A picking robot

Abstract

The embodiment of the application relates to the technical field of carrying devices, and discloses a picking robot, which comprises a bearing mechanism, a mechanical arm mechanism and a clamping mechanism, the bearing mechanism is provided with four walkable mechanical legs, the mechanical arm mechanism is arranged on the bearing mechanism, the mechanical arm mechanism can rotate in all directions, the clamping mechanism is arranged at one end of the mechanical arm mechanism away from the bearing mechanism, and the clamping mechanism is used for clamping picking objects. In the above manner, the mechanical legs arranged on the bearing mechanism can make the picking robot have stronger passing capacity in complex terrains compared with a wheel type or track type picking robot, and the picking robot can be applied to more use scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of handling device technology, and in particular to a harvesting robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the modernization of agriculture, harvesting robots have become increasingly popular among farmers as a tool that can effectively reduce the cost of harvesting fruits during the ripening period. Currently, harvesting robots are divided into two types based on their chassis: one is a wheeled chassis harvesting robot suitable for large plains with open areas and flat roads, and the other is a tracked chassis harvesting robot suitable for sloping terrain with large undulations.

[0003] In the process of realizing this application, the inventors discovered that in actual agricultural production, the ground environment of arable land is complex and varied. In the same planting area of ​​arable land, various terrains (gravelly ground, pitted ground, flat ground, muddy ground, etc.) are often distributed in an interspersed manner. Whether it is a wheeled chassis harvesting robot or a tracked chassis harvesting robot, the applicable scenarios are relatively simple and limited. Faced with the complexity of multiple terrains, a single harvesting robot cannot cover all areas. Multiple harvesting robots need to work together, and human assistance is also required to determine which type of harvesting robot corresponds to which type of arable land. This affects the harvesting work of the harvesting robot and thus affects the harvesting time of the fruit. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a harvesting robot, which mainly solves the technical problem that existing wheeled and tracked harvesting robots cannot adapt to complex terrain environments, affecting the normal use of the harvesting robot and the harvesting efficiency.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a harvesting robot, including: a carrying mechanism, a robotic arm mechanism and a clamping mechanism. The carrying mechanism is provided with four walking robotic legs. The robotic arm mechanism is disposed on the carrying mechanism and is capable of rotating in all directions. The clamping mechanism is disposed at the end of the robotic arm mechanism opposite to the carrying mechanism and is used to clamp the object to be harvested.

[0006] Optionally, a rolling element is provided at the end of the mechanical leg near the surface being abutted, and the rolling element can roll relative to the surface being abutted so that the harvesting robot can move.

[0007] Optionally, the harvesting robot includes a lifting mechanism, one end of which is connected to the carrying mechanism and the other end of which is connected to the robotic arm mechanism. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the robotic arm mechanism to rise and / or fall relative to the carrying mechanism.

[0008] Optionally, the lifting mechanism includes a column assembly and a drive assembly. The column assembly includes at least two uprights spaced apart, with one end of each upright fixed to the bearing mechanism. The drive assembly includes a lead screw, a first drive member, and a mounting plate. The lead screw is rotatably disposed between the two uprights, and the mounting plate is sleeved on the two uprights and the lead screw. The output end of the first drive member is connected to the lead screw, and the first drive member is used to drive the lead screw to rotate, thereby causing the mounting plate to reciprocate along the height direction of the bearing mechanism.

[0009] Optionally, the harvesting robot includes a first counterweight mechanism, which includes a first counterweight block and a first moving component. The first counterweight block and the first moving component are both disposed on the robotic arm mechanism. The first moving component is connected to the first counterweight block and is used to drive the first counterweight block to reciprocate along the width direction of the bearing mechanism.

[0010] Optionally, the harvesting robot includes a second counterweight mechanism, which is located on the side of the support mechanism away from the robotic arm mechanism. The second counterweight mechanism includes a second counterweight block and a second moving component. Both the second counterweight block and the second moving component are located on the support mechanism. The second moving component is connected to the second counterweight block and is used to drive the second counterweight block to reciprocate along the length direction of the support mechanism.

[0011] Optionally, the harvesting robot includes a moving component, which includes a translational drive, a slide rail, and a sliding plate. The robotic arm mechanism and the first counterweight mechanism are both fixed to the sliding plate. The sliding plate is slidably disposed on the slide rail. The translational drive is connected to the sliding plate and is used to drive the sliding plate to reciprocate along the length direction of the bearing mechanism.

[0012] Optionally, the harvesting robot includes a holding mechanism, which is located on the same side of the carrying mechanism as the robotic arm mechanism. The holding mechanism includes a holding basket, a detector, a top cover, and a closing assembly. The closing assembly is connected to the holding basket and is used to drive the top cover to cover and / or open the opening of the holding basket. The detector is disposed inside the holding basket and is used to detect the height of the object placed inside the holding basket.

[0013] Optionally, one end of the top cover is fixed to one end of the basket opening of the container basket, and the other end of the top cover is connected to the lid assembly. The lid assembly further includes a second driving member, a first rotating wheel, a second rotating wheel, and a first belt. The first belt is tensioned and sleeved on the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel. The output end of the second driving member is connected to the first rotating wheel. The second driving member is used to drive the first rotating wheel to rotate, thereby driving the first belt to rotate, and thus driving the top cover to move. And / or, the lid assembly further includes a third driving member, a third rotating wheel, a fourth rotating wheel, and a second belt. The second belt is tensioned and sleeved on the third rotating wheel and the fourth rotating wheel. The output end of the third driving member is connected to the third rotating wheel. The third driving member is used to drive the third rotating wheel to rotate, thereby driving the second belt to rotate, and thus driving the top cover to move.

[0014] Optionally, the inner wall of the basket is provided with an annular groove, and the cover assembly is received in the annular groove, wherein the width of the groove opening is smaller than the diameter of the object to be harvested.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this application embodiment are as follows: Unlike existing technologies, this application embodiment provides a harvesting robot including a carrying mechanism, a robotic arm mechanism, and a gripping mechanism. The carrying mechanism is equipped with four walkable robotic legs. The robotic arm mechanism is disposed on the carrying mechanism and is capable of omnidirectional rotation. The gripping mechanism is disposed at the end of the robotic arm mechanism opposite to the carrying mechanism, and is used to grip the object to be harvested. Through this structure, this application embodiment can improve the harvesting robot's ability to traverse complex terrain by utilizing the walkable robotic legs on the carrying mechanism, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the harvesting robot and improving its applicability. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another assembly structure of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the mechanical leg of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the robotic arm of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 6 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the holding mechanism of the harvesting robot provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0023] Icon labels:

[0024] 100. Harvesting robots;

[0025] 1. Load-bearing mechanism; 11. Mechanical leg; 11a. First leg; 11b. Second leg; 111. Rolling element;

[0026] 2. Robotic arm mechanism; 21. Robotic arm; 2111. First arm section; 2112. Second arm section; 2113. Third arm section;

[0027] 3. Clamping mechanism;

[0028] 4. Lifting mechanism; 41. Column assembly; 411. Upright pole;

[0029] 5. First counterweight mechanism; 51. First counterweight block; 52. First moving component;

[0030] 6. Translation component; 61. Slide rail; 62. Slide plate;

[0031] 7. Container mechanism; 71. Container basket; 72. Top cover;

[0032] 8. Visual radar mechanism;

[0033] 9. Second counterweight mechanism; 91. Second counterweight block; 92. Second moving component;

[0034] X: Length direction; Y: Width direction; Z: Thickness direction; Detailed Implementation

[0035] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0037] Existing harvesting robots typically employ two methods for movement: wheeled and tracked. Wheeled robots use rollers on their carrying mechanism to move, but this method is only suitable for flat ground. In uneven or pitted areas, wheeled robots cannot move properly, hindering their harvesting work. Tracked robots rely on the strong grip of tracks to move across uneven terrain. However, the inventors found that tracked robots have limited applications in actual harvesting. They cannot handle potholes, gravel, or rapidly changing terrain, severely impacting their usability in harvesting operations.

[0038] Understandably, harvesting robots can be applied to fields such as agricultural harvesting and industrial handling. This application selects harvesting robots in the agricultural field as an example. In the field of agricultural harvesting, wheeled and tracked harvesting robots have difficulty performing normal harvesting tasks in the face of the aforementioned complex terrain, which affects the harvesting time of the fruit.

[0039] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a harvesting robot 100. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 and Figure 2The harvesting robot 100 includes a carrying mechanism 1, a robotic arm mechanism 2, and a gripping mechanism 3. The carrying mechanism 1 is equipped with four walking robotic legs 11. The walking mode of the robotic legs 11 adopts a human-like movement mode, which enables the harvesting robot 100 to maintain balance during movement. The carrying mechanism 1 is used to carry the components (such as the robotic arm mechanism 2, the counterweight mechanism, the storage basket, etc.) set on the carrying mechanism 1. The robotic arm mechanism 2 is set on the carrying mechanism 1. The robotic arm mechanism 2 can rotate in all directions, so that the robotic arm 21 of the robotic arm mechanism 2 can bend and extend in three-dimensional space like a human arm. This makes it convenient for the harvesting robot 100 to deliver the gripping mechanism 3 to any position within its three-dimensional working range when it is in a certain position, so as to carry out the harvesting work. The gripping mechanism 3 is set at the end of the robotic arm mechanism 2 away from the carrying mechanism 1. The gripping mechanism 3 is used to grip objects (including, but not limited to, the object to be harvested, components, movable objects, etc.). Through the above structure, the four mechanical legs 11 set on the supporting mechanism 1 enable the harvesting robot 100 to walk. Since the four mechanical legs 11 can mimic the four-legged walking motion of animals, they maintain stability during the movement of the harvesting robot 100. This allows the harvesting robot 100 to move stably and complete the harvesting task smoothly even when facing complex and diverse ground environments. Compared with wheeled and tracked harvesting robots, the harvesting robot 100 with four walking mechanical legs 11 of this application relies on its unique biological-like leg walking mode to move smoothly when facing complex terrain, thereby ensuring the timeliness of fruit harvesting.

[0040] For ease of explanation in the agricultural field, the objects gripped by the aforementioned clamping mechanism 3 are collectively referred to as fruits.

[0041] Understandably, the mechanical leg 11 and the mechanical arm mechanism 2 can be located on the same side of the supporting mechanism 1 or on different sides of the supporting mechanism 1. When the mechanical leg 11 and the mechanical arm mechanism 2 are located on the same side of the supporting mechanism 1, both the mechanical leg 11 and the mechanical arm mechanism 2 are located on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 closer to the ground, making the overall structure of the harvesting robot 100 resemble a "spider". This type of harvesting robot 100 is suitable for harvesting the fruits of low-growing crops. The supporting mechanism 1 is lifted away from the ground by the mechanical leg 11, so that when the harvesting robot 100 is performing harvesting work, the space between the supporting mechanism 1 and the ground, as well as the local space where the mechanical arm 21 can extend away from the ground, is [missing information]. The working area of ​​the robotic arm 21 is such that the supporting mechanism 1 does not obstruct the robotic arm 21 from cooperating with the clamping mechanism 3 in the picking work. When the robotic leg 11 and the robotic arm mechanism 2 are set on different sides of the supporting mechanism 1, the robotic arm 21 is set on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground, which makes the overall structure of the picking robot 100 more "dog-like". This type of picking robot 100 is suitable for picking fruits that are high above the ground. The working area of ​​the robotic arm 21 is the direction of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground and the local space that the robotic arm 21 can extend towards the ground.

[0042] It should be noted that the aforementioned mechanical leg 11 serves as the main mechanism for the movement of the harvesting robot 100. Therefore, the mechanical leg 11 can also be disposed around the periphery of the supporting mechanism 1, as long as it ensures that the supporting mechanism 1 can be lifted away from the ground. Furthermore, the mechanical arm mechanism 2 can also be disposed on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 closer to the ground to form a "spider"-like harvesting robot 100; or disposed on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground to form a "dog"-like harvesting robot 100. For example, in this application, the mechanical arm mechanism 2 is disposed on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground.

[0043] Understandably, the four mechanical legs 11 are symmetrically distributed on the supporting mechanism 1, so that the supporting mechanism 1 and the four mechanical legs 11 are combined to form a "mechanical dog"-like structure, thereby improving the stability of the harvesting robot 100 during movement, and the presence of the four mechanical legs 11 improves the harvesting robot 100's ability to pass through complex road surfaces.

[0044] For the aforementioned mechanical leg 11, please refer to... Figure 4The mechanical leg 11 includes a first leg 11a and a second leg 11b, which are rotatably connected. Specifically, one end of the first leg 11a is rotatably connected to the bearing mechanism 1, and the other end of the first leg 11a is rotatably connected to the second leg 11b. The other end of the second leg 11b contacts the ground, so that the first leg 11a and the second leg 11b can cooperate to achieve bending, stretching and other movements. This enables the harvesting robot 100 equipped with four mechanical legs 11 to perform animal-like walking movements, and to perform high-difficulty movements such as inverted cross-country running and snow parkour, ensuring the harvesting robot 100's ability to traverse complex terrain.

[0045] Understandably, the number of legs of the mechanical leg 11 is not limited to two. The number of legs can be increased according to actual needs. For example, a first leg 11a, a second leg 11b, and a third leg can be set. In this way, a variety of movement modes can be achieved by controlling the bending angle between the first leg 11a, the second leg 11b, and the third leg.

[0046] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 The mechanical leg 11 is provided with a rolling element 111 at one end near the contact surface (i.e., the ground), that is, the other end of the second leg 11b is provided with a rolling element 111. The rolling element 111 can roll relative to the contact surface. The presence of the rolling element 111 converts the static friction between the mechanical leg 11 and the ground into rolling friction between the rolling element 111 and the ground, reducing the static friction force required to move the harvesting robot 100 and reducing the energy required to move the harvesting robot 100, thereby increasing the moving speed of the harvesting robot 100. This allows the harvesting robot 100 to quickly move to another preset harvesting point or quickly move to the centralized collection point of the fruit after completing the harvesting action at a preset harvesting point, so that the harvesting robot 100 can achieve a combination of high-speed movement and high off-road performance, which is conducive to improving the overall harvesting efficiency.

[0047] Understandably, the rolling element 111 needs to be driven by a corresponding mechanism so that the picking robot 100 can move at high speed. The mechanism that drives the rolling element 111 is built into the bearing mechanism 1, and will not be described in detail here.

[0048] For the robotic arm mechanism 2 mentioned above, please refer to... Figure 5The robotic arm mechanism 2 includes a robotic arm 21, which includes a first arm 2111, a second arm 2112, and a third arm 2113. One end of the first arm 2111 is rotatably mounted on the bearing mechanism 1. The other end of the first arm 2111 is rotatably connected to one end of the second arm 2112. The other end of the second arm 2112 is rotatably connected to one end of the third arm 2113. The other end of the third arm 2113 is rotatably connected to the clamping mechanism 3 so that the first arm 2111, the second arm 2112, and the third arm 2113 can cooperate to achieve bending, extending, and other actions, so that the robotic arm 21 can move at different positions in three-dimensional space, thereby facilitating the delivery of the clamping mechanism 3 to the designated position to clamp the fruit.

[0049] It is understandable that the number of arms of the robotic arm 21 is not limited to three, and the number can be increased according to actual needs, thereby extending the length of the robotic arm 21.

[0050] In actual harvesting, the height of the fruits from the ground varies. Some fruits are too high for the robotic arm 21 of the ordinary harvesting robot 100 to reach. Therefore, the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 needs to be extended to expand the harvesting range of the harvesting robot 100.

[0051] Understandably, ways to expand the picking range of the robotic arm 21 include, but are not limited to, extending the length of the robotic arm, increasing the number of segments of the robotic arm, and setting up a lifting mechanism.

[0052] For example, in this application, a lifting mechanism 4 is used; please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 The harvesting robot 100 includes a lifting mechanism 4, which enables the robotic arm mechanism 2 of the harvesting robot 100 to rise and / or fall along the thickness direction Z of the supporting mechanism 1. One end of the lifting mechanism 4 is connected to the supporting mechanism 1, and the other end of the lifting mechanism 4 is connected to the robotic arm mechanism 2. The lifting mechanism 4 is used to drive the robotic arm mechanism 2 to rise and / or fall relative to the supporting mechanism 1.

[0053] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 4 includes a column assembly 41 and a drive assembly (not shown). The column assembly 41 includes at least two uprights 411 (the shape of the uprights 411 includes, but is not limited to, cylindrical, prismatic, etc.), with the two uprights 411 spaced apart. One end of each upright is fixed to the bearing mechanism 1. The drive assembly includes a lead screw, a first drive component, and a mounting plate. The lead screw is rotatably disposed between the two uprights 411. The robotic arm mechanism 2 is fixed to the mounting plate, which is sleeved on the two uprights 411 and the lead screw. The mounting plate is slidably connected to the two uprights 411, and the two uprights 411 provide support for the movement of the mounting plate, preventing the mounting plate from shaking during movement. The mounting plate is screwed to the lead screw, and the output end of the first drive component is connected to the lead screw. The first drive component drives the lead screw to rotate, thereby driving the mounting plate to move back and forth along the height direction of the bearing mechanism 1 by relying on the screw connection structure between the mounting plate and the lead screw. This allows the robotic arm mechanism 2 to move back and forth along the height direction of the bearing mechanism 1 under the drive of the mounting plate, realizing the raising and lowering of the robotic arm 21 structure. This expands the space in which the robotic arm 21 can perform harvesting work, making the harvesting robot 100 have a wider working space than the harvesting robot 100 without the lifting mechanism 4. The harvesting robot 100 can adapt to more plants of different heights, improving the adaptability of the harvesting robot 100.

[0054] Understandably, the height of the lead screw needs to be less than or equal to the height of the upright 411 so that the mounting plate of the harvesting robot 100 will not detach from the upright 411 due to excessive lifting height during the process of the first drive component and the lead screw rising together, and thus rotate without the support provided by the upright 411, causing the lifting mechanism 4 to fail.

[0055] It should be noted that the harvesting robot 100 has the need to rise, and correspondingly, it also has the need to descend. Therefore, in some embodiments, the folding method of the multiple segments of the mechanical legs 11 when not performing walking actions can be changed to further compress the space occupied by the mechanical legs 11 and reduce the distance between the supporting mechanism 1 and the ground.

[0056] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the column assembly 41 also includes a top plate (not shown), which is fixed to the other end of the two uprights 411 to enhance the connection strength of the two uprights 411. The mounting plate can be located between the top plate and the bearing mechanism 1, thereby limiting the movement of the mounting plate by the top plate and preventing the mounting plate from detaching from the column and the lead screw during movement, thus increasing the safety of the lifting mechanism 4.

[0057] Furthermore, when the harvesting robot 100 is harvesting, the robotic arm 21 needs to harvest the fruit on the plants located on the periphery of the support mechanism 1 in the width direction Y. Therefore, the robotic arm 21 needs to extend out of the space area corresponding to the support mechanism 1 and extend to the periphery of that space area. As a result, the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 will change. This small change in the center of gravity can be balanced by the weight of the support mechanism 1 and the robotic leg 11 itself. However, when the gripping mechanism 3 on the robotic arm 21 performs the harvesting action, the fruit gripped by the gripping mechanism 3 will cause a sudden change in the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100. This sudden change will cause the harvesting robot 100 to lose its balance and tip over. In order to solve the above problems, this application adopts the method of setting a counterweight mechanism to enable the harvesting robot 100 to maintain balance when performing the harvesting action.

[0058] For details, please refer to Figure 1 The harvesting robot 100 includes a first counterweight mechanism 5, which includes a first counterweight block 51 and a first moving component 52. Both the first counterweight block 51 and the first moving component 52 are mounted on the robotic arm mechanism 2. The first moving component 52 is connected to the first counterweight block 51 and is used to drive the first counterweight block 51 to reciprocate along the width direction Y of the carrying mechanism 1. For ease of description, one end of the carrying mechanism 1 along the width direction Y is defined as the left side, and the other end as the right side. When the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends to the left to perform a harvesting action, the first moving component 52 controls the first counterweight block 51 to move to the right, thereby causing the gripping mechanism 3 mounted on the robotic arm 21 to move when it grips the fruit. The counterweight on the right side, relying on its own weight, maintains a balance between the gripping mechanism 3 that picks up the fruit, the robotic arm 21, and the counterweight, thus keeping the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 stable and enabling it to work stably. When the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends to the right to perform a picking action, the first moving component 52 controls the first counterweight 51 to move to the left. This allows the gripping mechanism 3 on the robotic arm 21 to move to the left side when it picks up the fruit. The counterweight on the left side, relying on its own weight, maintains a balance between the gripping mechanism 3 that picks up the fruit, the robotic arm 21, and the counterweight, thus keeping the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 stable and enabling it to work stably.

[0059] Understandably, the first moving component 52 is used to move the first counterweight 51. The possible structures include, but are not limited to, motors and lead screws, linear motors, gears and racks, hydraulic drives, pneumatic drives, etc.

[0060] For example, in this embodiment, a structure in which a motor and a lead screw are used is adopted. For the first moving component 52 mentioned above, the first moving component 52 includes a first motor, a first moving lead screw and a first guide rod. The first moving lead screw and the first guide rod are both parallel to and spaced apart along the width direction Y parallel to the bearing mechanism 1. Both ends of the first moving lead screw and the first guide rod extend to the left and right edges of the bearing mechanism 1, so as to ensure that the first counterweight 51 has a sufficiently long moving path during the movement to balance the influence of fruits with large weight variation range on the center of gravity of the picking robot 100. Specifically, one end of the first moving lead screw is fixed to the output end of the first motor. The first moving lead screw is screwed to the first counterweight 51. The first counterweight 51 is limited by a sliding groove and other structures, so that the first counterweight 51 can only move along the extension direction of the sliding groove and other structures (i.e., the extension direction of the first moving lead screw) without rotating. The first motor is used to drive the rotation of the first moving lead screw through the rotation of the output end, thereby driving the first counterweight 51 to reciprocate along the width direction Y of the bearing mechanism 1. Furthermore, the connection accuracy between the lead screw and the first counterweight 51 is high, which is beneficial to improving the control accuracy of the harvesting robot 100.

[0061] Furthermore, when the harvesting robot 100 is performing harvesting work, the harvesting area is often not limited to the aforementioned left and right sides. The robotic arm 21 will also harvest fruits on the plants located on the periphery of the support mechanism 1 along its length X. Therefore, the robotic arm 21 needs to extend beyond the spatial area corresponding to the support mechanism 1 and extend to the periphery of that spatial area. As a result, the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 will change. This small change in the center of gravity can be balanced by the weight of the support mechanism 1 and the robotic leg 11. However, when the gripping mechanism 3 on the robotic arm 21 performs harvesting, the fruit gripped by the gripping mechanism 3 will cause a sudden change in the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100. This sudden change will cause the harvesting robot 100 to lose its balance and tip over. In order to solve the above problem, this application also adopts the method of setting a counterweight mechanism to enable the harvesting robot 100 to maintain balance when performing harvesting.

[0062] Specifically, the harvesting robot 100 includes a second counterweight mechanism 9, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3The second counterweight mechanism 9 is located on the side of the support mechanism 1 opposite to the robotic arm mechanism 2. The second counterweight mechanism 9 includes a second counterweight block 91 and a second moving component 92. Both the second counterweight block 91 and the second moving component 92 are located on the support mechanism 1. The second moving component 92 is connected to the second counterweight block 91 and is used to drive the second counterweight block 91 to reciprocate along the length direction X of the support mechanism 1. For ease of description, one end of the support mechanism 1 along the length direction X is defined as the front end, and the other end as the rear end. When the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends towards the front end to perform a harvesting action, the second moving component 92 controls the second counterweight block 91 to move towards the rear end. This allows the gripping mechanism 3 on the robotic arm 21 to grip the fruit, and the weight of the counterweight block at the rear end helps to maintain balance between the gripping mechanism 3, the robotic arm 21, and the counterweight block, thus maintaining the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100. The inconvenience, which in turn enables the harvesting robot 100 to work stably; when the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends towards the rear to perform a harvesting action, the second moving component 92 controls the second counterweight 91 to move towards the front, so that when the gripping mechanism 3 set on the robotic arm 21 picks up the fruit, the counterweight moving to the front relies on its own weight to form a balance between the gripping mechanism 3 that has picked up the fruit, the robotic arm 21 and the counterweight, maintaining the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100, thus enabling the harvesting robot 100 to work stably.

[0063] Understandably, the second counterweight mechanism 9 can also be arranged along the length direction X of the bearing mechanism 1. The second counterweight mechanism 9 and the robotic arm mechanism 2 are arranged at intervals. For detailed working principles, please refer to the above description, which will not be described in detail here.

[0064] It should be noted that the moving speed and moving distance of the first counterweight 51 and the second counterweight 91 are determined based on the extension length of the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 and the size of the fruit held by the gripping mechanism 3. Furthermore, the harvesting robot 100 can use an algorithm to estimate the average weight of the fruit based on the type of fruit being harvested and big data statistics. As a result, when the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 is performing a harvesting action, the first moving component 52 drives the first counterweight 51 to move one-third or one-half of the path length in advance, so that the harvesting robot 100 can respond to the harvesting action more quickly and improve the harvesting effect. Similarly, the second moving component 92 drives the second counterweight 91 to move one-third or one-half of the path length in advance, so that the harvesting robot 100 can respond to the harvesting action more quickly and improve the harvesting effect.

[0065] The second moving component 92 is understood to be used to move the second counterweight 91. Optional structures include, but are not limited to, motors and lead screws, linear motors, etc.

[0066] For example, in this embodiment, a structure combining a motor and a lead screw is adopted. The second moving component 92 includes a second motor, a second moving lead screw, and a second guide rod. Both the second moving lead screw and the second guide rod are parallel to and spaced apart along the length direction X of the bearing mechanism 1. Both ends of the second moving lead screw and the second guide rod extend to the edges of the front and rear ends of the bearing mechanism 1 to ensure that the second counterweight 91 has a sufficiently long moving path during movement to balance the influence of fruits with large weight variations on the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100. Specifically, one end of the second moving lead screw is fixed to the output end of the second motor. The second moving lead screw is screwed to the second counterweight 91. The second counterweight 91 is limited by a sliding groove or similar structure, allowing it to move only along the extension direction of the sliding groove or similar structure (i.e., the extension direction of the second moving lead screw) without rotation. The second motor drives the rotation of the second moving lead screw through the rotation of its output end, thereby causing the second counterweight 91 to reciprocate along the length direction X of the bearing mechanism 1.

[0067] It should be noted that the movement direction of the first counterweight 51 is achieved by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the first motor, and the movement direction of the second counterweight 91 is achieved by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the second motor.

[0068] In other embodiments, to balance the change in the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 along the length direction X of the supporting mechanism 1, a moving robotic arm mechanism 2 can also be used to achieve the change in the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100 during harvesting operations. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1The harvesting robot 100 includes a translation component 6, which includes a translation drive (not shown), a slide rail 61, and a slide plate 62. The robotic arm mechanism 2 and the first counterweight mechanism 5 are both fixed to the slide plate 62. The slide plate 62 is slidably mounted on the slide rail 61. The translation drive is connected to the slide plate 62 and is used to drive the slide plate 62 to reciprocate along the length direction X of the bearing mechanism 1. This allows the slide plate 62 to move the robotic arm mechanism 2 and change the center of gravity of the harvesting robot 100. That is, when the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends towards the front end to harvest, the translation drive moves the slide plate 62. 2. Moving towards the rear end: When the robotic arm 21 of the harvesting robot 100 extends towards the rear end to harvest, the translation drive drives the slide plate 62 to move towards the front end. This ensures that the harvesting robot 100 can maintain a stable center of gravity when harvesting in both the front and rear directions. In this method, the robotic arm mechanism 2 and the counterweight components placed on the bearing mechanism 1 can both be regarded as counterweights. This eliminates the need for the harvesting robot 100 to set up an additional counterweight structure, making full use of the component structure of the harvesting robot 100 and improving the integration of the harvesting robot 100.

[0069] Understandably, the structure that drives the sliding plate 62 to slide relative to the sliding plate 62 is including but not limited to: motor and lead screw, linear motor, gear and rack, hydraulic drive, pneumatic drive, etc.

[0070] For example, in this application, the structure of a motor and a lead screw is still used. Specifically, the translation drive includes a translation motor and a translation lead screw. The output end of the translation motor is connected to the translation lead screw. The translation lead screw is rotatably connected to the slide plate 62, and the slide plate 62 is also slidably connected to the slide rail 61. This allows the slide rail 61 to limit the slide plate 62 when the translation motor drives the translation lead screw to rotate. The slide rail 61 can only slide along the slide rail 61 under the rotation of the lead screw driven by the translation motor. The rotational screw connection between the lead screw and the slide plate 62 can maintain high precision, thereby enabling the harvesting robot 100 to more accurately control the sliding distance of the slide plate 62 when harvesting fruits of different shapes, thus improving the control accuracy of the harvesting robot 100.

[0071] It should be noted that the balance of the center of gravity on both sides of the harvesting robot 100 can also be achieved by using a similar translation component 6 as described above. The specific method should be adapted according to the shape of the actual bearing mechanism 1, and will not be illustrated here.

[0072] The fruits picked by the robotic arm 2 from the left and right sides or the front and rear ends need to be collected and stacked. In order to improve the efficiency of picking fruits and reduce the amount of movement of the picking robot 100 to store the fruits, it is necessary to set up a container for holding the fruits.

[0073] Understandably, the types of containers used to hold the fruit include, but are not limited to: trailers, dishes fixed to the support mechanism 1, and detachable baskets suspended from the support mechanism 1.

[0074] For example, in this application, a container fixed to the supporting mechanism 1 is used to hold the fruit. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 6 The harvesting robot 100 includes a holding mechanism 7. The holding mechanism 7 and the robotic arm mechanism 2 are located on the same side of the supporting mechanism 1. That is, as described above, when the robotic arm mechanism 2 is located on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 closer to the ground, the holding mechanism 7 is also located on the side closer to the ground; when the robotic arm mechanism 2 is located on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground, the holding mechanism 7 is also located on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground. Of course, the holding mechanism 7 and the robotic arm mechanism 2 can also be located on different sides of the supporting mechanism 1, which will not be illustrated here.

[0075] Understandably, the form of the holding mechanism 7 can include, but is not limited to, baskets, boxes, nets, etc. Furthermore, the form of the holding mechanism 7 will vary depending on its location. For example, when harvesting large fruits such as apples and pears, and the holding mechanism 7 is located near the ground, a net can be chosen, with the opening facing to the side to reduce the risk of fruit leakage. When the holding mechanism 7 is located on the side of the supporting mechanism 1 away from the ground, a box can be selected. Other types of situations will not be listed here; the appropriate type of holding mechanism 7 should be chosen based on the actual size of the fruit and the type and size of the holding mechanism 7.

[0076] For example, in this embodiment, please refer to Figure 6The holding mechanism 7 is preferably a basket. Specifically, the holding mechanism 7 includes a holding basket 71, a detector (not shown), a top cover 72, and a closing assembly (not shown). The holding basket 71 is used to hold the aforementioned fruit, and the opening of the holding basket 71 faces away from the carrying mechanism 1 so that the robotic arm 21 can quickly place the fruit it has picked into the holding basket 71. The closing assembly is connected to the holding basket 71 and is used to cover and / or open the opening of the holding basket 71 by driving the top cover 72. The detector is located in the holding basket. The fruit in basket 71 is kept within the basket by the limiting action of the closing component as it moves with the harvesting robot 100. The detector is used to detect the height of the object in basket 71, which helps the closing component determine when to close the basket. This prevents the basket from closing when the fruit in basket 71 does not meet the conditions for transfer and storage, thus avoiding the need to open it again. Frequent closing and opening of the closing component would waste the energy of the harvesting robot 100. Furthermore, the data detected by the detector can also synchronously assist the robotic arm mechanism 2 in determining whether the picking action needs to continue. When the detector detects that the height of the object (i.e., fruit) in the basket 71 meets the preset value, the robotic arm 21 stops the picking action, the cover component covers the opening of the basket 71, and the picking robot 100 issues a walking command to the walking robotic leg 11 to centrally store the fruit in the basket 71, thereby realizing the picking robot 100 as a high-efficiency picking tool that integrates picking and transportation, and improving the picking efficiency of the fruit.

[0077] Specifically, one end of the top cover 72 is fixed to one end of the basket opening of the container basket 71, and the other end of the top cover 72 is connected to the cover assembly. The movement of the cover assembly drives the movement of the top cover 72. It can be understood that the top cover 72 needs to have the characteristic of being deformable so that the cover assembly can smoothly cover or open the basket opening of the container basket 71 when it drives the top cover 72 to move.

[0078] The cover assembly described above further includes a second drive member, a first wheel, a second wheel, and a first belt. The first belt is tensioned and sleeved on the first wheel and the second wheel. The output end of the second drive member is connected to the first wheel. The second drive member is used to drive the first wheel to rotate so as to drive the first belt to rotate, thereby driving the top cover 72 to move.

[0079] And / or, the cover assembly also includes a third drive member, a third pulley, a fourth pulley, and a second belt. The second belt is tensioned and sleeved on the third pulley and the fourth pulley. The output end of the third drive member is connected to the third pulley. The third drive member is used to drive the third pulley to rotate so as to drive the second belt to rotate, thereby driving the top cover 72 to move.

[0080] Understandably, the structure used by the cover assembly to move the top cover 72 can be only one or a combination of two, namely: only the second drive member, the first wheel, the second wheel, and the first belt (defined as component one); or only the third drive member, the third wheel, the fourth wheel, and the second belt (defined as component two). When any of the above combinations is selected, in order to ensure the traction effect when the cover assembly moves the top cover 72, the cover assembly is connected to the middle of the top cover 72, so that the moving speed of the two sides of the traction part of the top cover 72 is uniform throughout the process of the cover assembly moving the top cover 72, compared to when the connection position of the cover assembly is at the edge position. This can easily lead to one side of the top cover 72 moving a greater distance than the other side, thus affecting the covering effect of the top cover 72; or it can be a combination of both, that is, component one and component two jointly drive the top cover 72 to move, with component one connected to the side of the top cover 72 closer to the basket 71 in the direction of movement, and component two connected to the other side of the top cover 72 in the direction of movement. Component one and component two are symmetrically connected to the top cover 72, and component one and component two work synchronously to drive the top cover 72 to move. This symmetrical distribution connection method makes the top cover 72 move slowly and the movement speed of the top cover 72 is uniform throughout, especially for the excellent traction effect of the flexible top cover 72.

[0081] It should be noted that the structure of the top cover 72 based on the above-described covering method needs to ensure that it has the characteristics of stacking or shrinking. Therefore, the structure of the top cover 72 may include, but is not limited to, flexible fabric, corrugated compressible plate, elastic material fabric or plate, etc. For example, in this application, the structure of the top cover 72 is preferably flexible fabric.

[0082] Regarding the connection structure between the top cover 72 and components one and two, an example is given here. The top cover 72 is provided with a first ear and a second ear facing the basket 71. The first ear is fixed to the first belt in component one, and the second ear is fixed to the second belt in component two. When components one and two work synchronously, the first drive wheel drives the first rotating wheel to rotate, thereby driving the first belt to rotate, which in turn pulls one side of the top cover 72 to move. The second drive wheel drives the third rotating wheel to rotate, thereby driving the second belt to rotate, which in turn pulls the other side of the top cover 72 to move. Since components one and two move synchronously, the pulling effect of components one and two on the top cover 72 is consistent, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the function of the top cover 72 in covering and / or opening the slot of the basket 71.

[0083] Understandably, the covering and / or opening of the slot of the basket 71 by the top cover 72 is controlled by the forward and reverse rotation of the second and third drive components, which will not be explained in detail here.

[0084] Furthermore, placing Component 1 and Component 2 inside the basket 71 will inevitably compress the limited space inside the basket 71. Therefore, it is necessary to hide Component 1 and Component 2. For example, an annular groove can be opened on the wall of the basket 71 to accommodate Component 1 and Component 2, that is, the side wall of the basket 71 can be thickened and hollowed out to embed Component 1 and Component 2 into the hollowed-out space; or Component 1 and Component 2 can be placed outside the basket 71.

[0085] For example, in this application, a groove is provided. Specifically, the wall of the basket 71 is provided with an annular groove, and the cover assembly is received in the annular groove. The width of the groove opening is smaller than the diameter of the fruit to be picked, so as to reduce the probability of the fruit entering the groove and affecting the normal operation of the cover assembly. Specifically, a first annular groove is provided on one inner wall of the basket 71, and the opening of the first annular groove faces the same direction as the opening of the basket 71. Component one is received in the first annular groove. A second annular groove is provided on the other inner wall of the basket 71, and the opening of the second annular groove faces the same direction as the opening of the basket 71. Component two is received in the second annular groove. The inner wall with the first annular groove and the inner wall with the second annular groove are arranged opposite to each other.

[0086] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The top cover 72 can also be divided into two parts, namely the first cover and the second cover. The first cover and the second cover together cover the slot of the basket 71. The functional components used to drive the first cover and the second cover to perform covering and / or opening operations can also be implemented by analogy with the components one and two mentioned above. They will not be described in detail here.

[0087] It should be noted that the first and second covers cover and / or open the slot of the container basket 71 by controlling the first and second covers to move towards or away from each other, and the structure for controlling the movement of the first and second covers also needs to be set accordingly.

[0088] In some other embodiments, the top cover 72 may also be designed in a manner similar to a "roller shutter" to cover and / or open the slot of the basket 71. Further details are omitted here.

[0089] It should be noted that when the holding mechanism 7 is mounted on the supporting mechanism 1, the second counterweight mechanism 9 is not only limited to considering the change in the center of gravity of the balancing robotic arm mechanism 2 during the picking operation, but also needs to consider the impact on the center of gravity of the picking robot 100 as the total mass of the fruit contained in the holding mechanism 7 gradually increases. In some embodiments, there are multiple second counterweights 91. The center of gravity of the picking robot 100 is adjusted by controlling the number of second counterweights 91 that move. The structure of the corresponding second moving component 92 also needs to be adjusted accordingly to facilitate the adjustment of the distance and direction of movement of the multiple second counterweights 91 by the second moving component 92. Examples will not be given here.

[0090] In other embodiments, the translation component 6 can also be connected to the holding mechanism 7, thereby moving the holding mechanism 7 by means of the translation component 6, thereby adjusting the center of gravity of the picking robot 100. The specific structure can be compared with the structure of the translation component 6 driving the robotic arm mechanism 2 to move as described above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0091] Understandably, in order to control the movement of the mechanical leg 11, the rotation of the roller, the movement of the first counterweight assembly, the movement of the second counterweight assembly, the translation assembly 6, and the holding mechanism 7, a corresponding control mechanism is required. Therefore, in this application, the picking robot 100 also includes a control mechanism. The control mechanism is electrically connected to the aforementioned mechanical leg 11, roller, first counterweight assembly, second counterweight assembly, translation assembly 6, and holding mechanism 7, so that the control mechanism can perform the aforementioned functions.

[0092] Furthermore, to enhance the integration of the harvesting robot 100, a cavity is provided inside the supporting mechanism 1, and the control mechanism is housed within the cavity to provide protection for the control mechanism.

[0093] The operation of the various functions of the harvesting robot 100 requires power support, so the harvesting robot 100 also includes a power supply mechanism, which is embedded in the cavity to facilitate electrical connection with the control mechanism.

[0094] In some embodiments, the harvesting robot 100 includes a visual radar mechanism 8, which is rotatably connected to the support mechanism 1 to improve the detectable field of view of the visual radar mechanism 8. The visual radar mechanism 8 is electrically connected to the control mechanism to facilitate the harvesting robot 100 in recognizing obstacles for obstacle avoidance, planning of travel routes, and identification of the location of fruits.

[0095] In this embodiment, the harvesting robot 100 includes a carrying mechanism 1, a robotic arm mechanism 2, and a gripping mechanism 3. The carrying mechanism 1 is provided with four walkable robotic legs 11. The robotic arm mechanism 2 is disposed on the carrying mechanism 1 and the robotic arm 21 is capable of rotating in all directions. The gripping mechanism 3 is disposed at the end of the robotic arm mechanism 2 away from the carrying mechanism 1 and is used to grip the fruit to be harvested. The robotic arm 21, in conjunction with the gripping mechanism 3, enables the harvesting robot 100 to pick fruit at any position within the maximum space that the robotic arm 21 can extend, thereby realizing the harvesting work of the harvesting robot 100. By using the walkable mechanical legs 11 mounted on the support mechanism 1, the harvesting robot 100 can adapt to complex terrain when performing harvesting work, and move smoothly on complex terrain, thereby reducing the impact of the ground environment on the harvesting robot 100's harvesting work. Compared with traditional tracked or wheeled harvesting robots 100, the harvesting robot 100 of this application has stronger traversal ability in complex terrain, more applicable usage scenarios, and stronger applicability.

[0096] It should be noted that while preferred embodiments of this application are provided in the specification and accompanying drawings, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are not intended to impose additional limitations on the content of this application; their purpose is to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of this application. Furthermore, the above-described technical features can be combined with each other to form various embodiments not listed above, all of which are considered to be within the scope of this application's specification. Moreover, those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A picking robot, characterized in that include: The supporting mechanism is equipped with four movable mechanical legs; A robotic arm mechanism is mounted on the supporting mechanism, and the robotic arm mechanism is capable of rotating in all directions. A clamping mechanism is disposed at one end of the robotic arm mechanism away from the bearing mechanism, and the clamping mechanism is used to clamp the object to be picked.

2. The harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical leg is equipped with a rolling element at one end near the surface it is contacting. The rolling element can roll relative to the surface it is contacting, so that the harvesting robot can move.

3. The harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The harvesting robot includes a lifting mechanism, one end of which is connected to the support mechanism and the other end of which is connected to the robotic arm mechanism. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the robotic arm mechanism to rise and / or fall relative to the support mechanism.

4. The harvesting robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a column assembly and a drive assembly. The column assembly includes at least two uprights spaced apart, with one end of each upright fixed to the bearing mechanism. The drive assembly includes a lead screw, a first drive member, and a mounting plate. The lead screw is rotatably disposed between the two uprights. The robotic arm mechanism is fixed to the mounting plate, which is sleeved on the two uprights and the lead screw. The output end of the first drive member is connected to the lead screw, and the first drive member is used to drive the lead screw to rotate, thereby causing the mounting plate to reciprocate along the height direction of the bearing mechanism.

5. The harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The harvesting robot includes a first counterweight mechanism, which includes a first counterweight block and a first moving component. Both the first counterweight block and the first moving component are disposed on the robotic arm mechanism. The first moving component is connected to the first counterweight block and is used to drive the first counterweight block to reciprocate along the width direction of the bearing mechanism.

6. The harvesting robot according to claim 1 or claim 5, characterized in that, The harvesting robot includes a second counterweight mechanism, which is located on the side of the bearing mechanism opposite to the robotic arm mechanism. The second counterweight mechanism includes a second counterweight block and a second moving component. Both the second counterweight block and the second moving component are disposed on the bearing mechanism. The second moving component is connected to the second counterweight block and is used to drive the second counterweight block to reciprocate along the length direction of the bearing mechanism.

7. The harvesting robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The harvesting robot includes a translation component, which includes a translation drive, a slide rail, and a slide plate. The robotic arm mechanism and the first counterweight mechanism are both fixed to the slide plate. The slide plate is slidably disposed on the slide rail. The translation drive is connected to the slide plate and is used to drive the slide plate to reciprocate along the length direction of the bearing mechanism.

8. The harvesting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The harvesting robot includes a holding mechanism, which is located on the same side of the carrying mechanism as the robotic arm mechanism. The container mechanism includes a container basket, a detector, a top cover, and a closing assembly. The closing assembly is connected to the container basket and is used to drive the top cover to cover and / or open the opening of the container basket. The detector is disposed inside the container basket and is used to detect the height of the object placed inside the container basket.

9. The harvesting robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, One end of the top cover is fixed to one end of the opening of the basket, and the other end of the top cover is connected to the lid assembly; The cover assembly further includes a second drive member, a first rotating wheel, a second rotating wheel, and a first belt. The first belt is tensioned and sleeved on the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel. The output end of the second drive member is connected to the first rotating wheel. The second drive member is used to drive the first rotating wheel to rotate so as to drive the first belt to rotate, thereby driving the top cover to move. And / or, the cover assembly further includes a third drive member, a third pulley, a fourth pulley, and a second belt, the second belt being tensioned and sleeved on the third pulley and the fourth pulley, the output end of the third drive member being connected to the third pulley, the third drive member being used to drive the third pulley to rotate so as to drive the second belt to rotate, thereby driving the top cover to move.

10. The harvesting robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner wall of the basket is provided with an annular groove, and the cover assembly is housed in the annular groove. The width of the groove opening is smaller than the diameter of the object to be harvested.

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