Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Research on the Apple Auto-Orientation Based on Flexible Roller

After automatic in-field picking, apple stem shortening requires fixing the apple position and maintaining a relatively stable posture, which puts high demands on the automatic apple-orienting structure. In this paper, a novel dual roller compact apple field orientation structure with dual rollers rotating in the same direction is proposed. It can realize the uniform orientation of apples after automatic picking in any attitude, and the apple auto-orientation phenomenon is theoretically analyzed based on the accurately established apple model, then the apple orientation test platform was set up and a monocular camera combined with YOLOv5m was used to determine the time of apple orientation. The results showed that 70.21% and 96.81% of the apples were respectively oriented within 7 s and 28 s with only two flexible rollers rotating in the corresponding direction. All the apples were oriented, and 95.24% of them moved along the axis toward the calyx end. The generalizability of the apple orientation device for different shapes of apples was then verified, and the relationship between the shape characteristics of apples and orientation speed was later illustrated. A structural basis was finally presented for automatic stem shortening and surface damage detection in the apple field.