Harvesting unit comprising crop collecting mats

A harvesting unit for movement according to a longitudinal direction along at least one row of plants to harvest, the harvesting unit comprising:

• a shaker system including two shaker devices arranged to be moved longitudinally on either side of the row of plants to shake the plants;
• a collecting system for collecting detached crop falling from the shaken plants, the collecting system comprising two collecting mats disposed under respectively one shaker device;
• and
• a conveying system for evacuating the crop from the collecting mats, each collecting mat being formed by a longitudinal alignment of collecting modules that longitudinally overlap on one another, the collecting mats transversely overlapping on one another at their inward edges to form therebetween a path for trunks of the plants, each collecting module comprising:
• a collecting member that presents an upper wall forming a part of a corresponding one of the collecting mats, the collecting member being arranged to move away from the path upon bearing contact with one of the trunk passing into the path, and
• a reinforcing member of the upper wall against deformations thereof along a direction normal to the upper wall, the reinforcing member being arranged to move away from the path upon bearing contact with one of the trunks passing into the path.