The gripping piece grips the cabbage from top to bottom, and the gripping space increases in size as the gripping piece rotates outward, causing the gripping tension spring to change from its original length to its stretched state. The upper mounting plate has three sliding grooves 30, and a large gear 25 is provided above the upper mounting plate. The large gear 25 is equipped with three sliding groove posts 26 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The sliding groove posts 26 and the sliding grooves 30 form a sliding pair. The three gripping pieces 29 correspond to three push posts 31. One end of the push post 31 is mounted on the large gear 25, and the other end is located between the outer wall of the piece and the inner wall of the lower mounting plate. The push post 31 is used to push the gripping pieces 29. The large gear 25 meshes with the small gear 24. The small gear 24 is connected to the output end of the gripping motor 23. The small gear 24 is mounted on the upper mounting plate. The gripping motor 23 drives the small gear 24 to rotate. The small gear 24 drives the large gear 25 to rotate. The push column 31 rotates synchronously with the large gear 25. The push column 31 pushes the gripping plate 29 inward to achieve gripping.

[0052] like Figures 7-8As shown, the translation device 3 includes two opposing lifting structures installed on both sides of the rear frame. Each lifting structure includes a synchronous belt lifting module 34, a lifting slide 35, and a lifting connecting block 36. One side of the lifting connecting block 36 is connected to the gripping frame 22, and the other side is connected to the lifting slide 35. The lifting slide 35 is slidably mounted on the synchronous belt lifting module 34. The translation device 3 also includes two opposing translation structures installed on both sides of the rear frame. The two lifting structures are respectively mounted on the two translation structures. Each translation structure includes a horizontal motor 301. The system comprises a slide rail 32, a slider 33, a timing belt tensioner 37, a horizontal timing belt 38, and a timing belt connecting block 39. A timing belt lifting module 34 is mounted on the slider 33, which is slidably mounted on the slide rail 32. Both ends of the slide rail 32 are fixedly mounted on the rear frame via front connecting holes 64 and rear connecting holes 65, respectively. The timing belt lifting module 34 is fixedly connected to the horizontal timing belt 38 via the timing belt connecting block 39. The timing belt tensioner 37 is used to tension the horizontal timing belt 38, and the output of the horizontal motor 301 drives the horizontal timing belt 38 to rotate. There are four sliders, two on each side, which are slidably mounted on four slide rails. The timing belt connecting block 39 is located between the two sliders on each side.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, the storage device 4 includes an old leaf and root stem storage box 41 and a cabbage heart storage box 42 located behind the old leaf and root stem storage box 41; the old leaf and root stem storage box 41 and the cabbage heart storage box 42 are placed on the rear frame; the cutting device 5 includes a cutting motor 51 and a cutting blade 52, the cutting motor is fixed to the rear inner wall of the old leaf and root stem storage box 41, and the cutting blade 52 is connected above the drive end of the cutting motor 51.

[0054] like Figure 10 As shown, the traveling device 7 includes a traveling motor 71 and traveling wheels 72. The traveling wheels are located at the bottom of the rear frame, and the traveling motor 71 is fixed to the frame. The traveling wheels 72 are connected to the drive end of the traveling motor 71.

[0055] like Figure 11As shown, the harvester also includes a controller and an image recognition device. The controller controls the walking device, gripping device, twisting device, translating device, and cutting device. The image recognition device includes a depth camera mounted on the twisting device and a regular camera mounted on the gripping device. The depth camera is used to capture images of the cabbage rows and the distance and angle between the depth camera's mounting position and the crops. The regular camera is used to capture images of the cabbage. The controller receives and analyzes the images of the cabbage rows and the distance and angle between the depth camera's mounting position and the crops to obtain the position of the cabbage rows. The controller then controls the walking device to move forward to the cabbage rows. The controller receives and analyzes the cabbage images to obtain the centroid coordinates of the cabbage. The controller then controls the walking device to align the center of gravity of the gripping device with the centroid of the cabbage on the same vertical line. Image filtering technology is used to improve image clarity, which is affected by the uncertainty of the actual working environment and the relative motion between the depth camera and the cabbage, resulting in blurred images.

[0056] To distinguish various elements in the acquired image, such as cabbage, soil, weeds, and branches, analysis was performed based on their individual characteristic differences. The main difference between cabbage and soil lies in color: the outer leaves of cabbage are mostly green and yellow, while soil is brownish-yellow. Therefore, a color thresholding method was used to differentiate them. However, since cabbage shares similarities in color with weeds and branches, this invention employs morphological processing, specifically edge shape analysis, to further distinguish these objects, extracting the edge curves of the target objects and removing irrelevant information. Based on the edge information of the mature cabbage, the centroid is calculated using the coordinates of points on the contour. Typically, the centroid can be obtained by calculating the average of the coordinates of all points on the contour.

[0057] Suppose the set of points on the contour is {(x1,y1),(x2,y2),...(x...} n ,y n The coordinates of the centroid (C) x C y The calculation is as follows:

[0058]

[0059] Where, x i y i Let x and y be the x and y coordinates of the points on the contour, and n be the total number of points on the contour.

[0060] Control process such as Figure 12As shown, after the harvester starts, it moves forward to acquire images of the rows of Chinese cabbages, performs image analysis and processing, and obtains the position of the Chinese cabbages in the row. It then determines whether the Chinese cabbages are located on the center line of the torsion device. If not, the harvester adjusts its direction; if so, the torsion device and fan are activated. Next, it acquires the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbages and determines whether the centroid of the Chinese cabbages is on the same plumb line as the center of the gripping device. If not, the harvester adjusts its direction of travel; if so, the fan acts on the older leaves to spread them out, and the gripping device moves down to grip the cabbage heart. Then, the gripping device moves up and then back, the cutting device is activated, the roots and stems and older leaves are cut and fall into the older leaf and root storage box, the gripping device is released, and the cabbage heart falls into the cabbage heart storage box. After the process is completed, the centroid coordinates of the next Chinese cabbage are acquired.

[0061] The present invention also provides a harvesting method using the above-mentioned Chinese cabbage harvester, comprising the following steps:

[0062] (1) The harvester moves forward and contacts two twisting belts on both sides of the cabbage. The two twisting motors make the two twisting belts rotate at different speeds, thus loosening the cabbage from the ground.

[0063] (2) Obtain an image of the Chinese cabbage, obtain the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage based on the image, control the center of the gripping device to be on the same vertical line as the centroid of the Chinese cabbage based on the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage, and control the gripping device to move downwards using the translation device.

[0064] (3) The gripping device moves downward and grips the heart of the Chinese cabbage. The fan airflow blows the old leaves of the Chinese cabbage downward and flips them over. The translation device controls the gripping device to move upward.

[0065] (4) After the height of the interface between the heart of the cabbage and the root and stem is consistent with the height of the cutting blade, the translation device controls the gripping device to move backward, passing through the cutting device, and cutting the root and stem of the Chinese cabbage and the old leaves that are turned down.

[0066] (5) The cut old leaves and roots fall into the old leaf and root storage box. The translation device controls the grabbing device to reach the top of the vegetable heart storage box. The grabbing device releases the vegetable heart, and the vegetable heart falls into the vegetable heart storage box.

[0067] In step (1), the harvester moves forward, and the depth camera acquires images of the rows of cabbages. The direction and speed of the traveling device are controlled based on the distance and angle between the depth camera's installation position and the crops. Since the torsion device 1 is located in front of the frame 6, the cabbages to be harvested are directly in front of the harvester, that is, on the center line of the torsion device 1. Figure 13 As shown, the circle represents a Chinese cabbage. When the harvester moves forward at a speed of V, the two twisting belts located on either side of the Chinese cabbage control their speeds at V+V respectively, with the backward direction as the positive direction. f VV fBy varying the speeds on both sides of the cabbage, it can be twisted in place. During operation, two twisting motors 15 drive the drive roller shaft 16 via synchronous belts 18, which in turn drives the twisting flat belt 17. The two twisting motors 15 operate at different speeds to achieve the aforementioned speed requirements.

[0068] Step (1) also includes the cabbage entering the torsion device 1 and contacting the torsion belt 17. When the two sides of the cabbage are located at the position of the guide rollers 13, the cabbage squeezes the guide rollers 131, the guide rollers 131 rotate backward, the tension column 132 rotates forward, the torsion spring 19 extends, and the torsion spring 19 generates a reaction force on the tension column 132, that is, it generates a force on the two sides of the cabbage. The guide rollers 13 on both sides of the cabbage move with the movement of the cabbage, so that the guide rollers 131 cooperate with the torsion belt 17 to wrap the cabbage. The difference in speed between the two torsion belts makes the cabbage twist in place.

[0069] In step (2), a regular camera mounted on the gripping device acquires an image of the cabbage. The controller obtains the centroid coordinates of the cabbage based on the image and controls the walking device to align the center of the gripping device with the centroid of the cabbage on the same vertical line. The gripping device 2 is initially positioned at the front end of the slide rail. The fan 21 on the gripping device 2 operates continuously, generating a downward airflow. When the image recognition device identifies the position of the cabbage and the gripping device 2 moves directly beneath it, the fan 21 causes the outward-spreading older leaves of the cabbage to fold downwards and touch the ground, facilitating the gripping device 2's grasping of the cabbage heart. The translation device 3 controls the lifting slide 35 to move the gripping device 2 downwards. Figure 14 (a) At this time, the three gripping plates 29 in the gripping device 2 form a small gripping space. The gripping spring 28 is at its original length, and the center of the gripping space is on the same vertical line as the center of mass of the cabbage. The gripping device 2 descends, and at this time... Figure 14 As shown in (b), the inner arc surface of the gripping piece 29 first contacts the cabbage heart. The gripping piece 29 rotates outward, while the gripping spring 28 is stretched, causing the gripping piece 29 to generate a slight inward rotational force. This causes the gripping space enclosed by the three gripping pieces 29 to change according to the cross-sectional size of the cabbage heart, achieving a shape-following effect. Old leaves that are not blown downward by the wind are excluded by the gripping piece 29. Afterward, the gripping motor 23 drives the small gear 24 to rotate, causing the three push pins 31 and three sliding pins 26 on the large gear 25 to rotate. The three sliding pins 26 move within their corresponding sliding grooves 30, causing the components on the large gear 25 to move coaxially. Figure 14 As shown in (c), after rotating a certain angle, the push column 31 pushes the gripping piece 29 to clamp it inward, thus achieving the effect of gripping the heart of the vegetable.

[0070] During the grasping process, the horizontal motor 31 drives the horizontal synchronous belt 38 and the synchronous belt connecting block 39 to move the grasping device 2 backward relative to the frame at a speed of V, so as to achieve the requirement of being relatively stationary with respect to the cabbage in the horizontal direction.

[0071] In step (4), after the gripping device 2 grips the cabbage heart, the synchronous belt lifting module 34 controls the lifting slide 35 to move the gripping device 2 upward, so that the height of the interface between the cabbage heart and the stem is consistent with the height of the cutting blade. During the lifting process, as the cabbage leaves the ground, the older leaves fold downward under the action of the fan to below the interface between the cabbage heart and the stem. After the height of the interface between the cabbage heart and the stem is consistent with the height of the cutting blade, the horizontal motor 31 drives the synchronous belt lifting module 34 through the synchronous belt connecting block 39, so that the gripping device 2 moves backward.

[0072] The cutting blade 52 is positioned at the same height as the gripping device 2. Since the ground surface forms the interface between the heart and the stem, aligning the gripping device's height with the cutting blade ensures that the cutting blade 52 cuts to the boundary between the stem and the heart. The gripping device grasps the heart, and the interface between the heart and the stem is at the same height as the cutting blade. As the gripping device moves past the cutting device, the continuous action of the fan causes the older leaves to fold downwards, allowing the cutting blade to remove both the stem and the older leaves.

[0073] In step (5), the cutting device is installed above the old leaf and root storage box 41, and the cut old leaves and roots can fall directly into the old leaf and root storage box 41. After the cutting is completed, the horizontal motor 31 drives the horizontal synchronous belt 38 and the synchronous belt connecting block 39 to move the gripping device 2 further backward to above the cabbage heart storage box 42. At this time, the gripping motor 23 drives the small gear to drive the large gear to rotate, the push rod 31 leaves the outer wall of the gripping plate, and the gripping plate 29 only has the gripping tension spring force, which is not enough to grip the cabbage heart. The cabbage heart falls into the cabbage heart storage box 42. After that, the horizontal motor 31 drives the horizontal synchronous belt 38 and the synchronous belt connecting block 39 to move the gripping device 2 back to the initial position, waiting to harvest the next cabbage. Thus, the cycle of harvesting one cabbage is completed.

Claims

1. A Chinese cabbage harvester, comprising a walking device, characterized in that, The twisting device (1) comprises two oppositely spaced twisting structures, and the Chinese cabbage is located between the two twisting structures. The twisting structure comprises a twisting flat belt (17), and the two twisting flat belts (17) are in contact with the Chinese cabbage. The rotation speeds of the two twisting flat belts (17) are different. The twisting device (1) is provided with a grabbing device (2) at the rear. The grabbing device (2) is used for grabbing the Chinese cabbage and blowing the old leaves to be turned down, and the Chinese cabbage, the old leaves connected with the Chinese cabbage and the rootstocks are moved to the storage device (4) through the translation device (3). The grabbing device (2) comprises a grabbing rack (22). The upper part of the grabbing rack (22) is provided with a fan (21). The grabbing rack (22) further comprises an upper mounting plate and a lower mounting plate with an inner hole. A plurality of grabbing structures are arranged between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate. The grabbing structure comprises a grabbing piece (29). The piece body of the plurality of grabbing pieces surrounds a grabbing space at the position corresponding to the inner hole between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate. The connecting part of the grabbing piece (29) is connected with the spring stand column (27) through the grabbing tension spring (28). The two ends of the spring stand column (27) are fixedly arranged on the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate respectively. The grabbing piece (29) is provided with a rotating shaft. The two ends of the rotating shaft are fixedly arranged on the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate respectively. The grabbing device (2) further comprises a plurality of push columns (31) corresponding to the plurality of grabbing pieces (29). One end of the push column (31) is arranged on the large gear (25), and the other end is located between the outer wall of the grabbing piece and the inner wall of the lower mounting plate.

2. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 1, characterized by The twisting flat belt (17) is arranged outside the front guide roller (11), the twisting flat belt tensioning device (12), the guide roller group (13) and the driving roller shaft (16). The guide roller group (13) is arranged on the inner side of the twisting flat belt tensioning device (12). The guide roller group (13) comprises a plurality of guide roller structures arranged side by side. The guide roller structure comprises a guide roller (131) and a stretching stand column (132) located outside the guide roller. The guide roller (131) and the stretching stand column (132) are fixedly connected with the two ends of the guide support plate (133) respectively. The guide support plate (133) is provided with a guide rotating hole (134). The guide support plate (133) is rotationally connected with the rack (6) through the guide rotating hole (134). The stretching stand column (132) is connected with the stand column (14) through the twisting tension spring (19). The stand column (14) is arranged on the rack (6).

3. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 2, characterized by The twisting structure further comprises a twisting motor (15). The driving end of the twisting motor (15) is connected with the driving roller shaft (16) through the synchronous belt (18).

4. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 3, characterized by The large gear (25) is arranged above the upper mounting plate. The large gear (25) is provided with a plurality of chute columns (26) arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The upper mounting plate is provided with a plurality of chutes (30). The chute column (26) can slide along the chute (30). The large gear (25) is meshingly connected with the small gear (24). The small gear (24) is in transmission connection with the output end of the grabbing motor (23).

5. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 4, characterized by The translation device (3) comprises two opposite lifting structures, each of which is installed on a translation structure, and each lifting structure comprises a lifting connecting block (36), one side of which is connected with the grabbing device (2) and the other side of which is connected with a lifting sliding table (35) which is slidingly installed on a synchronous belt lifting module (34).

6. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 5, characterized by The translation structure comprises a sliding block (33) fixedly connected with the synchronous belt lifting module (34), the sliding block (33) being slidingly installed on a sliding rail (32), both ends of the sliding rail (32) being fixedly installed on the rack (6), and the synchronous belt lifting module (34) being fixedly connected with a horizontal synchronous belt (38) through a synchronous belt connecting block (39); the translation structure further comprises a horizontal motor (301), an output end of the horizontal motor (301) driving the horizontal synchronous belt (38) to rotate.

7. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 6, characterized by The storage device (4) comprises an old leaf and root storage box (41) and a leafy head storage box (42) arranged behind the old leaf and root storage box (41).

8. The Chinese cabbage harvester according to claim 7, characterized by The harvester further comprises a controller and an image recognition device; the controller controls the walking device, the grabbing device, the twisting device, the translation device and the cutting device; the image recognition device comprises a depth camera installed on the twisting device and a normal camera installed on the grabbing device, the depth camera being used to shoot a Chinese cabbage row image and to obtain the distance and angle between the installation position of the depth camera and the crops, and the normal camera being used to shoot a Chinese cabbage image; the controller receives and analyzes the Chinese cabbage image and the distance and angle between the installation position of the depth camera and the crops, and obtains the row position of the Chinese cabbage; the controller receives and analyzes the Chinese cabbage image, and obtains the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage; the cutting device (5) comprises a cutting motor (51) and a cutting blade (52), the cutting motor (51) being fixed to the rear inner wall of the old leaf and root storage box (41), and the cutting blade (52) being connected above the driving end of the cutting motor (51); the height of the interface between the leafy head and the root is consistent with the height of the cutting blade.

9. A harvesting method of Chinese cabbage, characterized by, The Chinese cabbage harvester of any one of claims 1-8 comprises the following steps: (1) the harvester advances, two twisting flat belts on both sides of the Chinese cabbage are contacted, the twisting speed of the two twisting flat belts is made different by the two twisting motors, and the Chinese cabbage is loosened from the land; (2) a Chinese cabbage image is obtained, the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage are obtained according to the Chinese cabbage image, the center of the grabbing device is controlled to be on the same vertical line with the centroid of the Chinese cabbage according to the centroid coordinates of the Chinese cabbage, and the translation device controls the downward movement of the grabbing device; (3) the grabbing device moves downward and grabs the leafy head of the Chinese cabbage, the old leaves of the Chinese cabbage are blown to be folded downward by the fan, and the translation device controls the upward movement of the grabbing device; (4) after the height of the interface between the leafy head and the root is consistent with the height of the cutting blade, the translation device controls the rearward movement of the grabbing device, the root of the Chinese cabbage and the old leaves folded downward are cut by the cutting device. (5) The cut old leaves and rhizomes fall into the old leaf and rhizome storage box, the translation device controls the grabbing device to reach above the cabbage core storage box, the grabbing device releases the cabbage core, and the cabbage core falls into the cabbage core storage box.

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