Headed vegetable harvesting apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of performing harvesting work of headed vegetables as finely as manual work and capable of reducing the work burden on a worker.SOLUTION: An exemplary headed vegetable harvesting apparatus includes a handle portion, and a harvesting portion for headed vegetables attached to the handle portion. The harvesting portion has a divider to be inserted between leaves of the headed vegetable, and a cutting mechanism for cutting a stem of the headed vegetable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a head vegetable harvesting device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when harvesting head-forming plants (heading vegetables) such as cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and lettuce using a machine, a plant cutting device has been known that can reliably cut between the outer leaves and the head, which is the desired cutting position (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The cutting device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a pair of support posts arranged on both sides of a head plant. When harvesting head plants using this cutting device, the pair of support posts are moved relative to a base and a pair of operation frames rotatably supported by the pair of support posts are rotated to cut the stems with a wire, thereby harvesting the head plants. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4849444 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Head vegetables have short stems that extend above ground. For this reason, when harvesting manually using a harvesting knife, workers are forced to work while crouching, kneeling, or squatting, which can be painful. While it is possible to use large harvesting machines instead of manual labor, this makes it difficult to perform meticulous work such as harvesting the heads while leaving the desired number of outer leaves. Furthermore, the introduction of large harvesting machines presents problems, such as the inability to easily purchase expensive machinery and the fact that they can only be used on large, flat fields.

[0006] Taking these points into consideration, it is conceivable to use the cutting device of Patent Document 1. However, the configuration of Patent Document 1 requires a mechanism for moving a pair of support columns, and a large operating frame that is rotatably supported by the pair of support columns. For this reason, there is a concern that a relatively large device will be required, although it is smaller than a large harvester. If a large device is used, there is a concern that the workload will increase, such as the difficulty of moving the device when harvesting and sorting head vegetables grown in a field.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a technique that enables the harvesting of heading vegetables to be carried out as meticulously as by hand, while reducing the workload of the worker. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An exemplary head vegetable harvesting device of the present invention includes a handle and a head vegetable harvesting unit attached to the handle, the harvesting unit having a divider inserted between the leaves of the head vegetables and a cutting mechanism for cutting the stems of the head vegetables. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the harvesting of heading vegetables can be carried out as meticulously as by hand, and the workload on the worker can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] A side view showing the general configuration of a head vegetable harvesting device. [Figure 2] Schematic perspective view of a head vegetable harvesting device having a modified grip portion [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the harvesting unit has changed its position from the state shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] Block diagram showing the electrical system of the head vegetable harvesting device [Figure 5A] A diagram showing an example of cabbage harvesting using a head vegetable harvesting device [Figure 5B]A diagram showing an example of cabbage harvesting using a head vegetable harvesting device [Figure 6] A plan view showing the general configuration of the harvesting unit [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of a harvesting unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which the divider is removed from the configuration shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows the configuration when the sensor and upper case are removed from the configuration shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a divider; [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a divider; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and unless otherwise required, the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0012] <1. Overview of the head vegetable harvesting device> [1-1. Structure Overview] FIG. 1 is a side view showing the general configuration of a heading vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heading vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is an apparatus used by an operator who harvests heading vegetables in a farm field. The operator can use the heading vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 to harvest heading vegetables one by one. Heading vegetables include, for example, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, etc.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the head vegetable harvesting device 100 includes a handle portion 1 and a head vegetable harvesting portion 2 attached to the handle portion 1.

[0014] The handle portion 1 is the part that an operator who harvests heading vegetables holds on the heading vegetable harvesting device 100. More specifically, the handle portion 1 has a rod portion 11. The rod portion 11 is shaped like a long, thin pillar or tube. In this embodiment, the rod portion 11 has a length suitable for working in a standing position. However, the length of the rod portion 11 may also be a short length suitable for working in a kneeling or crouching position, for example. The harvesting portion 2 is attached to one end of the rod portion 11. The other end of the rod portion 11 is provided with a grip portion 12 that the operator holds in his hand.

[0015] In this embodiment, the grip portion 12 is arc-shaped when viewed from the side. This configuration is suitable for operating the head vegetable harvesting device 100 with one hand to perform harvesting work. In other words, the grip portion 12 can be said to be a grip for one-handed operation. However, the configuration of the grip portion provided on the handle portion 1 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1 and may be changed to other configurations as appropriate.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100A equipped with a modified grip unit 12A. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the grip unit 12A is provided at the end of the rod unit 11 and forms a T-shape together with the rod unit 11. This configuration is suitable for operating the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100A with both hands to perform harvesting work. In other words, the grip unit 12A can be said to be a grip for two-handed operation. For example, the grip unit 12 for one-handed operation as shown in FIG. 1 and the grip unit 12A for two-handed operation as shown in FIG. 2 may be provided interchangeably. This allows the worker to work by switching between grip units depending on their own preference, the degree of fatigue from the work, the conditions of the field, etc.

[0017] The handle 1 may have a fixing part (body attachment part) that fixes the handle 1 to a part of the worker's body (such as the arm) in addition to the grip part 12. For example, by providing a fixing part that fixes the handle 1 to the worker's arm, the strain on the worker's hand and wrist that grasps the grip part 12 can be reduced.

[0018] The harvesting unit 2 is a part that has the function of harvesting heading vegetables that have grown in the field. As shown in Figure 1, the harvesting unit 2 has a divider 21 and a cutting mechanism 22. The divider 21 is inserted between the leaves of the heading vegetables. The cutting mechanism 22 cuts the stems of the heading vegetables. The cutting mechanism 22 has a movable blade 221 (see also Figure 8, etc., described below) that cuts the stems of the heading vegetables. In Figure 1, the movable blade 221 is shown with a dotted line, which means that the movable blade 221 is hidden by the divider 21 and is in a position that cannot be seen. The harvesting unit 2, which has the divider 21 and cutting mechanism 22, will be described in detail below.

[0019] In the following description of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100, directions are defined as follows: The direction parallel to the flat ground 200 is the horizontal direction, and the direction parallel to the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the horizontal direction, is the up-down direction. In the up-down direction, the side on which the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is located relative to the ground 200 is the upper side. When the moving surface on which the movable blade 221 provided in the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 moves is parallel to the horizontal direction (the state shown in Figure 1), the front-to-rear direction is defined as the side on which the movable blade 221 is provided relative to the side on which the rod unit 11 is attached to the harvesting unit 2. In a horizontal plane parallel to the horizontal direction, the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is the left-to-right direction. The direction to the right as seen from the operator facing forward and holding the grip unit 12 is the right side, and the direction to the left is the left side. Note that the above directions are simply names used for explanation and are not intended to limit the actual positional relationships or directions.

[0020] In the drawings, where necessary, the front side is indicated by "F", the rear side by "B", the right side by "R", the left side by "L", the top side by "U", and the bottom side by "D".

[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the harvesting unit 2 has changed its posture from the state shown in FIG. 1. Similarly to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a right side view. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the harvesting unit 2 is connected to the handle unit 1 so that its angle can be changed. More specifically, the harvesting unit 2 is connected to one end of the rod unit 11 so that its angle can be changed. The harvesting unit 2 is connected to one end (lower end) of the rod unit 11 so that it can rotate within a vertical plane.

[0022] The harvesting unit 2 is rotatable from a state in which the movable surface of the movable blade 221 is parallel to the axial direction AX of the rod unit 11, as shown in Figure 3, to a state in which the movable surface of the movable blade 221 is horizontal (the state shown in Figure 1). The axial direction AX of the rod unit 11 is the same as the direction in which the rod unit 11 extends. Because the harvesting unit 2 is angle-adjustable relative to the handle unit 1, an operator who operates the head vegetable harvesting device 100 by holding the grip unit 12 can easily change the angle of the harvesting unit 2 relative to the head vegetables as needed during harvesting work.

[0023] The rod portion 11 and the harvesting portion 2 are connected via a connecting portion 3. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 3 utilizes a mechanical connecting mechanism to enable the angle between the rod portion 11 and the harvesting portion 2 to be changed. However, this is merely an example, and the connecting portion 3 may be configured to enable the angle between the rod portion 11 and the harvesting portion 2 to be changed by being made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0024] In this embodiment, the connecting unit 3 has a connecting shaft 3a and a connecting shaft support portion 3b that supports the connecting shaft 3a. For example, the connecting shaft 3a may be rotatably supported by the connecting shaft support portion 3b. In such a configuration, the connecting shaft 3a may be fixed to one end (lower end) of the rod unit 11, and the connecting shaft support portion 3b may be fixedly disposed in the harvesting unit 2. This allows the rod unit 11 and the harvesting unit 2 to be connected at a variable angle via the connecting unit 3. As another example, the connecting shaft 3a may be fixed to the connecting shaft support portion 3b that is fixedly disposed in the harvesting unit 2. In such a case, one end (lower end) of the rod unit 11 may be rotatably attached to the connecting shaft 3a. In this case, the rod unit 11 and the harvesting unit 2 can also be connected at a variable angle via the connecting unit 3.

[0025] In this embodiment, the connecting shaft support part 3b supported by the harvesting part 2 has an arc-shaped through-hole 3c (see, for example, Figures 5A and 5B described later). The rod part 11 has a rotation restriction pin 111 (see, for example, Figures 5A and 5B described later) attached to its side surface (specifically, the left side surface). The rotation restriction pin 111 protruding from the side surface of the rod part 11 has a shaft portion and a head portion provided at the tip of the shaft portion. The shaft portion of the rotation restriction pin 111 is inserted into the through-hole 3c. The head portion of the rotation restriction pin 111 functions as a stopper that prevents the shaft portion inserted in the through-hole 3c from coming out of the through-hole 3c. The harvesting part 2 is rotatable relative to the rod part 11 within a range (angle range) in which the rotation restriction pin 111 can move within the arc-shaped through-hole 3c.

[0026] The head portion of the rotation restriction pin 111 may be configured to be slidable relative to the shaft portion of the rotation restriction pin 111 using a screw structure. The angle of the harvesting unit 2 relative to the rod unit 11 may be fixed by tightening the screw on the head portion.

[0027] [1-2. Overview of the electrical system] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an outline of the electrical system of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 4, thick arrows indicate the flow of electricity, and thin arrows indicate the flow of signals (information).

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, the head vegetable harvesting device 100 includes a power supply unit 4, an electric motor 5, a switch 6, a sensor 7, and a controller 8.

[0029] The power supply unit 4 supplies power to the various electrical components 5 to 8 included in the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100. The power supply unit 4 may be, for example, a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, or a primary battery that cannot be repeatedly charged. The power supply unit 4 may be, for example, a battery such as a lithium ion battery, a dry cell battery, or the like.

[0030] The power supply unit 4 may be attached to the device body, or may be located remotely from the device body. A configuration in which the power supply unit 4 is located remotely from the device body may, for example, be one in which the power supply unit 4 is located on the person's body. Specifically, the power supply unit 4 may be attached to the waist using a belt or the like, or may be carried on the back. By locating the power supply unit 4 remotely from the device body, the device body of the head vegetable harvesting device 100 can be made lighter, thereby reducing the workload during harvesting.

[0031] The electric motor 5 drives the cutting mechanism 22. In other words, the cutting mechanism 22 is electrically driven. More specifically, the electric motor 5 is provided in the harvesting unit 2 (see FIG. 1). That is, the harvesting unit 2 has the electric motor 5 that drives the cutting mechanism 22. Details of the structure for driving the cutting mechanism 22 by the electric motor 5 will be described later. The electric motor 5 may be provided in the handle unit 1, not just the harvesting unit 2. In this case, the electric motor 5 may be provided, for example, at the end of the rod unit 11 opposite to the end where the harvesting unit 2 is provided. In this case, the rod unit 11 may be provided with a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the electric motor 5 provided in the rod unit 11 to the harvesting unit 2.

[0032] The switch 6 is an operation switch provided to allow an operator to switch the operating state (on / off) of the cutting mechanism 22. Since the cutting mechanism 22 is driven by the electric motor 5, the switch 6 can also be said to be a switch that controls the driving of the electric motor 5. An operation command issued by the operator using the switch 6 is output to the controller 8.

[0033] In this embodiment, the handle 1 has a switch 6 that operates the operation of the cutting mechanism 22. By providing the switch 6 on the handle 1, the operator can easily operate the switch 6. It is preferable that the switch 6 be provided near the grip portions 12, 12A, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, etc. This allows the operator to operate the switch 6 at hand.

[0034] The sensor 7 is a sensor that detects the state of the movable blade 221 provided in the cutting mechanism 22. More specifically, the sensor 7 is a sensor that detects the position of the movable blade 221. The sensor 7 is provided to operate the electrically operated movable blade 221 safely and appropriately. The sensor 7 is disposed in the harvesting unit 2 where the movable blade 221 is provided. Information acquired by the sensor 7 is output to the controller 8. Details of the sensor 7 will be described later.

[0035] The controller 8 controls the operation of the electric motor 5 in response to commands received from the switch 6 and information from the sensor 7. The controller 8 may be configured using, for example, a processor driven by software (program) or an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). In some cases, the controller 8 may be a driver circuit that switches the operation of the electric motor 5 simply by turning the switch 6 on and off.

[0036] As described above, the electric motor 5 is an electrical component that drives the cutting mechanism 22, and therefore the controller 8 controls the electric motor 5, thereby ultimately controlling the operation of the cutting mechanism 22. The controller 8 may be disposed in an appropriate location on the device body, but, like the power supply unit 4, it may also be disposed in a location remote from the device body. For example, the controller 8, together with the power supply unit 4, may be worn around the waist of the operator or carried on the operator's back.

[0037] [1-3. Harvesting head vegetables] Next, an example of harvesting work of heading vegetables in a farm field using the heading vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 will be described. Figures 5A and 5B are diagrams showing an example of harvesting work of cabbages 300 using the heading vegetable harvesting apparatus 100. The harvesting work of cabbages 300 proceeds in the order of Figures 5A and 5B.

[0038] When harvesting cabbage 300, an operator (not shown) stands next to the cabbage 300 to be harvested. Then, as shown in Figure 5A, the operator aligns the divider 21 of the head vegetable harvesting device 100 between the desired leaves of the cabbage 300 and pushes down the entire device to insert the divider 21 between the leaves.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5A etc., a cabbage 300 grown in a field has a head 301 and outer leaves 302 surrounding the head 301. The outer leaves 302 are leaves at the tip side, opposite the base, that do not face inward and do not form part of the head 301. The outer leaves 302 may not be present. If the outer leaves 302 are not present, the divider 21 does not need to be inserted between the leaves. There may be only one outer leaf 302, or multiple outer leaves 302 may be present overlapping each other.

[0040] In the example shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the divider 21 is inserted between the outermost leaf of the head 301 and the outer leaves 302 (i.e., between the head 301 and the outer leaves 302). However, if multiple outer leaves 302 are present overlapping each other, the divider 21 may be inserted between the outer leaves 302. In this way, the outer leaves 302 can be left on the harvest side and can be used as cushioning material when packaging the cabbage 300 for shipping. Even if outer leaves 302 are present, the divider 21 does not need to be inserted between the leaves in order to leave all of the outer leaves 302. If the divider 21 is not inserted between the leaves, the divider 21 can be pushed down so that it is aligned with the outermost leaf of the cabbage 300 (which may or may not be the outer leaf 302).

[0041] When the entire head vegetable harvesting device 100 is pushed down, the connecting part 3 causes the harvesting part 2 to bend relative to the handle part 1 (rod part 11). The harvesting part 2 is then set in a state where the movable surface of the movable blade 221 (see FIG. 1) is horizontal or at an angle close to horizontal. FIG. 5B shows this set state. In this set state, the movable blade 221 can cut the stems of the cabbages 300. The configuration of the movable blade 221 will be described in detail below.

[0042] Once the device is set, the operator presses switch 6 (see Figure 1, etc.). When switch 6 is pressed, the electric motor 5 is driven and the movable blade 221 begins to operate. The movable blade 221 operates to cut the stems 303 of the cabbages 300. After the stems 303 have been cut, the movable blade 221 is returned to its original position. The operator then lifts the entire head vegetable harvesting device 100 and moves it to the position of the next cabbage 300 to be harvested. By collecting the cabbages 300 whose stems 303 have been cut, the harvesting of the cabbages 300 is completed.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is lifted after cutting the stems 303 of the cabbages 300, the harvesting unit 2 automatically returns, under its own weight, to a position suitable for inserting the divider 21 between the leaves, as shown in FIG. 5A (or FIG. 3). That is, when the harvesting unit 2 is lifted from a cutting position in which the cutting mechanism 22 cuts the head vegetables, it automatically returns to an inserting position in which the divider 21 is inserted between the leaves. Specifically, when the harvesting unit 2 is lifted from a cutting position in which the moving surface of the movable blade 221 of the cutting mechanism 22 intersects with the axial direction AX of the rod unit 11, it returns, under its own weight, to an inserting position in which the moving surface of the movable blade 221 is parallel to the axial direction AX of the rod unit 11. This eliminates the need for the operator to manually adjust the position of the harvesting unit 2 when moving on to harvesting the next cabbage 300. This position change is achieved by the connecting unit 3 described above. The change in attitude is realized by utilizing the relationship between the through hole 3c provided in the connecting shaft support portion 3b and the rotation restriction pin 111, as described above.

[0044] As described above, by using the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100, an operator can easily cut the stems of head vegetables (e.g., cabbage 300) while standing without bending over. Furthermore, the operator can harvest head vegetables by using the divider 21, leaving the desired number of outer leaves on the harvesting side. The operator aligns the divider 21, allowing the operator to accurately leave the desired number of outer leaves. In other words, by using the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the head vegetable harvesting operation can be performed as meticulously as by hand, while also reducing the operator's workload. Furthermore, since the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is not a large machine, its use is not restricted by the size of the field, making it easy for the operator to use. Furthermore, the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is smaller and has fewer parts than large harvesters, allowing it to be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0045] Furthermore, with the use of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100, because the cutting mechanism 22 is electrically driven, cutting of head vegetables can be performed quickly and with a reduced workload. Furthermore, because the motorization is limited to cutting the stems, the weight of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 can be reduced. As a result, the workload on the worker who harvests using the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 can be reduced. Furthermore, the ease of cutting the stems of head vegetables varies depending on the season, for example, they become hard in winter, but because the cutting mechanism 22 of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100 is electrically driven, stems can be easily cut even in seasons when the stems are hard.

[0046] <2. Details of the harvesting area> The following describes in detail the harvesting unit 2. As described above, the harvesting unit 2 mainly includes the divider 21, the cutting mechanism 22, and the electric motor 5.

[0047] [2-1. Cutting mechanism and electric motor] First, the cutting mechanism 22 and the electric motor 5 will be described. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the general configuration of the harvesting section 2 provided in the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of the harvesting section 2 provided in the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration when the divider 21 is removed from the configuration shown in Fig. 7.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the cutting mechanism 22 has a cutting unit 22a and a power transmission unit 22b. The cutting unit 22a has a function of cutting the stems of head vegetables. The power transmission unit 22b has a function of transmitting the driving force of the electric motor 5 to the cutting unit 22a. In the harvesting unit 2, the cutting unit 22a is arranged on the front side, and the power transmission unit 22b is arranged on the rear side.

[0049] The cutting unit 22a has a movable blade 221 and a fixed blade 222. That is, the cutting unit 22a is configured as scissors. However, since it is only necessary to be able to cut the stems of head vegetables, the cutting unit 22a may be configured as a single blade. In this embodiment, the movable blade 221 is a cutting blade, and the fixed blade 222 is a receiving blade. It is also possible for both the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 to be cutting blades. It is also possible for the movable blade 221 to be a receiving blade, and the fixed blade 222 to be a cutting blade.

[0050] The movable blade 221 is attached to a rotation shaft 223 disposed on the blade root side (rear side) and rotates together with the rotation shaft 223. The rotation shaft 223 is columnar and extends in the vertical direction, and rotates about an axis extending in the vertical direction. The movable blade 221, which rotates together with the rotation shaft 223, rotates about the axis in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. The driving force of the electric motor 5 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 223 via the power transmission unit 22b, and the rotation shaft 223 rotates due to the transmitted driving force. The rotation shaft 223 is rotatably supported by a case 224 included in the power transmission unit 22b. The fixed blade 222 has a blade root side fixed to the case 224. The movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 protrude forward from the front of the case 224.

[0051] The scissors, which are made up of the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222, are normally in an open state in which the tip (front end) of the movable blade 221 and the tip (front end) of the fixed blade 222 are spaced apart in the left-right direction. That is, the scissors are in this open state before cutting the stems of head vegetables. From the open state of the scissors, the movable blade 221 rotates together with the rotating shaft 223 so that the tip of the movable blade 221 approaches the tip of the fixed blade 222, thereby cutting the stems of the head vegetables. After the stems have been cut, the scissors are returned to the open state.

[0052] 9 is a diagram showing the configuration shown in FIG. 8 with the sensor 7 and upper case 224U removed. As described above, the sensor 7 is a sensor that detects the state of the movable blade 221. The upper case 224U is the upper case of the case part 224 of the power transmission part 22b. In this embodiment, the case part 224 is obtained by stacking the upper case 224U and the lower case 224L in the vertical direction and fastening them with screws.

[0053] The fixed blade 222 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper case 224U. The connecting shaft support 3b of the connecting part 3 that connects the handle part 1 and the harvesting part 2 is erected on the rear part of the upper surface of the upper case 224U. The electric motor 5 is also arranged on the rear part of the upper surface of the upper case 224U so as to be adjacent to the connecting shaft support 3b on the left and right. The electric motor 5 is arranged on the right side of the rear of the upper case 224U. In FIG. 9, these components attached to the upper case 224U are not removed in order to make their positional relationships easier to understand.

[0054] The electric motor 5 is disposed above the upper case 224U with its output shaft (not shown) extending in the vertical direction. More specifically, the electric motor 5 is disposed in the upper case 224U via a reducer 9 which is fixed to the upper surface of the upper case 224U using fasteners such as screws. The electric motor 5 and the reducer 9 are arranged vertically, with the electric motor 5 on top and the reducer 9 on the bottom. The reducer 9 reduces the output rotational speed of the electric motor 5 and outputs it. The output shaft (not shown) of the reducer 9 also extends vertically like the output shaft of the electric motor 5 and protrudes into the case portion 224.

[0055] 9, an annular output shaft gear 225 is fixedly attached to the output shaft of the reducer 9. That is, the output shaft gear 225 rotates when the electric motor 5 is driven. The output shaft gear 225 is disposed in a case portion 224. In addition to the output shaft gear 225, an intermediate gear 226 and a cutting portion gear 227 are also disposed in the case portion 224.

[0056] The intermediate gear 226 is configured in an annular shape and is fixedly attached to an intermediate rotation shaft 228 that is rotatably supported within the case 224. The intermediate rotation shaft 228 is columnar and extends in the vertical direction. The cutting unit gear 227 is configured in a fan shape in a plan view and is fixedly attached to the rotation shaft 223 to which the movable blade 221 is attached. Note that although the cutting unit gear 227 may be configured in an annular shape, it is configured in a fan shape in a plan view in order to make the harvesting unit 2 compact.

[0057] The intermediate gear 226 is disposed between the output shaft gear 225 and the cutting unit gear 227 in the front-rear direction, and meshes with both gears 225, 227. That is, when the output shaft gear 225 rotates, the intermediate gear 226 and the cutting unit gear 227 rotate. The output shaft gear 225 rotates when driven by the electric motor 5, and the rotation of the cutting unit gear 227 rotates the rotating shaft 223 to which the movable blade 221 is attached. Therefore, by driving the electric motor 5, the movable blade 221 can be rotated. By changing the rotation direction of the electric motor 5, the scissors consisting of the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 can be opened and closed.

[0058] The intermediate gear 226 does not necessarily have to be provided, and the output shaft gear 225 and the cutting unit gear 227 may be configured to mesh with each other. However, in order to avoid contact between the harvested heading vegetables and the electric motor 5, it is preferable to increase the distance in the front-to-rear direction between the cutting unit 22a and the electric motor 5 to a certain extent. To increase this distance, the diameters of the output shaft gear 225 and the cutting unit gear 227 may be increased, but in this case, the lateral width (width in the left-right direction) of the harvesting unit 2 will increase. In this embodiment, the intermediate gear 226 is provided in order to reduce the lateral width of the harvesting unit 2 while avoiding contact between the electric motor 5 and the heading vegetables.

[0059] In this embodiment, the sensor 7 detects the rotation angle of the intermediate rotation shaft portion 228. The sensor 7 is preferably a non-contact sensor, such as a magnetic or optical sensor. The controller 8 determines the position of the movable blade 221 from the rotation angle detected by the sensor 7. Then, the controller 8 controls the drive of the electric motor 5 according to the determined position, and moves the movable blade 221 to an appropriate position according to the operation of the switch 6 by the operator.

[0060] In this embodiment, the sensor 7 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the intermediate rotating shaft 228, but it may also be configured to detect the rotation angle of the output shaft of the reducer 9 or the rotating shaft 223 to which the movable blade 221 is attached. However, if the sensor 7 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the output shaft of the reducer 9, the height position of the electric motor 5 will be higher. Also, if the sensor 7 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the output shaft of the rotating shaft 223, the thickness of the cutting portion 22a will be thicker. Taking these points into consideration, in this embodiment, the sensor 7 is disposed on the intermediate rotating shaft 228, which is less likely to be affected by the vertical thickness of the harvesting portion as a whole.

[0061] Furthermore, since the sensor 7 only needs to be able to detect the position of the movable blade 221, it may be configured as a contact sensor such as a limit switch that is turned on and off according to the position of the cutting gear 227. However, from the viewpoint of extending the lifespan, it is preferable that the sensor 7 be configured as a non-contact sensor.

[0062] [2-2. Divider] Next, the detailed configuration of the divider 21 will be described. Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the general configuration of the divider 21 provided in the harvesting unit 2. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of the divider 21 provided in the harvesting unit 2. Fig. 11 is a perspective view seen from diagonally below and behind, which is viewed from a different direction than Fig. 10.

[0063] The divider 21 is made of, for example, resin. The divider 21 may be made of a single member, or may be made of multiple members. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the divider 21 is made of an upper divider member 21U and a lower divider member 21L. The upper divider member 21U and the lower divider member 21L are bonded together, for example, with an adhesive. The upper divider member 21U forms an opposing surface portion including an opposing surface facing the harvest side of the head vegetables. The lower divider member 21L forms a bottom surface portion of the divider 2. That is, the divider 2 has an opposing surface portion 21U and a bottom surface portion 21L.

[0064] The upper divider member 21U has a flat plate shape that extends horizontally at the front and a curved shape at the rear. That is, the upper divider member 21U has an upper divider flat plate portion 21U1 and a curved portion 21U2. The curved portion 21U2 is configured so that its vertical height increases from the front to the rear. The upper divider member 21U configured in this manner is J-shaped when viewed from the left and right, and more specifically, has the shape of a "J" turned sideways. The upper divider member 21U has an upper divider recess 21U3 at its front end that is recessed toward the rear. By providing the upper divider recess 21U3, the upper divider member 21U has two upper divider corner portions 21U4 at its front end.

[0065] The lower divider member 21L is configured to be stacked vertically on the front portion of the upper divider member 21U, and is shorter in the front-to-rear direction than the upper divider member 21U. The lower divider member 21L has a lower divider flat plate portion 21L1 that extends horizontally and a rear wall portion 21L2 that extends downward from the rear end of the lower divider flat plate portion 21L1. The lower divider member 21L configured in this manner is L-shaped in a side view from the left and right, and more specifically, has the shape of an L lying on its side. A lower divider first recess 21L3 that is recessed downward is provided on the upper surface of the lower divider flat plate portion 21L1. In addition, a lower divider second recess 21L4 that is recessed rearward is provided on the front end of the lower divider flat plate portion 21L1. By providing the lower divider second recess 21L4, the lower divider member 21L has two lower divider corner portions 21L5.

[0066] When the upper divider member 21U and the lower divider member 21L are stacked vertically, the upper divider corner 21U4 and the lower divider corner 21L5 overlap on the left and right sides. As a result, the divider 21 has a recess 21a at its front end that is recessed rearward (see FIG. 6, etc.).

[0067] Furthermore, because the lower divider first recess 21L3 is provided in the lower divider member 21L, the divider 21 formed by combining the upper divider member 21U and the lower divider member 21L has an internal space 21b (see FIG. 11) in the front portion. The internal space 21b communicates with the outside through a rear opening 21c (see FIG. 11) provided in the rear surface of the lower divider member 21L. The internal space 21b also communicates with the outside through an inner surface opening 21d (see FIGS. 7 and 11, etc.) formed in the portion where the lower divider second recess 21L4 is provided.

[0068] [2-3. Relationship between the divider and the cutting mechanism] Next, the relationship between the divider 21 and the cutting mechanism 22 will be described.

[0069] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, the cutting mechanism 22 is positioned below the upper surface of the divider 21. In other words, the cutting mechanism 22 is positioned on the side of the divider 21 opposite the opposing surface that faces the harvesting side of the head vegetables. This configuration allows the cutting unit 22a to be covered. This allows the cutting unit 22a to be covered with a cover that is shaped to be easily inserted between the leaves of the head vegetables, allowing the cutting unit 22a to smoothly reach the stem area. This also prevents the cutting unit 22a from damaging the head and outer leaves of the head vegetables. Furthermore, this configuration improves the safety of the head vegetable harvesting apparatus 100. It is sufficient that at least a portion of the cutting mechanism 22 is positioned on the side of the divider 21 opposite the opposing surface that faces the harvesting side of the head vegetables.

[0070] The divider 21 is supported by the cutting mechanism 22. Specifically, the divider 21 is fixed to a case 224 of the cutting mechanism 22 using fasteners such as screws. Before the divider 21 is fixed to the case 224, the movable blade 221 and fixed blade 222 of the cutting mechanism 22 are placed into the internal space 21b through the rear opening 21c (see FIG. 11). Then, with the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 placed in the internal space 21b, the divider 21 is fixed to the case 224. As can be seen from the above description, the movable blade (cutting blade) 221 and the fixed blade (receiving blade) 222 are arranged between the upper and lower surfaces of the divider 21. In other words, the cutting blade and the receiving blade are arranged between the opposing surface 21U and the bottom surface 21L. By protecting the cutting portion 22a from the upper and lower surfaces in this way, the durability of the blade that constitutes the cutting portion 22a can be improved, and safety during work can be improved.

[0071] As described above, the divider 21 is provided with an inner surface opening 21d. Therefore, even when the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 are placed in the internal space 21b, the inner surface opening 21d can be used to place the movable blade 221 and the fixed blade 222 in a closed state where they overlap each other.

[0072] 6, in this embodiment, at least a portion of the movable blade (cutting blade) 221 of the cutting mechanism 22 is covered by the divider 21 before the stems of the head vegetables are cut. In detail, the movable blade 221 is completely covered by the upper surface of the divider 21 and is therefore not visible. By completely covering the movable blade 221, which is a cutting blade, with the upper surface of the divider 21, the possibility of an operator coming into contact with the cutting blade can be reduced, thereby improving safety.

[0073] In this embodiment, the fixed blade 222 is configured so that only a portion of it is covered by the upper surface of the divider 21. This is because the fixed blade 222 is a receiving blade and not a cutting blade, and by configuring the position of the fixed blade 222 to be visible, it is possible to make it easier for the worker to visually confirm the area around the stem to be cut. However, the fixed blade 222 may also be configured so that it is completely covered by the upper surface of the divider 21.

[0074] As can be seen from the above description of the structure of the divider 21, the divider 21 has a recess 21a at its tip, which is recessed in the opposite direction to the insertion direction when inserted between the leaves of a head vegetable. When harvesting head vegetables, the stems of the head vegetables are placed in the recess 21a, and the stems are cut using the movable blade 221. The recess 21a prevents the blade from slipping off the stem due to insufficient friction when cutting with the cutting part 22a (when the scissors are closed). More specifically, the left corner 21e (see FIG. 6, etc.) formed by the recess 21a can prevent the blade from slipping off the stem. The shape of the right corner 21f (see FIG. 6, etc.) formed by the recess 21a is different from the shape of the left corner 21e. This is because the right corner 21f has a different function from the left corner 21e. The right corner 21f is configured in a shape that allows the divider 21 to be easily inserted.

[0075] As can be seen from the above description of the upper divider member 21U, the divider 21 has a curved portion 21U2 whose height increases in the direction opposite to the insertion direction between the leaves. In other words, in a preferred embodiment, the divider 21 has an inclined portion whose height increases in the direction opposite to the insertion direction between the leaves. The inclined portion may be formed as an inclined surface in addition to a curved surface as in this embodiment. In this embodiment, by adopting such a configuration, the divider 21 is disposed between the harvested portion of the heading vegetables and the electric motor 5. By disposing the divider 21 between the harvested heading vegetables and the electric motor 5, the possibility of the harvested heading vegetables colliding with the electric motor 5 and being damaged can be reduced.

[0076] <3. Things to keep in mind> Various modifications can be made to the various technical features disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. Furthermore, multiple embodiments, examples, and modifications shown in this specification can be combined to the extent possible.

[0077] <4. Notes> An exemplary heading vegetable harvesting device of the present invention may comprise a handle portion and a heading vegetable harvesting portion attached to the handle portion, and the harvesting portion may be configured (first configuration) to have a divider that is inserted between the leaves of the heading vegetables and a cutting mechanism that cuts the stems of the heading vegetables.

[0078] In the above-mentioned first configuration of the head vegetable harvesting device, the cutting mechanism may be configured (second configuration) to be arranged on the side of the divider opposite to the opposing surface that faces the harvest side of the head vegetable.

[0079] In the head vegetable harvesting device of the second configuration described above, at least a part of the cutting blade of the cutting mechanism may be configured (third configuration) to be covered by the divider before the stems are cut.

[0080] In the head vegetable harvesting device of the third configuration described above, the divider may have a bottom surface portion, and the cutting blade may be configured (fourth configuration) to be positioned between an opposing surface portion including the opposing surface and the bottom surface portion.

[0081] In the head vegetable harvesting device of any of the above-mentioned first to fourth configurations, the divider may be configured (fifth configuration) to have an inclined portion whose height increases as it moves toward the opposite side of the direction of insertion between the leaves.

[0082] In the head vegetable harvesting device of any of the above-mentioned first to fifth configurations, the divider may be configured (sixth configuration) to have a recess at the tip that becomes the tip when inserted between the leaves, which recesses in the opposite direction to the insertion direction.

[0083] In the head vegetable harvesting device having any of the first to sixth configurations described above, the harvesting section may be connected to the handle section so that its angle can be changed (seventh configuration).

[0084] In the head vegetable harvesting device of any of the above configurations 1 to 7, the handle portion may have a rod portion, and the harvesting portion may be connected to one end of the rod portion so that the angle can be changed (configuration 8).

[0085] In the head vegetable harvesting device of the seventh or eighth configuration above, the harvesting section may be configured (ninth configuration) to automatically return to an insertion position in which the divider is inserted between leaves when lifted from a cutting position in which the head vegetable is cut by the cutting mechanism.

[0086] In the head vegetable harvesting device of any of the above configurations 1 to 9, the cutting mechanism may be electrically operated, and the handle portion may be configured to have a switch for operating the operation of the cutting mechanism (configuration 10).

[0087] In the head vegetable harvesting device of any of the above configurations 1 to 10, the harvesting section may have an electric motor that drives the cutting mechanism, and the divider may be configured (configuration 11) to be positioned between the harvest side portion of the head vegetable and the electric motor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 Handle 2. Harvesting section 5. Electric motor 6···Switch 11 Rod section 21 Divider 21a Recess 21U2···Bend 22...Cutting mechanism 100, 100A... Head vegetable harvesting device 221...Movable blade (cutting blade) 300 Cabbage (head vegetable) 302...outer leaf 303 Stem

Claims

1. The handle and A head vegetable harvesting unit attached to the handle; Equipped with The harvesting unit is a divider to be inserted between the leaves of the head vegetable; a cutting mechanism for cutting the stems of the head vegetables; A head vegetable harvesting device having the above structure.

2. 2. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the cutting mechanism is disposed on a surface of the divider opposite to an opposing surface facing the harvest side of the head vegetable.

3. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the cutting blade of the cutting mechanism is covered by the divider before the stems are cut.

4. the divider has a bottom surface; The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 3 , wherein the cutting blade is disposed between an opposing surface portion including the opposing surface and the bottom surface portion.

5. 2. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the divider has an inclined portion whose height increases toward the opposite side of the direction in which the divider is inserted between the leaves.

6. 2. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the divider has a recess at a tip portion that becomes the tip when inserted between the leaves, the recess being recessed in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

7. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1 , wherein the harvesting unit is connected to the handle unit so that an angle of the harvesting unit can be changed.

8. The handle portion has a rod portion, The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1 , wherein the harvesting section is connected to one end of the rod section so that the angle of the harvesting section can be changed.

9. 8. The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 7, wherein when the harvesting section is lifted from a cutting position in which the head vegetable is cut by the cutting mechanism, the harvesting section automatically returns to an inserting position in which the divider is inserted between leaves.

10. the cutting mechanism is electrically driven; The head vegetable harvesting device according to claim 1 , wherein the handle portion has a switch for operating the cutting mechanism.

11. The harvesting unit has an electric motor that drives the cutting mechanism, 7. The head vegetable harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the divider is disposed between the harvest side portion of the head vegetable and the electric motor.

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