An omnidirectional mobile water jet harvesting lotus root boat and a harvesting method thereof

Abstract

This invention provides an omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting vessel and its harvesting method. The device uses a base plate as a supporting platform and mainly includes four symmetrically arranged worm gear omnidirectional propulsion mechanisms, a high-pressure water system, and a five-bar linkage lifting mechanism driven by electric push rods. The four worm gear mechanisms are driven by independent motors and fixed to both sides of the base plate via connecting frames. The worm gears are filled with buoyancy material to improve stability and load-bearing capacity. The high-pressure water system consists of a water pump, fluid-optimized nozzles, and hoses, and is integrally mounted on the five-bar linkage lifting mechanism. Driven by the electric push rods, the five-bar linkage mechanism synchronously raises and lowers the water pump and nozzles to adjust the underwater operating depth. During harvesting, by controlling the differential speed drive of the four motors on the worm gears, the vessel can move forward, backward, laterally, and turn in the water. Simultaneously, the water pump is started and the nozzles are lowered to a set depth, allowing the high-pressure water flow to focus and impact the silt, causing the lotus roots to naturally float to the surface for harvesting. During the operation, the inertial measurement unit and water depth sensor integrated into the hull collect the hull attitude, displacement, and environmental parameters in real time, and transmit them to the main control system to realize harvesting path planning, attitude self-stabilization, and parameter adaptive adjustment. This invention realizes efficient, non-destructive, and automated lotus root harvesting in complex water environments such as silt and shallows, and has the characteristics of strong adaptability, high harvesting integrity, and good operational continuity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural machinery and automated harvesting technology, specifically to an omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting vessel and its harvesting method. This harvesting vessel simulates the manual water-jet lotus root harvesting process through a high-pressure water system, and utilizes an omnidirectional worm gear drive mechanism to achieve flexible movement and posture stability in complex aquatic environments. It integrates non-destructive lotus root harvesting, underwater silt breaking, hull self-stabilization control, and adaptive operation, making it suitable for lotus root harvesting operations in lotus ponds, shallow waters, and areas with abundant silt. It enables precise and efficient optimization and evaluation of lotus root integrity, harvesting efficiency, energy consumption control, hull stability, and environmental adaptability. Background Technology

[0002] Lotus root, as an important aquatic economic crop, directly impacts economic benefits and the scale of industrial development through its harvesting efficiency and integrity. Currently, lotus root harvesting in my country is still primarily done manually, which suffers from high labor intensity, low efficiency, high damage rate, and continuously rising labor costs. While some mechanized harvesting equipment has been put into use, it still has significant shortcomings: relying on tracked or wheeled locomotives makes it prone to getting stuck and difficult to move in deep muddy waters; mechanical digging easily causes lotus root breakage or surface damage, affecting its commercial value; existing equipment has poor adaptability to complex lotus pond environments, making it difficult to achieve stable and continuous automated operations. Therefore, there is an urgent need for intelligent lotus root harvesting equipment that can adapt to silty and shallow water environments, achieve non-destructive and efficient harvesting, and possess flexible movement and autonomous stable control capabilities, in order to promote the transformation and upgrading of the lotus root industry towards mechanization, automation, and intelligence. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides an omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting vessel and its harvesting method. The device is supported by a hull, which achieves omnidirectional movement through four symmetrically arranged worm gear drive mechanisms. The worm gears are filled with buoyancy material to enhance stability and load-bearing capacity. The lotus root harvesting mechanism includes a high-pressure water pump, fluid optimization nozzles, and a five-bar linkage lifting mechanism driven by an electric push rod. High-pressure water jets are sprayed through the nozzles to focus and impact underwater silt, causing the lotus roots to float naturally for non-destructive harvesting. Simultaneously, an inertial measurement unit and a water depth sensor integrated into the hull synchronously collect the hull's attitude, displacement, water pressure, and motion status signals in real time, and transmit them to the main control system for analysis and feedback control. During operation, the system controls the hull to move autonomously on the water surface according to a preset path, simultaneously starting the high-pressure water pump and adjusting the nozzle depth. By recording high-precision time-series data such as the lotus root's floating position, hull offset, water pressure, and energy consumption during the harvesting process, the system achieves systematic optimization and adaptive control of the harvesting efficiency and integrity rate affected by multiple factors such as water pressure, travel speed, nozzle angle, and silt depth.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: An omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method are designed. The mechanism includes a drive module, a push rod linkage module, and a high-pressure water circuit module. The drive module includes a first worm gear, a second worm gear, a third worm gear, a fourth worm gear, a connecting frame, a first motor, a second motor, a third motor, and a fourth motor. The push rod linkage module includes a base plate, an electric push rod, and a five-bar linkage mechanism. The high-pressure water circuit module includes a water pump and nozzles. Both the drive module and the high-pressure water circuit module are connected to the push rod linkage module.

[0005] In the drive module, the first motor is connected to the connecting frame by bolts and to the first worm gear by a track. The connection methods of the second motor, third motor, and fourth motor to the second worm gear, third worm gear, and fourth worm gear are all the same as those in the first motor.

[0006] In the aforementioned push rod linkage module, the electric push rod and the five-bar linkage are connected to the base plate via a shaft.

[0007] In the high-pressure water circuit module, the water pump and the nozzle are connected by a hose and are both connected to the base plate.

[0008] The first motor, second motor, third motor, and fourth motor are 775 DC brushed motors.

[0009] The electric actuator mentioned is a YLK08 electric actuator.

[0010] The water pump mentioned is the SFBP2-G3700 large-capacity hull drainage pump.

[0011] The first worm gear has a threaded hole at its head for connection with the connecting frame, and a synchronous pulley at its tail for connection with the first motor.

[0012] The second worm gear has the same structure and external dimensions as the first worm gear.

[0013] The third worm gear has the same structure and external dimensions as the second worm gear.

[0014] The fourth worm gear has the same structure and external dimensions as the third worm gear.

[0015] The connecting frame consists of five aluminum tubes.

[0016] The base plate has holes for installing a water pump and threaded holes for connecting an electric actuator and a five-bar linkage.

[0017] The five-bar linkage is used to fix the electric actuator.

[0018] The nozzle is connected to the base plate by bolts.

[0019] The lotus harvesting boat uses the bottom plate as a support platform. Four large worm gears driven by independent motors are symmetrically installed on both sides of the bottom plate through connecting frames, forming the core omnidirectional propulsion system. The water pump and nozzle of the high-pressure water circuit module are connected by hoses and are fixed as a whole on a five-bar linkage driven by electric push rods. The system operates as follows: four motors are started, each driving a worm gear to rotate at a differential speed. The thrust and steering torque generated in the water allow the vessel to move forward, backward, laterally, and turn in place on the lotus pond surface. During harvesting, the control system starts the water pump and instructs the electric push rod to push the five-bar linkage, simultaneously lowering the vessel to a set underwater depth. High-pressure water is focused and sprayed through nozzles, impacting the underwater silt and loosening the lotus roots, causing them to float to the surface. During this process, the inertial measurement unit and water level sensor integrated into the vessel simultaneously collect multi-dimensional data such as vessel attitude, displacement, speed, and water depth. This data is transmitted to the main control unit for processing and feedback control, ultimately achieving adaptive adjustment of the harvesting path, operating depth, and water pressure, thus completing efficient and damage-free automated lotus root harvesting.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention combines a worm gear-type omnidirectional propulsion system driven by four independent motors with a high-pressure water jet harvesting mechanism, along with a five-bar linkage lifting mechanism driven by an electric push rod and an integrated measurement and control system, to achieve efficient and damage-free automated harvesting of lotus roots in complex aquatic environments. Its significant advantages are: the "four worm gears symmetrically arranged" omnidirectional drive design enables the hull to move flexibly on the water surface and maintain self-stability, adapting to complex operating environments such as silt and shallows, effectively avoiding the problems of traditional harvesting machinery easily getting stuck and having difficulty turning; the water jet harvesting method using a "high-pressure water pump—fluid-optimized nozzle" utilizes focused water flow to impact the silt, causing the lotus roots to float naturally, maximizing the protection of the lotus roots' integrity and significantly reducing the damage rate; the system can monitor the hull attitude, travel path, and water depth information in real time, and achieve autonomous adjustment and path planning during the harvesting process through the main control system, thereby efficiently and accurately completing large-scale, continuous harvesting operations. This design transforms the traditional, high-intensity, and low-efficiency manual lotus root harvesting into a mechanized, automated, and intelligent controllable operation mode, greatly improving the efficiency and economy of lotus root harvesting. Simultaneously, it provides a scalable and reusable technical integration solution for the research and development of paddy field agricultural robots, lightweight amphibious operation platforms, and other fields. (See attached figures.) Figure 1 Three-dimensional diagram of an omnidirectional mobile water jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method Figure 2 Driver module structure diagram Figure 3 Push rod linkage module structure diagram Figure 4 High-pressure water circuit module structure diagram Figure 5 First worm gear structure diagram Figure 6Connector frame structure diagram Figure 7 Base plate structure diagram Figure 8 Five-bar linkage structure diagram Figure 9 Nozzle structure diagram Detailed Implementation The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, an omnidirectional mobile water-cooled lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method are designed. The mechanism includes a drive module (A), a push rod linkage module (B), and a high-pressure water circuit module (C). The drive module (A) includes a first worm gear (A-1), a second worm gear (A-2), a third worm gear (A-3), a fourth worm gear (A-4), a connecting frame (A-5), a first motor (A-6), a second motor (A-7), a third motor (A-8), and a fourth motor (A-9). The push rod linkage module (B) includes a base plate (B-1), an electric push rod (B-2), and a five-bar linkage mechanism (B-3). The high-pressure water circuit module (C) includes a water pump (C-1) and a nozzle (C-2). Both the drive module (A) and the high-pressure water circuit module (B) are connected to the push rod linkage module (C).

[0022] like Figure 2 As shown, in the drive module (A), the first motor (A-6) is connected to the connecting frame (A-5) by bolts and to the first worm gear (A-1) by a track. The second motor (A-7), the third motor (A-8), the fourth motor (A-9) are connected to the second worm gear (A-2), the third worm gear (A-3), and the fourth worm gear (A-4) in the same way as in the first motor.

[0023] like Figure 3 As shown, in the push rod linkage module (B), the electric push rod (B-2) and the five-bar linkage (B-3) are connected to the base plate (B-1) via a shaft.

[0024] like Figure 4 As shown, in the high-pressure water circuit module (C), the water pump (C-1) and the nozzle (C-2) are connected by a hose and are both connected to the base plate (B-1).

[0025] The first motor (A-6), the second motor (A-7), the third motor (A-8), and the fourth motor (A-9) are 775 DC brushed motors.

[0026] The electric actuator (B-2) mentioned is a YLK08 electric actuator.

[0027] The water pump (C-1) mentioned is an SFBP2-G3700 large-capacity hull drainage pump.

[0028] like Figure 5 As shown, the first worm (A-1) has a threaded hole at its head that connects to the connecting frame (A-5), and a synchronous pulley at its tail that connects to the first motor (A-6).

[0029] The second worm (A-2) has the same structure and external dimensions as the first worm (A-1).

[0030] The third worm (A-3) has the same structure and external dimensions as the second worm (A-2).

[0031] The fourth worm (A-4) has the same structure and external dimensions as the third worm (A-3).

[0032] like Figure 6 As shown, the connecting frame (A-5) consists of five aluminum tubes.

[0033] like Figure 7 As shown, the base plate (B-1) has a hole for installing a water pump (C-1) and a threaded hole for connecting an electric actuator (B-2) and a five-bar linkage (B-3).

[0034] like Figure 8 As shown, the five-bar linkage (B-3) is used to fix the electric actuator (B-2).

[0035] like Figure 9 As shown, the nozzle (C-2) is connected to the base plate (B-1) by bolts.

[0036] The lotus harvesting boat uses the bottom plate (B-1) as a support platform. Four large worm gears driven by independent motors are symmetrically installed on both sides of the bottom plate (B-1) through connecting frames (A-5) to form the core omnidirectional propulsion system. The water pump (C-1) and nozzle (C-2) of the high-pressure water circuit module (C) are connected by hoses and are fixed as a whole on the five-bar linkage (B-3) driven by the electric push rod (B-2). The system operates as follows: four motors are started, each driving a worm gear to rotate at a different speed. The thrust and steering torque generated in the water enable the boat to move forward, backward, laterally, and turn in place on the surface of the lotus pond. During harvesting, the control system starts the water pump (C-1) and instructs the electric push rod to push the five-bar linkage mechanism, simultaneously lowering the boat to the set depth underwater. High-pressure water is focused and sprayed out through the nozzle (C-2), impacting the underwater silt and causing the lotus roots to loosen and float to the surface. During this process, the inertial measurement unit and water level sensor integrated into the boat simultaneously collect multi-dimensional data such as the boat's attitude, displacement, speed, and water depth, which are transmitted to the main control unit for processing and feedback control. Ultimately, the system achieves adaptive adjustment of the harvesting path, operating depth, and water pressure, thereby completing the efficient and damage-free automated harvesting of lotus roots.

Claims

1. The design of an omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanism includes a drive module (A), a push rod linkage module (B), and a high-pressure water circuit module (C). The drive module (A) includes a first worm gear (A-1), a second worm gear (A-2), a third worm gear (A-3), a fourth worm gear (A-4), a connecting frame (A-5), a first motor (A-6), a second motor (A-7), a third motor (A-8), and a fourth motor (A-9). The push rod linkage module (B) includes a base plate (B-1), an electric push rod (B-2), and a five-bar linkage mechanism (B-3). The high-pressure water circuit module (C) includes a water pump (C-1) and a nozzle (C-2).

2. The omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method as described in claim 1, wherein the connection method of its constituent mechanisms is as follows: Both the drive module (A) and the high-pressure water circuit module (B) are connected to the push rod linkage module (C). In the drive module (A), the first motor (A-6) is connected to the connecting frame (A-5) by bolts and to the first worm gear (A-1) by a track. The connection methods of the second motor (A-7), the third motor (A-8), and the fourth motor (A-9) to the second worm gear (A-2), the third worm gear (A-3), and the fourth worm gear (A-4) are the same as those in the first module. In the aforementioned push rod linkage module (B), the electric push rod (B-2) and the five-bar linkage (B-3) are connected to the base plate (B-1) via a shaft; In the high-pressure water circuit module (C), the water pump (C-1) and the nozzle (C-2) are connected by a hose and are both connected to the base plate (B-1).

3. The omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method as described in claim 1, wherein the structural components of the mechanism are as follows: The first motor (A-6), the second motor (A-7), the third motor (A-8), and the fourth motor (A-9) are 775 DC brushed motors; The electric actuator (B-2) mentioned above is a YLK08 electric actuator; The water pump (C-1) mentioned above is an SFBP2-G3700 large-capacity hull drainage pump; The first worm (A-1) has a threaded hole at its head that connects to the connecting frame (A-5), and a synchronous pulley at its tail that connects to the first motor (A-6). The second worm (A-2) has the same structure and external dimensions as the first worm (A-1); The third worm gear (A-3) has the same structure and external dimensions as the second worm gear (A-2); The fourth worm gear (A-4) has the same structure and external dimensions as the third worm gear (A-3); The connecting frame (A-5) consists of five aluminum tubes; The base plate (B-1) has holes for installing a water pump (C-1) and threaded holes for connecting an electric actuator (B-2) and a five-bar linkage (B-3); The five-bar linkage (B-3) is used to fix the electric actuator (B-2). The nozzle (C-2) is connected to the base plate (B-1) by bolts.

4. The principle of the omnidirectional mobile water-jet lotus root harvesting boat and its harvesting method as described in claim 1 is as follows: The lotus root harvesting boat uses a bottom plate (B-1) as its support platform. Four large worm gears, each driven by an independent motor, are symmetrically installed on both sides of the bottom plate (B-1) via connecting frames (A-5), forming the core omnidirectional propulsion system. The water pump (C-1) and nozzle (C-2) of the high-pressure water circuit module (C) are connected via hoses and are fixed as a whole to a five-bar linkage (B-3) driven by an electric actuator (B-2). The system operates by starting the four motors, which drive the four worm gears to rotate at different speeds. Through the thrust and steering torque generated in the water, the boat moves forward, backward, and sideways on the surface of the lotus pond. The system moves the lotus root to a set depth and rotates in place. During harvesting, the control system starts the water pump (C-1) and instructs the electric push rod to push the five-bar linkage mechanism, simultaneously lowering the lotus root to a set depth underwater. High-pressure water is focused and sprayed out through the nozzle (C-2), impacting the underwater silt and causing the lotus root to loosen and float to the surface. During this process, the inertial measurement unit and water level sensor integrated into the hull simultaneously collect multi-dimensional data such as the hull attitude, displacement, travel speed, and water depth, which are transmitted to the main control unit for processing and feedback control. Ultimately, the system achieves adaptive adjustment of the harvesting path, working depth, and water pressure, thereby completing the efficient and non-destructive automated harvesting of lotus roots.

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