Fruit harvester

Abstract

A fruit harvester comprises a harvester body structure ( 410, 420 ) extendable about a fruit tree ( 10 ). The harvester body structure ( 410, 420 ) includes a picking head frame ( 410 ) and a fruit collection receptacle ( 420 ). A plurality of inwardly directed fruit removal devices, which may be in the form of flexible rods, are spaced along the picking head frame ( 410 ) for removing fruit from the tree ( 10 ). The harvester body structure ( 410, 420 ) is also movable along an arcuate track ( 467 ) for ease in fruit collection.

1 . A fruit harvester picking head comprising: 
 a picking head frame,    a plurality of elongate flexible rods, each said rod extending from a first end of said rod, mounted on said picking head frame for pivotal displacement about a pivot axis, to a free second end of said rod, and    means for pivotally vibrating each said rod about the associated said pivot axis,    wherein said rods and said means for pivotally vibrating said rods are configured such that, in use, said rods flex into a generally sinusoidal form as they are pivotally vibrated.    
   
   
       2 . The fruit harvester picking head of  claim 1  wherein each said pivot axis is a vertical axis.  
   
   
       3 . The fruit harvester picking head of  claim 2  wherein said rods are also each configured to pivot about a horizontal axis, said harvester being provided with means to pivot each said rod about its respective said horizontal axis.  
   
   
       4 . The fruit harvester picking head of  claim 1  wherein each said rod has a length of at least 1 metre.  
   
   
       5 . A fruit harvester comprising: 
 a harvester body structure extendable about a fruit tree and being in the form of two segments relatively displaceable between an open configuration for extending about the tree and a closed configuration for surrounding the tree, said harvester body structure including a picking head frame in the form of two ring segments, each said harvester body structure segment including a said picking head frame ring segment;    a plurality of inwardly directed fruit removal devices spaced along said picking head frame for removing fruit from the tree;    a base assembly including at least one arcuate track extending between a lower track end and an upper track ends,    a carriage mounted on said arcuate track(s) with said harvester body structure being mounted on said cartridge; and    means for driving said cartridge along said arcuate track(s) between said lower and upper track ends,    wherein said picking head frame is positioned in a generally horizontal orientation extending from said base assembly when said carriage is located at said track lower end and said harvester body structure is positioned generally above said base assembly when said carriage is located at said track upper end.    
   
   
       6 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said harvester frame structure segments are mounted on said carriage by way of laterally displaceable mounts and means for laterally displacing said harvester body structure segments between said open configuration and said closed configuration.  
   
   
       7 . The fruit harvester of  claim 6  wherein said means for laterally displacing said harvester body structure segments comprise hydraulic actuators.  
   
   
       8 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said base assembly further includes a platform, said arcuate track(s) being laterally displaceable with respect to said platform between a retracted position and an extended position.  
   
   
       9 . The fruit harvester of  claim 8  wherein said track(s) are displaceable by way of one or more hydraulic actuators.  
   
   
       10 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said base assembly further includes means for self-propelling said fruit harvester.  
   
   
       11 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said base assembly further includes a self-levelling suspension system.  
   
   
       12 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said harvester body structure segments are pivotally mounted with respect to each other.  
   
   
       13 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said harvester body structure further comprises means for vertically displacing said picking head frame.  
   
   
       14 . The fruit harvester of  claim 13  wherein said picking head frame is mounted on a plurality of longitudinally extending support members, said means for vertically displacing said picking head frame being adapted to drive said picking head frame along said support members.  
   
   
       15 . The fruit harvester of  claim 13  wherein said means for vertically displacing said picking head frame comprises a plurality of scissor lifts.  
   
   
       16 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said harvester body structure further comprises a fruit collection receptacle for receiving fruit falling from the tree, said fruit collection receptacle being arranged generally beneath said picking head frame and being adapted to extend about the trunk of the tree, said fruit collection receptacle being in the form of two receptacle segments with each said harvester body structure segment including a said receptacle segment.  
   
   
       17 . The fruit harvester of  claim 16  wherein a cut out portion is formed at a junction formed between said two receptacle segments in said closed configuration for receiving the trunk.  
   
   
       18 . The fruit harvester of  claim 17  wherein flexible flaps are mounted on each said receptacle segment at said cut out portion for sealing between the trunk and said receptacle segments at said cut out portion when said harvester body structure is in said closed configuration.  
   
   
       19 . The fruit harvester of  claim 16  wherein said fruit collection receptacle is provided with conveyor means for retrieving fruit from said fruit collection receptacle.  
   
   
       20 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said fruit removal devices each comprise an elongate flexible rod pivotally mounted on said picking head frame, said harvester being provided with means to pivotally vibrate said flexible rods.  
   
   
       21 . The fruit harvester of  claim 20  wherein said flexible rods and said means to pivotally vibrate said flexible rods are configured such that, in use, said flexible rods vibrate in a sinusoidal manner.  
   
   
       22 . The fruit harvester of  claim 5  wherein said fruit removal devices each comprise an air delivery port for delivering air under pressure to the tree.  
   
   
       23 . The fruit harvester of  claim 22  wherein said picking head frame is provided with a plurality of inwardly directed air delivery tubes, each said air delivery tube being provided with a said air delivery port at the inward end thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The fruit harvester of  claim 23  wherein said air delivery tubes are each pivotally mounted on said picking head frame about a horizontal axis, said harvester being provided with means for pivotally displacing said air delivery tubes.  
   
   
       25 . The fruit harvester of  claim 22  wherein said harvester is provided with a valve arrangement adapted to provide discrete blasts of air through said air delivery ports.  
   
   
       26 . The fruit harvester of  claim 25  wherein said valve arrangement is adapted to alternate said discrete blasts of air between separate groups of said air delivery ports.