Design and Experiment of Chain Feeding Combined with Roller and Flexible Rod Breaking Pineapple Picking Mechanism

In order to promote the mechanization level of pineapple harvesting and improve its effieiency, a pineapple pieking mechanism was designed. The mechanism fed fruit by using a chain feeding, removed fruit by using a pair of rollers and a rotational cylinder which had several flexible rods mounted on the cylindrical surface. Firstly, guiding mechanism was a pair of chain mechanisms with chain claws. Several key parameters that affected the picking effieiency of this mechanism, including the radius, length, mounting height, rotational speed of that pair of horizontal rollers, rational gap value between that pair of rollers were analyzed, and their Computing methods were put forward. The radius calculation method of those flexible rods which were mounted on the rotational cylinder was purposed by using a pseudo-rigid body theory, and a suitable ränge of the rotational speed of those flexibles rod was determined. An experimental machine was designed and manufactured to test feasibility of the harvesting mechanism. That experimental machine consisted of a tractor, a diesel engine, and a harvesting mechanism. The field experiment results showed that the optimal parameter combination for this mechanism was that the forward speed was 0. 6 m/s, the radius, installation height and rotational speed of the horizontal roller was 35 mm, 200 mm and 12 rad/s, respectively, and the radius and rotational speed of the flexible rod was 20 mm and 10 rad/s, respectively. Under the optimal parameter combination, the harvesting rate, damage rate and comprehensive evaluation index was 82%, 34. 14%, and 77. 16%, respectively. The average harvesting time request for each pineapple was less than 1 s. In addition, those pineapple plants after harvesting could maintain good growing condition. The research results indicated that this harvesting mechanism could achieve the goal of rapid picking of pineapple fruits, which can provide a Solution for the mechanization of pineapple picking. © 2024 Chinese Society of Agricultural Machinery. All rights reserved.