荷兰专利NL2019532A Device for harvesting vegetable crops

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专利摘要:
Device for harvesting vegetable crops with a handle and a crown carried by the handle, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame over the ground, a cutter with at least one knife for cutting the handle, a second drive for the cutter for moving the knife from a rest position to a cutting position for cutting the stem and a further drive for vertically moving the cutter between a low position at the height of the cut to be made and a higher delivery position, the knife forms a transport support for the loosened upper part after cutting through the stem, which transport support with supported cut-off upper part can be moved by the further drive at least substantially vertically relative to the frame to the high delivery position for delivery of the cut-off oven part to a drain or collection, such as a bin or belt conveyor, for it cut upper part of the vegetable plant wherein the device is provided with a transfer device for transferring the cut upper part of the vegetable plant from the transport support to the discharge / collection, the transfer device being a guide for guiding the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to the drain / collection, which guide is movable between a rest position, in which the transport support is given vertical free passage and an operating position, in which the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant can be received from the transport support and is guided to the drain / collection.
公开号:NL2019532A
申请号:NL2019532
申请日:2017-09-12
公开日:2017-09-20
发明作者:Willem Molenaar Hendrik
申请人:Tumoba B V；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

Nr. P586NL
Device for harvesting vegetable crops
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for harvesting vegetable crops with a stem and a crown carried by the stem, in particular with leaves attached to the stem, from the ground. An example of such a vegetable crop is broccoli. Other examples are cabbages. The invention further relates to a method for harvesting such vegetable crops from the ground.
It is known (see EP patent 1,894,464) to harvest broccoli from the cold soil with the aid of an overland harvesting machine which is provided with a double conveyor that extends on both sides of a vegetable plant to be cut and provided at the entrance is from a knife for cutting the stem. The two conveyors clamp the cut-off upper part between them while transporting it along a U-shaped path located in the vertical plane to a blade cutter, a steelin trimmer and a drain / catch. The blade cutter comprises two circular knives that operate in two closely spaced horizontal planes. The setup is quite complex and susceptible to malfunction. Until arrival at the leaf cutter, the leaves still attached to the stem form a possible source of malfunction. The leaves cut off by the leaf cutter are discharged, for example by a blower, but can also form a possible source of interference prior to discharge.
Another known harvesting machine, see US 2009/0165433, comprises a series of double conveyors and in each case a knife arranged at the inlet opening thereof. The two conveyors run upwards obliquely and carry the cut upper parts to circular knives for separating the crowns from the cut upper parts from the stems. Cut leaves fall to the ground or are blown away. The crowns separated from the stem are discharged on a belt, whereby possibly added leaf material is removed so that only the crowns remain. Here too, the leaves are a potential source of interference.
Another harvesting machine (EP 0 502 789) has stretched horizontal or sloping double conveyors and a number of means for removing the leaves. In one embodiment, a downwardly operating blower for bending down the leaves is arranged after the blade for cutting the stem and immediately after two rotating sweepers with which the downwardly bent leaves are separated from the stem. Before the cut upper parts are presented to a second knife for separating the crown from the remaining stem, the remaining leaves are bent downwards by two fixed guide rods. In another embodiment, the blower is arranged in process direction before the conveyors.
From EP 2,289,304 a different type of harvesting machine is known, wherein the upper parts are transported after cutting the stem to a discharge by means of a tunnel-shaped conveyor which is built up of a continuously driven series of pairs of fingers placed close to each other. The fingers of each pair are movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position, according to a pivot axis which lies in one vertical plane with the direction of movement of the harvesting machine. When the fingers are closed, the leaves of the plant are forced downwards, so that the crown can be properly grasped by the fingers subsequently closed. The stem is then cut just below the fingers, close to the crown. Leaves that are carried in the conveyor are blown away by a blower on the discharge side, with fingers open again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a harvesting machine and / or a method of the type mentioned in the preamble, with which the presence of leaves in the machine is largely prevented.
It is an object of the invention to provide a harvesting machine and / or a method of the type mentioned in the preamble, which is substantially less susceptible to disturbances due to leaves of the vegetable plant.
An object of the invention is to provide a harvesting machine and / or a method of the type mentioned in the preamble, with which vegetable plants can be harvested in a reliable manner.
An object of the invention is to provide a harvesting machine and / or a method of the type mentioned in the preamble, with which vegetable plants can be harvested with crown and a substantially whole free of leaves free stalk.
An object of the invention is to provide a harvesting machine and / or a method of the type mentioned in the preamble, with which harvesting can be carried out efficiently.
It is an object of the invention to provide a harvesting machine of the type mentioned in the preamble, which can be compact in working direction.
To achieve at least one of these objects, the invention provides, from one aspect, a device for harvesting vegetable crops from the soil with a stem and a crown carried by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame over the ground, a cutter for cutting the stem, a second drive for the cutter, a stripper for stripping leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving vertically along the stem of the stripper for stripping leaves from the stem in a stripping position thereof.
This allows the leaves to be removed from the stem while the relevant vegetable plant is still in the ground. This allows the handle to be highly stationary without the need for a mechanical aid. The stripping of the leaves can be carried out in a certain way, in particular by stripping the stripper downwards along the stem. The leaves stay out of the machine and are hardly moved. The cut upper parts are virtually suitable / ready for disposal after being cut. The harvesting machine can be simple and compact.
The stripper can comprise two or more stripper parts, and a fourth drive for moving the stripper parts towards each other and away from each other between a stalk-free position and a stripping position in which they engage on the leaves at least near the stalk. In one embodiment, the stripper parts in the stripping position jointly extend around the handle.
In an embodiment the fourth drive is adapted to move the stripper parts towards each other and away from each other between a free position in which the stripper parts leave a passage between them for the crown and the stripping position. The stripper can then be moved downwards over the crown from above and also back up again after stripping.
The stripper parts can be moved back and forth in a linear manner by the fourth drive between said two positions, in particular in a horizontal plane.
In a simple embodiment the stripper comprises two stripper parts which are arranged diametrically opposite each other.
The cutter can comprise one or more blades. The cutter may comprise a counter knife or anvil.
In a first further development, the stripper also forms the cutter, whereby the number of parts can be kept limited and the compactness can be promoted. In the case of a stripper with two or more stripper parts, one or more stripper parts can form a knife. Preferably the (fourth) drive for the stripper parts then coincides with that of the knife (second drive), moving the stripper parts towards each other for the first time towards the stripping position and moving the knife after stripping to cut the stalk, and back.
In a second further development, the cutter is located above the stripper. As a result, the cutter will always hit a blade-free handle surface, which promotes the cutting process.
In a further development, the device according to the invention comprises a lift and a lift drive for moving the upper part of the vegetable plant to a higher level after cutting the upper part of the vegetable plant, in particular in at least substantially vertical direction relative to the frame. Because further operations are not necessary or hardly necessary after cutting, no processing route is required, and the device can be compact in the horizontal sense. The elevator brings the cut upper parts to a height where they can be collected and removed.
In an efficient embodiment, the cutter itself forms a support that forms part of the lift for the portion of the cut vegetable plant located above the cutting surface.
The device can be provided with a catch / drain for the cut top part of the vegetable plant, and with a transducer for transferring the cut top part from the vegetable plant from the elevator to the drain / catch. The collection can, for example, be a container. The discharge can for instance be a belt conveyor.
The transmitter may, for example, be a ram or trigger, which pushes or pulls the cut-off upper part.
The transmitter can also be a conductor for guiding the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to the drain / catch. The conductor can then form an inclined guide surface, for example form a (movable) valve. The second drive can be adapted to move the cutter to a support lifting position in which the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant is released for a fall movement to the guide for guiding therethrough to the discharge / collection. The cutter can thereby be returned to a starting position, ready to descend over the crown of a following plant. In the case that the cutter and stripper coincide, this also applies to the stripper.
In a compact embodiment, the guide is movable between a rest position in which the cutter with support is given vertically free passage and an operating position in which the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant can be received from the support and is guided to the discharge / collection, the The device further comprises a fifth drive for moving the guide between the rest position and the operating position.
The fifth drive can be arranged for direct drive of the conductor, in particular designed as a cylinder.
Alternatively, the cutter may be mechanically connected to the guide such that the position of the guide is dependent on the position of the cutter and the elevator drive indirectly forms the fifth drive for moving the guide from the rest position to the operating position and / or vice versa The position of the conductor via that connection depends on the vertical position of the cutter. Furthermore, the mechanical coupling ensures that the trajectory paths of the cutter and of the conductor do not intersect at the same time.
In a further development of the device according to the invention, it comprises a directing device for directing the cutter and the stripper in the horizontal plane relative to the crown, in particular the center thereof.
For this purpose, the cutter and the stripper can be mounted on a first sub-frame supported by the frame and displaceable in X-direction relative to the frame by a sixth drive. The first subframe can alternatively or thereby be displaceable in a Y-direction relative to the frame by a seventh drive.
The first sub-frame can be displaceable in Z direction with respect to the frame by means of an eighth drive, in order to move the stripper and the cutter vertically as a unit. In the case of the cutter's function as a lift, the rising return stroke of the stripper is then efficiently combined with the (extra) working stroke of the cutter, as a transport support for the cut-off upper part, in which case the eighth drive also includes the above-mentioned lift drive. forms.
For the said movements in connection with the alignment, a further distinction can be made in sub-frames with a view to limiting the required power. The first sub-frame can thus be supported by a second sub-frame supported by the frame, wherein the seventh drive is active between the first and the second sub-frame. Furthermore, the second sub-frame can furthermore be supported by a third sub-frame, wherein the sixth drive is active between the third sub-frame and the frame.
The eighth drive (Z-direction) can be active between the frame or the third subframe on the one hand and the second subframe on the other. Alternatively, the eighth drive can be active between the first and the second subframe. In one embodiment, the seventh drive is active between the second and third sub-frames.
In a compact, efficient version, the third drive is part of the eighth drive. The eighth drive can also form the lift drive.
Other divisions in sub-frames and directions of relative relative displacement are possible. For example, the first subframe with cutter and stripper can be supported by a second subframe and can be moved up and down relative to it by an eighth drive, while the second subframe is supported by a third subframe and by a seventh drive in Y- direction can be moved back and forth. The third sub-frame can then again be supported by the frame and be moved back and forth in the X direction by a sixth drive relative to the frame. In this alternative, the seventh drive does not have to be included in the vertical movement by the eighth drive.
Instead of an arrangement of the first subframe in which displacement thereof takes place along guides in X and Y and optionally Z direction, in an alternative embodiment the cutter and the stripper can be mounted on a first subframe mounted on the end of a robot arm which is mounted on the frame and is therefore movable in X and Y directions, preferably is movable in X, Y and Z directions. The robot arm can be articulated and / or be provided with one or more telescopic segments, in order to bring the end with the first sub-frame to the correct position.
In one embodiment, the first subframe is attached to the end of the robot arm and is linearly vertically, up and down, movable relative to that end by means of a ninth drive. This ninth drive can then function as the aforementioned third drive.
The aligning device may comprise a crown position determiner and may then be adapted to direct the cutter and the stripper in the horizontal plane, i.e. in the X and / or Y direction, relative to the crown, relative to the crown. in particular at least practically centered with respect to the crown.
The crown positioner can form a unit movable in the horizontal plane with the stripper and the cutter, so that the stripper and the cutter are automatically brought to the correct position above the crown with the movements of the crown positioner. By combining crown positioner and stripper and cutter in a unit displaceable as one in X and Y directions, the device can be compact in the horizontal plane. Furthermore, the device can then simply be suitable for operation in both X directions, so that upon arrival at the end of a row of plants, the device can continue to operate in the next row without reversing, back from that end. Such a device can be unmanned.
In the aforementioned embodiment with robot arm, the unit of crown positioner, stripper and cutter can be arranged on the end of the robot arm.
The crown positioner can form a unit displaceable in the vertical direction with the stripper and the cutter.
In the case of the aforementioned sub-frames, the crown positioner can be mounted on the assembly of first and second sub-frames, preferably on the first sub-frame. The displacements in the X and Y directions can take place by controlling the aforementioned sixth and / or seventh drives, or the position of the end of the robot arm in the horizontal plane.
The crown position determining device may comprise a camera. The camera can be located above the stripper and cutter, in particular directly above. The camera can be oriented vertically downwards with the lens center line. As a result, not only is compactness promoted, but the possibility of using the device without successive turns in two (row) directions is promoted.
In an independent embodiment, the camera forms part of a vision system incorporated in the directional device with a programmable control unit, which system is adapted with suitable software, algorithm, for searching the location and center of the crown of the vegetable plant with the camera image. With the programmable control unit the position of the camera and thus of the stripper and cutter is controlled on the basis of the current data from the camera to a position indicative of the center of the crown, in particular seen in a vertical projection on a horizontal plane . This can be, for example, the center of a best-fit circle of the crown or the surface center of gravity.
In a further embodiment the vision system is adapted to provide an indication of the size of the crown of the vegetable plant, in particular considered in a vertical projection on a horizontal plane. The indication can be a one-dimensional measure or a surface size.
This indication can be compared in the control unit of the vision system with a threshold value entered in advance for the crown size. This reference or threshold value (size, shape) can be adjustable, for example on the type of plant to be harvested and / or on the desired size of the plants to be harvested. The threshold value can for example be formed by a surface of a certain size. If the comparison in the control unit of the crown area indicated by means of the camera in the vision system is larger than the area of the threshold value, the control unit will activate the stripper / cutter and the plant will be harvested. If the threshold value is not met, the cutter / stripper is kept out of operation and the relevant plant is not harvested.
The comparison can be made when the camera has risen above the center of the crown, as described above.
Alternatively, it is also possible that the indication of the size of the crown is generated earlier, so that in the case of a crown size that is too small, the process of locating the center of the crown can be interrupted. This is possible because after the passage over a vegetable plant several camera observations are made one after the other.
The vision system can be arranged for locating and indicating the location (in particular the center) and / or providing the size indication of the crown with the aid of contrast measurements.
In an embodiment the device according to the invention is provided with a sensor for detecting the distance to the crown of the vegetable plant, wherein the eighth drive (or the drive of the robot arm) is operated in dependence on the sensor's perception. by a programmable control unit. The distance from sensor to cutter and stripper is a given. For example, the crown depth (the size of the crown in the vertical direction) of the crop to be harvested can be determined on the basis of the crown size indicated with the camera. The control unit may have a relationship (such as table) suitable for the crop to be harvested between crown size and crown depth. Alternatively, the crown depth can be determined as an approximation of the average or as a maximum value for the crop to be harvested. This (the determined crown depth) subtracted from the distance between sensor and stripper / cutter gives an entered distance value sensor crown which, when it is noticed by the sensor during its downward movement, causes the control unit to deactivate the eighth drive for the downward movement. to stop. Depending on the manner of implementation of the eighth drive, a delay margin can be added to said value, for example of 5 cm. The stripper will then generally have arrived at the correct height shortly below the crown. In this control unit it is also possible to enter the distance over which the stripper must be active in a further downward stroke for the crop to be harvested.
In a further development thereof, an intermediate distance value has been introduced / entered in the control unit, which value is adjusted to an intermediate position in which the stripper is situated at a relatively small distance above the crown. The stripper can be held in that intermediate position in a state in which the stripper releases a vertical passage that is sufficient for the sensor's measuring radius but is smaller than the crown size considered in vertical projection on a horizontal plane. In such a position, the stripper with its lower surface can abut against any present overhangs that extend over the crown. With a stripper that is kept wide open for the purpose of the downward movement over the crown, such wraps could remain within the stripper passage and thereby remain outside the scope of the stripper. Bringing the stripper up against those wraps and then moving it apart in the horizontal direction for the next step of moving downwardly around the crown, an outward force can be exerted on said wraps and can then be moved outwardly by the downward moving stripper. be turned over.
From a further aspect, the invention provides a device for harvesting vegetable crops with a stem and a crown carried by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the soil over the soil. frame, a cutter with at least one knife for cutting the handle, a second drive for the cutter for moving the knife from a rest position to a cutting position for cutting the handle and a further drive for moving the cutter vertically between a low position at the level of the cut to be made and a higher release position, the knife forming a transport support for the detached upper part located after the cutting of the stem, which transport support with supported cut-off upper part can be moved by the further drive to the higher delivery position for delivery of the cut upper part to a drain or collection . The cutter is hereby also utilized for raising the cut upper part to a location suitable for transfer to a discharge / collection. A horizontal displacement of the transport support itself relative to the frame is not necessary for transfer to the discharge / collection, as a result of which the device can be compact.
The device can be provided with a catch / drain for the cut top part of the vegetable plant, and with a transducer for transferring the cut top part from the vegetable plant from the elevator to the drain / catch. The collection can, for example, be a container. The discharge can for instance be a belt conveyor.
The transmitter may, for example, be a ram or trigger, which pushes or pulls the cut-off upper part.
The transmitter can also be a conductor for guiding the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to the drain / catch. The conductor can then form an inclined guide surface, for example form a (movable) valve. The second drive can be controllable for keeping the knife in the cutting position from the time of completing the cutting of the stem until reaching the delivery position, and retracting the knife to the rest position in that release position for delivery in a fall movement of the cut upper part on the guide.
The cutter can thereby be returned to a starting position, ready to descend over the crown of a following plant. In the case that the cutter and stripper coincide, this also applies to the stripper.
In a compact embodiment, the guide is movable between a rest position, in which the cutter with support is given vertically free passage and an operating position, in which the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant can be received from the transport support and is guided to the discharge / collection, wherein the The device further comprises a conductor drive for moving the conductor from the rest position to the operating position and / or vice versa.
The cutter may be mechanically connected to the conductor such that the position of the conductor is dependent on the position of the cutter and the further drive indirectly forms a conductor drive for moving the conductor from the rest position to the operating position and / or vice versa.
Alternatively, a conductor drive may be provided for direct drive of the conductor for displacing the conductor between the rest position and the operating position, in particular designed as a cylinder.
The guide can be pre-stressed to the rest position and / or to the operating position.
The device can further be provided with the stripper discussed above and one or more other aspects already discussed.
The second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth drives discussed above may comprise fluid cylinders. Other types of drives may also be suitable, in the opinion of the skilled person. They can all be controlled by a central control unit on the device, optionally depending on the aforementioned sensor and / or crown position determiner and / or the driving speed of the device. Said control units of the vision system and those of the sensor can form one operative whole with the central control unit. Reference values can be entered in the control unit on the basis of which the drives can be controlled.
From a further aspect the invention provides a device for harvesting vegetable crops with a handle and a crown carried by the handle, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame over the ground, a cutter for cutting cutting the stem, and a crown positioner with a vision system with a camera and a programmable control unit, wherein the cutter and the camera form part of a unit and relative to the frame in the horizontal plane, in particular in the direction of movement of the frame, X-direction and in the transverse direction thereto, Y-direction, movable guide and / or cutting unit, which, depending on the data from the camera, is movable for aligning the cutter in the horizontal plane with respect to the crown, in particular with respect to the center of the crown.
As already discussed above, this unit may further comprise a stripper, whether or not formed by the cutter itself, when the stem has leaves to be removed. An (eighth) drive can again be provided for moving the aligning / cutting unit vertically, with possibly a stripper function.
The crown position determiner can be designed and operable in accordance with the vision system described above. Other aspects discussed above may also apply here, separately or in combination with each other.
The crown position determining device may comprise a camera. The camera can be located above the stripper and cutter, in particular directly above. The camera can be oriented vertically downwards with the lens center line. As a result, not only is compactness promoted, but the possibility of using the device without successive turns in two (row) directions is promoted.
The aiming and / or cutting unit can, as stated above, be displaceable along guides in X, Y and Z directions or at least for a substantial part of the displacements displaceable by a robot arm.
From a further aspect the invention provides a method for harvesting vegetable crops with a stem and a crown carried by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, wherein prior to cutting the stem around the crown and optionally part of releasing the stem from the ground a stripper under the crown in the upper part of the stem is brought into engagement with the stem and is then forced downward along the stem while stripping the leaves from the stem, after which the stem is cut .
As discussed above, under certain circumstances it may be advantageous if the stem is cut at a location above the stripper.
Under other circumstances, it may be advantageous if the stem is cut using the stripper itself.
The stripper can grip around the handle while stripping.
In one embodiment, the stripper is moved from above over the crown to a position for engaging the stem for subsequent stripping.
In one embodiment, the stem is cut with a knife, the knife being used as a conveyor for the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to a delivery point. The blade can be moved vertically in the condition of conveyor.
In the dispensing position, a conductor can be placed under the knife and the knife placed in a rest position to deliver the cut upper part to the conductor under the influence of gravity, which conductor guides the cut upper part to a drain or collection under the influence of gravity.
If after stripping the stem the stripper and the knife are jointly moved upwards, the return of the stripper and knife coincides with the upward transport. The cutter and the stripper can form a unit that can be moved as a whole.
In one embodiment the position of the crown of the vegetable plant is determined with a vision system with a camera and programmable control unit and the position of the stripper and the cutter with respect to the crown is adjusted in the X direction and / or in the Y direction. depending on the camera images. To this end, in an embodiment the camera is displaced in the horizontal plane as a unit with the stripper and the cutter, in particular to bring the camera at least substantially above the center of the crown, in particular seen in a vertical projection on a horizontal flat. This can be, for example, the center of a best-fit circle of the crown or the surface center of gravity. In one embodiment, the camera is thereby held straight vertically above the stripper and the cutter, with the lens direction vertically downward.
In one embodiment, the size of the crown of the vegetable plant is indicated with a vision system with a camera and programmable control unit, and in the control unit the size indicated by the vision system is compared with a reference scope entered therein and, on the basis of that comparison, the stripper and the cutter activated or not.
The vision system may be arranged adapted to detect an edge area of the crown upon entering the frame of the camera of the camera, in contrast to the environment. The camera can be adjusted so that the image frame of the camera in the X and Y directions is larger than the expected largest crown size of the plants to be harvested. Depending on the location thereof in the Y-direction in the image frame, in one embodiment, the control unit drives the drive for moving the unit of camera, cutter and possibly stripper in Y-direction around the image frame of the camera, and thereby the camera , to increase and indicate, maximize, and maximize the indicated edge area located in the image frame, and ultimately to centralize the indicated area of the crown in the image frame in the Y direction. The unit of camera, cutter and optionally stripper is thereby displaced by its drive in the X direction to compensate for the movement of the device. The camera, and therefore the unit of camera with cutter and possibly stripper, is thus in a sense self-seeking with respect to (the center of) the crown.
The subject matter as described in the appended claims is to be considered as being inserted and repeated herein in the description.
The aspects and measures described in this description and claims of the application and / or shown in the drawings of this application can, where possible, also be applied separately from each other. These individual aspects can be the subject of split-off patent applications that are aimed at this. This applies in particular to the measures and aspects that are described per se in the subclaims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Shown is:
Figures 1A-C show respectively a side view, a top view and an end view, schematically, of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention;
Figures 2A-F show an example of the use of the device of figures 1A-C, in successive process steps;
Figures 3A-E show some process steps of figures 2A-F in detail;
Figures 4A, B show some process steps of figures 2A-F, in top view.
Figures 5A, B a part of an alternative embodiment of a device according to the invention;
Figures 6A-C show some process steps with the device of figures 5A, B; and
Figure 7 shows an impression of a multiple device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The unmanned harvesting machine 1 in figures 1A-C comprises a main frame 2 with longitudinal beams 2a, cross beams 2b and columns 2c which support the rectangular assembly of longitudinal beams and cross beams. The main frame 2 is supported by wheels 3a, b arranged at the lower end of the columns 2c, the wheels 3a being fixed wheels which can be driven by hydromotors 4 (first drive), for displacement of the machine 1 in the directions A, and the wheels 3b are castors. The hydromotors 4 are fed by a pump 5 driven by a fuel engine. The fuel tank, the fuel engine and the hydraulic system tank for this are not shown. Also shown are a valve block 6 of the hydraulic system and a central, programmable control unit 7, both mounted on the main frame 2.
The main frame 2 further carries a trough 18, which is indicative of a collection or discharge of harvested products, and can for instance also be a conveyor, and which is situated above the profile of the crop.
The main frame 2 carries an auxiliary frame or third sub-frame 8, which is movable to and fro in directions B parallel to directions by a hydraulic cylinder 9 (sixth drive) operating between a longitudinal beam 2a and the auxiliary frame 8, with casing 9a and rod 9b. A, guided by the sleepers 2a. The auxiliary frame comprises two longitudinal beams 8a, a number of cross beams 8b and columns 8c.
The auxiliary frame 8 carries a valve 20 which is pivotable about an axis 21 (directions K) by means of a hydraulic cylinder 22 (fifth drive) between a vertically suspended rest position and an oblique guiding position, for guiding harvested products to the bin 18, etcetera.
The auxiliary frame 8 carries a further auxiliary frame or second sub-frame 10, which is movable up and down by directions vertical cylinders 11a, b (eighth drive) operating between auxiliary frame 8 and auxiliary frame 10 in directions C. The cylinders 11a and 11b are connected in series and directed in the opposite direction. As a result, the oil released during the retraction of one cylinder can be used to expand the other cylinder. In the vertical movement, the further auxiliary frame 10 is guided by one or more guides 19 which are fixed with the auxiliary frame 8. The further auxiliary frame 10 comprises a number of horizontal structural parts 10a, b, such as tubular profiles, and vertical structural parts, such as tubular profiles. The rod of the cylinder 11a is attached at the bottom to a cross member 10b, the opposite cylinder end is attached to a yoke 24, on which also the end of the rod of the cylinder 11b is mounted, of which cylinder the opposite end is attached to a transverse beam 8b of auxiliary gear 8.
The auxiliary frame 10 carries a further auxiliary frame or first sub-frame 12, which is movable to and fro in transverse directions D relative to the second auxiliary frame 10 by a cylinder 13 (seventh drive). The auxiliary frame 12 carries a blade stripper 14 and a stem cutter 16 located just above it. The stripper 14 comprises two stripper blades 14a, b which are movable in directions E towards and away from each other by cylinders 15a, b (fourth drive). The cutter 16 comprises a knife and counter knife 16a, b which are movable in directions F towards and away from each other by cylinders 17a, b (second drive). In this example the directions D, E and F are parallel, but in the invention it is also possible that one or two directions are perpendicular to the two or one other direction (s). Alternatively, use can be made of a reciprocating knife and a punch therefor, which is held next to the handle.
The auxiliary frame 12 also carries a housing 30 (see also Figure 3A) which has an upper wall 31 and a peripheral wall 32 and is open in a downward direction. The housing 30 in fact forms a cupboard open at the bottom, in this example with a rectangular horizontal section. Lighting provisions are built into the top wall, for example IR-LED lamps 33. This lighting is used for a camera 34 arranged in the top wall, in this example a CCD camera or a CMOS camera. The camera 34 forms part of a vision system, for which the control unit is accommodated in the central control unit 7. The vision system is adapted to detect the crown of a broccoli plant in the camera image by means of contrast measurement. The image data is used in the central control unit 7 for moving the auxiliary frame 12 and thereby the camera by controlling the cylinders 9 and 13 respectively in the B or X direction and in the D or Y direction relative to the frame 2 34 and the stripper 14 and the cutter 16. The camera 34 is oriented vertically and placed concentrically with the center between the two stripper blades 14a, b. The knives and the stripper blades are kept sufficiently spaced apart in their rest position to have a sufficiently large image frame of the camera in the area below. The circumferential wall 32 ensures that the image of the camera is disturbed as little as possible by natural UV radiation: with sun on the crown, reflection can cause disturbance of the camera image. The steering of the cylinders 9 and 13 takes place in such a way that the crown of the broccoli plant is brought and held as much as possible in the center of the image frame of the camera.
The distance between stripper 14 and the upper wall 31 is greater than the crown depth + stem length of the plants to be harvested with it. In addition, a distance sensor 35 is provided in the upper wall 31 of the housing 30, acting on IR radiation or ultrasonic, with which the distance from the upper wall 31 to the upper side of the crown can be determined. The distance sensor 35 is connected to the central control unit 7, with which the cylinders 11a, b are controlled on the basis of the data from the distance sensor 35.
In this application the auxiliary frame 12 is also referred to as the first auxiliary frame, the auxiliary frame 10 second auxiliary frame and auxiliary frame 8 third auxiliary frame.
In operation, see figure 2A, the harvesting machine 1 is advanced in the direction A1, at a uniform speed or intermittently, plants to be harvested along the top, here broccoli plants. It is noted that in the drawings the plant to be harvested and the frame 2 are shown stationary, but it will be understood that the frame moves in the direction A1. The second auxiliary frame 10 is held by the cylinders 11a, b at an output height of, for example, 0.3 m above the crowns of the plants to be harvested at a height such that the plants to be harvested are certainly not touched, i.e. above the plant profile, and the camera has a sufficiently large image frame, larger than the crown size in the horizontal plane. The height of the plant profile has been determined in advance and an estimate has been made of the crown size in the vertical direction, also called crown depth, for the crop to be harvested. The estimated crown depth gives a known distance between sensor 35 and stripper 14 a boundary distance between sensor and upper side of the crown, at which boundary distance the stripper will then be located shortly below the crown, in a starting position for stripping. This limit distance, for example 5 cm, is entered in the control unit 7.
Furthermore, the desired stroke of the stripper is entered in the control unit 7. This can be relatively short if one wishes to harvest almost only the crown, for example to remove only florets from it at a later stage, or a little longer, to harvest a desired length of (leafless) stem.
Furthermore, the rest positions and end positions of the cylinders 15a, b and 17a, b are also entered in the control unit 7, depending on the largest crown diameter and the stem thickness.
The vision system is arranged for entering the crown of a broccoli plant upon entering the image frame of the camera 34 from an edge area of the crown, in contrast to the environment. The camera is set so that the image frame of the camera in the X and Y directions is larger than the expected largest crown size of the plants to be harvested. Depending on their location in the D or Y direction in the image frame, in one embodiment, the control unit 7 drives the seventh drive, cylinder 13, to move the image frame of the camera, and thus the camera 34, to move it into enlarge and indicate the image frame located, noted edge area and ultimately centralize the indicated area of the crown in the image frame in the Y-direction, see also figure 3A. Hereby, continuous or shortly consecutive camera images are processed by the control unit 7 for feedback, based on contrast measurements in the recorded images. In a sense, the camera is self-seeking in relation to the crown.
After this or at least partly coinciding with this, the central control unit 7 can also control the sixth drive on the basis of the camera images in order to also centralize the area that is indicative of the crown in the X-direction in the image frame. The auxiliary frame 8, and thereby auxiliary frames 10 and 12, are thereby displaced in direction B1 relative to the main frame 2 in such a way that the displacement as a result of the uniform movement of the frame is compensated, so that the camera is always, as it were, at, above the crown remains. It is noted that in the drawings the position of auxiliary frame 8 relative to main frame 2 appears to be the same in the X direction, but it will be understood that the auxiliary frame 8 is kept above the plant by operating the sixth drive while the main frame 2 continues in the direction A1 .
As soon as it has been observed that the crown has reached the center of the camera image to an acceptable degree, see also figure 4A, the indicated crown surface is matched in the control unit 7 with a surface entered in advance in the control unit 7 which forms a threshold value: on the basis of the camera image indicated crown area a smaller area than the threshold value, then the harvesting process for this plant is interrupted. If the indicated area is greater than the threshold value, the control unit 7 controls the cylinders 11 a, b to force the auxiliary frame 10, and thereby auxiliary frame 12, downward at a high speed over a first step, towards C1, Figures 2B, 3B. The distance over which this happens depends on the distance measurement with the sensor 35, as soon as the set desired minimum distance from the sensor to the crown is reached, that first downward stroke is stopped. The stripper 14 and the cutter 16, which are vertically aligned with the crown by the camera control, are thereby brought along / around the crown to a position in which the stripper 14 is at the desired starting height. Leaves (outer leaf) that extend upwards along the crown may be bent away. The control unit 7 then activates the cylinders 15a, b to move the stripper blades 14a, b towards each other, to a position in which they extend around the handle, against the handle or close thereto, to take account of variations in handle thickness and shape, see also figures 3C and 4B.
Immediately thereafter, the control unit 7 again activates the cylinders 11a, b to strip the leaves of the stem over the preset length in a second downward stroke. The leaves end up on the ground, figures 2C and 3D.
Immediately after stripping, the control unit 7 activates the cylinders 17a, b to cut the leafless handle there with the blades 16a, b, Fig. 2C. The cylinders 15a, b are then also activated to bring the stripper 14 back into the starting city. This is also possible at a later date.
It is noted that after aligning the auxiliary frame 12 in the horizontal plane, immediately prior to the start of the first downward stroke, the stripper blades 14a, b by the cylinders 15a, b may be brought to a smaller distance from each other, which have been introduced in advance. is in the control unit 7, tuned to the crown diameter, for deflecting downwardly in the first downward stroke close to the crown. The camera has already fulfilled its function and cannot be hindered by stripper blades reaching into the image frame.
The cylinders 17a, b remain in the closed position of the knives, so that the knives are a support for the cut upper part. Immediately after cutting, the control unit 7 activates the cylinders 11a, b to retrieve the auxiliary frame 10 with auxiliary frame 12, direction C2, figure 3E. The auxiliary frame 12 is hereby raised in a substantially vertical path (there will be any compensation in the X direction by the cylinder 9 as a result of the device moving forward) to a position entirely above the valve 20, immediately after which the control unit 7 cylinder 22 activates to directly pivot the valve in the direction K2, around hinge 21, to the position shown in figure 2E. The control unit 7 then activates the cylinders 17a, b to return the knives to their starting position, with which the support for the cut upper part is lifted and the cut upper part, guided by the valve 20, slides to the receiving or discharge 18, figure 2F .
Immediately thereafter the cylinder 22 is activated to return the valve 20 (direction K1) to the vertical position so that the cylinders 11a, b can be activated again to return the auxiliary frame 10 to the starting height, see figure 2A, and it can start the process again for the next plant in the row.
The speed of travel of the harvesting machine is adjusted to the mutual distance of the plants in the row and to the time required to direct the auxiliary frame 12 with the aid of the camera and the subsequent leaf stripping, cutting the stem, lifting and delivering the cut off upper part.
As already noted above, the vision system can be adapted to determine whether the crown of the plant to be harvested is large enough to harvest, for example by determining one or more dimensions of the crown in projection on a horizontal plane. This size (s) forms an indication of the size of the crown and can be compared in the central control unit 7 with (a) input reference value (s). On the basis of the result of that comparison, the central control unit 7 then controls the drives effective for stripping and cutting for the relevant plant or not.
In the alternative embodiment 101 shown in Figs. 5A, B, there is again a division into sub-frames, namely first auxiliary frame or sub-frame 112, with stripper 114 and cutter 116 and camera case 130, as in the previous example, second auxiliary frame or sub-frame 110 and third auxiliary frame or sub-frame 108. The third sub-frame 108 can be moved back and forth in an X direction by means of a cylinder (sixth drive) (not shown) with respect to the (main) frame 102. In this case, however, the second sub-frame 110 is transversely and again movable, directions D, relative to third subframe 108, by means of a seventh drive in the form of two cylinders 113a, b connected in tandem, in operating principle in accordance with lifting cylinders 11a, b.
In this example, the first subframe 112 can be moved up and down with respect to the second subframe 110, by means of cylinders (eighth drive), not shown here, which essentially correspond to cylinders 11a, b of the preceding example. A single vertical guide 119 thereby guides the first subframe 112. The first sub-frame 112 carries, in a manner slidable in the transverse direction (D), near the upper end a transverse bar 128, which ends with curves 127 which are provided in first, upright operating rods 126, which are provided at 129 (indicated indicatively, on the drawing) shielded by frame members 102) are hingedly (directions H) are mounted in subframe 108. The upstanding operating rods 126 and thereby the curved tracks 127 have a major portion 126a, 127a that is stretched and an upper end portion 126b, 127b that is S-shaped, offset in a direction away from the vertical path of the first subframe 112.
A cross bar 125 is rotatably attached to the lower ends of the rods 126 and protrudes sideways therefrom. At the ends of the rod 125 are ends 124b of second operating rods 124, which form pendulum rods and are rotatably attached with their other ends 124a to side plates 123 of a conductor 120. These side plates 123 are furthermore rotatably attached to the third subframe at a distance of 124a 108. Due to this construction, the conductor 120 has a rest position tilted upwards (K1) relative to the operating position. With means not shown, the conductor 120 is biased to the rest position.
In operation, see Figs. 6A-C, the assembly of first and second sub-frames is located at the starting height above the row of plants, here again broccoli plants. In Figure 6A, camera images are used by the central control unit 107 to centralize the camera (and thereby the stripper and the cutter) above the plant P1, in a manner as described above, now using cylinders 113a, b and the drive for third sub-frame 108 in the X-direction with respect to the frame 102. If, as has already been explained in the previous example, the control unit 107 has established that the camera is above the indicative center of the crown K1, and moreover it has been established that the If the crown has the correct dimensions, the vertical drive of the first subframe 112 is activated by the control unit 107. Thereby again in two consecutive downward steps the stripper 114 (and also the cutter 116) is first moved over the crown K1, to a position just below it, while bending away the wrapper, and, after the stripper blades have been moved to the stem, then the stripper in stripper position is moved along the handle to strip the blade from the handle. The eighth drive also forms the third drive. Then the cutter 116 is operated, and the cut-off upper part of the plant, supported by the cutter, is brought in an upward stroke from the sub-frame 112 to the position of Fig. 6C.
When the first subframe 112 is moved up and down, the ends 128a, b of the entrained rod 128 run through the curved tracks 127. When the ends 128a, b are located in the extended parts 127a of the curved tracks 127, the operating rods 126 will be vertical 6A and 6B, the rods 124 keep the side plates 123 tilted upwards in direction K1, with the result that the guide 120 is kept outside the vertical path of movement of the first subframe 112 so that it is not impeded in its movement. When in an ascending stroke of the subframe 112 the rod ends 128a, b enter the S-shaped end portions 127b of the curved tracks, the operating rods 126 will tilt about hinges 129 in the direction H1 to the inclined position of Fig. 6C. This is adapted to the passage from the lower end of the first subframe 112 to above the tilt path of the conductor 120. Due to the tilting of the rods 126, the side plates 123 are pulled via the rods 124 and the conductor 120 tilts about hinges 121, against bias, in the direction K2 to a position directly below the first subframe 112, figure 6C. The cutter unit 116 is then opened by the control unit 107 and the cut-off upper part S1 can fall onto the guide 120 and slide through it to the discharge belt 118. The drive for the first sub-frame 112 thus forms an drive for displacing the guide 120 from the rest position to the operating position.
When the first sub-frame 112 is subsequently moved downwards again, the rod ends 128a, b quickly return to the extended parts 127a of the curved tracks 127 and the rods 126 again tilt to the vertical position and the conductor 120, assisted by the bias, will be tilted upwards again, out of the trajectory of the first subframe 112.
In the figures 3A-E the harvesting device 1 finishes the row of plants in the direction A1, in the figures 6A-C in the opposite direction A2. Each time the harvesting device 1,101 has arrived at the end of a row of plants, it can be aligned with a transverse displacement with an adjacent row of plants and then retaining orientation in the opposite direction A2; Drive A1 to harvest the plants in that row.
In the figures 1-6 the exemplary embodiment of the harvesting machine is single. A multiple embodiment is possible, see figure 7, wherein a plurality of harvesting machines 201, at least the parts carried by the aforementioned main frame, are arranged in a direction transverse to the rows of plants, attached to a gantry 200, which can be moved at the ends with frame 202 is supported with wheels 203. The multiple version has a central drive for the wheels 203. The wheels 203 are pivotable. The conveyor belt 218 is common to all harvesting machines 201. The two outer harvesting machines are placed outside the path of the wheels 203, so that a row of plants can also be harvested there. The distance in the transverse direction between the harvesting machines 201 is adjustable. The harvesting machines 201 are also removable, so that the remaining harvesting machines 201 can be precisely aligned with the rows of plants.
This harvesting device according to the invention can also be active in both directions A1, A2. When arriving at the end of the rows of plants, the multiple harvesting machine on a headland can be moved transversely with the aid of the swivel wheels to be correctly positioned for a return stroke in which other rows of plants are harvested. The multiple harvesting device may be provided with a direction sensor operating in a wheel track, on the basis of the data of which the wheels 203 are precisely aligned to follow the tracks between the plants. This direction sensor can also be provided in single harvesting machines discussed above.
By way of example: the gantry can have a length of 7.5 m, the rows of plants can stand 75 cm apart, the illustrated possible passages for the wheels can thereby be 1.5 m apart. The range in the transverse direction of each harvesting machine is, for example, 65 cm.
It is noted that one or more of the drives can be designed differently than hydraulically, for example pneumatically or electrically, such as in the form of servo-electric motors.
The above description is included to illustrate the operation of preferred embodiments of the invention, and not to limit the scope of the invention. Starting from the above explanation, many variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

权利要求:
Claims (62)
[1]
Device for harvesting vegetable crops with a handle and a crown carried by the handle, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame over the ground, a cutter with at least one knife for cutting the vegetable handle, a second drive for the cutter for moving the knife from a rest position to a cutting position for cutting the handle and a further drive for vertically moving the cutter between a low position at the height of the cut and a higher delivery position , the knife forming a transport support for the detached upper part after cutting through the stem, which transport support with the cut upper supported thereby being movable by the further drive at least substantially vertically relative to the frame to the high delivery position for dispensing the cut off upper part at a drain or collection, such as a bin or belt conveyor the cut upper part of the vegetable plant wherein the device is provided with a transfer device for transferring the cut upper part of the vegetable plant from the transport support to the discharge / collection, the transfer device being a guide for guiding the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to the discharge / collection, which guide is movable between a rest position, in which the transport support is given vertical free passage and an operating position, in which the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant can be received from the transport support and is guided to the discharge / collection.
[2]
Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the operating position the guide forms an inclined guide surface for the cut-off upper part of the vegetable plant.
[3]
Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second drive is controllable for keeping the knife in the cutting position during the period from completing the cutting of the stem to reaching the delivery position, and moving it to that release position. retracting the rest position of the knife for delivery in a fall movement of the cut upper part to the guide.
[4]
Device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cutter is mechanically connected to the conductor such that the position of the conductor depends on the position of the cutter and the further drive indirectly forms a conductor drive for moving the conductor of the rest position to the operating position and / or vice versa.
[5]
Device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising a conductor drive for direct drive of the conductor for displacing the conductor between the rest position and the operating position, in particular designed as a cylinder.
[6]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 1-5, with a stripper for stripping leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving the stripper vertically along the stem for stripping leaves from the stem in a stripping position thereof.
[7]
Device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stripper comprises two or more stripper parts, and a fourth drive for moving the stripper parts towards each other and away from each other between a position free from the stem and a stripping position in which they engage on the leaves at least near the stem.
[8]
Device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fourth drive is adapted to move the stripper parts towards each other and away from each other between a free position, wherein the stripper parts leave a passage between them for the crown and the stripping position.
[9]
Device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stripper parts can be moved back and forth in a linear manner through the fourth drive between said two positions.
[10]
Device as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the stripper parts can be moved again through the fourth drive between said two positions in a horizontal plane.
[11]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-10, wherein the stripper parts are designed to jointly extend around the shank in the stripping position.
[12]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-11, wherein the stripper comprises two stripper parts which are arranged diametrically opposite each other.
[13]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-12, wherein the stripper also forms the cutter.
[14]
Device as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in the case of a stripper with two or more stripper parts, one or more stripper parts form a knife, wherein, preferably, the (fourth) drive for the stripper parts coincides with that of the knife (second drive) moving the stripper parts towards each other for the first time towards the stripping position and moving the knife after cutting for cutting the stem and back again.
[15]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-12, wherein the cutter is located above the stripper.
[16]
Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the cutter and the stripper are mounted on a first sub-frame supported directly or indirectly by the frame and which can be displaced relative to the frame by a sixth drive in the X direction (direction of movement of the frame) and / or can be moved relative to the frame by a seventh drive in the Y direction (horizontally transversely to the X direction) and / or can be displaced relative to the frame by an eighth drive in the Z direction.
[17]
Device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first sub-frame is supported by a second sub-frame supported by the frame, wherein the seventh drive is active between the first and the second sub-frame.
[18]
The device of claim 17, wherein the second sub-frame is supported by a third sub-frame supported by the frame, the sixth drive operating between the third sub-frame and the frame.
[19]
Device as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the eighth drive is active between on the one hand the frame or the third sub-frame and on the other hand the second sub-frame.
[20]
20. Device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first sub-frame is supported by a second sub-frame supported by the frame, and the second sub-frame is supported by a third sub-frame supported by the frame, wherein the seventh drive is active between the second and the second third subframe and the eighth drive is operative between the first and the second subframe.
[21]
Device as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the third drive forms part of the eighth drive.
[22]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-15, wherein the cutter and the stripper are mounted on a first subframe supported by the frame, which is mounted on the end of a robot arm mounted on the frame and thus in X and Y directions is movable, preferably movable in X, Y and Z directions.
[23]
Device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first sub-frame is linearly vertically, up and down, movable relative to the end of the robot arm by means of a ninth drive.
[24]
Device as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the robot arm is articulated and / or provided with one or more telescopic segments.
[25]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-28, comprising a directional device for aligning the cutter and the stripper in the horizontal plane with respect to the crown, in particular the center thereof.
[26]
Device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the aiming device comprises a crown position determining device for aligning the cutter and the stripper in the horizontal plane, in particular at least practically substantially centered with respect to the data from the crown position determining device, relative to the crown. the crown.
[27]
Device as claimed in claim 26, when dependent on one of the claims 16-24, wherein the aiming device is adapted to control the said sixth and seventh drives or the position of the end of the end of the crown depending on the data from the crown positioner robot arm in the horizontal plane.
[28]
Device as claimed in claim 26 or 27, wherein the crown positioner forms a unit movable in the horizontal plane with the stripper and the cutter and / or forms a unit displaceable in the vertical direction with the stripper and the cutter.
[29]
Device as claimed in claim 28, when dependent on one of claims 16-21, wherein the crown positioner is mounted on the assembly of first and second subframe, preferably on the first subframe.
[30]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 26-29, wherein the crown positioner comprises a camera, in particular a CCD or CMOS camera.
[31]
Device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the camera is situated above the stripper and cutter, in particular straight above, wherein the camera is preferably directed vertically downwards with the lens axis.
[32]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 16-31, provided with a sensor for detecting the distance to the crown of the vegetable plant, wherein the eighth drive is operative in dependence on the sensor's perception.
[33]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 25-32, when dependent on one of the claims 16-24, comprising a central control unit for co-controlling, in dependence on the recording (s) of the crown positioner, camera and, if present, said distance sensor of the drives mentioned.
[34]
The device of claim 33, wherein the central control unit is programmable.
[35]
Device according to claim 30 or 31 or according to a claim dependent on it, wherein the aiming device comprises a vision system with a programmable control unit and the camera, which vision system is adapted for locating the location and (an indication of) the center with the camera image from the crown of the vegetable plant.
[36]
Device as claimed in claim 35, wherein the vision system with the programmable control unit is adapted to control the position of the camera in the horizontal plane relative to the world on the basis of the current camera image.
[37]
Device as claimed in claim 35 or 36, wherein the vision system is adapted to provide an indication of the size of the crown of the vegetable plant, in particular considered in a projection on a horizontal surface.
[38]
An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the control unit is adapted to input therein a reference size measure of the crowns of the vegetable plants to be harvested, hereinafter referred to as threshold value, such as a surface, of a certain size, furthermore to make a comparison of the activate or not activate the stripper / cutter with the reference area size indicated by the camera and based on the result of that comparison.
[39]
Device as claimed in any of the claims 35-38, wherein the vision system is adapted to look up the location of the crown, in particular an indication of the center of the crown, and / or to provide a size indication of the crown with using contrast measurements.
[40]
An apparatus according to claim 33 or 34 and according to any one of claims 35-39, wherein the control unit of the vision system forms part of the central control unit.
[41]
41. A device for harvesting vegetable crops with a handle and a crown carried by the handle, comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame over the ground, a cutter for cutting the handle, and a crown positioner with a camera, wherein the cutter and the camera form part of a unit as a whole and with respect to the frame in the horizontal plane, in particular in the direction of movement of the frame, X-direction and in the direction transversely thereto, Y direction, movable aiming and / or cutting unit which, depending on the data from the camera, is movable for aligning the cutter in the horizontal plane with respect to the crown, in particular with respect to the center of the crown.
[42]
Device as claimed in claim 41, wherein the aligning and cutting unit also comprises a stripper for stripping leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving the stripper vertically along the stem for stripping the stem in a stripping position thereof. stripping of leaves.
[43]
Device as claimed in claim 41 or 42, provided with one or more aspects as described in one or more of the claims 1-39.
[44]
44. Method for harvesting vegetable crops with a stem and a crown supported by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, wherein prior to cutting the stem to release the crown and any part of the stem from the ground a stripper under the crown in the upper part of the stem is brought into engagement with the stem and is then forced downward along the stem while stripping the leaves from the stem, after which the stem is cut with a cutter.
[45]
The method of claim 44, wherein the stem is cut at a location above the stripper. The method of claim 45, wherein the stem is cut using the stripper itself.
[46]
The method of claim 44, 45 or 46, wherein the stripper grips around the stem during stripping.
[47]
The method of any one of claims 44 to 47, wherein the stripper is moved from above over the crown to a position for engaging the stem.
[48]
A method according to any of claims 44-48, wherein the stem is cut with a knife, the knife being used as a conveyor for the cut upper part of the vegetable plant to a delivery location.
[49]
The method of claim 49, wherein the blade is moved vertically in the condition of conveyor.
[50]
A method according to claim 49 or 50, wherein in the delivery position a conductor is placed under the knife and the knife is placed in a rest position to deliver the cut upper part to the conductor under the influence of gravity, which conductor the cut upper part to a drain or reception guided by gravity.
[51]
54. A method according to claim 49, 50 or 51, wherein after cutting the shank the stripper and the knife are jointly moved upwards.
The method of any one of claims 44 to 52, wherein the cutter and the stripper form a unit that can be moved as a whole.
A method according to any of claims 44-53, wherein the crown of the vegetable plant, in particular also a location indicative of the center of the crown, is searched with a camera and the position of the stripper and the cutter relative to the crown, in the X direction and / or in the Y direction, is set in dependence on the camera images, in particular with the aid of a visa system.
[52]
55. A method according to claim 54, wherein the stripper and cutter and camera are supported by a frame displaceable along the vegetable plants to be harvested, the camera being displaced in the horizontal plane relative to the frame as a unit with the stripper and the cutter, in particular to bring the camera above the crown, in particular at least substantially above the center of the crown.
[53]
A method according to any one of claims 44-55, wherein with a vision system with camera and control unit an indication of the size of the crown of the vegetable plant. considered in particular a crown surface in a projection on a horizontal plane, and in the control unit of the vision system the crown size indicated by the camera is compared with a reference size measure predetermined therein and the control unit based on the result of that comparison have the stripper / cutter activated or not activated.
[54]
A method according to any of claims 44-56, wherein the stripper and the cutter are supported by a frame which is advanced along a row of vegetable plants to be harvested.
[55]
A method according to claim 57, wherein after harvesting vegetable plants in one or more rows, the vegetable plants in one or more other rows are harvested, advancing the frame in the opposite direction, preferably while maintaining the orientation of the device.
[56]
The method of any one of claims 44 to 58, wherein the distance over which the leaves are stripped from the stem is preset.
[57]
A method according to any of claims 44-59, wherein the stem is cut with the cutter just below the crown.
[58]
A method according to any of claims 44-59, wherein with the cutter spaced below, preferably at more than half an above-ground stem length, the crown is cut through the stem.
[59]
62. An assembly of a number of harvesting devices arranged side by side according to any one of claims 1-43, supported by a portal, with a joint first drive.
[60]
An assembly according to claim 62, wherein the harvesting devices, in particular the cutters and / or strippers thereof, can be controlled independently of each other.
[61]
64. Device provided with one or more of the characterizing measures described in the attached description and / or shown in the attached drawings.
[62]
65. Method provided with one or more of the characterizing measures described in the attached description and / or shown in the attached drawings.

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同族专利:

公开号 | 公开日

US20190053430A1|2019-02-21|

NL1042254A|2017-08-09|

WO2017135809A1|2017-08-10|

EP3410838A1|2018-12-12|

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AU2007225011A1|2006-03-13|2007-09-20|Matilda Fresh Foods Pty Ltd|Method and apparatus for harvesting standing vegetable crops|

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法律状态:

优先权:

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

NL1041709|2016-02-03|

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