Rotary brush harvesters and methods of using the same

Abstract

Automated rotary brush harvesters that reduce or prevent damage to fruit or other crops (“produce”) when they are removed from trees or bushes, and methods of using such harvesters are disclosed. The harvesters may include a brush having flexible radiating members (e.g., filaments or bristles) for removing crops from trees or bushes and a conveyor paired therewith for receiving the produce from the brush. The brush and conveyor may be angled to aid in collecting the produce and preventing damage to the produce. The conveyor may be configured to deliver the produce to one or more bins, which may be mounted on a bin elevator system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A harvesting apparatus for removing produce from trees, comprising:
 a. a mobile chassis;   b. a first harvesting brush and a second harvesting brush, each said harvesting brush having a substantially elongate cylindrical shape, a central axial member engaged with a motor operable for actively rotating said harvesting brush, and flexible radiating members attached to and extending from said central axial member;   d. a conveyor; and   e. at least one collection receptacle positioned near an end of said conveyor,   wherein said first and said second harvesting brushes are mounted on opposite lateral sides of said chassis, wherein said conveyor is positioned between said first and said second harvesting brush, and wherein the pitch of each of said first harvesting brush, said second harvesting brush, and said conveyor relative to the ground are about equal.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said motor operates at variable speeds. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said motor comprising a gear system for operating at variable speeds. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first and a second moveable arm extending from said chassis, wherein said first harvesting brush is engaged with said first moveable arm, and wherein said second harvesting brush is engaged with said second moveable arm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said first moveable arm adjusts a pitch angle of said first harvesting brush and said second moveable arm adjusts a pitch angle of said second harvesting brush. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said first moveable arm adjusts a lateral position of said first harvesting brush relative to said chassis and said second moveable arm adjusts a lateral position of said second harvesting brush relative to said chassis. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pitch of each said first and said second harvesting brush is between about 20° and about 70° relative to the ground and in forward direction of said chassis. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a medial side of each said first and said second harvesting brush and said conveyor is less than about 1 foot. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of collection receptacles and an elevator operable to position each of said receptacles near said end of said conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said central axial member of said first and said second harvesting brush are about parallel. 
     
     
         11 . A harvesting apparatus for removing produce from trees, comprising:
 a. a mobile chassis operable to travel in a horizontal direction and having a conveyor mounted medially therein, said conveyor having a pitch of between about 20° and about 70° relative to the ground and in said direction of travel of said chassis;   b. a first harvesting brush mounted to a moveable arm extending from a first lateral side of said chassis and having a pitch about equal to said pitch of said conveyor, said harvesting brush having a substantially elongate cylindrical shape, a central axial member, and flexible radiating members attached to and extending from said central axial member;   c. a first motor engaged with said central axial member of said first harvesting brush operable to actively rotate said first harvesting brush;   d. a second harvesting brush mounted on a moveable arm extending from a second lateral side of said chassis and having a pitch about equal to said pitch of said conveyor, said harvesting brush having a substantially elongate cylindrical shape, a central axial member, and flexible radiating members attached to and extending from said central axial member,   e. a second motor engaged with said central axial member of said second harvesting brush operable to actively rotate said second harvesting brush;   f. a plurality of collection receptacles; and   g. an elevator for moving each of said collection receptacles near and end of said conveyor.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said central axial member of said first and said second harvesting brush are about parallel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the entire medial edges of each said first and said second harvesting brush is less than about 1 foot from said conveyor. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each said first and said second moveable arm adjust the pitch of said first and said second harvesting brushes, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each said first and said second moveable arm adjust the yaw of said first and said second harvesting brushes, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of said first and said second moveable arm adjust the distance of said first and said second harvesting brushes, respectively, laterally from said chassis. 
     
     
         17 . A method of harvesting produce from adjacent sides of two rows of trees comprising:
 a. moving a harvesting apparatus in a horizontal direction between said rows of trees, said harvesting apparatus having a first harvesting brush, a second harvesting brush, and a conveyor, wherein said first and said second harvesting brush are on opposite lateral sides of said harvesting apparatus, said conveyor is between said first and said second harvesting brushes, and each said first harvesting brush, said second harvesting brush, and said conveyor have a pitch of between about 20° and about 70° relative to the ground and in said direction of travel of said chassis;   b. engaging said first harvesting brush with said first row of trees and said second harvesting brush with said second row of trees;   c. actively rotating each of said first and said second harvesting brushes to remove produce from said trees and projecting said produce over the top of said brushes and towards said conveyor; and   d. catching said produce on said conveyor and transporting said produce along said conveyor into a collection receptacle near an end of said conveyor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , said apparatus further comprising a first and a second moveable arm extending from said chassis and engaged with said first and said second harvesting brushes, respectively, said method further comprising the step of adjusting a pitch, a yaw, and a lateral insertion into said rows of trees of said harvesting brushes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , said apparatus further comprising a plurality of collection receptacles and an elevator, said method further comprising the step of, when a said collection receptacle near said end of said conveyor is filled with produce, removing said collection receptacle and moving an empty second receptacle near said end of said conveyor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , said apparatus further comprising the step of adjusting a pitch of each of said first and said second harvesting brush. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of adjusting the pitch of said conveyor to be about equal to the pitch of each of said first and said second harvesting brush.