TWO-WAY HORTICULTURE TROLLEY WITH INDIVIDUALLY TURNABLE FLOOR-WHEELS

Abstract

A two-way horticulture trolley includes a frame, track-wheels for driving the trolley forward or backwards in a first direction over tracks that extend in the first direction along plant growing paths, floor-wheels for driving the trolley sideways in a second direction over a corridor that extends in the second direction along ends of the tracks, driving motors configured to rotate the track-wheels and/or floor-wheels around their horizontal center axis for driving the trolley forward or backwards respectively sideways, and a control unit for controlling the driving motors. The floor-wheels are each individually turnable around an own vertical axis relative to the frame between at least the first and second direction, where one or more turning actuators are provided for controlling the floor-wheels to turn individually around their own vertical axis between at least the first and second direction and vice versa.

Claims

1. A two-way horticulture trolley for driving in different directions over different heights and/or types of surfaces, like paved floors and pipe-rails, comprising: a frame; track-wheels for driving the trolley forward or backwards in a first direction over tracks, like pipe-rails, that extend in the first direction in between and along plant growing paths; floor-wheels for driving the trolley sideways in a second direction over a corridor, like a paved floor, that extends in the second direction along ends of the tracks; one or more driving motors configured to rotate the track- and/or floor-wheels around their horizontal center axis for driving the trolley forward or backwards respectively sideways; and a control unit for controlling the one or more driving motors, wherein the floor-wheels are each individually turnable around an own vertical axis relative to the frame between at least the first and second direction, and wherein one or more turning actuators are provided for controlling the floor-wheels to turn individually around their own vertical axis between at least the first and second direction and vice versa.

2. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein each of the floor-wheels is mounted underneath on an own turntable that is turnable around a center axis relative to the frame between at least the first and second direction and which center axis of the turntable corresponds to said own vertical axis for each of the floor wheels to turn around.

3. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein each of the floor-wheels lies eccentrically relative to said own vertical axis for each of the floor-wheels to turn around.

4. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 3, wherein each of the floor-wheels lies further away from a center point of the frame than said own vertical axis for each of the floor wheels to turn around, such that left and right ones of the floor-wheels lie at maximum width from each other when both turned in the first direction, and such that front and back ones of the floor-wheels lie at maximum distance from each other when turned in the second direction.

5. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim, wherein each of the floor-wheels is turnable over maximum 90 degrees, with the first and second directions as outer limits.

6. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to individually turn a left-front-side and a right-back-side ones of the floor-wheels in a clockwise direction, and to individually turn a right-front-side and a left-back-side one of the floor-wheels in a counter-clockwise direction, and vice versa, during their individual turnings around their own vertical axis relative to the frame between at least the first and second direction.

7. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein side walls of the frame are provided with cut-outs for the floor-wheels to extend through during their turning movements.

8. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein for each of the floor-wheels an individual driving motor is provided that is co-turnable therewith.

9. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein for each of the floor-wheels an individual turning actuator is provided, in particular a stepper motor.

10. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 9, wherein each individual turning actuator is co-turnable together with its respective one of the floor-wheels.

11. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein each floor wheel comprises a flexible rubber tire as tread.

12. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein the frame has an elongate shape, in particular rectangular, underneath which a front and back set of track-wheels is provided, and underneath which a front and back set of floor-wheels is provided.

13. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the track-wheels are formed by flange wheels that each comprise a cylindrical roller part and a flange part, and wherein an outer diameter of the floor-wheels is larger than an outer diameter of the flange parts.

14. The two-way horticulture trolley according to claim 1, wherein the trolley comprises a data collector for automatically collecting health, growth and/or harvest data of plants the trolley drives past.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The invention shall be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0049] FIGS. 1a and 1b show top and bottom perspective views of an embodiment of a two-way horticulture trolley according to the invention with floor-wheels turned for driving in X-direction;

[0050] FIG. 2 shows the bottom perspective view of FIG. 1b with the floor-wheels individually turned over plus and minus 90 degrees for driving in Y-direction;

[0051] FIGS. 3a-i show a transit of the trolley from one pair of pipe-rails, via a paved corridor, towards another pair of pipe-rails including the two-step line-up; and

[0052] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the top and bottom perspective views of FIG. 1a and 1b with the floor-wheels individually turned over plus and minus 45 degrees for turning its frame around its central axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] In FIG. 1a and b an electrically powered horticulture pipe-rail trolley is shown that has been given the reference numeral 1. The trolley 1 comprises an elongate, substantially rectangular shaped frame 10 underneath which two sets of track-wheels 11, 12 for driving the trolley 1 over tracks, and two sets of floor-wheels 14 for driving the trolley 1 over floors, are provided.

[0054] The front set of track-wheels 11 is formed by two cylindrical rollers that are rotatable around a common horizontal center axis, and that are provided at a front side of the trolley 1. A controllable driving electromotor 13 is provided for rotating the front set of track-wheels 11 around their common horizontal center axis for driving the trolley forward or backwards over a track. Left and right guiding rollers 15 are positioned just in front of the rollers for keeping the front side of the trolley 1 centred on a track during driving over such a track and for at a same time protecting front left and right ones of the floor-wheels 14 from rubbing against sidewalls of such a track.

[0055] The back set of track-wheels 12 is formed by two flange wheels that are freely rotatable around a common horizontal center axis, and that are provided at a back side of the trolley 1. The back set of track-wheels 12 is non-driven and merely serve to help carry the trolley 1 when it is driven over a track. Each flange wheel comprises a cylindrical roller part 16 and an outer flange part 17. The flange parts 17 are positioned spaced at a distance that is slightly larger than an outer width of the tracks for keeping the back side of the trolley 1 centred on a track during driving over such a track and for at a same time protecting back left and right ones of the floor-wheels 14 from rubbing against sidewalls of such a track.

[0056] Each of the four floor-wheels 14 is rotatable around its own horizontal center axis and comprises its own flexible rubber tire as tread. The outer diameter of the floor-wheels 14 is larger than the outer diameter of the outer flange parts 17. Each of the floor-wheels 14 comprises an own controllable driving electromotor 18, preferably a controllable stepper motor, that is provided for rotating their respective floor-wheel around its own horizontal center axis for driving the trolley 1 over a floor.

[0057] Each of the floor-wheels 14 together with its own controllable driving electromotor 18 is mounted on an own turntable 20 via which it is turnable around an own vertical axis for steering their respective floor-wheel 14 in aimed directions. The turnability of the turntables 20 here goes from −50 degrees to 105 degrees.

[0058] A turning actuator, preferably an own controllable stepper motor, is provided for each of the turntables 20 as individual turning actuator for controlling their respective floor-wheels 14 to turn individually around its own vertical axis. The turning actuators can also be mounted on their own respective turntables 20. In the embodiment shown the turning actuators are provided above the turntables 20 at positions more inside the frame 10.

[0059] In FIG. 2 a situation is shown in which each of the four turntables 20, with its own respective set of floor-wheel 14, driving electromotor 18 and turning actuator, has been turned individually around its own vertical axis over turning angles of 90 degrees. This makes it possible for the trolley 1 to be driven sideways.

[0060] The floor-wheels 14 are provided eccentrically underneath their turntables 20. In their FIG. 1 position they are orientated in line with a longitudinal axis of the trolley 1. The trolley 1 then can be driven forward or backward. In their FIG. 2 position they are orientated transverse to the longitudinal axis of the trolley 1. The trolley 1 then can be driven sideways.

[0061] It is foreseen to have each of the floor-wheels 14 turned clockwise or counter-clockwise between their FIGS. 1 and 2 positions in such a way that the stability of the trolley 1 does not get negatively influenced. For that the left-front-side and right-back-side floor-wheels 14 get turned clockwise (seen from above), and the right-front-side and left-back-side floor-wheels 14 get turned counter-clockwise (seen from above) when getting forced by their turning actuators to turn from the FIG. 1 towards the FIG. 2 positions, and vice versa, when getting forced to turn back again. This causes the front and back floor-wheels 14 to be turned such that in their FIG. 1 positions their left and right ones lie at maximum width from each other, and in the FIG. 2 positions their front and back ones lie at maximum distance from each other.

[0062] In order for the floor-wheels 14 to not get blocked by side walls of the frame 10 during those turnings, the side walls are provided with semi-circular cut-outs 21.

[0063] On top of the frame 10 a data collector 24 is provided that comprises an upright standing column mounted on a turnable platform 25 and equipped with a number of cameras and flash lights above each other. A turning actuator, preferably also a controllable stepper motor, is provided underneath the frame 10 for the turnable platform as turning actuator for controlling the platform 25 to turn individually around its own vertical axis. The data collector 24 is configured for automatically collecting health, growth and/or harvest data of plants along which the trolley 1 drives past during operation. In the alternative other kinds of autonomous operation units can also be provided on top of the frame 10, like a leaf cutter, harvesting or spraying robot.

[0064] The trolley 1 comprises a programmable control unit 28 that has a storage medium for storing machine readable instructions. The control unit 28 is configured for controlling the driving electromotors and the turning actuators. The trolley comprises one or more rechargeable batteries for energizing the respective driving electromotors and turning actuators, and possibly also for energizing other electrical equipment that might be provided on the trolley 1.

[0065] The trolley 1 can thus be driven at a safe speed over tracks that extend along track paths in between rows of plants to perform an aimed operation like said data collection in between the rows of plants, especially in high-wire crops. The trolley 1 can thus also reliably be driven at a safe speed over floors, like corridors that extend along head end parts of the tracks.

[0066] A detector unit with a total of four track detectors 30 is provided underneath the frame 10. Each of the track detectors 30 comprises an inductive sensor covered by a dish-shaped cover plate and configured to detect whether or not a part of a metal track lies straight underneath them and for sending corresponding detection signals to the control unit 28.

[0067] Front left and right track detectors 30fl and 30fr are positioned underneath a front end of the frame 10 straight in front of the left and right track-wheels 11 at a spaced distance. A front intermediate track detector 30fi is also positioned underneath the front end of the frame 10 and lies in a same horizontal face as the front left and right track detectors 30fl, 30fr. The three front track detectors 30fl, 30fr, 30fi lie at corners of an imaginary triangle that points backwards.

[0068] A back intermediate track detector 30bi is positioned underneath a back end of the frame 10 and lies in a same horizontal face as the front track detectors 30fl, 30fr. The back intermediate track detector 30bi lies at a same longitudinal center line of the trolley 1 as the front intermediate track detector 30fi.

[0069] The control unit 28 is configured for determining all kinds of positions of the trolley 1 relative to the tracks in dependence of detection signals it receives from the track detectors 30.

[0070] The driving electromotors 13, 18 preferably are equipped with variable-speed drives, for example of the variable-frequency generator type, and/or are equipped with sensors, like Hall-sensors, that can be used for counting numbers of rotations of the driving electromotors 13, 18 and for sending corresponding speed indication signals resp. travelling distance indication signals to the control unit 28. The control unit 28 then can also be configured to use those speed indication signals resp. travelling distance indication signals in combination with the detection signals to further determine all kinds of positions of the trolley 1 along the tracks themselves during operations like said data collection in between the rows of plants, as well as on the floor inside the greenhouse environment during for example transits between tracks.

[0071] This shall be further explained with reference to FIG. 3, where the trolley 1 is shown while autonomously driving in a greenhouse environment over pairs of rails R or over a corridor C. Shown are three pairs of such rails R, of which each pair has its left and right rails R connected with each other by a turn-around portion TP at its head end part. The pairs of rails R are formed here by heating pipes that extend above a cultivation floor CF in a greenhouse at regularly spaced positions. Between the pairs of rails R, cultivation paths are left free for rows of plants (not shown) to be grown. The rails R extend in horizontal directions X that are perpendicular to a horizontal direction Y along which the corridor C extends.

[0072] In FIG. 3a a situation is shown in which the trolley 1 is just finishing driving itself autonomously forward over the first pair of rails R1 with the data collector 24 facing leftwards for scanning the plants growing on its left side, and backwards with the data collector 24 facing rightwards for scanning the plants growing on its right side. As soon as the back intermediate track detector 30bi then gives a detection signal to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the head end part of the rails R1 is reached and it shall slow down the driving electromotor 13 to slowly start driving off this first pair of rails R1. The control unit 28 then shall also activate at least the two back driving electromotors 18 such that the back floor-wheels 14 shall automatically help to drive the trolley 1 off the rails R1 as soon as they get enough grip onto the corridor C. With that the back floor-wheels 14 shall also lift up the back end of the trolley 1 somewhat such that the back track-wheels 12 do not get to touch the corridor C.

[0073] In FIG. 3b a situation is shown in which the trolley 1 is already driving with all four floor-wheels 14 over the corridor C. With that the front floor-wheels 14 shall also lift up the front end of the trolley 1 somewhat such that the front track-wheels 11 do not get to touch the corridor C as well. As soon as all three front track detectors 30fl, 30fr, 30fi then give a detection signal to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the entire trolley 1 is about to leave the head end part TP of the rails R1 behind it. It shall then stop the driving electromotor 13 and shall have the driving electromotors 18 drive the trolley 1 further backwards in the direction X over a pre-programmed distance, for example at least 25 cm.

[0074] This situation is shown in FIG. 3c. The control unit 28 then shall activate the turning actuators to turn the floor-wheels 14 over angles of 90 degrees such that they are each placed in a position steering in the direction Y.

[0075] This situation is shown in FIG. 3d. Subsequently it shall activate the driving electromotors 18 to drive the trolley 1 sideways in the right direction Y with its floor-wheels 14 over the corridor C over a pre-programmed distance that corresponds with the distance towards the adjacent second pair of rails R2, for example approximately 1,6 m. The control unit 28 then shall activate the turning actuators to turn the floor-wheels 14 over angles of 90 degrees such that they are each placed in a position steering in the direction X.

[0076] This situation is shown in FIG. 3e. Subsequently it shall activate the driving electromotors 18 to drive the trolley 1 with its floor-wheels 14 over the corridor C forward in the direction X. As soon as one of the front left or right detectors 30fl, 30fr (in the embodiment shown the front left track detector 30fl) then gives a detection signal to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the head end part of the rails R2 is reached.

[0077] This situation is shown in FIG. 3f. The control unit 28 then shall slow down the driving electromotors 18 to slowly start driving further forwards in the direction X towards the head end part of the second pair of rails R2. As soon as the front intermediate track detector 30fi then gives a detection signal to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the primary detection situation is reached in which the front end of the trolley 1 is neatly positioned over the head end part of the rails R2, and shall stop the driving electromotors 18.

[0078] This situation is shown in FIG. 3g. The control unit 28 then shall activate the turning actuators to turn the floor-wheels 14 over angles of 90 degrees such that they are each placed in a position steering in the direction Y.

[0079] This situation is shown in FIG. 3h. Subsequently it shall activate the driving electromotors 18 to drive the trolley 1 sideways in the left or right direction Y (in the embodiment shown the left direction) with its floor-wheels 14 over the corridor C. As soon as both the front left track detector 30fl as well as the front right track detector 30fr then simultaneously give detection signals to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the secondary detection situation is reached in which the front track-wheels 14 are exactly lined-up with the left and right rails of the second pair of rails R, and shall stop the driving electromotors 18.The control unit 28 then shall activate the turning actuators to turn the floor-wheels 14 over angles of 90 degrees such that they are each placed in a position steering in the direction X.

[0080] This situation is shown in FIG. 3i. Subsequently it shall activate the driving electromotors 18 to drive the trolley 1 with its floor-wheels 14 over the corridor C forward in the direction X. The control unit 28 shall then also activate the driving electromotor 13 such that as soon as the front track-wheels 12 lose their grip on the corridor C, the trolley 1 also gets driven forward over the rails R2 by the front track-wheels 11. As soon as the back intermediate track detector 30bi then gives a detection signal to the control unit 28, the control unit 28 knows that the trolley 1 has arrived with all four track-wheels 11, 12 on the rails R2, and it shall stop the driving electromotors 13 and 18.

[0081] The transit is then complete and the trolley 1 can drive itself autonomously forward over the second pair of rails R2 with the data collector 24 facing leftwards for scanning the plants growing on its left side, and backwards with the data collector 24 facing rightwards for scanning the plants growing on its right side. After which the above transit steps can be repeated.

[0082] Besides the forward, backward and sideways turning positions as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it is also possible to have the turning actuators position them in other turning positions. Thus the trolley 1 can advantageously be controlled by the control unit 25 to navigate itself along all kinds of routes towards all kinds of locations inside the greenhouse environment.

[0083] It is also possible for the trolley 1 to manoeuvre in truly limited spaces owing to the fact that the floor-wheels 14 can be individually orientated in different directions.

[0084] In FIG. 4 a situation is shown in which each of the four turntables 20, with its own respective set of floor-wheel 14, driving electromotor 18 and turning actuator, has been turned individually around its own vertical axis over turning angles such that they all get orientated tangentially around a center point of the frame 10 of the trolley 1 (in the embodiment shown turning angles of 45 degrees). This makes it possible for the entire trolley 1 to be turned around its center point without further having to be displaced forward or backward at all. Thus the trolley 1 can change directions even in very narrow corridors or at other tight floor spaces.

[0085] Besides the shown and described embodiments, numerous variants are possible. For example the dimensions and shapes of the various parts can be altered. Also it is possible to make combinations between advantageous aspects of the shown embodiments.

[0086] Instead of using driving electromotors or turning actuators other kinds of drives can be used. All kinds of materials can be used for making the track-wheels. Preferably however they are made of plastic, like for example nylon.

[0087] Instead of using distinctive sets of track-wheels and floor-wheels it is also possible to use flange wheels of which the outer flange portions form the floor-wheels and of which the inner cylinder portions form the track-wheels. By then also making the flange wheels individually turnable by suitable controllable turning actuators around their own vertical axis relative to the frame between at least the forward/backwards direction X and the left or right sideways direction Y, the above described transit steps can also be performed.

[0088] Further it is noted that the track-wheels and floor-wheels can also be designed/dimensioned for other heights and/or types of surfaces for the trolley to be driven over.

[0089] It is also possible to provide a multiple scissor mechanism via which a platform can be adjusted in height, which platform can be bordered and provides access for an operator and/or workers to take position on top of it. An operator panel then can also be provided for the operator to give forward or backward driving speed instructions, height adjustment instructions, etc. to a programmable control unit of the trolley. The control unit also comprises a storage medium for storing machine readable instructions.

[0090] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and therefore will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.