An openable and closable collecting pine cone picking device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of openable and closeable collection type pine cone picking device and method, and the bottom of actuator is the material collecting seat with annular buffer cavity in the middle, central guide pipe is vertically arranged in the center of material collecting seat, upper end is closed, lower end is provided with opening, lower segment outer side sliding sleeve is connected with sliding sleeve, and electric push rod is fixedly connected to the lower end of sliding sleeve;Eight material collecting petals are evenly distributed along the circumference of central guide pipe, the root of each material collecting petal is hinged to the outer edge of the upper end of material collecting seat, one connecting rod outer end is hinged to the inner side middle part position of corresponding one material collecting petal, and inner end is hinged to the outer side wall of sliding sleeve;Nozzle ring is arranged on the outer side of upper segment of central guide pipe, and a plurality of tangential nozzles are arranged on the outer side wall of nozzle ring;High-pressure water enters central guide pipe and is sprayed from tangential nozzle, nozzle ring rotates to form rotating water curtain under reaction force to continuously attack fruit stem, until pine cone is separated from branch and falls into material collecting petal, and slides into annular buffer cavity, through openable and closeable petal type material collecting hopper, to realize accurate knockdown and instant collection of pine cone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of forest fruit harvesting technology, and in particular to a pine cone harvesting device and method suitable for tall trees (such as pine trees). Background Technology

[0002] Pine cones (also known as pine nuts) are the cones of pine trees, containing pine nuts, and have high edible and economic value. Pine cones mainly grow high on the branches of pine trees, making harvesting them difficult. Traditional methods of pine cone harvesting primarily rely on manual tree climbing or using long poles to knock them down. Manual tree climbing poses high safety risks and is labor-intensive and inefficient; while using long poles avoids climbing, aiming is difficult, resulting in inaccurate landings, and the cones are easily damaged or scattered when falling from heights, making them difficult to collect. Currently, some aerial work platforms have emerged to assist manual harvesting, but these are bulky, difficult to move flexibly in dense forests, and have not solved the problem of efficient pine cone collection.

[0003] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN113016355A discloses an automated robot, system, and method for pine cone harvesting. This technology uses a robotic arm and a mechanical gripper to grasp the pine cones and uses a suction device to transport them to a storage unit, achieving a certain degree of automation. However, this technology still relies on mechanical gripping, requiring precise positioning and contact between the mechanical gripper and the pine cone, placing high demands on visual recognition and positioning accuracy. Furthermore, when the pine cones are densely distributed or obscured by branches, the mechanical gripper's grasping efficiency is low, easily leading to missed harvests and jamming. In addition, this technology only handles pine cone harvesting and transportation, lacking a comprehensive solution for centralized collection, water resource recycling, and adaptation to complex forest environments. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated harvesting device capable of accurately knocking down and efficiently collecting pine cones to address the high safety risks, low efficiency, and collection difficulties inherent in existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the technology by proposing an openable and closable pine cone harvesting device and method, which integrates precise knocking down and efficient collection of pine cones, can adapt to the complex environment of dense forests, has high harvesting efficiency, thorough collection, safety and reliability, and allows for the recycling of water resources.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an openable and closable pine cone harvesting device with the following technical solution: The bottom is a movable platform; the first end of a telescopic arm mechanism is connected to the movable platform, and the last end is connected to an actuator; a servo motor is located at the very end of the telescopic arm mechanism, connecting and driving a rotating hinge seat to rotate; the bottom of the actuator is a material collection seat with an annular buffer cavity in the middle, connected to the rotating hinge seat, and a discharge port is opened on the annular buffer cavity; a hollow central guide tube is vertically arranged in the center of the material collection seat, with a closed upper end and an open lower end; the input end of a high-pressure pump is connected to a clean water tank via a water pipe, and the output end is connected to the lower opening of the central guide tube; a sliding sleeve is slidably sleeved on the outer side of the lower section of the central guide tube, and an electric push rod is fixedly connected to the lower end of the sliding sleeve; eight identical material collection petals are arranged along the central guide tube. The tube is evenly distributed around its circumference, with each collection petal being an arc-shaped elongated strip with its root hinged to the outer edge of the upper end of the collection seat, and its free end pointing obliquely upward. The outer end of each connecting rod is hinged to the middle of the inner side of the corresponding collection petal, and the inner end is hinged to the outer wall of the sliding sleeve. The nozzle ring is symmetrically positioned on the outer side of the upper section of the central guide tube. The upper and lower ends of the nozzle ring are connected to the central guide tube through angular contact ball bearings and sealed with sealing rings. The remaining parts of the nozzle ring form a water storage cavity with the central guide tube. The side wall of the central guide tube has a water outlet hole communicating with the water storage cavity. The outer wall of the nozzle ring has multiple tangential nozzles distributed circumferentially, communicating with the water storage cavity. The spray direction of the tangential nozzles is at an angle relative to the tangential direction of the nozzle ring. The spray direction of the lowest layer of tangential nozzles on the outer wall of the nozzle ring is directly opposite the annular buffer cavity.

[0006] The technical solution of the openable and closable pine cone harvesting method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0007] Step 1): The electric push rod moves downward, the sliding sleeve slides downward, the connecting rod pushes the collecting petals to close, the moving platform moves into the pine forest, and the telescopic arm mechanism lifts the actuator to the height area where the pine cone is located.

[0008] Step 2): The electric push rod extends upward, and the connecting rod pushes the collecting petals to unfold, forming a cone-shaped collecting surface that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. The telescopic arm mechanism is first roughly positioned, and then the servo motor works to make a fine adjustment of the horizontal deflection of the actuator so that the spray direction of the nozzle ring is aligned with the pine cone stem.

[0009] Step 3): Start the high-pressure pump. High-pressure water enters the central guide tube and sprays out from the tangential nozzle. The nozzle ring rotates under the reaction force, forming a rotating water curtain that continuously hits the fruit stem until the pine cone detaches from the branch and falls into the collection petri dish, sliding into the annular buffer chamber.

[0010] Step 4): The high-pressure water sprayed by the bottom tangential nozzles will discharge the pine cones from the discharge port.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0012] 1. This invention is a modular harvesting unit integrated into a mobile platform, featuring an openable and closable collection surface and a rotating spray function. Through an openable and closable "petal-shaped" collection funnel, it achieves precise knocking down and immediate collection of pine cones, preventing them from scattering on the ground and significantly improving harvesting efficiency and collection rate. 2. The actuator is streamlined and compact in its closed state. Combined with a multi-section folding and telescopic arm, it can flexibly navigate through dense pine forests, reaching harvesting locations inaccessible to traditional equipment. 3. Utilizing a rotating high-pressure nozzle, it forms a rotating water curtain, continuously striking the fruit stalks from multiple angles. Compared to fixed nozzles or long poles, the success rate and efficiency of knocking down the pine cones are significantly improved. 4. Integrating sedimentation filtration and water circulation modules, the operating water can be repeatedly filtered and reused, making it particularly suitable for water-scarce outdoor environments. The knocked-down pine cones enter the discharge pipe along with the high-pressure water flow. The water flow within the pipe acts as a lubricant and propels the pine cones, effectively reducing frictional resistance between the pine cones and the pipe wall, ensuring the continuity and reliability of the harvesting operation. 5. With real-time image feedback from the top-mounted vision assistance system, operators can accurately aim from the ground without having to look up, reducing operational difficulty and labor intensity, and improving safety. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an openable and closable pine cone harvesting device according to the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the structure of part A in the middle;

[0015] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the structure of part B in the middle;

[0016] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the material collection petals of the actuator in the open state;

[0017] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the material collection petals in the closed state;

[0018] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A front sectional view of the telescopic arm in a horizontal position and the aggregate bins in a closed position.

[0019] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of the local C structure;

[0020] Figure 8 for Figure 6 Enlarged view of the structure of part D in the image;

[0021] Figure 9 for Figure 1 An enlarged top-view diagram of the deployment structure on the mobile platform;

[0022] Figure 10 for Figure 9 An enlarged three-dimensional structural diagram of the sedimentation filter box in the image.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0024] 1. Mobile platform; 2. Telescopic boom mechanism; 3. Actuator;

[0025] 11. Tracked chassis; 12. Sedimentation and filtration box; 13. Clear water tank; 14. High-pressure pump; 15. Automatic pipe winding machine; 16. Return water pipe; 21. Folding arm; 22. Telescopic arm; 23. Water supply pipe; 24. Discharge pipe; 25. Pipeline telescopic arm; 31. Central guide pipe; 32. Sliding sleeve; 33. Collection disc; 34. Connecting rod; 35. Collection seat; 36. High-pressure spray assembly; 37. Vision assistance system; 38. Flexible waterproof material; 39. Electric push rod;

[0026] 121. First filter screen; 122. Second filter screen; 221. Last arm section; 222. Steering motor; 223. Rotary hinge seat; 311. Water outlet; 312. Shoulder; 321. Protective sleeve; 351. Annular buffer chamber; 352. Discharge port; 361. Nozzle ring; 362. Angular contact ball bearing; 363. Rotary sealing ring; 364. Tangential nozzle; 365. Bottom tangential nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, this invention provides an openable and closable pine cone harvesting device. The bottom is a mobile platform 1, connected to the head of a telescopic arm mechanism 2. The head of the telescopic arm mechanism 2 can rotate along itself, and the end of the telescopic arm mechanism 2 is hinged to an actuator 3. The mobile platform 1 is the power, control, and water treatment center of the entire device. The mobile platform 1 has a tracked chassis 11, allowing it to move on the ground. The telescopic arm mechanism 2 is used to lift the actuator 3 to the height area where the pine cones are located. The actuator 3 is the core harvesting component, used for accurately aiming, knocking down, and collecting the pine cones.

[0029] The telescopic boom mechanism 2 includes a folding boom 21, a telescopic boom 22, a water supply pipe 23, a discharge pipe 24, and a pipeline telescopic boom 25. The folding boom 21 comprises multiple sequentially hinged boom sections driven by a hydraulic cylinder, enabling large-angle pitching and horizontal swinging. The folding boom 21 is rotatably connected to the moving platform 1 at its head and connected to the telescopic boom 22 at its tail. The telescopic boom 22 can be further extended, and its tail is connected to the actuator 3, used to lift the actuator 3 to the height of the pine cone and initially avoid large tree branches.

[0030] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, to achieve stable support and attitude adjustment of the actuator 3 and expand the horizontal working distance, the last section of the telescopic boom 22 is the last section 221. The last section 221 is a section with a fixed bending angle. This section has a preset corner in its length direction and extends for mounting the actuator 3 and is fixedly connected to the material collection seat 35. When the folding boom 21 is fully extended, the corner on the last section 221 is adapted to the lifting posture of the folding boom 21, so that when the folding boom 21 is opened to its limit angle, the last section 221 and the material collection seat 35 of the actuator 3 remain horizontal to the ground, ensuring that the actuator 3 is in a horizontal posture during operation. A fine-tuning device is provided at the last section 221 at the very end of the telescopic boom 22. This fine-tuning device includes a servo motor 222 and a rotating hinge seat 223. The servo motor 222 is connected to the rotating hinge seat 223 and can drive the rotating hinge seat 223 to rotate. The bottom of the actuator 3 is provided with a material collection seat 35, which is installed on the rotating hinge seat 223. When the servo motor 222 is working, its output shaft drives the actuator 3 to rotate around its own axis, thereby achieving fine adjustment of the deflection angle of the actuator 3 in the horizontal plane. This allows the high-pressure nozzle in the actuator 3 to be aligned with the pine cone stem in the horizontal direction without moving the entire telescopic arm 22.

[0031] A pipeline telescopic arm 25 is installed next to the telescopic arm 22. The pipeline telescopic arm 25 is composed of multiple relatively sliding sleeves, the number of which is equal to the number of sections of the telescopic arm 22. Each sleeve of the pipeline telescopic arm 25 is fixedly connected to the corresponding sleeve of the telescopic arm 22 through pipe clamps, so that the pipeline telescopic arm 25 and the telescopic arm 22 can extend and retract synchronously. When the telescopic arm 22 extends, each stage of the sleeve of the pipeline telescopic arm 25 is lengthened accordingly; when the telescopic arm 22 retracts, each stage of the sleeve of the pipeline telescopic arm 25 is compressed accordingly.

[0032] The material collection seat 35 of the actuator 3 is container-shaped, forming an annular buffer cavity 351 in the middle, with a discharge port 352 on the annular buffer cavity 351. The discharge port 352 is connected to the upper end of the pipeline telescopic arm 25 through a discharge pipe 24, and the lower end of the pipeline telescopic arm 25 is connected to the top inlet of the sedimentation filter box 12 through another discharge pipe 24. In this way, the upper and lower discharge pipes 24 are connected through the pipeline telescopic arm 25, and the length of the discharge pipe 24 is synchronously matched with the length of the telescopic arm 22 by the pipeline telescopic arm 25, preventing the discharge pipe from bending, tangling or sagging due to length redundancy during the extension and contraction process, and ensuring the smoothness and reliability of the pine tower and the discharge conveying.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 9 As shown, the mobile platform 1 has a horizontal base plate, and the sedimentation filter box 12, the clean water tank 13, the high-pressure pump 14, and the automatic hose reel 15 are all installed on the horizontal base plate of the mobile platform 1. The clean water tank 13 stores clean working water. The input end of the high-pressure pump 14 is connected to the clean water tank 13, and the output end is connected to the lower end of the central guide pipe 31 of the actuator 3 through the automatic hose reel 15 and the water supply pipe 23 for outputting high-pressure water.

[0034] The water supply pipe 23 is fixed to the outside of the folding arm 21 and the telescopic arm 22 by pipe clamps. Its lower end is connected to the high pressure pump 14 and the automatic pipe winding machine 15, and its upper end is connected to the central guide pipe 31 of the actuator 3.

[0035] like Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, the sedimentation filter box 12 integrates two layers of filters: a first filter 121 and a second filter 122. The mesh size of the first filter 121 is smaller than the outer diameter of the pine cone, used to intercept fallen pine cones; the mesh size of the second filter 122 is even smaller, used to filter small twigs, pine needles, and other debris from the water. The first filter 121 is horizontally installed at the top of the sedimentation filter box 12, and the second filter 122 is horizontally installed below the first filter 121, with a certain distance between them. After the water and pine cones enter from the top, they first pass through the first filter 121 to intercept the pine cones, and then pass through the second filter 122 to filter out small debris. The return water pipe 16 interface is located on the upper or middle part of the side wall of the sedimentation filter box 12, and its vertical distance H from the bottom of the box is 1 / 6 to 1 / 5 of the total height of the box. One end of the return water pipe 16 is connected to this interface, and the other end is connected to the clear water tank 13. Water filtered through a double-layer filter enters the lower part of the tank, where it further settles under gravity: heavier impurities such as silt and debris settle at the bottom, forming a sediment layer; the upper layer of water is clearer. Since the inlet of the return water pipe 16 is higher than the sediment layer, only the upper layer of clear water is drawn into the discharge pipe 16 and returned to the clear water tank 13, while the sediment at the bottom is not carried into the circulating water system. An automatic hose reel 15 is mounted on the mobile platform 1. The water supply pipe 23 is wound onto the reel of the automatic hose reel 15. One end of the pipe is connected to the outlet of the high-pressure pump 14, and the other end extends upwards along the outside of the telescopic arm mechanism 2 after exiting the automatic hose reel 15, connecting to the central guide pipe 31 of the actuator 3. When the telescopic arm mechanism 2 extends or retracts, the automatic hose reel 15 simultaneously releases or retracts the pipe to prevent tangling or breakage.

[0036] like Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the actuator 3 includes a central guide tube 31, a sliding sleeve 32, eight material collection petals 33, a connecting rod 34, a material collection seat 35, a high-pressure jet assembly 36, a vision assistance system 37, a flexible waterproof material 38, and an electric push rod 39. The central guide tube 31 is located at the very center of the actuator 3, vertically positioned in the center of the material collection seat 35. It has a vertically extending cylindrical structure, with a closed upper end and an open lower end. The interior of the central guide tube 31 is hollow, serving as a high-pressure water flow channel. Its lower opening is used to connect to a water supply pipe 23 to introduce high-pressure water into the central guide tube 31. The central guide tube 31 has a water outlet 311 and a shoulder 312. Multiple water outlets 311 are arranged circumferentially on the side wall of the central guide tube 31 near the upper end. After flowing upwards through the interior of the central guide tube 31, the high-pressure water is led out through the water outlet 311 and enters the high-pressure jet assembly 36.

[0037] The sliding sleeve 32 has a cylindrical structure and is coaxially and slidably fitted on the outer side of the lower section of the central guide tube 31, specifically above the material collection seat 35. A protective sleeve 321 is provided on the outer side of the upper section of the sliding sleeve 32. The sliding sleeve 32 slides up and down along the central guide tube 31 under the protection of the protective sleeve. The inner diameter of the protective sleeve 321 is larger than the outer diameter of the sliding sleeve 32. The protective sleeve 321 is fixedly installed on the central guide tube 31 and located on the periphery of the sliding sleeve 32. The lower end of the protective sleeve 321 can extend downward to the lower part of the material collection seat 35, covering the sliding sleeve 32 inside it. A gap is formed between the inner wall of the protective sleeve 321 and the outer wall of the sliding sleeve 32, and the two do not contact each other. The sliding stroke range of the sliding sleeve 32 is limited to the area below the protective sleeve 321, that is, the sliding sleeve 32 slides up and down axially along the central guide tube 31 under the limitation and protection of the protective sleeve 321. The inner wall of the sliding sleeve 32 and the outer wall of the central guide tube 31 form a sliding mating surface. The lower end of the sliding sleeve 32 is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the electric push rod 39, which drives it to move axially along the central guide tube 31. The electric push rod 39 is located directly below the material collection seat 35, and its pushing stroke is equal to the axial sliding stroke of the sliding sleeve 32, thus matching their strokes.

[0038] A long groove extending axially is provided on the side wall of the protective sleeve 321. The width of the long groove is greater than the outer diameter of the connecting rod 34, and the length of the long groove is greater than the axial stroke of the sliding sleeve 32. The inner end of the connecting rod 34 passes through the long groove and connects to the sliding sleeve 32, while the outer end connects to the collecting petal 33. When the sliding sleeve 32 slides axially, it drives the connecting rod 34 to move freely within the long groove. Eight identical collecting petals 33 are evenly distributed circumferentially along the central guide tube 31. Each collecting petal 33 is an arc-shaped strip, forming a ring-shaped openable structure. The root of each collecting petal 33 is connected to the outer edge of the upper end of the collecting seat 35 through a hinged structure, and its free end extends obliquely upward. The number of connecting rods 34 is the same as the number of collecting petals 33, with one connecting rod 34 corresponding to one collecting petal 33. The outer end of each connecting rod 34 is hinged to the inner middle of the corresponding collecting petal 33, and the inner end of each connecting rod 34 is hinged to the outer side wall of the sliding sleeve 32. Eight connecting rods 34 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the sliding sleeve 32, and their outer ends are respectively connected to the corresponding collecting petals 33, thereby synchronously transmitting the axial movement of the sliding sleeve 32 to each collecting petal 33. The collecting seat 35 is annular, and its inner surface forms an annular buffer cavity 351. The opening of the annular buffer cavity 351 faces upward, directly opposite the lower end of the conical collecting surface formed after the collecting petals 33 unfold, which allows the pine cone to fall accurately into the annular buffer cavity 351 after sliding along the collecting surface of the collecting petals 33. The longitudinal section of the annular buffer cavity 351 is arc-shaped or U-shaped, and its arc-shaped inner wall plays a deceleration and buffering role for the falling pine cone. A discharge port 352 is provided at the bottom of the annular buffer chamber 351. The discharge port 352 is inclined downward at a certain angle relative to the horizontal plane, with an inclination angle of 15° to 30°, so that the pine cones falling into the annular buffer chamber 351 can slide smoothly into the discharge pipe 24 under the combined action of water flow and gravity, preventing the pine cones from accumulating or getting stuck at the discharge port. The discharge port 352 is connected to the discharge pipe 24.

[0039] A layer of flexible waterproof material 38 (such as high-strength adhesive canvas or rubber sheet) is covered on both the outer and inner sides of the collecting petal 33 to form a complete conical collecting surface. A visual aid system 37 is installed on the top of the central guide tube 31. The lens of the visual aid system 37 faces upward or at an angle upward to capture real-time images of the pine cone and fruit stalk.

[0040] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the piston rod of the electric push rod 39 extends upward, it pushes the sliding sleeve 32 to slide upward along the central guide tube 31. One end of the connecting rod 34 is hinged to the sliding sleeve 32, and the other end of the connecting rod 34 is hinged to the middle of the collecting petal 33, so that the linear motion of the sliding sleeve 32 is transmitted through the connecting rod 34 and converted into the rotational oscillation of the collecting petal 33 around the hinge point. When the sliding sleeve 32 slides upward, it pushes the collecting petal 33 outward through the connecting rod 34, as... Figure 4When the sliding sleeve 32 slides downward, it pulls the aggregate disc 33 inward through the connecting rod 34, such as... Figure 5 The hinge's rotation axis is perpendicular to the axis of the central guide tube 31.

[0041] The opening and closing motion of actuator 3 is based on the principle of "sliding-rotational motion conversion". Specifically, the sliding sleeve 32 moves linearly along the axial direction of the central guide tube 31, and the opening and closing of the material collection petal 33 is a rotational oscillating motion around its hinge point. The connecting rod 34 converts the linear motion into rotational oscillating motion. When the sliding sleeve 32 slides upward, the connecting rod 34 applies an outward pushing force to the middle of the material collection petal 33, pushing the material collection petal 33 to swing outward around the hinge point, thus opening it; when the sliding sleeve 32 slides downward, the connecting rod 34 applies an inward pulling force to the middle of the material collection petal 33, pulling the material collection petal 33 to swing inward around the hinge point, thus closing it. The opening angle θ of the collecting petal 33 is determined by the axial stroke L of the sliding sleeve 32, the length S of the connecting rod 34, and the initial angle α between the connecting rod 34 and the axis of the central guide tube 31. Under the premise that the stroke L and the swing radius R (i.e., the distance from the hinge point of the collecting petal 33 to the hinge point of the connecting rod 34) remain constant, the shorter the length S of the connecting rod 33, the greater the rate of angle change, and the larger the adjustable range of the opening angle; the longer the length S of the connecting rod 33, the smaller the rate of angle change, and the smaller the adjustable range of the opening angle; the larger the initial angle α, the greater the rate of angle change of the connecting rod 33 when the sliding sleeve 32 moves, and the greater the swing amplitude of the collecting petal 33; the smaller α, the smaller the swing amplitude. In this embodiment, by selecting a suitable length of the connecting rod 33 and the initial angle α, the opening angle of the collecting petal 33 is between 45° and 70°. When the actuator 3 is in the closed state, its volume is minimized, facilitating movement through dense forests and preventing it from being stuck by branches. When the actuator 3 is in the open state, the flexible waterproof material 38 forms a complete conical collection surface, ensuring that the knocked-down pine cones can slide along the collection surface into the central annular buffer cavity 351.

[0042] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the high-pressure injection assembly 36 includes a nozzle ring 361, a pair of angular contact ball bearings 362, a rotary seal ring 363, and a tangential nozzle 364. The nozzle ring 361 is fitted onto the outer side of the upper section of the central guide tube 31. Both the upper and lower ends of the nozzle ring 361 are connected to the central guide tube 31 via the angular contact ball bearings 362 and sealed with the rotary seal ring 363. The remaining portion of the nozzle ring 361 forms a water storage cavity with the central guide tube 31. Specifically, the nozzle ring 361 is fitted onto the area above the shoulder 312 of the central guide tube 31. The nozzle ring 361 has a symmetrical structure along its axial direction from the upper end to the middle and from the lower end to the middle. From the upper end of the nozzle ring 361 downwards, the bearing mounting area, the seal mounting area, and the water storage cavity are arranged in sequence; from the lower end of the nozzle ring 361 upwards, the bearing mounting area, the seal mounting area, and the water storage cavity are arranged in sequence. The bearing mounting area and sealing mounting area at both the upper and lower ends are symmetrical about the central water storage cavity, ensuring uniform force distribution and smooth operation of the nozzle ring 361 during rotation. Bearing mounting areas are located at the upper and lower ends of the nozzle ring 361. Angular contact ball bearings 362 are installed between the inner wall of the nozzle ring 361 and the outer wall of the central guide tube 31 within these bearing mounting areas. The inner ring of the angular contact ball bearing 362 mates with the outer wall of the central guide tube 31, and the outer ring mates with the inner wall of the nozzle ring 361, supporting the rotation of the nozzle ring 361 and bearing axial loads. The outer wall of the central guide tube 31 has a shoulder 312 at its lower end. The lower end face of the inner ring of the lower angular contact ball bearing 362 abuts against the upper end face of the shoulder 312, providing axial positioning of the lower angular contact ball bearing 362 and preventing axial movement. The inner side of the bearing mounting area is a sealing mounting area, located between the bearing mounting area and the water storage chamber. A rotary sealing ring 363 is installed between the inner wall of the nozzle ring 361 and the outer wall of the central guide tube 31 in the sealing mounting area. The inner ring of the rotary sealing ring 363 is in a sealing fit with the outer wall of the central guide tube 31, and the outer ring of the rotary sealing ring 363 is in a sealing fit with the inner wall of the nozzle ring 361, to prevent high-pressure water from leaking from the end. The axial center of the nozzle ring 361 is a water storage chamber, formed by the annular gap between the inner wall of the nozzle ring 361 and the outer wall of the central guide tube 31. The side wall of the central guide tube 31 is provided with a water outlet 311, and the water storage chamber communicates with the water outlet 311 on the side wall of the central guide tube 31, to accommodate and temporarily store the high-pressure water introduced by the central guide tube 31. The outer wall of the nozzle ring 361 is provided with a tangential nozzle 364 communicating with the water storage chamber, and the high-pressure water in the water storage chamber is sprayed outward through the tangential nozzle 364. The body of the nozzle ring 361 maintains a gap with the outer wall of the central guide tube 31. The body of the nozzle ring 361 does not directly contact the outer wall of the central guide tube 31, but forms a support and sealing connection with the central guide tube 31 only through the angular contact ball bearing 362 and the rotary sealing ring 363.

[0043] Specifically, the outer wall of the nozzle ring 361 is provided with multiple tangential nozzles 364 arranged in a circular pattern. The tangential nozzles 364 are connected to the water storage chamber, and the high-pressure water in the water storage chamber is sprayed outward through the tangential nozzles 364. The tangential nozzles 364 are arranged in a row along the axial direction of the nozzle ring 361. Except for the bottommost tangential nozzle 365, the spray direction of the other ordinary tangential nozzles 364 forms a 15° angle with the radial plane of the nozzle ring 361 (i.e., a 15° angle with the perpendicular plane of the axis of the nozzle ring 361). At the same time, the spray direction of each tangential nozzle 364 is at a certain angle relative to the tangent of the nozzle ring 361. When high-pressure water is ejected from the ordinary tangential nozzles 364, it generates a tangential recoil force acting on the nozzle ring 361, driving the nozzle ring 361 to rotate at high speed around the axis of the central guide tube 31. Simultaneously, the multiple jets ejected from each ordinary tangential nozzle 364 form a conical water curtain surrounding the nozzle ring axis 361 during the rotational motion. The cone angle of this conical water curtain is 30° (combined from 15° on each side), used to continuously strike the pine cone stems from multiple directions, causing the stems to break and fall off due to the multi-angle, continuous impact of the water flow. The lowest layer of tangential nozzles 365, located on the outer wall of the nozzle ring 361, has a spray direction at a 45° angle to the axis of the nozzle ring 361, and the spray direction is directly opposite the annular buffer cavity 351 of the collection seat 35. High-pressure water is ejected from the lowest tangential nozzle 365 and directly enters the annular buffer chamber 351. Within the buffer chamber, an inward water flow propels the pine cones falling into the annular buffer chamber 351 towards the discharge port 352 and into the discharge pipe 24, preventing the pine cones from accumulating and clogging in the annular buffer chamber 351. The ordinary tangential nozzle 364 and the lowest tangential nozzle 365 are supplied with water simultaneously from the same high-pressure water source. During operation, all nozzles spray simultaneously: the ordinary tangential nozzle 364 knocks down the pine cones and drives the nozzle ring 361 to rotate; the lowest tangential nozzle 365 flushes the pine cones falling into the annular buffer chamber 351 into the discharge pipe 24. The knocking down, rotation, and discharge are synchronized, enabling continuous harvesting operations.

[0044] like Figures 1-10 As shown, the process of harvesting pine cones using the openable and closable pine cone harvesting device of the present invention is as follows:

[0045] 1. Transportation and Traversal: The electric push rod 39 moves downward, pushing the sliding sleeve 32 to slide downward along the central guide tube 31. Through the connecting rod 34, it pushes the collecting petal 33 to retract inward around the hinge point, causing the collecting petal 33 to close. The actuator 3 has a streamlined shape. The operator controls the mobile platform 1 to walk into the pine forest and controls the telescopic arm mechanism 2 to lift the actuator 3 to the height area where the pine cones are located. When traversing the gaps between branches, the small volume in the closed state facilitates flexible passage.

[0046] 2. Deployment and Aiming: When the operator manipulates the actuator 3 to reach the target pine cone below or to the side, the electric push rod 39 extends upward, pushing the sliding sleeve 32 to slide upward along the central guide tube 31. Through the connecting rod 34, the collecting petals 33 are pushed outward around the hinge point, forming a cone-shaped collecting surface that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, forming a petal-shaped collecting funnel. The vision assistance system 37 transmits the image back. The operator controls the telescopic arm mechanism 2 through the transmitted image. The folding arm 21 and the telescopic arm 22 first perform coarse positioning. At this time, the end servo motor 222 works, using the servo motor 222 to perform horizontal deflection fine adjustment of the actuator 3, so that the spray direction of the nozzle ring 361 is accurately aligned with the pine cone stem.

[0047] 3. Throwing and Collection: The high-pressure pump 14 is activated, and high-pressure water enters the central guide pipe 31 through the water supply pipe 23 and is sprayed out at high speed from the tangential nozzle of the nozzle ring 361. The nozzle ring 361 rotates at high speed under the reaction force, forming a rotating water curtain that continuously strikes the fruit stalk until the pine cone detaches from the branch. The knocked-down pine cone falls into the collection surface composed of collection petals 33 and slides along the conical surface into the annular buffer cavity 351 of the collection seat 35.

[0048] 4. Conveying and Separating: High-pressure water sprayed from the bottom tangential nozzle 365 discharges the pine cones from the discharge port 352 on the annular buffer chamber 351 and into the discharge pipe 24. The water flow within the discharge pipe 24 acts as both a carrier and a lubricant: on the one hand, it propels the pine cones forward; on the other hand, it forms a water film between the pine cones and the pipe wall, reducing frictional resistance and preventing the pine cones from getting stuck or blocked. After the pine cones enter the sedimentation and filtration tank 12 along with the water flow, the first filter screen 121 intercepts the pine cones, allowing the operator to remove the collected pine cones from the filter screen; the second filter screen 122 intercepts fine impurities; the filtered clean water flows back to the clean water tank 13 for recycling.

[0049] 5. Repetitive operation: After harvesting one pine cone, the operator can immediately aim at the next pine cone and repeat steps 2-4 to achieve continuous harvesting.

[0050] The working principle of this invention for harvesting pine cones is as follows: High-pressure water enters the nozzle ring 361 and is sprayed out at high speed from various tangential nozzles. Due to the tangential layout of the nozzles, the reaction force of the water flow generates a rotational torque, driving the nozzle ring 361 to rotate. The upper inclined nozzles form a rotating conical water column group, continuously cutting the pine cone stems from multiple directions; the high-pressure water sprayed from the lower inclined nozzles directly impacts the annular buffer chamber 351, generating an inward water flow thrust, pushing the pine cones falling into the annular buffer chamber 351 into the discharge pipe 24. The pine cones move together with the high-pressure water in the discharge pipe 24, and the water flow continuously wraps around the surface of the pine cones, playing a lubricating and propelling role, effectively preventing the pine cones from getting stuck due to friction or pipe bends during transportation, ensuring that the pine cones can smoothly reach the sedimentation filter box 12.

[0051] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A closable pine cone harvesting device, wherein the bottom is a movable platform, the telescopic arm mechanism (2) is connected at the front end to the movable platform and at the rear end to an actuator (3), characterized in that: The telescopic arm mechanism (2) is equipped with a servo motor at the very end. The servo motor is connected to and drives the rotating hinge seat (223) to rotate. The bottom of the actuator is a material collection seat (35) with an annular buffer cavity (351) in the middle and connected to the rotating hinge seat (223). A discharge port (352) is opened on the annular buffer cavity (351). The hollow central guide tube (31) is vertically arranged in the center of the collection seat (35). The upper end of the central guide tube (31) is closed and the lower end is open. The input end of the high pressure pump (14) is connected to the clean water tank (13) through the water supply pipe (23), and the output end is connected to the lower end opening of the central guide tube (31). The lower outer side of the central guide tube (31) is slidably connected to the sliding sleeve (32), and the lower end of the sliding sleeve (32) is fixedly connected to the electric push rod (39). Eight identical material collection petals (33) are evenly distributed around the central guide tube (31). Each material collection petal (33) is an arc-shaped strip and its root is hinged to the outer edge of the upper end of the material collection seat (35), with the free end pointing obliquely upward. The outer end of a connecting rod (34) is hinged to the middle of the inner side of the corresponding material collection petal (33), and the inner end is hinged to the outer wall of the sliding sleeve (32). The nozzle ring (361) is symmetrical in the upper and lower parts and is sleeved on the outer side of the upper section of the central guide tube (31). The upper and lower ends of the nozzle ring (361) are connected to the central guide tube (31) through angular contact ball bearings (362) and sealed with sealing rings. The remaining parts of the nozzle ring (361) and the central guide tube (31) form a water storage cavity. The central guide tube (31) has a water outlet (311) on its side wall that communicates with the water storage chamber. The nozzle ring (361) has multiple tangential nozzles (364) arranged in a circular pattern on its outer side wall that communicate with the water storage chamber. The spray direction of the tangential nozzles (364) is at an angle relative to the tangential direction of the nozzle ring (361). The spray direction of the tangential nozzles located at the bottom layer on the outer side wall of the nozzle ring (361) is directly opposite to the annular buffer chamber (351).

2. The closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic boom mechanism (2) includes a folding boom (21) and a telescopic boom (22). The folding boom (21) includes multiple boom sections that are hinged in sequence and driven by a hydraulic cylinder. The folding boom (21) is rotatably connected to the moving platform at its head and connected to the telescopic boom (22) at its end. The last boom section of the telescopic boom (22) is a boom section with a fixed bending angle. This boom section has a preset corner in its length direction and extends a section to be fixedly connected to the material collection seat (35). When the folding boom (21) is fully extended, the last boom section and the material collection seat (35) are horizontal to the ground.

3. The closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A pipeline telescopic arm (25) is set next to the telescopic arm (22). The pipeline telescopic arm (25) is composed of multiple relatively sliding sleeves, and the number of its sections is equal to the number of sections of the telescopic arm (22). Each section of the sleeve of the pipeline telescopic arm (25) is fixedly connected to the corresponding section of the telescopic arm (22) through pipe clamps. The pipeline telescopic arm (25) and the telescopic arm (22) extend and retract synchronously. The discharge port (352) is inclined downward relative to the horizontal plane. The discharge port (352) is connected to the upper end of the pipeline telescopic arm (25) through a discharge pipe (24). The lower end of the pipeline telescopic arm (25) is connected to the top inlet of the sedimentation filter box (12) through another discharge pipe (24).

4. The openable and closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mobile platform has a horizontal base plate, and the sedimentation filter box (12), the clear water tank (13), the high pressure pump (14), and the automatic tube reeling machine (15) are all mounted on the horizontal base plate; The sedimentation filter box (12) integrates a first filter screen (121) and a second filter screen (122). The mesh gap of the first filter screen (121) is smaller than the outer diameter of the pine cone, and the mesh gap of the second filter screen (122) is even smaller. The first filter screen (121) is horizontally installed on the upper part of the sedimentation filter box (12), and the second filter screen (122) is horizontally installed below the first filter screen (121) at intervals. The upper or middle part of the side wall of the sedimentation filter box (12) is connected to the clear water tank (13) via the return water pipe (16). The water supply pipe (23) is wound on the reel of the automatic pipe winding machine (15). When the telescopic arm mechanism (2) extends or retracts, the automatic pipe winding machine (15) releases or retracts synchronously.

5. The closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper outer side of the sliding sleeve (32) is provided with a protective sleeve (321). The inner diameter of the protective sleeve (321) is larger than the outer diameter of the sliding sleeve (32). It is fixedly connected to the central guide tube (31). The lower end of the protective sleeve (321) extends downward to below the material collection seat (35) and covers the sliding sleeve (32) inside it. The sliding stroke range of the sliding sleeve (32) is within the area below the protective sleeve (321).

6. The closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The protective sleeve (321) has an axially extending long groove on its side wall. The width of the long groove is greater than the outer diameter of the connecting rod (34), and the length of the long groove is greater than the axial stroke of the sliding sleeve (32). The inner end of the connecting rod (34) passes through the long groove and connects to the sliding sleeve (32). When the sliding sleeve (32) slides, it drives the connecting rod (34) to move in the long groove.

7. The openable and closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer and inner surfaces of the aggregate petal (33) are covered with a layer of flexible waterproof material.

8. The openable and closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A visual aid system (37) is installed at the top of the central guide tube (31). The lens of the visual aid system (37) faces upward or at an angle upward to capture real-time images of the pine cone and fruit stalk.

9. The openable and closable pine cone harvesting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening angle of the aggregate petal (33) is between 45° and 70°.

10. A harvesting method for pine cones using the pine cone harvesting device as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: Step 1): The electric push rod (39) moves downward, the sliding sleeve (32) slides downward, the connecting rod (34) pushes the collecting petal (33) to close, the moving platform walks into the pine forest, and the telescopic arm mechanism (2) lifts the actuator (3) to the height area where the pine tower is located. Step 2): The electric push rod (39) extends upward, and the connecting rod (34) pushes the collecting petal (33) to unfold, forming a cone-shaped collecting surface that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. The telescopic arm mechanism (2) first performs a rough positioning, and then the servo motor (222) works to make a horizontal deflection fine adjustment to the actuator (3), so that the spray direction of the nozzle ring (361) is aligned with the pine cone stem. Step 3): Start the high-pressure pump (14), and high-pressure water enters the central guide pipe (31) and sprays out from the tangential nozzle (364). The nozzle ring (361) rotates under the reaction force, forming a rotating water curtain that continuously hits the fruit stalk until the pine cone detaches from the branch and falls into the collection petal (33) and slides into the annular buffer chamber (351). Step 4): The high-pressure water sprayed by the bottom tangential nozzles will discharge the pine cones from the discharge port (352).

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