Planting robot and method of planting

Abstract

The application provides a planting robot and a planting method thereof. The planting robot comprises a body, a walking mechanism arranged on the body and used for driving the body to move, a seedling storage mechanism, a soil digging mechanism, a soil covering mechanism and a driving control mechanism. The planting robot further comprises a conversion mechanism, one end of the conversion mechanism is connected with the body, the soil digging mechanism and the soil covering mechanism are arranged at the other end of the conversion mechanism, and the conversion mechanism can selectively drive the soil digging mechanism to perform a soil digging action or drive the soil covering mechanism to perform a soil covering action by performing a conversion work. The application aims to provide a planting robot and a planting method thereof with higher work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of planting machinery technology, specifically to a planting robot and its planting method. Background Technology

[0002] As modern agriculture develops towards automation and intelligence, planting operations are gradually transitioning from purely manual labor to mechanized and automated operation modes. As a key piece of equipment in this field, planting robots aim to integrate a series of actions such as seedling picking, seedling transportation, planting, and soil covering to achieve continuous and efficient operation of the planting process.

[0003] Currently, existing automated planting equipment or robots typically have different functional actuators, such as digging and covering soil, installed independently and fixedly on the machine body. When switching between different functional actuators, the planting robot needs to move all the working mechanisms to align them with the planting points. In order to complete a planting cycle, the planting robot itself has to perform complex positioning and movement multiple times, resulting in long operation cycles and low operation efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a planting robot and its planting method with higher operating efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a planting robot and its planting method with higher operational efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the planting robot proposed in this invention includes a body and a walking mechanism, a seedling storage mechanism, a soil-digging mechanism, a soil-covering mechanism, and a drive and control mechanism mounted on the body for driving the body's movement; it also includes a conversion mechanism, one end of which is connected to the body, and the soil-digging mechanism and the soil-covering mechanism are both located at the other end of the conversion mechanism. By performing a conversion operation, the conversion mechanism can selectively drive the soil-digging mechanism to dig at the planting point or drive the soil-covering mechanism to cover the planting point.

[0007] Preferably, the conversion mechanism includes a rotating seat and two telescopic connecting rods disposed on both sides of the lower end of the rotating seat. The upper end of the rotating seat is rotatably connected to the machine body via a vertical axis. The two telescopic connecting rods are respectively connected to the digging mechanism and the covering mechanism, so that the digging mechanism and the covering mechanism are close to each other but do not interfere with each other.

[0008] Preferably, the lower perimeter of the conversion mechanism is provided with a accommodating space for the digging mechanism and the covering mechanism to switch positions, and the accommodating space allows the digging mechanism and the covering mechanism to be in various different working states such as side by side or front and back.

[0009] Preferably, the planting robot further includes a guiding mechanism disposed on the body, the guiding mechanism being able to close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit, and being able to open to provide space for the conversion mechanism to rotate.

[0010] Preferably, the planting robot further includes a transport mechanism, the guide mechanism is located at the front end of the body, the seedling storage mechanism is located at the rear end of the body, and the transport mechanism is located between the seedling outlet of the seedling storage mechanism and the seedling inlet of the guide mechanism, for transporting seedlings from the seedling storage mechanism to the guide mechanism.

[0011] Preferably, the conveying mechanism includes a conveying track and a conveyor slidably mounted on the conveying track. The conveyor is vertically connected to receive and release seedlings. One end of the conveying track is located below the seedling outlet of the seedling storage mechanism, and the other end of the conveying track is located above the guiding mechanism.

[0012] Preferably, a guide rail frame is provided on the upper part of the machine body along the length direction, the conveying rail includes two sets of parallel guide rods, the guide rods are fixed on the guide rail frame, and through holes are formed on both sides of the conveyor to slide with the guide rods.

[0013] Preferably, the front end of the guide rail extends beyond the machine body and has a vertical through-hole for inverting the feeder. The front end of the guide rail also has a limiting part to prevent the conveyor from rushing out of the conveying track. The rotating seat at the upper end of the conversion mechanism is rotatably connected to the limiting part.

[0014] Preferably, the soil covering mechanism includes a connector connected to a telescopic link and claws symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connector. Each claw is connected to a driven gear, and the two driven gears mesh. One of the driven gears meshes with a driving gear, and the driving gear is connected to a drive control mechanism.

[0015] Preferably, a pressure sensor is provided on the inner side of the claw flap, the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the drive control mechanism, and the drive control mechanism is configured to control the rotation of the drive gear according to the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor.

[0016] Based on the planting robot described above, the present invention also proposes a planting method, the planting method comprising: acquiring soil environment information around the planting robot through a first vision sensor disposed above the robot body and connected to the drive and control mechanism; and acquiring soil condition information, digging effect information, seedling status information and covering effect information of the initial planting area through a second vision sensor disposed below the robot body and connected to the drive and control mechanism.

[0017] Preferably, the planting method further includes the following: the drive control mechanism makes a judgment based on the soil condition information of the initial planting area. If it is determined that the soil condition of the initial planting area is suitable for digging, the digging process is executed: the conversion mechanism is controlled to switch to the digging state, so that the digging mechanism faces the front of the machine body and the covering mechanism is away from the front of the machine body. Then the digging mechanism performs digging operations. The drive control mechanism makes a judgment based on the digging effect information. If it is determined that the digging operation is completed, the digging mechanism is controlled to stop and the conversion mechanism is returned to the initial state, so that the digging mechanism and the covering mechanism are adjacent to each other at the front of the machine body.

[0018] The drive and control mechanism makes a judgment based on the seedling status information in the planting pit. After determining that the seedling has fallen into the planting pit, it executes the soil covering process: controlling the conversion mechanism to run in the soil covering state, so that the soil covering mechanism faces the front of the machine body and the soil digging mechanism moves away from the front of the machine body. Then the soil covering mechanism performs the soil covering operation. The drive and control mechanism makes a judgment based on the soil covering effect information. If it determines that the soil covering operation is completed, it controls the soil covering mechanism to stop and returns the conversion mechanism to the initial state.

[0019] Preferably, the planting method further includes: after the excavation process, the drive control mechanism controls the guide mechanism to close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit; before the covering process, the drive control mechanism controls the guide mechanism to open to provide space for the conversion mechanism to rotate.

[0020] In the technical solution of the present invention, by setting the conversion mechanism, either the digging mechanism or the covering mechanism can be moved quickly and accurately to the planting point simply by the conversion mechanism. This avoids the cumbersome process of the robot having to move to another position to cover the soil after digging, and simplifies the multi-step positioning requirement to single-point positioning, which greatly shortens the operation cycle time of a single planting and improves the operation efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the planting robot of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an excavation mechanism; Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the planting robot; Figure 4 A top view of the planting robot; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the soil covering mechanism; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the walking mechanism; Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the walking mechanism.

[0023] Explanation of icon numbers: 1. Body; 101. Guide rail frame; 2. Walking mechanism; 201. Connecting assembly; 2011. Connecting column; 202. Walking assembly; 2021. Thigh; 2021a. Connecting part; 2022. Lower leg; 2022a. Support leg; 2022b. Connecting rod; 2022c. Telescopic component; 203. Drive assembly; 2031. Drive component; 2032. Sliding component; 2032a. Hinge column; 3. Digging mechanism; 301. Power base; 302. Digging drill bit; 4. Seedling storage mechanism; 401. Seedling storage pad; 4011, Seedling outlet; 402, Seedling storage tray; 403, Rotating shaft; 5, Transport mechanism; 501, Transport track; 5011, Guide rod; 502, Conveyor; 6, Soil covering mechanism; 601, Connector; 602, Claw; 603, Driven gear; 604, Driven gear; 7, Watering mechanism; 701, Liquid storage tank; 702, Sprayer; 8, Conversion mechanism; 801, Rotating seat; 802, Telescopic connecting rod; 9, Drive and control mechanism; 10, First vision sensor; 11, Second vision sensor; 12, Guide mechanism.

[0024] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0027] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0028] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0030] This invention proposes a planting robot with higher operating efficiency and a planting method thereof.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 The planting robot includes a body 1 and the following components installed on the body 1: a walking mechanism 2 for driving the body 1 forward; a seedling storage mechanism 4 for storing and releasing seedlings; a digging mechanism 3 for digging planting pits; a covering mechanism 6 for covering with soil; and a drive and control mechanism 9 for driving and controlling the coordinated operation of the various mechanisms. It also includes a conversion mechanism 8, one end of which is connected to the body 1. The digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 are both located at the other end of the conversion mechanism 8. By performing a conversion operation, the conversion mechanism 8 can selectively drive the digging mechanism 3 to dig at the planting point or drive the covering mechanism 6 to cover with soil at the planting point.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The excavation mechanism 3 includes a power base 301 and an excavation drill bit 302, wherein a telescopic connecting rod 802 is connected to the upper end of the power base 301, and the upper end of the excavation drill bit 302 is rotatably connected to the bottom of the power base 301.

[0033] Preferably, the conversion mechanism 8 includes a rotating base 801 and two telescopic connecting rods 802 disposed on both sides of the lower end of the rotating base 801. The upper end of the rotating base 801 is rotatably connected to the machine body 1 via a vertical axis. The two telescopic connecting rods 802 are respectively connected to the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6, and the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 are close to each other but do not interfere with each other. When the rotating base 801 rotates, it drives the telescopic connecting rods 802 to rotate, thereby switching the positions of the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6.

[0034] Preferably, the lower perimeter of the conversion mechanism 8 is provided with a accommodating space for the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 to switch positions. This accommodating space allows the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 to be in various different working states, such as side-by-side or front-and-back arrangement. The digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 can also be arranged diagonally.

[0035] Preferably, in the initial state, the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 are located adjacent to each other at the front of the machine body 1. In the digging state, the digging mechanism 3 faces the front of the machine body 1 to align with the planting point, and the covering mechanism 6 is away from the front of the machine body 1. In the covering state, the covering mechanism 6 faces the front of the machine body 1 to align with the planting point, and the digging mechanism 3 is away from the front of the machine body 1.

[0036] Preferably, the planting robot further includes a guide mechanism 12 mounted on the body 1. The guide mechanism 12 can close to form a channel for guiding the seedling into the planting pit, and can open to provide space for the conversion mechanism 8 to rotate. The guide mechanism 12 guides the seedling to fall precisely into the planting pit.

[0037] Specifically, the guiding mechanism is configured such that the guiding mechanism 12 opens before the driving conversion mechanism 8 rotates. The guiding mechanism 12 is located at the front of the body 1, and the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 are located at the front of the guiding mechanism 12. The guiding mechanism 12, which can open and close, makes the structure of the planting robot more compact, reduces the overall volume of the planting robot, and better adapts to complex terrain.

[0038] Furthermore, the guiding mechanism 12 includes two guiding petals. When the two guiding petals close together, they form a tubular guiding structure. When the two guiding petals open away from each other, they can provide sufficient rotation space for the conversion mechanism 8.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 3 Specifically, the drive and control mechanism 9 integrates the drive motor, hydraulic pump and control components, and centralizes all drive and control components for easy maintenance and replacement.

[0040] Preferably, the body 1 is further provided with a watering mechanism 7, which is located at the front of the body 1, and the drive control mechanism 9 is located at the rear of the body 1. The front and rear of the body 1 are symmetrically arranged, and the watering mechanism 7 and the drive control mechanism 9 are respectively located at the front and rear of the body 1, so that the center of gravity of the planting robot is maintained in the middle of the body 1, which can adapt to the movement and operation in complex terrain.

[0041] Specifically, the watering mechanism 7 includes a liquid storage tank 701 and a spray pipe 702 that communicates with the inside of the liquid storage tank 701. The watering mechanism 7 is set up to water the seedlings with mixed nutrient solution after the soil covering is completed.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 Preferably, the planting robot further includes a transport mechanism 5. The guiding mechanism 12 is located at the front end of the body 1, and the seedling storage mechanism 4 is located at the rear end of the body 1. The transport mechanism 5 is located between the seedling outlet of the seedling storage mechanism 4 and the seedling inlet of the guiding mechanism 12, and is used to transport seedlings from the seedling storage mechanism 4 to the guiding mechanism 12. The digging mechanism 3, the covering mechanism 6, and the guiding mechanism 12 are all located at the front end of the body 1. By setting the transport mechanism 5, the seedling storage mechanism 4 can be located at the rear end of the body 1, thereby balancing the center of gravity of the entire planting robot and adapting to movement and operation in complex terrain.

[0043] Preferably, the conveying mechanism 5 includes a conveying track 501 and a conveyor 502 slidably mounted on the conveying track 501. The conveyor 502 extends vertically to receive and place seedlings. One end of the conveying track 501 is positioned below the seedling outlet 4011 of the seedling storage mechanism 4, and the other end of the conveying track 501 is positioned above the guiding mechanism 12. The conveying track 501 is positioned below the seedling outlet 4011 of the seedling storage mechanism 4 to allow the conveyor 502 to receive seedlings, and the other end of the conveying track 501 is positioned above the guiding mechanism 12 to allow the conveyor 502 to deliver seedlings into the guiding mechanism 12.

[0044] Preferably, a guide rail frame 101 is provided on the upper part of the machine body 1 along the length direction, and the conveying track 501 includes two sets of parallel guide rods 5011. The guide rods 5011 are fixed on the guide rail frame 101, and through holes are formed on both sides of the conveyor 502 to slide with the guide rods 5011.

[0045] Preferably, the front end of the guide rail frame 101 extends beyond the machine body 1 and vertically penetrates to form a seedling inverting hole. The front end of the guide rail frame 101 also forms a limiting part to prevent the conveyor 502 from rushing out of the conveying track. The rotating seat 801 at the upper end of the conversion mechanism 8 is rotatably connected to the limiting part. When the conveyor 502 moves along the conveying track 501 to the front end of the guide rail frame 101, the seedling falls from the seedling inverting hole into the guiding mechanism 12.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 Specifically, the seedling storage mechanism 4 includes a seedling storage pad 401 fixedly connected to the body 1 and a seedling storage tray 402 rotatably connected to the body 1. The seedling storage tray 402 is provided with at least one set of seedling storage holes in a ring. The seedling storage pad 401 is provided with a seedling outlet 4011 corresponding to the number of seedling storage holes, so that the seedlings in the seedling storage holes can fall into the conveyor 502 from the seedling outlet 4011. The seedling outlet 4011 is provided with an opening and closing element to open or close the seedling outlet 4011. The seedling storage mechanism 4 is located above the rear end of the body 1. The seedling storage tray 402 is provided with two rings of seedling storage holes in a ring. The seedling storage tray 402 is rotatably connected to the body 1 through a rotating shaft 403. The seedling storage pad 401 has a through hole so that the rotating shaft 403 can pass through.

[0047] Preferably, the soil covering mechanism 6 includes a connector 601 connected to the telescopic connecting rod 802 and claw petals 602 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connector 601. Each claw petal 602 is connected to a driven gear 603, and the two driven gears 603 mesh, with one of the driven gears 603 meshing with a driving gear 604. The drive control mechanism 9 is connected to the driving gear 604 and drives the driving gear 604 to rotate forward or backward, thereby driving the two claw petals 602 to open or close.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 5 Preferably, a pressure sensor is provided on the inner side of the claw petal 602. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the drive control mechanism 9, which is configured to control the rotation of the drive gear 604 based on the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor. The drive control mechanism 9 is used to control the drive gear 604 to stop rotating when the pressure increase rate fed back by the pressure sensor exceeds a set rate, thereby stopping the soil covering mechanism 6 from closing and preventing the soil covering mechanism 6 from damaging the seedlings.

[0049] Based on any of the above-mentioned planting robots, the present invention also proposes a planting method, the planting method comprising: acquiring soil environment information around the planting robot through a first vision sensor 10 disposed above the body 1 and connected to the drive and control mechanism 9; The second vision sensor 11, located below the body 1 and connected to the drive and control mechanism 9, acquires information on soil conditions, digging effect, seedling status, and soil covering effect in the initial planting area. The drive and control mechanism 9 receives soil environment information, soil condition information, digging effect information, seedling status information, and soil covering effect information. The second vision sensor 11 is also used to acquire watering effect information, which is received by the drive and control mechanism 9. The first vision sensor 10 is located above the protrusion, and the second vision sensor 11 is located below the front end of the body 1. Both the first vision sensor 10 and the second vision sensor 11 can rotate in the vertical plane to expand the field of view.

[0050] Specifically, the first visual sensor 10 acquires information about the soil environment around the planting robot so that the drive and control mechanism 9 can determine the initial planting area, and the second visual sensor 11 acquires information about the soil condition of the initial planting area so that the drive and control mechanism 9 can determine the planting point.

[0051] Preferably, the planting method further includes: the drive control mechanism 9 makes a judgment based on the soil condition information of the initial planting area. If it is determined that the soil condition of the initial planting area is suitable for digging, the digging process is executed: the control conversion mechanism 8 is switched to the digging state, so that the digging mechanism 3 faces the front of the machine body 1 and the covering mechanism 6 is away from the front of the machine body 1. Then the digging mechanism 3 performs digging operations. The drive control mechanism 9 makes a judgment based on the digging effect information. If it is determined that the digging operation is completed, the control mechanism 9 stops the digging mechanism 3 and returns the conversion mechanism 8 to the initial state, so that the digging mechanism 3 and the covering mechanism 6 are adjacent to each other at the front of the machine body 1. The drive and control mechanism 9 makes a judgment based on the seedling status information in the planting pit. After determining that the seedling has fallen into the planting pit, it executes the soil covering process: controlling the conversion mechanism 8 to run to the soil covering state, so that the soil covering mechanism 6 faces the front of the machine body 1 and the soil digging mechanism 3 moves away from the front of the machine body 1. Then the soil covering mechanism 6 performs soil covering operation. The drive and control mechanism 9 makes a judgment based on the soil covering effect information. If it is determined that the soil covering operation is completed, it controls the soil covering mechanism 6 to stop and returns the conversion mechanism 8 to the initial state.

[0052] Preferably, the planting robot further includes a guide mechanism 12 disposed on the body 1. The guide mechanism 12 can close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit, and can open to provide space for the conversion mechanism 8 to rotate. The planting method further includes: after the excavation process, the drive control mechanism 9 controls the guide mechanism 12 to close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit; before the covering process, the drive control mechanism 9 controls the guide mechanism 12 to open to provide space for the conversion mechanism 8 to rotate.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first vision sensor 10 is configured to acquire soil environment information around the planting robot when the planting robot is moving, and the drive and control mechanism 9 is configured to find the initial planting area based on the soil environment information. After determining the initial planting area, the mechanism controls the planting robot to move to the digging point so that the digging mechanism 3 is aligned with the initial planting area. The drive and control mechanism 9 is also configured to, based on the soil condition information of the initial planting area, if it is determined that the soil condition of the initial planting area is not suitable for digging, control the planting robot to continue searching for the initial planting area; if it is determined that the soil condition of the initial planting area is suitable for digging, execute the digging process: control the conversion mechanism 8 to switch to the digging state, control the digging mechanism 3 to perform digging operations, and based on the digging effect information, determine that the digging operation is completed, control the digging mechanism 3 to stop, and return the conversion mechanism 8 to the initial state; Then the seedling delivery process is executed: the control guiding mechanism 12 closes to form a guiding channel, the seedling storage mechanism 4 releases the seedlings, the transport mechanism 5 receives the seedlings and sends them into the guiding mechanism 12, and the seedlings are guided by the guiding channel to fall into the planting pit. The drive and control mechanism 9 is also configured to, based on the seedling status information in the planting pit, execute the soil covering process after determining that the seedling has fallen into the planting pit: control the guide mechanism 12 to open, the conversion mechanism 8 to run to the soil covering state, the soil covering mechanism 6 to perform soil covering operation, and based on the soil covering effect information, determine that the soil covering operation is completed, control the soil covering mechanism 6 to stop, and the conversion mechanism 8 to return to the initial state. The drive and control mechanism 9 is also configured to control the watering mechanism 7 to perform watering operations after the soil covering process is executed. Based on the watering effect information, it is determined that the watering operation is completed, and then the watering mechanism 7 is stopped, and the planting robot searches for the next preliminary planting area.

[0054] The specific workflow of the planting robot includes the following steps: Step 1: Extend each lower leg 2022 to lift the body 1; Step 2: Each walking mechanism 2 drives the body 1, and the first vision sensor 10 observes the soil environment around the planting robot to find the initial planting area; Step 3: After determining the initial planting area, the planting robot moves to the digging point so that the digging mechanism 3 is aligned with the initial planting area. The second vision sensor 11 observes the soil condition of the initial planting area. If the soil condition of the initial planting area is not suitable for digging, repeat step 2. Step 4: If the soil conditions in the initial planting area are suitable for digging, the initial planting area is determined as the planting point, and each lower leg 2022 retracts the leg to lower the body 1; The conversion mechanism 8 is operated to the digging state so that the digging mechanism 3 faces the body 1 and the covering mechanism 6 is away from the body 1. Then the digging mechanism 3 starts to dig to form a planting pit. The second vision sensor 11 observes the digging effect and judges that the digging operation is completed. The digging mechanism 3 stops and the conversion mechanism 8 returns to the initial state. The guiding mechanism 12 closes to form a guiding channel, the seedling storage mechanism 4 releases the seedlings, the transport mechanism 5 receives the seedlings and sends them into the guiding mechanism 12, the seedlings are guided by the guiding channel to fall into the planting pit, and then the guiding mechanism 12 opens. Step Six: Each leg 2022 extends to lift the body 1, the conversion mechanism 8 moves to the soil covering state so that the digging mechanism 3 faces the body 1 and the soil covering mechanism 6 moves away from the body 1. At this time, the soil covering mechanism 6 is aligned with the planting point, each leg 2022 retracts to lower the body 1, the soil covering mechanism 6 performs the soil covering operation, the second vision sensor 11 observes the soil covering effect, and after the soil covering operation is completed, the soil covering mechanism 6 stops, the conversion mechanism 8 returns to the initial state, the watering mechanism 7 performs the watering operation, the second vision sensor 11 observes the watering effect, and after the watering operation is completed, the watering mechanism 7 stops. Step 7: Repeat steps 1 through 6.

[0055] The robot's walking mechanism 2 includes a connecting component 201, a driving component 203, and a walking component 202. The connecting component 201 has a walking component 202 at each end. The two ends of the connecting component 201 are connected to the robot's body 1. The driving component 203 reciprocates to drive the walking component 202 to swing back and forth, and the swing directions of the two walking components 202 at both ends are opposite. Multiple walking mechanisms 2 are arranged along the length of the robot's body 1 and jointly drive the body 1 to move.

[0056] Specifically, each of the walking mechanisms 2 is respectively located at the front, middle and rear of the body 1. The reciprocating direction of the driving member 2031 of the walking mechanism 2 located at the front and rear of the body 1 is opposite to that of the driving member 2031 of the walking mechanism 2 located at the rear, thereby driving each walking component 202 at the front, middle and rear of the body 1 to swing alternately in an S-shape.

[0057] Specifically, the lower legs 2022 of each walking mechanism 2 are configured to alternately retract and extend during movement: the retraction and extension states of the two lower legs 2022 of the same walking mechanism 2 are opposite, and the retraction and extension states of the lower legs 2022 of the walking mechanism 2 at the front of the body 1, the walking mechanism 2 at the front and rear of the body 1 and the walking mechanism 2 in the middle of the body 1 are opposite.

[0058] Specifically, the walking assembly 202 includes a thigh 2021 and a lower leg 2022. One end of the thigh 2021 forms the connecting part 2021a, and one end of the lower leg 2022 is horizontally hinged to the other end of the thigh 2021. The lower leg 2022 rotates upward to retract, and all the lower legs 2022 retract together to lower the body 1. The lower leg 2022 rotates downward to extend, and all the lower legs 2022 extend together to raise the body 1.

[0059] Specifically, the lower leg 2022 includes a supporting leg 2022a, a telescopic member 2022c, and multiple connecting rods 2022b arranged parallel from top to bottom. One end of the connecting rod 2022b is hinged to the end of the thigh 2021 away from the connecting part 2021a. The upper end of the supporting leg 2022a is hinged to the connecting rod 2022b, and the lower end of the supporting leg 2022a forms a foot that contacts the ground. One end of the telescopic member 2022c is ball-jointed to the connecting assembly 201, and the other end of the telescopic member 2022c is connected to the middle of one of the connecting rods 2022b. When the telescopic member 2022c extends, it drives the connecting rod 2022b to rotate downward to extend the leg, thereby increasing the distance between the machine body 1 and the ground. When the telescopic member 2022c retracts, it drives the connecting rod 2022b to rotate upward to retract the leg, thereby decreasing the distance between the machine body 1 and the ground.

[0060] Specifically, the driving component 2031 is a driving gear, the sliding component 2032 is a sliding toothed plate, the connecting component 201 has a through groove formed laterally, the connecting component 201 has connecting posts 2011 vertically arranged at both ends, the sliding toothed plate is slidably arranged in the through groove, and the sliding toothed plate has hinge posts 2032a vertically arranged at both ends. The connecting part 2021a has two through holes to be hinged to the connecting posts 2011 and the hinge posts 2032a respectively. The driving gear is rotatably arranged between the two ends of the connecting component 201 and meshes with the teeth of the sliding toothed plate to drive the sliding toothed plate to slide, thereby causing the sliding toothed plate to drive the connecting part 2021a to rotate around the connecting post 2011, thereby driving the walking component 202 to swing.

[0061] Specifically, one end of the walking component 202 has a connecting portion 2021a, and the other end of the walking component 202 is used to contact the ground. The connecting portion 2021a is vertically hinged to the connecting component 201. The driving component 203 includes a driving member 2031 and a sliding member 2032. The sliding member 2032 is slidably disposed between the two ends of the connecting component 201. The driving member 2031 is used to drive the sliding member 2032 to slide back and forth, thereby driving the connecting portion 2021a to rotate back and forth, so that the walking component 202 swings back and forth. By extending and retracting the legs, the distance between the machine body 1 and the ground can be adjusted, and the center of gravity of the machine body 1 can also be changed, thereby adapting to the movement and operation in complex terrains such as mountains and hills.

[0062] Specifically, the connecting part 2021a has hinge holes formed at its front and rear ends respectively. One hinge hole is hinged to the end of the connecting assembly 201, and the other hinge hole is hinged to the end of the sliding member 2032. When the sliding member 2032 slides, it pushes one of the connecting parts 2021a to rotate outward and pulls the other connecting part 2021a to rotate inward.

[0063] Specifically, the hinge post 2032a is located behind the connecting post 2011. The drive gear drives the sliding toothed plate to slide to the left. The left end of the sliding toothed plate pushes the left end connecting part 2021a outward around the connecting post 2011, thereby driving the left end walking component 202 to swing forward. The right end of the sliding toothed plate pulls the right end connecting part 2021a inward around the connecting post 2011, thereby driving the right end walking component 202 to swing backward.

[0064] Specifically, the drive gears of each walking mechanism 2 rotate at the same speed, the drive gears of the front and rear walking mechanisms 2 turn in the same direction, and the drive gear of the middle walking mechanism 2 turns in the opposite direction to the drive gear of the front walking mechanism 2, thereby driving the front, middle and rear walking components 202 to swing alternately in an S-shape.

[0065] Specifically, each walking mechanism 2 is equipped with a corresponding drive motor, and the drive shaft of the drive motor is connected to the center of the corresponding drive gear to drive each drive gear to rotate.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The walking mechanism 2 has three parts, which are evenly distributed at the front end of the body 1, between the front and rear of the body 1, and at the rear end of the body 1. This arrangement keeps the center of gravity of the planting robot in the middle of the body 1, which can better adapt to the complex terrain of mountainous and hilly areas.

[0067] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made under the concept of the present invention using the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A planting robot, comprising a body (1) and a walking mechanism (2), a seedling storage mechanism (4), a soil digging mechanism (3), a soil covering mechanism (6), and a drive and control mechanism (9) disposed on the body (1) for driving the body (1) to move; characterized in that, It also includes a conversion mechanism (8), one end of which is connected to the body (1). The digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6) are both located at the other end of the conversion mechanism (8). The conversion mechanism (8) can selectively drive the digging mechanism (3) to dig at the planting point or drive the covering mechanism (6) to cover the planting point by performing the conversion work.

2. The planting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conversion mechanism (8) includes a rotating seat (801) and two telescopic connecting rods (802) arranged on both sides of the lower end of the rotating seat (801). The upper end of the rotating seat (801) is rotatably connected to the machine body (1) with a vertical axis. The two telescopic connecting rods (802) are respectively connected to the digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6), and the digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6) are close to each other but do not interfere with each other.

3. The planting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conversion mechanism (8) is provided with a accommodating space around its lower perimeter for the digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6) to switch positions. The accommodating space allows the digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6) to be in various different working states, such as side-by-side arrangement or front-to-back arrangement.

4. The planting robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a guide mechanism (12) provided on the body (1), which can close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit, and can open to provide the accommodating space for the conversion mechanism (8) to rotate.

5. The planting robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a transport mechanism (5), the guide mechanism (12) is located at the front end of the body (1), the seedling storage mechanism (4) is located at the rear end of the body (1), and the transport mechanism (5) is located between the seedling outlet of the seedling storage mechanism (4) and the seedling inlet of the guide mechanism (12), for transporting seedlings from the seedling storage mechanism (4) to the guide mechanism (12).

6. The planting robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transport mechanism (5) includes a transport track (501) and a transporter (502) slidably mounted on the transport track (501). One end of the transport track (501) is located below the seedling outlet (4011) of the seedling storage mechanism (4), and the other end of the transport track (501) is located above the guide mechanism (12). The transporter (502) is vertically connected to connect upward to the seedling outlet (4011) or downward to connect downward to the seedling inlet.

7. The planting robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The upper part of the machine body (1) is provided with a guide rail frame (101) along the length direction. The transport track (501) includes two sets of parallel guide rods (5011). The guide rods (5011) are fixed on the guide rail frame (101). The two sides of the transporter (502) are formed with through holes that slide with the guide rods (5011).

8. The planting robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The front end of the guide rail frame (101) extends beyond the machine body (1) and is vertically penetrating to form a seedling inlet. The front end of the guide rail frame (101) also forms a limiting part to prevent the conveyor (502) from rushing out of the conveying track (501). The rotating seat (801) at the upper end of the conversion mechanism (8) is rotatably connected to the limiting part.

9. The planting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The soil covering mechanism (6) includes a connector (601) connected to the telescopic connecting rod (802) and claws (602) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connector (601). Each claw (602) is connected to a driven gear (603). The two driven gears (603) mesh, and one of the driven gears (603) meshes with a driving gear (604). The driving gear (604) is connected to the drive control mechanism (9).

10. The planting robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, A pressure sensor is provided on the inner side of the claw (602), and the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the drive control mechanism (9). The drive control mechanism (9) is configured to control the rotation of the drive gear (604) according to the pressure signal fed back by the pressure sensor.

11. A planting method based on the planting robot according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The first vision sensor (10) located above the body (1) and connected to the drive control mechanism (9) acquires information about the soil environment around the planting robot; The second vision sensor (11), located below the body (1) and connected to the drive control mechanism (9), acquires information on the soil condition, digging effect, seedling status, and covering effect of the initial planting area.

12. The planting method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The planting method also includes: The drive control mechanism (9) makes a judgment based on the soil condition information of the initial planting area. If it is determined that the soil condition of the initial planting area is suitable for digging, the digging process is executed: the control conversion mechanism (8) is switched to the digging state, so that the digging mechanism (3) faces the front of the machine body (1) and the covering mechanism (6) is away from the front of the machine body (1). Then the digging mechanism (3) performs digging operations. The drive control mechanism (9) makes a judgment based on the digging effect information. If it is determined that the digging operation is completed, the control mechanism (3) is stopped, and the conversion mechanism (8) is returned to the initial state, so that the digging mechanism (3) and the covering mechanism (6) are adjacent to each other at the front of the machine body (1). The drive control mechanism (9) makes a judgment based on the seedling status information in the planting pit. After judging that the seedling has fallen into the planting pit, it executes the soil covering process: controlling the conversion mechanism (8) to run to the soil covering state, so that the soil covering mechanism (6) faces the front of the machine body (1), and the soil digging mechanism (3) moves away from the front of the machine body (1). Then the soil covering mechanism (6) performs soil covering operation. The drive control mechanism (9) makes a judgment based on the soil covering effect information. If it is judged that the soil covering operation is completed, it controls the soil covering mechanism (6) to stop and returns the conversion mechanism (8) to the initial state.

13. The planting method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The planting robot also includes a guide mechanism (12) set on the body (1). The guide mechanism (12) can close to form a channel for guiding the seedlings into the planting pit, and can open to provide space for the conversion mechanism (8) to rotate. The planting method further includes: after the excavation process is performed, the drive control mechanism (9) controls the guide mechanism (12) to close to form a channel to guide the seedlings into the planting pit; Before the soil covering process is executed, the drive control mechanism (9) controls the guide mechanism (12) to open to provide space for the conversion mechanism (8) to rotate.

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