Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter

Version 1 : Received: 16 January 2024 / Approved: 16 January 2024 / Online: 16 January 2024 (13:56:15 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace 2024, 11, 203. Park, H.; Kang, H.; Hwang, B.; Joe, S.; Kim, B. A Fruit Harvesting Mechanism Capable of Multidimensional Movements: A Preliminary Study on the Integrated Mechanism with a Hexacopter. Aerospace 2024, 11, 203.

Abstract

This study introduces a fruit harvesting mechanism powered by a single motor, designed for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The mechanism performs reciprocating motion by converting linear motion into rotational motion. Consequently, the end-effector can execute multi-dimensional kinematic trajectories, including biaxial and rotational movements, synchronized with the motor's position. These axial and rotational motions facilitate the gripper's ability to reach, retrieve, and detach fruit from branches during the harvesting process. Notably, a critical consideration in designing this fruit harvesting mechanism is to generate the necessary torque at the end-effector while minimizing reaction forces and torque that could destabilize the UAV during flight. With these considerations in mind, this preliminary study aimed to harvest a Fuji apple and conducted dynamic analysis. We constructed a prototype of the single motor-driven fruit harvesting mechanism using a suitable servo motor. To assess its mechanical performance and evaluate its impact on the hexacopter, we developed both a specific test platform featuring a six-spherical-prismatic-spherical parallel structure and a virtual environmental flight simulator. Overall, the results demonstrate the successful harvesting of a Fuji apple weighing approximately 300 g by the single motor-driven fruit harvesting mechanism, with no adverse effects observed on the hexacopter's operation.

Keywords

Unmanned aerial vehicles; Harvesting robots; Scotch-yoke mechanisms; Multidimensional motions; Task-oriented end-effector

Subject

Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.