Manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables and picking robot

Abstract

The invention provides a manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables and a picking robot, and relates to the technical field of agricultural automation. The first end of the grabbing assembly is located in the shell, and the second end of the grabbing assembly extends outwards from the shell; the transmission assembly is installed in the shell, and the first end of the grabbing assembly is installed on the transmission assembly; the first driving assembly is installed in the shell and suitable for driving the transmission assembly to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the grabbing assembly drives the second end located outside the shell to clamp or release spherical or sphere-like fruits and vegetables; and the second driving assembly is mounted in the shell and is suitable for driving the grasping assembly to rotate around the first axis for multiple circles through the transmission assembly under the condition that the grasping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, so that the fruits and vegetables are separated from fruit stems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] At least one embodiment of the present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural automation, and in particular to a manipulator and a picking robot for picking fruits and vegetables. Background Art

[0002] With the vigorous development of modern agriculture, the demand for the application of automated harvesting technology in fruit and vegetable cultivation is growing. For spherical or quasi-spherical fruits such as tomatoes, apples, and citrus, traditional manual harvesting is inefficient and labor-intensive. For this reason, fruit harvesting robots have gradually become a more ideal choice for greenhouses and large-scale farms.

[0003] The harvesting of fruits and vegetables is an extremely important part of the agricultural production process. For single-fruit tomatoes, apples and other spherical or quasi-spherical fruits, the commonly used harvesting manipulators mostly wrap and fix the fruit with a single-mechanism gripping module, and then separate the fruit from the stalk by applying a twisting force away from the stalk. However, this harvesting method will inevitably cause some damage to the harvested fruits and plants, especially spherical fruits like tomatoes, which have a softer skin and are easily damaged. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a manipulator and a picking robot for picking fruits and vegetables, which can reduce damage to fruits and plants.

[0005] As one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables is provided, comprising a shell, a gripping assembly, a transmission assembly, a first drive assembly, and a second drive assembly. The first end of the gripping assembly is located in the shell, and the second end of the gripping assembly extends outward from the shell. The transmission assembly is mounted in the shell, and the first end of the gripping assembly is mounted on the transmission assembly. The first drive assembly is mounted in the shell, and is suitable for driving the transmission assembly to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping assembly drives the second end located outside the shell to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables. The second drive assembly is mounted in the shell, and is suitable for driving the gripping assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis through the transmission assembly when the gripping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, so as to separate the fruits and vegetables from the fruit stems.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmission assembly includes a transmission rod and a rotation unit. The transmission rod is mounted to the first drive assembly in the extension direction of the first axis. The rotation unit is mounted between the transmission rod and the first drive assembly, and is adapted to cause the transmission rod to rotate around the first axis under the drive of the second drive assembly; and to cause the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis under the drive of the first drive assembly.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rotating unit comprises a sleeve and a connecting mechanism. The sleeve is mounted on the first end of the transmission rod, and the connecting mechanism is configured to rotatably connect the sleeve to the first driving assembly, so that the first driving assembly drives the sleeve and the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis through the connecting mechanism.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connection mechanism includes a connection member and a limiting member. One end of the connection member is inserted into the sleeve, and the other end of the connection member is mounted on the first drive assembly, so that the first drive assembly drives the sleeve to move away from the first drive assembly through the connection member. One end of the limiting member is mounted on the connection member, and the limiting member is configured to allow the sleeve to rotate relative to the connection member, and the connection member drives the sleeve to move toward the first drive assembly through the limiting member.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gripping assembly comprises a mounting seat, a positioning plate and a plurality of joint assemblies. The mounting seat is mounted on the transmission rod and rotates with the transmission rod. The positioning plate is rotatably mounted in the housing around the first axis. The plurality of joint assemblies are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the positioning plate, and each of the joint assemblies comprises a first joint and a second joint. The first end of the first joint is rotatably connected to the mounting seat via a first pivot perpendicular to the first axis. The second joint has a roughly S-shape, the first end of the second joint is rotatably connected to the second end of the first joint via a second pivot, the second end of the second joint extends out of the housing through the positioning plate, and the portion of the second joint adjacent to the first end of the second joint is rotatably connected to the positioning plate via a third pivot, so that the portion of the second joint extending out of the housing clamps or releases the fruits and vegetables with the reciprocating movement of the sleeve, and the transmission rod drives the positioning plate to rotate relative to the housing through the mounting seat and the plurality of joint assemblies.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning plate comprises a base and a positioning mechanism. The third pivot is mounted on the base, and the positioning mechanism is mounted on the base and is configured to cooperate with the housing to allow the base to rotate relative to the housing and prevent the base from moving relative to the housing in the direction of the first axis.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning mechanism includes a plurality of support shafts and a plurality of rollers. The plurality of support shafts are mounted on the base parallel to the first axis. The plurality of rollers are rotatably mounted on the support shafts. An annular positioning track is provided on the inner wall of the housing, and the positioning track cooperates with the rollers, so that the rollers, driven by the base, roll along the positioning track in a circle perpendicular to the first axis and prevent the rollers from leaving the positioning track in the direction of the first axis.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a positioning hole is formed at the center position of the above-mentioned base, and a positioning key is formed at the second end of the above-mentioned transmission shaft to cooperate with the above-mentioned positioning hole. Through the cooperation between the above-mentioned positioning hole and the above-mentioned positioning key, the above-mentioned joint assembly and the above-mentioned base rotate synchronously under the drive of the above-mentioned transmission rod, thereby preventing the above-mentioned joint assembly from being tilted relative to the above-mentioned base in a direction parallel to the above-mentioned first axis.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second drive assembly includes a drive motor, a first gear and a second gear. The first gear is adapted to rotate around a second axis parallel to the first axis under the drive of the drive motor, the second gear is mounted on the transmission rod, and the second gear is meshed with the first gear to drive the second gear to rotate through the first gear, thereby causing the gripping assembly to rotate under the drive of the drive motor. The size of the first gear on the first axis is greater than the maximum distance of the reciprocating movement of the transmission rod, so as to prevent the second gear from being disengaged from the first gear.

[0014] As another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a harvesting robot is provided, comprising a vehicle body, a mechanical arm, any one of the above-mentioned mechanical hands, and an imaging device. One end of the mechanical arm is mounted on the above-mentioned vehicle body, and the mechanical hand is mounted on the other end of the above-mentioned mechanical arm. The imaging device is mounted between the above-mentioned mechanical arm and the above-mentioned mechanical hand, and is suitable for imaging the above-mentioned fruits and vegetables.

[0015] According to the robot arm for picking fruits and vegetables of the embodiment of the present invention, the first drive component drives the transmission component to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping component drives the second end located outside the shell to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables (fruits). When the gripping component clamps the fruits and vegetables, the second drive component drives the gripping component to rotate around the first axis for multiple circles through the transmission component, so that the fruits and vegetables can be separated from the fruit stems. Through the cooperation of the first drive component and the second drive component with the transmission component respectively, the gripping component can not only clamp the fruits and vegetables, but also rotate the fruits and vegetables, so as to separate the fruits and vegetables from the fruit stems, avoid dragging the fruits and vegetables, reduce damage to the plants and fruits and vegetables, and thus improve the picking efficiency and the quality of the fruits and vegetables. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 A partial view of a tomato plant is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A perspective view of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 A partial structural side view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0022] Figure 6 A perspective view of a transmission rod according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a housing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 8 A perspective view of a restriction member according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a grip assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Fig.10 A perspective view of a joint assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] Fig.11 shows a perspective view of a mounting base according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Fig.12 A perspective view of a positioning plate according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Fig.13 shows a side view of a positioning plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Fig.14 A perspective view of a harvesting robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0032] 1- housing;

[0033] 11- Positioning track;

[0034] 12- positioning piece;

[0035] 13-First half;

[0036] 14 - second half;

[0037] 15- positioning piece slot;

[0038] 16- extension piece;

[0039] 17-Matching piece;

[0040] 2- grip assembly;

[0041] 21-mounting seat;

[0042] 211- cylinder;

[0043] 212- second protrusion;

[0044] 213-guide groove;

[0045] 22- positioning plate;

[0046] 221- base;

[0047] 222- positioning mechanism;

[0048] 2221-first protrusion;

[0049] 2222-support shaft;

[0050] 2223-Roller;

[0051] 2224-positioning hole;

[0052] 23- Joint assembly;

[0053] 231-first joint;

[0054] 232-second joint;

[0055] 2321-First Activity Department;

[0056] 2322-Second Activity Unit;

[0057] 2323-Restriction Department;

[0058] 233-anti-slip part;

[0059] 3- Transmission assembly;

[0060] 31- transmission rod;

[0061] 311-sleeve;

[0062] 312-Location key;

[0063] 32-rotation unit;

[0064] 322-connection mechanism;

[0065] 3221-Connector;

[0066] 3223-first main body;

[0067] 3224-joint;

[0068] 3222-Restricted parts;

[0069] 3225- blocking part;

[0070] 4- first drive assembly;

[0071] 41- Power unit;

[0072] 42-driving rod;

[0073] 5- second drive assembly;

[0074] 51- driving motor;

[0075] 52- first gear;

[0076] 53- second gear;

[0077] 6- Plant;

[0078] 61-Fruits and vegetables;

[0079] 62-Fruit stem;

[0080] 63-fruit stalk;

[0081] 64-nodules;

[0082] 65- fruit navel;

[0083] 7-body;

[0084] 8-Robotic arm;

[0085] 9- Imaging device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0087] The terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The terms "comprise", "include", etc. used herein indicate the existence of the features, steps, operations and / or components, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations or components.

[0088] All terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of this specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly rigid manner.

[0089] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, and C, etc.", it should generally be interpreted as the meaning of the expression generally understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" should include but not be limited to a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, C, etc. When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B, or C, etc.", it should generally be interpreted as the meaning of the expression generally understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" should include but not be limited to a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, C, etc.

[0090] It should also be noted that the directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., are only reference directions of the drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Throughout the drawings, the same elements are represented by the same or similar reference numerals. Conventional structures or configurations will be omitted when they may cause confusion in the understanding of the present invention.

[0091] Figure 1 A partial view of a tomato plant is shown.

[0092] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, the tomato plant 6 includes a seedling (not shown), fruits and vegetables 61 (fruits), a fruit stalk 62, a node 64, and a fruit stalk 63. The fruit stalk 63 is a part connected to the fruit, and the node 64 is a part located between the fruit stalk 63 and the fruit stalk 62. The bottom of the fruit has a navel 65.

[0093] Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional diagram of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 A perspective view of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0094] As one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a robot for picking fruits and vegetables is provided, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the manipulator includes a housing 1, a gripping assembly 2, a transmission assembly 3, a first drive assembly 4, and a second drive assembly 5. The first end of the gripping assembly 2 is located in the housing 1, and the second end of the gripping assembly 2 extends outward from the housing 1. The transmission assembly 3 is installed in the housing 1, and the first end of the gripping assembly 2 is installed on the transmission assembly 3. The first drive assembly 4 is installed in the housing 1, and is suitable for driving the transmission assembly 3 to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping assembly 2 drives the second end located outside the housing 1 to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables 61. The second drive assembly 5 is installed in the housing 1, and is suitable for driving the gripping assembly 2 to rotate around the first axis for multiple circles through the transmission assembly 3 when the gripping assembly 2 clamps the fruits and vegetables 61, so that the fruits and vegetables 61 are separated from the fruit stems 62.

[0095] According to the robot arm for picking fruits and vegetables of the embodiment of the present invention, the first drive component drives the transmission component to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping component drives the second end located outside the shell to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables (fruits). When the gripping component clamps the fruits and vegetables, the second drive component drives the gripping component to rotate around the first axis for multiple circles through the transmission component, so that the fruits and vegetables can be separated from the fruit stems. Through the cooperation of the first drive component and the second drive component with the transmission component respectively, the gripping component can not only clamp the fruits and vegetables, but also rotate the fruits and vegetables, so as to separate the fruits and vegetables from the fruit stems, avoid dragging the fruits and vegetables, reduce damage to the plants and fruits and vegetables, and thus improve the picking efficiency and the quality of the fruits and vegetables.

[0096] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fruit and vegetable 61 is a spherical or quasi-spherical fruit, for example, a tomato, an orange, an apple, a peach, an eggplant or a pear.

[0097] In an illustrative embodiment, the number of revolutions of the gripping assembly 2 driven by the transmission assembly 3 to rotate around the first axis may be at least 3 revolutions, for example, 3.5 revolutions, 4.2 revolutions, 4-6 revolutions, or 7 revolutions or 8 revolutions.

[0098] In another exemplary embodiment, the transmission assembly 3 drives the gripping assembly 2 to rotate around the first axis by an angle of 180° or 270°, which is less than one circle.

[0099] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the housing 1 is used to cover the internal transmission structure and adapt to the complexity of the agricultural operation environment. The housing 1 only exposes a plurality of (eg, three) second movable portions 2322 (described in detail later) for grasping the fruit.

[0100] The robot arm according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used for picking fruits and vegetables.

[0101] Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5A partial structural side view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, Figure 6 A perspective view of a transmission rod according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0102] It should be noted that Figure 4 The first drive assembly 4 is not shown. Figure 5 , a side view of the transmission assembly 3, the first drive assembly 4 and the second drive assembly 5 is shown.

[0103] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the transmission assembly 3 includes a transmission rod 31 and a rotation unit 32. The transmission rod 31 is mounted to the first drive assembly 4 in the extension direction of the first axis. The rotation unit 32 is installed between the transmission rod 31 and the first drive assembly 4, and the rotation unit 32 is suitable for causing the transmission rod 31 to rotate around the first axis under the drive of the second drive assembly 5; and causing the transmission rod 31 to reciprocate on the first axis under the drive of the first drive assembly 4.

[0104] In such an embodiment, by combining linear reciprocating motion and rotational motion, the transmission assembly 3 can drive the gripping assembly 2 to perform a variety of complex operations (clamping, rotating and releasing), so that the gripping assembly 2 can adapt to different picking tasks.

[0105] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the first drive assembly 4 includes a drive rod 42 and a power unit 41. The power unit 41 can be electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically driven. The first end of the drive rod 42 is mounted on the power unit 41, and the power unit 41 drives the drive rod 42 to reciprocate on the first axis. The second end of the drive rod 42 is connected to the transmission assembly 3.

[0106] In an illustrative embodiment, the power unit 41 may be a linear motor. A linear motor, also known as a linear motor, is a transmission device that directly converts electrical energy into linear motion mechanical energy without requiring any intermediate conversion mechanism. The first end of the drive rod 42 is mounted on the linear motor, and the linear motor drives the drive rod 42 to reciprocate on the first axis. The second end of the drive rod 42 is connected to the transmission assembly 3.

[0107] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 3 to 5As shown, the second driving assembly 5 includes a driving motor 51, a first gear 52 and a second gear 53. The first gear 52 is adapted to rotate around a second axis parallel to the first axis under the drive of the driving motor 51, and the second gear 53 is mounted on the transmission rod 31. The second gear 53 is meshed with the first gear 52, so that the first gear 52 drives the second gear 53 to rotate, so that the transmission rod 31 rotates on the first axis following the second gear 53, thereby rotating the gripping assembly 2 under the drive of the driving motor 51. The size of the first gear 52 on the first axis ( Figure 5 The L in the figure is greater than the maximum distance that the transmission rod 31 can reciprocate, so as to prevent the second gear 53 from being disengaged from the first gear 52, and ensure that the first gear 52 and the second gear 53 are always in meshing state.

[0108] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the maximum distance that the transmission rod 31 can reciprocate is also the maximum stroke of the driving rod 42 of the first driving assembly 4 .

[0109] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the rotating unit 32 includes a sleeve 311 and a connecting mechanism 322. The sleeve 311 is mounted on the first end of the transmission rod 31, and the connecting mechanism 322 is configured to rotatably connect the sleeve 311 to the first driving assembly 4, so that the first driving assembly 4 drives the sleeve 311 and the transmission rod 31 to reciprocate on the first axis through the connecting mechanism 322.

[0110] In an illustrative embodiment, the shaft sleeve 311 may be formed integrally with the transmission rod 31 , or may be installed on the first end of the transmission rod 31 by welding, screwing, or the like.

[0111] Figure 7 A perspective view of a housing according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0112] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the housing 1 includes a first half body 13 and a second half body 14 , and the first half body 13 and the second half body 14 can be connected by bolts.

[0113] In an exemplary embodiment, the first driving assembly 4 may be an electric push rod. Figure 3 As shown, one end of the electric push rod away from the gripping assembly 2 is mounted in the first half body 13 by bolts, and is radially fixed by the accommodation on the second half body 14, so that the electric push rod is stably fixed in the housing 1.

[0114] Furthermore, if Figure 7As shown, the first half body 13 is provided with a positioning member groove 15 extending radially outward for inserting the positioning member 12, and the positioning member 12 is installed between the driving motor 51 of the second driving assembly 5 and the power unit 41 of the first driving assembly 4. The side of the positioning member 12 contacting the driving motor 51 has an arc-shaped structure matching the outer contour of the driving motor 51, so as to fix the power unit 41 in the radial direction. Figure 7 As shown, a matching piece 17 extending radially inward is provided on the second half body 14. One end of the power unit 41 close to the grip assembly 2 abuts against the positioning piece 12 and the matching piece 17, and the driving rod 42 extends through the through hole between the positioning piece 12 and the matching piece 17 to the connecting piece 3221. The positioning piece 12, the first half body 13 and the second half body 14 cooperate to fix the position of the power unit 41 in the first axial direction.

[0115] Furthermore, if Figure 7 As shown, the first half body 13 radially extends inward to form an extension piece 16 with multiple (eg, 6) threaded holes. The drive motor 51 is mounted on the extension piece 16 by external bolts to fix the axial position of the drive motor 51.

[0116] like Figure 2 As shown, the housing 1 may also include a connecting flange, and the first half 13 and the second half 14 may be fixed by three pairs of holes through screws, and the through hole formed by the first half 13 and the second half 14 away from the gripping assembly 2 is installed on the connecting flange. The housing 1 can fix the power unit 41 and the drive motor 51, and provide support and fixation for the rotation and gripping action of the gripping assembly 2. The housing 1 wraps the first drive assembly 4, the second drive assembly 5, the transmission assembly 3 and most of the gripping assembly 2, and only the second joint 232 required for gripping the fruit is left outside the housing 1, which can effectively prevent branches, leaves, water vapor, etc. from entering the interior of the housing 1 in working environments such as farm greenhouses, protect the first drive assembly 4, the second drive assembly 5, the transmission assembly 3 and most of the gripping assembly 2 and prevent damage to crops.

[0117] In an illustrative embodiment, a support plate for mounting an imaging device 9 (eg, a depth camera) may be further added to one of the first half body 13 and the second half body 14 .

[0118] In another exemplary embodiment, the connecting flange may also extend radially to form a mounting member, and the imaging device is mounted on the mounting member.

[0119] like Figure 7 As shown, the first body has an opening at one end of the drive motor 51 away from the gripping assembly 2 , which can be used for heat dissipation of the drive motor 51 and can also serve as a passage for power lines of the first drive assembly 4 and the second drive assembly 5 .

[0120] Figure 8 A perspective view of a restriction according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0121] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the connection mechanism 322 includes a connection member 3221 and a limiting member 3222. One end of the connection member 3221 is inserted into the shaft sleeve 311, and the other end of the connection member 3221 is installed on the first drive assembly 4, so that the first drive assembly 4 drives the shaft sleeve 311 to move in a direction away from the first drive assembly 4 through the connection member 3221. One end of the limiting member 3222 is installed on the connection member 3221, and the limiting member 3222 is configured to allow the shaft sleeve 311 to rotate relative to the connection member 3221, and the connection member 3221 drives the shaft sleeve 311 to move together in a direction close to the first drive assembly 4 through the limiting member 3222.

[0122] In such an embodiment, the first drive assembly 4 can directly drive the sleeve 311 to move away from or toward the first drive assembly 4 along the first axis through the connecting member 3221, thereby realizing the linear reciprocating motion of the transmission rod 31. The limiting member 3222 can prevent the sleeve 311 from excessively moving or disengaging from the connecting member 3221 under the condition of high-speed motion or load change, thereby reducing unnecessary motion deviation and improving the operating accuracy and safety of the manipulator.

[0123] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the connecting member 3221 includes a first main body portion 3223 inserted into the shaft sleeve 311 , and a coupling portion 3224 extending out of the shaft sleeve 311 . The first driving assembly 4 is connected to the coupling portion 3224 .

[0124] Furthermore, if Figure 3 As shown, the second end of the driving rod 42 of the first driving assembly 4 is mounted on the coupling portion 3224 .

[0125] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the coupling portion 3224 extends on the first axis toward the direction close to the first driving assembly 4 to form a pair of spaced third protrusions, and the second end of the driving rod 42 forms a first mating portion, which is restricted between the pair of third protrusions by fasteners (such as screws and nuts).

[0126] In another exemplary embodiment, the coupling portion 3224 extends on the first axis toward the first drive assembly 4 to form a fourth protrusion, and the second end of the drive rod 42 forms a pair of second mating portions, and the fourth protrusion is restricted between the pair of second mating portions by fasteners (such as screws and nuts).

[0127] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 as well as Figure 8 As shown, one end of the limiting member 3222 is mounted on the connecting member 3221, and the other end of the limiting member 3222 crosses the sleeve 311 and then extends inwardly in the radial direction to the side of the sleeve 311 away from the first driving assembly 4 ( Figure 6 In this way, the limiting member 3222 does not hinder the rotation of the sleeve 311 around the first axis, and the sleeve 311 can be driven by the blocking portion 3225 to move toward the first drive assembly 4.

[0128] In another exemplary embodiment, the side of the sleeve 311 close to the first drive assembly 4 ( Figure 6 The first main body 3223 is installed in the shaft sleeve 311, and the radial dimension of the first main body 3223 is larger than the radial dimension of the connecting portion, and the radial dimension of the connecting portion is smaller than the aperture of the opening formed by the blocking ring, so that the first main body 3223 can always be located in the shaft sleeve 311, and the connecting member can rotate relative to the shaft sleeve 311. It is understandable that the blocking ring can be installed on the side of the shaft sleeve 311 close to the first drive assembly 4 by screwing.

[0129] In an exemplary embodiment, the rotating unit 32 may further include a bearing, which is disposed between the first main body 3223 of the connecting member 3221 and the shaft sleeve 311. In this way, the transmission rod 31 may smoothly rotate relative to the connecting member 3221 through the bearing.

[0130] Furthermore, the connecting member 3221 is fixed to the inner ring of the bearing, and the sleeve 311 limits the outer ring of the bearing to wrap the bearing to prevent foreign matter from entering.

[0131] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 From the perspective shown, the transmission shaft sequentially fixes the bearing, the second gear 53, the mounting plate and the positioning plate 22 from bottom to top. The positioning plate 22 is axially fixed by an e-type retaining spring, and is radially fixed to the positioning plate 22 but not axially fixed.

[0132] Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a gripping assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.10 A perspective view of a joint assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0133] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the gripping assembly 2 includes a mounting seat 21, a positioning plate 22 and a plurality of joint assemblies 23. The mounting seat 21 is mounted on a transmission rod 31 and rotates with the transmission rod 31. The positioning plate 22 is rotatably mounted in the housing 1 around a first axis. The plurality of joint assemblies 23 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the positioning plate 22, and each joint assembly 23 includes a first joint 231 and a second joint 232. The first end of the first joint 231 is rotatably connected to the mounting seat 21 via a first pivot perpendicular to the first axis. The second joint 232 has a roughly S-shaped profile, and the first end of the second joint 232 is rotatably connected to the second end of the first joint 231 via a second pivot. The second end of the second joint 232 extends out of the housing 1 through the positioning plate 22, and the portion of the second joint 232 adjacent to the first end of the second joint 232 is rotatably connected to the positioning plate 22 via a third pivot, so that the portion of the second joint 232 extending out of the housing 1 clamps or releases the fruits and vegetables 61 as the sleeve 311 reciprocates, and the transmission rod 31 drives the positioning plate 22 to rotate relative to the housing 1 through the mounting seat 21 and the multiple sets of joint assemblies 23.

[0134] The working range of the gripping assembly 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention covers the sizes of most spherical fruits and has a certain degree of versatility.

[0135] In such an embodiment, the first end of the second joint 232 is fixed relative to the housing 1 in the first axial direction, so that the second joint 232 can clamp or release the fruits and vegetables 61 under the lever action of the joint assembly 23 of the first joint 231 when the transmission rod 31 moves back and forth, thereby reducing the dragging of the fruits and vegetables 61.

[0136] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are parallel in pairs.

[0137] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10As shown, the second joint 232 includes a first movable portion 2321 and a second movable portion 2322. One end of the first movable portion 2321 is rotatably connected to the first joint 231 via a second pivot. The second movable portion 2322 extends from the other end of the first movable portion 2321 in a direction away from the first joint 231. The middle portion of the first movable portion 2321 is mounted on the positioning plate 22 via a third pivot.

[0138] In such an embodiment, the distance between the second movable portion 2322 and the first axis may first increase and then remain unchanged as the distance from the second movable portion 2322 to the first movable portion 2321 increases.

[0139] In an illustrative embodiment, a plurality of (for example, 1, 2 or 3) pressure sensors may be provided on each second movable portion 2322 to determine whether the gripping assembly 2 clamps the fruit and vegetable 61 (the fruit and vegetable can be stationary relative to the gripping assembly during rotation) by acquiring the pressure value.

[0140] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Fig. 9 As shown, the second movable portion 2322 is located outside the housing 1, and is the execution part of the second movable portion 2322 for clamping and releasing the fruit and vegetable 61. The cross section of the side of the second movable portion 2322 facing the fruit and vegetable 61 in a plane perpendicular to the first axis can be an arc structure to match the shape of the fruit and vegetable 61.

[0141] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, an anti-slip portion 233 is also provided on the side of the second movable portion 2322 facing the fruits and vegetables 61. The anti-slip portion 233 can be made of foam material.

[0142] In an illustrative embodiment, the shape of the second joint 232 can be a three-fold wide surface structure so as to better fit the surface of the oval fruit. The additional shape of the surface in contact with the fruits and vegetables 61 is a multi-fold line-shaped moderately soft foam, which helps to gently wrap the fruits and vegetables 61 and increase the tangential friction, thereby ensuring the stability of the fruits and vegetables 61 during rotation.

[0143] According to the robot arm of the embodiment of the present invention, the synergistic effect of the grasping action and the rotating action of the grasping assembly 2 can ensure the efficient completion of the picking process of fruits and vegetables 61 and reduce the risk of damage to fruits and vegetables 61 and plants 6. The second joint 232 simulates the gentle handling and twisting separation action of fruits and vegetables 61 during manual picking, which can effectively reduce the mechanical damage to fruits and vegetables 61 and plants 6.

[0144] The robot arm provided according to the embodiment of the present invention is more suitable for picking single spherical and spherical fruits. The number of rotations of the grasping component 2 can be adjusted arbitrarily, and can even be rotated infinitely. The working range of the grasping component 2 covers the sizes of most spherical fruits and has a certain degree of versatility.

[0145] Fig.11 A perspective view of a mounting base according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0146] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Fig.11 As shown, the mounting seat 21 includes a barrel 211 and a plurality of pairs of second protrusions 212. The transmission rod 31 is mounted in the through hole of the barrel 211, and the plurality of pairs of second protrusions 212 protrude radially outward from the edge of the barrel 211, and the first ends of the plurality of first joints 231 are rotatably restricted between the pairs of protrusions through a plurality of first pivots.

[0147] In an illustrative embodiment, Fig.11 As shown, a guide groove 213 is formed by radially extending outward from the through hole of the cylinder 211, and a protrusion is formed on the transmission rod 31 to match the guide groove 213, so that the mounting seat 21 rotates around the first axis following the transmission rod 31 through the matching of the guide groove 213 and the protrusion. It can be understood that the guide groove can also be formed on the transmission rod 31, and the protrusion is formed in the cylinder 211; or, the mounting seat 21 can also be mounted on the transmission rod 31 by a fixing pin.

[0148] In an illustrative embodiment, the angle between two pairs of adjacent second protrusions 212 is 120 degrees, so that the second joint 232 can open and close within a moderate range.

[0149] Fig.12 shows a stereoscopic view of a positioning plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.13 A side view of a puck according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0150] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Fig. 9 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the positioning plate 22 includes a base 221 and a positioning mechanism 222. The third pivot is mounted on the base 221, and the positioning mechanism 222 is mounted on the base 221 and is configured to cooperate with the housing 1 to allow the base 221 to rotate relative to the housing 1 and prevent the base 221 from moving relative to the housing 1 in the first axial direction.

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.12 and Fig.13As shown, the positioning mechanism 222 includes a plurality of support shafts 2222 and a plurality of rollers 2223. The plurality of support shafts 2222 are mounted on the base 221 of the mounting seat 21 parallel to the first axis, and the plurality of rollers 2223 are rotatably mounted on the support shafts 2222. An annular positioning track 11 is provided on the inner wall of the housing 1, and the positioning track 11 cooperates with the rollers 2223, so that the rollers 2223 roll along the positioning track 11 in a circle perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the base 221, and prevent the rollers 2223 from leaving the positioning track 11 in the direction of the first axis.

[0152] In an exemplary embodiment, the roller 2223 may be a nylon roller.

[0153] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning track 11 may be a single roller track or a multi-roller guide rail.

[0154] In an illustrative embodiment, a circle of positioning track 11 is formed on the inner wall of the housing 1 and extends radially inward. The roller 2223 includes a main body and rolling parts extending radially outward from both ends of the main body. The two rolling parts are located at both ends of the axis of the positioning track 11, so that the two rolling parts roll along the guide of the positioning track 11.

[0155] In another exemplary embodiment, two guide portions are formed on the inner wall of the housing 1 and extend radially inwardly and spaced apart in the axial direction of the housing 1, and a positioning track 11 is formed between the two guide portions. The roller 2223 includes a main body and a rolling portion extending radially outward from the main body. The rolling portion is located in the positioning track 11, so that the rolling portion rolls along the guide of the positioning track 11.

[0156] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the positioning mechanism 222 also includes a plurality of pairs of first protrusions 2221, which protrude radially outward from the edges of the base 221, and the portions of the first ends of the plurality of second joints 232 adjacent to the second joints 232 are rotatably restricted between the pairs of first protrusions 2221 by a plurality of the third pivots.

[0157] In an illustrative embodiment, the cross section of the end surface of each first protrusion 2221 in a plane perpendicular to the first rotation axis is arc-shaped, and the distance between each first protrusion 2221 and the surface of the positioning plate 22 close to the first driving unit increases with the increase of the radial dimension of the first protrusion 2221. In other words, the first protrusion 2221 is installed on the base 221 in an inclined manner toward the direction close to the second joint 232.

[0158] In an illustrative embodiment, the first movable portion 2321 is mounted on the base 221 via a third pivot, and the first connecting portion is located on both sides of the circumferential direction surrounding the transmission rod 31 and extends outward to form limiting portions 2323. The limiting portions 2323 cooperate with the first protrusion 2221 to limit the rotation angle of the first movable portion 2321 around the third pivot, and ensure the stability of the movement of the first joint 231 and the second joint 232, and can effectively cope with the tangential rotation torque at the connection between the first joint 231 and the second joint 232.

[0159] The roller 2223 rotates smoothly around the support shaft 2222. The support shaft 2222 may be a stepped shaft, so that a bearing may be provided between the support shaft 222 and the roller to facilitate the sliding of the roller. The roller 2223 is fixed to the support shaft 2222 through a bearing, and the end face of the roller 2223 is fixed with an e-shaped retaining ring. The positioning track 11 matched with the roller 2223 is formed in the housing 1, and lubrication is required regularly to maintain performance.

[0160] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.12 As shown, a positioning hole 2224 is formed at the center position of the base 221, and a positioning key 312 is formed at the second end of the transmission shaft to cooperate with the positioning hole 2224. Through the cooperation between the positioning hole 2224 and the positioning key 312, the joint assembly 23 and the base 221 rotate synchronously under the drive of the transmission rod 31, thereby preventing the joint assembly 23 from tilting.

[0161] In such an embodiment, the dimension of the positioning key 312 on the first axis is greater than the maximum distance of the reciprocating movement of the transmission rod 31 to prevent the positioning key 312 from falling out of the positioning hole 2224 .

[0162] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning hole 2224 is a non-circular hole, and the cross-sectional shape of the positioning key 312 in a plane perpendicular to the first axis matches the shape of the positioning hole 2224 .

[0163] In an exemplary embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the positioning hole 2224 may include at least one of a D-shape, an ellipse, a polygon, etc., and accordingly, the cross-sectional shape of the positioning key may include at least one of a D-shape, an ellipse, a polygon, etc. that matches the positioning hole.

[0164] In the process of implementing the present invention, it was found that in large-scale fruit and vegetable 61 planting scenarios, when the fruits are about to mature, the lower branches and leaves are usually manually pruned to ensure good ripening of the fruits.

[0165] Fig.14 A perspective view of a harvesting robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0166] As another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, a picking robot is provided. Fig.14 As shown, the harvesting robot includes a vehicle body 7, a mechanical arm 8, any one of the above-mentioned mechanical hands, and an imaging device 9. One end of the mechanical arm 8 is mounted on the vehicle body 7, any one of the above-mentioned mechanical hands is mounted on the other end of the mechanical arm 8, and the imaging device 9 is mounted between the mechanical arm 8 and the mechanical hand, and is suitable for imaging fruits and vegetables 61.

[0167] According to the fruit and vegetable picking robot of the embodiment of the present invention, when picking fruits and vegetables 61, the imaging device 9 first determines the position of the target fruits and vegetables 61. After the fruit and vegetable 61 picking robot moves to the target position, the gripping component 2 is in an open state (or a released state), and moves from bottom to top (that is, from the fruit navel 65 to the direction close to the fruit stalk 63) along the central axis of the fruits and vegetables 61 to be picked (roughly the straight line where the navel 65 and the fruit stalk 63 are located), so that the fruits and vegetables 61 are inserted into the gripping component 2. The best state is that the first axis and the central axis of the fruits and vegetables 61 remain collinear.

[0168] In an illustrative embodiment, wheels are installed on the vehicle body 7 to facilitate the movement of the fruit and vegetable 61 picking robot.

[0169] In an exemplary embodiment, the imaging device may be a depth camera.

[0170] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the robot arm may include a plurality of movable arms.

[0171] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the robot arm for picking fruits and vegetables can be applied to any robot arm 8 having a national standard flange end.

[0172] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first driving component 4 drives the grasping component 2 so that the grasping component 2 clamps the fruits and vegetables 61 to be picked, and the robotic arm 8 causes the robotic arm of the grasped fruits and vegetables 61 to be offset by a certain angle around the grasping point (for example, the offset angle can be around ±20°) to facilitate the subsequent rotation function.

[0173] The second driving assembly 5 drives the gripping assembly 2 holding the fruit and vegetable 61 to rotate until the fruit handle 63 is separated from the fruit stalk 62 (for example, the fruit handle 63 and the fruit stalk 62 may be disconnected at the node 64). The fruit and vegetable 61 picking robot moves to the placement area, releases the gripping assembly 2, places the fruit and vegetable 61 in the placement area, and completes the picking of the fruit and vegetable 61.

[0174] The embodiments of the present invention are described above. However, these embodiments are only for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Although each embodiment is described above, it does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be used in combination. The scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalents. Without departing from the scope of the present invention, those skilled in the art may make various substitutions and modifications, which should all fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables, characterized in that: include: case; A gripping assembly, wherein a first end of the gripping assembly is located in the housing and a second end of the gripping assembly extends outward from the housing; A transmission assembly is installed in the housing, and the first end of the gripping assembly is installed on the transmission assembly; A first driving assembly, installed in the housing, adapted to drive the transmission assembly to reciprocate on the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping assembly drives the second end located outside the housing to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables; The second driving assembly is installed in the housing and is suitable for driving the gripping assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis through the transmission assembly when the gripping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, so as to separate the fruits and vegetables from the stems.

2. The robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission assembly comprises: a transmission rod mounted to the first drive assembly in the extending direction of the first axis; The rotating unit is installed between the transmission rod and the first driving assembly, and is suitable for causing the transmission rod to rotate around the first axis under the drive of the second driving assembly; and causing the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis under the drive of the first driving assembly.

3. The robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotating unit comprises: A bushing mounted on the first end of the transmission rod; The connecting mechanism is configured to rotatably connect the sleeve to the first driving assembly, so that the first driving assembly drives the sleeve and the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis through the connecting mechanism.

4. The robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting mechanism comprises a connecting member, one end of which is inserted into the shaft sleeve, and the other end of which is mounted on the first driving assembly, so that the first driving assembly drives the shaft sleeve to move away from the first driving assembly through the connecting member; A limiting member, one end of which is mounted on the connecting member, and the limiting member is configured to allow the sleeve to rotate relative to the connecting member and enable the connecting member to drive the sleeve to move toward the first driving assembly through the limiting member.

5. The robot according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The gripping assembly comprises: A mounting seat, mounted on the transmission rod and rotating with the transmission rod; A positioning plate, rotatably mounted in the housing around the first axis; A plurality of groups of joint components are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the positioning plate, and each group of the joint components comprises: A first joint, wherein a first end of the first joint is rotatably connected to the mounting seat via a first pivot perpendicular to the first axis; The second joint has a roughly S-shape, the first end of the second joint is rotatably connected to the second end of the first joint via a second pivot, the second end of the second joint passes through the positioning plate and extends out of the shell, and the portion of the second joint adjacent to the first end of the second joint is rotatably connected to the positioning plate via a third pivot, so that the portion of the second joint extending out of the shell clamps or releases the fruits and vegetables as the sleeve reciprocates, and the transmission rod drives the positioning plate to rotate relative to the shell through the mounting seat and multiple sets of joint components.

6. The robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The positioning plate comprises: a base, wherein the third pivot is mounted on the base; The positioning mechanism is mounted on the base and is configured to cooperate with the housing to allow the base to rotate relative to the housing and prevent the base from moving relative to the housing in the first axis direction.

7. The robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism comprises: A plurality of support shafts are mounted on the base parallel to the first axis; A plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on the support shaft; An annular positioning track is provided on the inner wall of the shell, and the positioning track cooperates with the roller, so that the roller, driven by the base, rolls along the positioning track in a circle perpendicular to the first axis and prevents the roller from leaving the positioning track in the direction of the first axis.

8. The robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: A positioning hole is formed at the center of the base. The second end of the transmission shaft forms a positioning key that cooperates with the positioning hole. Through the cooperation between the positioning hole and the positioning key, the joint assembly and the base rotate synchronously under the drive of the transmission rod, thereby preventing the joint assembly from deflecting relative to the base in a direction parallel to the first axis.

9. The robot according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The second driving assembly comprises: Drive motor; a first gear, adapted to rotate around a second axis parallel to the first axis under the drive of the drive motor; a second gear mounted on the transmission rod, the second gear meshing with the first gear so as to drive the second gear to rotate through the first gear, thereby causing the gripping assembly to rotate under the drive of the driving motor; The size of the first gear on the first axis is greater than the maximum distance of the reciprocating movement of the transmission rod, thereby preventing the second gear from being disengaged from the first gear.

10. A picking robot, characterized in that: include: Vehicle body; A mechanical arm, one end of which is mounted on the vehicle body; The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, mounted on the other end of the manipulator arm; An imaging device is installed between the mechanical arm and the mechanical hand, and is suitable for imaging the fruits and vegetables.

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