JP2023169539A - crop harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a crop harvester capable of reducing a burden on an operator when loading/unloading a storage container for storing harvested crops and a battery for supplying power to an electric motor as a power source of a machine body onto/from the machine body.SOLUTION: A battery for supplying power to an electric motor for driving a harvesting device of a crop harvester is configured so as to stand by itself while supporting a storage container from below in a connected state in which it is connected to a lower end part of the storage container for storing crops. A lateral width of an upper end part of the battery is smaller than a lateral width of the lower end part of the storage container. The storage container includes, on the undersurface, a pair of supported parts positioned on the right and left sides outside the upper end part of the battery, and the supported parts are configured so as to be lifted by a pair of forks of a crane device so that the storage container and the battery can be integrally loaded/unloaded onto/from a machine body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

The present invention relates to a crop harvester equipped with an electric motor as a power source.

Patent Document 1 discloses a crop harvesting machine that includes an electric motor as a power source of the machine and a battery that supplies power to the electric motor.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a crop harvesting machine that can load and unload storage containers for storing crops onto the machine body using a crane device provided at the rear of the machine body. Note that in this specification, "unloading" refers to both the operation of loading and unloading a cargo such as a storage container.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-070645 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-210834

In the crop harvester described in Patent Document 1, by using an electric motor instead of an engine or together with the engine, crops can be harvested while eliminating or reducing exhaust gas emissions. Sometimes I don't have enough.

In this case, it is necessary to remove the battery from the aircraft and charge it, but the process of removing the battery from the aircraft, charging it, and reloading it is extremely burdensome for the operator.

On the other hand, according to the crop harvesting machine described in Patent Document 2, a heavy storage container containing crops can be safely loaded and unloaded using a crane device. However, on the other hand, when loading and unloading the storage container, it is necessary to attach the other ends of multiple ropes, one end of which is fixed to the storage container, to the hook provided at the lower end of the crane device. It was becoming a burden.

Therefore, the present invention was made in view of such problems, and is designed to provide a storage container for storing harvested crops and a battery that supplies power to an electric motor as a power source of the aircraft when loading and unloading it onto the aircraft. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a crop harvesting machine that can reduce the burden on workers.

Such an object of the present invention is to
A crop harvesting machine for harvesting crops in a field,
An electric motor as a power source for the aircraft,
a battery that is a power source that supplies power to the electric motor;
a harvesting device driven by the electric motor;
a storage container for storing crops harvested by the harvesting device;
a crane device for loading and unloading the accommodation container onto the aircraft;
connecting means for connecting the battery to the storage container;
The crane device includes a pair of left and right forks that support the lower surface of the storage container,
The battery is configured to be able to be connected to and separated from the lower end of the storage container by the connection means, and when connected to the storage container, stands directly below the storage container while supporting the storage container from below. configured to, and
The horizontal width of the upper end of the battery is smaller than the horizontal width of the lower end of the storage container, and the lower surface of the storage container is wider than the upper end of the battery. a pair of left and right supported parts located on the outside of the storage container; and in the connected state, the supported parts are supported from below by the pair of forks and lifted up. This is achieved by a crop harvesting machine characterized in that the and the battery can be integrally loaded and unloaded onto the machine body.

In the present invention, the battery that supplies power to the electric motor is connected to the lower end of the storage container, and is configured to stand on its own while supporting the storage container from below. Therefore, in the connected state, the pair of left and right supported parts located on the left and right outer sides of the battery on the lower surface of the storage container do not touch the ground, and the pair of forks of the crane device can be easily inserted under the pair of supported parts. Can be loaded onto/unloaded from the aircraft. Therefore, when loading and unloading the storage container, the worker does not need to connect the crane device and the storage container with hooks, ropes, etc., and the burden on the worker when loading and unloading the storage container can be reduced.

In addition, since the battery can be loaded onto and unloaded from the aircraft together with the storage container while connected to the lower end of the storage container, the burden on the operator when loading and unloading the battery onto the aircraft is reduced, similar to the storage container. can be reduced.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the battery is arranged on the left and right inner sides of the pair of left and right supported parts supported by the forks of the crane device on the lower surface of the storage container, even in the connected state where the battery is connected to the storage container, The battery does not interfere with the lifting of the storage container by the pair of forks. Therefore, the storage containers in the connected state can be smoothly loaded and unloaded.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention,
The battery includes a current-carrying connector for discharging that is connected to a current-carrying connector on the aircraft side,
The discharge current-carrying connector is provided so as to be at the same height as the current-carrying connector on the aircraft body side when the storage container and the battery in the connected state are loaded onto the aircraft body, When the connected battery and storage container are slid on the aircraft body, they are connected to a current-carrying connector on the aircraft body side, and are configured to supply driving power to the electric motor.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, the current-carrying connector for discharging the battery is at the same height as the current-carrying connector on the fuselage side when the coupled battery and storage container are loaded onto the aircraft. With this setting, the operator can easily connect the electrical discharge connector to the electrical connector on the aircraft body by simply sliding the connected battery and storage container on the aircraft body.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention,
The storage container includes a crop storage section for storing harvested crops, and four sides surrounding the crop storage section on all sides,
At least one side of the four sides is provided with a ventilation section that communicates the crop storage section with a side of the storage container, and a solar cell module that supplies power generated by receiving sunlight to the battery. has been
A side surface of the solar cell module is covered with an elastic body, and the solar cell module is configured to be detachable from the storage container.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one side of the storage container is provided with a solar module for supplying power to the battery, so that the battery can be charged during harvesting operations, transport, etc. .

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation section communicating between the crop storage section and the side of the storage container is provided on the side surface of the storage container provided with the solar cell module. While the module generates electricity, it is possible to ensure the ventilation of the crop storage area, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the harvested crops from being damaged due to heat or the like soon after harvesting.

In addition, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the solar cell modules are removably installed in the housing container, the ventilation area and amount can be changed by attaching and removing each solar battery module from the housing container. can be adjusted.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the side surfaces of each solar cell module are covered with an elastic body, damage to the solar cell module can be suppressed.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention,
The crane device includes:
a first rear support member having a lower end fixed to a rear portion of the left fork of the pair of forks, and suspending the left fork;
a first front support member having a lower end fixed to a front part of the left fork and suspending the left fork;
a second rear support member having a lower end fixed to a rear part of the right fork of the pair of forks, and suspending the right fork;
a second front support member having a lower end fixed to the front part of the right fork and suspending the right fork;
a connecting plate connecting the front ends of the pair of forks,
The upper end of the first rear support member is connected to the upper end of the first front support member, and the upper end of the second rear support member is connected to the upper end of the second front support member, and moreover,
The pair of A cavity is formed to receive an object to be lifted by the fork.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper end of the first rear support member and the upper end of the first front support member; the upper end of the second rear support member and the upper end of the second front support member; Since a gap is formed between the left and right sides of the crane, even if the object to be lifted and unloaded by the crane device has a certain height, the object to be lifted can be prevented from coming into contact with the upper end of the crane device and getting stuck.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention,
The length of the pair of forks in the front-rear direction is set shorter than the length of the storage container in the front-rear direction.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, objects to be lifted can be easily transferred from the crane device to another forklift.

According to the present invention, there is provided a crop harvesting machine that can reduce the burden on a worker when loading and unloading a container for storing harvested crops and a battery that supplies power to an electric motor as a power source of the machine. It becomes possible to do so.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a crop harvester according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the crop harvester shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic left side view of the crop harvester shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the power mechanism of the crop harvester shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5(a) is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the third battery showing a state attached to a storage container, and FIG. 5(b) is a schematic perspective view showing a state of the third battery alone. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvesting machine showing how the third battery is loaded into the machine body. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing how the third battery unit is transferred to the truck. FIG. 8 is a schematic rear view showing how the third battery is charged on the bed of a truck. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the second battery. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvester, showing a state in which a seat for a worker to sit is provided. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvester showing a state in which left and right safety covers are not omitted. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a third battery unit of a crop harvester according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of the rear part of the crop harvester according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a left side view of the crop harvester according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 15 is a schematic perspective view showing a third battery unit of a crop harvester according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a crop harvester 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the crop harvester 10 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvester 10 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic left side view of the crop harvester 10 shown in FIG.

Further, FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the power mechanism of the crop harvester 10 shown in FIG. 1.

In this specification, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, the side in the direction of movement of the crop harvester 10 is referred to as the front, and unless otherwise specified, the left side in the direction of movement of the crop harvester 10 is referred to as the "left side". ”, and the opposite side is called the “right”. Further, the crop harvesting machine 10 excluding batteries 1 to 3, which will be described in detail later, is also simply referred to as the "machine".

The crop harvesting machine 10 includes a main frame 4 that is approximately rectangular in plan view, a traveling device 5 provided below the main frame 4, a floor member 6 fixed to the main frame 4, and a main frame 4 that is attached to the main frame 4. , a harvesting device 7 that harvests crops in the field and transports them rearward and upward, an electric motor 8 serving as a power source for the machine (more specifically, a power source for the harvesting device 7 and the traveling device 5), and the harvesting device 7. A plurality of storage containers 13 that accommodate harvested crops, a crane device 16 that loads the storage containers 13 from the rear of the aircraft and unloads them to the rear of the aircraft, and first to third storage containers that supply electric power to the electric motor 8. A power mechanism including batteries 1 to 3 (see FIG. 4), a main controller 11 (see FIG. 4) that controls each device of the aircraft, and a remote controller 21 (see FIG. 4) for the operator to send instruction signals to the main controller 11. (see Figure 4). The electric motor 8 is a motor that drives the harvesting device 7 and the traveling device 5. The remote controller 21 is constituted by a tablet-type computer, and is capable of transmitting and receiving various data to and from the main controller 11 through wireless communication. Although the traveling device 5 is constituted by a pair of caterpillars in this embodiment, it may be constituted by wheels or the like.

The rotational power output from the electric motor 8 is transmitted to a transmission mechanism 9 including an HST (hydrostatic continuously variable transmission) 14 through a plurality of pulleys, a closed loop belt wrapped around them, a drive shaft, etc. Thereafter, the speed is changed within the transmission mechanism 9 and transmitted to the harvesting device 7 and the traveling device 5. As a result, while the traveling device 5 is driven to move forward, the crops in the field are harvested by the harvesting device 7. Note that the hydraulic tank 14a of the HST 14 is shown in FIG.

The crop harvesting machine 10 is equipped with a GNSS receiver 26 shown in FIG. 4, and is configured so that the harvesting device 7 can perform harvesting work while automatically driving around the field without a worker being on board. has been done.

During harvesting work by automatic operation, the main controller 11 calculates the amount of positional deviation (separation distance) between the planned travel route set in advance for the field and the position of the harvester 10 acquired by the GNSS receiver 26. . The crop harvesting machine 10 autonomously travels along the planned traveling route by controlling the traveling device 5 so that the calculated positional deviation amount becomes short. In the following, control for controlling the traveling device 5 so that the amount of positional deviation between the position of the aircraft and the planned travel route is shortened will be referred to as "automatic operation control."

The automatic operation control is started (performed, executed) on the condition that an instruction operation is performed on the remote controller 21, and can be stopped by an instruction operation on the remote controller 21. Note that when the traveling device is composed of wheels, tie rods, pinion gears, rack gears, etc., the main controller changes the direction of the wheels using a steering motor or the like in automatic driving control.

Moreover, the crop harvester 10 can also run based on manual operation by an operator, as will be described in detail later. The planned travel route used for automatic driving is calculated and set by the main controller 11 from field shape information acquired by so-called teaching in manual driving, or it can also be downloaded from a server and set. The main controller 11 corresponds to the "control unit" of the present invention, and the remote controller 21 corresponds to the "remote terminal" of the present invention.

The harvesting device 7 is a general-purpose harvesting device that includes a central harvesting section 7a for harvesting elongated root vegetables such as carrots and burdock, and an outer harvesting section 7b for harvesting head vegetables such as cabbage. The central harvesting section 7a and the outer harvesting section 7b each rotate and drive a pair of left and right endless belts, so that the crops in the field are held between the pair of belts and pulled rearward and upward for harvesting and transportation. It is configured. Each of the pair of endless belts is wound around a pulley that is rotated by power transmitted from the transmission mechanism 9 through a drive shaft, a universal joint, etc., and is driven to rotate as the pulley rotates.

The crops harvested by the central harvesting section 7a are cut into leaves by a foliage cutting section 15 driven by power transmitted from the transmission mechanism 9, and mud is removed by a cleaner section (not shown). Thereafter, the first conveyor 17 transports and stores the container into a flexible container bag 18 attached to the upper part of the storage container 13. The first conveyor 17 is provided at the base 16b of the crane device 16, which is located approximately in the center of the machine body in the width direction (horizontal direction).

The crops harvested by the outer harvesting section 7b are transported and supplied into a flexible container bag 18 attached to the upper part of the storage container 13 by a pair of second conveyors arranged on the left and right sides of the stem and leaf cutting section 15, respectively. The second conveyor is omitted in the drawing to clearly show the HST 14, electric motor 8, etc.

The crane device 16 includes a base 16b fixed to the floor member 6, a first rotating cylinder 16g attached to a fixed frame (not shown) having one end attached to the base 16b and the other end extending from the harvesting device 7, and the base. A first arm 16c rotatably attached to the upper part of the arm 16b, a second arm 16d rotatably attached to the front end of the first arm 16c, and a second arm 16d that changes the rotation angle of the second arm 16d. It includes a two-turn cylinder 16e and a pair of hanger arms 16a connected to the rear end of the second arm 16d and to which an object to be lifted is attached.

The base portion 16b is rotated by expansion and contraction of the first rotation cylinder 16g. The first arm 16c is rotated around the upper part of the base 16b by expansion and contraction of a cylinder (not shown). The rear end of the second rotation cylinder 16e is fixed to a second arm 16d, and the second arm 16d is rotated by expansion and contraction of the second rotation cylinder 16e. By changing the rotation angles of the base 16b, the first arm 16c, and the second arm 16d, objects to be lifted such as the storage container 13 and each of the batteries 1 to 3 can be moved back and forth and up and down. Using the device 16, objects to be lifted at the rear of the machine can be loaded onto the rear of the floor member 6, and objects to be lifted located at the rear of the floor member 6 can be unloaded to the rear of the machine.

Each cylinder is expanded and contracted based on the operation of the remote controller 21, and also when a control section 32, which will be described in detail later, is operated. Note that the base of the crane device 16 may be configured to be rotatable around the vertical axis, and in this case, the first and second batteries 1, which are arranged on the outer floor member 6 in the width direction of the aircraft body, It becomes possible to easily load and unload the first and second batteries 1, 2, etc., without extending a chain hook or the like from the pair of hanger arms 16a to the second battery.

The crop harvester 10 includes first to third batteries 1 to 3 as power mechanisms, an inverter 19 that adjusts the rotation speed of the electric motor 8, and the first to third batteries 1 as a power supply source to the electric motor 8. -3, and a BMS (Battery Management System) 12, and an energization switching device 23 that switches the energization state from the third battery 3 to the first or second batteries 1, 2. This BMS 12 corresponds to the "battery management section" of the present invention, and has the function of managing one of the plurality of batteries 1, 2, and 3 to be used as a power source.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of first batteries 1 and the pair of second batteries 2 arranged behind them are placed on the outer part of the body width of the floor member 6, and the first conveyor 17, Located on both the left and right sides of the second conveyor and cleaner section. Therefore, it can also serve as a safety guard for the conveyor and cleaner section.

The third battery 3 is sandwiched from the left and right between a pair of first batteries 1 and a pair of second batteries 2, with the third battery 3 being attached to the lower part of each of the plurality of storage containers 13 in which harvested crops are stored in the upper part. It is placed in a crop placement area A on the floor member 6 (in other words, surrounded by the batteries 1 and 2 on the left and right). That is, the third battery 3 is arranged, together with the storage container 13, at approximately the center in the width direction of the aircraft body. Up to three storage containers 13 are placed in the crop placement area A.

The first to third batteries 1 to 3 each have a current-carrying connector (electrode) 1a, 2a, or 3a for discharging, and are physically and electrically connected to the current-carrying connectors 24a to 24c on the aircraft side (Fig. 4 reference). Each battery 1 to 3 is provided with a voltage device as a remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount (voltage value), and the remaining amount information of each battery 1 to 3 detected by the voltage device is output to the BMS 12. Ru. Information on the remaining amount outputted to the BMS 12 is transmitted to the remote controller 21 through the main controller 11, and the remaining amount is displayed on the screen of the remote controller 21.

The inverter 19 controls the connection/disconnection of the power supplied from the battery and the adjustment of the rotational speed of the electric motor 8 by increasing/decreasing the frequency of the power supplied to the electric motor 8 based on the control signal output from the main controller 11. conduct. When driving at least one of the traveling device 5 and the harvesting device 7, a control signal is output from the main controller 11 to the inverter 19. Electric power supplied from any of the batteries 1 to 3 is sent to the electric motor 8 via the inverter 19.

The power supply switching device 20 is configured to be able to switch on/off three switches 20a, 20b, and 20c that connect/disconnect power supply from each battery 1 to 3 to the electric motor 8 based on a control signal from the BMS 12.

When supplying the electric power stored in the first battery 1 to the electric motor 8, the power supply switching device 20 turns on only the switch 20a and turns off the other two switches 20b and 20c. When supplying the electric motor 8 with the electric power stored in the second battery 2, the power supply switching device 20 turns on only the switch 20b and turns off the other two switches 20a and 20c. Further, when supplying the electric power stored in the third battery 3 to the electric motor 8, the power supply switching device 20 turns on only the switch 20c and turns off the other two switches 20a and 20b.

With the three switches 20a, 20b, and 20c turned on and off as shown above, the electric motor 8 is driven at a rotation speed corresponding to the frequency of the power supplied from the battery 1, 2, or 3 via the inverter 19. be done.

The BMS 12 is configured to switch the power source of the electric motor 8 between the first to third batteries 1 to 3 in the following priority order when the electric motor 8 is driven.

First, when the third battery 3 is connected to the energized connector 24c on the aircraft side, and the remaining capacity of the third battery 3 is in a high remaining capacity state exceeding the threshold value (in other words, not in a low remaining capacity state). , BMS 12 uses the third battery 3.

In addition, when the remaining capacity of the third battery 3 is in a low remaining capacity state that is less than the threshold value, or when the third battery 3 is not connected to the power-carrying connector 24c on the aircraft side, and the left and right second batteries 2 The BMS 12 uses the second battery 2 when at least one of the batteries is in a high remaining capacity state exceeding a threshold (in other words, not in a low remaining capacity state). Note that, in this case, the second battery 2 with a higher remaining capacity among the left and right second batteries 2 may be configured to be used preferentially.

Further, when both the second and third batteries 2 and 3 are in a low remaining capacity state or are not connected to the power supply connectors 24b and 24c on the aircraft body side, the BMS 12 uses the first battery 1. Note that, in this case, the first battery 1 with a higher remaining capacity among the left and right first batteries 1 may be configured to be used preferentially.

In this way, the BMS 12 is configured to use each battery in the priority order of 3rd battery 3 → 2nd battery 2 → 1st battery 1, and the 1st battery 1 is used when the other batteries 2 and 3 are exhausted. It is used in emergencies such as when something goes wrong. As shown in FIG. 11, a safety cover 33 is attached to the outside of the first and second batteries 1 and 2 in the width direction of the aircraft body to protect the first and second batteries 1 and 2. In order to clearly show other members of the crop harvester 10 in the drawings, the safety cover 33 is omitted in FIG. 1 and the like. That is, the first and second batteries 1 and 2 are covered with a safety cover 33 on the outside in the width direction of the aircraft body, thereby making the first and second batteries 1 and 2 dustproof and drip-proof. can.

FIG. 5(a) is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the third battery 3, showing the state attached to the storage container 13, and FIG. 5(b) is a schematic perspective view showing the third battery 3 alone. It is.

Further, FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvester 10 showing how the third battery 3 is loaded into the machine body, and FIG. 6 shows a state in which the first and second batteries 1 and 2 are removed. ing.

The storage container 13 includes a crop storage section 13a that stores a flexible container bag 18 that stores crops, a battery storage section 13b that stores the third battery 3, and a partition plate 13c that partitions the crop storage section 13a and the battery storage section 13b. ing.

A pair of front and rear claws 3b are provided on the left and right side surfaces of each third battery 3, respectively, for hooking onto the partition plate 13c and fixing the third battery 3 to the storage container 13. Each claw portion 3b is constituted by a plate spring, and the third battery 3 is removably hooked onto the partition plate 13c of the storage container 13 by these claw portions 3b, and is housed in the battery storage portion 13b. The bottom of the third battery 3 attached to the storage container 13 is located above the bottom of the storage container 13 and does not touch the ground, so it is not easily damaged. In the following, the storage container 13 to which the flexible container bag 18 is attached to the upper part and the third battery 3 to the lower part will be described as a "third battery unit" 30.

Each third battery 3 has a discharge current-carrying connector 3a connected to a current-carrying connector 24c of the aircraft body, a pair of left and right fork through-holes 3c formed in the casing of the third battery 3, and a third battery 3. It is equipped with a wireless charging section 3d for charging.

When the third battery 3 is attached to the storage container 13 and the storage container 13 is placed on the floor member 6, the current-carrying connector 3a is positioned at the same height as the current-carrying connector 24c on the fuselage side. It is located. Therefore, when connecting any one of the third batteries 3 to the power-carrying connector 24c on the aircraft side shown in FIG. By sliding it forward, the energizing connector 3a of the third battery 3 can be connected to the energizing connector 24c. The current-carrying connectors 3a are disposed on both the front and rear sides of the third battery 3, and the orientation of the third battery 3 does not matter.

The pair of fork through holes 3c are configured to have a size that allows insertion of so-called forklift claws. Therefore, by inserting the claw of a forklift (not shown), the third battery or the third battery unit 30 can be transported by the forklift.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, a fork hole electrode portion 3c1 for charging is provided on the left and right side surfaces of each fork through hole 3c. Therefore, in the forklift, while the pair of claws provided with current-carrying electrodes are inserted into the fork through hole 3c, the electrodes of the pair of claws come into contact with the fork hole electrode portion 3c1, and the 3 Current flows through battery 3. Therefore, the third battery 3 that is being transported by a forklift can be charged. In addition, by arranging the fork hole electrode portion 3c1 on the side surface extending vertically (perpendicular to the bottom surface of the third battery 3) of the fork through hole 3c, mud, dust, etc. can be prevented from entering the fork hole electrode portion 3c1. It is possible to suppress adhesion and accumulation.

In this embodiment, when each of the batteries 1 to 3 is in a low remaining capacity state, the main controller 11 is configured to transmit information to that effect to the remote controller 21. When the remote controller 21 receives information indicating that the remaining battery level has become low, the remote controller 21 displays information indicating which battery has reached the low battery level state (for example, the number that identifies the battery and the remaining battery level). indicator).

Therefore, when the voltage of the third battery 3 connected to the current-carrying connector 24c decreases and the remaining battery level is low, the operator can use the remote controller 21 to determine whether the third battery 3 is connected to the harvesting container to which the third battery 3 is attached. 13 is unloaded rearward from the rear of the fuselage by the crane device 16, and the other third battery unit 30 is slid forward to connect the third battery 3 to the current-carrying connector 24c.

The third battery 3 has a capacity that can store enough power to harvest approximately one full flexible container bag 18 of crops, so when the third battery 3 is in a low remaining capacity state, the upper The flexible container bag 18 is almost full of crops.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing how the third battery unit 30 is transferred to the truck 25, and FIG. 8 is a schematic rear view showing how the third battery 3 is charged on the bed of the truck 25.

When the third battery 3 connected to the energizing connector 24c enters a low remaining capacity state, the main controller 11 recognizes that the flexible container bag 18 above the third battery 3 is almost full with crops. Stop harvesting operations. Thereafter, the main controller 11 automatically drives the harvester to a position behind the truck 25, as shown in FIG. Move 10. The truck 25 is provided with a GNSS receiver (not shown), and the position information of the truck 25 acquired by the GNSS receiver is transmitted to the main controller 11 by wireless communication. Upon receiving the position information of the truck 25, the main controller 11 calculates a planned travel route that connects the position of the vehicle itself and a position a predetermined distance behind the truck 25. Thereafter, the traveling device 5 starts traveling, and the traveling device 5 is controlled so that the separation distance between the calculated planned traveling route and the position of the aircraft is shortened, so that the trucks 25 waiting around the field are The harvester 10 is moved to a rear position.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the crop harvester 10 moves to a position behind the truck 25, the third battery unit 30 is moved to the loading platform 25a of the truck 25 by the crane device 16 based on the operator's operation.

The truck 25 has a large number of rollers 25b freely rotatably arranged on the outer part in the width direction of the loading platform 25a, a charging space 25c provided between the left and right rollers 25b, and a charging space 25c arranged below the charging space 25c. It includes a plurality of wireless chargers 25d and a battery 25e as a power source for the truck 25. The truck 25 is configured as a hybrid car driven by a motor generator and an engine (not shown), and the motor generator receives power output from the engine and performs regenerative drive to generate electricity. Electric power generated by the motor generator is stored in battery 25e.

When the third battery unit 30 is moved to the loading platform 25a, the third battery unit 30 is slid by the worker to the rear side (towards the seat of the truck 25) to a position above any wireless charger 25d. At this time, since the lower surface of the storage container 13 is in contact with the left and right rollers 25b, the third battery unit 30 can be slid with a light force. Next, the left and right claws 3b are pulled to release the engagement, and the third battery 3 is removed downward from the storage container 13. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the third battery 3 is placed on the left and right rollers 25b, and the wireless charging section 3d of the third battery 3 is located in the charging space 25c.

A power transmitting coil is provided inside each wireless charger 25d, and a power receiving coil is provided inside the wireless charging unit 3d, and a magnetic field is generated near the power transmitting coil due to the charge stored in the battery 25e. It is occurring. Therefore, when the wireless charging section 3d is located within the charging space 25c, an induced current is generated by the magnetic field of the wireless charger 25d located below, and the third battery 3 is charged. That is, the electric power generated by the motor generator of the truck 25 is supplied to the third battery 3 via the battery 25e.

In this way, while the third battery 3 is placed on the loading platform 25a and being charged, the storage container 13 to which the flexible container bag 18 is attached is transported by the truck 25 to the vicinity of a barn or the like. Then, the storage container 13 containing the crops is unloaded from the loading platform 25a by a forklift, and is transported to a barn or the like by the forklift. At this time, the upper surfaces of the pair of claws of the forklift come into contact with the lower surface of the partition plate 13c, and the forklift is transported while supporting the partition plate 13c from below. Thereafter, the flexible container bag 18 is removed from the storage container 13 and the crops are placed in a barn or the like, and a new empty flexible container bag 18 is attached to the storage container 13 and placed on the loading platform 25a of the truck 25. Then, the storage container 13 is returned onto the floor member 6 by the crane device 16 with another charged third battery 3 attached thereto.

In this way, the third battery 3 used for crop harvesting can be charged by the truck 25 that transports the crops, so that the third battery 3 used for crop harvesting can be charged by the truck 25 that transports the crops. 3 Battery 3 can be charged.

Furthermore, while the truck 25 travels between the field and the vicinity of the barn, power is generated by the motor generator and stored in the battery 25e. The motor generator is configured to be driven not only by electric power supplied from the battery 25e when the truck 25 is traveling, but also by electric power supplied from the third battery 3 through a cable (not shown).

Each wireless charger 25d can be removed from the truck 25 by sliding left and right, and each wireless charger 25d is transported to a barn or the like, and the third battery 3 is connected to the barn using a household power source instead of the battery 25e. You can also charge it with etc. In addition, it is also possible to charge the third battery 3 in a barn or the like using a forklift equipped with electrodes or a dedicated charger through the fork hole electrode portions 3c1 of the pair of fork through holes 3c of the third battery 3 (see FIG. 4).

Furthermore, when the third battery 3 is in a low remaining capacity state, it is moved by the crane device 16 to the loading platform of the truck 25, and after being unloaded from the aircraft, the third battery 3 is transported while being charged by a forklift. It is also possible. Further, the third battery unit 30 can be unloaded onto the ground by the crane device 16 and then transferred to the loading platform of the truck 25 by a forklift. Furthermore, the truck 25 can be provided with a separate crane device, and the third battery unit 30 on the floor member 6 or unloaded onto the ground can be loaded onto the loading platform of the truck 25 using this crane device. In addition, a forklift for lifting and lowering is separately attached to the truck 25, and electrodes are provided on the claws of this forklift, and the third battery 3 is connected from the fork hole electrode portion 3c1 until the third battery unit 30 is lifted onto the loading platform of the truck 25. It may be configured so that power can be supplied to the Furthermore, when the third battery unit 30 is transported to a distribution center or the like by the truck 25, it is preferable that the platform of the distribution center functions as a charging unit for the third battery 3 and the battery 25e. With this configuration, when the truck 25 moves to the platform, power can be supplied (charged) to the third battery 3 and the battery 25e at the same time as the storage container 13 is replaced. In addition to the main battery 25e, the truck 25 for transporting crops may be equipped with a sub-battery. In this case, the BMS of the truck 25 supplies (charges) power from the third battery 3 to the battery 25e or the sub-battery. It is more preferable to configure it so that

On the other hand, FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the second battery 2. As shown in FIG.

The second battery 2 has a current-carrying connector 2a connected to a current-carrying connector 24b of the aircraft body, a pair of fork through-holes 2b formed in the case similarly to the third battery 3, and a lifting hole arranged at the top. It is equipped with a metal ring 2c. A chain hook provided on the hanger arm 16a of the crane device 16 is hooked onto this ring 2c, and the second battery 2 is loaded from the rear of the aircraft to the rear by the crane device 16. unloaded.

Here, each ring 2c is configured as an electrode for charging the second battery 2. Therefore, by providing a power feeding electrode on the hook of another crane vehicle, the second battery 2 can be charged while the hook is hooked onto the ring 2c and suspended.

Further, the pair of fork through-holes 2b, like the fork through-holes 3c of the third battery 3, are configured to have a size that allows insertion of a forklift claw, so that the second battery 2 can be transported by a forklift. can.

In addition, charging fork hole electrode portions 2b1 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of each fork through hole 2b, similar to the fork through hole 3c of the third battery 3. For this reason, in the forklift, while a pair of claws provided with current-carrying electrodes are inserted into the fork hole electrode portion 2b1, current is passed from the forklift to the second battery 2, and the second battery 2 being transported is It can be charged (see Figure 4). In addition, it is also possible to charge the second battery 2 in a barn or the like using a dedicated charger through the fork hole electrode portions 2b1 of the pair of fork through holes 2b of the second battery 2 (see FIG. 4). In this way, by arranging the fork hole electrode portion 2b1 on the side surface extending vertically (perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second battery 2) of the fork through hole 2b, mud, dust, etc. can adhere to and accumulate on the fork hole electrode portion 2b1. You can prevent yourself from doing it.

The first battery 1 shown in FIG. 2 etc. is arranged at a position slightly forward of the center of the floor member 6 in the longitudinal direction, and the internal capacity of the first battery 1 is higher than that of the second and third batteries 2 and 3. It is large in size and heavy in weight. Therefore, even if the storage container 13 containing crops is placed at the rear of the aircraft, the weight of the aircraft can be balanced by the first battery 1.

On the other hand, each of the batteries 1 to 3 is provided with a connection connector (not shown) in addition to the current-carrying connector 1a, 2a, or 3a. With the third energizing cable 28c shown in FIG. 4 connected to the connector of the third battery 3 and the second energizing cable 28b connected to the connector of the second battery 2, the remote controller When a charging instruction operation is performed, the current is sent from the third battery 3 to the transformer 27b by the energization switching device 23 based on the control signal of the BMS 12, and after being boosted by the transformer 27b, the current is transferred to the second battery 2. is supplied and charged.

In addition, with the third energizing cable 28c connected to the connector of the third battery 3 and the first energizing cable 28a connected to the connector of the first battery 1, the first battery 1 is charged by the remote controller 21. When the instruction operation is performed, the current is sent from the third battery 3 to the transformer 27a by the energization switching device 23 based on the control signal of the BMS 12, and after being boosted by the transformer 27a, the current is supplied to the first battery 1. is charged.

Therefore, the operator can charge the first or second battery 1 or 2 by supplying power from the third battery 3 to the first or second battery 1 or 2 during non-operation when harvesting work is not being performed.

Note that it is not necessarily necessary to boost the current from the third battery 3 using the transformers 27a and 27b, but by configuring the potential of the third battery 3 to be higher than that of the first and second batteries 1 and 2, There is no need to boost the voltage during charging using the energization switching device 23. In addition, by configuring the potential of the third battery 3 to be higher than that of the first and second batteries 1 and 2, the direction of current flow at the initial stage of charging can be easily determined, and malfunction of the BMS 12 can be prevented. It can extend the lifespan. In this case, when power is supplied from the third battery 3 to the electric motor 8 through the power supply switching device 20, the voltage of the current flowing from the third battery 3 is lowered before power is supplied to the electric motor 8. I can do it.

In addition, in order to supply power from the third battery 3 to the first and second batteries 1 and 2, it is not necessarily necessary to use the energizing cables 28a to 28c. For example, when a charging instruction operation is performed with the remote controller 21, power is supplied from the third battery 3 to the first or second batteries 1, 2 through the energizing connectors 24a to 24c and the power switching device 20. Good too. Further, the configuration may be such that power is supplied from the third battery 3 to the second battery 2 through the crane device 16 and the ring 2c.

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the crop harvester 10 showing a state where a seat for a worker to sit is provided.

In this embodiment, the first battery 1 on the right side is lowered out of the machine by the crane device 16, and the seat 31 on which the worker sits is placed on the floor member 6 where the first battery 1 on the right side was originally placed. , is configured such that a control section 32 for controlling the aircraft can be placed thereon. Therefore, the operator can harvest crops while traveling the crop harvesting machine 10 by manual operation using the control section 32 while sitting on the seat 31. An operation on the control unit 32 is converted into an electrical operation signal. This operation signal may be input to the main controller 11 through a connector, cable, etc., or may be input to the main controller 11 from the control unit 32 via wireless communication. Note that the seat 31 is embedded in the floor member 6 where the first battery 1 on the right side was originally placed, and the worker takes out the seat 31 and assembles it after lowering the first battery 1. Can be seated. The seat 31 is located to the right of the first conveyor 17 shown in FIG. Can perform sorting work.
<Technical significance of this embodiment>

According to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, the crop placement area A is disposed approximately at the center in the width direction of the machine body, and the second battery 2, which is used preferentially, is located at the center of the machine body in the width direction. The second battery 2, which is located at the rear and behind the first battery 1, is charged more frequently than the first battery 1, so it can be smoothly moved from the rear of the aircraft using the crane device 16. Moreover, it can be easily loaded and unloaded.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the second battery 2 can be loaded and unloaded using the crane device 16, so that a large battery can be mounted as the second battery 2.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the BMS 12 is configured to preferentially use the second battery 2 that is easy to load and unload, the remaining capacity of the first battery 1 can be maintained, and therefore the second battery 2 Even when the capacity of the first battery 1 is insufficient, the harvesting work can be continued with the power supplied from the first battery 1, and interruption of the harvesting work due to insufficient remaining battery power can be prevented.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the third battery 3 as a power source is configured to be housed in the lower part of the storage container 13 that stores crops, so it is prioritized as a power source together with the storage container 13. The high third battery 3 can be loaded and unloaded from the aircraft, which is highly convenient.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the energizing connector 3a for discharging the third battery 3 is located at a high level with the energizing connector 24c on the aircraft side when the third battery 3 is accommodated in the battery accommodating portion 13b of the accommodation container 13. Since they are arranged at the same position, the electric discharge connector 3a can be easily connected to the electric discharge connector 24c on the machine body by simply sliding the storage container 13 on the machine body. As a result, driving power is supplied from the third battery 3 to the electric motor 8 through the current-carrying connector 3a and the current-carrying connector 24c.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the BMS 12 is configured to use the third battery 3 as a power source for the electric motor 8 in preference to the first battery 1 and the second battery 2. It is possible to further prevent interruption of harvesting work due to insufficient quantity.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the third battery 3 can be wirelessly charged on the loading platform 25a of the truck 25 that transports the harvested crops, so the time for transporting the crops and the waiting time near the field or barn can be utilized. This allows the third battery 3 to be charged, resulting in very high work efficiency.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the third battery 3 has the fork through hole 3c in the housing into which the forklift claw is inserted, the forklift can be used after the third battery 3 is lowered from the aircraft. It can be easily transported.

In addition, since the fork hole electrode portion 3c1, which is a charging electrode portion, is provided in the fork through hole 3c, the fork hole electrode portion 3c1, which is a charging electrode portion, is provided, so that the fork hole electrode portion 3c1, which is a charging electrode portion, is provided. , the third battery 3 can be charged from the fork hole electrode portion 3c1.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the crop harvesting machine 10 is configured to be able to travel automatically in the field based on the automatic operation control of the main controller 11, and the remaining capacity of each battery 1 to 3 is determined by the remote controller 21. Since it is displayed on the screen, when the battery becomes low during harvesting work by automatic operation, the operator can understand it on the screen of the remote controller 21 and remove batteries 1 to 3 from the machine. You can take actions such as loading and unloading.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the crop placement area A in which the storage container 13 is placed is arranged approximately at the center in the width direction of the machine body (see FIG. 2), and the first and second batteries 1 and 2 Since it is arranged outside the crop loading area A in the width direction of the machine body, when the storage container 13 full of crops is unloaded by the crane device 16, the first and second batteries 1 and 2 is not a hindrance.

FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing the third battery unit 30 of the crop harvester 100 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The crop harvester 100 according to this embodiment has the same structure as the crop harvester 10 according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, except for the points described below, and therefore obtains similar effects. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 12, the storage container 13 does not include a battery storage section, and has a bottom plate 13d that corresponds to the partition plate 13c (see FIG. 5) of the embodiment described above.

The third battery 3 is provided with two claws 34, each serving as a "connecting means" for connecting to the bottom plate 13d of the storage container 13, at its front and rear parts. The wireless charging section 3d of the third battery 3 has an angular shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and is disposed approximately at the center of the third battery 3 and the third battery unit 30 in a plan view. Further, in a connected state in which each claw portion 34 is connected to the lower end of the storage container 13 by being hooked to the bottom plate 13d of the storage container 13, the third battery 3 is located at approximately the center of the storage container 13 in the front-rear direction in a plan view. Located in In addition, each part of the third battery 3 has enough rigidity to support the storage container 13 to which the flexible container bag 18 fully filled with crops is attached. Therefore, with the third battery 3 connected to the storage container 13 and the wireless charging section 3d placed on a horizontal surface (in other words, in a horizontal place), the third battery unit 30 can stand on its own. I can do it. That is, when the third battery 3 is connected to the storage container 13, as shown in FIG. 12, it is configured to stand on its own directly below the storage container 13 while supporting the storage container 13 from below. .

As shown in FIG. 12, the width of the upper end 3e of the third battery 3 (more specifically, the housing or case of the third battery 3) is determined by It is much narrower than the left and right width of the lower surface 13e of the container 13 (in other words, it is formed with smaller dimensions). In addition, the third battery 3 has a substantially convex shape as a whole when viewed from the front, except for the wireless charging section 3d, and the horizontal width of the upper end 3e of the third battery 3 is equal to the lower part 3f of the third battery 3. Narrower than the left and right width of. Therefore, when the third battery 3 is disposed approximately at the center in the left-right direction of the bottom plate 13d of the storage container 13 and connected to the bottom plate 13d using the claw portion 34, the left and right portions of the bottom surface 13e of the storage container 13 are Great exposure. As a result, the third battery unit 30 has a pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 that can be lifted and supported from below by a pair of forks 16f1 of the crane device 16, which will be described in detail later, or a pair of forks (claws) of another forklift. It is formed. In other words, the pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 are portions located on the left and right outer sides of the upper end 3e of the third battery 3 on the lower surface 13e of the accommodation container 13, and the accommodation container 13 has, on the lower surface 13e, A pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 are provided on the left and right sides (in the direction) of the upper end 3e of the third battery 3.

In addition, if the left-right width of at least the upper part of the third battery 3 is set (configured) narrower than the left-right width of the lower surface 13e of the storage container 13, a pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 are formed in the connected state. Therefore, it is not necessarily necessary to configure the horizontal width of the upper end portion 3e of the third battery 3 to be narrower than the horizontal width of the lower portion 3f. However, by setting the horizontal width of the upper end 3e of the third battery 3 to be narrower than the horizontal width of the lower part 3f, even if the third battery 3 has a large capacity, the horizontal width of each of the pair of supported parts 13e1 can be reduced. Can be secured larger. Therefore, when transporting the third battery unit 30, the spacing and shape of the pair of forks are not limited. In other words, the third battery unit 30 can be transported by a fork mechanism having fork claws with various left-right spacings and shapes.

When the third battery unit 30 is placed on the loading platform 25a of the truck 25 shown in FIG. 7, the pair of supported parts 13e1 come into contact with freely rotatable left and right rollers 25b and are supported. Therefore, the operator can easily move the third battery unit 30 in the front-back direction on the loading platform 25a. At this time, the third battery 3 is connected to the bottom plate 13d of the storage container 13, and the entire third battery 3 is located in the charging space 25c (see FIG. 8) provided between the left and right rollers 25b, and the wireless charger Wireless charging is performed by the wireless charging unit 25d through the wireless charging unit 3d. When the third battery 3 is removed from the storage container 13 (in other words, separated), the wireless charging section 3d is supported by the wireless charger 25d. Further, similarly to the embodiment described above, each wireless charger 25d can be carried into a barn or the like, and the third battery 3 can be charged in the barn or the like using a household power source instead of the battery 25e. Note that the third battery 3 may be configured to be able to be charged with electric power supplied from a household power source through a dedicated charger and a current-carrying connector 3a in addition to the wireless charging section 3d.

Further, similarly to the embodiment described above, when the third battery 3 and the storage container 13 are loaded on the floor member 6 in the connected state, the energizing connector 3a for discharging the third battery 3, It is set to be at the same height position as the current-carrying connector 24c on the body side. Therefore, when connecting the third battery 3 loaded into the aircraft together with the storage container 13 by the crane device 16 to the electrical connector 24c on the aircraft side shown in FIG. , the energizing connector 3a of the third battery 3 can be easily connected to the energizing connector 24c.

13 is a schematic perspective view showing the rear part of the crop harvester 100 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 is a left side view of the crop harvester 100 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. It is. In FIGS. 13 and 14, the safety cover 33 and the second battery 2 are omitted to clearly show the crane device 16.

In this embodiment, the crane device 16 includes a crane fork 16f that supports the object to be lifted from below, in place of the second arm 16d and the pair of hanger arms 16a of the previous embodiment.

The crane fork 16f includes a left and right extending portion 16f2 fixed to the rear end of the first arm 16c, a pair of left and right front and rear extending portions 16f3 extending substantially rearward from both left and right ends of the left and right extending portion 16f2, and a pair of left and right front and rear extending portions 16f3 that move the lifted object downward. A pair of left and right forks 16f1 supported from the fork 16f1, a pair of left and right front support members 16f4 fixed to the front part of the fork 16f1, a pair of left and right rear support members 16f5 fixed to the rear part of the fork 16f1, and a pair of forks 16f1. A connecting plate 16f6 is provided to connect the front end portions of the connecting plate 16f6. The upper end of the right front support member 16f4 (corresponding to the "second front support member" of the present invention) and the upper end of the right rear support member 16f5 (corresponding to the "second rear support member" of the present invention) are They are connected to each other and are rotatably connected to the right front-rear extending portion 16f3 about a rotation axis Ax (see FIG. 13). The upper end of the left front support member 16f4 (corresponding to the "first front support member" of the present invention) and the upper end of the left rear support member 16f5 (corresponding to the "first rear support member" of the present invention) are They are fixed to each other and are rotatably connected to the left front-rear extending portion 16f3. Each front support member 16f4 is also fixed to the side surface of the connecting plate 16f6.

The lower end of the left front support member 16f4 and the lower end of the left rear support member 16f5 are each fixed to the left fork 16f1 of the pair of forks 16f1, and the left front support member 16f4 and the left The rear support member 16f5 suspends the left fork 16f1 from above.

The lower end of the right front support member 16f4 and the lower end of the right rear support member 16f5 are each fixed to the right fork 16f1 of the pair of forks 16f1, and the right front support member 16f4 and the right The rear support member 16f5 suspends the right fork 16f1 from above.

The first arm 16c includes a portion of the crane fork 16f excluding the left and right extending portions 16f2 and the pair of front and rear extending portions 16f3, that is, a pair of front support members 16f4, a pair of rear support members 16f5, a pair of forks 16f1, and A third rotation cylinder 16h is attached to change the rotation angle of the connecting plate 16f6 (hereinafter referred to as "rotation part" 16fc). When the third rotation cylinder 16h is extended by a predetermined amount or more, the rear end portion of the third rotation cylinder 16h contacts the right front support member 16f4.

Here, the pair of rear support members 16f5 of the crane fork 16f is heavier than the pair of front support members 16f4, and the center of gravity of the crane fork 16f is located on the rear side. Therefore, when the third rotation cylinder 16h is not in contact with each other, each of the pair of forks 16f1 assumes a posture in which the flat lower surface extends slightly backward.

On the other hand, when the third rotation cylinder 16h is extended by a predetermined amount or more, the more the third rotation cylinder 16h extends, the more the right front support member 16f4 is pushed substantially rearward. As a result, the rotating portion 16fc is integrally rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the left side about the rotation axis Ax extending left and right. When the third rotation cylinder 16h is extended to the maximum extent, each of the pair of forks 16f1 assumes an upwardly rearward posture. The connecting plate 16f6 of the crane fork 16f prevents the pair of forks 16f1 from twisting, and also serves as a guard (stopper) to prevent the lifted object from sliding forward during loading and unloading by the crane device 16.

When lifting objects such as the third battery unit 30 using the crane device 16. To place it on the ground or floor member 6, the third rotation cylinder 16h is contracted, and the pair of forks 16f1 are placed in a position extending slightly backward. Thereby, the pair of forks 16f1 can be easily inserted and removed from or directly below the object to be lifted, such as the third battery unit 30.

Further, while loading and unloading the objects to be lifted, by extending the third rotation cylinder 16h and setting the pair of forks 16f1 in a substantially horizontal position or in an upwardly rearward posture, it is possible to prevent the objects to be lifted from falling. The third rotation cylinder 16h is directed rearward and slightly to the right.

When the third battery unit 30 is loaded onto and unloaded from the aircraft body by the crane device 16, the pair of supported parts 13e1 are supported from below by the pair of forks 16f1 of the crane fork 16f and lifted, thereby stably being attached to the aircraft body. Can be loaded and unloaded. Furthermore, when each second battery 2 is loaded or unloaded onto the aircraft body by the crane device 16, the pair of forks 16f1 are inserted into the pair of fork through-holes 2b of the second battery 2, so that the second batteries 2 can be loaded and unloaded stably. Furthermore, when the first battery 1 is loaded and unloaded onto the aircraft by the crane device 16, the pair of forks 16f1 of the crane fork 16f are inserted directly under the first battery 1 with the first battery 1 being tilted. Then, the first battery 1 can be loaded and unloaded. Similar to the embodiment described above, the crane device 16 can directly move the third battery unit 30 and the first and second batteries 1 and 2 to the loading platform 25a of the truck 25. However, these may be transferred from the crane device 16 to the loading platform 25a of the truck 25 via another forklift.

The length of each fork 16f1 in the front-rear direction in a state where the lower surface of the pair of forks 16f1 of the crane fork 16f extends substantially in the front-rear direction (substantially horizontal direction) is the length of the fork 16f1 in the front-rear direction of the storage container 13 (the short length of the storage container 13 in plan view). (in the hand direction) (see FIG. 14). Thereby, it is possible to directly transfer the third battery unit 30 from the crane fork 16f to a separate forklift. Since the third battery unit 30 can be directly transferred to a separate forklift without having to place the third battery unit 30 on the ground using the crane fork 16f, damage to the third battery 3 can be avoided if the third battery unit 30 is placed on a hard ground. Also, it is possible to prevent the accommodation container 13 and the third battery unit 30 from falling on unstable ground.

Between the upper end of the left rear support member 16f5 and the upper end of the left front support member 16f4, and the upper end of the right rear support member 16f5 and the upper end of the right front support member 16f4, there are No members are placed to connect them. As a result, a gap G is formed between the left and right sides, which receives a tall object (such as a harvest container) to be lifted (in layman's terms, the object to be lifted enters, or the object to be lifted enters). (See Figure 13). Therefore, even a tall object can be scooped up by the pair of forks 16f1 without coming into contact with the upper part of the crane forks 16f (in other words, it can be placed on the pair of forks 16f1). can be lifted).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the storage container 13 is provided with frames 13g arranged in a grid on each of its four sides (four sides of the crop storage section 13a). A solar cell module 13f is removably attached. Therefore, while the storage container 13 is temporarily placed on the loading platform 25a of the truck 25 waiting around the field, during harvesting work by the crop harvester 100, when the crop harvester 100 is moving, etc. The solar cell module 13f is irradiated with sunlight and generates power (in other words, the solar cell module 13f receives sunlight and generates power).

A soft cushion body (corresponding to the "elastic body" of the present invention) is attached to a frame body 13g surrounding the solar cell module 13f, and the side surface of each solar cell module 13f is covered with the soft cushion body. Thereby, damage due to contact between the solar cell modules 13f can be prevented. In addition to the solar cell module 13f, a soft cushion body may be attached around the accommodation container 13 (for example, each side and each corner of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped accommodation container 13).

Each solar cell module 13f is detachably attached to the frame 13g. When the solar cell module 13f is attached to the frame 13g, the electric power generated by the solar cell module 13f is transferred to the frame through the electrode provided on the side surface of the solar cell module 13f and the pin stand electrode provided on the frame 13g. After flowing through a cable arranged inside the body 13g, the energy is supplied to the third battery 3 through a connector (not shown) and charged. Therefore, when the energizing connector 3a of the third battery 3 is connected to the energizing connector 24c on the aircraft side, the third battery 3 enters a pass-through state in which charging and discharging are performed simultaneously. Therefore, the remaining capacity of the third battery 3 can be extended for a long time.

The solar cell modules 13f according to this embodiment are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, and gaps are formed between the solar cell modules 13f. Since the crop storage section 13a and the side (space) of the storage container 13 communicate through this gap, the ventilation near the flexible container bag 18 installed in the crop storage section 13a is good. In this embodiment, each of the four sides of the storage container 13 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is an atrium, and a grid-like frame 13g and a plurality of solar cell modules 13f are attached thereto, thereby forming a solar cell module. The portion where 13f is not placed serves as the above-mentioned gap. However, for example, by constructing each of the four sides of the storage container with a thin plate, attaching the solar cell modules thereto at intervals, and hollowing out the parts of the thin plate corresponding to these intervals, it is also possible to create a crop storage area and a storage container. A gap communicating with the sides of the container can be formed. By attaching and removing each solar cell module 13f from the frame 13g of the storage container 13, the ventilation area and ventilation amount to the crop storage section 13a can be adjusted.

Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of solar cell modules 13f are arranged on all of the four sides surrounding the crop storage section 13a, but at least one of the four sides (the front, If a plurality of solar cell modules are arranged at intervals on the left side, right side, or rear side, ventilation to the crop storage section 13a can be ensured while supplying power to the third battery 3.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of solar cell modules 13f are provided on each of the four sides of the storage container 13, and a gap (ventilation part) is formed between them to ensure ventilation. However, as shown in FIG. 15, it is also possible to arrange a single solar cell module 13f on each of the four sides of the storage container 13, which has an open ceiling. In this case, for example, the frame 13g is arranged in a substantially square shape, and the solar cell module 13f is configured to be removably attachable to a rectangular portion 13g1 located at the center of the frame 13g. As a result, a gap 13h is formed around the solar cell module 13f (around the rectangular part 13g1), and the crop storage section 13a inside the storage container 13 and the side of the storage container 13 communicate through this gap 13h. state. Therefore, outside air is supplied to the crop storage section 13a through the gap 13h, and it is possible to prevent the harvested crops from being damaged by heat or the like immediately after harvesting. The gap 13h is another example of the "ventilation section" of the present invention.

Also in this case, it is preferable to arrange a soft cushion body inside the rectangular portion 13g1 so as to cover the side surface of the solar cell module 13f. Thereby, while the solar cell module 13f is attached to the storage container 13, damage to the solar cell module 13f can be suppressed.

Also in this case, it is not necessarily necessary to provide the solar cell module 13f and the ventilation section on all four sides of the storage container 13, but it is sufficient that they are provided on at least one of the four sides. Furthermore, the four sides of the storage container may be closed with panels (plate members) or the like so as to surround the solar cell module instead of forming an atrium. In this case, by forming ventilation holes (another example of a ventilation section) in this panel, the crop storage section and the sides of the storage container are communicated with each other, and the ventilation of the crop storage section is ensured. I can do it.
<Technical significance of this embodiment>

In the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, as shown in FIG. (connectable and separable), and is configured to stand on its own while supporting the storage container 13 from below. Therefore, when the accommodation container 13 and the third battery 3 are in a connected state, the pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 located on the left and right outer sides of the third battery 3 on the lower surface 13e of the accommodation container 13 do not touch the ground, and the pair of supported parts 13e1 are not grounded. The pair of forks 16f1 of the crane device 16 can be easily inserted under the supported portion 13e1 of the crane device 16 to allow loading and unloading onto/from the aircraft body. Therefore, when loading and unloading the storage container 13, the worker does not need to connect the crane device 16 and the storage container 13 with hooks, ropes, etc., which reduces the burden on the worker when loading and unloading the storage container 13. be able to.

In addition, since the third battery 3 can be loaded onto/from the aircraft together with the storage container 13 while connected to the lower end of the storage container 13, the third battery 3 can be loaded and unloaded from the aircraft together with the storage container 13. / Reduces the burden on workers when loading and unloading from the aircraft.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the third battery 3 is arranged on the lower surface 13e of the accommodation container 13 on the left and right inner sides of the pair of left and right supported parts 13e1 supported by the fork 16f1 of the crane device 16, so that the accommodation container 13 Even in the connected state in which the third battery 3 is connected to the third battery 13, the third battery 3 does not interfere with lifting of the accommodation container 13 by the pair of forks 16f1. Therefore, the storage containers 13 in the connected state can be smoothly loaded and unloaded.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the energizing connector 3a (see FIG. 12) for discharging the third battery 3 connects the third battery 3 and the storage container 13 in the connected state to the aircraft body, as in the embodiment described above. When it is loaded onto the top (more specifically, on the floor member 6 of the aircraft), it is set to be at the same height as the current-carrying connector 24c on the aircraft, so the third connector in the connected state on the aircraft By simply sliding the battery 3 and storage container 13, the electrical discharge connector 3a can be easily connected to the electrical connector 24c (see FIG. 6) on the body side.

Further, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of solar cell modules 13f (see FIG. 12) are provided on each side of the accommodation container 13, and the generated power is configured to be able to be supplied to the third battery 3. Therefore, the third battery 3 can be charged during harvesting work or when traveling.

Further, according to the present embodiment, a gap is formed between the solar cell modules 13f that are adjacent to each other in the substantially horizontal direction (see FIG. 12), and the crop storage section 13a that accommodates the harvested crops is passed through the gap. Since the storage container 13 and the side of the storage container 13 are in communication with each other, there is good ventilation to the crop storage section 13a that stores the harvested crops. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the harvested crops from being damaged due to heat or the like in the early stages of harvest.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, each of the plurality of solar cell modules 13f is removably provided in the storage container 13, so by attaching and removing each solar cell module 13f from the storage container 13, the ventilation area can be increased. and the amount of ventilation can be adjusted.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the side surfaces of each solar cell module 13f are covered with a soft cushion body corresponding to the "elastic body" of the present invention, so damage caused by contact between the solar cell modules 13f is suppressed. can.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the upper end of the left rear support member (first rear support member) 16f5, the upper end of the left front support member (first front support member) 16f4, and the right rear side Since a gap G (see FIG. 13) is formed between the upper end of the support member (second rear support member) 16f5 and the upper end of the right front support member (second front support member) 16f4, Even if the object to be lifted and unloaded by the crane device 16 has a certain height, it is possible to prevent the object from coming into contact with the upper part of the crane device 16 and getting stuck.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, since the length of the pair of forks 16f1 in the front-rear direction is set shorter than the length of the storage container 13 in the front-rear direction, You can easily pass the lifted object to another forklift.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included within the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

For example, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 14, the third battery 3 is configured to be charged from the wireless charging section 3d and the fork hole electrode section 3c1. It may be configured such that it can be charged from the current-carrying connector 3a using a device. In this case, the current-carrying connector 3a becomes a chargeable/dischargeable connector.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 14, the third battery 3 is configured to be able to charge the first and second batteries 1 and 2, but the first battery 1 is charged to the second battery 2. The battery may be configured to be rechargeable. In this case, charging becomes possible by boosting the current taken out from the first battery 1 using a transformer and flowing it to the second battery 2.

Further, in each embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 14, the crop harvester 10 is equipped with the first to third batteries 1 to 3, but the crop harvester is not equipped with the third battery 3. This is not necessarily necessary, and the configuration may be such that only the first and second batteries 1 and 2 are used, and the second battery 2 is used in preference to the first battery 1.

In addition, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 14, the crop harvester 10 runs while driving the electric motor 8 with electric power supplied from the first to third batteries 1 to 3. Although it is configured as an electric harvester that can perform harvesting work, it may also be provided with a separate engine and have a hybrid configuration using an electric motor and an engine.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the third battery 3 is configured to be connected to the storage container 13 by the claw part 34, but the "connection means" of the present invention is connected to the claw part. It is not limited. The storage container 13 and the third battery 3 may be connected to each other by, for example, a string, a band, or the like. Further, it is also possible to connect the accommodation container and the third battery by providing a claw part as a connecting means on the accommodation container and hooking the claw part to the third battery.

1 First battery 2 Second battery 3 Third battery 4 Main frame 5 Travel device 6 Floor member 7 Harvesting device 8 Electric motor 9 Transmission mechanism 10 Crop harvester 11 Main controller 12 BMS
13 Storage container 14 HST
15 Leaf cutting section 16 Crane device 17 First conveyor 18 Flexible container bag 19 Inverter 20 Power switching device 21 Remote controller 23 Energization switching device 24 Aircraft side energization connector 25 Truck 26 GNSS receiver 27 Transformer 28 Energization cable 30 Third battery unit 31 Seat 32 Control section 33 Safety cover 34 Claw section

Claims (5)

A crop harvesting machine for harvesting crops in a field,
An electric motor as a power source for the aircraft,
a battery that is a power source that supplies power to the electric motor;
a harvesting device driven by the electric motor;
a storage container for storing crops harvested by the harvesting device;
a crane device for loading and unloading the accommodation container onto the aircraft;
connecting means for connecting the battery to the storage container;
The crane device includes a pair of left and right forks that support the lower surface of the storage container,
The battery is configured to be able to be connected to and separated from the lower end of the storage container by the connection means, and when connected to the storage container, stands directly below the storage container while supporting the storage container from below. configured to, and
The horizontal width of the upper end of the battery is smaller than the horizontal width of the lower end of the storage container, and the storage container has a lower surface that is wider than the upper end of the battery. a pair of left and right supported parts located on the outside of the storage container; and in the connected state, the supported parts are supported from below and lifted by the pair of forks. A crop harvesting machine characterized in that the and the battery can be integrally loaded onto and unloaded from the machine body. The battery includes a current-carrying connector for discharging that is connected to a current-carrying connector on the aircraft side,
The discharge current-carrying connector is provided so as to be at the same height as the current-carrying connector on the aircraft body side when the storage container and the battery in the connected state are loaded onto the aircraft body, Claim characterized in that, when the connected battery and the storage container are slid on the aircraft body, they are connected to a current-carrying connector on the aircraft body side, and supply driving power to the electric motor. The crop harvesting machine according to item 1. The storage container includes a crop storage section for storing harvested crops, and four sides surrounding the crop storage section on all sides,
At least one side of the four sides is provided with a ventilation section that communicates the crop storage section with a side of the storage container, and a solar cell module that supplies power generated by receiving sunlight to the battery. has been
The crop harvester according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a side surface of the solar cell module is covered with an elastic body, and the solar cell module is configured to be detachable from the storage container. The crane device includes:
a first rear support member having a lower end fixed to a rear portion of the left fork of the pair of forks, and suspending the left fork;
a first front support member having a lower end fixed to a front part of the left fork and suspending the left fork;
a second rear support member having a lower end fixed to a rear part of the right fork of the pair of forks, and suspending the right fork;
a second front support member having a lower end fixed to the front part of the right fork and suspending the right fork;
a connecting plate connecting the front ends of the pair of forks;
The upper end of the first rear support member is connected to the upper end of the first front support member, and the upper end of the second rear support member is connected to the upper end of the second front support member, and moreover,
The pair of 3. The crop harvesting machine according to claim 1, further comprising a gap for receiving an object to be lifted by the fork of the crop harvesting machine. The crop harvesting machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of the pair of forks in the front-rear direction is set shorter than the length of the storage container in the front-rear direction.