Air bag type citrus picking and classifying end effector
Through the adaptive airbag-type end effector combined with multi-dimensional detection and intelligent classification technology, gentle picking and multi-dimensional classification of citrus are achieved, solving the problems of unstable, easy and inaccurate classification of citrus in the existing technology, and improving the picking efficiency and fruit quality.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510340642.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-21
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-06
AI Technical Summary
The existing citrus picking technology has problems such as unstable fruit grabbing, easy mechanical clamping and inaccurate classification, resulting in low picking efficiency, high cost and uneven fruit quality.
Adaptive airbag-type end effector is adopted, combining multi-dimensional detection and intelligent classification technology to achieve gentle picking and multi-dimensional classification of citrus. The device realizes automated picking and classification through the combination of airbag clamping device, multi-dimensional detection device and intelligent classification device.
It effectively solves the problems of unstable fruit grabbing, easy mechanical clamping and inaccurate classification during the citrus picking process, improves the picking efficiency and fruit quality, and reduces labor costs.
Smart Images

Figure CN119924089A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The invention relates to the field of agricultural picking robots, and in particular to an airbag type citrus picking and sorting end effector. Technical Background
[0002] In the process of agricultural modernization, citrus is an important cash crop, and efficient processing of its picking and sorting is crucial. Traditional citrus picking relies on manual labor, and pickers need to rely on experience and feel to manually complete the picking and preliminary grading of fruits. This is not only inefficient, but also has high labor costs. At a time when there is a shortage of labor and labor costs continue to rise, it seriously restricts the economic benefits of the citrus industry.
[0003] Existing mechanical picking technologies mostly use rigid clamps or vibration fruit dropping methods. Rigid clamps can easily cause scratches, indentations and other damage to the citrus peel, reducing the commercial value of the fruit; although vibration fruit dropping can achieve a certain degree of efficient picking, the fruit is easy to fall and break, and the damage rate is high, which is not suitable for markets with strict requirements on appearance quality. At the same time, whether it is manual or traditional mechanical picking, the citrus classification process after picking is relatively extensive. Common classification methods are mainly based on simple screening based on fruit size, and it is difficult to comprehensively consider multi-dimensional quality factors such as fruit maturity, color, and shape, resulting in uneven quality of citrus in the market, which cannot meet consumers' demand for high-quality fruits. Therefore, a picking device that can combine the above-mentioned technical advantages and achieve efficient and stable picking is needed. This adaptive airbag end effector that can classify citrus adopts a unique airbag design, which can pick gently, avoid damage, and clamp stably without falling off. At the same time, based on advanced recognition and algorithms, multi-dimensional classification is achieved, effectively improving the overall efficiency of picking and grading. Summary of the invention
[0004] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an adaptive airbag end effector that can classify citrus. The device can realize the integrated automation of citrus picking and classification in the orchard, lay a good foundation for subsequent sorting and transportation, and effectively solve the problems of unstable grasping of citrus, easy damage by mechanical clamping, and inaccurate classification.
[0005] The purpose and function of the airbag type citrus picking and sorting end effector described in the present invention are achieved by adopting the following technical solutions: An airbag-type citrus picking and sorting end effector includes an adaptive airbag clamping device, a multi-dimensional detection device, and an intelligent sorting device. Specifically, the adaptive airbag clamping device includes an airbag tube 8, an airbag 10, an air inlet 5, and a film pressure sensor 4. The airbags 10 have four and are arranged around the airbag tube 8. The air inlet 5 is arranged on the side wall of the airbag tube. The film pressure sensor 4 is arranged on the surface of the airbag. The multi-dimensional detection device includes a camera 2 and an infrared sensor 3. The camera 2 is arranged above the airbag tube 8. The infrared sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the airbag tube 8. The intelligent sorting device consists of a rotating tube 14, an angle sensor 13, a limit block 15, and a synchronous pulley. One 18 stepper motor 19 synchronous belt 17 synchronous pulley two 20, the rotating tube 14 is arranged inside the shell one 7, the limit block 15 is arranged inside the shell two 12 The rotating tube 14 has an extreme position of rotation, and the synchronous pulley one 18 stepper motor 19 synchronous belt 17 synchronous pulley two 20 are located on the platform outside the shell two 12; the robotic arm moves the picking end effector to the picking fruit coordinate, the airbag tube 8 moves upward and covers the fruit, and the four airbags 10 begin to inflate at this time. When the set film pressure sensor 4 detects the clamping pressure and the clamping pressure reaches the set threshold, the airbag stops inflating, and the cylinders 11 at both ends pop out, and the shearing knife 1 meets in the middle position of the airbag tube 8 to cut the fruit stalk.
[0006] After the fruit stalks are cut, the intelligent classification device starts to classify the fruits according to the citrus fruit information provided by the camera 2. Different types of fruits will enter different collection baskets according to the rotating tube 14 rotating 120° clockwise or counterclockwise. The intelligent classification device can complete the citrus classification once in 3 seconds. The stepper motor 19 rotates 3 circles, and the rotating tube 14 rotates 120°. The rotating tube 14 rotates one circle every 9 seconds, so the speed n=60 / T=20 / 3 rpm, the transmission ratio i is equal to the ratio of the number of motor rotations to the number of rotations of the rotating tube, that is, i=9:1, so the motor speed n=9* 20 / 3=60 rpm. The stepper motor 19 receives a pulse signal and rotates one circle for each pulse received. The rotation of the stepper motor 19 drives the synchronous pulley 20 to rotate, thereby driving the synchronous belt 17 to rotate, driving the synchronous pulley 1 18 to rotate, and then driving the rotating tube to rotate. The rotating tube 14 is driven to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by the forward and reverse rotation of the stepper motor 19. The angle sensor 13 monitors the position of the rotating tube 14. When the rotating tube 14 is about to rotate to the limit position, the stepper motor 19 is powered off and the limit block 15 prevents the rotating tube 14 from continuing to rotate, thereby completing the classification of citrus.
[0007] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and positive effects: 1. The end effector adopts an adaptive airbag design, which can automatically adjust according to the shape and size of the citrus fruit, and gently wrap the fruit like a human hand, greatly reducing scratches, indentations and other damage caused by clamping.
[0008] 2. The end effector adopts advanced sensor fusion technology and intelligent algorithms, which can integrate multi-dimensional information such as fruit size, maturity, color, shape, etc. to achieve accurate classification of citrus.
[0009] 3. The end effector realizes the integration of picking and sorting, reduces manual intervention, greatly improves picking efficiency and reduces labor costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The drawings constituting part of this application are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the intelligent classification device; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the intelligent classification device; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the power structure of the intelligent classification device; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the working state of fruit classification; DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but it should not be understood that the above subject matter of the present invention is limited to the following embodiments. Without departing from the above technical ideas of the present invention, various substitutions and changes are made according to common technical knowledge and customary means in the field, which should all be included in the protection scope of the present invention.
[0012] An airbag type citrus picking and sorting end effector, the main structure of which includes: a shear knife 1, a camera 2, a shooting infrared sensor 3, a film pressure sensor 4, an air inlet 5, a protective shell 6, a shell 1 7, an airbag tube 8, a mechanical arm connector 9, an airbag 10, a cylinder 11, a shell 2 12, an angle sensor 13, a rotating tube 14, a limit block 15, a connecting tube 16, a synchronous belt 17, a synchronous pulley 1 18, a stepping motor 19, and a synchronous pulley 20.
[0013] The device is fixed to the end of the mechanical arm by connecting the chuck 9. The whole device sends the end effector to the picking point under the movement of the mechanical arm to realize picking. Figure 1 To Attachment Figure 4 The present invention is described in detail: The adaptive airbag clamping device includes an airbag tube 8, an airbag 10, an air inlet 5, and a film pressure sensor 4. There are four airbags 10, which are arranged around the airbag tube 8. The air inlet 5 is arranged on the side wall of the airbag tube. The film pressure sensor 4 is arranged on the surface of the airbag. The multi-dimensional detection device includes a camera 2 and an infrared sensor 3. The camera 2 is arranged above the airbag tube 8. The infrared sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the airbag tube 8. The intelligent classification device consists of a rotating tube 14, an angle sensor 13, a limit block 15, a synchronous pulley 1, 18, a stepping motor 19, a synchronous belt 17, and a synchronous pulley 2 20. The rotating tube 14 is arranged inside the shell 17, and the limit block 15 is arranged at the extreme position of the rotation of the rotating tube 14 inside the shell 2 12. The synchronous pulley 18, the stepping motor 19, the synchronous belt 17 and the synchronous pulley 20 are located on the platform outside the shell 2 12; the robotic arm moves the picking end effector to the fruit picking coordinate, and the airbag tube 8 moves upward to cover the fruit. At this time, the four airbags 10 begin to inflate. When the set film pressure sensor 4 detects the clamping pressure and the clamping pressure reaches the set threshold, the airbag stops inflating, and the cylinders 11 at both ends pop out, and the shearing knife 1 meets in the middle position of the airbag tube 8 to cut the fruit stalk.
[0014] After the fruit stalks are cut, the intelligent classification device starts to classify the fruits according to the citrus fruit information provided by the camera 2. Different types of fruits will enter different collection baskets according to the rotating tube 14 rotating 120° clockwise or counterclockwise. The intelligent classification device can complete the citrus classification once in 3 seconds. The stepper motor 19 rotates 3 circles, and the rotating tube 14 rotates 120°. The rotating tube 14 rotates one circle every 9 seconds, so the speed n=60 / T=20 / 3 rpm, the transmission ratio i is equal to the ratio of the number of motor rotations to the number of rotations of the rotating tube, that is, i=9:1, so the motor speed n=9* 20 / 3=60 rpm. The stepper motor 19 receives a pulse signal and rotates one circle for each pulse received. The rotation of the stepper motor 19 drives the synchronous pulley 20 to rotate, thereby driving the synchronous belt 17 to rotate, driving the synchronous pulley 1 18 to rotate, and then driving the rotating tube to rotate. The rotating tube 14 is driven to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by the forward and reverse rotation of the stepper motor 19. The angle sensor 13 monitors the position of the rotating tube 14. When the rotating tube 14 is about to rotate to the limit position, the stepper motor 19 is powered off and the limit block 15 prevents the rotating tube 14 from continuing to rotate, thereby completing the classification of citrus.
[0015] The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Anyone should be aware that any structural changes made under the inspiration of the present invention, and any technical solutions that are the same or similar to the present invention, belong to the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An end effector of a citrus picking robot, characterized in that: The invention mainly consists of three parts: an adaptive airbag gripping device, a multi-dimensional detection device and an intelligent classification device, specifically comprising: a shearing knife (1), a camera (2), a beam infrared sensor (3), a film pressure sensor (4), an air inlet (5), a protective shell (6), a first shell (7), an airbag tube (8), a mechanical arm connecting piece (9), an airbag (10), a cylinder (11), a second shell (12), an angle sensor (13), a rotating tube (14), a limit block (15), a connecting tube (16), a synchronous belt (17), a first synchronous pulley (18), a stepping motor (19) and a second synchronous pulley (20).
2. The airbag type citrus picking and sorting end effector according to claim 1 is characterized by: The multi-dimensional detection device comprises a camera (2) and a corresponding infrared sensor (3); the camera (2) is arranged above the airbag tube (8); and the corresponding infrared sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the airbag tube (8).
3. The airbag type citrus picking and sorting end effector according to claim 1 is characterized by: The intelligent classification device comprises a rotating tube (14), an angle sensor (13), a limit block (15), a synchronous pulley 1 (18), a stepping motor (19), a synchronous belt (17), and a synchronous pulley 2 (20); the rotating tube (14) is arranged inside the first shell (7); the limit block (15) is arranged at the extreme position of the rotation of the rotating tube (14) inside the second shell (12); and the synchronous pulley 1 (18), the stepping motor (19), the synchronous belt (17), and the synchronous pulley 2 (20) are located on a platform outside the second shell (12).
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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