JP2603149B2 - Automatic farm work equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The disclosed technology belongs to the technical field of systematization of agriculture in which agricultural work such as tilling, sowing, and harvesting is automatically performed by a robot capable of self-control.

<Summary of the Summary> Thus, in the invention of this application, when cultivating, sowing, harvesting, etc. on a field, a predetermined rail is laid on farmland such as the field, and a traveling vehicle is mounted on the rail so that it can travel freely. The traveling vehicle is equipped with a control device and a drive device,
The present invention relates to an automatic farming operation device in which a working machine such as a tilling device is linked to automatically perform a farming operation in accordance with a computer of a control device mounted on the traveling vehicle, and particularly, the traveling vehicle has at least one joint. A link-type lightweight boom is pivotally extended at its base end,
A working machine such as a tilling device is provided at the tip, and a device such as a laser mechanism for measuring the position of the working machine from an initial position is electrically connected to a control device on the traveling vehicle. The present invention relates to a total system-type automatic farm work apparatus to which a cable such as a cable for connecting a traveling vehicle and a work machine is attached and which automatically performs a predetermined farm work robotically in accordance with a computer program of a control device.

<Prior art> As is well known, the agricultural industry is an extremely important industry that has been deeply involved in the life of citizens as a primary industry for a long time, and has a systematic system such as tilling, sowing, harvesting, sorting, and sorting. In order to improve the work efficiency, various types of mechanical devices and instruments have been actively researched and developed.

As is well known, structural reforms due to technological innovation in the industrial society have been carried out in all fields, and there is no exception in the agricultural industry, and the adoption of robots and the like centered on the introduction of computers in various industries. In recent years, the agricultural industry has been using computer technology and robot technology to introduce systems,
Automation is being considered and is gaining attention.

Thus, automation in the agricultural industry is intended to improve the efficiency and quality of work mainly from the traditional manual work. However, the agricultural work in Japan (drying after harvesting, sorting, sorting, shipping, etc.) ) Ignoring traditional social circumstances and customs from the past, and cannot be carried out in a uniform manner as in other industries.

In order to increase the cultivation area as a means of improving the industriality of the agricultural industry and to reduce the required labor, for example, the cultivation period in an American-type intensive agricultural industry using large tractors, etc., and in an artificial cultivation environment There are two directions of the agricultural industry, which is to shorten as much as possible and increase the efficiency, but in any case, the agricultural industry that is oriented is energy-intensive type agriculture, which has recently been getting close-up. Has a variety of problems due to energy problems and global environmental problems, etc. Traditionally, the mechanization, especially the automation of small-scale, multi-productive farming in Japan has been centered on large American tractors. There is a point that it is not always possible to match with the mere intensive agricultural industry, and it is desirable to be able to perform small-scale agricultural work in a rotation type agriculture with a small cultivation area traditionally adopted from the old days Automation of agricultural having a small energy by human power work together several advantages, such as effects on the surrounding environment is suitable for storage of small agricultural, for example, automation has been demanded by the robot.

For automation by farming robots, it is desirable that a plurality of types of working machines be detachable and replaceable by a robot hand via an interface.

Among the automation of agricultural work which has been researched and developed based on these conditions, there is a rail running method (gantry method) which is a computer processing form. However, since the working machine is a passenger tractor type, It is necessary to replace work equipment promptly for problems such as the need for traction force equivalent to that of a tractor, the need to support heavy-weight work equipment, and the need to move it in a predetermined manner. Taking into account the fact that the transport of materials such as crops cannot be neglected, such a rail traveling system is extremely large-scale, the system and equipment become large-scale, and the initial cost as well as the maintenance cost The disadvantage is that the benefits of traditional farming are sometimes reduced, which can necessarily add to energy and environmental issues. There is a problem that can not say that.

If a robot is to be introduced promptly in order to fully automate farming operations while keeping pace with the technological innovations of other industries, the movement of farmland, which is the object of controlling the established characteristics of cultivated terrain agriculture, will not be possible. There are various difficulties with the immediate introduction of robotics technology that has been introduced in various conventional industries into agricultural work because it is possible and the control element has to move.

Therefore, as a system design compatible with the automation of traditional cultivated land farming where the cultivation area is subdivided, for example,
A fixed path method using light, a cable, a rail, a frame, and the like, and a free path method such as radio control, inertial navigation, a survey method using light and laser, and the like have been proposed.

However, any of these methods requires complicated and large-scale facilities in order to increase the accuracy in accordance with the size of the farmland, has a disadvantage that it is not suitable in terms of cost, and has a drawback that it is practical.

<Object of the Invention> The purpose of the invention of this application is to solve the problem of the automation of the agricultural work based on the above-mentioned conventional technology, and it is possible to overproduce with small power, targeting farmland with a traditional small cultivation area. While taking full advantage of the small-scale agricultural industry, it enhances productivity and improves quality, saves energy, has little effect on the surrounding environment, and has advanced functions such as visual and recognition functions, enabling autonomous control. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent automatic agricultural working device which can be used in a system technology application field in the agricultural industry by performing a fully automatic operation in a total system.

<Means / Actions for Solving the Problems> In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the configuration of the invention of this application according to the above-mentioned objects and having the gist of the claims described above, A monorail is laid in a parallel posture on one side, and a traveling vehicle equipped with a predetermined control device having a computer and a driving device for rotating wheels is provided on the rail, and a light boom is provided on each side from the frame of the traveling vehicle, for example. Work machines that extend and perform predetermined agricultural work such as tilling through the interface at each tip are attached,
The working machine performs a predetermined agricultural work by its own small power or through a wire from the traveling vehicle, and at that time, the traveling of the traveling vehicle is performed in a predetermined manner by a computer program of a mounted control device. In addition, the position measurement of the working machine is performed by the traveling position from the reference point of the monorail or by the laser beam from the traveling vehicle, so that the working machine is balanced with the traveling vehicle,
The traveling vehicle, the boom, and the working machine are made lightweight, the structure is simplified, the serviceability such as maintenance and inspection is good, and the initial cost, running cost, and maintenance cost are reduced. Therefore, solar energy etc. can be used, and in the case of one boom, the balance is made by the work machine on one side and the counterweight on the other side. The work vehicle is connected as an accompanying vehicle,
Thus, as a total system, a control facility, a nursery bed, a cargo handling facility, a shipping adjustment room, a sorting facility,
Various auxiliary facilities such as a repair shop, a garage, a battery facility, etc. are provided, and each is connected to a field or a house by a monorail, and technical measures are taken to enable automatic systematization of small-scale, multi-productive agricultural management. It is a thing.

<Example> Next, an example of the invention of this application will be described with reference to the drawings.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a basic aspect of the invention of this application, and 1 is an automatic agricultural work device which forms the gist of the invention of this application, which performs predetermined tilling on a field 2 as a farmland. In addition, one monorail 4 is laid in a central portion of the field 2 along one side 3 of the field 2 for a predetermined length.

On the monorail 4, a small and small traveling vehicle 5 is mounted so as to be able to travel and stop freely, and simple truss-type booms 6, 6 are provided on both sides of the traveling vehicle 5. It has a joint 7 at its part, and its side is extended by pivotally supporting its base so as to be able to freely extend and extend. At the tip, a tillage device 8, 8 of a robot type hand tractor type work machine has a self-propelling ability. As will be described later, the monorail 4 is connected to and connected to the traveling vehicle 5 by a wire 9 so as to be able to approach and separate from the monorail 4 so as to perform a predetermined tilling operation according to a program.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the gull wing type is designed to be well-balanced.

The work machine 8 has an interface 10 at the tip of the boom 6.
The interface 10 allows another working machine, for example, a sowing machine or a reaper to be exchanged.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a control device 12 having a computer, a power supply device 13, a recording device 14, and the like are provided in the frame 11 of the traveling vehicle 5 and are electrically connected to each other. .

The control device 12 can be easily designed by using electronic and electrical technologies at the actual level at the time of filing the invention of this application.

The base end of the boom 6 is pivotally supported by the traveling vehicle 11 so as to be freely rotatable.
It is possible to raise and lower a predetermined angle in accordance with a program by a computer through 7 ', and an angle sensor 23 such as a rotary encoder is provided on the joint 7 of the boom 6.
Is provided so as to be electrically connected to the position measuring device 15, and a cylinder 24 as an expansion / contraction device is additionally provided and is also electrically connected to the position measuring device 15.

The auxiliary wheels 21, 21 of the traveling vehicle 5 abut against the rail 4 to support the weight of the traveling vehicle 5 and the boom 6, and the auxiliary wheels 21, 21 abut on both side surfaces of the monorail 4. It is also designed to prevent derailment.

A distance measuring wheel 22 is provided below the traveling vehicle 11 and is linked to a position measuring device 15 which is connected to the control device 12 as much as possible. 4 from a reference point (not shown), that is, position measurement can be performed.

The wire 9 whose tip is connected to the work machine 8 is a reel.
The position of the working machine 8 is measured by measuring the distance between the traveling vehicle 5 and the working machine 8 by a winch 18 electrically connected to a position measuring device 15 electrically connected to the control device 12 via 19. Then, a predetermined tilling operation according to a computer program can be performed.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a power supply and transmission cable, which is routed along the boom 6 via hooks 26, 26 provided on the boom 6, and connected to the respective working machines 8 from the traveling vehicle 11. ing.

In the above-described configuration, the traveling vehicle 5 with the boom 6 contracted and closed is set at a reference point position (not shown) of the monorail 4, and the motor 20 of the driving device is rotated by pressing a start button (not shown), The driving wheels 21 and 21 rotate, the traveling vehicle 5 travels along the monorail 4, the motor 17 of the boom drive device operates according to a computer program, the boom 6 opens and closes via a gear mechanism 17 ', and the work implement 8 Of the monorail 4, that is, the work implement 8 performs predetermined tilling work of the field 2 while approaching and moving away from the traveling vehicle 5, and the winch 18 is operated according to a computer program to operate the winch 18, 9 is pulled back through the reel, and the working machine 8 retreats by itself, and at the same time, the operation of approaching the monorail 4, that is, the traveling vehicle 5 is repeated in a predetermined manner to perform the tilling work.

In this case, since each work machine 8 is provided on both sides of the traveling vehicle 5 via the boom 6, the traveling vehicle 11 continuously performs a predetermined operation without losing the balance. In accordance with the pre-designed program, the position measuring device 15 detects the expansion / contraction angle in the position measurement 15 of the reel 19 having the length of the wire 9 and the length of the wire 9 and in the position measurement 23 of the boom 6. Predetermined tillage work at each measurement position is performed smoothly.

Then, for example, during the sowing work after the tilling, the cultivator and the sowing machine can be detached and exchanged via the interface 10, and the sowing work is measured again through the traveling of the traveling vehicle 5 from the reference point of the monorail 4. While performing the seeding operation according to a predetermined computer program.

Needless to say, the attachment and detachment of the boom 6 with another type of work machine such as a cultivator and a seeder can be performed via the interface 10 without any difficulty.

As described above, since the working machine 8 and the boom 6 as well as the traveling vehicle 5 in the invention of this application are lightweight and have a simple structure, they are not complicated and easy to handle. It has good serviceability and low power cost. For example, energy supply such as solar power generation is easily performed as described later.

Next, an embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is an embodiment of an apparatus 1 'for cultivating, sowing, spraying a chemical solution, etc. in an agricultural facility such as a plastic greenhouse. Monorail 4 laid along one direction
A single-gull wing type is provided with a smaller traveling vehicle 5 'mounted thereon so that it can travel freely (various device mechanisms mounted on the traveling vehicle 5' are substantially the same as those in the above-described embodiment). At the end of the boom 6, a hand tractor type farming cultivator 8 'is attached via an interface 10 so as to be self-propelled. In this embodiment, the working machine 8' is extremely small and lightweight. For this reason, the working machine 8 ′ is provided only for the traveling vehicle 5 ′ through the boom 6.
The traveling along the traveling vehicle 5 'and the approach / separation with respect to the traveling vehicle 5' can be freely controlled on the traveling vehicle 5 'side.

Thus, in this embodiment, the traveling vehicle 5 '
26, 26 are connected to each other, and predetermined agricultural work equipment 27 is mounted in a cartridge type and travels along with the work machine 8 'so that predetermined agricultural work is performed with high efficiency.

Needless to say, in this embodiment, it is not necessary that the traveling vehicle 5 'and the working machine 8' are of a riding type, and all the operations are performed according to a program provided by a computer provided in the control device. The position measurement related to the agricultural work is performed by the same system as in the above embodiment.

Therefore, this embodiment can be said to be a robotized automatic system further than the above-described embodiment.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is remarkably compact, the set is as simple and easy to handle as possible, the versatility is excellent, and the near future type robot system with a high mobility is provided. In this embodiment, the traveling vehicle 5 traveling on the monorail 4 is further reduced in weight and size, and a single wing gull type boom 6 provided on the upper portion thereof is provided near the base of the traveling vehicle 5. An interface is provided at the tip of the boom 6 which is pivotally supported and has a monitor 28 through the joint 7.
A traveling type tilling work machine 8 ″ is provided via 10 so that the tilling claw 29 performs a walk-type tilling operation, and interfaces with other sowing machines, pesticide sprayers and the like as in the above embodiments. The attachment / detachment exchange via 10 is allowed freely.

The base end of the boom 6 is provided with a counterweight 30 for taking balance and reaction force.
Is made easy to operate.

Thus, in this embodiment, the distance from the reference point of the traveling vehicle 5, that is, the working machine 8 "is measured by the position measuring device mounted on the traveling vehicle 5 as in the above-described embodiments. Regarding the distance between the car 11 and the working machine 8 ", the laser light from the laser projector 31 provided on the traveling car 11 is controlled by the working machine 8".
Is reflected by the reflection mirror 33 of the traveling vehicle 5 and received by the light receiving device 34 of the traveling vehicle 5. The displacement is detected and measured by the position measuring device, and is confirmed and input to the control device to perform the agricultural work according to the position measuring program. ing.

These processing techniques such as laser measurement can be fully realized at the technical level at the time of the invention of this application, and the implementation thereof is not so difficult for those skilled in the art. .

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is a future type system in which the system is made as total as possible, and in the same manner as in the above-described embodiments, each of the fields 2, 2,
Although the land is neatly arranged in a plurality of plots according to a predetermined design, an auxiliary facility 35 is provided near one side of the farmland so that the function of the total system is fully exhibited, for example, the control unit 36, the seedling raising, Bed, cargo handling equipment 38,
Solar battery device 40, repair shop 41, garage 42, security room 43
Monorails 4, 4 ... which are arranged in order and are connected to all the facilities in the fields 2, 2 are laid, and maintenance and inspection of traveling vehicles 5, work machines 8, trolleys 26, repair vehicles 26 ', etc. The maintenance, charging, and the like are reliably performed so that predetermined farm work on the farmland is reliably performed according to a predetermined program.

As shown in the previous embodiment, the solar battery device 40 and the like in this embodiment consume energy due to the light weight and small size of the traveling vehicle 5 and the working machine 8, that is, the solar power because the power is small. Power supply is performed by the system, and systematic agricultural work is enabled.

Therefore, in the present embodiment of the future type, by performing the initial start-up, setting work, maintenance and inspection work, and the like with the attached equipment 35 by design, fully automatic farming work can be performed without interruption between day and night for a long time. It is carried out to improve efficiency and workability by shortening the cultivation period early,
The introduction of robots in the industry enables automatic farming work comparable to the total system of the automotive industry, etc., and in the interconnected connection of cargo handling, sorting, sorting, and cargo handling after harvesting. Can also be fully automated technically, and can greatly reduce costs.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention of this application are not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, a normal robot hand or the like is attached to the interface at the end of the boom, and cultivation work, sowing work, harvesting work, etc. Various modes can be adopted, such as a work machine for management work such as not only cargo handling work but also pesticide spraying and fruit sorting work, which is selectively detachable and replaceable according to the work type.

Also, in terms of design change, multiple joints are provided for the boom, and the work machine is operated without receiving its own power, receiving the energy supply from the traveling vehicle through the routing along the boom, etc. What you can do is, of course.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the invention of this application, energy saving, improvement of work efficiency, increase of operation rate, reduction of time, and the like are basically required. It satisfies almost all requirements for the automation of agricultural work strongly required for agriculture and the related tasks, and also allows the use of conventional manual operation agricultural machines for the time being, As in the case of the industry, it is possible to achieve a total system, and there is an excellent effect that full automation of agricultural work centering on robot technology becomes possible.

In small-scale farming in Japan, the efficiency of production has been improved by mechanization.Furthermore, it is easy to turn, and it can save farmland with human-like power, and it has no adverse effect on the surrounding environment. There is almost no effect that a low-output agricultural production system can be realized.

Thus, in the invention of this application, unlike the costly automatic control mechanization system which requires large-scale and mobility by the conventional gantry type computer control system,
With a well-balanced structure using a boom such as a gull wing type with a monorail, the traveling vehicle, monorail, and work equipment are extremely lightweight and the structure can be simplified, and running costs as well as initial costs are maintained. Cost can be reduced, small turn is effective,
It is easy to supply small power energy, and it can be smoothly switched to various types of agricultural work. This is an effect that can be sufficiently matched to the current small-scale farming operation, and the work from sowing to harvesting and shipping is systematized to increase efficiency. There is an effect that the upward working machine can be realized.

In addition, since the boom is provided with joints and the working machine is connected via an interface, the robot hand type can be designed and adopted, and the working machine suitable for system farming can be selected. In addition, there is a degree of freedom to be performed in a timely manner, and furthermore, by providing a position measurement on the traveling vehicle, the agricultural work is performed according to the program through the computer of the control device. This also has the effect of making it easier to perform management, maintenance and inspection.

The boom uses a gull wing system or a counterweight system, so that the structure of the rails and traveling vehicle can be easily reduced in size and weight, and the working machine can be reduced in size and power. This makes it easy to handle, small turn, and easy to supply energy.

Since the work machine is mounted on a traveling vehicle mounted on a rail via a boom, the system can be applied not only to farmland such as fields, but also to vinyl houses and warehouse-type farmlands. In addition to this, it is also possible to link to auxiliary facilities such as sorting facilities and shipping facilities, so that agriculture can be turned into a modern industry that can be profitable as industrial as a production industry. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings are explanatory views of an embodiment of the invention of this application, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a basic embodiment, FIGS. 2 to 4 are mechanical diagrams, FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view of the joint connection of the boom, FIG. 4 is a view of the system mechanism, FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another facility type embodiment, and FIGS. 6 is a side view, FIG. 7 is a plan view, and FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view applied to a gull system. 2 ... Agricultural land, 4 ... Rail 12 control device, 20 ... Drive device 5,5 '... Traveling vehicle, 8 ... Work machine 1' ... Automatic farm work device 7 ... Joint, 6 ... Boom 15 ... … Position measuring device 25… Routing (cable) 10… Interface 31… Laser emitting device 34… Receiving device 30… Counter weights 36 to 43… Attached facilities

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] A traveling vehicle having a control device and a driving device mounted on rails laid on farmland, and a working machine linked to the traveling vehicle. A predetermined working machine is attached to the tip of the boom, and a position measuring device of the working machine is electrically connected to the traveling vehicle and the control device. An automatic agricultural work device, further comprising a routing for connecting the machine. 2. The automatic agricultural working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said working machine is attached to said boom via an interface. 3. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rail is laid on farm land in a house. 4. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position measuring device comprises a laser beam projecting device and a light receiving device at the end of a boom. 5. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of said booms are provided on the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle, and a work implement is attached to each end. 6. An automatic vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said boom is provided on a single traveling vehicle, a work machine is provided at a tip thereof, and a counterweight is provided at a base end thereof. Farm work equipment. 7. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an accompanying vehicle is connected to said traveling vehicle. 8. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rail is laid over a plurality of work areas in a field. 9. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rail is laid over a plurality of work areas of a field and an attached facility. 10. The automatic agricultural work apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said auxiliary device has a sorting and shipping facility and a maintenance facility.