Branch Separation Tool With Pushing Element for Precise Stem Cutting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools for separating plant branches, such as petioles, from stems are unreliable due to uncontrolled breaking and dependence on petiole thickness and humidity, leading to undesired growth and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A tool with a pushing element and a first separating body, actuated by servomotors, that pushes the stem against a separation plane, ensuring consistent separation regardless of petiole thickness or friction properties, using a second separating body for enhanced reliability and a camera for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If roller parts are used to pull on the petiole for separation, then the tool can perform automated separation operations, but the petiole breaks in uncontrolled positions and separation quality depends on petiole thickness and humidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the roller-based mechanical pulling system with a vision-guided robotic system. A camera captures images of the plant, and a control unit processes these images to determine the precise location of the petiole attachment point. The robotic arm then positions the cutting tool accurately based on this visual information, eliminating the uncontrolled breaking caused by mechanical roller pulling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a camera and control unit as intermediary components between the robotic arm and the plant. The camera captures visual information about the plant's structure, and the control unit processes this information to calculate the optimal separation position. This intermediary system enables precise positioning independent of petiole physical properties like thickness and humidity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the separation operation depends on petiole thickness and friction properties, then the tool can adapt to different petiole conditions, but the separation occurs at undesired positions leading to undesired growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system that relied on friction and physical contact with a vision-based positioning system. The camera captures the plant's geometry, and the control unit calculates the attachment point coordinates, enabling precise separation regardless of petiole thickness or surface friction properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the plant's structure through camera imaging. The control unit processes this visual information to identify the petiole attachment point, allowing the system to determine the correct separation position without physically interacting with the petiole, thus avoiding dependence on its physical properties.
3Productivity
If a reciprocating blade is used to cut the petiole, then the separation operation can be completed, but the operation quality greatly depends on petiole thickness and slipperiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the reciprocating blade mechanism with a precision-positioned cutting tool mounted on a robotic arm. The robotic system positions the cutter accurately based on vision feedback, eliminating the variability caused by petiole thickness and slipperiness that affected the reciprocating blade's performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the camera continuously monitors the plant's position and orientation. The control unit uses this visual feedback to adjust the robotic arm's position and the cutting tool's orientation in real-time, ensuring consistent separation quality regardless of variations in petiole physical properties.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a tool, device comprising such a tool and a method using such a device for the automated separation of a branch of a plant. The tool comprises a frame, a first separating body, a first displacement unit for moving the first separating body to and fro with respect to the frame between a start position and an end position, and which first separating body is configured for producing a separation in the branch during the move from the start position to the end position. The tool furthermore comprises a pushing element and a second displacement unit for moving the first separating body and the pushing element towards each other and away from each other between an approaching position and a separating position, in which the pushing element and the first separating body are configured for causing a first elongate part of the plant to extend therebetween in the approaching position and for the pushing element to push the first elongate part of the plant in the direction of the separation plane belonging to the first separation body against a side of the first elongate part of the plant facing away from the branch of the plant during displacement of the pushing element in a pushing direction from the approaching position to the separating position.