JP5231005B2 - Remaining amount warning system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remaining amount warning system, and more particularly to a highly versatile remaining amount warning system that accurately warns the remaining amount of contents to be sprayed by a work implement attached to a tractor.

  Normally, when fertilizer or chemicals are sprayed by a working machine attached to the rear of the tractor, the remaining amount of the contents to be sprayed is visually confirmed by a visual window or the like provided in the working machine.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes an invention that warns the remaining amount of fertilizer when the float in the fertilizer tank is lowered to a certain position in a fertilizer application in an agricultural vehicle.

Further, in Patent Document 2, a remaining amount detection sensor made of a solar cell is attached to a hopper, and a stored item is detected by detecting an electromotive force difference between the reference sensor also made of a solar cell attached to the upper portion of the hopper. Describes a remaining amount detection device that measures the remaining amount of fertilizer based on whether or not it is shielded from light.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-99917 JP 63-33296 A

  When checking the contents visually, the operator who operates the tractor must check the rear work equipment side, which is low in safety and without any notice. It may continue. Furthermore, when checking the remaining amount of contents with a visual window or the like, the confirmation may not be clear due to dust or dirt adhering to the window, scratches on the window, and the like.

  Moreover, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to design the float in the fertilizer tank for each tank shape, and it is not easy to change the setting of the detection amount or the like.

  Moreover, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, at least two sensors are required, and the wiring must be attached. Furthermore, since the remaining amount detection sensor becomes inaccurate when light other than the light from the hopper is passed, it is not easy to mount the sensor, particularly to a curved surface. Furthermore, since it is whether light is allowed to pass or not, depending on the sunny day, cloudy day, evening, early morning, how to set the sun, how the contents light, the hopper light, etc. It must be controlled, and it is expected that it is quite difficult to detect an accurate remaining amount from the electromotive force difference. Furthermore, the hopper cannot use a light-shielding one.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly versatile remaining amount warning system that accurately warns the remaining amount of contents to be sprayed by a work implement attached to a tractor.

In order to achieve the above object, the remaining amount warning system of the present invention is a remaining amount warning system that warns the remaining amount of contents sprayed by a work machine attached to a tractor, and is capable of communicating with the warning device and the warning device. The sensor is a capacitance sensor, and is mounted from the outer side surface of the non-metallic part of the container for storing the contents to be dispersed by the work implement, and the capacitance sensor is mounted on the container. When the content in the container is no longer sensed due to a change in capacitance sensed from the outside , a warning is given by the warning device .

Furthermore, the remaining amount warning system of the present invention is characterized in that the capacitance sensor is mounted via a mounting bracket that can be slid vertically along the outer side surface of the container. Furthermore, the remaining amount warning system of the present invention includes the capacitance sensor, the warning device including a first connector provided between the tractor and the work implement, and a second connector provided in the vicinity of the capacitance sensor. It is characterized by being connected by a harness. Further remaining amount warning system of the present invention, during said first connector and said warning device being connected by a warning device harness to the warning device harness, characterized by having a connector connectable to the battery before Symbol tractor And Furthermore, the remaining amount warning system of the present invention is characterized in that the warning device warns at least one of sound and light.

  According to the present invention, in the remaining amount warning system, it is possible to accurately warn the remaining amount of the contents to be sprayed by the work implement attached to the tractor and to have high versatility.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram showing an embodiment of the remaining amount warning system of the present invention. A work machine 6 is attached to the rear of the tractor 1. The work machine 6 is a work machine that disperses the contents of the container of the work machine 6 on the field based on PTO from the tractor and other power. There are various things to be spread according to the necessity of work, such as fertilizer, seeds, lime, and soil conditioner. The tractor 1 has a driver seat 2 for driving the tractor, and a battery 3 is provided as a battery for the tractor 1. Note that the present invention can be realized not only in the rear portion of the tractor 1 but also in the working device mounted on the front portion, the side portion, and the like of the tractor 1 as long as the working device is mounted on the tractor 1.

  The remaining amount warning system 7 has a configuration that requires a warning device 10 and a sensor 20. An intermediate harness 17 is connected between them. The warning device 10 can be provided in the work implement 6 sufficiently, but it is preferable to provide the warning device 10 in the vicinity of the driver's seat 2 in consideration of the driver of the tractor noticed while operating the tractor. Furthermore, if it is provided in front of the driver's seat 2, a warning by light can be noticed without turning around.

  The warning device 10 includes an LED terminal 11 and a buzzer terminal 12 for external output, and further includes a warning device harness 13. The warning device harness 13 is connected to the first connector (warning device side) 15 and is connected to the first connector (intermediate harness side) 16. The first connectors 15 and 16 are disposed outside the tractor 1 in the vicinity of the grommet 5 of the harness through hole provided in the tractor 1. In addition, the warning device harness 13 is branched from the middle to the battery connector 14, which can be connected to the battery side connector 4 of the battery 3, and the warning is sent from the battery 3 of the tractor. The apparatus 10 and the sensor 20 can be powered.

  The warning of the warning device 10 includes a warning by light and sound. Various alarms can be considered, such as an alarm using an LED, and an alarm indicating that a lamp is placed inside and a letter “out of charge” is provided on the outer surface. Further, various alarms such as a buzzer sound and a sound may be considered. In order to realize these methods, the warning device 10 incorporates necessary elements such as an LED and a speaker as necessary.

  The sensor 20 is connected to a sensor harness 21 and a second connector (sensor side) 22 at the tip thereof. The second connector (sensor side) 22 is provided in the vicinity of the sensor 20. And the sensor 20 is attached to the nonmetallic part of the outer side surface of the container which the working machine 6 has. Details of the sensor 20 will be described below.

The sensor 20 is a capacitance sensor. The capacitance sensor is a sensor that can check a capacitance within a measurement distance range (for example, 0 to 10 mm or 0 to 20 mm) on the front surface of the sensor. Since the dielectric constant is different depending on the material, the capacitance thus measured the difference of the material within the measurement range is different. When the capacitance sensor is installed from outside the container, the capacitance of the container is also included, but the capacitance is different depending on whether the contents are in the measurement range. If the sensor is set to ON or OFF during the absence, it is possible to know whether or not the contents are within the measurement range of the sensor. In consideration of the dielectric constant, the part of the container to be installed is preferably a non-metallic part and can be applied to the resin part.

  When the sensor 20 no longer senses the contents, a signal is communicated to the warning device 10 and the driver is warned by the warning device 10. You can know that there is nothing.

  The height at which the sensor 20 is installed is preferably high enough to warn the driver of the tractor when the contents are gone. For example, the height is such that the content is the remaining 1/5 to 2/5, more preferably 1/3. If the contents disappear and the height is the last minute (for example, the remaining one-fifth or less), the driver will be late to notice and the tractor will be advanced without spraying the contents. In addition, if the content remains sufficiently (for example, the remaining two-fifths or more), the number of times the content is replenished increases and becomes inefficient.

  It is also possible to install a plurality of sensors 20 at a plurality of heights and notify the warning device 10 step by step. For example, when the alarm is performed by changing the color or light emission amount of the LED of the warning device 10 in accordance with the stage, the first is only light, and the second is the method of including sound or changing the amount of sound. . The installation height of the sensor 20 in this case is arbitrarily set according to the warning content.

  The intermediate harness 17 has a first connector (intermediate harness side) 16 and a second connector (intermediate harness side) 18, which are a first connector (warning device side) 15 and a second connector (sensor side). And 22 respectively. The first connectors 15 and 16 are arranged outside the tractor grommet 5, and if the connection is removed when the work implement 6 is removed from the tractor 1, the wiring is also separated. Further, when the harness on the work machine 6 side becomes defective such as disconnection, it is possible to replace only the harness. On the other hand, when only the sensor 20 fails, the second connectors 18 and 22 can replace the parts of the sensor 20.

  The power of the remaining amount warning system 7 is supplied by the battery 3 in FIG. The battery 3 is a battery of the tractor 1, and the battery connector 14 is preferably a Nichiko standard connector. Moreover, it is also possible to mount a dry cell in the warning device 10 so that it can cope with the case where there is no battery. Furthermore, connecting with a solar cell is also conceivable.

  Below, a specific example is described about attachment of the sensor 20.

  FIG. 2 is a side view of the spreader according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the spreader according to the first embodiment as viewed from the tractor side. The spreader according to the first embodiment is attached to the rear portion of the tractor, and drops the contents in the container 30 from the shutter 32 while rotating the agitator 31. The rotation of the agitator 31 uses the PTO of the tractor 1 or a motor provided separately as a power source. The shutter 32 is perforated at regular intervals in the horizontal direction of the spreader (the horizontal direction in FIG. 3), and from here, the contents can be sprayed onto the field.

  The contents to be dispersed are lime, chemical fertilizer, soil conditioner and the like. The container 30 is made of stainless steel in consideration of corrosion resistance. As shown in the figure, the shape of the container 30 is such that the triangular prism is tilted sideways and one side is on the lower side. The container 30 is provided with a viewing window 34, and the material of the viewing window 34 is a transparent resin. That is, the part of the visual window 34 is a non-metallic part. By attaching the sensor 20 to an appropriate height at this portion, the warning by the warning device 10 becomes possible.

  Next, a specific example of the mounting portion of the sensor 20 will be shown.

  FIG. 4 is a front view showing a specific example of the sensor mounting portion. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the sensor mounting portion of FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the sensor mounting plate 40 and the sensor 20. By attaching the sensor mounting plate 40 to the outside of the viewing window 34 and mounting the sensor 20 there, a sensor mounting portion is provided that can adjust the height of the sensor 20. The sensor 20 can sense the capacitance inside the container 30 through the visual window 34 from the sensor front surface portion 23. In FIG. 5, the upper side is the inside of the container and the lower side is the outside.

The sensor mounting plate 40 has mounting holes 41 at the four corners and a rectangular opening 43 in the central vertical direction. The opening is wider than the sensor front surface portion 23 of the sensor 20 and opens in a range in which the sensor 20 can move in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the slide groove 42, is provided with vertically on both sides of the opening 43, the sensor mounting hole 49 and the slide groove 42, the sensor mounting plate 40 and the sensor 20 is fixed by passing a screw 48. The length of the slide groove 42 in the vertical direction is set within a range in which the sensor 20 can move in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the sensor 20 can be easily moved in the vertical direction simply by loosening the screw 48, and the sensor 20 can be fixed by tightening the screw 48, so that the height can be easily adjusted.

  Before the sensor 20 is attached, the visual window 34 is fixed to the container 30 by six second bolts 47. By fixing the sensor mounting plate 40 to the four corners with the first bolts 46 through the collar 45, the sensor mounting plate 40 can be set in the vertical direction only by adding parts to what has been only the viewing window 34 so far. The sensor 20 can be mounted as possible.

  FIG. 7 is a side view of the spreader according to the second embodiment. The spreader according to the second embodiment is a working machine in which a tractor is mounted on the mounting portion 53 side through the mounting portion 53 of the frame 57 and the contents in the hopper 50 are sprayed from the spray tube 51. The spray cylinder 51 is swung by the power from the PTO of the tractor and the contents are sprayed from the tip (right side in FIG. 7) of the spray cylinder 51 by the centrifugal force. The hopper 50 is fixed by a hopper fixing portion 54 and a third bolt 55 that are coupled to the frame 57.

  The sensor 20 is attached by attaching the mounting bracket 56 at two of the six locations of the third bolt 55, mounting the sensor mounting plate 40 on the mounting bracket 56, and further mounting the sensor 20 on the sensor mounting plate 40. The sensor mounting plate 40 and the sensor 20 are the same as those described in FIGS. 4 to 6 of the first embodiment.

  The mounting bracket 56 has an opening between the sensor front surface portion 23 and the hopper 50 so that the mounting bracket 56 does not intervene in a range in which the sensor 20 can move up and down. As a result, the mounting bracket 56 can be mounted using the two bolt holes of the hopper fixing portion 54 of the spreader, so that the sensor 20 can be easily mounted and the sensor 20 can be adjusted vertically. Can be possible.

  FIG. 8 is a side view of the spreader according to the third embodiment. The spreader of the third embodiment is basically the same as the configuration of the second embodiment. And the difference from Example 2 is attachment of the sensor attachment plate 40, and it demonstrates below. The sensor mounting plate 40 and the sensor 20 are the same as those described in FIGS. 4 to 6 of the first embodiment.

  The sensor attachment plate 40 is attached to the upper and lower portions of the sensor attachment plate 40 by a belt 58. The upper and lower belts 58 of the sensor mounting plate 40 make a round around the trunk of the hopper 50. The upper belt 58 is fixed to the upper portion of the hopper 50 by a hook metal 59 provided at the tip of the belt that branches in the upper direction. Accordingly, the sensor mounting plate 40 can be mounted at a desired position by using the belt 58 regardless of the form of the hopper fixing portion 54, and the sensor 20 can be easily mounted so that the sensor 20 can be adjusted in the vertical direction. I can do it.

  As described above, in each of the embodiments, the method of mounting the sensor 20 via the sensor mounting plate 40 so that one sensor 20 can be adjusted up and down is shown. Can also be adjusted. And it becomes possible to warn in steps as described above. In addition, when the height can be specified, it is also possible to attach by a mounting plate that is not adjustable. Thus, in this invention, by attaching the sensor 20 which is a capacitance sensor from the outside of a container, possibility that it will be attached to various containers becomes high, and versatility can be improved.

It is a wiring diagram showing one embodiment of the remaining amount warning system of the present invention. It is a side view of the spreader of Example 1. It is the front view seen from the tractor side of the spreader of Example 1. It is a front view which shows the specific example of a sensor attaching part. It is principal part sectional drawing of the sensor attachment part of FIG. It is a front view which shows a sensor mounting plate and a sensor. It is a side view of the spreader of Example 2. It is a side view of the spreader of Example 3.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tractor 2 Driver's seat 3 Battery 6 Work implement 10 Warning device 14 Battery connector 15 1st connector (warning device side)
16 First connector (intermediate harness side)
17 Intermediate harness 17
18 Second connector (intermediate harness side)
20 Sensor 22 Second connector (sensor side)
23 Sensor front face 30 Container 34 Viewing window 40 Sensor mounting plate 50 Hopper 54 Hopper fixing part 56 Mounting bracket 58 Belt

Claims (5)

In the remaining amount warning system that warns the remaining amount of the contents to be sprayed by the work implement attached to the tractor,
A warning device and a sensor capable of communicating with the warning device;
The sensor is a capacitance sensor that is attached from an outer side surface of a non-metal portion of a container that stores the contents to be dispersed by the work implement, and the capacitance sensor senses from the outside of the container. A remaining amount warning system that warns by the warning device when the contents in the container are no longer sensed due to a change in capacity. The remaining amount warning system according to claim 1,
The remaining capacity warning system, wherein the capacitance sensor is mounted via a mounting bracket that can be slid vertically along the outer side surface of the container to adjust the position. In the remaining amount warning system according to claim 1 or 2,
The capacitance sensor and the warning device are connected by a harness via a first connector provided between a tractor and a work machine, and a second connector provided in the vicinity of the capacitance sensor. Remaining amount warning system. In the remaining amount warning system according to claim 3,
Wherein between the first connector and the warning device are connected by a warning device harness the Warning device harness remaining amount warning system, characterized in that the battery before Symbol tractor having a connector connectable. In the remaining amount warning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The warning device, remaining amount warning system comprising a sound to alert in at least one of the light.

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