Fruit picker and branch trimmer

A fruit picker and branch trimmer comprising a frame or partial frame coupled to a stick, and at least one rotating jaw. The jaw is triggered by blades or pins coming in contact with the stem or branch, or by the fruit itself pushing on the jaw. Simply, the jaw rotates by only pulling on the stick. When a jaw rotates, its non-hinged sharp end presses the stem or branch on an obstacle, hence cutting the stem or branch. When two jaws rotate the stem or branch is cut when the sharp edges of the jaws come together. Another type of jaws has at least one elongated recess, when a stem or branch falls into the elongated recess it will be twisted and broken when the jaw rotates.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of fruit harvesting and tree trimming. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enables a fruit pickers and branch trimmers with rotating jaws.

Description of the Related Art

There are fruit pickers which by pulling on them, the fruit falls in a basket. However, in doing so the branch carrying the fruit is also pulled violently causing it to break or causing other fruits on the branch to fall. Also, there are fruit pickers and branch trimmers with scissors used for cutting the stem or branch. The scissors need engaging means, usually a rope. But, as the fruit or branch gets higher, the stick and the rope become longer. Therefore, cutting becomes difficult and impractical. Some fruit pickers have one or more blades but they are not very effective because the blade does not rotate to adjust to the orientation of the stem or branch. Hence, the need for an improvement which involves decreasing the pulling force by transforming the force from the direction along the stem or branch to a direction perpendicular to the stem or branch.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Pulling fruit pickers exert force on the branch carrying the fruit. This might break the branch or cause other fruits on the branch to fall. Stem or branch cutters usually use a pair of scissors which is impractical and difficult to use with high fruits and branches. The present invention incorporates at least one jaw which rotates when the fruit picker or branch trimmer is pulled. The rotation of the jaw transforms the pulling force from the direction along the stem or branch to a direction roughly perpendicular to the stem of branch thus rendering the force more effective in cutting.

The fruit picker or the branch trimmer comprises a frame or partial frame pulled by a stick, and at least one jaw. The jaw is triggered by blades or pins coming in contact with the stem or branch, or by the fruit itself pushing on the jaw. When the jaw rotates, the non-hinged sharp end presses the stem or branch with a perpendicular force on an obstacle causing the stem or branch to be cut. Another type of jaws have elongated recesses, when a stem or branch falls into an elongated recess, it will be broken when the jaw rotates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The fruit picker and the branch trimmer will now be described using exemplary embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent to an ordinary skilled in the art person that the present invention may be practiced without incorporating all its aspects herein. Readers should note that although examples of the invention are set forth herein, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the metes and bounds of the inventions

FIG. 1is a diagram of an exemplary frame with a fixed obstacle and a rotating jaw in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

Frame10is coupled on front to an adaptor11which engages a stick12. An obstacle16is fixed on one side of frame10toward the rear. The non-fixed end of obstacle16has vertical edge16.1. A jaw14is rotationally coupled on the other side of frame10toward the rear. The non-hinged end of jaw14has vertical edge14.3. At least one of edge16.1and edge14.3is sharp. Blades14.5and pins14.4and pin14.6are coupled farther on the non-hinged end of jaw14. Pin14.6is and the edge14.2of the farther part of the non-hinged end of jaw14, face fruit15.1.

Obstacle16and jaw14are sloped to guide stem15of fruit15.1to an in-between position between edge16.1and edge14.3. When stem15is in between edge16.1and edge14.3, it latches to blade14.5or pin14.4or to edge14.3given that it is sharp. Or simply pin14.6or edge14.2will be pushed by fruit15.1itself and jaw14will rotate clockwise14.1. So, when stick12is pulled by the user with a force13, force13is translated to a force13.1roughly perpendicular to stem15. As jaw14rotates, edge14.3pushes stem15against edge16.1. As a result, stem15is cut.

After stem15is cut, jaw14returns to its original position by the attraction of the gravitational force. To ensure the return of jaw14, a spring17can be added between jaw14and frame10.

FIG. 1billustrates an exemplary non-hinged sharp end of the rotating jaw cutting the stem of a fruit in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

When edge14.3of jaw14presses on edge16.1of obstacle16, stem15is cut. Then fruit15.1will fall into basket18which is preferably attached on the bottom10.1of frame10. Basket18can generally take the shape of frame10but it can be any shape and length.

FIG. 2illustrates an exemplary partial frame with a fixed obstacle and a rotating jaw cutting a branch in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

This configuration is similar to configuration ofFIG. 1except that the frame is partial and there is no basket. Therefore it can be used to cut branches such as branch15.2or fruits which don't need to be collected in a basket. With branches, latching can occur only with pin14.4or blade14.5or edge14.3.

FIG. 3is a diagram of an exemplary frame with two oppositely rotating jaws in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

Frame30is coupled on front to an adaptor31which engages a stick32. Jaws34and36are rotationally coupled on opposite sides of frame30toward the rear. Jaws34and36have recesses34.3and36.3with sharp edges34.2and36.2. When stems35are in recesses34.3and36.3, one or more stems latches to blades37or edges34.2. Or jaw34is pushed by fruit35.1itself. When stick32is pulled by force33, jaw34will rotate clockwise34.1which cause jaw36to rotate counterclockwise36.1. The rotation of both jaws34and36causes sharp edges34.2and36.2to come together and press on stems35and eventually cut stems35as shown inFIG. 3b.

FIG. 4is a diagram of an exemplary rotating sloped shape jaw with an elongated recess in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

Partial frame40is coupled on front to an adaptor41which engages a stick42. Jaw43is rotationally coupled to partial frame40. The sloped or V shape jaw43guide branch44to a position into an elongated recess43.3. Blades45and pins46are coupled inside the elongated recess43.3. When branch44slides into the elongated recess43.3, it latches to blades45or pins46. So, when stick41is pulled by the user with a force47, jaw43rotates clockwise43.2.

When jaw43rotates, side43.4comes in contact with the upper portion of branch44, and side43.1comes in contact with the branch lower portion44.1. Since the upper portion of branch44is attached to a tree, the lower portion44.1is twisted and will rotate clockwise44.3and branch44will break44.2at side43.4as shown inFIG. 4b.

FIG. 5is a diagram of an exemplary rotating jaw with many elongated recesses in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

Frame50is coupled on front to an adaptor51which engages a stick52. A jaw54with elongated recesses54.4is rotationally coupled on one side of frame50toward the rear. The elongated recesses54.4are continuous while the elongated recesses54.5are formed of pins54.6.

Blades56or pins57latch to stems55. Or jaw54is pushed by the fruit55.1itself and jaw54will rotate clockwise54.1.

When jaw54rotates, side54.3comes in contact with the upper portion of stem55, and side54.2comes in contact with the stem lower portion of55.2. Since the upper portion of stem55is attached to a tree, the lower portion55.2is twisted and will rotate clockwise55.4and stem55will break55.3at side54.3as shown inFIG. 5b.

FIG. 6is a diagram of an exemplary rotating sloped shape jaw with an elongated recess with a top obstacle in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

Frame60is coupled on front to an adaptor61which engages a stick62. A sloped shape jaw64is rotationally coupled to both sides of frame60. Sloped shape jaw64has on the bottom an elongated recess64.2. On recess64.2, blades66and pins67are coupled. One side64.4of the sloped shape jaw64is extended to form top obstacle64.5for the recess64.2, so that stem65slides underneath top obstacle64.5but cannot get out when jaw64rotates.

When stem65slides into the recess64.2, it latches to blades66or pins67, or it gets pushes by the fruit65.1. So, when the user pulls on the stick62by a force63, jaw64rotates and stem65comes in contact with top obstacle64.5at the front side64.3of top obstacle64.5, and the rear side64.4of the recess64.2. Since the upper portion of stem65is attached to a tree, the lower portion65.2is twisted and will rotate with jaw64until it breaks at the rear edge64.4of recess64.2as shown inFIG. 6b.

FIG. 7is a diagram of an exemplary frame with two rotating jaws in accordance with the fruit picker and branch trimmer described herein.

This configuration is similar to configuration ofFIG. 3except that Jaws74and76are rotationally coupled on the same side of frame70toward the rear. When stems75are in recesses74.3and76.3, one or more stems latches to blades77or edges74.2. Or jaw74is pushed by fruit75.1. When stick72is pulled by force73, jaws74and76will rotate clockwise74.1. The rotation of both jaws74and76causes sharp edges74.2and76.2to come together and press on stems75and eventually cut stems75as shown inFIG. 7b.