JP2007244207A - Implement - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an implement equipped with a means of memorizing its working history, setting information and malfunction history. <P>SOLUTION: This combine as the implement is equipped with each of controllers of a display controller 110, a column controller 130, a traveling controller 150 and a threshing controller 170, and a CAN transmission bus 100 for connecting them with each other. An EEPROM 114 installed at the display controller 110 is divided to 4 memory regions 114A to 114D for memorizing information for each of the controllers and writing-in the information in any of the four memory regions 114A to 114D by responding to the demands of writing-in from each of the controllers through the CAN transmission bus 100. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a work machine having means for storing work history, setting information, and failure history.

  Conventionally, a working machine such as a combiner detects a fuel injection amount detection sensor of an electronic governor that controls an output (load) of an engine, a vehicle height sensor that detects a relative height of a traveling crawler with respect to a traveling machine body, and a traveling speed. A sensor or a setter for transmitting a control amount signal as a control target to the controller, such as a vehicle speed sensor, and a sensor for detecting the operation amount of the control target in accordance with the signal as input devices. Various actuators such as an electromagnetic solenoid for adjusting the rack position and a lifting cylinder for adjusting the relative height of the traveling crawler, a hydraulic cylinder, and the like are provided as output devices. Usually, input / output devices relating to the traveling operation of such a working machine are controlled by a traveling controller including a microcomputer.

  Recently, display devices such as a liquid crystal display and a display instrument are provided in the vicinity of the operation unit of this type of work machine. By displaying status information of each part of the work machine on these display devices, the engine is displayed. The worker can visually recognize the work status such as the number of rotations, load, vehicle speed, and the amount of grain loaded in the grain tank. Control of such a display device is controlled by a display controller having a microcomputer.

As described above, in recent work machines, a controller is often provided for each working unit to perform distributed control, and a form in which necessary information is transmitted and received by communication by connecting the controllers via a communication bus has become common. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). And in order to memorize | store the setting value of each controller, failure history, etc., the non-volatile memory was provided in each controller.
JP 2005-80549 A

  However, it is uneconomical for each controller to have a non-volatile memory, which has been a factor in increasing manufacturing costs.

  In addition, when a corresponding controller is replaced when a failure occurs, it is necessary to reset the setting before the replacement, and there is a problem that it takes time for the replacement work.

  Furthermore, since each controller stores setting information and failure history information in the non-volatile memory, it is not possible to grasp the setting information of other controllers and the occurrence of failure from one controller. There is a problem that it may be difficult to specify.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and includes a plurality of working units that each perform a predetermined work and a plurality of control units that control the operation of each working unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a working machine capable of keeping manufacturing costs low and centrally managing information on each working unit by including a storage unit that stores information on the working unit. .

  A work machine according to a first aspect of the present invention is a work machine including a plurality of work units each performing a predetermined work and a plurality of control units for controlling operations of the respective work units. Storage means for storing information relating to the working unit is provided.

  In the first invention, each of the control units includes a plurality of work units that perform predetermined work and a plurality of control units that control operations of the respective work units, and one of the control units stores information on each work unit. Since the storage unit is provided, information regarding each working unit is centrally managed by one storage unit.

  A work machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising means for receiving settings for the operation of each working section, and storing the received setting information in the storage means.

  In the second invention, the setting information received for the operation of each working unit is stored in one storage means.

  A working machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that work histories by each working unit are stored in the storage means.

  In the third invention, the work history by each working unit is stored in one storage means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a work machine including means for detecting whether or not each working unit has a failure, and when the means detects a failure in the working unit, information to that effect is stored in the storage unit. It is characterized by being.

  In the fourth invention, the failure history of each working unit is stored in one storage means.

  In the case of the first invention, the storage device includes a plurality of working units each performing a predetermined work and a plurality of control units that control the operation of each working unit, and one of the control units stores information related to each working unit. Means. Accordingly, it is not necessary to provide storage means in each control unit, so that an increase in manufacturing cost can be minimized. In addition, information regarding each working unit can be centrally managed by one storage unit.

  In the case of the second invention, since the setting information received for the operation of each working unit is stored in one storage unit, even if a certain control unit fails and is replaced, it is stored in the storage unit. By reading the stored information, there is an advantage that the setting work can be completed in a short time.

  In the case of the third invention, since the work history of each working unit is stored in one storage unit, even if the working unit is out of order, the information is centrally managed by the storage unit. It has the advantage of easy identification.

  In the fourth invention, since the failure history of each working unit is stored in one storage unit, even if the working unit has failed, the information is centrally managed by the storage unit. It has the advantage that it becomes easy to specify the.

Hereinafter, the form which applied the working machine concerning the present invention to a combine is explained concretely using a drawing.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a combine according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a left side view of the combine. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a traveling machine body supported by a pair of left and right traveling crawlers 2. On the right side in the traveling direction of the traveling machine body 1, a steering seat, a steering handle for steering the traveling machine body 1, a cutting operation, A cockpit 3 including various controllers for instructing threshing work, discharging work, and the like is provided. In addition, a grain tank 7 for storing harvested grains is provided behind the grain tank 7. Further, an engine is provided in the lower part of the cockpit 3, and the traveling machine body 1 is caused to travel by transmitting engine power to the traveling crawler 2 via a traveling mission case.

  At the front part of the traveling machine body 1, a plurality of sets of weed bodies 41, a culm raising device 42, a cutting blade 43, and a reaping part 4 equipped with a culm conveying device 44 are mounted so as to be movable up and down via a lifting cylinder 45. Has been. Further, a threshing device 5 equipped with a feed chain 51 is disposed on the left side of the traveling machine body 1, and the root portion of the cereals conveyed from the cutting unit 4 is inherited by the feed chain 51 and is nipped and conveyed. At the same time, the head portion of the cereal husk is threshed by the handling cylinder 52 and the processing cylinder 53 in the threshing device 5. The waste is inherited by the waste chain 55 at the rear end of the feed chain 51 and discharged from the rear end of the traveling machine body 1 to the field. Below the handling cylinder 52, a sorting device 56 is provided for performing peristaltic sorting by chaff sheave or the like and wind sorting by the wind of the Kara fan. The grains that have been sorted and collected by the sorting device 56 are collected in the grain tank 7 by a cereal conveyor (not shown). The grains collected in the grain tank 7 are discharged from a bottom conveyor 71 equipped with a screw conveyor that is rotated by the power of the engine via a discharge auger 8 to a loading platform of a truck for conveying grains.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the combine control system. The control system of the combine according to the present embodiment is configured by each controller of the display controller 110, the column controller 130, the travel controller 150, and the threshing controller 170, and the CAN communication bus 100 that interconnects them. The display controller 110 controls the display of information to be notified to the worker. The column controller 130 receives a signal related to a traveling instruction, an operation signal related to a mowing work, and a threshing work, and outputs a control signal related to a necessary work. The travel controller 150 performs control related to the traveling operation of the combine and control related to the operation of the engine. Moreover, the threshing controller 170 performs control regarding the threshing work.

  In the present embodiment, among the four controllers of the display controller 110, the column controller 130, the travel controller 150, and the threshing controller 170, only the display controller 110 includes the EEPROM 114 that is a nonvolatile memory. It is configured to be able to store information about the controller. Therefore, the storage area of the EEPROM 114 includes a display controller setting / history data storage area 114A for storing information of the display controller 110 itself, a column controller setting / history data storage area 114B for storing information of the column controller 130, and a travel controller 150. Is divided into four storage areas: a travel controller setting / history data storage area 114C for storing the above information and a threshing controller setting / history data storage area 114D for storing information on the threshing controller 170. The information stored in each storage area includes the setting information of each controller, the history information of the work executed by the control of each controller, the information of the failure history when a failure of each part of hardware controlled by each controller is detected, etc. is there.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an address for designating each storage area. The four storage areas described above can be distinguished by designating an address indicating a data storage location. As such an address, an address constituted by an identifier assigned to each storage area and an ASCII code expressed in hexadecimal can be used. For example, “A” is used as an identifier to represent the storage location of the display controller setting / history data storage area 114A, and its address is represented as “A-00” to “A-FF”. Further, in order to distinguish the storage location of the column controller setting / history data storage area 114B from the storage location of the display controller setting / history data storage area 114A, “B” is used as the identifier, and the address is set to “ It is expressed as “B-00” to “B-FF”. The same applies to the storage location in the setting / history data storage area 114C for the travel controller and the setting / history data storage area 114D for the threshing controller, and addresses having “C” and “D” as identifiers to distinguish them from each other. Is used.

Hereinafter, the configuration of each controller will be described.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the display controller 110 and the configuration of input / output devices connected to the display controller 110. The display controller 110 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, an EEPROM 114, a CAN controller 115, an input interface 116, and an output interface 117.

  An operation switch 121 is connected to the input interface 116, and a liquid crystal panel 122 is connected to the output interface 117. The operation switch 121 accepts a screen switching operation displayed on the liquid crystal panel 122 and various information input operations. As the liquid crystal panel 122, a monochrome or color dot matrix liquid crystal panel having an appropriate resolution can be used.

  The CPU 111 generates a screen to be displayed according to a signal input through the CAN controller 115 or the input interface 116 by executing a control program stored in the ROM 112 and causes the liquid crystal panel 122 to display appropriate information.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the column controller 130 and the configuration of input / output devices connected to the column controller 130. The column controller 130 includes a CPU 131, a ROM 132, a RAM 133, a CAN controller 135, an input interface 136, and an output interface 137.

  As input devices connected to the input interface 136, in addition to the main transmission lever 36 and the auxiliary transmission lever 37, an autolift switch 141, an autoset switch 142, a cutting lift switch 143, a cutting switch 144, a threshing switch 145, an auxiliary transmission For example, the position detection sensor 146 may be used. An output device connected to the output interface 137 includes a buzzer 147.

  The CPU 131 executes a control program stored in the ROM 132 to notify various information input through the input interface 136 to the display controller 110 through the CAN controller 135 and operates the buzzer 147 as necessary. An alarm sound is output.

  The internal configuration of the travel controller 150 and the threshing controller 170 is exactly the same as the internal configuration of the column controller 130. That is, the travel controller 150 and the threshing controller 170 are each provided with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a CAN controller, and an input / output interface. Input devices connected to the input interface of the travel controller 150 include an engine speed sensor, an engine oil amount sensor, an engine water temperature sensor, a fuel injection pump rack position sensor, an engine starter switch, a vehicle speed sensor, a travel handle limit switch, and a lift position. Sensors, ultrasonic sensors, grain culm transport sensors, handling depth sensors, etc. Output devices connected to the output interface include fuel injection pump rack actuator, engine starter relay, handling depth control motor control circuit, auger Examples include a clutch motor control circuit. The input devices connected to the input interface of the threshing controller 170 include a fuel sensor, a vehicle height sensor, a soot flow sensor, a turning angle sensor, a vertical turning angle sensor, an auger clutch sensor, a handling cylinder rotation sensor, and a processing cylinder. Rotation sensor, discharge auger overload sensor, sliding sorting overload sensor, etc. are listed. Output devices connected to the output interface include the electromagnetic solenoid for hydraulic cylinders for lifting and lowering, the electromagnetic solenoid for hydraulic cylinders for vertical rotation, and FC Examples include a clutch drive circuit, a discharge auger brake, and a sliding sorting drive motor.

  The writing of information to the EEPROM 114 included in the display controller 110 and the reading of the information stored in the EEPROM 114 are realized by transmitting and receiving communication data in a predetermined format via the CAN communication bus 100. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of communication data transmitted and received between the display controller 110 and other controllers (130, 150, 170). As shown in FIG. 7A, the communication data is composed of items “STX”, “command”, “block”, “address”, “data”, “BCC”, and “ETX”.

  FIG. 7B shows the contents of each item. “STX” indicates a start code and has a value of “0x02”. “Command” indicates any one of information reading (reading), information writing (writing), and response (answer) to a request, and is identified by ASCII codes “R”, “W”, and “A”, respectively. “Block” indicates a storage area, and the storage areas 114A, 114B, 114C, and 114D are identified by ASCII codes “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”. “Address” indicates a storage location in each recording area 114A, 114B, 114C, 114D, and an ASCII code expressed in hexadecimal is used. “Data” indicates information to be written in the EEPROM 114, and an ASCII code having an appropriate data length is used. “BCC (block check code)” is an ASCII code, and indicates the last two digits of the sum value (hexadecimal) from “command” to “data”. “ETX” indicates an end code and has a value of “0x03”.

Hereinafter, a processing procedure when information is written to the EEPROM 114 will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure when setting information for each controller is written. First, the CPU 111 of the display controller 110 monitors information input to the input interface 116 and determines whether or not a setting change for itself or another controller (130, 150, 170) has been received (step S1). If it is determined that no setting change has been accepted (S1: NO), the system waits until a setting change is accepted.

  If it is determined that the setting change has been accepted (S1: YES), the controller to be changed is specified (step S2), and the setting change information is written in the storage area for the specified controller (step S3). For example, when the specified controller is the display controller 110, information is written by designating an address starting with “A”. The same applies to the case where the identified controllers are the column controller 130, the travel controller 150, and the threshing controller 170, and information is written by designating addresses starting with “B”, “C”, and “D”, respectively.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure when the column controller 130 writes a work history. Based on the information inputted through the CPU 131 and the input interface 136 of the column controller 130, it is determined whether or not a predetermined series of work has been completed (step S11). Whether or not a predetermined series of work has been completed is determined by determining whether or not a plurality of signals input through the input interface 136 follow a predetermined order and timing. When it is determined that the series of work is not completed (S11: NO), the process waits until the series of work is completed.

  When it is determined that a series of work has been completed (S11: YES), the CPU 131 of the column controller 130 requests the display controller 110 to write a work history (step S12). That is, the above-described communication data in a predetermined format is generated and transmitted to the display controller 110 via the CAN communication bus 100. The communication data transmitted at this time is, for example, “(STX) W, B, 02, A1, **, (EXT)”. Here, “**” is BCC, and the ASCII codes “W”, “B”, “0”, “2”, “A”, “1” are 57, 42, 30, 32 in hexadecimal. , 41, and 31, the last two digits of the sum value (16D) are taken and the value “6D” is input. This communication data is an instruction to write data “A1” at address “02” of the “B” block.

  The CPU 111 of the display controller 110 determines whether or not a write request has been received at an appropriate timing (step S13). When no write request has been received (S13: NO), until the write request is received. stand by.

  If it is determined that a write request has been received (S13: YES), the CPU 111 performs a write process to the EEPROM 114 according to the received communication data (step S14). Next, the CPU 111 determines whether or not the writing to the EEPROM 114 has been completed (step S15), and when determining that the writing has not been completed (S15: NO), the CPU 111 waits until the writing is completed.

  When it is determined that the writing has been completed (S15: YES), the CPU 111 transmits a writing completion notification to the column controller 130 (step S16). That is, the communication data of the predetermined format described above is generated and transmitted to the column controller 130 via the CAN communication bus 100. The communication data transmitted at this time is, for example, “(STX) A, B, 02, A1, **, (EXT)”. Here, “**” is BCC, and when the sum value from “command” to “data” is calculated in the same manner as described above, it becomes “157”, and “57” taking the last two digits is input. . This communication data is an instruction to write data “A1” at address “02” of the “B” block.

  After making a work history write request, the column controller 130 starts timing by the built-in timer of the CPU 131, and determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed and timed out (step S17). If a time-out occurs before receiving a write completion notification (S17: YES), the CPU 131 returns the process to step S12 and makes a work history write request again.

  Prior to the time-out (S17: NO), the CPU 131 determines whether or not a write completion notification transmitted from the display controller 110 has been received (step S18). If the write completion notification has not been received (S18: NO), the process returns to step S17. If it is determined that a write completion notification has been received before the time-out is reached (S18: YES), the processing according to this flowchart is terminated.

  In addition, in this flowchart, although the process procedure at the time of the column controller 130 writing a work history was demonstrated, also when the operation | movement by the travel controller 150 and the threshing controller 170 is completed when the operation | work of the display controller 110 itself is completed. The work history can be written into the EEPROM 114 in the display controller 110 by the same procedure.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure when the column controller 130 writes a failure history. Based on the information input through the CPU 131 and the input interface 136 of the column controller 130, it is determined whether or not a failure has been detected (step S21). If the information input through the input interface 136 is predetermined, or if the output value of the sensor does not belong to the predetermined range, the CPU 131 determines that there is a failure. If it is determined that no failure has been detected (S21: NO), the process waits until a failure is detected.

  If it is determined that a failure has been detected (S21: YES), the CPU 131 of the column controller 130 requests the display controller 110 to write a failure history (step S22). That is, the above-described communication data in a predetermined format is generated and transmitted to the display controller 110 via the CAN communication bus 100. The communication data transmitted at this time is, for example, “(STX) W, B, 10, 33, **, (EXT)”. Here, “**” is a BCC, and when the sum value from “command” to “data” is calculated in the same manner as described above, it is “160”, and “60” taking the last two digits is input. . This communication data is an instruction to write data “33” to address “10” of the “B” block.

  The CPU 111 of the display controller 110 determines whether or not a write request has been received at an appropriate timing (step S23), and when no write request has been received (S23: NO), until the write request is received. stand by.

  If it is determined that the write request has been received (S23: YES), the CPU 111 performs a write process to the EEPROM 114 according to the received communication data (step S24). Next, the CPU 111 determines whether or not the writing to the EEPROM 114 has been completed (step S25). When the CPU 111 determines that the writing has not been completed (S25: NO), the CPU 111 waits until the writing is completed.

  When it is determined that the writing has been completed (S25: YES), the CPU 111 transmits a writing completion notification to the column controller 130 (step S26). That is, the communication data of the predetermined format described above is generated and transmitted to the column controller 130 via the CAN communication bus 100. The communication data transmitted at this time is, for example, “(STX) A, B, 10, 33, **, (EXT)”. Here, “**” is BCC. When the sum value from “command” to “data” is calculated in the same manner as described above, “14A” is obtained, and “4A” taking the last two digits is input. . This communication data indicates that writing of data “33” has been completed at address “10” of the “B” block.

  After making a work history write request, the column controller 130 starts timing by the built-in timer of the CPU 131, and determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed and timed out (step S27). If a time-out occurs before receiving the write completion notification (S27: YES), the CPU 131 returns the process to step S22 and makes a work history write request again.

  Prior to the time-out (S27: NO), the CPU 131 determines whether or not the write completion notification transmitted from the display controller 110 has been received (step S28), and if the write completion notification has not been received (S28: NO), the process returns to step S27. If it is determined that a write completion notification has been received before the time-out (S28: YES), the processing according to this flowchart is terminated.

  In addition, in this flowchart, although the process procedure at the time of the column controller 130 writing a failure log | history was demonstrated, also when the display controller 110 itself detects a failure, also when the travel controller 150 and the threshing controller 170 detect a failure. The failure history can be written into the EEPROM 114 in the display controller 110 by the same procedure.

  In this embodiment, the display controller 110 includes the EEPROM 114. However, one of the other controllers (130, 150, 170) includes the EEPROM, and information regarding each controller is stored in the EEPROM. Of course it is good.

It is a top view of the combine which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a left side view of the combine which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the control system of a combine. It is explanatory drawing explaining the address which designates each storage area. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of a display controller, and the structure of the input / output apparatus connected to a display controller. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of a column controller, and the structure of the input / output apparatus connected to a column controller. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the content of the communication data transmitted / received between a display controller and another controller. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence at the time of writing the setting information with respect to each controller. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence at the time of a column controller writing work history. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence at the time of a column controller writing a failure history.

Explanation of symbols

100 CAN communication bus 110 Display controller 111 CPU
112 ROM
113 RAM
114 EEPROM
114A Display controller setting / history data storage area 114B Column controller setting / history data storage area 114C Travel controller setting / history data storage area 114D Threshing controller setting / history data storage area 115 CAN controller 116 Input interface 117 Output interface
130 column controller 150 travel controller 170 threshing controller

Claims (4)

In a working machine including a plurality of working units that each perform a predetermined work and a plurality of control units that control the operation of each working unit,
One of the said control parts is provided with the memory | storage means which memorize | stores the information regarding each working part, The working machine characterized by the above-mentioned.   2. The working machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for accepting settings regarding the operation of each working unit, wherein the information on the accepted settings is stored in the storage means.   2. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein a work history by each work unit is stored in the storage means.   2. A means for detecting the presence / absence of a failure in each working unit, wherein when the unit detects a failure in the working unit, information to that effect is stored in the storage unit. The working machine described in.

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