Crop picking end effector

Abstract

The utility model discloses a crop picking end effector, and belongs to the technical field of crop harvesting. The picking device comprises a carrier, a transverse moving assembly and a picking assembly. The transverse moving assembly comprises a supporting plate, a rack, a transverse moving gear, a guide rail, a sliding block, a base and a transverse moving motor. The supporting plate is installed on the bearing face of the carrier. The rack and the guide rail are laid on the plate face of the supporting plate side by side. The transversely-moving gear is fixedly connected to an output shaft of the transversely-moving motor in a sleeving mode, the transversely-moving gear is rotationally connected to the rack in an engaged mode, the fixed end of the transversely-moving motor is fixedly connected with the base, the sliding block is slidably connected to the guide rail, and the upper end face of the sliding block is fixedly connected with the base; the picking assembly comprises a cutting tool, a cutting motor and a rotating seat; the cutting tool is fixedly connected to the rotating seat; an output shaft of the cutting motor is fixedly connected with the rotating base, and the fixed end of the cutting motor is connected with the base. According to the transverse moving and picking integrated device, transverse moving and picking are integrated, and the technical problem that in the prior art, the picking and collecting efficiency of cucurbitaceae crops is low is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of crop harvesting technology, and more specifically to a crop harvesting end effector. Background Technology

[0002] Crop harvesting devices are efficient and intelligent agricultural machinery designed specifically for cucurbitaceous crops. In today's rapidly modernizing agriculture, these devices are gradually replacing traditional manual labor, significantly improving agricultural production efficiency and crop harvesting quality.

[0003] In existing technologies, most crop harvesting end effectors use shearing mechanisms to cut the roots and stems for harvesting, or use traditional manual harvesting. However, these methods often require real-time adjustments to the standing position and posture, making long-term harvesting impossible.

[0004] Existing technologies, such as the patent published under CN 222548075 U, disclose a device for harvesting using a robotic arm combined with a shearing mechanism. However, it faces problems such as difficulty in cutting roots and stems, poor flexibility, low harvesting efficiency, and inability to bring better economic benefits. Utility Model Content

[0005] 1. The technical problem to be solved by the utility model:

[0006] To address the problem of low efficiency in crop harvesting and collection in existing technologies, this utility model provides a crop harvesting end effector that integrates lateral movement and harvesting into a single device with the assistance of a carrier. This device is highly mobile and flexible, achieving the effect of improving processing efficiency and shortening harvesting time after the crops have matured.

[0007] 2. Technical Solution:

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0009] An end effector for harvesting crops includes a carrier, a traversing assembly, and a harvesting assembly. The carrier is a mobile device, such as an existing wheeled platform, robot, or robotic dog. The traversing assembly includes a support plate, a rack, a traversing gear, a guide rail, a slider, a base, and a traversing motor. The support plate is mounted on the bearing surface of the carrier, and the rack and guide rail are laid side-by-side on the surface of the support plate. The traversing gear is sleeved and fixed to the output shaft of the traversing motor, and the traversing gear is meshed and rotatably connected to the rack. The fixed end of the traversing motor is fixedly connected to the base, and the slider is slidably connected to the guide rail. The upper end face of the slider is fixedly connected to the base. The harvesting assembly includes a cutting blade, a cutting motor, and a rotating base. The cutting blade is fixedly connected to the rotating base. The output shaft of the cutting motor is fixedly connected to the rotating base, and the fixed end of the cutting motor is fixedly connected to the base. In practical use, with the cooperation of the carrier, traversing and harvesting are integrated into one device, which is mobile and flexible, improves the adaptability of the device to crops in different locations, and can improve processing efficiency and shorten harvesting time after the crops mature.

[0010] A further technical solution involves two parallel sliders to prevent guide offset and improve the accuracy of lateral movement; the support plate has an L-shaped cross-section, and its side facade serves both as protection and as a transmission guide.

[0011] Further technical solutions include a clamping assembly and a clamping drive assembly; a boss is provided on the side of the base, and a transverse sliding hole is drilled through the boss; the cutting tool is divided into two halves; the clamping assembly includes a rocker motor, a rocker wheel, a rocker, a drive shaft, a driving helical gear, a driven helical gear, a worm, a worm, a connecting frame, a lead screw, and a lead screw nut; the rocker motor is fixedly connected to the seat surface of the base, its output shaft is fixedly connected to the rocker wheel, one end of the rocker is fixedly connected to the eccentric wheel surface of the rocker wheel, and the other end is fixedly connected to the middle of the connecting frame, both ends of the connecting frame are fixedly connected to two worms respectively, and the driven helical gear is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worm. The moving helical gear meshes with the driving helical gear; both ends of the drive shaft are slidably connected to sliding holes, and the driving helical gear is fixedly connected to the end of the drive shaft; the lead screw is rotatably connected to the rotating seat through a bearing seat, and the lead screw nut is rotatably connected to the lead screw body; the tops of the two lead screw nuts are respectively fixedly connected to the two halves of the cutting tool; the worm gear is sleeved and fixed to the end of the lead screw; after the rocker pushes the connecting frame forward, the worm gear and the worm gear mesh; the clamping drive assembly includes a clamping motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear; the output shaft of the clamping motor is fixedly connected to the driving gear, and the driven gear is sleeved and fixed to the shaft body of the drive shaft and meshes with the driving gear. The rotation of the lead screw allows the two lead screw nuts to achieve linear left and right movement, driving the two halves of the cutting tool to separate, forming a clamp, which can perform cutting, clamping, and other operations on crops, completing the switching between cutting and clamping functions.

[0012] 3. Beneficial effects

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by this utility model has the following advantages:

[0014] This utility model's crop harvesting end effector uses a gear set to drive a ball screw, which, in conjunction with a stepper motor, forms a crank-rocker mechanism consisting of a rocker wheel, connecting rod, and connecting frame. This mechanism enables multi-mode switching and multi-functional operation, making it suitable for complex and varied harvesting environments. Furthermore, it can efficiently harvest crops by using a motor-driven high-speed blade for cutting. For crops with indistinct or inconvenient root systems, the gear set can rotate the ball screw, deforming the blade and switching to a clamping method for harvesting, further improving work efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the end effector structure for crop harvesting in a specific embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transverse moving component in a specific embodiment;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping assembly in a specific embodiment;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping assembly and clamping drive assembly structure in a specific embodiment;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping component and picking component structure in a specific embodiment;

[0020] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure viewed from below.

[0021] Figure descriptions: 1. Lateral movement assembly; 2. Picking assembly; 3. Clamping assembly; 4. Clamping drive assembly;

[0022] 10. Sliding hole; 11. Support plate; 12. Rack; 13. Transverse gear; 14. Guide rail; 15. Slider; 16. Base; 17. Transverse motor;

[0023] 20. Cutting tool; 21. Cutting motor; 22. Rotary base; 23. Bearing housing;

[0024] 30. Rocker motor; 31. Rocker wheel; 32. Rocker; 33. Drive shaft; 34. Driving helical gear; 35. Driven helical gear; 36. Worm gear; 37. Turbine; 38. Connecting frame; 39. Lead screw; 391. Lead screw nut;

[0025] 40. Clamping motor; 41. Driving gear; 42. Driven gear. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To further understand the contents of this utility model, a detailed description of the utility model is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] The crop harvesting end effector of this embodiment includes a carrier, a lateral movement component 1, and a harvesting component 2; the carrier is a mobile vehicle, such as an existing wheeled drive platform, robot, or robotic dog, etc. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the lateral movement assembly 1 includes a support plate 11, a rack 12, a lateral movement gear 13, a guide rail 14, a slider 15, a base 16, and a lateral movement motor 17, which is a servo motor. The support plate 11 is mounted on the bearing surface of the carrier. The rack 12 and the guide rail 14 are laid side by side on the surface of the support plate 11. The support plate 11 is connected to the rack 12 through side mounting holes, and the guide rail 14 is screwed to the support plate 11 through threaded holes. The lateral movement gear 13 is connected to the lateral movement motor 17 through set screws. The vision recognition module is installed in front of the base 16, and the control board is installed behind the support plate 11. The lateral movement gear 13 is sleeved and fixed on the output shaft of the lateral movement motor 17, and the lateral movement gear 13 meshes with the support plate 11. The lateral movement motor 17 is rotatably connected to the rack 12. The fixed end of the lateral movement motor 17 is fixedly connected to the base 16. The motor bracket of the lateral movement motor 17 is screwed through the threaded hole on the side of the support 16. The lateral movement motor 17 and the motor bracket 18 are connected by screws. The slider 15 is slidably connected to the guide rail 14. The upper end face of the slider 15 is connected to the base 16. The base 16 is fixedly connected to the slider 15 by screws. The picking assembly 2 includes a cutting blade 20, a cutting motor 21, and a rotating base 22. The cutting blade 20 is fixedly connected to the rotating base 22. The cutting motor 21 is a stepper motor. Its output shaft is fixedly connected to the rotating base 22. The fixed end of the cutting motor 21 is fixedly connected to the base 16.

[0029] In this embodiment, the crop harvesting end effector integrates lateral movement and harvesting into one device with the cooperation of a carrier. It is highly mobile and flexible, improving the device's adaptability to crops in different locations. It can also improve processing efficiency and shorten harvesting time after the crops have matured.

[0030] Example 2

[0031] The crop harvesting end effector of this embodiment has the same basic structure as that of Embodiment 1, with the following differences or improvements: the sliders 15 are two parallel ones to avoid guide offset and improve the accuracy of lateral movement; the support plate 11 has an L-shaped cross-section, and its side facade serves both as protection and as a transmission guide. The L-shaped design of the support plate 11 increases the stability of the device and allows it to better adapt to different working scenarios.

[0032] Example 3

[0033] The crop harvesting end effector of this embodiment has the same basic structure as that of embodiment 2, but the difference or improvement is that it also includes a clamping component 3 and a clamping drive component 4; a boss is provided on the side of the base 16, and a transverse sliding hole 10 is drilled through the boss; the cutting blade 20 is divided into two halves.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the clamping assembly 3 includes a rocker motor 30, a rocker wheel 31, a rocker 32, a transmission shaft 33, a driving helical gear 34, a driven helical gear 35, a worm gear 36, a worm 37, a connecting frame 38, a lead screw 39, and a lead screw nut 391. The rocker motor 30 is fixedly connected to the seat surface of the base 16. The rocker motor 30 is a stepper motor, and its output shaft is fixedly connected to the rocker wheel 31. One end of the rocker 32 is fixedly connected to the eccentric wheel surface of the rocker wheel 31, and the eccentric distance is positively correlated with the distance the rocker 32 pushes the connecting frame 38 forward. The other end of the rocker 32 is fixed to the middle of the connecting frame 38, and the two ends of the connecting frame 38 are respectively connected to two... The worm gear 36 is fixedly connected, and the driven helical gear 35 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worm gear 36. The driven helical gear 35 meshes with the driving helical gear 34. The two ends of the transmission shaft 33 are slidably connected to the sliding hole 10, and the driving helical gear 34 is fixedly connected to the end of the transmission shaft 33. The lead screw 39 is rotatably connected to the rotating seat 22 through the bearing seat 23. The lead screw nut 391 is rotatably connected to the body of the lead screw 39. The top ends of the two lead screw nuts 391 are fixedly connected to the two halves of the cutting tool 20 respectively. The turbine 37 is sleeved and fixed to the end of the lead screw 39. After the rocker arm 32 pushes the connecting frame 38 forward, the worm gear 36 and the turbine 37 mesh.

[0035] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the clamping drive assembly 4 includes a clamping motor 40, a driving gear 41, and a driven gear 42. The output shaft of the clamping motor 40 is fixedly connected to the driving gear 41, and the driven gear 42 is sleeved and fixed to the shaft of the transmission shaft 33 and meshes with the driving gear 41. The bottom of the clamping motor 40 is fixed to the base plate, and the base plate is fixedly connected to the connecting frame 38. The rotation of the lead screw 39 allows the two lead screw nuts 391 to move linearly left and right, driving the two halves of the cutting blade 20 to separate, forming a clamp that can perform cutting, clamping, and other operations on crops, completing the switching between cutting and clamping functions.

[0036] In this embodiment, the crop harvesting end effector, consisting of a crank-rocker mechanism comprising a rocker wheel 31, a stepper motor, a rocker arm 32, and a connecting frame 38, can switch the end effector's form when harvesting is impossible due to the inability to cut the crop. The stepper motor rotates, driving the rocker wheel 31 to rotate, and the entire crank-rocker mechanism drives the transmission shaft 33 to slide within the sliding hole 10 of the base 16. Once a suitable position is reached, i.e., after the worm gear 36 and the worm wheel 37 have meshed, the entire crank-rocker mechanism stops operating. The clamping motor 40 is a DC motor, and the driving gear 41 and driven gear 42 are driving cylindrical gears and driven cylindrical gears. At this time, the DC motor drives the movement of the entire gear set consisting of the driving cylindrical gear, driven cylindrical gear, driving helical gear, driven helical gear, worm gear 36, and worm wheel 37, ultimately driving the lead screw 39 to rotate. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the lead screw nut 391 moves linearly left and right, causing the cutting tool 20 to separate and form a clamp, which can perform operations such as cutting and clamping on crops, complete the function switching, realize the switching of multiple modes, complete multi-functional operation, and is suitable for complex and ever-changing harvesting environments.

[0037] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above illustratively. This description is not restrictive, and the figures shown are only one embodiment of the present invention. The actual structure and manufacturing steps are not limited to these. Therefore, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the inventive spirit of the present invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A crop picking end effector comprising a carrier, characterized in that, It also includes a traversing component and a picking component; The lateral movement assembly includes a support plate, a rack, a lateral movement gear, a guide rail, a slider, a base, and a lateral movement motor; the support plate is mounted on the bearing surface of the carrier, and the rack and guide rail are laid side by side on the surface of the support plate; the lateral movement gear is sleeved and fixed on the output shaft of the lateral movement motor, and the lateral movement gear is meshed and rotatably connected to the rack; the lateral movement motor is fixedly connected to the base; the slider is slidably connected to the guide rail, and the upper end face of the slider is fixedly connected to the base; The harvesting assembly includes a cutting blade, a cutting motor, and a rotating base; the cutting blade is fixedly connected to the rotating base; the output shaft of the cutting motor is fixedly connected to the rotating base, and the cutting motor is fixedly connected to the base.

2. The crop-picking end effector of claim 1, wherein: The sliders are two parallel ones; the support plate has an L-shaped cross-section.

3. The crop-picking end effector of claim 1, wherein: The base has a boss on its side, and a transverse sliding hole is drilled through the boss; the cutting tool is divided into two halves.

4. The crop-picking end effector of claim 3, wherein: It also includes a clamping assembly and a clamping drive assembly; the clamping drive assembly drives the clamping assembly to separate or bring together the two halves of the cutting tool to form a clamp.

5. The crop-picking end effector of claim 4, wherein: The clamping assembly includes a rocker motor, a rocker wheel, a rocker, a drive shaft, a driving helical gear, a driven helical gear, a worm gear, a worm wheel, a connecting frame, a lead screw, and a lead screw nut; The rocker motor is fixedly connected to the base surface, and its output shaft is fixedly connected to the rocker wheel. One end of the rocker is fixedly connected to the eccentric wheel surface of the rocker wheel, and the other end is fixed to the middle of the connecting frame. Both ends of the connecting frame are fixedly connected to two worm gears respectively. The driven helical gear is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worm gear and meshes with the driving helical gear. Both ends of the transmission shaft are slidably connected to the sliding holes, and the driving helical gear is fixedly connected to the end of the transmission shaft. The lead screw is rotatably connected to the rotating seat through the bearing seat, and the lead screw nut is rotatably connected to the lead screw body. The top ends of the two lead screw nuts are fixedly connected to the two halves of the cutting tool respectively. The worm gear is fixedly sleeved to the end of the lead screw. After the rocker pushes the connecting frame forward, the worm gear and turbine engage.

6. The crop-picking end effector of claim 4, wherein: The clamping drive assembly includes a clamping motor, a drive gear, and a driven gear; the output shaft of the clamping motor is fixedly connected to the drive gear, and the driven gear is sleeved and fixed to the shaft body of the transmission shaft and meshes with the drive gear.

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