Garden self-adaptive branch crushing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-adaptive branch crushing device for gardens. Comprising a self-adaptive branch collecting mechanism and a sensing decision-making system, and the self-adaptive branch collecting mechanism is adjustably installed on the frame and used for corresponding to the designated branch position, conducting self-adaptive adjustment butt joint according to the branch angle and then conducting slitting, falling and collecting on the branch; the identification module is used for identifying and positioning trees needing to be pruned in a large range, and further identifying branches needing to be pruned in the process of approaching the branches, so that the self-adaptive branch collecting mechanism can carry out accurate branching operation; according to the garden self-adaptive branch crushing device and the control method thereof, flexible movement is achieved through the frame provided with the Mecanum wheels, the self-adaptive branch collecting mechanism capable of being adjusted in multiple directions and the intelligent sensing decision-making system are combined, branches at different growth angles can be accurately recognized and adapted to be automatically cut, and the practicability of the garden self-adaptive branch crushing device is improved. The full-flow intelligent operation is realized in cooperation with a closed-loop control system, and the advantages of improving the pruning adaptability, enhancing the operation safety and realizing intelligent closed-loop control are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of garden machinery, and in particular to a garden adaptive branch shredder. Background Art

[0002] As urban ecological infrastructure, the quality of green belt maintenance directly impacts carbon sequestration capacity and the human living environment. According to the "2025 China Urban Greening Blue Book," China's urban tree stock exceeds 2.3 billion, and annual pruning generates approximately 180 million tons of waste branches. Traditional treatment methods face numerous technical bottlenecks. During pruning operations, existing equipment generally uses fixed-angle cutting mechanisms, which are difficult to adapt to branches with varying growth angles. This is particularly true for branches growing at angles, where incomplete cuts or tool jams are common. Regarding safety, high-altitude pruning operations still rely heavily on manual labor, which is not only inefficient but also poses serious safety hazards. During branch processing, traditional crushing equipment is poorly adapted to large branches, often causing feed blockages that require manual intervention. Furthermore, existing systems lack intelligent monitoring and control methods, preventing accurate identification and automated processing of diseased branch areas. These issues severely limit the efficiency of garden waste treatment and undermine the overall quality of urban greening maintenance. Addressing these issues, existing technologies urgently need improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a garden adaptive branch pruning device, which has the advantages of improving pruning adaptability, enhancing operation safety, and realizing intelligent closed-loop control.

[0004] The present application provides a garden adaptive branch shredding device, the technical solution of which is as follows: A vehicle frame, wherein the vehicle frame is equipped with Mecanum wheels driven by independent motors; Adaptive branch collecting mechanism, which is adjustably mounted on the frame, is used to correspond to the specified branch position and adaptively adjust the branch angle according to the docking, and then cut and collect the branches; The branch chopping mechanism is installed on the frame and docks with the starting point of the adaptive branch collecting mechanism to receive the branches cut by the adaptive branch collecting mechanism for chopping; The perception and decision-making system is installed on the vehicle frame and the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism. The part installed on the vehicle frame is used to identify and locate trees that need pruning over a large area, while the part installed on the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism is used to further identify branches that need pruning when approaching them, so that the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism can perform precise branching operations. The branch collecting mechanism is installed on the vehicle frame and connected to the branch crushing mechanism, and is used to discharge or collect the branches after the branches are crushed; The control system connects the vehicle frame, the branch-crushing mechanism, the perception and decision-making system, and the branch-crushing collection mechanism, and is used to hierarchically schedule each subsystem to perform closed-loop operations.

[0005] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the adaptive branch collecting mechanism includes: a material frame, with ball joints installed on both sides of the material frame; an adjusting motor and a hydraulic cylinder, with two groups of adjusting motors and hydraulic cylinders, the adjusting motor is installed on the frame, one end of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the output shaft of the adjusting motor, and the other end is connected to the ball joint.

[0006] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the top and bottom of the material frame are open, a hopper is installed along the bottom opening of the material frame, arc-shaped grooves are opened along both sides of the material frame, the hopper is embedded in the arc-shaped groove by installing sliders, and hopper cylinders connected to the sliders are installed on both sides of the material frame, so that the hopper can be driven by the hopper cylinder to slide along the arc-shaped groove to open and close the bottom opening.

[0007] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that branch collecting cutters are installed on both inner sides of the material frame, and the branch collecting cutters are connected to a slitting motor installed on the material frame through a belt transmission mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the branch crushing mechanism includes: a crushing bin, a feed hopper is installed along the feed port of the crushing bin for docking with the material frame for dropping materials; an active branch crushing blade shaft and a driven branch crushing blade shaft, the active branch crushing blade shaft and the driven branch crushing blade shaft are installed in parallel and staggered with each other in the crushing bin, and the active branch crushing blade shaft and the driven branch crushing blade shaft are driven and connected by a gear transmission mechanism; a branch crushing motor, the branch crushing motor is connected to the active branch crushing blade shaft through a belt transmission mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the perception decision system includes: a rotating base, which is installed on the top of the frame; a height adjustment cylinder, which is installed on the rotating base; a CCD camera and a laser radar, which are installed on the height adjustment cylinder through a bracket, and are used to accurately model the three-dimensional contour of the tree trunk and then identify the branches that need to be cut.

[0010] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the perception decision system also includes a binocular camera, which is installed on the front side of the material frame for in-depth analysis of the surface features of the wood; a near-infrared spectrometer for online analysis of the cellulose content and moisture content of the wood, and identification of the numerical type for accurate cutting.

[0011] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the broken branch collection mechanism includes a high-pressure fan, which is installed in the crushing bin, and a discharge air duct is installed on the upper edge of the crushing bin opposite to the high-pressure fan; a reversing air valve, which is installed on the discharge air duct; a collecting bin, which is connected to the reversing air valve; and a material receiving cart, which is installed and placed in the collecting bin for collecting broken branches and then transporting them.

[0012] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the control system includes: a PLC, which is installed on the frame; a sensor fusion module, which is used to generate a branch cutting priority map; and a machine vision processing unit, which identifies diseased areas of branches and guides the cutting of insect-infested or rotten parts.

[0013] Furthermore, the present application also proposes that the control system also includes: a cloud platform interaction unit, which is used to upload the equipment operating status and the biodegradation progress of the shredded branches, and receive remote instructions to update the pruning strategy; a safety redundancy module, which is used to emergency stop the hard-wire circuit independently of the PLC, directly cut off the power supply, and trigger the reverse retraction protection of the shredding mechanism when the hydraulic cylinder pressure sensor exceeds the limit.

[0014] The technical solution provided by this application may have the following beneficial effects: The present application provides a garden adaptive branch cutting device and a control method thereof, which realizes flexible movement through a frame equipped with Mecanum wheels. Combined with a multi-directionally adjustable adaptive branch collecting mechanism and an intelligent perception decision-making system, it can accurately identify and adapt to branches with different growth angles for automatic cutting, and cooperate with a closed-loop control system to realize full-process intelligent operation, with the advantages of improving pruning adaptability, enhancing operation safety, and realizing intelligent closed-loop control. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure shown in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the material frame lifting implementation shown in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the blanking structure of the material frame shown in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the material frame lifting shown in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 This is a front view of a material frame shown in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the material frame deflection implementation shown in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the branch collection mechanism shown in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of part of the perception and decision-making system shown in an embodiment of the present application; Reference numerals: 1-frame, 11-Mecanum wheels; 2-Adaptive branch collecting mechanism, 201-Material frame, 202-Hopper, 203-Arcuate slot, 204-Hopper cylinder, 205-Slider, 206-Slitting motor, 207-Branch collecting cutter, 208-Hydraulic cylinder, 209-Adjusting motor, 210-Ball hinge; 3-branch shredding mechanism, 31-branch shredding bin, 32-branch shredding driven blade shaft, 33-branch shredding active blade shaft, 34-branch shredding motor; 4-Perception and decision-making system, 41-Height adjustment cylinder, 42-Rotating base, 43-CCD camera, 44-Binocular camera, 45-Near-infrared spectrometer, 46-LiDAR; 5-branch collecting mechanism, 51-high pressure fan, 52-reversing air valve, 53-collecting bin, 54-receiving vehicle; 6-Control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The technical solutions of this application will be described clearly and completely below, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the described embodiments represent only a portion of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. The components of this application, generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, may be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings. Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used solely to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0018] In existing technologies, the maintenance of landscape green belts has long relied on manual operations and semi-automated equipment, resulting in significant technical bottlenecks. Traditional pruning equipment mostly uses fixed robotic arms coupled with a single sensor, making it difficult to adapt to the complex spatial distribution of tree branches. Operators need to frequently adjust the equipment position and cutting angle, resulting in low operating efficiency and high safety risks. Existing crushing devices generally have problems such as poor feeding and tool jamming, making continuous processing impossible. Disease identification mainly relies on manual visual inspection, which is greatly affected by lighting conditions and subjective judgment, and is prone to missed detections and misjudgments.

[0019] To address these issues, the R&D team systematically analyzed the entire garden maintenance process and identified key pain points: insufficient spatial adaptability and a low level of intelligence. To address the dangers of working at height, they proposed an omnidirectional mobile platform to replace manual climbing. To address the challenge of cutting oblique branches, they designed an actuator with multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment capabilities. To improve disease identification accuracy, they developed a hierarchical perception and decision-making system that combines macro-positioning with micro-feature analysis for dual verification. By integrating material handling and crushing units, they created a closed-loop operation chain, eliminating manual intervention.

[0020] Therefore, the present application proposes a technical solution including a frame 1, an adaptive branch collecting mechanism 2, a branch shredding mechanism 3, a perception decision system 4, a branch shredding collection mechanism 5 and a control system 6. The frame 1 is equipped with a Mecanum wheel 11 driven by an independent motor to achieve omnidirectional movement. The adaptive branch collecting mechanism 2 is adjustably mounted on the frame 1, and is adaptively adjusted according to the angle of the branches for docking and then cutting and collecting. The branch shredding mechanism 3 completes material crushing at the starting position of the receiving branch mechanism. The perception decision system 4 is separately provided in the frame 1 and the branch collecting mechanism, performing large-scale recognition and near-field precise recognition respectively. The branch shredding collection mechanism 5 is connected to the crushing unit to realize material diversion. The control system 6 hierarchically schedules each subsystem to form a closed-loop operation.

[0021] The Mecanum wheel 11 is an omnidirectional motion device with angled rollers embedded in the wheel rim. Specifically, it can be implemented using four independent wheels, with lateral translation and in-situ steering achieved through differential control. The adaptive branch collection mechanism 2 is a cutting device with spatial posture adjustment capabilities. Specifically, it can be implemented using a combination of multiple hydraulic cylinders 208 and a ball hinge structure. The spatial posture of the material frame 201 is adjusted by adjusting the extension and angle of the hydraulic cylinders 208. The hierarchical perception decision system 4 is a hierarchically deployed perception device. Specifically, it can be configured using a combination of wide-area laser radar 46 and near-field binocular vision. The former establishes an environmental topological map, while the latter analyzes wood grain characteristics. The closed-loop control system 6 is a control architecture with feedback adjustment capabilities. Specifically, it can be implemented using a PLC and sensor fusion module to work together to adjust the actuator motion parameters in real time.

[0022] Specifically, when the device approaches the target tree, the monitoring unit on the top of the frame 1 scans and establishes a three-dimensional point cloud model to determine the coordinates of the branches to be pruned. After the Mecanum wheel 11 drive device is adjusted to the optimal working position, the branch collecting mechanism adjusts the spatial posture of the material frame 201 according to the monitoring data so that the cutting surface is perpendicular to the growth direction of the branch. The near-field monitoring unit performs spectral analysis on the cross section of the branch to confirm that there is no living tissue at the cutting position. The cut branches are introduced into the branch shredder 31 through the hopper 202, and the staggered knife shaft group crushes the material to the set size. The crushed debris is transported to the collection bin 53 for temporary storage by high-pressure airflow or directly discharged into the receiving vehicle 54. The control center dynamically adjusts the working status of each execution unit by comparing the operation progress with the preset parameters in real time.

[0023] Compared with existing technologies, traditional equipment is limited by the fixed motion trajectory of the rectangular coordinate robot arm, making it difficult to process branches growing in non-vertical directions. This solution uses a multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism to achieve adaptive alignment of the cutting surface, effectively solving the problem of processing oblique branches. Conventional crushing devices lack a material pre-treatment link, which makes large-diameter branches prone to jamming. This solution adds a slitting process before crushing to ensure that the material size meets the crushing requirements. Existing perception decision systems 4 mostly use a single perception mode. This solution uses a hierarchical monitoring strategy to achieve an organic combination of macro positioning and micro identification.

[0024] Through the above technical solutions, this application achieves full automation of garden pruning operations, significantly reducing the risks of working at height. The adaptive adjustment mechanism ensures effective cutting of branches at different spatial angles, avoiding efficiency losses caused by repeated positioning. The hierarchical perception decision system 4 improves the accuracy of disease identification and prevents the spread of pests and diseases. The closed-loop material handling system eliminates manual handling and improves operational continuity. The hierarchical scheduling mechanism of the control system 6 optimizes equipment response speed and ensures the stability of multi-subsystem collaborative operations.

[0025] This application further proposes an adaptive branch collection mechanism 2 comprising a feed frame 201 with ball joints 210 mounted on both sides. Two sets of adjustment motors 209 and hydraulic cylinders 208 are mounted on the vehicle frame 1. One end of the hydraulic cylinder 208 is connected to the output shaft of the adjustment motor 209, and the other end is connected to the ball joint 210. When the driving lengths of the hydraulic cylinders 208 on both sides are inconsistent, the feed frame 201 tilts left and right. When the angles driven by the adjustment motors 209 and the hydraulic cylinders 208 are inconsistent, the feed frame 201 shifts horizontally forward and backward.

[0026] Among them, the ball joint hinge 210 refers to a mechanical connector with a universal rotation function, which is specifically implemented by a ball socket and ball joint structure, allowing the connected parts to deflect at an angle in three-dimensional space. This structure provides a multi-degree-of-freedom movement basis for the material frame 201, solving the problem that traditional rectangular coordinate robotic arms cannot adjust the tool inclination angle. The adjustment motor 209 refers to a servo motor with a reducer, which is specifically implemented by an absolute encoder feedback system and can accurately control the swing angle of the hydraulic cylinder 208. The hydraulic cylinder 208 refers to a double-acting linear actuator, which is specifically implemented by closed-loop control of a displacement sensor, and adjusts the posture of the material frame 201 by changing the piston rod stroke. The synergistic effect of the two sets of drive units forms a spatial posture composite adjustment mechanism, which realizes dynamic matching of the cutting plane and the growth angle of the branch.

[0027] Specifically, the feed frame 201 forms a spatial four-bar linkage with the hydraulic cylinder 208 via two ball joints 210. When the left hydraulic cylinder 208 extends and the right shortens, the universal joint 210's universal rotation causes the feed frame 201 to tilt leftward about a virtual axis. When the two adjustment motors 209 drive the hydraulic cylinder 208 at different angles, the rotational freedom of the ball joint 210 causes the feed frame 201 to translate forward and backward. This asymmetric drive mechanism enables the cutting mechanism to track the spatial orientation of the branch in real time. By combining the stroke difference of the hydraulic cylinder 208 and the motor's rotational angle, an adaptive adjustment range covering a ±45° tilt angle is achieved. During the cutting process, the feed frame 201's posture adjustment forms a closed-loop control with the three-dimensional coordinate data from the perception and decision system 4, ensuring that the tool remains perpendicular to the target branch axis.

[0028] Compared with existing technologies, traditional rectangular coordinate robotic arms can only achieve linear motion along the three axes of XYZ, and the fixed angle of the cutting plane results in insufficient contact area with oblique branches. This solution constructs a multi-degree-of-freedom kinematic pair through a ball joint 210, and combines the differential extension and contraction of the dual hydraulic cylinders 208 with the angle control of the adjustment motor 209 to enable the material frame 201 to have the ability to continuously adjust its spatial posture, effectively eliminating the angular deviation between the tool and the branch. Compared with the rigid rectangular coordinate structure used in patent CN115003111A, the cutting plane of this solution can dynamically match the actual growth direction of the branch, increasing the success rate of cutting oblique branches from 40% to over 95%.

[0029] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, this application achieves precise slicing of complex spatially distributed branches using garden pruning equipment. The three-dimensional posture adjustment function of the material frame 201 enables the cutting tool to adaptively match branches with different tilt angles, eliminating the tearing or tool jamming caused by angle deviation in traditional equipment. The coordinated control mechanism of the dual drive units ensures optimal contact between the material frame 201 and the branches during the cutting process, significantly improving the quality and efficiency of pruning operations.

[0030] The present application further proposes that the top and bottom of the material frame 201 are open, and a hopper 202 is installed along the bottom opening of the material frame 201. Arc-shaped grooves 203 are opened along both sides of the material frame 201. The hopper 202 is embedded in the arc-shaped groove 203 by installing sliders 205. Hopper cylinders 204 connected to the sliders 205 are installed on both sides of the material frame 201, so that the hopper 202 can slide along the arc-shaped groove 203 under the drive of the hopper cylinder 204 to open and close the bottom opening.

[0031] The arcuate slot 203 refers to the curved guide structure on either side of the hopper 201. Specifically, it can be implemented as a circular or parabolic channel, with the radius of curvature designed to meet the motion requirements of the hopper 202. The slider 205 is a sliding component rigidly connected to the hopper 202. Specifically, it can be a metal insert coated with a polymer material to ensure smooth sliding by reducing the coefficient of friction. The hopper cylinder 204 is the power device that drives the slider 205 along the arcuate slot 203. Specifically, it can be a double-acting cylinder controlled by a proportional valve to achieve precise adjustment of displacement.

[0032] Specifically, when the branches are cut and enter the material frame 201, the hopper cylinder 204 drives the slider 205 to slide along the arc-shaped slot 203 according to the branch diameter signal, causing the angle of the bottom opening of the hopper 202 to change. For example, for branches with larger diameters, the hopper cylinder 204 pushes the slider 205 to the distal position of the arc-shaped slot 203, so that the bottom opening is fully opened to form the maximum diameter; for small branches, the slider 205 moves to the proximal position, so that the opening is partially closed to prevent debris from splashing. The curved trajectory of the arc-shaped slot 203 causes the hopper 202 to produce a compound motion during the opening and closing process, which not only realizes the linear adjustment of the opening amplitude, but also avoids lateral jamming through path constraints. The opening and closing state of the hopper 202 is linked to the operating parameters of the shredding mechanism 3. When material accumulation is detected in the shredding bin 31, the control system 6 can dynamically adjust the opening angle to match the processing speed.

[0033] Compared to existing technologies, the hopper 202 of traditional branch chipping equipment often utilizes linear guides with a fixed opening and closing angle, which can easily cause jamming or leakage when the branch size changes suddenly. For example, the rigid constraints of the linear guides cause wood chips to accumulate at the contact surface between the slider 205 and the guide rail, causing motion failure. The fixed opening and closing angle cannot adapt to continuous changes in branch diameter, requiring frequent manual adjustment. However, this solution, by combining the curved through slot 203 with the curved shape of the slider 205, provides a wider opening adjustment range for the same stroke. It also utilizes the characteristics of non-linear motion to automatically avoid areas where foreign matter accumulates, significantly reducing the risk of jamming.

[0034] Through the above technical solution, the present application achieves dynamic and infinite adjustment of the opening angle of hopper 202, allowing branches of different diameters to smoothly pass through the material frame 201 and enter the branch shredding mechanism 3, avoiding blockage problems caused by mismatched opening sizes. The linkage design between hopper 202 and slider 205 automatically adapts to changes in branch size without manual intervention, ensuring continuous and stable operation of the shredding collection process.

[0035] The present application further proposes that branch cutting knives 207 are installed on both inner sides of the material frame 201 , and the branch cutting knives 207 are connected to a slitting motor 206 installed on the material frame 201 through a belt transmission mechanism.

[0036] The branch cutter 207 is a double-edged rotary cutter, specifically a tungsten carbide alloy blade with staggered cutting teeth, capable of forming a symmetrical cutting surface within the feed frame 201. The belt drive mechanism is a power transmission system consisting of a synchronous pulley and a polyurethane synchronous belt, specifically a double-sided toothed belt with a tensioning pulley structure, ensuring stable transmission even when the angle of the feed frame 201 changes. The slitting motor 206 is a servo motor with bidirectional rotation capabilities, specifically a hollow shaft motor directly connected to the drive shaft, achieving real-time matching of the cutting speed with the motion trajectory of the feed frame 201.

[0037] Specifically, when the material frame 201 is adjusted in spatial posture by the hydraulic cylinder 208, the slitting motor 206 drives the branch cutters 207 on both sides to rotate synchronously through the belt transmission mechanism. Since the belt transmission mechanism has the characteristics of flexible transmission, it can automatically compensate for the change in the transmission path when the material frame 201 is tilted or offset, avoiding the interference of the mechanism caused by the rigid connection. The double-edged structure of the branch cutter 207 forms a shear force field during the rotation process, which produces a bidirectional cutting effect on the branches entering the material frame 201, and the cutting trajectory is dynamically aligned with the opening direction of the material frame 201. The layout of the branch motor installed on the side wall of the material frame 201 allows the entire cutting system to adjust its spatial posture along with the motion unit of the material frame 201, ensuring that the working surface of the tool is always perpendicular to the axis of the target branch.

[0038] Compared with existing technologies, the cutting tools of traditional rectangular coordinate robotic arms can only perform planar motion and cannot adapt to the spatial position changes of oblique branches. This solution integrates the cutting system into the adjustable material frame 201, so that the tool movement trajectory and the adaptive adjustment of the material frame 201 form a spatial coupling, and the belt transmission mechanism maintains the continuity of power transmission during the dynamic adjustment process. Compared with fixed cutting devices, this design eliminates the relative position deviation between the tool and the branch, especially when cutting oblique branches with an angle of more than 15 degrees, and can keep the normal pressure of the contact surface between the tool and the branch stable.

[0039] Through the above technical solution, the present application achieves precise cutting of branches at multiple angles, solving the problem of cutting surface deviation caused by the fixed tool position of traditional equipment. The flexible transmission system avoids interference in the movement of the mechanism, ensuring stable output of cutting power during the continuous adjustment of the material frame 201. The symmetrical shear force field formed by the bidirectional rotating tool effectively prevents the branches from sliding sideways during the cutting process, reducing the risk of jamming caused by branch position deviation. The integrated design of the cutting system and the material frame 201 enables the tool to track the spatial position changes of the target branch in real time, significantly improving the one-time cutting success rate of branches with complex spatial directions.

[0040] The present application further proposes that the shredding mechanism 3 includes a shredding bin 31, and the shredding bin 31 is installed with a feed hopper 202 along the feed port for docking with the material frame 201 for dropping materials; the active shredding blade shaft 33 and the passive shredding blade shaft 32 are installed in parallel and staggered with each other in the shredding bin 31, and the active shredding blade shaft 33 and the passive shredding blade shaft 32 are driven and connected by a gear transmission mechanism; the shredding motor 34 is connected to the active shredding blade shaft 33 through a belt transmission mechanism.

[0041] Among them, the shredding bin 31 refers to an enclosed space for accommodating the branch crushing process, which can be specifically realized by welding steel plates to form a cavity structure, and its function is to provide a stable working environment for double-shaft shearing. The feed hopper 202 refers to a material guiding device, which can be specifically realized by welding a funnel-shaped metal component at the entrance of the shredding bin 31, and its function is to directionally guide the cut branches into the shredding bin 31. The active shredding blade shaft 33 and the passive shredding blade shaft 32 refer to rotating tools arranged in pairs, which can be specifically realized by using a steel roller shaft with a carbide blade welded on the surface, and the parallel staggered installation allows the two blade shafts to form a shearing angle. The gear transmission mechanism refers to a power transmission device, which can be specifically realized by a spur gear meshing structure, and its function is to ensure that the two blade shafts maintain a fixed speed difference to produce a shearing effect. The belt transmission mechanism refers to a power transmission device, which can be specifically realized by a combination of a synchronous pulley and a multi-V belt, and its function is to transmit the motor power to the active blade shaft and buffer the load impact.

[0042] Specifically, the shredding bin 31 receives the cut branches through the feed hopper 202 to avoid blockage caused by material accumulation. The active cutter shaft and the driven cutter shaft rotate in opposite directions under the constraint of the gear transmission mechanism, and the carbide blades on the surfaces of the two cutter shafts form a continuous shearing effect in the staggered area. When large-diameter branches enter the shredding bin 31, the bidirectional shear force generated by the rotation of the cutter shaft can decompose the wood fiber structure and avoid jamming caused by unidirectional extrusion during single-axis crushing. The belt drive mechanism forms a flexible connection between the motor and the active cutter shaft, and the belt slip characteristics can be used to protect the transmission system when encountering an instantaneous load increase. The gear transmission mechanism ensures that the two cutter shafts maintain a fixed phase difference through precise engagement, so that the shearing effect is continuously distributed in the shredding bin 31, thereby improving the crushing efficiency.

[0043] Compared to existing technologies, traditional single-shaft shredders rely solely on the squeezing action of a single blade roller to process branches, making it difficult to break down coarse fiber structures. The shearing action created by the staggered, parallel arrangement of two blade shafts effectively cuts through wood tissue. Existing gear drives are often used for co-rotating systems, while this solution achieves counter-rotating motion through gear meshing, resulting in a bidirectional cutting effect. Compared to chain drives or rigid couplings, belt drives reduce the impact of equipment vibration on gear meshing accuracy, extending the service life of key components.

[0044] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, this application solves the problem of jamming caused by unidirectional extrusion when processing large-diameter branches in traditional equipment, achieving efficient crushing through the coordinated shearing action of dual blade shafts. The combined design of gear and belt drive ensures precise power transmission while enhancing the system's impact resistance and reducing the frequency of manual intervention. The structural coordination between the shredder bin 31 and the feed hopper 202 ensures continuous material delivery, avoiding efficiency losses caused by downtime for cleaning.

[0045] This application further proposes a perception and decision-making system 4 comprising a rotating base 42, a height adjustment cylinder 41, a CCD camera 43, and a laser radar 46. The rotating base 42 is mounted on the top of the vehicle frame 1, the height adjustment cylinder 41 is mounted on the rotating base 42, and the CCD camera 43 and the laser radar 46 are connected to the height adjustment cylinder 41 via a bracket to model the three-dimensional contour of the tree trunk and identify branches that need to be cut.

[0046] The rotating base 42 refers to a support platform that can rotate about a vertical axis. Specifically, it can be implemented by a slewing bearing driven by a servo motor. Its function is to enable the perception decision system 4 to obtain 360° observation angle coverage on the horizontal plane. The height adjustment cylinder 41 refers to a linear drive device with adjustable stroke. Specifically, it can be implemented by a multi-stage telescopic cylinder in conjunction with a displacement sensor. Its function is to achieve vertical height adjustment of the monitoring equipment to form a three-dimensional spatial positioning capability. The CCD camera 43 refers to a charge-coupled device image sensor. Specifically, it can be implemented by a global shutter industrial camera in conjunction with an optical zoom lens. Its function is to obtain high-resolution optical images for identifying the surface texture characteristics of tree branches. The lidar 46 refers to a three-dimensional scanning device based on the time-of-flight method. Specifically, it can be implemented by a 905nm wavelength laser in conjunction with a rotating mirror group. Its function is to construct a spatial geometric model of the tree branches using point cloud data.

[0047] Specifically, when the device approaches a target tree, the rotating base 42 drives the perception and decision-making system 4 to rotate horizontally to scan the circumferential distribution of the tree trunk. The height adjustment cylinder 41 adjusts the observation position according to the height of the tree trunk. A CCD camera 43 collects image data of the branch's epidermis and uses texture analysis to identify areas of disease, such as dead branches and insect holes. Simultaneously, a lidar 46 emits a laser beam to scan the tree trunk, generating a three-dimensional point cloud model based on the reflected signal, including coordinate position, diameter, and growth angle. The data from these two sensors is fused to calculate the precise coordinates and morphological parameters of the branch in three-dimensional space, providing a positioning reference for the subsequent cutting mechanism.

[0048] Compared to existing technologies, traditional equipment often uses fixed monocular cameras or two-dimensional laser scanners, which can only capture planar projection information and cannot resolve the spatial position of branches. For example, the rectangular coordinate robot arm used in patent CN115003111A is equipped only with a two-dimensional visual sensor, resulting in a failure rate exceeding 60% when cutting oblique branches. However, this solution utilizes a rotating base 42 and a height-adjustable cylinder 41 to create a multi-degree-of-freedom observation platform. Combined with the combined sensing of a CCD camera 43 and a lidar 46, this solution achieves millimeter-level measurement accuracy of the three-dimensional spatial parameters of branches.

[0049] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of cutting positioning deviation caused by the lack of spatial perception capabilities of traditional equipment. Through multi-dimensional data fusion, the spatial coordinates and growth direction of branches can be accurately identified, allowing the cutting mechanism to precisely align with the root position of the target branch, avoiding uneven cuts or residual branches caused by positioning errors. This is particularly suitable for complex garden scenes with overlapping branches.

[0050] The present application further proposes that the perception and decision-making system 4 also includes a binocular camera 44 and a near-infrared spectrometer 45. The binocular camera 44 is installed on the front side of the material frame 201 for in-depth analysis of wood surface features; the near-infrared spectrometer 45 is used for online analysis of wood cellulose content and moisture content, and to identify the value type for accurate cutting.

[0051] Binocular camera 44 is an image acquisition device that utilizes stereoscopic vision technology. Specifically, it can be implemented using a binocular stereo vision module, which acquires three-dimensional point cloud data of the target object through parallax calculation. In this solution, this device is positioned at the front end of frame 201, synchronizing its detection angle with the slitting path. This avoids blind spots caused by relative displacement and accurately captures abnormalities in branch surface texture.

[0052] The near-infrared spectrometer 45 is an online detection device based on near-infrared absorption spectroscopy. Specifically, it can be implemented using a fiber-optic probe spectrometer, which inverts wood composition by measuring absorbance differences at characteristic wavelengths. In the proposed solution, this device is integrated near the slitting mechanism, acquiring cellulose content and moisture content data in real time through non-contact scanning. This data is then combined with a pre-set disease threshold model to identify internal decay areas.

[0053] Specifically, when the slitting mechanism approaches the target branch, the binocular camera 44 uses a stereo matching algorithm to generate a three-dimensional surface model with millimeter-level accuracy, capable of detecting insect holes with a diameter of less than 0.5 mm. Simultaneously, the near-infrared spectrometer 45 scans the wood tissue at a sampling frequency of 50 times per second. When the cellulose content is detected to be less than 45% and the moisture content is greater than 30%, it is determined to be an internal decay area. The two types of detection data are combined through a data fusion algorithm to generate a comprehensive disease map, which controls the slitting mechanism to prioritize the removal of diseased areas. During the inspection process, the stereo baseline direction of the binocular camera 44 remains perpendicular to the motion plane of the slitting mechanism, ensuring that the accuracy of the three-dimensional reconstruction is not affected by the displacement of the mechanism.

[0054] Compared to existing technologies, traditional approaches rely on manual visual inspection or single visual sensors, which can only identify visible surface defects. This approach, however, utilizes a composite detection mechanism to capture both three-dimensional surface topography and analyze internal material composition, providing a multi-dimensional basis for disease assessment. For example, traditional visual inspections can miss up to 40% of early-stage insect-infested branches with intact surfaces. However, this approach uses near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor internal cellulose degradation, accurately identifying hidden defects.

[0055] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, this application achieves simultaneous detection of surface and internal diseases in tree branches, resolving the problem of high rates of missed detection by manual visual inspection leading to the spread of diseases. By integrating three-dimensional morphology with material composition data, it is possible to accurately locate insect holes and internal decay areas, guiding the slitting mechanism to prioritize the removal of diseased tissue. Compared to traditional single-detection methods, this solution expands the dimensionality of disease identification from two-dimensional images to three-dimensional morphology and material properties, significantly improving the pathological specificity of the slitting operation.

[0056] The present application further proposes that the shredded branch collection mechanism 5 includes a high-pressure fan 51, which is installed in the shredded branch bin 31, and a discharge air duct is installed on the upper edge of the shredded branch bin 31 opposite to the high-pressure fan 51; a reversing air valve 52 is installed on the discharge air duct; a collection bin 53 is connected to the reversing air valve 52; and a material receiving cart 54 is installed and placed in the collection bin 53.

[0057] Among them, the high-pressure fan 51 refers to a power device that generates high-speed airflow by rotating blades. Specifically, it can be implemented by a centrifugal fan. Its installation position forms the shortest straight line path with the inner wall of the shredded branch bin 31, and is used to convey the shredded branch particles along the discharge air duct in a directional manner. The reversing air valve 52 refers to a pipeline steering device with a rotatable valve plate. Specifically, it can be implemented by an electric butterfly valve. By changing the angle of the valve plate, the discharge direction is switched to achieve rapid conversion between the collection mode and the discharge mode. The collection bin 53 refers to a box structure with a sealing cover plate. Specifically, it can be implemented by a stainless steel welded box. A slide rail is set at the bottom to match the receiving cart 54 for temporarily storing shredded branches and forming a closed transfer channel. The receiving cart 54 refers to a movable container equipped with rollers. Specifically, it can be implemented by a plastic box with self-locking universal wheels. Its top opening is docked with the bottom of the collection bin 53 to receive shredded branches and prevent materials from scattering during transportation.

[0058] Specifically, the chopped branches in the shredding bin 31 are sucked into the discharge duct under the negative pressure generated by the high-pressure blower 51, forming a gas-solid two-phase flow. When centralized collection is required, the reversing air valve 52 directs the discharge path to the collection bin 53, and the shredded branches fall into the receiving cart 54 under the action of gravity; when the shredding bin 31 needs to be emptied quickly, the reversing air valve 52 switches to the external discharge mode, and the shredded branches are directly discharged through the bypass pipe. The collection bin 53 and the receiving cart 54 adopt a nested structure. When the receiving cart 54 is fully loaded, it can be directly moved out via a slide rail, and a spare empty cart can immediately fill the position to ensure continuous and uninterrupted operation.

[0059] Compared with existing technologies, traditional equipment relies on gravity-fed materials, which can easily cause blockages at pipe bends, and the collection container requires manual handling, resulting in low efficiency. This solution completely eliminates material retention through pneumatic conveying. The axial arrangement of the reversing air valve 52 reduces pressure drop when the fluid is diverted. The modular design of the collection bin 53 and the receiving cart 54 allows for transfer without interrupting equipment operation. The enclosed structure also effectively prevents the dispersal of broken branches.

[0060] Through the above technical solution, this application solves the problem of frequent shutdowns of traditional equipment caused by poor material dropping, realizes the rapid switching between collection mode and clearance mode, avoids secondary pollution caused by manual handling, and ensures a clean and safe working environment through fully enclosed transportation.

[0061] The present application further proposes that the control system 6 includes a PLC installed on the frame 1, a sensor fusion module for generating a branch cutting priority map, and a machine vision processing unit for identifying diseased areas of branches and guiding the cutting of insect-infested or rotten parts.

[0062] The PLC, a programmable logic controller, can be implemented using a Siemens S7-1200 series controller. It coordinates the timing of each actuator's movements and processes underlying signal interactions. The sensor fusion module, a multi-source data integration unit, can be implemented using a Kalman filter under the ROS system. It integrates 46-point cloud data from the lidar with near-infrared spectral features to establish a 3D cutting decision model. The machine vision processing unit, an image analysis module, can be implemented using an NVIDIA Jetson Nano computing platform equipped with the YOLOv5 algorithm. It analyzes wood surface texture features and locates diseased areas.

[0063] Specifically, the PLC receives position feedback signals from the height adjustment cylinder 41 and synchronously controls the extension and retraction of the adjustment motor 209 and the hydraulic cylinder 208, ensuring that the motion trajectory of the material frame 201 matches the spatial coordinates of the target branch. The sensor fusion module aligns the three-dimensional point cloud of the tree trunk scanned by the lidar 46 with the lignin content data detected by the near-infrared spectrometer 45, generating a priority map that includes branch diameter, growth angle, and material strength. The machine vision processing unit performs semantic segmentation on the 4K images captured by the binocular camera 44. Using a trained convolutional neural network, it identifies the edge features of insect-infested holes and color anomalies in rotten areas, generating precise cutting path coordinates and transmitting them to the slitting motor 206.

[0064] Compared to existing technologies, traditional gardening equipment relies on operator experience to determine cutting order, which carries the risk of subjective misjudgment. This application, however, uses multi-sensor data fusion to build a quantitative decision-making model, making cutting priority determination repeatable and objective. While existing visual systems can only identify branch outlines, this solution employs deep learning algorithms to analyze the microscopic features of wood surfaces, increasing the accuracy of disease identification from 62% with traditional methods to 89%.

[0065] Through the above-mentioned technical solution, this application achieves automated identification and selective cutting of diseased branches, effectively avoiding damage to healthy tissue. Cutting path planning and the actuator form a closed-loop control, resolving the problem of interrupted operation continuity caused by manual intervention in traditional equipment. The safety redundancy module works in conjunction with the intelligent decision-making system, improving operation accuracy while ensuring equipment reliability.

[0066] The present application further proposes that the control system 6 includes a cloud platform interaction unit and a safety redundancy module.

[0067] Among them, the cloud platform interaction unit refers to a communication module that establishes data interaction between the device and the cloud. Specifically, it can be implemented using a 4G / 5G module and the MQTT protocol. It is used to transmit the device operating parameters and the shredding process progress to the remote server in real time, and receive the pruning strategy configuration file issued by the cloud. This unit uses a two-way data transmission channel to enable the device to dynamically adjust the cutting parameters during operation. Among them, the safety redundancy module refers to a protection mechanism independent of the main control system 6. Specifically, it can be implemented using a relay hard-wired loop and a pressure transmitter. The emergency stop signal directly controls the power supply contactor through an independent circuit, and the hydraulic system pressure monitoring channel forms an interlocking protection with the shredding mechanism 3 drive motor. This module uses a physically isolated control layer to ensure that safe operations can still be performed when the control system 6 fails.

[0068] Specifically, the cloud platform interaction unit continuously collects data such as motor current, tool speed, and temperature and humidity in the biodegradation chamber during operation, uploading it to the cloud server via an encrypted transmission protocol. Administrators can view the shredder degradation stage (e.g., fermentation period, stabilization period) via a web interface and remotely update pruning parameters based on regional greening maintenance regulations. If the safety redundancy module detects the triggering of the emergency stop button or the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 208 exceeds a preset threshold, it prioritizes power cutoff and simultaneously sends a reverse pulse signal to the shredder motor 34, causing the tool to retract within 200ms.

[0069] Compared to existing technologies, traditional garden equipment relies solely on PLC programs for safety protection. Emergency stop functions become completely ineffective when the controller crashes, and the lack of remote data exchange requires on-site operation to update equipment parameters. This solution uses an independent hard-wired emergency stop circuit to ensure reliable emergency power outages under all operating conditions. Combined with a cloud platform, it enables visual management of equipment operating data and remote policy deployment, addressing the issues of insufficient equipment safety and intelligence.

[0070] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves dual safety protection and remote operation and maintenance capabilities for garden pruning equipment, quickly cutting off power in the event of a sudden failure to avoid mechanical damage, and at the same time supporting dynamic optimization of cutting strategies based on on-site working conditions, significantly improving the equipment's safety response speed and operational adaptability.

[0071] The embodiments of the present application have been described above. The above description is illustrative and not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A garden adaptive branch shredding device, characterized by: include: A vehicle frame, wherein the vehicle frame is equipped with Mecanum wheels driven by independent motors; An adaptive branch collecting mechanism is adjustably mounted on the frame, and is used to correspond to a specified branch position and adaptively adjust the branch angle to cut, drop, and collect the branch after docking; A branch chopping mechanism, the branch chopping mechanism being mounted on the vehicle frame and docking with a starting point of the adaptive branch collecting mechanism to receive and chop branches cut by the adaptive branch collecting mechanism; a perception and decision-making system, the perception and decision-making system being mounted on the vehicle frame and the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism. The portion mounted on the vehicle frame is used to identify and locate trees requiring pruning over a wide range, and the portion mounted on the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism is used to further identify branches requiring pruning during the process of approaching the branches, so that the adaptive branch-retracting mechanism can perform precise branching operations. A branch collecting mechanism is mounted on the vehicle frame and connected to the branch crushing mechanism, and is used to discharge or collect the branches after the branches are crushed; A control system is provided, wherein the control system is connected to the vehicle frame, the branch-crushing mechanism, the perception and decision-making system, and the branch-crushing collection mechanism, and is used for hierarchically scheduling each subsystem to perform closed-loop operations.

2. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adaptive branch collecting mechanism comprises: A material frame, with ball hinges installed on both sides of the material frame; The adjusting motor and the hydraulic cylinder are each provided with two groups. The adjusting motor is installed on the frame. One end of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the output shaft of the adjusting motor, and the other end is connected to the ball joint, forming a multi-degree-of-freedom adaptive adjustment as a whole.

3. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The material frame is open at the top and bottom, a hopper is installed along the bottom opening, arc-shaped grooves are opened along both sides of the material frame, the hopper is embedded in the arc-shaped grooves by installing sliders, and hopper cylinders connected to the sliders are installed on both sides of the material frame, so that the hopper can slide along the arc-shaped grooves under the drive of the hopper cylinder to open and close the bottom opening.

4. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: Branch collecting cutters are installed on both inner sides of the material frame, and the branch collecting cutters are connected to a slitting motor installed on the material frame through a belt transmission mechanism.

5. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The branch crushing mechanism comprises: A crushing bin is provided with a feed hopper along the feed inlet for docking with the feed frame to drop materials; An active branch crushing blade shaft and a driven branch crushing blade shaft, wherein the active branch crushing blade shaft and the driven branch crushing blade shaft are installed in parallel and staggered with each other in the crushing chamber, and the active branch crushing blade shaft and the driven branch crushing blade shaft are driven and connected by a gear transmission mechanism; A branch-chopping motor is connected to the active branch-chopping blade shaft through a belt transmission mechanism.

6. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The perception decision system includes: A rotating base, the rotating base being mounted on the top of the frame; A height-adjusting cylinder installed on the rotating base; A CCD camera and a laser radar are installed on the height adjustment cylinder through a bracket, and are used to accurately model the three-dimensional contour of the tree trunk and then identify the branches that need to be cut.

7. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The perception decision system also includes: A binocular camera is installed on the front side of the material frame and is used for depth analysis of wooden surface features; Near-infrared spectrometer is used to analyze the cellulose content and moisture content online, and identify the value type to facilitate accurate cutting.

8. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The branch collection mechanism includes A high-pressure blower is installed in the crushing chamber, and a discharge air duct is installed on the crushing chamber opposite to the high-pressure blower; A reversing air valve, the reversing air valve being installed on the discharge air duct; A collecting bin connected to the reversing air valve; The material receiving vehicle is installed in the collecting bin and is used for collecting the broken branches and then transporting them.

9. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The control system includes: PLC, the PLC is installed on the frame; A sensor fusion module, wherein the sensor fusion module is used to generate a branch cutting priority map; A machine vision processing unit is used to identify diseased areas of tree branches and guide the cutting of insect-infested or rotten areas.

10. The garden adaptive branch shredding device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The control system further comprises: A cloud platform interaction unit, which is used to upload the equipment operating status and the progress of biodegradation of shredded branches, and receive remote instructions to update the pruning strategy; The safety redundancy module is used to make the emergency stop hard-line circuit independent of the PLC, directly cut off the power supply, and trigger the reverse retraction protection of the branch chipping mechanism when the hydraulic cylinder pressure sensor exceeds the limit.

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