JP7030662B2 - Harvester - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a harvester that automatically travels in a reciprocating travel pattern in which a plurality of parallel work travel paths are connected by a turning travel path.

In harvesters such as combines that harvest crops while traveling in the field, the harvest is temporarily stored in the harvest tank, and once the harvest tank is full, the harvesting work is interrupted and the specified discharge is performed. After traveling to the area and discharging the harvest to the transport vehicle parked there, return to the place where the work was interrupted and resume the harvesting work. The transport vehicle loaded with the harvested products transports the harvested products to a facility that performs the following processing, such as a drying facility.

The combine according to Patent Document 1 is equipped with a grain sensor that detects the amount of grains in the grain tank, obtains the time required from the start of cutting to the full tank, and transmits the required time to a designated mobile phone. Has.

Patent Document 2 discloses a harvester that automatically travels along a travel route selected from a travel route group calculated to cover the field. In this harvester, when the harvest tank approaches fullness as the work runs, a discharge request is issued requesting the discharge of the harvest. In response to this discharge request, the harvester temporarily suspends the harvesting run, departs from the previously running path, and is the path chosen to guide the harvester to the harvest parking position. Use to drive to the harvest parking position.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-094780 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-066284

In the harvester according to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when the fullness of the harvest tank is detected, the full notification process or the discharge process of interrupting the harvesting work and emptying the harvest tank is performed. However, during harvesting work in a vast field, interrupting the harvesting run and performing discharge treatment to empty the harvest tank can lead to harvesting running, especially if automatic running is employed. Difficult problems such as searching for the return point of the vehicle and selecting the discharge travel route and the return travel route occur. Such a problem does not occur when the amount of the harvest tank stored becomes the amount required for discharge (for example, full) at a point where the selection of the discharge travel route and the return travel route becomes easy.
An object of the present invention is to provide a harvester capable of controlling the amount of storage in a harvest tank to be the amount required for discharge at a point where a discharge travel route and a return travel route can be easily set. That is.

The harvester according to the present invention, which automatically travels in a reciprocating traveling pattern in which a plurality of parallel working traveling paths are connected by a turning traveling path, has a harvest tank for storing the harvested material and the working traveling path in an unworked area. Based on the travel route setting unit that sets at predetermined intervals, the automatic travel control unit that automatically travels along the work travel route based on the work travel route and the position of the own vehicle, and the yield per unit mileage. From the specific work travel route that is the work travel route where the discharge timing of the harvest tank is generated, the discharge timing prediction unit that predicts the discharge timing occurrence position in the specific work travel route, and the harvest width in the specific work travel route. An adjusted travel route that delays the discharge timing to the end point of travel by setting a narrow harvest width is created, and a travel route adjustment unit that gives the adjusted travel route to the automatic travel control unit instead of the specific work travel route is provided. Be prepared.

With the harvester configured in this way, it is predicted that the discharge timing of the harvest tank (for example, the fullness of the harvest tank or the arrival at an acceptable amount in the secondary processing process) is predicted at a specific position on the work route. , The work travel route is regarded as a specific work travel route. Further, by postponing the occurrence of the discharge timing in the specific work travel route, the occurrence of the discharge timing becomes the end point of the work travel route. This is possible by replacing the adjusted travel route with a narrow harvest width (work width) with the specific work travel route. As a result, the harvester reaches the discharge timing when the running along the adjusted running path is completed, so that the harvester leaves the adjusted running path and heads for the discharge stop location. After the harvest has been discharged, the harvest run will resume from the next new work run route. As a result, it is possible to avoid time-consuming traveling such as interrupting the harvesting travel in the middle of the work traveling route, leaving the working traveling route, and returning to the middle of the working traveling route when the harvested product is discharged.

Since the actual harvest width in the harvesting run along the adjusted running route is narrower than the harvesting width in the harvesting running along the original working running route, an unharvested area occurs in the area where the original harvest is performed. .. In order to cover this unharvested area, it is necessary to change the work travel route used for the subsequent harvesting travel. Two methods are proposed as suitable methods for changing such a work travel route.

In one of the changing methods, the traveling route adjusting unit creates the adjusted traveling route by laterally shifting the specific working traveling route in a direction in which the harvest width decreases, and by laterally shifting the specific working traveling route. In order to make the widened work travel path into the predetermined interval, the work travel path in the unworked area is laterally shifted. In this embodiment, since the specific work travel route is used as the adjustment travel route, it is laterally shifted, so that the distance between the unworked region adjacent to the specific work travel route and the adjacent work travel route is wide. In order to solve this, the adjacent work travel route is also shifted laterally. Due to this lateral shift, the work travel path in the unworked area where the interval is widened is sequentially laterally shifted. As a result of laterally shifting all the work travel routes that need to be laterally shifted, if the work travel route that completely covers the unworked area is insufficient, a new work travel route may be created.

In another change method, the travel route adjustment unit newly creates a virtual travel route parallel to the specific work travel route as the adjustment travel route. This virtual travel path is set only by the coordinate position of the start end at which the work travel is started and the direction (meaning the extension direction, but the extension direction may be changed like a curved line). All you have to do is do. After adjusting the position of the own vehicle to the coordinate position of the starting end, the harvesting run with an appropriately narrowed harvest width is performed only by maintaining only the set orientation. In this change method, the distance between the virtual travel route and the work travel route adjacent to this virtual travel route is narrower than the normal route interval, and the range of the harvest width in the harvest travel along the work travel route is set. Many areas have been harvested, resulting in poor work efficiency. In order to solve this problem, the travel path adjusting unit laterally shifts the work travel path in the specific work travel path and the unworked area in a direction away from the virtual travel path. At that time, the value of this lateral shift may be a value obtained by subtracting the distance between the specific work travel route and the virtual travel route from the predetermined interval.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the traveling route adjusting unit creates an updated traveling route in which the harvest width is equal to the unworked area remaining after traveling of the adjusted traveling route, and the unworked route is created. The work travel route previously set in the area is replaced with the updated travel route. In this configuration, the renewal travel path is created to have an evenly distributed harvest width with respect to the unworked area remaining after the travel of the adjustment travel path. This is considered to have caused problems that occur when the harvest width of the last work run is abnormally narrowed, for example, the problem that the last work run is considered to be a wasteful run or an automatic run error. The problem is avoided.

It is a side view of a normal type combine as an example of a harvester. It is explanatory drawing which shows the peripheral mowing running of a combine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the running pattern which repeats the reciprocating running connected by a U-turn. It is explanatory drawing which shows the running pattern which runs toward the center in a spiral shape. It is explanatory drawing explaining the calculation of the work travel path in the reciprocating travel pattern using a switchback turn. It is explanatory drawing explaining the calculation of the work travel path in the reciprocating travel pattern using a normal U-turn. It is explanatory drawing explaining the calculation of the work travel path in a spiral travel pattern. It is explanatory drawing explaining the flow of the harvesting work by a combine performed by using manual running and automatic running. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of a combine. It is explanatory drawing explaining the procedure of creating the adjustment travel path from the specific work travel path. It is explanatory drawing explaining the lateral shift of the work travel path performed based on the setting of the adjustment travel path. It is explanatory drawing explaining the lateral shift of the work travel path performed based on the setting of the adjustment travel path. It is explanatory drawing explaining the even allocation of the work travel path performed based on the setting of the adjustment travel path.

Next, as an example of a harvester capable of automatic operation and manual operation according to the present invention, a normal combine will be described. In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, "front" (direction of arrow F shown in FIG. 1) means forward in the front-rear direction (traveling direction) of the aircraft, and "rear" (arrow B shown in FIG. 1). Direction) means rearward with respect to the front-rear direction (traveling direction) of the aircraft. Further, the left-right direction or the lateral direction means the aircraft crossing direction (airframe width direction) orthogonal to the aircraft front-rear direction. "Up" (direction of arrow U shown in FIG. 1) and "down" (direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 1) are positional relationships of the aircraft 10 in the vertical direction (vertical direction), and are relationships in height above the ground. Is shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, this combine includes an airframe 10, a crawler-type traveling device 11, an operating unit 12, a threshing device 13, a grain tank 14 as a harvest tank, a harvesting unit 15, a transport device 16, and a grain discharge device. The device 18 and the own vehicle position detection module 80 are provided.

The traveling device 11 is provided in the lower part of the machine body 10. The combine is configured to be self-propelled by the traveling device 11. The driving unit 12, the threshing device 13, and the grain tank 14 are provided on the upper side of the traveling device 11 and form the upper part of the machine body 10. The driver who drives the combine harvester and the observer who monitors the work of the combine harvester can be boarded in the driver unit 12. The observer may monitor the work of the combine from outside the combine.

The grain discharge device 18 is connected to the rear lower portion of the grain tank 14. Further, the own vehicle position detection module 80 is attached to the upper surface of the driving unit 12.

The harvesting section 15 is provided at the front portion of the combine. The transport device 16 is provided behind the harvesting section 15. Further, the harvesting unit 15 has a cutting mechanism 15a and a reel 15b. The cutting mechanism 15a cuts the planted culm in the field. Further, the reel 15b is driven to rotate and scrapes the planted grain culm to be harvested. With this configuration, the harvesting unit 15 harvests grains (a type of agricultural product) in the field. Then, the combine can be run by the traveling device 11 while harvesting the grains in the field by the harvesting unit 15.

The cut grain culm cut by the cutting mechanism 15a is conveyed to the threshing device 13 by the conveying device 16. In the threshing device 13, the harvested grain culm is threshed. The grains obtained by the threshing treatment are stored in the grain tank 14. The grains stored in the grain tank 14 are discharged to the outside of the machine by the grain discharging device 18 as needed.

The grain tank 14 is provided with a yield sensor 19 for measuring the yield of grains stored in the grain tank 14. As will be described in detail later, the yield per unit mileage (yield per unit area) of the combine can be calculated from the measurement signal from the yield sensor 19, the vehicle speed, and the harvest width of the harvesting unit 15. ..

Further, a general-purpose terminal 4 is arranged in the driving unit 12. In the present embodiment, the general-purpose terminal 4 is fixed to the driving unit 12. However, the general-purpose terminal 4 may be configured to be detachable from the driving unit 12, and the general-purpose terminal 4 may be removable from the combine harvester.

As shown in FIG. 2, this combine automatically travels along a travel route set in the field. This requires information on the position of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 9, the own vehicle position detection module 80 includes a satellite positioning unit 81 and an inertial navigation unit 82. The satellite positioning unit 81 receives a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) signal (including a GPS signal) which is position information transmitted from the artificial satellite GS, and outputs positioning data for calculating the position of the own vehicle. The inertial navigation unit 82 incorporates a gyro acceleration sensor and a magnetic orientation sensor, and outputs a signal indicating a momentary change in the attitude of the aircraft 10. The inertial navigation unit 82 is used to complement the vehicle position calculation by the satellite positioning unit 81. The inertial navigation unit 82 may be arranged at a place different from the satellite positioning unit 81.

The procedure for harvesting in the field with this combine is as described below.

First, the driver / observer manually operates the combine harvester, and as shown in FIG. 2, harvests while cutting the surrounding area along the boundary line of the field in the outer peripheral portion of the field. The area that has become the mowed area due to the surrounding mowing run is set as the outer peripheral area (already working area) SA. Then, the internal region left as uncut land (unworked land) inside the outer peripheral region SA is set as the unworked region CA. In this embodiment, the peripheral cutting run is performed so that the unworked area CA becomes a quadrangle. Of course, the unworked area CA of a polygon having a triangle or a pentagon or more may be adopted.

Further, at this time, in order to secure a certain width of the outer peripheral region SA, the driver causes the combine to travel two or three laps. In this running, the width of the outer peripheral region SA is expanded by the harvest width (working width) of the combine every time the combine makes one round. After the running of 2 to 3 laps, the width of the outer peripheral region SA becomes about 2 to 3 times the harvest width of the combine.

The outer peripheral region SA is used as a space for the combine to change direction when performing a harvesting run in the unworked region CA. Further, the outer peripheral region SA is also used as a space for movement such as when moving to a grain discharge place or when moving to a refueling place after the harvesting run is finished.

The transport vehicle CV shown in FIG. 2 can collect and transport the grains discharged from the grain discharge device 18 by the combine harvester. At the time of grain discharge, the combine moves to the vicinity of the carrier CV and then discharges the grains to the carrier CV by the grain discharge device 18.

When the inner map data showing the shape of the unworked area CA is created, the automatic running along the linear (straight or curved) working running path calculated based on the inner map data and the one working running path are used. The planted grain culm of the unworked area CA is cut by the harvesting run by the turning shift run for shifting to the next work run path. The traveling route for turning transition traveling is referred to as a turning transition route. The running patterns used in the harvesting run are a reciprocating run pattern (shown in FIG. 3) in which a plurality of parallel work run paths are connected by a U-turn path and a spiral shape along the outer edge of the unworked area CA. It is a swirl running pattern (shown in FIG. 4) that runs in parallel. In the calculation of the actual work travel route, the harvesting section 15 on the adjacent work travel route is used so that the uncut portion (harvest omission) of the grain culm does not occur even if the combine shifts from the work travel route during the work travel. Harvest widths are slightly overlapped. This overlap is called overlap. However, in the description of this embodiment, the overlap is ignored.

In the reciprocating travel pattern shown in FIG. 3, the combine travels so as to connect a work travel path parallel to one side of the unworked area CA by a U-turn which is a turning travel. There are two types of U-turns: a normal U-turn that skips one or more work travel paths and travels to the work travel route ahead, and a switchback turn that travels so as to connect adjacent work travel routes. The normal U-turn is, for example, a 180-degree turn including two forward 90-degree turns and a straight-ahead turn, and the straight-ahead may be omitted. The switchback turn is, for example, a 180 degree turn using forward 90 degree turn and reverse and forward 90 degree turn. Here, "straight ahead" is used as a phrase including moving forward along a straight line, moving forward along a gentle curved line, and moving forward while slightly swinging in the left-right direction.

In the swirl running pattern shown in FIG. 4, the circular running performed while connecting the working running paths similar to the outer shape of the unworked area CA with the turning running path is performed so as to form a swirl toward the center. For turning at the corner in each lap run, for example, a turning called an alpha turn is used in which the vehicle repeatedly moves forward and backward several times. It is also possible to change from the swirl traveling pattern to the reciprocating traveling pattern or from the reciprocating traveling pattern to the spiral traveling pattern during the work.

The work travel route used for automatically traveling the unworked area CA using the reciprocating travel pattern is calculated as follows based on the inner map data. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, from the inner map data, a quadrangular unworked area CA including the first side S1, the second side S2, the third side S3, and the fourth side S4 is defined. The first side S1 which is the long side of the unworked area CA is selected as the reference side S1. A line parallel to the reference side S1 and passing from the reference side S1 to the inside by half of the harvest width (cutting width) is calculated as the initial reference line L1. This initial reference line L1 corresponds to the work travel path on which the vehicle first travels. First, when a harvesting run that divides the unworked area CA in the middle is adopted, the initial reference line L1 is parallel to the reference side S1 and further away from the reference side S1 (half the harvest width +). A line passing through (an integral multiple of the harvest width) is calculated as the initial reference line L1.

When a switchback turn, which requires less space to make a 180 degree turn (U-turn), is adopted as a turning transition run, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the U-turn route is taken from the initial reference line L1. The reference lines L2, L3 ... Sequentially connected to each other are calculated in a state parallel to the initial reference line L1 and with a gap in the harvest width. These reference lines L1, L2, L3 ... Are work travel routes.

When a normal U-turn, in which the space required to make a U-turn is larger than the switchback turn, is adopted as a turning transition run, the next reference line L2 connected from the initial reference line L1 via the U-turn path is the initial reference. It is calculated at intervals parallel to line L1 and at intervals of multiple times the harvest width (3 times in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the next reference line L3 is calculated by the same method. In this way, the reference line is sequentially calculated in consideration of the space required for a normal U-turn. These reference lines L1, L2, L3 ... Correspond to the work travel route for straight travel.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the shape of the unworked area CA was a quadrangle, but even if it is another polygon such as a triangle or a pentagon, if the reference side S1 is selected, the work is sequentially performed by the same method. The travel route can be calculated.

When the swirl travel pattern is selected, the work travel route used for automatic travel is calculated as follows based on the inner map data. As shown in FIG. 7, the first side S1 which is the long side (may be the short side in the spiral traveling pattern) of the unworked area CA is selected as the reference side S1. A line parallel to the reference side S1 and passing from the reference side S1 to the inside by half of the harvest width is calculated as the reference line L1. This reference line L1 is an initial reference line that is the first work travel route for automatic driving. Further, a line parallel to the second side S2 adjacent to the reference side S1 in the traveling direction of the combine and passing from the second side S2 to the inside by half of the harvest width is calculated as the next reference line L2, and the first work travel route is obtained. It will be the next work travel route that will be the target of the next automatic travel. The first work travel path and the next work travel route are connected by an alpha turn that realizes the aircraft turning at an angle formed by the reference side S1 and the second side S2. Similarly, the next reference line L3 is also calculated sequentially. These reference lines L1, L2, L3 ... Correspond to the work travel route for straight travel.

In the actual harvesting work in the field, as shown in FIG. 8, the reciprocating running pattern and the swirling running pattern are often mixed. In the example of FIG. 8, when the combine enters the field (# a), the surrounding area is manually mowed to form an outer peripheral area SA which is a working area on the outermost peripheral side of the field (# b). When the outer peripheral region SA formed by the peripheral mowing run becomes a size that enables the direction change in the alpha turn, the swirl running pattern is set for the unworked region CA, and the swirl running is performed (# c). In this swirl running, automatic running is possible at least in a straight line. The spiral running is performed until the unworked area CA becomes large enough to enable turning transition running (normal U-turn, switchback turn) in the reciprocating running pattern (# d). Next, a work travel route is set for the unworked area CA so as to cover the unworked area CA with a reciprocating travel pattern (#e). By repeating the reciprocating run along the set work run route, the harvesting work of the field is completed (# f).

FIG. 9 shows the combine control system. The control system of the combine is composed of a control device 5 composed of a large number of electronic control units called ECUs connected via an in-vehicle LAN, and various input / output devices that perform signal communication and data communication with the control device 5. There is.

The control device 5 includes an output processing unit 58 and an input processing unit 57 as input / output interfaces. The output processing unit 58 is connected to various operating devices 70 via the device driver 65. The operating equipment 70 includes a traveling equipment group 71, which is a traveling-related device, and a working equipment group 72, which is a work-related device. The traveling device group 71 includes, for example, an engine device, a speed change device, a braking device, a steering device, and the like. The work equipment group 72 includes control equipment in the harvesting work equipment (harvesting unit 15, threshing device 13, transporting device 16, grain discharging device 18, etc., shown in FIG. 1).

A yield sensor 19, a traveling state sensor group 63, a working state sensor group 64, a traveling operation unit 90, and the like are connected to the input processing unit 57. The traveling state sensor group 63 includes a vehicle speed sensor, an engine rotation speed sensor, a parking brake detection sensor, a shift position detection sensor, a steering position detection sensor, and the like. The work state sensor group 64 includes a sensor for detecting the driving state and the posture of the harvesting work device, and a sensor for detecting the state of the culm and the grain.

The traveling operation unit 90 is a general term for operating tools that are manually operated by the driver and whose operation signals are input to the control device 5. The traveling operation unit 90 includes a main shifting lever 91 as a shifting lever, a steering lever 92, a mode operating tool configured as a mode switching switch 93, an automatic traveling operating tool 94, and the like. The mode changeover switch 93 gives a command to the control device 5 for switching between automatic operation and manual operation. The automatic traveling operation tool 94 gives an automatic traveling transition request to the control device 5.

The notification device 62 is a device for notifying a driver or the like of a warning regarding a working state or a traveling state, and includes a buzzer, a lamp, a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel, and the like. The general-purpose terminal 4 also functions as a device for notifying the driver and the like of the working state, the running state, and various information through the display on the touch panel 40.

The control device 5 is also connected to the general-purpose terminal 4 through an in-vehicle LAN. The general-purpose terminal 4 is a tablet computer provided with a touch panel 40. The general-purpose terminal 4 has an input / output control unit 41, a work travel management unit 42, a travel route calculation unit 43, and a travel route adjustment unit 44. The input / output control unit 41 has a function of constructing a graphic interface using the touch panel 40 and a function of exchanging data with a computer at a remote location via a wireless line or the Internet.

The work travel management unit 42 includes a travel locus calculation unit 421, a work area determination unit 422, and a discharge position setting unit 423. The traveling locus calculation unit 421 calculates the traveling locus based on the position of the own vehicle given by the control device 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the traveling locus calculation unit 421 calculates the traveling locus when the combine harvests around the outer peripheral region SA. The work area determination unit 422 divides the field into an outer peripheral area SA and an unworked area CA based on the traveling locus in the outer peripheral area SA. The outermost line of the outer peripheral region SA calculates the boundary line with the ridge of the field, and the innermost line of the outer peripheral region SA calculates the unworked area (shape of the unworked region CA) on which automatic traveling is performed. When the grain tank 14 is full, the discharge position setting unit 423 sets the discharge stop position of the combine when the grains of the grain tank 14 are discharged to the carrier CV by the grain discharge device 18.

The travel route calculation unit 43 calculates a work travel route for automatic travel for an unworked area determined by the work area determination unit 422. The traveling pattern (reciprocating traveling pattern or swirl traveling pattern) for automatically traveling in the unworked area is input through the touch panel 40. When the driver inputs that the manual driving of the outer peripheral region SA is completed, the route calculation according to the selected driving pattern is automatically performed.

The travel route calculation unit 43 determines the interval (route interval) of the adjacent work travel routes based on the harvest width of the harvest unit 15 and calculates the work travel route. If the work travel route is adjusted so that the number of culms that fall within the harvest width is reduced, that is, the actual harvest width is narrowed, the yield per unit travel is reduced. The travel route adjustment unit 44 adjusts such a work travel route. For example, if the travel route adjusting unit 44 makes adjustments so as to narrow the distance (route interval) between the work travel route that has already been harvested and the work travel route that will be traveled from now on, the harvest width becomes narrow and the work travel route is concerned. The yield per unit run in is reduced.

The control device 5 includes a vehicle position calculation unit 50, a travel control unit 51, a work control unit 52, a grain storage information generation unit 53, and a discharge timing prediction unit 54. The own vehicle position calculation unit 50 calculates the own vehicle position in the form of map coordinates (or field coordinates) based on the positioning data sequentially sent from the satellite positioning unit 81. The own vehicle position calculation unit 50 can also calculate the own vehicle position by using the attitude change of the aircraft 10 based on the signal from the inertial navigation unit 82 and the mileage of the aircraft 10. The own vehicle position calculation unit 50 can also calculate the own vehicle position by combining the signals from the satellite positioning unit 81 and the inertial navigation unit 82.

The notification unit 56 generates notification data based on a command or the like from each functional unit of the control device 5, and gives the notification data to the notification device 62.

The travel control unit 51 has an engine control function, a steering control function, a vehicle speed control function, and the like, and gives a travel control signal to the travel equipment group 71. The work control unit 52 gives a work control signal to the work equipment group 72 in order to control the movement of the harvesting work apparatus.

The travel control unit 51 includes a manual travel control unit 511, an automatic travel control unit 512, a travel route setting unit 513, and an automatic travel management unit 514.

When the automatic driving mode is set, the automatic driving control unit 512 controls the traveling equipment group 71. The travel route setting unit 513 receives from the general-purpose terminal 4 a work travel route calculated by the travel route calculation unit 43 or an adjusted travel route that is a work travel route adjusted by the travel route adjustment unit 44, and automatically performs it in a timely manner. It is set as a work travel route that is the target of steering. The automatic driving control unit 512 has an directional deviation and a positional deviation between the work traveling route set by the traveling route setting unit 513 and the own vehicle position calculated by the own vehicle position calculation unit 50 in order to perform automatic steering. A steering control signal is generated so as to eliminate the above. Further, the automatic driving control unit 512 generates a control signal related to the vehicle speed change based on the vehicle speed value set in advance.

When the manual driving mode is selected, when the manual operation signal is sent to the manual driving control unit 511 based on the operation by the driver, the manual driving control unit 511 generates a control signal and controls the traveling equipment group 71. As a result, manual operation is realized. The work travel route set by the travel route setting unit 513 can be used even in manual operation, and can be used, for example, for guidance for the combine to travel along the work travel route.

When the driving mode is switched to the automatic driving mode by the mode changeover switch 93, the automatic driving management unit 514 determines whether or not the automatic driving is permitted based on the preset automatic driving permission conditions, and this determination result is permitted. If this is the case, an automatic driving start command is given to the automatic driving control unit 512.

The grain storage information generation unit 53 calculates the grain storage amount (yield) in the grain tank 14 based on the measurement signal from the yield sensor 19, and further, the unit travel is based on the storage increase amount per unit time and the vehicle speed. Calculate the amount of storage per distance. When the storage amount per unit mileage is normalized by the harvest width, the increase amount of grains in the grain tank 14 in the unit harvest width and the unit mileage, that is, the so-called unit grain increase amount can be obtained. By multiplying this unit grain increase amount by an arbitrary harvest width and an arbitrary mileage, the amount of increase in grains in the grain tank 14 when traveling an arbitrary mileage with an arbitrary harvest width can be obtained. .. Such information such as the grain storage amount and the unit grain increase amount in the grain tank 14 is generated by the grain storage information generation unit 53 as the grain storage information, and the discharge timing prediction unit 54 and the traveling route adjustment unit. Sent to 44.

When the peripheral mowing is finished, the travel route calculation unit 43 calculates the work travel route in the unworked area CA. The grain storage state in the grain tank 14 at an arbitrary position in the calculated work travel path can be calculated by simulation by the discharge timing prediction unit 54. This simulation is performed before the work run for the unworked area CA, but may be performed during the work run for the unworked area CA. The discharge timing prediction unit 54 has a work travel route (referred to as a specific work travel route) in which the grain tank 14 is full when the harvesting operation is continued with the current harvest width in the current grain storage amount in the grain tank 14. ), And the full occurrence position where the grain tank 14 in this work travel path is full is predicted. The amount of grain stored when the grain tank 14 is full is preset. When the grain tank 14 is full, the combine must move to the discharge stop and drain the grains from the grain tank 14. Therefore, this full occurrence timing is the discharge timing, and the full occurrence position is the discharge timing generation position. In addition, the "fullness of the grain tank 14" described here represents the storage amount that requires the discharge of the grain from the grain tank 14, and the grain tank 14 is not necessarily 100% of the grain. It does not mean that it is satisfied.

When leaving the route from the middle of the work travel route, the vehicle usually travels backward on the travel route, returns to the outer peripheral region SA, and heads for the discharge stop location. This reverse running is performed at a low speed, and there is a large time loss. In addition, there is a possibility that the pre-harvest culm may be trampled due to a steering error in reverse driving. In addition, in order to resume the harvesting work after the grains are discharged at the discharge stop location, it is necessary to enter from the side to the position where the route is separated (the position where the discharge timing is generated) on the specific work travel route. Steering to accurately enter the desired position from this side is not easy. In order to avoid this, if the vehicle enters from the starting point of the specific work travel route, the route portion where the harvesting work has already been completed will be wastefully traveled, and the work efficiency will decrease. Further, in order to automatically steer the vehicle from the discharge timing generation position to the discharge stop location, a new departure travel route from the discharge timing generation position to the discharge stop location must be calculated. Further, in order to automatically steer the return travel from the discharge stop location to the discharge timing generation position, the return travel route from the discharge stop location to the discharge timing generation position must be newly calculated. In order to avoid such a problem, in this combine, a work travel route having a narrower harvest width than the current harvest width is used instead of the specific work travel route, so that the work travel can be performed at the position where the discharge timing occurs. A method of delaying to the end point (running end point) of the route is adopted. Such a method is realized by the traveling route adjusting unit 44. If the point where the route leaves is the end point of the work travel route, the route departure travel and the route return travel for grain discharge become easy.

The travel route adjusting unit 44 provides an adjusted travel route that extends parallel to the specified work travel route at a position closer to the existing work area than the specific work travel route so that the harvest width is narrower than the harvest width when traveling on the specific work travel route. create. The harvest width when traveling on the adjusted travel route is determined so that the discharge timing is reached when the combine finishes traveling on the adjusted travel route at the harvest width.

The principle of creating this adjusted travel path is shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the set work travel paths are indicated by L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. The basic harvest width, which is the harvest width used when calculating the work travel route, is indicated by Wo. FIG. 10 shows a simulation result that the discharge timing occurs while traveling on the work travel path of L3. The discharge timing point, which is the position where the discharge timing occurs, is indicated by P, and the work travel route of L3 is the specific work travel route (indicated by SL in FIG. 10). The adjusted travel route is a work travel route that delays the discharge timing point to the end point of the work travel route by narrowing the harvest width, and is an extra-thick line shown by AL in FIG. Since the adjusted travel route is shifted from the specific work travel route by the amount of deviation calculated toward the existing work area (indicated by δ in FIG. 10), the harvesting section 15 has the full width of the grain. Instead of cutting the culm, the portion of the width corresponding to the deviation amount: δ of the harvesting portion 15 is cut empty. That is, the harvest width (indicated by Wx in FIG. 10) of the de facto adjusted traveling route is narrower than Wo by the amount of deviation: δ. From this,
(Equation A) δ = Wo-Wx
Is obtained.
Further, the yield up to the discharge timing point: P in the specific work travel route is the same as the yield in the total length of the adjusted travel route: AL. From this, the length of each work travel route: D, the discharge timing occurrence position in the specific work travel route: the mileage to P: Dp, the harvest width in the specific work travel route: Wo, and the adjusted travel route. Harvest width: With Wx,
(Equation B) Wo ・ Dp = Wx ・ D
Is obtained.
Therefore, when the discharge timing generation position in the specific work travel path: the mileage to P: Dp is calculated by the simulation, the deviation amount: δ is obtained from the following equations using (Equation A) and (Equation B). Be,
δ = Wo · (1-Dp / D).
The coordinate position for the adjusted travel route is calculated based on the obtained deviation amount: δ.

The travel route adjusting unit 44 creates an adjusted travel route based on the calculated coordinate position for the adjusted travel route and gives it to the travel route setting unit 513. Next, three examples of creating the adjusted travel path by the travel route adjusting unit 44 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11, 12, and 13. In FIGS. 11, 12, and 13, the work travel route from L1 to L6 is shown, and it is predicted that L4 will be the specific work travel route: SL. The adjusted travel route is indicated by AL.

In the example of FIG. 11, the traveling route adjusting unit 44 laterally shifts the working traveling route: L4 having the specific working traveling route: SL to the already working area side at a distance corresponding to the above-mentioned deviation amount: δ. , Adjusted travel route: AL is created. Since the discharge timing occurs at the end of the adjusted travel route: AL, the combine leaves the work travel route and heads for the discharge stop location when the vehicle finishes traveling on the adjusted travel route: AL. Due to the lateral shift of the work travel route: L4, the route distance between the work travel route: L4 and the work travel route: L5 adjacent to each other on the unworked area side is widened, so that the route interval becomes the original predetermined interval. , Work travel route: L5 is also laterally shifted. Further, since the distance between the work travel route: L5 and the work travel route: L6 is also widened by this lateral shift, the work travel route: L6 is laterally shifted so as to be the original predetermined interval. Such a lateral shift is performed for all work travel paths that have not yet been traveled. When the work travel path becomes insufficient at the end of the unworked area due to this lateral shift, the additional work travel route: Lx shown by the dotted line in FIG. 11 is created. Regarding the creation of this additional work travel route: Lx, for example, if there is an appropriate work travel route used when forming the outer peripheral region SA, the work travel route is laterally shifted and used as the additional work travel route: Lx. You may.

In the example of FIG. 12, the specific work travel route: SL is not shifted laterally, but the work travel route: L4 is separated from the work travel route: L4 by the amount of deviation: δ. A new virtual travel route parallel to the work travel route: L4 is created, and this is used as the adjustment travel route: AL. This virtual travel route may be a route in which only the map coordinate position of the start end and the extension direction (direction) are defined. In this example, the route interval between the adjusted travel route: AL and the work travel route: L4 is narrower than the basic harvest width: Wo, so that the route interval becomes the original predetermined interval. Work travel route: All the work travel routes set in the unworked area after L4 (work travel routes: L4 to L6 in FIG. 12) are laterally shifted. In this example, there is an advantage that the inconvenience that the number of initially calculated work travel paths is insufficient does not occur.

In the example of FIG. 13, as in the example of FIG. 12, after the adjusted travel route: AL is created, the harvest width is equal to the unworked area remaining after traveling along the adjusted travel route: AL. The updated travel route is newly set. In FIG. 13, the equal yield width, which is the new harvest width divided evenly, is shown by We, and the updated travel route changed by using this equal harvest width: We is La, Lb, Lc. Indicated by.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the discharge timing is configured to occur when the grain tank 14 is full, but other than that, a configuration is adopted in which the discharge timing occurs in the grain storage state of the grain tank 14. You may. For example, the timing at which the amount of grains that can be loaded by the carrier CV is stored in the grain tank 14 may be set as the discharge timing. Further, the timing at which the amount of grains that can be accepted in the secondary treatment step such as the drying step in the drying facility is stored in the grain tank 14 may be set as the discharge timing.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the yield per unit mileage is calculated based on the measurement signal from the yield sensor 19, but other measurement methods can be adopted. For example, it is also possible to temporarily store the grains sent from the threshing device 13 to the grain tank 14 and calculate the yield per unit mileage from the stored amount per hour. Further, it is also possible to provide a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor in the grain tank 14 to detect the grains stored in the grain tank 14 and calculate the stored amount from the detection result. Moreover, you may combine those measuring methods.

(3) Each functional unit shown in FIG. 9 is divided mainly for the purpose of explanation. In practice, each functional unit may be integrated with other functional units or may be divided into a plurality of functional units. For example, with respect to the functional unit built in the general-purpose terminal 4, the control device 5 may be partially or wholly incorporated.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the peripheral mowing running is performed manually, but after the second lap, automatic running may be adopted for partial running, especially for linear running. ..

The present invention can be used not only for ordinary combine harvesters but also for head-feeding combine harvesters. It can also be used for various harvesters such as corn harvesters, carrot harvesters, and sugar cane harvesters.

10: Machine 13: Threshing device 14: Grain tank 15: Harvesting unit 16: Transport device 18: Grain discharging device 19: Yield sensor 4: General-purpose terminal 42: Working travel management unit 422: Working area determination unit 43: Travel route Calculation unit 44: Travel route adjustment unit 5: Control device 50: Own vehicle position calculation unit 51: Travel control unit 511: Manual travel control unit 512: Automatic travel control unit 513: Travel route setting unit 53: Grain storage information generation unit 54: Emission timing prediction unit CA: Unworked area SA: Outer peripheral area

Claims (5)

It is a harvester that automatically runs in a reciprocating running pattern that runs by connecting multiple parallel work running paths with a turning running path.
A harvest tank that stores the harvest and
A travel route setting unit that sets the work travel route at predetermined intervals in an unworked area,
An automatic traveling control unit that automatically travels along the working traveling route based on the working traveling route and the position of the own vehicle,
A specific work travel route, which is the work travel route where the discharge timing of the harvest tank is generated based on the yield per unit mileage, and an discharge timing prediction unit that predicts the discharge timing generation position in the specific work travel route.
By setting the harvest width narrower than the harvest width on the specific work travel route, an adjusted travel route for delaying the discharge timing to the end point of travel is created, and the adjusted travel route is replaced with the specific work travel route for the automatic travel. The travel route adjustment unit given to the control unit and
Harvester equipped with. The travel route adjusting unit creates the adjusted travel route by laterally shifting the specific work travel route in a direction in which the harvest width decreases, and the work travel route expanded by the lateral shift of the specific work travel route. The harvester according to claim 1, wherein the work traveling path in the unworked area is laterally shifted in order to set the interval to the predetermined interval. The harvester according to claim 1, wherein the traveling route adjusting unit newly creates a virtual traveling route parallel to the specific working traveling route as the adjusted traveling route. The travel route adjusting unit laterally shifts the specific work travel route and the work travel route in the unworked area in a direction away from the virtual travel route, and the value of the lateral shift is the value of the specific work travel from the predetermined interval. The harvester according to claim 3, which is a value obtained by subtracting the distance between the route and the virtual traveling route. The traveling route adjusting unit creates an updated traveling route in which the harvest width is equal to the unworked area remaining after traveling on the adjusted traveling route, and the working traveling route previously set in the unworked area. The harvester according to claim 3, wherein the above-mentioned renewal traveling route is used.

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