A three-dimensional stereo vision camera communicates the location of a targeted fruit (preferably an apple) to a controller. The controller directs a vacuum selection tube to the location of the targeted apple. The selection tube has a gripping orifice that has a smaller diameter than the apple so that the vacuum suction from the selection tube grips the apple. The selected fruit is then rotated and pulled away from the tree canopy by the selection tube until the apple detaches from the canopy. The detached apple is then gently placed in a collection bin for later sorting and processing.

The present concept is a plant trimming assembly for trimming materials from plants and includes a frame, and a cylindrical slotted drum rotationally mounted to the frame along a longitudinal axis. The slotted drum includes an exterior surface and a longitudinally oriented internal passageway for receiving plant material there through. It further includes a longitudinally oriented cutting assembly retainer which is also rotationally mounted to the frame about the longitudinal axis such that it rotates concentrically around the outside of the exterior surface and along the length of the slotted drum. A longitudinally oriented blade is mounted to a cutting assembly which in turn is mounted to the cutting assembly retainer. The cutting assembly rotates in unison with the retainer around the outside of the exterior surface of the slotted drum. The cutting assembly is configured to maintain a pre-selected stand-off gap between a cutting edge of the blade and a circumferential contour of the exterior surface of the drum such that plant material projecting through a slot and beyond the stand-off gap will be trimmed off by the rotating blade cutting edge.

A robotic system (100) for harvesting fruit (12) includes an end effector (102) with a conduit extending between an input port and an output port. A vacuum system (108) coupled to the end effector (102) provides suction to suck an object into the input port. A collection system (110) includes multiple channels that extend along a vertical axis and are positioned in series along a horizontal axis. A positioning system (104) moves the end effector (102) along the horizontal and/or vertical axes and extends the end effector (102) away from the collection system (110) to position the input port near an object (e.g., fruit). Responsive to the object being sucked into the conduit, the positioning system (104) moves the end effector (102) to position the output port at a selected channel of the multiple channels to allow the object to be dispensed into the selected channel The selected channel is closest to the end effector (102) along the horizontal axis.

The present invention relates to a method and system of conveying harvested material within or out of a combine harvester using positive air pressure. The invention provides for a lighter, simpler process of material handling by using positive air pressure to pneumatically convey harvested material. As compared to conventional methods, the present invention incorporates lighter weight components and fewer moving parts. Systems of the present invention have more flexible layouts than conventional methods, which allows for the incorporation of different material types, easier cleaning, and potentially greater ease for process automation.

Provided is a fruit and vegetable harvesting device (10) for harvesting a fruit or vegetable (1) connected to a branch (3) via a pedicel (2). The fruit and vegetable harvesting device (10) includes: a harvesting hand (11) including a holding unit (12) having a suction pad (15) for holding the fruit or vegetable (1) and a finger unit (21) that can abut on the pedicel (2); and a robot arm (31) that turns the harvesting hand (11) to cause the finger unit (21) abutting on the pedicel (2) to press the pedicel (2).

An end effector for harvesting fruit. The end effector includes a collection device that has an opening with a plurality of prongs over the opening. The end effector also has an oscillating device secured to, and in an oscillating relationship with, the plurality of prongs.

The present invention relates to a device for handling fresh fruit or vegetable products attached to a plant, comprising: means for retaining at least a first portion of a product; and means for engaging a second portion of the retained product; wherein the retaining means and engaging means are arranged such that, while a product is retained by the retaining means, the engaging means can be moved to detach the product.

The invention relates to pneumatic cushions for soft reception of harvested fruit on mechanized fruit harvesters, meant to cushion the fall of harvested fruit wherein the assembly (3) consists of a plastic reception tray (4) and a rubber membrane (5), and the whole assembly (3) has a polygonal shape. The rubber membrane (5), which is most favourably made of food-grade rubber, is stretched over the upper side of the reception tray (4) and the side edges of the tray (4), and attached to the side surfaces of the tray (4). The membrane (5) is glued around the entire side perimeter of the tray (4) and secured by means of a safety tape (6). On the part opposite to sides (c, d), on the bottom of the tray (4), are fitted blow-holes (7) for release of air from underneath the membrane (5). On the corner of the tray (4), formed by sides (a, e), is fitted a mechanism (10) for revolving connection of the tray (4) to the support (23) and to air supply pipes (20), wherein the mechanism (10) includes an axle (12) and a bushing (13) with a hole (14).

Embodiments relate to a crop harvesting apparatus configured to garner or harvest crops from plants via vacuum suction and sort the garnered crops via a quick-switching gate system. A vacuum source generates the vacuum suction for the apparatus so that crops are garnered (or plucked) from the plant via suction through an end-effector, which are then transferred to a crop sorter by way of tubing that has a smooth inner surface. The crop sorter utilizes a gate system that exploits vacuum suction from the vacuum source and gravity to quickly and effectively sort the garnered crops into a hopper and a rejection bin.

An example system includes a nozzle having an inlet: an outlet mechanism disposed longitudinally adjacent to the nozzle; a conduit longitudinally adjacent to the outlet mechanism where the conduit includes a distal chamber, a middle chamber, and a proximal chamber, that; are longitudinally disposed along a length of the conduit; a partition block configured to move between (i) a first position at which the partition block: is disposed laterally adjacent to the middle chamber, such that the partition block is offset from a longitudinal axis of the conduit, and (ii) a second position at which the partition block resides in the middle chamber between the distal chamber and the proximal chamber; and a deceleration structure disposed at a proximal, end of the conduit and bounding the proximal chamber, where the deceleration structure is configured to decelerate fruit feat has traversed the conduit.