Orchard multi-arm picking robot and picking method
By designing a multi-arm picking robot, the coordinated movement of the first and second force arms is used to enable the end effector to reach different positions on the fruit tree, solving the problem of limited activity stroke of the existing picking robot and achieving efficient and accurate fruit picking.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510148212.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-11
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-14
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
AI Technical Summary
The existing picking robot has limited activity trips, making it difficult to pick mature fruits at different locations on the fruit tree, resulting in poor picking results and low efficiency.
A orchard multi-arm picking robot is designed, including the fuselage, the traveling module and the picking module. The picking module adopts a multi-arm robot structure. Through the coordinated movement of the first force arm and the second force arm, the end effector can reach different positions for picking.
It realizes efficient picking of mature fruits at different locations on the fruit tree, improves the picking efficiency, is simple in structure and low in cost, and is suitable for a wide range of agricultural picking fields.
Smart Images

Figure CN119610073A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural machinery, and in particular to an orchard multi-arm picking robot and a picking method. Background Art
[0002] With the continuous acceleration of agricultural modernization, the automation and mechanization of agricultural labor has become one of the key ways to improve production efficiency and reduce costs. In agricultural production, fruit picking is one of the most challenging links, especially when the number of fruits is large, and efficient, precise and intelligent automatic picking equipment is urgently needed.
[0003] At present, agricultural fruit picking mainly relies on manual labor, which is inefficient, and workers are easily fatigued, and the working time is also limited. Therefore, the use of picking robots has broad application prospects. However, due to the large differences in the growth patterns of plants and the maturity of fruits, and the frequent presence of obstacles in the surrounding environment, the existing picking robots have limited range and are difficult to pick ripe fruits at different positions on the fruit trees. The picking effect is poor and the efficiency is low. Summary of the invention
[0004] The invention provides an orchard multi-arm picking robot and a picking method, which are used to solve the defects of the existing picking robots, such as limited range of movement, difficulty in picking ripe fruits at different positions on fruit trees, poor picking effect and low efficiency.
[0005] On one hand, the present invention provides an orchard multi-arm picking robot, comprising: a fuselage, a traveling module and a picking module, wherein the traveling module and the picking module are both arranged on the fuselage.
[0006] The picking module includes a fixed bracket and a picking robot, and the picking robot includes a movable seat, a first lever arm, a second lever arm, an end actuator and a driving device. The first lever arm is rotatably arranged on the fixed bracket, the movable seat is movably arranged on the first lever arm, and the second lever arm is movably arranged on the movable seat. The first lever arm and the second lever arm are vertically arranged.
[0007] The driving device is respectively connected to the movable seat and the second force arm in transmission connection to drive the movable seat to move along the axial direction of the first force arm, and to drive the second force arm to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first force arm relative to the movable seat. The end effector is rotatably provided at the first end of the second force arm so that the end effector can reach different positions driven by the second force arm to pick fruits.
[0008] According to the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention, the driving device includes a synchronous belt, a first driving wheel and a second driving wheel, the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are respectively arranged at the two ends of the first lever arm, the first end and the second end of the second lever arm are respectively rotatably provided with a tensioning wheel and a synchronous wheel, and the first transmission wheel, the second transmission wheel, the third transmission wheel and the fourth transmission wheel are rotatably provided on the movable seat.
[0009] The first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel are located on one side of the second force arm, and the third transmission wheel and the fourth transmission wheel are located on the other side of the second force arm.
[0010] The starting end of the synchronous belt is connected to the first end of the second force arm, and the synchronous belt is sequentially wound around the first transmission wheel, the first drive wheel, the second transmission wheel, the synchronous wheel, the third transmission wheel, the second drive wheel, the fourth transmission wheel and the tensioning wheel according to a preset path; as the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are driven, the synchronous belt drives the moving seat to move axially along the first force arm and / or drives the second force arm to move relative to the moving seat along the cross-sectional direction of the first force arm.
[0011] According to the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention, the fixed support includes a first side and a second side that are arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of the picking manipulators are provided at intervals along the vertical direction on both the first side and the second side.
[0012] The orchard multi-arm picking robot provided according to the present invention also includes a fruit conveying module, which includes a first vertical conveyor belt, a second vertical conveyor belt, a centralized conveyor belt, a third vertical conveyor belt and a fruit receiving assembly, the first vertical conveyor belt is arranged on the side of the first side, the second vertical conveyor belt is arranged on the side of the second side, the discharge ends of the first vertical conveyor belt and the second vertical conveyor belt are both connected to the feed end of the centralized conveyor belt, the discharge end of the centralized conveyor belt is connected to the feed end of the third vertical conveyor belt, the discharge end of the third vertical conveyor belt is connected to the fruit receiving assembly, and the fruit receiving assembly is arranged on the fuselage.
[0013] According to the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention, the fruit conveying module also includes a plurality of first fruit receiving tracks corresponding one-to-one to the picking manipulator located on the first side and a plurality of second fruit receiving tracks corresponding one-to-one to the picking manipulator located on the second side.
[0014] The first fruit receiving track and the second fruit receiving track are both connected to the fuselage, the feed end of the first fruit receiving track is used to receive fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot located on the first side, the feed end of the second fruit receiving track is used to receive fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot located on the second side, the discharge end of the first fruit receiving track is connected to the feed end of the first vertical conveyor belt, and the discharge end of the second fruit receiving track is connected to the feed end of the second vertical conveyor belt.
[0015] The orchard multi-arm picking robot provided according to the present invention also includes a first rotating drive member and a second rotating drive member, the base of the first rotating drive member is arranged on the fixed bracket, the driving end of the first rotating drive member is connected to the first lever arm in a transmission manner to drive the first lever arm to rotate relative to the fixed bracket, the base of the second rotating drive member is arranged at the first end of the second lever arm, and the driving end of the second rotating drive member is connected to the end effector in a transmission manner to drive the end effector to rotate relative to the second lever arm.
[0016] According to the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention, a visual recognition camera is provided on the end effector, and the visual recognition camera is used to obtain image information of the fruit trees to be picked.
[0017] It also includes a control module, which is arranged on the fuselage, and the visual recognition camera and the electrical components of the picking robot are both communicatively connected to the control module.
[0018] Another aspect of the present invention provides a picking method based on the orchard multi-arm picking robot as described in any one of the above items, comprising the following steps.
[0019] Obtain image information of the fruit trees to be harvested.
[0020] Based on the image information of the fruit trees to be picked, position information of ripe fruits and position information of obstacles in the fruit trees to be picked are determined.
[0021] Based on the position information of the ripe fruits in the fruit trees to be harvested and the position information of the obstacles, a ripe fruit coordinate set is established.
[0022] Based on the ripe fruit coordinate set and the kinematic model of the picking manipulator, a coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is established. The coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is a coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector.
[0023] Based on the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits, the picking robot is controlled to perform picking.
[0024] According to the picking method provided by the present invention, the picking robot is controlled to perform picking based on the coordinate set of the ripe fruits, and the picking comprises the following steps.
[0025] The coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector is used to perform preliminary motion planning for all the picking robots through a preset path planning algorithm and combined with the kinematic models of each picking robot, the picking robots are controlled to pick with the optimal picking path and posture, so as to achieve motion obstacle avoidance between the picking robots and obstacle avoidance of the picking posture.
[0026] The picking method provided by the present invention also includes the following steps.
[0027] When all the ripe fruits in the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits have been picked, the orchard multi-arm picking robot is controlled to move to the next picking position for operation.
[0028] The orchard multi-arm picking robot and picking method provided by the present invention are characterized in that a traveling module and a picking module are arranged on a body, the traveling module can drive the body to reach a designated work location, the picking module can use a picking manipulator arranged on a fixed bracket to pick fruits, the first force arm of the picking manipulator is rotatably arranged on the fixed bracket, the first force arm drives the second force arm to rotate, so that the end effector located at the first end of the second force arm can pick fruits at different heights; the driving device is transmission-connected to the moving seat to drive the moving seat to move along the axial direction of the first force arm, and the second force arm is driven to rotate at a certain position. The movable seat moves along the axial direction of the first lever arm, so that the end effector can move along the planting direction of the fruit tree; the driving device is connected to the second lever arm in a transmission manner to drive the second lever arm to move relative to the movable seat along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm, so that the end effector can extend forward to the fruit tree to pick the fruit, and after the end effector picks the fruit, it retreats to the fruit delivery area to deliver the fruit under the drive of the second lever arm; the end effector is rotatably arranged at the first end of the second lever arm, which expands the picking range of the end effector and improves the flexibility of the end effector when picking fruit. The orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention has a picking manipulator that can realize flexible movement with multiple degrees of freedom, has a large active stroke, improves the efficiency of fruit picking, and has a simple structure and low cost, and is suitable for wide application in the field of agricultural picking.
[0029] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] 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.
[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of an orchard multi-arm picking robot provided in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] Figure 2 It is a side view of the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Middle AA section view.
[0034] Figure 4 This is a rear view of the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] Figure 5 It is a top view of the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] Figure 6 It is a top view of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Figure 7 It is a front view of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] Figure 8 This is one of the partial structural schematic diagrams of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] Fig. 9 This is the second partial structural schematic diagram of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] Fig.10 It is a side view of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] Fig.11 This is the third partial structural schematic diagram of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] Fig.12 It is a cross-sectional view of the end effector of the picking manipulator in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] Fig.13 It is a flowchart of the picking method provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] Reference numerals: 100, fuselage; 200, travel module; 300, picking module; 310, fixed bracket; 320, picking manipulator; 321, mounting seat; 3211, first seat body; 3212, second seat body; 3213, bearing; 322, moving seat; 3221, first transmission wheel; 3222, second transmission wheel; 3223, third transmission wheel; 3224, fourth transmission wheel; 3225, first limit sensor; 3226, second limit sensor; 3227, first induction sheet; 3228, second induction sheet; 3229, first guide block; 323, first force arm; 3231, first induction switch; 3232, second induction switch; 3233, first guide rail; 3234, mounting frame; 3235, support plate; 3236, crossbeam; 3 237, rotation limit sensor; 324, second lever arm; 3241, synchronous wheel; 3242, first detection block; 3243, second detection block; 3244, pipeline mounting seat; 3245, mounting piece; 325, end effector; 3251, connecting seat; 3252, telescopic driving member; 3253, mechanical claw; 326, driving device; 3261, synchronous belt; 3262, first driving wheel; 3263, second driving wheel; 327, second rotating driving member; 400, fruit conveying module; 410, first vertical conveyor belt; 420, second vertical conveyor belt; 430, centralized conveyor belt; 440, third vertical conveyor belt; 450, fruit receiving assembly; 460, first fruit receiving track; 470, second fruit receiving track; 500, control module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0045] 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.
[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.
[0048] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.
[0049] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.
[0050] Combine the following Figures 1 to 13 The invention describes an orchard multi-arm picking robot and a picking method.
[0051] See also Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: a body 100 , a traveling module 200 and a picking module 300 , and the traveling module 200 and the picking module 300 are both arranged on the body 100 .
[0052] The picking module 300 includes a fixed bracket 310 and a picking robot 320. The picking robot 320 includes a movable base 322, a first lever arm 323, a second lever arm 324, an end effector 325 and a driving device 326. The first lever arm 323 is rotatably disposed on the fixed bracket 310, the movable base 322 is movably disposed on the first lever arm 323, the second lever arm 324 is movably disposed on the movable base 322, and the first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are vertically arranged.
[0053] The driving device 326 is respectively connected to the movable base 322 and the second lever arm 324 in transmission connection to drive the movable base 322 to move axially along the first lever arm 323, and drive the second lever arm 324 to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323 relative to the movable base 322. The end effector 325 is rotatably disposed at the first end of the second lever arm 324 so that the end effector 325 can reach different positions driven by the second lever arm 324 to pick fruits.
[0054] It should be noted that the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention is suitable for picking various types of fruits, such as apples, pears and peaches, and is particularly suitable for picking fruit trees planted in rows. At present, most fruit trees in fruit planting bases are planted in rows. The orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention moves along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323 through the second lever arm 324, and cooperates with the second lever arm 324 to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can quickly pick the fruits on the fruit trees planted in rows, with a large range of motion, high picking efficiency, simple structure and low cost.
[0055] Specifically, the orchard multi-arm harvesting robot includes a body 100, a traveling module 200 and a harvesting module 300. The body 100 is used to provide installation space for various functional modules of the robot (traveling module 200, harvesting module 300, control module 500, etc.), the traveling module 200 is responsible for the movement and positioning of the robot in the orchard, and can adopt a wheeled or tracked drive system, and the harvesting module 300 is responsible for performing the fruit picking operation.
[0056] In the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention, the picking manipulator 320 can realize flexible movement with multiple degrees of freedom, has a large range of motion, improves the efficiency of fruit picking, and has a simple structure and low cost, and is suitable for wide application in the field of agricultural picking.
[0057] Specifically, by arranging the traveling module 200 and the picking module 300 on the fuselage 100, the traveling module 200 can drive the fuselage 100 to reach the designated work location, and the picking module 300 can use the picking manipulator 320 arranged on the fixed bracket 310 to pick fruits. The first lever arm 323 of the picking manipulator 320 is rotatably arranged on the fixed bracket 310, and the first lever arm 323 drives the second lever arm 324 to rotate, so that the end effector 325 located at the first end of the second lever arm 324 can pick fruits at different heights; the driving device 326 is transmission-connected with the moving seat 322 to drive the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323, and the second lever arm 324 is driven by the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The movable seat 322 drives the movable seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can move along the planting direction of the fruit trees; the driving device 326 is connected to the second lever arm 324 to drive the second lever arm 324 to move relative to the movable seat 322 along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can extend forward to the fruit tree to pick the fruit, and after the end effector 325 picks the fruit, it retreats to the fruit delivery area driven by the second lever arm 324 to deliver the fruit; the end effector 325 is rotatably arranged at the first end of the second lever arm 324, which expands the picking range of the end effector 325 and improves the flexibility of the end effector 325 when picking fruit.
[0058] See also Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the fixed bracket 310 includes a first side and a second side (specifically, the left and right sides of the body 100) that are relatively arranged, and a plurality of picking manipulators 320 are vertically spaced apart on both the first side and the second side.
[0059] By arranging a plurality of picking robots 320 on opposite sides of the fixed bracket 310, fruits on fruit trees located on the first side and the second side of the fuselage 100 can be picked, thereby improving the picking efficiency. A plurality of picking robots 320 are arranged at vertical intervals on the first side and the second side, and the picking robots 320 at different heights can be used to pick ripe fruits located in different height ranges on the fruit trees, thereby improving the operating range of the orchard multi-arm picking robot.
[0060] It should be noted that the number of picking manipulators 320 on the first side and the second side can be the same or different, and the spacing between adjacent picking manipulators 320 can be the same or different. The number of picking manipulators 320 on the first side and the second side can be selected according to actual needs. As an example, in this embodiment, two picking manipulators 320 are provided at intervals along the vertical direction on both the first side and the second side to pick fruits on the upper part and the lower part of the fruit tree, respectively.
[0061] See also Figure 1As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the orchard multi-arm picking robot also includes a fruit conveying module 400, and the fruit conveying module 400 includes a first vertical conveyor belt 410, a second vertical conveyor belt 420, a centralized conveyor belt 430, a third vertical conveyor belt 440 and a fruit receiving assembly 450. The first vertical conveyor belt 410 is arranged on the side of the first side, and the second vertical conveyor belt 420 is arranged on the side of the second side. The discharge ends of the first vertical conveyor belt 410 and the second vertical conveyor belt 420 are both connected to the feed end of the centralized conveyor belt 430, the discharge end of the centralized conveyor belt 430 is connected to the feed end of the third vertical conveyor belt 440, and the discharge end of the third vertical conveyor belt 440 is connected to the fruit receiving assembly 450, and the fruit receiving assembly 450 is arranged on the fuselage 100.
[0062] By providing the fruit conveying module 400, the fruits picked by the picking robot 320 can be efficiently and accurately conveyed and centrally processed, thereby improving the overall efficiency and automation level of the picking process.
[0063] Specifically, after the picking manipulator 320 picks the fruit, the fruit will be initially transported from the two sides of the robot through the first vertical conveyor belt 410 and the second vertical conveyor belt 420. The first vertical conveyor belt 410 and the second vertical conveyor belt 420 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the robot, and can conveniently transport the fruit from the manipulator picking area to the centralized conveyor belt 430. The discharge ends of the first vertical conveyor belt 410 and the second vertical conveyor belt 420 are respectively connected to the feed end of the centralized conveyor belt 430. Through this setting, all the fruits transported from the two sides will be concentrated on the centralized conveyor belt 430 for further transmission, so as to guide the fruits to the third vertical conveyor belt 440. The third vertical conveyor belt 440 is responsible for transporting the fruit to the final fruit receiving assembly 450 of the robot. The fruit receiving assembly 450 is the final storage area of the fruit. It is located at the rear end of the fuselage 100 and is responsible for receiving the transported fruit and effectively collecting it. The fruit receiving assembly 450 can be a container, a storage box or other collection facilities.
[0064] Preferably, the fruit receiving component 450 in this embodiment is a lifting type fruit receiving component, including a lifting drive component and a storage frame. The storage frame is arranged at the output end of the lifting drive component to drive the storage frame to lift and move. When receiving the fruit, the lifting drive component can lift the storage frame to a set height to facilitate the receiving of the fruit. When the number of fruits in the storage frame reaches a preset value, the lifting drive component can move the storage frame downward to facilitate subsequent transportation and fruit trimming.
[0065] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the fruit conveying module 400 also includes a plurality of first fruit receiving rails 460 corresponding one-to-one to the picking robot 320 located on the first side and a plurality of second fruit receiving rails 470 corresponding one-to-one to the picking robot 320 located on the second side; the first fruit receiving rails 460 and the second fruit receiving rails 470 are both connected to the fuselage 100, the feeding end of the first fruit receiving rail 460 is used to receive the fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot 320 located on the first side, the feeding end of the second fruit receiving rail 470 is used to receive the fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot 320 located on the second side, the discharging end of the first fruit receiving rail 460 is connected to the feeding end of the first vertical conveyor belt 410, and the discharging end of the second fruit receiving rail 470 is connected to the feeding end of the second vertical conveyor belt 420.
[0066] By providing the first fruit receiving track 460 and the second fruit receiving track 470, a smooth transition and automatic transmission of the fruits from the picking robot 320 to the vertical conveyor belt can be achieved, further improving the efficiency and accuracy of fruit transportation.
[0067] Specifically, the first fruit receiving track 460 and the second fruit receiving track 470 correspond to the picking manipulators 320 located on the first side and the second side, respectively, to ensure that the fruits picked by each picking manipulator 320 can be accurately guided to the corresponding fruit receiving track, thereby avoiding the situation where the fruits are misconnected or dropped due to mixing or confusion. The feeding end of the first fruit receiving track 460 receives the fruits from the corresponding picking manipulator 320 on the first side, and the feeding end of the second fruit receiving track 470 receives the fruits from the corresponding picking manipulator 320 on the second side.
[0068] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a visual recognition camera is provided on the end effector 325, and the visual recognition camera is used to obtain image information of the fruit trees to be picked; the orchard multi-arm picking robot also includes a control module 500, and the control module 500 is arranged on the fuselage 100, and the electrical components of the visual recognition camera and the picking robot 320 are both communicated with the control module 500.
[0069] By setting a visual recognition camera on the end effector 325, it is possible to obtain image information of the fruit trees to be picked, and then identify the position, maturity and obstacles (such as tree branches) of the fruit on the fruit trees to be picked, so as to help the picking robot 320 to accurately align the target fruit for picking, which not only improves the accuracy of picking, but also reduces the situation of mis-picking or missing picking. The image information obtained by the visual recognition camera is connected to the control module 500 through electrical components, and the image data can be transmitted to the control module 500 in real time. The control module 500 makes real-time decisions based on the image information and instructs the picking robot 320 to adjust its actions, such as moving the position or adjusting the angle, to ensure the smooth completion of the picking task.
[0070] Specifically, by analyzing the image features of the fruit, such as color, shape, and gloss, the visual recognition camera can determine the maturity of the fruit. The orchard multi-arm picking robot can selectively pick the fruit according to its maturity, thereby improving the quality of fruit picking and avoiding quality problems caused by picking too early or too late. The visual recognition camera can also identify obstacles on the fruit trees, such as branches, leaves, etc. By analyzing the image information in real time, the control module 500 can instruct the picking manipulator 320 to avoid these obstacles, ensuring the smooth progress of the picking process while avoiding damage to the fruit trees and the picking manipulator 320.
[0071] The control module 500 may be a control module 500 provided with a fruit training model in the prior art, so that the picking robot 320 can identify the fruit to be picked. In this embodiment, a visual recognition camera is installed at the end of the end effector 325, and is used to collect images of fruits within the picking range of the end effector 325. The control module 500 locates the position of the fruit based on the image of the fruit in the collected image, and determines whether the fruit meets the picking requirements by the color of the fruit, and then controls the end effector 325 to perform corresponding operations. For example, when the control module 500 determines that the fruit is not ripe, the control module 500 controls the corresponding components to perform corresponding actions, so that the end effector 325 is transferred to another place to pick ripe fruits.
[0072] In some embodiments, a fill light device may be provided on the end effector 325 to provide fill light to the visual recognition camera under dim conditions, so that the orchard multi-arm harvesting robot can adapt to nighttime operations.
[0073] The picking manipulator 320 in the orchard multi-arm picking robot provided by the present invention is described in detail below. Figures 6 to 12 .
[0074] See also Figure 6 As shown, the harvesting robot 320 provided in the embodiment of the present invention includes: a mounting seat 321, a movable seat 322, a first lever arm 323, a second lever arm 324, an end actuator 325 and a driving device 326, the first lever arm 323 is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat 321, the movable seat 322 is movably disposed on the first lever arm 323, the second lever arm 324 is movably disposed on the movable seat 322, and the first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are vertically arranged.
[0075] The driving device 326 is respectively connected to the movable base 322 and the second lever arm 324. The driving device 326 is used to drive the movable base 322 to move axially along the first lever arm 323, and to drive the second lever arm 324 to move relative to the movable base 322 along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323. The end effector 325 is rotatably mounted on the first end of the second lever arm 324. Driven by the second lever arm 324, the end effector 325 reaches different positions to pick fruits.
[0076] Specifically, see Figure 6 As shown, the axial directions of the first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are consistent with the horizontal direction. The first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are both in the shape of long strips. The first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are both fixed with a pipeline mounting seat 3244. The connecting pipelines of each electrical component on the first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 are all accommodated in the pipeline mounting seat 3244 to ensure the compactness of the structure of the picking robot 320 and prevent the pipelines from being entangled or knotted.
[0077] See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the first lever 323 includes a mounting frame 3234, a supporting plate 3235 and two cross beams 3236. Both ends of the supporting plate 3235 are respectively fixed to the mounting frame 3234. The two cross beams 3236 are arranged side by side below the supporting plate 3235, and both ends of the two cross beams 3236 are respectively fixed on the mounting frame 3234 to support the supporting plate 3235.
[0078] The mounting base 321 includes a first base body 3211 and a second base body 3212. The two ends of the mounting frame 3234 are rotatably mounted on the first base body 3211 and the second base body 3212, respectively, so as to provide support for the first lever arm 323 through the mounting base 321. The second lever arm 324 is movably mounted on the first lever arm 323 through the movable base 322, and is formed as a whole with the first lever arm 323. Therefore, when the first lever arm 323 rotates relative to the mounting base 321, the second lever arm 324 rotates with the first lever arm 323. As the second lever arm 324 rotates, the end effector 325 located at the first end of the second lever arm 324 reaches different heights, so that the end effector 325 can pick fruits at different heights.
[0079] See also Figure 6As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the moving seat 322 is installed on the first lever arm 323, and a guide structure is provided between the moving seat 322 and the first lever arm 323, so as to guide the moving seat 322 to move axially along the first lever arm 323 through the guide structure, thereby ensuring the smoothness of the movement of the moving seat 322. For example, the guide structure includes a pulley and a slide rail. The slide rail is fixed to the support plate 3235 and extends axially along the support plate 3235. The pulley is rotatably installed on the side of the moving seat 322 facing the support plate 3235. The pulley is slidably installed on the slide rail to guide the moving seat 322 to move axially along the slide rail.
[0080] The driving device 326 is connected to the moving seat 322 in a transmission manner, and is used to drive the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The second lever arm 324 is connected to the moving seat 322, and the moving seat 322 drives the second lever arm 324 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. By switching the driving direction of the driving device 326, the second lever arm 324 can reciprocate in the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The driving device 326 is connected to the second lever arm 324 in a transmission manner, and is used to drive the second lever arm 324 to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can extend forward to the fruit tree to pick the fruit, or retreat to the fruit delivery area after picking the fruit. Driven by the driving device 326, the end effector 325 cooperates with the second lever arm 324 to pick the fruit at the same horizontal height along the forward direction of the planting belt.
[0081] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the driving device 326 includes a first horizontal driving member and a second horizontal driving member. The base of the first horizontal driving member is fixed to the first lever arm 323, the driving end of the first horizontal driving member is connected to the moving seat 322 to drive the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323, the base of the second horizontal driving member is fixed to the moving seat 322, the driving end of the second horizontal driving member is connected to the second lever arm 324 to drive the second lever arm 324 to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323. Optionally, the first horizontal driving member and the second horizontal driving member can be electric push rods or telescopic cylinders.
[0082] The end effector 325 is rotatably mounted on the first end of the second lever arm 324 , so that the end effector 325 can rotate relative to the second lever arm 324 to expand the picking range of the end effector 325 and improve the flexibility of the end effector 325 .
[0083] When in use, the first seat body 3211 and the second seat body 3212 can be respectively locked to the body 100 of the orchard multi-arm picking robot by bolts, clamps and other fasteners. Figure 8As shown, the first seat body 3211 and the second seat body 3212 are respectively provided with mounting holes so as to be directly inserted into the fixed bracket 310, which facilitates installation. The entire picking robot 320 follows the fuselage 100 to shuttle through the forest to achieve large-scale fruit picking. Users can also appropriately select the length of the first lever arm 323 and the second lever arm 324 according to factors such as the length of the fruit trees planted in rows and the gap between rows. For example, when the length of the fruit trees planted in rows is long, the length of the first lever arm 323 can be increased to reduce the movement frequency of the fuselage 100, reduce the labor intensity of the fruit farmers, expand the activity range of the picking robot 320, and improve the picking efficiency; when the gap between the fruit trees in the rows is small, the length of the second lever arm 324 can be shortened to facilitate the extension or retreat of the end effector 325.
[0084] The picking robot 320 provided by the present invention has a first lever arm 323 rotatably mounted on a mounting seat 321, and the first lever arm 323 drives the second lever arm 324 to rotate, so that the end effector 325 located at the first end of the second lever arm 324 can pick fruits at different heights; the driving device 326 is transmission-connected with the moving seat 322 to drive the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323, and the second lever arm 324 moves along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323 under the drive of the moving seat 322, so that the end effector 325 can move along the planting direction of the fruit tree, and the driving device 326 is transmission-connected with the second lever arm 324 to drive the second lever arm 324 to move along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The movable seat 322 moves along the cross-sectional direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can extend into the fruit tree to grab the fruit. After picking the fruit, the end effector 325 retreats to the fruit delivery area driven by the second lever arm 324 to deliver the fruit. The end effector 325 is rotatably installed on the first end of the second lever arm 324 to expand the picking range of the end effector 325, thereby improving the flexibility of the end effector 325 when picking fruit. The entire picking robot 320 can realize flexible movement in multiple degrees of freedom, has a large active stroke, improves the efficiency of fruit picking, and has a simple structure and low cost, and can be widely used in the field of agricultural picking.
[0085] See also Figure 6 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the driving device 326 includes a synchronous belt 3261, a first driving wheel 3262 and a second driving wheel 3263. The first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 are respectively mounted on the two ends of the first lever 323. The first end and the second end of the second lever 324 are respectively rotatably mounted with a tensioning wheel and a synchronous wheel 3241. The first transmission wheel 3221, the second transmission wheel 3222, the third transmission wheel 3223 and the fourth transmission wheel 3224 are rotatably mounted on the moving seat 322.
[0086] The first transmission wheel 3221 and the second transmission wheel 3222 are located on one side of the second lever arm 324 , and the third transmission wheel 3223 and the fourth transmission wheel 3224 are located on the other side of the second lever arm 324 .
[0087] Specifically, see Figure 7 As shown, the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 are symmetrically arranged at the two ends of the first lever arm 323 in the vertical direction. The picking manipulator 320 also includes a first driving member and a second driving member. The bases of the first driving member and the second driving member are respectively fixed to the two ends of the mounting frame 3234. Among them, the driving shaft of the first driving member is connected to the first driving wheel 3262 through a gear train to drive the first driving wheel 3262 to rotate. The driving shaft of the second driving member is also connected to the second driving wheel 3263 through a gear train to drive the second driving wheel 3263 to rotate.
[0088] See also Figure 6 and Fig. 9 As shown, the movable seat 322 is rectangular. The first transmission wheel 3221, the second transmission wheel 3222, the third transmission wheel 3223 and the fourth transmission wheel 3224 are rotatably installed at the four corners of the movable seat 322 respectively. Among them, the first transmission wheel 3221 is located at the lower left corner of the movable seat 322, the second transmission wheel 3222 is located at the upper left corner of the movable seat 322, the third transmission wheel 3223 is located at the upper right corner of the movable seat 322, and the fourth transmission wheel 3224 is located at the lower right corner of the movable seat 322. The first transmission wheel 3221, the second transmission wheel 3222, the third transmission wheel 3223 and the fourth transmission wheel 3224 can be concave wheels on the pulley side to prevent the synchronous belt 3261 from falling off.
[0089] See also Fig.10 As shown, the first end of the second force arm 324 is provided with a mounting member 3245. The starting end of the synchronous belt 3261 is connected to the mounting member 3245. The synchronous belt 3261 is meshed with the first transmission wheel 3221, the first drive wheel 3262, the second transmission wheel 3222, the synchronous wheel 3241, the third transmission wheel 3223, the second drive wheel 3263, the fourth transmission wheel 3224 and the tension wheel in sequence according to a preset path. With the driving of the first drive wheel 3262 and the second drive wheel 3263, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the moving seat 322 to move along the axial direction of the first force arm 323 and / or drives the second force arm 324 to move relative to the moving seat 322 along the cross-sectional direction of the first force arm 323.
[0090] The movement position of the second force arm 324 is adjusted by controlling the rotation direction and rotation speed of the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 .
[0091] For example, see Figure 6As shown, when the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 keep the same speed and rotate in the clockwise direction, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the movable seat 322 to move to the right. When the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 keep the same speed and rotate in the counterclockwise direction, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the movable seat 322 to move to the left.
[0092] When the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 maintain the same rotation speed and rotate in different rotation directions, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the second lever 324 to move relative to the moving seat 322. For example, when the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 maintain the same rotation speed, and when the first driving wheel 3262 rotates in the clockwise direction and the second driving wheel 3263 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the second lever 324 to move forward. When the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 maintain the same rotation speed, and when the first driving wheel 3262 rotates in the counterclockwise direction and the second driving wheel 3263 rotates in the clockwise direction, the synchronous belt 3261 drives the second lever 324 to move backward. When the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 rotate in different directions and rotation speeds, the second lever 324 can drive the end effector 325 to make a curved motion along the axial direction of the first lever 323 and the axial direction of the second lever 324 at the same time.
[0093] See also Figure 6 and Fig. 9 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the moving seat 322 is fixedly installed with a first limit sensor 3225 and a second limit sensor 3226; the second force arm 324 is provided with a first detection block 3242 and a second detection block 3243, and the first detection block 3242 and the second detection block 3243 are located on different sides of the first force arm 323.
[0094] The first limit sensor 3225 is used to detect the position information of the first detection block 3242 relative to the first limit sensor 3225. The second limit sensor 3226 is used to detect the position information of the second detection block 3243 relative to the second limit sensor 3226.
[0095] The first limit sensor 3225 and the second limit sensor 3226 are respectively connected to the control module 500 of the orchard multi-arm picking robot for communication, and the control module 500 is respectively connected to the driving elements of the first driving wheel 3262 and the second driving wheel 3263 for communication.
[0096] Specifically, see Figure 6As shown, the first detection block 3242 is close to the second end of the second force arm 324. The second detection block 3243 is close to the first end of the second force arm 324. The first limit sensor 3225 and the second limit sensor 3226 can be non-contact limit sensors, such as photoelectric limit sensors or magnetic limit sensors.
[0097] When the first limit sensor 3225 detects that the first detection block 3242 moves to the position of the first limit sensor 3225, the control module 500 controls the working status of the first drive wheel 3262 and the second drive wheel 3263 to stop the second force arm 324 from moving backward; when the second limit sensor 3226 detects that the second detection block 3243 moves to the position of the second limit sensor 3226, the control module 500 adjusts the working status of the first drive wheel 3262 and the second drive wheel 3263 to stop the second force arm 324 from moving forward, thereby monitoring the forward extension stroke and backward movement stroke of the second force arm 324 in real time through the first limit sensor 3225 and the second sensor, ensuring the stability of the connection between the second force arm 324 and the moving seat 322, and improving the flexibility of the end actuator 325 in picking.
[0098] See also Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the first force arm 323 is respectively installed with a first inductive switch 3231 and a second inductive switch 3232, and the first inductive switch 3231 and the second inductive switch 3232 are located on different sides of the second force arm 324. Figure 4 As shown, the mobile seat 322 is fixedly mounted with a first sensing sheet 3227 and a second sensing sheet 3228. The first sensing switch 3231 is used to sense the position of the first sensing sheet 3227. The second sensing switch 3232 is used to sense the position of the second sensing sheet 3228. The first sensing switch 3231 and the second sensing switch 3232 are respectively connected to the control module 500 for communication.
[0099] Specifically, see Figure 8 As shown, the first sensing sheet 3227 is close to the first driving wheel 3262. The second sensing sheet 3228 is close to the second driving wheel 3263. The first sensing switch 3231 and the second sensing switch 3232 may be contact sensing switches.
[0100] See also Figure 6As shown, as the moving seat 322 moves, when the first sensing sheet 3227 abuts against the first sensing switch 3231, the first sensing switch 3231 sends a trigger signal to the control module 500, and the control module 500 controls the moving seat 322 to stop moving to the left based on the trigger signal of the first sensing switch 3231. When the second sensing sheet 3228 abuts against the second sensing switch 3232, the second sensing switch 3232 sends a trigger signal to the control module 500, and the control module 500 controls the moving seat 322 to stop moving to the right based on the trigger signal of the second sensing switch 3232. The limit travel of the moving seat 322 is monitored by the first sensing switch 3231 and the second sensing switch 3232 to ensure the stability of the connection between the moving seat 322 and the first force arm 323, and to ensure the flexibility of the end effector 325 in picking.
[0101] See also Figure 7 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the picking robot 320 also includes a first rotating driving member, a first force arm 323 is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat 321, a base of the first rotating driving member is fixed to the mounting seat 321, and a driving end of the first rotating driving member is transmission-connected to the first force arm 323 to drive the first force arm 323 to rotate relative to the mounting seat 321.
[0102] The first rotating driving member may be a stepping motor or a servo motor, the base of the first rotating driving member is fixed to the first seat body 3211 or the second seat body 3212, and the two ends of the first lever arm 323 are rotatably mounted on the first seat body 3211 and the second seat body 3212 through bearings 3213, respectively. In a specific embodiment, the base of the first rotating driving member is fixed to the second seat body 3212, the first lever arm 323 is provided with a connecting hole, and the driving shaft of the first rotating driving member passes through the shaft hole of the bearing 3213 and is fixedly plugged into the connecting hole to drive the first lever arm 323 to rotate relative to the mounting seat 321. As the first lever arm 323 rotates, the second lever arm 324 rotates around the axial direction of the first lever arm 323, so that the end effector 325 can rise or fall to pick fruits at different heights.
[0103] For example, see Figure 6 As shown, when the driving shaft of the first rotating driving member rotates counterclockwise, the first end of the second lever arm 324 rises, so that the end effector 325 rises to a certain height to pick the high fruit; when the driving shaft of the first rotating driving member rotates clockwise, the first end of the second lever arm 324 falls, so that the end effector 325 falls to pick the low fruit. The entire picking manipulator 320 has a simple structure and is highly convenient.
[0104] See also Figure 7As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the first lever arm 323 is equipped with a rotation limit sensor 3237, which is used to detect the rotation angle of the first lever arm 323. The rotation limit sensor 3237 is connected to the control module 500 in communication, so as to send the rotation angle information of the first lever arm 323 to the control module 500. The control module 500 determines whether the current rotation angle of the first lever arm 323 reaches the preset limit rotation angle based on the above information. When the rotation angle of the first lever arm 323 reaches the preset limit rotation angle, the control module 500 controls the first rotary drive member to stop rotating, or controls the first rotary drive member to rotate in the opposite direction by a certain angle, so that the end effector 325 can always pick fruits within the preset height range. The user can reasonably set the preset limit rotation angle of the first rotary drive member according to the fruit height range of the fruit tree, so that the end effector 325 can take into account the picking of fruits at both the highest and lowest places.
[0105] See also Figure 6 As shown, the picking robot 320 also includes a second rotary drive member 327. The base of the second rotary drive member 327 is fixed to the first end of the second lever arm 324. The driving end of the second rotary drive member 327 is transmission-connected to the end effector 325 to drive the end effector 325 to rotate relative to the second lever arm 324.
[0106] The driving shaft of the second rotary drive member 327 can be perpendicular or parallel to the second lever arm 324, or can be set at an obtuse angle to the second lever arm 324. Optionally, the second rotary drive member 327 is a stepper motor or a servo motor. Driven by the second rotary drive member 327, the end effector 325 can rotate 360 degrees relative to the second lever arm 324, thereby expanding the picking range of the end effector 325 and reducing or eliminating the picking blind angle of the end effector 325.
[0107] See also Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the end effector 325 includes a connecting seat 3251, a telescopic driving member 3252 and a mechanical claw 3253, the driving end of the second rotating driving member 327 is connected to the connecting seat 3251, the base of the telescopic driving member 3252 is fixed to the connecting seat 3251, and the telescopic end of the telescopic driving member 3252 is connected to the mechanical claw 3253.
[0108] Specifically, see Fig.11As shown, the connecting seat 3251 is fixed to the driving shaft of the second rotating driving member 327 to provide support for the telescopic driving member 3252. The telescopic driving member 3252 can be an electric push rod or a cylinder, and the telescopic shaft of the telescopic driving member 3252 is connected to the mechanical claw 3253. When picking, the telescopic shaft of the telescopic driving member 3252 drives the mechanical claw 3253 to extend forward, and the height of the mechanical claw 3253 is compensated, which accurately simulates the ergonomic arm lifting movement, so that the mechanical claw can pick fruits at a higher height, thereby improving the flexibility and applicability of the entire picking robot 320 and reducing the picking dead angle. After the mechanical claw 3253 picks a single fruit, the telescopic driving member 3252 drives the mechanical claw 3253 to retract, and cooperates with the rotation movement of the end effector 325, the movement of the second lever arm 324 and the rotation of the first lever arm 323 to move the mechanical claw 3253 to the fruit delivery area; the control module 500 controls the mechanical claw 3253 to release the fruit, and deliver it to the fruit delivery area, and so on and so forth to complete the picking of several fruits.
[0109] See also Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the end effector 325 further includes a guide seat, and the guide seat includes at least one telescopic rod.
[0110] As an example, in this embodiment, there are two telescopic rods, and the two telescopic rods are arranged in parallel and extend along the forward extension direction of the mechanical claw 3253. The two telescopic rods are arranged on opposite sides of the telescopic driving member 3252, and one end of the two telescopic rods is fixedly connected to the connecting seat 3251, and the other end is fixedly connected to the mechanical claw 3253. Each telescopic rod includes a plurality of segments, and the plurality of segments are nested with each other, so that each telescopic rod can be synchronously extended and retracted following the extension and retraction of the driving shaft of the telescopic driving member 3252, thereby guiding the mechanical claw 3253 to smoothly extend or retract through the guide seat.
[0111] See also Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the mechanical claw 3253 includes an openable and closable claw body, a screwing drive component and a base body, the base body is connected to the telescopic end of the telescopic drive component 3252, the screwing drive component is fixed to the base body, and the driving end of the screwing drive component is connected to the openable and closable claw body to drive the openable and closable claw body to rotate relative to the base body.
[0112] Specifically, see Fig.12 As shown, the seat body is fixed to the driving end of the telescopic driving member 3252 to provide support for the screw driving member, the base of the screw driving member is fixed to the seat body, and its driving shaft is connected to the openable and closable claw body to drive the openable and closable claw body to rotate. Optionally, the screw driving member is a stepping motor, a servo motor or a rotary cylinder.
[0113] When in use, the control module 500 controls the claw fingers of the openable and closable claw body to open to grab the fruit, and then controls the claw fingers of the openable and closable claw body to close to limit the position of the fruit; then, the control module 500 controls the screw driving component to operate, and the screw driving component drives the openable and closable claw body to rotate to break the fruit stalk, and the fruit stalk is picked together with the fruit, which can increase the storage date of the fruit and reduce the decay rate of the fruit.
[0114] The openable and closable claw body may adopt a pneumatic claw or a spring claw used for picking fruits in the prior art.
[0115] See also Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the first lever arm 323 is provided with a first guide rail 3233 extending along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The movable seat 322 is provided with a first guide block 3229. The first guide block 3229 is movably provided on the first guide rail 3233.
[0116] Specifically, see Figure 8 As shown, the first guide rail 3233 is fixed to the first lever arm 323 and extends along the axial direction of the first lever arm 323. The first guide block 3229 is fixed to the side of the moving seat 322 facing the first lever arm 323. The first guide block 3229 is movably arranged on the first guide rail 3233 to guide the moving seat 322 to move along the extension direction of the first guide rail 3233, so as to prevent the long length of the second lever arm 324 from affecting the smoothness of the movement of the moving seat 322, thereby ensuring the stability of the end effector 325 when picking.
[0117] According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are two first guide rails 3233 , and the two first guide rails 3233 are arranged in parallel, and the movable seat 322 is provided with at least one first guide block 3229 corresponding to each first guide rail 3233 .
[0118] For example, see Figure 8 As shown, there are four first guide blocks 3229 , two of which are movably disposed on one of the first guide rails 3233 , and the other two first guide blocks 3229 are movably disposed on the other first guide rail 3233 , so as to further increase the smoothness of the movement of the moving seat 322 .
[0119] According to some embodiments of the present invention, one of the movable seat 322 and the second force arm 324 is provided with a second guide rail, and the other is provided with a second guide block.
[0120] Specifically, a second guide rail is fixed on the side of the movable seat 322 facing the second force arm 324, and a second guide block is fixed on the side of the second force arm 324 facing the movable seat 322. The second guide block is movably arranged on the second guide rail to guide the second force arm 324 to move along the extension direction of the second guide rail, thereby ensuring the stability of the movement of the second force arm 324 and thereby improving the stability of the end effector 325 during picking.
[0121] In some other embodiments, the first lever arm 323 is fixed with a first guide rail 3233, the side of the moving seat 322 facing the first lever arm 323 is fixed with a first guide block 3229, the side of the moving seat 322 facing the second lever arm 324 is fixed with a second guide rail, and the second lever arm 324 is fixed with a second guide block, so as to ensure the smooth movement of the moving seat 322 and the second lever arm 324 at the same time.
[0122] The picking method provided by the present invention is described below. The picking method described below and the orchard multi-arm picking robot described above can be referenced to each other.
[0123] See also Fig.13 As shown, the picking method provided by the embodiment of the present invention is implemented based on the orchard multi-arm picking robot as described in any one of the above items, and includes the following steps.
[0124] S1. Obtain image information of the fruit trees to be harvested.
[0125] S2. Based on the image information of the fruit trees to be picked, determine the position information of the ripe fruits and the position information of the obstacles in the fruit trees to be picked.
[0126] S3. Establish a mature fruit coordinate set based on the position information of the mature fruits in the fruit trees to be harvested and the position information of the obstacles.
[0127] S4. Based on the ripe fruit coordinate set and the kinematic model of the picking robot 320 , a coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is established. The coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is a coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector 325 .
[0128] S5. Based on the coordinate set of the ripe fruits, control the picking robot 320 to pick the fruits.
[0129] The picking method provided by the present invention realizes intelligent and precise fruit picking by acquiring image information, accurately identifying the positions of ripe fruits and obstacles, establishing a coordinate set and applying a kinematic model. The method can enable the manipulator to effectively avoid obstacles and accurately locate ripe fruits when picking fruits, ensuring that the picking process is efficient and does not damage the fruit trees. In addition, by dynamically establishing a coordinate set of fruit that can be picked and combining it with the kinematic model of the picking manipulator, the accuracy and flexibility of the picking process are further improved, thereby improving the picking efficiency, reducing manual intervention, and ensuring the quality of the fruit.
[0130] Specifically, in step S1, "obtaining image information of the fruit trees to be picked" means that the visual recognition cameras corresponding to each end effector 325 respectively collect image information of the fruit trees to be picked in the corresponding picking area. For example, in this embodiment, four end effectors 325 are equipped on both sides of the fuselage 100, and the visual recognition camera of each end effector is responsible for collecting image information of the fruit trees to be picked in the corresponding picking area. Therefore, the orchard multi-arm picking robot can collect images of multiple areas simultaneously or sequentially, providing sufficient visual data support for subsequent fruit position identification, maturity judgment and obstacle detection. This distributed image acquisition method improves the robot's coverage of the picking area and the comprehensiveness of information acquisition, laying the foundation for subsequent precise picking.
[0131] In step S2, based on the image information of the fruit trees to be harvested, the position of the mature fruit is first identified by a visual recognition algorithm, the color, shape and other features in the image are used to locate the fruit, and the spatial position information of the fruit is calculated. At the same time, similar visual recognition technology is used to detect obstacles in the image (such as branches, leaves, immature fruits, etc.), and the position of the obstacles in three-dimensional space is further determined through data fusion technology such as depth sensors, so that the position information of the mature fruits and obstacles in the fruit trees to be harvested can be accurately obtained, providing accurate spatial data support for subsequent fruit picking and obstacle avoidance.
[0132] In step S3, based on the position information of ripe fruits and obstacles obtained in step S2, the system first excludes the fruit coordinates affected by obstacles, ensuring that only the positions of ripe fruits that are not blocked by obstacles and can be picked are retained, and then all the fruit coordinates that meet the conditions are integrated into a "ripe fruit coordinate set", which contains the precise three-dimensional positions of all fruits that can be picked. Through this process, the system can generate an accurate ripe fruit coordinate set to provide accurate spatial data support for subsequent picking operations.
[0133] In step S4, based on the coordinate set of ripe fruits and the kinematic model of the picking robot 320, the system screens out the coordinates of the fruits that can be picked by calculating the workspace of the robot and the reachable range of the end effector 325. Specifically, firstly, according to the kinematic model of the robot, the operable range and motion limitations of the end effector 325 are analyzed to determine which coordinates of the ripe fruits are within the reachable range of the robot. Then, the system integrates the coordinates of all qualified ripe fruits into a "coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be picked", that is, a set of coordinates of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector 325. Through this process, the system ensures that only those fruits within the workspace of the robot are selected, providing an accurate target coordinate set for the actual picking operation, and preventing the robot from performing unnecessary actions.
[0134] In step S5, based on the coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be harvested, the system controls the movement of the picking manipulator 320 to guide it to accurately reach the position of each fruit that can be harvested and perform the harvesting operation. Specifically, the system calculates the motion trajectory of the manipulator according to the coordinates of each fruit in the coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be harvested, and adjusts the end effector 325 of the manipulator to adapt to the spatial position and harvesting requirements of each fruit. Through precise motion control, the picking manipulator 320 can efficiently and accurately complete the harvesting task, thereby realizing an automated fruit harvesting process.
[0135] According to some embodiments of the present invention, based on the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits, controlling the harvesting robot 320 to harvest fruits specifically includes the following steps.
[0136] The coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector 325 is used for preliminary motion planning of all picking robots 320 through a preset path planning algorithm and combined with the kinematic model of each picking robot 320, the picking robots 320 are controlled to pick with the optimal picking path and posture, so as to achieve obstacle avoidance between the picking robots 320 and obstacle avoidance in the picking posture.
[0137] Specifically, first, a preset path planning algorithm is used to perform preliminary motion planning on the coordinate set of mature fruits that can be reached by the end effector 325 to determine the motion path of the picking robot 320. Then, the motion trajectory is optimized in combination with the kinematic model of each picking robot 320 to ensure that the picking robot can operate with the optimal picking path and posture. In this process, the system will also consider the motion obstacle avoidance between each picking robot 320 to avoid mutual collision, and at the same time achieve obstacle avoidance in the picking posture to ensure that the robot can complete the picking task smoothly and efficiently. Through this series of controls, the system can achieve automated, multi-robot collaborative fruit picking.
[0138] The picking method provided by the present invention also includes the following steps.
[0139] When all the ripe fruits in the coordinate set of the ripe fruits are picked, the orchard multi-arm picking robot is controlled to move to the next picking position for operation.
[0140] When all the ripe fruits in the coordinate set of ripe fruits have been picked, the system will control the orchard multi-arm picking robot to move to the next picking position and continue the operation. Through this process, the orchard multi-arm picking robot can automatically move to a new target position after completing the current picking task, ensuring continuous and efficient execution of fruit picking tasks.
[0141] It is understandable that the next picking position can be not only the next picking position of the current fruit tree to be picked, but also the picking position of the next fruit tree to be picked. Specifically, after completing the picking task of the current fruit tree, the system automatically determines and selects a suitable target position to move to based on the preset task plan and orchard layout. This target position may be the position of the fruit that has not been picked on the current fruit tree, or the position of the next fruit tree to be picked, thereby ensuring the continuity and efficiency of the picking process.
[0142] 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. An orchard multi-arm picking robot, characterized in that: include: A fuselage, a traveling module and a picking module, wherein the traveling module and the picking module are both arranged on the fuselage; The picking module comprises a fixed support and a picking manipulator, the picking manipulator comprises a moving seat, a first force arm, a second force arm, an end effector and a driving device, the first force arm is rotatably arranged on the fixed support, the moving seat is movably arranged on the first force arm, the second force arm is movably arranged on the moving seat, and the first force arm and the second force arm are vertically arranged; The driving device is respectively connected to the movable seat and the second force arm in transmission connection to drive the movable seat to move along the axial direction of the first force arm, and to drive the second force arm to move along the cross-sectional direction of the first force arm relative to the movable seat. The end effector is rotatably provided at the first end of the second force arm so that the end effector can reach different positions driven by the second force arm to pick fruits.
2. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving device comprises a synchronous belt, a first driving wheel and a second driving wheel, wherein the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are respectively arranged at two ends of the first lever arm, a tensioning wheel and a synchronous wheel are rotatably arranged at the first end and the second end of the second lever arm, respectively, and a first transmission wheel, a second transmission wheel, a third transmission wheel and a fourth transmission wheel are rotatably arranged on the movable seat; Wherein, the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel are located on one side of the second force arm, and the third transmission wheel and the fourth transmission wheel are located on the other side of the second force arm; The starting end of the synchronous belt is connected to the first end of the second force arm, and the synchronous belt is sequentially wound around the first transmission wheel, the first drive wheel, the second transmission wheel, the synchronous wheel, the third transmission wheel, the second drive wheel, the fourth transmission wheel and the tensioning wheel according to a preset path; as the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are driven, the synchronous belt drives the moving seat to move axially along the first force arm and / or drives the second force arm to move relative to the moving seat along the cross-sectional direction of the first force arm.
3. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed bracket includes a first side and a second side that are arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of the picking manipulators are arranged on both the first side and the second side at intervals along the vertical direction.
4. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a fruit conveying module, which includes a first vertical conveyor belt, a second vertical conveyor belt, a centralized conveyor belt, a third vertical conveyor belt and a fruit receiving assembly. The first vertical conveyor belt is arranged on the side of the first side, and the second vertical conveyor belt is arranged on the side of the second side. The discharge ends of the first vertical conveyor belt and the second vertical conveyor belt are both connected to the feed end of the centralized conveyor belt, the discharge end of the centralized conveyor belt is connected to the feed end of the third vertical conveyor belt, the discharge end of the third vertical conveyor belt is connected to the fruit receiving assembly, and the fruit receiving assembly is arranged on the fuselage.
5. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fruit conveying module further includes a plurality of first fruit receiving tracks corresponding one-to-one to the picking manipulator located on the first side and a plurality of second fruit receiving tracks corresponding one-to-one to the picking manipulator located on the second side; The first fruit receiving track and the second fruit receiving track are both connected to the fuselage, the feed end of the first fruit receiving track is used to receive fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot located on the first side, the feed end of the second fruit receiving track is used to receive fruits picked by the corresponding picking robot located on the second side, the discharge end of the first fruit receiving track is connected to the feed end of the first vertical conveyor belt, and the discharge end of the second fruit receiving track is connected to the feed end of the second vertical conveyor belt.
6. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It also includes a first rotary drive member and a second rotary drive member, the base of the first rotary drive member is arranged on the fixed bracket, the driving end of the first rotary drive member is connected to the first force arm in a transmission manner to drive the first force arm to rotate relative to the fixed bracket, the base of the second rotary drive member is arranged at the first end of the second force arm, and the driving end of the second rotary drive member is connected to the end actuator in a transmission manner to drive the end actuator to rotate relative to the second force arm.
7. The orchard multi-arm picking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The end effector is provided with a visual recognition camera, and the visual recognition camera is used to obtain image information of the fruit trees to be harvested; It also includes a control module, which is arranged on the fuselage, and the visual recognition camera and the electrical components of the picking robot are both communicatively connected to the control module.
8. A picking method based on the orchard multi-arm picking robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: Obtain image information of fruit trees to be harvested; Based on the image information of the fruit trees to be picked, determining the position information of the ripe fruits and the position information of the obstacles in the fruit trees to be picked; Based on the position information of the ripe fruits in the fruit trees to be harvested and the position information of the obstacles, a ripe fruit coordinate set is established; Based on the ripe fruit coordinate set and the kinematic model of the picking manipulator, a coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is established, wherein the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits is a coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector; Based on the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits, the picking robot is controlled to perform picking.
9. The picking method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The step of controlling the picking manipulator to pick fruits based on the coordinate set of the ripe fruits comprises: The coordinate set of ripe fruits that can be reached by the end effector is used to perform preliminary motion planning for all the picking robots through a preset path planning algorithm and combined with the kinematic models of each picking robot, the picking robots are controlled to pick with the optimal picking path and posture, so as to achieve motion obstacle avoidance between the picking robots and obstacle avoidance of the picking posture.
10. The picking method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: Also includes: When all the ripe fruits in the coordinate set of harvestable ripe fruits have been picked, the orchard multi-arm picking robot is controlled to move to the next picking position for operation.
Citation Information
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