Weeding robot mechanism
An end effector for a weeding robot is provided, including an end effector frame arranged to be connected to a robot arm, a plurality of rotation members, each rotation member being rotatably connected to the end effector frame, and each rotation member being arranged to be rotated around an individual rotation axis, wherein the rotation axes are disposed on a circle, and wherein each rotation member comprises a radially extending finger, of which distal ends extend to a center of the circle on which the rotation axes are disposed when the end effector is in a closed state.
1 . An end effector for a weeding robot, comprising:
an end effector frame configured to connect to a robot arm or a robot frame;
a plurality of rotation members, each rotation member being rotatably connected to the end effector frame, and each rotation member being configured to rotate around an individual rotation axis,
wherein the rotation axes are disposed on a circle, and wherein each rotation member comprises a radially extending finger, of which distal ends substantially extend to a center of the circle on which the rotation axes are disposed when the end effector is in a closed state, and which distal ends substantially extend away from the center of the circle on which the rotation axes are disposed when the end effector is in an open state to define a space between the fingers configured to receive a weed therein,
wherein at the distal end, each radially extending finger comprises an end plane and one or two side planes, wherein in the closed state, the respective end plane of each of the fingers engages a side plane of an adjacent one of the fingers for engaging the received weed therebetween.
2 . The end effector according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive member, rotatably connected to the end effector frame and rotationally coupled to each rotation member, wherein a rotation axis of the drive member is aligned with the center of the circle on which the rotation axes of the rotation members are disposed.
3 . The end effector according to claim 2 , wherein the drive member and the rotation members each comprises a gear section, and wherein the gear section of the drive member is meshed with the gear sections of each of the rotation members.
4 . The end effector according to claim 1 , wherein the radially extending fingers extend eccentrically relative to the rotation axis of the respective rotation member by which the radially extending finger is comprised.
5 . The end effector according to claim 1 , wherein at the distal end, the number of the side planes is two and the side planes are tapered towards the end plane.
6 . The end effector according to claim 5 , wherein:
a first of the two side planes is a gripper plane;
a second of the two side planes is a cutting plane;
in a first closed state, gripper planes of the radially extending fingers engage end planes of adjacent radially extending fingers; and
in a second closed state, cutting planes of the radially extending fingers engage end planes of another adjacent radially extending finger.
7 . The end effector according to claim 5 , wherein:
a first of the two side planes is a gripper plane;
a second of the two side planes is an alternative gripper plane;
in a first closed state, gripper planes of the radially extending fingers engage end planes of adjacent radially extending fingers; and
in a second closed state, alternative gripper planes of the radially extending fingers engage end planes of another adjacent radially extending finger.
8 . The end effector according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first side plane and the second side plane is oriented parallel to the rotation axis of the respective rotation member.
9 . The end effector according to claim 1 , wherein the fingers extend away from the end effector frame beyond the rotation members.
10 . A weeding robot, comprising:
a robot frame;
a propulsion module for moving the robot frame; and
a robot arm connected to the robot frame, with an end effector according to claim 1 connected at a distal end of the robot arm.
11 . The weeding robot according to claim 10 , further comprising a vision module for obtaining weed data, and a controller for controlling the robot arm and the end effector based on the obtained weed data.
12 . The weeding robot according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the end effector in at least one of a cutting mode and a gripping mode based on obtained weed data.
13 . The weeding robot according to claim 10 , further comprising a rotational actuator for rotating a rotational member of the end effector.
14 . A method for operating an end effector of a weeding robot, comprising:
obtaining weed data on a weed using a vision module of the weeding robot;
determining, based on the weed data, whether to perform at least one of:
a first mechanical destruction action on the weed using the end effector;
a second mechanical destruction on the weed using the end effector;
a third mechanical destruction action on the weed using the end effector; and
performing the determined action or actions for mechanically destroying the weed,
wherein the step of performing the first mechanical destruction action comprises rotating rotation members of the end effector in a first direction, and the step of performing the second mechanical destruction action comprises rotating rotation members of the end effector in a second direction.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first mechanical destruction action is a gripping action.
16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the second mechanical destruction action is an alternative gripping action.
17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the second mechanical destruction action is a cutting action.
18 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the third mechanical destruction action is a punching action.