# US 2022/0033232 A1 · Collection method and collection system

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- Number: US 2022/0033232 A1
- Document ID: US20220033232A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/335,658
- Filed: 2021-06-01
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-28
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kazuo SUYAMA; Katsuji HARAJIRI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220033232A1

## CPC

- B66C 21/00: Cable cranes, i.e. comprising hoisting devices running on aerial cable-ways (rope or cable drives for trolleys, combinations of such drives with hoisting gear B66C11/16; railway systems B61B; rope or cable winding mechanisms B66D1/00)
- A01G 23/003: {Collecting felled trees}
- A01G 23/062: {Pulling up trees or stumps}
- B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21)
- 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)

## Abstract

A collection method using a collection system including a lifting device that is configured to wind up an overhead line supported by a support post, a suspension device that is connected to the overhead line and is movable in the air as the lifting device winds the overhead line, and a grip device suspended from the suspension device includes a step of gripping a tree by the grip device at two points, a step of cutting the gripped tree, a step of tilting the cut tree such that a longitudinal direction of the tree is along a horizontal direction, and a step of conveying the tree gripped by the grip device as the lifting device winds the overhead line.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A collection method using a collection system including a lifting device that is configured to wind up an overhead line supported by a support post, a suspension device that is connected to the overhead line and is movable in the air as the lifting device winds the overhead line, and a grip device suspended from the suspension device, the collection method comprising:
a step of gripping a tree by the grip device at at least two points;
a step of cutting the gripped tree;
a step of tilting the cut tree such that a longitudinal direction of the tree is along a horizontal direction; and
a step of conveying the tree gripped by the grip device as the lifting device winds the overhead line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The collection method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of moving the cut tree upward between the step of cutting the tree and the step of tilting the tree.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The collection method according to claim 1, wherein:
the grip device includes a first grip portion that grips a root side of the tree and a second grip portion that grips an upper portion of the tree with respect to the first grip portion; and
the step of tilting the tree includes tilting the tree by moving the first grip portion upward.

### Claim 4

A collection system, comprising:
a plurality of support posts;
an overhead line supported by the support posts;
a lifting device that is configured to wind up the overhead line;
a suspension device that is connected to the overhead line and is movable in the air as the lifting device winds the overhead line; and
a grip device suspended from the suspension device, wherein:
the grip device includes
a first grip portion that grips a root side of a tree,
a second grip portion that grips an upper portion of the tree with respect to the first grip portion,
a wire that suspends the first grip portion and the second grip portion, and
a motor that winds up the wire;
the motor is driven to wind the wire so as to tilt the tree that is cut such that the cut tree is along a horizontal direction; and
the lifting device winds the overhead line to convey the tilted tree.