Tree-fruit harvester including deflector with pivoting upper portion and associated methods

摘要

A fruit harvester for harvesting fruit from a tree includes a shaker vehicle, a boom having a proximal end connected to the shaker vehicle and moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, a shaker head connected to a distal end of the boom, and a fruit deflector carried by the boom. The fruit deflector includes a lower fruit deflecting portion, and an upper fruit deflecting portion. The upper fruit deflecting portion may pivot downward as the boom moves from the retracted position to the extended position, and pivot upward as the boom moves from the extended position to the retracted position.