Picking end effector and picking machine

Abstract

This invention discloses a harvesting end effector and a harvesting machine, relating to the field of fruit harvesting technology. It includes a harvesting robotic arm, a base, a first drive mechanism, a second drive mechanism, and harvesting fingers. The harvesting fingers include multiple flexible adsorption-adhesion fingers and multiple flexible adsorption-shearing fingers. The harvesting robotic arm is connected to the main body of the harvesting machine. The base is located at the end of the harvesting robotic arm. The flexible adsorption-adhesion fingers and flexible adsorption-shearing fingers are arranged alternately on the base, forming a clamping space. Each finger includes multiple joints and multiple sets of flexible negative pressure suction cups. Adjacent joints are rotatably connected. Each joint has a set of flexible negative pressure suction cups on its inner side. The flexible adsorption-shearing fingers also include a shearing mechanism. The first drive mechanism drives the harvesting fingers to bend, and the second drive mechanism drives the shearing mechanism. This invention also discloses a harvesting machine, including a harvesting machine main body and the aforementioned harvesting end effector. This invention enables non-destructive flexible gripping of irregularly shaped and fragile fruits, reducing the harvesting damage rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fruit harvesting technology, and in particular to a harvesting end effector and a harvesting machine. Background Technology

[0002] Mangoes typically grow at high altitudes, hanging in various positions, and their delicate peels are easily damaged during harvesting. Currently, mango harvesting methods are mainly divided into manual harvesting and mechanically assisted harvesting. Traditional manual climbing harvesting is not only labor-intensive and inefficient, but also poses significant safety hazards due to working at heights. Some harvesting devices use rigid or semi-rigid clamping mechanisms to secure the fruit by gripping it. However, mangoes vary greatly in size, shape, and weight, and rigid clamps cannot adapt to these irregular individual differences. During clamping, stress concentration can easily cause crushing or scratching of the peel; furthermore, the vibration generated when the stem is cut can lead to instability in the clamping, causing the fruit to fall and become damaged. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a harvesting end effector and harvesting machine to solve the aforementioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a harvesting end effector and a harvesting machine to solve the problems existing in the prior art, and to achieve non-destructive flexible grasping of irregular and fragile fruits, thereby reducing the harvesting damage rate.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0005] This invention provides a harvesting end effector, including a harvesting robotic arm, a base, a first driving mechanism, a second driving mechanism, and harvesting fingers. The harvesting fingers include multiple flexible adsorption and adhesion fingers and multiple flexible adsorption and shearing fingers. The harvesting robotic arm is connected to the main body of a harvesting machine. The base is located at the end of the harvesting robotic arm away from the main body of the harvesting machine. The flexible adsorption and adhesion fingers and the flexible adsorption and shearing fingers are arranged alternately on the base and form a clamping space. Each flexible adsorption and adhesion finger includes multiple first joints and multiple sets of first flexible negative pressure suction cups. Two adjacent first joints are rotatably connected. A set of first flexible negative pressure suction cups is fixedly arranged on the inner side of each first joint. Each flexible adsorption and shearing finger includes a shearing mechanism, multiple second joints, and multiple sets of second flexible negative pressure suction cups. Two adjacent second joints are rotatably connected. A set of second flexible negative pressure suction cups is fixedly arranged on the inner side of each second joint. The shearing mechanism is located on the top second joint. The first driving mechanism is used to drive the harvesting fingers to bend, and the second driving mechanism is used to drive the shearing mechanism.

[0006] In some embodiments, an image acquisition system and a central control system are also included. The image acquisition system is mounted on the harvesting robotic arm. The image acquisition system, the controller of the first drive mechanism, the controller of the second drive mechanism, and the controller of the flexible negative pressure suction cup are all electrically connected to the central control system.

[0007] In some embodiments, the base and the harvesting robot arm are connected by a ball joint, wherein a magnetic ball head is fixedly connected to the bottom of the base, and a ball socket is provided at the top of the harvesting robot arm. An electromagnetic drive stator coil is integrated in the ball socket. The electromagnetic drive stator coil is connected to a power supply through a wire, and the controller of the power supply is electrically connected to the central control system.

[0008] In some embodiments, a miniature vacuum pump and a pneumatic pipeline are also included. The miniature vacuum pump is fixedly mounted on the harvesting robotic arm, one end of the pneumatic pipeline is connected to and communicates with the miniature vacuum pump, and the other end of the pneumatic pipeline is connected to and communicates with a flexible negative pressure suction cup.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pneumatic piping includes a central manifold and multiple branch hoses. The central manifold is integrated within the harvesting robotic arm and extends out of the base. The branch hoses are connected to and communicate with the central manifold, and the branch hoses extend into the harvesting fingers and communicate with a flexible negative pressure suction cup.

[0010] In some embodiments, a flexible substrate is also included, which is attached to the inner surface of the picking finger, and the flexible negative pressure suction cup is fixedly disposed on the flexible substrate, and each set of the flexible negative pressure suction cup includes multiple micro suction cups.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first drive mechanism includes a finger drive motor and a traction rope. The finger drive motor is integrated into the base. The first end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the joint at the top. The second end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the finger drive motor. Rotation of the output shaft of the finger drive motor can cause the traction rope to wrap around the output shaft.

[0012] In some embodiments, a return torsion spring is also included, which is disposed between the two joints and close to the inner surface, with its two ends fixedly connected to the bottom of the upper joint and the top of the lower joint, respectively.

[0013] In some embodiments, the shearing mechanism includes a mounting plate, a shearing drive mechanism, a blade holder, and a shearing blade. A rotary drive device is integrated at the upper end of the second joint at the top. The output end of the rotary drive device is fixedly connected to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate is capable of deflecting inward or outward. The shearing drive mechanism includes two electric sliders that are slidably disposed on the mounting plate. The shearing blade is fixedly disposed on the blade holder, and the blade holder is fixedly connected to the electric sliders.

[0014] The present invention also provides a harvesting machine, including a harvesting machine body and a harvesting end effector as described above.

[0015] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art:

[0016] The harvesting end effector provided by this invention, when harvesting is required, first controls the first driving mechanism to bend the flexible adsorption and shearing fingers, which then adhere to the outer surface of the mango. Next, the controllers of the first and second flexible negative pressure suction cups are activated, causing the flexible negative pressure suction cups to adsorb the mango. This synergistic effect of adsorption followed by adhesion avoids damage from rigid contact and, through the use of multiple sets of flexible negative pressure suction cups, achieves multi-point adsorption, providing an extremely stable holding force far exceeding that of traditional suction cups. This effectively prevents the fruit from falling during shearing and vibration, fundamentally achieving zero-damage and high-success-rate mango grasping. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the harvesting end effector in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first angle of the harvesting end effector in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the picking finger structure in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a second-angle schematic diagram of the end effector in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1-Harvesting robotic arm; 2-Flexible adsorption and bonding finger; 201-First joint; 202-First flexible negative pressure suction cup; 3-Flexible adsorption and shearing finger; 301-Second joint; 302-Shearing mechanism; 3021-Mounting plate; 3022-Shearing drive mechanism; 3023-Knife holder; 3024-Shearing blade; 303-Second flexible negative pressure suction cup; 4-Base; 5-Binocular depth camera; 6-Fixed bracket; 7-Connecting pin; 8-Locking nut; 9-Pin; 10-Miniature vacuum pump; 11-Central manifold; 12-Branch hose; 13-Flexible substrate. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] The purpose of this invention is to provide a harvesting end effector and a harvesting machine to solve the problems existing in the prior art, enabling non-destructive and flexible grasping of irregular and fragile fruits, and reducing the harvesting damage rate.

[0025] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] like Figures 1-4As shown, this invention provides a harvesting end effector, including a harvesting robotic arm 1, a base 4, a first drive mechanism, a second drive mechanism, and harvesting fingers. The harvesting fingers include multiple flexible adsorption and bonding fingers 2 and multiple flexible adsorption and shearing fingers 3. The harvesting robotic arm 1 is used to connect to the main body of the harvester. The base 4 is located at the end of the harvesting robotic arm 1 away from the main body of the harvester. The flexible adsorption and bonding fingers 2 and the flexible adsorption and shearing fingers 3 are arranged alternately on the base 4 and form a clamping space. The flexible adsorption and bonding fingers 2 include multiple first joints 201 and multiple sets of first flexible negative pressure suction cups 202. Adjacent two Each first joint 201 is rotatably connected, and a set of first flexible negative pressure suction cups 202 is fixedly installed on the inner side of each first joint 201. The flexible adsorption shearing finger 3 includes a shearing mechanism 302, multiple second joints 301, and multiple sets of second flexible negative pressure suction cups 303. Adjacent second joints 301 are rotatably connected, and a set of second flexible negative pressure suction cups 303 is fixedly installed on the inner side of each second joint 301. The shearing mechanism 302 is located on the top second joint 301. A first driving mechanism is used to drive the picking finger to bend, and a second driving mechanism is used to drive the shearing mechanism 302. When picking is required, the first driving mechanism is first controlled to make the flexible adsorption fitting finger 2 and the flexible adsorption shearing finger 3 bend and fit against the outer surface of the mango. Then, the controllers of the first flexible negative pressure suction cups 202 and the second flexible negative pressure suction cups 303 are activated, so that the flexible negative pressure suction cups adsorb the mango. The synergistic effect of first adhering and then adsorbing avoids the damage caused by rigid contact, and by setting up multiple sets of flexible negative pressure suction cups to achieve multi-point adsorption, it provides an extremely stable holding force far exceeding that of traditional suction cups, effectively preventing the fruit from falling during shearing and vibration, and fundamentally achieving zero damage and high success rate in grasping mangoes.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, each joint is preferably configured as an H-shaped structure, with multiple reinforcing plates between the two plates, and two adjacent joints are rotatably connected by a pin 9. Furthermore, the first joint 201 and the second joint 301 are both preferably configured with three joints, which can simulate fingers and achieve a greater degree of fit. The H-shaped structure, composed of two plates and multiple reinforcing plates, significantly improves bending and torsional stiffness compared to traditional single-piece joints, effectively withstanding the load and vibration impact during adsorption and shearing processes, preventing joint deformation or breakage, and extending the service life of the picking fingers. The three joints of the first joint 201 and the second joint 301 simulate the multi-joint flexion and extension characteristics of human fingers, allowing for greater bending and deformation angles, and enabling a close fit to the spherical contour of the mango, especially suitable for mango varieties of different sizes and shapes.

[0029] It should be noted that the picking robotic arm 1 is connected to the main body of the picking machine via a connecting pin 7, and a locking nut 8 is provided at the end of the connecting pin 7. The connecting pin 7 can pass through the picking robotic arm 1 and the main body of the picking machine and be threadedly connected to the locking nut 8. The picking robotic arm 1 can rotate relative to the main body of the picking machine around the axis of the connecting pin 7.

[0030] In some embodiments, the harvesting end effector further includes an image acquisition system and a central control system. The image acquisition system is mounted on the harvesting robotic arm 1. The image acquisition system, the controller of the first drive mechanism, the controller of the second drive mechanism, and the controller of the flexible negative pressure suction cup are all electrically connected to the central control system. The image acquisition system can collect information such as the location coordinates, maturity, and size of the mango in real time and transmit the data to the central control system. The system can automatically identify the target fruit, plan the bending angle of the flexible fingers, the contact path, and the suction cup adsorption area, solving the problems of difficulty in finding fruit and large positioning deviations in traditional manual operation or simple mechanical harvesting. The central control system can adjust the adsorption force parameters according to the differences in fruit maturity and size, avoiding applying excessive adsorption force to mangoes with high maturity and more fragile skin, further ensuring zero damage to the fruit. After the image acquisition system completes positioning, it automatically triggers the first drive mechanism to drive the flexible fingers to bend and fit. After the fit is in place, it automatically starts the negative pressure suction cup adsorption. After the adsorption is stable, it instructs the second drive mechanism to start cutting. Each action does not require manual intervention, the connection is precise and there are no redundant steps, which greatly shortens the single harvesting cycle and improves the efficiency of large-scale operations.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the image acquisition system includes a fixed support 6 and a binocular depth camera 5. The fixed support 6 has a right-angled triangular cross-section, with one right-angled side attached to the picking robotic arm 1 and the other right-angled side horizontally positioned. The binocular depth camera 5 is fixedly mounted on the fixed support 6. The binocular depth camera 5 acquires images of mangoes on the fruit tree in real time. The central control system uses deep learning algorithms to analyze the image data, which can not only identify and lock onto ripe mangoes within the field of view based on features such as color, texture, and shape, but also accurately calculate the three-dimensional spatial coordinates, size, and specific position and posture of the fruit stem for each target fruit. After the target is locked, the central control system, combined with the robot's kinematics model, plans an optimized, collision-free approach path from the current position to the target fruit for the picking robotic arm 1, enabling automated picking. Compared to a monocular camera, the binocular depth camera 5 can directly acquire three-dimensional spatial data of the target fruit. Combined with deep learning algorithms for accurate recognition of color, texture, and shape, it can not only locate ripe mangoes but also accurately calculate fruit size, stem position, and posture, solving the problems of large two-dimensional positioning errors and blurry stem recognition in traditional vision systems. The mounting bracket 6 adopts a right-angled triangular cross-section design, ensuring a stable structure and balanced center of gravity, guaranteeing the stability of the binocular depth camera 5 after installation, and avoiding image blurring caused by camera shake during robotic arm movement.

[0032] In some embodiments, the base 4 and the picking robotic arm 1 are connected via a ball joint. A magnetic ball head is fixedly connected to the bottom of the base 4, and a ball socket is provided at the top of the picking robotic arm 1. An electromagnetic drive stator coil is integrated within the ball socket. The electromagnetic drive stator coil is connected to a power supply via a wire, and the power supply controller is connected to the central control system via electrical signals. The ball joint structure supports 360° omnidirectional rotation of the base. Combined with the 3D positioning data received by the binocular camera from the central control system, the spatial posture of the base 4 and the picking fingers can be finely adjusted in real time. Even if the robotic arm has a slight positioning deviation, or the fruit tilts due to the swaying of branches, the system can control the current distribution of the electromagnetic drive stator coil to drive the magnetic ball head to precisely deflect the base 4, ensuring that the flexible adsorption and bonding fingers 2 and the flexible adsorption and shearing fingers 3 are completely adhered to the fruit surface, avoiding insufficient adsorption force or uneven adhesion caused by localized suspension. For scenarios where fruit trees are obstructed or fruits grow at unusual angles (such as tilted or inverted), the base 4 can flexibly adjust the harvesting direction via a ball joint, eliminating the need to replan the overall path of the robotic arm and significantly improving harvesting accessibility in complex growing environments. The ball joint uses a magnetic ball head and an integrated electromagnetic drive stator coil design, eliminating the need for additional complex linkages, hydraulic lines, and other transmission components. This results in a compact and lightweight structure, effectively reducing the end-effector load of the harvesting robotic arm 1, minimizing energy consumption, and simultaneously improving the arm's movement flexibility and response speed. It also shortens the time for posture adjustment and path movement, further enhancing harvesting efficiency.

[0033] In some embodiments, the harvesting end effector further includes a miniature vacuum pump 10 and pneumatic tubing. The miniature vacuum pump 10 is fixedly mounted on the harvesting robotic arm 1. One end of the pneumatic tubing is connected to and communicates with the miniature vacuum pump 10, and the other end of the pneumatic tubing is connected to and communicates with the flexible negative pressure suction cups. The pneumatic tubing includes a central manifold 11 and multiple branch hoses 12. The central manifold 11 is integrated inside the harvesting robotic arm 1 and extends out of the base 4. The branch hoses 12 are connected to and communicate with the central manifold 11, and the branch hoses 12 extend into the harvesting fingers and communicate with the flexible negative pressure suction cups. The central manifold 11 is integrated inside the harvesting robotic arm 1 and extends out of the base 4 to achieve centralized delivery of negative pressure air source, avoiding the risk of entanglement and scratching caused by exposed tubing. The branch hoses 12 extend into the harvesting fingers and communicate with each flexible negative pressure suction cup. The tubing route is fully adapted to the joint structure of the harvesting fingers, does not affect the bending and fitting movements of the flexible fingers, and avoids the failure of exposed tubing due to pulling and squeezing caused by the movement of the robotic arm. The central manifold 11, serving as the main air supply channel, is integrated within the robotic arm and is not easily damaged. Each branch hose 12 corresponds to a suction cup; if a suction cup or branch hose 12 becomes blocked or leaks, it can be individually removed and replaced without disassembling the entire negative pressure system, significantly shortening maintenance time and reducing maintenance costs. Both the central manifold 11 and branch hoses 12 are made of lightweight materials, and the piping runs along the inside of the robotic arm and picking fingers, eliminating the need for additional support structures. This effectively controls the overall weight of the end effector, reduces the load on the robotic arm, and improves the robotic arm's motion response speed and path planning flexibility.

[0034] In some embodiments, the harvesting end effector further includes a flexible substrate 13, which is attached to the inner surface of the harvesting finger. Flexible negative pressure suction cups are fixedly mounted on the flexible substrate 13, and each set of flexible negative pressure suction cups includes multiple micro-suction cups arranged in an array on the flexible substrate 13, with multiple cups arranged both vertically and horizontally. When the harvesting finger bends, the flexible substrate 13 adaptively and pressurelessly conforms tightly to the contour of the fruit, creating optimal conditions for adsorption. Subsequently, the array of micro-suction cups distributed on the flexible substrate 13 is activated, forming a distributed and uniform negative pressure holding field. The flexible substrate 13, attached to the inner surface of the harvesting finger, can deform synchronously with the bending of the finger joint, pressurelessly and tightly conforming to the contours of mangoes of different shapes and sizes, filling the tiny gaps between the finger joint and the fruit surface, forming a continuous and complete bonding surface, creating a more airtight precondition for subsequent negative pressure adsorption. Furthermore, the flexible material of the substrate has a cushioning effect, completely avoiding rigid contact during the bonding process, further preventing indentations or damage to the fruit skin caused by localized compression. Each set of flexible negative pressure suction cups employs an array of multiple micro-suction cups. Compared to traditional single or large-sized suction cups, the suction force is more evenly distributed and the contact area is wider. The resulting distributed negative pressure holding field can act on multiple tiny areas on the fruit surface, significantly reducing the risk of epidermal damage caused by excessive local negative pressure. Multi-point distributed suction can effectively disperse the vibration and impact forces during shearing and transfer. Even if individual micro-suction cups fail to adhere due to fruit surface texture or impurities, the remaining suction cups can still maintain overall holding force, preventing the fruit from falling and significantly improving the reliability of suction under complex working conditions.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first drive mechanism includes a finger drive motor and a traction rope. The finger drive motor is integrated within the base 4. The first end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the joint at the top, and the second end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the finger drive motor. Rotation of the output shaft of the finger drive motor can cause the traction rope to wind around the output shaft. Each phalanx of each finger has a channel through which the traction rope passes. Crucially, the channel is not located on the central axis of the phalanx, but rather eccentrically positioned near the working surface of the finger (i.e., the inner side of the finger, the side that contacts the fruit), so that the force path of the traction rope is located inside the axis of the pin 9. One end of a high-strength, flexible traction rope is fixed inside the last phalanx of the finger, and the other end passes through the eccentric channel of each phalanx and connects to the output shaft of the finger drive motor within the base 4. This drive method completely simulates the natural bending trajectory of human fingers, allowing the picking fingers to gradually wrap around the curved surface of the mango. Compared to traditional linkage or gear drives, the bending action is gentler and the fit is tighter, avoiding fruit compression damage caused by abrupt movements. The winding length of the traction rope is linearly related to the rotation angle of the motor. The central control system can steplessly adjust the bending angle of the picking fingers by precisely controlling the motor speed and the number of rotations, adapting to the wrapping needs of mangoes of different sizes and shapes.

[0036] The working principle is as follows: When the motor inside the base 4 winds up the traction rope, the rope is tightened. Since the traction rope is located inside the pin 9, the tension of the rope and the center of the pin 9 form a certain eccentric distance; according to the lever principle, this tension generates a rotational torque pointing towards the palm on each finger joint. This torque forces each finger joint to rotate and fold inward around the pin 9, thereby causing the entire finger to bend and curl, achieving flexible wrapping of the fruit; when the motor releases the rope, the tension disappears.

[0037] In some embodiments, the harvesting end effector further includes a return torsion spring, which is disposed between the two joints and near the inner surface. The two ends of the return torsion spring are fixedly connected to the bottom of the upper joint and the top of the lower joint, respectively. The return torsion spring is disposed on the inner side of adjacent joints, with its two ends fixed to the upper and lower joints, respectively. When the finger-driven motor winds up the traction rope, the torsion spring stores force synchronously with the bending of the finger joint. After the motor releases the traction rope, the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring drives each finger joint to quickly and smoothly unfold and reset, eliminating the need for an additional reverse drive mechanism. After harvesting, the torsion spring drives the harvesting finger to quickly open and detach from the fruit surface, preventing the harvesting finger from rubbing against the fruit after the suction force is released. Simultaneously, the reset harvesting finger can immediately enter the next harvesting cycle, shortening the work interval and improving overall harvesting efficiency.

[0038] In some embodiments, the shearing mechanism 302 includes a mounting plate 3021, a shearing drive mechanism 3022, a blade holder 3023, and a shearing blade 3024. A rotary drive device is integrated at the upper end of the second joint 301 at the top. The output end of the rotary drive device is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 3021, and the mounting plate 3021 can deflect inward or outward. The shearing drive mechanism 3022 includes two electric sliders that are slidably disposed on the mounting plate 3021. The shearing blade 3024 is fixedly disposed on the blade holder 3023, and the blade holder 3023 is fixedly connected to the electric sliders. The top second joint 301 integrates a rotary drive device, which can drive the mounting plate 3021 and the shearing blade 3024 to deflect inward or outward. Combined with the three-dimensional coordinate data of the fruit stalk received by the central control system, it can precisely adjust the cutting angle and position of the blade, ensuring the blade is directly facing the fruit stalk for cutting. The rotary drive has a wide angle adjustment range, adapting to complex conditions such as fruit growing at an angle or fruit stalks hidden among branches and leaves. Even with special angles between the fruit and branches, it can achieve interference-free cutting by deflecting the blade, improving the harvesting success rate. The movement stroke and speed of the electric slider can be precisely controlled by the central control system: for fruit stalks of different thicknesses, the opening and closing range of the blades and the cutting speed can be adjusted to achieve universal cutting of fruit stalks of different thicknesses, eliminating the need to change blades and adapting to the harvesting needs of different mango varieties. The action of the shearing mechanism 302 and the flexible adsorption and bonding action form a closed-loop linkage: after the micro suction cup array forms a stable negative pressure holding field, the rotary drive device adjusts the blade to the optimal shearing position, and then the dual electric slider drives the blade to complete the shearing; the small vibrations generated by shearing are offset by the distributed negative pressure adsorption force, and with the buffering effect of the flexible substrate 13, the fruit is effectively prevented from falling due to shearing vibration, and fully automatic harvesting can be achieved.

[0039] Example 2

[0040] The present invention also provides a harvesting machine, including a harvesting machine body and a harvesting end effector as described above, which can realize non-destructive flexible grasping of irregular and fragile fruits and reduce the harvesting damage rate.

[0041] Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A picking end effector, characterized by: The system includes a harvesting robotic arm, a base, a first drive mechanism, a second drive mechanism, and harvesting fingers. The harvesting fingers include multiple flexible adsorption / adhesion fingers and multiple flexible adsorption / shearing fingers. The harvesting robotic arm is connected to the main body of the harvester. The base is located at the end of the harvesting robotic arm away from the main body of the harvester. The flexible adsorption / adhesion fingers and the flexible adsorption / shearing fingers are arranged alternately on the base to form a clamping space. Each flexible adsorption / adhesion finger includes multiple first joints and multiple sets of first flexible negative pressure suction cups. Adjacent first joints are rotatably connected, and a set of first flexible negative pressure suction cups is fixedly installed on the inner side of each first joint. Each flexible adsorption / shearing finger includes a shearing mechanism, multiple second joints, and multiple sets of second flexible negative pressure suction cups. Adjacent second joints are rotatably connected, and a set of second flexible negative pressure suction cups is fixedly installed on the inner side of each second joint. The shearing mechanism is located on the top second joint. The first drive mechanism drives the harvesting fingers to bend, and the second drive mechanism drives the shearing mechanism. The shearing mechanism includes a mounting plate, a shearing drive mechanism, a blade holder, and a shearing blade. A rotary drive device is integrated at the upper end of the second joint at the top. The output end of the rotary drive device is fixedly connected to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate can deflect inward or outward. The shearing drive mechanism includes two electric sliders, which are slidably disposed on the mounting plate. The shearing blade is fixedly disposed on the blade holder, and the blade holder is fixedly connected to the electric sliders.

2. The picking end effector of claim 1, wherein: It also includes an image acquisition system and a central control system. The image acquisition system is mounted on the harvesting robotic arm. The image acquisition system, the controller of the first drive mechanism, the controller of the second drive mechanism, and the controller of the flexible negative pressure suction cup are all electrically connected to the central control system.

3. The picking end effector of claim 2, wherein: The base and the harvesting robot arm are connected by a ball joint. A magnetic ball head is fixedly connected to the bottom of the base, and a ball socket is provided at the top of the harvesting robot arm. An electromagnetic drive stator coil is integrated in the ball socket. The electromagnetic drive stator coil is connected to the power supply through a wire, and the controller of the power supply is connected to the central control system by electrical signals.

4. The picking end effector of claim 1, wherein: It also includes a miniature vacuum pump and a pneumatic pipeline. The miniature vacuum pump is fixedly mounted on the harvesting robotic arm. One end of the pneumatic pipeline is connected to and communicates with the miniature vacuum pump, and the other end of the pneumatic pipeline is connected to and communicates with a flexible negative pressure suction cup.

5. The picking end effector of claim 4, wherein: The pneumatic pipeline includes a central manifold and multiple branch hoses. The central manifold is integrated into the harvesting robotic arm and extends out of the base. The branch hoses are connected to and communicate with the central manifold, and the branch hoses extend into the harvesting fingers and communicate with the flexible negative pressure suction cup.

6. The picking end effector of claim 1, wherein: It also includes a flexible substrate, which is attached to the inner surface of the picking finger, and the flexible negative pressure suction cup is fixedly disposed on the flexible substrate, and each set of the flexible negative pressure suction cup includes multiple micro suction cups.

7. The harvesting end effector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first driving mechanism includes a finger drive motor and a traction rope. The finger drive motor is integrated into the base. The first end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the joint at the top. The second end of the traction rope is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the finger drive motor. Rotation of the output shaft of the finger drive motor can drive the traction rope to wrap around the output shaft.

8. The harvesting end effector according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes a reset torsion spring, which is disposed between the two joints and close to the inner surface, with its two ends fixedly connected to the bottom of the upper joint and the top of the lower joint, respectively.

9. A harvesting machine, characterized in that: It includes the main body of the harvester and the harvesting end effector as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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