# US 10,368,479 B2 · Seedling separating device based on a gear-rack drive

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- Number: US 10,368,479 B2
- Document ID: US10368479B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/744,616
- Filed: 2016-09-21
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-29
- Assignees: Jiangsu University
- Applicants: Jiangsu University
- Inventors: Qizhi Yang; Luyi Qian; Jun Gu; Jianping Hu; Mengtao Sun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368479B2

## CPC

- A01C 11/02: for seedlings
- A01G 9/0299: {Handling or transporting of soil blocks or seedlings}
- B65G 49/00: Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for
- B65G 65/005: {Control arrangements}
- F16H 19/04: comprising a rack
- B65G 2203/0266: relating to the load carrier(s)
- B65G 2203/042: Sensors
- B65G 2812/12: Conveyors with reciprocating means
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

This invention belongs to a seedling separating device based on a rack and pinion drive in the field of transplanting machine in the agricultural automation facility, including a rack, a power unit, a linear drive, a number of seedling cups and a cylinder pushing device. The linear actuator is driven by the power unit to move on the frame; these seedling cups are mounted on the linear drive; the cylinder pushing device is mounted on the frame and is located behind the seedling cups and it drives the lower part of the seedling cup to open and retracts to close. The seedling device has simple structure, controllable program and high reliability. The motor drives the seedlings cups to move left and right; the cylinder pushes the cups to be opened and closed; the trust cup is straight down, the seedling attitude is better and the location of seedling can also be adjusted. The device can not only achieve the exact location in the designated seedling, but also to achieve the seedling movement of separating seedlings to two points from the mouth of the seedling cups.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A seedling separating device based on a rack and gear drive, which comprises a frame;
a power device;
a linear transmission device;
a plurality of cups;
at least one cylinder pushing device; and
a control system; and
a sensor and a sensor holder mounted on the frame; one end of the sensor holder is mounted on the frame through a sensor mounting hole; wherein the sensor is mounted on another end of the sensor holder;
wherein the power device includes a motor connection plate, a gear, a sleeve and a motor;
wherein the motor is fixed on an upper end of the motor connection plate; a shaft sleeve is arranged on a rotation shaft of the motor and is fixedly connected with the motor; a lower end of the gear is braced and fixedly connected with the rotation shaft of the motor;
wherein the linear transmission device includes a cup holder, cup mounting holes, a slider connecting plate, a slider, a cup connecting plate and a linear guide;
wherein the linear guide is fixed to the frame through a linear guide mounting hole;
wherein the slider is mounted within a linear guide;
wherein the slider connecting plate is mounted on the slider by screws;
wherein a cup connection plate is provided with through holes and is located between the slider connecting plate and the cup holder;
wherein the slider connecting plate is connected with the cup holder by screws;
wherein the cup holder is provided with a plurality of cup mounting holes;
wherein seedling cups are mounted on the cup holder by screws; a rack is fixed to the frame through a rack mounting hole and is meshed with the gear;
wherein the at least one cylinder pushing device is mounted on the frame and is located behind the cups;
wherein the at least one cylinder pushing device drives a lower part of the cup to open and retracts the lower part of the cup to close;
wherein the control system comprises a PLC central control unit, a data acquisition unit and a device execution unit;
wherein the data acquisition unit comprises sensors;
wherein the PLC central control unit comprises a motor control module and a cylinder control module;
wherein the device execution unit comprises the motor and at least one cylinder;
wherein the PLC central control unit is respectively connected with the data acquisition unit and the device execution unit;
wherein a photoelectric sensor is used for sensing whether the motor reaches a set position and then transmitting a induction signal to the PLC central control unit;
wherein the motor control module controls the motor to stop or advance according to a signal; and
wherein the cylinder control module controls the cylinder according to the signal to open or close the lower part of the seedling cups.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein the number of the cylinder pushing devices is two, each cylinder pushing device including a cylinder, a cylinder fitting, a cylinder connector, a first and second screw and a pushing block, respectively;
wherein the cylinders are respectively installed at first and second ends of the frame through cylinder mounting holes; a first end of the cylinder fitting is screwed around a push rod of the cylinder and a second end, opposite the first end, of the cylinder fitting is connected to the cylinder connector by the first screw; the cylinder connector is connected with a back side of the pushing block by the second screw; a front face of the pushing block is curved.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The seedling separating device of claim 2, wherein a number of the sensor and the sensor holder is two, and the two sensors are respectively mounted on the first and second ends of the frame through the sensor holder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein the seedling cups include a support body with an upper end and a lower end, a long screw, a joint bearing, a bearing seat, a short screw, a bearing, a spring with two ends, a first hinge and a second hinge, each with first end, second end, and a hinge portion;
wherein the upper end of the support body is connected with the cup holder by the long screw and the lower ends of the cup body are respectively connected with the hinge portion of the first and the second hinges; a lower part of the first and the second hinge are inverted triangles;
wherein the two joint bearings are respectively mounted on first ends of two hinge brackets and are dislocated up and down; the ends of the long screw are respectively screwed to the joint bearing;
wherein the two ends of the spring are fixedly connected with second ends of the two hinge brackets respectively;
wherein the bearing seat is mounted on the first end of the first hinge; the bearing is connected with the bearing seat through a short screw, and the bearing is rotated about the short screw; a curved surface of a pushing block is in contact with the bearing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The seedling separating device of claim 4, wherein the seedling cups comprise at least four bushing connecting plate, a long screw and a sleeve;
wherein the bushing connecting plate is a right angle plate with two straight plate portions and is provided with through holes on the two straight plate portions;
wherein four bushing connecting plates are respectively connected with the hinge bracket at a lower end of the supporting cup body and the positions of four corners of a hinge stent; and
wherein one side of a baffle connecting plate is connected with the lower end of the cup main body and the other side is connected with the hinge bracket; and
wherein the sleeve is located between two of the bushing connecting plates and two of bushing connecting plates are connected by the long screw, which can be rotated about by the first and second hinge.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein there are two oval-shaped movable frame slots in a middle portion of the cup holder.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein the motor connecting plate has a first and a second side and transmission mounting brackets are provided on the first and second sides of the motor connecting plate and the slider connecting plate, respectively; and
wherein the transmission mounting bracket is a right angle plate having a lower straight plate and an upper straight plate, the upper straight plate is connected with one side of the slider connecting plate by screws and the lower straight plate is connected with the motor connecting plate by screws.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with a slider moving groove; a lower end of the slider can be moved left and right in the slider movement groove.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The seedling separating device of claim 1, wherein there are six seedling cups.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The seedling separating device of claim 9, wherein there are two cylinder pushing devices, and the two cylinder pushing devices are spaced by three cups; and the two sensors are spaced by a distance between the three cups subtracting a lateral distance of the power device.