Desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple manipulators

Abstract

The application discloses a desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple manipulators cooperating, which comprises a chassis, a seedling box, a seedling conveying mechanism, a grabbing manipulator, a planting manipulator, a seedling planting manipulator, a water tank and a water pump. The seedling conveying mechanism comprises a first conveying mechanism and a second conveying mechanism, the grabbing manipulator transfers seedlings on the first conveying mechanism to the second conveying mechanism, the seedling planting manipulator grabs the seedlings and puts them into a high-pressure water jet planter, and the water tank supplies water to the high-pressure water jet planter through the water pump. The chassis is a self-driving chassis and can adapt to complex desert terrains. The desert seedling planting vehicle cooperates with multiple manipulators, realizes automatic conveying, grabbing and planting of seedlings, improves planting efficiency and planting quality, and saves water resources.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of desert seedling planting and greening technology, specifically to a desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple robotic arms working in coordination, which is particularly suitable for efficient and automated seedling planting operations in desert environments. Background Technology

[0002] Desertification is a major global ecological and environmental challenge, and vegetation restoration is a key measure to combat it. Traditional desert afforestation mainly relies on manual labor, which suffers from high labor intensity, low efficiency, and inconsistent planting quality. Although some mechanized afforestation equipment has emerged in recent years, many technical bottlenecks still exist in its practical application.

[0003] Existing mechanized tree planting equipment mostly uses a single robotic arm structure, with seedling supply and planting actions performed sequentially. This results in low equipment utilization and makes it difficult to meet the operational needs of large-scale desertification control. Seedlings in desert environments (such as Haloxylon ammodendron and Salix psammophila) are often irregular in shape and have soft branches, making it difficult for traditional robotic arms to reliably grasp and accurately position them, easily causing damage during transport. Traditional mechanical pit-digging planting methods are prone to hole collapse in soft sand, affecting the consistency of seedling planting depth and reducing survival rates. Most existing equipment lacks intelligent seedling identification and processing systems, making it difficult to adapt to the automated planting needs of seedlings of different sizes.

[0004] Of particular note is the significant inadequacy of existing equipment in water resource utilization. Water is scarce in desert regions, and traditional planting methods either overly rely on manual irrigation or employ extensive irrigation practices, neither of which allows for precise water resource utilization. Furthermore, existing equipment has poor adaptability and struggles to cope with the complex and varied desert terrain, limiting its application in large-scale desertification control projects.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical challenges, there is an urgent need to develop a multi-robot collaborative operation system that can adapt to the characteristics of the desert environment and achieve automatic seedling supply, precise positioning, and efficient planting, so as to improve the efficiency and quality of desert vegetation restoration. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In response to the problems and shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple robotic arms working in coordination.

[0007] The technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0008] A desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple robotic arms working collaboratively includes:

[0009] The chassis is a self-driving chassis;

[0010] The seedling box, set on a base, is a structure that runs through the top and bottom, used to hold seedlings to be planted;

[0011] The first conveying mechanism, with its initial section located below the bottom outlet of the seedling box, is used to transport multiple seedlings from the seedling box downstream in segments.

[0012] A gripping robotic arm is mounted on a support downstream of the seedling box and located above the first conveying mechanism, for gripping individual seedlings from the first conveying mechanism and transferring them.

[0013] The second conveying mechanism, located downstream of the first conveying mechanism, is used to receive and convey seedlings transferred by the gripping robotic arm;

[0014] The seedling handling robotic arm is located on one side of the second conveying mechanism and is used to grab seedlings from the second conveying mechanism and transfer them.

[0015] A planting robotic arm is set on one side of the first conveying mechanism. Its end effector is connected to a high-pressure water jet planter. The high-pressure water jet planter is used to receive the seedlings transferred by the seedling handling robotic arm and form planting holes in the sand with high-pressure water flow to plant the seedlings.

[0016] The water tank and water pump are mounted on the chassis. The water tank is connected to the high-pressure water jet planter via the water pump to provide a high-pressure water source for the planting process.

[0017] The high-pressure water jet planter includes a conical guide, a fence tube support, and a fence water pipe connected sequentially from top to bottom. The fence water pipe is arranged in a ring array at the lower part of the fence tube support, forming a planting channel in the center that communicates with the fence tube support and the guide. The upper inlet of the fence water pipe is connected to a water pump through a water inlet hole on the fence tube support, and the lower part is connected to a high-pressure water nozzle.

[0018] The high-pressure water jet planter is also equipped with a deadbolt, which is used to control the connection between the planting channel and the guide below the fence tube support.

[0019] The seedling processing robotic arm includes a seedling cutting device, which includes a gripper and a pressing component. The gripper is located on the outside of the pressing component and is used to grab the seedling and place it into the guide component. The pressing component is used to press the seedling completely into the planting channel of the high-pressure water jet planter.

[0020] The grippers are made of flexible material with anti-slip texture on the gripping surface. The pressing part adopts an electric or pneumatic telescopic structure, which can adjust the pressing depth according to the length of the seedling.

[0021] Both the guide and the pressing member have tapered guide portions, and the size of the pressing member is smaller than the inner diameter of the guide.

[0022] The first conveying mechanism and the second conveying mechanism adopt a chain drive mechanism. The first conveying mechanism is equipped with a segmented positioning block, and the second conveying mechanism is equipped with a V-shaped seedling support. The V-shaped seedling support is used to stabilize the seedling posture during the conveying process.

[0023] Multiple sets of the planting robotic arm and the seedling-sorting robotic arm are respectively installed on both sides of the first conveying mechanism and the second conveying mechanism.

[0024] The end of the gripping robotic arm is equipped with a vision recognition system, which can identify and locate the seedlings that are randomly arranged on the first conveying mechanism.

[0025] The planting robotic arm is a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, capable of adjusting the spatial position and angle of the high-pressure water jet planter.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0027] The multi-robotics collaborative operation system significantly improves planting efficiency. By setting up multiple robotic arms, including a grasping robotic arm, a seedling-sorting robotic arm, and a planting robotic arm, a parallel operation process of seedling supply, sorting, and planting is achieved. Seedlings in seedling boxes are transported to the working area of ​​the grasping robotic arm via a first conveyor mechanism. After being identified and grasped, they are neatly arranged on a second conveyor mechanism. The seedling-sorting robotic arm transfers the seedlings to a high-pressure water jet planter, and the planting robotic arm completes the positioning and planting actions. This parallel operation mode makes planting efficiency 15-20 times that of manual planting, making it particularly suitable for large-scale desertification control projects.

[0028] This intelligent seedling processing system solves the problem of automating the planting of irregularly shaped seedlings. The robotic arm is equipped with a high-precision vision recognition system that uses deep learning algorithms to identify seedlings of different shapes and plan the optimal gripping path. A flexible gripper design combined with pressure feedback control ensures moderate gripping force, avoiding damage to the seedlings. A two-stage conveying mechanism, along with a V-shaped seedling support, maintains the seedlings' stability during transport. This system exhibits excellent adaptability to desert shrubs with soft branches, such as Haloxylon ammodendron and Salix psammophila.

[0029] High-pressure water jets create stable planting holes in the sand, avoiding the problems of sand loosening and hole collapse caused by traditional mechanical digging. The water jets also provide initial moisture to the seedlings, promoting root development. The ring array of water pipes creates a uniform water flow field, ensuring that the planting holes are regular in shape and consistent in depth. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 A first-view perspective perspective view of the desert seedling planting vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion at point A;

[0032] Figure 3 A second-view perspective perspective view of the desert seedling planting vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A stereoscopic view from another perspective;

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point C;

[0036] 1. Chassis; 2. Planting robotic arm; 3. First conveying mechanism; 4. Seedling box; 5. Grabbing robotic arm; 6. Second conveying mechanism; 7. Water tank; 8. Seedling sorting robotic arm; 81. Seedling cutting device; 811. Gripper; 812. Pressing component; 9. High-pressure water jet planter; 91. Guide component; 92. Fence pipe support; 93. Fence water pipe; 94. Locking device; 10. Water pump; 20. Seedling; 61. Seedling support. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical means adopted to achieve the intended purpose of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 The desert seedling planting vehicle with multi-robotic arm collaborative operation of the present invention mainly includes a chassis 1, a seedling box 4, a first conveying mechanism 3, a gripping robotic arm 5, a second conveying mechanism 6, a seedling sorting robotic arm 8, a planting robotic arm 2, a water tank 7, and a water pump 10.

[0039] The chassis 1 serves as the mobile foundation for the entire planting vehicle. As a self-driven chassis 1, it provides power for the equipment to move in the desert, adapts to the complex terrain of the desert, and enables the planting vehicle to flexibly reach various planting sites.

[0040] The chassis 1 includes a chassis 1, a control system, radar, a steering drive unit, hydraulic rods, and wheels. The control system is located at the bottom of the chassis 1 and is responsible for coordinating the operation of each component. Two rows of wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bottom of the chassis 1. Each wheel is connected to the bottom of the chassis 1 via the steering drive unit. A hydraulic rod is installed below the steering drive unit to adjust the height of the wheels from the ground. The radar is used for vehicle positioning.

[0041] The wheel system adapts to desert terrain, featuring two symmetrical rows of drive and driven wheels on each side. The drive and driven wheels are staggered to balance drive force distribution and reduce energy consumption. The steering system is independently designed, with each wheel connected to a steering mechanism driven by a direct-drive motor. Built-in angle sensors enable precise control, and the system boasts an IP67 protection rating. The hydraulic rod adjustment system allows independent height control for each wheel. The lower part of the hydraulic rod is laterally hinged to the wheel axle, enabling automatic deflection when the wheel encounters obstacles, improving maneuverability. LiDAR is used, one at the front and one at the rear, to generate real-time 3D point clouds of the environment. The control system integrates terrain recognition, path planning, and execution control modules, fusing data from radar, IMU, and wheel speed sensors to achieve centimeter-level positioning.

[0042] The seedling box 4 is mounted on the chassis 1 at one end and has a through-hole structure at the top and bottom to accommodate the seedlings 20 to be planted. This structure allows the seedlings to be smoothly discharged from the bottom outlet of the box, preparing for subsequent transportation and planting. It also facilitates the placement of seedlings from above, either manually or automatically by a seedling conveying robot.

[0043] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first conveying mechanism 3 is located below the bottom outlet of the seedling box 4, and its function is to transport multiple seedlings downstream in segments from the seedling box 4. The first conveying mechanism 3 adopts a chain drive mechanism and is equipped with segmented positioning blocks. The segmented positioning blocks can transport a fixed number of seedlings at a set interval, improving the conveying efficiency of the seedlings.

[0044] See Figure 2 The robotic arm 5 is mounted on a support downstream of the seedling box 4 and above the first conveying mechanism 3. Its end effector is equipped with a vision recognition system capable of identifying and locating multiple seedlings on the first conveying mechanism 3. Through precise gripping actions, the robotic arm 5 picks up individual seedlings from the first conveying mechanism 3 and transfers them to the second conveying mechanism 6, providing an accurate supply of seedlings for subsequent planting processes.

[0045] The second conveying mechanism 6 is located downstream of the first conveying mechanism 3 and is used to receive and convey the seedlings transferred by the gripping robotic arm 5. The second conveying mechanism 6 also adopts a chain drive mechanism and is equipped with a V-shaped seedling support 61. The V-shaped seedling support can stabilize the seedling posture, prevent rolling or deviation during conveying, and ensure that the seedlings arrive at the work position of the seedling sorting robotic arm 8 in good condition.

[0046] See Figure 1 and Figure 3The seedling processing robotic arm 8 is located on one side of the second conveying mechanism 6, and includes a seedling cutting device 81. The seedling cutting device 81 includes a gripper 811 and a pressing member 812, with the gripper 811 located on the outside of the pressing member 812. The gripper 811 is used to grasp the seedling and place it into the guide member 91 of the high-pressure water jet planter 9. After the seedling is placed into the guide member 91, the pressing member 812 can extend to push the seedling completely into the planting channel of the high-pressure water jet planter 9.

[0047] The planting robotic arm 2 is located on one side of the first conveying mechanism 3. It is a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm capable of adjusting the spatial position and angle of the high-pressure water jet planter 9 connected to its end effector. See [link / details]. Figure 4 The high-pressure water jet planter 9 includes a conical guide 91, a fence tube support 92, and a fence water pipe 93 connected sequentially from top to bottom. The fence water pipes 93 are arranged in a ring array below the fence tube support 92, forming a planting channel in the center that communicates with the fence tube support 92 and the guide 91. The upper inlet of the fence water pipe 93 is connected to the water pump 10 through a water inlet hole on the fence tube support 92, and the lower part is connected to a high-pressure water nozzle. The high-pressure water jet planter 9 is also equipped with a locking device 94, which is used to control the communication status between the planting channel below the fence tube support 92 and the guide 91.

[0048] See Figure 5 The locking device 94 includes a fixing frame, a drive motor, and a locking plate. The fixing frame is installed on the side wall of the fence tube support 92, and the locking plate is connected to the drive motor via a screw drive. The locking plate extends into the planting channel, and its opening and closing are controlled by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor, realizing the connection or blockage between the guide 91 and the planting channel. When placing seedlings into the planter, the locking device opens, connecting the guide 91 with the planting channel below the fence tube support 92, allowing the seedlings to fall smoothly into the planting holes at the bottom of the planting channel; when the planter and seedlings sink to a suitable depth, the locking device closes, disconnecting the connection between the guide 91 and the planting channel below the fence tube support 92, preventing the high-pressure water flow from floating the planted seedlings and affecting root fixation.

[0049] Water tank 7 and water pump 10 are mounted on chassis 1. Water tank 7 is connected to high-pressure water jet planter 9 via water pump 10 to provide a high-pressure water source for the planting process. Water pump 10 pressurizes the water in water tank 7 and delivers it to high-pressure water jet planter 9, using the high-pressure water flow to form planting holes in the sand for planting seedlings.

[0050] See Figure 6The gripper 811 is made of flexible materials such as silicone or polyurethane, and the gripping surface has anti-slip textures. The pressing component 812 adopts an electric or pneumatic telescopic structure, which can adjust the pressing depth according to the length of the seedling. Both the guide component 91 and the pressing component 812 have a tapered guide part, and the size of the pressing component 812 is smaller than the inner diameter of the guide component 91. This design makes the pressing process smoother and can accurately press the seedling into the planting channel.

[0051] Multiple planting robotic arms 2 and seedling trimming robotic arms 8 are installed, respectively on both sides of the first conveying mechanism 3 and the second conveying mechanism 6. This layout allows for the simultaneous planting of multiple seedlings, further improving planting efficiency. Multiple robotic arms employ alternating operations or zoned control strategies to avoid motion interference. Furthermore, both the seedling trimming robotic arm 8 and the planting robotic arm 2 are equipped with high-precision vision systems. The seedling trimming robotic arm 8 uses a 2D industrial camera and a ring light source to locate the seedlings on the V-shaped seedling support using a target detection algorithm, guiding the gripper 811 to precisely grasp the seedlings and ensure alignment between the seedling roots and the planter guide 91. The planting robotic arm 2 integrates a 3D LiDAR and an infrared depth camera to scan the sandy terrain in real time and monitor the seedling planting depth, dynamically adjusting the downward angle to prevent oblique insertion or floating seedlings. The visual data of the two robotic arms are interconnected, allowing the seedling parameters of the trimming arm to optimize the operating parameters of the planting arm.

[0052] The operation steps of this desert seedling planting vehicle are as follows: Seedlings 20 are first placed in the seedling box 4 and fall onto the first conveying mechanism 3 through the bottom outlet. The first conveying mechanism 3 transports multiple seedlings in sections to the gripping robotic arm 5. The gripping robotic arm 5 uses a vision recognition system to identify and grip a single seedling, and then transfers it to the second conveying mechanism 6. The V-shaped seedling support 61 on the second conveying mechanism 6 stabilizes the seedling posture and transports it to the work station of the seedling sorting robotic arm 8. The locking device controls the connection between the planting channel and the guide 91. The gripper 811 of the seedling sorting robotic arm 8 grips the seedling and places it into the guide 91 of the high-pressure water jet planter 9. The pressing component 812, driven by a linear motor, presses the seedling completely into the planting channel. At the same time, the water in the water tank 7 is pressurized by the water pump 10 and enters the grid water pipe 93 of the high-pressure water jet planter 9. The high-pressure water nozzle sprays high-pressure water to form planting holes in the sand. The planting robotic arm 2 adjusts the position and angle of the high-pressure water jet planter 9. Once the planter and seedlings have sunk to the appropriate depth, the locking device disconnects the planting channel from the guide 91 to prevent the high-pressure water flow from pushing the planted seedlings upwards and affecting the fixation of the seedling roots. After planting is completed, the planting robotic arm 2 lifts the high-pressure water jet planter 9 upwards, and then the next planting process begins. Multiple planting robotic arms 2 and the seedling trimming robotic arm 8 work together to achieve multi-row operations, further improving seedling planting efficiency.

[0053] In summary, the multi-manipulator collaborative desert seedling planting vehicle of the present invention, through its reasonable structural design and highly automated collaborative operation, effectively solves the problems of low efficiency, poor quality, and waste of water resources in traditional desert seedling planting, providing a highly efficient and reliable device for desert greening.

[0054] The above description represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and examples. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, all variations, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the concept of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A desert seedling planting vehicle with multiple robotic arms working collaboratively, characterized in that, include: Chassis (1) is a self-driving chassis (1). The seedling box (4) is set on the base plate (1) and has a structure that runs through the top and bottom to hold the seedlings (20) to be planted. The first conveying mechanism (3) has its starting section located below the bottom outlet of the seedling box (4) and is used to convey multiple seedlings (20) from the seedling box (4) downstream in segments. The grabbing robotic arm (5) is installed on the support downstream of the seedling box (4) and located above the first conveying mechanism (3) for grabbing single seedlings (20) from the first conveying mechanism (3) and transferring them; The second conveying mechanism (6) is located downstream of the first conveying mechanism (3) and is used to receive and convey the seedlings (20) transferred by the gripping robotic arm (5). The seedling handling robot arm (8) is set on one side of the second conveying mechanism (6) and is used to grab seedlings (20) from the second conveying mechanism (6) and transfer them; The planting robot arm (2) is set on one side of the first conveying mechanism (3), and its end effector is connected to a high-pressure water jet planter (9). The high-pressure water jet planter (9) is used to receive the seedlings (20) transferred by the seedling robot arm (8) and to plant the seedlings (20) by forming planting holes in the sand with high-pressure water flow. The water tank (7) and water pump (10) are set on the chassis (1). The water tank (7) is connected to the high-pressure water jet planter (9) through the water pump (10) to provide a high-pressure water source for the planting process.

2. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-pressure water jet planter (9) includes a conical guide (91), a fence tube support (92), and a fence water pipe (93) connected sequentially from top to bottom. The fence water pipe (93) is arranged in a ring array at the lower part of the fence tube support (92), and a planting channel is formed in the center that is connected to the fence tube support (92) and the guide (91). The upper inlet of the fence water pipe (93) is connected to the water pump (10) through the water inlet hole on the fence tube support (92), and the lower part is connected to a high-pressure water nozzle.

3. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The high-pressure water jet planter (9) is also equipped with a locking device, which is used to control the connection between the planting channel and the guide (91) below the fence tube support (92).

4. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The seedling mechanical arm (8) includes a seedling cutting device (81), which includes a gripper (811) and a pressing member (812). The gripper (811) is located outside the pressing member (812) and is used to grab the seedling (20) and place it into the guide member (91). The pressing member (812) is used to press the seedling (20) completely into the planting channel of the high-pressure water jet planter (9).

5. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gripper (811) is made of flexible material and has anti-slip texture on the gripping surface. The pressing part (812) adopts an electric or pneumatic telescopic structure, which can adjust the pressing depth according to the length of the seedling (20).

6. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, Both the guide (91) and the pressing member (812) have tapered guide portions, and the size of the pressing member (812) is smaller than the inner diameter of the guide (91).

7. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first conveying mechanism (3) and the second conveying mechanism (6) adopt a chain drive mechanism. The first conveying mechanism (3) is provided with a segmented positioning block, and the second conveying mechanism (6) is provided with a V-shaped seedling support (61). The V-shaped seedling support (61) is used to stabilize the posture of the seedling (20) during the conveying process.

8. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple sets of the planting robotic arm (2) and the seedling robotic arm (8) are respectively set on both sides of the first conveying mechanism (3) and the second conveying mechanism (6).

9. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the gripping robotic arm (5) is equipped with a vision recognition system, which can identify and locate the seedlings (20) arranged in disorder on the first conveying mechanism (3).

10. The desert seedling planting vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The planting robotic arm (2) is a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, capable of adjusting the spatial position and angle of the high-pressure water jet planter (9).

Images