Fruit crate storage device and control method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic storage equipment for picking, and provides a fruit frame storage device and a control method, wherein the fruit frame storage device comprises a storage frame, a mobile grabbing mechanism and a control system; a fixed support plate is provided on the storage frame, and a working station and a storage station are configured; the mobile grabbing mechanism comprises a displacement component and a grabbing component, the grabbing component is provided on the displacement component, and the displacement component drives the grabbing component to move in the X, Y, and Z directions; the grabbing component comprises a bearing platform and a positioning claw clamp, the positioning claw clamp is used to cooperate with a part of the edge of the top of the fruit frame to limit the position, and the control system can control the mobile grabbing mechanism to transfer the fruit frame between the storage station and the working station. The present invention realizes the stable bearing of the fruit frame through the cooperation of the bearing platform and the positioning claw clamp, and can provide the overall bearing capacity through the setting of the bearing platform, and the entire movement is driven by the displacement component to realize the entire automated grabbing and movement, and the entire control system is simple and efficient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic harvesting storage equipment, and in particular to a fruit frame storage device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Existing picking robots mainly focus on the recognition rate and success rate of picking, and calculate the picking efficiency based on a single picking cycle. This calculation method ignores the preparation time of the picking robot to travel between the starting point and the work location, as well as the time to collect the picked fruits and sort the empty fruit boxes, which will lead to an inflated calculation of the picking efficiency, thus affecting the promotion of advanced technologies in society.

[0003] In the related art, there is little attention paid to the automatic storage of fruits and vegetables. Some typical automatic storage devices are usually designed based on the fixed storage requirements of non-mobile platforms, which are difficult to meet the working requirements in mobile situations. In addition, the carrying capacity of typical automatic storage structures is weak, making it difficult to effectively control and transfer and store fruit boxes with large mass and quantity. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a fruit frame storage device and a control method, which are used to solve the defects of the automatic storage device in the prior art that it is difficult to achieve the purpose requirements under mobile working conditions and the carrying capacity is weak.

[0005] The present invention provides a fruit frame storage device in a first aspect, comprising: a storage frame, a mobile grabbing mechanism and a control system; the storage frame is constructed as a multi-layer structure, each layer of the storage frame is provided with a fixed tray for storing the fruit frames, the fixed tray at the top of the storage frame is configured as a working station, and the fixed trays in the storage frames of the remaining layers are configured as storage stations; the mobile grabbing mechanism comprises a displacement component and a grabbing component, the displacement component is arranged on one side of the storage frame, and the grabbing component is arranged on the displacement component; the displacement component comprises an X-axis moving module, a Y-axis moving module, and a moving module. The mobile module of X direction and the mobile module of Z direction are respectively provided, the mobile module of X direction is slidably arranged on the mobile module of Y direction, and the mobile module of Y direction is slidably arranged on the mobile module of Z direction; the grabbing assembly comprises a bearing platform and a positioning claw clamp, the bearing platform is fixedly arranged on the shell of the mobile module of Y direction, the positioning claw clamp is arranged on the mobile module of X direction, and the positioning claw clamp is used for cooperating with the edge of the top of the fruit frame to limit the position; the control system is used for communicating and connecting with the mobile grabbing mechanism to control the mobile grabbing mechanism to transfer the fruit frame between the storage station and the working station.

[0006] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the positioning claw clamp includes a connecting arm and a clamping portion, the connecting arm is connected to the slider on the X-axis moving module, the clamping portion is arranged on the connecting arm, and the clamping portion is engaged with the top edge of the fruit frame.

[0007] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the engaging portion comprises a engaging slot, and the engaging slot engages with the top edge of the fruit frame.

[0008] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the supporting platform includes a platform plate, a support frame and a limit block, the platform plate is fixed on the support frame, the limit block is connected to the platform plate, and the limit block is used to limit the range of movement of the fruit frame on the platform plate.

[0009] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, each of the storage stations and each of the working stations is provided with a counterweight detection module, the counterweight detection module is communicatively connected with the control system, the counterweight detection module is used to sense the weight of the fruit frame, and the control system controls the displacement component and the grasping component to move the fruit frame based on the weight of the fruit frame and according to a preset strategy.

[0010] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the storage station and the work station also include a limit bar, a fixing component and a position sensor, the position sensor is arranged on one side of the fixed tray, the limit bar is used to limit the movable range of the fruit frame, the fixing component is arranged on the fixed tray, the fixing component is used to cooperate with the fruit frame to limit the movement of the fruit frame, and the position sensor is used to sense whether the fruit frame in the storage station or the work station is within the detection range.

[0011] According to the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the fixing assembly includes an electromagnet and a locking tongue, the electromagnet is arranged on the fixing tray, the locking tongue is connected to the electromagnet, and the locking tongue can move in a direction perpendicular to the fixing tray.

[0012] The present invention also provides a control method for controlling the automatic operation of any of the above-mentioned fruit frame storage devices, comprising the following steps:

[0013] Obtain storage status information of storage stations and work status information of work stations;

[0014] Based on the storage status information and the working status information, the mobile grasping mechanism is controlled to grasp the fruit frame and move between the storage station and the working station to load and store the empty fruit frame in the storage station.

[0015] According to the control method provided by the present invention, obtaining storage status information of a storage station and working status information of a working station includes the following steps:

[0016] Read the storage status on the storage station, the storage status includes three storage states: storage empty position, empty fruit frame, and full fruit frame, and determine the position information of the storage station in different storage states;

[0017] The working status of the working station is read, wherein the working status includes two working statuses: an empty working station and a fully loaded fruit frame, and the position information of the working stations in different working statuses is determined.

[0018] According to the control method provided by the present invention, controlling the mobile grasping mechanism to grasp the fruit frame and move it between the storage station and the working station comprises the following steps:

[0019] When storing a fully loaded fruit frame, the mobile grabbing mechanism is controlled to grab the fully loaded fruit frame on the working station and move it to a storage station whose storage status is a storage vacancy, and at the same time, the working status information on the working station and the storage status information on the storage station are modified;

[0020] When taking out the empty fruit frame, the mobile grasping mechanism is controlled to grasp the empty fruit frame in the storage station and move it to the working station whose working state is the working empty station, and at the same time, the storage state information and the working state information on the storage station are modified.

[0021] The present invention provides a fruit frame storage device, which realizes stable bearing of the fruit frame through the cooperation of the bearing platform and the positioning claw clamp on the grasping component, and can provide an overall bearing capacity through the setting of the bearing platform. The entire movement is driven by the displacement component to realize the entire automated grasping and movement, and the entire control system is simple and efficient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a displacement component in a fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of a bearing platform in the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a positioning claw clamp in a fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the connection between the grabbing component and the displacement component in the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 The present invention is a flowchart of the fruit frame storage device for grabbing fruit frames.

[0029] Figure 7 The present invention is a schematic diagram of the process of placing fruit frames by the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0030] Figure 8 It is a flow chart of the method for automatically operating the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0031] Fig. 9 It is a planning flow chart of the storage process of the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0032] Fig.10 It is a planning flow chart of the taking-out process of the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention.

[0033] Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram of the communication structure between the fruit frame storage device provided by the present invention, the control system and the host computer.

[0034] Reference numerals:

[0035] 10. Storage frame; 11. Fixed pallet; 12. Counterweight detection module; 13. Limit bar; 14. Position sensor; 15. Fixed component; 20. Mobile grabbing mechanism; 21. Displacement component; 211. Z-direction moving module; 2111. Column; 2112. First drive motor; 2113. First slider; 2114. Limit switch; 212. Y-direction moving module; 2121. First beam; 2122. Second drive motor; 2123. Second slider; 213. X-direction moving module; 2131. Second beam; 2132. Third drive motor; 2133. Third slider; 22. Grabbing component; 221. Positioning claw clamp; 2211. Connecting arm; 2212. Clamping part; 222. Carrying platform; 2221. Support frame; 2222. Platform plate; 2223. Limit block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are 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 creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] The picking robot is an automated device used to pick fruits and vegetables. The relevant technology calculates the picking efficiency based on a single picking cycle. This calculation method ignores the preparation time of the picking robot going back and forth between the starting point and the work location, as well as the time it takes to collect the picked fruits and sort the empty fruit boxes. This will lead to a decrease in the accuracy of the picking efficiency calculation and reduce the reference value of the data. The key to the picking process lies in the dynamic storage link. If the dynamic storage link is accurately controlled, a more accurate calculation of the picking efficiency can be achieved.

[0038] In the relevant automatic storage devices, fixed storage demand design is usually adopted, that is, the items to be stored are stored in a fixed storage space for storage. This method is difficult to meet the needs of dynamic storage, and is usually for the automatic storage of smaller items, but difficult to meet the automatic storage of larger items. Other typical storage devices take up a large space and realize the transfer storage of items through a large space. The control logic of this method is relatively complex, making it difficult to implement automatic control, and the reliability and stability are weak.

[0039] Combine the following Figure 1-Figure 5 The present invention provides a fruit frame storage device, comprising a storage frame 10, a mobile grabbing mechanism 20 and a control system; the storage frame 10 is constructed as a multi-layer structure, each layer of the storage frame 10 is provided with a fixed tray 11 for storing the fruit frames, the fixed tray 11 at the top of the storage frame 10 is configured as a working station, and the fixed trays 11 in the remaining storage frames 10 of each layer are configured as storage stations; the mobile grabbing mechanism 20 comprises a displacement component 21 and a grabbing component 22, the displacement component 21 is arranged on one side of the storage frame 10, and the grabbing component 22 is arranged on the displacement component 21; the displacement component 21 comprises an X-direction moving module 213, a Y-direction moving module The gripping assembly 22 comprises a bearing platform 222 and a positioning claw clamp 221, the bearing platform 222 is fixedly arranged on the shell of the Y-moving module 212, the positioning claw clamp 221 is arranged on the slider of the X-moving module 213, the positioning claw clamp 221 is used to cooperate with the edge of the top of the fruit frame to limit the position, and the control system is used to communicate with the mobile gripping mechanism 20 to control the mobile gripping mechanism 20 to transfer the fruit frame between the storage station and the working station. The fruit frame needs to have a higher load-bearing capacity and higher stability during the gripping and transportation process to facilitate the handling of the fruit frame. In this embodiment, the gripping mechanism includes the cooperation of the bearing platform 222 and the positioning claw clamp 221, which can facilitate automatic gripping and improve the load-bearing capacity, thereby realizing the stable transportation of the fruit frame.

[0040] It is understandable that the transportation of fruit frames is different from the transportation of other items. Fruit frames are used to load agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables. The characteristics of such products are that the required fruit frames are large in size and require sufficient stability during transportation. And because the fruit and vegetable picking process is often a long-term process of continuous picking, this requires the storage device to be able to achieve dynamic continuous storage. In this embodiment, the mobile grasping mechanism 20 can realize the movement of the grasping component 22 in the three directions of X, Y, and Z, so as to achieve efficient transfer of the fruit frame, and through the matching design of the bearing platform 222 and the positioning claw clamp 221 with the fruit frame structure, the movement of the Z-direction mobile module 211 is used to realize the grasping and releasing of the fruit frame, reducing the complexity of the control system. That is, only three degrees of freedom are used for control as a whole, which reduces the complexity of the system, improves the stability of the system, and also reduces the requirements for motor power, simplifying the power supply and wiring design.

[0041] The storage frame 10 as the main part is a metal frame structure. The overall structure of the storage frame 10 is a multi-layer structure. A fixed pallet 11 is laid on each layer. The fixed pallet 11 can provide support for the fruit frame and can be used to install various detection elements to realize the detection of various states on the work station. Please refer to the subsequent records for details.

[0042] After the fixed pallet 11 is connected to the storage frame 10, the area on the top fixed pallet 11 is manually configured as a work station. The top layer is configured as a work station to facilitate the loading of fruits and vegetables, that is, the work station is used to load fruits and vegetables. Specifically, when loading fruits and vegetables, the fruits and vegetables are loaded into the fruit frames on the top by loading equipment or manually. Similarly, the fixed pallets 11 in other structural layers except the top layer are considered to be set as storage layers, and storage stations for carrying fruit frames are divided on each storage layer. The storage stations are used to store empty fruit frames or fully loaded fruit frames.

[0043] The mobile grabbing mechanism 20 is used to grab the fruit frame (empty fruit frame or fully loaded fruit frame) and can transport the fruit frame to the target position by moving the mobile assembly. The mobile grabbing mechanism 20 cooperates with the control system for control, so that the mobile grabbing mechanism 20 can realize automatic operation under the control of the control system, thereby realizing the rotation between the empty fruit frame on the storage station and the fully loaded fruit frame (the fruit frame loaded with fruits and vegetables) on the working station, thereby realizing the dynamic storage of the fruit frame.

[0044] For example, after the fruit and vegetable loading is completed, the fruit frame on the top of the storage frame 10 can be grabbed by the mobile grabbing mechanism 20 and moved to the storage station in the storage layer for storage. The fully loaded fruit frames in the storage station are unloaded and transported to other processes by external transfer tools after a certain period of time. At this time, the storage station is either replaced with an empty fruit frame or emptied directly.

[0045] In the specific configuration, the storage frame 10 is in an L-shaped structure as a whole, so that the storage frame 10 has a gap space, the mobile grabbing mechanism 20 is arranged on one side of the gap space, and the carrying platform 222 is located in the gap space. This method makes the overall structure more compact, can reduce the space occupied by the entire device, and the carrying platform 222 can contact with the two sides of the storage frame 10 at the same time, so as to realize efficient removal and storage of the fruit frame.

[0046] Furthermore, two parallel working stations are arranged on the fixed support plate 11 of the top layer, and three storage stations are arranged on the fixed support plate 11 of the storage layer, and the three storage stations are arranged according to the L-shaped structure of the storage frame 10. That is, two storage stations are arranged on the side of the long side of the storage frame 10 parallel to the Y-axis direction, and one storage station is arranged on the short side of the storage frame 10. Specifically, the specific number of storage layers is not limited in this embodiment, and can be three layers, four layers, etc. For the convenience of explanation, three storage layers are used as an example in this specification and the drawings of the specification.

[0047] In specific configuration, the X-axis moving module 213 and the Y-axis moving module 212 are synchronous belt modules, and the Z-axis moving module 211 is a screw module. Specifically, the Z-axis moving module 211 includes a column 2111, a first slider 2113 and a first drive motor 2112, wherein the column 2111 refers to the outer shell of the Z-axis moving module, the motor seat of the first drive motor 2112 is connected to the bottom of the column 2111, the screw rod is arranged in the column 2111, and the first drive motor 2112 transmits movement to the screw rod through a synchronous belt. Specifically, the column 2111 is fixed to the ground or fixedly connected to the storage frame 10, the first slider 2113 is slidably arranged on the column 2111, and the first drive motor 2112 is arranged at one end of the column 2111. The first drive motor 2112 is used to drive the screw rod to rotate so as to realize the first slider 2113 moving in the Z direction along the column 2111, and a limit switch 2114 is also provided on the column 2111, and the moving range of the first slider 2113 is limited by the limit switch 2114. The Y-direction moving module 212 includes a first beam 2121, a second slider 2123 and a second drive motor 2122. The first beam 2121 extends toward the Y direction, and the first beam 2121 is fixed on the first slider 2113. The second slider 2123 is slidably set on the first beam 2121. The second drive motor 2122 is set at one end of the first beam 2121. The second drive motor 2122 is used to drive the synchronous belt to rotate so as to realize the movement of the second slider 2123 along the Y direction. The X-direction moving module 213 includes a second beam 2131, a third slider 2133 and a third drive motor 2132. The second beam 2131 extends toward the X direction and is fixed on the second slider 2123. The third slider 2133 is slidably disposed on the second beam 2131. The third drive motor 2132 is disposed at one end of the second beam 2131. The third drive motor 2132 is used to drive the synchronous belt to rotate so as to realize the movement of the third slider 2133 along the X direction. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 As shown, at least a portion of the first beam 2121 is located in the gap space, the supporting platform 222 is fixed on the first beam 2121, and the positioning claw clamp 221 is connected to the third slider 2133, so that the positioning claw clamp 221 can move in three directions (X, Y, and Z directions) to achieve the grasping and placement of the fruit frame.

[0048] According to an embodiment provided by the present invention, the positioning claw clamp 221 includes a connecting arm 2211 and a clamping portion 2212. The connecting arm 2211 is connected to a slider on the X-direction moving module 213. The clamping portion 2212 is disposed on the connecting arm 2211. The clamping portion 2212 is engaged with the top edge of the fruit frame. The positioning claw clamp 221 needs to cooperate with the fruit frame to achieve the limitation and grasping of the fruit frame. In this embodiment, the clamping portion 2212 is disposed to cooperate with the fruit frame, so that the fruit frame can be stored and taken out.

[0049] In the specific configuration, one end of the connecting arm 2211 is connected to the third slider 2133 on the X-axis moving module 213, and the other end of the connecting arm 2211 is freely extended. The clamping portion 2212 is fixed to the connecting arm 2211 by bolts to achieve limited clamping of the fruit frame.

[0050] Furthermore, the overall structure of the connecting arm 2211 is a "["-shaped structure, and its overall shape cooperates with the edge of one end of the top of the fruit frame, so as to achieve the cooperation and limitation of the edge of the top part of the fruit frame, and realize the removal and storage of the fruit frame.

[0051] In the specific configuration, the clamping portion 2212 includes a clamping slot, which is clamped with the top edge of the fruit frame. The slot width of the clamping slot is slightly larger than the width of the top edge of the fruit frame, so that during the clamping process, a part of the top edge of the fruit frame is located in the slot of the clamping slot.

[0052] In a specific embodiment, the minimum distance between the carrying platform 222 and the positioning claw clamp 221 is smaller than the height of the fruit frame. That is, the minimum distance between the upper surface of the carrying platform 222 and the clamping portion 2212 is smaller than the height of the fruit frame, so that when the fruit frame is moved onto the carrying platform 222, a portion of the top edge of the fruit frame is located in the clamping groove of the clamping portion 2212, thereby limiting the position of the fruit frame, and improving the stability and reliability of the fruit frame during transportation.

[0053] Specifically, during the process of taking out, the positioning claw clamp 221 is first controlled by the displacement component 21 to move to the top of the fruit frame, and the slot on the positioning claw clamp 221 is aligned with the top of the edge of the fruit frame. At this time, the upper surface of the supporting platform 222 is slightly higher than the surface of the fixed support plate 11. Then, the displacement component 21 is moved downward so that the slot is inserted into the edge of one end of the top of the fruit frame to limit the position of the fruit frame. At this time, the upper surface of the supporting platform 222 is slightly lower than the surface of the fixed support plate 11, and the displacement component 21 is driven to move along the X and Y directions, so that the fruit frame is pulled out of the storage station or the work station by the positioning claw clamp 221 and reaches the supporting platform 222. For example, Figure 6 As shown, the fruit frame can be taken out by moving in the Y direction during the process of taking out the fruit frame. After reaching the carrying platform 222, one end of the top edge of the fruit frame cooperates with the slot on the positioning claw clamp 221, and the bottom edge of the fruit frame cooperates with the limiting strip 2223, thereby limiting the entire fruit frame, making the fruit frame more stable when transferred on the carrying platform 222. During the storage process, when the fruit frame is moved to the target height by the displacement component 21, the plane of the carrying platform 222 is slightly higher than the surface of the fixed pallet 11, and the positioning claw clamp 221 is moved to push the fruit frame into the storage station or the working station.

[0054] In a further embodiment, the clamping portion 2212 is arranged along the structure of the connecting arm 2211, that is, the clamping portion 2212 includes a portion that cooperates with the top edge of one end of the fruit frame, and also includes a portion that cooperates with the top edges on both sides of the fruit frame. In this way, stable cooperation of the fruit frame can be achieved, and stable transportation of the fruit frame can be achieved.

[0055] According to an embodiment provided by the present invention, the bearing platform 222 includes a platform plate 2222, a support frame 2221 and a limit block 2223. The platform plate 2222 is fixedly arranged on the support frame 2221, and the limit block 2223 is connected to the platform plate 2222. The limit block 2223 is used to limit the range of movement of the fruit frame on the platform plate 2222. The support frame 2221 is used to support the platform plate 2222, and one end of the support frame 2221 is fixedly connected to the first crossbeam 2121, so that the bearing platform 222 only moves in the vertical direction. This configuration can simplify the control system, making the control system more concise and easy to implement.

[0056] Specifically, the thickness of the limit block 2223 is relatively thin. The limit block 2223 is arranged on one side edge of the platform plate 2222. The limit block 2223 can only limit the range of movement of the fruit frame on the platform plate 2222, and will not hinder the fruit frame removal and storage actions during the fruit frame removal and storage processes.

[0057] In the specific setting, each storage station and each work station are provided with a counterweight detection module 12, which is connected to the control system for communication. The counterweight detection module 12 is used to sense the weight of the fruit frame. The control system controls the displacement component 21 and the grabbing component 22 to move the fruit frame based on the weight of the fruit frame and according to a preset strategy. In the process of automated storage operation, it is necessary to know the status of the fruit frame (empty fruit frame or fully loaded fruit frame) at the storage station and the work station. In this embodiment, the weight detection of the fruit frame can be realized through the counterweight detection module 12, thereby providing data support for the control system.

[0058] Specifically, the weight detection module 12 can feed back the detected weight value to the control system, and the control system makes a judgment based on the divided thresholds. When the weight value exceeds the preset threshold, it can be determined as a full load of fruit boxes.

[0059] According to some embodiments provided by the present invention, the storage station and the work station further include a limit bar 13, a fixing component 15 and a position sensor 14. The position sensor 14 is arranged on one side of the fixed support plate 11. The limit bar 13 is used to limit the range of movement of the fruit frame. The fixing component 15 is arranged on the fixed support plate 11. The fixing component 15 is used to cooperate with the fruit frame to limit the movement of the fruit frame. The position sensor 14 is used to sense whether the fruit frame in the storage station or the work station is within the detection range. The fruit frame needs to have a higher stability at the storage station and the work station to prevent the fruit frame from shaking to an abnormal position and affecting the normal operation of the mobile grasping mechanism and the displacement component. In this embodiment, the setting of the limit bar 13 and the fixing component 15 makes the placement of the fruit frame more stable, so that the fruit frame has a better impact resistance.

[0060] The position sensor 14 is an infrared sensor, which can sense whether the fruit frame is within the detection range. The infrared sensor works stably and is less affected by visible light.

[0061] In the specific setting, the fixing component 15 includes an electromagnet and a lock tongue. The electromagnet is arranged on the fixed support plate 11, and the lock tongue is connected to the electromagnet. The lock tongue can move in a direction perpendicular to the fixed support plate 11. The electromagnet is installed below the fixed support plate 11. A bidirectional self-holding electromagnet is selected. The movement direction of the lock tongue is perpendicular to the fixed tray, which is used to fix the fruit frame in the designated working position or storage position; when the lock tongue pops out, it can prevent it from deviating from the correct position due to the shaking of the vehicle body. When the lock tongue retracts, it can be retracted below the plane of the fixed support plate 11 to prevent the normal movement of the fruit frame from being hindered; the ejection and retraction of the electromagnet lock tongue are determined by the current passing through the electromagnet, and a multi-channel relay module can receive the upper computer signal to control the action of all the electromagnets in the frame. The infrared sensor is installed at the front and rear ends of the bracket, corresponding to each fruit frame working position and storage position. The infrared sensor will emit infrared rays to detect whether the fruit frame exists in the detection range. The trigger threshold of the infrared sensor is set to the fruit frame approaching the standard storage position or working position and the bottom of the fruit frame does not interfere with the electromagnet lock tongue. Within this range, the fruit frame claw can grab the fruit frame; the infrared sensor outputs a switch quantity, and a switch quantity input module is used to collect all infrared sensor signals for processing by the host computer. The counterweight detection module 12 includes a weight sensor, which is installed between the fruit frame storage rack bracket and the top fixed tray to detect the weight change of the left and right working positions respectively. The weight sensor outputs an analog signal, and an analog input and output module is used to collect the weight sensor signal for processing by the control system.

[0062] like Figure 6As shown, the fruit frame grabbing process of the fruit frame storage device is specifically as follows: the driving motor on the displacement component 21 drives the screw rod to rotate, driving the positioning claw clamp 221 to move vertically to a position where the positioning claw clamp 221 is slightly higher than the top edge of the target fruit frame; then the driving motor drives the positioning claw clamp 221 to move along the X and Y directions, so that the positioning claw clamp 221 is located directly above the target fruit frame, and then the driving motor drives the screw rod to rotate, so that the positioning claw clamp 221 moves vertically downward until the card slot is engaged with the edge of the fruit frame, and the electromagnet retracts the lock tongue to release the fruit frame fixation; the displacement component 21 moves along the X and Y directions through the driving component, driving the positioning claw clamp 221 that has grabbed the fruit frame to move horizontally to the platform plate 2222 of the supporting platform 222, thereby realizing the grabbing of the fruit frame.

[0063] like Figure 7 As shown, the process of placing the fruit frames in the fruit frame storage device is as follows: the driving motor drives the displacement component 21 to move, driving the supporting platform 222 to move vertically to a position slightly higher than the target plane, and drives the positioning claw clamp 221 and the fruit frame to move horizontally to the target position through the displacement component 21, so that the fruit frame reaches the target position, and then drives the positioning claw clamp 221 to move vertically upward to a position higher than the top edge of the fruit frame through the displacement component 21, and the infrared sensor scans the target fruit frame, and the electromagnet lock tongue corresponding to the position of the target fruit frame pops up to lock the fruit frame; then the positioning claw moves to the reset position driven by the displacement component 21.

[0064] like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention also provides a control method for controlling the automatic operation of the fruit frame storage device provided by any of the above embodiments, comprising the following steps:

[0065] S100: Acquire storage status information of a storage station and work status information of a work station.

[0066] Specifically, the storage status on the storage station is read, the storage status includes three storage statuses: storage space, empty fruit frame, and fully loaded fruit frame, and the position information of the storage station with different storage statuses is determined; the working status on the work station is read, the working status includes two working statuses: working space and fully loaded fruit frame, and the position information of the work station with different working statuses is determined.

[0067] It can be understood that in the process of automated storage operations, the conditions of each workstation in the storage frame 10 are first obtained to record the status of different positions, so that the target position can be determined according to the different status of the positions, and the transportation route can be planned based on the transportation position and the target position.

[0068] S200. Based on the storage status information and the working status information, control the mobile grasping mechanism 20 to grasp the fruit frame and move it between the storage station and the working station to load and store the empty fruit frame in the storage station.

[0069] Specifically, when storing a fully loaded fruit frame, the mobile grasping mechanism 20 is controlled to grasp the fully loaded fruit frame on the working station and move it to a storage station whose storage status is a storage empty position, and at the same time, the working status information on the working station and the storage status information on the storage station are modified; when taking out an empty fruit frame, the mobile grasping mechanism 20 is controlled to grasp the empty fruit frame in the storage station and move it to the working station whose working status is a working empty position, and at the same time, the storage status information and the working status information on the storage station are modified.

[0070] Furthermore, the transport position and the target position are determined based on the storage status information and the working status information, and the moving path is planned based on the transport position and the target position to implement the operation on the empty position or empty fruit frame at the target position.

[0071] For example, when a fully loaded fruit frame needs to be stored, when the fully loaded fruit frame on the work station leaves the work station, it is modified to the "working empty position" state so that the empty fruit frame can be transported to that position to realize the rotation between the empty fruit frame and the fully loaded fruit frame position; when an empty fruit frame needs to be taken out, after the empty fruit frame on the storage station is taken out, it is modified to the "storage empty position" state so that the fully loaded fruit frame or other empty fruit frame can be moved to that position to realize the rotation.

[0072] As can be seen from the above, when there are multiple target locations on the storage frame 10, it is necessary to perform control planning for the optimal path. This embodiment is exemplified by three storage stations on each layer and two working stations on the top layer. For details, please refer to the following method.

[0073] like Fig. 9 , Fig.10As shown, the main requirement of the fruit frame moving path planning in the horizontal direction is to solve the interference problem. According to the spatial relative direction (X, Y, Z direction) of the fruit frame storage rack introduction part, the layer where the work station is located is the upper direction of the fruit frame storage device relative to the layer where each storage station is located, the fruit frame storage rack is the front direction (Y direction) relative to the displacement component 21, and the bearing platform 222 is the right direction (X direction) relative to the displacement component 21. In the plane of the storage layer, when the fruit frame is moved into the front storage station of the storage layer, the second crossbeam 2131 will interfere with the fruit frame of the left rear storage station of the same layer, and when the two storage stations on the left are planned to be filled, the fruit frame of the left front storage station must be moved in first, and then the fruit frame of the left rear storage station is moved in. The order is reversed when unloading, and the fruit frame of the left rear storage station must be moved out first, and then the fruit frame of the left front storage station. The fruit frames of the left front storage station and the right front storage station do not interfere when moving. In order to unify the movement logic of fruit frames, the priority order of moving fruit frames in the same layer of the fruit frame storage device is the right front storage station, the left front storage station, and the left rear storage station; the priority order of moving fruit frames out is the left rear storage station, the left front storage station, and the right front storage station. The main requirement of path planning in the vertical direction is to improve the movement efficiency. The time for the fruit frames of the storage layer closer to the working layer to rotate to the working position will be shorter than that of the storage layer farther away. Therefore, when loading and unloading fruit frames, the fruit frames that are preferentially moved in and out of the upper storage stations will consume less time than the fruit frames that are moved to the lower storage stations.

[0074] During the picking process, the fruit frame storage device plans the movement of the fruit frames according to this priority order, and executes the rotation task in the order of first storing the fruit frames from the working station to the storage station and then taking them out from the storage station to the working station according to the rough fruit frame rotation instructions of the host computer. Each storage station will be marked as "storage empty position", "empty fruit frame" and "full fruit frame" in three storage states, and the working station will be marked as "working empty position" and "full fruit frame" in two storage states.

[0075] Of course, when there is no obstruction on the side of the fruit frame storage rack, the fruit frame can be manually placed in each storage station, or communicated with other automated equipment to realize automatic loading and unloading of the fruit frame; when there is an obstruction on the side of the fruit frame storage rack, the automatic loading function needs to be used (it is difficult to store the fruit frame manually at this time). The specific process is: the lock tongue of the electromagnet of the top work station pops up to facilitate the confirmation of the standard work station, and the empty fruit frame is placed at the top work station. If the fruit frame cannot be shaken obviously, it proves that the fruit frame is in place. After the infrared sensor detects that the position of the fruit frame is correct, the automatic loading process begins, and the fruit frame at the right front work station is grasped first. According to the aforementioned planning process and grasping and placing process, the fully loaded fruit frames on the work station are moved to the designated storage station one by one. After the positioning claw clamp 221 grabs the fruit frame and moves it to the mobile platform and starts to descend, the positioning claw clamp 221 and the fruit frame will not interfere with the work station at all. At this time, the electromagnet lock tongue pops up to facilitate the next fruit frame to confirm the position. After the loading process is completed, the electromagnet lock tongue of the working station is retracted, waiting for the displacement component 21 to move the fruit frame to the top working station.

[0076] The automatic unloading function of the fruit frame storage device can transport the fruit frames stored in the lower storage layer to the top work station through the displacement component 21. The infrared sensor of each storage station detects whether the storage station at its respective position stores fruit frames, and grabs the fruit frames and places them in the top work station in the order of the left rear storage position, the left front storage position, the right front storage position and from the upper layer to the lower layer, with priority placed in the right front work station. The infrared sensor of the work station will also detect whether there are any fruit frames left in the work station, and decide whether the fruit frame claw will place the fruit frame in the right front work station or the left front work station or stop the machine for standby.

[0077] In addition, in this embodiment, the control system records the dispatching order of the fruit frames, the storage status and the communication with the picking device, so that the quality of the fruits and vegetables loaded in each fruit frame can be marked and recorded. For example, for small fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, cherries, and cherry tomatoes, small packaging fruit boxes can be preset inside the fruit frames to load agricultural products of different qualities; for larger fruits and vegetables such as mangoes and tomatoes, fruit frames placed in two workstations can hold agricultural products of different qualities. When the unloading process is completed, the fruit frame storage device broadcasts the quality information of the agricultural products contained in each fruit frame through data communication. The communication structure between the fruit frame storage device, the control system, and the host computer is shown as follows: Fig.11 Without communicating with other systems, the weight detection module 12 in the fruit frame storage device can also collect the weight of the crops obtained by each picking of the fruit frame at the work station during the picking process and the total weight of all the crops in the fruit frame as one of the quality characteristics of the picked fruits and vegetables or as a threshold signal for the rotation of the fruit frame.

[0078] In a specific example, two workstations are configured on the fixed support plate 11 on the top layer of the storage frame 10, one workstation is configured in the right front area, and the other workstation is configured in the left front area. The two workstations can be configured to place fruits and vegetables of the same type but different qualities. In a specific judgment, the weight value can be fed back by the counterweight detection module 12 for judgment. Usually, the fruit frame is a standard fruit frame, and fruits and vegetables of better quality often weigh more. At this time, the weight of the fruits and vegetables loaded in the standard fruit frame can be used for judgment. When the weight exceeds the preset threshold, it can be determined as high-quality fruits and vegetables, thereby achieving effective marking of the fruits and vegetables in the fruit frame.

[0079] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the fruit frame claws and trays of the fruit frame storage device in each embodiment use an appearance design that matches the fruit frame, and use the vertical movement of the displacement component 21 to grab the fruit frame. There is no need for the fruit frame claws to add additional degrees of freedom to grab or release the fruit frame. The whole system only uses three degrees of freedom for control, which reduces the complexity of the system, improves the system stability, and also reduces the requirements for motor power, simplifying the power supply and wiring design. Further, the fruit frame storage device of the present invention uses an electromagnet to fix the fruit frame, so that the device is suitable for use in a mobile state, with a simple structure and easy installation, and clear logic and convenient control. Further, the fruit frame storage device uses an infrared sensor to detect the position of the fruit frame in place, avoids the interference of visible light, and provides basic data for the sequential planning of the movement of the fruit frame. The infrared sensor works stably and is less affected by visible light. Further, the fruit frame storage device can complete the functions of transporting the fruit frame to a designated position, automatically loading, and automatically unloading, with a high level of automation, which can reduce the manpower consumption in similar fruit frame handling situations. Furthermore, the fruit frame storage device includes two workstations, which can simultaneously pick agricultural products of different qualities, record the handling order and storage position of each fruit frame loaded with fruits and vegetables, mark the fruit frames or small fruit boxes loaded with fruits and vegetables of different qualities, directly output the batch of fruits and vegetables automatically identified and graded by the picking device, or use the weight sensor contained in the device to collect the weight information of each fruit placed in the fruit frame during the picking process, thereby optimizing the original manual fruit and vegetable quality grading link. Furthermore, the fruit frame storage part occupies more space, which improves the efficiency of fruit frame storage and transportation.

[0080] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fruit frame storage device, characterized in that: include: A storage frame, wherein the storage frame is constructed as a multi-layer structure, each layer of the storage frame is provided with a fixed pallet for storing fruit boxes, the fixed pallet at the top of the storage frame is configured as a working station, and the fixed pallets in the storage frames of the remaining layers are configured as storage stations; A mobile grabbing mechanism, wherein the mobile grabbing mechanism comprises a displacement component and a grabbing component, wherein the displacement component is arranged on one side of the storage frame, and the grabbing component is arranged on the displacement component; the displacement component comprises an X-direction moving module, a Y-direction moving module and a Z-direction moving module, wherein the X-direction moving module is slidably arranged on the Y-direction moving module, and the Y-direction moving module is slidably arranged on the Z-direction moving module; the grabbing component comprises a bearing platform and a positioning claw clamp, wherein the bearing platform is fixedly arranged on the housing of the Y-direction moving module, and the positioning claw clamp is arranged on the X-direction moving module, and the positioning claw clamp is used to cooperate with a part of the edge of the top of the fruit frame to limit the position; A control system is used to communicate with the mobile grasping mechanism to control the mobile grasping mechanism to transfer the fruit frame between the storage station and the working station.

2. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning claw clamp includes a connecting arm and a clamping portion, the connecting arm is connected to the slider on the X-axis moving module, the clamping portion is arranged on the connecting arm, and the clamping portion is clamped with the top edge of the fruit frame.

3. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping portion comprises a clamping slot, and the clamping slot is clamped with the top edge of the fruit frame.

4. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bearing platform comprises a platform plate, a support frame and a limit block, wherein the platform plate is fixedly arranged on the support frame, the limit block is connected to the platform plate, and the limit block is used for limiting the range of movement of the fruit frame on the platform plate.

5. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the storage stations and each of the work stations is provided with a counterweight detection module, and the counterweight detection module is communicatively connected with the control system. The counterweight detection module is used to sense the weight of the fruit frame. The control system controls the displacement component and the grasping component to move the fruit frame based on the weight of the fruit frame and according to a preset strategy.

6. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The storage station and the work station also include a limit bar, a fixing component and a position sensor. The position sensor is arranged on one side of the fixed tray. The limit bar is used to limit the range of movement of the fruit frame. The fixing component is arranged on the fixed tray. The fixing component is used to cooperate with the fruit frame to limit the movement of the fruit frame. The position sensor is used to sense whether the fruit frame in the storage station or the work station is within the detection range.

7. The fruit frame storage device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixing assembly comprises an electromagnet and a locking tongue. The electromagnet is arranged on the fixing support plate. The locking tongue is connected to the electromagnet. The locking tongue can move in a direction perpendicular to the fixing support plate.

8. A method for controlling the automatic operation of the fruit frame storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Obtain storage status information of storage stations and work status information of work stations; Based on the storage status information and the working status information, the mobile grasping mechanism is controlled to grasp the fruit frame and move between the storage station and the working station to load and store the empty fruit frame in the storage station.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that: Acquiring storage status information of a storage station and working status information of a working station includes the following steps: Read the storage status on the storage station, the storage status includes three storage states: storage empty position, empty fruit frame, and full fruit frame, and determine the position information of the storage station in different storage states; The working status of the working station is read, wherein the working status includes two working statuses: an empty working station and a fully loaded fruit frame, and the position information of the working stations in different working statuses is determined.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that: Controlling the mobile grasping mechanism to grasp the fruit frame and move it between the storage station and the working station includes the following steps: When storing a fully loaded fruit frame, the mobile grabbing mechanism is controlled to grab the fully loaded fruit frame on the working station and move it to a storage station whose storage status is a storage vacancy, and at the same time, the working status information on the working station and the storage status information on the storage station are modified; When taking out the empty fruit frame, the mobile grasping mechanism is controlled to grasp the empty fruit frame in the storage station and move it to the working station whose working state is the working empty station, and at the same time, the storage state information and the working state information on the storage station are modified.

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