Door type apple picking unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The gate-type apple picking unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a rack and a base, and a lift power mechanism, a posture control mechanism and a picking mechanism are arranged on the rack; the lift power mechanism is used for driving the rack to fly; the attitude control mechanism is used for cooperating with the lift power mechanism to control the flight direction of the rack; the base is arranged around a fruit tree and is used for supporting the hovering rack; the picking mechanism is used for picking apples when the machine frame hovers, and the picking mechanism can move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. By arranging the base, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be supported during hovering, it is guaranteed that a flying power source of the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a closed state when the unmanned aerial vehicle conducts picking, endurance of the unmanned aerial vehicle is guaranteed to the maximum extent, and the problems that the unmanned aerial vehicle flies continuously, power consumption is high, and the picking efficiency is low are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural machinery, and particularly relates to a gantry-type apple picking unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Background Art

[0002] At present, apple picking in China is mostly carried out manually. The automated equipment capable of apple picking includes ground-walking machinery and UAVs. The ground-walking picking machinery has high requirements for the ground, is not suitable for apple picking in mountainous areas, and the picking effect for apples in the higher areas of fruit trees is not ideal.

[0003] UAVs can overcome the defects of ground-walking apple picking UAVs. However, since UAVs need to hover in the air all the time, the effective battery life is generally about 20 minutes, so the battery needs to be replaced. Moreover, UAVs are relatively small, and each time apples are picked, the apples need to be transported to the corresponding ground position for secondary picking. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and provide a gantry-type apple picking UAV. By setting a base, the UAV during hovering can be supported, ensuring that when the UAV is picking apples, its flight power source is in the off state, maximizing the battery life of the UAV, and solving the problems of fast power consumption due to continuous flight of the UAV and low picking efficiency.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: A gantry-type apple picking UAV, comprising a frame and a base, wherein a lift power mechanism, an attitude control mechanism, and a picking mechanism are arranged on the frame; The lift power mechanism is used to drive the frame to fly; The attitude control mechanism is used to cooperate with the lift power mechanism to control the flight direction of the frame; The base is arranged around the fruit tree and is used to support the hovering frame; The picking mechanism is used to pick apples when the frame hovers, and the picking mechanism can move in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0006] Further, the frame includes a first door post and a second door post arranged vertically. A cross post is provided between the first door post and the second door post. The first door post, the second door post, and the cross post form an H-shaped frame.

[0007] Further, both the first door post and the second door post are of triangular prism structure. The length of the first door post is longer than that of the second door post. The tops of the first door post and the second door post are flush. The opposite faces of the first door post and the second door post are arranged parallel to each other.

[0008] Further, a first guide pin is provided at the bottom of the first door post, and a second guide pin is provided at the bottom of the second door post; The base includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The first bracket is successively provided with a first triangular hole adapted to the first door post and a first circular hole adapted to the first guide pin from top to bottom; The second bracket is successively provided with a second triangular hole adapted to the second door post and a second circular hole adapted to the second guide pin from top to bottom; When the frame hovers on the base, the sum of the length of the first bracket and the length of the first door post is equal to the sum of the length of the second bracket and the length of the second door post.

[0009] Further, the lift power mechanism includes first propellers respectively arranged at the top and bottom of the first door post and at the top and bottom of the second door post.

[0010] Further, the attitude control mechanism includes second propellers arranged at the top of the first door post and at the top of the second door post. The second propellers are located below the first propellers.

[0011] Further, both ends of the cross post are respectively slidably connected to the first door post and the second door post, and the cross post can move vertically; The picking mechanism is slidably arranged on the cross post, and the picking mechanism can move horizontally on the cross post.

[0012] Further, the picking mechanism includes a base and a Z-shaped vertical arm arranged on the base. One end of the vertical arm far from the base is provided with a telescopic picking arm, and one end of the picking arm far from the vertical arm is provided with a picking part.

[0013] Further, the picking part is a suction cup.

[0014] Further, a collection box is provided on the cross post, and the collection box is located below the picking mechanism.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1) By providing a base, the present invention can support the drone when it hovers, ensuring that the power source of the drone is turned off during picking, maximizing the battery life of the drone, and solving the problems of fast power consumption due to continuous flight of the drone and low picking efficiency.

[0016] 2) The drone of the present invention adopts a gantry layout. Four first propellers are responsible for providing the lift required by the device, and four second propellers are responsible for controlling the attitude and direction of the drone. Moreover, this layout can effectively fit the apple-crowned trees and is convenient for picking when placed beside the trees.

[0017] 3) The picking mechanism adopts a Z-shaped layout, which can effectively expand the picking area through the rotation at the connection and the telescoping of the rod. The suction cup is used for apple picking at the front end, which can effectively avoid the damage to the apples caused by the robotic arm picking.

[0018] 4) When the drone is picking, it stays stationary on the ground through the base. After finishing picking in this area, it flies to the next picking area for picking, which can solve the pain point of the drone's battery life while ensuring efficiency. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional view of the gantry-type apple picking drone in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a top view of the gantry-type apple picking drone; Figure 3 It is Figure 2 the sectional view taken along the line A-A in Figure 4 It is Figure 3 the enlarged schematic view of the partial area B in In the figure, 1 is the frame; 2 is the base; 3 is the lift power mechanism; 4 is the attitude control mechanism; 5 is the picking mechanism; 6 is the first door post; 7 is the second door post; 8 is the cross post; 9 is the first guide pin; 10 is the second guide pin; 11 is the second triangular hole; 12 is the second round hole; 13 is the base; 14 is the vertical arm; 15 is the picking arm; 16 is the picking part; 17 is the collection box; 18 is the first bracket; 19 is the second bracket. Detailed Embodiment

[0020] Next, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0021] Refer to Figures 1-4 , the present invention provides a technical solution: Embodiment: As Figures 1-4 shown, a gantry-type apple picking drone includes a frame 1 and a base 2, The lift power mechanism 3, the attitude control mechanism 4 and the picking mechanism 5 are arranged on the frame 1; The lift power mechanism 3 is used to drive the frame 1 to fly; The attitude control mechanism 4 is used to cooperate with the lift power mechanism 3 to control the flight direction of the frame 1; The base 2 is arranged around the fruit tree and is used to support the hovering frame 1; The picking mechanism 5 is used to pick apples when the drone hovers, and the picking mechanism 5 can move in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0022] Working principle: (1) There are multiple bases 2, and the multiple bases 2 are arranged around the fruit trees, which is convenient for the drone to change the picking position after picking on one side of the fruit tree.

[0023] (2) After the base 2 is set up, the lift power mechanism 3 drives the drone to take off, and the attitude control mechanism 4 cooperates with the lift power mechanism 3 to fly above the base 2. When the bottom of the frame 1 is aligned with the base 2, the lift power mechanism 3 drives the whole drone to descend until the frame 1 lands on the base 2; at this time, the whole drone is supported by the base 2.

[0024] (3) After the drone hovers and is supported by the base 2, both the lift power mechanism 3 and the attitude control mechanism 4 are turned off. At this time, the picking mechanism 5 starts to pick apples; during the picking process, the apples at different positions are picked by adjusting the vertical and horizontal positions.

[0025] When the apples on one side of the fruit tree are picked, repeat the operations in (2)-(3) to make the drone land on the other side of the fruit tree to realize the picking of the other side of the fruit tree.

[0026] In the present invention, by setting the base 2, the drone during hovering can be supported, ensuring that when the drone is picking, its power source for flight is in the off state, which maximally guarantees the battery life of the drone and solves the problems of fast power consumption due to continuous flight of the drone and low picking efficiency.

[0027] At the same time, the drone of the present invention integrates multiple functions such as flight and picking after landing on the ground with the engine turned off, and can greatly improve the picking efficiency of apples.

[0028] Further, as Figure 1 and Figure 4 shown, the frame 1 includes a first door post 6 and a second door post 7 which are vertically arranged, and a cross post 8 is provided between the first door post 6 and the second door post 7. The first door post 6, the second door post 7 and the cross post 8 form an H-shaped frame 1.

[0029] Both the first door post 6 and the second door post 7 are of triangular prism structure. The length of the first door post 6 is longer than that of the second door post 7. The tops of the first door post 6 and the second door post 7 are flush, and the opposite faces of the first door post 6 and the second door post 7 are parallel.

[0030] A first guide pin 9 is provided at the bottom of the first door post 6, and a second guide pin 10 is provided at the bottom of the second door post 7; The base 2 includes a first bracket 18 and a second bracket 19. The first bracket 18 is successively provided with a first triangular hole adapted to the first door post 6 and a first round hole adapted to the first guide pin 9 from top to bottom; The second support 19 is successively provided with a second triangular hole 11 adapted to the second door post 7 and a second circular hole 12 adapted to the second guide pin 10 from top to bottom; When the frame 1 hovers on the base 2, the sum of the lengths of the first support 18 and the first door post 6 is equal to the sum of the lengths of the second support 19 and the second door post 7.

[0031] Among them, the first guide pin 9 and the second guide pin 10 are cylindrical structures.

[0032] When the drone hovers: When the drone flies to the periphery of the fruit tree, first insert the first guide pin 9 at the bottom of the first door post 6 into the first support 18 (the first door post 6 does not enter the first triangular hole), and at this time the drone can rotate around the first guide pin 9.

[0033] Through the attitude control mechanism 4, the drone rotates around the first guide pin 9 (the first door post 6) until the second guide pin 10 at the bottom of the second door post 7 is located above the second support 19. At this time, through the lift power mechanism 3, the drone descends linearly (after the drone descends to a certain position, the lift power mechanism 3 and the attitude control mechanism 4 can be turned off, and under the action of gravity, the door post is completely inserted into the support for fixation). During the descent process, the first door post 6 enters the first triangular hole, and the bottom of the first triangular hole is in contact with the contact surface between the first door post 6 and the first guide pin 9, thereby realizing the support for the first door post 6; the second door post 7 enters the second triangular hole 11, and similarly, it is supported by the second support 19.

[0034] The first door post 6 and the second door post 7 are triangular, and it is more convenient and effective to fix on the base 2 by rotating the drone.

[0035] Further, as Figure 1 shown, the lift power mechanism 3 includes first propellers respectively arranged at the top and bottom of the first door post 6 and at the top and bottom of the second door post 7.

[0036] The attitude control mechanism 4 includes second propellers arranged at the top of the first door post 6 and at the top of the second door post 7, and the second propellers are located below the first propellers.

[0037] Among them, the first propellers and the second propellers are common components driven by the drone, and the specific structures and principles are not described here.

[0038] Further, both ends of the cross bar 8 are slidably connected to the first door post 6 and the second door post 7 respectively, and the cross bar 8 can move vertically; The picking mechanism 5 is slidably arranged on the cross bar 8, and the picking mechanism 5 can move horizontally on the cross bar 8.

[0039] Among them, the cross-column 8 and the picking mechanism 5 can both be, but are not limited to, sliding connections realized through slide rails and chutes. Taking the cross-column 8 as an example, slide rails are respectively arranged on the opposite surfaces of the first door post 6 and the second door post 7, and chutes adapted to the slide rails are arranged at both ends of the cross-column 8. The specific structure and principle will not be elaborated here.

[0040] The vertical movement of the cross-column 8 is achieved by arranging crawlers on the slide rails. The crawlers are driven by a stepping motor, and the synchronous movement of the crawlers on both sides of the first door post 6 and the second door post 7 can control the lifting of the cross-column 8, specifically such as a circular slide rail. The setting of the picking mechanism 5 is the same as that of the cross-column 8 and will not be elaborated here.

[0041] With such a setting, when the cross-column 8 moves vertically, the vertical movement of the picking mechanism 5 is realized, and when the picking mechanism 5 moves horizontally on the cross-column 8, its horizontal position can be adjusted.

[0042] Furthermore, as Figure 1 shown, the picking mechanism 5 includes a base 13, a Z-shaped vertical arm 14 arranged on the base 13 (where the vertical arm 14 includes three connecting plates, and the three connecting plates are connected by a connecting shaft at (two) corners and are driven by a servo motor), a telescopic picking arm 15 is provided at one end of the vertical arm 14 away from the base 13, and a picking part 16 is provided at one end of the picking arm 15 away from the vertical arm 14.

[0043] The picking part 16 is a suction cup. Among them, the suction cup is a prior art and can specifically be, but is not limited to, the patent with the publication number CN217241507U.

[0044] The telescopic movement of the suction cup along the direction perpendicular to the length of the cross-column 8 can be realized through the rotation at the connection of the vertical arm 14. At the same time, the telescopic movement of the picking ratio can increase the telescopic length of the suction cup and improve the picking range of the suction cup.

[0045] Furthermore, a collection box 17 is provided on the cross-column 8, and the collection box 17 is located below the picking mechanism 5.

[0046] The provided collection box can be used for the temporary storage of the apples picked by the picking part.

[0047] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form disclosed herein, should not be regarded as excluding other embodiments, but can be used in various other combinations, modifications and environments, and can be changed within the scope of the concept described herein through the above teachings or the technology or knowledge in related fields. And any changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gantry-type apple picking drone, characterized in that: It includes a frame and a base, wherein a lift power mechanism, an attitude control mechanism and a picking mechanism are arranged on the frame; the lift power mechanism is used to drive the frame to fly; the attitude control mechanism is used to cooperate with the lift power mechanism to control the flying direction of the frame; the base is arranged around the fruit tree and is used to support the hovering frame; the picking mechanism is used to pick apples when the frame hovers, and the picking mechanism can move in the horizontal and vertical directions.

2. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 1, wherein: The frame includes a first doorpost and a second doorpost which are vertically arranged. A crossbar is arranged between the first doorpost and the second doorpost. The first doorpost, the second doorpost and the crossbar form an H-shaped frame.

3. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both the first doorpost and the second doorpost are of triangular prism structures. The length of the first doorpost is longer than that of the second doorpost. The tops of the first doorpost and the second doorpost are flush. The opposite faces of the first doorpost and the second doorpost are arranged in parallel.

4. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 3, wherein: A first guide pin is arranged at the bottom of the first doorpost, and a second guide pin is arranged at the bottom of the second doorpost; The base includes a first support and a second support. The first support is successively provided with a first triangular hole adapted to the first doorpost and a first round hole adapted to the first guide pin from top to bottom; The second support is successively provided with a second triangular hole adapted to the second doorpost and a second round hole adapted to the second guide pin from top to bottom; When the frame hovers on the base, the sum of the length of the first support and the length of the first doorpost is equal to the sum of the length of the second support and the length of the second doorpost.

5. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 4, wherein: The lift power mechanism includes first propellers respectively arranged at the top and bottom of the first doorpost and at the top and bottom of the second doorpost.

6. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 5, characterized in that: The attitude control mechanism includes second propellers arranged at the top of the first doorpost and at the top of the second doorpost. The second propellers are located below the first propellers.

7. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 3, characterized in that: Both ends of the crossbar are slidably connected to the first doorpost and the second doorpost respectively, and the crossbar can move vertically; The picking mechanism is slidably arranged on the crossbar, and the picking mechanism can move horizontally on the crossbar.

8. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 7, wherein: The picking mechanism includes a base, a Z-shaped vertical arm arranged on the base. One end of the vertical arm far from the base is provided with a telescopic picking arm, and one end of the picking arm far from the vertical arm is provided with a picking part.

9. The gantry apple picking drone according to claim 8, characterized in that: The picking part is a suction cup.

10. The gantry apple picking drone according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that: A collection box is arranged on the crossbar, and the collection box is located below the picking mechanism.

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