A swallowing apple picking end effector

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of fruit picking machinery, and discloses a swallowing-type apple picking end effector, comprising a base, a sliding bracket movably arranged at the bottom of the base, a support frame fixedly arranged at the top of the base, a telescopic airbag installed between the sliding bracket and the support frame, and the telescopic airbag is used to move the sliding bracket away from the support frame when inflated; a flexible suction cup, which is connected to the suction cup support and is used to guide the air in the flexible suction cup to flow out to form a negative pressure when contacting the fruit; an annular airbag, one side of which is fixedly connected to the base and the other side is fixedly connected to the sliding bracket, and is used to expand after the fruit enters the base, and then shrink its inner diameter to wrap the fruit. The flexible suction cup contacts the apple and is pressurized to force it into the base, and then the air in the flexible suction cup is extracted to form a negative pressure to absorb the apple. The annular airbag is then inflated to wrap the outer wall of the apple, and the inner diameter of the annular airbag shrinks to clamp the apple, thereby achieving flexible contact to avoid damage to the apple and ensure high-quality and complete picking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fruit picking machinery, in particular to a swallowing type apple picking end effector. Background Art

[0002] Apple-picking robots have garnered significant attention in agricultural automation in recent years. Their end effectors, as the critical component that directly contacts the target fruit, are one of the core technologies in the entire picking system. Currently, mainstream apple-picking end effectors typically utilize a rigid mechanical gripper. This design, which uses rigid grippers to directly apply force to secure and pick the fruit, is relatively simple in terms of structural design and execution efficiency, making it widely used in traditional picking machines.

[0003] However, existing rigid mechanical grasping technology also has significant shortcomings. First, the uneven pressure distribution of the rigid gripper on the fruit's skin during grasping can easily damage the fruit's skin or even cause internal crushing, seriously affecting its quality and commercial value. Second, the size and shape of different fruits vary greatly, and rigid mechanical grasping methods have poor adaptability to the target, making it difficult to cope with the complex changes in shape and size of apples during the actual picking process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a swallowing-type apple picking end effector, which solves the problems in the existing technology of the rigid grasping method, which easily causes damage to the fruit skin and has poor adaptability to the target.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: a swallowing apple picking end effector, comprising:

[0006] The base has a sliding bracket movably provided on the bottom and a support frame fixedly provided on the top. A telescopic airbag is installed between the sliding bracket and the support frame, and the telescopic airbag is used to move the sliding bracket away from the support frame when inflated;

[0007] A flexible suction cup is connected to the suction cup bracket and is used to guide the air in the flexible suction cup to flow out to form a negative pressure when contacting the fruit. The suction cup bracket is movably connected to the support frame, and the outer wall of the suction cup bracket is provided with a spring to guide the flexible suction cup to penetrate into the interior of the base when contacting the fruit;

[0008] The annular air bag is fixedly connected to the base on one side and to the sliding bracket on the other side. It is used to expand after the fruit invades the base and then shrink its inner diameter to wrap the fruit.

[0009] Preferably, the outer wall of the sliding bracket is provided with a protrusion, and the protrusion is rod-shaped, and the side wall of the base is provided with a guide groove, and the protrusion of the outer wall of the sliding bracket is slidably connected in the guide groove to guide the sliding bracket to move linearly, thereby approaching or moving away from the support frame.

[0010] Preferably, an air nozzle is provided in the middle of the suction cup bracket, and the air nozzle is connected to a vacuum pump through a pipeline, so as to extract the air in the flexible suction cup and form a negative pressure.

[0011] Preferably, the annular airbag is connected to an air pump, which is used to inflate the annular airbag to make it expand, and the sliding bracket moves along with the expansion of the annular airbag and approaches the support frame.

[0012] Preferably, the telescopic airbag is connected to an air pump for injecting gas into the telescopic airbag to expand it.

[0013] Preferably, a sliding hole is opened in the middle of the support frame, and the suction cup bracket is slidably connected in the sliding hole.

[0014] Preferably, the annular airbag is made of elastic silicone material.

[0015] The present invention provides a swallowing-type apple picking end effector, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. The present invention moves the base under the apple so that the flexible suction cup contacts and lightly presses the surface of the fruit. At the same time, the suction cup bracket and the apple are guided into the base. By extracting the air inside the flexible suction cup, negative pressure is formed to firmly adsorb the apple. Subsequently, the annular airbag is inflated to expand it, and the sliding bracket is driven to move upward. The annular airbag then wraps around the apple. The inner diameter of the annular airbag gradually shrinks during the expansion process, thereby completing the stable swallowing and fixation of the apple. The entire process relies on the flexible contact design of the flexible suction cup and the annular airbag, which effectively avoids damage to the fruit skin caused by rigid mechanical grasping, ensuring the high quality and integrity of fruit picking.

[0017] 2. The present invention connects the support frame and the sliding bracket through an annular airbag, and is connected to the air pump. The annular airbag is made of elastic silicone material, so that it can flexibly expand and adapt to apple fruits of different sizes, achieving precise wrapping and fixing operations, which not only improves the adaptability and versatility of the equipment, but also ensures flexible protection of the fruit, further reducing damage to the fruit skin during picking. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a front half-section view of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the base structure in the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the suction cup bracket structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the support frame structure in the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the sliding bracket structure in the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the inflatable airbag structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 Based Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the inflation of the annular airbag.

[0027] Among them, 1. Flexible suction cup; 2. Suction cup bracket; 3. Spring; 4. Support frame; 5. Ring airbag; 6. Sliding bracket; 7. Base; 8. Telescopic airbag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the specification of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In order to better understand the present invention, the above contents are described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0030] Please see the attached Figure 1 -Attached Figure 9 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a swallowing apple picking end effector, comprising:

[0031] A base 7 has a sliding bracket 6 movably provided on its bottom and a support frame 4 fixedly provided on its top. A telescopic airbag 8 is installed between the sliding bracket 6 and the support frame 4. The telescopic airbag 8 is used to move the sliding bracket 6 away from the support frame 4 when inflated.

[0032] The flexible suction cup 1 is connected to the suction cup bracket 2 and is used to guide the air in the flexible suction cup 1 to flow out to form a negative pressure when contacting the fruit. The suction cup bracket 2 is movably connected to the support frame 4, and the outer wall of the suction cup bracket 2 is provided with a spring 3, which is used to guide the flexible suction cup 1 to penetrate into the interior of the base 7 when contacting the fruit;

[0033] The annular air bag 5 is fixedly connected to the base 7 on one side and to the sliding bracket 6 on the other side. It is used to expand after the fruit penetrates into the base 7 and then shrink the inner diameter to wrap the fruit.

[0034] In the present invention, the base 7 serves as a supporting component of the overall structure, and the sliding bracket 6 arranged at the bottom thereof can realize up and down movement under the action of the telescopic airbag 8. The telescopic airbag 8 pushes the sliding bracket 6 away from the support frame 4 by expansion. The flexible suction cup 1 is connected to the support frame 4 through the suction cup bracket 2. It is designed to form a negative pressure by discharging the internal air when contacting the fruit, thereby firmly adsorbing the fruit. At the same time, the spring 3 is compressed when the flexible suction cup 1 contacts the fruit, and guides the flexible suction cup 1 and the fruit into the base 7. After the fruit is discharged, the spring 3 stretches to reset the flexible suction cup 1. The annular airbag 5 is located between the base 7 and the sliding bracket 6, one side is fixed to the base 7, and the other side is connected to the sliding bracket 6. When the fruit invades the base 7, the annular airbag 5 wraps the fruit by expansion, and the inner diameter is reduced after the expansion is completed, and finally the fruit is firmly fixed, ensuring the smooth completion of the picking process. The flexible suction cup 1 and the annular airbag 5 clamp the fruit by negative pressure and expansion respectively, which can achieve flexible contact with the fruit, thereby avoiding damage to the surface of the fruit, thereby ensuring the integrity of the fruit picking.

[0035] The outer wall of the sliding bracket 6 is provided with a protrusion, and the protrusion is rod-shaped. The side wall of the base 7 is provided with a guide groove. The protrusion on the outer wall of the sliding bracket 6 is slidably connected in the guide groove to guide the sliding bracket 6 to move linearly, thereby approaching or moving away from the support bracket 4.

[0036] In the present invention, a rod-shaped protrusion is designed on the outer wall of the sliding bracket 6, and the protrusion is slidably connected to the guide groove of the side wall of the base 7, effectively guiding the sliding bracket 6 to move along a straight line trajectory, ensuring that it can smoothly approach or move away from the support frame 4 under the action of the expanding or contracting airbag, thereby realizing precise operation of the device, thereby improving the stability and movement accuracy of the sliding bracket 6, and providing a guarantee for the efficient operation of the equipment.

[0037] An air nozzle is provided in the middle of the suction cup bracket 2, and the air nozzle is connected to the vacuum pump through a pipeline, which is used to extract the air in the flexible suction cup 1 and form negative pressure.

[0038] In the present invention, an air nozzle is provided in the middle of the suction cup bracket 2, and the air nozzle is connected to an external vacuum pump through a pipeline. Through the action of the vacuum pump, the air in the flexible suction cup 1 can be efficiently extracted, and negative pressure can be quickly formed, thereby firmly adsorbing the fruit, thereby ensuring that the flexible suction cup 1 can grasp the fruit reliably and quickly, which helps to improve the picking efficiency and reduce the risk of the fruit slipping.

[0039] The annular airbag 5 is connected to an air pump, which is used to inflate the annular airbag 5 to expand it, and the sliding bracket 6 moves along with the expansion of the annular airbag 5 and approaches the support frame 4.

[0040] In the present invention, the annular airbag 5 is connected to the air pump through a pipeline, and the air pump inflates the annular airbag 5 to expand it. During the expansion process, the annular airbag 5 not only wraps the fruit, but also drives the sliding bracket 6 fixedly connected to its end to move along the guide groove, thereby gradually approaching the support frame 4.

[0041] The telescopic airbag 8 is connected to an air pump for injecting gas into the telescopic airbag 8 to expand it.

[0042] In the present invention, the telescopic airbag 8 is connected to the air pump through a pipeline. When the air pump fills the telescopic airbag 8 with gas, the telescopic airbag 8 will expand, and the expansion will push the sliding bracket 6 away from the support frame 4, completing the process of the device releasing the fruit.

[0043] A sliding hole is provided in the middle of the support frame 4, and the suction cup bracket 2 is slidably connected in the sliding hole.

[0044] In the present invention, a sliding hole is provided in the middle of the support frame 4, and the suction cup bracket 2 is embedded in the sliding hole by a sliding connection, so that the suction cup bracket 2 can move flexibly during the picking process, and further enter the base 7 as the flexible suction cup 1 is under pressure. The setting of the sliding hole is used to limit the movement trajectory of the suction cup bracket 2.

[0045] The annular airbag 5 is made of elastic silicone material.

[0046] In the present invention, the annular airbag 5 is made of elastic silicone material. Due to its excellent flexibility and elasticity, it can wrap fruits of different sizes when inflated, and the inner diameter gradually decreases during the expansion process to firmly fix the fruit. The use of elastic silicone material not only improves the adaptability and durability of the airbag, but also effectively avoids damage to the fruit skin, further ensuring the high quality of the picking process and the integrity of the fruit. At the same time, the surface of the annular airbag 5 can also be provided with a sticky material, so that the friction between it and the apple can be effectively increased. During the expansion process, the wrapping stability of the annular airbag 5 on the fruit can be improved, preventing the fruit from sliding or falling off during picking or moving, thereby improving the picking efficiency and operational reliability. The sticky material includes:

[0047] Silicone coating: By increasing the friction coefficient, it enhances the adhesion to the fruit surface, and the material is soft and will not damage the fruit;

[0048] Polyurethane (PU) coating: has high adhesion and durability, can provide stronger friction, and has excellent wear resistance;

[0049] Rubber coating: has good elasticity and anti-slip properties, and can stably grasp fruits of different sizes;

[0050] Polymer adsorption film: A special polymer coating that combines adhesion and softness to further reduce the possibility of damage to the fruit surface.

[0051] Working principle: When in use, install the device on the robotic arm, then move the robotic arm to drive the swallowing apple picking end effector to extend toward the picking target. When it reaches the bottom position of the target, the flexible suction cup 1 will contact the target. At this time, move the robotic arm to make the device continue to approach the target. At this time, the flexible suction cup 1 is subjected to pressure. When this pressure is transmitted to the suction cup bracket 2, the suction cup bracket 2 will slide along the sliding hole on the support frame 4. At this time, the spring 3 is compressed, and the target and the flexible suction cup 1 and the suction cup bracket 2 will enter the base 7. At this time, under the action of the external vacuum pump, the air in the suction cup bracket 2 and the flexible suction cup 1 is extracted, so that negative pressure is generated inside the suction cup bracket 2, thereby sucking the bottom of the picking target. At the same time, the annular airbag 5 is inflated and expanded under the action of the external air pump, and after the annular airbag 5 expands , it will drive the sliding bracket 6 fixed to it to slide along the guide groove and approach the support frame 4. At this time, the telescopic airbag 8 is compressed, so the annular airbag 5 will approach the picking target, and then wrap the outer wall of the picking target. Then the mobile robotic arm drives the swallowing apple picking end effector to complete the picking action. Then the mobile robotic arm continues to drive the swallowing apple picking end effector to the fruit release point. At this time, the external vacuum pump and the external air pump stop working, and then the flexible suction cup 1 loses negative pressure, the annular airbag 5 stops working, and the external air pump of the telescopic airbag 8 is driven to expand. When the telescopic airbag 8 expands, it will push the sliding bracket 6 away from the support frame 4, and then drive the annular airbag 5 to return to its original position. Then the spring 3 stretches to reset the suction cup bracket 2. At this time, the fruit falls to the fruit release point, and the placement of the picking target is completed.

[0052] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A swallowing apple picking end effector, characterized in that: include: A base (7) having a sliding bracket (6) movably arranged on the bottom thereof and a support frame (4) fixedly arranged on the top thereof, a telescopic airbag (8) being installed between the sliding bracket (6) and the support frame (4), and the telescopic airbag (8) being used to move the sliding bracket (6) away from the support frame (4) when inflated; A flexible suction cup (1) is connected to a suction cup support (2) and is used to guide the air in the flexible suction cup (1) to flow out to form a negative pressure when contacting the fruit. The suction cup support (2) is movably connected to the support frame (4), and a spring (3) is provided on the outer wall of the suction cup support (2) to guide the flexible suction cup (1) to invade the interior of the base (7) when contacting the fruit. An annular air bag (5) is fixedly connected to the base (7) on one side and to the sliding bracket (6) on the other side, and is used to expand after the fruit enters the base (7) and then shrink the inner diameter to wrap the fruit; The outer wall of the sliding bracket (6) is provided with a protrusion, and the protrusion is rod-shaped. The side wall of the base (7) is provided with a guide groove. The protrusion on the outer wall of the sliding bracket (6) is slidably connected in the guide groove to guide the sliding bracket (6) to perform linear motion, thereby approaching or moving away from the support frame (4); The annular airbag (5) is connected to an air pump, which is used to inflate the annular airbag (5) to expand it, and the sliding bracket (6) moves along with the expansion of the annular airbag (5) and approaches the support frame (4).

2. The swallowing apple picking end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: An air nozzle is provided in the middle of the suction cup bracket (2), and the air nozzle is connected to a vacuum pump via a pipeline, and is used to extract the air in the flexible suction cup (1) and form negative pressure.

3. The swallowing apple picking end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic airbag (8) is connected to an air pump and is used to inject gas into the telescopic airbag (8) to expand it.

4. The swallowing apple picking end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sliding hole is provided in the middle of the support frame (4), and the suction cup bracket (2) is slidably connected in the sliding hole.

5. The swallowing apple picking end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The annular airbag (5) is made of elastic silicone material.

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