Patent ID: 11856898
Assignee: nan
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An end effector for an automated mushroom harvesting system, the end effector adapted for connection to a vacuum line, the end effector comprising:
a flexible cup affixed to a resilient neck, the neck including an inlet for a vacuum line and a helical reinforcing element, the helical reinforcing element allowing the neck to deform in a pitch direction and a roll direction while remaining substantially rigid in a yaw direction, and wherein the cup has a cup elasticity value greater than a neck elasticity value of the neck, and
a balloon skirt, the balloon skirt comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall adjacent to and in contact with an outer surface of at least the neck of the end effector, and the outer wall distal from the inner wall and the end effector, the inner and outer walls of the balloon skirt defining an inflatable balloon cavity therebetween, and an air fitting for selectively pressurizing the balloon cavity,
wherein when the balloon cavity is pressurized, an oscillating motion of the end effector is dampened as the end effector transfers the mushroom away from the mushroom bed.