Automatic palm fruit harvesting machine and harvesting method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of palm fruit automatic harvester and its harvesting method, including motion trolley, embrace ring module, operation module and unloading slide plate. Motion trolley contains driving chassis and rotating platform, and telescopic arm is equipped on rotating platform;Embrace ring module is connected by movable frame telescopic arm end, and is composed of fixed frame and two semicircular rings that can be combined into a complete ring;Operation module contains motion base frame, first module, second module, cutting part, cone insertion part and visual camera, and motion base frame is mounted on a semicircular ring through driving part, first module drives second module and cone insertion part, cutting part is mounted on second module and can move along the driving direction, complete palm fruit cutting, cone insertion part is mounted on first module through connecting branch plate, and visual camera is arranged on connecting branch plate.The application can automatically complete palm fruit harvesting whole-process operation, only needs a small amount of manual operation, can adjust position to adapt to palm fruit harvesting of different height and different position, is more highly automated, and improves harvesting efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of palm fruit harvesting technology, and particularly relates to an automatic palm fruit harvester and its harvesting method. Background Technology

[0002] Oil palm is the tropical cash crop with the highest oil yield per unit area. Its palm oil and palm kernel oil have a wide range of applications and are core economic raw materials for tropical agriculture. Mature oil palm trees can reach a height of 8 to 15 meters, with fruit bunches hidden within the hard leaf petioles. A single bunch of fresh fruit weighs 20 to 40 kilograms. Oil palm plantations are mostly distributed in hilly and muddy slopes, making harvesting difficult and highly dependent on manual labor, which has long limited the industry's large-scale development. Traditional harvesting methods include ground-based long-pole sickle cutting and manual tree-climbing cutting, both of which have several drawbacks: workers are prone to shoulder, neck, and lumbar strain from prolonged lifting of heavy poles; tree-climbing harvesting is a high-risk operation, with frequent slips and cuts in hot and rainy conditions; and there is a general shortage of harvesters in major global palm-producing areas, with manual harvesting costs accounting for more than half of the orchard's production costs. When fruit bunches are cut and fall freely to the ground, the peel will crack and the pulp will oxidize and become rancid, resulting in increased free fatty acids and decreased oil yield. Ripe fruit that falls to the ground needs to be picked up manually again, which is inefficient and results in serious raw material loss. Moreover, it is difficult for people to accurately judge the ripeness of the fruit bunches, which can easily lead to the accidental picking of unripe fruit and the omission of overripe fruit.

[0003] To replace manual harvesting, several semi-mechanized harvesting devices have been disclosed in the existing technology. Representative prior art documents are as follows: Comparative document 1 discloses a palm orchard pruning and fruit harvesting device (application number 202010589530.X), which uses a vehicle-mounted telescopic robotic arm with split-type cutting heads. After cutting, the fruit bunches are received by a small fruit collection box at the end of the arm. This device has several shortcomings: it lacks a pre-positioned automatic obstacle removal structure for the hard petioles on the outer layer of the fruit bunches, requiring manual removal of obstructing leaves before operation, making fully automated operation impossible; the fruit collection box has a small volume, requiring the robotic arm to be lowered to unload after every 1-2 bunches are cut, resulting in a slow harvesting cycle; it lacks a buffer and shock absorption structure, and heavy fruit bunches directly impacting the box can easily cause hydraulic pipeline leakage and robotic arm deformation; it is not equipped with a visual recognition module, relying entirely on manual operation, and cannot autonomously identify mature fruit bunches, resulting in a low level of intelligence.

[0004] Comparative document 2 describes a palm fruit harvesting robot (application number 202411322644.2). It uses a spiral climbing mechanism to carry a small harvesting unit, which can climb along the trunk to the canopy for harvesting. This solution is only suitable for low-growing oil palm trees and is difficult to apply to mature, tall trees. It also has several drawbacks: the climbing body has poor obstacle-crossing ability, and residual leaves and petioles can easily get stuck in the climbing mechanism; the clamping structure is rigid, and the climbing process can easily scratch the bark and damage the fruit tree; the whole machine does not have a matching walking and transport chassis, and the harvested fruit bunches still need to be manually transported on the ground; it does not integrate a ground-borne fruit recovery mechanism, and can only handle fruit bunches on the tree, which is a fragmented process and has limited improvement on overall operational efficiency.

[0005] In addition, commercially available large-scale vehicle-mounted harvesters are bulky and have a large turning radius, making them unable to navigate narrow hilly areas or low-lying muddy terrain. Small handheld electric cutting devices can only cut the fruit stems and lack a receiving and collection structure, resulting in fresh fruit still falling and breaking. Most existing equipment has only one function and cannot simultaneously complete integrated operations such as obstacle clearing, maturity identification, buffering and receiving, and recovery of fallen fruit. Currently, the planting area of ​​oil palm in Hainan and Yunnan provinces in China is continuously expanding, creating an urgent need for large-scale, unmanned orchard transformation. Existing manual harvesting and semi-mechanized equipment, represented by Comparative Documents 1 and 2, cannot simultaneously solve a series of technical problems such as high labor intensity, high safety risks, high fresh fruit loss, poor terrain adaptability, low degree of automation, and fragmented processes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an automatic palm fruit harvester and its harvesting method to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an automatic palm fruit harvester, comprising... A motion trolley, the motion trolley including a drive chassis and a rotating platform located on the drive chassis, the rotating platform being provided with a telescopic arm; The clamping ring module is connected to the end of the telescopic arm via a movable frame. The clamping ring module includes a fixed frame and two semi-circular rings, which together form a complete circular ring. The working module includes a motion base, a first module, a second module, a cutting section, a cone insertion section, and a vision camera. The motion base is mounted on a semi-circular ring via a drive unit. The first module is mounted on the motion base and drives the second module and the cone insertion section. The cutting section is mounted on the second module and moves along the driving direction of the second module. The cutting section includes a cutting motor and a cutting blade. The cutting motor controls the start and stop of the cutting blade to cut palm fruits or palm leaves. The cone insertion section is mounted on the first module via a connecting support plate to securely position or remove palm fruits. The vision camera is located on the connecting support plate. The unloading slide plate is installed on the telescopic arm and is arranged along the length of the telescopic arm. A receiving box is provided at the bottom of the unloading slide plate and is located on the rotating platform to store the harvested palm fruits.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motion trolley is provided with a first driver, one end of which is fixed to the motion trolley and the other end is connected to the telescopic arm to drive the telescopic arm to change amplitude and position it.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second driver is provided at the end of the telescopic arm. One end of the second driver is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic arm, and the other end is connected to the movable frame so as to drive the ring module to move through the movable frame.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fixed frame is provided with a third driver and a rotating block. One end of the third driver is fixedly connected to the fixed frame, and the other end is connected to the semicircular ring. The semicircular ring is connected to the fixed frame through the rotating block. The third driver drives the semicircular ring to open or close the two semicircular rings.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fixed frame is connected to the movable frame via a rotary driver, and the rotary driver drives the retaining ring module to rotate.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit includes a mounting frame, a drive motor, and a transmission assembly. The mounting frame is movably mounted on a semi-circular ring, the drive motor is fixed on the mounting frame, and the transmission assembly includes a transmission gear and a rack. The transmission gear is mounted on the drive end of the drive motor, and the rack is mounted on the semi-circular ring. After the drive motor is started, the transmission gear and the rack mesh and drive the mounting frame circumferentially along the semi-circular ring.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an annular guide rail is provided on the semicircular ring, and the mounting bracket is connected to the annular guide rail through multiple sets of guide wheel pairs. Each guide wheel pair consists of two paired guide wheels, and the two guide wheels are respectively fixed to the bracket plate by a mounting shaft, with the axis of the mounting shaft pointing towards the axis of the semicircular ring.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rotating part is provided on the connecting support plate. The rotating part includes a rotating gear, a rotating seat, a rotating driver, and a rotating main gear. The rotating gear is rotatably mounted on the connecting support plate. The rotating seat is fixedly mounted on the rotating gear. The rotating driver is mounted on the rotating seat. The rotating main gear is located at the driving end of the rotating driver and meshes with the rotating gear. After the rotating driver drives the rotating main gear to rotate, it meshes and rotates the rotating gear, thereby rotating the rotating seat.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conical insertion part is mounted on the rotating seat. The conical insertion part includes a conical insertion electric cylinder and a conical insertion rod. The conical insertion electric cylinder is connected to the rotating seat through a mounting block. The conical insertion rod is located at the driving end of the conical insertion electric cylinder and is guided by a guide block located on the rotating seat.

[0016] This invention also discloses a method for harvesting palm fruit, comprising the following steps: S1. The trolley moves to the side of the palm tree and extends the telescopic arm in the first step. The rotating platform drives the telescopic arm to rotate so that the palm tree is in front of the telescopic arm. S2. Open the two semicircular rings and extend the telescopic arm in the second step, so that the palm tree trunk is located in the center of the two semicircular rings. The two semicircular rings close together to form a complete ring, and hug the palm tree tightly. S3. Start the drive unit, drive the mounting bracket to move circumferentially along the semi-circular ring, confirm the mature palm fruit and its position through the vision camera, and stop directly in front of the palm fruit. S4. Rotate the cone insert 90 degrees. Under the action of the first module, the cutting part reaches the root of the palm leaf below the palm fruit. After the cutting blade is started, the second module drives the cutting part to cut the palm leaf. S5. The second module drives the cutting part, aligns it with the base of the palm fruit, and after resetting the cone insertion part by 90 degrees, the cone insertion part inserts the palm fruit. S6. The second module drives the cutting part to cut off the fruit stalk at the base of the palm fruit, and then the working module returns to its original position on the semi-circular ring. S7. The cone insert rotates 180 degrees so that the palm fruit is located at the end of the telescopic arm. The cone insert then retracts and resets, and the palm fruit moves along the unloading slide plate and slides into the receiving box. S8. When the receiving box is full, drive the trolley to move next to the large transport container, bring the receiving box close to the large transport container, raise the receiving box and pour the palm fruits in the receiving box into the large transport container.

[0017] This invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art and has the following beneficial effects: The automatic palm fruit harvester of this invention, through the coordinated operation of a moving trolley, a clamping module, a working module, a discharge slide plate, and a collection box, can automatically complete the entire process of palm fruit clearing and cutting, positioning and gripping, fruit stem cutting, and unloading and collection. It requires only a small amount of manual intervention, reducing labor intensity and safety risks, avoiding fruit peel damage and pulp oxidation caused by the free fall of fruit bunches, reducing raw material loss, and is suitable for operation on hilly and muddy terrain. At the same time, it can adjust its circumferential position along the tree trunk to adapt to the harvesting of palm fruits at different heights and locations. Compared with traditional semi-mechanized equipment, it has a higher degree of automation, can complete multiple processes simultaneously, effectively improves the efficiency of palm fruit harvesting, and solves many technical problems faced by existing palm fruit harvesting. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments; Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an overall front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of section A in the middle; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of the middle semicircular ring after it is opened; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the working module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; In the diagram: 10. Moving trolley; 11. Drive chassis; 12. Rotating platform; 121. Telescopic arm; 20. Ring-holding module; 21. Fixing frame; 22. Semicircular ring; 30. Working module; 31. Moving base frame; 32. First module; 33. Second module; 34. Cutting section; 341. Cutting motor; 342. Cutting tool; 35. Conical insertion section; 351. Conical insertion electric cylinder; 352. Conical insertion rod; 36. Vision camera; 40. Unloading slide plate; 41. Receiving box; 50. Movable frame; 60. Drive unit; 61. Mounting frame; 62. Drive... 63. Motor; 631. Transmission assembly; 632. Transmission gear; 633. Rack; 70. Connecting support plate; 80. First driver; 90. Second driver; 100. Third driver; 110. Rotating block; 120. Rotary driver; 130. Circular guide rail; 140. Guide wheel pair; 150. Rotating part; 151. Rotary gear; 152. Rotating seat; 153. Rotary driver; 154. Rotary main gear; 160. Mounting block; 170. Guide block; 180. Slot plate; 190. Cross lifting bracket; 200. Fourth driver. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0020] This embodiment provides an automatic palm fruit harvester. Through the coordinated operation of a moving trolley 10, a gripping module 20, a working module 30, a discharge slide plate 40, and a collection box 41, this automatic harvester can automatically complete the entire process of clearing obstacles and cutting, positioning and gripping, cutting the fruit stem, and unloading and collecting palm fruits. It requires only minimal human intervention, reducing labor intensity and safety risks. It avoids damage to the fruit peel and oxidation of the pulp caused by the free fall of fruit bunches, reducing raw material loss. It is suitable for operation on hilly and muddy terrain and can adjust its position circumferentially along the tree trunk to accommodate palm fruit harvesting at different heights and locations. Compared to traditional semi-mechanized equipment, it has a higher degree of automation, can complete multiple processes simultaneously, effectively improving the efficiency of palm fruit harvesting and solving several technical problems currently faced in palm fruit harvesting.

[0021] Combination Figures 1 to 6As shown, this automatic harvester is specifically designed for harvesting palm fruit. Its core components include: a moving trolley 10 as the base for movement, a stabilizing ring module 20 for embracing the palm trunk, an operating module 30 for performing picking and cutting operations, and a discharge slide plate 40 for receiving and temporarily storing the fruit. The moving trolley 10 is the key carrier for the harvester's movement and operation, consisting of a drive chassis 11 and a rotating platform 12 mounted on top of the chassis. In this embodiment, the drive chassis 11 adopts a dual-wheel structure adapted to harsh terrain. Specifically, the rubber surface of its tires is stamped to form regular anti-slip treads, significantly improving grip. Simultaneously, a hydraulic floating device is installed on its axles, enabling it to adapt to uneven ground conditions. This series of designs is specifically designed to address the complex environmental challenges of tropical oil palm plantations, such as year-round high temperatures and heavy rainfall, soil that becomes heavy and muddy due to rainwater soaking, and severe slippage when operating on slopes, ensuring the harvester possesses superior passability and stability.

[0022] Furthermore, the walking system of the trolley 10 has been deeply optimized: it is equipped with large-diameter tires and precisely controlled by corresponding hydraulic brake valves; more importantly, it adopts dual-axle steering technology. This design gives the harvester excellent maneuverability—a small turning radius, allowing it to easily and flexibly navigate between rows in orchards with limited space, effectively avoiding obstacles such as tall tree trunks, orchard drainage ditches, and laid field irrigation pipes. Above the rotating platform 12, a telescopic arm 121 is installed, providing a mounting base and height adjustment capability for other functional modules. The function of the clamping module 20 is to securely and reliably clamp the target palm tree, thereby creating the necessary conditions for the subsequent operation module 30 to safely and accurately harvest the palm fruit bunches. The unloading slide plate 40, as a fruit collection channel, is installed on the telescopic arm 121 and extends along the length of the telescopic arm 121. In this embodiment, the telescopic arm 121 is equipped with a variable amplitude drive (hydraulic cylinder or electric cylinder) for the extension and contraction of the telescopic arm 121. At the bottom of the unloading slide plate 40, there is a collection box 41 with considerable capacity. Its purpose is to receive and temporarily store the palm fruits picked from the tree during the harvesting process, so as to achieve the initial collection and buffering of the fruits and facilitate subsequent centralized transfer.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the receiving box 41 is not only connected to the rotating platform 12 via a cross lifting bracket 190, which allows for height adjustment of the receiving box 41; a fourth drive 200 (electric cylinder or hydraulic cylinder) is also configured at the bottom of the receiving box 41; this fourth drive 200 can flip the receiving box 41, dumping the palm fruits inside into a large transport box for transporting palm fruits.

[0024] Combination Figures 1 to 3As shown, the clamping ring module 20 involved in this embodiment is designed to be connected to the end of the telescopic arm 121 via a movable frame 50. Specifically, the clamping ring module 20 consists of a fixed frame 21 and two semicircular rings 22, which can combine to form a complete ring structure when in contact with each other. A first driver 80 (electric cylinder or hydraulic cylinder) is installed on the moving trolley 10. The base of the first driver 80 is fixed to the body of the moving trolley 10, and its output end is connected to the telescopic arm 121. Through its driving action, the first driver 80 can precisely control the telescopic arm 121 to extend or retract, and can reliably lock it at the desired position. At the end of the telescopic arm 121, a second driver 90 (electric cylinder or hydraulic cylinder) is also provided. One end of the second driver 90 is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic arm 121, and the other end is connected to the movable frame 50, so that the entire clamping ring module 20 can be driven by the movable frame 50 to produce corresponding displacement or posture adjustment.

[0025] In this embodiment, two third actuators 100 (electric cylinders or hydraulic cylinders) and two rotating blocks 110 are mounted on the fixed frame 21. The base of the third actuator 100 is fixed on the fixed frame 21, and its driving end is connected to the semicircular ring 22. Each semicircular ring 22 is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame 21 through a corresponding rotating block 110. Thus, the action of the third actuator 100 can drive the semicircular ring 22 to rotate around the rotating block 110 as the axis, thereby realizing the opening or closing operation of the two semicircular rings 22 to complete the function of holding or releasing the ring-shaped object. Finally, the fixed frame 21 is also connected to the movable frame 50 through a rotary actuator 120. The rotary actuator 120 can drive the ring-holding module 20 to rotate around its axis, thereby further expanding the module's movement flexibility and working range.

[0026] The operation module 30 provided in this embodiment is mainly composed of multiple functional components, aiming to efficiently automate the processing of palm fruits. The specific structure of this module includes a basic motion base 31, a first module 32 and a second module 33 driving the cutting part 34, the cutting part 34 performing the cutting task, a conical insert 35 responsible for positioning and removal, and a vision camera 36 for positioning detection. The motion base 31 serves as the mounting and movement foundation for the entire operation module 30, and is securely mounted on a semi-circular ring 22 via a drive unit 60, allowing it to be fixed at any point on the semi-circular ring 22. The first module 32 is mounted on the motion base 31 and is mainly responsible for driving the second module 33 and the conical insert 35 to perform linear motion. The second module 33 carries the cutting part 34 and drives it to move along its own axis to adjust the cutting position. In this embodiment, both the first module 32 and the second module 33 are screw-driven modules. The first module 32 and the second module 33 drive the cutting section 34, adjusting its position before performing the cutting operation. The cutting section 34 is one of the core execution components of this module, mainly consisting of a cutting motor 341 and its driven cutting tool 342. The cutting motor 341 drives the cutting tool to swing rapidly via a deflector mechanism, achieving the cutting action. The conical insertion part 35 is mounted on the first module 32 via a sturdy connecting support plate 70. It is mainly used to insert and fix the palm fruit in the working position before cutting, or to remove it after processing, ensuring the stability and continuity of the operation. Furthermore, a high-precision vision camera 36 is integrated and mounted on the connecting support plate 70. It captures images of the working area in real time for palm fruit ripeness judgment, positioning identification, and process monitoring, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the entire automated operation.

[0027] In this embodiment, the drive unit 60 comprises a mounting frame 61, a drive motor 62, and a transmission assembly 63, forming a cooperating transmission unit. The mounting frame 61 is movably mounted on a semi-circular ring 22, and its position can be adjusted according to operational requirements. The drive motor 62 is stably fixed to the main frame of the mounting frame 61 using fasteners, serving as the power source for the entire drive unit 60. The transmission assembly 63 specifically includes a cooperating transmission gear 631 and a rack 632. The transmission gear 631 is precisely mounted on the power output end of the drive motor 62 and connected to its shaft, while the rack 632 is securely mounted on a predetermined track area of ​​the semi-circular ring 22. When the drive motor 62 starts, its output torque drives the transmission gear 631 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission action with the fixed rack 632, the mounting frame 61 can be effectively and smoothly driven along the circumferential path of the semi-circular ring 22. To further ensure the guiding stability and smooth operation of the mounting frame 61 during movement, an annular guide rail 130 is also provided on the semi-circular ring 22. The mounting frame 61 is connected to this annular guide rail 130 by multiple guide wheel pairs 140, thereby providing necessary support and precise guidance during transmission.

[0028] In this embodiment, a rotating part 150 for directional adjustment is provided on the connecting support plate 70. The core function of this rotating part 150 is to enable precise angular rotation and position adjustment of the associated conical insert 35. Specifically, the rotating part 150 is composed of several key components: it includes a rotary gear 151, a rotating seat 152 for support, a rotary actuator 153 (usually an electric motor) as a power source, and a rotary main gear 154 responsible for transmission. The rotary gear 151 is designed to be rotatably mounted on the connecting support plate 70, forming the basis of the rotational motion. The rotating seat 152 is fixedly mounted above the rotary gear 151 and rotates together with the rotary gear 151. The rotary actuator 153 is securely mounted on the rotating seat 152, and its driving end is connected to the rotary main gear 154. The rotary main gear 154 meshes with the rotary gear 151 below, forming a gear transmission system.

[0029] When the rotary drive 153 starts and drives the rotary main gear 154 to rotate, power is transmitted to the rotary gear 151 through gear meshing, causing it to rotate. Since the rotating seat 152 is fixedly connected to the rotary gear 151, the rotating seat 152 also rotates synchronously. The conical insert 35, whose direction needs to be adjusted, is mounted on this rotating seat 152, thus achieving flexible adjustment of the overall orientation of the conical insert 35.

[0030] Furthermore, the tapered insertion part 35 itself comprises two main components: a tapered insertion electric cylinder 351 (or a nut screw module) and a tapered insertion rod 352. The tapered insertion electric cylinder 351, acting as a linear drive mechanism, is connected to the aforementioned rotating seat 152 via a mounting block 160. In this embodiment, a vision camera 36 is mounted on the connecting support plate 70 to monitor the operation process. The tapered insertion rod 352 is mounted on the drive end of the tapered insertion electric cylinder 351 and is driven by the cylinder to perform linear extension or retraction. To ensure the accuracy and stability of the tapered insertion rod 352's trajectory, it passes through a guide block 170 fixed to the rotating seat 152, which guides and supports the tapered insertion rod 352.

[0031] In addition, a slotted plate 180 is provided on the rotating seat 152. This slotted plate 180 is specifically U-shaped. Its core function is reflected in the unloading process: when the conical insert 352, which has completed piercing and is carrying the palm fruit, retracts under the drive of the conical insert electric cylinder 351, the opening of the U-shaped slotted plate 180 is exactly located on its movement path. The retracted conical insert 352 will effectively block and intercept the palm fruit through the U-shaped slotted plate 180, thereby forcing the palm fruit to detach from the tip of the conical insert 352, realizing the automatic unloading function. This design ensures the continuity and automation of the operation process.

[0032] In practical use, the automatic palm fruit harvester of this embodiment first operates the trolley 10 to the corresponding position on the palm tree to be harvested, completing the overall positioning of the machine. Then, the first driver 80 drives the telescopic arm 121 to extend, aligning the clamping ring module 20 with the trunk. The third driver 100 drives the two semi-circular rings 22 to rotate and close, encircling and fixing them to the outside of the palm tree trunk. After encircling, the vision camera 36 captures images of the palm fruit bunches on the upper part of the trunk, identifies the maturity of the palm fruit, and locates the position information of the mature fruit bunches. The second driver 90 drives the clamping ring module 20 to adjust its height along the telescopic arm 121, so that the working module 30 reaches the working height corresponding to the target fruit bunch. The rotation driver 120 can drive the clamping ring module 20 to rotate as a whole, adjusting the working angle of the working module 30 around the trunk, ensuring that the working module 30 is aligned with the target fruit bunch.

[0033] After positioning, the first module 32 drives the cone insertion part 35 to move towards the fruit bunch. The rotating part 150 pre-adjusts the angle of the cone insertion part 35. Then, the cone insertion electric cylinder 351 drives the cone insertion rod 352 to extend and insert into the palm fruit bunch to fix the fruit bunch. Next, the second module 33 drives the cutting part 34 to move to the fruit stem position. The cutting motor 341 starts and drives the cutting blade 342 to swing quickly to cut off the fruit stem, so that the fruit bunch falls off as a whole and is held on the cone insertion rod 352. After the cutting is completed, the first module 32 drives the cone insertion part 35 to retract as a whole. The rotating seat 152 adjusts the angle so that the cone insertion rod 352 is aligned with the unloading slide plate 40. Then, the cone insertion electric cylinder 351 drives the cone insertion rod 352 to continue to retract. After the fruit bunch is blocked by the groove plate 180, it detaches from the tip of the cone insertion rod 352 and falls into the unloading slide plate 40 below. It slides along the unloading slide plate 40 into the collection box 41 at the bottom to complete the collection, thus completing the harvesting operation of a single bunch of palm fruit.

[0034] Once one harvest is complete, the drive unit 60 can drive the operation module 30 to move circumferentially along the semicircular ring 22 to locate and harvest the fruit bunches on the other side of the trunk. After the entire palm fruit is harvested, the two semicircular rings 22 open and loosen the trunk, and the trolley 10 can then move to the next palm tree to carry out the operation. When the collection box 41 is full, the drive trolley 10 moves to the side of the large transport container and brings the collection box 41 close to the large transport container. With the cooperation of the fourth drive unit 200 and the cross lifting bracket 190, the collection box 41 is raised and the palm fruit in the collection box 41 is poured into the large transport container.

[0035] This embodiment also provides a method for harvesting palm fruit, which includes the following steps: S1: Equipment positioning: The trolley 10 of the automatic palm fruit harvester is controlled to move to the target palm tree to be harvested, and the whole machine is positioned. S2: Trunk wrapping and fixing: The first driver 80 drives the telescopic arm 121 to extend, so that the wrapping module 20 is aligned with the palm trunk, and controls the third driver 100 to drive the two semi-circular rings 22 to rotate and close, wrapping and fixing the wrapping module 20 around the outside of the palm trunk. S3: Fruit bunch positioning: The visual camera 36 on the connecting support plate 70 collects images of the working area, determines the maturity of the palm fruit, and locates the position information of the mature palm fruit bunch; the second driver 90 drives the ring-holding module 20 to adjust the working height along the telescopic arm 121, and the rotation driver 120 drives the ring-holding module 20 to rotate as a whole, adjusting the working angle of the working module 30 in the circumference of the tree trunk, so that the working module 30 is aligned with the target fruit bunch; S4: Fruit bunch fixing: The first module 32 drives the cone insertion part 35 to move towards the target fruit bunch. After the rotary part 150 adjusts the working angle of the cone insertion part 35, the cone insertion electric cylinder 351 drives the cone insertion rod 352 to extend and insert into the palm fruit bunch to complete the fruit bunch fixing. S5: Cutting and harvesting: The second module 33 drives the cutting part 34 to move to the corresponding position of the fruit stem, the cutting motor 341 starts and drives the cutting blade 342 to rotate, cuts off the fruit stem and causes the fruit bunch to fall off as a whole and stay on the cone-shaped rod 352. S6: Automatic unloading and collection: The first module 32 drives the cone insert 35, which is fixed with the fruit bunch, to move backward as a whole. The rotating seat 152 adjusts the angle of the cone insert 35 so that the cone insert rod 352 is aligned with the unloading slide plate 40. Then the cone insert electric cylinder 351 drives the cone insert rod 352 to retract backward. After the fruit bunch is blocked by the groove plate 180, it detaches from the tip of the cone insert rod 352, falls into the unloading slide plate 40, and slides along the plate surface into the collection box 41 at the bottom to complete the collection. S7: Cyclic operation: Drive unit 60 drives operation module 30 to move circumferentially along semi-circular ring 22, repeating steps S3 to S6 for fruit bunches at other positions on the same trunk. After the whole tree is harvested, control semi-circular ring 22 to open and loosen the trunk, and control the trolley 10 to travel to the next palm tree. Repeat the above steps to carry out the next round of harvesting. S8: When the receiving box 41 is full, drive the trolley 10 to move next to the large transport container, bring the receiving box 41 close to the large transport container, raise the receiving box 41 and pour the palm fruits in the receiving box 41 into the large transport container.

[0036] In practical use, the palm fruit harvesting method of this embodiment relies on automated structure and process design to replace the traditional high-risk manual climbing harvesting mode. This effectively reduces operational safety risks and significantly improves palm fruit harvesting efficiency. The standardized operating process also reduces fruit damage during harvesting, ensuring harvest quality. Simultaneously, the equipment can visually determine the maturity of palm fruits and adapt to palm trees of different diameters and fruit bunch distributions through multi-module linkage, demonstrating strong adaptability and meeting the operational needs of large-scale automated harvesting in palm-growing areas.

[0037] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An automatic palm fruit harvester, characterized in that, include The motion vehicle (10) includes a drive chassis (11) and a rotating platform (12) located on the drive chassis (11), and a telescopic arm (121) is provided on the rotating platform (12). The ring-holding module (20) is connected to the end of the telescopic arm (121) via a movable frame (50). The ring-holding module (20) includes a fixed frame (21) and a semi-circular ring (22). There are two semi-circular rings (22), which together form a complete ring. The operation module (30) includes a motion base (31), a first module (32), a second module (33), a cutting section (34), a conical insertion section (35), and a vision camera (36). The motion base (31) is mounted on a semi-circular ring (22) via a drive unit (60). The first module (32) is mounted on the motion base (31) and drives the second module (33) and the conical insertion section (35). The cutting section (34)... The cutting part (34) is installed on the second module (33) and moves along the driving direction of the second module (33). The cutting part (34) includes a cutting motor (341) and a cutting blade (342). The cutting motor (341) controls the start and stop of the cutting blade (342) to cut the palm fruit or palm leaves. The cone insertion part (35) is installed on the first module (32) through the connecting support plate (70) to insert and position or remove the palm fruit. The vision camera (36) is located on the connecting support plate (70). The unloading slide plate (40) is installed on the telescopic arm (121) and is arranged along the length direction of the telescopic arm (121). A receiving box (41) is provided at the bottom of the unloading slide plate (40). The receiving box (41) is located on the rotating platform (12) to store the harvested palm fruits.

2. The automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trolley (10) is equipped with a first driver (80), one end of which is fixed to the trolley (10) and the other end is connected to the telescopic arm (121) to drive the telescopic arm (121) to change amplitude and position it.

3. The automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic arm (121) is provided with a second driver (90) at one end. One end of the second driver (90) is fixedly connected to the end of the telescopic arm (121), and the other end is connected to the movable frame (50) so as to drive the ring module (20) to move through the movable frame (50).

4. The automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed frame (21) is provided with a third driver (100) and a rotating block (110). One end of the third driver (100) is fixedly connected to the fixed frame (21), and the other end is connected to the semi-circular ring (22). The semi-circular ring (22) is connected to the fixed frame (21) through the rotating block (110). The third driver (100) drives the semi-circular ring (22) to open or close the two semi-circular rings (22).

5. An automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixed frame (21) is connected to the movable frame (50) via a rotary driver (120), and the rotary driver (120) drives the ring module (20) to rotate.

6. The automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit (60) includes a mounting bracket (61), a drive motor (62), and a transmission assembly (63). The mounting bracket (61) is movably mounted on a semi-circular ring (22). The drive motor (62) is fixed on the mounting bracket (61). The transmission assembly (63) includes a transmission gear (631) and a rack (632). The transmission gear (631) is mounted on the drive end of the drive motor (62), and the rack (632) is mounted on the semi-circular ring (22). After the drive motor (62) is started, the transmission gear (631) and the rack (632) mesh and drive the mounting bracket (61) circumferentially along the semi-circular ring (22).

7. An automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 6, characterized in that, The semicircular ring (22) is provided with an annular guide rail (130). The mounting bracket (61) is connected to the annular guide rail (130) through multiple sets of guide wheel pairs (140). Each guide wheel pair (140) consists of two pairs of guide wheels. The two guide wheels are respectively fixed to the bracket plate by a mounting shaft, and the axis of the mounting shaft points to the axis of the semicircular ring (22).

8. An automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, A rotating part (150) is provided on the connecting support plate (70). The rotating part (150) includes a rotating gear (151), a rotating seat (152), a rotating driver (153), and a rotating main gear (154). The rotating gear (151) is rotatably mounted on the connecting support plate (70). The rotating seat (152) is fixedly mounted on the rotating gear (151). The rotating driver (153) is mounted on the rotating seat (152). The rotating main gear (154) is located at the driving end of the rotating driver (153) and meshes with the rotating gear (151). After the rotating driver (153) drives the rotating main gear (154) to rotate, it meshes with the rotating gear (151) and rotates, thereby rotating the rotating seat (152).

9. An automatic palm fruit harvester according to claim 8, characterized in that, The conical insertion part (35) is mounted on the rotating seat (152). The conical insertion part (35) includes a conical insertion electric cylinder (351) and a conical insertion rod (352). The conical insertion electric cylinder (351) is connected to the rotating seat (152) through a mounting block (160). The conical insertion rod (352) is located at the driving end of the conical insertion electric cylinder (351) and is guided by a guide block (170) located on the rotating seat (152).

10. A method for harvesting palm fruit, applied to an automatic palm fruit harvester as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. The trolley (10) moves to the side of the palm tree and extends the telescopic arm (121) in the first step. The rotating platform (12) drives the telescopic arm (121) to rotate so that the palm tree is in front of the telescopic arm (121). S2. Open the two semicircular rings (22) and extend the telescopic arm (121) in the second step so that the palm tree trunk is located at the center of the two semicircular rings (22). The two semicircular rings (22) close together to form a complete ring and hug the palm tree tightly. S3. Start the drive unit (60), drive the mounting bracket (61) to move circumferentially along the semi-circular ring (22), confirm the mature palm fruit and its position through the vision camera (36), and stop directly in front of the palm fruit; S4. Rotate the cone insert (35) 90 degrees. Under the action of the first module (32), the cutting part (34) reaches the root of the palm leaf below the palm fruit. After the cutting tool (342) is started, the second module (33) drives the cutting part (34) to cut the palm leaf. S5. The second module (33) drives the cutting part (34) to align with the base of the palm fruit, and after the cone insertion part (35) is reset at 90 degrees, the cone insertion part (35) inserts the palm fruit. S6. The second module (33) drives the cutting part (34) to cut off the fruit stalk at the root of the palm fruit, and then the working module (30) returns to its original position on the semi-circular ring (22). S7. The cone insert (35) rotates 180 degrees, so that the palm fruit is located at the end of the telescopic arm (121). Then the cone insert (35) retracts and resets, and the palm fruit moves along the unloading slide plate (40) and slides into the receiving box (41). S8. When the receiving box (41) is full, drive the moving trolley (10) to move next to the large transport container, bring the receiving box (41) close to the large transport container, raise the receiving box (41) and pour the palm fruits in the receiving box (41) into the large transport container.

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