Patent ID: 6098389
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A picking finger assembly to provide for a harvesting of a fruit from a canopy of a fruit tree during a mechanical harvesting, the picking finger assembly comprising:a) an arm displaceable during a deployment cycle, the deployment cycle having an insertion period and a withdrawal period, the arm insertable into the canopy of the fruit tree during the insertion period of the deployment cycle, the arm retractable from the canopy of the fruit tree during the withdrawal period of the deployment cycle, at least a portion of the withdrawal period of the deployment cycle to provide for the mechanical harvesting of the fruit from the fruit tree, the arm having a side generally vertically disposed during the mechanical harvesting;b) a finger comprising:1) a base portion;2) an extension portion extending from the base portion, the extension portion having a withdrawal contact surface;c) pivotal coupling means to provide for a mounting of the finger relative to the arm using the base portion of the finger wherein the finger has a pivotal movement within a range of motion relative to the arm, the extension portion of the finger extending outward relative to the side of the arm following the mounting;d) an anchor member positioned relative to the arm;e) a spring having a first end and a second end, the first end of the spring slidably attached relative to the finger for displacement relative to the finger between a first placement location and a second placement location during at least a portion of the pivotal movement of the finger relative to the arm, the second end of the spring attached relative to the anchor member, the spring to apply a controlling pressure to the finger while the finger is in at least a select positional orientation within the range of motion of the finger during the pivotal movement of the finger relative to the arm, wherein the spring provides for a positioning of the finger relative to the arm where the finger is positioned in a static position with the withdrawal contact surface of the extension portion of the finger remaining at an acute angle relative to the side of the arm in the absence of an external lateral pressure applied to the extension portion of the finger, the spring providing for a first range of resistance to displacement of the finger from the static position when a withdrawal contact pressure is applied to the withdrawal contact surface of the finger while the first end of the spring remains at the first placement location relative to the finger, the first end of the spring moving from the first placement location to the second placement location following a predetermined amount of an angular displacement of the extension portion of the finger relative to the arm in response to a predetermined amount of the withdrawal contact pressure applied to the withdrawal contact surface of the extension portion of the finger, the spring further provides for a second range of resistance to further displacement of the finger following the movement of the first end of the spring to the second placement location, the second range of resistance being significantly less than the first range of resistance.