Manipulators and picking robots for fruit and vegetable picking

Abstract

The present invention provides a manipulator and a picking robot for picking fruits and vegetables, relating to the technical field of agricultural automation. The manipulator comprises: a shell; a gripping assembly, wherein 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; a transmission assembly installed in the shell and the first end of the gripping assembly is installed on the transmission assembly; a first drive assembly installed in the shell and adapted to drive the transmission assembly to reciprocate on a 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; and a second drive assembly installed in the shell and adapted to, when the gripping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, drive the gripping assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis via the transmission assembly to separate the fruits and vegetables from the stems.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the rapid development of modern agriculture, demand for automated harvesting technology in fruit and vegetable cultivation is growing. Traditional manual harvesting of spherical or quasi-spherical fruits like tomatoes, apples, and citrus fruits is inefficient and labor-intensive. Consequently, fruit-harvesting robots are becoming an increasingly popular choice for greenhouses and large-scale farms.

[0003] Harvesting fruits and vegetables is a crucial part of agricultural production. Common harvesting robots for spherical or quasi-spherical fruits like tomatoes and apples typically use a single-mechanism gripper module to wrap and secure the fruit, then apply a twisting force away from the stem to separate the fruit from the stem. However, this picking method inevitably causes damage to both the fruit and the plant, especially for spherical fruits like tomatoes, which have a soft, easily damaged skin. 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 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 shell to clamp or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables. The second drive assembly is mounted in the shell, and is adapted to drive 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.

[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 direction of extension 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 about the first axis under the drive of the second drive assembly and to cause the transmission rod to reciprocate along the first axis under the drive of the first drive assembly.

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

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

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gripping assembly includes 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 joint assembly includes 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 as the sleeve reciprocates, 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 includes 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 multiple support shafts and multiple rollers. The multiple support shafts are mounted on the base parallel to the first axis. The multiple rollers are rotatably mounted on the support shafts. An annular positioning track is provided on the inner wall of the housing. The positioning track cooperates with the rollers, allowing the rollers, driven by the base, to roll along the positioning track within a circle perpendicular to the first axis, while preventing the rollers from deviating from 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 deflecting 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 about a second axis parallel to the first axis under the drive motor. The second gear is mounted on the transmission rod and meshes with the first gear, thereby driving the second gear to rotate via the first gear, thereby causing the gripping assembly to rotate under the drive motor. The first gear's dimension along the first axis is greater than the maximum reciprocating distance of the transmission rod, preventing the second gear from disengaging 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 robotic arm, any of the aforementioned manipulators, and an imaging device. The robotic arm is mounted on one end of the vehicle body, and the manipulator is mounted on the other end of the robotic arm. The imaging device is mounted between the robotic arm and the manipulator and is suitable for imaging the fruits and vegetables.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables uses a first drive assembly to drive a transmission assembly to reciprocate along a 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. When the gripping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, the second drive assembly drives the gripping assembly through the transmission assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis, thereby separating the fruits and vegetables from the stems. By cooperating with the first and second drive assemblies, respectively, the gripping assembly can both clamp the fruits and vegetables and rotate them, thereby separating the fruits and vegetables from the stems. This avoids dragging of the fruits and vegetables and reduces damage to the plants and fruits and vegetables, thereby improving 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 shows a perspective view of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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

[0020] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[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 shows a perspective view of a transmission rod according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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

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

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

[0026] Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a joint assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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

[0028] Figure 12 shows a perspective view of a positioning plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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

[0030] Figure 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- shell;

[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 Department;

[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-connecting mechanism;

[0065] 3221-connectors;

[0066] 3223-first main body;

[0067] 3224-junction;

[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 presence of the features, steps, operations and / or components, but do not exclude the presence 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 expressions such as “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” are used, they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” should include but is not limited to systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, and C, etc. When expressions such as “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” are used, they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art. For example, “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” should include but is not limited to systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or A, B, and C, etc.

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

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

[0092] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, a tomato plant 6 includes a seedling (not shown), a fruit 61 (fruit), a fruit stalk 62, a node 64, and a fruit stalk 63. The fruit stalk 63 is the part connected to the fruit, and the node 64 is the 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 perspective view 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 manipulator 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 multiple times around the first axis through the transmission assembly 3 when the gripping assembly 2 clamps the fruits and vegetables 61, so as to separate the fruits and vegetables 61 from the fruit stems 62.

[0095] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a manipulator for picking fruits and vegetables uses a first drive assembly to drive a transmission assembly to reciprocate along a 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. When the gripping assembly clamps the fruits and vegetables, the second drive assembly drives the gripping assembly through the transmission assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis, thereby separating the fruits and vegetables from the stems. By cooperating with the first and second drive assemblies, respectively, the gripping assembly can both clamp the fruits and vegetables and rotate them, thereby separating the fruits and vegetables from the stems. This avoids dragging of the fruits and vegetables and reduces damage to the plants and fruits and vegetables, thereby improving picking efficiency and the quality of the fruits and vegetables.

[0096] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fruits and vegetables 61 are spherical or quasi-spherical fruits, such as tomatoes, oranges, apples, peaches, eggplants, or pears.

[0097] In an exemplary embodiment, the number of revolutions of the gripping assembly 2 driven by the transmission assembly 3 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 enclose the internal transmission structure and adapt to the complexity of the agricultural working environment. The housing 1 only exposes multiple (for example, three) second movable parts 2322 for grasping fruits (described in detail later).

[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 5FIG. 2 shows a partial structural side view of the interior of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention, 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 direction of extension of the first axis. The rotation unit 32 is installed between the transmission rod 31 and the first drive assembly 4. The rotation unit 32 is adapted to rotate the transmission rod 31 about the first axis under the drive of the second drive assembly 5 and to reciprocate the transmission rod 31 along 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, first drive assembly 4 includes a drive rod 42 and a power unit 41. Power unit 41 can be electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically driven. A first end of drive rod 42 is mounted on power unit 41, which drives drive rod 42 to reciprocate along a first axis. A second end of drive rod 42 is connected to 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 a drive rod 42 is mounted on the linear motor, which drives the drive rod 42 to reciprocate along a 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 drive assembly 5 includes a drive motor 51, a first gear 52, and a second gear 53. The first gear 52 is adapted to rotate about a second axis parallel to the first axis under the drive of the drive motor 51. The second gear 53 is mounted on the transmission rod 31 and meshes with the first gear 52. The first gear 52 drives the second gear 53 to rotate, causing the transmission rod 31 to rotate along the first axis following the second gear 53, thereby causing the gripping assembly 2 to rotate under the drive of the drive motor 51. The dimension of the first gear 52 on the first axis ( Figure 5 The L in the figure is greater than the maximum reciprocating distance of the transmission rod 31, thereby preventing the second gear 53 from being disengaged from the first gear 52, and ensuring that the first gear 52 and the second gear 53 are always in meshing state.

[0108] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the maximum reciprocating distance of the transmission rod 31 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 drive assembly 4, so that the first drive 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 component 4 may be an electric push rod. Figure 3 As shown, the end of the electric push rod away from the gripping assembly 2 is mounted in the first half body 13 by means of bolts, and is radially fixed by being accommodated on the second half body 14 , so that the electric push rod is stably fixed in the housing 1 .

[0114] Further, if Figure 7As shown, the first half 13 is provided with a positioning member groove 15 extending radially outward for inserting the positioning member 12. The positioning member 12 is installed between the drive motor 51 of the second drive assembly 5 and the power unit 41 of the first drive assembly 4. The side of the positioning member 12 that contacts the drive motor 51 has an arc-shaped structure that matches the outer contour of the drive motor 51, thereby fixing the power unit 41 in the radial direction. Figure 7 As shown, the second half 14 is provided with a radially inwardly extending mating member 17. The end of the power unit 41, which is closest to the grip assembly 2, abuts against the positioning member 12 and the mating member 17. The drive rod 42 extends through the through-hole between the positioning member 12 and the mating member 17 to the connecting member 3221. The positioning member 12, the first half 13, and the second half 14 cooperate to secure the power unit 41 in the direction of the first axis.

[0115] Further, if Figure 7 As shown, the first half body 13 extends radially inward to form an extension piece 16 with multiple (for example, 6) threaded holes. The drive motor 51 is installed on the extension piece 16 through 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. The first half 13 and the second half 14 may be fixed by screws through three pairs of holes. The through hole formed by the first half 13 and the second half 14, away from the gripping assembly 2, is mounted on the connecting flange. The housing 1 can fix the power unit 41 and the drive motor 51, while providing support and fixation for the rotation and gripping action of the gripping assembly 2. The housing 1 encloses the first drive assembly 4, the second drive assembly 5, the transmission assembly 3, and most of the gripping assembly 2. Only the second joint 232 required for gripping the fruit is left outside the housing 1. This 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 exemplary 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 further 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. The opening can be used for heat dissipation of the drive motor 51 and can also serve as a channel for the power lines of the first drive assembly 4 and the second drive assembly 5.

[0120] Figure 8 A perspective view of a restriction member 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 connecting mechanism 322 includes a connecting member 3221 and a limiting member 3222. One end of the connecting member 3221 is inserted into the sleeve 311, and the other end of the connecting member 3221 is mounted on the first drive assembly 4, so that the first drive assembly 4 drives the sleeve 311 to move away from the first drive assembly 4 through the connecting member 3221. One end of the limiting member 3222 is mounted on the connecting member 3221. The limiting member 3222 is configured to allow the sleeve 311 to rotate relative to the connecting member 3221 and to enable the connecting member 3221 to drive the sleeve 311 to move together in a direction toward 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 via the connector 3221, thereby achieving linear reciprocating motion of the transmission rod 31. The limiting member 3222 can prevent the sleeve 311 from excessively moving or disengaging from the connector 3221 during high-speed movement or load changes, thereby reducing unnecessary motion deviation and improving the operational 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] Further, if Figure 3 As shown, the second end of the driving rod 42 of the first driving assembly 4 is installed 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 first drive assembly 4 to form a pair of spaced third protrusions, and the second end of the drive 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, 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 extends radially inward to the side of the sleeve 311 away from the first drive assembly 4 ( Figure 6 In this way, the limiting member 3222 does not hinder the rotation of the shaft sleeve 311 around the first axis, and the shaft 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 A blocking ring is installed on the lower side of the shaft sleeve 311. The connecting member 3221 also includes a connecting portion, which is formed between the first main body portion 3223 and the coupling portion 3224. The first main body portion 3223 is installed in the shaft sleeve 311. The radial dimension of the first main body portion 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. This enables the first main body portion 3223 to always be located in the shaft sleeve 311 and enables the connecting member to 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 closer 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 can rotate smoothly relative to the connecting member 3221 via the bearing.

[0130] Furthermore, the connector 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 debris 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, which is radially fixed to the positioning plate 22 but not axially fixed.

[0132] Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a gripping assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 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 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the gripping assembly 2 includes a mounting base 21, a positioning plate 22, and multiple joint assemblies 23. The mounting base 21 is mounted on a transmission rod 31 and rotates therewith. The positioning plate 22 is rotatably mounted within the housing 1 about a first axis. The multiple joint assemblies 23 are spaced apart circumferentially around the positioning plate 22, each joint assembly 23 including a first joint 231 and a second joint 232. The first end of the first joint 231 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 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. In this way, when the transmission rod 31 moves back and forth, the second joint 232 can clamp or release the fruits and vegetables 61 through the leverage of the joint assembly 23 of the first joint 231, thereby reducing the drag on 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 to each other.

[0137] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 9 and Figure 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, multiple (for example, 1, 2, or 3) pressure sensors may be provided on each second movable portion 2322 to determine whether the gripping assembly 2 is clamping the fruits and vegetables 61 (the fruits and vegetables can be stationary relative to the gripping assembly during rotation) by obtaining pressure values.

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

[0141] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, an anti-slip portion 233 is further 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, ensuring the stability of the fruits and vegetables 61 during rotation.

[0143] In the robotic arm according to this embodiment of the present invention, the synergistic gripping and rotational movements of the gripping assembly 2 ensure efficient harvesting of fruits and vegetables 61 while minimizing the risk of damage to the fruits and vegetables 61 and the plant 6. The second joint 232 simulates the gentle handling and twisting separation of fruits and vegetables 61 during manual harvesting, effectively minimizing mechanical damage to the fruits and vegetables 61 and the plant 6.

[0144] The robot 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] Figure 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 Figure 11 As shown, the mounting base 21 includes a cylindrical body 211 and multiple pairs of second protrusions 212. The transmission rod 31 is mounted in the through hole of the cylindrical body 211. The multiple pairs of second protrusions 212 respectively protrude radially outward from the edge of the cylindrical body 211. The first ends of the multiple first joints 231 are rotatably constrained between the pairs of protrusions via multiple first pivots.

[0147] In an illustrative embodiment, Figure 11 As shown, a guide groove 213 extends radially outward from the through hole of the barrel 211, and a protrusion is formed on the transmission rod 31 to engage with the guide groove 213. The engagement between the guide groove 213 and the protrusion allows the mounting base 21 to rotate along with the transmission rod 31 about the first axis. It is understood that the guide groove can also be formed on the transmission rod 31, and the protrusion formed in the barrel 211; alternatively, the mounting base 21 can be mounted on the transmission rod 31 via a fixing pin.

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

[0149] Figure 12 shows a perspective view of a positioning plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 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 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 12 and Figure 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, Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, the positioning mechanism 222 includes multiple support shafts 2222 and multiple rollers 2223. The multiple support shafts 2222 are mounted on the base 221 of the seat 21 parallel to the first axis, and the multiple 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. The positioning track 11 cooperates with the rollers 2223, allowing the rollers 2223 to roll along the positioning track 11 in a circle perpendicular to the first axis under the drive of the base 221, while preventing the rollers 2223 from deviating from 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 exemplary embodiment, a positioning track 11 is formed on the inner wall of the housing 1, extending radially inward. The roller 2223 includes a main body and rolling portions extending radially outward from both ends of the main body. The two rolling portions are located at both ends of the axis of the positioning track 11, allowing the two rolling portions to roll along the guide of the positioning track 11.

[0155] In another exemplary embodiment, two guide portions extending radially inwardly and spaced apart along the axis of the housing 1 are formed on the inner wall of the housing 1, with a positioning track 11 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 within the positioning track 11, allowing the rolling portion to roll along the guide of the positioning track 11.

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

[0157] In one exemplary 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 near the first drive unit increases with the radial dimension of the first protrusion 2221. In other words, the first protrusion 2221 is mounted on the base 221 at an angle toward the second joint 232.

[0158] In an illustrative embodiment, the first movable part 2321 is mounted on the base 221 via a third pivot, and the first connecting part is located on both sides of the circumferential direction surrounding the transmission rod 31 and extends outward to form a limiting part 2323. The limiting part 2323 cooperates with the first protrusion 2221 to limit the rotation angle of the first movable part 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] Roller 2223 rotates smoothly around support shaft 2222. Support shaft 2222 can be a stepped shaft, so a bearing can be provided between support shaft 222 and roller to facilitate sliding of the roller. Roller 2223 is fixed to support shaft 2222 via a bearing, and the end face of roller 2223 is fixed with an E-shaped retaining spring. The positioning track 11 that cooperates with roller 2223 is formed in housing 1 and requires regular lubrication to maintain performance.

[0160] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 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 along the first axis is greater than the maximum reciprocating distance 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 illustrative 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 that the fruits are well matured.

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

[0166] As another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, a picking robot is provided. Figure 14 As shown, the harvesting robot includes a vehicle body 7, a robotic arm 8, any of the aforementioned robotic arms, and an imaging device 9. One end of the robotic arm 8 is mounted on the vehicle body 7, and any of the aforementioned robotic arms is mounted on the other end of the robotic arm 8. The imaging device 9 is mounted between the robotic arm 8 and the robotic arm and is suitable for imaging fruits and vegetables 61.

[0167] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when picking fruits and vegetables 61, the fruit and vegetable picking robot first uses the imaging device 9 to determine the location of the target fruit and vegetable 61. After the fruit and vegetable picking robot 61 moves to the target location, it opens the gripping assembly 2 (or releases the gripping assembly 2) and moves from bottom to top (i.e., from the navel 65 toward the stalk 63) along the central axis of the fruit and vegetable 61 to be picked (roughly the line between the navel 65 and the stalk 63), inserting the fruit and vegetable 61 into the gripping assembly 2. The optimal state is when the first axis and the central axis of the fruit and vegetable 61 are collinear.

[0168] In an exemplary 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 drive component 4 drives the gripping component 2 so that the gripping component 2 clamps the fruits and vegetables 61 to be picked, and the robotic arm 8 causes the robotic arm of the gripped fruits and vegetables 61 to be offset around the gripping point by a certain angle (for example, the offset angle can be around ±20°) to facilitate the subsequent rotation function.

[0173] The second drive assembly 5 rotates the gripping assembly 2, which is gripping the fruit or vegetable 61, until the fruit stalk 63 separates from the fruit stem 62 (for example, at the node 64 between the fruit stalk 63 and the fruit stem 62). The fruit and vegetable 61 picking robot then moves to the placement area, releases the gripping assembly 2, and places the fruit or vegetable 61 in the placement area, completing the picking process.

[0174] The above describes embodiments of the present invention. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Although each embodiment has been described separately above, this does not mean that the measures in each embodiment cannot be advantageously used in combination. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended 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 are intended to 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 within the housing and a second end of the gripping assembly extends outward from the housing; A transmission assembly is mounted in the housing, and a first end of the gripping assembly is mounted on the transmission assembly; A first drive assembly, mounted within the housing, adapted to drive the transmission assembly to reciprocate along the first axis, so that the first end of the gripping assembly drives the second end located outside the housing to grip or release spherical or quasi-spherical fruits and vegetables; a second drive assembly, mounted in the housing, adapted to drive the gripping assembly to rotate multiple times around the first axis via the transmission assembly when the gripping assembly grips the fruit or vegetable, thereby separating the fruit or vegetable from the stem; The transmission components include: a transmission rod mounted to the first drive assembly in an extending direction of the first axis; The rotating unit is installed between the transmission rod and the first driving assembly, and is adapted to cause the transmission rod to rotate about the first axis under the drive of the second driving assembly; and to cause the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis under the drive of the first driving assembly. The rotating unit includes: a sleeve installed at the first end of the transmission rod; The grip assembly includes: A mounting base, mounted on the transmission rod and rotating with the transmission rod; The positioning plate is rotatably mounted in the housing about a first axis and comprises: a base, on which the third pivot is mounted; Positioning mechanism, including: A plurality of support shafts are mounted on the base parallel to the first axis; A plurality of rollers are rotatably mounted on the support shaft; 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 within a circle perpendicular to the first axis and prevent the rollers from leaving the positioning track in the direction of the first axis; Multiple groups of joint components are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the positioning plate, and each group of joint components includes: 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, and 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 fruits and vegetables as the sleeve reciprocates, and the transmission rod drives the positioning plate to rotate relative to the housing through the mounting seat and multiple sets of joint assemblies.

2. The manipulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating unit further includes: The connecting mechanism is configured to rotatably connect the sleeve to the first drive assembly, so that the first drive assembly drives the sleeve and the transmission rod to reciprocate on the first axis through the connecting mechanism.

3. The manipulator according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting mechanism includes a connecting member, one end of which is inserted into the shaft sleeve, and the other end of which is mounted on the first drive assembly, so that the first drive assembly drives the shaft sleeve to move away from the first drive assembly through the connecting member; A limiting member, one end of which is mounted on the connecting member, is configured to allow the shaft sleeve to rotate relative to the connecting member and enable the connecting member to drive the shaft sleeve to move toward the first driving assembly through the limiting member.

4. The manipulator according to claim 1, 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.

5. The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The second drive assembly includes: 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 to drive the second gear to rotate via 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, thereby preventing the second gear from being separated from the first gear.

6. A picking robot, characterized in that: include: body; a robotic arm, one end of which is mounted on the vehicle body; The manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, mounted on the other end of the manipulator arm; An imaging device is installed between the robotic arm and the robotic hand, and is suitable for imaging the fruits and vegetables.

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