A picking mechanism and picking machine

Abstract

The application discloses a picking mechanism and a picking machine, which comprise a supporting assembly and a picking assembly. The supporting assembly comprises a rack, and the rack has a cotton plant channel for the cotton plants to pass through. The picking assembly is rotatably connected to the rack and is arranged on the two sides of the cotton plant channel. The picking assembly comprises picking rollers and a plurality of chain-shaped picking fingers connected to the picking rollers. The picking rollers are rotatably connected to the supporting assembly, and the rotating directions of the two picking rollers are opposite. The picking finger comprises a plurality of picking parts which are sequentially hinged and interlocked. The application can adopt chain rollers and auxiliary airflow. The airflow can drive the cotton with high maturity and small connecting force to be separated first. This part of cotton is close to the natural structure of hand-picked cotton. The remaining cotton is picked through the combined action of the picking fingers and the airflow. The picking fingers have strong imitation ability, can deform and impact the bottom of the cotton shell, and can realize gradient picking without grading. The application can balance the low impurity content and the outstanding one-time picking rate, and can reduce the damage of machine picking to the cotton quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of harvesting technology, specifically to a harvesting mechanism and a harvesting machine. Background Technology

[0002] Cotton picking is the process of picking and collecting cotton from cotton plants. Common picking methods include hook picking, pneumatic picking, visual-assisted picking, and impact picking.

[0003] Currently, a method is used where a rotating roller drives the picking fingers to rotate. The rotating picking fingers impact the cotton plant, causing the cotton to separate from the plant. When picking cotton using impact force, it is necessary to consider that in the messy and crisscrossing branches, the impact force should reach the end of the cotton boll in a zigzag manner, and the side effects on the branches should be minimized. That is, the mechanism that realizes the impact force should have the ability to avoid and conform to the shape, have multiple degrees of flexibility, and have low friction with the cotton branches.

[0004] Traditional methods using flexible mechanisms such as brushes and rubber fingers have some deformation and avoidance capabilities, but their conformation ability is weak. When the deformation approaches its limit, the flexible friction turns into rigid pulling, leading to a sharp increase in impurities. Moreover, when picking cotton using rotating picking fingers, the rotating fingers need to drive the cotton to completely detach from the cotton plant, subjecting the cotton to multiple additional forces, resulting in significant damage, an increase in short fibers and fibrous strands, and significant damage to cotton branches, leaves, and bolls. The cotton contains a large amount of impurities and is dyed, requiring additional cleaning efforts in subsequent processing, causing further damage to the cotton and a significant loss in cotton quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a picking mechanism and cotton harvester to solve the technical problems in the prior art where the picking fingers cannot adapt to the complex structure of cotton plants and the rotating picking fingers need to impact the cotton plants multiple times when driving the cotton to detach.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a harvesting mechanism, comprising: Support components include a frame having cotton plant channels for cotton plants to pass through; At least two picking components are provided, both of which are rotatably connected to the frame and disposed on both sides of the cotton plant channel. Each picking component includes a picking roller and a plurality of chain-like picking fingers connected to the picking roller. The picking roller is rotatably connected to the support component. The two picking rollers rotate in opposite directions. Each picking finger includes a plurality of sequentially hinged and interlocked picking parts, with one end of the picking part connected to the picking roller.

[0007] In one embodiment, the picking finger is made of explosion-proof material, or the picking finger is provided with an explosion-proof coating or wrapping layer. Along the axial direction of the picking roller, the distance between the fixed ends of adjacent picking fingers is a, 40mm≤a≤65mm; the width of the picking finger is b, 6mm≤b≤16mm.

[0008] In one embodiment, an air blowing mechanism is further included, which is connected to the frame and has an air blowing end facing the cotton plant channel; the airflow velocity from the air blowing end of the air blowing mechanism is greater than the rotational linear velocity of the picking roller.

[0009] In one embodiment, the picking roller is inclined and its height gradually increases along the feeding direction of the cotton plant channel; and the picking roller rotates from bottom to top to drive the picking fingers through the cotton plant channel.

[0010] In one embodiment, there are at least two air blowing mechanisms, which are arranged on both sides of the cotton plant channel, and the air blowing directions and routes of the two air blowing mechanisms are intersecting.

[0011] In one embodiment, the support assembly further includes a waste-discharging plate disposed below the picking roller and the picking finger, the waste-discharging plate having a plurality of first row of waste holes.

[0012] In one embodiment, the picking mechanism further includes two cotton conveying components, which are disposed on both sides of the cotton plant channel and on the side of the picking roller opposite to the cotton plant channel; the cotton conveying components have upward-facing cotton inlets for conveying materials.

[0013] In one embodiment, the frame has two airflow conveying structures located on both sides of the cotton plant channel. Each airflow conveying structure includes an air blowing hole and a cotton outlet hole. The air blowing hole is located on the side of the frame where cotton plants enter, and the cotton outlet hole is located on the side of the frame where cotton plants leave. The cotton outlet hole is connected to the air blowing hole, and an airflow conveying channel is formed between them.

[0014] In one embodiment, the support assembly further includes a flotation plate connected to the frame and inclinedly disposed below the airflow conveying channel, the flotation plate having flotation air holes relative to the airflow conveying channel; The harvesting mechanism also includes a flotation blowing assembly, the air outlet of which faces the flotation air hole.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention also provides a harvesting machine, including the harvesting mechanism described above.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the picking mechanism and picking machine provided by the present invention, when picking cotton, the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel, and when the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel, the picking roller rotates. The rotating picking roller drives multiple chain-like picking fingers to rotate. The rotating picking fingers impact the cotton bolls on the cotton plant. Through the impact of the picking fingers, the cotton bolls are driven to separate from the cotton. During the cotton picking process.

[0017] In this invention, a chain-like picking finger is used to pick cotton. The chain-like picking finger has a much greater degree of freedom of movement than the brushes, rubber plates, and rubber fingers of previous cotton harvesters. For example, if there is a branch between a cotton boll and the picking device, the brushes and rubber fingers can only deform and go around the branch, resulting in missed picking. However, when the chain-like picking finger encounters the branch, it can deform and go around the branch while bending more than 90 degrees to conform to the shape, transmitting the impact force to the cotton boll behind the branch.

[0018] The shearing force between the links of the chain-like picking fingers is very weak in the direction perpendicular to the chain (i.e., the direction in which the cotton plant stands upright and passes through the picking head), but it is mainly strong in bearing axial load (i.e., from the root of the cotton plant to the top). This weak and strong shearing force has a significant impact on the working speed of the cotton harvester (i.e., the picking speed). Traditional unified harvesting cotton harvesters have low harvesting efficiency, mainly due to the obstruction of the cotton plant by brushes, scrapers, or rubber fingers. Although the material itself is flexible, the resistance in the direction of movement is still very large. If the cotton harvester moves too fast, it is easy to push down or gather the cotton plants, making picking more difficult and increasing impurities. The chain-like picking fingers mainly rely on impact force rather than friction force to pick cotton, and can pick cotton without contact, resulting in less cotton damage and a smaller mixing area. This is very different from the working mechanism of traditional brushes, scrapers, or rubber fingers. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the harvesting mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of line A-A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the harvesting mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 Cross-sectional view of line B-B in the middle; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the harvesting component in a harvesting mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Support component 1; frame 11; cotton plant channel 11a; air blowing hole 11b; cotton outlet hole 11c; airflow conveying channel 11d; waste removal plate 12; sealing plate 13; slugging plate 14; Harvesting component 2; harvesting roller 21; harvesting finger 22; harvesting section 221; Air blowing mechanism 3; air vent 3a; Cotton conveying component 4; Divider 5; Flotation blowing assembly 6. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0022] Currently, horizontal spindle cotton harvesters have the highest market acceptance and are the most widely used. However, the harvesting principle of horizontal spindle cotton harvesting determines that its upper limit of harvesting efficiency is not high, resulting in significant waste. One pass yields approximately 93%, and even two passes only reach about 96%, with two passes being highly uneconomical. Furthermore, under high-yield conditions, horizontal spindle cotton harvesters suffer significant quality loss; relying solely on them means that high yield and high quality cannot be achieved simultaneously. For the cotton industry to upgrade and develop, mechanical cotton harvesting technology must achieve a fundamental breakthrough in its underlying principles.

[0023] Cotton harvesting methods can be broadly categorized into visually assisted harvesting and blind harvesting. Visually assisted harvesting, whether manual or machine-based, is costly and inefficient. However, it produces high-quality cotton because the harvesting force is precisely applied directly to the cotton without touching the branches or other parts. Blind harvesting can be further subdivided into blind threading / rubbing (e.g., horizontal spindle picking), blind rubbing (e.g., scraper / brush picking), and blind combing (e.g., comb picking). Blind harvesting is efficient and low-cost, but produces poor-quality cotton. This is because the force is not precise, causing the cotton to be subjected to multiple additional forces, resulting in significant damage, increased short fibers and fibrous strands, and significant damage to branches, leaves, and bolls. The cotton also contains more impurities and may be dyed, requiring additional cleaning during subsequent processing, which further damages the cotton and leads to a significant loss in quality.

[0024] Blind harvesting can be approached with a different strategy: in the absence of visual aids, apply force to non-cotton areas as much as possible while minimizing damage to cotton stalks. For example, fruit harvesting techniques could be used, employing mechanical vibrations to harvest cotton. However, cotton's low density, low elastic modulus, softness, and tendency to tangle limit this approach. Another possibility is using non-rigidly connected forces, such as pneumatic harvesting. Extensive research and attempts have been made, but these methods are energy-intensive, prone to snagging, and have low harvesting efficiency.

[0025] How can we balance high efficiency, low cost, high recovery rate, and high quality? The following three ideas may help us find the optimal solution.

[0026] The first approach is non-multi-stage gradient harvesting. This means achieving the predetermined harvesting rate in a single harvest, but the actions performed within that single harvest, or the force applied to the cotton, are graded. The emphasis is on non-multi-stage harvesting because multi-stage harvesting increases the amount of cotton falling to the ground; to ensure a high harvesting rate, it must be achieved in one harvest. Modern agronomic advancements also favor single-harvest harvesting. The emphasis is also on gradient harvesting because even cotton on the same plant has varying maturity levels, and the connection between the cotton and the husk varies within each cotton boll. The history of cotton harvesting machinery research shows that various harvesting methods have trade-offs: some prioritize efficiency at the expense of harvesting rate and quality (e.g., horizontal pickers), while others prioritize low cost at the expense of impurity content and quality (e.g., previous unified harvesting machines). It can be asserted that no single blind harvesting method can simultaneously achieve optimal harvesting efficiency, impurity content, and cotton quality. The best approach is to harvest according to the specific cotton type. For cotton with high maturity and low binding strength, low-to-medium speed pneumatic force should be used first. This ensures that approximately 50% of the cotton quality closely resembles the natural structure of hand-picked cotton, while also controlling energy consumption. For the remaining cotton, mechanical force should be increased while continuing to apply low-to-medium speed pneumatic force. This ensures that the cotton is removed quickly, without excessive beating or rubbing, until all cotton is harvested.

[0027] The second approach involves non-pneumatic harvesting, i.e., harvesting with contact. This relies on low-amplitude, high-frequency impact forces to minimize friction. Furthermore, the impact point should be as close as possible to the junction of the cotton and the cotton boll, i.e., the tail of the cotton boll, rather than on the cotton itself or the cotton stalk. If harvesting relies on friction, the point of contact must be on the cotton, inevitably tearing or breaking the cotton fibers, compromising cotton quality. The impact force, however, doesn't need to be directly on the cotton. With the resonance and assistance of pneumatic forces, approximately 80% of the cotton can be detached from the cotton plant without contact with the harvesting device.

[0028] The third approach involves considering how the impact force is delivered to the target (the tail of the cotton husk) in a complex, branching, and crisscrossing network of branches, while minimizing negative impacts on the branches. This means the impact force mechanism must have avoidance and conformation capabilities, multiple degrees of freedom in various directions, and minimal friction with the cotton branches. Traditional methods using flexible mechanisms like brushes and rubber fingers offer some deformation and avoidance capabilities, but their conformation ability is weak. Furthermore, when deformation approaches its limit, flexible friction transforms into rigid pulling, leading to a sharp increase in impurities, making them unsuitable for this task.

[0029] Based on the above analysis and considerations, this patent provides a new cotton harvesting method and harvesting mechanism.

[0030] It should be noted that the picking mechanism and picking machine described in this invention are used for, but not limited to, cotton picking. For ease of explanation, this invention will only use the application of a picking mechanism and picking machine to cotton picking as an example. The principle of the picking mechanism and picking machine applied to the picking of other types of materials is essentially the same as that applied to cotton picking, and will not be described in detail here.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a picking mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention. The picking mechanism includes a support component 1, at least two picking components 2, and an air blowing mechanism 3. The support component 1 includes a frame 11, which has a cotton plant channel 11a for cotton plants to pass through. At least two picking components 2 are rotatably connected to the frame 11 and are arranged on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a. Each picking component 2 includes a picking roller 21 and a plurality of chain-like picking fingers 22 connected to the picking roller 21. The picking roller 21 is rotatably connected to the support component 1.

[0032] Specifically, when picking cotton, the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel 11a. When the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel 11a, the picking roller 21 is rotated. The rotating picking roller 21 drives multiple chain-like picking fingers 22 to rotate. The rotating picking fingers 22 impact the remaining cotton bolls on the cotton plant. Through the impact of the picking fingers 22, the cotton bolls are driven to separate from the cotton.

[0033] In this invention, cotton is picked using chain-shaped picking fingers 22. The chain-shaped picking fingers 22 have a much greater degree of freedom of movement than the brushes, rubber plates, and rubber fingers of previous harvesting machines. For example, if there is a branch between a cotton boll and the picking device, the brushes and rubber fingers can only deform and go around the branch, resulting in missed picking. However, when the chain-shaped picking fingers 22 encounter the branch, they can deform and go around the branch while bending more than 90 degrees to conform to the shape, transmitting the impact force to the cotton boll behind the branch.

[0034] The chain-like picking fingers 22 exhibit weak shearing force between their links perpendicular to the chain direction (i.e., the direction in which the cotton plant stands upright and passes through the picking head), but are primarily strong at bearing axial loads (i.e., from the root of the cotton plant to the top). This disparity in strength significantly impacts the working speed (i.e., picking speed) of the cotton harvester. Traditional single-collection cotton harvesters generally have low harvesting efficiency, mainly due to the obstruction of the cotton plant by brushes, scrapers, or rubber fingers. Although the material itself is flexible, the resistance in the direction of travel is still significant. If the cotton harvester travels too fast, it can easily push down or gather the cotton plants, increasing the difficulty of picking and adding more impurities. The chain-like picking fingers 22 rely mainly on impact force rather than friction for cotton picking, allowing for non-contact picking of the cotton, resulting in less cotton damage and a smaller mixing area. This is significantly different from the mechanism of traditional brushes, scrapers, or rubber fingers.

[0035] It should be understood that the picking roller 21 can be driven directly by a motor, or by a combination of a motor and a reducer, or by a combination of a motor and a belt drive mechanism.

[0036] It should be understood that the chain-like picking fingers 22 can be multiple picking parts 22, and adjacent picking fingers 22 are connected by a flexible structure. Specifically, in one embodiment, the picking fingers 22 include multiple picking parts 221 that are hinged in sequence, and the picking part 221 at one end is connected to the picking roller 21.

[0037] By setting multiple sequentially hinged picking parts 221, the multiple sequentially hinged picking parts 221 can form a chain-like picking fingers 22. Moreover, since the suction picking fingers 22 are connected by hinges, adjacent picking parts 221 can rotate relative to each other, which can adapt to cotton plants of different shapes, and can also bypass branches and hit the cotton bolls behind the branches when they are blocked.

[0038] It should be understood that adjacent picking sections 221 can be hinged together by a pivot. Specifically, in one embodiment, the picking section 221 is ring-shaped, and multiple picking sections 221 are interlocked in sequence.

[0039] In this embodiment, the picking parts 221 are hinged by interlocking rings, which gives the adjacent picking parts 221 more freedom than traditional hinges, allowing the picking fingers 22 to form more complex shapes.

[0040] To prevent sparks from being generated upon impact, in one embodiment, the corners of the outer surface of the picking part 221 are all rounded. This rounded transition avoids sharp corners in the picking part 221, thus preventing sparks from being generated upon impact.

[0041] Because the picking fingers 22 are made of interlocking picking parts 221, cotton branches can easily be inserted into the gaps between the picking fingers 22. Moreover, the picking parts 221 have many degrees of freedom. During the rotation of the picking roller 21, the collision between the chain-like picking parts 221 is inevitable, which poses a risk of generating sparks. In order to achieve the function of explosion-proof and flame-retardant, in one embodiment, the picking parts 221 are made of explosion-proof material or the picking parts 221 are also provided with an explosion-proof coating (not shown in the figure). The rotational linear speed of the picking parts 221 is less than 6m / s.

[0042] By setting the picking part 221 to explosion-proof material or setting an explosion-proof coating on the outside of the picking part 221, and limiting the mass and linear speed of the picking part 221, sparks are prevented from forming during the mutual collision of the rotating picking part 221, thus preventing the rotating picking part 221 from causing the cotton plant or cotton to catch fire.

[0043] It should be understood that the material of the harvesting section 221 can be beryllium bronze, aluminum bronze, copper-nickel composite material, and rare earth modified polymer material, etc. The material of the explosion-proof coating can be electroplated copper layer and flame-retardant spray adhesive 630A, etc.

[0044] In order to reduce the impact between adjacent picking sections 221 and to prevent cotton bolls from slipping between adjacent picking fingers 22, in one embodiment, the distance between the fixed ends of adjacent picking fingers 22 along the axial direction of the picking roller 21 is a, 40mm≤a≤65mm; and the width of the picking section 221 is b, 6mm≤b≤16mm.

[0045] In this embodiment, by controlling the distance between adjacent picking fingers 22 along the axial direction of the picking roller 21, the collision between adjacent picking fingers 22 is reduced, and the distance between adjacent picking fingers 22 is prevented from being too large, which would cause some cotton bolls to slip through the picking fingers 22. By designing a picking section 221 of appropriate thickness, the rigidity and bending strength of the picking section 221 meet the requirements, and bending deformation or even breakage is avoided during high-frequency impact or heavy-load picking operations.

[0046] In one embodiment, the picking roller 21 is inclined and its height gradually increases along the feeding direction of the cotton plant channel 11a.

[0047] By tilting the picking roller 21, when the cotton plant passes through the tilted picking roller 21, the picking fingers 22 on the tilted picking roller 21 can vibrate the cotton petals at different heights of the cotton plant in sequence. Moreover, the tilted setting of the picking roller 21 can prevent the picking roller 21 from repeatedly vibrating the cotton plant at the same height.

[0048] It should be understood that the two picking rollers 21 may rotate in the same or different directions. Specifically, in one embodiment, the two picking rollers 21 rotate in opposite directions, and the picking rollers 21 rotate from bottom to top to drive the picking fingers 22 through the cotton plant channel 11a.

[0049] When the picking roller 21 rotates, it drives the picking fingers 22 to pass through the cotton plant channel 11a from top to bottom. The picking part 221 in the picking fingers 22 strikes from bottom to top. The impact force first acts on the tail of the cotton boll. The connection force between the cotton boll and the fruit stalk is about 21N, the connection force between the fruit stalk and the cotton branch is about 38N, and the connection force between a cotton petal and the cotton boll is only about 0.5N. Through the impact from bottom to top, the cotton petal can be loosened from the top opening of the cotton boll, ensuring that only the cotton petal is impacted and loosened from the cotton boll without accidentally damaging the cotton boll and cotton branch.

[0050] It should be understood that, in order to enable the two picking rollers 21 to drive the picking fingers 22 from bottom to top through the cotton plant channel 11a, for this purpose, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment, the left picking roller 21 rotates counterclockwise and the right picking roller 21 rotates clockwise.

[0051] In one embodiment, the picking mechanism further includes an air blowing mechanism 3 connected to the frame 11 and has an air blowing end facing the cotton plant channel 11a.

[0052] When picking cotton, the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel 11a. When the cotton plant enters the cotton plant channel 11a, the air blowing mechanism 3 is activated. The air blowing end of the air blowing mechanism 3 blows air into the cotton plant channel 11a. The airflow blown by the air blowing mechanism 3 first acts on the cotton on the cotton plant. Some overripe cotton or cotton with weak connection between the cotton and the cotton boll will detach from the cotton plant first. The rotating picking roller 21 drives multiple chain-shaped picking fingers 22 to rotate. The rotating picking fingers 22 impact the remaining cotton bolls on the cotton plant. Through the impact of the picking fingers 22, the cotton bolls are driven to separate from the cotton. During the cotton picking process, the air blowing end of the air blowing mechanism 3 always blows air. Once the cotton petals loosen under the impact and vibration of the picking fingers 22, or when the connection force with the cotton boll is less than the drag force of the airflow, the cotton petals can detach from the cotton plant in time. Finally, a small part of half-open cotton or cotton hanging on the branch is left, which needs to be hit again by the chain-shaped picking fingers 22 to complete the picking.

[0053] During harvesting, most of the cotton (approximately 80%) detaches from the cotton plant without rigid contact. Some of this detachment is directly blown away by the airflow, some detaches from the cotton boll and is blown away by the airflow under the resonance of the airflow and the harvesting roller 21 and harvesting fingers 22, and some is blown away by the airflow after the harvesting fingers 22 strike the cotton boll but do not contact the cotton petals. The natural state of the cotton petals is well preserved, without being stretched or broken, and the dyeing and mixing area of ​​the cotton petals is small, reducing the burden of subsequent cleaning and minimizing cotton quality loss. The repeated impact of the harvesting fingers 22 and the multiple sorting by the airflow ensure the overall harvesting efficiency. Tests show that the harvesting efficiency is above 98%. In addition, increasing the impact density and airflow speed can further improve the harvesting efficiency, and the increase in side effects is not significant.

[0054] Meanwhile, the chain-like picking fingers 22 and the air blowing mechanism 3 work together. The air blowing mechanism 3 can blow away the cotton petals loosened by the chain-like picking fingers 22 in time, avoiding excessive vibration and impact on the cotton petals. The air blowing mechanism 3 can also dry the moisture attached to the chain-like picking part 221, preventing moisture from causing the cotton petals to be stained. At the same time, the airflow blown out by the air blowing mechanism 3 can also dissipate heat and ventilate the chain-like picking fingers 22, preventing the chain-like picking fingers 22 from igniting or exploding.

[0055] It should be understood that the air blowing mechanism 3 can be one, two, three, etc. Specifically, in one embodiment, there are at least two air blowing mechanisms 3, and at least two air blowing mechanisms 3 are arranged on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a, and the air blowing directions of the two air blowing mechanisms 3 are arranged in a cross direction.

[0056] By setting at least two air blowing mechanisms 3 with intersecting air blowing directions, the air blowing mechanism 3 can drive the cotton petals to tilt and detach from the cotton boll, causing the cotton petals to rotate in the direction of detaching from the picking roller 21.

[0057] To reduce mutual interference of airflow on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a, the blowing mechanism 3 has multiple blowing ends, which are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the picking roller 21. At the same time, the blowing ends located on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a are alternately distributed along the axial direction of the picking roller 21.

[0058] By alternating the air blowing ends on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a, the airflows blowing out from both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a can be prevented from colliding with each other, thus reducing the loss and interference caused by airflow collision.

[0059] It should be understood that the air blowing mechanism 3 is an air blowing pipe connected to the frame 11. The air blowing pipe has multiple air vents 3a, which are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the air blowing pipe. The air vents 3a are the air blowing ends of the air blowing mechanism 3. The air vents 3a are inclined towards the top of the picking roller 21 along the air outlet direction.

[0060] In this embodiment, by tilting the vent 3a, when the airflow is discharged from the vent 3a of the air blowing pipe, the airflow can be blown out along the direction of the vent 3a. The blown airflow can guide the cotton to move towards the cotton discharge mechanism on the frame 11, preventing the cotton from being pushed away from the cotton discharge mechanism of the frame 11 by the airflow.

[0061] In order to remove impurities formed during the harvesting process, in one embodiment, the support component 1 further includes a debris-removing plate 12, which is disposed below the harvesting finger 22 and has a plurality of first debris-removing holes.

[0062] During the process of the picking roller 21 driving the chain-like picking fingers 22 to rotate and the blowing mechanism 3 blowing air, impurities such as leaf fragments may be generated. In order to reduce the adhesion of impurities to cotton petals, in this embodiment, a waste-draining plate 12 is provided below the picking roller 21. The first row of waste holes opened on the waste-draining plate 12 can allow impurities to be discharged.

[0063] In order to collect the cotton petals formed during picking, in one embodiment, the picking mechanism further includes two cotton conveying components 4, which are arranged on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a and on the side of the picking roller 21 away from the cotton plant channel 11a; the cotton conveying components 4 have upward-facing cotton inlets for conveying materials.

[0064] By setting up the cotton conveying component 4, the airflow blown out by the air blowing mechanism 3 and the rotating picking finger 22 can both drive the cotton petals to move obliquely, so that the cotton petals move obliquely to the cotton inlet of the cotton conveying component 4 and enter the cotton conveying component 4 from the cotton inlet. Under the conveying of the cotton conveying component 4, the cotton petals are transported to the designated location, realizing the collection and transportation of the picked cotton petals.

[0065] It should be understood that the cotton conveying component 4 can be a material conveying auger or a conveyor belt for conveying cotton.

[0066] If a screw conveyor is used to transport the harvested cotton petals, the screw will cause the cotton petals to move in a spiral shape during the transport process, which increases the mixing between the cotton petals and may lead to mixed dyeing of the cotton. Therefore, in one embodiment, the frame 11 forms two airflow conveying structures. The two airflow conveying structures are located on both sides of the cotton plant channel 11a. The airflow conveying structure includes an air blowing hole 11b and a cotton outlet hole 11c. The air blowing hole 11b is set on the side of the frame 11 where the cotton plants enter, and the cotton outlet hole 11c is set on the side of the frame 11 where the cotton plants leave. The cotton outlet hole 11c is connected to the air blowing hole 11b, and an airflow conveying channel 11d is formed between the two.

[0067] By setting two airflow conveying structures on both sides of the frame 11, the airflow blown by the air blowing mechanism 3 drives the cotton petals to move towards the airflow conveying channel 11d. When the cotton petals move into the airflow conveying channel 11d, they can move along the conveying direction of the airflow conveying channel 11d under the action of the airflow flowing in the airflow conveying channel 11d. The cotton is conveyed by pneumatic force, which reduces the adhesion between cotton petals and reduces the mixing and dyeing between cotton petals. At the same time, it can also have a certain air-drying effect and accelerate the drying of cotton petals.

[0068] It should be understood that, in order to form an airflow delivery channel 11d for airflow to pass through on the frame 11, in one embodiment, the support assembly 1 further includes a sealing plate 13, which is disposed on the top and side wall of the frame 11, and the sealing plates 13 together form an airflow delivery channel 11d for airflow.

[0069] During the harvesting process, the harvested products include cotton, unripe bolls, and broken leaves. To perform preliminary screening of the harvested products, in one embodiment, the support assembly 1 further includes a boll guide plate 14. The boll guide plate 14 is connected to the frame 11 and is inclined below the airflow conveying channel 11d. The boll guide plate 14 has flotation air holes relative to the airflow conveying channel 11d. The harvesting mechanism also includes a flotation blowing assembly 6, with its air outlet facing the flotation air holes. It should be understood that the flotation blowing assembly 6 can be an air supply pipe or air supply duct with air holes.

[0070] During the harvesting process, the material formed moves towards the airflow conveying channel 11d under the action of airflow and chain-like harvesting fingers 22. At this time, the flotation blowing component 6 introduces airflow into the flotation air holes, and the airflow blows towards the airflow conveying channel 11d. Due to its relatively large mass, the unripe bolls will move downwards under the action of gravity. The blowing velocity of the flotation air holes (about 8 m / s) is slightly greater than the suspension velocity of the cotton (about 5 m / s), but less than the suspension velocity of the unripe bolls (about 13 m / s). The combined effect of the airflow blown out by the blowing mechanism 3 and the airflow blown into the flotation air holes ensures that the cotton is promptly conveyed to the airflow conveying channel 11d. Within 1 day, under the action of airflow in the airflow conveying channel 11d, the cotton bolls are transported to the designated location; while the unripe bolls and a small number of single cotton grains will fall onto the boll-lifting plate 14, and then pass through the picking roller 21. Although the wind speed blown out by the blowing mechanism 3 is high, the effective area of ​​the wind force is small, which is not enough to blow the cotton bolls up again. The force direction of the lower half of the picking roller 21 is opposite to the direction of the air force, so that the unripe bolls are discharged from the cotton plant channel 11a. Because of their small mass and low density, the single cotton grains are easily blown upward by the airflow blown out of the cotton picking air hole 11b. Under the combined action of the picking roller 21 and the air force, they are transported back into the airflow conveying channel 11d.

[0071] To facilitate the removal of impurities, in one embodiment, the flotation plate 14 is provided with a plurality of second-row impurity holes, and the sealing plate 13 is provided with a plurality of third-row impurity holes relative to the flotation air holes of the flotation plate 14.

[0072] By opening multiple second-row impurity holes in the cotton sluice board 14, when impurities with relatively high density but relatively small volume slide down the cotton sluice board 14 under the action of the picking section 221, the impurities can be leaked out from the second-row impurity holes, making it easier to remove some impurities. By setting a third-row impurity hole, the density of impurities such as leaf debris formed during the picking process is low. Under the action of the airflow blown out of the cotton picking air hole 11b, the debris is discharged from the third-row impurity hole, reducing the adhesion of debris to cotton. The cotton is air-separated by using the density of different impurities.

[0073] In order to ensure that all cotton can pass through the airflow blown out of the cotton picking air hole 11b, in one embodiment, the slope of the cotton guide plate 14 is greater than the slope of the impurity filter plate 12.

[0074] With the above settings, the slope of the guide plate 14 is relatively large, which reduces the distance between the guide plate 14 and the rotating picking part 221. This ensures that when the material picked by the picking part 221 passes between the guide plate 14 and the rotating picking part 221, it will pass through the airflow blown out by the cotton picking air hole 11b, reducing the amount of material that has not been separated and impurities removed by the airflow.

[0075] In order to make the airflow blown by the airflow mechanism push the cotton petals away from the cotton boll before the chain-like picking fingers 22, so as to reduce the vibration applied to the cotton petals by the picking fingers 22 and reduce the contact between the cotton petals and the picking fingers 22, in one embodiment, the airflow velocity blown by the blowing end of the airflow mechanism 3 is greater than the rotational linear velocity of the picking roller 21.

[0076] Because the airflow velocity (approximately 30-40 m / s) blown out from the cotton picking air hole 11b is much greater than the rotational linear speed of the picking roller 21 (approximately 6 m / s), and the airflow travels a greater distance, the cotton on the cotton plant is first affected by the airflow. Some overripe cotton or cotton with weak bonding between the cotton and the cotton boll will detach from the cotton plant first and be transported to the designated location. The remaining cotton bolls on the cotton plant will gradually enter the rotation radius of the chain-like picking fingers 22. Because the chain-like picking fingers 22 strikes the tail of the cotton boll from bottom to top, the cotton petals separate from the cotton boll, reducing the vibration applied to the cotton petals by the picking fingers 22 and reducing the contact between the cotton petals and the picking fingers 22.

[0077] In order to guide the cotton plants into the cotton plant channel 11a, in one embodiment, the harvesting mechanism also includes a divider 5, which is connected to the frame 11.

[0078] The present invention also provides a harvesting machine, including the harvesting mechanism described above.

[0079] Secondly, the present invention also provides a cotton harvesting machine, including the aforementioned cotton picking head. Since this cotton harvesting machine uses the cotton picking head described in the above embodiments, the technical effects of this cotton harvesting machine are as described in the above embodiments.

[0080] The picking machine also includes a cotton picking vehicle (not shown in the figure), which is connected to the frame 11 in the picking mechanism to drive the picking mechanism to move for cotton picking. At the same time, it also supplies air to the structures in the cotton picking mechanism that require air supply.

[0081] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0082] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0083] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0084] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0085] The specific embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made in accordance with the technical concept of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A harvesting mechanism, characterized in that, include: Support components include a frame having cotton plant channels for cotton plants to pass through; At least two picking components are provided, both of which are rotatably connected to the frame and disposed on both sides of the cotton plant channel. Each picking component includes a picking roller and a plurality of chain-like picking fingers connected to the picking roller. The picking roller is rotatably connected to the support component. The two picking rollers rotate in opposite directions. Each picking finger includes a plurality of sequentially hinged and interlocked picking parts, with one end of the picking part connected to the picking roller.

2. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The picking fingers are made of explosion-proof material, or the picking fingers are provided with an explosion-proof coating or wrapping layer. Along the axial direction of the picking roller, the distance between the fixed ends of adjacent picking fingers is a, 40mm≤a≤65mm; the width of the picking fingers is b, 6mm≤b≤16mm.

3. The harvesting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, It also includes an air blowing mechanism connected to the frame and having an air blowing end facing the cotton plant channel; the airflow velocity from the air blowing end of the air blowing mechanism is greater than the rotational linear velocity of the picking roller.

4. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The picking roller is inclined and its height gradually increases along the feeding direction of the cotton plant channel; and the picking roller rotates from bottom to top to drive the picking fingers through the cotton plant channel.

5. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, There are at least two air blowing mechanisms, which are arranged on both sides of the cotton plant channel, and the air blowing directions and routes of the two air blowing mechanisms are intersected.

6. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support assembly also includes a waste-filtering plate, which is disposed below the picking roller and the picking finger, and the waste-filtering plate has a plurality of first row of waste holes.

7. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes two cotton conveying components, which are disposed on both sides of the cotton plant channel and on the side of the picking roller away from the cotton plant channel; each cotton conveying component has an upward-facing cotton inlet for conveying material.

8. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The frame has two airflow conveying structures located on both sides of the cotton plant channel. Each airflow conveying structure includes an air blowing hole and a cotton outlet hole. The air blowing hole is located on the side of the cotton plant inlet end of the frame, and the cotton outlet hole is located on the side of the cotton plant outlet end of the frame. The cotton outlet hole is connected to the air blowing hole, and an airflow conveying channel is formed between them.

9. The harvesting mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The support assembly also includes a flotation plate, which is connected to the frame and is inclinedly disposed below the airflow conveying channel. The flotation plate has flotation air holes relative to the airflow conveying channel. The harvesting mechanism also includes a flotation blowing assembly, the air outlet of which faces the flotation air hole.

10. A harvesting machine, characterized in that, This includes the harvesting facility as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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