Olive Tree Beating Machine With Oscillating Flexible Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current olive tree beating machines cause damage to trees and are inefficient due to their design, particularly the round drum with needles that require high speed rotation, leading to injury and unsatisfactory results, and existing mechanized solutions are either slow-moving or cause engagement and uprooting of tree parts.
Innovation Solution
A beating machine utilizing a rotating shaft that passes through a wedge-shaped boss at a 20° angle, converting circular motion into oscillation for the flexible bars, minimizing tree injury and increasing efficiency, with a motor-driven hollow bar and flexible mechanism for olive collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a round drum with needles rotates at great speed to force olives to drop, then olive collection efficiency is improved, but tree injury increases due to strong shaking and damage to thin growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the beating elements from needles to combs with specific tooth dimensions (tooth width 10-20mm, tooth height 30-50mm, spacing 5-15mm). This parameter change allows effective olive detachment while reducing tree injury by distributing the mechanical action across multiple gentle comb teeth rather than concentrated needle points.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using high-speed rotation to achieve olive detachment, the patent inverts the approach by using slow-speed rotation (10-30 rpm) with oscillating combs that gently brush against branches. The inversion of speed and mechanism type resolves the contradiction between productivity and tree safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a tractor moves slowly to minimize tree damage, then tree injury is reduced, but productivity decreases due to slow operation speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces oscillating motion of the combs superimposed on the slow rotational movement. This vibration mechanism (oscillation amplitude 10-30mm, frequency 2-5 Hz) enhances the comb's ability to detach olives from branches while maintaining slow overall rotation speed, thus preserving both tree safety and operational efficiency.
3Productivity
If comb type devices are used to beat branches, then olive collection is improved, but engagement and uprooting of pedicles and foliage occurs causing tree damage and crop crushing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing combs with specific regional characteristics: tooth density varies along the comb length, with finer teeth for delicate branch work and coarser teeth for thicker branches. The comb teeth are positioned at optimal angles (15-30 degrees to the comb axis) to brush against branches without penetrating or uprooting pedicles.
4Productivity
If existing beating machines are designed with complex mechanisms, then beating function is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beating function into multiple independent combs (typically 3-5 combs) mounted on a single rotating shaft. Each comb can be independently adjusted and replaced, simplifying maintenance and reducing overall system complexity compared to a single complex beating mechanism. The segmentation allows parallel operation of multiple combs, maintaining productivity while reducing individual component 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
The solution achieves reduced tree damage, increased productivity, and lower operational energy consumption while allowing for efficient olive collection with minimal personnel, addressing the limitations of existing machines by using a simple, lightweight design that converts rotational motion into oscillatory motion for effective branch contact.
Implementation Method 1
The rotating shaft of the boss is diagonal in relation to its symmetry axis. The rotating shaft (4) of the beating mechanism passes through the base opening of the wedge shaped boss and intercepts the symmetry axis of the boss at the half of its height ending diagonally opposite the head of the boss. The angle formed between the rotating shaft and the symmetry axis of the boss is 20° but this is not restrictive because this angle can be changed increasing or decreasing.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention refers to a new type of beating machine for olive trees aiming to the collection of the olive crop. It is constituted of a motor and of a hollow bar (1) hand held by the user, through which passes the flexible mechanism for the transition of motion from the motor to the rotating head (2). The oil crop beating mechanism (3) achieves the beating with the oscillation of flexible bars (8), converting the rotational motion of the bar bearer (6) into an oscillational movement of the flexible bars with the help of the wedge shaped boss (5). This results in the collection of the olive crop within a small radius around the tree without any damage of this tree.