Fruit Harvester Collector Plates With Friction-Locked Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical harvesters for small fruits like grapes, olives, and plums suffer from collector plates that uncontrollably rotate, leading to fruit loss due to uncontrolled bending and formation of voids in the collection plane, despite existing solutions failing to maintain stable positioning between adjacent plates.
Innovation Solution
The collector plates are designed with increased edges forming blocking surfaces that engage through mechanical friction, limiting rotation and maintaining stable positioning without additional stop elements, ensuring the collection plane remains intact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If collector plates are made to rotate freely to accommodate stem passage, then the machine can advance through the plant, but the plates uncontrollably rotate and create voids in the collection plane causing fruit loss
Solution Approach 1:
The collector plates are designed with controlled elastic rotation capability, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position while maintaining stability. The plates can rotate within limited angular ranges to accommodate stem passage but return to their original position through elastic recovery, preventing uncontrolled rotation and void formation in the collection plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the rotational parameters of the collector plates by introducing elastic hinging with controlled flexibility. This allows the plates to rotate within specific angular limits during stem passage but maintains their position through elastic recovery force, changing the rotation parameter from unlimited freedom to controlled elastic movement.
2Reliability
If collector plates are rigidly fixed to maintain stable positioning, then the collection plane remains stable, but the plates cannot accommodate stem passage and must be replaced manually
Solution Approach 1:
The collector plates transition from rigid fixed positioning to dynamic elastic rotation. The elastic hinging allows the plates to automatically adjust their angle in response to stem passage while maintaining stability through elastic recovery, eliminating the need for manual replacement while preserving collection plane integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic hinging mechanism enables the collector plates to self-adjust and self-return to their original position automatically. The plates utilize their own elastic properties to accommodate stem passage and return to the collection position without external intervention, replacing the need for manual operation.
3Speed
If collector plates are elastically hinged to rotate with stem thrust, then the machine can advance, but the plates overshoot the resting position and create voids behind the stem
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the elastic hinging with pre-calculated flexibility and damping characteristics. The elastic properties are tuned to counteract the overshoot effect before it occurs, allowing the plates to rotate with stem thrust but return precisely to the resting position without creating voids that would cause fruit loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic hinging parameters are optimized to control the rotation and return motion of the plates. By adjusting the elastic flexibility and damping characteristics, the system achieves controlled rotation during stem passage and precise return to the resting position, preventing the overshoot that causes fruit loss.
4Reliability
If additional stop elements are added to limit plate rotation, then the collection plane remains stable, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic hinging mechanism serves the dual function of allowing controlled rotation and providing automatic position control without additional stop elements. The elastic properties themselves provide the limiting action, eliminating the need for separate stop elements and reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable plate position control.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic hinging mechanism performs multiple functions simultaneously: it allows the plates to rotate for stem passage, provides elastic recovery to return plates to the resting position, and inherently limits the rotation range without requiring additional stop elements. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design prevents fruit loss by ensuring controlled and coordinated movement of collector plates, maintaining a stable collection plane and preventing formation of voids, thereby enhancing harvesting efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The collector plates are elastically hinged on the vehicle and define at least one collecting position in which they are reciprocally overlapping with each other... The elastic mounting of the collector plates allows them to rotate following the action of relative thrust of the vine's shoots or stems
Implementation Method 2
a second blocking surface facing the inside of the collector plate and shaped to cooperate by mechanical frictional connection with the first blocking surface of an adjacent collector plate in the row, in order to limit a rotation of the collector plate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Machine (10) for the automated harvesting of fruit comprising at least one collector device (11) provided with a plurality of collector plates (20) disposed in succession at least partly overlapping each other, hinged with a proximal end (21) thereof to a support element (12) and configured so as to rotate elastically between a collecting position in which they define a collection plane (P), and an advance position in which each collector plate (20) assumes a position that is rotated with respect to the collecting position, each collector plate (20) comprising at least one distal end (22), opposite the proximal end (21), provided with at least one increased edge (24) extending in relief and configured to define at least a first blocking surface (28) facing the outside of the collector plate (20) and a second blocking surface (31) facing the inside of the collector plate (20) and shaped to cooperate by mechanical frictional connection with the first blocking surface (28) of an adjacent collector plate (20), at least in the collecting position.