Cabbage wrapping robot

Abstract

This invention provides a cabbage heading and binding robot for binding cabbages during their growth cycle. The robot includes: a movable frame with a mounting bracket and a movable part connected to the mounting bracket, the movable part driving the mounting bracket to move; a clamping mechanism connected to the mounting bracket, including a clamping motor and two opposing mechanical clamps, the motor being drive-connected to the two mechanical clamps to control their relative movement; and a binding mechanism connected to the mounting bracket, including multiple slide rails, a drive mechanism, and multiple elastic rings. The slide rails are arranged in a ring on the mounting bracket to open the elastic rings, and the elastic rings are arranged sequentially on the slide rails. The drive mechanism is connected to the slide rails and drive-connected to the elastic rings to remove the elastic rings from the slide rails. In this application, the cabbage heading and binding robot clamps the cabbage with mechanical clamps, then uses the drive mechanism to remove the elastic rings from the slide rails, and finally tightens them using the inherent elasticity of the elastic rings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cabbage bundling technology, and in particular to a cabbage core bundling robot. Background Technology

[0002] During the growth of Chinese cabbage, because it is not restricted by external forces, its leaves extend outwards. As adjacent cabbages grow, their leaves intertwine, causing some leaves to be shaded. These shaded leaves cannot receive sunlight, thus affecting the cabbage's growth. Furthermore, as the weather gradually gets colder, the spread-out leaves increase their surface area exposed to air, leading to frost damage and impacting yield.

[0003] Therefore, during the growth of Chinese cabbage, it is necessary to tie it up to prevent the leaves from unraveling. This is usually done manually because the short stature of Chinese cabbage makes manual tying inconvenient. Furthermore, tying requires first tightening the leaves and then binding them while maintaining this tightness, which is a significant challenge for manual labor. Therefore, the current method of manually tying Chinese cabbage is inefficient and consumes a large amount of manpower.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a robot for bundling Chinese cabbage heads and a method for using it, in order to solve the problem of low efficiency in manually bundling Chinese cabbage in the prior art.

[0006] This invention provides a cabbage-heading and bundling robot for bundling cabbages during their growth cycle, comprising:

[0007] A movable frame, the movable frame having a mounting bracket and a movable part connected to the mounting bracket, the movable part being used to drive the mounting bracket to move;

[0008] A clamping mechanism is connected to the mounting bracket. The clamping mechanism is equipped with a clamping motor and two oppositely arranged mechanical clamps. The motor is drivenly connected to the two mechanical clamps and is used to control the two mechanical clamps to move towards each other.

[0009] A binding mechanism is connected to the mounting bracket. The binding mechanism is provided with multiple slide rails, a drive mechanism, and multiple elastic rings. The multiple slide rails are arranged in a ring on the mounting bracket to open the elastic rings. The multiple elastic rings are arranged sequentially on the slide rails. The drive mechanism is connected to the slide rails and is drivenly connected to the elastic rings to pull the elastic rings away from the slide rails.

[0010] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided. The driving mechanism includes a fixed frame, a lever plate, and a claw. The fixed frame is connected to the mounting bracket, and the slide rail is connected to the fixed frame. The lever plate is rotatably connected to the fixed frame. The lever plate is arranged between two adjacent slide rails, and a claw is connected to each end of the lever plate facing the slide rail. The lever plate is used to drive the claw to rotate, thereby pulling the elastic ring away from the slide rail.

[0011] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein the driving mechanism further includes a connecting rod, the connecting rod being rotatably connected to the fixed frame, the lever being connected to the connecting rod and used to drive the connecting rod to rotate, and a pawl being connected to each end of the connecting rod facing the slide rail.

[0012] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein the driving mechanism includes two levers, the projections of which in the vertical direction at least partially overlap.

[0013] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein the claw is provided with a prying part, the prying part extends radially along the rotation radius of the claw, and the extension distance of the prying part is greater than the distance between the claw and the elastic ring.

[0014] According to the present invention, a cabbage wrapping and bundling robot further includes a lifting mechanism connected to the bundling mechanism, which is used to drive the bundling mechanism to move toward the cabbage, thereby causing the cabbage to abut against the push plate and drive the push plate to rotate.

[0015] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein a plurality of slide rails are inclined toward the center of the elastic ring along the direction toward the cabbage.

[0016] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein a limiting protrusion is provided at one end of the slide rail facing the cabbage, and the limiting protrusion extends in a direction away from the center of the elastic ring to prevent the elastic ring from falling off the slide rail.

[0017] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein the mechanical clamp is provided with an elastic element on the side facing the cabbage, and the mechanical clamp abuts against the cabbage through the elastic element.

[0018] According to the present invention, a cabbage-wrapping robot is provided, wherein the mechanical clamp is provided with a pressure sensor on the side facing the cabbage. The pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure when the mechanical clamp comes into contact with the cabbage. When the pressure sensor detects a preset pressure value signal, the motor controls the mechanical clamp to stop moving.

[0019] This invention provides a cabbage-tying robot. A moving part propels the entire mechanism to directly above the cabbage. Then, a clamping motor drives two mechanical clamps to converge towards the center, clamping the loose cabbage leaves. A drive mechanism then pulls an elastic ring onto the cabbage, and the contraction of the elastic ring ties the cabbage together. The entire tying process requires no manual operation, saving manpower and improving work efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cabbage-wrapping robot provided in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the binding mechanism provided in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism provided in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure label:

[0025] 1. Mobile frame; 11. Mounting bracket; 12. Moving part;

[0026] 2. Clamping mechanism; 21. Clamping motor; 22. Mechanical clamp; 23. Elastic element; 24. Pressure sensor;

[0027] 3. Binding mechanism; 31. Slide rail; 32. Drive mechanism; 321. Fixing frame; 322. Paddle plate; 323. Paddle claw; 324. Connecting rod; 325. Actuating part; 33. Elastic ring;

[0028] 4. Lifting mechanism Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0030] The following is combined with Figure 1 The present invention describes a cabbage-heading and binding robot, comprising:

[0031] The movable frame 1 is provided with a mounting bracket 11 and a movable part 12 connected to the mounting bracket 11. The movable part 12 is used to drive the mounting bracket 11 to move.

[0032] The clamping mechanism 2 is connected to the mounting bracket 11. The clamping mechanism 2 is equipped with a clamping motor 21 and two mechanical clamps 22 arranged opposite to each other. The motor 21 is connected to the two mechanical clamps 22 for transmission and is used to control the two mechanical clamps 22 to move towards each other.

[0033] The binding mechanism 3 is connected to the mounting bracket 11. The binding mechanism 3 is provided with multiple slide rails 31, a drive mechanism 32 and multiple elastic rings 33. The multiple slide rails 31 are arranged in a ring on the mounting bracket 11 to open the elastic rings 33. The multiple elastic rings 33 are arranged sequentially on the slide rails 31. The drive mechanism 32 is connected to the slide rails 31 and is connected to the elastic rings 33 for transmission, and is used to pull the elastic rings 33 away from the slide rails 31.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 11 is constructed by splicing together steel pipes or aluminum frames to form a rectangular frame. A handrail is provided above the mounting bracket 11 for gripping and controlling its movement. A movable part 12 is installed below the mounting bracket 11, on the side facing the bottom. Since the cabbage-tying robot is primarily used for tying cabbages, and cabbages are grown in vegetable fields, in this embodiment, the movable part 12 uses casters to facilitate the movement of the mounting bracket 11. Of course, the movable part 12 can also be adjusted according to the actual road conditions.

[0035] In this embodiment, the entire cabbage-wrapping robot is moved by manually gripping the handle, thus moving the drive mechanism 32 directly above the cabbage. Specifically, in other embodiments, a motor or other power source can also be used to drive the cabbage-wrapping robot.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment uses four slide rails 31 as an example, which are arranged at intervals. Preferably, the four slide rails 31 are arranged along the four corners of a rectangle. After connecting the four slide rails 31 to the mounting bracket 11, the elastic ring 33 is fitted onto the four slide rails 31, and the elastic ring 33 is stretched open by the four slide rails 31.

[0037] Once the drive mechanism 32 is positioned directly above the cabbage, the clamping motor 21 is activated, driving the two mechanical clamps 22 to move towards the center, thereby gathering the spread leaves of the cabbage towards the center. After ensuring that the cabbage is within the range of the elastic ring 33, the drive mechanism 32 is activated again, pulling the elastic ring 33 off the slide rail 31. After losing the support of the slide rail 31, the elastic ring 33, due to its own elasticity, pulls towards the center. Thus, as the elastic ring 33 is pulled towards the cabbage, it also pulls towards the center, thereby enabling the elastic ring 33 to bind the cabbage.

[0038] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 32 includes a fixed frame 321, a lever 322, and a claw 323. The fixed frame 321 is connected to the mounting bracket 11, and the slide rail 31 is connected to the fixed frame 321. The lever 322 is rotatably connected to the fixed frame 321. A lever 322 is arranged between two adjacent slide rails 31, and a claw 323 is connected to each end of the lever 322 facing the slide rail 31. The lever 322 is used to drive the claw 323 to rotate, thereby disengaging the elastic ring 33 from the slide rail 31.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the drive mechanism 32 includes a fixed frame 321, a lever plate 322, and a pawl 323. The four slide rails 31 are divided into two groups, with two slide rails 31 in each group. A lever plate 322 is provided between the two slide rails 31 in each group, and a pawl 323 is provided at each end of the lever plate 322, so that there is a corresponding pawl 323 next to each slide rail 31.

[0040] When the drive mechanism 32 is directly above the cabbage, the mechanical clamp 22 clamps the cabbage and rotates the dial plate 322, thereby driving the pawl 323 to rotate. The elastic ring 33 slides down from the slide rail 31 toward the cabbage. During the sliding process, the elastic ring 33 contracts due to its own elasticity, thereby binding the elastic ring 33 to the cabbage.

[0041] In this embodiment, the elastic ring 33 is pulled down by the rotating claw 323 driven by the dial plate 322, thereby completing the operation of tying the Chinese cabbage. Compared with manual tying, this can improve efficiency.

[0042] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 32 further includes a connecting rod 324, which is rotatably connected to the fixed frame 321. A lever plate 322 is connected to the connecting rod 324 and is used to drive the connecting rod 324 to rotate. A pawl 323 is connected to each end of the connecting rod 324 facing the slide rail 31.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 2In this embodiment, the connecting rod 324 is mounted on the fixed frame 321 and can rotate relative to the fixed frame 321. The lever 322 is fixedly connected to the connecting rod 324 and rotates with the connecting rod 324. The connecting rod 324 extends to both ends and is rotatably connected to the fixed frame 321, and the pawl 323 is mounted on both ends of the connecting rod 324. The fixed frame 321 is arranged close to the slide rail 31, and a fixed frame 321 is provided next to each slide rail 31. The mounting height of the lever 322 is at the same height as the lower end of the slide rail 31, so that the pawl 323 actuates the elastic ring 33 at the lower end of the slide rail 31 each time.

[0044] By extending to both ends via the connecting rod 324, compared to the lever 322 extending to both ends, the volume of the connecting rod 324 is smaller than that of the lever 322, which can save materials and conserve resources.

[0045] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 32 includes two levers 322 with projections in the vertical direction, the projections of the two levers 322 at least partially overlapping.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 2 There are four slide rails 31 in total, divided into two groups of two slide rails 31 each. A lever 322 is provided between the two slide rails 31 in each group, resulting in two levers 322 in total. Each lever 322 includes a main body connected to the connecting rod 324 and an outwardly extending extension, with the width of the main body being greater than the width of the extension. The two levers 322, arranged opposite each other, extend into each other below their respective main bodies via their extensions.

[0047] When the cabbage is directly below the drive assembly 3, it abuts against the two levers 322, causing them to rotate and pull down the elastic ring 33 for binding. If the cabbage shifts position, it may only abut against one of the levers 322. Because in this embodiment, the two levers 322 intersect, with a portion of each lever below the other, any lever 322 that is abutted and rotates will cause the other lever 322 to rotate as well.

[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, by arranging the two levers 322 in a cross configuration, the applicability of the entire mechanism can be improved.

[0049] In one embodiment, the pawl 323 is provided with a toggle portion 325, which extends radially along the rotation radius of the pawl 323, and the extension distance of the toggle portion 325 is greater than the distance between the pawl 323 and the elastic ring 33.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 2The structure of the pawl 323 is similar to that of a cam, and the pawl 323 is provided with a toggle part 325. The toggle part 325 protrudes outward along the circumference of the pawl 323. Therefore, when the pawl 323 is arranged next to the slide rail 31, the pawl 323 will not contact the elastic ring 33 on the slide rail 31, so the elastic ring 33 will not slip off the slide rail 31.

[0051] When the pawl 323 rotates, it drives the actuating part 325 to gradually rotate toward the elastic ring 33. Because the actuating part 325 protrudes outward, during the rotation, the actuating part 325 will rotate to the position where it abuts against the elastic ring 33, and continue to rotate under the drive of the pawl 323, thereby causing the actuating part 325 to push the elastic ring 33 off the slide rail 31.

[0052] In one embodiment, a limiting protrusion 311 is provided at the end of the slide rail 31 facing the Chinese cabbage. The limiting protrusion 311 extends in a direction away from the center of the elastic ring 33 to prevent the elastic ring 33 from falling off the slide rail 31. In another embodiment, multiple slide rails 31 are inclined toward the center of the elastic ring 33 along the direction toward the Chinese cabbage.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, along the vertical direction, the lower ends of the four slide rails 31 are all inclined towards the center of the elastic ring 33. Therefore, the area enclosed by the upper ends of the four slide rails 31 is larger than the area enclosed by the lower ends. When the elastic rings 33 are placed sequentially on the slide rails 31, the supporting force on the upper elastic ring 33 is greater than that on the lower elastic ring 33. Under the contraction action of the elastic force of the elastic ring 33 itself, the elastic ring 33 can slide down along the slide rail 31. When the pawl 323 pulls down the elastic ring 33 below the slide rail 31, the elastic ring 33 above the slide rail 31 automatically slides down, making the entire device more convenient.

[0054] Furthermore, to prevent the elastic ring 33 located below the slide rail 31 from sliding directly out of the slide rail 31 due to its own elasticity, a limiting protrusion 311 is provided at the lower end of the slide rail 31 in this embodiment. Because the limiting protrusion 311 extends in a direction away from the center of the elastic ring 33, that is, the limiting protrusion 311 extends outward, the elastic ring 33 located below the slide rail 31 will be stuck by the limiting protrusion 311 and will not automatically slide out of the slide rail 31.

[0055] In one embodiment, the cabbage-wrapping robot also includes a lifting mechanism 4, which is connected to the bundling mechanism 3 and is used to drive the bundling mechanism 3 to move toward the cabbage, thereby causing the cabbage to hit the push plate 322 and drive the push plate 322 to rotate.

[0056] Please refer to the above as well. Figures 1 to 3The binding mechanism 3 is connected to the mounting bracket 11 via the lifting mechanism 4, and can move up and down along the mounting bracket 11 under the drive of the lifting mechanism 4. The entire cabbage binding robot is moved by manually gripping the handle, and when the drive mechanism 32 is moved directly above the cabbage, the lever 322 is aligned with the cabbage. Then, the lifting mechanism 4 is activated, causing the drive mechanism 32 to move downwards until the lever 322 contacts the cabbage. Because the height of the cabbage remains constant, as the drive mechanism 32 continues to move downwards, the lever 322 is pushed open, causing it to rotate and thus pulling down the elastic ring 33 to bind the cabbage.

[0057] In this embodiment, a lifting mechanism 4 is used to drive the elastic ring 33 to the middle of the cabbage. In other embodiments, different driving methods can be used when there are different binding requirements. For example, the lever 322 can be connected to a motor, and the lever 322 can be directly driven to rotate by the motor. These methods will not be described in detail here.

[0058] In one embodiment, the mechanical clamp 22 has an elastic element 23 on the side facing the Chinese cabbage, and the mechanical clamp 22 abuts against the Chinese cabbage through the elastic element 23. The mechanical clamp 22 also has a pressure sensor 24 on the side facing the Chinese cabbage. The pressure sensor 24 is used to detect the pressure when the mechanical clamp 22 abuts against the Chinese cabbage. When the pressure sensor 24 detects a preset pressure value signal, the motor 21 controls the mechanical clamp 22 to stop moving.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 3 In this embodiment, the surface of the mechanical clamp 22 that abuts against the Chinese cabbage is equipped with an elastic element 23 and a pressure sensor 24. Because the clamping force of the mechanical clamp 22 is too large when clamping the spread leaves of the Chinese cabbage, it may damage the leaves. Therefore, when the mechanical clamp 22 abuts against the Chinese cabbage through the elastic element 23, it can increase the contact area, reduce the pressure, and avoid damaging the Chinese cabbage.

[0060] In this embodiment, the clamping motor 21 drives two mechanical clamps 22 to move to a specified distance, so that the two mechanical clamps 22 come close to each other for clamping. However, different Chinese cabbages have different sizes, so when the two mechanical clamps 22 move to a fixed position to clamp each time, there may be situations where they cannot clamp or may damage the Chinese cabbage.

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination is made by the pressure sensor 24. First, a pressure value is preset on the pressure sensor 24. When the pressure sensor 24 detects the preset pressure value, the clamping motor 21 stops driving the two mechanical clamps 22 to move.

[0062] When encountering a large cabbage, the pressure sensor 24 detects the preset pressure value before the two mechanical clamps 22 have moved to their fixed positions. At this point, the movement stops, ensuring the cabbage is clamped while avoiding damage. When encountering a small cabbage, the pressure sensor 24 does not detect the preset pressure value after the two mechanical clamps 22 have moved to their fixed positions. Movement continues until the pressure sensor 24 detects the preset pressure value, ensuring the smaller cabbage is also clamped.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cabbage-heading and bundling robot, used for bundling cabbages during their growth cycle, characterized in that... include: A movable frame (1) is provided with a mounting bracket (11) and a movable part (12) connected to the mounting bracket (11). The movable part (12) is used to drive the mounting bracket (11) to move. A clamping mechanism (2) is connected to the mounting bracket (11). The clamping mechanism (2) is equipped with a clamping motor (21) and two oppositely arranged mechanical clamps (22). The clamping motor (21) is connected to the two mechanical clamps (22) for transmission, and is used to control the two mechanical clamps (22) to move towards each other so as to clamp the Chinese cabbage located between the two mechanical clamps (22). A binding mechanism (3) is connected to the mounting bracket (11). The binding mechanism (3) is provided with multiple slide rails (31), a drive mechanism (32), and multiple elastic rings (33). The multiple slide rails (31) are arranged at intervals on the mounting bracket (11) to open the elastic rings (33). The multiple elastic rings (33) are arranged sequentially on the slide rails (31). The drive mechanism (32) is connected to the slide rails (31) and is connected to the elastic rings (33) for transmission, and is used to pull the elastic rings (33) off the slide rails (31). The drive mechanism (32) includes a fixed frame (321), a lever (322), and a claw (323). The fixed frame (321) is connected to the mounting bracket (11), and the slide rail (31) is connected to the fixed frame (321). The lever (322) is rotatably connected to the fixed frame (321). The lever (322) is arranged between two adjacent slide rails (31), and a claw (323) is connected to each end of the lever (322) facing the slide rail (31). The lever (322) is used to drive the claw (323) to rotate, thereby disengaging the elastic ring (33) from the slide rail (31). The drive mechanism (32) also includes a connecting rod (324), which is rotatably connected to the fixed frame (321). The lever plate (322) is connected to the connecting rod (324) and is used to drive the connecting rod (324) to rotate. Each end of the connecting rod (324) facing the slide rail (31) is connected to a pawl (323). The drive mechanism (32) includes two dial plates (322), whose projections in the vertical direction are at least partially overlapping; The pawl (323) is provided with a toggle part (325), which extends radially along the rotation radius of the pawl (323), and the extension distance of the toggle part (325) is greater than the distance between the pawl (323) and the elastic ring (33).

2. The cabbage-heading and binding robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabbage wrapping robot also includes a lifting mechanism (4), which is connected to the wrapping mechanism (3) and is used to drive the wrapping mechanism (3) to move toward the cabbage, so that the cabbage pushes against the push plate (322) and drives the push plate (322) to rotate.

3. The cabbage-heading and binding robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction toward the cabbage, the plurality of slide rails (31) are inclined toward the center of the elastic ring (33).

4. The cabbage-heading and binding robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slide rail (31) has a limiting protrusion (311) at the end facing the cabbage. The limiting protrusion (311) extends in a direction away from the center of the elastic ring (33) to prevent the elastic ring (33) from falling off the slide rail (31).

5. The cabbage-heading and binding robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical clamp (22) has an elastic element (23) on the side facing the Chinese cabbage, and the mechanical clamp (22) abuts against the Chinese cabbage through the elastic element (23).

6. The cabbage-heading and binding robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mechanical clamp (22) is also provided with a pressure sensor (24) on the side facing the Chinese cabbage. The pressure sensor (24) is used to detect the pressure when the mechanical clamp (22) comes into contact with the Chinese cabbage. When the pressure sensor (24) detects a preset pressure value signal, the clamping motor (21) controls the mechanical clamp (22) to stop moving.

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