WO2009065974A1 - Automatic suction-based plant handling system - Google Patents
Automatic suction-based plant handling system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2009065974A1 WO2009065974A1 PCT/ES2007/000675 ES2007000675W WO2009065974A1 WO 2009065974 A1 WO2009065974 A1 WO 2009065974A1 ES 2007000675 W ES2007000675 W ES 2007000675W WO 2009065974 A1 WO2009065974 A1 WO 2009065974A1
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- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- plants
- box
- fixing
- tool
- plant
- Prior art date
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
- A01D46/00—Picking of fruits, vegetables, hops, or the like; Devices for shaking trees or shrubs
- A01D46/30—Robotic devices for individually picking crops
Definitions
- Automatic plant management is used to reduce the workforce in various tasks in the agribusiness sector. This sector in recent years has been dragging a strong dependence on the workforce, often in very short periods of time, therefore it is very difficult to find people to perform these tasks and negatively incurring the economic results of the sector and often limiting for such activity.
- Some solutions designed to help reduce these problems are transplant machines that move through the field guided by tractors or self-propelled and that manipulate the plants mechanically, generally placing them in trays with alveoli.
- These solutions are based mainly on systems that depend on cultivation trays with some rigidity that guarantee an exact position of the plants to be able to manipulate them.
- Some disadvantages of these systems are the direct damage caused to the plants in their handling, the transmission of germination or multiplication failures in the cultivation trays to the field, the need to transport large quantities of trays to the field and the increased risks of transmission of pests and pathogens from the field to the multiplication areas, via trays. In turn, high transport costs are generated in the movements towards the field and return of the cultivation trays to the multiplication centers.
- the invention provides a simple solution that considerably reduces labor without damaging plants and increases efficiency in the production chain.
- the present solution is about an automatic system for the management of plants based on aspiration, which is formed by a robot where a tool is attached to which the plants are fixed by generating an air current produced by a pump suction connected to said tool by means of a flexible pipe. This suction pump generates the necessary force so that the plants are fixed to the tool and can be manipulated by the robot.
- This system has notable advantages in that it does not cause damage to the plants when handling them, such as chafing, cutting, crushing of roots and leaves, reducing the stress of the plants in the cultivation phases. Another improvement is that it does not base its operation on a cultivation tray, since the plants are placed loose and together in boxes, allowing to introduce a higher density of plants, consequently reducing transport and storage costs. This allows to unlink the multiplication and cultivation phase, from the mechanization of the different processes and operations of the production chain, allowing to have the adequate tray for the growth of the plants and not having the need for the plant to have a certain amount of roots. to be able to handle it and / or certain measures of root ball, and / or a certain height of the plant.
- Figure 1 consists of a structure 15 in which the other parts of the system are located, a safety barrier 14 that delimits the work area, preventing damage from possible collisions with different objects or people who can enter the work area of the robot manipulator 4.
- the box 9 with plants 8 is placed in a box holder 10, which has a necessary inclination, from 60 ° to 20 ° with the horizontal, so that the plants 8 do not fall when they are handled.
- the robot controller 12 programmed according to the requirements demanded by the automatic system, gives the movement orders to the robot manipulator 4. Fixed to the latter are the pipe support 5, which holds the air manipulator to the robot 4 compressed 2 and for air in depression 3.
- the plant fixing tool 7 designed specifically for high suction efficiency is also attached to the robot manipulator 4.
- this tool for fixing the plants 7 is the valve 6 that gives way to the air in depression generated by the suction pump 1, which maintains in the flexible pipe for air in depression 3 the force that guarantees the fixation of the plants 8 to the tool for the fixation of the plants 7, so that the manipulator of the robot 4 can move the plants 8, from the box 9 to the conveyor belt of plants 11, or vice versa, where it releases them by closing the valve 6 in the flexible pipe in depression 3 and opening in the flexible pipe for compressed air 2 giving way to the pressurized air, generated by the air compressor 13, causing the plants 8 to be released from the tool for fixing the plants 7 in a very short instant of time.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Robotics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to an automatic suction-based plant handling system containing a robot (4, 12) including a manipulator, the end of which is provided with a plant securing tool (7) connected to two flexible tubes (3, 2) by means of a valve (6). One of the tubes (3) connects the plant securing tool (7) to a suction pump (1), while the other tube (2) connects the plant securing tool (7) to an air compressor (13). The case (9) containing the plants (8) is positioned on a supporting base (10). A plant conveyor belt (11) is positioned within reach of the robot (4) manipulator.
Description
Sistema automático para manejo de plantas mediante aspiración Automatic system for handling plants by aspiration
El manejo automático de plantas se utiliza con el fin de reducir la mano de obra en diversas tareas en el sector de la agroindustria. Este sector en los últimos años viene arrastrando una fuerte dependencia de la mano de obra, muchas veces en periodos muy cortos de tiempo, siendo por lo tanto muy difícil encontrar personas para la realización de estas tareas e incurriendo negativamente en los resultados económicos del sector y muchas veces limitantes para dicha actividad.Automatic plant management is used to reduce the workforce in various tasks in the agribusiness sector. This sector in recent years has been dragging a strong dependence on the workforce, often in very short periods of time, therefore it is very difficult to find people to perform these tasks and negatively incurring the economic results of the sector and often limiting for such activity.
Algunas soluciones ideadas para contribuir a reducir estos problemas son las máquinas de transplante que se van moviendo por el campo guiadas mediante tractores o autopropulsadas y que manipulan las plantas mecánicamente, ubicándose éstas generalmente en bandejas con alvéolos. También existen soluciones fijas, ideadas para trabajar en almacenes o centros de producción o multiplicación, como son los sistemas para movimiento automático de macetas o recipientes de cultivo con planta. El paso de plantas desde bandejas de cultivo con alvéolos a macetas, o a otras bandejas con alvéolos de mayor tamaño, o a cualquier tipo de recipiente de cultivo. El rellenado de bandejas para sustituir los fallos de germinación o multiplicación y también para unificar plantas en la misma bandeja según su tamaño. Estas soluciones están basadas sobre todo en sistemas que dependen de bandejas de cultivo con cierta rigidez que garantizan una posición exacta de las plantas para poder manipularlas. Algunas desventajas de estos sistemas son los daños directos producidos a las plantas en su manipulación, la transmisión de fallos de germinación o multiplicación en las bandejas de cultivo al campo, la necesidad de transporte de grandes cantidades de bandejas al campo y el aumento de los riesgos de transmisión de plagas y patógenos desde el campo a las áreas de multiplicación, vía bandejas. A su vez se generan altos costes de transporte en los movimientos hacia el campo y de retorno de las bandejas de cultivo a los centros de multiplicación.Some solutions designed to help reduce these problems are transplant machines that move through the field guided by tractors or self-propelled and that manipulate the plants mechanically, generally placing them in trays with alveoli. There are also fixed solutions, designed to work in warehouses or centers of production or multiplication, such as systems for automatic movement of pots or growing containers with plants. The passage of plants from culture trays with alveoli to pots, or to other trays with larger alveoli, or to any type of cultivation container. The filling of trays to replace germination or multiplication failures and also to unify plants in the same tray according to their size. These solutions are based mainly on systems that depend on cultivation trays with some rigidity that guarantee an exact position of the plants to be able to manipulate them. Some disadvantages of these systems are the direct damage caused to the plants in their handling, the transmission of germination or multiplication failures in the cultivation trays to the field, the need to transport large quantities of trays to the field and the increased risks of transmission of pests and pathogens from the field to the multiplication areas, via trays. In turn, high transport costs are generated in the movements towards the field and return of the cultivation trays to the multiplication centers.
La invención aporta una solución sencilla que reduce considerablemente la mano de obra sin dañar las plantas y aumenta la eficiencia en la cadena productiva.
La presente solución trata sobre un sistema automático para el manejo de plantas basado en la aspiración, que está formado por un robot donde se encuentra acoplada una herramienta a la que se fijan las plantas mediante la generación de una corriente de aire producida por una bomba de aspiración conectada a dicha herramienta mediante una tubería flexible. Esta bomba de aspiración genera la fuerza necesaria para que las plantas se fijen a la herramienta y puedan ser manipuladas por el robot.The invention provides a simple solution that considerably reduces labor without damaging plants and increases efficiency in the production chain. The present solution is about an automatic system for the management of plants based on aspiration, which is formed by a robot where a tool is attached to which the plants are fixed by generating an air current produced by a pump suction connected to said tool by means of a flexible pipe. This suction pump generates the necessary force so that the plants are fixed to the tool and can be manipulated by the robot.
Este sistema presenta notables ventajas en cuanto a que no causa daños a las plantas al manipularlas, como podrían ser rozaduras, cortes, aplastamientos de raíces y hojas, reduciendo el stress de las plantas en las fases de cultivo. Otra mejora es que no basa su funcionamiento en una bandeja de cultivo, puesto que las plantas van colocadas sueltas y juntas en cajas, permitiendo introducir una mayor densidad de plantas, reduciendo consecuentemente los costes de transporte y almacenaje. Esto permite desvincular la fase de multiplicación y cultivo, de la mecanización de los distintos procesos y operaciones de la cadena productiva, permitiendo tener la bandeja adecuada para el crecimiento de las plantas y no teniendo la necesidad de que la planta tenga una determinada cantidad de raíces para poder manipularla y/o unas determinadas medidas de cepellón, y/o una determinada altura de la planta. Todo ello permite que la planta se pueda cultivar en condiciones óptimas, reduciendo los niveles de stress de la misma y aumentando consecuentemente su productividad. Otra ventaja es que las bandejas o recipientes de cultivo no tienen la necesidad de ser transportadas al campo, no estando expuestas a altos niveles de contaminación y no transmitiendo esta contaminación a las áreas de multiplicación, sobre todo virus y diversas enfermedades de cuarentena y agentes transmisores de los mismos. Al cambiar las plantas de las bandejas o recipientes de cultivo para cajas, se pueden eliminar en este momento los fallos de multiplicación, posibles enfermedades, en definitiva las plantas que no cumplen el nivel de calidad deseado y hacer un clasificado por tamaños, repercutiendo nuevamente en un aumento directo de la productividad de toda la actividad. A su vez, este sistema presenta la posibilidad de integrarse como complemento de otras soluciones semiautomáticas, fijas o también móviles, autopropulsadas o guiadas mediante tractores, contribuyendo a reducir las necesidades de mano de obra.
La invención se describirá a continuación por medio de un ejemplo y con referencia a la figura que se adjunta, en la cual se representa una aplicación de la invención en un dibujo de. conjunto.This system has notable advantages in that it does not cause damage to the plants when handling them, such as chafing, cutting, crushing of roots and leaves, reducing the stress of the plants in the cultivation phases. Another improvement is that it does not base its operation on a cultivation tray, since the plants are placed loose and together in boxes, allowing to introduce a higher density of plants, consequently reducing transport and storage costs. This allows to unlink the multiplication and cultivation phase, from the mechanization of the different processes and operations of the production chain, allowing to have the adequate tray for the growth of the plants and not having the need for the plant to have a certain amount of roots. to be able to handle it and / or certain measures of root ball, and / or a certain height of the plant. All this allows the plant to be cultivated in optimal conditions, reducing the stress levels of the same and consequently increasing its productivity. Another advantage is that the trays or culture vessels do not need to be transported to the field, not being exposed to high levels of contamination and not transmitting this contamination to the multiplication areas, especially viruses and various quarantine diseases and transmitting agents. thereof. When changing the plants of the trays or containers of culture for boxes, can be eliminated at this time the multiplication failures, possible diseases, in short the plants that do not meet the desired level of quality and make a classification by sizes, impacting again on a direct increase in the productivity of all activity. In turn, this system presents the possibility of integrating as a complement to other semi-automatic, fixed or mobile solutions, self-propelled or guided by tractors, contributing to reduce labor needs. The invention will be described below by means of an example and with reference to the attached figure, in which an application of the invention is depicted in a drawing of. set.
La figura 1 consta de una estructura 15 en la que están ubicadas las demás partes del sistema, una barrera de seguridad 14 que delimita la zona de trabajo, evitando daños por posibles colisiones con distintos objetos o a personas que puedan introducirse en la zona de trabajo del manipulador del robot 4. La caja 9 con plantas 8 se coloca en un soporte de cajas 10, el cual tiene una inclinación necesaria, de 60° a 20° con la horizontal, para que no se caigan las plantas 8 al ser manipuladas. El controlador del robot 12 programado de acuerdo a las necesidades exigidas por el sistema automático, da las órdenes de movimiento al manipulador del robot 4. Fijados a este último están el soporte de tuberías 5, que sujeta al manipulador del robot 4 las tuberías para aire comprimido 2 y para aire en depresión 3. También se fija al manipulador del robot 4 la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas 7 diseñada específicamente para obtener una alta eficiencia en la aspiración. En un extremo de esta herramienta para la fijación de las plantas 7 se sitúa la válvula 6 que da paso al aire en depresión generado por la bomba de aspiración 1, la cual mantiene en la tubería flexible para aire en depresión 3 la fuerza que garantiza la fijación de las plantas 8 a la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas 7, para que el manipulador del robot 4 pueda desplazar las plantas 8, desde la caja 9 hasta la banda transportadora de plantas 11, o viceversa, donde las suelta cerrándose la válvula 6 en la tubería flexible en depresión 3 y abriéndose en la tubería flexible para aire comprimido 2 dando paso al aire a presión, generado por el compresor de aire 13, provocando que se suelten las plantas 8 de la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas 7 en un instante de tiempo muy corto.
Figure 1 consists of a structure 15 in which the other parts of the system are located, a safety barrier 14 that delimits the work area, preventing damage from possible collisions with different objects or people who can enter the work area of the robot manipulator 4. The box 9 with plants 8 is placed in a box holder 10, which has a necessary inclination, from 60 ° to 20 ° with the horizontal, so that the plants 8 do not fall when they are handled. The robot controller 12 programmed according to the requirements demanded by the automatic system, gives the movement orders to the robot manipulator 4. Fixed to the latter are the pipe support 5, which holds the air manipulator to the robot 4 compressed 2 and for air in depression 3. The plant fixing tool 7 designed specifically for high suction efficiency is also attached to the robot manipulator 4. At one end of this tool for fixing the plants 7 is the valve 6 that gives way to the air in depression generated by the suction pump 1, which maintains in the flexible pipe for air in depression 3 the force that guarantees the fixation of the plants 8 to the tool for the fixation of the plants 7, so that the manipulator of the robot 4 can move the plants 8, from the box 9 to the conveyor belt of plants 11, or vice versa, where it releases them by closing the valve 6 in the flexible pipe in depression 3 and opening in the flexible pipe for compressed air 2 giving way to the pressurized air, generated by the air compressor 13, causing the plants 8 to be released from the tool for fixing the plants 7 in a very short instant of time.
Claims
1. Un nuevo sistema automático para el manejo de plantas mediante aspiración, que se caracteriza por contener un robot (4, 12), que presenta en el extremo del manipulador del robot (4), una herramienta para la fijación de las plantas (7), conectada a dos tuberías flexibles (3, 2), mediante la válvula (6). La tubería (3) conecta la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas (7) a la bomba de aspiración (1) y la tubería (2) conecta la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas (7) a un compresor de aire (13). La caja(9) que contiene las plantas (8) está posicionada sobre el soporte de cajas (10). En el área de alcance del manipulador del robot (4) se encuentra posicionada la banda transportadora de plantas (11).1. A new automatic system for the management of plants by aspiration, which is characterized by containing a robot (4, 12), which presents at the end of the robot manipulator (4), a tool for fixing plants (7 ), connected to two flexible pipes (3, 2), by means of the valve (6). The pipe (3) connects the tool for fixing the plants (7) to the suction pump (1) and the pipe (2) connects the tool for fixing the plants (7) to an air compressor (13 ). The box (9) containing the plants (8) is positioned on the box support (10). The plant conveyor belt (11) is positioned in the scope of the robot manipulator (4).
2. Este sistema automático para manejo de plantas mediante aspiración según la reivindicación 1, contiene una herramienta para la fijación de las plantas (7) que se caracteriza por contener una cavidad hermética en su interior, excepto en la zona de fijación de las plantas, donde presenta un diseño de cortes y/o agujeros, a lo ancho y en la mitad inferior de toda la herramienta para la fijación de las plantas (7), en función del tipo de planta (8) y caja (9) utilizadas.2. This automatic system for handling plants by aspiration according to claim 1, contains a tool for fixing the plants (7) characterized by containing a hermetic cavity inside, except in the area of fixing plants, where it presents a design of cuts and / or holes, across the width and in the lower half of the entire tool for fixing the plants (7), depending on the type of plant (8) and box (9) used.
3. Según la reivindicación 1, el sistema automático para manejo de plantas mediante aspiración, comprende una caja (9), la cual se caracteriza porque contiene a las plantas (8) colocadas en líneas, guardando simetría con las paredes de la caja (9) y sueltas, sin ningún tipo de estructura que las sujete en el interior de la caja (9). Esta caja (9) se coloca en el soporte (10) formando la base de la caja (9) con la horizontal, un ángulo comprendido entre 20° y 60°.3. According to claim 1, the automatic system for handling plants by aspiration, comprises a box (9), which is characterized in that it contains the plants (8) placed in lines, keeping symmetry with the walls of the box (9 ) and loose, without any structure that holds them inside the box (9). This box (9) is placed in the support (10) forming the base of the box (9) with the horizontal, an angle between 20 ° and 60 °.
4. El sistema automático para manejo de plantas mediante aspiración según reivindicación 1, se caracteriza por la posibilidad de su integración en otros sistemas de trabajo en movimiento, ya sean autopropulsados o guiados mediante tractores y también podrán integrarse en otros sistemas de trabajo fijos. 4. The automatic system for handling plants by aspiration according to claim 1, is characterized by the possibility of its integration into other work systems in motion, whether self-propelled or guided by tractors and can also be integrated into other fixed work systems.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2007/000675 WO2009065974A1 (en) | 2007-11-22 | 2007-11-22 | Automatic suction-based plant handling system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2007/000675 WO2009065974A1 (en) | 2007-11-22 | 2007-11-22 | Automatic suction-based plant handling system |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2009065974A1 true WO2009065974A1 (en) | 2009-05-28 |
Family
ID=40667148
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2007/000675 WO2009065974A1 (en) | 2007-11-22 | 2007-11-22 | Automatic suction-based plant handling system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2009065974A1 (en) |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4582353A (en) * | 1983-06-17 | 1986-04-15 | Pont-A-Mousson S.A. | Suction cup for gripping small, delicate objects |
| EP0389019A1 (en) * | 1989-03-07 | 1990-09-26 | Plant Production Systems B.V. | Method for producing culture vessels filled with micro-cultures of plant parts, and device for carrying out said method |
| WO1991000781A1 (en) * | 1989-07-06 | 1991-01-24 | Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus | Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid |
| US5020842A (en) * | 1988-09-02 | 1991-06-04 | Waseda University | Instrument for inoculating bulb scales |
| US20030164620A1 (en) * | 2000-02-26 | 2003-09-04 | Kurt Schmalz | Handling device, especially vaccum handling device |
-
2007
- 2007-11-22 WO PCT/ES2007/000675 patent/WO2009065974A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4582353A (en) * | 1983-06-17 | 1986-04-15 | Pont-A-Mousson S.A. | Suction cup for gripping small, delicate objects |
| US5020842A (en) * | 1988-09-02 | 1991-06-04 | Waseda University | Instrument for inoculating bulb scales |
| EP0389019A1 (en) * | 1989-03-07 | 1990-09-26 | Plant Production Systems B.V. | Method for producing culture vessels filled with micro-cultures of plant parts, and device for carrying out said method |
| WO1991000781A1 (en) * | 1989-07-06 | 1991-01-24 | Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus | Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid |
| US20030164620A1 (en) * | 2000-02-26 | 2003-09-04 | Kurt Schmalz | Handling device, especially vaccum handling device |
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