Cherry picking apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to picking equipment technical field, disclose a kind of cherry picking equipment, including cart, pull branch device, collecting basket and wearable picking basket.The cart includes placing rack and support foot articulated below placing rack, stretchable shock absorber is connected between support foot and placing rack, movable plate and bearing plate are equipped on placing rack, collecting basket is matched with the clamping groove of bearing plate by clamping block.The pull branch device includes pull branch rod, chuck and pull rope, pull rope lower end is equipped with pull hook and can be fixed around hanging on adjusting hook.The wearable picking basket includes rigid ring, flexible cloth bag and bracelet, the inner side of flexible cloth bag upper portion is equipped with inclined flow cloth sheet, bottom is equipped with tightening assembly.The present application can realize two-handed picking, high place pull branch, shock absorption transportation and free lifting unloading frame, effectively improve picking efficiency, reduce fruit damage, reduce labor intensity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of harvesting equipment, specifically relating to a cherry harvesting device. Background Technology

[0002] Cherries, with their vibrant color and sweet-tart flavor, are highly favored by consumers and possess significant economic value. In recent years, greenhouse cherry cultivation has developed rapidly. Greenhouse planting allows for earlier planting and staggered market entry, effectively avoiding problems such as low-temperature damage during flowering, fruit cracking due to rainfall during the ripening period, hail, and bird damage common in open-field cultivation. This advances fruit maturity by 15-90 days, significantly improving planting efficiency. However, harvesting greenhouse cherries still primarily relies on traditional manual picking methods, which are labor-intensive, dangerous, and inefficient, failing to meet the current demands of the fresh cherry industry.

[0003] Cherry trees in greenhouses typically reach a height of about 2.5 meters. For cherries on higher branches, pickers often need to use ladders or stand on tiptoe to reach them, which is not only inconvenient but also poses safety hazards. Studies have shown that cherry trees have strong apical dominance, resulting in relatively tall trees that make spraying and harvesting difficult. In other countries, dwarfing rootstocks or pruning techniques have been used to create "pedestrian orchards," where cherries are harvested without ladders, improving efficiency and saving labor. However, in actual production, dwarfing cultivation is not yet widespread, and many greenhouse cherry orchards still face the problem of difficulty in harvesting fruit from higher branches.

[0004] Furthermore, during harvesting, harvesters typically use one hand to pick the fruit while using the other to pull the branches down and hold them in place. This makes it difficult to work efficiently with both hands simultaneously, severely limiting harvesting efficiency. Existing harvesting aids or branch-pulling devices are either complex in structure and expensive, making them unsuitable for ordinary growers; or they require continuous manual force to maintain the branch-pulling state, making them inconvenient to operate and unable to effectively coordinate with harvesting operations.

[0005] In view of this, the inventor conducted in-depth research on the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, which led to the creation of this case. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cherry picking device that improves picking efficiency, reduces labor intensity, minimizes fruit collision damage, lightens the burden of handling, and makes overall operation more convenient.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] A cherry picking device includes a trolley, a branch puller, a collection basket, and a wearable picking basket. The collection basket is placed on the trolley. The trolley includes a placement frame and several support legs, with rollers at the bottom of each support leg. The branch puller includes a branch puller rod, a clamp at the top of the branch puller rod, and a pull rope at the bottom of the branch puller rod. The side wall of the branch puller rod has multiple axially arranged adjusting hooks. The clamp is used to clamp fruit tree branches. The lower end of the pull rope has a hook for hooking onto the trolley. The trolley has a hook ring for the hook to catch. The wearable picking basket includes a rigid ring, a flexible cloth bag connected to the bottom of the rigid ring, and a wristband fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rigid ring. The wristband is worn on the wrist of the picker.

[0009] Furthermore, the bottom of the flexible bag is open, and the open area at the top of the flexible bag is larger than the open area at the bottom; the bottom of the flexible bag is also provided with a fastening assembly for tightening the bottom opening; the fastening assembly includes a first clamping block, a second clamping block, and an elastic element connecting the first clamping block and the second clamping block; the first clamping block is located on the side away from the wristband, and the outer wall of the first clamping block is provided with a pull ring; the second clamping block is located on the side closer to the wristband, and a rigid connecting plate is connected between the second clamping block and the rigid ring. With the above-mentioned fastening assembly, when a certain amount of cherries are collected in the picking basket, the picker only needs to pull the pull ring to open the bottom opening, allowing the cherries to fall smoothly into the collection basket without having to remove the picking basket from the wrist or tilt it to pour them out, avoiding collision damage to the cherries during the transfer process, and also greatly improving the transfer efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper inner side of the flexible bag is provided with an inclined guide cloth; the higher side of the guide cloth is fixedly connected to the inner side of the flexible bag, while the lower side of the guide cloth is separated from the flexible bag. With the guide cloth, after the cherries fall into the picking basket, they can roll to the inner wall of the flexible bag under the guidance of the guide cloth and slide down the inner wall to the bottom, effectively preventing the cherries from falling directly from a height to the bottom of the picking basket and causing collision damage, thus providing cushioning protection.

[0011] Furthermore, the tilt angle of the guide fabric is 15° to 45°; the fixed connection portion of the guide fabric to the flexible bag occupies three-quarters of the upper circumference of the flexible bag. Controlling the tilt angle within the range of 15° to 45° ensures that the cherries roll smoothly on the guide fabric without causing impact due to excessive rolling speed caused by an excessively large angle; the fixed connection portion occupies three-quarters of the upper circumference, so that the guide fabric forms a stable guide channel within the picking basket, and the remaining unconnected quarter serves as an outlet for the cherries to slide down, ensuring that the cherries can slide smoothly along the inner wall of the flexible bag.

[0012] Furthermore, the clamp includes a fixed clamping plate and a movable clamping plate, with the movable clamping plate located below the fixed clamping plate. The fixed clamping plate is fixedly connected to the top of the branch-pulling rod. One end of the movable clamping plate is provided with a sliding sleeve that is slidably fitted onto the branch-pulling rod. The branch-pulling rod is also provided with a limiting plate. A return spring is provided between the sliding sleeve and the limiting plate, and the return spring is fitted onto the branch-pulling rod. A downwardly extending pull rod is provided on the outer wall of the sliding sleeve. With the above clamping structure, the harvester only needs to pull the pull rod downward to separate the movable clamping plate from the fixed clamping plate. After placing the branch in, the pull rod is released, and the movable clamping plate automatically returns to its original position under the action of the return spring, clamping the branch tightly. The operation is simple and quick.

[0013] Furthermore, flexible anti-slip pads are provided on the opposing surfaces of the fixed clamp and the movable clamp. The flexible anti-slip pads increase the friction between the clamp and the branch, preventing the branch from slipping after clamping; they also prevent the rigid clamp from directly contacting the branch surface and damaging the bark, thus protecting the health of the fruit tree.

[0014] Furthermore, the support leg is hinged to the placement frame; a tension-type shock absorber is connected between the support leg and the placement frame; the included angle between the support leg and the placement frame is greater than 100° and less than 150°. Through this structure, the tension-type shock absorber can effectively absorb vibrations caused by ground bumps during the trolley's movement, reducing collision damage to the cherries in the collection basket due to vibration; simultaneously, the hinged connection between the support leg and the placement frame, combined with the tension-type shock absorber, allows the support leg to open outwards by pressing down on the placement frame when the collection basket needs to be unloaded, thus enabling the collection basket to be unloaded onto the ground.

[0015] Furthermore, there are four support legs, each located at one of the four corners of the placement frame. These four support legs are arranged in a rectangular pattern. The two support legs at the front end are parallel to each other, and the two support legs at the rear end are also parallel to each other. The distance between the two rear support legs is greater than the width of the collection basket. This rectangular arrangement ensures even force distribution and smooth pushing of the cart. The greater distance between the two rear support legs allows them to pass over the sides of the collection basket when the cart continues to move forward after the basket is unloaded and rests on the ground, achieving complete separation between the cart and the basket.

[0016] Furthermore, the placement rack is equipped with two movable plates, the bottom of which is hinged to the top of the rack. The two movable plates are arranged parallel to each other, with a support plate on one side where they are close to each other. The top of the support plate has a slot, and the bottom of the collection basket has a locking block that engages with the slot. The placement rack also has two baffles, located inside the two movable plates respectively. Through this structure of movable plates, slots, and locking blocks, the collection basket can be securely placed on the trolley without shifting during movement. When the collection basket needs to be removed, the trolley presses down to bring the basket to the ground, and further pressure causes the locking block to slide out of the slot. At this point, rotating the movable plates to the sides completely detaches the collection basket from the trolley, eliminating the need for manual lifting and greatly reducing the burden of handling. The baffles limit the movement of the movable plates, preventing excessive inward rotation, and provide additional support to the support plate, improving structural stability.

[0017] Furthermore, push handles are provided at both the front and rear ends of the placement rack, and handles are provided at both ends of the movable plate. The push handles facilitate the picking personnel in pushing the cart; the handles facilitate the picking personnel in rotating the movable plate when unloading the collection basket, making the operation more labor-saving and convenient.

[0018] With the above structure, the cherry picking device of the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0019] 1. This invention features a wearable picking basket. Pickers can wear the basket on their wrists and use both hands for picking. The picked cherries simply fall into the basket when released, eliminating the need for one hand to hold the container, thus significantly improving picking efficiency.

[0020] 2. The branch-pulling device of this invention, after clamping the branches of fruit trees at a high position, hooks the lower end of the pull rope onto the hook ring of the cart, and then winds the pull rope around the adjusting hook for fixation. This allows the branches at a high position to be pulled down and maintained at that height, eliminating the need for pickers to use ladders or stand on tiptoe for harvesting, thus eliminating the safety hazards of working at heights. In addition, the clamps of the branch-pulling device can be opened by pulling the pull rod, and after releasing the pull rod, the branches are automatically clamped back under the action of the return spring, making operation simple. The pull rope can be wound around the adjusting hook to fix the branch-pulling height, eliminating the need for continuous manual force to maintain the branch-pulling state, further freeing up the hands of the pickers.

[0021] 3. The present invention uses a trolley with a support foot that is hinged to the placement frame and connected to a tension shock absorber. When the collection basket needs to be unloaded, simply press down on the placement frame, the support foot will open outward so that the collection basket touches the ground, and continue to press down so that the locking block slides out of the locking slot. Rotating the movable plate can separate the trolley from the collection basket. The entire unloading process does not require manual lifting of the collection basket full of cherries, which greatly reduces the burden of handling. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The present invention can be further illustrated by the non-limiting embodiments given in the accompanying drawings;

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the trolley structure in this invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the collection basket of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the branch pulling device in this invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the wearable picking basket in this invention;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic diagram;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the fastening assembly in this invention;

[0030] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of the local structure at point A;

[0031] Figure 9 for Figure 4 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure at point B in the middle.

[0032] The symbols for the main components are explained as follows: 1—Trolley; 11—Placement rack; 111—Push handle; 12—Support leg; 121—Roller; 13—Tension shock absorber; 14—Hook; 15—Modible plate; 151—Load-bearing plate; 1511—Slot; 152—Handle; 16—Baffle.

[0033] 2—Branch puller; 21—Branch puller rod; 211—Adjusting hook; 212—Limiting plate; 22—Clamp; 221—Fixed clamp; 222—Modible clamp; 2221—Sliding sleeve; 2222—Pull rod; 23—Pull rope; 231—Pull hook; 24—Reset spring;

[0034] 3—Collection basket; 31—Card block;

[0035] 4—Wearable picking basket; 41—Rigid ring; 42—Flexible cloth bag; 43—Wristband; 44—Tightening assembly; 441—First clamping block; 4411—Pull ring; 442—Second clamping block; 4421—Rigid connecting plate; 443—Elastic element; 45—Guiding cloth sheet. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that similar or identical parts are referred to by the same reference numerals in the drawings or description. Implementations not shown or described in the drawings are forms known to those skilled in the art. In addition, directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up," "down," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "front," and "back," are only for reference to the directions in the drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] like Figures 1-9 As shown, this invention relates to a cherry picking device, including a trolley 1, a branch puller 2, a collection basket 3, and a wearable picking basket 4. The collection basket 3 is placed on the trolley 1 for collecting the picked cherries. The branch puller 2 is used to lower the branches of higher fruit trees to facilitate operation by the pickers. The wearable picking basket 4 is worn on the wrist of the picker for temporarily storing the picked cherries.

[0038] The trolley 1 includes a placement frame 11 and several support legs 12. The bottom of the support legs 12 is equipped with rollers 121 to facilitate the movement of the trolley 1 within the greenhouse. A collection basket 3 is placed on the placement frame 11. The trolley 1 is also equipped with hooks 14 for the pull hooks 231 of the branch puller 2 to be hooked.

[0039] The branch puller 2 includes a branch pull rod 21, a clamp 22 disposed at the top of the branch pull rod 21, and a pull rope 23 disposed at the bottom of the branch pull rod 21. The side wall of the branch pull rod 21 is provided with a plurality of adjusting hooks 211 arranged along the axial direction. The clamp 22 is used to clamp fruit tree branches. The lower end of the pull rope 23 is provided with a hook 231 for hooking onto the hook ring 14 of the trolley 1.

[0040] The wearable picking basket 4 includes a rigid ring 41, a flexible cloth bag 42 connected to the bottom of the rigid ring, and a wristband 43 fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rigid ring 41. The wristband is worn on the wrist of the picker. The rigid ring 41 maintains the shape of the top opening of the picking basket to facilitate the cherries falling in; the flexible cloth bag 42 can hang down and unfold naturally as the cherries are collected, and has a certain degree of deformation ability to act as a cushion.

[0041] In this embodiment, the cart 1 has push handles 111 at both the front and rear ends of its placement frame 11. Two pickers are positioned at the front and rear ends of the cart 1, respectively, to work together on the picking operation. The push handles 111 at the front and rear ends can be gripped and pushed by pickers in either position, and also facilitate operation from both ends when unloading the baskets. Each picker is equipped with two wearable picking baskets 4, worn on their left and right wrists respectively, i.e., one picking basket in each hand. At the same time, the cart 1 is equipped with at least two branch pullers 2, and each picker can use one branch puller 2 for independent branch pulling operations.

[0042] The flexible cloth bag 42 of the wearable picking basket 4 is funnel-shaped, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, with the top opening area larger than the bottom opening area. The bottom of the flexible cloth bag 42 is open and equipped with a fastening component 44 for opening or closing the bottom opening. Before the picking operation begins, each picker wears two wearable picking baskets 4 on their left and right wrists respectively via wristbands 43. The wristbands 43 are adjustable to accommodate different wrist sizes. After wearing, the wristbands 43 fix the rigid ring 41 near the wrist, and the flexible cloth bag 42 hangs down naturally. In this way, each picker's hands can independently perform picking and collection operations: cherries picked with the left hand are placed in the picking basket in the left hand, and cherries picked with the right hand are placed in the picking basket in the right hand, without interference between the hands, further improving picking efficiency.

[0043] like Figures 5-6 As shown, the upper inner side of the flexible bag 42 is provided with an inclined guide fabric piece 45. The higher side of the guide fabric piece 45 is fixedly connected to the inner side of the flexible bag 42, while the lower side of the guide fabric piece 45 is separated from the flexible bag 42. The inclination angle of the guide fabric piece 45 is 15° to 45°, and is preferably 30° in this embodiment. The portion of the guide fabric piece 45 that is fixedly connected to the flexible bag 42 occupies three-quarters of the upper circumference of the flexible bag 42.

[0044] After the pickers pluck the cherries from the branches by hand, they place their hands directly above the hard ring 41 of the picking basket worn on their wrists to release the cherries. The cherries first fall onto the guide cloth 45, rolling along its inclined direction to the lower side, and then rolling out through the opening between the lower side and the flexible bag 42, sliding down the inner wall of the flexible bag 42 to the bottom. This process effectively cushions the impact of the cherries falling, preventing them from colliding with other cherries and causing damage. The fixed connection part of the guide cloth 45 occupies three-quarters of the upper circumference, ensuring the stability and load-bearing capacity of the guide cloth 45 in working condition; the remaining quarter of the unconnected part forms a fixed outlet for the cherries to slide down, ensuring that the cherries can smoothly slide down the predetermined path to the inner wall of the flexible bag 42. Throughout the harvesting process, the flexible cloth bag 42 unfolds naturally as the cherries at the bottom gradually accumulate. The cherries are stacked in single or multiple layers inside the bag. Because the bag is flexible, the cherries will not be damaged by rigid compression.

[0045] like Figure 7As shown, the fastening assembly 44 includes a first clamping block 441, a second clamping block 442, and an elastic element 443 connecting the first clamping block 441 and the second clamping block 442. The first clamping block 441 is located on the side away from the wristband 43 (i.e., the side closer to the direction of the picker's fingers), and a pull ring 4411 is provided on the outer wall of the first clamping block 441. The second clamping block 442 is located on the side closer to the wristband 43, and a rigid connecting plate 4421 connects the second clamping block 442 and the rigid ring 41. In this embodiment, the elastic element 443 is a spring. The fastening assemblies 44 of the two wearable picking baskets 4 have identical structures and operate independently.

[0046] Once a certain amount of cherries have been collected in the picking basket on one of a picker's wrists, the picker uses their other hand to pull the pull ring 4411 of the picking basket. This overcomes the tension of the elastic element 443, causing the first clamp 441 and the second clamp 442 to move away from each other. Under the influence of gravity and the pressure of the cherries, the opening at the bottom of the flexible cloth bag 42 naturally opens, and the cherries fall from the bottom opening into the collection basket 3 on the trolley 1. The rigid connecting plate 4421 rigidly connects the second clamp 442 to the rigid ring 41, ensuring that the second clamp 442 remains fixed when the picker pulls the pull ring 4411, while only the first clamp 441 moves outward, making the operation more effortless and controllable. After releasing the pull ring 4411, the first clamp 441 and the second clamp 442 move back together under the action of the elastic element 443, closing the bottom opening. Throughout the transfer process, pickers do not need to remove the picking baskets from their wrists or tilt them to empty them; they can complete the operation with one hand while continuing to pick cherries with the other, achieving parallel operation of picking and transferring. Since each picker has a picking basket in each hand, while one basket is being transferred, the other basket can continue collecting cherries, ensuring uninterrupted operation and significantly improving work efficiency.

[0047] like Figure 9 As shown, the clamp 22 includes a fixed clamping plate 221 and a movable clamping plate 222, with the movable clamping plate 222 located below the fixed clamping plate 221. The fixed clamping plate 221 is fixedly connected to the top of the pull rod 21, and one end of the movable clamping plate 222 is provided with a sliding sleeve 2221 that is slidably fitted onto the pull rod 21. The pull rod 21 is also provided with a limiting plate 212, and a return spring 24 is provided between the sliding sleeve 2221 and the limiting plate 212, with the return spring 24 fitted onto the pull rod 21. A downwardly extending pull rod 2222 is provided on the outer wall of the sliding sleeve 2221.

[0048] In this embodiment, the cart 1 is equipped with two branch pullers 2, which are used by two pickers located at the front and rear ends of the cart 1, respectively. When either of the two pickers encounters a fruit tree branch at a relatively high position (such as about 2.5 meters), they can use one branch puller 2 to pull the branch independently without waiting for the other person to complete the operation. The picker holds the branch puller 21 and pulls the puller 2222 downward with one hand, causing the sliding sleeve 2221 to slide downward along the branch puller 21, compressing the return spring 24. The movable clamp 222 then moves downward and separates from the fixed clamp 221. After placing the fruit tree branch at a high position between the fixed clamp 221 and the movable clamp 222, the puller 2222 is released. The return spring 24 releases its elasticity and pushes the sliding sleeve 2221 upward. The movable clamp 222 moves upward and closes with the fixed clamp 221, holding the branch. The entire process can be completed with one hand, while the other hand can hold the branch puller 21 steady or assist in adjusting its position.

[0049] Flexible anti-slip pads (not shown in the figure), such as rubber pads or silicone pads, are provided on the opposite surfaces of the fixed clamping plate 221 and the movable clamping plate 222. The flexible anti-slip pads can increase the clamping friction to prevent branches from slipping, and also prevent the rigid clamping plate from directly contacting the bark and causing damage, thus protecting the health of the fruit tree.

[0050] After the branch is clamped, the picker pulls the rope 23 downwards, causing the hook 231 at the lower end of the rope 23 to hook onto the hook ring 14 of the cart 1. Then, the rope 23 is wound in the opposite direction around the adjusting hook 211 at the corresponding height on the side wall of the branch-pulling rod 21, thus fixing the length and height of the branch-pulling device 2. Because the lower end of the rope 23 is fixed to the cart 1 via the hook 231, and the clamp 22 holds the branch, once the rope 23 is wrapped around the adjusting hook 211, the entire length of the branch-pulling device 2 is locked, and the branch remains pulled low under the pulling force of the rope 23. At this time, the picker's hands are freed, allowing them to pick cherries simultaneously, placing the picked cherries into two picking baskets worn on their wrists. After the picker finishes picking the cherries from the branch, they remove the pull rope 23 from the adjusting hook 211, remove the pull hook 231 from the hook ring 14, and pull down the pull rod 2222 to release the clamp 22, removing the branch puller 2 from the branch. They then move to the next branch that needs pulling to continue the work. Two pickers can use their respective branch pullers 2 to pull branches at different locations simultaneously without interfering with each other. The work area covers both sides of the cart 1, greatly improving the overall picking efficiency.

[0051] The support leg 12 is hinged to the placement frame 11, and a tension shock absorber 13 is connected between the support leg 12 and the placement frame 11. The included angle between the support leg 12 and the placement frame 11 is greater than 100° and less than 150°, and is preferably 120° in this embodiment. Under normal travel conditions, the tension shock absorber 13 maintains a certain tension, so that the included angle between the support leg 12 and the placement frame 11 remains stable.

[0052] Two pickers are positioned at the front and rear ends of the cart 1, respectively, each holding a handle 111 at their respective end to push the cart. When the cart 1 moves through uneven ground within the greenhouse, the tension-type shock absorber 13 absorbs vibration energy through its extension and retraction, reducing the vibration transmitted to the placement rack 11 and collection basket 3, protecting the cherries inside the basket from collision damage. The pickers at the front and rear can coordinate to adjust the pushing speed and direction according to the ground conditions, ensuring the cart 1 moves smoothly. Since each picker wears a picking basket on both hands, the shock absorption effect of the tension-type shock absorber 13 also helps protect the cherries in the picking basket on the pickers' wrists during the push, preventing the collected cherries from colliding and being damaged inside the picking basket due to the bumps caused by the movement of the cart 1.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, there are four support legs 12, which are respectively set at the four corners of the placement rack 11, and the four support legs 12 are arranged in a rectangular shape. The two support legs 12 at the front end along the direction of travel of the trolley 1 are parallel to each other, and the two support legs 12 at the rear end are parallel to each other, and the distance between the two support legs 12 at the rear end is greater than the width of the collection basket 3.

[0054] The placement rack 11 has two movable plates 15, the bottom of which is hinged to the top of the rack 11. The two movable plates 15 are arranged parallel to each other, and a support plate 151 is located on the side of the two movable plates 15 closest to each other. The top of the support plate 151 has a slot 1511, and the bottom of the collection basket 3 has a locking block 31 that engages with the slot 1511. The collection basket 3 is securely placed on the trolley 1 by locking the slot 1511 into the locking block 31, preventing it from shifting during movement. The placement rack 11 also has two baffles 16, located inside the two movable plates 15. The baffles 16 limit the movement of the movable plates 15, preventing excessive inward rotation, and simultaneously provide support for the support plate 151.

[0055] The movable plate 15 is equipped with handles 152 at both ends, and the pickers located at the front and rear ends of the cart 1 can hold the handles 152 at the corresponding ends to rotate the movable plate 15.

[0056] Once the collection basket 3 is full of cherries, the two pickers work together to push the cart 1 to the designated unloading location (such as the greenhouse entrance or next to the transport vehicle). Before unloading, the two pickers can transfer all the cherries from their two wearable picking baskets 4 to the collection basket 3 to ensure that there are no cherries left in the picking baskets 4, thus preventing cherries from spilling out of the picking baskets 4 due to tilting or shaking during the unloading operation.

[0057] Subsequently, the two pickers hold the push handles 111 at the front and rear ends of the placement rack 11 or the frame of the placement rack 11 respectively, and press the placement rack 11 downwards simultaneously. Since the two movable plates 15 cooperate with the locking blocks 31 at the bottom of the collection basket 3 through the slots 1511, and the collection basket 3 sits on the support plate 151, as the placement rack 11 is pressed down, the support plate 151 drives the collection basket 3 to descend synchronously.

[0058] Because the support legs 12 are hinged to the placement frame 11, the support legs 12 open outwards when the placement frame 11 is pressed down, and the angle between the support legs 12 and the placement frame 11 gradually increases (approaching 180°). The height of the placement frame 11 gradually decreases, and the rollers 121 of the four support legs 12 roll outwards on the ground to ensure a smooth pressing process. As the placement frame 11 descends, the collection basket 3 also descends until its bottom contacts the ground.

[0059] The placement frame 11 continues to be pressed down. Since the collection basket 3 has already touched the ground and cannot descend further, the placement frame 11 continues to move down, causing the locking block 31 at the bottom of the collection basket 3 to gradually slide out of the slot 1511 of the support plate 151. After the locking block 31 is completely disengaged from the slot 1511, the two harvesters each hold the handle 152 at their respective proximal ends and rotate the two movable plates 15 in a direction away from each other (i.e., outwards), so that the support plate 151 is completely removed from the bottom of the collection basket 3. At this time, the collection basket 3 is completely detached from the trolley 1 and rests on the ground. Since the two movable plates 15 open to the sides respectively, there are no obstructions above or around the collection basket 3, making it easy to move the collection basket 3 away or to carry out subsequent processing directly on the ground.

[0060] After the downward pressure is removed, the tension shock absorber 13 automatically retracts and resets, causing the support leg 12 to retract inward, the placement frame 11 of the trolley 1 to rise to the initial height, and the movable plate 15 is manually reset, or a torsion spring is installed at the hinge between the movable plate 15 and the placement frame 11 for automatic reset.

[0061] After the collection basket 3 is unloaded and rests on the ground, the cart 1 needs to continue moving for subsequent picking operations. The pickers at the rear of the cart 1 push the handle 111, propelling the cart 1 forward. Since the two front support legs 12 are already in front of the collection basket 3, they do not need to step over it; the two rear support legs 12 are behind the collection basket 3 and need to be stepped over from both sides. Because the distance between the two rear support legs 12 is greater than the width of the collection basket 3, the cart 1 can be pushed forward smoothly, and the two rear support legs 12 pass over the sides of the collection basket 3, achieving complete separation of the cart 1 from the collection basket 3. Subsequently, the two pickers can continue pushing the cart 1 to the next picking location. Throughout the unloading and separation process, the two pickers do not need to lift the collection basket 3 filled with cherries, greatly reducing the burden of transportation.

[0062] The method of using the present invention is as follows: Two pickers are positioned at the front and rear ends of the cart 1, respectively, each wearing a wearable picking basket 4 on their left wrist and another wearable picking basket 4 on their right wrist, and each taking a branch puller 2 for use.

[0063] During harvesting, two pickers each use both hands to pick cherries. Cherries picked with the left hand are placed in the picking basket on the left wrist, and cherries picked with the right hand are placed in the picking basket on the right wrist. After falling into the picking basket, the cherries are guided by the guide cloth 45 and slide down the inner wall of the flexible cloth bag 42 to the bottom to avoid collision and damage. When a certain amount of cherries have been collected in a picking basket, the picker uses their other hand to pull the pull ring 4411 of the picking basket to open the bottom fastening component 44, allowing the cherries to fall into the collection basket 3 on the trolley 1. After releasing the pull ring 4411, the fastening component 44 automatically closes.

[0064] For fruit tree branches at higher elevations, the harvester uses the branch puller 2, pulls down the lever 2222 to open the clamp 22, places the branch between the fixed clamp 221 and the movable clamp 222, and releases the lever 2222 to clamp the branch. Then, the hook 231 at the lower end of the pull rope 23 is hooked onto the hook ring 14 of the cart 1, and the pull rope 23 is wrapped around the adjusting hook 211 in the opposite direction to secure it. The branch is then pulled down and held at that height. At this point, the harvester's hands are freed, and they can harvest the fruit simultaneously. After harvesting the branch, the pull rope 23 is removed from the adjusting hook 211 and the hook ring 14, and the branch puller 2 is removed by pulling the lever 2222 to release the clamp 22.

[0065] Once the collection basket 3 is full, two harvesters work together to push the cart 1 to the designated position, simultaneously pressing down on the placement frame 11. The support legs 12 open outwards, causing the collection basket 3 to descend until its bottom contacts the ground. Further pressing down on the placement frame 11 causes the locking block 31 to slide out of the locking slot 1511. Then, the two movable plates 15 are rotated to the sides, completely separating the collection basket 3 from the cart 1. Releasing the downward pressure causes the cart 1 to automatically reset under the action of the tension shock absorber 13. Continuing to push forward allows the rear support legs 12 to pass over the sides of the collection basket 3, achieving complete separation of the cart 1 from the collection basket 3.

[0066] The cherry picking device provided by this invention has been described in detail above. The specific embodiments are provided only to help understand the method and core ideas of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A cherry picking device, characterized in that: The device includes a trolley (1), a branch puller (2), a collection basket (3), and a wearable picking basket (4). The collection basket (3) is placed on the trolley (1). The trolley (1) includes a placement frame (11) and several support legs (12). The bottom of each support leg (12) is provided with a roller (121). The branch puller (2) includes a branch puller (21), a clamp (22) set at the top of the branch puller (21), and a pull rope (23) set at the bottom of the branch puller (21). The side wall of the branch puller (21) is provided with multiple pull ropes. The axially arranged adjustment hooks (211), the clamps (22) are used to clamp fruit tree branches, the lower end of the pull rope (23) is provided with a pull hook (231) for hooking onto the trolley (1), and the trolley (1) is provided with a hook ring (14) for the pull hook (231) to hook onto; the wearable picking basket (4) includes a rigid ring (41), a flexible cloth bag (42) connected to the bottom of the rigid ring, and a wristband (43) fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rigid ring (41), the wristband being used to wear on the wrist of the picking personnel.

2. The cherry picking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the flexible bag (42) is open, and the open area of ​​the top of the flexible bag (42) is larger than the open area of ​​the bottom; the bottom of the flexible bag (42) is also provided with a tightening component (44) for tightening the bottom open; the tightening component (44) includes a first clamping block (441), a second clamping block (442) and an elastic element (443) connected between the first clamping block (441) and the second clamping block (442); the first clamping block (441) is located on the side away from the wristband (43), and the outer wall of the first clamping block is provided with a pull ring (4411); the second clamping block is located on the side close to the wristband (43), and a rigid connecting plate (4421) is connected between the second clamping block (442) and the rigid ring (41).

3. The cherry picking equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper inner side of the flexible bag (42) is provided with an inclined guide cloth (45); the high side of the guide cloth (45) is fixedly connected to the inner side of the flexible bag (42), and the low side of the guide cloth (45) is separated from the flexible bag.

4. The cherry picking equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The tilt angle of the flow guide fabric (45) is 15° to 45°; the fixed connection part of the flow guide fabric (45) and the flexible bag (42) occupies three-quarters of the upper circumference of the flexible bag (42).

5. The cherry picking equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamp (22) includes a fixed clamp (221) and a movable clamp (222), the movable clamp (222) being located below the fixed clamp (221); the fixed clamp (221) is fixedly connected to the top of the pull rod (21), one end of the movable clamp (222) is provided with a sliding sleeve (2221) slidably sleeved on the pull rod (21), the pull rod (21) is also provided with a limiting plate (212), a return spring (24) is provided between the sliding sleeve (2221) and the limiting plate (212), the return spring (24) is sleeved on the pull rod (21); the outer wall of the sliding sleeve (2221) is provided with a downwardly extending pull rod (2222).

6. A cherry picking device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Flexible anti-slip pads are provided on the opposite surfaces of the fixed clamp (221) and the movable clamp (222).

7. A cherry picking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support leg (12) is hinged to the placement frame (11); a tension shock absorber (13) is connected between the support leg (12) and the placement frame (11); the included angle between the support leg (12) and the placement frame (11) is greater than 100° and less than 150°.

8. A cherry picking device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The four support legs (12) are respectively located at the four corners of the placement rack (11). The four support legs (12) are arranged in a rectangular shape. The two support legs (12) at the front end along the direction of travel of the trolley (1) are parallel to each other, and the two support legs (12) at the rear end are parallel to each other. The distance between the two support legs (12) at the rear end is greater than the width of the collection basket (3).

9. A cherry picking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The placement rack (11) is provided with two movable plates (15), the bottom of the movable plates (15) is hinged to the top of the placement rack (11), the two movable plates (15) are arranged in parallel and a support plate (151) is provided on the side where the two movable plates (15) are close to each other, the top of the support plate (151) is provided with a slot (1511), and the bottom of the collection basket (3) is provided with a locking block (31) that cooperates with the slot (1511); the placement rack (11) is also provided with two baffles (16), the two baffles (16) are respectively located inside the two movable plates (15).

10. A cherry picking device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The placement rack (11) is also provided with push handles (111) at both ends, and the movable plate (15) is also provided with handles (152) at both ends.

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