US 12,213,413 B2Granted

Robotic pruning apparatus

AssigneeMissak Sarkis Balian

InventorMissak Sarkis Balian

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Abstract

A robotic pruning apparatus that can be adapted to fit around a variety of trees and can move along the length of the tree while performing a variety of pruning operations. The pruning apparatus can be configured with a variety of different cutting heads that have multiple degrees of freedom of movement such that they can be used to perform any number of cutting operations along the length of the tree. The apparatus can be remotely operated by a human or can be autonomous or semi-autonomous.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A robotic pruning apparatus comprising:

a circular support structure, having an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface forms a central open cavity that extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of the circular support structure along a central axis;
a plurality of climbing assemblies, each of the plurality of climbing assemblies having an elongated body and disposed circumferentially within the circular support structure running parallel to the central axis, wherein each of the plurality of climbing assemblies has a plurality of climbing elements vertically disposed within the elongated body and configured to contact a climbing surface;
an at least one pruning device, wherein the at least one pruning device is disposed on the circular support structure, where the at least one pruning device has at least one pruning head and wherein the at least one pruning device is movable relative to the circular support structure;
wherein the at least one pruning device comprises a pruning head supply device, configured such that the at least one pruning device can interchange the at least one pruning head with at least one other pruning head, such that the at least one pruning device can utilized more than one pruning heads to perform one or pruning functions by interchanging pruning heads;
an at least one motor configured to drive the at least one pruning device, the at least one motor movable relative to the circular support;
a gearing assembly disposed on an upper support plate, wherein the gearing assembly has an inner gear and an outer ring;
a drive motor with a drive gear that cooperatively engages with the inner gear, wherein the at least one pruning device is disposed on the gearing assembly such that when the drive motor and drive gear engages with the inner gear the at least one pruning device rotates circumferentially about the central axis;
wherein the at least one pruning device has a pruning drive motor configured to move the pruning elements along an axis that is perpendicular to the central axis.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A robotic pruning apparatus comprising:

a circular support structure, having an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface forms a central open cavity that extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of the circular support structure along a central axis;
a plurality of climbing assemblies, each of the plurality of climbing assemblies having an elongated body and disposed circumferentially within the circular support structure running parallel to the central axis, wherein each of the plurality of climbing assemblies has a plurality of climbing elements vertically disposed within the elongated body and configured to contact a climbing surface;
an at least one pruning device, wherein the at least one pruning device is disposed on the circular support structure, where the at least one pruning device has at least one pruning head and wherein the at least one pruning device is movable relative to the circular support structure;
wherein the at least one pruning device comprises a pruning head supply device, configured such that the at least one pruning device can interchange the at least one pruning head with at least one other pruning head, such that the at least one pruning device can utilized more than one pruning heads to perform one or pruning functions by interchanging pruning heads;
an at least one motor configured to drive the at least one pruning device, the at least one motor movable relative to the circular support;
a gearing assembly disposed on an upper support plate, wherein the gearing assembly has an inner gear and an outer ring;
a drive motor with a drive gear that cooperatively engages with the inner gear, wherein the at least one pruning device is disposed on the gearing assembly such that when the drive motor and drive gear engages with the inner gear the at least one pruning device rotates circumferentially about the central axis;
wherein the at least one pruning device has a pruning drive motor configured to move the pruning elements along an axis that is perpendicular to the central axis.

5 more elements