An integrated asparagus harvesting machine with bluetooth remote control for small and medium-sized plots

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of lettuce cultivation technology, specifically to a Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots. The harvester includes a chassis frame, a double-disc cutting module on the left side of the chassis frame, and a clamping and conveying module on the top left side of the chassis frame. This Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester, adapted for small and medium-sized plots, utilizes a miniaturized wheeled chassis structure, allowing for flexible movement across narrow field ridges, greenhouses, and scattered hilly plots, thus meeting the operational needs of small and medium-sized planting bases. The double-disc cutting module employs a straight bevel gear transmission structure to cut the lettuce stems. The clamping and conveying module uses a double-belt flexible clamping structure, which automatically adjusts the distance between the two conveyor belts and the clamping force according to the diameter of the lettuce stem. At the end of the conveying process, spring-supported lettuce clamps are used to straighten and limit the lettuce, preventing it from tilting forward during transport and effectively reducing the rate of lettuce skin damage from compression.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lettuce cultivation technology, specifically to an integrated Bluetooth remote-controlled lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots. Background Technology

[0002] In modern agricultural production, the challenges of field operations are constantly emerging, especially in the process of integrating traditional and cutting-edge technologies, where the complexity of achieving full mechanization is becoming increasingly prominent. Lettuce, as an important vegetable crop in my country, currently has two main types of harvesting machinery: large tractor-trailers and small self-propelled machines. Large harvesters are mostly used with tractors, offering a wide operating width suitable for large-scale, contiguous flatland planting bases. However, their large size and turning radius prevent them from operating in greenhouses, hilly areas, and scattered small plots. Furthermore, their high cost makes them unaffordable for small and medium-sized bases. Small harvesters are mostly simple cutting machines, capable only of cutting the roots. Subsequent steps such as gathering, leaf removal, and collection still require manual assistance, resulting in low functional integration and limited efficiency gains from reduced manpower.

[0003] The existing lettuce harvesting methods and equipment have the following technical shortcomings:

[0004] 1) In the manual harvesting mode, the entire process of harvesting, leaf removal and collection relies on manual labor. The process is complicated, labor intensity is high, work efficiency is low and labor cost is high. At the same time, the consistency of manual operation is poor, which can easily cause problems such as broken lettuce stems, damaged skin and uneven cuts.

[0005] 2) Existing mechanical harvesting equipment generally suffers from insufficient functional integration. Most models only have a single cutting function and cannot complete supporting processes such as gathering and leaf removal, still requiring a large amount of manual labor to fill in the gaps.

[0006] 3) A few integrated models have defects such as complex structure, large size and poor adaptability, making it difficult to adapt to small and medium plots and complex ridge cultivation environment, and the mechanical clamping and cutting parameters cannot be adaptively adjusted, resulting in a high harvesting damage rate.

[0007] Therefore, based on the existing technical shortcomings, a Bluetooth remote-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0008] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots. It features integrated remote-controlled harvesting processes, flexible conveying, and intelligent early warning at full load. This solves the problems of existing large-scale lettuce harvesting equipment being unable to operate in scattered small and medium-sized plots, insufficient functional integration of small harvesters, and the tendency of traditional clamping and conveying methods to damage lettuce stems.

[0010] (II) Technical Solution

[0011] To achieve the aforementioned goals of integrated remote-controlled harvesting process, flexible conveying, and intelligent early warning at full load, this invention provides the following technical solution: a Bluetooth remote-controlled lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots, comprising a chassis frame, a double-disc cutting module on the left side of the chassis frame, and a clamping and conveying module on the top left side of the chassis frame.

[0012] Preferably, the dual-disc cutting module includes a tool box fixed to the left side of the chassis frame, a cutting motor fixedly installed inside the tool box, and a first spur bevel gear coaxially fixed to the output end of the cutting motor.

[0013] Preferably, a vertically distributed output shaft is rotatably connected inside the blade box, a second spur bevel gear that meshes with the first spur bevel gear is sleeved and fixed outside the output shaft, and a circular cutting saw blade is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the output shaft.

[0014] Preferably, a support frame is fixedly installed on the top left side of the chassis frame, and the clamping and conveying module includes a conveyor frame disposed inside the support frame. The conveyor frame is arranged with a left-low and right-high inclined structure, and a support frame is movably installed on the left side of the conveyor frame.

[0015] Preferably, a clamping seat is fixedly connected to the top right side of the conveyor frame, a first telescopic spring is fixedly connected to the inner side of the clamping seat, and a lettuce clip is slidably connected to the inner side of the clamping seat, with one end of the lettuce clip connected to the first telescopic spring.

[0016] Preferably, a tension pulley is rotatably connected to the inner side of the conveyor frame, and adjusting bolts are movably installed at both the top and bottom of the tension pulley. The adjusting bolts are used to adjust the position of the tension pulley. A support guide is fixedly connected to the inner side of the conveyor frame in an arrangement structure, and a second telescopic spring is fixedly connected inside the support guide.

[0017] Preferably, a clamping pulley is movably mounted at one end of the supporting guide tube via a bearing block, one end of the second telescopic spring is connected to the bearing block, and a synchronous belt is drivenly connected to the outside of the tension pulley and the clamping pulley.

[0018] Preferably, a support motor is fixedly installed on the inner bottom wall of the support frame, and the output shaft of the support motor is movably connected to the bottom of the conveyor frame through a hinge seat. A collection box is fixedly installed on the top right side of the chassis frame.

[0019] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a Bluetooth remote-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. This Bluetooth-controlled lettuce harvester, adapted for small and medium-sized plots, features a compact wheeled chassis and can flexibly navigate narrow field ridges, greenhouses, and scattered hilly plots. The rear wheels use a single motor with a planetary gear system drive and pneumatic rubber tires, providing good ground clearance and a small turning radius, making it suitable for the scattered plots and diverse ridge shapes of small and medium-sized planting bases.

[0022] 2. This Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester, suitable for small and medium-sized plots, uses a dual-disc cutting module with a straight bevel gear transmission structure to stably drive the circular cutting saw blade to rotate at high speed, completing the lettuce root and stem cutting operation. The clamping and conveying module adopts a dual-belt flexible clamping structure, which can automatically adjust the distance between the two conveyor belts and the clamping force according to the diameter of the lettuce stem. At the end of the conveying, there are spring-supported lettuce clamps to straighten and limit the lettuce, preventing the center of gravity from tilting forward and tipping over during the conveying process, effectively reducing the rate of lettuce skin compression damage. Attached Figure Description

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

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A front view from a specific perspective;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the chassis frame structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the dual-disc cutting module structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a front view of the clamping and conveying module of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping and conveying module of the present invention from an oblique perspective;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a top view of the clamping and conveying module of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a side view of the clamping and conveying module of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the layered architecture of the harvester control system of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the mobile Bluetooth controller APP interface of the present invention.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Chassis frame; 101. Chassis frame; 102. Front wheel axle roller; 103. Front wheel; 104. Steering motor; 105. Steering gear; 106. Rear wheel axle roller; 107. Rear wheel; 108. Travel motor; 109. Planetary gear system; 2. Dual-disc cutting module; 201. Tool box; 202. Cutting motor; 203. First spur bevel gear; 204. Second spur bevel gear; 3. Clamping device 301. Conveying module; 302. Conveying frame; 303. Support frame; 304. Lettuce clip; 305. Tensioning pulley; 306. Adjusting bolt; 307. Support guide tube; 308. Second telescopic spring; 309. Clamping pulley; 3000. Synchronous belt; 4. Output shaft; 5. Circular cutting saw blade; 6. Support frame; 7. Clamping seat; 8. First telescopic spring; 9. Support motor; 10. Collection box; 11. Pulley motor. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] In this embodiment, according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the chassis frame 1 includes a chassis frame 101. A front wheel axle roller 102 is movably mounted on the bottom left side of the chassis frame 101. Front wheels 103 are movably connected to both ends of the front wheel axle roller 102. A steering motor 104 is fixedly mounted on the bottom left side of the chassis frame 101. A steering gear 105 is fixedly mounted on the inner side of the front wheel 103. The steering motor 104 is a DC gear reducer motor structure, and the output end of the steering motor 104 is meshed with the steering gear 105 for transmission.

[0038] A battery management system and battery pack are provided at the bottom of the chassis frame 101. A rear wheel axle roller 106 is movably installed on the right side of the bottom of the chassis frame 101. A rear wheel 107 is fixedly installed at one end of the rear wheel axle roller 106. A travel motor 108 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the chassis frame 101. The travel motor 108 is a DC gear reduction motor. A planetary gear system 109 is provided on the left side of the bottom of the chassis frame 101.

[0039] The rear wheel 107 adopts a single motor drive scheme. The planetary gear system 109 includes a sun gear, planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier. The output shaft of the drive motor 108 is connected to the sun gear shaft. After the drive power is split by the planetary gear system 109, the power is distributed to the front and rear wheels 107 respectively. The front wheel 103 and the rear wheel 107 are equipped with pneumatic rubber tires with a diameter of 200mm and a width of 50mm. The rear wheel 107 is fixed to the chassis by the rear wheel axle roller 106 and the seat bearing. The seat bearing is a deep groove ball bearing.

[0040] Example 2

[0041] In this embodiment, according to Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the output shaft 4 is fastened to the circular cutting saw blade 5 and the inner wall of the blade box 201 by means of the shaft end nut. The cutting motor 202 is a high-speed DC motor. The power is output to the first straight bevel gear 203 through the planetary reducer inside the motor. The first straight bevel gear 203 meshes with the second straight bevel gear 204 to transmit the driving power to the output shaft 4, so as to drive the circular cutting saw blade 5 to rotate at high speed. The circular cutting saw blade 5 is made of 20CrMnTi material. After carburizing and quenching treatment, the hardness of the tooth surface can reach 58~62HRC, ensuring high bending fatigue strength and contact fatigue strength, and cutting the lettuce roots and stems that enter the range.

[0042] Example 3

[0043] In this embodiment, according to Figure 5 and Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the lettuce is pushed into the space between the synchronous belts 309 on both sides by the support frame 302 on the lower side of the left side of the conveyor frame 301. The synchronous belt 309 adopts a double belt clamping structure. The friction generated by the symmetrical conveyor belts on both sides flexibly clamps the lettuce stem. At this time, it is ensured that the center line of the clamping conveyor device coincides with the center line of the lettuce planting. After the lettuce enters the inner side of the clamping conveyor device, the clamping pulley 308 can rotate relative to the longitudinal beam of the frame and press the synchronous belt 309 under the thrust of the second telescopic spring 307. The tension of the synchronous belt 309 can be adjusted by adjusting the horizontal distance between the tension pulley and the frame by adjusting the bolt 305, so as to clamp the lettuce stem tightly.

[0044] according to Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, a pulley motor 11 is fixedly installed on the bottom right side of the conveyor frame 301. The pulley motor 11 is a DC geared motor structure. The output end of the pulley motor 11 is connected to the bottom end of one of the tension pulleys 304. The lettuce is conveyed to the right side while being supported by the synchronous belt 309.

[0045] according to Figure 7 and Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, when the lettuce is not clamped, the second telescopic spring 307 is in a compressed state. Under the action of the spring, the clamping pulley 308 is driven to squeeze the synchronous belt 309, so that the two conveyor belts are close to each other with a distance of 30mm. When the lettuce is clamped, since the lettuce stem has a certain diameter, the distance between the two conveyor belts gradually increases from 30mm. The distance between the two conveyor belts can be automatically adjusted according to the diameter of the lettuce stem. Under the action of the lettuce's thrust, the clamping pulley 308 is offset relative to the frame, the second telescopic spring 307 is further compressed, the squeezing force on the conveyor belt increases, and a clamping force is generated to clamp the lettuce for cutting and conveying it backward. When the lettuce is conveyed to the inside of the lettuce clamp 303, the lettuce clamp 303 squeezes the first telescopic spring 8 according to the diameter of the lettuce. The spring supports the lettuce clamp 303 to straighten the lettuce and prevent the lettuce from tilting forward due to its high center of gravity.

[0046] according to Figure 2 As shown, a hinge seat is installed at the bottom right side of the conveyor frame 301. The lead screw output shaft of the support motor 9 is movably connected to the hinge seat. The support motor 9 is a DC geared motor. The support motor 9 drives the lead screw output shaft to rise, pushing the right side of the conveyor frame 301 to lift and adjust the lettuce conveying angle.

[0047] Example 4

[0048] In this embodiment, according to Figure 10 As shown, this machine uses an Arduino Uno control board for core control, and an HC-05 Bluetooth module to receive Bluetooth signals. The mobile phone sends Bluetooth signals for remote control. The operation process is as follows:

[0049] Remotely control the vehicle to the designated location, start the conveyor belt and blade motor, move slowly to cut the lettuce, and the conveyor belt clamps and transports it to the storage box at the rear. After completing the harvest in a straight line, turn and remotely control it to another planting location.

[0050] The motor drive module uses the L298N. It adjusts the motor speed by inputting PWM signals to channels A and B, and controls the motor's forward, reverse, and stop functions by inputting signals to the logic input terminals. Its control logic is as follows:

[0051] ENA IN1 IN2 DC motor status 0 X X stop 1 0 0 brake 1 0 1 Forward 1 1 0 Reversal 1 1 1 brake

[0052] To achieve automatic detection and alarm when the collection box is full, an HX711 module is selected and paired with a cantilever beam resistance strain gauge pressure sensor to form a weighing system. The HX711 is a 24-bit A / D conversion chip with a built-in programmable gain amplifier. It communicates with the Arduino through two I / O pins. The sensor has a range of 0~100kg. The sensor is installed at the bottom of the collection box. When the weight inside the box increases, the elastic body deforms, causing the resistance of the strain gauge to change. The output differential voltage signal is amplified by the HX711 and converted into a digital quantity. The Arduino obtains the real-time weight after calibration and conversion.

[0053] When unloaded, the average of 10 measurements is collected as the zero-point offset. The scaling factor is calculated by loading the known weight. During operation, the weight is read every 50ms. When the weight exceeds the threshold of 80kg, a buzzer alarm is triggered, and a full box prompt is sent via Bluetooth. The conveyor motor is automatically stopped. The HC-05 Bluetooth module is used to receive Bluetooth signals and send data to the RXD pin of the Arduino via the TXD pin. After the Arduino receives and processes the data, it sends the corresponding return character from the Arduino's TXD to the RXD of the HC-05. Then, the HC-05 sends the signal to the mobile phone receiver to confirm that the signal has been processed correctly.

[0054] The specific steps of the control system's workflow are as follows:

[0055] 1) System power-on initialization, each module performs self-test;

[0056] 2) The mobile app connects to the vehicle module via Bluetooth;

[0057] 3) Send forward, backward, and turn commands to control the trolley to move to the work position;

[0058] 4) Upon reaching the work position, send a start command, and the cutting motor and conveyor motor will begin to work;

[0059] 5) The trolley moves forward slowly, the double circular saw cuts the root of the lettuce, and the clamping and conveying mechanism transports the lettuce backward;

[0060] 6) The conveyor belt transports the lettuce to the collection box at the end, completing one work cycle;

[0061] 7) Once one row of crops has been harvested, the remote-controlled trolley turns to the next row and continues the operation;

[0062] 8) When the collection box is full, the pressure sensor will trigger an alarm and the empty box will be replaced.

[0063] according to Figure 11 As shown, the main function buttons on the mobile controller APP interface include:

[0064] 1) Directional control area: forward, backward, left turn, right turn, stop;

[0065] 2) Speed ​​adjustment area: travel speed slider, cutting speed slider, conveying speed slider;

[0066] 3) Working mode selection: Manual mode, semi-automatic mode;

[0067] 4) Status display area: battery level, current speed, collection box weight, fault indication;

[0068] 5) One-click start / stop: Emergency stop and start of operation.

[0069] By connecting a mobile phone to the vehicle's Bluetooth module and sending a corresponding signal, the Bluetooth module on the vehicle receives the corresponding signal and then sends it to the Arduino control board of the vehicle control system for processing. The Arduino control board then sends out corresponding control signals to remotely control the operation of the vehicle.

[0070] In summary, this Bluetooth-controlled lettuce harvester, suitable for small and medium-sized plots, features a compact wheeled chassis architecture, allowing it to flexibly navigate narrow field ridges, greenhouses, and scattered hilly plots. The rear wheels utilize a single motor with a planetary gear system drive, coupled with pneumatic rubber tires, ensuring good ground clearance and a small turning radius, making it suitable for the dispersed and varied ridge conditions of small and medium-sized planting bases.

[0071] The dual-disc cutting module uses a straight bevel gear transmission structure to stably drive the circular cutting saw blade to rotate at high speed, completing the cutting of lettuce roots and stems; the clamping and conveying module uses a dual-belt flexible clamping structure, which can automatically adjust the distance between the two conveyor belts and the clamping force according to the diameter of the lettuce stem; at the end of the conveying, spring-supported lettuce clamps are used to straighten and limit the lettuce, preventing the center of gravity from tilting forward and tipping over during the conveying process, effectively reducing the rate of lettuce skin compression damage.

[0072] The conveyor frame is driven to lift and lower at the rear by a support motor and a hinged seat, allowing for flexible adjustment of the overall tilt angle of the clamping and conveying module. This adapts to the harvesting needs of lettuce with different ridge heights, varieties, and cutting heights. The entire machine uses an Arduino Uno main control board with an HC-05 Bluetooth module for control, enabling wireless remote control via a mobile app, significantly reducing field labor intensity. A weighing system consisting of an HX711 module and a resistance strain gauge pressure sensor is installed at the bottom of the collection box, which can collect the weight of the lettuce inside the box in real time. When the full load threshold is reached, a buzzer alarm is automatically triggered and a box full notification is pushed, improving the automation level of the harvesting operation.

[0073] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0074] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots, comprising a chassis frame (1), characterized in that: A double-disc cutting module (2) is provided on the left side of the chassis frame (1), and a clamping and conveying module (3) is provided on the top left side of the chassis frame (1).

2. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dual-disc cutting module (2) includes a tool box (201) fixed on the left side of the chassis frame (1), a cutting motor (202) is fixedly installed inside the tool box (201), and a first straight bevel gear (203) is coaxially fixed at the output end of the cutting motor (202).

3. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 2, characterized in that: A vertically distributed output shaft (4) is rotatably connected inside the tool box (201). A second straight bevel gear (204) that meshes with the first straight bevel gear (203) is sleeved and fixed outside the output shaft (4). A circular cutting saw blade (5) is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the output shaft (4).

4. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 1, characterized in that: A support frame (6) is fixedly installed on the top left side of the chassis frame (1). The clamping and conveying module (3) includes a conveyor frame (301) set inside the support frame (6). The conveyor frame (301) is set with a left-low and right-high inclined structure. A support frame (302) is movably installed on the left side of the conveyor frame (301).

5. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 4, characterized in that: A clamping seat (7) is fixedly connected to the top right side of the conveyor frame (301). A first telescopic spring (8) is fixedly connected to the inside of the clamping seat (7). A lettuce clip (303) is slidably connected to the inside of the clamping seat (7). One end of the lettuce clip (303) is connected to the first telescopic spring (8).

6. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 4, characterized in that: A tensioning pulley (304) is rotatably connected to the inner side of the conveyor frame (301). Adjusting bolts (305) are movably installed at the top and bottom of the tensioning pulley (304). The adjusting bolts (305) are used to adjust the position of the tensioning pulley (304). A support guide (306) is fixedly connected to the inner side of the conveyor frame (301) in an arrangement structure. A second telescopic spring (307) is fixedly connected inside the support guide (306).

7. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 6, characterized in that: A clamping pulley (308) is movably mounted on one end of the support guide tube (306) via a bearing block. One end of the second telescopic spring (307) is connected to the bearing block. A synchronous belt (309) is connected to the outside of the tension pulley (304) and the clamping pulley (308).

8. The Bluetooth-controlled integrated lettuce harvester adapted for small and medium-sized plots according to claim 4, characterized in that: A support motor (9) is fixedly installed on the inner bottom wall of the support frame (6). The output shaft of the support motor (9) is movably connected to the bottom of the conveyor frame (301) through a hinge seat. A collection box (10) is fixedly installed on the top right side of the chassis frame (1).

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