Fruit-Picking Vehicle Container Swapping With Elevator and Conveyor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic fruit picking systems are slow due to the challenge of handling containers within the limited space between rows of trees, necessitating a solution for efficient container swapping to enhance productivity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system with a movable platform and an elevator mechanism that allows containers to be swapped between supports via different paths, enabling the replacement of full containers without increasing the space required, using a telescopic arm and conveyor system for efficient container handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a robot is placed next to a plant to harvest fruit using a single container, then the robot can operate continuously without interruption, but the space required for container replacement becomes insufficient within the limited distance between rows of trees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by implementing an elevator mechanism that moves containers between a lower support (within reach of the robot) and an upper support (out of robot's reach). This vertical separation allows container swapping to occur in the third dimension rather than requiring additional horizontal space, thereby resolving the contradiction between continuous operation and limited space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the container handling function into two separate supports: a first support positioned within the robot's reach and a second support positioned out of reach. This segmentation allows the robot to continue picking fruit uninterrupted while container exchange occurs between the two supports via the elevator and conveyor system.
2Ease of operation
If the distance between rows of trees is increased to allow container replacement, then container swapping becomes easier, but the space utilization of the orchard decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the container exchange operation to the vertical dimension through the elevator mechanism, the system maintains ease of container swapping operations without requiring increased horizontal distance between tree rows, thus preserving orchard space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper container is positioned above and nested over the lower container's path. The elevator raises the upper container to an apex position that is high enough for the lower container to pass underneath, creating a nested spatial arrangement that maximizes space efficiency while enabling smooth container exchange operations.
3Productivity
If a second vehicle is added to the system for container management, then container swapping efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second vehicle is designed with multi-functionality: it can carry multiple containers, provide both the first and second supports for container exchange, and house the elevator mechanism. This universal design allows a single second vehicle to perform multiple functions that would otherwise require separate components, thereby improving container swapping efficiency while limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle system includes a movable platform, a container, a robot mounted on the platform, a first support for the container within reach of the robot, and at least one second support for the container. The platform includes a horizontal conveyor configured to swap the container between the first and second supports via a first path, and an elevator configured to swap the container between the first and second supports via a second path above the first path, wherein the second path comprises an apex position that is high enough above the first path for the container to be swapped along the first path when a similar container is at the apex position.