Crop leaf removing device

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of agricultural equipment, and discloses a crop leaf removing device which comprises a vehicle body. The differential conveyor belt comprises a limiting belt and a lower conveyor belt opposite to the limiting belt, the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt are both arranged on the vehicle body, and an overturning channel is arranged between the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt; the limiting belt and the lower conveying belt extrude crops located in the overturning channel, the conveying speed of the limiting belt is smaller than that of the lower conveying belt, the lower conveying belt is located below the limiting belt, and a leaf outlet through groove is formed in the lower conveying belt. The leaf removing clamping jaw is located below the leaf outlet through groove, and the leaf removing clamping jaw is used for clamping the crop leaves falling from the leaf outlet through groove. According to the lettuce leaf removing device, lettuce leaves are clamped through the leaf removing clamping jaw, then lettuces are pushed into the inner ring of the annular cutter disc, fine cutting and leaf removing are achieved, and lettuce damage is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of agricultural machinery and equipment, and in particular to a crop defoliation device. Background Technology

[0002] Lettuce, as an important economic vegetable, is one of the main categories of vegetables exported and consumed domestically in my country, characterized by high yield, wide planting range, and stable market demand. In southern my country, especially in Guangdong, the yield of lettuce per mu (approximately 0.16 acres) can typically reach over 2,500 kg. However, despite the continuous expansion of the lettuce industry, my country's agricultural production still faces significant shortcomings in mechanization and intelligentization. Currently, harvesting and defoliation of lettuce are still mainly done manually, which is labor-intensive and inefficient. Furthermore, manual operation struggles to guarantee consistency and stable crop quality when facing the demands of large-scale, standardized planting, severely hindering the modernization of the lettuce industry.

[0003] In the existing technology, some regions have tried to use mechanized equipment for cutting and harvesting lettuce. However, traditional lettuce harvesters generally have the following problems during operation: the mechanical cutting parts are simple, and they usually only cut the lettuce by rotating blades. It is difficult to achieve fine processing of the lettuce petioles, which makes the lettuce skin or petioles easy to be scratched or torn, seriously affecting the commodity economic value. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to address the issue of easy damage to the lettuce skin or petioles.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a crop defoliation device, comprising: a vehicle body; a differential conveyor belt, the differential conveyor belt including a limiting belt and a lower conveyor belt disposed opposite to the limiting belt, both the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt being disposed on the vehicle body, a flipping channel being provided between the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt, the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt pressing the crop located in the flipping channel, the conveying speed of the limiting belt being less than the conveying speed of the lower conveyor belt, the lower conveyor belt being located below the limiting belt, and the lower conveyor belt having a leaf outlet groove; and a defoliation gripper, the defoliation gripper being located below the leaf outlet groove, the defoliation gripper being used to grip crop leaves falling from the leaf outlet groove.

[0006] Furthermore, it also includes a pushing mechanism and an annular de-leaf assembly. The pushing mechanism includes a placement plate and an electric push rod. The placement plate is disposed on the vehicle body and located below the second end of the lower conveyor. The electric push rod is disposed on the top of the placement plate. The annular de-leaf assembly is disposed on one side of the placement plate. The annular de-leaf assembly includes an annular base, an annular gear, a motor, and multiple blade de-leaf components. Each blade de-leaf component includes a connecting rod, a sleeve rod, a slide rod, and blades. The first end of the sleeve rod is disposed on the annular base, and the second end of the sleeve rod extends toward the center of the annular base. The first end of the slide rod is slidably disposed within the sleeve rod, and a spring is provided between the first end of the slide rod and the first end of the sleeve rod. The blades are disposed on the second end of the slide rod, and the multiple blades surround to form an annular cutting edge. The two ends of the connecting rod are rotatably connected to the side of the slide rod and the annular gear, respectively. The motor is used to drive the annular gear to rotate, thereby adjusting the diameter of the annular cutting edge.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a pushing mechanism and an annular cutter head. The pushing mechanism includes a placement plate and an electric push rod. The placement plate is disposed on the vehicle body and is located below the second end of the lower conveyor. The electric push rod is disposed on the top of the placement plate. The annular cutter head is disposed on one side of the placement plate. The inner ring surface of the annular cutter head is provided with a first blade. The electric push rod is used to push the lettuce on the placement plate into the inner ring surface of the annular cutter head.

[0008] Furthermore, the annular cutter head includes a frame, a first inner ring, a second inner ring, multiple first springs, and multiple cutter holders. The frame is disposed on one side of the placement plate. The first inner ring and the second inner ring are concentrically disposed on the frame. The diameter of the first inner ring is larger than the diameter of the second inner ring. The cutter holders are rotatably disposed on the second inner ring. The two ends of the first springs are respectively connected to the first inner ring and the first end side of the cutter holder. The first blade is disposed on the second end of the cutter holder. The first blades on the multiple cutter holders surround to form an annular cutting edge.

[0009] Furthermore, the placement plate is provided with a through groove located below the second end of the lower conveyor belt. The extension direction of the through groove is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the lower conveyor belt. The electric push rod and the annular blade are located at the two ends of the through groove, respectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the leaf-removing gripper includes a first gripper, a second gripper, a rotating shaft, a fixed rod, and two connecting rods. The vehicle body is provided with a slide rail. The first gripper and the second gripper are slidably disposed on the slide rail. The first gripper and the second gripper are located below the leaf-exit groove. The first end of the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed within the slide rail. The second end of the rotating shaft is perpendicularly connected to the middle of the fixed rod. The two ends of the fixed rod are rotatably connected to the first ends of the two connecting rods, respectively. The second ends of the two connecting rods are rotatably connected to the first gripper and the second gripper, respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, both the first gripper and the second gripper are provided with a second blade, with the second blade of the first gripper and the second blade of the second gripper facing each other.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a cutting mechanism, which is disposed on the first end of the vehicle body. The cutting mechanism has an inlet and an outlet, and is used to cut lettuce at the inlet position. The input end of the conveying mechanism is located below the outlet of the cutting mechanism.

[0013] Furthermore, the cutting mechanism includes a circular saw, two straightening plates, and two flexible conveyor belts. The drive shafts of the two flexible conveyor belts are vertically opposite each other on the vehicle body. The first end of the flexible conveyor belt is connected to the input end of the conveying mechanism. The straightening plate is disposed on the second end of the flexible conveyor belt. The circular saw is disposed on the bottom of the second end of the flexible conveyor belt. The feed inlet and the discharge outlet are respectively located at both ends of the flexible conveyor belt.

[0014] Furthermore, the first end of the flexible conveyor belt is provided with an inclined plate that is erected vertically. The thickness of the inclined plate gradually increases in the direction away from the flexible conveyor belt, and the thickness of the top of the inclined plate is greater than the thickness of the bottom of the inclined plate.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a leaf-crushing mechanism, which includes a leaf-crushing spiral cutter, a second spring, and two shaking plates. The leaf-crushing spiral cutter is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body. The two ends of the second spring are respectively connected to the vehicle body and the bottom of the shaking plates. The leaf-crushing spiral cutter is located between the two shaking plates. Both the shaking plates and the leaf-crushing spiral cutter are located below the leaf-removing gripper. The shaking plates are inclined, and the height of the end of the shaking plate near the leaf-crushing spiral cutter is lower than the height of the end away from the leaf-crushing spiral cutter.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the defoliation device for crops according to this invention has the following advantages: By setting a differential speed conveyor belt on the vehicle body, it is possible to automatically transport and flip harvested lettuce in the flipping channel. The limiting belt of the differential speed conveyor belt operates at a speed lower than the lower conveyor belt, thus creating a relative speed difference. This causes the lettuce, sandwiched between the limiting belt and the lower conveyor belt, to rotate in the flipping channel, resulting in a self-rolling effect and movement along the transport direction of the lower conveyor belt, facilitating leaf exposure and uniform processing. The defoliation grippers are located on the lower conveyor belt... Below the leaf outlet groove, to prevent the leaf-removing gripper from colliding with the lower conveyor belt during operation, the leaf-removing gripper first clamps the lettuce leaves hanging down from the leaf outlet groove of the lower conveyor belt. As the lettuce moves forward due to the differential speed conveyor belt, the lettuce leaves fixed in position by the leaf-removing gripper are pulled, causing the lettuce leaves to detach from the lettuce. Moreover, the pulling force mainly acts on the petiole, avoiding excessive compression on the lettuce stem. This completes the leaf removal process, minimizing direct force and friction on the lettuce skin and effectively reducing damage to the lettuce skin and petiole. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a first perspective view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a second perspective view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 4 This is a left view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 5 This is a right view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 6 This is a first cross-sectional view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 7 This is a second cross-sectional view of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A magnified view of a portion of the image; Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the annular cutter disc of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the annular cutter disc of the crop defoliation device provided by the present invention.

[0018] The correspondence between the reference numerals and the component names is as follows: 1. Car body; 11. Slide rail; 101. Discharge channel; 2. Conveying mechanism; 3. Differential conveyor belt; 31. Limiting belt; 32. Lower conveyor belt; 301. Leaf outlet slot; 4. Leaf removal gripper; 41. First gripper; 42. Second gripper; 43. Rotating shaft; 44. Fixed rod; 45. Connecting rod; 46. Second blade; 5. Pushing mechanism; 51. Placement plate; 52. Electric push rod; 501. Through slot; 6. Annular cutter head; 61. First blade; 62. Frame; 63. First inner ring; 64. Second inner ring; 65. First spring; 66. Blade holder; 7. Cutting mechanism; 71. Circular saw; 72. Straightening plate; 73. Flexible conveyor belt; 74. Inclined plate; 701. Feed inlet; 702. Discharge outlet; 8. Leaf crushing mechanism; 81. Leaf crushing spiral cutter; 82. Second spring; 83. Vibrating plate. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments of the present invention, including various details to aid understanding. These details should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0020] like Figures 1 to 10As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a crop defoliation device, comprising: a vehicle body 1, the vehicle body 1 having a slide rail 11; a conveying mechanism 2, the conveying mechanism 2 being disposed on the vehicle body 1, the conveying mechanism 2 being used to transport the cut crops; and a differential conveyor belt 3, the differential conveyor belt 3 including a limiting belt 31 and a lower conveyor belt 32 disposed opposite to the limiting belt 31, both the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 being disposed on the vehicle body 1, a turning channel being provided between the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32, the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 31 pressing the crops located in the turning channel, the conveying speed of the limiting belt 31 being unequal to the conveying speed of the lower conveyor belt 32, the first end of the lower conveyor belt 32 being connected to the output end of the conveying mechanism 2, the lower conveyor belt 32 being located below the limiting belt 31, and the slide rail 11 being located on the lower conveyor belt 32. Below, the lower conveyor belt 32 is provided with a leaf outlet groove 301; a leaf removal gripper 4, which includes a first gripper 41 and a second gripper 42, the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42 are slidably disposed on the slide rail 11, the first gripper 41 and the second gripper are located below the leaf outlet groove, the leaf removal gripper 4 is used to grab crop leaves falling from the leaf outlet groove; a pushing mechanism 5, which includes a placement plate 51 and an electric push rod 52, the placement plate 51 is disposed on the vehicle body 1, the placement plate 51 is located below the second end of the lower conveyor belt 32, the electric push rod 52 is disposed on the top of the placement plate 51; an annular cutter disc 6, which is disposed on one side of the placement plate 51, the inner ring surface of the annular cutter disc 6 is provided with a first blade 61, the electric push rod 52 is used to push the lettuce on the placement plate 51 into the inner ring surface of the annular cutter disc 6.

[0021] The crop defoliation device of this application, by setting a conveyor mechanism 2 and a differential conveyor belt 3 on the vehicle body 1, can realize the automatic conveying and turning of harvested lettuce. The upper and lower layers of the differential conveyor belt 3 run at different speeds, so that the lettuce transported from the conveyor mechanism 2 to the differential conveyor belt 3 will have a self-rolling effect during the conveying process, which facilitates the exposure of leaves and uniform processing. The defoliation claw 4 is driven by a motor to realize the reciprocating opening and closing motion. The defoliation claw 4 is located below the leaf outlet groove 301 of the lower conveyor belt 32, so that the defoliation claw 4 and the lower conveyor belt 32 are kept at an appropriate distance to avoid collision between the defoliation claw 4 and the lower conveyor belt 32 during operation. The defoliation claw 4 located below the lower conveyor belt 32 slides along the slide rail 11 to complete the operation of clamping the lettuce leaves hanging from the leaf outlet groove 301. The defoliation claw 4 first clamps and cuts the hanging leaves of the lettuce. The force is mainly applied to the petiole to avoid excessive compression of the lettuce stem, thus completing the initial defoliation.

[0022] Specifically, the lettuce, after initial leaf removal, is transported to the placement plate 51 via differential conveyor belt 3. An electric pusher 52 at the placement plate 51 pushes the lettuce into the inner ring of the annular cutter disc 6, primarily removing the top small leaves and residual leaves. This precise cutting with a small contact area achieves fine leaf removal. Through the synergistic effect of differential conveyor and the dual leaf removal components, not only is leaf removal efficiency and automation significantly improved, but direct force and friction on the lettuce skin are also minimized, effectively reducing damage to the lettuce skin and petioles.

[0023] The dual leaf-removing components effectively reduce lettuce skin damage through phased synergistic action: Lettuce transported by a self-tumbling conveyor belt 3 is initially gripped and cut by the leaf-removing grippers 4, with the force primarily acting on the petioles to avoid excessive pressure on the lettuce stem; subsequently, lettuce transported by the differential conveyor belt 3 to the placement plate 51 is pushed by an electric push rod 52 into the inner ring blade of the annular cutter disc 6 for fine cutting, mainly treating the top small leaves and residual leaves, with precise cutting and a small contact area; the reasonable division of labor and dispersed force, coupled with a stable conveying process, ensure a continuous and smooth leaf-removing process, thereby minimizing direct force and friction on the lettuce skin and effectively reducing the skin damage rate.

[0024] By installing a conveyor mechanism 2 and a differential conveyor belt 3 on the vehicle body 1, automatic conveying and turning of harvested lettuce can be achieved, allowing the lettuce to automatically adjust its posture during conveying, facilitating subsequent leaf removal. Combined with the linkage structure of the leaf-removing gripper 4 and the annular cutter disc 6, staged and continuous leaf removal can be achieved during conveying, significantly reducing manual intervention and improving overall work efficiency. The limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 operate at different speeds, causing the lettuce to self-tumble during its forward movement, thus achieving uniform treatment of all parts of the lettuce and avoiding incomplete leaf removal or skin damage caused by fixed clamping, further enhancing the adaptability and stability of the device. The leaf-removing gripper 4, guided by the slide rail 11 and driven by a motor, automatically grips and cuts the lettuce petioles. It can adaptively adjust its position and gripping force according to different sizes of lettuce, ensuring thorough leaf removal while avoiding damage and tearing of the lettuce skin, significantly reducing product damage rate. The inner ring of the annular cutter head 6 is equipped with a first blade 61. Combined with the pushing action of the electric push rod 52, this allows the lettuce to accurately enter the inner ring cutting area of ​​the cutter head, achieving precise removal of any remaining petioles. The dual leaf-removal method, employing a leaf-removing gripper 4 in conjunction with the annular cutter head 6, results in higher leaf removal efficiency. With the cooperation of these two leaf-removal components, the surface treatment of the lettuce is more refined, offering higher efficiency and less damage compared to single-pass leaf removal. The annular cutter head 6 better meets the requirements for hardness and wear resistance in lettuce cutting, resulting in higher cutting efficiency. The inclusion of two leaf-removal components with different levels of precision—the leaf-removing gripper 4 and the annular cutter head 6—facilitates precise cutting of the lettuce leaves.

[0025] Specifically, the crop defoliation device also includes a baling device located below the defoliation blade. After the lettuce is defoliated by the second defoliation mechanism, it falls into the baling device, thus completing the baling and collection. The leaf outlet trough 301 can be a leaf outlet trough space left between two parallel lower conveyor belts 32, or it can be a leaf outlet trough space formed by hollowing out the lower conveyor belts 32.

[0026] Specifically, both the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 are equipped with flexible elastic pads, such as sponge pads or silicone pads, which helps to clamp lettuce of different sizes between them. The width of the lower conveyor belt 32 is greater than that of the limiting belt 31, which helps to reduce material consumption while ensuring stable transport of the lettuce. The conveying direction of the limiting belt 31 is opposite to that of the lower conveyor belt 32, or the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 move in the same direction at different speeds, thus creating a relative speed difference that causes the lettuce clamped between the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 to rotate. The slide rail 11 is parallel to the conveying direction of the lower conveyor belt 32. Both the limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 are equipped with separate power sources for driving.

[0027] Specifically, there are two differential transmission belts 3, which are arranged side by side on the vehicle body 1. Wheels are mounted on both sides of the bottom of the vehicle body 1 via axles.

[0028] Specifically, the vehicle body 1 is equipped with a slide rail 11 to guide the leaf-removing gripper 4 to slide along a specific trajectory. A conveyor mechanism 2 is mounted on the vehicle body 1. The conveyor mechanism 2 can be one of a conveyor belt, a belt conveyor, or a roller conveyor. Its function is to transport the cut lettuce to the input end of the lower conveyor belt 32 of the differential conveyor belt 3. The differential conveyor belt 3 includes a limiting belt 31 and a lower conveyor belt 32. The input end of the lower conveyor belt 32 is connected to the output end of the conveyor mechanism 2. The limiting belt 31 is located above the lower conveyor belt 32, and the slide rail 11 is located below the lower conveyor belt 32 to allow the gripper to move above it. The leaf-removing gripper 4 includes a first gripper 41 and a second gripper 42, which are slidably mounted on the slide rail 11, and can clamp and cut the lettuce leaves located on the lower conveyor belt 32. The pushing mechanism 5 includes a placement plate 51 and an electric push rod 52. The placement plate 51 is installed below the end of the lower conveyor belt 32, and the electric push rod 52 is located on top of the placement plate 51. It is used to push the lettuce, which has been partially defoliated, into the inner ring surface of the annular cutter disc 6. The annular cutter disc 6 is located on one side of the placement plate 51, and its inner ring surface is equipped with blades for fine defoliation of the lettuce. When the electric push rod 52 pushes the lettuce into the inner ring surface of the annular cutter disc 6, the remaining leaves at the top of the lettuce are cut off by the blades, achieving fine defoliation. The differential conveyor belt 3 is driven at different speeds from the lower conveyor belt 32 through the limiting belt 31, causing the lettuce to tumble during the conveying process, thereby ensuring that the grippers can fully grasp the drooping leaves.

[0029] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the first gripper and the second gripper are rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 1, thereby gripping crop leaves falling from the leaf passage groove by rotation.

[0030] like Figure 1 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the annular cutter head 6 includes a frame 62, a first inner ring 63, a second inner ring 64, a plurality of first springs 65, and a plurality of cutter holders 66. The frame 62 is disposed on one side of the placement plate 51. The first inner ring 63 and the second inner ring 64 are concentrically disposed on the frame 62. The diameter of the first inner ring 63 is larger than the diameter of the second inner ring 64. The cutter holders 66 are rotatably disposed on the second inner ring 64. The two ends of the first springs 65 are respectively connected to the first inner ring 63 and the first end side of the cutter holders 66. The first blades 61 are disposed on the second end of the cutter holders 66. The first blades 61 on the plurality of cutter holders 66 surround each other to form an annular cutting edge.

[0031] By incorporating a frame 62, concentrically arranged first inner rings 63 and 64, multiple first springs 65, and a blade holder 66, the device not only improves the precision and adaptability of leaf removal but also significantly enhances its self-adjusting capability. Driven by a motor, the annular blade disc 6 rotates the first inner ring 63 via gears, allowing for adjustable expansion and contraction of the annular blade diameter. This enables the blade to automatically adjust its cutting range according to changes in the lettuce diameter. When the lettuce enters the annular blade, the blade holder 66, under the elastic action of the first springs 65, achieves radial adaptive clamping and cutting. This maintains stable cutting pressure and fit throughout the processing of lettuce of different sizes, ensuring a smooth leaf removal process with minimal damage. During the lettuce removal process, the structure also simultaneously removes small top leaves and residual petioles, further improving the thoroughness of leaf removal and surface cleanliness. The overall design not only improves leaf removal efficiency and automation but also offers advantages such as flexible adjustment, low damage, and high adaptability, significantly addressing the problems of low leaf removal precision and high damage rate associated with traditional fixed blade disc structures.

[0032] Specifically, the two ends of the first spring 65 are rotatably connected to the first inner ring 63 and the first end side of the tool holder 66, respectively. The first inner ring 63 is a ring gear, and a motor is provided to drive the ring gear to rotate, thereby controlling the diameter of the ring-shaped cutting edge.

[0033] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the placement plate 51 is provided with a through groove 501, which is located below the second end of the lower conveyor belt 32. The extending direction of the through groove 501 is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the lower conveyor belt 32. The electric push rod 52 and the annular blade are located at the two ends of the through groove 501, respectively.

[0034] By incorporating a slot 501 structure on the placement plate 51, the lettuce can smoothly transition from the end of the lower conveyor belt 32 to the cutting area of ​​the annular cutter head 6. The extension direction of the slot 501 is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the lower conveyor belt 32, facilitating a smooth transition of the lettuce from longitudinal transport to lateral pushing, preventing deviation, jamming, or tipping during the transfer process. The electric push rod 52 and the annular cutter head are respectively arranged at both ends of the slot 501, allowing the pushing and cutting actions to be performed continuously in the same working channel, reducing intermediate handling steps and improving overall operational continuity and automation. This structure not only optimizes the connection between lettuce transport and cutting but also effectively reduces mechanical damage to the lettuce during transfer and positioning, further enhancing the stability and efficiency of leaf removal.

[0035] Specifically, the depth of the chute is more than three times the width of the bottom of the chute. The deeper chute makes it easier to stack multiple lettuce heads vertically. The electric push rod 52 pushes the bottom lettuce head into the annular cutter disc 6 to remove the leaves.

[0036] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the leaf removal gripper 4 further includes a rotating shaft 43, a fixed rod 44, and two connecting rods 45. The first end of the rotating shaft 43 is rotatably disposed in the slide rail 11, and the second end of the rotating shaft 43 is perpendicularly connected to the middle part of the fixed rod 44. The two ends of the fixed rod 44 are respectively rotatably connected to the first ends of the two connecting rods 45, and the second ends of the two connecting rods 45 are respectively rotatably connected to the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42.

[0037] By adding a rotating shaft 43, a fixed rod 44, and a connecting rod 45 to the leaf-removing gripper structure, the opening and closing motion of the gripper becomes smoother and more flexible. One end of the rotating shaft 43 is located within the slide rail 11, enabling the gripper to slide controllably along the slide rail 11. The other end is perpendicularly connected to the fixed rod 44. The connecting rods 45 at both ends of the fixed rod 44 drive the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42 to open and close synchronously, thus forming a stable four-bar linkage mechanism. This structure can achieve uniform force and coordinated movement when gripping lettuce leaves, avoiding the problems of displacement or tearing caused by unilateral gripping. Through the rotation of the rotating shaft 43 and the linkage of the connecting rod 45, the opening and closing angle and gripping force of the gripper can be adaptively adjusted, improving the adaptability to lettuce leaves of different thicknesses and lengths. This not only improves the accuracy and stability of the leaf-removing action but also significantly reduces mechanical damage to the lettuce skin, ensuring a smooth leaf-removing process and operational reliability.

[0038] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, both the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42 are provided with a second blade 46, and the second blade 46 of the first gripper 41 and the second blade 46 of the second gripper 42 are arranged facing each other.

[0039] By further incorporating opposing second blades 46 into the structure of the leaf-removing gripper 4, the gripper 4 not only possesses a clamping function but also enables synchronous cutting during the clamping process. The second blades 46 on the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42 are positioned facing each other, forming a shearing engagement area when the grippers are closed. This allows for simultaneous leaf-breaking while gripping drooping leaves. This design transforms the leaf-removing action from a single clamping and pulling process to an integrated clamping and shearing process, significantly improving the neatness and efficiency of leaf removal. Due to the uniform shearing force and smooth cut, the tearing or residue problems caused by traditional mechanical clamping are effectively avoided, reducing the damage rate to the lettuce skin and improving the product's appearance. The compact structure and coordinated movements ensure stable leaf removal even in high-speed operating environments, further enhancing the machine's automation and precision operation capabilities.

[0040] Specifically, there are multiple leaf-removing grippers 4, which are arranged equidistantly on the slide rail 11.

[0041] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the crop defoliation device further includes a cutting mechanism 7, which is disposed on the first end of the vehicle body 1. The cutting mechanism 7 is provided with an inlet 701 and an outlet 702. The cutting mechanism 7 is used to cut lettuce at the inlet 701 position. The input end of the conveying mechanism 2 is located below the outlet 702 of the cutting mechanism 7.

[0042] By installing a cutting mechanism 7 at the front end of the vehicle body 1, the entire process of harvesting and defoliating lettuce is automated. The cutting mechanism 7 has an inlet 701 and an outlet 702, enabling precise cutting of the lettuce at the inlet position. After separating the lettuce from the root or a designated part, it is directly conveyed through the outlet 702 to the conveying mechanism 2 below, achieving a seamless continuous operation. This structural design effectively avoids delays and damage caused by manual handling or transfer between multiple devices, improving overall production efficiency and equipment synergy. The linkage between the cutting mechanism 7 and the conveying mechanism 2 not only ensures the accuracy and stability of the lettuce cutting position but also reduces the squeezing and vibration on the lettuce surface during cutting, lowering the damage rate. It achieves an integrated automated processing flow of cutting, conveying, and defoliation, significantly improving the efficiency and continuity of mechanized operations, and providing a reliable guarantee for efficient and low-loss harvesting of lettuce.

[0043] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the cutting mechanism 7 includes a circular saw 71, two straightening plates 72 and two flexible conveyor belts 73. The drive shafts of the two flexible conveyor belts 73 are arranged opposite each other on the vehicle body 1 in a vertical direction. The first end of the flexible conveyor belt 73 is connected to the input end of the conveying mechanism 2. The straightening plate 72 is arranged on the second end of the flexible conveyor belt 73. The circular saw 71 is arranged on the bottom of the second end of the flexible conveyor belt 73. The feed port 701 and the discharge port 702 are respectively located at both ends of the flexible conveyor belt 73.

[0044] By employing a combination structure of a circular saw 71, a straightening plate 72, and a flexible conveyor belt 73 in the cutting mechanism 7, the lettuce cutting process becomes more stable, efficient, and precise. The drive shafts of the two flexible conveyor belts 73 are arranged vertically opposite each other, providing double-sided clamping and guidance for the lettuce entering the feed inlet 701, effectively preventing the lettuce from shifting or tilting during transport and ensuring accurate cutting position. The straightening plate 72, located at the second end of the conveyor belt, supports and corrects the lettuce's posture, keeping it vertical before entering the circular saw 71 area, thus achieving a consistent cutting angle and a smooth cut surface. The circular saw 71, installed at the bottom of the second end of the flexible conveyor belt 73, can quickly and smoothly cut the passing lettuce, producing clean cuts with minimal damage. The cutting mechanism 7 not only improves the precision and stability of lettuce cutting but also achieves continuous automatic operation from feeding and straightening to cutting and discharging, significantly improving overall work efficiency and equipment reliability.

[0045] Specifically, the flexible conveyor belt 73 has wavy grooves on its transport surface to enhance the stability of lettuce transport.

[0046] In another optional embodiment of the present invention, a pushing mechanism and an annular de-leaf assembly are also included. The pushing mechanism includes a placement plate and an electric push rod. The placement plate is disposed on the vehicle body and is located below the second end of the lower conveyor. The electric push rod is disposed on the top of the placement plate. The annular de-leaf assembly is disposed on one side of the placement plate. The annular de-leaf assembly includes an annular base, an annular gear, a motor, and multiple blade de-leaf components. Each blade de-leaf component includes a connecting rod, a sleeve rod, a slide rod, and a blade. The first end of the sleeve rod is disposed on the annular base, and the second end of the sleeve rod extends toward the center of the annular base. The first end of the slide rod is slidably disposed within the sleeve rod. A spring is provided between the first end of the slide rod and the first end of the sleeve rod. The blade is disposed on the second end of the slide rod. Multiple blades surround to form an annular blade. The two ends of the connecting rod are rotatably connected to the side of the slide rod and the annular gear, respectively. The motor is used to drive the annular gear to rotate, thereby adjusting the diameter of the annular blade.

[0047] By incorporating an adjustable-diameter annular leaf-removing assembly on the side of the placement plate, and employing an electric pusher for precise pushing, the cutting range of the lettuce can automatically adjust according to its stem diameter when it enters the annular blade. A ring gear, driven by a motor, drives a linkage mechanism, causing multiple spring-loaded sliding rods to extend and retract synchronously. This allows the annular blade to expand or contract, achieving adaptive envelope leaf removal for lettuce of varying thicknesses. The spring's cushioning effect prevents the blade from directly and forcefully squeezing the lettuce, resulting in a gentler cut and better fit, effectively reducing skin damage. Simultaneously, the electric pusher stably pushes the lettuce into the blade area, ensuring consistent cutting position and continuous action, resulting in high leaf removal efficiency and precision, significantly improving overall automation and product consistency. The lettuce enters the annular leaf-removing assembly with the leaf-removing opening of the annular blade widened. After entering, the opening narrows, clamping the lettuce with the blade. Due to the spring's elasticity, the leaf-removing opening adapts to the lettuce's diameter, reducing damage to the stem. The annular blade adaptively removes leaves from lettuce of different sizes under the tension of a spring. This enables adaptive processing of lettuce with varying axial diameters.

[0048] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the first end of the flexible conveyor belt 73 is provided with an inclined plate 74 that is erected vertically. The thickness of the inclined plate 74 gradually increases in the direction away from the flexible conveyor belt 73, and the thickness of the top of the inclined plate 74 is greater than the thickness of the bottom of the inclined plate 74.

[0049] The structure, with its plate thickness gradually increasing from bottom to top, allows for natural adjustment of the lettuce's posture. When the lettuce reaches the first end of the flexible conveyor belt 73, the inclined plate 74 guides it, causing it to gradually tilt from a vertical to a horizontal position due to the shift in its center of gravity. Simultaneously, the thickness of the inclined plate 74 gradually increases away from the flexible conveyor belt 73, causing the lettuce to tilt laterally during its backward movement, further shifting its center of gravity and smoothly completing the tilting action. This structure achieves a smooth transition of the lettuce's posture without additional mechanical pushing, effectively ensuring smooth subsequent conveying, cutting, and leaf removal operations. It reduces potential collisions and damage to the lettuce during handling and posture adjustment, improving operational safety and automation.

[0050] When the lettuce is transported to the first end of the flexible conveyor belt 73, the lettuce on the flexible conveyor belt 73 will naturally tilt from a vertical position to a horizontal position due to the tilting and guiding effect of the inclined plate 74 and the shift in the center of gravity. The thickness of the inclined plate 74 gradually increases in the direction away from the flexible conveyor belt 73, and the thickness of the top of the inclined plate 74 is greater than the thickness of the bottom of the inclined plate 74. As the lettuce moves backward, it tilts to one side, and the gradual shift in the center of gravity causes it to tip over.

[0051] like Figure 7As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the crop defoliation device further includes a leaf-crushing mechanism 8. The leaf-crushing mechanism 8 includes a leaf-crushing spiral blade 81, a second spring 82, and two shaking plates 83. The leaf-crushing spiral blade 81 is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 1. The two ends of the second spring 82 are respectively connected to the bottom of the vehicle body 1 and the shaking plates 83. The leaf-crushing spiral blade 81 is located between the two shaking plates 83. Both the shaking plates 83 and the leaf-crushing spiral blade 81 are located below the defoliation gripper 4. The shaking plates 83 are inclined, and the height of the end of the shaking plate 83 near the leaf-crushing spiral blade 81 is lower than the height of the end away from the leaf-crushing spiral blade 81.

[0052] By installing a leaf-crushing mechanism 8 below the leaf-removing gripper 4, further crushing and processing of lettuce leaves is achieved. The leaf-crushing mechanism 8 consists of a leaf-crushing spiral blade 81, a second spring 82, and an inclined vibrating plate 83. The spiral blade rotates on the vehicle body 1, guiding the lettuce leaves, initially processed by the leaf-removing gripper 4, into the space between the spiral blades for chopping. The vibrating plate 83 is connected to the vehicle body 1 via the second spring 82. Its inclined design causes the leaves to vibrate and tumble continuously under the action of the spiral blade. The design, with a lower height near the spiral blade and a higher height away from it, creates a slope for leaf flow, facilitating the smooth passage of the leaves through the cutting area and their uniform crushing. This structure effectively prevents leaf accumulation or blockage, improves the uniformity of leaf crushing and processing efficiency, while reducing wear on the equipment and further minimizing impact and damage to the lettuce itself. It achieves efficient collaborative operation of harvesting, leaf removal, and leaf crushing, significantly improving the overall automation level and operational continuity.

[0053] like Figure 7 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body 1 is provided with a discharge channel 101, which is located below the leaf crushing spiral cutter 81.

[0054] By setting a discharge channel 101 below the leaf crushing mechanism 8, efficient discharge of lettuce leaves and residues after crushing is achieved. The discharge channel 101 cooperates with the leaf crushing spiral blade 81, so that the chopped leaves can be smoothly discharged into the field along the channel, avoiding the accumulation or blockage of leaves between the spiral blade or the shaking plate 83, thereby ensuring the continuous operation and working stability of the leaf crushing mechanism 8.

[0055] Specifically, the crop defoliation device is equipped with a solar panel on top to provide power to the device.

[0056] In an optional embodiment of the invention, the crop defoliation device further includes a sowing assembly, which consists of a movable seedling tray, bevel gears, clamping plates, planetary gears, a worm gear, and a motor. The sowing assembly has a double-sided structure, with a drilling component at the front capable of digging seedling pits four to five centimeters deep. Seedlings are placed in seedling trays on both sides, one side of which is equipped with a rack. The motor in the middle drives the rack via a transmission drive at both ends of the bevel gears, causing the seedling trays to move. The seedling clamping device consists of four sets of clamping plates, fixed in the middle by a shaft, with one end connected to a long rod. The movement of the long rod causes the clamping plates to open and close, thus gripping and releasing the seedlings. At the bottom of the seedling clamping device, the coordinated movement of planetary gears and a worm gear is cleverly utilized to synchronously raise and rotate the device, efficiently transporting the seedlings to the sowing assembly. The sowing assembly uses a cam structure to achieve regular oscillation through the coordination of a synchronous belt, a seeding lever, and a cam, precisely achieving sequential, spaced sowing of seedlings. Once a row of seedlings has been picked up, the bevel gear will move the seedling tray to fill the gap, ensuring that there are always seedlings to be picked up under the mechanical clamps. This method completes one sowing cycle with four seedlings at a time, improving efficiency compared to existing sowing components. Picking up only one seedling at a time reduces the need for repeated picking, making the sowing process more convenient.

[0057] During lettuce seedling sowing, the sowing assembly is activated. This assembly consists of three parts: a seedling raising device, a seedling clamping mechanism, and a sowing linkage 45. Initially, the seedlings are placed in a seedling tray, one side of which is shaped like a rack and pinion. A central gear motor drives two bevel gears at both ends, which mesh with the rack and pinion of the seedling tray, causing the tray to move. Then, under the coordinated transmission of the internal gear ring, planetary gears, central gear, and clamping gears, four sets of clamping plates open and close, clamping the seedlings and rotating them to the sowing linkage 45. Subsequently, the sowing linkage 45 drives a belt via a cam, which, in conjunction with pulleys, support rollers, push rods, and push shafts, causes the seedling lever to swing rhythmically, achieving intermittent sowing. After one row of seedlings has been clamped, the bevel gears move the entire seedling tray to fill in the gaps, ensuring there are always seedlings available to clamp under the clamping plates. One sowing cycle is completed with four seedlings per unit.

[0058] The working principle of the crop defoliation device of this application is as follows: When the top of the crop defoliation device is exposed to sunlight, the solar panel located on the top of the device activates to absorb solar energy, providing power to each mechanism when the light source is sufficient. When the device enters the working area, the wheels drive the device forward. Due to different terrain changes and the left and right deviations of the lettuce planting position, the steel straightening plate 72 fixed at the front of the harvesting device gathers the lettuce that has shifted position to ensure that the lettuce enters the harvesting mechanism smoothly. The circular saw 71 at the bottom of the harvesting device rotates and cuts the lettuce root, and the internal flexible conveyor belt 73 clamps the lettuce to move it. After reaching the inclined plate 74, the lettuce falls down and enters the conveying mechanism 2 for lifting, and then enters the differential conveyor belt 3 and is processed by the defoliation gripper 4. The differential conveyor belt 3 consists of a limiting belt 31 and a lower conveyor belt 32. The limiting belt 31 and the lower conveyor belt 32 are driven by motors at different speeds, enabling the lettuce to roll and move forward. The leaf-removing gripper 4, driven by a motor, moves the first gripper 41 and the second gripper 42 along the slide rail 11, thereby opening and closing the gripper 4. Longer lettuce leaves, located above the lower conveyor belt 32, are gripped by the leaf-removing gripper 4. When the gripper 4 releases, the lettuce leaves fall into the leaf-crushing device below. A high-speed leaf-crushing spiral blade 81 pulverizes the lettuce leaves, which then fall onto a vibrating plate 83 on the chassis 1. The motor's rotation drives the eccentric shaft to vibrate, causing the vibrating plate on the second spring 82 to shake, preventing leaf blockage. The lettuce, having undergone preliminary leaf removal, is pushed by an electric push rod 52 into the right-side annular cutter disc 6 for fine leaf removal. The motor connected to the gear next to the annular cutter head 6 drives the first inner ring 63 to rotate, which expands the diameter of the annular blade. After the lettuce enters the annular blade, the annular blade rotates to narrow the opening. The first spring 65 on the cutter holder 66 is compressed to achieve adaptive processing of the axial diameter change of the lettuce, and to achieve the adjustment limit of the diameter of the first spring 65. During the process of the lettuce being pushed out, the top small leaves and the rear residual leaves are removed.

[0059] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0060] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A crop leaf removal device, characterized by, The utility model relates to a kind of leaf stripping machine, including: Vehicle body; Differential transmission belt, the differential transmission belt includes limiting belt and the lower transmission belt being oppositely arranged with the limiting belt, the limiting belt and the lower transmission belt are arranged on the vehicle body, limiting belt and the lower transmission belt are equipped with turnover channel between the limiting belt and the lower transmission belt, limiting belt and the lower transmission belt extrude crop located in the turnover channel, the transport speed of the limiting belt is less than the transport speed of the lower transmission belt, the lower transmission belt is located below the limiting belt, the lower transmission belt is equipped with leaf outlet slot; Leaf stripping clamp, the leaf stripping clamp is located below the leaf outlet slot, and the leaf stripping clamp is used to clamp the crop leaf falling from the leaf outlet slot.

2. The crop leaf removal device of claim 1, wherein, It further includes pushing mechanism and annular leaf stripping assembly, the pushing mechanism includes placement plate and electric push rod, the placement plate is arranged on the vehicle body, and the placement plate is located below the second end of the lower transmission, the electric push rod is arranged on the top of the placement plate, the annular leaf stripping assembly is arranged on one side of the placement plate, and the annular leaf stripping assembly includes annular base, annular gear, motor and multiple blade leaf stripping pieces, the blade leaf stripping piece includes connecting rod, sleeve rod, slide rod and blade, the first end of the sleeve rod is arranged on the annular base, the second end of the sleeve rod extends to the center of the annular base, the first end of the slide rod is slidably arranged in the sleeve rod, the first end of the slide rod and the first end of the sleeve rod are equipped with spring, the blade is arranged on the second end of the slide rod, multiple blades are enclosed to form annular cutting edge, the connecting rod is rotatably connected with the side surface of the slide rod and the annular gear respectively, and the motor is used to drive the annular gear to rotate, so as to adjust the diameter of the annular cutting edge.

3. The crop leaf removal device of claim 1, wherein, It further includes pushing mechanism and annular cutter, the pushing mechanism includes placement plate and electric push rod, the placement plate is arranged on the vehicle body, and the placement plate is located below the second end of the lower transmission, the electric push rod is arranged on the top of the placement plate, the annular cutter is arranged on one side of the placement plate, and the inner ring surface of the annular cutter is equipped with first blade, and the electric push rod is used to push the lettuce on the placement plate into the inner ring surface of the annular cutter.

4. The crop leaf removal device of claim 3, wherein, The annular cutter includes frame, first inner ring, second inner ring, multiple first springs and multiple blade holders, the frame is arranged on one side of the placement plate, the first inner ring and the second inner ring are concentrically arranged on the frame, the diameter of the first inner ring is greater than the diameter of the second inner ring, the blade holder is rotatably arranged on the second inner ring, the two ends of the first spring are connected with the first inner ring and the first end side of the blade holder respectively, the first blade is arranged on the second end of the blade holder, and multiple first blades on the blade holder enclose to form annular cutting edge.

5. The crop leaf removal device of claim 4, wherein, The placement plate is equipped with slot, the slot is located below the second end of the lower transmission belt, the extension direction of the slot is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the lower transmission belt, and the electric push rod and the annular cutting edge are located at two ends of the slot respectively.

6. The crop leaf removal device of claim 1, wherein, The leaf removing clamp includes a first clamp, a second clamp, a rotating shaft, a fixed rod and two connecting rods, the vehicle body is provided with a sliding rail, the first clamp and the second clamp are slidingly arranged on the sliding rail, the first clamp and the second clamp are located below the leaf outlet channel, the first end of the rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in the sliding rail, the second end of the rotating shaft is perpendicularly connected with the middle part of the fixed rod, the two ends of the fixed rod are respectively rotatably connected with the first ends of the two connecting rods, and the second ends of the two connecting rods are respectively rotatably connected with the first clamp and the second clamp.

7. The crop leaf removal device of claim 6, wherein, The first clamp and the second clamp are both provided with a second blade, and the second blade of the first clamp is oppositely arranged with the second blade of the second clamp.

8. The crop leaf removal device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a conveying mechanism and a cutting mechanism, the conveying mechanism is arranged on the vehicle body, the cutting mechanism is arranged on the first end of the vehicle body, the cutting mechanism is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the cutting mechanism is used for cutting lettuce at the inlet position, the input end of the conveying mechanism is located below the outlet of the cutting mechanism, and the output end of the conveying mechanism is connected with the first end of the lower conveying belt.

9. The crop leaf removal device of claim 8, wherein, The cutting mechanism includes a circular saw, two righting plates and two flexible conveying belts, the transmission shafts of the two flexible conveying belts are oppositely arranged on the vehicle body in the vertical direction, the first end of the flexible conveying belt is connected with the input end of the conveying mechanism, the righting plate is arranged on the second end of the flexible conveying belt, the circular saw is arranged on the bottom of the second end of the flexible conveying belt, and the inlet and the outlet are respectively located at the two ends of the flexible conveying belt.

10. The crop leaf removal device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a leaf crushing mechanism, the leaf crushing mechanism includes a leaf crushing spiral knife, a second spring and two shaking plates, the leaf crushing spiral knife is rotatably arranged on the vehicle body, the two ends of the second spring are respectively connected with the vehicle body and the bottom of the shaking plate, the leaf crushing spiral knife is located between the two shaking plates, the shaking plate and the leaf crushing spiral knife are located below the leaf removing clamp, the shaking plate is obliquely arranged, and the height of the end of the shaking plate close to the leaf crushing spiral knife is lower than the height of the end of the shaking plate away from the leaf crushing spiral knife.

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