Automatic cocoon picking and loading system and working method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic cocoon harvesting and packaging system and its working method, belonging to the field of agricultural automation equipment technology. It solves the problems of existing technologies, such as the lack of automatic quantitative packaging after cocoon harvesting, easy crushing of cocoons when stacked in containers, and impact damage during the collection process. The key technical points are: the system transports a carrier containing square clusters to the cocoon harvesting station via a transmission module; the cocoon harvesting module pushes the cocoons out; the weighing and packaging module receives and accumulates the weight of the cocoons; when the weight meets the standard and the lower container is positioned and locked, the cocoons are discharged into a collection container with a buffer structure on the inner wall; the leveling module adaptively controls a flexible scraper to level the stack based on the stacking height detected by a distance sensor to prevent excessive stacking; and the detection and control unit coordinates and controls the entire process. This system is mainly used to achieve automatic cocoon harvesting, online quantitative packaging, protection against stacking damage, and production data recording, thereby improving efficiency and reducing damage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of agricultural automation equipment technology, and more specifically, this invention relates to an automatic cocoon picking and loading system and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] Sericulture is an important part of my country's traditional agriculture, and the square-grid cocoon system is widely used because it effectively improves the quality of silkworm cocoons. Currently, cocoon harvesting mainly relies on manual labor or semi-automatic cocoon harvesting machines, which suffers from low efficiency, high labor intensity, high cocoon damage rate, and cumbersome subsequent sorting and weighing. Although some automated cocoon harvesting equipment has been developed, such as the mobile cocoon harvesting robot described in the published paper "Innovative Design of Cocoon Harvesting Robot Based on TRIZ Theory," it still has the following limitations: Lack of online production measurement function: The silkworm cocoons are collected directly after harvesting, and it is impossible to automatically weigh and record data in real time and by batch, which is inconvenient for production management and production statistics. Insufficient handling of stacked silkworm cocoons after collection: Silkworm cocoons tend to stack in collection containers (such as baskets or boxes), and the lower layer of cocoons is at risk of being crushed due to the weight of the upper layer. Existing equipment lacks a solution to this problem. There is a risk of secondary damage during the collection process: when silkworm cocoons fall from a height into a rigid collection container, the impact may cause injury to the silkworm pupae or damage to the cocoon silk structure.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cocoon picking and packing system that can achieve automation, integrated weighing and packaging, and can flatten the collected cocoons to reduce stacking damage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to address at least the aforementioned deficiencies and to provide at least the advantages that will be described later.

[0005] This invention provides an automatic cocoon picking and packing system and its working method. In automated silkworm cocoon picking operations, existing technologies or methods typically only complete the basic step of pushing cocoons out of the grid cluster, lacking a process for handling and managing the picked cocoons. Specifically: First, directly collecting the picked cocoons does not enable automatic and accurate packing according to preset weights, which is inconvenient for production measurement and batch management; second, cocoons tend to naturally stack after falling into the container, with lower-layer cocoons at risk of being crushed by the pressure from the upper layers, and falling from a height onto a hard container may cause impact damage; third, the automation and coordination of the entire process are insufficient, with container positioning, picking triggering, and packing decisions relying on manual or simple control, resulting in low efficiency and the risk of misoperation.

[0006] This invention provides an automatic cocoon harvesting and packing system comprising: A transmission module, including a conveying mechanism and a carrier for carrying a square lattice cluster; the carrier is configured such that when carrying the square lattice cluster, the area below the square lattice cluster is a fully hollow structure; the hollow structure is used to provide space for the cocoons pushed out by the cocoon pusher to fall onto the weighing and packaging module; A cocoon collection module, arranged at the cocoon collection station, including a cocoon pusher for pushing cocoons out of the holes of the square lattice cluster; A weighing and packaging module, arranged below the cocoon collection module, for receiving and packaging cocoons; this module includes a temporary storage hopper, a dynamic scale, and a diversion and packaging mechanism; the diversion and packaging mechanism is provided with a discharge action completion signal output unit; A buffer collection container, the inner wall of which is provided with a buffer structure for receiving the packaged cocoons; A leveling module, arranged at the station below the discharge port of the weighing and packaging module, for leveling the cocoons in the container at the station below it; this module includes a driving rod that can extend into and withdraw from the interior of the container, a flexible scraper installed at the end of the driving rod, a driving mechanism, and a distance sensor vertically facing the interior of the container; A container conveyor line for conveying the buffer collection container; A container positioning mechanism, arranged at the receiving station, for positioning and locking the buffer collection container; this mechanism includes a position detection unit and a locking component; A detection and control unit, including a controller signal-connected to the discharge action completion signal output unit, the distance sensor, and the driving mechanism of the leveling module; [[ID=十六]]The position detection unit of the container positioning mechanism is signal-connected to the controller for sending a container in-place signal to the controller; the controller is configured to: receive the container in-place signal and control the container positioning mechanism to lock the container; When the container is in the locked state and the cumulative weight of the weighing and packaging module reaches a preset value, control the weighing and packaging module to discharge materials into this container; after receiving the discharge action completion signal, according to the comparison result of the detection signal of the distance sensor and a preset threshold value, control the start and stop of the leveling module.

[0007] Preferably, the controller is further configured to perform the following adaptive leveling control: After receiving the discharge action completion signal, immediately trigger the distance sensor to monitor the stacking height H in the container; Compare H with a preset safety threshold H0, and when H≥H0, start the leveling module; Control the driving mechanism to lower the flexible scraper to a set position and swing and sweep at a fan-shaped angle; Trigger the distance sensor to detect the height H1 again. If H1<H0, stop leveling, otherwise repeat the sweeping at most 3 times. If the requirement is still not met, stop and alarm.

[0008] Preferably, the controller is signal-connected to the container conveyor line and configured as follows: Upon receiving the container arrival signal, control the container conveyor line to pause and lock the container; When it is necessary to remove the container, first unlock the container positioning mechanism, and then start the container conveyor line.

[0009] Preferably, the controller is signal-connected to the weighing and dispensing module and configured as follows: The material discharge mechanism is triggered only when the cumulative weight of the dynamic scale reaches the preset value and a signal is received that the container is in place and locked.

[0010] Preferably, the transmission module includes a first position sensor for detecting the arrival of the carrier at the cocoon harvesting station; The first position sensor is signal-connected to the controller; The controller is configured to trigger the cocoon harvesting module to operate upon receiving a positioning signal from the first position sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the conveying mechanism is a ring chain conveying mechanism, the carrier is a frame structure, one or both sides of the carrier are fixed on the transmission chain of the ring chain conveying mechanism, and the carrier is provided with protrusions or guide rails that match the guide grooves on both sides of the square cluster; the square cluster is pushed into the carrier through the grooves and fixed by magnetic buckles. The buffer collection container is a square frame with a long side to short side ratio of 2:1. The internal buffer structure is made of food-grade silicone or foam material and is fixed to the inner wall of the container by adhesive or detachable means. The length of the flexible scraper is 3-10 cm shorter than the short side length of the buffer collection container.

[0012] Preferably, a distance sensor is installed on the discharge port wall of the weighing and dispensing module to detect the stacking height of silkworm cocoons inside the container; The leveling module is configured such that when the drive rod descends to the working position, one end of the flexible scraper is located at the midpoint of the long side inside the buffer collection container, and at this time the flexible scraper is parallel to the long side of the buffer collection container and close to the long side wall; the drive mechanism is used to drive the drive rod to rotate, so that the flexible scraper swings 180° in a fan shape with its endpoint located at the midpoint of the long side as the rotation point.

[0013] Preferably, the locking component of the container positioning mechanism includes a relatively movable mechanical stop for extending in response to a locking command to block or clamp the positioning structure on the side or bottom of the container, or retracting in response to an unlocking command to release the container.

[0014] The present invention also provides a method for operating the above-mentioned automatic cocoon picking and packing system, which includes the following steps: S1: Container Readiness: The controller controls the operation of the container conveyor line to send the buffer collection container to the receiving station; the in-place detection unit detects the container in place and sends a signal to the controller, and the controller controls the container conveyor line to pause and controls the locking component to lock the container. S2: Picking and Weighing: The carrier carrying the square grid clusters is transported to the cocoon picking station. After reaching the predetermined position, the cocoon picking module is triggered to pick cocoons; the cocoons fall into the weighing and packaging module, and the dynamic scale accumulates the weight. S3: Packaging Trigger: When the accumulated weight reaches the preset value and the controller confirms that the container is in the locked state, the diversion and packaging mechanism is triggered to discharge the cocoons into the container; after the discharging is completed, a signal indicating that the discharging action is completed is sent. S4: Smoothing Decision and Execution: After the controller receives the signal indicating that the discharging is completed, the distance sensor is triggered to detect the stacking height H; if H ≥ the preset safety threshold H0, the smoothing module is started for scraping operation. S5: Container Rotation: Repeat S2 - S4 until the current container reaches the preset discharge batch; the controller controls the locking component to unlock and controls the container conveyor line to remove the current container and send in the next empty container. S6: Cluster Tool Recycling: The empty square grid clusters after picking are transported downstream.

[0015] Preferably, in step S4, after the smoothing module is started, the controller controls the flexible scraper to descend to a position slightly higher than H0 and swing and sweep at a fan-shaped angle of 180°; after the sweeping, the height H1 is detected again. If H1 < H0, the smoothing module resets, otherwise the sweeping is repeated at most 3 times. If still H1 ≥ H0, the smoothing stops and an alarm is given.

[0016] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The present invention automatically transports the carrier through the transmission module, and the pusher of the cocoon picking module synchronously pushes out all the cocoons in the square grid clusters at one time, realizing the automation of the picking action and improving the operation efficiency. The weighing and packaging module integrates a dynamic scale, which can perform real-time cumulative weighing on the falling cocoons and is linked with the diversion and packaging mechanism. When the weight reaches the preset value, it automatically discharges the cocoons of this batch, realizing the online and quantitative packaging of cocoons and providing a basis for yield statistics and batch management. The buffer structure provided on the inner wall of the buffer collection container effectively absorbs the kinetic energy when the cocoons fall, reducing the damage to the pupa body or cocoon silk that may be caused by direct impact on the hard surface.

[0017] This invention uses a distance sensor to monitor the stacking height of silkworm cocoons inside a container in real time and compares it with a preset safety threshold. A leveling operation is only triggered when the stacking is too high and may pose a risk of crushing. This real-time feedback-based decision-making mechanism avoids unnecessary mechanical actions. During the leveling operation, a flexible scraper descends and swings in a fan shape, scraping locally piled cocoons into the surrounding space, thereby reducing the peak stacking height. The height is checked again after scraping, forming a closed-loop control to ensure effective leveling; at the same time, the maximum number of repeated scraping operations is limited to prevent the mechanism from malfunctioning under abnormal conditions. This adaptive leveling control can improve the system's intelligence and reliability while reducing stacking damage.

[0018] In terms of system coordination and control, the various modules are connected in series into an organic whole through the detection and control unit. The container positioning mechanism ensures that the container position is fixed during dispensing and laying. Its locking signal and the weighing standard signal together serve as the discharge trigger condition, forming a necessary process interlock, ensuring that each batch of silkworm cocoons can be accurately discharged into the designated container and avoiding misdischarge. The controller's sequential control of the container conveyor line and positioning locking mechanism ensures the stability of the container at key workstations. The first position sensor in the transmission module triggers the cocoon picking action, ensuring the accuracy of the alignment between the cocoon pusher and the square cluster. The hollow design, guiding and magnetic fixing structure of the carrier ensure that the silkworm cocoons fall smoothly and the square cluster is reliably fixed during silkworm picking. The specific length-to-width ratio of the buffer container provides effective working space for the fan-shaped swing of the scraper, and the design of the scraper length being slightly smaller than the short side of the container avoids motion interference. The locking component uses relatively movable mechanical blocking parts (such as wedge blocks and grooves) to achieve positioning constraints on the container. The entire workflow integrates all aspects from container delivery and preparation, harvesting and weighing, condition-triggered packaging, intelligent leveling decision-making, container rotation, and empty cocoon recycling into an orderly and automated closed-loop process. This systematically improves operational efficiency, reduces the risk of physical damage to silkworm cocoons during the entire harvesting, collection, and packaging process, and enables automated collection and management of production data.

[0019] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will become apparent in part from the following description, and in part from those skilled in the art through study and practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the workflow of the automatic cocoon picking and packing system described in this invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the framework of the automatic cocoon picking and packing system described in this invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor of the automatic cocoon picking and loading system of the present invention being moved to another location.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a side view of the automatic cocoon picking and packing system described in this invention.

[0024] The components include: 1. Conveyor chain; 2. Carrier; 3. Ring chain conveyor mechanism; 4. Guide rail; 5. Grid cluster; 6. Container conveyor line; 7. Rectangular through hole; 8. Smooth plate surface; 9. Cylinder; 10. Push rod; 11. Cocoon pusher; 12. Weighing and dispensing module; 13. Swing drive mechanism; 14. Distance sensor; 15. Drive rod; 16. Flexible scraper; 17. Buffer collection container; 18. Trapezoidal groove; 19. Telescopic rod; 20. Wedge-shaped head; and 21. Photoelectric sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can implement it based on the description.

[0026] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods described in the following implementation plan are all conventional methods, and the reagents and materials described are all commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0027] Example 1 This embodiment provides a specific implementation scheme for an automatic cocoon picking and packing system, which aims to solve problems such as lack of online measurement, stacking damage, and secondary damage risk in the prior art.

[0028] The system in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 1-4 As shown, it includes a transmission module, a cocoon harvesting module, a weighing and packaging module, a leveling module, multiple buffer collection containers 17, a container conveying line, a container positioning mechanism, and a detection and control unit.

[0029] The transmission module is used to continuously transport a carrier containing a grid cluster. It includes a ring chain conveyor mechanism 3 and multiple carriers 2. Each carrier 2 has a rectangular frame structure, with one side directly fixed (e.g., by bolts or welding) to the transmission chain 1 of the ring chain conveyor mechanism 3, allowing it to circulate in a ring with the chain. Both sides of the carrier 2 frame have protrusions or guide rails 4 for precise matching with the guide grooves on both sides of the grid cluster 5. The grid cluster is pushed into the carrier through the grooves and quickly secured and released using magnetic buckles on the carrier. This carrier design creates a completely open structure below the grid cluster after placement, providing an unobstructed path for the cocoons to fall after being pushed out. At the cocoon-collecting station, the smooth sliding plate surface 8 of the ring chain conveyor mechanism 3 is provided with a hollowed-out rectangular through hole 7. When the square cluster carried by the carrier reaches the position of the rectangular through hole, the hollowed-out inner frame of the carrier aligns with the rectangular through hole, so that the square cluster is placed on the carrier. The area below the square cluster is completely hollowed out, providing an unobstructed path for the cocoons to fall after being pushed out. A first photoelectric sensor (as a first position sensor) is also installed at the cocoon-collecting station to detect whether the carrier has accurately reached the predetermined position and to send a positioning signal.

[0030] The cocoon-harvesting module is fixedly installed directly above the cocoon-harvesting station. Its core is a cocoon pusher 11, composed of an array of push rods 10 driven by cylinders 9. The spacing and diameter of the push rods 10 are perfectly matched to the grid parameters of the square cluster, ensuring alignment with each square. When the controller receives a positioning signal from the first photoelectric sensor, it pauses the transmission module and controls the cylinders to drive the cocoon pusher downwards, pushing all the cocoons in the current square cluster out simultaneously. Under the influence of gravity, the cocoons fall through the hollowed-out area below the carrier.

[0031] The weighing and dispensing module 12 is located directly below the cocoon harvesting station and is used to receive, measure, and dispense silkworm cocoons according to a preset weight. This module includes, from top to bottom: Temporary storage hopper: It receives the falling silkworm cocoons and guides and evenly distributes them downstream.

[0032] High-precision dynamic scale: It receives silkworm cocoons from the temporary storage hopper and accumulates the weight of the silkworm cocoons passing over it in real time and dynamically during the conveying process.

[0033] The flow guiding and dispensing mechanism includes a rotary dispensing valve and a Y-shaped flow guide channel. When discharge is required, the motor drives the dispensing valve to rotate, switching channels and guiding a batch of accumulated silkworm cocoons into a designated buffer collection container. A proximity switch is installed on the rotating shaft of the dispensing valve as a "dispensing action signal output unit." When the dispensing valve rotates to the dispensing position, the proximity switch is triggered, sending a dispensing action to the controller. After a delay of 5-10 seconds, a dispensing completion signal is issued.

[0034] The leveling module is located below the discharge port of the flow guiding and dispensing mechanism. It automatically levels the accumulated silkworm cocoons inside the container, preventing damage from excessive stacking. This module includes: Drive rod 15: Driven by a linear module, it can extend vertically into or out of the buffer collection container below.

[0035] Flexible scraper 16: Fixedly installed at the end of the drive rod. It consists of a rigid plastic substrate covered with a food-grade silicone layer approximately 5mm thick, providing good elasticity and cushioning. The length of the flexible scraper is slightly less than the short side length of the buffer collection container (that is, slightly less than the width of the buffer collection container, for example, 4cm less).

[0036] Oscillating drive mechanism 13: A servo motor is used to drive the flexible scraper to oscillate in a fan shape within its own plane. The oscillation drive mechanism can be connected to the station below the discharge port of the diversion and dispensing mechanism. The drive rod is connected to the oscillation drive mechanism, and the oscillation drive mechanism drives the drive rod to rotate 180°, thereby driving the flexible scraper at the lower end of the drive rod to oscillate in a fan shape within its own plane.

[0037] Distance sensor 14: A laser rangefinder is installed on the wall of the discharge port of the diversion and dispensing mechanism, with its transmitter facing vertically toward the inside of the buffer collection container 17, for real-time detection of the stacking height of the silkworm cocoons on the surface inside the container.

[0038] The motion of the leveling module is configured such that when the drive rod descends to the working position, one end of the flexible scraper is positioned exactly at the midpoint of the long side of the buffer collection container below it, and at this time the scraper is parallel to the long side of the container and close to the inner wall of that side. The servo motor drives the flexible scraper to perform a fan-shaped reciprocating swing of up to 180° with its positioning end as the axis (that is, with the drive rod as the axis), thereby scraping the cocoons from one side to the other and vice versa, achieving flattening.

[0039] Buffer collection container 17: A rectangular plastic frame, with dimensions such as 1000mm long, 500mm wide, and 200mm high (length-to-width ratio 2:1). To reduce impact damage when silkworm cocoons fall in, its inner wall is fitted with a food-grade silicone or foam cushioning liner, either adhesively or detachably. The bottom of the container has two trapezoidal positioning grooves 18 on either side (the trapezoidal grooves 18 match the wedge-shaped heads 20 of the telescopic rod 19; the outer opening of the trapezoidal groove is wide, and the inner opening is narrow, facilitating the wedge-shaped head's insertion and positioning). RFID tags are affixed to the side walls of the container for identification and data association.

[0040] Container conveyor line 6: A stepping roller conveyor line driven by a motor is used to intermittently transport empty buffer collection containers to the receiving station and remove containers containing a preset amount of silkworm cocoons.

[0041] A container positioning mechanism is installed at the receiving station to secure the container during the dispensing and leveling process. It includes: The positioning detection unit uses a pair of photoelectric sensors 21. When the container moves to the workstation and blocks the light beam, it sends a "container in position" signal.

[0042] Locking assembly: Includes wedge blocks on both sides of the container conveyor at the receiving station, the two wedge blocks being driven by cylinders (acting as mechanically movable stops). When a locking command is received, the cylinder pushes the wedge blocks out, inserting them into positioning grooves on both sides of the bottom of the container to achieve physical locking; when an unlocking command is received, the wedge blocks retract.

[0043] The detection and control unit is a programmable logic controller (PLC). All sensor signals (first photoelectric sensor, proximity switch, laser rangefinder, through-beam photoelectric sensor) and all actuators (linear module, servo motor, conveyor motor, solenoid valves of each cylinder) are connected to the PLC via I / O modules or a communication network. The cumulative weight data of the dynamic scale is also transmitted to the PLC in real time. The PLC is programmed to implement all the control logic described in this invention, including container positioning and locking, picking triggering, weighing and dispensing decisions, adaptive leveling control, and container rotation.

[0044] System workflow and control logic, combined Figure 1 As shown in the flowchart, after the system is powered on and initialized, the PLC operates according to the following cyclic process: (1) Container transport and readiness: The PLC controls the container transport line to start, and sends an empty buffer collection container to the receiving station.

[0045] (2) Container positioning and locking: The through-beam photoelectric sensor detects that the container is in place and sends a signal to the PLC. The PLC immediately controls the container conveyor line to stop and drives the cylinder of the locking component to extend the wedge block and insert it into the trapezoidal grooves on both sides of the bottom of the container (matching the wedge head of the telescopic rod 19) to lock the container firmly.

[0046] (3) Harvesting Trigger: The transmission module delivers the carrier containing the full cluster of square cocoons to the cocoon harvesting station. The first photoelectric sensor sends a signal indicating that the cocoon has arrived, and the PLC then controls the cylinder of the cocoon harvesting module to move, pushing the cocoon pusher down to complete the harvesting. The cocoons fall into the temporary storage hopper of the weighing and packaging module below.

[0047] (4) Weighing and Packaging Decision: The weight of the silkworm cocoons is accumulated by the dynamic scale. The PLC continuously compares the accumulated value with the preset batch weight (e.g., 200g). At the same time, the PLC checks whether the status of the container at the receiving station is "locked". Only when both conditions of "accumulated weight reaches the preset value" and "container is locked" are met simultaneously, the PLC triggers the motor of the diversion and packaging mechanism to discharge the current batch of silkworm cocoons into the locked container.

[0048] (5)Adaptive paving execution: After the distribution valve rotates to the in-place position, the proximity switch emits a "discharging action" and delays, and then emits a "discharging completion signal". After receiving this signal, the PLC immediately triggers the laser range finder sensor to measure the stacking height H in the container. The PLC compares H with the preset safety height H0 (such as 100 mm). If H < H0, the paving is not started. If H ≥ H0, the paving program is started: a. Control the linear module drive rod to descend so that the flexible scraper reaches the working position (one end of the scraper is positioned at the midpoint of the long side).

[0049] b. Control the servo motor to drive the flexible scraper to perform a 180° fan-shaped swing sweep at a low speed mode (for example, 3 back-and-forths). Specifically, set the time for the flexible scraper to complete a one-way 180° swing to be 2 to 3 seconds, that is, a complete back-and-forth sweep cycle is about 4 to 6 seconds. At this speed, the maximum linear speed at the end of the flexible scraper is lower than 0.4 m / s, which can ensure that the silkworm cocoons are smoothly pushed rather than impacted.

[0050] c. After the sweep, trigger the laser range finder sensor again to detect the height H1.

[0051] d. If H1 < H0, the paving is successful, and the drive rod rises and resets.

[0052] e. If H1 ≥ H0, repeat steps b-c, up to 3 times. If it still does not meet the standard after 3 times, stop the paving, and the PLC issues a "paving abnormality" alarm and records the RFID information of the container.

[0053] (6)Circulation and container rotation: Repeat steps (3) to (5). The internal counter of the PLC counts the batches discharged into the current container. When the preset batch quantity (such as 5 batches) is reached, the PLC controls the wedge block cylinder to retract to unlock the container, then starts the container conveyor line, moves the container full of the preset quantity to the collection point, and synchronously sends the next empty container to the work station, and the process returns to step (2).

[0054] (7)Empty cluster tool offline: The empty square clusters after picking are still fixed on the carrier and circulate with the chain to a certain offline work station downstream. At this work station, the magnetic buckle can be released manually or by a simple auxiliary mechanism to remove the empty square clusters so that the carrier can be recycled to carry new full cluster square clusters.

[0055] (8)Data recording and management: The PLC automatically uploads information such as the weight of each batch, the corresponding container RFID number, and the operation timestamp to the upper computer database through the communication interface, realizing real-time, accurate statistics of production and report generation.

[0056] This implementation method, through the aforementioned modular design and intelligent control process, realizes the entire process of automatic cocoon harvesting, online weighing, quantitative packaging, adaptive leveling, and data recording, effectively improving efficiency, reducing damage rate, and facilitating production management. The term "full cluster" refers to a cluster where mature cocoons have formed within the squares and are ready for harvesting.

[0057] Example 2 This embodiment provides another specific implementation of an automatic cocoon harvesting and loading system. The system includes a transmission module, a cocoon harvesting module, a weighing and packaging module, a leveling module, a buffer collection container, a container conveyor line, a container positioning mechanism, and a detection and control unit. The transmission module may include a motor-driven ring chain conveyor mechanism. The carrier for carrying the square clusters can be made of a rectangular aluminum alloy profile frame, which can be fixed to the chain plate by bolts. Guide protrusions can be provided on the carrier frame to cooperate with the grooves on both sides of the square clusters. When the square clusters are placed in the carrier, the area below them is completely hollowed out. The cocoon harvesting module is installed at a fixed cocoon harvesting station on the transmission path. Its cocoon pusher can be an array of stainless steel push rods driven by multiple cylinders in parallel, with the push rods arranged one-to-one with the holes of the square clusters. The weighing and packaging module is located directly below the cocoon harvesting station. Its temporary storage hopper can be made of stainless steel, and the dynamic scale below it can be an online cumulative scale based on strain gauge sensors. The flow guiding and dispensing mechanism can be a rotary dispensing valve driven by a stepper motor, with an inductive proximity switch mounted on its rotating shaft as the discharge action signal output unit. The buffer collection container can be an injection-molded plastic frame, with its inner wall lined with food-grade EVA foam approximately 10 mm thick as a cushioning structure. The leveling module is installed directly below the discharge port of the flow guiding and dispensing mechanism, and its drive rod can be driven vertically by a servo cylinder. The flexible scraper can be connected to the end of the drive rod with screws; the scraper base is a rigid PVC board, with a layer of silicone approximately 3 mm thick covering the surface. The distance sensor can be a laser rangefinder, mounted on the side wall of the discharge port via a bracket, with its emitter vertically downwards aligned with the inside of the container. The container conveyor line can be a belt conveyor driven by a geared motor. The container positioning mechanism is set on the conveyor line as a receiving station; its positioning detection unit can be a pair of through-beam photoelectric sensors, and the locking assembly can include two nylon wedge blocks driven by small cylinders.

[0058] The core of the detection and control unit can be a programmable logic controller (PLC). The positioning detection unit of the container positioning mechanism is connected to the controller input point. The controller's program is configured to execute the following logic: First, upon receiving the container positioning signal, the container conveyor line pauses, and then a locking command is sent to the locking component of the container positioning mechanism, causing the wedge block to extend and insert into the groove at the bottom of the container. Then, the system enters a waiting state until two conditions are met simultaneously: first, the cumulative weight of the dynamic scale of the weighing and dispensing module reaches a preset value (e.g., 200 grams); second, the controller confirms that the container is in a locked state. At this time, the controller triggers the stepper motor of the diversion and dispensing mechanism to discharge the accumulated cocoons into the currently locked buffer collection container. After the discharge action is completed, the proximity switch on the dispensing valve shaft is triggered, sending a high-level signal to the controller as a discharge action completion signal. Upon receiving this signal, the controller immediately reads the current measurement value of the distance sensor, i.e., the stacking height H of the cocoons inside the container. The controller compares H with the internally preset safety threshold H0 (preferably 80 mm). If H is less than H0, the controller will not start the leveling module; if H is greater than or equal to H0, the controller will send a start command to the servo cylinder and swing motor of the leveling module to start the leveling operation.

[0059] Existing technology involves a mobile cocoon-harvesting robot (such as the published paper "Innovative Design of a Cocoon-Harvesting Robot Based on TRIZ Theory"), which pushes cocoons out of a grid cluster and directly into a fixed collection basket. It lacks online weighing and quantitative dispensing functions, and does not process the stacked cocoons within the basket. Furthermore, the collection basket has limited storage capacity, and the labor involved in transferring and frequently changing it is significant. The system claimed in this invention includes a weighing and dispensing module comprising a dynamic scale and a flow-guiding dispensing mechanism, linked with container positioning, conveying, and control logic, achieving automatic dispensing and conveying according to preset weights. In addition, a leveling module controlled by distance sensor feedback is specifically included, which automatically levels the cocoons when they are stacked too high. This enables batch management and effectively avoids damage to cocoons caused by excessive stacking within the container.

[0060] In this embodiment, the adaptive leveling control logic of the controller operates according to the following steps. When the controller receives a discharge completion signal from the proximity switch of the dispensing mechanism, it immediately triggers a distance sensor via a digital output point to measure the stacking height H of the cocoons inside the container. The controller compares the value of H with a preset safety threshold H0 (preferably 80 mm in this embodiment; the preset safety threshold H0 is the height of the container when the preset batch is full). If H is less than H0, the controller determines that leveling is unnecessary and directly terminates the current process. If H is greater than or equal to H0, the controller starts the leveling procedure. The controller first controls the servo cylinder to drive the flexible scraper down to a set position, where the lower edge of the scraper is equal to or slightly higher than the height of H0 (e.g., 10 mm). Next, the controller starts the geared motor that drives the flexible scraper to swing, causing the scraper to swing approximately 180 degrees back and forth along its axis near the inner wall of the long side of the container, performing a scraping operation. After completing one scraping operation, the controller triggers the distance sensor again to measure the new stacking height H1. If H1 is less than or equal to H0, it indicates that the leveling target has been achieved. The controller then controls the flexible scraper to rise and reset, and stops the oscillating motor. If H1 is still greater than H0, the controller commands the leveling module to repeat the scraping process. The scraping can be repeated a maximum of 3 times. If, after 3 consecutive scrapings, the measured height H1 is still not lower than H0, the controller stops the leveling action, issues a warning signal through its connected audible and visual alarm, and records the current container identification information in the storage area.

[0061] Existing cocoon harvesting equipment only performs picking and collection, without monitoring or intervention regarding the stacking state of cocoons within the collection container. The adaptive leveling control method of this invention, by real-time monitoring of height and comparison with a threshold, enables on-demand initiation of the leveling operation, avoiding unnecessary mechanical movements. Through closed-loop control logic that re-detects and limits the maximum number of repetitions after scraping, it ensures effective leveling while preventing mechanical idling or repeated ineffective operations due to abnormal conditions (such as container tilting or sensor malfunction), thus improving system reliability and intelligence—features not found in existing technologies.

[0062] In this embodiment, the controller's program further includes direct control logic for the container conveyor line. A digital output point of the controller is connected to the start / stop control terminal of the container conveyor line drive motor. When the through-beam photoelectric sensor of the container positioning mechanism detects that a container has arrived and sends a signal to the controller, the controller, while executing a locking command, also sends a stop signal to the container conveyor line drive motor, causing the conveyor line to pause operation and ensuring the container remains stationary at the workstation. When it is necessary to remove the current container, for example, after the container has been filled with a preset batch, the controller's logic flow is as follows: First, an unlocking signal is sent to the cylinder solenoid valve of the container positioning mechanism, causing the wedge block to retract and releasing the physical constraint on the container. After confirming the unlocking action is completed, the controller then sends a start signal to the container conveyor line drive motor, causing the conveyor line to resume operation, removing the current container from the workstation, and allowing subsequent empty containers to be transported in.

[0063] This invention employs a controller to coordinate the sequential control of the conveyor line and positioning mechanism: upon arrival at the desired position, the conveyor is paused and then locked; before removal, the conveyor is unlocked and then restarted. This sequential control logic ensures absolute stability of the container throughout the series of operations, including positioning, locking, dispensing, and leveling. It prevents risks such as spilled cocoons, inaccurate dispensing, or collisions between the leveling mechanism and the container due to accidental movement of the conveyor line or improper locking of the container, making the entire system's workflow safer and more reliable.

[0064] In this embodiment, the controller program executes specific interlocking logic when managing the weighing and dispensing module. The dynamic scale transmits the real-time accumulated weight data to the controller via an analog input module or communication interface. The controller has an internal weight comparison unit that continuously compares the accumulated value with a preset batch weight target value (e.g., 200 grams). Simultaneously, the controller confirms whether the container has been reliably locked by reading the status signal of the container positioning mechanism (e.g., the magnetic switch signal of the locking cylinder). The controller's discharge trigger command is not issued based on a single condition. Only when the controller simultaneously detects that both the "dynamic scale accumulated weight has reached or exceeded the preset value" and the "container positioning mechanism has confirmed the container is locked" Boolean conditions are "true" will it send a start pulse to the stepper motor driver of the dispensing mechanism, thereby opening the dispensing valve for discharge. If the weight is reached but the container is not locked, the controller will wait or issue an alarm until locking is complete; if the container is locked but the weight is not reached, the controller will continue to wait for harvesting and weighing.

[0065] This invention introduces a necessary safety and process interlock through a dual-condition triggering mechanism. It ensures that for each material discharge operation, a pre-positioned and secured container is present below to receive the cocoons, completely preventing accidental discharge onto the conveyor line or into the air. This guarantees that each batch of cocoons is accurately filled into the target container, providing a fundamental prerequisite for precise quantitative dispensing and batch traceability management, and solving the problem of potential material misdischarge in existing technologies.

[0066] In the transmission module of this embodiment, a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor is installed at the entrance of the cocoon-picking station as the first position sensor, with its sensing head aligned with the predetermined path of the carrier. The output signal line of this sensor is connected to a digital input point of the controller. When the carrier carrying the square clusters moves to the cocoon-picking station with the chain and blocks the beam of the photoelectric sensor, the sensor state changes, sending a high-level position signal to the controller. After scanning this rising edge signal, the controller program immediately calls the cocoon-picking subroutine. This subroutine first outputs a signal to drive the solenoid valve of the cocoon pusher cylinder of the cocoon-picking module to switch, causing the cylinder piston rod to extend and push the entire pusher array downward, synchronously pushing out the cocoons in all the holes of the square cluster. After the pushing action is completed, the controller controls the cylinder to reset, waiting for the next trigger.

[0067] In this embodiment, the transmission mechanism of the transmission module adopts a standard industrial single-chain circular conveyor line. The carrier is a rectangular frame welded from square tubes, one side of which is fastened to the chain plate of the conveyor chain via a connecting plate. An L-shaped aluminum alloy guide rail is installed on each of the two long sides inside the carrier frame, the width between these two guide rails matching the thickness of the flanges on both sides of the grid cluster. The grid cluster can be slid into the carrier interior along the guide rails manually or with the aid of a mechanism. Several permanent magnets are also installed on the carrier frame; when the grid cluster is pushed into place, these magnets attract the metal parts inside the grid cluster frame, achieving rapid fixation. The buffer collection container is rectangular in shape, with a long side length of 800 mm, a short side length of 400 mm, and an aspect ratio of 2:1. The buffer material for the inner wall of the container can be a closed-cell polyethylene foam pad, which is fixed using double-sided tape. The flexible scraper of the paving module, wrapped in silicone, is designed to be 380 mm long, slightly shorter than the short side of the container, to ensure that the scraper can swing freely inside the container without hard interference with the inner wall of the short side.

[0068] This invention specifically defines the structure of the carrier and container. The carrier's guide rails and magnetic fixing method enable rapid loading, accurate positioning, and reliable fixation of the square clusters, laying the foundation for subsequent harvesting. The specific aspect ratio and built-in buffer structure of the buffer collection container provide optimized working space for the scraper of the leveling module (scraping along the long side) and effectively reduce the impact when the cocoons fall in. The design of the scraper length being shorter than the short side of the container is an important detail to ensure smooth mechanical operation and avoid jamming or scratching the container. These structural features together constitute a stable, efficient, and cocoon-friendly physical support and conveying system.

[0069] In this embodiment, the distance sensor is fixed to the outer wall of the discharge port of the weighing and dispensing module's guide and dispensing mechanism via an adjustable mounting bracket. The sensor's laser emitter points vertically downwards, with its spot aligned with the center area of ​​the buffer collection container below. The servo cylinder of the leveling module is fixed to the frame via a mounting plate, located above and to the side of the discharge port. Its drive rod is initially in a high position. When the controller issues a leveling command, the servo cylinder drives the drive rod to descend vertically. More specifically, the control system is configured such that when the drive rod descends to its preset working position, the flexible scraper is close to the end of one long side of the container's inner wall, precisely near the center point of that long side. At this time, the flexible scraper is approximately parallel to the inner wall of that long side of the container, maintaining a gap of about 5 mm. Subsequently, the geared motor that drives the scraper to swing is activated, driving the scraper to swing back and forth in a fan shape of about 180 degrees in a plane parallel to the bottom of the container around its end located at the midpoint of the long side, thereby scraping the piled-up silkworm cocoons to the other side of the container and flattening them.

[0070] This invention specifically defines the installation position of the distance sensor and the motion geometry of the leveling module. The sensor is mounted on the discharge port wall so that it can directly measure the stacking height inside the container directly below (typically a location where stacking is likely to occur at the discharge port), ensuring a direct and interference-free measurement path. The leveling module is configured to begin scraping around the midpoint of its long side, a highly efficient strategy because the scraper can cover the largest possible leveling area with minimal movement during its oscillation.

[0071] In this embodiment, the locking component of the container positioning mechanism includes a pneumatic actuator. This unit has two mechanically actuated nylon parts that can move in opposite directions or backwards; specifically, they are two wedge-shaped telescopic rods. These two telescopic rods are driven by two independent small single-acting cylinders, with the cylinder bodies fixed to both sides of the frame at the receiving station. When the controller issues a locking command, it energizes the solenoid valves of the two cylinders, compressing air pushes the piston rods out, causing the wedge-shaped telescopic rods to move forward. The wedge-shaped structure at the front end of the telescopic rod can embed into the trapezoidal grooves pre-stamped on both sides of the bottom of the buffer collection container. The trapezoidal grooves match the wedge-shaped heads of the telescopic rods, and the large outer opening of the trapezoidal grooves facilitates the wedge-shaped heads of the telescopic rods to engage and be positioned, achieving bidirectional clamping and locking. When unlocking is required, the controller disconnects the power to the solenoid valves, the cylinders reset under the action of internal springs, the telescopic rods retract, the grooves at the bottom of the container are released, and the container falls back onto the conveyor line surface.

[0072] The "relatively movable mechanical blocking element" of this invention is a specific and reliable implementation. The wedge-shaped block engages with the groove at the bottom of the container, facilitating a secure and reliable locking mechanism.

[0073] This embodiment describes a working method based on the aforementioned system, with the specific steps as follows: Step 1, Container Ready: After system startup, the controller drives the motor of the container conveyor line to move an empty buffer collection container forward along the conveyor line. When the container moves to the receiving station and blocks the beam of the through-beam photoelectric sensor, the sensor sends a signal. Upon receiving this signal, the controller immediately stops the conveyor line motor and simultaneously drives the cylinder of the locking component, causing the wedge block to extend and insert into the groove at the bottom of the container, completing the container's positioning and mechanical locking. Step 2, Harvesting and Weighing: The operator places the square clusters full of silkworm cocoons into the carrier of the transmission module. The transmission module operates, delivering the carrier to the cocoon harvesting station. The carrier triggers the first position sensor, which sends a signal to the controller. The controller then activates the cylinder of the cocoon harvesting module, causing the cocoon pusher to descend and push all the cocoons in the square cluster out at once. The pushed-out cocoons pass through the hollow area below the carrier and fall into the temporary storage hopper of the weighing and dispensing module, then slide onto the dynamic scale for continuous weighing, with the controller accumulating the weight in real time. The third step is the dispensing trigger: The controller continuously compares the accumulated weight with a set value (e.g., 200 grams). When the accumulated weight reaches the set value and the controller confirms that the container at the receiving station is locked, the controller sends a command to the motor of the guide dispensing mechanism and closes the temporary storage hopper to discharge the cocoons. The motor drives the dispensing valve to rotate, guiding the currently accumulated batch of cocoons into the locked buffer collection container below. After the dispensing valve rotates to its position, the proximity switch on its shaft is triggered, sending a discharge action signal. After a certain delay, this becomes a discharge completion signal. This also includes the motor driving the dispensing valve to close and the temporary storage hopper to open to discharge the cocoons after a preset time or delay. The fourth step is the leveling decision and execution: After receiving the discharge completion signal, the controller immediately reads the value from the distance sensor to obtain the current cocoon stack height H in the container. The controller compares H with a preset safety threshold H0 (preferably 80 mm in this method). If H is greater than or equal to H0, it is determined that leveling is required, and the leveling module is started to scrape according to a predetermined program; if H is less than H0, the leveling step is skipped. Step 5, Container Rotation: Steps 2 through 4 above are repeated in a loop. The controller counts the batches discharged into the current container. When the count reaches a preset number of batches (e.g., 5 batches), it indicates that the container is full (the container's filling height is approximately slightly below the safety threshold H0). The controller then controls the cylinder of the locking component to retract, and the wedge block exits the container groove to unlock the container. Subsequently, the controller restarts the container conveyor line, sending the full container out of the station while simultaneously sending in the next empty container, repeating the process from step 1. Step 6, Cluster Retrieval: The empty clusters remain fixed on the carrier and continue moving downstream with the chain of the transfer module, eventually reaching an unloading station. At this station, the empty clusters can be manually removed so that the carrier can be reused.

[0074] The working method of this invention, by introducing a series of orderly and controllable steps such as "container readiness and locking," "weighing and condition-triggered dispensing," "leveling decision based on height detection," and "quantitative container rotation," elevates the originally simple and cumbersome collection process into a complete process integrating automation, quantification, informatization, and flexibility. This method facilitates accurate weight measurement for each batch of silkworm cocoons, fixed containers, and controlled stacking. It also enables automatic container replacement and empty cocoon collection, forming a highly efficient, low-loss, and easily managed closed-loop operation process, solving the problems of low efficiency, high damage, and extensive management inherent in existing technologies.

[0075] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. It can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. Further modifications can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An automatic cocoon picking and packing system, characterized in that, Comprising: A transmission module, including a conveying mechanism and a carrier for carrying a square cluster; The carrier is configured such that when carrying a square cluster, the area below the square cluster is a fully hollow structure; the hollow structure is used to provide space for the cocoons pushed out by the cocoon pusher to fall onto the weighing and packing module; A cocoon collection module, arranged at the cocoon collection station, including a cocoon pusher for pushing cocoons out of the apertures of the square cluster; A weighing and packing module, arranged below the cocoon collection module, for receiving and packing cocoons; this module includes a temporary storage hopper, a dynamic scale, and a diversion and packing mechanism; the diversion and packing mechanism is provided with a discharge action completion signal output unit; A buffer collection container, the inner wall of which is provided with a buffer structure for receiving the packed cocoons; A flattening module, arranged at the station below the discharge port of the weighing and packing module, for leveling the cocoons in the container at the station below it; this module includes a driving rod that can extend into and withdraw from the interior of the container, a flexible scraper installed at the end of the driving rod, a driving mechanism, and a distance sensor vertically facing the interior of the container; A container conveyor line for conveying the buffer collection container; A container positioning mechanism, arranged at the receiving station, for positioning and locking the buffer collection container; this mechanism includes a position detection unit and a locking component; A detection and control unit, including a controller signal-connected to the discharge action completion signal output unit, the distance sensor, and the driving mechanism of the flattening module; The position detection unit of the container positioning mechanism is signal-connected to the controller for sending a container in-place signal to the controller; the controller is configured to: receive the container in-place signal and control the container positioning mechanism to lock the container; When the container is in the locked state and the cumulative weight of the weighing and packing module reaches a preset value, control the weighing and packing module to discharge materials into the container; after receiving the discharge action completion signal, control the start and stop of the flattening module according to the comparison result of the detection signal of the distance sensor and a preset threshold value.

2. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to perform the following adaptive flattening control: After receiving the discharge action completion signal, immediately trigger the distance sensor to monitor the stacking height H in the container; Compare H with a preset safety threshold value H0, and when H≥H0, start the flattening module; Control the driving mechanism to lower the flexible scraper to a set position and swing and sweep at a fan-shaped angle; Trigger the distance sensor to detect the height H1 again. If H1<H0, stop flattening, otherwise repeat the sweeping at most 3 times. If the requirement is still not met, stop and alarm.

3. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is signal-connected to the container conveyor line and is configured to: ​ ​ 4. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, ​ ​ 5. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, ​ ​ The controller is configured to trigger the cocoon harvesting module to operate after receiving a positioning signal from the first position sensor.

6. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism is a ring chain conveying mechanism, and the carrier is a frame structure. One or both sides of the carrier are fixed on the transmission chain of the ring chain conveying mechanism. The carrier is provided with protrusions or guide rails that match the guide grooves on both sides of the square cluster. The square cluster is pushed into the carrier through the grooves and fixed by magnetic buckles. The buffer collection container is a square frame with a long side to short side ratio of 2:

1. The internal buffer structure is made of food-grade silicone or foam material and is fixed to the inner wall of the container by adhesive or detachable means. The length of the flexible scraper is 3-10 cm shorter than the short side length of the buffer collection container.

7. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The distance sensor is installed on the discharge port wall of the weighing and dispensing module to detect the stacking height of silkworm cocoons inside the container; The leveling module is configured such that when the drive rod descends to the working position, one end of the flexible scraper is located at the midpoint of the long side inside the buffer collection container, and at this time the flexible scraper is parallel to the long side of the buffer collection container and close to the long side wall; the drive mechanism is used to drive the drive rod to rotate, so that the flexible scraper swings 180° in a fan shape with its endpoint located at the midpoint of the long side as the rotation point.

8. The automatic cocoon picking and packing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking component of the container positioning mechanism includes a relatively movable mechanical stop that extends in response to a locking command to block or clamp the positioning structure on the side or bottom of the container, or retracts in response to an unlocking command to release the container.

9. A method for operating an automatic cocoon picking and packing system as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Container Ready: The controller controls the container conveyor line to deliver the buffer collection container to the receiving station; the arrival detection unit detects that the container has arrived and sends a signal to the controller, which then controls the container conveyor line to stop and controls the locking component to lock the container. S2: Harvesting and Weighing: The carrier carrying the square clusters is transported to the cocoon harvesting station. After reaching the predetermined position, the cocoon harvesting module is triggered to harvest the cocoons; the cocoons fall into the weighing and packaging module, and the dynamic scale accumulates the weight. S3: Dispensing Trigger: When the cumulative weight reaches the preset value and the controller confirms that the container is in the locked state, the dispensing mechanism is triggered to discharge the silkworm cocoons into the container; after the discharge is completed, a discharge action completion signal is issued; S4: Leveling Decision and Execution: After receiving the material discharge completion signal, the controller triggers the distance sensor to detect the stacking height H; if H ≥ preset safety threshold H0, the leveling module is started to perform the leveling operation; S5: Container rotation: Repeat S2-S4 until the current container reaches the preset batch size; the controller controls the locking component to unlock and controls the container conveyor line to remove the current container and send in the next empty container; S6: Cluster Recycling: The harvested empty square clusters are transported downstream.

10. The working method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the step S4, after the paving module is started, the controller controls the flexible squeegee to descend to a position slightly higher than H0 and swing and sweep at a fan-shaped angle of 180°; after the sweeping, the height H1 is detected again. If H1 < H0, the paving module is reset; otherwise, the sweeping is repeated up to 3 times. If still H1 ≥ H0, the paving is stopped and an alarm is given.

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