Crop Harvesting System

Abstract

To provide a crop harvesting system that enables miniaturization of a harvesting vehicle and simplification of a mechanism and control of the harvesting vehicle.SOLUTION: A crop harvesting system includes: a cultivation bed that is provided in cultivation equipment; a harvesting vehicle that has an imaging device for taking an image of a crop cultivated by the cultivation bed and a harvesting part for harvesting the imaged crop; and a storage container that is arranged near the cultivation bed. The harvesting vehicle is constituted so that the crop harvested by the harvesting part can be stored in the storage container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a harvesting system for harvesting crops such as fruit vegetables grown in a plurality of cultivation beds provided within a cultivation facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a harvesting vehicle that moves between multiple cultivation beds and uses a harvesting hand body (a so-called arm) to harvest crops such as fruit vegetables grown in the cultivation beds one after another. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-58281 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the harvesting vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the vehicle becomes large because the harvested crops are stored in a storage container (storage bucket) mounted on the vehicle. Also, storing the harvested crops in the storage container using the harvesting hand body has the problem that the mechanism and control become complicated.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a crop harvesting system that enables the size of the harvesting vehicle to be reduced and the mechanism and control of the harvesting vehicle to be simplified. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to A cultivation bed provided in the cultivation facility; a harvesting vehicle having an imaging device that captures images of the crops grown in the cultivation beds and a harvesting unit that harvests the crops captured by the imaging device; a storage container disposed near the cultivation bed; The harvesting vehicle is provided with a crop harvesting system configured to store crops harvested by the harvesting section in the storage container.

[0007] According to the present invention, crops harvested by the harvesting section of the harvesting vehicle are stored in a storage container placed near the cultivation bed.This means that no space is required to mount the storage container on the harvesting vehicle, making it possible to make the harvesting vehicle smaller.In addition, since no mechanism or control is required to store the harvested crops in the harvesting vehicle, the mechanism and control of the harvesting vehicle can be simplified.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, The container is a gutter that is arranged along the growing bed and receives drainage from the growing bed.

[0009] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gutter that receives drainage from the cultivation bed is used as a container for storing harvested crops, so that existing cultivation equipment can be used and capital investment can be reduced.

[0010] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, Further, a collection vehicle is provided to collect the crops stored in the storage container, After the harvesting operation by the harvesting vehicle is completed, the recovery operation is carried out by the recovery vehicle.

[0011] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, harvesting operations are performed by harvesting vehicles and recovery operations are performed by recovery vehicles, thereby simplifying the mechanisms and control of each vehicle, and since crop harvesting operations and recovery operations are performed at different times, there is no need for communication or the process of handing over boxes containing crops between the harvesting vehicles and the recovery vehicles, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, The container is configured to be switchable between a storage position in which it can store crops and a recovery position in which it can recover the crops using the recovery vehicle.

[0013] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage container is configured to be switchable between a storage position in which crops can be stored and a recovery position in which the crops can be recovered by a recovery vehicle, so that crops harvested by a harvesting vehicle and stored in the storage container can be recovered efficiently. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a crop harvesting system that enables the size of the harvesting vehicle to be reduced and the mechanism and control of the harvesting vehicle to be simplified. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a harvesting system and a cultivation facility according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2(a) is an explanatory diagram of crops being harvested by a harvesting vehicle in the sub-passage shown in Figure 1, viewed from the Y direction, and Figure 2(b) is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the cultivation bed, viewed from the X direction. [Figure 3] Figure 3(a) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the coordinated harvesting and recovery operations by conventional cooperative vehicles, and Figure 3(b) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the harvesting and recovery operations by the harvesting vehicles and recovery vehicles of the harvesting system of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing how crops are collected by the collection vehicle according to the embodiment shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing how a plurality of harvesting vehicles perform a crop harvesting operation in the embodiment shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing how crops are removed from a multi-tiered rack. [Figure 7]Figure 7(a) is a schematic rear view showing the area around the wheels of a conventional traveling vehicle, Figure 7(b) is a schematic rear view showing a configuration in which four wheels can be driven independently, and Figure 7(c) is a schematic rear view showing the area around the wheels of a harvesting vehicle and a recovery vehicle according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 8(a) is a schematic plan view showing the situation when the center of rotation of the wheel is located above the wheel, Figure 8(b) is a schematic plan view of the area near the wheel shown in Figure 7(c), and Figure 8(c) is a schematic side view showing the area near the wheel as viewed from the direction of arrow α shown in Figure 8(b). [Figure 9] Figure 9(a) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of the wheel, showing the state in which the wheel shown in Figure 7(c) is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and Figure 9(b) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of the wheel, showing the state in which the wheel shown in Figure 7(c) is positioned on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view showing how crops 40 are collected by a collection vehicle 4 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory view showing how crops 40 are collected by a collection vehicle 4 according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic explanatory view showing how crops stored in a gutter are collected by a collection vehicle in a harvesting system according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a harvesting system and a cultivation facility according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the cultivation facility is provided with a cultivation room 1 where plants are cultivated and where the indoor environment, such as temperature and humidity, is controlled, and a shipping room (fruit sorting area) 2.

[0019] Within the cultivation room 1, there is a main passage 14 along which the harvesting vehicle 3 and recovery vehicle 4 of the harvesting system of the present invention move, and on both sides of the main passage 14, there are arranged a pair of cultivation units 6A, 6B each equipped with a number of cultivation beds 5 for cultivating crops.

[0020] Each cultivation bed 5 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the main passage 14 and is approximately parallel to each other, and sub-passages 6 extending vertically from the main passage 14 are provided between the cultivation beds 5.

[0021] In the following explanation, the direction in which the cultivation beds 5 are lined up is the X direction, the horizontal direction perpendicular to this X direction is the Y direction, the direction in the X direction approaching the shipping room 2 is the +X direction, and the direction away from the shipping room 2 is the -X direction.

[0022] The shipping room 2 is equipped with a nutrient solution supplying device 11 that supplies nutrient solution to each cultivation bed 5, and a sorting device 12 that sorts harvested plants by weight, size, or grade. The sorting device 12 has a sorting conveyor 13 that transports and sorts the crops, and crop storage sections 12 for each grade are provided on both sides of the sorting conveyor 13. Workers can move between the cultivation room 1 and the shipping room 2 through an entrance / exit 15.

[0023] Figure 2(a) is an explanatory diagram of crops being harvested by a harvesting vehicle 3 in the sub-passage 6 shown in Figure 1, viewed from the Y direction, and Figure 2(b) is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the cultivation bed 5, viewed from the X direction.

[0024] The crop harvesting system of this embodiment includes a number of cultivation beds 5 arranged within the cultivation room 1 of the cultivation facility, stem holders 15 that receive plant stems and prevent the leaves from drooping excessively, gutters 16 that extend along the cultivation beds 5 and receive drainage from the cultivation beds 5, harvesting shelves 34, a harvesting vehicle 3 that harvests crops 40 grown in the cultivation beds 5, a recovery vehicle 4 (see Figure 1) that recovers the crops 40 harvested by the harvesting vehicle 3, and running rails 8 arranged in each sub-passage 6.

[0025] The harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 are each configured to be able to travel on running rails 8 installed on the floor of each sub-passage 6 and on the main passage 14, and within each sub-passage 6, harvesting work can be performed on crops 40 grown in cultivation beds 5 or recovery work of harvested crops 40.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), harvesting shelves 34 are attached to the underside of the stem holders 15, and the harvesting shelves 34 extend in the Y direction along the gutters 16 and are arranged at intervals similar to the spacing of the stem holders 15. At the upper end of the harvesting shelves 34, the edge on the +X side is fixed to the underside of the stem holders 15 by hinges 28.

[0027] The harvesting vehicle 3 is equipped with a total of four wheels 18 located on the left front, left rear, right front and right rear of the vehicle, as well as drive mechanisms for each wheel 18, an imaging device (not shown) that captures images of the cultivated crops 40, an arm 35 that harvests the crops 40, a rail sensor that detects the traveling rails 8, and a control device that controls these.

[0028] The control device is configured to identify the three-dimensional position of the crop 40 imaged by the imaging device, drive the arm 35 to match that position to harvest the crop 40, and store the harvested crop 40 on the harvest shelf 34 whose three-dimensional position is identified by the imaging device.

[0029] In this way, the harvested crops 40 are stored not in the vehicle itself but in the harvesting racks 34 provided near the cultivation beds 5, so there is no need to provide the harvesting vehicle 3 with a mechanism, control, or space for storing the harvested crops 40, which allows the harvesting vehicle 3 to be made smaller and the configuration of the harvesting vehicle 3 to be simplified. Note that it is not necessarily necessary to detect the position of the harvesting rack 34 with an imaging device, and the arm 35 may be driven to store the harvested crops 40 in the harvesting rack 34 based on the relative position of the harvesting rack 34 with respect to the traveling rails 8 on which the harvesting vehicle 3 travels.

[0030] Figure 3(a) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the coordinated harvesting and recovery operations by conventional cooperative vehicles, and Figure 3(b) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the harvesting and recovery operations by the harvesting vehicle 3 and recovery vehicle 4 of the harvesting system of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0031] In conventional cooperative harvesting vehicles (harvesting robots) and recovery vehicles (recovery robots), they are mechanically connected to each other so that they can communicate information with each other. The harvesting vehicle harvests crops and stores them in boxes, then transports the boxes containing the crops to the recovery vehicle, and the recovery vehicle then hands over the empty boxes to the harvesting vehicle via an automated mechanism. This creates the problem that the connected vehicles end up becoming excessively large.

[0032] In addition, information must be communicated between the harvesting vehicle and the collection vehicle each time, and it is necessary to enable the transfer of boxes and linked control, which creates the problem of complex mechanisms and controls.

[0033] In view of this situation, in this embodiment, the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 are configured to be independent of each other, and after the crops 40 are stored on the harvesting shelf 34 by the harvesting vehicle 3 traveling on the traveling rails 8, the recovery vehicle 4 travels on the traveling rails 8 and recovers the crops 40 stored on the harvesting shelf 34 one after another based on the operator's operation to start recovery.

[0034] Specifically, a harvesting shelf 34 is provided near the cultivation bed 5, and after the harvesting vehicle 3 stores the harvested crops 40 on the harvesting shelf 34, the recovery vehicle 4 recovers the crops 40 stored on the harvesting shelf 34. This allows the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 to be configured compactly, and the mechanisms and controls of the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 can be simplified.

[0035] In addition, since the harvesting work and the collection work are carried out at different times, there is no need for communication or the process of handing over boxes between the harvesting vehicle 3 and the collection vehicle 4, which improves work efficiency.

[0036] In this embodiment, after the harvesting vehicle 3 has finished harvesting the crops 40 from each cultivation bed 5, the collection vehicle 4 starts collecting the crops 40 stored on the harvest shelves 34 located near the harvested cultivation bed 5 based on the operator's instruction to start collection. However, the collection vehicle may be configured to automatically start collecting the crops from the cultivation beds from which the harvesting vehicle has finished harvesting, or may be configured to automatically start collecting the crops from all cultivation beds from which the harvesting vehicle has finished harvesting. Furthermore, the collection of the crops may be performed manually by the operator the day after the harvesting by the harvesting vehicle, rather than by the collection vehicle. When collected manually by the operator, conventional carts and boxes can be used for collection, thereby reducing capital investment.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing how crops 40 are collected by the collection vehicle 4 according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0038] The collection vehicle 4 is equipped with an imaging device for identifying the harvest shelves 34, a rail sensor for detecting the traveling rails 8, an air cylinder 42 mounted on the top of the vehicle, a multi-tiered rack 43 for storing the collected crops 40, a chute 44 mounted on the side of the vehicle, four wheels 18 mounted on the left front, left rear, right front, and right rear of the vehicle, drive mechanisms for each wheel 18, and a control device for controlling these. The four wheels 18 of the collection vehicle 4 and the drive mechanisms for each wheel 18, which will be described in detail later, are the same as the wheels 18 and their drive mechanisms of the harvest vehicle 3.

[0039] When positioned on the sub-passage 6 and to the side of each harvest shelf 34 (adjacent to each harvest shelf 34 in the X direction), the control device of the recovery vehicle 4 extends the air cylinder 42 in the +X direction shown in Figure 4.

[0040] As shown in the speech bubble in Figure 4, when crops 40 are being cultivated, the edge of each harvest shelf 34 on the sub-passage 6 side (the edge on the -X side) is hooked onto an L-shaped protrusion 47 formed on the underside of the stem holder 15 and is attached.When crops 40 are being collected, when the air cylinder 42 is extended, it comes into contact with the upper side of the harvest shelf 34, causing the upper side of the harvest shelf 34 to bend toward the +X side, thereby releasing the hook from the stem holder 15.

[0041] As a result, gravity causes the harvesting shelf 34 to rotate to the position shown by the dashed line in Figure 4, with the hinge 28 attached to its +X side edge, which connects the +X side edge of the harvesting shelf 34 to the underside of the stem holder 15, as the rotation center, and the crops 40 stored in the harvesting shelf 34 roll out to the -X side and onto the chute 44 of the collection vehicle 4.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 4, the chute 44 has a curved shape that describes an arc, and is inclined downward (downward to the right in Fig. 4) toward the multi-tiered rack 43 indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 4. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the multi-tiered rack 43 is open on the side facing the chute 44.

[0043] Therefore, when crops 40 roll off harvesting shelves 34 and fall onto chutes 44, the impact is softened, and crops 40 roll on chutes 44 to the -X side, allowing them to be stored in multi-tiered racks 43. Multi-tiered racks 43 and chutes 44 are each configured so that their length in the Y direction is approximately equal to the length in the Y direction of each harvesting shelf 34 shown in Figure 2(b).

[0044] In this way, in this embodiment, simply by extending the air cylinder 42, the harvesting shelf 34 can be rotated and tilted, and all of the crops 40 within the harvesting shelf 34 can be stored together in the multi-tiered rack 43, so that the crops 40 harvested by the harvesting vehicle 3 can be quickly recovered with a simple configuration and control.

[0045] In addition, the harvest shelf 34 shown by solid lines in Figure 4 is in the ``storage position'' according to the present invention, and the harvest shelf 34 shown by dashed lines in Figure 4 is in the ``recovery position'' according to the present invention.

[0046] The shooter 44 is configured to be able to slide up and down using a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown), and when the air cylinder 42 is extended with the shooter 44 slid upward by the distance between each tier of the multi-tier rack 43 (from the position shown in Figure 4), the crop 40 is guided by the shooter 44 to the top tier of the multi-tier rack 43.

[0047] When the air cylinder 42 is extended with the chute 44 slid downward by the distance between the tiers of the multi-tier rack 43 (from the position shown in Figure 4), the crop 40 is guided by the chute 44 to the lowest tier of the multi-tier rack 43.

[0048] Therefore, when some tiers of the multi-tier rack 43 are full, crops 40 can be stored on other tiers by moving the shooter 44 up and down. The fullness of the multi-tier rack 43 can be detected, for example, by measuring the weight of the multi-tier rack 43.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 4, the multi-tiered rack 43 of the recovery vehicle 4 is arranged at an angle downwards toward the -X side, i.e., the side opposite the side of the recovery vehicle 4 on which the chute 44 is provided, and the crops 40 can be naturally sent to the back side of the multi-tiered rack 43 (the right side in Fig. 4) on each tier aligned in the vertical direction of the multi-tiered rack 43. Note that by forming each part of the multi-tiered rack 43 thin, it is possible to make it soft and prevent damage to the crops 40.

[0050] Figure 5 is a schematic plan view showing how crops 40 are collected by multiple collection vehicles 4 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, and Figure 6 is a schematic side view showing how crops are removed from a multi-tiered rack 43.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, each collection vehicle 4 is configured to collect crops 40 only from the harvest shelves 34 located on either the left or right side of the sub-passage 6 (in other words, containing crops harvested from the cultivation beds 5 on either the left or right side of the sub-passage 6), and when the crops 40 in all the harvest shelves 34 located on either the left or right side of the sub-passage 6 have been collected, or when the crops 40 in the multi-tiered rack 43 are full, another collection vehicle 4 will collect the crops 40 only from the other or only from one side of the sub-passage 6.

[0052] In this way, by configuring each collection vehicle 4 to collect crops 40 stored on the harvest shelves 34 on only one side of the sub-passage 6, the mechanism can be simplified, the storage capacity within the vehicle 4 can be increased, and costs can be reduced. In addition, the harvested crops 40 can be collected efficiently.

[0053] As shown in Figure 6, the wall 43a on the back side (right side of the drawing) of each tier of the multi-tier rack 43 is configured to be rotatable, and in the shipping room 2, the wall 43a of each tier of the multi-tier rack 43 is rotated open, and the crops 40 stored in the multi-tier rack 43 are transferred to another box, allowing the collection vehicle 4 to be sent again to collect the crops 40 stored on another harvest shelf 34 in the cultivation room 1.

[0054] 10, instead of the chute 44, a transport conveyor 45 may be provided on the side of the vehicle 4, and the crops 40 that have rolled out of the harvesting shelves 34 may be received by the transport conveyor 45, and the crops 40 may be stored in the multi-tiered rack 43 by driving the transport conveyor 45. In this case, the transport conveyor 45 may be configured to be able to move up and down (slide up and down), so that the crops 40 can be guided into each tier of the multi-tiered rack 43.

[0055] In addition, the inclination angle of the transport conveyor 45 can be changed by a motor, and when storing crops 40 on the lower level of the multi-tiered rack 43, the transport conveyor 45 can be steeply inclined downward to the right, thereby reducing the impact when crops 40 roll out of the harvest shelf 34 and fall onto the transport conveyor 45.

[0056] If a transport conveyor 45 is provided instead of the shooter 44, the cost will be higher, but damage to the crops 40 can be prevented.

[0057] Furthermore, instead of moving the shooter 44 or the transport conveyor 45 up and down, the crops 40 can be guided to each tier of the multi-tier rack 43 by moving the multi-tier rack 43 up and down by a distance equal to the distance between the tiers using the shooter 44 or the transport conveyor 45.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, crops 40 stored on the harvesting shelves 34 are collected by extending an air cylinder 42 provided on the top of the collection vehicle 4, but, for example, as shown in Fig. 11, an arm 35 provided on the harvesting vehicle 3 may be placed on the collection vehicle 4, and the crops 40 in the harvesting shelves 34 detected by the imaging device may be stored inside the vehicle 4 using the arm 35. In this case, costs can be reduced by sharing the arm 35 and the imaging device for crop recognition between the harvesting vehicle 3 and the collection vehicle 4.

[0059] The above has explained how the harvesting vehicle 40 collects the crops 40. Below, we will explain the wheels 18 of the harvesting vehicle 3 and the collecting vehicle 4 and their drive mechanisms.

[0060] Figure 7(a) is a schematic rear view showing the vicinity of the wheels of a conventional running vehicle, Figure 7(b) is a schematic rear view showing a configuration in which four wheels can be driven independently, and Figure 7(c) is a schematic rear view showing the vicinity of the wheels 18 of the harvesting vehicle 3 and recovery vehicle 4 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0061] Also, Figure 8(a) is a schematic plan view showing the state when the center of rotation of the wheel is located above the wheel, Figure 8(b) is a schematic plan view of the vicinity of wheel 18 shown in Figure 7(c), and Figure 8(c) is a schematic side view showing the state when the vicinity of wheel 18 is viewed from the direction of arrow α shown in Figure 8(b).

[0062] As shown in Figure 7(a), in conventional running vehicles, a pair of left and right wheels, each located at the front and rear of the vehicle, is attached to both ends of a single axle, and the running vehicle can be made to run by rotating the single axle using a motor. However, when turning, the single axle and the pair of wheels must be rotated as a unit, which makes it difficult to turn.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), if each wheel is simply provided with an axle, a travel motor that rotates the axle, and a steering motor that changes the direction of the wheel when turning, and bearings are provided to rotatably support each axle, and a wheel is located at the end of each axle, the horizontal distance between the wheel and the center of rotation of the wheel driven by the steering motor that changes the direction of the wheel (see Figure 7(c)) will become large, and the load on the steering motor will increase when the direction of the wheel is changed.

[0064] In consideration of this situation, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7(c), a cover 25 that covers the wheels 18 attached to the axle 36 rotated by the travel motor 41 is attached to the lower part of the rotating shaft 24 that is rotated (turned) by the steering motor 23 that rotates each wheel 18 of the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4, which are configured identically to each other, and is an approximately rectangular parallelepiped cover 25 with no bottom surface.

[0065] A bearing 48 is attached to the inner surface of the outer portion of cover 25 in the vehicle width direction, and a bearing 49 is attached to the surface of cover 25 facing travel motor 41. Bearing 48 rotatably supports the end of axle 36 opposite the end connected to travel motor 41 (the outer end in the vehicle width direction shown in FIG. 7(c)).

[0066] In this way, by arranging the wheel 18 so that it is sandwiched between the two bearings 48, 49 each attached to the cover 25 that covers the wheel 18, the horizontal distance between the wheel 18 and the position of the rotation center of the wheel 18 driven by the steering motor 23 (which is the same as the center position of the rotation shaft 24) can be made shorter than when the wheel is arranged outside the two bearings (see Figure 7(b)), and therefore the load on the steering motor 23 when changing the direction of the wheel 18 can be reduced.

[0067] In addition, the two bearings 48, 49 that support the axle 36 are attached to the cover 25 and are integral with it, so that the wheel 18 can be removed and easily replaced.

[0068] The wheels 18 are integrally formed from rail running wheels 18a used when running on the running rails 8 and rubber wheels 18b used when running in places other than the running rails 8, such as the main passage 14 or the shipping room 2 (see Figures 4 and 7(c)).

[0069] When the steering motor 23 is driven, the rotation shaft 24, cover 25, bearings 48, 49, axle 36, wheel 18, and travel motor 41 rotate integrally around a rotation center (see FIG. 7(c)) extending in the vertical direction.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(a), if the position of the rotation center of the wheel (rubber wheel) driven by the steering motor coincides with the position of the widthwise center (wheel core) of the wheel (rubber wheel), when the wheel is rotated at a location other than the running rail 8, the wheel will be twisted in place, resulting in large friction with the floor surface and putting a load on the steering motor.

[0071] Furthermore, even if the center of rotation of the wheel (rubber wheel) driven by the steering motor does not coincide with the center of the width of the wheel (rubber wheel) (wheel core), if it is not located above the axle, the wheel (rubber wheel) will not roll smoothly on the floor surface, friction will occur, and the load on the steering motor will increase.

[0072] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8(b), the position of the rotation center when the wheel 18 is rotated by the driving of the steering motor 23 (the same as the center position of the rotation axis 24 when viewed from above) is offset from the position of the widthwise center (wheel core) of the rubber wheel 18b shown by the dotted line, and is also located on the axle 36.

[0073] With this configuration, when the wheel 18 is rotated around the rotation center shown in Figure 8 by the driving of the steering motor 23 at a location other than the traveling rail 8, the angle difference between the rotation trajectory of the wheel 18 and the direction of the rubber wheel 18b becomes small, and as shown by the arrow in Figure 8(c), the rubber wheel 18b rolls smoothly in the circumferential direction on the floor surface while rotating around the rotation center shown in Figure 8(b).This makes it possible to suppress friction with the floor surface, and therefore reduces the load on the steering motor 23.

[0074] Also, as shown in Figure 8(b), the position of the rotation center when wheel 18 is rotated is offset inward in the vehicle width direction from the position of the widthwise center (wheel core) of rubber wheel 18b, in the direction when vehicles 3 and 4 are each moving straight.

[0075] By configuring it in this manner, the steering motor 23 is positioned inside the outer end of the traveling rail 8 shown by the dotted line in Figure 7(c), so when traveling on the traveling rail 8 in the sub-passage 6, the steering motor 23 of the vehicles 3, 4 does not come into contact with the crops 40 cultivated in the cultivation beds 5 and does not damage the crops 40.

[0076] In this embodiment, the offset between the position of the rotation center when wheel 18 rotates and the position of the widthwise center of rubber wheel 18b (wheel core) is equal to the radius of rubber wheel 18b. In other words, the radius of the rotation locus when the widthwise center of wheel 18b rotates due to the driving of steering motor 23 is equal to the radius of rubber wheel 18b.

[0077] Therefore, when the steering motor 23 is driven to rotate the rubber wheel 18b 360° (one rotation) around the center of the pivot shaft 24, the rubber wheel 18b rotates once in its circumferential direction, making it easier for the control device of each vehicle 3, 4 to control the steering motor 23 and the running motor 41, making it easier to link the motors 23, 41, and making it easier to control the position when the rubber wheel 18b is rotated by driving only the running motor 41.

[0078] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8(b), a long hole 52 extending in an arc shape of approximately 90° around the center of rotation of the wheel 8 is formed on the upper surface of each cover 25 covering each wheel 8 of the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4, and a pin 27 extending downward from a fixed frame 26 attached to the housing of each steering motor 23 is inserted into the interior of the cover 25 through the long hole 52.

[0079] Therefore, when the steering motor 23 is driven, the cover 25 is not rotated more than 90 degrees, and the rotation of the wheels 8 is restricted, thereby preventing the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 from wobbling while traveling and allowing them to travel smoothly in a straight line.

[0080] Furthermore, by configuring the steering motor 23 as a servo motor or a stepping motor, the direction of the wheels 18 can be recognized based on the number of pulses input to the motor without providing a separate sensor. In this case, configuring the steering motor 23 as a motor with an electromagnetic brake can prevent the direction of the wheels 8 from changing as the wheels 18 rotate during driving, allowing for more stable straight-line driving.

[0081] Figure 9(a) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of wheel 18, showing the state in which wheel 18 shown in Figure 7(c) is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and Figure 9(b) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of wheel 18, showing the state in which wheel 18 shown in Figure 7(c) is positioned on the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

[0082] In this embodiment, the tread width of the two pairs of front and rear wheels 18 can be changed by changing the position of the collars 51 attached to the axles 36 .

[0083] Specifically, the wheel 18 is configured to have a length that allows for a margin equal to the width of the collar 51 in the vehicle width direction, and when the wheel 18 is removed and the collar 51 is positioned between the wheel 18 and the bearing 49 as shown in Figure 9(a), the wheel 18 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction by the length of the collar 51.

[0084] In contrast, when the wheel 18 is removed and the collar 51 is positioned between the wheel 18 and the bearing 48 as shown in Figure 9(b), the wheel 18 is positioned inward in the vehicle width direction by the amount of the collar 51.

[0085] In this way, the position of the wheel 18 in the vehicle width direction is changed depending on the mounting position of the collar 51 on the axle 36, so the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4 can be adapted to cultivation rooms (greenhouses) with different running rail widths.

[0086] According to this embodiment, the crops 40 harvested by the arm 35, which is an example of a harvesting section of the harvesting vehicle 3, are stored in a harvesting shelf 34, which is an example of a storage container arranged near the cultivation bed 5. This eliminates the need for space to mount a storage container on the harvesting vehicle 3, allowing the harvesting vehicle 3 to be made smaller. In addition, since no mechanism or control is required to store the harvested crops 40 in the harvesting vehicle 3, the mechanism and control of the harvesting vehicle 3 can be simplified.

[0087] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the harvesting work (specifically, the harvesting and storing in a storage container) is performed by the harvesting vehicle 3, and the recovery work is performed by the recovery vehicle 4, so the mechanism and control of each vehicle 3, 4 can be simplified, and since the harvesting work and the recovery work of the crops 40 are performed at different times, there is no need for communication between the harvesting vehicle 3 and the recovery vehicle 4, or the process of handing over boxes containing the crops 40, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0088] In addition, according to this embodiment, the harvesting shelf 34 is configured to be rotatable and switchable between a storage position (shown by solid lines in Figure 4) in which the crops 40 can be stored and a recovery position (shown by dashed lines in Figure 4) in which the crops 40 can be recovered by the recovery vehicle 4, so that the crops 40 harvested by the harvesting vehicle 4 and stored in the harvesting shelf 34 can be recovered efficiently.

[0089] After the harvesting shelf 34 has been switched to the recovery position by extending the air cylinder 42 and has completed the recovery of the crops 40, it is rotated by the operator's hand, hooked onto the underside of the stem holder 15, and returned to the storage position.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0091] For example, in each embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 11, a gutter 16 for collecting waste liquid and a stem holder 15 are placed near the cultivation bed 5, and a harvest shelf 34 is rotatably attached to the underside of the stem holder 15, but the gutter 16 for collecting waste liquid may be configured to extend toward the sub-passage 6, as shown in Figure 12, so that the gutter 16 also serves as a storage container for holding crops 40.

[0092] When the gutter 16 is used as a storage container for the crops 40, the drainage water can be collected and guided by the gutter 16 during cultivation, and during harvesting, as shown in Figure 12, the harvesting vehicle 3 can easily store the harvested crops 40 in the part of the gutter 16 that extends further toward the sub-passage 6 than the cultivation bed 5.

[0093] Also, during recovery, the air cylinder 42 is extended based on the output signal from the control device of the recovery vehicle 4, causing it to come into contact with the upper part of the gutter 16, which is in the storage position shown by the solid line in Figure 12, and the upper part of the gutter 16 bends toward the +X side, releasing it from its engagement with the L-shaped protrusion 47 formed on the underside of the stem holder 15.

[0094] As a result, the gutter 16 is rotated around the hinge 28 connecting the underside of the stem holder 15 and the +X side edge of the gutter 16, and is switched to the recovery position shown by the dashed line in Figure 12, and the crops 40 contained in the gutter 16 roll out to the -X side and onto the chute 44 of the recovery vehicle 4.

[0095] In this way, after harvest, the crops 40 stored in the gutter 16 can be easily and efficiently collected using the collection vehicle 4. In addition, since the gutter 16 that receives drainage from the cultivation bed 5 is used as a container for storing the harvested crops 40, it is possible to use the equipment of existing cultivation facilities, thereby reducing capital investment and simplifying the facilities.

[0096] In addition, instead of the chute 44, a transport conveyor 45 shown in Figure 10 may be used to send the crops 40 to the multi-tiered rack 43, and as shown in Figure 11, an arm 35 may be used to collect the crops 40 stored in the gutter 16 into a collection vehicle 4.

[0097] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 12, a greenhouse is used as an example of a cultivation facility using the harvesting system of the present invention, but it may also be a plant factory or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 cultivation room 2 Shipping Room 3 Harvesting vehicles 4 Recovery vehicles 5. Growing Beds 6 Sub-passage 8 Running rail 9. Nutrient solution supply device 10 Sorting equipment 11 Sorting conveyor 12 Crop storage section 13 Entrance / Exit 14 Main Passage 15 Stem holder 16 Gutter 17 Traveling cart 18 wheels 19 Work vehicle body 20 wheels 23 Steering motor 24 Rotating Axis 25 Cover 26 Fixed Frame 27-pin 28 Hinge 33 Stem holder 34 Harvest Shelf 35 Arm 36 axles 40 crops 41 Travel motor 42 Air Cylinder 43 Multi-tiered rack 44 Shooter 45 Transport Conveyor 47 L-shaped process 48 bearings 49 bearings 51 Color 52 long hole

Claims

1. A cultivation bed provided in a cultivation facility; a harvesting vehicle having an imaging device that captures images of the crops grown in the cultivation beds and a harvesting unit that harvests the crops captured by the imaging device; a storage container disposed near the cultivation bed; The harvesting vehicle is configured to store the crops harvested by the harvesting section in the storage container, A crop harvesting system, wherein the container is a gutter arranged along the cultivation bed to receive drainage from the cultivation bed.

2. A cultivation bed provided in a cultivation facility; a harvesting vehicle having an imaging device that captures images of the crops grown in the cultivation beds and a harvesting unit that harvests the crops captured by the imaging device; a storage container disposed near the cultivation bed; The harvesting vehicle is configured to store crops harvested by the harvesting section in the storage container; and Further, a collection vehicle is provided to collect the crops stored in the storage container, After the harvesting operation by the harvesting vehicle is completed, the recovery operation is performed by the recovery vehicle, and A crop harvesting system characterized in that the storage container is configured to be switchable between a storage position in which it can store crops and a recovery position in which it can recover the crops using the recovery vehicle.

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