JP7268704B2 - work vehicle - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a working vehicle that travels in a field and performs ground work with a working device that travels on a traveling vehicle body.

In conventional work vehicles, position information on the work start position and work end position is acquired when the work device is turned on and off, a reference line is created from the acquired work start position and work end position, and this reference line Some are equipped with an automatic steering device that automatically steers the steering wheel along the line and allows the aircraft to travel straight. (Patent document 1)

JP 2016-21890

The work vehicle described in Patent Document 1 can acquire the positions at which the work device is turned on and off as the work start position and the work end position. It has the advantage of good operability.

However, if the work device is turned on or off by an erroneous operation, the work start position or work end position may be acquired at a position different from the position where the work start position or work end position should be originally acquired. . In this case, it is necessary to re-obtain the reference data for another working condition, and during that time the automatic steering device cannot be used, which poses a problem that high-precision work travel cannot be performed.

In addition, in order to acquire the position at which the work device is turned on and off as the work start position or the work end position, a detection member for detecting the turning on and off of the work device is required, so the number of parts constituting the machine body increases. There's a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a work vehicle that solves the above-described problems, prevents the reference position for straight running from being acquired by an erroneous operation, and suppresses an increase in the number of parts. .

The invention according to claim 1 comprises a steering member (35) for steering an aircraft body, a position information acquisition device (200) for acquiring the position coordinates of the aircraft body, and the steering member (35) for automatically traveling the aircraft. In a work vehicle equipped with an automatic straightening device (205) that allows the
A plurality of pieces of position information acquired by the automatic straightening device (205) for automatic traveling of the aircraft cannot be acquired unless they are separated from each other by a predetermined distance or more.
At least two of a first reference position (A) obtained at one point in the field and a second reference position (B) obtained at another point in the field for automatic traveling of the machine body by the automatic straight advance device (205). and an operation member for obtaining the first reference point (A) and deleting the obtained first reference point (A) and the second reference point (B), and operating the operation member causes the first reference point to be obtained. The work vehicle is characterized in that a reference point (A) is acquired, and the acquired first reference point (A) and second reference point (B) are deleted when the operation member is operated for a predetermined time.

(delete)

(delete)

According to the invention of claim 1, for example, it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation in which a worker unintentionally acquires position information.

(delete)

In addition , since the operation of deleting the first reference point (A) and the second reference point (B) can be simplified, it becomes easier to change the setting of automatic travel, and work accuracy is improved. Further, the acquisition of the first reference point (A) and the operation of deleting the first reference point (A) and the second reference point (B) are performed by the same operating member, and can be operated simply. , making it easier to change automatic driving settings and improving work accuracy.

Seedling transplanter side view Top view of seedling transplanter Plan view of main part of running vehicle body Main part rear view of control part including steering wheel (a) A rear view of the main parts showing the structure of the automatic steering device for the steering wheel, (b) A side view of the main parts showing the structure of the automatic steering device for the steering wheel Block diagram showing components related to various controls Flowchart showing control for correcting the acquired position coordinates according to the inclination of the aircraft, etc. Flowchart showing automatic straight-ahead control by the automatic steering device A flowchart showing acquisition of the first and second reference positions by operating the automatic straight advance setting member and turning on/off the automatic straight advance control. Flowchart showing erasing operation of the first reference position and the second reference position Flowchart showing control for erasing the first reference position by operating the handle after acquiring the first reference position Schematic diagram of work showing a first reference position, a second reference position, a reference line, and a target position. Flowchart showing the activation of the notification device and the automatic deceleration control when the automatic steering device is not stopped after the activation of the notification device. Flowchart showing control for erasing the first reference position, the second reference position, and the reference line by running on the headland of the field

An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In this case, in a plan view, the left side with respect to the direction of travel of the fuselage is referred to as one left and right side of the fuselage, and the right side with respect to the direction of travel of the fuselage is referred to as the other left and right side of the fuselage. The details of each part will be specifically described below.

The riding-type rice transplanter disclosed in FIG. 2 as an embodiment of the working machine of the present invention has an eight-row planting configuration, but this configuration may be applied to a rice transplanter with a different number of planting rows. . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present rice transplanter takes seedlings from a seedling tank 53 via an elevating link device 3 on the rear side of a traveling vehicle body 2 and plants seedlings in a field with a plurality of seedling planting devices 55. A working device 4 such as a seedling planting unit for planting, a sowing device for supplying seeds, or a rotary for cultivating a field is provided in a vertically movable manner. there is

First, the main frame 15 that constitutes the traveling vehicle body 2 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main frame 15 includes a front beam frame 16 at the front of the fuselage, a rear beam frame 17 at the rear of the fuselage, and a central beam frame between the front and rear beam frames 16 and 17. The front beam frame 16 and the central beam frame 18 are connected by a pair of left and right front connecting frames 19, 19, and the central beam frame 18 and the rear beam frame 17 are connected to a pair of left and right rear connecting frames 20, 19. 20 to connect.

The longitudinal direction of the front beam frame 16, the central beam frame 18, and the rear beam frame 17 is the horizontal direction, and the longitudinal direction of the front connecting frame 19 and the rear connecting frame 20 is the longitudinal direction.

The left and right front side connecting frames 19, 19 and the rear side connecting frames 20, 20 have substantially the same width. The lateral lengths of the central beam frame 18 and the rear beam frame 17 are configured to be longer than the lateral length of the front beam frame 16 . Since the left and right front connecting frames 19, 19 and the rear connecting frames 20, 20 are welded under the center beam frame 18, the left and right front connecting frames 19, 19 and the rear connecting frames 20, 20 are welded together. It may be composed of an integral metal square bar.

In the space formed by the front beam frame 16, the central beam frame 18, and the left and right front connecting frames 19, 19, driving force is transmitted to the left and right front wheels 10, 10, the rear wheels 11, 11, the working device 4, and the like. A transmission case 13 and a hydraulic continuously variable transmission (HST) 14 for outputting driving force supplied from an engine 30 to the transmission case 13 are provided.

Left and right lifting frames 21, 21 are provided on the rear part of the rear beam frame 18 at an interval narrower than the left and right interval between the left and right rear connecting frames 20, 20, and protrude rearward. A rear support frame 22 is attached to the lower portions of the upper frames 21 , 21 . Rear wheel transmission cases 11a, 11a for respectively driving the left and right rear wheels 11, 11 of the traveling vehicle body 2 are provided on both left and right sides of the rear support frame 22, and the lifting link mechanism is mounted on the upper part of the rear support frame 22. Left and right link frames 23, 23 for supporting 3 are provided upward.

The elevating link mechanism 3 is provided with a pair of left and right lower link arms 24, 24 below and between the left and right link frames 23, 23. Between the left and right lower link arms 24, 24, an elevating cylinder 25 is provided. , and an upper link arm 26 is provided above the lifting cylinder 25 . The ends of the left and right lower link arms 24 , 24 , lifting cylinder 25 and upper link arm 26 on the side opposite to the traveling vehicle body 2 are attached to the front side of the work device 4 .

Furthermore, front side transmission cases 10a, 10a for transmitting power to the left and right front wheels 10, 10 of the traveling vehicle body 2, respectively, are provided on the front of the left and right ends of the center beam frame 18 and on the left and right outer sides of the left and right front connecting frames 19, 19, respectively. At the same time, the left and right ends of the central beam frame 18 and the rear beam frame 17 are connected with the left and right extension frames 27, 27, respectively. The left and right extension frames 27, 27 have the front-rear direction as their longitudinal direction.

In addition, a central connecting frame 28 in the front-rear direction is provided below the central beam frame 18, the rear beam frame 17 and the rear support frame 22. Front and rear support plates 29, 29 for supporting the engine 30 are provided between the left and right of the connecting frames 20, 20. - 特許庁

The front and rear support plates 29, 29 are provided with receiving plates 29a, .

Left and right auxiliary frames 31, 31 are provided on the left and right sides of the front and rear support plates 29, 29 so as to pass below the rear beam frame 17 and protrude rearward. are connected by a rear auxiliary frame 32 in the left-right direction. The rear ends of the left and right auxiliary frames 31, 31 are connected to the left and right rear wheel transmission cases 11a, 11a.

The main frame 15 is configured as described above. Of the main frame 15, the front-to-rear width from the front beam frame 16 to the rear beam frame 17, the left and right front connecting frames 19, 19, and the left and right widths of the rear connecting frames 20, 20 are set to the floor on which the worker rides. Cover in step 33 . The floor step 33 may be formed integrally to improve strength or reduce the number of parts, or may be divided into front and rear sides and left and right sides to facilitate attachment and detachment.

In the above, as shown in FIG. 3, the periphery of the left and right side ends of the center beam frame 18 and the rear beam frame 17, and the left and right extension frames 27, 27 are not covered with the floor step 33 and are exposed. At this time, the floor step 33 may be expanded to cover the entire main frame 15. Left and right extended steps 34, 34 are arranged on both left and right sides of the .

With the above structure, the main frame 15 is constructed by connecting a plurality of frame structures, so that the strength is improved as compared with the conventional structure.

In addition, by disposing the central connecting frame 28 under the front and rear support plates 29, 29 on which the engine 30 is mounted, and by connecting the front and rear support plates 29, 29 to the left and right rear auxiliary frames 32, 32, a heavy load can be Therefore, the engine 30 can be firmly held.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on the front side of the traveling vehicle body 2, a steering wheel 35 for steering the vehicle body, a shift operation lever 36 for operating the continuously variable transmission 14 and the work device 4, and a travel transmission of the traveling vehicle body 2 are provided. A bonnet 39 is provided, which includes a sub-transmission control lever 37 for operating a sub-transmission switching device (not shown) for switching between and a control panel 38 for operating each part of the fuselage. A front cover 40 that can be opened and closed is provided on the front side of the bonnet 39. Inside the front cover 40 are a fuel tank, a battery, the left and right front wheels 10, 10 for steering the steering wheel 35, and the left and right front wheel transmission cases. An interlocking mechanism (not shown) for rotating the lower side of 10a, 10a is incorporated.

Further, in front of the front cover 40, various information such as the working state of the working device 4, the reduction of working materials consumed during the work, and the operation or non-operation of the automatic steering device 205, which will be described later, are indicated by lighting of an LED or the like. A center mascot 70 to be displayed is provided. The center mascot 70 is composed of a work display section 71 arranged on the lower side and rear side of the machine body and an automatic straight movement display section 72 arranged on the upper side and front side of the machine body in a side view.

An engine cover 30a is provided on the rear side of the fuselage from the bonnet 39 and above the engine 30 to cover the upper side and the side of the engine 30, and a work seat 41 on which an operator sits on the upper part of the engine cover 30a. set up.

Further, the fertilizing device 5 is loaded on the rear side of the work seat 41 , specifically on the rear end side of the main frame 15 . The driving force of the fertilizing device 5 is transmitted by a fertilizing transmission mechanism 5a arranged toward the fertilizing device 5 from one of the left and right sides of the left and right rear wheel transmission cases 11a.

A front transmission shaft (not shown) that transmits power to the left and right front wheel transmission cases 10a, 10a is provided on the front side of the mission case 13, and a front transmission shaft (not shown) that transmits power to the left and right rear wheel transmission cases 11a, 11a is provided on the rear side of the mission case 13. Left and right drive shafts 42, 42 are provided. Side clutch mechanisms 43, 43 for turning on and off transmission to the left and right drive shafts 42, 42 are arranged on the upper side in the transmission direction of the left and right drive shafts 42, 42, and the handle 35 is turned off. When the traveling vehicle body 2 is operated to turn, the side clutch mechanism 43 positioned on the inner side of the turn is disengaged, and the power transmission to the rear wheel 11 on the inner side of the turn is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 3, left and right clutch on/off shafts 44, 44 are provided in the vertical direction near the center of the rear side of the transmission case 13. Clutch on/off arms 45, 45 are provided respectively. Side clutch pedals 43a, 43a for turning on and off the left and right side clutch mechanisms 43, 43 are provided at the front lower portion of the operator's seat 41 and on one of the left and right sides.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a center float 62C and left and right side floats 62L and 62R are provided below the work device 4, which slides in contact with the field. A ground leveling rotor 63 for leveling irregularities in a field is provided on the front side of the machine body with respect to the floats 62L and 62R. The driving force to the ground leveling rotor 63 is transmitted by a ground leveling transmission shaft 65 provided in the rear wheel transmission case 11a on one of the left and right sides. Further, a ground leveling clutch 66 for turning on and off the power transmission to the ground leveling rotor 63 is provided in the rear wheel transmission case 11a on one of the left and right sides.

The center float 62C is provided with a rotating potentiometer 64 for detecting the rotation angle of the center float 62C. When the rotation angle of the rotating potentiometer 64 changes by a predetermined angle or more, it is determined that the depth of the field has changed. The control device 100 expands and contracts the elevating cylinder 25 to rotate the elevating link mechanism 3 up and down so that the vertical height of the working device 4, that is, the working position corresponds to the depth of the field.

When the work device 4 is used in a field to plant seedlings, sow seeds, or to perform additional fertilizing or weeding after the seedlings have grown, the traveling vehicle body 2 moves from one side of the field to the other side. is generally driven straight ahead. However, when the wheels of the traveling vehicle body 2 deviate from the straight forward direction due to the unevenness of the plowing bed or the viscosity of the topsoil, the traveling vehicle body 2 may gradually move in the deviated direction. Further, depending on the operator's steering technique, the traveling vehicle body 2 may not be aligned with the straight traveling direction and may be moved in a direction deviating from the straight traveling direction.

As a result, the trajectory of operations such as seedling planting, seeding, weeding, and fertilizing becomes oblique, and the places where seedlings can be planted or sown become empty spaces, and workers can manually plant and sow later. It is necessary to sow the seeds, causing extra labor for the operator, and the distance between rows of planted seedlings and the distance between rows of sown seedlings become narrower than the distance between rows of the working device 4, resulting in poor ventilation and the occurrence of disease and pest damage. Sometimes. Alternatively, when performing post-planting or seeding work such as weeding or fertilizing, the seedlings are trampled, resulting in a decrease in yield. Problems that reduce work efficiency may arise.

In order to solve these problems, it is conceivable to install a so-called automatic straight traveling system that automatically steers the traveling vehicle body 2 and maintains a straight traveling posture without manual intervention by the operator.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle body 2 is provided with an antenna frame 201 on which a GPS (GNSS) antenna 200 is mounted. The antenna frame 201 comprises a front frame 201a having a gate shape in a front view, to which left and right bases are attached to left and right antenna stays 202, 202 provided on the front side of the main frame 15, and a center portion of the front frame 201a extending from the left and right central portions of the body. It is composed of a rear side frame 201b facing rearward and facing the left and right central portions on the rear side of the traveling vehicle body 2. - 特許庁It is assumed that the bonnet 32 and the operator's seat 41 are positioned behind the space of the gate-shaped front frame 201a.

Also, the vertical height of the antenna frame 201 is the highest in the airframe. The upper end of the antenna frame 201 is located about 2.5 to 3.5 m from the ground surface in order to prevent the worker from hitting his head while standing on the floor step 33 and to improve the reception accuracy. shall be

As a result, the worker can easily move on the floor step 33, the work efficiency is improved, and the GPS antenna 200 can be spaced upward from the ground surface, thereby improving the reception accuracy.

The GPS antenna 200 is mounted near the joint between the front frame 201a and the rear frame 201b. The connecting portion between the front frame 201a and the rear frame 201b is near the front and rear of the bonnet 32 and the operator's seat 41, and near the central portion of the traveling vehicle body 2 in the front-rear direction.

As described above, the GPS antenna 200 is installed near the center of the aircraft in the longitudinal and lateral directions, so that the acquired coordinates of the aircraft are unlikely to deviate from the actual position of the aircraft. setting becomes appropriate, and work accuracy improves.

In addition, since the operator's seat 41 is positioned behind the space of the front frame 201a, the antenna frame 201 can be prevented from obstructing the operator's field of vision. In addition, since the state of the field in front of the machine and obstacles can be found early, the operator can switch to manual operation safely and suppress deviation of the working position.

It should be noted that the GPS antenna 200 may be of a single positioning system, a DGPS (relative positioning) system, an RTK (interference positioning) system, or the like, which is suitable for the work area.

However, if the ground clearance of the GPS antenna 200 fluctuates due to the inclination or vibration of the aircraft, the coordinate position different from the actual position of the aircraft is measured, the reception accuracy decreases, and the aircraft travels in a direction that deviates from the straight line. A problem arises.

In order to prevent this, an IMU (inertial measurement unit) 203 is provided in addition to the GPS antenna 200, as shown in FIG. The IMU 203 acquires the GPS antenna 200 based on the difference between the height from the ground surface to the GPS antenna 200 when the vehicle body 2 is tilted and the height from the ground surface to the GPS antenna 200 when the vehicle body 2 is not tilted. It causes the control device 100 to correct the position coordinates.

The height from the ground surface to the GPS antenna 200 is determined by measuring the behavior such as inclination of the traveling vehicle body 2 with a three-axis acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor built into the IMU 203 .

In addition to this, a direction sensor 204 is provided so that the control device 100 can more reliably determine whether or not the traveling direction of the aircraft by the automatic straight-ahead system is correct.

Correction of the position coordinates at this time is as shown in S1 to S5 in FIG.

As a result, the course of the aircraft can be determined by the measured azimuth, so the accuracy of straight running is further improved.

The position information acquired by the GPS antenna 200 is corrected by the control device 100 based on the information detected by the IMU 203 and direction sensor 204 . Then, the control device 100 compares the current position information with the previously acquired position information, and if the difference in the position information exceeds the allowable range, the control device 100 moves the left and right front wheels 10 to return the aircraft to the straight traveling position. , 10 are steered left and right.

An automatic steering device 205 for rotating the steering wheel 35 by a steering actuator 206 is provided in order to automate the steering of the left and right front wheels 10, 10 or the turning of the crawler or the like. The automatic steering device 205, as shown in S6 to S9 in FIG. Based on this, the amount of actuation of the steering actuator 206 is varied, so that the steering wheel 35 is turned left and right in order to direct the machine body to the straight running position. It stops the steering.

The steering actuator 206 is composed of an electric or hydraulic motor or cylinder.

With the above configuration, the steering wheel 35 is automatically steered in accordance with the difference in the X coordinate of the calculated position information, and the machine body can be automatically adjusted to the straight running position, so that the working position of the working device 4 can be adjusted in the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of places where work is not performed in the field. As a result, there is no need to manually carry out work later on areas where work has not been carried out, and the labor of the operator is reduced.

In addition, since it is possible to prevent overlapping of the working positions of the working row of the previous process and the current working row, it is possible to prevent excessive consumption of working materials such as seedlings, seeds, fertilizers, etc., and reduce the working cost. At the same time, the occurrence of poor growth due to excessive supply of working materials is prevented.

A tractor equipped with a cultivator, a seedling transplanter, or a sowing machine travels to the edge of the working row, turns about 180 degrees, and moves to the next working row. If the automatic straight running system is activated during turning, there is a risk that the aircraft will determine that it is out of the position where it should run straight, operate the steering actuator 206, and disturb the turning trajectory. Therefore, the automatic straight-ahead system must be configured to be turned off when the aircraft is turned. It is conceivable to configure the automatic straight advance system to be turned off by turning the handle 35, but depending on the condition of the field, etc., the traveling direction of the machine may deviate significantly, and the operator may turn the handle 35 to avoid obstacles. Since the automatic straight driving system turns off when the operator makes a large operation that is equal to or greater than the operation, the operator has to turn the automatic steering system on again in the middle of straight driving, which increases the work of the operator and also causes the automatic straight driving system to turn off. Without noticing that it has been turned off, the aircraft continues to run with its working position shifted, resulting in reduced work accuracy.

In addition, it is conceivable to turn on the automatic straight running system by operating the handle 35 to return from turning to straight running. It is necessary to perform a steering operation. If the automatic steering system is turned on during this operation, the steering actuator 206 will operate when the control device 100 determines that the aircraft has deviated from the straight running position, and the aircraft will be adjusted to the position where it should run straight. There is a problem of not being able to

An automatic straight-running system capable of preventing the occurrence of this problem, allowing the aircraft to run straight in an appropriate direction, and operating in an appropriate section will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 8 to 11. FIG.

The position coordinate in the forward/backward direction of the traveling vehicle body 2 is defined as the Y coordinate, and the position coordinate in the direction perpendicular to the forward/reverse direction of the traveling vehicle body 2, that is, the horizontal direction, is defined as the X coordinate.

First, the traveling vehicle body 2 acquires the coordinates of one side of the field, which is the starting point of automatic straight movement, and the other side of the field, which is the end point of automatic straight movement. set up. The automatic straight movement setting member 207 is equipped with at least one member capable of being operated in at least two directions such as vertical direction, horizontal direction, pushed state and return state, or two or more operating members. .

In the present application, as shown in FIG. 4, a finger-up lever that can be operated in the vertical direction is attached as the automatic straight setting member 207, but a toggle switch, a push switch, a joystick, or the like may be used.

As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and the acquisition operation of the reference positions (first reference position A, second reference position B) and the turning on/off operation of the automatic steering device 205 can be automatically performed by one hand on the same side. Since it is sufficient to operate the straight advance setting member 207, the operability is improved.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the automatic straight setting member 207 is operated in the first direction W1, which is the upper part of the fuselage in this application, the GPS antenna 200 is acquired at the operated position, and the detection results of the IMU 203 and the direction sensor 204 are obtained. The position coordinates calculated by the control device 100 using are recorded. Note that the operation of the automatic straight movement setting member 207 in the first direction W1 corresponds to the operation of the reference position acquisition member.

When the automatic straight advance setting member 207 is operated, if there is no record of other position coordinates, the calculated position coordinates are recorded as the first reference point A, and when the first reference point A is recorded, The calculated position coordinates are recorded as the second reference point B. FIG. If the automatic straight movement setting member 207 is operated while the first reference point A and the second reference point B are recorded, the position coordinates are not recorded.

It should be noted that when automatic straight movement cannot be performed accurately during work in the field, it is necessary to reacquire the first reference point A and the second reference point B, so as shown in FIG. When the automatic straight setting member 207 is operated in the first direction W1 for a predetermined time (eg, 2 to 3 seconds), the recorded first reference point A and second reference point B are deleted. should be Alternatively, a record deletion button (not shown) may be provided that deletes the first reference point A and the second reference point B when operated.

The closer the distance between the first reference point A and the second reference point B, which are the reference positions for straight running of the automatic straight running system, the smaller the deviation of the X coordinate. Even without it, it is possible to drive straight ahead. Also, when the distance between the two points becomes short, a situation can be considered in which the operator unintentionally touches the automatic straight movement setting member 207 and acquires the second reference point B.

In order to prevent this problem from occurring, when the automatic straight setting member 207 is operated to obtain the second reference point B, the distance from the position at which the first reference point A is obtained is less than a predetermined distance, such as 8 to 12 m. If less, the control device 100 deletes the second reference point B and does not record it. After that, the automatic straight setting member 207 is operated again, and if the distance from the position where the first reference point A is acquired is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the control device 100 records the second reference point.

As shown in FIG. 11, in a state where the first reference point A is obtained, the steering wheel 35 is operated by a predetermined amount or more within a predetermined time without obtaining the second reference point B, and the traveling vehicle body 2 is turned. At this time, the control device 100 deletes the recorded first reference point A. After that, when the automatic straight setting member 207 is operated in the first direction W1, the control device 100 records the position coordinates of that place acquired by the GPS antenna 200 as the first reference point A, A configuration may be employed to prevent the line connecting the Y coordinate of the point A and the Y coordinate of the second reference point B from becoming unlinear.

As a result, the first position is set at predetermined positions at one end and the other end of the field, for example, a position at which the traveling vehicle body 2 starts turning after finishing traveling straight, and a position at which the working device 4 is lowered to start traveling straight after finishing traveling. A reference point A and a second reference point B can be set, and the automatic straight traveling system is operated at the position where the working device 4 is lowered and travels straight, and the working position does not deviate in the lateral direction with respect to the traveling direction. Precision work becomes possible.

In addition, since it is possible to prevent the second reference point B from being different from the position to be actually set due to the operator's erroneous operation, there is no need to reacquire the first reference point A and the second reference point B in the next work item. , the number of work lines using automatic straight movement can be increased, and the work accuracy in the field can be further improved.

In addition, in the first work line after entering the field, the automatic straight advance setting member 207 is operated in the first direction W1 at a predetermined position to obtain the first reference point A and the second reference point B. Therefore, the operator operates the handle 35 to make the machine body travel straight without using the automatic straight travel.

As described above, when the first reference point A and the second reference point B are obtained by operating the automatic straight movement setting member 207, the reference point connecting the Y coordinates of the first reference point A and the second reference point B Line R serves as a guideline for automatic straight ahead, and it is determined whether or not the X coordinate of the positional coordinates of the traveling aircraft matches the X coordinate of the line that serves as a guideline for automatic straight ahead. For example, by automatically steering the steering wheel 35 in the matching direction by the automatic steering device 205, automatic straight running can be realized.

The above-described automatic straight travel is started by operating the automatic straight travel setting member 207 in the second direction W2, which is the downward direction of the fuselage in this application, in a state where the first reference point A and the second reference point B are recorded. be done. When the automatic straight advance setting member 207 is operated in the second direction W2, the control device 100 compares the Y coordinate of the position coordinates acquired by the GPS antenna 200 and the Y coordinate of the reference line R, and operates the steering actuator 206. The steering wheel 35 is turned left and right to start the control of moving the traveling vehicle body 2 to a position where it should travel straight ahead. Note that the operation of the automatic straight setting member 207 in the second direction W2 corresponds to the operation of the on/off member.

This automatic steering control ends when the steering wheel 35 is operated to an angle at which the traveling vehicle body 2 turns within a predetermined time, or when the automatic straight travel setting member 207 is operated in the second direction W2. The steering angle of the steering wheel 35 is detected by a steering wheel potentiometer 35a.

It should be noted that the automatic straight-ahead control may be terminated when the traveling vehicle body 2 reaches a location that coincides with the Y coordinate of the first reference point A or the second reference point B. FIG.

As described above, the automatic straight-ahead control ends when the steering wheel 35 is operated to turn, or when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the start point of turn travel at the edge of the field. Since the position at which the traveling vehicle body 2 turns is close to the edge of the field, if the worker is left to the automatic straight-ahead control and performs work other than steering, the seedling will be placed in an unexpected position if the turning operation is delayed. As the planting is performed, the traveling vehicle body 2 moves to the end of the farm field, and it becomes necessary to move backward to the position for turning, which causes a problem of reduced work efficiency.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the first reference position A, the second reference position B, the reference line R, the target position, and the current position of the aircraft.

In order to prevent this problem, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 13, a work detection sensor 209 is provided to detect whether the ground leveling rotor 63 is turned on or off by turning on (actuating) or turning off (stopping) the ground leveling clutch 66. When the sensor 209 detects that the leveling rotor 63 is turned on (actuated), the control device 100 acquires the target position coordinates (end reference position), which are the position coordinates (X coordinate and Y coordinate) of the traveling vehicle body 2 . At least two target position coordinates can be held simultaneously in the control device 100 or in a memory area attached to the control device 100 .

Acquisition of the target position coordinates (end reference position) by the work detection sensor 209 is performed by raising or lowering the work device 4, turning on or off the power transmission to the work device 4, and turning on or off the power transmission to the work device 4 instead of turning on or off the leveling rotor 63. A configuration may be adopted in which turning start steering or turning end steering or the like is performed as a condition.

Then, when the automatic steering device 205 is operated to cause the traveling vehicle body 2 to automatically travel straight ahead in the work condition following the work condition for which the position coordinates have been acquired, the control device 100 controls the current position coordinates acquired by the GPS antenna 200. The distance from the Y-coordinate to the Y-coordinate of the target position coordinates acquired in the immediately preceding work line (immediate work line) is calculated sequentially. At this time, the control device 100 may be configured to correct the X coordinate of the target position coordinates to the X coordinate of the current position coordinates.

Then, when the traveling vehicle body 2 reaches the notification position where the distance from the current position coordinates to the target position coordinates is a predetermined distance, for example, 8 to 12 m, the traveling vehicle body 2 is approaching the edge of the field, and the automatic straight setting member 207 in the second direction W2 to notify the operator that it is necessary to end the automatic straight-ahead control, a buzzer, a lamp, or a notification device 208 that displays numerical values and characters on the screen is operated. do.

It should be noted that numerical values and characters are displayed on the notification device 208 because a display panel (not shown) is provided on the traveling vehicle body 2, or information is transmitted to and displayed on an information terminal (smartphone, tablet, etc.) carried by the operator. A configuration that allows

In addition, since the distance between the traveling vehicle body 2 and the target position cannot be calculated for a working row for which the target position coordinates have not been acquired, the operator visually checks the edge of the field and determines that automatic straight-ahead control is unnecessary. It is necessary to operate the automatic straight setting member 207 .

Regarding the distance from the current position coordinates to the target position coordinates, rear wheel rotation sensors 210, 210 are provided to detect the rotation of the left and right drive shafts 42, 42 to the left and right rear wheels 11, 11, and the ground leveling rotor 63 is provided. Based on the number of rotations detected by the rear wheel rotation sensors 210, 210 from the position where the ground leveling rotor 63 is turned on, the controller 100 calculates the movement distance, and calculates the distance between the movement distance and the Y coordinate position of the position where the leveling rotor 63 is turned on. The distance may be calculated, and if the distance is within a predetermined distance, the notification device 208 may be activated.

However, even if the notification device 208 is activated, the traveling vehicle body 2 cannot be turned to an appropriate position unless the operator notices and terminates the automatic straight-ahead control. In order to cope with this, the traveling vehicle body 2 moves forward without the automatic straight movement setting member 207 being operated in the second direction W2 over a predetermined distance (for example, 2 to 5 m) after the notification device 208 is activated. When traveling, the control device 100 rotates the trunnion shaft 14a of the continuously variable transmission 14 to decelerate the traveling vehicle body 2. As shown in FIG.

Alternatively, instead of the distance, the traveling vehicle body 2 continues without the automatic straight setting member 207 being operated in the second direction W2 for a predetermined period of time (for example, 2 to 5 seconds) after the notification device 208 is activated. When traveling forward, the control device 100 reduces the output of the continuously variable transmission 14 to decelerate the traveling vehicle body 2 .

To decelerate the traveling vehicle body 2, the HST servo motor 211 that rotates the trunnion shaft 14a of the continuously variable transmission 14 via a trunnion arm (not shown) is operated to rotate the trunnion shaft 14a to the deceleration side. It is done by letting

As a result, the traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body 2 is reduced when approaching the edge of the field, so that the worker can recognize that the turning position of the edge of the field is approaching, and the turning traveling can be performed on an appropriate trajectory. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the work device 4 from redundantly performing ground work on the four sides of the field, ie, so-called headlands, and consuming work materials (seedlings, fertilizers, chemicals, etc.) excessively.

In addition, since the position at which the ground leveling rotor 63 is turned on after turning and the ground leveling work is started can be adjusted to the position where the ground leveling work is completed before turning, there are places where the ground leveling rotor 63 does not perform the leveling work, and It is possible to prevent occurrence of locations where work on the ground is not performed by the work device 4 . As a result, problems such as disturbed planting depth of seedlings, differences in the degree of fertilizer penetration, and disturbed running can be prevented in areas where ground leveling work was not performed. There is no need for the worker to manually perform the work, and the labor of the worker is reduced.

In the automatic deceleration described above, the travel speed is gradually reduced over time. is prevented from being shaken.

Alternatively, if a control configuration is adopted in which rapid deceleration is performed once or a plurality of times at predetermined time intervals after the start of automatic deceleration, the shaking of the traveling vehicle body 2 makes it easier for the operator to notice the approach of the edge of the field.

Further, when the automatic straight travel setting member 207 is operated to cancel the automatic straight travel control within a predetermined time (second predetermined time) during which the automatic deceleration control is being performed, the control device 100 maintains the running speed at that time. It is good also as a structure which carries out. As a result, since the working traveling does not stop, it is possible to quickly shift to turning traveling at the edge of the field, and the deterioration of the working efficiency is prevented.

Alternatively, the control device 100 operates the HST servomotor 211 of the continuously variable transmission 14 to shift the traveling speed to the preset traveling speed or the traveling speed at the time when the automatic deceleration is started. may be configured to rotate toward the speed increasing side.

Since the traveling speed is automatically increased, the operator does not need to operate the shift operation lever 36 to increase the traveling speed, thereby improving the operability.

In addition to the operation of the notification device 208, the automatic deceleration control of the traveling vehicle body 2 is expected to allow the traveling vehicle body 2 to recognize the turning position at the edge of the field, specifically near the edge of the field. It is conceivable that the worker may be immersed in another task or faint and not notice the automatic deceleration of the traveling speed.

Therefore, the automatic deceleration control of the traveling vehicle body 2 is performed until the continuously variable transmission 14 reaches a neutral state in which neither the traveling speed of the forward travel nor the reverse travel is increased or decreased. At this time, the engine 30 is not stopped. As a result, since the traveling vehicle body 2 can be stopped on the spot, it is possible to prevent the machine body from moving forward until it contacts the edge of the field, the so-called ridge, and the machine body is damaged, and the distance to move the machine backward to return to work is reduced. suppressed.

When the travel of the traveling vehicle body 2 is automatically stopped due to the approach to the end of the farm field, the control device 100 continuously shifts when the shift operation lever 36 for controlling the traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body 2 and the forward/rearward movement is returned to the neutral position. The device 14 is brought into a state of accepting an increase/decrease operation of the traveling speed. Then, when the speed change operation lever 36 is operated forward, the traveling vehicle body 2 is restarted. As a matter of course, in a state in which the auxiliary gearshift operating lever 37 is operated to the neutral position and the driving force is not transmitted to the travel system, running is not possible until the auxiliary gearshift operating lever 37 is operated to a position where travel transmission is performed. not started.

The reference line R connecting the first reference point A and the second reference point B, and the first reference point A and the second reference point B, which serves as the reference for the above-described automatic straight movement control, indicates straight movement from one end to the other end of the field. Required for work travel and straight work travel from the other end of the field to one end.

However, although the four sides of a field, so-called headland work travel, is straight work travel, there is one work side in which the traveling direction is different from the straight work travel described above, and the reference line R is used on that work side. However, automatic straight-ahead control cannot be performed.

Further, when the machine body is moved to the bed of a truck for transportation outside the field, or when it is stored in a barn, etc., the automatic straight movement setting member 207 is erroneously operated in the second direction W2 and the automatic steering system is operated. 205 is in an operable state, the X coordinate of the reference line (R) and the X coordinate of the fuselage do not match when the fuselage is moved, and it is determined that the fuselage is out of the straight traveling position, and the automatic steering device 205 is turned off. It may occur that the steering wheel 35 is automatically steered. As a result, the course of the machine body deviates from the course in which it should normally run, and extra work is required for loading and storing the machine body.

To prevent this, it is necessary to erase the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R before the machine leaves the field. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 14, headland work is performed when the traveling vehicle body 2 travels on three sides of the four sides of the farm field, including at least one side in the travel direction perpendicular to the travel direction for straight work travel. Then, the control device 100 deletes the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R.

The traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 2 on the headland is determined by continuous change of the X-axis coordinate or the Y-axis coordinate among the position coordinates of the traveling vehicle body 2 acquired by the GPS antenna 200 .

As a result, the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R can be deleted while the machine is running in the field. Even if it is operated, automatic straight movement is not performed, traveling in a direction deviating from the planned traveling direction is prevented, work efficiency is prevented from being lowered, and work safety is improved.

Also, when the machine is moved to another field, the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R are not recorded. Since it is possible to prevent straight-ahead control from being performed, the accuracy of automatic straight-ahead travel is improved.

In addition, when moving out of the field, the sub-transmission control lever 37 is operated to the running position so as to move to the transfer truck or to the barn in a short time. An auxiliary gear shift position detection switch 37a is provided to detect the operation of the auxiliary gear shift operating lever 37 to the traveling position. A configuration in which the reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R are deleted may be employed.

By performing the deletion of the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R based on the operation of the auxiliary transmission operation lever 37 to the traveling position that is not used in the field, the first reference point when traveling on the headland When A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R are not deleted, they can be deleted without fail, so that automatic straight-ahead control is not performed when the traveling vehicle body 2 is moved or another field is worked. A decrease in work accuracy is prevented.

Further, it is possible to prevent the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R from being erroneously deleted in the field due to an erroneous operation of the sub-transmission control lever 37. It is possible to prevent the automatic straight advance from becoming unusable due to the work conditions in which the point B is re-obtained, and the work accuracy is improved.

Alternatively, using the IMU 203 and the inclination sensor 212 that detects the inclination of the traveling vehicle body 2 in the front-rear and left-right directions, when the traveling vehicle body 2 assumes a forward-upward inclined posture of a predetermined angle or more (for example, 10 to 15 degrees), the control device 100 may be configured such that the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R are deleted.

When leaving the field, the traveling vehicle body 2 passing through the doorway of the field assumes a front-up tilted attitude at an angle that is almost impossible during the work. I can judge.

As a result, when the first reference point A, the second reference point B, and the reference line R are not deleted while traveling on the headland, they can be deleted without fail. Occasionally, automatic straight-ahead control is not performed, preventing deterioration in work accuracy.

It should be noted that depending on the field and the content of the work, it is conceivable that the traveling vehicle body 2 is moved backward to exit from the doorway. B and the reference line R may be deleted.

Even when the traveling vehicle body 2 is automatically traveling straight ahead by the automatic steering device 205, it is possible to replenish work materials consumed by the working device 4 or the like, or when some problem occurs in the machine body or in the field. , it is necessary for the operator to stop running. This running stop operation is performed by operating the speed change operation lever 36 to the neutral position to set the continuously variable transmission 14 to the neutral position, stepping on the brake pedal to apply the brake, and stepping on the side clutch pedal 43a to disengage the side clutch 43. A method of setting the state is conceivable.

Even when the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 2 is stopped by any of the above methods, the control device 100 is configured not to stop the automatic steering device 205 .

As a result, when the traveling stop is canceled by operating the shift operating lever 36 forward or releasing the operation of the brake pedal or the side clutch pedal 43a, it is possible to immediately return to the automatic straight traveling, which improves work efficiency. is prevented from decreasing.

However, if the steering wheel 35 is manually steered while the vehicle is stopped, or if the automatic steering device 205 is activated and the steering wheel 35 is automatically steered, the traveling direction when the automatic straight running is resumed deviates from the traveling direction when the vehicle is stopped. , the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 2 may not be linear.

In particular, when the traveling vehicle body 2 is stopped, the position coordinates acquired by the GPS antenna 200 are easily affected by the rotation of the earth, the revolution of GPS satellites, etc. Coordinates may be acquired, and it is likely to be misidentified as being at a position away from the reference line R.

In order to prevent this, a lever potentiometer 36a for detecting the operating position of the gear shift operation lever 36 and a depression detection switch 213 for detecting depression of the brake pedal and clutch pedal are provided so that the vehicle can be operated to stop the vehicle during automatic straight running. When detected, the controller 100 is configured not to reflect the steering operation of the steering wheel 35 or to immobilize the steering wheel 35 .

The configuration that does not reflect the steering operation of the steering wheel 35 means that the steering actuator 206 is not operated even if the X coordinate of the position coordinates of the traveling vehicle body 2 when the vehicle is stopped deviates from the X coordinate of the reference line R by a predetermined value or more. .

Further, the configuration that prevents the steering wheel 35 from moving means increasing the operating torque of the steering actuator 206 to bring the steering wheel into a locked state.

With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent deviation of the traveling direction after resuming travel, so that work travel is performed in a straight line, and work accuracy is improved.

The steering wheel 35 is automatically steered by the steering actuator 206 during automatic straight-ahead travel, but the condition of the field on the route is not suitable for automatic straight-ahead travel (roughness, depth of the field, etc.) and obstacles are present. In such a situation, it is necessary to take evasive action by manual operation.

The steering operation of the steering wheel 35 by the steering actuator 206 is performed by the following configuration. An input gear 352 is provided at the lower portion of a handle shaft 351 that rotates in association with steering operation of the handle 35 , and an output gear 353 is provided at the steering actuator 206 .

The input gear 352 and the output gear 353 are housed in a steering gear case 354 arranged below the steering wheel 35 and steering actuator 206 . A relay gear 355 is provided between the input gear 352 and the output gear 353 to change the transmission ratio and transmit the driving force.

The gear ratios of the input gear 352, the output gear 353, and the intermediate gear 355 are such that the torque due to manual operation increases even if the steering actuator 206 is operating, in order to prevent interference with the manual operation of the steering wheel 35. do.

As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the force required for manual operation of the handle 35 even during automatic straight running, so that operability is improved, and a farm field and obstacles that may affect traveling can be reliably avoided. work safety is ensured.

35 steering wheel (steering member)
100 control device 200 GPS antenna (positional information acquisition device)
205 Automatic steering device (automatic straight driving device)
207 automatic straight setting member (operating member)

Claims (1)

A steering member (35) for steering the aircraft, a position information acquisition device (200) for acquiring the position coordinates of the aircraft, and an automatic straight advance device (
205) and a work vehicle equipped with a control device (100) that controls each part of the machine body,
A plurality of pieces of position information acquired by the automatic straightening device (205) for automatic traveling of the aircraft cannot be acquired unless they are separated from each other by a predetermined distance or more.
At least two of a first reference position (A) obtained at one point in the field and a second reference position (B) obtained at another point in the field for automatic traveling of the machine body by the automatic straight advance device (205). and an operation member for obtaining the first reference point (A) and deleting the obtained first reference point (A) and the second reference point (B), and operating the operation member causes the first reference point to be obtained. A work vehicle characterized by acquiring a reference point (A) and deleting the acquired first reference point (A) and second reference point (B) when the operation member is operated for a predetermined time.

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