US 12,256,678 B2
Automated mushroom harvesting system
Michael Howard Boudreau, Salmon Arm (CA); Kyran Ashley Lawrence Findlater, Salmon Arm (CA); James Boyd Gibson, Salmon Arm (CA); and Clark Allan Richardson, Salmon Arm (CA)
Assigned to 4AG Robotics Inc., Salmon Arm (CA)
Filed by 4AG Robotics Inc., Salmon Arm (CA)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/512,597.
Application 18/512,597 is a continuation of application No. 17/393,225, filed on Aug. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,856,898.
Prior Publication US 2024/0155985 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. A01G 18/70 (2018.01); A01G 18/62 (2018.01)
CPC A01G 18/70 (2018.02) [A01G 18/62 (2018.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack, the system comprising:
a first robot having a frame comprising upper and lower horizontal carriage assemblies and a vertical carriage assembly connected to the upper and lower horizontal carriage assemblies, wherein the first robot further includes an elevator, the elevator comprising:
a vertical conveyor and a plurality of finger assemblies mounted to the vertical conveyor in a spaced-apart vertical array, each finger assembly of the plurality of finger assemblies configured to receive a harvested mushroom from the end effector,
a trimming vision system located adjacent the vertical conveyor, the trimming vision system configured to image the harvested mushroom when supported in a finger assembly of the plurality of finger assemblies, and
a trimming knife positioned adjacent the vertical conveyor for trimming the harvested mushroom when the harvested mushroom is supported in the finger assembly,
wherein the trimming vision system is in communication with a control system of the first robot, and wherein images obtained from the trimming vision system are provided as inputs to the control system so as to control actuation of the trimming knife to trim a stem of the harvested mushroom; and
a SCARA arm slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, the vertical stage operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast of the vertical carriage assembly,
the SCARA arm comprising a shoulder mounted to the vertical stage, an upper arm pivotally mounted to the shoulder at a first end of the upper arm and a forearm pivotally mounted to a second end of the upper arm at an elbow, the forearm having a free end distal from the elbow and a rotary motor mounted at the free end for releasably mounting and rotating an end effector,
wherein, when the upper and lower horizontal carriage assemblies are mounted to outer horizontal rails of a vertical mushroom rack, the SCARA arm is movable between a first position located outside an outer edge of the mushroom rack and a second position above a mushroom bed supported within a volume defined by an outer edge of the mushroom rack.