SELF PROPELLED ROBOTIC FRESH FRUIT PICKER

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the priority date of the provisional application

entitled SELF PROPELLED ROBOTIC FRESH FRUIT PICKER filed by George

Gray on July 13, 2006 with application serial number 60/807,213.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention is a mechanical fruit harvesting machine, and more

particularly, a fruit harvesting machine which picks tree fruits and collects the

fruit in a central location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Many tree fruits are delicate in nature and sensitive to bruising during

the harvesting process. In particular, apples are quite sensitive to bruising, and

any bruising will cause an apple to be classified as a "juicer" rather than as a

premium quality dessert apple. The price that the grower receives for "juicers" or

other lower grades of apples is much reduced from that which he receives for

dessert grade apples. The class of "juicers" includes apples which are made into

apple juice, as well as apples which are sliced and dehydrated, canned or

otherwise processed. Dessert grade apples are sold to consumers for consumption

as fresh fruit.

[0004] Other fruits have similar problems with bruising during harvesting, and

therefore great care is taken to harvest them in a manner that does not bruise

them, and thus detract from their storage life or quality.

[0005] Most tree fruits have traditionally been picked by hand, with exceptions

being almonds, walnuts, pecans and other nuts. Apples, oranges, pears, plums,

cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines and other similar fruit all must be picked by

hand because a mechanical process has not been devised which is economical to

use and can harvest the delicate fruit without causing bruising.

[0006] What is needed is a fruit harvesting machine which can harvest delicate

fruits without causing bruising to the fruit, and which can collect the fruit in a

central location for transport within the harvesting system, and which utilizes

sensors to locate fruit and position the mechanical harvester for harvesting the

fruit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] These and other goals are accomplished by the automated fruit harvesting

machine of the invention. The embodiment that is described will be the

embodiment which is particularly adapted to harvest tree fruits, but it is to be

understood that other embodiments encompassed by the claims of the patent are

also considered to be within the scope of the invention.

[0008] The harvester includes a base unit which is self propelled and has a

propulsion assembly, a computational assembly, and a functional connection to a

fruit storage container. It also has a number of arm bases to which are attached a

number of jointed arms. The harvester may optionally include a belt for moving

the harvested fruit from the harvesting device into a fruit storage bin or a truck.

The harvester also includes a number of armed bases to which are attached a

number of jointed arms. The propulsion assembly can take a number of

configurations such as three wheels, four wheels, or a configuration with two

tracks for propulsion like a tracked vehicle.

[0009] The computational assembly includes storage media for storing programs,

input devices, such as keyboards, joy sticks, cameras and mouse, and output

devices such as a view screen and printer, device controls and computational

means for performing calculations related to the tasks of the harvester.

[0010] The functional connection of the harvester to the fruit storage bin can take

a number of configurations such as a connection to a fruit bin which is towed

behind the propulsion unit, one in which the fruit bin is separate from the

harvester and placed adjacent to the harvester, or one in which the fruit storage

bin or shipping box is incorporated into the harvester and is carried along with the

harvester as it moves from place to place. A configuration with a conveyor belt is

also an option.

[0011] The arms are jointed and attached to the arm bases on the base unit. Each

arm is made up of a number of rigid tubes which are curved and attached to an

adjacent tubes. The tubes are attached end to end and in each of their connections

the tubes may be rotated in relation to each other. By combining the curves of the

various tube sections of each arm, the end of each arm can be brought to position

adjacent to any particular fruit which is targeted for harvesting. The tubes can be

rotated in relation to each other by a number of means such as gears with motors

on the tube joints, or by hydraulic or electric means. Each of the joints between the

tubes thus has a tube rotation assembly which controls the rotation and the

positioning of the tubes.

[0012] The device also has a number of sensors. The sensors can take a number of

different forms and sense different wavelengths or different colors. The visible

light spectrum may serve as basis for the sensor, or artificial light or ultra violet

light could also be utilized. Depending on the type of sensors selected, the device

can work during the nighttime hours and/or during the day. The sensors can be

located at the end of the arms, or the sensors can be located on or adjacent to the

harvester base unit, or both. Sensors can be located on the base unit to map out the

location and route for moving an arm to a target fruit, and other sensors on the

tips of the arms themselves could be used for the final positioning and movement

of the arm to harvest the fruit. Inputs from the sensors will be utilized by the

computational assembly to identify target fruit, to calculate a path for one of the

arms to reach the fruit, and to direct the two rotational assemblies to make the

joint alignments move the arm into position adjacent or over the target fruit. The

sensors can be configured to allow the harvesting unit to harvest fruit by color, so

that fruit which are of a color that indicated immaturity would not be harvested,

but fruits which are of a color that indicated maturity and suitability for picking

are harvested. For those fruits which are not harvested, a second or even a third

pass of the device would be required to harvest them when they are sufficiently

mature for harvest. The device also includes a fruit transport head which is

located internally in the arm and is moveable from the device body to a distal end

of each arm. The fruit transport head is configured to be positioned around the

selected fruit by the positioning movements of the arm. The fruit transport head

can move from a neutral position to a gripping position around the selected fruit,

which would be by movement of a padded or soft surface cuff around the fruit to

be selected. The movement of the cuff can be by inflation of a flexible bladder, or it

can be a mechanical movement which moves the cuff into gentle contact with the

selected fruit. The fruit transport head thus engages the selected fruit around its

circumference, and retains contact with the fruit until the fruit is deposited into

the fruit storage bin or tray.

[0013] Certain types of fruits may be removed from the fruit transport head by

merely securing the fruit and pulling the fruit away from the tree. Other fruits

such as apples may require a more complex manipulation to remove from the tree,

because pulling an apple from the tree can pull the stem out of the apple, or pull

fruit spurs off the tree. The goal with picking an apple is to leave at least a portion

of the stem remaining in the apple and to not pull any fruit spurs off of the tree.

This is accomplished either by cutting the stem of the fruit, or by breaking the

stem off of the fruit spur at the abscission layer, which is a layer of corky tissue

between the base of the stem and the fruit spur. In the case of an apple harvester

configuration, a fruit stem separator is part of the machine and serves to disengage

the fruit from the tree without pulling the stem from the apple and without

pulling the fruit spur from the tree.

[0014] The fruit stem separator may be a knife or scissor type cutter or may be a

finger like device which applies pressure at the abscission layer in simulation of

the way a human picker removes fruit from an apple tree or a highly controlled

laser beam, water or air jet stream.

[0015] Once the apple is removed from the tree it is still secured by the fruit

transport head. The fruit transport head is configured to pass down the internal

cylindrical chamber formed inside the arms of the harvester. As the fruit transport

head passes through the center of the arms of the harvester it reaches a drop point

where the gripping position is relaxed and the fruit transport head moves to a

neutral position. Once released the apple falls by gravity not more than ³ A the

diameter of the fruit into the fruit bin or into a conveyor which takes the apple to

the fruit bin. Once the fruit is released, the fruit transport head is propelled back

up the interior chamber of the arm and positioned itself in the tip of the arm until

it is ready to be used again to secure and pick a fruit. The fruit transport head can

be traveling up or down the internal chamber of the arm while the arm is being

repositioned to pick the next fruit. The travel of the fruit transport head can be in

a manner similar to the transport mechanism of bank remote teller tube stations

and transport shuttles. The fruit transport head can be propelled by differences in

air pressure, which would move the fruit picker back and forth in the tube. The

arm of the harvesting device can also be configured with a Y assembly, which

allows one arm to have the use of two or more fruit transport heads. While a fruit

transport head is traveling down the arm toward the fruit collection point, as soon

as the fruit transport head clears the one-way part of the tube, another fruit

transport head can be sent up the arm to prepare for picking the next fruit. While

the fruit transport heads are traveling back and forth inside the hollow arm pieces,

the arms can be positioning for the next fruit to be picked, so that a more rapid

pace of fruit picking is achieved.

[0016] The fruit stem separator may be a knife or scissors type cutter, or may be a

cinder like device which applies pressure at the obcision layer in simulation of the

way a human picker removes fruit from an apple tree.

[0017] Once the apple is removed from the tree it is still secured by the fruit

transport head. The fruit transport head is configured to pass down the internal

cylindrical chamber formed inside the arms of the harvester. As the fruit transport

head passes through the center of the arms of the harvester it reaches a drop point

where the gripping position is relaxed and the fruit transport head moves to a

neutral position, allowing the fruit to fall a short distance to the fruit bin.

[0018] One mode of picking fruit is to place the vehicle body centrally between

four fruit trees. From this position the harvester can scan four fruit on the adjacent

90 degree section of each of the four fruit trees, calculate positioning solutions for

each of the fruits, and move the arms into position to pick the fruit on the interior

section of each tree. In this manor the fruit harvester can move from point to point

and each arm can pick one quarter of each tree at a time.

[0019] Because of the ability of the fruit harvester to utilize a number of sensor

modes, it is very possible for the fruit harvester to move within an orchard,

position itself or be positioned by an operator, and pick trees during the day time

or at night, 24 hours a day. The computational component of the fruit harvester

can utilize the GPS system to know its location and to orient itself within an

orchard so that when the end of the row is reached, it can easily pivot around the

end of the row and start up the next row or move to a different part of the orchard

that has been indicated as ready for picking. GPS data would be combined with

sensor data on tree location to enable the picker to know where it is in the orchard,

and proceed to pick the fruit of the orchard.

[0020] The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the public, and

especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar

with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory

inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.

The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which

is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the

invention in any way.

[0021] Still other features and advantages of the present invention will become

readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description

describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration

of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized,

the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without

departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the

preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as

restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the harvesting machine of

the invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is a top view of an embodiment of the harvesting machine of

the invention.

[0024] Figure 3 is a side cross sectional view of the fruit transport head of the

invention.

[0025] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a jointed arm 12 of the invention.

[0026] Figure 5 is a side cut away view of an arm of the invention showing a

fruit transport head inside the arm.

[0027] Figure 6 is a side cut away view a jointed arm of the invention showing

the fruit harvester head positioned at the distal end of the arm in position to pick a

fruit.

[0028] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a version of the device for utilizing

multiple fruit transport head with an arm of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and

alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been

shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be

understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the

specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all

modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit

and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0030] In the following description and in the figures, like elements are

identified with like reference numerals. The use of "or" indicates a non-exclusive

alternative without limitation unless otherwise noted. The use of "including"

means "including, but not limited to," unless otherwise noted.

[0031] Figures 1- 7 show one or more preferred embodiments of the present

invention. Figure 1 shows a version of the harvesting machine 10 of the invention.

This embodiment includes a number of jointed arms 12 with each jointed arm 12

comprised of a number of rigid arm tubes 14. Shown is a unit with four arms, but

units with more or fewer arms are also within the scope of the invention. The

rigid arm tubes 14 are joined to each other at a joint 16 at which point is located a

tube rotation assembly 18. The embodiment shown in Figure 1 includes a

computational assembly 28 which is attached to a harvester base unit 26. The

propulsion assembly 24 is shown, which in this case is a tracked assembly. Each

of the arms 12 are attached to the harvester base unit 26 with an arm base 30,

which like the tube rotation assemblies 18, have the capability of causing rotation

of the rigid arm tube attached to the arm base 30. This configuration of the device

is built around a fruit bin 32 which would be filled with fruit being harvested,

then would be replaced with an empty bin for further filling. Other configurations

would include a towed bin, or a conveyor belt to a nearby bin or truck. An

optional configuration of the harvestor includes a system by which the fruit

transport heads move over trays to set an apple in a chosen position on the tray,

including the capability to sort the fruit by size and color and grade. Is this type of

device, the bin would not be present, or the bin would be the outer container for

trays in layers.

[0032] Figure 2 shows a top view of the same embodiment of the device, with

the same components as are shown in Figure 1. This configuration of the device is

particularly well suited to be placed in a row between four fruit trees so that each

of the arms 12 would have access to approximately one fourth of an adjacent fruit

tree. Once each of those sectors had been harvested, the device would move to a

position between four other fruit trees and continue harvesting. Also shown in

Figures 1 and 2 are sensors 36, which in this case are located in a sensor head 38.

The sensors are a part of the system for locating fruit and directing the harvesting

of the fruit. The information from the sensors is analyzed in software in the

computational assembly 28. The information derived from the sensors is analyzed

and subjected to pattern recognition so that the xyz location of fruit is determined.

With the information about the accessible fruit being recorded, the computational

assembly then optimizes the picking of the fruit, and optimizes the recovery

sequence of the arms.

[0033] Figure 3 shows the fruit transport head 22 of the invention. This view

includes a fruit 20 around which the fruit transport head 22 has been positioned

for transport inside the rigid arm tubes 14 of a jointed arm 12. The fruit transport

head 22 includes a cuff 40, which preferably is inflatable. A fruit sensor 42 within

the fruit transport head 22 senses the presence of the fruit 20 by contact. When the

fruit 20 contacts the fruit sensor 22, the cuff 40 inflates to grip the fruit 20 and

secure it within the fruit transport head 22. Once secured, a fruit stem separator

44 is activated which cuts off the stem 46 of the fruit without damaging the fruit

spur 48. The fruit stem separator 44 shown in Figure 3 is a mechanical device

comprised of blades which close in an iris fashion to cut the stem 46. Other fruit

stem separators can also include mechanical knife, a laser located in the fruit

transport head, or device which uses a high pressure water jet to cut the stem 46.

[0034] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a jointed arm 12 of the invention.

[0035] The arm includes several rigid tubes 14 which are joined together at two

rotation assemblies 18. The two rotation assemblies 18 are under the control of

computational assembly 28, which cause rotation of each of the rigid arm tubes 14

so that the distal end 50 of the jointed arm 12 is positioned adjacent to a fruit 20 to

be harvested by the harvest machine 10. The tube rotator assembly 18 can take a

number of forms, with one preferred form being use of stepper motors 66, as

shown in Fig 4, with a gear on one tube, and a chain going around the gear and

tube. The tubes are joined by freely turning roller or other bearings.

[0036] Figure 5 shows a jointed arm 12 of the invention, with rigid arm tubes

14 and two rotation assemblies 18. This jointed arm 12 is attached to an arm base

30, which is attached to the harvester base unit 26. Shown in this view is a fruit

transport head 22 shown in transit inside the jointed arm 12.

[0037] Figure 6 shows the fruit transport head 22 positioned at the distal end 50

of the jointed arm 12, in position to attach to a fruit and transport it the harvesting

machine 10.

[0038] Figure 7 is a "Y" valve, which is a design that provides the ability of

utilizing more then one fruit transport head 22 with each jointed arm 12 the "Y"

valve 52 includes an attachment collar 54, which attaches to the jointed arm 12.

The attachment collar 54 is attached at one end a sliding plate 56, with the sliding

plate 56 being enclosed by a pair of rails 58. When a fruit transport head 22 is

delivered to the harvester base unit 26, it may pass through the attachment collar

54 and the fruit is released through a drop tube 60. In another configuration, the

fruit transport heads can be placed in a carousel, which rotates to expose the fruit

to a vacuum fruit lifter, which would extract the fruit and move it to a bin or tray

based on size, color, and grade. Once the fruit transport head is in the carousel 68,

the sliding plate 56 moves to the feed tube 62, and another fruit transport head 22

is directed to the distal end 50 of the arm to harvest another fruit.

[0039] While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment

of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited

thereto, but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the

following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various

changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the

invention as defined by the following claims.