Automatic Chinese chestnut harvesting trolley

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of Chinese chestnut picking and collecting, and provides an automatic Chinese chestnut harvesting trolley which comprises a walking trolley, a storage box, harvesting wheels and a removing arm, and the storage box is connected to the rear side of the walking trolley; the harvesting wheel is rotationally connected to the rear side of the storage box, a plurality of circles of flexible columns are arranged on the periphery of the harvesting wheel, and a clamping gap is formed between every two adjacent circles of flexible columns; the removing arm is connected to the rear side of the storage box in a swinging mode and provided with removing teeth extending to the upper rear portion into the clamping gap, and the removing teeth are used for removing the Chinese chestnuts and guiding the Chinese chestnuts into the storage box. According to the automatic Chinese chestnut harvesting trolley, the walking trolley is used for driving the harvesting wheels to rotate, Chinese chestnuts enter the clamping gaps under the extrusion action of the flexible columns and then synchronously rotate along with the harvesting wheels until the Chinese chestnuts reach the extending ends of the removing teeth, the Chinese chestnuts are moved out of the clamping gaps under the removing action of the removing teeth and guided into the storage box, and therefore the Chinese chestnuts can be automatically harvested. Chinese chestnuts are picked and collected, and the harvesting efficiency of the Chinese chestnuts is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of chestnut harvesting and collection technology, specifically to a chestnut autonomous harvesting vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Current chestnut harvesting relies primarily on manual picking, which is not only inefficient but also requires workers to bend over for extended periods, resulting in extreme labor intensity. While some chestnut harvesting machinery has emerged, it is mostly large agricultural equipment. This bulky equipment lacks maneuverability and cannot operate in complex forest environments such as mountainous areas and densely planted chestnut forests, and it is also prone to causing collision damage to chestnut trees. In actual harvesting, the equipment often only completes simple harvesting operations, requiring subsequent manual assistance for chestnut storage or transportation, making the process cumbersome and inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, embodiments of the present invention provide a chestnut autonomous harvesting cart, which solves the technical problems of low chestnut harvesting efficiency and cumbersome and disjointed storage and transportation operations in the prior art.

[0004] At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a chestnut autonomous harvesting vehicle, comprising: Walking vehicle; A storage box, attached to the rear of the vehicle, is used to hold chestnuts; The harvesting wheel is rotatably connected to the rear of the storage box. Several flexible columns are provided around the outer circumference of the harvesting wheel. A clamping gap is formed between two adjacent flexible columns to allow chestnuts to enter. The harvesting wheel is used to contact the ground so as to clamp and pick up chestnuts through the flexible columns. The removal arm is oscillatingly connected to the rear side of the storage box. The removal arm has removal teeth that extend rearward and upward into the clamping gap. The removal teeth are used to remove chestnuts from the clamping gap and guide the chestnuts into the storage box.

[0005] In one possible implementation, a collection cover is provided on the storage box and the harvesting wheel. The storage box is connected to the inner top wall of the collection cover via a mounting frame. The mounting frame is provided with a wheel frame for mounting the harvesting wheel. The wheel frame is connected to the mounting frame by a guide rod. An elastic element for elastically pushing the wheel frame downward is sleeved on the guide rod.

[0006] In some embodiments, multiple sets of harvesting wheels, wheel frames, and removal arms are provided. The removal arms are rotatably connected to the rear side of the storage box via a rotating shaft, and the removal teeth extend backward and upward in an arc shape and overlap the harvesting wheel.

[0007] In some embodiments, the extended end of the removal tooth is provided with an arc-shaped portion, which is used to contact the harvesting wheel and the chestnut and guide the chestnut away from the center of the harvesting wheel so as to slide onto the removal tooth.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rear of the vehicle is provided with a connecting frame, and the front of the storage box is provided with a hinge frame. The hinge frame is rotatably connected to the rear of the connecting frame via a rotating joint. The storage box is also provided with an extension arm that extends forward and upward, and the extension arm is connected to the inner wall of the collection cover.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the harvesting wheel includes a wheel body and a mounting ring plate. The mounting ring plate is sleeved on the outer periphery of the wheel body, and the plate surface of the mounting ring plate is arranged perpendicular to the main shaft of the wheel body. One end of the flexible column is embedded in the mounting ring plate, and the other end is provided with a flexible platform for contacting the ground.

[0010] In one possible implementation, it also includes a crash beam connected to the front of the vehicle and two cleaning components connected to the front of the crash beam. The two cleaning components are symmetrically arranged and extend outward and forward respectively to guide the chestnuts to converge at the lower central axis of the vehicle.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the storage box has a discharge port, and a discharge plate for blocking the discharge port is movably mounted on the storage box. The storage box is also provided with a drive structure for moving the discharge plate, which is used to move the discharge plate horizontally to open or close the discharge port.

[0012] In some embodiments, the drive structure is provided in two sets, which are located on both sides of the unloading plate. Each set of drive structure includes a motor connected to the storage box, a gear connected to the output end of the motor, and a rack connected to the unloading plate. The gear meshes with the rack, and the gear is used to drive the rack and the unloading plate to move horizontally synchronously under the action of the motor.

[0013] In some embodiments, the system also includes a control unit and two photoelectric switches electrically connected to the control unit. The control unit is connected to the motor, and the photoelectric switches are located on the front and rear sides of the discharge port to monitor the position of the discharge plate to generate a switch signal. The control unit receives the switch signal, generates start / stop commands, and sends start / stop commands to the motor.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: The harvesting wheel is driven to rotate by the walking vehicle. The flexible columns on the outer periphery of the harvesting wheel are kept in contact with the ground. When the harvesting wheel rotates to the area where chestnuts have fallen on the ground, the chestnuts enter the clamping gap under the squeezing action of the flexible columns. Then, they rotate synchronously with the harvesting wheel until they reach the extension end of the picking teeth. The chestnuts are removed from the clamping gap under the picking action of the picking teeth and guided into the storage box, realizing the single picking and collection of chestnuts. The harvesting wheel is provided with multiple rings of flexible columns. The above-mentioned adjacent flexible columns can also form a squeezing and clamping action on the chestnuts, which greatly improves the harvesting efficiency of chestnuts, saves the tedious manual storage or transfer, and the structure is convenient and flexible to use, suitable for different chestnut harvesting scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without any creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a chestnut autonomous harvesting vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A structural diagram of the harvesting wheel and storage box; Figure 3 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 A partially enlarged structural diagram of section I; Figure 4 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the main structure of the harvesting wheel and storage box; Figure 5 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A partial structural diagram of the central moving vehicle and the storage box; Figure 6 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 A partially enlarged structural diagram of section II; Figure 7 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 A magnified schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of section III.

[0017] The following are the labeling elements in the figure: 100. Walking vehicle; 110. Connecting frame; 111. Extension frame; 112. Hook frame; 113. Hook strip; 120. Anti-collision beam; 130. Cleaning component; 140. Interactive screen; 150. Radar; 200. Storage box; 210. Hinge frame; 220. Rotating joint; 230. Extension arm; 240. Unloading plate; 250. Drive structure; 251. Motor; 252. Gear; 253. Rack; 254. Positioning plate ; 260, photoelectric switch; 270, end plate; 300, harvesting wheel; 310, flexible column; 311, flexible platform; 320, mounting frame; 321, connecting frame; 322, hoisting frame; 330, wheel frame; 340, guide rod; 341, elastic element; 342, linear bearing; 350, wheel body; 360, mounting ring plate; 400, removal arm; 410, removal teeth; 420, rotating shaft; 430, arc-shaped part; 500, collection cover. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it.

[0019] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to the disclosure; these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one," and "several" includes "two" and "more than two."

[0020] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0022] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0023] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] After chestnuts ripen, they are scattered on the ground and collected using existing chestnut harvesting machinery. However, this machinery is mostly large agricultural equipment, bulky and lacking maneuverability, making it unsuitable for operation in complex forest environments such as mountainous areas and densely planted chestnut forests. Furthermore, the equipment can cause collision damage to chestnut trees during operation. In addition, these machines often only allow for simple harvesting, requiring manual assistance for chestnut storage and transportation, which is cumbersome and inconvenient.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 7 The diagram illustrates an embodiment of the autonomous chestnut harvesting trolley provided by the present invention, comprising a traveling trolley 100, a storage box 200, harvesting wheels 300, and a removal arm 400. The storage box 200 is connected to the rear of the traveling trolley 100, forming a rotatable connection, allowing the traveling trolley 100 to move synchronously with the storage box 200. The harvesting wheels 300 are connected to the rear of the storage box 200, and flexible columns 310 are provided on the outer periphery of the harvesting wheels 300. Several rings of flexible columns 310 are arranged along the axial direction of the harvesting wheels 300, with multiple flexible columns 310 in each ring, evenly distributed along the circumference of the harvesting wheels 300, and clamping gaps formed between adjacent rings of flexible columns 310. As the harvesting wheel 300 moves with the traveling vehicle 100, it rolls along the ground, allowing chestnuts to enter the clamping gap formed by two adjacent flexible columns 310. As the harvesting wheel 300 continues to rotate, the chestnuts are carried to the position of the removal arm 400. The removal arm 400 is oscillatingly connected to the rear side of the storage box 200. The removal arm 400 has removal teeth 410 extending rearward and upward into the clamping gap. The removal teeth 410 are arranged one-to-one with the clamping gap. When the harvesting wheel 300 drives the chestnut to rotate, the removal teeth 410 can be used to remove the chestnut from the clamping gap of the harvesting wheel 300, and the removal arm 400 can guide the chestnut to fall into the storage box 200.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the chestnut autonomous harvesting trolley provided in this embodiment uses the walking vehicle 100 to drive the harvesting wheel 300 to rotate. The flexible columns 310 on the outer periphery of the harvesting wheel 300 keep in contact with the ground. When the harvesting wheel 300 rotates to the area where chestnuts have fallen on the ground, the chestnuts enter the clamping gap under the squeezing action of the flexible columns 310. Then, they rotate synchronously with the harvesting wheel 300 until they reach the extension end of the removal teeth 410. The chestnuts are removed from the clamping gap under the removal action of the removal teeth 410 and are guided into the storage box 200, realizing the single pickup and collection of chestnuts. The harvesting wheel 300 is provided with multiple rings of flexible columns 310. The adjacent flexible columns 310 can also form a squeezing and clamping action on the chestnuts, which greatly improves the harvesting efficiency of chestnuts, saves the tedious manual storage or transfer, and the structure is convenient and flexible to use, suitable for different chestnut harvesting scenarios.

[0027] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1The traveling vehicle 100 uses a four-wheel differential chassis as its core load-bearing structure, and its direction of movement is indicated by the arrow in the diagram. This traveling vehicle 100 possesses flexible on-the-spot turning and movement capabilities, providing a foundation for equipment passage in complex environments. Compared to existing large agricultural machinery, it significantly reduces equipment size and turning radius, effectively lowering manufacturing costs and transportation difficulties. The storage box 200 is rotatably connected to the rear of the traveling vehicle 100. The two can be connected using a steering joint or ball joint structure, ensuring that the storage box 200 always follows the traveling vehicle 100 stably forward without interference from the traveling vehicle 100's turning or bumps, thus ensuring coordinated movement between the two.

[0028] Specifically, the front and rear side walls of the storage box 200 can partially adopt a grid structure to achieve weight reduction. The storage box 200 can move synchronously with the traveling vehicle 100, eliminating the need for separate manual handling of the storage box 200. This solves the problem of existing equipment requiring manual assistance for storage and transportation, simplifying the operation process. In addition, the above structure makes the overall size of the device smaller than existing large agricultural machinery, with higher turning flexibility, allowing the equipment to flexibly move through different complex scenarios. This effectively solves the problem of poor adaptability of existing large machinery, making it suitable for complex forest environments such as mountainous areas and densely planted chestnut forests. It avoids the problems of large equipment being inconvenient to operate in complex environments and easily damaging chestnut trees.

[0029] In some examples, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flexible column 310 can be made of flexible materials such as rubber or silicone, and has a certain deformation capacity, which can avoid hard compression damage to the chestnut. A clamping gap is formed between two adjacent rings of flexible columns 310 on the outer periphery of the harvesting wheel 300. After the two rings of flexible columns 310 come into contact with the ground, they are squeezed by the chestnut. The flexible columns 310 deform, allowing the chestnut to enter the clamping gap. Then, the flexible columns 310 clamp the chestnut, making the chestnut rotate with the harvesting wheel 300.

[0030] Specifically, the harvesting wheel 300 can adopt an integral wheel structure or a structure formed by multiple rings splicing together. The multiple rings are arranged sequentially along the axial direction, and each ring is provided with a ring of flexible columns 310. The multiple rings can rotate synchronously and achieve the clamping effect on chestnuts by means of the two rings of flexible columns 310 on the adjacent two rings.

[0031] It should be noted that some chestnuts may also enter the space between two adjacent flexible columns 310 in the same circle of flexible columns 310. However, even if they enter this position, it will not affect the rotation of the harvesting wheel 300 on the chestnuts or the removal effect of the subsequent removal arm 400 on the chestnuts. The picking and collection effect of chestnuts can still be guaranteed.

[0032] For further information, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 and Figure 3The structure of the chestnut removal arm 400 swinging and connected to the rear of the storage box 200, and the removal teeth 410 extending into the clamping gap, realizes the orderly guidance of chestnuts from the clamping gap to the storage box 200. The removal teeth 410 can remove the chestnuts clamped in the gap in time, preventing the chestnuts from falling as the harvesting wheel 300 continues to rotate, thus improving the success rate of chestnut picking. At the same time, it achieves the dual effect of picking and collecting, greatly simplifying the harvesting process and improving the harvesting efficiency of chestnuts.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 A collection cover 500 is installed on the storage box 200 and the harvesting wheel 300 to protect them. The collection cover 500 has an open bottom, ensuring good contact between the harvesting wheel 300 and the ground, and facilitating the unloading of chestnuts from the storage box 200. In addition, the collection cover 500 prevents chestnuts from splashing during the harvesting process as they rotate with the harvesting wheel 300, thus avoiding injury to equipment and personnel.

[0034] Furthermore, the collection cover 500 is designed to be adaptable to the size and height of the storage box 200 and the harvesting wheel 300, facilitating the subsequent installation of the harvesting wheel 300. The top of the collection cover 500 is provided with an opening corresponding to the top opening of the storage box 200, allowing operators to observe the storage status of the storage box 200 in real time, and also to observe the operation status of the harvesting wheel 300, achieving a good monitoring purpose.

[0035] In some examples, please refer to Figure 2 A mounting frame 320 is fixedly connected to the rear side of the storage box 200. The mounting frame 320 is located inside the collection cover 500 and extends rearward, being fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the collection cover 500. A guide rod 340 that can move vertically is slidably mounted on the mounting frame 320. A wheel frame 330 is connected to the lower end of the guide rod 340, and the harvesting wheel 300 is rotatably mounted on the wheel frame 330. A linear bearing 342 is provided on the mounting frame 320 for the guide rod 340 to pass through. The linear bearing 342 slides with the guide rod 340 to reduce friction between them. An elastic element 341 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide rod 340. Its upper end is connected to the mounting frame 320, and its lower end can elastically push the wheel frame 330 downward, thereby driving the harvesting wheel 300 to maintain contact with the ground. Through the extension and retraction of the elastic element 341, it can adapt to different ground undulations and avoid rigid impact between the harvesting wheel 300 and the ground, thus helping to extend the service life of the equipment.

[0036] The mounting frame 320 is connected to the rear of the storage box 200 and to the inner top wall of the collection cover 500, providing a stable mounting base for the wheel frame 330 and ensuring the reliability of the installation of the wheel frame 330 and the harvesting wheel 300. The mounting frame 320 and the wheel frame 330 are slidably connected by a guide rod 340 and a linear bearing 342, and an elastic element 341 is provided between the mounting frame 320 and the wheel frame 330. When traveling on uneven ground, the wheel frame 330 can move up and down relative to the mounting frame 320, which helps reduce component wear, extend the service life of the device, and adapt to forest environments with different undulations. Specifically, three, four, or five wheel frames 330 can be set, depending on the width of the traveling vehicle 100 and the width of a single harvesting wheel 300.

[0037] The flatness of the ground varies under different operating scenarios. By using the elastic element 341 sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide rod 340 to adjust the height of the lower part of the harvesting wheel 300 exposed above the collection cover 500, it can ensure that the harvesting wheel 300 is always in reliable contact with the ground and avoid positional interference between the collection cover 500 and the ground, thereby improving the adaptability of the device to different environments.

[0038] Specifically, the mounting frame 320 includes a connecting frame 321 and a lifting frame 322. The connecting frame 321 surrounds the outer periphery of the storage box 200 and is connected to the storage box 200, extending rearward from the storage box 200. The lifting frame 322 is connected to the upper rear of the connecting frame 321 and is connected to the inner top wall of the collection cover 500. The guide rod 340 is connected to the lifting frame 322, and the wheel frame 330 is slidably connected to the lower part of the guide rod 340. The wheel frame 330 and the harvesting wheel 300 can move up and down along the guide rod 340.

[0039] The inner wall of the connecting frame 321 is connected to the front and side walls of the collection box 200, respectively. The upper periphery of the collection box 200 has an outwardly extending flange. The connecting frame 321 is located below the flange and connected to it, increasing the connection area between the connecting frame 321 and the collection box 200. This improves the reliability of the connection between the connecting frame 321 and the collection box 200 and prevents the installation frame 320 from loosening due to vibrations generated during the operation of the harvesting wheel 300. The hoisting frame 322 is connected to the upper rear of the connecting frame 321 and to the inner top wall of the collection cover 500, providing a stable installation foundation for the wheel frame 330 and the harvesting wheel 300. This makes the overall force distribution of the device more balanced and further improves the compactness and load-bearing capacity of the overall equipment structure.

[0040] Continue reading Figure 2The harvesting wheel 300, wheel frame 330, and removal arm 400 are provided in multiple sets, and these sets are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the harvesting wheel 300. The removal teeth 410 extend backward and upward in an arc shape, with their extended ends overlapping the front upper part of the harvesting wheel 300. The removal arm 400 is rotatably connected to the rear side of the storage box 200 via a rotating shaft 420, and under its own weight, the removal arm 400 can cause the removal teeth 410 to overlap the front upper part of the harvesting wheel 300.

[0041] By setting up multiple sets of harvesting wheels 300 and removing arms 400, the picking coverage area can be effectively expanded, the harvesting volume per unit time can be significantly increased, and the harvesting efficiency can be further improved. The arc-shaped extension structure of the removing teeth 410 forms a guiding path for the chestnuts, so that the removing teeth 410 and the harvesting wheels 300 form a certain contact angle, avoiding the chestnuts from getting stuck or falling off due to contact edges during the removal process, and facilitating the smooth guiding action of the removing teeth 410 on the chestnuts.

[0042] Furthermore, a torsion spring is provided between the removing arm 400 and the rotating shaft 420. The torsion spring is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 420 or connected between the removing arm 400 and the rear side wall of the storage box 200. It is used to apply an elastic force to the removing arm 400, so that the removing teeth 410 continuously press against the outer peripheral surface of the harvesting wheel 300, thus achieving the desired chestnut removal effect. By setting the torsion spring, the rotation of the harvesting wheel 300 can be prevented from affecting the removing teeth 410. Even if the harvesting wheel 300 experiences slight rise and fall due to ground undulations, the removing teeth 410 can still maintain effective contact with the harvesting wheel 300, ensuring that the removing teeth 410 can effectively remove the chestnuts from the clamping gap.

[0043] In some examples, please refer to Figure 4 The extended end of the removing tooth 410 is provided with an arc-shaped portion 430, which is integrally formed at the rear end of the removing tooth 410 and can form linear contact with the outer peripheral wall of the harvesting wheel 300. When the harvesting wheel 300 moves up and down due to the undulation of the terrain, compressing the elastic element 341, the removing arm 400 can swing upward synchronously, maintaining the arc-shaped portion 430 in linear contact with the outer peripheral wall of the harvesting wheel 300. At the same time, the arc-shaped portion 430 is also used to contact the chestnut in the clamping gap, so that the chestnut is subjected to more even force during the removal process, guiding the chestnut to gradually move away from the center of the harvesting wheel 300 and slide onto the removing tooth 410, thereby reducing the resistance when contacting the chestnut, avoiding the chestnut getting stuck in the early stage of removal, facilitating the rapid removal of the chestnut from the harvesting wheel 300, avoiding the sharp edges of the removing tooth 410 from making hard contact with the chestnut or the harvesting wheel 300, reducing damage to the chestnut surface, and also preventing wear of the removing tooth 410.

[0044] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6The rear of the traveling vehicle 100 is equipped with a connecting frame 110, and the front of the storage box 200 is equipped with a hinge frame 210. The hinge frame 210 is rotatably connected to the rear of the connecting frame 110 via a rotating joint 220, enabling the storage box 200 to rotate relative to the traveling vehicle 100. The storage box 200 is also equipped with an extension arm 230 extending forward and upward. The top end of the extension arm 230 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the collection cover 500, forming a connection and support between the storage box 200 and the collection cover 500.

[0045] By rotating joint 220, the storage box 200 can rotate relative to the connecting frame 110, facilitating the adjustment of the storage box 200's posture under complex terrain. This not only meets the steering requirements of the traveling vehicle 100 but also counteracts the tilt caused by ground undulations during travel. When the traveling vehicle 100 turns or adjusts its direction of travel, rotating joint 220 can help buffer the inertial force of the storage box 200, and in conjunction with the traction of the extension arm 230, ensure the relative positional stability between the storage box 200, the traveling vehicle 100, and the collection cover 500.

[0046] The extension arm 230 can enhance the connection strength between the storage box 200 and the collection cover 500. On the one hand, it adds an extra support point to the storage box 200, enhances the structural linkage between the storage box 200, the collection cover 500, and the traveling vehicle 100, reduces the swaying amplitude of the storage box 200 during the rotation of the harvesting wheel 300 and the movement of the traveling vehicle 100, improves the overall structural stability, and prevents the storage box 200 from falling when there is a large amount of chestnuts inside. On the other hand, it can share the force of the connecting frame 110 and the hinge frame 210, prevent the rotating joint 220 from wearing out or getting stuck due to bearing the weight of the storage box 200 and chestnuts for a long time, and extend the service life of the components.

[0047] Specifically, the connecting frame 110 includes two parts: an extension frame 111 and a hanging frame 112. The extension frame 111 includes two parallel longitudinal beams and a crossbeam connected to the rear end of the longitudinal beams. The hanging frame 112 has a hanging strip 113 hanging on the crossbeam. A rotating joint 220 is located at the rear of the hanging strip 113. A hinge frame 210 is connected to the rear side of the rotating joint 220. The hinge frame 210 includes two extension rods extending outward and rearward. The rear end of the extension rods is connected to the front of the storage box 200.

[0048] The mounting strip 113 of the mounting frame 112 is hung on the upper rear of the crossbeam for quick positioning. The mounting strip 113 is then fixedly connected to the crossbeam using bolts or screws. The rotating joint 220 is located at the rear of the mounting frame 112. The mounting strip 113 is positioned on the front and upper sides of the crossbeam for easy assembly and can withstand the pulling force of the traveling vehicle 100 on the rear storage box 200, avoiding the problem of easy damage caused by relying solely on the connector to bear the pulling force.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The harvesting reel 300 uses an mounting ring plate 360 ​​on the outer periphery of the reel body 350 to install the flexible columns 310. The surface of the mounting ring plate 360 ​​is perpendicular to the main axis of the reel body 350. The flexible columns 310 are spaced apart circumferentially along the mounting ring plate 360. One end of each flexible column 310 is embedded in the mounting ring plate 360, and the other end has a flexible platform 311 for contacting the ground. The mounting ring plate 360 ​​facilitates the orderly installation of the flexible columns 310. In addition, the flexible platform 311 increases the contact area with the ground, reduces the pressure on the ground, and avoids direct wear of the flexible columns 310.

[0050] The installation of the ring plate 360 ​​ensures uniformity in the clamping gap size, improving the reliability of chestnut clamping. The cross-sectional area of ​​the flexible platform 311 at the end of the flexible column 310 is larger than that of the flexible column 310, which increases the contact area with the ground, helps reduce pressure on the forest surface, and avoids scraping the ground or damaging the chestnut tree roots during harvesting, thus meeting the ecological protection needs of mountain forests. At the same time, the flexible platform 311 also prevents chestnuts from splashing outward under centrifugal force when they rotate with the harvesting wheel 300, allowing the chestnuts to move orderly to the removal tooth 410 position for collection into the collection box 200.

[0051] In some examples, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 The front of the traveling vehicle 100 is connected to a crash beam 120. Two cleaning components 130 are symmetrically arranged on the front of the crash beam 120, and each cleaning component 130 extends outward and forward at an acute angle with the direction of travel of the traveling vehicle 100. This is used to guide the chestnuts on both sides in front of the traveling vehicle 100 to the lower center of the traveling vehicle 100.

[0052] The anti-collision beam 120 is made of elastic material and has a good cushioning effect. The anti-collision beam 120 is connected to the front of the traveling vehicle 100 through a connecting rod. It can directly block the collision between the obstacle (chestnut tree trunk, rocks, etc.) and the main body of the traveling vehicle 100, buffer the impact force, reduce the structural damage to the equipment caused by the impact, extend the service life of the traveling vehicle 100, adapt to the working environment of densely planted chestnut forests in mountainous areas with many obstacles, and solve the problem of easy damage to existing harvesting equipment.

[0053] Specifically, the sweeping component 130 is connected to the front side of the anti-collision beam 120. The sweeping component 130 includes a cleaning plate and a sweeping brush connected to the bottom of the cleaning plate. The upper edge of the sweeping brush has an extension that extends upward and is connected to the cleaning plate. The extension is located on the rear side of the cleaning plate and is connected to the cleaning plate through a connector.

[0054] The bristles of the sweeping brush are designed with appropriate length and hardness, providing excellent deformation capabilities. They conform to the ground without damaging the surface, making them suitable for undulating terrain. The sweeping range of the two brushes covers the entire travel path of the front wheels of the vehicle 100, ensuring that chestnuts on the ground are thoroughly swept to the inside of the wheels. This prevents chestnuts from being run over by the wheels and allows them to be transported into the collection box 200 by the rear harvesting wheel 300, achieving comprehensive chestnut harvesting and guaranteeing the quality of the harvested chestnuts.

[0055] To prevent the chestnuts from being crushed by the wheels of the traveling vehicle 100 while it is moving, a sweeping component 130 is provided to sweep the chestnuts. Specifically, the sweeping component 130 can be a plate-shaped component that can gather the chestnuts scattered on both sides of the front of the traveling vehicle 100 to the lower center, preventing them from being crushed by the wheels of the traveling vehicle 100. It also facilitates the subsequent harvesting wheel 300 to pick up all the chestnuts, improving the harvest coverage rate.

[0056] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 The storage box 200 has a discharge port, and a discharge plate 240 is movably mounted on the storage box 200 to block the discharge port. The storage box 200 is also equipped with a drive structure 250, which is connected to the discharge plate 240 and is used to drive the discharge plate 240 to move horizontally, thereby opening or closing the discharge port.

[0057] The volume of the collection box 200 is determined based on the chestnut harvesting scenario, ensuring sufficient harvest volume per batch without compromising equipment flexibility due to excessive size. A discharge plate 240 is used to switch between the collection and discharge states of the collection box 200. Specifically, the discharge plate 240 extends along the width of the collection box 200 and can move forward and backward under the action of the drive structure 250. During harvesting, the discharge plate 240 seals the discharge port to prevent chestnut leakage; during discharge, the discharge port opens to allow for concentrated discharge of chestnuts, improving the adaptability of the collection box 200. When the chestnuts in the collection box 200 accumulate to a preset amount, the drive structure 250 activates, causing the discharge plate 240 to move horizontally and open the discharge port. The chestnuts in the collection box 200 are discharged through the discharge port to a preset collection device. After discharge, the drive structure 250 reverses its direction, causing the discharge plate 240 to reset and re-seal the discharge port, allowing the device to continue harvesting operations.

[0058] In some embodiments, the lower part of the storage box 200 is provided with two closing plates 270, which are located below the front and rear side walls of the storage box 200, respectively. The two closing plates 270 extend inward and downward at an angle, and the two side walls of the storage box 200 and the two closing plates 270 form a discharge port. The two closing plates 270 and the two side walls of the storage box 200 together form a discharge port. The inclined structure of the closing plates 270 can guide the chestnuts inside, causing the chestnuts to converge towards the discharge port, which can reduce the chestnuts getting stuck during the discharge process, improve the discharge efficiency, avoid the problem of chestnuts accumulating at the bottom of the storage box 200 and causing incomplete discharge, and achieve rapid and concentrated discharge of chestnuts.

[0059] The drive structure 250, which moves the unloading plate 240 horizontally, avoids the cumbersome manual unloading operation, thus improving work efficiency. This structure automates the entire process of picking up, collecting, and unloading, meeting the needs of large-scale harvesting in densely planted chestnut forests in mountainous areas. Furthermore, the horizontal movement of the unloading plate 240, compared to a tilting unloading method, saves space and ensures complete unloading of the chestnuts.

[0060] Specifically, the drive structure 250 has two sets, located on both sides of the unloading plate 240. Each drive structure 250 includes a motor 251, a gear 252, and a rack 253. The motor 251 is connected to the storage box 200, the gear 252 is connected to the output end of the motor 251, and the rack 253 is connected to the unloading plate 240. The gear 252 and the rack 253 mesh. When the motor 251 operates, it drives the gear 252 to rotate. The gear 252, through meshing, drives the rack 253 to move horizontally, thereby driving the unloading plate 240 to move horizontally synchronously, realizing the opening or closing of the unloading port.

[0061] Two sets of drive structures 250 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the unloading plate 240, which can drive the unloading plate 240 synchronously to make the force on both sides of the unloading plate 240 even, avoid the force imbalance of the unloading plate 240 caused by unilateral drive, prevent the unloading plate 240 from deviating, jamming or getting stuck during the movement, and ensure that the opening and closing action of the unloading port is smooth and stable.

[0062] The meshing transmission of gear 252 and rack 253 features high transmission accuracy and strong stability. The meshing of the two enables precise control of the movement stroke of the unloading plate 240, while also improving the smoothness of the movement of the unloading plate 240. This ensures that the unloading plate 240 can accurately reach the position of blocking or fully opening the unloading port, thereby improving the reliability of unloading control.

[0063] Based on this, the bottom of the storage box 200 is equipped with two guide rails extending in the front-to-back direction. Guide strips are slidably connected to the guide rails on both sides of the unloading plate 240. The cooperation between the guide strips and the guide rails provides precise guidance for the horizontal movement of the unloading plate 240, preventing deviation or jamming that could cause the unloading port to not open or close properly. The length of the guide strips is less than the length of the guide rails. The length of the guide rails meets the requirements for the unloading plate 240 to slide to either the extreme position of completely blocking or completely opening the unloading port, ensuring reliable guidance for the opening and closing action of the unloading plate 240. Furthermore, limit platforms can be set at both ends of the guide rails to limit the slippage of the guide strips, preventing the unloading plate 240 from detaching and falling due to excessive sliding.

[0064] Based on the above structure, a control unit and two photoelectric switches 260 are also provided. The control unit is connected to the motor 251, and the two photoelectric switches 260 are electrically connected to the control unit respectively. The two photoelectric switches 260 are respectively set on the front and rear sides of the discharge port. The photoelectric switches 260 are used to monitor the position of the discharge plate 240 when it moves back and forth. When the discharge plate 240 moves forward to completely block the discharge port, the front photoelectric switch 260 is triggered and sends a signal to the control unit, and the control unit generates a stop command to control the motor 251 to stop; when the discharge plate 240 moves backward to completely open the discharge port, the rear photoelectric switch 260 is triggered and sends a signal to the control unit, and the control unit generates a stop command to control the motor 251 to stop.

[0065] Specifically, photoelectric switches 260 are positioned on one side of the storage box 200, spaced apart front and back. A positioning plate 254 extends upwards on the rack 253. The photoelectric switches 260 detect the position of the positioning plate 254 and generate a switching signal, which is then sent to the control unit. The control unit processes the switching signal to generate control commands for the motor 251, facilitating precise control of the motor 251's movement and preventing excessive motor movement that could damage components or cause positioning errors.

[0066] The combination of two photoelectric switches 260 and the control unit enables precise monitoring of the two extreme positions of the unloading plate 240 (completely blocking the unloading port and completely opening the unloading port). It can provide real-time feedback on the position status of the unloading plate 240, providing reliable signal input to the control unit. This avoids over-travel of the unloading plate 240 due to over-driving of the motor 251, and eliminates the need for manual intervention in the start and stop operation of the unloading plate 240, further improving the automation level of the unloading process and reducing the intensity of manual operation.

[0067] In some possible embodiments, the front of the vehicle 100 is also provided with a radar 150, which is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to monitor the surrounding environment and generate detection parameters to be sent to the control unit; the upper part of the vehicle 100 is also provided with an interactive screen 140 electrically connected to the control unit, which is used to generate touch commands and send them to the control unit, and the control unit is used to send display commands to the interactive screen 140.

[0068] The installation height and angle of the radar 150 have been optimized to ensure that the scanning area of ​​the radar 150 is higher than that of the traveling vehicle 100, giving it a wide and unobstructed field of view. It can perceive obstacles in the environment ahead in real time and generate detection parameters to send to the control unit. This allows the control unit to obtain obstacle information in a timely manner so that it can subsequently control the traveling vehicle 100 to adjust its direction of travel, avoid collisions with chestnut trees or rocks, improve the safety and adaptability of the equipment in complex environments such as densely planted chestnut forests, and provide data support for obstacle avoidance.

[0069] The interactive screen 140 on the upper part of the mobile vehicle 100 communicates bidirectionally with the control unit. It can receive touch commands input by the user and transmit them to the control unit for manual operation and parameter setting. It can also receive display commands from the control unit to show the real-time operating status of the equipment (such as movement speed, the status of the photoelectric switch 260 on the storage box 200, the battery level of the mobile vehicle 100, and the detection results of the radar 150). This allows users to intuitively understand the equipment's operation, improving its intelligence level and adapting to the development needs of large-scale, unmanned harvesting. Furthermore, the control unit can communicate with mobile phones and other devices, allowing operators to input relevant parameters from their mobile devices for remote control.

[0070] The process of using the above-mentioned chestnut self-harvesting cart is as follows: The autonomous movement of the traveling vehicle 100 drives the harvesting wheel 300, the storage box 200, and the removal arm 400 to work in coordination, achieving full automation of the chestnut process from sweeping, harvesting, storage to unloading. During operation, the operator can set the equipment's operating mode through the interactive screen 140. After starting the equipment, the four-wheel differential chassis of the traveling vehicle 100 begins to move according to the control commands. The radar 150 detects the environment ahead in real time. When an obstacle is detected, the radar 150 transmits a signal to the control unit, which then controls the traveling vehicle 100 to adjust its direction of movement to achieve obstacle avoidance.

[0071] During movement, the two sweeping brushes under the anti-collision beam 120 move synchronously with the traveling vehicle 100. Through contact between the brush bristles and the ground, they sweep scattered chestnuts from the wheel's path to the inside of the wheel, preventing the chestnuts from being crushed and damaged by the wheels. Simultaneously, the harvesting wheel 300, in contact with the ground, rotates using friction with the ground, driven by the traveling vehicle 100, eliminating the need for an additional power unit and reducing energy consumption and manufacturing costs. A clamping space for chestnuts is formed between adjacent flexible columns 310. These flexible columns can deform to clamp the chestnuts, which are then conveyed to the removal arm 400 by the harvesting wheel 300. The removal arm 400 removes the chestnuts and guides them into the storage box 200, thus completing a single chestnut harvest. Repeat the above actions until the chestnuts in the storage box 200 reach a certain stacking height or weight. The operator outputs instructions through the interactive screen 140, and the control unit sends control instructions to the motor 251. The motor 251 starts and drives the unloading plate 240 to open, unloading the chestnuts in the storage box 200 to the preset position. After unloading is completed, the unloading plate 240 is closed, and then the subsequent harvesting operation is carried out.

[0072] The aforementioned equipment is suitable for chestnut harvesting operations in chestnut plantations, especially in densely planted chestnut forests and scattered chestnut trees where large agricultural machinery cannot easily access the area. It can also be used for efficient harvesting in chestnut plantations in plains areas. The core purpose of this equipment is to replace traditional manual picking and large-scale mechanical harvesting methods, achieving automated and efficient chestnut harvesting. This reduces the labor intensity of operators, lowers labor costs, and prevents chestnuts from being crushed or damaged during harvesting, thus improving the quality of the harvested chestnuts. Furthermore, the equipment is equipped with intelligent components such as a control unit, radar 150, and photoelectric switch 260, allowing operators to control the equipment without constant supervision. Settings and monitoring can be performed solely through the interactive screen 140. The equipment not only automatically avoids obstacles but also automatically unloads the chestnuts, improving system stability and reducing manual operation difficulty. This ensures continuous operation while minimizing human intervention, making it suitable for large-scale chestnut plantations for bulk harvesting, and also meeting the flexible harvesting needs of small-scale growers.

[0073] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-propelled autonomous chestnut harvesting vehicle, characterized in that, include: Walking vehicle (100); A storage box (200) is attached to the rear of the traveling vehicle (100) and is used to hold chestnuts; A harvesting wheel (300) is rotatably connected to the rear side of the storage box (200). The outer circumference of the harvesting wheel (300) is provided with several rings of flexible columns (310). A clamping gap is formed between two adjacent rings of flexible columns (310) to allow chestnuts to enter. The harvesting wheel (300) is used to abut against the ground so as to clamp and pick up chestnuts through the flexible columns (310). A removal arm (400) is oscillatingly connected to the rear side of the storage box (200). The removal arm (400) has removal teeth (410) extending rearward and upward into the clamping gap. The removal teeth (410) are used to remove chestnuts from the clamping gap and guide chestnuts into the storage box (200).

2. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage box (200) and the harvesting wheel (300) are covered with a collection cover (500). The storage box (200) is connected to the inner top wall of the collection cover (500) through a mounting frame (320). The mounting frame (320) is provided with a wheel frame (330) for mounting the harvesting wheel (300). The wheel frame (330) is connected to the mounting frame (320) by a guide rod (340). The guide rod (340) is fitted with an elastic element (341) for elastically pushing the wheel frame (330) downward.

3. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 2, characterized in that, The harvesting wheel (300), the wheel frame (330), and the removal arm (400) are provided in multiple sets. The removal arm (400) is rotatably connected to the rear side of the storage box (200) through a rotating shaft (420). The removal teeth (410) extend backward and upward in an arc and overlap the harvesting wheel (300).

4. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 3, wherein, The extended end of the removal tooth (410) is provided with an arc-shaped portion (430), which is used to contact the harvesting wheel (300) and the chestnut, and guide the chestnut away from the center of the harvesting wheel (300) so as to slide onto the removal tooth (410).

5. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 2, wherein The rear of the walking vehicle (100) is provided with a connecting frame (110), and the front side of the storage box (200) is provided with a hinge frame (210). The hinge frame (210) is rotatably connected to the rear side of the connecting frame (110) through a rotating joint (220). The storage box (200) is also provided with an extension arm (230) extending forward and upward. The extension arm (230) is connected to the inner wall of the collection cover (500).

6. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 1, wherein, The harvesting wheel (300) includes a wheel body (350) and a mounting ring plate (360). The mounting ring plate (360) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the wheel body (350), and the plate surface of the mounting ring plate (360) is arranged perpendicular to the main axis of the wheel body (350). One end of the flexible column (310) is embedded in the mounting ring plate (360), and the other end is provided with a flexible platform (311) for contacting the ground.

7. The self-propelled vehicle for harvesting Chinese chestnuts according to claim 1, wherein The collision-proof beam (120) is connected to the front side of the walking vehicle (100), and two cleaning members (130) are connected to the front side of the collision-proof beam (120), the two cleaning members (130) are symmetrically arranged and respectively extend outward and forward to guide the chestnuts to the middle axis below the walking vehicle (100).

8. The autonomous harvesting trolley according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The receiving box (200) has a discharge port, and a discharge plate (240) is movably arranged on the receiving box (200) to block the discharge port; the receiving box (200) is further provided with a driving structure (250) for moving the discharge plate (240), and the driving structure (250) is used to drive the discharge plate (240) to move horizontally to open or close the discharge port.

9. The autonomous harvesting dolly according to claim 8, wherein, The driving structure (250) is provided in two groups and is located on both sides of the discharge plate (240), each group of the driving structure (250) comprises a motor (251) connected to the receiving box (200), a gear (252) connected to the output end of the motor (251), and a rack (253) connected to the discharge plate (240), the gear (252) is engaged with the rack (253), and the gear (252) is used to drive the rack (253) and the discharge plate (240) to move horizontally synchronously under the action of the motor (251).

10. The autonomous harvesting trolley for Chinese chestnut according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control unit and two photoelectric switches (260) electrically connected to the control unit are further included, the control unit is connected to the motor (251), the photoelectric switches (260) are arranged on the front and back sides of the discharge port, and are used to monitor the position of the discharge plate (240) to form a switch signal; the control unit is used to receive the switch signal, generate a start-stop instruction, and send the start-stop instruction to the motor (251).

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