JP2019013224A - Field work machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a control configuration required for the transition between work travel and non-work travel in a self-propelled field work machine.SOLUTION: A field work machine includes a travel machine body 1, a field work device 2 for carrying out farm work in a field, a GPS module 5 for outputting positioning data, a route calculation part 73 for calculation a travel route, an automated travel control part 61 for causing the travel machine body 1 to automatically travel along the travel route based on the positioning data and the travel route, a non-work travel determination part 75 for dividing the travel route into a work travel route and a non-work route, and determining the travel of the non-work route, and an automated travel prohibition part 76 for prohibiting the automated travel by the automated travel control part 61 when the travel of the non-work route is determined.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a field work machine such as a rice transplanter, a seeding machine, and a fertilizer applicator, which includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) and can automatically run along a target route set in advance in a field.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a rice transplanter in which spare seedling platforms are arranged on both the left and right sides of a gate-shaped mounting frame arranged above a bonnet, and a GPS antenna operation casing is fixedly installed at the upper center. It is disclosed. In this rice transplanter, the travel route is taught prior to automatic travel using the GPS function. At the time of teaching, a person designates the position of a desired route with the GPS antenna removed from the GPS antenna operation casing. An infinite straight line is generated as a target route based on the teaching route determined through the position designation, and the rice transplanter automatically travels on the target route. If the field edge is detected by a distance sensor using infrared light or ultrasonic waves while automatically driving along a straight target route, it is necessary to turn 180 °. The rice transplanter automatically stops at a position away from the field edge by a preset distance. In the rice transplanting work by the rice transplanter, when there are no seedlings loaded, it is necessary to replenish seedlings by bringing the aircraft to the cage. This rice transplanter is in a state where the seedling planting part is located on the headland and is raised, and if there is a seedling warning or a fertilizer replenishment warning, it does not turn and runs straight ahead toward the field edge. And stop at the end of the field.

JP 2008-92818 ([paragraph number] 0208-0061, FIG. 5, FIG. 7, FIG. 8)

The rice transplanter disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs automatic work travel along a linear work travel route generated by teaching performed in advance using position information measured by a GPS unit. If the field edge is detected by a distance sensor that uses infrared light or ultrasonic waves during the automatic work run, it will automatically move from the position away from the field edge by a preset distance toward the next target route. Automatically turn on the next target route. However, if there are obstacles such as steel towers in the field, it will not be possible to work along the calculated work route, and the driver will be forced to leave the work route manually for emergency evacuation. You will bypass things. At that time, it is necessary to temporarily stop field work such as seedling planting work, which increases the burden on the driver. In addition, when automating only the travel on the linear work travel route, it is necessary to perform the ON / OFF operation of the field work device at the transition point between the work travel route and the non-work route. If you are used to driving, you may miss the timing. In addition, when automatically traveling on the work travel route, when the traveling vehicle suddenly shifts to travel that deviates from the work travel route, or when the travel on the work travel route ends, the automatic travel is interrupted, It is necessary to leave the maneuver to the driver.
From such a situation, in a field work machine capable of automatic traveling, there is a demand for simplification of control necessary for transition between working traveling and non-working traveling.

  A field work machine according to the present invention includes a traveling machine body, a field work device that performs farm work on the field, a GPS module that outputs positioning data, and a route calculation unit that calculates a travel route for traveling using the field work device. An automatic travel control unit that automatically travels the traveling vehicle along the travel route based on the positioning data and the travel route, and divides the travel route into a work travel route and a non-work route, and the non-work A non-working traveling determination unit that determines traveling on a route, and an automatic traveling prohibiting unit that prohibits automatic traveling by the automatic traveling control unit when traveling on the non-working route is determined by the non-working traveling determination unit. I have.

  According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, while the vehicle travels automatically along the travel route calculated by the route calculation unit while obtaining the vehicle position based on the obtained positioning data (latitude / longitude data), The work travel determination unit determines whether the travel route being traveled is a work route or a non-work route, that is, whether the travel route is a work travel or a non-work travel. When the non-working traveling determination unit determines that the vehicle is traveling on a non-traveling route, that is, non-working traveling, the automatic traveling is prohibited, and as a result, the operation of the traveling machine body is left to the driver. As a result, when shifting from the regular work travel to the non-work travel, the automatic travel control is automatically interrupted, thereby reducing the operation burden on the driver.

  In general, the field work device is configured to be switchable between a work state in which the farm work is performed or a non-work state in which the farm work is not performed. In this case, the first operation for switching the field work device to the work state and the non-work state are performed. A work device operating tool for performing a second operation for switching is provided. In such a type of field work machine, it is determined from the operating state of the work device operating tool whether the traveling route being traveled is a work traveling route or a non-working route, that is, whether it is a working traveling or a non-working traveling. Can be determined. Using this, in one of the preferred embodiments of the field work machine of the present invention, automatic traveling is prohibited during the second operation of the work device operating tool, and the first of the work device operating tool is prohibited. Automatic driving is permitted during operation. That is, since the automatic travel control is turned on / off based on the operation state of the work device operation tool, the operation burden on the driver is reduced.

  As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the work travel route is calculated based on at least map data of a ridge that defines a boundary line of the field, and the automatic travel control unit is configured to perform the travel airframe based on the work travel route. When the vehicle is automatically driven, the teaching work as employed in Patent Document 1 described above is unnecessary, which is convenient.

  Further, when there are some obstacles in the field to be worked, it is necessary to avoid these obstacles in an emergency evacuation by the driver's maneuvering during the automatic traveling. In that case, of course, the automatic driving must be interrupted. Accordingly, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an automatic travel deviation detection unit that detects a deviation from automatic travel during the automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit. The automatic traveling prohibition unit is configured to prohibit automatic traveling when a deviation from automatic traveling is detected by the detection unit.

  Whether it is the intention of the driver or, of course, due to an unexpected operation, it is necessary to avoid that the field work machine automatically travels outside the field. For this reason, in one of the preferable embodiments of the present invention, when the off-farm travel is detected based on the map data and the azimuth data, the automatic travel prohibition unit has a function of prohibiting the automatic travel. .

  It is necessary to suppress the high cost associated with the automatic traveling of the traveling body. For this reason, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the traveling machine body includes a pair of left and right driving rear wheels with side clutches, and the automatic traveling is executed by controlling the side clutches. If the steering of the traveling machine body is automated by an alternative operation of the pair of left and right side clutches that are originally equipped, the equipment cost associated with the automatic traveling can be suppressed.

  During automatic driving, the driver does not naturally operate the steering wheel. Therefore, if the vehicle has a steering wheel with a power steering device, the power steering device is turned off during automatic driving by the automatic driving control unit. By doing so, wasteful energy consumption can be suppressed. Furthermore, when the power steering device is constituted by an electric motor, the power steering device is turned off during automatic traveling, so automatic traveling (steering control) is performed using the electric motor for steering wheel operation. Thus, the electric motor can be shared, and the equipment cost associated with the automatic travel can be suppressed.

It is a schematic diagram explaining the basic composition of the present invention. It is a side view of the riding rice transplanter which is one of the specific embodiments of the present invention. It is a top view of a riding rice transplanter. It is a rear view which shows the granular material supply apparatus as an agricultural field working apparatus mounted in the riding rice transplanter. It is a vertical side view which shows a granular material supply apparatus. It is a schematic diagram which shows the power transmission system of a riding rice transplanter. It is a schematic diagram which shows a power steering apparatus. It is a functional block diagram which shows the control system mounted in the riding rice transplanter. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of driving | running | working and work operation | movement of a riding rice transplanter along the calculated driving | running route.

  Before describing a specific embodiment of a field work machine according to the present invention, a basic configuration characterizing the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, as a field work machine, a work machine having work conditions such as a rice transplanter, a seeding machine, and a fertilizer machine that repeats a straight or substantially straight work run is assumed. This working machine includes a traveling machine body 1 that self-travels in a farm field and a farm field working device 2 that is attached to the traveling machine body 1 so that the posture can be changed. This work machine is provided with an operation control unit 6 and an electronic control unit 7 as a control system particularly related to the present invention. Furthermore, GPS (Global Positioning System) is used to detect the azimuth such as latitude and longitude, and output as positioning data, signals from sensors and switches installed in this field work machine, externally An input signal processing unit 65 is also provided that processes a signal input wirelessly, a signal from a manually operated data input device, and the like, and transfers the signal to a function unit that requires the signal. The operation control unit 6, the electronic control unit 7, and the GPS module 5 are connected together with other control units via an in-vehicle LAN, and can exchange data with each other.

  The operation control unit 6 includes an automatic travel control unit 61 that controls the operation devices in the engine, transmission, and steering device, and an operation that performs work change and posture change of the field work device 2 in order to perform automatic travel of the traveling machine body 1. A device control unit 62 that controls the device is included. The electronic control unit 7 includes an information storage unit 71 that stores operation programs, application programs, and various data, a route calculation unit 73, a non-working traveling determination unit 75, an automatic traveling prohibition unit 76, and an automatic traveling deviation detection unit 77. Has been. In this information storage unit 71, as particularly relevant to the present invention, a field information storage unit 71 a that stores at least field information including map data of ridges that define the boundary line of the field, and the traveling of the field work device 2. A work information storage unit 71b that stores work device information including a work width in a direction transverse to the direction is included. Further, the electronic control unit 7 includes a driving support unit 8.

  The route calculation unit 73 includes the field information read from the field information storage unit 71a, the work device information read from the work information storage unit 71b, and the travel start point and the travel end point set by the work setting unit 72. Based on the above, the travel route including the non-work travel route accompanied by the direction change of the travel machine body 1 and the work travel route for performing the travel work by the field work device 2 is calculated. Specifically, the route calculation unit 73 obtains a work area to be worked from the map data included in the farm field information, and uses the work width in the crossing direction of travel included in the work device information to obtain the work area. The travel route that fills up is calculated. At that time, in rice planting and sowing in paddy fields, in principle, a pattern that repeats a long straight traveling and a direction change traveling (180 ° turning) at its end is adopted. No sowing). Finally, the farm work for the work area (farm field) is completed by running the area (generally called headland) used for the direction change travel. The travel route is calculated so as not to destroy such a travel pattern as much as possible.

  The non-work travel determination unit 75, the automatic travel prohibition unit 76, and the automatic travel departure detection unit 77 are used in an automatic travel control mode of a substantially linear work travel route. The non-work travel determination unit 75 determines whether the travel route being traveled is a work travel route or a non-work route, that is, whether the travel route is a work travel or a non-work travel. For example, by comparing the map data (azimuth) of the work travel area and the headland area calculated in advance with the azimuth data output from the GPS module 5, whether the work position is in which area, or Further, it is possible to determine whether or not another area has been entered. During the automatic traveling by the automatic traveling control unit 61, when it is determined that the non-work traveling determining unit 75 is traveling on the non-work route, the automatic traveling prohibiting unit 76 prohibits the automatic traveling by the automatic traveling control unit 61. . The automatic travel deviation detection unit 77 detects a deviation from the automatic travel during the automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit 61, and also when the automatic travel deviation detection unit 77 detects a deviation from the automatic travel. The automatic travel prohibition unit 76 prohibits automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit 61. The automatic travel departure detection unit 77 can detect a departure from the work travel route from the azimuth data output from the GPS module 5.

  This field work machine is provided with a work device operating tool 49 for switching the field work device 2 to a work state in which farm work is performed or a non-work state in which farm work is not performed. When the driver operates the work device operation tool 49 to the first operation position, the field work device 2 enters the working state, and when the driver operates the work device operation tool 49 to the second operation position, the field work device 2 does not work. It becomes a state. Such an operation position of the work device operation tool 49 is sent to the electronic control unit 7 through the input signal processing unit 65. When the second operation position of the work device operation tool 49 is detected, automatic traveling is prohibited and the operation of the traveling machine body 1 is left to the driver. When the second operation position of the work device operation tool 49 is detected, automatic traveling is permitted and the traveling machine body 1 is automatically traveled.

  An example of a travel route calculation procedure is schematically shown in FIG. First, the outline of the field is set from the map data (terrain data) of the field to be worked (#a). A headland area is set based on the work width of the field work device 2 (in the case of seedling planting work, the number of striations x the number of streaks), and a travel start point and a travel end point (indicated by arrows in the figure) are set ( #B). Since the rice transplanting work and the sowing work are preferably carried out by straight running, a turning reduction path algorithm is preferably employed. Therefore, a traveling route (working traveling route) in which a straight traveling route as long as possible can be obtained by regarding the headland as a non-working traveling area for turning around 180 ° and the inside of the headland as a working area where traveling work is performed by the field work device, In other words, a travel route with few direction change routes (non-working travel route) is calculated (#c).

Operation of the field work machine along the calculated travel route is supported by the driving support unit 8. The driving support unit 8 provides driving support so that the position of the own vehicle calculated from the positioning data output from the GPS module 5 is located on the calculated travel route. Further, the driving support unit 8 operates the field work device 2 in a region where the field work by the field work device 2 is performed on the travel route, and the field work device 2 in a region where the field work by the field work device 2 is not performed. Driving assistance so as not to operate. For example, there are the following three functional units constructed in the driving support unit 8 for this purpose.
(1) An operation information generation unit 81 that generates operation timing information including a work start operation point and a work end operation point of the field work device 2 on the travel route. The operation information generation unit 81 generates operation timing information with the time when the work location on the field of the field work device 2 reaches the above-described transition point as the work start operation point or the work end operation point.
(2) A notification information generation unit 82 that generates notification information for notifying the driver of the operation timing based on the operation timing information. Since the notification information generating unit 82 visually or audibly notifies the driver of the end or start of work travel or non-work travel through the lamp or buzzer based on the operation timing information. 2 can be operated accurately. If the notification information generation unit 82 is equipped with a voice function, an operation instruction in spoken language is also realized.
(3) An operation control signal generation unit 83 that generates an operation control signal for the field work device 2 based on the operation timing information. When such an operation control signal generation unit 83 is installed, the field work ON / OFF control by the field work apparatus 2 can be automated. For example, when the field work device 2 is a seedling planting device, the raising / lowering of the seedling planting device and the stop / start of the seedling planting claws are automatically executed at the transition point, thereby reducing the burden on the driver. Is done.

  The device control unit 62 of the operation control unit 6 includes an operation control signal generated by the operation control signal generation unit 83 and a direct operation signal sent through the input signal processing unit 65 (for example, an operation by operating the work operation tool 49). The hydraulic equipment and electric equipment of the field work device 2 are operated based on the signal). The automatic travel control unit 61 of the operation control unit 6 is based on the operation control signal generated by the operation control signal generation unit 83, and the operation device (steering device, braking device, transmission device, etc.) for automatic traveling in the traveling machine body 1 is used. ). When carrying out the autopilot of the traveling machine body 1, the driving support unit 8 is obtained by comparing the own aircraft position based on the positioning data from the GPS module 5 with the traveling route calculated and selected by the route calculating unit 73. By generating a steering operation control signal based on the travel error and sending it to the automatic travel control unit 61, the traveling machine body 1 can be accurately and automatically traveled. As for automatic travel, only travel along a work travel route that is substantially straight may be automated, or travel during non-work travel that involves turning may be automated.

Furthermore, the function of the driving support unit 8 can be further expanded. For example,
(A) The field work device 2 is an agricultural material supply device (seedling planting device, fertilizer application device, pesticide administration device) that supplies agricultural materials such as seedlings, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals to the entire field, and accommodates such agricultural materials In the field work machine provided with the material storage unit to be controlled, the supply amount of the agricultural material per unit work travel distance is controlled to be as constant as possible from the work target area and the storage amount of the field. At that time, the route calculation unit 73 can also employ a route algorithm that calculates a travel route that uses up the capacity exactly.
(B) When the agricultural field working apparatus 2 is used such that the supply amount and supply direction of agricultural materials are variable, such as an agrochemical spreader, the driving support unit 8 is configured to allow the agricultural material to exceed the straw and An operation control signal for controlling the supply amount and / or the supply direction is output.
(C) When configured so that the positioning data from the GPS module 5 includes height (elevation) data, a field work device that supplies agricultural materials to the field at a certain reference height (for example, seedling planting of a rice transplanter) Attaching part) 2 gives an operation control signal to the device control part 62 so as to reach a predetermined height (seedling planting height) based on the positioning data.

  FIG. 1 shows a traveling chart of a field work machine that again enters a linear work travel path from a straight work travel path via a non-work path for direction change in a headland, and a control chart at that time. Since it is schematically shown, an example of traveling of the field work machine will be described using this. First, traveling from point M1 to point M2 is automatic work traveling, and automatic work traveling control is ON. When the work position of the field work device 2 based on the positioning data from the GPS module 5 enters the headland area set when the work travel route is calculated by the route calculation unit 73 (M2 to M3), non-work travel determination It is determined that the unit 75 has entered non-working travel, and headland travel detection information indicating detection of non-working travel, in this example, headland travel is transmitted from the non-work travel determination unit 75 to the automatic travel prohibition unit 76. The automatic travel prohibition unit 76 interrupts the automatic travel and leaves the operation of the traveling machine body 1 to the driver. At the same time, when the work position of the field work device 2 enters the headland (M2), an operation control signal for stopping work is generated, and the field work device 2 is switched to the non-work state. Next, when the work position of the field work device 2 enters the next work travel route from the headland again (M3), the headland travel detection information disappears, a work start operation control signal is generated, and the field work is performed. The device 2 is switched to the working state. At the same time, the automatic travel prohibition unit 76 permits automatic travel, and automatic travel along the work travel route is resumed. Further, when the automatic traveling deviation detection unit 77 detects a deviation from the automatic traveling of the traveling machine body 1 while the farm work machine is automatically traveling along the linear work traveling route (M4), automatic traveling prohibition is prohibited. The part 76 makes the said automatic driving | running | working and entrusts operation of the traveling body 1 to a driver | operator. The automatic travel deviation detection unit 77 is configured to detect a prohibition event in which automatic travel is prohibited, such as an abnormal value of the steering wheel turning angle, a shift of the field work device 2 to a non-working state, or an abnormality of other operating devices. Based on detection of occurrence, deviation from automatic driving is detected.

  Next, one specific embodiment of a field work machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a side view of a riding rice transplanter that is an example of a field work machine, and FIG. 3 is a plan view. The traveling machine body 1 includes a pair of left and right front wheels 11 a and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11 b at the bottom of the body frame 10. At the rear part of the traveling machine body 1, a granular material supply device 12 provided with a granular material tank 12 a is provided. A paddy field work device 2 as a field work device provided with six seedling planting mechanisms 21 arranged in the lateral direction of the vehicle body and six powder body supply units 22 arranged in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is provided behind the traveling machine body 1. It is connected.

  The paddy field machine performs seedling planting work and fertilization work by running the traveling machine body 1 with the paddy field work device 2 lowered to the lowered work state. is there.

  The traveling machine body 1 includes an engine 31 disposed in the front part of the vehicle body, and a traveling and working transmission 32 that receives a driving force from the engine 31 to change speed. The driving force from the engine 31 is transmitted from the transmission 32 to the front wheels 11a. And it is comprised to the four-wheel drive vehicle so that it may drive | transmit and drive to the rear-wheel 11b and drive the front-wheel 11a and the rear-wheel 11b. The engine 31 is covered with an engine bonnet 31a and a rear cover 31b. The traveling machine body 1 includes a driving unit 33 having a driving seat 33a arranged at the rear of the vehicle body. The driver gets on and operates the driving unit 33. A steering handle 33b that steers the front wheel 11a is provided in front of the driver seat 33a, and a floor 30 is formed between the steering post 33c that supports the steering handle 33b and the driver seat 33a and the upper side is opened. A control panel 33d is provided around the steering post 33c. A working space 34 is provided at the rear part of the traveling machine 1 for use in supplying powder to the powder tank 13 and supplying seedlings to the paddy field work device 2. The work space 34 is provided with a work step 34a located across both sides and the rear of the driver seat 33a, and a handrail 35 located on both sides of the driver seat 33a. Further, a pair of left and right spare seedling platforms 39 are provided at the front portion of the traveling machine body 1.

The paddy field working apparatus 2 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the paddy field work device 2 is supported by a link mechanism 36 that is extended from the vehicle body frame 10 so as to swing back and forth, and the link mechanism 36 is swung by an elevating cylinder 37. The lowering operation state where the grounding float 23 descends to the farm scene and comes into contact with the ground and the ascending non-working state where the grounding float 23 rises higher from the farm scene can be operated up and down.

  The paddy field work apparatus 2 includes a working part frame 24 supported at the front end side by a link mechanism 36. The working unit frame 24 includes a feed case 25 to which a driving force from the engine 31 is transmitted via a rotating shaft 38, and three planting drive cases 26 arranged at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. A seedling planting mechanism 21 is mounted on both sides of the rear end of each of the three planting drive cases 26. Above the front part of the working unit frame 24, the seedling stage 28 is provided in an inclined posture that is located rearward toward the lower end side. Three grounding floats 23 arranged at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction of the vehicle body are provided at the lower part of the working unit frame 24. The powder supply parts 22 as six ground working parts arranged in the lateral direction of the vehicle body in a state of being located one by one near each of the six seedling planting mechanisms 21 are distributed and supported by three grounding floats 23. It is.

  Each seedling planting mechanism 21 includes two planting arms 21a, and is driven by a driving force transmitted from the feed case 25 to the planting drive case 26. The planting claws provided in each of the two planting arms 21a. The seedling planting movement that moves back and forth up and down while drawing the turning trajectory that is long in the vertical direction. In the seedling planting work, which is one of the farm work, each seedling planting mechanism 21 alternates from the mat-like seedlings on the seedling stage at the lower end of the seedling stage 28 by two planting arms 21a. The planted seedlings for the stock are taken out, and the taken-out planted seedlings are transported down to the field and planted in the mud portion that has been leveled by the grounding float 23.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the seedling stage 28 is provided with six seedling placement portions 28 a that place mat-like seedlings to be supplied to the six seedling planting mechanisms 21 in a horizontal direction in the vehicle body. The seedling stage 28 is supported by a support part and a support 24a provided in the working part frame 24 so as to reciprocate in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. The seedling stage 28 is reciprocated in the lateral direction of the vehicle body in conjunction with the seedling planting movement of the seedling planting mechanism 21 by a lateral feed mechanism provided across the seedling stage 28 and the feed case 25, so that the mat-like seedlings are transferred. Reciprocating in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the seedling planting mechanism 21. Thereby, each seedling planting mechanism 21 takes out the planting seedling from the lateral one end side to the other end side of the lower end portion of the mat-like seedling placed on the seedling placing stand 28.

  Each of the six seedling placement portions 28a of the seedling placement stand 28 is equipped with a vertical feed belt 28b. The vertical feed belt 28b of each seedling placement portion 28a is provided with a vertical feed drive mechanism 27 (see FIG. 6) provided between the seedling placement base 28 and the feed case 25 when the seedling placement base 28 reaches the left and right stroke ends of the lateral transfer. The mat-like seedlings are vertically fed toward the seedling planting mechanism 21 by a length corresponding to the length of the seedlings taken out by the seedling planting mechanism 21 in the vertical direction.

  Each of the six granular material supply units 22 is provided with a grooving tool projecting downward from the grounding float 23 and connected to a granular material supply pipe 14 to be described later. Grooves are formed in the field scene near the side, and the fertilizer supplied by the powder and granular material supply device 12 is supplied to the formed grooves. The groove after supplying the fertilizer is backfilled by the mud on the side of the groove being pushed by the soil covering member supported by the grounding float 23.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission structure for driving the paddy field work device 2. The driving force input to the feed case 25 from the rotary shaft 38 is transmitted to the planting output shaft 25a by a mission built in the feed case 25, and the front end portions of the three planting drive cases 26 are transmitted from the planting output shaft 25a. It is comprised so that it may input. In each planting drive case 26, the driving force input to the planting drive case 26 is transmitted to the pair of seedling planting mechanisms 21 by a transmission mechanism having a fractional planting clutch 29.

  Therefore, the fractional planting clutch 29 installed in the leftmost planting drive case 26 is a part of the six seedling planting mechanisms 21 by being turned on and off. Two seedling planting mechanisms 21 including a seedling planting mechanism 21 and a seedling planting mechanism 21 adjacent to the leftmost seedling planting mechanism 21 (hereinafter referred to as a seedling planting mechanism 21L for the left end side two-row) The left and right two-row seedling planting mechanism 21 is switched between a working state in which the seedling planting motion is performed and a non-working state in which the seedling planting motion is stopped.

  The fractional strip planting clutch 29 installed in the rightmost planting drive case 26 is a part of the six seedling planting mechanisms 21 by being turned on and off. To the two seedling planting mechanisms 21 (hereinafter referred to as the right-end-side two-row seedling planting mechanism 21R), which are the adhering mechanism 21 and the seedling planting mechanism 21 adjacent to the right-end seedling planting mechanism 21. The transmission is turned on and off, and the seedling planting mechanism 21R for the two right end sides is switched between a working state in which the seedling movement is performed and a non-working state in which the seedling movement is stopped.

  The fractional row planting clutch 29 installed in the central planting drive case 26 is a part of the six seedling planting mechanisms 21 by being turned on and off, and has two strips on the left end side. To the two seedling planting mechanisms 21 (hereinafter referred to as a center two-row seedling planting mechanism 21N) between the seedling planting mechanism 21L for use and the right seed-side two-row seedling planting mechanism 21R. The transmission is turned on and off, and the seedling planting mechanism 21N for the central two strips is switched between a working state where the seedling planting movement is performed and a non-working state where the seedling planting movement is stopped.

  Therefore, in the following, the fractional planting clutch 29 installed in the planting drive case 26 at the left end is referred to as a fractional planting clutch 29L for the leftmost two strips, and the fractional strip installed in the center planting drive case 26 is used. The planting clutch 29 is referred to as a central two-row fractional clutch 29N, and the rightmost planting clutch 29 provided in the rightmost planting drive case 26 is referred to as a rightmost two-segmental planting clutch 29R.

  The vertical feed drive mechanism 27 includes a vertical feed output shaft 271 extending laterally outward from the front portion of the feed case 25, and a seedling platform lateral direction supported so as to be rotatable on the back side of the seedling platform 28. And a vertical feed drive shaft 272. The vertical feed output shaft 271 is rotationally driven by the driving force input from the rotary shaft 38 to the feed case 25, and rotationally drives a pair of left and right transmission arms 273 supported by the vertical feed output shaft 271. A passive arm 274 is supported by the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 so as to rotate integrally, and the fractional longitudinal clutch 20 is provided at three locations of the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272.

  That is, when the seedling stage 28 reaches the left and right lateral feed stroke ends, the passive arm 274 comes into contact with one transmission arm 273 of the pair of left and right transmission arms 273, and the passive arm 274 is swung by the transmission arm 273. Thus, the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is driven by a predetermined rotation angle. When the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is driven, the leftmost fraction vertical feed clutch 20L of the three fraction vertical feed clutches 20 is moved to the leftmost seedling placement portion 28a of the six seedling placement portions 28a. Both vertical feed belts 28b (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal feed belts for the left end side two strips) of the vertical feed belt 28b provided and the vertical feed belt 28b provided in the seedling placement portion 28a adjacent to the left end seedling placement portion 28a. The driving force of the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is transmitted to the feed belt 28L.

  When the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is driven, the right end vertical feed clutch 20R of the three fraction vertical feed clutchs 20 causes the right end seedling placement portion 28a of the six seedling placement portions 28a. A vertical feed belt 28b (hereinafter referred to as a vertical feed belt for the right end side two strips) of the vertical feed belt 28b and the vertical feed belt 28b provided in the seedling placement portion 28a adjacent to the right end seedling placement portion 28a. The driving force of the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is transmitted to the feed belt 28R. When the longitudinal feed drive shaft 272 is driven, two seedling placement portions on the left end side of the six seedling placement portions 28a are driven by the central fraction longitudinal feed clutch 20N of the three fraction longitudinal feed clutches 20N. A longitudinal feed drive shaft is provided on a longitudinal feed belt 28b (referred to as a longitudinal feed belt 28N for two central strips) provided in two seedling placement portions 28a between the right side 28a and the two right end side seedling placement portions 28a. 272 driving force is transmitted.

  Accordingly, the left end vertical feed clutch 20 of the three end vertical feed clutchs 20 is turned on and off, so that the left end double feed for the left end corresponding to the left end side double seedling planting mechanism 21L is operated. The transmission to the longitudinal feed belt 28L is turned on and off, and the left end side vertical feed belt 28L is switched between a working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is performed and a non-working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is stopped.

  Of the three fraction vertical feed clutches 20, the central fraction vertical feed clutch 20 is operated to be turned on and off, whereby a central two-stage vertical feed belt 28N corresponding to the center two-row seedling planting mechanism 21N is operated. The vertical feed belt 28N for the central two strips is switched between a working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is performed and a non-working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is stopped.

  Of the three fraction vertical feed clutches 20, the right end fraction vertical feed clutch 20 is turned on and off, so that the right end side double feed vertical feed corresponding to the right end side double seedling planting mechanism 21R is operated. The transmission to the belt 28R is turned on and off, and the vertical feed belt 28R for the two right end sides is switched between a working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is performed and a non-working state in which the seedling longitudinal feed is stopped.

The granular material supply apparatus 12 which is one of the farm work apparatuses will be described.
FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the granular material supply device 12. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal side view showing the granular material supply device 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the granular material supply device 12 is disposed in a rear portion of the traveling machine body 1 with respect to the driver seat 33 a. The granular material supply device 12 is supported by the supply device frame 15. The supply device frame 15 is connected to the vehicle body frame 10 via a pair of left and right front columns 15a and a pair of left and right rear columns 15b. The supply device frame 15 is provided with a pair of front and rear vehicle body support frames 15f and 15r that support an upper end portion of a feeding mechanism 16 (described later) sandwiched from the front and rear sides (see FIG. 5).

  The granular material supply device 12 includes a single granular material tank 13 formed in a shape that is long in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, and four feeding mechanisms 16 that are connected to the lower portion of the granular material tank 13 side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. I have. Each feeding mechanism 16 includes one feeding case 16a having an upper end connected to one bottom portion 13a among four bottom portions 13a provided side by side in the vehicle body direction in the powder tank 13. The shape of each of the four bottom portions 13a of the powder tank 13 in the vehicle body longitudinal direction is formed in a funnel shape. The left and right lateral walls 13b of each of the four bottom portions 13a are formed as inclined walls closer to the inside of the bottom portion 13a toward the lower end side.

  As shown in FIG. 5, each feeding mechanism 16 includes the feeding case 16 a whose inside communicates with the storage space of the powder tank 13, and is provided so as to be rotationally driven inside the feeding case 16 a. The powdered fertilizer stored in the powder tank 13 is fed to the lower part in the feed case by the rotating roll 16b. More specifically, each feeding rotary body 16b includes a feeding recess formed in the circumferential direction so as to be arranged in the rotation direction, and the feeding interval is set by feeding by a set amount set by the volume of the feeding recess and by the spacing of the feeding recess. Fertilizer feed (fertilization work) is performed by intermittent feed set.

  A wind inlet 16c is formed in the lower part on the front side of each feeding case 16a. A wind inlet 16c of each feeding case 16a is connected to an electric blower 18 via a single air duct 17 located in front of each feeding mechanism 16 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 1, an intake duct 18 a extends from the intake port of the blower blower 18 to the vicinity of the engine 31, and the blower blower 18 sucks air that has risen in temperature due to heat dissipation of the engine 31 and the like, thereby generate.

  Two powder body outlets 16d are formed in the lower part of the rear side of each feeding case 16a. In the leftmost feeding mechanism 16L of the four feeding mechanisms 16, the two granular material delivery ports 16d are connected to the leftmost granular material supply unit 22 of the six granular material supply units 22 and the leftmost powder. The two granular material supply pipes 14 are connected to the granular material supply unit 22 adjacent to the granular material supply unit 22 separately.

  In the rightmost feeding mechanism 16 of the four feeding mechanisms 16, the two granular material delivery ports 16 d and 16 d are connected to the rightmost granular material supply unit 22 of the six granular material supply units 22 and the right end. Are connected separately to the granular material supply unit 22 adjacent to the granular material supply unit 22 by two granular material supply pipes 14 and 14.

  In the feeding mechanism 16 on the left side of the two feeding mechanisms 16 at the center of the four feeding mechanisms 16, one of the two granular material outlets 16d and 16d formed in the feeding case 16a has a granular material outlet 16d. Among the six granular material supply units 22 of the paddy field work device 2, the two central granular particles located between the two leftmost particle supply units 22 and the two rightmost particle supply units 22 The powder supply unit 22 is connected to the powder supply unit 22 on the left side of the body supply unit 22. In the feeding mechanism 16 on the right side of the two feeding mechanisms 16 in the center of the four feeding mechanisms 16, one of the two granular material delivery ports 16d and 16d formed in the feeding case 16a has a granular material delivery port 16d. Among the six granular material supply units 22 of the paddy field work device 2, the two central granular particles located between the two leftmost particle supply units 22 and the two rightmost particle supply units 22 The powder supply unit 22 is connected to the right powder supply unit 22 in the body supply unit 22 by the powder supply pipe 14. The two feeding mechanisms 16 in the center are configured to stop the function of sending the powder from the powder feed port 16d to which the powder supply pipe 14 is not connected.

  Therefore, among the four feeding mechanisms 16, the leftmost feeding mechanism 16 and the rightmost feeding mechanism 16 feed out the fertilizer from the powder tank 13 by the feeding rotary body 16b in one feeding case 16a, It is sent to the two powder supply pipes 14 and 14 from the two powder supply outlets 16d by the conveying air having a temperature higher than the normal temperature from the blower blower 18, and the horizontal end of the six powder supply parts 22 To the granular material supply unit 22 and the granular material supply unit 22 adjacent to the horizontal granular material supply unit 22.

  The left feeding mechanism 16 in the center two feeding mechanisms 16 of the four feeding mechanisms 16 feeds the fertilizer from the powder tank 13 by the feeding rotating body 16b, and sends the fed powder to the room temperature from the blower blower 18. It is sent to the granular material supply pipe 14 from the granular material outlet 16d by a higher temperature conveying air, and the left granular material in the two granular material supply units 22 of the six granular material supply units 22 Supply to the supply unit 22. The right feeding mechanism 16 in the middle two feeding mechanisms 16 of the four feeding mechanisms 16 feeds the fertilizer from the powder tank 13 by the feeding rotating body 16b, and the fed granular material is cooled to the room temperature from the blower blower 18. It is sent to the granular material supply pipe 14 from the granular material outlet 16d by a higher temperature conveying air, and the right granular material in the two granular material supply units 22 of the six granular material supply units 22 Supply to the supply unit 22.

  In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, also in this granular material supply apparatus 12, the delivery mechanism 16 of the left end of the four delivery mechanisms 16 is the left end side 1 of the granular material delivered from the granular material tank 13. The feeding mechanism 16 for the two left end sides is configured so as to be supplied to one granular material supply unit 22. The two central feeding mechanisms 16 of the four feeding mechanisms 16 are fed to the central two strips so that the powders fed from the powder tank 13 are supplied to the two powder supply parts 22 in the center. 16 is constituted. Of the four feeding mechanisms 16, the rightmost feeding mechanism 16 feeds the right and left two strips so that the powder fed from the powder tank 13 is supplied to the two right and left powder supplying parts 22. A mechanism 16 is configured. Further, a feed amount adjusting mechanism (not shown) is provided that changes the feed amount of the fertilizer by changing the drive rotation speed per unit time of the feed rotary body 16b by a rotating operation.

  Although only schematically shown in FIG. 6, a pair of left and right side clutches 11B is provided in a power transmission system that transmits power from the transmission 32 to the pair of left and right rear wheels 11b. The steering of the traveling machine body 1 can be controlled by an alternative ON / OFF operation of the pair of left and right side clutches 11B. For example, in the automatic travel along the work travel route, when a deviation from the work travel route occurs, the travel is performed by turning off (turning off) the side clutch 11B opposite to the shifted one through the automatic travel control unit 61. The return steering of the airframe 1 becomes possible.

  Although only schematically shown in FIG. 7, the steering handle 33 b and the front wheel 11 a are interlocked and connected via the electric power steering device 40. More specifically, the handle shaft 41 of the steering handle 33b is provided with a torque sensor 42 that detects the rotational torque of the steering handle 33b. An electric motor 43 for applying an assist force for rotating the steering handle 33b based on the detection result of the torque sensor 42 is linked to the handle shaft 41 via an electromagnetic clutch 44 and a gear mechanism 45. The handle shaft 41 and the front wheel 11a as a steered wheel are linked via a linkage mechanism (not shown) such as a pitman arm, a knuckle arm, or a tie rod. The detection signal of the torque sensor 42 is input to the automatic traveling control unit 61 of the operation control unit 6 mounted on the traveling machine body 1. The automatic travel control unit 61 generates a control signal based on the detection result of the torque sensor 42 and the like, and an electric motor 43 and an electromagnetic clutch 44 that turns on and off the transmission of the output of the electric motor 43 via the motor control circuit 6A. Drive control. In the case of automatic traveling, the electric motor 43 is controlled by a control signal from the automatic traveling control unit 61, and the steering handle 33b is automatically operated regardless of the detection signal of the torque sensor 42.

  Further, as schematically shown in FIG. 7, the elevating cylinder 37 of the link mechanism 36 is driven via a solenoid control circuit 6B based on a control signal from the device control unit 62 of the operation control unit 6. Be controlled. The seedling planting work and the fertilization work are stopped as the elevating cylinder 37 is raised, and the seedling planting work and the fertilization work are started as the elevating cylinder 37 is lowered. The lift cylinder 37 is operated by operating the lift lever 49, which is a kind of work operating tool provided around the steering handle 33b, to the raised position (first operation) or to the lowered position (second operation). ).

  The position of the aircraft required for automatic traveling of the traveling machine body 1 is obtained from the positioning data from the GPS module 5. As shown in FIG. 8, the GPS module 5 includes a GPS antenna 5A and a GPS processing circuit 5B. The GPS antenna 5A is attached to a location where radio wave reception sensitivity is good, in this embodiment, in the upper region of the handrail 35 via a quick coupling connection 5C as shown in FIG. The GPS processing circuit 5B is disposed in a control box (in which the electronic control unit 7 is built) CB disposed below the driver seat 33a. The GPS antenna 5A and the GPS processing circuit 5B may be packaged and attached as a single GPS module 5 where the radio wave reception sensitivity is good, and the GPS processing circuit 5B and the control box CB may be connected by wire or wirelessly. . Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of GPS antennas 5A or GPS module 5 are attached in advance, and the GPS antenna 5A or GPS module 5 is selectively attached to an optimum attachment location according to the region or the climate. In this embodiment, the top frame of the seedling stage 28 is set as another attachment location, and the connecting portion 5C is provided here.

  FIG. 8 shows a control system equipped in this riding rice transplanter. This control system utilizes the basic principle of the present invention described with reference to FIG. The core part of the control system is housed in the control box CB as an electronic unit.

  The coordinate position obtained from the positioning data from the GPS module 5 indicates the GPS reception position, that is, the position of the attachment location of the GPS antenna 5A. Therefore, in order to know the exact work position (for example, seedling planting position or fertilization position) of the paddy field work device 2 with respect to the field, the amount of displacement between the location where the GPS antenna 5A is attached and the work position of the paddy field work device 2 It is necessary to correct the coordinate position obtained from the positioning data from the GPS module 5 using. A work position calculation unit 74 that performs this correction and calculates the farm work position by the paddy field work device 2 is constructed in the electronic control unit 7.

In the work position calculation unit 74, position information indicating a positional deviation between the field work position in the field work device 2 and the position of the attachment location of the GPS module 5 is recorded for each attachment location. Mounting specified by the identification signal from the connecting portion 5C as pre-processing for calculating the orientation of the field work position in the field work device 2 in real time, that is, traveling, based on the positioning data output from the GPS module 5 The positional deviation between the location and the farm work position is read out. The positional deviation amount D (x, y, z) between the position of the GPS module 5 and the field work position is defined as MP and WP, respectively, in the coordinate system of the traveling machine body 1.
D (x, y, z) = MP-WP
It can be expressed as.
From this displacement amount: D (x, y, z) and the received position (position of the GPS module 5) obtained from the positioning data sequentially sent from the GPS module 5, the real-time field work position (azimuth coordinate value) ): WP (x, y, z) is calculated as follows.
WP (x, y, z) = F (R (x, y, z), D (x, y, z))
Here, F is a function for obtaining the farm work position from the positional deviation amount and the reception position, and can be practically constructed with a table. When the agricultural field work apparatus 2 has two agricultural field work positions, the respective agricultural field work positions can be obtained using the respective displacement amounts.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, a notification processing unit 64 connected to a functional unit constructed in the electronic control unit 7 so as to be able to exchange data is arranged inside or outside the electronic control unit 7. The notification processing unit 64 processes the information generated by the notification information generation unit 82 for notification to the driver or the outside, and outputs the processed information to the notification device. As a notification device, a display 64a for displaying image information and a speaker 64b for emitting sound information are typical, but a buzzer and a lamp are also included. The display 64 a is equipped with a touch panel 66, and information input through the touch panel 66 is sent via the input signal processing unit 65 to a function unit that requires the information. The input signal processing unit 65 processes signals from sensors and switches installed in the riding rice transplanter, signals input from outside by radio, etc., and transfers the signals to the necessary function units. To do. For example, signals for specifying the engine speed, wheel speed, fuel remaining amount, seedling remaining amount, fertilizer remaining amount, shift position, posture of paddy field work device (farm work device) 2 (in an up state or a down state) are input. Is done.

  In this embodiment, in addition to the work position calculation unit 74 described above, an information storage unit 71, a route calculation unit 73, a work position calculation unit 74, a non-work travel determination unit 75, an automatic travel built in the electronic control unit 7. The prohibition unit 76, the automatic traveling deviation detection unit 77, and the driving support unit 8 have the functions described with reference to FIG. The electronic control unit 7 further includes a work setting unit 72 and a slip rate calculation unit 78 as functional units.

  The work setting unit 72 uses the paddy field work device 2 as a field work device to set a travel start point and a travel end point of the field to be performed. The traveling start point is also a position where the traveling machine body 1 is put into the field, and the traveling end point is also a position where the traveling machine body 1 is taken out from the field. The travel start point and the travel end point may be generally the same, but it is also possible to set so when all the ridges facing the farm road can be used as the travel start point and the travel end point. . The travel start point and the travel end point are also used as a travel start point and a travel end point for travel route calculation by the route calculation unit 73.

  The slip ratio calculation unit 78 is calculated based on the travel distance of the field work machine calculated based on the rotation of the drive wheel provided on the field work machine and the positioning data output from the GPS module 5. The slip ratio of the field work machine is calculated from the movement distance of. In the field work machine, the work that rotates the driving wheel, that is, the work amount per mileage based on the vehicle speed (the planting seedling interval to the field and the supply amount of the agricultural material to the field) is common. Therefore, the slip of the driving wheel leads to non-uniform work amount. For this reason, the slip ratio calculated by the slip ratio calculation unit 78 is used to correct the operation control for avoiding such uneven work amount.

  For the non-work travel determination unit 75, the automatic travel prohibition unit 76, and the automatic travel departure detection unit 77, the description using FIG. 1 is used. However, when the field work machine is a rice transplanter, a lift lever (work) It is also possible to determine whether the driver intends working or non-working traveling by raising and lowering the paddy field working device 2 by operating 49). . Therefore, the non-work travel determination unit 75, the automatic travel prohibition unit 76, and the automatic travel departure detection unit 77, specifically, operate the lifting lever 49 to the raised position to raise the paddy field work device 2 to the non-working state. Thus, since the seedling planting work and the fertilization work are stopped, the raised position of the lifting lever 49 is detected, and the automatic traveling control is stopped in response to this detection. Similarly, by operating the lifting lever 49 to the lowered position, the paddy field work device 2 is lowered to the working state, and the seedling planting work and the fertilization work are operated. Therefore, the lowered position of the lifting lever 49 is detected, The automatic travel control is configured to start in response to the detection.

  A simplified traveling example of seedling planting work by the riding rice transplanter configured as described above is schematically shown in FIG. An example of traveling will be described using this schematic diagram. Here, the route calculation unit 73 sets the headland MA with a width corresponding to the work width W on the outer periphery of the trapezoidal field to be worked, and calculates a travel route having a long straight distance as much as possible. . For the sake of simplicity, the travel route includes a work travel route composed of four straight lines, a non-work travel route that is a transition route (direction change route) connecting the work routes between the headland MA, and finally a headland. It is divided into headland work travel routes for working on MA. That is, the inner area IA surrounded by the headland MA travels in a straight line. In FIG. 9, the entrance position (travel start point) and the exit position (travel end point) of the field are indicated by white arrows. The work travel route is indicated by a solid line, the non-work travel route is indicated by a dotted line, and the headland work travel route is indicated by an alternate long and short dash line.

  First, the rice transplanter that has entered the field from the entrance position travels straight across the headland MA. When the seedling planting point by the seedling planting mechanism 21 reaches the coordinate position (indicated by the point P1 in FIG. 9) between the headland MA and the inner area IA, the lifting cylinder 37 of the link mechanism 36 is activated. Therefore, it is necessary to lower the paddy field working device 2 and switch the seedling planting mechanism 21 to the working state. That is, this point P1 corresponds to the work start operation point, and when the coordinate position calculated by the work position calculation unit 74 matches the coordinate position of the point P1, the operation information generation unit 81 performs the work start operation. Operation timing information indicating that the point has been reached is generated.

  When the operation of the paddy field work device 2 is in the automatic mode, in response to the generation of the operation timing information, the paddy field work device 2 is lowered by the lifting cylinder 37 or the seedling planting mechanism 21 is planted. The operation control signal is output from the operation control signal generator 83 to the operation control unit 6. Further, when the operation of the paddy field work device 2 is in the manual mode, in response to the generation of the operation timing information, the notification information generating unit 82 generates notification information to that effect, and the notification processing unit 64. Is output. In the manual mode, in actuality, a notification for prompting a manual operation is given at a slightly earlier timing in consideration of the operation time by the driver.

  When the straight line operation is continued and the seedling planting point reaches the coordinate position of the boundary between the internal region IA and the headland MA (indicated by the point Q1 in FIG. 9), the direction of the link mechanism 36 is changed to change the direction. It is necessary to operate the raising / lowering cylinder 37 to raise the paddy field working device 2 and switch the seedling planting mechanism 21 to the non-working state. That is, this point Q1 corresponds to the work end operation point, and when the coordinate position calculated by the work position calculation unit 74 matches the coordinate position of the point Q1, the operation information generation unit 81 performs the work end operation. Operation timing information indicating that the point has been reached is generated.

  Here again, when the operation of the paddy field work device 2 is in the automatic mode, in response to the generation of the operation timing information, the paddy field work device 2 is lifted or the seedling planting mechanism 21 is stopped. The operation control signal is output from the operation control signal generator 83 to the operation control unit 6. In addition, when the operation of the paddy field work device 2 is in the manual mode, the notification information generating unit 82 generates notification information for notifying the direction change in response to the generation of the operation timing information, and the notification processing unit 64 Is output. In the manual mode, in actuality, a notification for prompting a manual operation is given at a slightly earlier timing in consideration of the operation time by the driver.

  The direction change travel is a non-work travel of the headland MA from the point Q1 at which the first straight work travel is completed to the point P2 at which the second straight work travel is started. It is. When the coordinate position calculated by the work position calculation unit 74 reaches the coordinate position of the point P2, the operation information generation unit 81 generates operation timing information indicating that the next work start operation point has been reached, and in the reverse direction. A straight work run is performed.

  The automatic traveling control unit 61 may automatically control the traveling machine body 1 in both the above-described straight working traveling and non-working traveling with a change of direction, but the non-working traveling (particularly the direction) includes exceptional operations. The driver may steer the vehicle during the conversion run.

  In this way, when reaching the point Q3 at which the last straight line work travel ends, the headland work travel is performed along the headland work route of the headland MA. If it is complicated, it is good not to drive automatically but to steer the traveling body 1 by the driver. Even in such a case, if a notification that the traveling machine body 1 is approaching a corner portion that requires turning is given, the burden on the driver is reduced. In any case, a predetermined headland MA is left in the first work stage by such traveling, but finally the headland working traveling is carried out automatically or manually.

  In some cases, it may be necessary to evacuate the work travel route in an emergency evacuation manner for some reason during the automatic linear work travel. In such a case, the operation amount of the steering handle 33b, the shaft torque, the front wheel turning angle, and the like become abnormal values that are impossible during automatic control. By utilizing this fact, when such an abnormal value occurs, if a command for interrupting the automatic travel control is given to the automatic travel control unit 61, rapid processing at the time of abnormality becomes possible.

  The functions generated by the driving support unit 8 include not only the operation support of the traveling machine 1 and the operation support of the paddy field work device (farm field work device) 2, but also the supply support function of materials necessary for farm work. In the case of the riding rice transplanter of this embodiment, it is known per se, a remaining amount detection unit (not shown) for detecting the remaining amount of seedlings and fertilizers, and a supply failure detection for detecting the failure to supply materials such as material clogging A unit (not shown) is provided. When the remaining amount of material sent through the input signal processing unit 65 falls below the threshold level, the driving support unit 8 notifies the fact and outputs an operation control signal for stopping the automatic traveling to the operation control unit 6. In addition, when it is detected that the replenishment is impossible through the input signal processing unit 65, the driving support unit 8 generates notification information to that effect, notifies the notification through the notification processing unit 64, and operates an operation control signal for stopping automatic driving. Output to the control unit 6. Furthermore, the route calculation unit 73 can also calculate an emergency travel route for the traveling machine body 1 to automatically travel to a nearby saddle for replenishment of necessary materials and repair of supply failure.

The modified examples of the automatic traveling control described above are listed below.
(1) Based on the map data read from the field information storage unit 71a and the orientation data from the GPS module 5, the headland width, which is the distance to the ridge, is calculated, and this headland width is mounted. The work operation of the paddy field work device 2 is controlled so as to be a value that can be implemented with the number of lines (work width) possible with the paddy field work device 2.
(2) The paddy field work device 2 can change the work width by operating the operating devices such as the fraction strip clutch 29 and the fraction vertical feed clutch 20 as described above. It is a heavy burden for the driver to perform the field work while considering the change. However, it is important for farmers to fill the entire area of the field with seedlings that are uniformly distributed. For this reason, when the multiple value of the maximum work width of the mounted paddy field work device 2 does not match the field width, the distance between adjacent work travel routes: D (see FIG. 9) is changed by a minute value. By doing so, the entire area of the field can be filled with seedlings that are distributed substantially uniformly without changing the work width. That is, every time a transition is made from one work travel route to the next work travel route, the inter-column distance is finely adjusted so that the integrated value of the distance between the work travel routes matches the field width. In actual control, such a work travel route can be easily calculated by the route calculation unit 73, and thereafter, the traveling machine body 1 automatically travels along the work travel route based on the positioning data from the GPS module 5. You can do it.
(3) The field area is calculated from the map data read out from the field information storage unit 71a, and from the usable amount of agricultural materials prepared in this riding rice transplanter, between plants, the amount of seedlings, the number of traversing, etc. The operation equipment in the paddy field work apparatus 2 is automatically set. In the middle of work, the setting of each operation device is readjusted from the remaining amount of agricultural materials and the unworked area of the field.

  In the agricultural field working machine according to the present invention, not only the traveling control for the traveling machine body 1 but also the automation of the device control of various operating devices constituting the agricultural field working device 2 are possible. Therefore, useful farming information can be obtained by recording the operation history data of such control information in a database. In particular, the positioning data by the GPS module 5, the map data stored in the field information storage unit 71a, or both, and the operation history data are linked to contribute to farm work management in units of fine sections in the field. Can do.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the route calculation unit 73 is built in the electronic control unit 7. However, if the route calculation algorithm is complicated, the required calculation capability becomes high. You may adopt the cloud network system which makes it perform to the computer. Similarly, the information storage unit 71 may also be constructed in an external computer and accessed from the field work machine as necessary. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide the field work machine with a communication unit that can be connected to a data communication line such as the Internet.
(2) As conditions for route calculation performed by the route calculation unit 73, the outline of the field and the entrance / exit of the field were taken up, but in addition, the past recorded as sunlight, ventilation, the position of the intake port, and the past results For example, the traveling route and the state of the field at the time of the previous work such as plowing by the tractor and the plowing, the traveling route and the state of the field at the time of the harvesting work by the combine may be added.
(3) In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the work width of the field work device 2 is not changed during work on one field, but when the field work device 2 that can change the work width is used, A travel route for changing the work width in the middle may be calculated.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the route calculation unit 73 employs the turn-reduction route algorithm that reduces the non-working travel route, but other route algorithms may be selectively provided. For example, a curved route algorithm for calculating a working route of a curved road having a large curvature radius greater than or equal to a predetermined value is effective for a fan-shaped field. A route algorithm that calculates a precise travel route based on a rough route image input using an input device such as the touch panel 66 is also effective for a field having a complicated shape.
(5) Since the agricultural field working machine according to the present invention is provided with the GPS function and the map data storage function, it is also possible to perform route guidance to the agricultural field as a work target by using these functions.

  The present invention can be applied not only to a riding rice transplanter but also to a field work machine such as a tractor that is equipped with a field work device and can automatically travel.

1: traveling machine body 12: granular material supply device 13: granular material tank 2: field work device (paddy field work device)
21: Seedling planting mechanism 22: Granule supply unit 27: Vertical feed drive mechanism 28: Seedling stage 28a: Seedling stage 30: Floor 31a: Bonnet 33b: Steering handle 33c: Handle post 33d: Steering panel 35: Handrail 36: Link mechanism 37: Elevating cylinder 39: Preliminary seedling stage 40: Electric power steering device 5: GPS module 5A: GPS antenna 5B: GPS processing circuit 6: Operation control unit 61: Automatic travel control unit 62: Work device control Unit 63: Input signal processing unit 7: Electronic control unit 71: Information storage unit 71a: Field information storage unit 71b: Work information storage unit 72: Work setting unit 73: Route calculation unit 74: Work position calculation unit 8: Driving support unit 81: Operation information generation unit 82: Notification information generation unit 83: Operation control signal generation unit

Claims (4)

Traveling aircraft,
A field work device for performing farm work on the field;
A GPS module that outputs positioning data;
A route calculation unit for calculating a work travel route for traveling using the field work device;
An automatic travel control unit that automatically travels the traveling machine body along the work travel route based on the positioning data and the work travel route;
An automatic travel prohibition unit that prohibits automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit,
The travel route on which the traveling machine body travels includes the work travel route, the end of the work travel route and the next work travel route, and a non-working travel route accompanied by a direction change travel of the travel aircraft body. ,
When it is determined based on the positioning data by the GPS module that the field work device has reached the end of the work travel route, the automatic travel prohibition unit prohibits automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit. Field work machine.   The field work device can be switched between a work state in which farm work is performed or a non-work state in which farm work is not performed, and a first operation for switching the field work device to the work state and a second operation for switching to the non-work state. The field work machine according to claim 1, further comprising a work device operation tool, wherein the automatic traveling is permitted during a first operation of the work device operation tool.   An automatic travel deviation detecting unit is provided for detecting a deviation from the automatic traveling during the automatic traveling by the automatic traveling control unit, and the automatic traveling is detected when the automatic traveling deviation detecting unit detects a deviation from the automatic traveling. The field work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the prohibition unit prohibits automatic traveling.   The field work machine of any one of Claim 1 to 3 provided with the alerting | reporting information production | generation part which alert | reports at least any one of the start of the automatic driving | running | working in the said work travel route, and the completion | finish of the automatic travel in the said work travel route.

Images