An automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting device

Abstract

This invention discloses an automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting device, comprising a support chassis and a climbing and harvesting robot. The support chassis has a detachable collection box and a fruit-receiving mechanism, including a fruit-receiving support base and a fruit-receiving net. The fruit-receiving support base has a fruit-dropping cavity with a fruit outlet on one side, located directly above the collection box. The fruit-receiving net has a fruit-receiving cavity inside, a fruit-receiving opening at its upper end, and a fruit-receiving net umbrella. The climbing and harvesting robot includes a support base with a climbing component and a harvesting component. The climbing component grips the palm tree and drives the support base to move axially along the palm tree. This invention, through the coordinated operation of the climbing component, harvesting component, fruit-receiving mechanism, and support chassis, achieves a complete automated operation chain from tree climbing and harvesting to fruit collection, reducing labor costs and improving palm fruit harvesting efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automatic harvesting technology, specifically to an automated device for harvesting palm fruits from trees. Background Technology

[0002] Palm fruit is an important oilseed crop and is widely cultivated in tropical regions. Traditional palm fruit harvesting relies primarily on manual labor, requiring workers to climb palm trees that can reach heights of tens of meters and use long poles or knives to cut clusters of fruit. This method has several significant problems: First, working at heights is extremely dangerous, with frequent falls from trees; second, a single cluster of palm fruit can weigh over 20 kilograms, making manual handling and collection extremely labor-intensive; and third, manual harvesting is inefficient and cannot meet the operational needs of large-scale plantations.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a palm fruit harvesting equipment that can automate the entire process of climbing, picking, collecting and transporting palm fruits, and that is structurally stable and highly adaptable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address some or all of the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides an automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting device, including a support chassis and a climbing and harvesting robot. The support chassis has a detachable collection box, and its lower end has multiple drive wheels. The support chassis also has a fruit-receiving mechanism, which includes a fruit-receiving support base and a fruit-receiving net. The fruit-receiving net is connected to the fruit-receiving support base, and its lower end has casters. The lower end of the fruit-receiving support base has two movable wheels symmetrically distributed along its centerline. The support chassis has a moving guide rail, the width of which is adapted to the distance between the two movable wheels, and the movable wheels are slidably engaged with the moving guide rail. The fruit-receiving support base has a fruit-dropping cavity, and a fruit is placed on one side of the fruit-dropping cavity. The fruit outlet is located directly above the collection box. The fruit-receiving net has a fruit-receiving cavity and a fruit-receiving opening at its upper end. The fruit-receiving cavity is connected to both the fruit-dropping cavity and the fruit-receiving opening. A fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided on the fruit-receiving net, positioned around the fruit-receiving opening. The tree-climbing harvesting robot includes a support base with a tree-climbing component and a harvesting component. The tree-climbing component is used to grip the palm tree and drive the support base to move axially along the palm tree. The tree-climbing component includes an active abutment mechanism and a gripping mechanism. The output end of the active abutment mechanism has a first track, which drives the first track to abut or separate from the palm tree. The output end of the gripping mechanism has a second track, which drives the second track to abut or separate from the palm tree.

[0005] As a further improvement of the present invention, the active abutment mechanism includes an abutment mounting base, an abutment driving member, a pull rod, and a swing seat. One end of the abutment mounting base is hinged to the support base, and the other end is connected to the first track. The abutment driving member is hinged to the support base, and the output end of the abutment driving member is connected to the abutment mounting base. One end of the swing seat is hinged to the support base, and the other end is hinged to the middle of the first track. The two ends of the pull rod are respectively hinged to the abutment mounting base and the swing seat. The abutment driving member can drive the abutment mounting base to swing on the support base, thereby causing the first track to abut or separate from the palm tree.

[0006] As a further improvement of the present invention, the clamping mechanism includes a clamping drive motor and a clamping swing rod. The clamping drive motor is connected to the support base. One end of the clamping swing rod is rotatably connected to the support base, and the other end is connected to the second track. The output end of the clamping drive motor is connected to the clamping swing rod to drive the clamping swing rod to rotate and swing on the support base.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the harvesting component includes a harvesting mounting base and a first arc-shaped guide rail fixed on a support base. A first arc-shaped guide sleeve is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide rail, and a second arc-shaped guide sleeve is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide sleeve. The first arc-shaped guide rail, the first arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the second arc-shaped guide sleeve can be closed to form a complete circle. The harvesting mounting base is slidably limited to the second arc-shaped guide sleeve. The harvesting mounting base is equipped with a harvesting component. A first drive motor is provided on the support base, and a first drive gear is provided on the output end of the first drive motor. A first transmission rack is provided on the side wall of the arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the first drive gear is meshed with the first transmission rack; a second drive motor is provided on the second arc-shaped guide sleeve, and a second drive gear is provided on the output end of the second drive motor; a second transmission rack is provided on the side wall of the first arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the second drive gear is meshed with the second transmission rack; a third drive motor is provided on the picking mounting base, and a third drive gear is provided on the output end of the third drive motor; a third transmission rack is provided on the side wall of the second arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the third drive gear is meshed with the third transmission rack.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the harvesting assembly includes a gripping robotic arm and a cutting robotic arm respectively mounted on the harvesting mounting base. The end of the gripping robotic arm is provided with a gripper, and the end of the cutting robotic arm is provided with scissors. The harvesting mounting base is provided with a depth camera and a fill light. The depth camera is used to photograph the palm fruits on the palm tree, and the fill light is used to illuminate the palm fruits.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, a plurality of telescopic rods are provided on the lower end surface of the support base, and the ends of the telescopic rods are provided with walking wheels. Two alignment guide rails are provided parallel on the support chassis, and the distance between the two alignment guide rails is adapted to the distance between the two opposite walking wheels. The walking wheels are slidably engaged with the alignment guide rails. A charging plug is provided on the support chassis, and a charging socket is provided on the support base at a position corresponding to the charging plug. The charging socket and the charging plug are detachably plugged in.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with a plurality of upright fruit-receiving rods, and a buffer spring is sleeved on the fruit-receiving rods. The fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with a fruit-pushing assembly, and the fruit-pushing assembly is connected to the fruit-receiving rods. The fruit-pushing assembly includes a fruit-pushing drive and a fruit-pushing plate. The fruit-pushing drive is connected to the fruit-receiving net umbrella, and the fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with a fruit-pushing fixing rod. One end of the fruit-pushing plate is hinged to the fruit-pushing fixing rod, and the other end extends to both sides of the fruit-receiving rod. The output end of the fruit-pushing drive is hinged to the fruit-pushing plate, and the fruit-pushing drive can drive the fruit-pushing plate to rotate and swing along the fruit-pushing fixing rod.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, there are two fruit-grabbing nets, each with a fruit-grabbing net umbrella. The fruit-grabbing support base is provided with a net-closing drive mechanism at a corresponding position to the fruit-grabbing net. The output end of the net-closing drive mechanism is connected to the fruit-grabbing net and is used to drive the fruit-grabbing net to slide along the fruit-grabbing support base. The fruit-grabbing net is provided with a trunk clearance groove and a trunk clamping mechanism. The output end of the trunk clamping mechanism is provided with a trunk clamping block. The trunk clamping mechanism is used to drive the trunk clamping block to abut or separate from the palm tree passing through the trunk clearance groove.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the net-closing drive mechanism includes a net-closing drive component, which is connected to the fruit-receiving support base, and the output end of the net-closing drive component is connected to the fruit-receiving net bag.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the trunk clamping mechanism includes a trunk clamping drive member, which is connected to the fruit-catching net. One end of the trunk clamping block is hinged to the fruit-catching net, and the other end is a free end. The output end of the trunk clamping drive member is hinged to the trunk clamping block and is used to drive the trunk clamping block to rotate and swing along the hinge end.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention, through the cooperation of tree climbing components, harvesting components, fruit receiving mechanism and supporting chassis, can realize a complete automated operation chain from ground movement, tree picking to fallen fruit collection, greatly reducing manual intervention, lowering labor costs and improving the harvesting efficiency of palm fruits.

[0015] 2. This invention uses a tree-climbing harvesting robot to climb trees instead of workers, fundamentally eliminating the risk of falls from heights. The design of the fruit-receiving mechanism avoids the risk of injury from falling fruit and the impact on the equipment.

[0016] 3. In this invention, the fruit-receiving net bag and the fruit-receiving net umbrella form a large-area receiving surface. Combined with the guidance of the fruit-receiving opening, fruit-receiving cavity, fruit-falling cavity and fruit outlet, it can ensure that the fruit is smoothly guided to the collection box, thus improving the stability of fallen fruit collection. Attached Figure Description

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

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure supporting the chassis in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tree-climbing harvesting robot in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tree-climbing and harvesting robot from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the active contact mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the harvesting component in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the fruit-receiving mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the fruit-receiving mechanism from another perspective in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 yes Figure 8 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the middle; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the fruit-receiving mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the fruit-receiving net umbrella in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains; the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or foregoing drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a particular order.

[0020] In this invention, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment to other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this invention can be combined with other embodiments.

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figure 1-12 As shown, an automated palm fruit harvesting device includes a support chassis 100 and a tree-climbing harvesting robot 200. The support chassis 100 is responsible for movement on the ground and fruit collection. Multiple drive wheels 110 with embedded hub motors are installed at its lower end, allowing the device to move between rows within the palm plantation. A collection box 120 is detachably installed above the support chassis 100 for storing the harvested palm fruits.

[0023] A movable fruit-receiving mechanism 300 is mounted on the support chassis 100. The fruit-receiving mechanism 300 includes a fruit-receiving support base 310 and a fruit-receiving net 320. The lower end of the fruit-receiving net 320 is equipped with casters 330 for auxiliary support and flexible steering, allowing the fruit-receiving net 320 to close or open. The lower end of the fruit-receiving support base 310 is equipped with two movable wheels 340, symmetrically distributed along the center line of the fruit-receiving support base 310. A movable guide rail 130 is also provided on the support chassis 100, the width of which precisely matches the distance between the two movable wheels 340. The movable wheels 340 slidably engage with the movable guide rail 130, allowing the fruit-receiving support base 310 to move back and forth along the guide rail. Through the sliding engagement of the movable wheels 340 and the movable guide rail 130, the entire fruit-receiving mechanism 300 can move smoothly along the guide rail on the support chassis 100.

[0024] In practical applications, both the 330 omnidirectional wheel and the 340 movable wheel can be powered by a built-in hub motor, thereby achieving electric-driven autonomous movement.

[0025] The fruit-receiving support 310 is hollow inside, forming a fruit-dropping cavity 311 for guiding the fruit through. A fruit outlet 312 is located on one side of the fruit-dropping cavity 311, positioned directly above the collection box 120 to ensure that the fruit falls directly into the collection box 120 after exiting the fruit outlet 312. The fruit-receiving net 320 contains a fruit-receiving cavity 321, and a fruit-receiving opening 322 is located at its upper end. The fruit-receiving cavity 321 is connected to both the fruit-dropping cavity 311 and the fruit-receiving opening 322, forming a continuous channel from the fruit-receiving opening 322 to the fruit-dropping cavity 312. In order to catch a larger area of ​​falling palm fruits, a trumpet-shaped, outwardly extending fruit-catching umbrella 350 is installed at the upper end of the fruit-catching net 320, around the fruit-catching opening 322. By setting up the fruit-catching umbrella 350, a large area of ​​palm fruits falling from a height can be caught, and gravity is used to gather the fruits towards the lower center of the fruit-catching opening 322, preventing the fruits from scattering to the ground.

[0026] The tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 includes a support base 210, which is the main frame of the robot and is used to support and connect other components. The support base 210 is equipped with a tree-climbing component and a harvesting component 220. The tree-climbing component is used to grip the palm tree and drive the support base 210 to move axially along the palm tree, thereby enabling the robot to climb and descend. The harvesting component 220 is used to cut the palm fruit bunches to complete the harvesting action. The tree-climbing component includes an active contact mechanism 230 and a gripping mechanism 240. The output end of the active contact mechanism 230 is equipped with a first track 231, which is used to drive the first track 231 to contact or separate from the palm tree. The output end of the gripping mechanism 240 is equipped with a second track 241, which is used to drive the second track 241 to contact or separate from the palm tree. In this embodiment, the first track 231 and the second track 241 can adopt a motor synchronous belt structure or any existing track structure that can realize axial drive transmission, and the present invention does not limit this.

[0027] Initially, the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 and the fruit-receiving mechanism 300 are placed on the supporting chassis 100. Before harvesting, the entire device is moved to the vicinity of the trunk 400 of the target palm tree via the drive wheels 110. At this time, the fruit-receiving mechanism 300 is located directly below the trunk 400. It needs to be moved to one side along the moving guide rail 130 via the moving wheels 340 and the universal wheels 330 to make way for the working path of the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200. Then, the active abutment mechanism 230 and the clamping mechanism 240 are controlled to work, so that the first track 231 and the second track 241 clamp the trunk 400 from different directions. The first track 231 and the second track 241 are activated, and the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 climbs up the trunk 400 to the harvesting height at the canopy. After the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 is in place, the fruit-receiving mechanism 300 is driven to move in the opposite direction along the guide rail by the moving wheels 340 and the universal wheels 330, resetting to directly below the tree trunk. At this time, the fruit-receiving net umbrella 350 is directly below the harvesting position, ensuring that the fruit outlet 312 is directly above the collection box 120. Then, the harvesting component 220 cuts down the palm fruit bunches, and the palm fruits fall onto the fruit-receiving net umbrella 350, slide along the fruit-receiving net umbrella 350 into the fruit-receiving opening 322, pass through the fruit-receiving cavity 321, the fruit-falling cavity 311 and the fruit outlet 312 in sequence, and finally fall into the collection box 120, completing one harvesting and collection cycle.

[0028] like Figure 5As shown, the active abutment mechanism 230 includes an abutment mounting base 232 and an abutment drive member 233. One end of the abutment mounting base 232 is hinged to the support base 210, and the other end is connected to the first track 231. The abutment drive member 233 can be a hydraulic cylinder, an electric cylinder, or any existing linear drive device; the abutment drive member 233 is hinged to the support base 210, and its output end is connected to the abutment mounting base 232. When the abutment drive member 233 is working, it can push the abutment mounting base 232 to swing around the hinge point, thereby driving the first track 231 to move towards or away from the tree trunk 400, achieving abutment or separation.

[0029] Furthermore, the active abutment mechanism 230 also includes a pull rod 234 and a swing seat 235. One end of the swing seat 235 is hinged to the support base 210, and the other end is hinged to the middle of the first track 231. Both ends of the pull rod 234 are hinged to the abutment mounting seat 232 and the swing seat 235, respectively. When the abutment drive 233 is working, it first drives the abutment mounting seat 232 to rotate and swing, and then drives the swing seat 235 to rotate and swing synchronously through the pull rod 234, so that the first track 231 moves towards or away from the palm tree. Since the end and middle of the first track 231 are simultaneously constrained and move in coordination, it can be ensured that the working surface of the first track 231 always remains in close contact with the surface of the tree trunk 400 when it abuts against the tree trunk 400, and there will be no tilting or partial suspension. The linkage mechanism enables automatic adjustment of the track posture, ensuring the maximum contact area and optimal stress state between the track and the tree trunk 400, significantly improving the stability and reliability of the climbing process, avoiding track swaying or climbing wobbling caused by single-point drive, and ensuring long-term stability.

[0030] like Figure 6As shown, the clamping mechanism 240 includes a clamping drive motor 242 and a clamping swing rod 243. The clamping drive motor 242 is fixed on the support base 210. One end of the clamping swing rod 243 is rotatably connected to the support base 210, and the other end is connected to the second track 241. The output end of the clamping drive motor 242 is directly or indirectly connected to the clamping swing rod 243 to drive the clamping swing rod 243 to rotate and swing. By rotating the clamping drive motor 242 in both directions, the clamping and release of the second track 241 on the tree trunk 400 can be quickly achieved, which facilitates the robot to quickly clamp before climbing and quickly detach after the operation, improving the work cycle and efficiency. When it is necessary to clamp the tree trunk 400, the clamping drive motor 242 is started, driving the clamping swing rod 243 to rotate around the rotation center. The free end of the clamping swing rod 243 drives the second track 241 to make an arc motion, so that the second track 241 gradually presses the tree trunk 400 from a direction different from the first track 231. By controlling the rotation angle of the motor, the gripping force of the second track 241 on the tree trunk 400 can be precisely adjusted. The gripping mechanism 240 works in conjunction with the active abutment mechanism 230. Typically, the first track 231 and the second track 241 form a certain angle around the tree trunk circumference, thereby achieving multi-point circumferential gripping of the tree trunk 400, providing sufficient and balanced friction to ensure that the robot can climb stably without slipping or tipping over.

[0031] To optimize power transmission and spatial layout, a first bevel gear 244 is provided at the output end of the clamping drive motor 242, and a second bevel gear 245 is sleeved on the clamping swing rod 243. The first bevel gear 244 and the second bevel gear 245 are meshed together. Through the bevel gear pair transmission, the rotational power of the clamping drive motor 242 can be transmitted to the vertical clamping swing rod 243, thereby allowing the clamping drive motor 242 to be installed in a more space-saving manner, making the overall structure more compact. At the same time, the gear transmission has the advantages of precise transmission ratio, no slippage, and high load-bearing capacity, which can reliably transmit the large torque of the clamping drive motor 242 to the clamping swing rod 243, generating sufficient clamping force and ensuring the reliability of clamping.

[0032] To guide and limit the direction of the gripping, a gripping guide groove 211 is provided on the support base 210, and a gripping guide block 246 is provided on the gripping swing rod 243. The gripping guide block 246 is slidably engaged with the gripping guide groove 211. When the gripping swing rod 243 swings, the gripping guide block 246 slides within the gripping guide groove 211, thereby achieving precise gripping or releasing. At the same time, it provides precise motion trajectory constraints and additional support points for the gripping swing rod 243, effectively distributing the bending stress at the root of the gripping swing rod 243, preventing it from deforming or breaking due to long-term exposure to huge reaction forces, significantly improving the rigidity and durability of the gripping mechanism 240, and extending the service life of the robot.

[0033] In this embodiment, the number of clamping mechanisms 240 is set to two, and these two clamping mechanisms 240 are symmetrically distributed on the left and right sides of the active abutment mechanism 230. During operation, the first track 231 of the active abutment mechanism 230 in the middle and the second tracks 241 of the two clamping mechanisms 240 on both sides simultaneously press against the tree trunk 400 from three directions, forming a three-point clamping layout. The three-point fixed circle is the most stable geometric constraint structure, which can adapt to the ellipticity or irregular shape of the tree trunk cross section, apply force evenly from three directions, and form a force closed system, which greatly enhances the robot's anti-tipping ability on the tree trunk and creates the preconditions for subsequent precision harvesting operations. In other embodiments, the number of clamping mechanisms 240 can also be any other number, and the present invention does not limit this.

[0034] like Figure 7 As shown, the harvesting assembly 220 includes a harvesting mounting base 221 and a first arc-shaped guide rail 222 fixed on a support base 210. A first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223 is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide rail 222, and a second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224 is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223. The arc of the first arc-shaped guide rail 222, the first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223, and the second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224 is designed to form a complete ring. The harvesting mounting base 221 is slidably limited and connected to the second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224, and the harvesting assembly 250 is mounted on the harvesting mounting base 221. A first drive motor 225 is mounted on the support base 210, and a first drive gear 226 is mounted on the output end of the first drive motor 225. The first drive gear 226 meshes with a first transmission rack 227 on the side wall of the first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223. A second drive motor 228 is mounted on the second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224. A second drive gear 229 is mounted on the output end of the second drive motor 228, and the second drive gear 229 meshes with a second transmission rack 2210 on the side wall of the first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223. A third drive motor 2211 is mounted on the picking mounting base 221. A third drive gear 2212 is mounted on the output end of the third drive motor 2211, and the third drive gear 2212 meshes with a third transmission rack 2213 on the side wall of the second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224. During operation, after the tree climbing assembly raises the support base 210 to the working height, the three drive motors operate in coordination, driving the first arc-shaped guide sleeve 223, the second arc-shaped guide sleeve 224, and the picking mounting base 221 to slide sequentially or simultaneously. Because the three-stage arc-shaped guide rails can be combined into a complete ring, the picking mounting base 221 can drive the picking component 250 to move 360 ​​degrees around the trunk, thereby reaching the fruit position at any angle around the trunk. This achieves high-precision, angle-free positioning of the picking component 250 in the horizontal plane, ensuring that every bunch of palm fruit, regardless of its direction, can be accurately positioned and harvested. This completely solves the problem of blind spots in traditional picking and greatly improves the fruit picking rate and yield.

[0035] like Figure 3 , Figure 7 As shown, the harvesting assembly 250 includes a gripping robotic arm 251 and a cutting robotic arm 252, both fixedly mounted on the harvesting mounting base 221. The gripping robotic arm 251 has grippers 253 at its end, and the cutting robotic arm 252 has scissors 254 at its end. The gripping robotic arm 251 is a four-axis robotic arm, and the cutting robotic arm 252 is a three-axis robotic arm. Because palm fruits are relatively heavy, most palm fruits on the tree hang downwards. Therefore, during operation, the gripping robotic arm 251 first uses the grippers 253 to straighten the hanging palm fruit, allowing the scissors 254 on the cutting robotic arm 252 to locate the cutting position at the base of the palm fruit. Then, the cutting robotic arm 252 is controlled to move to the fruit stem, and the scissors 254 cuts the stem. Through the division of labor and cooperation between the gripping and cutting robotic arms, a stable harvesting process of first straightening and then cutting is achieved, resulting in efficient, damage-free, safe, and precise harvesting.

[0036] To achieve precise alignment during automated harvesting, the harvesting mounting base 221 is equipped with a depth camera 255 and a supplementary light 256. The depth camera 255 captures real-time 3D images of the palm fruit bunches, calculating their spatial coordinates, orientation, and stem position using algorithms. This guides the gripping robotic arm 251 and the cutting robotic arm 252 to precisely move to the target position. The supplementary light 256 automatically activates when ambient light is insufficient, providing uniform illumination to the depth camera 255 and ensuring it acquires clear and reliable image data under any lighting conditions. The depth camera 255 acts as the robot's "eyes," serving as the core sensing element for fully autonomous harvesting. It enables the robotic arm to accurately locate the fruit, avoiding blind operation. The supplementary light 256 enhances the harvesting robot's ability to work in the early morning, evening, or under tree canopy shade, allowing it to adapt to complex and changing outdoor environments and improving its all-weather operation capabilities.

[0037] like Figure 3-4 As shown, multiple telescopic rods 260 are installed on the lower end face of the support base 210, and each telescopic rod 260 has a walking wheel 270 containing a hub motor installed at its end. Driven by the walking wheels 270 themselves, the robot can move freely on the ground or the support chassis 100 without manual handling, thus improving the level of automation. The telescopic rods 260 can be electrically driven or hydraulically driven telescopic structures. Through the independent telescopic adjustment of the telescopic rods 260, the support height of the four walking wheels 270 can be adjusted according to the slope or unevenness of the terrain, ensuring that the platform of the support base 210 remains level. This ensures that the robot aligns with the tree trunk 400 in the correct orientation and posture, creating favorable conditions for the stable and reliable execution of subsequent tree-climbing actions.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, two parallel alignment guide rails 140 are provided on the support chassis 100. The distance between the two alignment guide rails 140 is adapted to the distance between the two opposing walking wheels 270. The two opposing walking wheels 270 can slide and engage with the alignment guide rails 140, that is, the walking wheels 270 can be embedded in the alignment guide rails 140 and roll along the alignment guide rails 140. A charging plug 150 is provided on the support chassis 100, which is connected to an external power source. A charging socket 280 is provided on the support base 210 at a position corresponding to the charging plug 150. The charging socket 280 is connected to the battery management system of the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200, and the charging socket 280 and the charging plug 150 can be detachably plugged in. By sliding and engaging the alignment guide rail 140 with the walking wheel 270, the movement direction of the tree-climbing and harvesting robot 200 on the support chassis 100 can be restricted, thereby enabling the charging socket 280 to be aligned and plugged into the charging plug 150, realizing the function of automatically charging the tree-climbing and harvesting robot 200; when the robot rolls into position along the alignment guide rail 140, the charging socket 280 on the support base 210 is aligned with the charging plug 150 on the support chassis 100 and plugged into each other, the circuit is turned on, and the automatic charging of the robot's internal battery begins.

[0039] like Figure 12 As shown, multiple grafting poles 351, made of metal or high-strength plastic, are vertically fixed to the side wall of the grafting net umbrella 350. These grafting poles 351 are arranged in a matrix or radial pattern. Each grafting pole 351 is fitted with a buffer spring 352, the lower end of which rests against the side wall of the grafting net umbrella 350, while the upper end is free or connected to a small pad. When a palm fruit falls from a tree several meters high, it first impacts the upper end of these grafting poles 351, then compresses the buffer spring 352. The buffer spring 352 absorbs most of the impact energy through elastic deformation. In this way, the force transmitted to the grafting net umbrella 350 is greatly reduced, thus effectively protecting the umbrella structure.

[0040] However, due to the presence of the buffer spring 352, sometimes the palm fruits get stuck on the receiving pole 351 after falling and cannot automatically roll down onto the inclined surface of the receiving net umbrella 350. To solve this problem, a fruit pushing assembly 360 is also installed on the receiving net umbrella 350. The fruit pushing assembly 360 is connected to the receiving pole 351 and is used to push the palm fruits off the receiving pole 351.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figure 12As shown, the fruit-pushing assembly 360 includes a fruit-pushing drive 361 and a fruit-pushing plate 362. The fruit-pushing drive 361 can be a small hydraulic cylinder or electric cylinder, and it is fixedly mounted on the fruit-receiving net umbrella 350. A fruit-pushing fixing rod 363 is also fixedly mounted on the fruit-receiving net umbrella 350. The fruit-pushing plate 362 is a long strip of plate, one end of which is hinged to the fruit-pushing fixing rod 363, allowing it to rotate and swing around the fixing rod 363. The other end of the fruit-pushing plate 362 extends into the gap between multiple fruit-receiving rods 351, or laterally approaches a row of fruit-receiving rods 351. The output end of the fruit-pushing drive 361 is hinged to the fruit-pushing plate 362. When the fruit-pushing drive 361 is activated, it pushes the fruit-pushing plate 362 to rotate and swing around the fruit-pushing fixing rod 363. This swinging motion squeezes the palm fruit stuck on the fruit-receiving rod 351 from the side, thus pushing it out. The pushed fruit will roll along the inclined surface of the push plate 362 and smoothly roll to the lowest fruit receiving port 322 under the action of gravity.

[0042] During the harvesting process, the palm fruits cut by the harvesting component 250 fall under gravity, first landing on multiple receiving rods 351 on the receiving net umbrella 350. Since the receiving rods 351 are upright and equipped with buffer springs 352, the impact of the falling fruit compresses the buffer springs 352. The buffer springs 352 absorb and store the kinetic energy of the fruit through their own compression and deformation, thus greatly reducing the direct impact force between the fruit and the receiving net umbrella 350. This makes the force on the receiving net umbrella 350 more even, less prone to damage or tearing, effectively extending the service life of the entire receiving mechanism 300. After the fruit settles on the receiving rods 351, the fruit pushing component 360 begins to operate. The fruit pushing drive component 361 drives the fruit pushing plate 362 to rotate and swing around the fruit pushing fixing rod 363. Because the fruit-pushing plate 362 extends to both sides of the receiving pole 351, during the swinging process, the fruit-pushing plate 362 will touch the palm fruit resting on the receiving pole 351, squeezing it out between the receiving poles 351. After being squeezed out, the fruit will roll down the inclined surface of the fruit-pushing plate 362 under gravity, eventually falling into the receiving opening 322. Then, it will enter the receiving cavity 321 of the receiving net bag 320 through the receiving opening 322, and then roll further into the dropping cavity 311 of the receiving support 310, finally flowing out from the fruit outlet 312 into the collection box 120 for collection, thus completing one fruit-receiving task.

[0043] In this embodiment, as Figure 8-9As shown, two grafting nets 320 are arranged symmetrically from left to right; each grafting net 320 is equipped with a grafting net umbrella 350. A net-closing drive mechanism 370 is provided on the grafting support 310 at a position corresponding to each grafting net 320. The output end of each net-closing drive mechanism 370 is connected to the corresponding grafting net 320, driving the grafting net 320 to slide along the grafting support 310, thereby bringing the two grafting nets 320 closer together or further apart, achieving the closing or separation of the two grafting net umbrellas 350. Simultaneously, each grafting net 320 is also provided with a trunk clearance groove 380. Furthermore, the grafting net 320 is also provided with a trunk clamping mechanism 390, the output end of which is equipped with a trunk clamping block 391. The trunk clamping mechanism 390 is used to drive the trunk clamping block 391 to abut or separate from the palm tree trunk passing through the trunk clearance groove 380.

[0044] In non-working or mobile states, the two fruit-grabbing nets 320 are separated. When fruit harvesting is required, the fruit-grabbing mechanism 300 is first moved to the trunk of the palm tree by the moving wheels 340 and the universal wheels 330. The two fruit-grabbing nets 320 are then placed on either side of the palm tree trunk, and the trunk passes through the trunk clearance groove 380 into the area between the two nets. Subsequently, the trunk clamping mechanism 390 is activated, driving the trunk clamping block 391 to move towards the trunk until the trunk clamping block 391 is in close contact with the trunk surface, thereby firmly fixing the entire fruit-grabbing mechanism 300 to the trunk and preventing displacement or shaking during the fruit-grabbing process. After the trunk is secured, the net-closing drive mechanism 370 is activated. The netting drive mechanism 370 drives two fruit-grafting nets 320 to slide closer to each other along the fruit-grafting support 310 until the edges of the two fruit-grafting nets 350 are joined together, forming a complete umbrella-shaped fruit-grafting surface around the trunk. This design allows the fruit-grafting nets 350 to completely cover the trunk, catching any fruit that falls from any direction, preventing it from falling directly to the ground and improving the comprehensiveness and stability of the grafting process.

[0045] like Figure 10 As shown, the net-closing drive mechanism 370 includes a net-closing drive component 371, which is fixedly connected to the fruit-receiving support base 310, and its output end is directly connected to the fruit-receiving net bag 320. The net-closing drive component 371 can be a linear drive device such as an electric cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or motor screw module. During operation, after receiving a control signal, the net-closing drive component 371 pushes or pulls the fruit-receiving net bag 320 to slide in a predetermined direction, thereby realizing the closing or opening of the two fruit-receiving net umbrellas 350. This structure is simple and compact, with direct transmission, and can reliably realize the closing and opening of the two fruit-receiving net bags 320.

[0046] To limit and guide the netting process, a netting guide groove 372 is provided on the receiving support 310, and a corresponding netting guide block 373 is provided on the receiving net bag 320. The netting guide block 373 is slidably engaged with the netting guide groove 372. When the netting drive component 371 pushes the receiving net bag 320 to move, the netting guide block 373 can only slide along the length of the groove within the netting guide groove 372. This guiding engagement effectively restricts the degree of freedom of movement of the receiving net bag 320, preventing it from tilting, jamming, or shaking during sliding, ensuring that the two receiving net umbrellas 350 are accurately aligned each time the net is closed, thus improving the smoothness of netting closure and the repeatability of positioning accuracy.

[0047] like Figure 9 As shown, the trunk clamping mechanism 390 includes a trunk clamping drive 392, which is connected to the fruit-catching net 320. The trunk clamping drive 392 can be an actuator capable of linear reciprocating motion, such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or electric push rod. One end of the trunk clamping block 391 is hinged to the fruit-catching net 320, and the other end is a free end. The output end of the trunk clamping drive 392 is hinged to the middle of the trunk clamping block 391 or near the free end. The direction of movement of the trunk clamping drive 392 during operation is at a certain angle to the swing direction of the trunk clamping block 391. When the trunk clamping drive 392 is activated, its output end extends or retracts, applying a pushing or pulling force to the trunk clamping block 391. Since one end of the trunk clamping block 391 is hinged and fixed, this force causes the trunk clamping block 391 to rotate and swing around its hinged end. When the trunk clamping block 391 swings towards the trunk, its free end gradually approaches and eventually presses against the trunk surface, achieving a tight clamping and fixation; when the trunk clamping block 391 swings in the opposite direction, it detaches from the trunk, achieving release. This swing-type clamping structure, which utilizes the lever principle, can amplify the small force of the driving component into a large clamping force, and it is quick to act and highly adaptable.

[0048] In this embodiment, multiple trunk clamping mechanisms 390 are provided, and these multiple trunk clamping mechanisms 390 are evenly distributed along the circumference on the fruit-grabbing net 320. Multiple trunk clamping mechanisms 390 simultaneously apply force to the center of the trunk from different directions, ensuring a uniform distribution of clamping force on the trunk and preventing overall displacement of the mechanism or tilting of the trunk due to unilateral force. Furthermore, this evenly distributed design can adapt to trunks of different diameters and cross-sectional shapes. As long as each trunk clamping block 391 can independently adjust its stroke, they can collectively and firmly clamp the trunk, significantly improving the adaptability and reliability of the fruit-grabbing mechanism 300 to different trees.

[0049] like Figure 2 , Figure 8As shown, in order to limit and guide the movement direction of the fruit receiving mechanism 300 on the support chassis 100, a sliding groove 160 is provided on the outer wall of the support chassis 100, and a limiting locking block 170 is provided on the fruit receiving support 310. The limiting locking block 170 is slidably engaged with the sliding groove 160. Through the cooperation of the sliding groove 160 and the limiting locking block 170, the movement direction of the fruit receiving mechanism 300 on the support chassis 100 can be further limited and guided, thereby ensuring that the fruit outlet 312 can be accurately aligned with the collection box 120.

[0050] Working principle: First, the support chassis 100 moves between rows in the palm plantation using drive wheels 110, transporting the entire device to the vicinity of the target palm tree trunk. At this point, the fruit-receiving mechanism 300, originally located directly below the trunk, needs to be moved to one side along the moving guide rail 130 to make way for the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200. Subsequently, the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 adjusts the support height of the walking wheels 270 via the telescopic rod 260 at the lower end of the support base 210, keeping the base level and aligned with the trunk. Then, it controls the active abutment mechanism 230 and the clamping mechanism 240 to work, causing the first track 231 and the second track 241 to clamp the trunk from different directions. After activating the tracks, the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 climbs up the trunk to the harvesting height at the canopy.

[0051] After the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 is in place, the fruit-receiving mechanism 300 moves in the opposite direction along the moving guide rail 130 and resets to directly below the tree trunk. At this time, the two fruit-receiving nets 320 are placed on both sides of the tree trunk, and the tree trunk passes through the trunk clearance groove 380 and enters between the two fruit-receiving nets 320. The tree trunk clamping mechanism 390 is activated, driving the tree trunk clamping block 391 to press against the tree trunk surface, firmly fixing the fruit-receiving mechanism 300 to the tree trunk. Then, the net-closing drive mechanism 370 is activated, causing the two fruit-receiving nets 320 to slide closer to each other along the fruit-receiving support 310 until the edges of the two fruit-receiving net umbrellas 350 are joined together, forming a complete umbrella-shaped fruit-receiving surface around the tree trunk, while ensuring that the fruit outlet 312 is directly opposite the collection box 120.

[0052] During harvesting, the depth camera 255 and supplementary light 256 on the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 capture real-time three-dimensional images of the palm fruit bunches. This guides the gripping robotic arm 251 to first use the grippers 253 to straighten the drooping palm fruits, and then the cutting robotic arm 252 uses scissors 254 to cut the fruit stems. When the fruits fall from a height, they first land on the fruit-receiving net 350, where the fruit-receiving poles 351 are arranged in a matrix. Because the fruit-receiving poles 351 are fitted with buffer springs 352, the impact of the fall is absorbed by the spring compression, effectively protecting the net structure. The fruit may get stuck between the receiving rods 351. At this time, the fruit pushing drive 361 pushes the fruit pushing plate 362 to rotate and swing around the fruit pushing fixed rod 363, squeezing the fruit out of the receiving rods 351. The pushed fruit rolls down the inclined surface of the fruit pushing plate 362 to the receiving port 322, and passes through the receiving cavity 321, the falling cavity 311 and the fruit outlet 312 in sequence, and finally falls into the collection box 120, completing one harvesting and collection cycle.

[0053] When the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 needs to be charged, first control the tree-climbing harvesting robot 200 to return to the support chassis 100; then control the walking wheels 270 to roll along the alignment guide rail 140 on the support chassis 100. When the robot moves into position, the charging socket 280 on the support base 210 and the charging plug 150 on the support chassis 100 are automatically connected to replenish the robot's power.

[0054] The specific embodiments described above are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the specific scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, these specific embodiments. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting device, characterized in that: The system includes a support chassis and a tree-climbing harvesting robot. The support chassis is equipped with a detachable collection box, and the lower end of the support chassis is equipped with multiple drive wheels. The supporting chassis is equipped with a fruit-receiving mechanism, which includes a fruit-receiving support base and a fruit-receiving net. The fruit-receiving net is connected to the fruit-receiving support base, and the lower end of the fruit-receiving net is equipped with a caster wheel. The lower end of the fruit-receiving support base is equipped with two movable wheels, which are symmetrically distributed along the center line of the fruit-receiving support base. The supporting chassis is equipped with a movable guide rail, the width of which is adapted to the distance between the two movable wheels. The movable wheels are slidably engaged with the movable guide rail. The fruit receiving support is provided with a fruit dropping cavity, and a fruit outlet is provided on one side of the fruit dropping cavity. The fruit outlet is located directly above the collection box. The fruit receiving net is provided with a fruit receiving cavity, and a fruit receiving opening is provided at the upper end of the fruit receiving net. The fruit receiving cavity is connected to the fruit dropping cavity and the fruit receiving opening respectively. The fruit receiving net is provided with a fruit receiving net umbrella, and the fruit receiving net umbrella is located around the fruit receiving opening. The tree-climbing harvesting robot includes a support base, on which a tree-climbing component and a harvesting component are provided. The tree-climbing component is used to hug the palm tree and drive the support base to move axially on the palm tree. The tree-climbing assembly includes an active contact mechanism and a gripping mechanism. The output end of the active contact mechanism is provided with a first track, which is used to drive the first track to contact or separate from the palm tree. The output end of the gripping mechanism is provided with a second track, which is used to drive the second track to contact or separate from the palm tree.

2. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active abutment mechanism includes an abutment mounting base, an abutment drive member, a pull rod, and a swing seat. One end of the abutment mounting base is hinged to the support base, and the other end is connected to the first track. The abutment drive member is hinged to the support base, and its output end is connected to the abutment mounting base. One end of the swing seat is hinged to the support base, and the other end is hinged to the middle of the first track. Both ends of the pull rod are hinged to the abutment mounting base and the swing seat, respectively. The abutment drive member can drive the abutment mounting base to swing on the support base, thereby causing the first track to abut or separate from the palm tree.

3. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping mechanism includes a clamping drive motor and a clamping swing rod. The clamping drive motor is connected to the support base. One end of the clamping swing rod is rotatably connected to the support base, and the other end is connected to the second track. The output end of the clamping drive motor is connected to the clamping swing rod to drive the clamping swing rod to rotate and swing on the support base.

4. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The harvesting assembly includes a harvesting mounting base and a first arc-shaped guide rail fixed on a support base. A first arc-shaped guide sleeve is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide rail, and a second arc-shaped guide sleeve is slidably mounted on the first arc-shaped guide sleeve. The first arc-shaped guide rail, the first arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the second arc-shaped guide sleeve can be closed to form a complete circle. The harvesting mounting base is slidably limited to the second arc-shaped guide sleeve, and the harvesting assembly is mounted on the harvesting mounting base. The support base is provided with a first drive motor, the output end of the first drive motor is provided with a first drive gear, the side wall of the first arc-shaped guide sleeve is provided with a first transmission rack, and the first drive gear is meshed with the first transmission rack. The second arc-shaped guide sleeve is provided with a second drive motor, the output end of the second drive motor is provided with a second drive gear, the side wall of the first arc-shaped guide sleeve is provided with a second transmission rack, and the second drive gear is meshed with the second transmission rack. The picking mounting base is equipped with a third drive motor, and the output end of the third drive motor is equipped with a third drive gear. The side wall of the second arc-shaped guide sleeve is equipped with a third transmission rack, and the third drive gear is meshed with the third transmission rack.

5. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The harvesting assembly includes a gripping robotic arm and a cutting robotic arm respectively mounted on the harvesting mounting base. The gripping robotic arm has a gripper at its end, and the cutting robotic arm has scissors at its end. The harvesting mounting base is equipped with a depth camera and a fill light. The depth camera is used to photograph the palm fruits on the palm tree, and the fill light is used to illuminate the palm fruits.

6. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end face of the support base is provided with multiple telescopic rods, the ends of the telescopic rods are provided with walking wheels, and two alignment guide rails are provided in parallel on the support chassis. The distance between the two alignment guide rails is adapted to the distance between the two opposite walking wheels, and the walking wheels are slidably engaged with the alignment guide rails. The supporting chassis is equipped with a charging plug, and the supporting base is equipped with a charging socket at a position corresponding to the charging plug. The charging socket and the charging plug are detachably plugged in.

7. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with multiple upright fruit-receiving rods, each fruit-receiving rod is fitted with a buffer spring, and the fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with a fruit-pushing component, which is connected to the fruit-receiving rod. The fruit-pushing assembly includes a fruit-pushing drive and a fruit-pushing plate. The fruit-pushing drive is connected to the fruit-receiving net umbrella. The fruit-receiving net umbrella is provided with a fruit-pushing fixing rod. One end of the fruit-pushing plate is hinged to the fruit-pushing fixing rod, and the other end extends to both sides of the fruit-receiving rod. The output end of the fruit-pushing drive is hinged to the fruit-pushing plate. The fruit-pushing drive can drive the fruit-pushing plate to rotate and swing along the fruit-pushing fixing rod.

8. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: There are two fruit-receiving nets, each with a fruit-receiving net umbrella. The fruit-receiving support base is provided with a net-closing drive mechanism at the corresponding position of the fruit-receiving net. The output end of the net-closing drive mechanism is connected to the fruit-receiving net and is used to drive the fruit-receiving net to slide along the fruit-receiving support base. The fruit-collecting net is provided with a trunk clearance groove and a trunk clamping mechanism. The output end of the trunk clamping mechanism is provided with a trunk clamping block. The trunk clamping mechanism is used to drive the trunk clamping block to contact or separate from the palm tree passing through the trunk clearance groove.

9. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The net-closing drive mechanism includes a net-closing drive component, which is connected to the fruit-receiving support base, and the output end of the net-closing drive component is connected to the fruit-receiving net bag.

10. The automated palm fruit climbing and harvesting equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The trunk clamping mechanism includes a trunk clamping drive, which is connected to the fruit-catching net. One end of the trunk clamping block is hinged to the fruit-catching net, and the other end is a free end. The output end of the trunk clamping drive is hinged to the trunk clamping block and is used to drive the trunk clamping block to rotate and swing along the hinge end.

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