Autonomous Shaker Head for Continuous Orchard Harvesting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mechanized tree harvesters require frequent stopping and starting to shake fruit or nut trees, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and no system allows for continuous traversal of an orchard while harvesting.

Innovation Solution

An agricultural tree harvest vehicle equipped with a shaker head mounted on a trolley system, allowing the shaker head to move independently along a path opposite to the harvester's direction, enabling continuous movement of the harvester through the orchard without stopping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the mechanized tree harvester stops adjacent to each tree to shake the crop, then the shaker head can carefully engage and shake the tree, but the harvesting process becomes time-consuming and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaking precisionVSAvoidharvesting speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the harvesting function into two independent components: the harvester vehicle that moves continuously through the orchard, and the shaker head that remains stationary relative to each tree. This segmentation allows the vehicle to maintain high speed while the shaker performs precise shaking operations on individual trees without requiring the entire system to stop.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the independently movable shaker head on a carriage system) that mediates between the moving harvester and the stationary trees. This intermediary allows the harvester to continue moving while the shaker head engages and shakes each tree, resolving the conflict between continuous movement and precise shaking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the mechanized tree harvester comes to a complete stop adjacent to each tree, then the operator can control the shaking process, but labor-intensive operation and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator controlVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shaker head is equipped with its own independent propulsion system and control mechanisms, allowing it to autonomously engage, shake, and disengage from trees without requiring the harvester to stop or the operator to manually intervene for each tree. This self-service capability reduces operational complexity while maintaining ease of control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If the shaker head is laterally extendable toward the tree, then the shaking engagement is precise, but the mechanism requires frequent extension and retraction cycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement precisionVSAvoidtime for extension and retraction

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of extending the shaker head laterally toward stationary trees (the conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by keeping the shaker head stationary relative to the trees and moving the harvester vehicle past them. This inversion eliminates the need for repeated lateral extension and retraction cycles while maintaining precise engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20250031622A1Autonomously guided, continuous movement harvester

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 ANDERSEN BRIAN

AI summary

A shaker mechanism for an agricultural harvester. The shaker mechanism adapted to shake a crop while the agricultural harvester is moving, wherein the shaker mechanism is operatively associated with the agricultural harvester so that the shaker mechanism is movable at zero velocity relative to the crop being shook while the agricultural harvester continuously moves at a non-zero velocity.