CN113115612A

CN113115612A - Agricultural machine and rice transplanter

Info

Publication number: CN113115612A
Application number: CN202011277587.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 大久保树; 久保田祐树
Original assignee: Kubota Corp
Current assignee: Kubota Corp
Priority date: 2020-01-14
Filing date: 2020-11-16
Publication date: 2021-07-16
Also published as: KR20210091652A

Abstract

An agricultural machine for performing work while automatically traveling along a travel route in a set work place, the agricultural machine comprising an automatic travel control unit (611) for controlling automatic travel in a manned travel mode, which is a travel mode in which a driver boards the agricultural machine, or in an unmanned travel mode, which is a travel mode in which no driver boards the agricultural machine, wherein the automatic travel control unit (611) controls the agricultural machine so that the travel speed is faster when the unmanned travel mode is set than when the manned travel mode is set.

Description

Agricultural machine and rice transplanter

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an agricultural machine and a rice transplanter.

Background

(1) Agricultural machines that automatically travel at a work site are known.

As shown in patent document 1, there is a working machine (agricultural machine) that travels in a farm field as a working place while performing work while automatically traveling on a predetermined travel route.

In addition, some of the work machines limit the travel speed during automatic travel. For example, in the case of rotational travel, the travel speed may be slowed down, or the agricultural machine may be temporarily stopped in an end region of the work site.

(2) Conventionally, a rice transplanter which performs planting while traveling in a field is known.

As shown in patent document 2, there is a rice transplanter which sets a travel route in a field and transplants rice seedlings while automatically traveling on the set travel route.

As shown in patent document 3, there is also a rice transplanter in which an insertion start position is set and stored on the basis of a travel distance based on a start point or an end point of rotation travel on a travel path on which automatic travel is performed, and an insertion mechanism is operated at the insertion start position during automatic travel, thereby automatically starting insertion from the set insertion start position. In addition, the transplanting mechanism rotates the transplanting arms by driving the transplanting clutch, and the pair of transplanting arms alternately takes out the seedlings from the seedling carrying table for transplanting.

However, the time from when the transplanting clutch is in the transmission state to when the seedling is transplanted on the field surface is different depending on the position of the transplanting arm relative to the seedling table at the start of the transplanting operation in order for the transplanting arm to perform the rotating operation. Therefore, even if the transmission state of the transplanting clutch is changed at the transplanting start position, the position where the seedling is actually transplanted on the surface of the field is unstable. As a result, in some cases, the transplanting is not performed in a region from the transplanting start position to a position distant from the predetermined distance, and the grain yield in the field is reduced.

(Prior art document)

(patent document)

Patent document 1: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2015-112071 "

Patent document 2: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2019-176801 "

Patent document 3: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2017-60504 "

Disclosure of Invention

(problems to be solved by the invention)

(1) The problem corresponding to the background art (1) is as follows.

However, it is desired to further improve the work efficiency in the automatic travel of the agricultural machine.

(2) The problem corresponding to the background art (2) is as follows.

The purpose of the present invention is to avoid a state in which insertion is not started at an insertion start position.

(means for solving the problems)

(1) The solution corresponding to the problem (1) is as follows.

In order to achieve the above object, an agricultural machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is an agricultural machine that performs work while automatically traveling along a travel route in a set work place, the agricultural machine including an automatic travel control unit that controls the automatic travel in a manned travel mode that is a travel mode in which a driver rides or in an unmanned travel mode that is a travel mode in which the driver does not ride, the automatic travel control unit controlling a travel speed in the unmanned travel mode to be faster than that in the manned travel mode.

In the automatic traveling, the automatic traveling control section either slows down the traveling speed during the rotation or avoids the emergency start and the emergency stop in consideration of the comfort of the driver and the like. However, when the driver is not riding, the above control is not required. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the traveling speed can be increased in the unmanned traveling mode while ensuring the comfort of the driver in the manned traveling mode, thereby improving the work efficiency.

Preferably, the present invention further comprises: a driving unit on which the driver rides; and a boarding detection unit that detects whether or not the driver boards the driving unit, wherein the automatic travel control unit sets the automatic travel to the manned travel mode when the boarding detection unit detects that the driver boards the driving unit, and sets the automatic travel to the unmanned travel mode when the boarding detection unit detects that the driver does not board the driving unit.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to accurately confirm that the driver boards the driving unit, and thus it is possible to accurately set the manned travel mode or the unmanned travel mode, and work efficiency is further improved.

Preferably, the vehicle further includes a driver seat provided in the driver seat and on which the driver sits, and the boarding detection unit detects that the driver is seated on the driver seat, and thereby determines that the driver boards the driver seat.

When having a driver seat, a driver riding in the vehicle is usually seated in the driver seat. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to accurately confirm that the driver boards the driving unit, and to accurately set the manned travel mode or the unmanned travel mode, thereby further improving the work efficiency.

Preferably, the vehicle further includes an operation tool for performing the operation of the automatic travel, and the boarding detection unit determines that the driver boards the driving unit by detecting that the driver touches the operation tool.

The driver usually touches the operation member during the work travel. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to accurately confirm that the driver boards the driving unit, and to accurately set the manned travel mode or the unmanned travel mode, thereby further improving the work efficiency.

Preferably, the vehicle control apparatus further includes a speed setting unit that selects a maximum speed of the automatic travel from a plurality of candidate speeds, wherein the automatic travel control unit controls the automatic travel so that the selected candidate speed is the maximum speed when the manned travel mode is set, and controls the automatic travel so that a fastest candidate speed is the maximum speed when the unmanned travel mode is set.

According to this configuration, the traveling speeds in the manned traveling mode and the unmanned traveling mode can be accurately set, and the traveling speed in the unmanned traveling mode can be controlled to be higher than the traveling speed in the manned traveling mode, whereby the work efficiency can be further improved.

Preferably, even in the unmanned traveling mode, the automatic traveling control unit slows down the traveling speed when the direction is switched and the rotation is performed at the ridge margin of the work place.

According to the structure, the waste of the operation place can be avoided. Further, there are cases where people are present at the ridge margin, and if the direction change and rotation are performed at a high traveling speed, the people may feel insecure. Particularly, when the direction of the ridge is changed and the ridge is rotated, the running speed is reduced, so that the uneasiness of people positioned at the ridge can be reduced.

Preferably, the vehicle further includes a material detection unit that detects a remaining amount of the material used for the automatic travel, the automatic travel being a travel on a round trip route between 2 outer peripheries of the work place facing each other and a rotation route connecting the 2 round trip routes, the material being supplemented to an arbitrary first outer periphery of the work place, the automatic travel control unit controls the vehicle body to stop without performing the rotational travel in a region near the first outer periphery when the material detection unit detects that the material is not remaining, and the automatic travel control unit controls the vehicle body to perform the rotational travel without stopping the vehicle body when the material detection unit detects that the material is remaining.

According to this configuration, the automatic travel control unit can continue the work travel without the need to supplement the materials, stop the machine body before the swing travel only when the materials need to be supplemented, and wait while an operation necessary for the supplement of the materials is possible. As a result, unnecessary travel stop can be avoided, thereby improving work efficiency.

Preferably, the automatic travel control unit slows down the travel speed when traveling in an outer peripheral area of the work place.

Generally, an obstacle is present in the outer peripheral area of the work site. Therefore, according to this configuration, the traveling speed is reduced in the area with many obstacles, so that the operation for avoiding obstacles can be easily performed, and the work efficiency can be improved.

Preferably, the vehicle further includes an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle, and the automatic travel control unit controls the vehicle body to stop when the obstacle detection unit detects the obstacle.

According to this configuration, since collision with an obstacle is avoided and the obstacle can be avoided by appropriate operation thereafter, work efficiency can be improved.

(2) The solution corresponding to the problem (2) is as follows.

In order to achieve the above object, a rice transplanter according to one embodiment of the present invention is a rice transplanter which starts planting from a predetermined planting start position in a field, the rice transplanter comprising: a seedling carrying platform for carrying blanket-shaped seedlings; a transplanting mechanism for executing a transplanting operation of cutting a specified amount of seedlings from the seedling carrying table for transplanting; and an operation control unit that controls an insertion operation of the insertion mechanism, wherein the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start the insertion operation from a position that is a predetermined distance before the insertion start position.

The time from the start of the transplanting operation to the actual transplanting of the seedlings on the farmland surface is different. When the actual seedling transplanting position is a position beyond the transplanting start position, the amount of the transplanted seedling is smaller than planned, resulting in a reduction in grain yield.

According to the above configuration, since the transplanting operation is performed from a position before the transplanting start position, the operation control section can perform control so as to actually start the seedling transplanting at the transplanting start position at the latest, thereby preventing a reduction in the amount of the transplanted seedlings and a reduction in the amount of the grains.

Preferably, the insertion start position includes a position at which insertion is started after the movement and rotation from the traverse path to the next traverse path.

According to this configuration, even in the reciprocating path after the rotation, the operation control unit can control the seedling transplanting to be actually started at the transplanting start position at the latest, so that the reduction in the amount of the transplanted seedlings and the reduction in the amount of the grain harvest can be avoided.

Preferably, when the transplanting operation is started in the farmland, the operation control unit causes the transplanting mechanism to start the transplanting operation from a position a predetermined distance before the transplanting start position.

When the transplanting mechanism starts to perform the transplanting operation in a state where the seedlings are not held, the actual position of transplanting the seedlings is likely to exceed the transplanting start position. The variety of seedlings to be planted in each field is different, and it is likely that the transplanting mechanism does not hold seedlings at the initial transplanting in the field transplanting work.

According to the above configuration, in the transplanting operation of the farm land, even if the transplanting mechanism does not hold the seedling when the transplanting machine is initially close to the transplanting start position, the operation control section can control the state in which the transplanting of the seedling is started at the transplanting start position at the latest, thereby preventing the reduction of the amount of the transplanted seedling and the reduction of the grain yield.

Preferably, when the insertion is performed first in one day, the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start the insertion operation from a position a predetermined distance before the insertion start position.

When the day's work is finished, the rice transplanter is usually washed. Therefore, the transplanting mechanism is likely not to hold seedlings when the work is performed first in the day. According to the above structure, even if the transplanting mechanism does not hold the seedling when the transplanting machine is close to the transplanting start position, the operation control section can control the state of starting transplanting the seedling at the transplanting start position at the latest, thereby avoiding the reduction of the quantity of the transplanted seedling and the reduction of the grain yield.

Preferably, the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start the insertion operation from a position that is a predetermined distance before the insertion start position when the insertion operation is performed after a predetermined time or longer has elapsed from the previously performed insertion operation.

When the transplanting operation is performed for a prescribed time or more before the distance, the variety of the seedling to be transplanted may sometimes change over one day or the transplanting mechanism may not hold the seedling. According to the above structure, even if the transplanting mechanism does not hold the seedling when the transplanting machine is close to the transplanting start position, the operation control section can control the state of starting transplanting the seedling at the transplanting start position at the latest, thereby avoiding the reduction of the quantity of the transplanted seedling and the reduction of the grain yield.

Preferably, the work control unit causes the transplanting mechanism to start the transplanting operation from a position a predetermined distance before the transplanting start position when the vehicle travels the travel route set in the agricultural field in order and performs the transplanting from the transplanting start position.

On the second and subsequent travel paths of the plurality of travel paths, the transplanting mechanism is likely to retain seedlings because the transplanting action has been performed, whereas on the initial travel path, the transplanting mechanism is likely not to retain seedlings. According to the above configuration, since the transplanting operation is performed from a position before the transplanting start position on the first travel route, it is possible to control so that the transplanting of the seedling is actually started at the transplanting start position at the latest, thereby preventing a reduction in the amount of the transplanted seedling and a reduction in the amount of grain harvest.

Preferably, the rice seedling transplanting device further includes a rice seedling holding sensor for detecting whether or not the transplanting means holds a rice seedling, and when the rice seedling holding sensor detects that the transplanting means does not hold a rice seedling, the transplanting means starts the transplanting operation from a position a predetermined distance before the transplanting start position.

According to this structure, when the transplanting mechanism does not actually hold the seedling, the transplanting operation can be performed from a position further ahead than the transplanting start position, and therefore, the transplanting operation can be performed more reliably from a position further ahead than the transplanting start position as needed. Therefore, the reduction of the seedling amount of the transplanted seedlings and the reduction of the grain yield can be effectively avoided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment (the same applies to fig. 5 below), and is a side view of a rice transplanter as an example of an agricultural machine capable of automatic travel.

Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing region division of a field in which a travel path is set.

Fig. 3 is an explanatory view for explaining the circulating travel path set in the outer peripheral area and the travel of the rice transplanter.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining the reciprocating travel path set in the central area and the travel of the rice planting machine.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a control system of the rice transplanter.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment (the same applies to fig. 14 below), and is a side view of a rice transplanter capable of automatically traveling.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the seedling planting device.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing region division of a field in which a travel path is set.

Fig. 9 is an explanatory view for explaining the circulating travel path set in the outer peripheral area and the travel of the rice transplanter.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view for explaining the reciprocating travel path set in the central area and the travel of the rice planting machine.

FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram showing a control system of the rice transplanter.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view for explaining the rotation state of the transplanting arm and the positional relationship with the seedling stage.

Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the insertion work is started beyond the insertion start position.

Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining a state where the insertion work is started before reaching the insertion start position.

Description of the reference numerals

16: driving seat

20: driving part

25: operation lever (operating parts)

26: seat sensor (riding detection part)

30: speed setting unit

611: automatic travel control unit

L: outer periphery (first outer periphery)

R3: round trip path

R5: path of rotation

231: seedling carrying table

232: inserting mechanism

262: work control unit

Detailed Description

(first embodiment)

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 5.

Next, as an embodiment of the agricultural machine of the present invention, a rice transplanter that travels in a field (corresponding to a "work area") for work will be described as an example.

(integral construction)

As shown in fig. 1, the rice transplanter has a riding type four-wheel drive type travel machine body (hereinafter referred to as a machine body 1). The body 1 has: a parallel four-link mechanism 11 connected to the rear part of the machine body 1 in a manner of being capable of lifting and swinging; a hydraulic lift cylinder 11a that drives the link mechanism 11 to swing; a seedling planting device 3 connected to the rear end region of the link mechanism 11 in a manner capable of swinging; and a fertilizing device 4 erected in a manner spanning from the rear end region of the machine body 1 to the seedling transplanting device 3; and the like. The seedling planting device 3 and the fertilizing device 4 are one example of a working device.

The machine body 1 includes wheels 12 as a mechanism for traveling, an engine 13, and a hydraulic continuously variable transmission 14. The wheels 12 include steerable left and right front wheels 12A and non-steerable left and right rear wheels 12B. The engine 13 and the continuously variable transmission 14 are mounted on the front portion of the machine body 1. The power from the engine 13 is supplied to the front wheels 12A, the rear wheels 12B, the working devices, and the like via the continuously variable transmission 14 and the like.

For example, the seedling planting device 3 is constructed in an 8-row planting type. The seedling transplanting device 3 has seedling carrying platforms 31, 8-row transplanting mechanisms 32 and the like. The seedling planting device 3 can be changed to a 2-row planting mode, a 4-row planting mode, a 6-row planting mode, and the like by controlling each row clutch, not shown.

The seedling carrying table 31 is a base for carrying 8 rows of blanket-shaped seedlings. The seedling carrying table 31 reciprocates in the left-right direction at a constant stroke corresponding to the left-right width of the blanket-shaped seedlings, and the longitudinal transfer mechanism 33 longitudinally transfers each blanket-shaped seedling on the seedling carrying table 31 to the lower end of the seedling carrying table 31 by a predetermined distance each time the seedling carrying table 31 reaches the end of the left-right stroke. The 8 insertion mechanisms 32 are of a rotary type and are arranged in the left-right direction at a constant interval corresponding to the insertion row pitch. Each transplanting mechanism 32 is configured to cut a seedling from the lower end of each blanket-shaped seedling placed on the seedling stage 31 by power from the body 1, and to transplant the seedling to the soil portion after soil preparation. Thus, in the operating state of the seedling transplanting device 3, seedlings can be taken out from the blanket-shaped seedlings placed on the seedling placing table 31 and transplanted in the soil part of the paddy field.

As shown in fig. 1, the fertilizer application device 4 includes a horizontally long hopper 41, a feeding mechanism 42, an electric blower 43, a plurality of fertilizer application pipes 44, and furrow openers 45 provided in respective rows. The hopper 41 stores granulated or powdered fertilizer. The feed mechanism 42 is operated by power transmitted from the engine 13, and feeds a predetermined amount of 2 rows of fertilizer from the hopper 41.

The blower 43 is operated by electric power from a battery (not shown) mounted on the machine body 1, and generates a conveyance wind for conveying the fertilizer discharged from each of the discharge mechanisms 42 to the mud surface of the farm land. The fertilizer application device 4 can be switched between an operating state in which fertilizer stored in the hopper 41 is continuously supplied to a predetermined amount to a farm field and a non-operating state in which the supply is stopped by a communication cutoff operation of the blower 43 or the like.

The fertilizer pipes 44 guide the fertilizer carried by the carrier air to the furrow openers 45. Each furrow opener 45 is provided to each land preparation float 15. Each furrow opener 45 is elevated together with each land preparation floating plate 15, and when the land preparation floating plates 15 are driven to be grounded, the furrow opener 45 forms a fertilizer groove in the soil portion of the paddy field and guides the fertilizer into the fertilizer groove.

As shown in fig. 1, the body 1 has a cab 20 in a rear side region thereof. The driver unit 20 includes: a steering wheel 21 (corresponding to an "operating element") for steering the front wheels; a main shift lever 22 (corresponding to an "operating member") that adjusts the vehicle speed by a shift operation of the continuously variable transmission 14; a sub-transmission lever 23 (corresponding to an "operation member") that can perform a shift operation of the sub-transmission; a work operation lever 25 (corresponding to an "operation member") capable of performing lifting operation and switching of operation states of the seedling planting device 3; a general-purpose terminal 9 having a touch panel that displays (notifies) various information, notifies (outputs) the information to an operator, and accepts various information inputs; and a driver seat 16 for an operator (driver). A preliminary seedling frame 17 for accommodating preliminary seedlings is provided in front of the cab 20.

The steering wheel 21 is coupled to the front wheels 12A via a steering mechanism, not shown, and the steering angle of the front wheels 12A is adjusted by rotating the steering wheel 21.

(Driving route)

Next, a travel route used in a seedling planting operation (an example of a field operation) performed by the seedling planting machine will be described. As shown in fig. 2, the farmland is divided into: an outer peripheral region in which an encircling travel path is set; and a central area in which a reciprocating travel path is set. The rice transplanter performs a rice seedling transplanting operation on the central area along the reciprocating travel path, and then performs a rice seedling transplanting operation on the peripheral area along the surrounding travel path.

Fig. 3 shows a circular travel path. The circular travel path is composed of a circular straight path extending parallel to the field boundary (ridge) and a direction change path which advances and retreats to connect the circular straight paths. In fig. 3, the circular straight path is given reference character R1, and the direction change path is given reference character R2. Fig. 4 shows a round trip travel path. The reciprocating travel path is composed of a plurality of reciprocating paths substantially parallel to each other and a rotation path (U-shaped path) connecting the respective reciprocating paths. In fig. 4, the reciprocating path is given reference symbol R3, and the rotating path is given reference symbol R5. In fig. 3 and 4, a movement path moving from the shuttle travel path to the winding travel path is given reference symbol R4. In the example herein, the movement path is similar to the rotation path. In fig. 3 and 4, the working width of the rice transplanter is denoted by reference numeral W, and the entrance GA through which the rice transplanter enters and exits the field is indicated by oblique lines. Fig. 4 shows a start guide route (denoted by reference numeral R6) from the gate GA to the travel start position S of the round trip route. The paths are indicated by broken lines because the rice transplanter travels only on the rotation path, the direction change path, the start guide path, and the movement path without performing work. The rice transplanter travels while performing work on a circular linear path and a reciprocating path, which are indicated by solid lines.

(control System)

Next, a control system of the rice transplanter will be described with reference to fig. 5 with reference to fig. 1.

Signals from the positioning unit 8, the seating sensor 26 (corresponding to a "boarding detection unit"), the automatic selector switch 27, the travel sensor group 28, the work sensor group 29, and the speed setting unit 30 are input to the control unit 6, which is the core of the control system of the rice planting machine. Control signals are output from the control unit 6 to the traveling apparatus group 1A, the work apparatus group 1B, and the general-purpose terminal 9.

The positioning unit 8 outputs positioning data for calculating the position and orientation of the computer body 1. The positioning unit 8 includes: a satellite positioning module 8A that receives radio waves from satellites of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); and an inertia measurement module 8B that detects the inclination and acceleration of the three axes of the machine body 1.

The seating sensor 26 is a sensor that detects whether or not the driver is seated on the driver seat 16. The automatic changeover switch 27 is provided in the driver unit 20 and is a switch for selecting an automatic travel mode for automatically traveling the machine body 1 and a manual travel mode for manually traveling the machine body 1. The travel sensor group 28 includes various sensors for detecting states such as a steering angle, operation positions of the main shift lever 22 and the sub-shift lever 23, a vehicle speed, and an engine speed, and setting values of these states. The operation sensor group 29 includes various sensors for detecting the states of the link mechanism 11, the seedling planting device 3, and the fertilizer application device 4, and setting values of these states.

The traveling apparatus group 1A includes, for example, front wheels 12A and a continuously variable transmission 14. The steering angle of the front wheels 12A is controlled in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 6, and the vehicle speed is controlled by operating the continuously variable transmission 14.

The working equipment group 1B includes, for example, a lift cylinder 11a, a seedling planting device 3, and a fertilizer application device 4. The seedling taking amount of the seedling transplanting device 3 is adjusted and the fertilizing amount of the fertilizing device 4 for fertilizing is adjusted according to the control signal from the control unit 6.

The speed setting unit 30 is provided in the driver unit 20, and can set a candidate speed selected from a plurality of candidate speeds as the highest speed during automatic traveling. The running speed in automatic running is controlled according to the set maximum speed as described below.

The control unit 6 includes a travel control unit 61, a work control unit 62, a vehicle position calculation unit 63, a travel route setting unit 64, and a work parameter setting unit 65. The control unit 6 includes a processor such as an ECU, a CPU, and the like.

The vehicle position calculating unit 63 calculates the map coordinates (vehicle position) of the machine body 1 based on the satellite positioning data sequentially sent thereto from the positioning unit 8.

The rice transplanter can automatically run and manually run. Therefore, the travel control unit 61 performs control in an automatic travel mode in which automatic travel is performed or a manual travel mode in which manual travel is performed, in accordance with a command from the automatic changeover switch 27. The travel control unit 61 includes an automatic travel control unit 611 and a manual travel control unit 612, and the automatic travel control unit 611 operates in the automatic travel mode, and the manual travel control unit 612 operates in the manual travel mode. In the automatic travel mode, the automatic travel control unit 611 calculates a steering control amount so as to reduce the lateral deviation and the azimuth deviation, based on the lateral deviation and the azimuth deviation calculated by comparing the vehicle position and the target travel path. The steering angle of the front wheels 12A is adjusted according to the steering control amount. The automatic travel control unit 611 controls the travel speed so as to travel at a speed equal to or lower than the maximum speed selected by the speed setting unit 30. In the manual travel mode, the manual travel control portion 612 adjusts the steering angle of the front wheels 12A in accordance with the operation amount of the steering wheel 21. The manual travel control unit 612 controls the continuously variable transmission 14 and the like so as to travel at a travel speed corresponding to the operation positions of the main shift lever 22 and the sub shift lever 23.

The automatic travel control unit 611 performs different controls during the automatic travel between the unmanned travel mode and the manned travel mode. Specifically, as described below, the automatic travel control unit 611 performs control so that the travel speed in the unmanned travel mode is faster than that in the manned travel mode. The automatic travel control unit 611 is set to the manned travel mode when the seating sensor 26 detects that the driver is seated on the driver seat 16, and the automatic travel control unit 611 is set to the unmanned travel mode when the seating sensor 26 does not detect that the driver is seated on the driver seat 16.

The travel route setting unit 64 sets a travel route that is a target travel route for automatic travel, and provides the travel route to the automatic travel control unit 611.

The work parameter setting unit 65 sets the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 32 and sends the adjustment amount to the work control unit 62. In the automatic travel mode, the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 32 is set based on the work performed by the work equipment group 1B, the work performed by the work equipment group 1B is set based on the travel position of the target travel route, and in the manual travel mode, the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 32 is set based on the setting value detected by the work sensor group 29. The work control unit 62 controls the work equipment group 1B based on the signal received from the work parameter setting unit 65.

(automatic traveling)

Next, travel control during automatic travel will be described with reference to fig. 1, 4, and 5.

As described above, the automatic travel control unit 611 controls automatic travel. In the manned travel mode, the travel speed is changed according to the travel route. For example, on the round travel route, the travel speed of the direction change route R2 is made slower than that of the round straight route R1. In the traverse travel route, the travel speed of the rotation route R5 is made slower than that of the traverse route R3.

Since there is a difference in traveling speed between the traveling on the rotation path R5 and the traveling on the traverse path R3, the machine body 1 accelerates and decelerates. Further, the machine body 1 may accelerate and decelerate in accordance with the work travel. The gradual acceleration and deceleration is performed in the manned travel mode in consideration of the comfort of the driver, the stability of the body 1 during travel, and the like.

The automatic travel control unit 611 determines the travel speed with reference to the maximum speed selected and set by the speed setting unit 30. For example, when traveling around the straight route R1 and the round-trip route R3, the automatic travel control unit 611 controls to travel at the highest speed, and when traveling on the direction change route R2 and the rotation route R5, the automatic travel control unit 611 controls to travel at a speed slower than the highest speed.

The automatic travel control unit 611 can set the travel speed when traveling on the outer circumferential straight path R1' in the outer region of the farm field to be slower than the travel speed when traveling on the other circumferential straight path R1. Sometimes obstacles are stored outside in the peripheral area of the field. When colliding with an obstacle during driving, it may cause damage to the body 1. By reducing the traveling speed of the circular straight path R1' on the outer side in the outer peripheral area of the farm field, the collision of the machine body 1 with the obstacle can be avoided, and the damage to the machine body 1 can be reduced.

When the unmanned running mode is set based on the detection result of the seating sensor 26, the automatic running control unit 611 performs control so that the running speed is higher than that in the manned running mode. For example, the automatic travel control unit 611 sets the fastest candidate speed among the selectable candidate speeds as the highest speed, regardless of the candidate speeds selected by the speed setting unit 30. The automatic travel control unit 611 performs control so as to travel at the maximum speed set when traveling around the straight route R1 and the round-trip route R3. The automatic travel control unit 611 may perform control such that the travel speed is slowed when traveling on the direction change path R2 and the rotation path R5, or the travel speed is set to the maximum speed when traveling on the direction change path R2 and the rotation path R5. When the traveling speed is reduced, the waste of the farmland caused by the rotation trace can be suppressed, and when the speed is not reduced, the operation efficiency can be improved. Further, there are cases where people are present at the ridge, and when the direction is switched and the rotation is performed at a high traveling speed, the people may feel uneasy. Especially, when the direction of the ridge is changed and the ridge is rotated, the running speed is reduced, so that the sense of insecurity brought to people positioned at the ridge can be reduced. Further, the automatic travel control unit 611 may make acceleration and deceleration performed in the unmanned travel mode more urgent than acceleration and deceleration performed in the manned travel mode. The acceleration and deceleration performed in the unmanned running mode are preferably performed as urgently as possible within a range in which the machine body 1 can stably run.

According to the above configuration, in the unmanned traveling mode, the traveling speed can be increased without considering the comfort of the driver and the like, and thus the work efficiency can be improved.

Even if the unmanned running mode is set, the automatic running control unit 611 may set the running speed when running on the outer circumferential straight path R1' in the outer region of the farm land to be slower than the running speed when running on the other circumferential straight path R1. This can reduce damage to the living body 1.

(other embodiments)

(1) The sensor used as the timing for switching between the unmanned running mode and the manned running mode is not limited to the seating sensor 26, and various boarding detectors (corresponding to "boarding detection units") may be used. The boarding detector may be any detector capable of determining whether or not the driver boards the driving unit 20, and the manned travel mode is set when the driver boards the driving unit 20. For example, the ride detector is a sensor or the like that detects whether or not the driver touches an operation element such as the main shift lever 22 or the steering wheel 21. Even with the above configuration, it is possible to detect that the driver gets on the driving unit 20.

Further, a presence/absence changeover switch (not shown) may be provided instead of or in addition to the boarding detector such as the seating sensor 26. The driver can manually switch the unmanned running mode and the manned running mode by operating the manned/unmanned changeover switch. When the presence/absence changeover switch is provided together with the boarding detector, even if the unmanned travel mode is selected by the presence/absence changeover switch, the manned travel mode is automatically set when the boarding detector such as the seating sensor 26 detects that the driver boards the driver section 20. As described above, work efficiency can be reliably improved by appropriately switching between the unmanned running mode and the manned running mode.

(2) When the seedling bed 31 is replenished with seedlings in a blanket shape, the body 1 moves to 1 outer periphery L (corresponding to "first outer periphery") of the field provided at the gate GA, and the seedlings in a blanket shape are replenished from the ridge to the seedling bed 31 in a state where the body 1 is stopped along the outer periphery L. At this time, the machine body 1 travels on the reciprocating path R3 toward the outer periphery L, and then directly travels toward the outer periphery L without traveling on the rotating path R5. When the automatic travel is performed in the manned travel mode, the machine body 1 is temporarily stopped for a predetermined time in the vicinity of the end portion of the round trip path R3 traveling toward the outer periphery L, so that the driver and the monitor can determine whether or not to replenish the blanket seedlings. The driver and the monitor judge whether or not to supplement the blanket seedlings while the machine body 1 is temporarily stopped, and when it is judged that the blanket seedlings are supplemented, the machine body 1 is moved to a position along the outer circumference L by an operation of automatic running or manual running. The outer circumference L of the supplementary blanket seedling is not limited to the outer circumference provided with the gateway GA, and may be any outer circumference.

In consideration of the above-described complementary operation of the blanket-shaped seedlings, in each of the above embodiments, the rice transplanter of the present embodiment may also have a seedling detection unit (corresponding to a "material detection unit") 40 that detects whether a predetermined amount of blanket-shaped seedlings remain on the seedling stage 31. During the automatic travel in the unmanned travel mode, when the machine body 1 approaches the end region of the round trip path R3 traveling toward the outer periphery L, the automatic travel control part 611 confirms the detection result of the seedling detection part 40. When it is judged that the seedling is less than the predetermined amount and the blanket-shaped seedling needs to be replenished, the automatic travel control part 611 stops the machine body 1 in the vicinity of the end part of the round trip path R3 traveling toward the outer periphery L. When sufficient seedlings remain, the automatic travel control part 611 does not stop the machine body 1 at the end of the round trip path R3 traveling toward the outer periphery L, but continues the automatic travel.

This can shorten unnecessary stop time, thereby improving the work efficiency of automatic travel.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, the rice transplanter of the present embodiment further includes an obstacle detecting unit 46. The obstacle detecting unit 46 detects whether or not an obstacle exists in front of the machine body 1 during traveling, and notifies the automatic travel control unit 611 of the detection result. When receiving a notification from the obstacle detection unit 46 that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the machine body 1, the automatic travel control unit 611 decelerates the machine body 1 first and then stops the machine body 1.

According to the above configuration, the collision of the machine body 1 with an obstacle during automatic travel can be avoided. In particular, when the vehicle is automatically driven in the unmanned driving mode, the driving speed is high, and the driver does not get on the vehicle, so that it is difficult to avoid an obstacle. By providing the obstacle detecting unit 46, the machine body 1 is stopped when an obstacle is detected, so that the running speed can be increased and the work efficiency can be improved, and the machine body 1 can be prevented from colliding with the obstacle during automatic running.

(4) In the above embodiments, the circular linear paths R1 and R1' and the round-trip path R3 are not limited to straight lines, and a part or all of them may be gently curved, or may be a zigzag path or a serpentine path.

(5) The travel control unit 61, the job control unit 62, the vehicle position calculation unit 63, the travel route setting unit 64, and the job parameter setting unit 65 included in the control unit 6 may be divided into the functional blocks, or may be combined into functional blocks having 1 or more functions described above, or may be divided into a plurality of functional blocks. All or part of the functions of the control unit 6 may be implemented by software. The software (program) is stored in an arbitrary storage unit (not shown) and executed by a processor provided in the control unit 6 or another processor.

(6) The agricultural machine of the present invention is not limited to a rice transplanter, and may be an agricultural machine that performs work while automatically traveling in a work place, such as a combine harvester or a tractor, and may be applied to a working machine that performs various kinds of work while automatically traveling in a specific work place.

(second embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 6 to 14.

Next, a rice transplanter which travels in a field in an operation will be described.

(integral construction)

As shown in fig. 6, the rice transplanter has a riding type four-wheel drive type travel machine body (hereinafter referred to as a machine body 201). The body 201 includes: a parallel four-link mechanism 211 connected to the rear part of the body 201 in a vertically swingable manner; a hydraulic lift cylinder 211a that swings the drive link mechanism 211; a seedling planting device 203 connected to the rear end region of the link mechanism 211 in a manner capable of swinging; and a fertilizer application device 204 which is erected in a manner spanning from the rear end region of the body 201 to the seedling planting device 203; and the like. The seedling planting device 203 and the fertilizing device 204 are one example of a working device.

The machine body 201 includes wheels 212 as a mechanism for traveling, an engine 213, and a hydraulic continuously variable transmission 214. The wheels 212 include left and right steerable front wheels 212A and left and right steerable rear wheels 212B. The engine 213 and the continuously variable transmission 214 are mounted on the front portion of the machine body 201. The power from the engine 213 is supplied to the front wheels 212A, the rear wheels 212B, the working devices, and the like via the continuously variable transmission 214 and the like.

For example, the seedling planting device 203 is configured as an 8-row planting type. The seedling transplanting device 203 has a seedling carrying table 231, an 8-row transplanting mechanism 232, and the like. The seedling transplanting device 203 can be changed to a 2-row transplanting mode, a 4-row transplanting mode, a 6-row transplanting mode, and the like by controlling each row clutch, which is not shown.

The seedling stage 231 is a base for placing 8 rows of blanket seedlings. The seedling stage 231 reciprocates in the left-right direction at a constant stroke corresponding to the left-right width of the blanket-shaped seedlings, and the longitudinal transfer mechanism 233 longitudinally transfers each blanket-shaped seedling on the seedling stage 231 to the lower end of the seedling stage 231 at a predetermined interval every time the seedling stage 231 reaches the end of the left-right stroke. The 8 insertion mechanisms 232 are of a rotary type and arranged in the left-right direction at a constant interval corresponding to the insertion row pitch. Each transplanting mechanism 232 is configured to cut a seedling (also referred to as a transplanted seedling) from the lower end of each blanket-shaped seedling placed on the seedling-placing table 231 by power from the body 201, and to transplant the seedling to the soil portion after soil preparation. Thus, in the operating state of the seedling transplanting device 203, seedlings can be taken out from the blanket-shaped seedlings placed on the seedling placing table 231 and transplanted into the soil part of the paddy field.

As shown in fig. 6, the fertilizer application device 204 includes a horizontally long hopper 241, a feeding mechanism 242, an electric blower 243, a plurality of fertilizer application pipes 244, and furrow openers 245 provided in respective rows. The hopper 241 stores granulated or powdered fertilizer. The feeding mechanism 242 is operated by power transmitted from the engine 213, and feeds the fertilizer from the hopper 241 by a predetermined amount in 2 rows.

The blower 243 is operated by electric power from a battery (not shown) mounted on the machine body 201, and generates a conveyance wind for conveying the fertilizer fed by each feeding mechanism 242 to the mud surface of the farm land. The fertilizer distributor 204 can be switched between an operating state in which fertilizer stored in the hopper 241 is supplied to a predetermined amount to a farm field and a non-operating state in which the supply is stopped by a communication cutoff operation of the blower 243 or the like.

The fertilizer pipes 244 guide the fertilizer carried by the carrier air to the furrow openers 245. Each furrow opener 245 is provided to each land preparation float 215. Each furrow opener 245 is elevated together with each land preparation floating plate 215, and when the land preparation floating plate 215 is driven to be grounded, the furrow opener 245 forms a fertilizer groove in the soil portion of the paddy field and guides the fertilizer into the fertilizer groove.

As shown in fig. 6, body 201 has cab 220 in its rear side region. The driver unit 220 includes: a front wheel steering wheel 221; a main shift lever 222 that adjusts a vehicle speed by performing a shift operation of the continuously variable transmission 214; a sub-shift lever 223 capable of performing a shift operation of the sub-transmission; an operation lever 225 capable of performing lifting operation and switching of operation state of the seedling transplanting device 203; a general-purpose terminal 209 having a touch screen, displaying (notifying) various information, notifying (outputting) the operator, and accepting input of various information; and a driver seat 216 for an operator (driver); and the like. In addition, a preliminary seedling frame 217 for accommodating preliminary seedlings is provided in front of the cab 220.

The steering wheel 221 is coupled to the front wheels 212A via a steering mechanism, not shown, and the steering angle of the front wheels 212A is adjusted by rotating the steering wheel 221.

(seedling transplanting device)

As shown in fig. 7, the seedling planting device 203 includes a frame body including a supply box 234 supported at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the rear region of the machine body 201, a plurality of planting transmission boxes 235 arranged at appropriate intervals in the width direction in the rear region of the machine body 201 and supported, and the like, and a seedling carrying table 231 is provided at the front portion of the frame body in a state of being reciprocally and laterally moved and driven at a constant stroke in the width direction of the machine body. The transplanting mechanism 232 is supported on the left and right sides of the rear portion of the transplanting gear box 235 in a freely driven manner.

The power is supplied from the machine body 201 side to the seedling transplanting device 203, and the seedling transplanting device 203 cuts a part of blanket-like seedlings (one plant) placed on the seedling stage 231 by the seedling transplanting claws 237B provided to the transplanting mechanism 232, and transplants the seedlings on the farmland (soil part) as the machine body 201 travels.

The insertion mechanism 232 includes: a rotary case 236 which is substantially rectangular when viewed from the side of the body and is supported on the lateral side of the insertion transmission case 235 so as to be rotatably driven around a rotor support shaft 235A extending laterally to the body; the pair of insertion arms 237 are supported at both ends of the rotary case 236 so as to be rotatably driven around an arm support shaft 236A extending in the lateral direction of the body.

By switching the insertion clutch (not shown) to a transmission state, driving force is transmitted from engine 213 (see fig. 6) through supply tank 234 and insertion transmission tank 235. By rotating and driving rotor support shaft 235A by this driving force, rotary case 236 is rotationally driven around the axis of rotor support shaft 235A that faces the lateral direction of the machine body. By rotating the rotation case 236, the pair of implant arms 237 revolve around the rotor rotation axis of the rotor support shaft 235A. By rotating the arm support shaft 236A of the rotation casing 236, the pair of implant arms 237 are rotationally driven so as to rotate with respect to the rotation casing 236 about the arm rotation axis parallel to the rotor rotation axis, which is the axis of the arm support shaft 236A extending in the lateral direction of the machine body.

The pair of transplanting arms 237 are respectively provided with a supporting case 237A, and the seedling transplanting claws 237B are supported in the supporting case 237A. Inside each support case 237A, a seedling discharging member 237C is provided, and the seedling discharging member 237C is slidably supported and discharges the seedlings from the seedling planting claws 237B along with the sliding.

According to the above-described configuration, by rotationally driving the rotary case 236, each transplanting mechanism 232 performs a seedling transplanting movement in which the tip end sides of the seedling transplanting claws 237B of the pair of transplanting arms 237 are rotated between the lower end side of the seedling stage 231 and the field surface, the seedling transplanting claws 237B of the pair of transplanting arms 237 alternately take out partial transplanted seedlings (simply referred to as "seedlings") from the lower end portions of the blanket-shaped seedlings placed on the seedling stage 231, hold the taken-out transplanted seedlings and descend to be transplanted on the field surface, and ascend to return to the lower end side of the seedling stage 231 after transplanting.

(Driving route)

Next, a travel route used in the seedling planting work (an example of the field work) of the seedling planting machine will be described. As shown in fig. 8, the field is divided into an outer peripheral area in which a circumferential travel route is set and a central area in which a reciprocating travel route is set. The rice transplanter performs a rice seedling transplanting operation on the central area along the reciprocating travel path, and then performs a rice seedling transplanting operation on the peripheral area along the surrounding travel path.

Fig. 9 shows a circular travel path. The circular travel path is composed of a circular straight path extending in parallel to the boundary (ridge) of the field and a direction change path which advances and retreats to connect the circular straight path. In fig. 9, the circular straight path is given reference numeral 2R1, and the direction change path is given reference numeral 2R 2. Fig. 10 shows a shuttle travel path. The traverse travel path is composed of a plurality of traverse paths substantially parallel to each other and a rotation path (U-shaped path) connecting the traverse paths to each other. On each round trip, the transplanting of the seedlings is started from the transplanting start position US and ended at the transplanting end position UF. In fig. 10, the reciprocating path is given reference numeral 2R3, and the rotating path is given reference numeral 2R 5. In fig. 9 and 10, a movement path for moving from the shuttle travel path to the round travel path is given reference numeral 2R 4. In the example herein, the movement path is similar to the rotation path. In fig. 9 and 10, the working width of the rice transplanter is denoted by reference numeral W, and the entrance GA through which the rice transplanter enters and exits the field is indicated by oblique lines. Fig. 10 shows a start guide route from the gate GA to the travel start position S of the round trip route (reference numeral 2R6 is given). The rice transplanter travels only on the rotation path, the direction change path, the start guide path, and the movement path without performing work, and these paths are indicated by broken lines. The rice transplanter travels while performing work on a circular linear path and a reciprocating path, which are indicated by solid lines.

(control System)

Next, a control system of the rice transplanter will be described with reference to fig. 6 and fig. 11.

Signals from the positioning unit 208, the automatic changeover switch 227, the travel sensor group 228, and the work sensor group 229 are input to the control unit 206, which is the core of the control system of the rice planting machine. Control signals are output from the control unit 206 to the traveling apparatus group 201A, the work apparatus group 201B, and the general-purpose terminal 209.

Positioning unit 208 outputs positioning data for calculating the position and orientation of computer body 201. Positioning unit 208 includes: a satellite positioning module 208A that receives radio waves from satellites of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); and an inertial measurement module 208B that detects the inclination and acceleration of the three axes of the body 201.

The automatic changeover switch 227 is provided in the driver unit 220 and is a switch for selecting an automatic travel mode for automatically traveling the machine body 201 and a manual travel mode for manually traveling the machine body 201. The travel sensor group 228 includes various sensors, and detects states of the steering angle, the operation positions of the main shift lever 222 and the sub-shift lever 223, the vehicle speed, the number of engine revolutions, and the like, and set values of these states. The operation sensor group 229 includes various sensors, and detects the states of the link mechanism 211, the seedling planting device 203, and the fertilizer application device 204, and set values of these states.

The traveling apparatus group 201A includes, for example, front wheels 212A and a continuously variable transmission 214. According to a control signal from the control unit 206, the steering angle of the front wheels 212A is controlled, and the vehicle speed is controlled by operating the continuously variable transmission 214.

The working equipment group 201B includes, for example, a lift cylinder 211a, a seedling planting device 203, and a fertilizer application device 204. The seedling taking amount of the seedling transplanting device 203 and the fertilizing amount of the fertilizing device 204 are adjusted according to the control signal from the control unit 206.

The control unit 206 includes a travel control unit 261, a job control unit 262, a vehicle position calculation unit 263, a travel route setting unit 264, and a job parameter setting unit 265. The control unit 206 includes a processor such as an ECU, a CPU, or the like.

The vehicle position calculating unit 263 calculates the map coordinates (vehicle position) of the machine body 201 based on the satellite positioning data sequentially transmitted from the positioning unit 208.

The rice transplanter can perform automatic running and manual running. Therefore, the travel control unit 261 controls the automatic travel mode in which automatic travel is performed or the manual travel mode in which manual travel is performed, in accordance with the instruction of the automatic changeover switch 227. Travel control unit 261 has an automatic travel control unit 2611 and a manual travel control unit 2612, and in the automatic travel mode, automatic travel control unit 2611 operates, and in the manual travel mode, manual travel control unit 2612 operates. In the automatic travel mode, the automatic travel control unit 2611 calculates a steering control amount so as to reduce the lateral deviation and the azimuth deviation based on the lateral deviation and the azimuth deviation calculated by comparing the vehicle position and the target travel path. The steering angle of the front wheels 212A is adjusted according to the steering control amount. In the manual travel mode, the manual travel control section 2612 adjusts the steering angle of the front wheels 212A in accordance with the operation amount of the steering wheel 221. The manual travel control unit 2612 controls the continuously variable transmission device 214 and the like so as to travel at a travel speed corresponding to the operation positions of the main shift lever 222 and the sub shift lever 223.

The travel route setting unit 264 sets a travel route that is a target travel route for automatic travel, and provides the travel route to the automatic travel control unit 2611.

The work parameter setting unit 265 sets the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 232 and sends the adjustment amount to the work control unit 262. In the automatic travel mode, the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 232 is set according to the work performed by the work equipment group 201B, the work performed by the work equipment group 201B is set according to the travel position of the target travel route, and in the manual travel mode, the adjustment amount of the insertion mechanism 232 is set according to the setting value detected by the work sensor group 229.

The job control section 262 controls the job device group 201B based on the signal received from the job parameter setting section 265. In particular, as described below, the operation control unit 262 performs control for changing the transplanting clutch (not shown) to a transmission state or a non-transmission state, and performs control for moving the seedling transplanting device 203 downward and upward.

(transplanting work)

Next, the operation of the seedling planting device 203 on the reciprocating path will be described with reference to fig. 10 to 14.

When the automatically traveling rice transplanter reaches the planting start position US on the reciprocating path, the operation control unit 262 controls the planting operation to start the planting operation from the planting start position US by rotating the pair of planting arms 237 and lowering the rice seedling planting device 203 by changing the transmission state of the planting clutch (not shown). The operation controller 262 also changes the transplanting clutch to a non-transmission state at the transplanting completion position UF, and raises the seedling transplanting device 203.

Here, the seedling planting claws 237B take out the planted seedlings from the seedling stage 231 in accordance with the rotation of the planting arms 237 and plant the planted seedlings on the field surface. Therefore, the time from when the transplanting clutch is changed to the transmission state and the transplanting arm 237 starts to rotate until the transplanting of the rice seedling is actually planted on the agricultural surface differs depending on the rotational position of the transplanting arm 237 at the time point when the transplanting clutch is changed to the transmission state, that is, the positional relationship between the rice seedling carrying table 231 and the rice seedling transplanting claw 237B. That is, as shown by the solid lines in fig. 12, when the position of the seedling planting claw 237B relative to the seedling stage 231 is located in front of the seedling stage 231 in the rotational direction of the planting arm 237, the planting clutch is changed to the transmission state and the planted seedling is planted on the agricultural surface immediately. On the other hand, as shown by the two-dot chain line in fig. 12, when the position of the seedling planting claw 237B with respect to the seedling stage 231 is located behind the seedling stage 231 in the rotation direction of the planting arm 237, the seedling planting claw 237B cannot take out the planted seedling from the seedling stage 231 if the planting arm 237 does not rotate nearly half a circle after the planting clutch is changed to the transmission state, and thus the timing of planting the planted seedling on the field surface is delayed. The time from when the transplanting clutch is changed to the transmission state to when the transplanting seedling is actually planted on the field surface is at most the time when the transplanting arm 237 makes a half rotation, and when the transplanting clutch is changed to the transmission state, the transplanting machine actually transplants the seedling at a position where the transplanting machine travels at most about 20cm (about 15cm-25 cm).

As described above, even if the operation control unit 262 attempts to change the transplanting clutch to the transmission state at the transplanting start position US and start the transplanting operation from the transplanting start position US, the position at which the transplanting is actually started is displaced due to the positional relationship between the seedling stage 231 and the seedling transplanting claws 237B.

In particular, when the position where the transplanted seedling is actually transplanted exceeds the transplanting start position US, the amount of the transplanted seedling to be transplanted is less than expected, resulting in a reduction in grain harvest. In the example shown in fig. 13, the transplanting clutch is changed to the transmission state at the transplanting start position US, and the actual transplanting position is later than the transplanting start position US by a predetermined distance in accordance with the positional relationship between the seedling stage 231 and the seedling transplanting claws 237B.

Therefore, the operation control unit 262 starts the insertion operation of the insertion mechanism 232 at a position a predetermined distance before the insertion start position US by making the timing of changing the insertion clutch to the transmission state earlier than the insertion start position US. For example, the operation control section 262 controls the seedling planting device 203 to be lowered to the surface of the field before reaching the planting start position US. At this time, the operation control unit 262 changes the insertion clutch to the transmission state so that the seedling planting device 203 is lowered to the surface of the field for a predetermined time or at a position a predetermined distance before the insertion start position US.

Thus, even if the timing at which the seedling planting claw 237B takes out the planted seedling from the seedling stage 231 is different after the planting clutch is changed to the transmission state, it is possible to avoid at least the case where the position of the actually planted seedling is shifted in the advancing direction of the rice transplanter from the planting start position US, and it is possible to start planting at the planting start position US. As a result, reduction in the amount of seedlings to be transplanted and reduction in the amount of grains to be harvested can be suppressed.

In particular, the operation control unit 262 changes the transplanting clutch to the transmission state so that the transplanting arm 237 makes a half-turn earlier than the time when the seedling transplanting device 203 descends to the field surface, or so that the transplanting clutch is closer to the distance the transplanting machine travels during the half-turn of the transplanting arm 237. In other words, the distance traveled by the rice transplanter during the half-rotation of the planting arm 237 is the same distance as the planting distance, and the operation controller 262 changes the planting clutch to the transmission state at a position before the planting start position US and at the same distance as the planting distance.

Thus, even if the timing at which the seedling planting claws 237B take out the planted seedlings from the seedling stage 231 is different after the planting clutch is changed to the transmission state, the planted seedlings can be actually started at least from a position before the planting start position US as shown in fig. 14. As a result, reduction in the amount of seedlings to be transplanted and reduction in the amount of grains to be harvested can be prevented. The distance traveled by the rice transplanter during the half-rotation of the planting arm 237 can be calculated from the vehicle speed and the rotation speed of the planting arm 237.

(other embodiments)

(1) The seedling transplanting claws 237B take out the transplanted seedlings of the seedling carrying stage 231 and transplant them on the field surface. Therefore, when the transplanting clutch is changed to the non-transmission state during the transplanting work, the seedling transplanting claws 237B are likely to remain transplanted or stop in the state before the transplanted seedling is taken out. At this time, the necessity of starting the transplanting operation at a position before the transplanting start position US is small, and the case where the transplanting operation needs to be performed from a position before the transplanting start position US is mainly a case where the seedling transplanting claw 237B does not hold the transplanted seedling.

The rice transplanter performs operations on a plurality of farmlands. The varieties of rice vary in the field, and the rice seedlings to be transplanted for the previous field need to be removed from the seedling table 231 and the transplanting mechanism 232 before the field work. Therefore, when the transplanting operation is started in the field, for example, during the automatic travel, the operation control unit 262 of the rice transplanter according to embodiment 1 may start the transplanting operation by causing the transplanting clutch to be in the transmission state at the travel start position S of the round trip travel route, which is the position where the transplanting operation is started first in the field, and at a position before the transplanting start position US, which is the travel start position S. The operation control unit 262 does not perform control to start the insertion operation at a position before the insertion start position US in the other round trip path.

By performing the above control, the transplanting operation is started at a position before the transplanting start position US only when there is a high possibility that the transplanting is performed later than the transplanting start position US, and therefore, it is possible to efficiently avoid a reduction in the amount of seedlings to be transplanted and a reduction in the amount of grains to be harvested. The travel route shown in fig. 9 and 10 is not limited to the one set in advance, and the work control unit 262 may control the insertion operation to be started at the first insertion start position US when the insertion work is started at the first time in the farmland, at a position before the insertion start position US.

(2) In each of the above embodiments, when the insertion is performed first on the working day, the operation control unit 262 may start the insertion operation by causing the insertion clutch to be in the transmission state at a position before the insertion start position US. Then, the operation control unit 262 does not perform control to start the inserting operation at a position before the insertion start position US after the insertion start position US.

When the transplanting is performed first in one day (working day), it is sometimes necessary to remove the transplanted seedling held by the seedling transplanting claw 237B in the previous day. Therefore, by performing the above control, the transplanting operation is started at a position before the transplanting start position US only when there is a high possibility that the transplanting is performed later than the transplanting start position US, and therefore, it is possible to efficiently avoid a reduction in the amount of seedlings to be transplanted and a reduction in the amount of grains to be harvested.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, when the insertion clutch is set to the transmission state to perform the insertion operation and the insertion clutch is set to the transmission state again after a predetermined time or more has elapsed from the time when the insertion clutch is set to the non-transmission state to stop the insertion operation, the operation control unit 262 may set the insertion clutch to the transmission state at a position before the insertion start position US to start the insertion operation. When the insertion operation is executed while the insertion clutch is again in the transmission state for a predetermined time or more, the operation control unit 262 does not perform control to start the insertion operation at a position before the insertion start position US.

When a predetermined time or more has elapsed since the stop of the transplanting operation, the transplanted seedling held by the seedling transplanting claw 237B may need to be removed. Therefore, by performing the above control, the transplanting operation is started at a position before the transplanting start position US only when there is a high possibility that the transplanting is performed later than the transplanting start position US, and therefore, it is possible to efficiently avoid a reduction in the amount of seedlings to be transplanted and a reduction in the amount of grains to be harvested.

(4) In each of the above embodiments, the control of bringing the insertion clutch into the transmission state and starting the insertion operation at the position before the insertion start position US is not limited to the case of performing the automatic travel, and may be performed during the work travel of the manual travel. In this case, the rice transplanter may have an operation member such as a switch or a lever for starting the transplanting operation by bringing the transplanting clutch into a transmission state at a position before the transplanting start position US. When the driver sets the insertion clutch in a transmission state at a position before the insertion start position US and starts the insertion operation, the operation member is operated to set the insertion clutch in a transmission state at a position before the insertion start position US. Further, when the operating element is provided, even during automatic traveling, the insertion clutch can be set in the transmission state from the near side at an arbitrary insertion start position US.

Thus, when the driver recognizes that the transplanting of the seedling is started unexpectedly at a position beyond the transplanting start position US, the driver can promptly cope with this and can more reliably perform the operation of transplanting the seedling from a position before the transplanting start position US.

(5) In each of the above embodiments, the rice transplanter may also have a seedling holding sensor that detects whether or not the seedling planting claws 237B of the planting mechanism 232 hold the planted seedlings. When the seedling holding sensor detects that the seedling planting claw 237B does not hold a planted seedling, the operation control unit 262 controls the planting clutch to be in a transmission state at a position before the planting start position US and to start the planting operation when the rice transplanter passes the planting start position US.

The state where the possibility of starting the transplanting through the transplanting start position US is the highest is a state where the rice transplanter is about to pass through the transplanting start position US when the rice seedling transplanting claws 237B do not hold the transplanted rice seedlings. By performing the above control, in a state where there is a high possibility that the transplanting operation is started by making the transplanting clutch in a transmission state at a position before the transplanting start position US, that is, when the seedling transplanting claw 237B does not hold the transplanted seedling, the transplanting operation can be started from a position before the transplanting start position US. Therefore, the reduction of the amount of the seedlings to be planted and the reduction of the amount of the grains to be harvested can be efficiently avoided.

(6) In each of the above embodiments, the rice transplanter may also have a seedling remaining amount sensor that detects a variation in remaining amount of the blanket-shaped seedlings on the seedling stage 231. The operation control unit 262 controls whether or not to bring the transplanting clutch into a transmission state at a position before the transplanting start position US and to start the transplanting operation based on the detection result of the seedling remaining amount sensor.

When the blanket-shaped seedlings carried on the seedling carrying table 231 are used up, the seedling planting claws 237B are in a state where the planted seedlings are not kept. Then, even if the blanket-shaped seedlings are replenished, it sometimes takes a little time to keep transplanting the seedlings from the seedling transplanting claws 237B. When the rice transplanter is about to pass the planting start position US and the above state is detected, the operation controller 262 controls the planting clutch to be in a transmission state at a position before the planting start position US and starts the planting operation. As a result, the possibility of being able to start the insertion action at a position more anterior than the insertion start position US is increased. Therefore, the reduction of the amount of the seedlings to be planted and the reduction of the amount of the grains to be harvested can be efficiently avoided.

(7) In each of the above embodiments, the travel control unit 261, the job control unit 262, the vehicle position calculation unit 263, the travel route setting unit 264, and the job parameter setting unit 265 included in the control unit 206 may be divided into the above functional blocks, may be combined into a functional block having 1 or more of these functions, or may be divided into a plurality of functional blocks. Also, all or part of the functions of the control unit 206 may be implemented by software. The software (program) is stored in an arbitrary storage unit (not shown) and executed by a processor included in the control unit 206 or another processor.

(8) The present invention can be applied to a rice transplanter which travels automatically or manually.

Claims

1. An agricultural machine for performing work while automatically traveling along a travel route in a set work place,

the agricultural machine is characterized in that,

has an automatic travel control unit for controlling the automatic travel in a manned travel mode which is a travel mode in which a driver boards the vehicle or in an unmanned travel mode which is a travel mode in which the driver boards the vehicle,

the automatic travel control unit performs control so that the travel speed is higher when the unmanned travel mode is set than when the manned travel mode is set.

2. An agricultural implement according to claim 1,

comprising: a driving unit on which the driver rides;

a boarding detection unit that detects whether or not the driver boards the driving unit,

the automatic travel control unit sets the automatic travel to the manned travel mode when the boarding detection unit detects that the driver boards the driving unit, and sets the automatic travel to the unmanned travel mode when the boarding detection unit detects that the driver does not board the driving unit.

3. An agricultural implement according to claim 2,

has a driver seat provided in the driver seat for the driver to sit on,

the boarding detection unit detects that the driver is seated in the driving seat, and determines that the driver boards the driving unit.

4. An agricultural implement according to claim 2,

has an operation member for performing the operation of the automatic travel,

the boarding detection unit detects that the driver has touched the operation element, and thereby determines that the driver has boarded the driving unit.

5. Agricultural working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

has a speed setting unit for selecting the highest speed of the automatic travel from a plurality of candidate speeds,

the automatic travel control unit controls the automatic travel so that the selected candidate speed is the highest speed when the manned travel mode is set, and controls the automatic travel so that the fastest candidate speed is the highest speed when the unmanned travel mode is set.

6. An agricultural implement according to claim 5,

even in the unmanned traveling mode, the automatic traveling control unit slows down the traveling speed when direction change and rotation are performed at a ridge margin of the work place.

7. Agricultural working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

has a material detecting part for detecting the remaining amount of the material used for the automatic running,

the automatic travel is travel on a round trip path between 2 opposite outer peripheries of the work place and a rotation path connecting the 2 round trip paths, the supplement of the material is performed on an arbitrary first outer periphery in an outer periphery of the work place,

the automatic travel control unit controls the machine body to stop the machine body without performing the rotational travel in a region near the first outer periphery when the material detection unit detects that the material is not left, and controls the machine body to perform the rotational travel without stopping the machine body when the material detection unit detects that the material is left.

8. Agricultural working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the automatic travel control unit slows down the travel speed when traveling in the outer peripheral area of the work place.

9. Agricultural working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

has an obstacle detecting section for detecting an obstacle,

when the obstacle detection unit detects the obstacle, the automatic travel control unit performs control so as to stop the machine body.

10. A rice transplanter which starts planting from a predetermined planting start position in a field,

the rice transplanter is characterized in that the rice transplanter is provided with a rice transplanter body,

comprising: a seedling carrying platform for carrying blanket-shaped seedlings;

a transplanting mechanism for executing a transplanting operation of cutting a specified amount of seedlings from the seedling carrying table for transplanting; and

an operation control unit for controlling the insertion operation of the insertion mechanism,

the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start an insertion operation from a position a predetermined distance before the insertion start position.

11. A rice transplanter according to claim 10,

the insertion start position includes a position at which insertion starts after moving and rotating from the round trip path to the next round trip path.

12. A rice transplanter according to claim 10 or 11,

when the transplanting operation is started in the farmland, the operation control unit causes the transplanting mechanism to start the transplanting operation from a position a predetermined distance before the transplanting start position.

13. The rice transplanter according to any one of claims 10 to 12,

when the insertion is performed first in one day, the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start the insertion operation from a position that is a predetermined distance before the insertion start position.

14. The rice transplanter according to any one of claims 10 to 13,

when the insertion operation is performed after a predetermined time or more has elapsed from the previously performed insertion operation, the operation control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start the insertion operation from a position that is a predetermined distance before the insertion start position.

15. The rice transplanter according to any one of claims 10 to 14,

sequentially traveling on a plurality of travel paths set in the field and performing transplanting from the transplanting start position,

the work control unit causes the insertion mechanism to start an insertion operation from a position a predetermined distance before the insertion start position when the vehicle travels on the travel route on which the work travel is first performed on the agricultural field.

16. The rice transplanter according to any one of claims 10 to 15,

has a seedling holding sensor for detecting whether the transplanting mechanism holds seedlings,

when it is detected by the seedling holding sensor that the transplanting mechanism does not hold a seedling, the transplanting mechanism is caused to perform transplanting operation from a position closer to a preceding prescribed distance than the transplanting start position.