Harvester device

Abstract

A harvester device (1) for harvesting fruits from trees, in particular for harvesting olives, comprises transmission and mechanical conversion means (9) provided with a shaft (10) with a driving crank (11) and a driven crank (12) supported by respective, separate, sections (13, 14) of the shaft (10), having axes (15, 16) slanting relative to each other, which are placed continuing on from each other, wherein at least one of the cranks (11,12) comprises an eccentric pin (17; 18) and a rolling bearing (19,20) on which a big end (21) of a driving connecting rod (22) of an arm (5) supporting prongs (4) is jointed; and a front joint (23), interposed between said sections (13, 14) and equipped with a thrust bearing (24) with oblique coupling faces (25), which can be oriented relative to each other with angular offsets having selectively variable size around the pins (17; 18) to give the prongs (4) a correspondingly variable kinematic motion.

Description

[0001] HARVESTER DEVICE

[0002] Technical field

[0003] This invention relates to farm mechanisation technologies concerning the harvesting of fruit from trees , in particular small fruits , such as olives , walnuts , almonds and the like , and relates to a mechanised harvester device .

[0004] Background art

[0005] In order to harvest olives and other similar fruits use is made of harvesting equipment called harvesters , which are devised to interact with the branches of the trees , transmitting to them mechanical actions suitable for causing the fruits to detach and fall .

[0006] Such equipment generally comprises an implementing unit capable of interacting with the branches of the fruit trees , which is supported at one end of a handpiece which may, i f necessary, be integrated with a telescopically extendable rod, so as to allow it to reach the foliage of the trees , operating at a distance from them . The handpiece , with or without an extension rod, is equipped with motor drive means capable of supplying the implementing unit with the power and actions necessary for harvesting the fruits , controlled by the user .

[0007] More speci fically, the implementing unit is made in such a way as to have a head capable of supporting and imparting suitable movements to one or more arms provided with harvesting units which are shaped like a comb or a rake , with prongs often consisting of rows of thin and flexible sticks or rods supported cantilever-style by the arms and transversal to them .

[0008] Between the arms of the head of the implementing unit and the motor drive means with which the device is equipped there are kinematic mechanisms present devised to convert the rotary input motion, continuously received from a driving shaft , into an oscillating, reciprocating output motion, which is implemented by the arms of the combs relative to the head of the implementing unit .

[0009] As a result of the movement applied to the arms , the teeth of the combs - acquire a substantially reciprocating to and fro motion, between two limit configurations , in a first of which the implementing unit is positioned in such a way as to favour entry of the harvester inside the foliage of the trees , in the second of which, in contrast , the prongs are positioned in such a way as to intercept the fruits causing them to detach without damage , either to the fruits , or the branches of the tree .

[0010] In prior art harvesters the output kinematic motions describable by the various implementing units are variable , in general , depending on a set of parameters , the main ones of which are correlated with the kinematic patterns adopted for conversion of the rotary motion into to and fro motion for the various models of prior art equipment , as well as the nature and characteristics of the fruits to be harvested, of the related trees , and of the shapes given to the trees by the various pruning techniques adopted .

[0011] However, once the mechanical type of the machine has been set and the kinematics of the desired output movements have been set for a speci fic implementing unit and for a speci fic type of harvesting, there is only a limited possibility of making the implementing unit perform a kinematic motion which is signi f icantly di f ferent from that originally set for the speci fic harvester .

[0012] That is without doubt a disadvantage , since during practical use , the equipment user could find it useful to be able to switch operation of the implementing unit in real time so as to be able to cope with di f ferent and unforeseen operating conditions speci fic to each tree, such as those linked to the above-mentioned pruning criteria, to the greater or lesser di f ficulty of inserting the implementing unit inside the foliage , which in general vary from one tree to another even in a same plantation; or, if the same harvester equipment must be used to harvest the fruits of di f ferent species of the same fruit ; or even to harvest the fruits of di f ferent families of fruits , always using a same specimen of the harvesting equipment .

[0013] Disclosure of invention

[0014] The aim of this invention is therefore to devise a mechanical solution for a multi- function harvester with versatile and general use and suitable for overcoming the limits of the prior art equipment .

[0015] Those aims are achieved by an invention in the form of a harvester device as defined in the appended claims .

[0016] Brief description of drawings

[0017] The features and advantages of the invention will be very apparent from the detailed description of an example , non-limiting embodiment of the invention, described with the aid of the accompanying drawings , in which :

[0018] - Figure 1 is a perspective overall view of a harvester according to the invention; - Figure 2 is an enlarged view of an implementing unit of the harvester of Figure 1 ;

[0019] - Figures 3 and 4 are an overall view and an exploded view of a detail of the implementing unit ;

[0020] - Figure 5 is a perspective overall view of a mechanical unit which is part of the harvester, shown enlarged;

[0021] - Figure 6 is an exploded view of the unit of Figure 5 with some parts removed to better illustrate others ;

[0022] - Figure 7 is an overall view of the unit of Figure 5 by way of example configured according to different operating conditions labelled with the letters (a) , (b) and (c) .

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the invention

[0024] With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in Figure 1 the numeral 1 denotes a harvester device usable for making fruits to be harvested fall from the relative trees, and, more specifically, usable for harvesting olives and / or different fruits having similar dimensions .

[0025] The device (1) basically comprises an implementing unit (2) and a handpiece (3) .

[0026] In Figure 2, it should be noticed that the implementing unit (2) comprises, in particular, one or more sets of prongs (4) , supported by two arms (5) on either side of a central head (6) - preferably spherical, supported by the handpiece (3) at its upper end - prongs (4) , which are distributed on separate positions of the arms (5) and with appropriately predetermined orientations.

[0027] The prongs (4) are supported cantilever-style transversally to the respective arm (5) which the head (6) supports with freedom of movement that is angular, controlled, oscillating and reciprocating, described in a substantially meridian plane of the head (6) .

[0028] The handpiece (3) comprises one or more manual grip sections (7) , if necessary also being equipped with a tubular and telescopic elongate body (28) , devised to make it possible to use the device (1) on the foliage of the tree while operating it from a location distal from it.

[0029] Associated with the handpiece (3) there are motor drive means (8) for the implementing unit (2) , and control means (40) , symbolically shown with a function block and not illustrated in detail because they are completely conventional . The harvester device (1) further comprises transmission and mechanical conversion means (9) for converting the rotary output motion of the motor drive means (8) (which are in themselves known and are not shown in the drawings) into the oscillating motion of said arms (5) relative to the head (6) .

[0030] In Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 it can be seen in particular how the transmission and mechanical conversion means (9) for converting the rotary motion comprise, downstream of the motor drive means (8) , a shaft (10) with a driving crank (11) and a driven crank (12) supported by respective, separate, sections (13,14) of the shaft (10) , which are connected by an interposed front joint (23) .

[0031] The sections (13,14) of shaft (10) are placed continuing on from each other with axes (15,16) slanting relative to each other.

[0032] The cranks (11,12) comprise respective eccentric pins (17,18) - supported by cheeks, that is to say, by eccentric plates (37) - whose pins (17,18) are coupled with relative rolling bearings (19,20) .

[0033] Inserted and jointed on each of the rolling bearings (19,20) there is a big end (21) of two driving connecting rods (22) of the two arms (5) .

[0034] The connecting rods (22) have cylindrical small ends (29) suitable for axially engaging in opposite seats (30) shaped to match them which are supported by the arms (5) .

[0035] The front joint (23) is equipped with a thrust bearing (24) with oblique coupling faces (25) which are provided with teeth (26) and compartments (27) shaped to match each other, interpenetrating each other along the lines of the axes (15,16) of the sections (13,14) of shaft (10) . At least the compartments (27) are elongate according to a radial line of the respective sections (13,14) of shaft.

[0036] The faces (25) of the thrust bearing (24) can be oriented relative to each other with angular offsets, around the axial lines (15,16) which have selectively variable size around the pins (17; 18) . That allows a correspondingly variable output kinematic motion of the prongs ( 4 ) .

[0037] The teeth (26) and the compartments (27) can interpenetrate each other in a snap-in style as a result of a relative rotation applied to said sections (13,14) of shaft (10) around the respective axes (15,16) .

[0038] The teeth (26) and the compartments (27) are also shaped with a structure such as to allow said relative rotation in one direction, which may moreover be performed by manual adjustment, or preferably, by a suitable pulse command for rotation of the motor drive means (8) .

[0039] The arms (5) have ends (31) proximal to the head (6) , which are preferably profiled like opposite forks. The ends (31) are hinged to each other by transversal pins (32) in such a way as to circumscribe the head (6) and at the same time to force the small ends (29) of the connecting rods (22) to remain engaged in the seats (30) of the arms (5) .

[0040] In use, the harvester device (1) may be configured, as selected and controlled by the user, in a kinematically variable way by means of suitable orientations of the driven crank (12) relative to the driving crank (11) , as is schematically shown by way of example by the oriented arcs labelled with references (35,36) .

[0041] The selected orientation may be given, for example, either by means of screw adjustment with a manual tool, or by means of a pulse command issued for example to the motor drive means ( 8 ) . In the first case, the reconfiguration of the shaft (10) could be carried out starting from the head (6) by adjusting the angular position of the driven crank (12) relative to the driving crank (11) , which is kept still. In the other case, the reconfiguration of the shaft (10) could occur by moving the driving crank (11) , relative to the driven crank (12) , which is kept still.

[0042] All of that, one way or the other, so as to be able to switch, in any case and in real time the initial angular position of a generic tooth (26) inserted in a predetermined corresponding compartment (27) , towards a new position in which the above-mentioned tooth (26) is aligned with another compartment (27) angularly offset relative to the previous one.

[0043] Whichever way of switching is chosen, it may be advantageous to shape the teeth (26) and compartments (27) in such a way that they have an asymmetric profile, for example trihedron-shaped with a right-angle face and with an oblique face to facilitate the one-way nature of the direction of rotation, as shown by way of example in Figure 6.

[0044] Figure 7 shows three example configurations, labelled (a) , (b) and (c) , to be assigned to the shaft (10) in such a way as to give the prongs (4) of the implementing unit (2) different orientations and kinematic motions, which the user of the harvester device (1) can select at any time during use to obtain maximum harvesting effectiveness and productivity, whatever the operating conditions effectively encountered during his or her activity.

[0045] The invention therefore fulfils the previously stated aims. Moreover, said invention also boasts a sturdy build quality and is reliable, also having relatively inexpensive production and maintenance.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Harvester device for harvesting fruits from trees, in particular for harvesting olives, comprising- an implementing unit (2) and a handpiece (3) wherein- the implementing unit (2) is provided with at least one set of prongs (4) , at least one arm (5) and a head (6) , the prongs (4) being supported cantilever-style transversally to the arm (5) , and the arm (5) being supported cantilever-style by the head (6) with angular, oscillating, controlled motion, relative to said head (6) ; and- the handpiece (3) comprises at least one manual grip section (7) , and supports motor drive means (8) for the implementing unit (2) and transmission and mechanical conversion means (9) for the rotary motion of the motor drive means (8) into the oscillating motion of said at least one arm (5) ; said device (1) being characterised in that said transmission and mechanical conversion means (9) comprise- a shaft (10) with a driving crank (11) and a driven crank (12) supported by respective, separate, sections (13,14) of the shaft (10) , having axes (15,16) slanting relative to each other, which are placed continuing on from each other, wherein at least one of said cranks (11,12) comprises an eccentric pin (17;18) and a rolling bearing (19,20) on which a big end (21) of a driving connecting rod (22) of said at least one arm (5) is jointed; and- a front joint (23) , interposed between said sections (13,14) and equipped with a thrust bearing (24) with oblique coupling faces (25) , which can be oriented relative to each other with angular offsets having selectivelyvariable size around the pins (17; 18) in a way suitable for causing a correspondingly variable output kinematic motion of said prongs (4) .

2. Harvester device, according to claim 1, characterised in that said at least one arm (5) is jointed on the same number of cranks (11,12) of said shaft (10) .

3. Device, according to claim 1, characterised in that said front joint (23) comprises teeth (26) and compartments (27) shaped to match each other interpenetrating each other along a line transversal to the faces (25) of said joint (23) .

4. Device, according to claim 3, characterised in that said teeth (26) and said compartments (27) can interpenetrate each other in a snap-in style as a result of a relative rotation applied to said sections (13,14) of shaft (10) around the respective axes (15,16) .

5. Device, according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said teeth (26) and compartments (27) are shaped with a structure such as to allow said relative rotation in one direction.

6. Device, according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that said relative rotation is performed suitably controlled by said motor drive means (8) .

7. Device, according to claim 1, characterised in that said handpiece (3) comprises an elongate body (28) suitable for positioning the manual grip section (7) in a location distal from the implementing unit (2) .

8. Device, according to claim 1, characterised in that said connecting rod (22) is provided with a small end (29) engageable in an axial seat (30) of a said arm (5) .

9. Device, according to claim 2, characterised in that said arms (5) have ends (31) proximal to said head (6) which are hinged to each other.

10. Device, according to claim 9, characterised in that the ends (31) proximal to said head (6) are profiled like forks jointed to each other which surround said head (6) .

11. Device, according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said shaft (10) with cranks (11,12) is devised to be suitable to allow the implementation of at least three different kinematic motion configurations of said implementing unit (2) .

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