Olive Harvester Shaker System for Stability and Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Standard fruit harvesting units struggle to efficiently harvest fruit from olive trees due to the lower vaulted top of the straddling chassis, which causes plants to be bent and limits effective shaking, especially at the top, and increasing the height compromises machine stability and shaker device efficacy.

Innovation Solution

A fruit harvesting unit with a main shaker system and an additional shaker system mounted on the straddling chassis, featuring two shaker devices on each side to cover the central and upper parts of the tunnel, respectively, allowing for combined oscillation to straighten and shake plants effectively without modifying the chassis structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the height of the straddling chassis is increased to accommodate taller olive trees, then the harvesting capability for top fruit is improved, but the machine stability deteriorates and the shaker device size becomes excessive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvesting capabilityVSAvoidmachine stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the shaker system into two independent segments: a main shaker system with two shaker devices for the central part of the tunnel, and an additional shaker system with two shaker devices for the front upper part of the tunnel. This segmentation allows each system to operate at optimal heights without requiring an excessively tall chassis, thereby maintaining machine stability while achieving complete fruit harvesting coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the height of the straddling chassis is increased to accommodate taller olive trees, then the harvesting capability for top fruit is improved, but the shaker device size becomes excessive compromising efficacy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvesting capabilityVSAvoidshaker device size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If the vaulted top of the straddling chassis is kept at standard height, then the machine stability is maintained, but the plant top abuts against the chassis vault causing the plant to bend and limiting shaking efficacy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine stabilityVSAvoidshaking efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a spatial dimension to the shaker system by positioning shaker devices at two different vertical levels: the main shaker system operates in the central part of the tunnel at standard height, while the additional shaker system operates in the front upper part of the tunnel at elevated position. This multi-level arrangement allows the plant to pass through without bending while still being shaken effectively at all heights.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Productivity

If a lower front shaker system and an upper rear shaker system are used to shake bent and straightened plants respectively, then the harvesting of fruit at different heights is improved, but the implementation becomes difficult and is not fully satisfactory

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveharvesting effectivenessVSAvoidimplementation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by placing the additional shaker system at the front upper part of the tunnel rather than at the rear. This allows the plant to be shaken at the top level before it fully enters the main shaker system, eliminating the need for complex coordination between bent and straightened plant shaking and simplifying the overall implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

Enables efficient harvesting of fruit across the entire plant height without altering the chassis, optimizing fruit removal without damaging the plants and improving machine stability by using differentiated oscillation speeds for the main and additional shaker systems.

Implementation Method 1

a main shaker system including two shaker devices disposed on respective sides of the harvesting tunnel, transversely delimiting a central part of said tunnel, said harvesting unit further including an additional shaker system that is mounted on the straddling chassis, said additional shaker system including two shaker devices disposed on respective sides of the harvesting tunnel to delimit transversely a front upper part of said tunnel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical vibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP2677853B1Fruit harvesting unit and harvesting machine comprising such unit

Publication Date: 2016.06.29 CNH IND FRANCE

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Figure 2a~2b
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AI summary

The invention concerns a fruit harvesting unit adapted to be mounted on a harvesting machine. The harvesting unit comprises a straddling chassis delimiting a harvesting tunnel in which plants to be shaken are introduced successively to move through said tunnel between a front opening and a rear opening of said tunnel. The harvesting unit has a main shaker system including two shaker devices disposed on respective sides of the harvesting tunnel to delimit transversely a central part of said tunnel, and an additional shaker system (19) that is mounted on the straddling chassis and comprises two shaker devices disposed on respective sides of the harvesting tunnel to delimit transversely a front upper part of said tunnel.