JP7519066B2 - Agricultural machinery - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to agricultural machinery. In particular, the present invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural machinery.

Currently, agricultural machinery is being automated to reduce the amount of time spent on farm work, and a variety of agricultural machinery has been developed. In particular, agricultural machinery (cultivators and plowers) that are attached to the rear of a running body such as a tractor and can be changed depending on the type of work, such as plowing or plowing, can be used for a variety of farm work simply by changing the running body of the tractor like an attachment, making it possible to handle a variety of farm work, and making a significant contribution to reducing the cost of farm work.

In particular, in recent years, there has been progress in the development of self-propelled agricultural machines that perform unmanned agricultural work. Currently, the development of unmanned self-propelled agricultural machines is focused primarily on the running body, and for example, when performing unmanned agricultural work such as plowing or harrowing, there are only configurations in which these are towed by the running body (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-201444 A

In the case of a towed agricultural machine like that in Patent Document 1, the work efficiency is good in large fields, but when there are many small fields scattered around, the proportion of the time required to move between fields to the total work time increases due to the large number of fields, making it impossible to work efficiently. Also, because such agricultural machines are very large, it was necessary to prepare a large truck to move them.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its objective is to realize a self-propelled agricultural work machine with a new configuration that does not require towing by a running machine body.

The agricultural work machine (100) in one embodiment of the present invention has front wheels (300), rear wheels (400), a working part (500) that is provided between the front wheels and the rear wheels and that tills the field, and a first ground leveling member (600) that is provided behind the rear wheels.

The working unit may have a rotating claw shaft and a working claw attached to the claw shaft for tilling the field.

The working section may have a second leveling member (750A) provided behind the working claw.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a self-propelled agricultural machine with a new configuration that does not require towing by a running body.

1 is a side view showing a configuration of an agricultural machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of an agricultural machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of an agricultural machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The agricultural working machine of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the agricultural working machine of the present invention can be implemented in many different forms, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the examples shown below. In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, identical parts or parts having similar functions are designated with the same reference numerals or the same reference numerals followed by an alphabet, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

In the specification and claims of this application, "up" refers to a direction moving vertically away from the field, and "down" refers to a direction moving vertically toward the field. Additionally, "front" refers to the direction in which the agricultural machine advances while working on the field, and "rear" refers to a direction 180 degrees opposite to front. Additionally, "left" and "right" refer to the left and right directions when the agricultural machine is facing forward.

In addition, in the specification and claims of this application, when the center line of the agricultural machine in a plan view (a line parallel to the direction of travel) is used as the base line, the side relatively closer to the center line is referred to as the "inner side," and the side farther from the center is referred to as the "outer side." "Cultivate" includes at least "puddling," "cultivation," and "soil crushing."

In the following embodiment, a tiller is used as a representative example of an agricultural machine, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the present invention can be applied to agricultural machines that till fields, such as tillers and soil crushers, in addition to tillers. Furthermore, techniques from different embodiments can be combined, as long as no particular technical contradiction occurs. Furthermore, technical ideas presented as variations of one embodiment can be applied to other embodiments, as long as no particular technical contradiction occurs.

First Embodiment
[Configuration of agricultural machine 100]
The agricultural work machine 100 of this embodiment is a self-propelled work machine that performs work unmanned while moving forward. Fig. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the agricultural work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the agricultural work machine 100 has a frame 200, front wheels 300, rear wheels 400, a working unit 500, and a first ground leveling member 600.

The frame 200 includes a main frame 210, a pair (two) of front wheel frames 220, and a pair (two) of rear wheel frames 230. The main frame 210 is a member that constitutes the framework of the agricultural work machine 100. The main frame 210 extends between the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400 in a direction that connects the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400. The pair of front wheel frames 220 are connected to the front side of the main frame 210 and extend downward from the main frame 210. The front wheels 300 are attached near the ends of each front wheel frame 220. The pair of rear wheel frames 230 are connected to the rear side of the main frame 210 and extend downward from the main frame 210. The rear wheels 400 are attached near the ends of each rear wheel frame 230.

The working unit 500 is provided between the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400. In other words, the agricultural work machine 100 is a mid-mount type agricultural work machine. The working unit 500 is a member that plows a field with a predetermined working width W3 (see FIG. 2). For example, the working unit 500 is a member that performs tasks such as plowing, cultivating, and soil crushing. The working unit 500 may have the function of performing multiple tasks among the above tasks. The working unit 500 is connected (supported) to the main frame 210 via a connecting member 510. Although not shown, the connecting member 510 is provided with a working unit lifting mechanism that moves the working unit 500 up and down, and the connecting member 510 supports the working unit 500 via the working unit lifting mechanism so that it can be raised and lowered freely. At this time, when the working unit 500 is moved upward, a part of the connecting member 510 may protrude upward from the main frame 210.

The first ground leveling member 600 is provided behind the rear wheel frame 230 and the rear wheel 400. The first ground leveling member 600 is supported rotatably relative to the rear wheel frame 230. The first ground leveling member 600 is a member that levels the field plowed by the working unit 500 after the rear wheel 400 has passed through it. The first ground leveling member 600 includes a link arm 610 and a ground contact member 620. The link arm 610 is rotatably connected (supported) to the rear wheel frame 230 at a connection portion 611. The link arm 610 is a member for grounding the ground contact member 620 to the field sufficiently behind the rear wheel 400. The ground contact member 620 is rotatably connected to the link arm 610 at a connection portion 621. The ground contact member 620 rotates around the connection part 621, and during operation, it rotates up and down while touching the ground and following the unevenness of the field. In this way, the ground contact member 620 levels the field, smoothing out the marks made by the working part 500 and the ruts made by the rear wheels 400. Note that leveling does not mean making an uneven field completely flat, but rather mitigating the steps caused by the marks and ruts.

The link arm 610 is configured to be freely rotatable around the connection part 611. The agricultural work machine 100 of this embodiment is provided with a ground leveling member lifting mechanism (not shown), and when not in operation, the position of the first ground leveling member 600 can be adjusted by the ground leveling member lifting mechanism so that the ground contact member 620 is sufficiently separated from the field.

In addition, a member that biases the ground contact member 620 to rotate downward may be provided between the ground contact member 620 and the link arm 610 so that the ground contact member 620 efficiently levels the field. For example, a member (e.g., an elastic member such as a spring) that acts on the ground contact member 620 in a direction to rotate the ground contact member 620 downward may be provided between the ground contact member 620 and the link arm 610. In addition, the first ground leveling member 600 may be rotated up and down by the ground leveling member lifting mechanism in conjunction with the up and down movement of the working unit 500 by the working unit lifting mechanism. For example, a link mechanism is interposed between the working unit lifting mechanism and the link arm 610. As a result, the first ground leveling member 600 rotates upward in conjunction with the upward movement of the working unit 500, and the first ground leveling member 600 rotates downward in conjunction with the downward movement of the working unit 500. The mechanism that links the vertical movement of the working unit 500 with the vertical rotation of the first ground leveling member is not limited to the configuration described above. When the first ground leveling member 600 rotates upward, only the link arm 610 may rotate upward, or both the link arm 610 and the ground contact member 620 may rotate upward.

When the working unit 500 tills the field, the working unit 500 is adjusted to a height that allows it to properly till the field. For example, when the agricultural work machine 100 travels forward during work, the working unit 500 and the first soil leveling member 600 move downward to till the field at a predetermined tilling depth. On the other hand, when the agricultural work machine 100 turns on the headland, the working unit 500 and the first soil leveling member 600 move upward. Also, for example, when the agricultural work machine 100 climbs over a ridge to leave the field, the working unit 500 and the first soil leveling member 600 move upward.

Although not shown, the main frame 210 is provided with various functional components for operating the agricultural work machine 100. Examples of the various functional components include an engine, a transmission, a turning mechanism, a drive control mechanism, a communication mechanism, and a fuel tank. The communication mechanism receives a control signal from the server or a remote control by communicating with the server. Based on the control signal received from the server, the drive control mechanism drives the engine, the transmission, and the turning mechanism. These operations cause the agricultural work machine 100 to automatically travel. The turning mechanism may turn only the front wheels 300 left and right, only the rear wheels 400 left and right, or both wheels.

1, the front wheel frame 220 and the rear wheel frame 230 each extend in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction in which the main frame 210 extends (i.e., vertically downward), but this is not limited to this configuration. The front wheel frame 220 and the rear wheel frame 230 may extend in a diagonal direction relative to the front-rear direction in which the main frame 210 extends, that is, inclined relative to the vertical direction. Also, in FIG. 1, the front wheel frame 220 and the rear wheel frame 230 each are integral with the main frame 210, that is, both frames are fixed to the main frame 210, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, the front wheel frame 220 and the rear wheel frame 230 may be separate from the main frame 210, and both frames may be attached to the main frame 210. In this case, the direction in which both frames extend relative to the front-rear direction in which the main frame 210 extends may be variably attached, and may be variably controlled by a control mechanism. For example, while the agricultural work machine 100 is traveling, the direction in which both frames extend may be controlled to change relative to the forward/rearward direction in which the main frame 210 extends through automatic control.

2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an agricultural machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the frame 200 and the link arm 610 are omitted for convenience of explanation. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400 has wheels on the left and right. In this embodiment, a four-wheel configuration is used in which two front wheels 300 are supported by a pair of front wheel frames 220 and two rear wheels 400 are supported by a pair of rear wheel frames 230. However, a three-wheel configuration may be used in which one front wheel frame 220 is provided instead of a pair of front wheel frames 220, one front wheel 300 is supported by the front wheel frame 220, and two rear wheels 400 are supported by the rear wheel frame 230. In addition, each of the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400 may have crawlers that are driven independently instead of wheels, or one of the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400 may have wheels and the other may have crawlers.

The first ground leveling member 600 (ground contact member 620) is provided at a position overlapping at least the rear wheel 400 when the agricultural work machine 100 is viewed from the rear. In other words, the first ground leveling member 600 is provided on an extension line of the rear wheel 400 in a direction opposite to the direction of progress of the work (forward direction) in a plan view. In other words, the first ground leveling member 600 is provided at least at the same position as the rear wheel 400 in the left-right direction (the direction in which the axle of the rear wheel 400 extends). In other words, the first ground leveling member 600 is provided at least directly behind the rear wheel 400 so as to overlap with the rear wheel 400. By providing such a configuration, the agricultural work machine 100 can level the ruts generated by the rear wheel 400 with the first ground leveling member 600. In the left-right direction, the working width W1 of the first ground leveling member 600 is larger than the wheel width W2 of the rear wheel 400. The wheel width W2 is the distance between the left end of the left wheel and the right end of the right wheel of the rear wheels 400 in the left-right direction.

2 shows an example of a configuration in which the first ground leveling member 600 is provided continuously from the left end to the right end of the left and right rear wheels 400 behind the left and right rear wheels 400 (a so-called one-piece configuration), but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, the first ground leveling member 600 may be provided independently for each of the left and right rear wheels 400. In other words, the first ground leveling member 600 provided behind the right rear wheel 400 and the first ground leveling member 600 provided behind the left rear wheel 400 may be provided separately on the left and right. In other words, multiple first ground leveling members 600 may be provided behind the left and right rear wheels 400.

In the left-right direction, the working width W3 of the working unit 500 is larger than the wheel width W4 of the front wheels 300. The wheel width W4 is the distance between the left end of the left wheel of the front wheels 300 and the right end of the right wheel of the front wheels 300 in the left-right direction. The working width W3 is the left-right width of the area in which the working unit 500 tills the field. By making the working width W3 larger than the wheel width W4, ruts caused by the front wheels 300 can be leveled. The working width W3 may be the same as the wheel width W4 or may be smaller than the wheel width W4. The working width W3 is also larger than the wheel width W2 of the rear wheels 400.

As described above, according to the agricultural working machine 100 of this embodiment, the working unit 500 is located between the front wheels 300 and the rear wheels 400, so that the weight balance in the front-rear direction of the agricultural working machine 100 is stable, and the movement of the agricultural working machine 100 can be stabilized. In addition, the first ground leveling member 600 is provided behind the rear wheels 400, so that the ruts caused by the rear wheels 400 after the work of the working unit 500 can be leveled. With this configuration, a new self-propelled agricultural working machine that does not require towing by the traveling machine body can be realized. In addition, since the agricultural working machine 100 has the above configuration, the size of the agricultural working machine 100 can be made compact. As a result, a compact self-propelled agricultural working machine that can be transported even by a small truck such as a light truck can be realized.

Second Embodiment
An agricultural work machine 100A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. The agricultural work machine 100A shown in Figure 3 is similar to the agricultural work machine 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2, but differs from the agricultural work machine 100 in that a tiller 700A is provided instead of the working section 500. Other configurations of the agricultural work machine 100A are the same as those of the agricultural work machine 100, and therefore descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the agricultural machine 100A includes a tiller 700A. The tiller 700A includes a frame 710A, a rotor 720A, a shield cover 730A, an apron 740A, and a second leveling member 750A. The rotor 720A is rotatably attached to the frame 710A. The rotor 720A has a rotating claw shaft and a plurality of working claws attached to the claw shaft, and the working claws are rotated to till or stir the field at a predetermined working width W3 (see FIG. 2). The apron 740A is provided behind the rotor 720A and rotatably relative to the frame 710A and the shield cover 730A. Note that the positional relationship between the shield cover 730A and the frame 710A is fixed, so the shield cover 730A can also be considered as part of the frame 710A. The second leveling member 750A is provided behind the rotor 720A (working claw). The second leveling member 750A is rotatably mounted on the apron 740A. The apron 740A and the second leveling member 750A come into contact with the field to level the field that has been tilled or stirred by the rotor 720A. The width of the apron 740A and the width of the second leveling member 750A in the left-right direction do not necessarily have to match the working width W3, and the width of the apron 740A and the width of the second leveling member 750A can be configured to be smaller than the working width W3.

The up and down rotation of the first leveling member 600A may be linked to the up and down movement of the tiller 700A. For example, the first leveling member 600A may rotate upward in conjunction with the upward movement of the tiller 700A. Alternatively, the up and down rotation of the first leveling member 600A may be linked to the up and down rotation of the apron 740A and the second leveling member 750A. For example, the up and down rotation of the apron 740A may be linked to the up and down rotation of the link arm 610A. Also, the up and down rotation of the second leveling member 750A may be linked to the up and down rotation of the ground contact member 620A.

When the tiller 700A tills the field, it is adjusted to a height that allows the tiller 700A to till the field appropriately. For example, when the agricultural work machine 100A travels forward during work, the tiller 700A and the first leveling member 600A move downward to till and level the field. On the other hand, when the agricultural work machine 100A turns on the headland, the tiller 700A and the first leveling member 600A move upward. Also, for example, when the agricultural work machine 100A climbs over a ridge to leave the field, the tiller 700A and the first leveling member 600A move upward.

As described above, the agricultural work machine 100A according to this embodiment not only achieves the same effects as the first embodiment, but also provides a leveling member behind the working claw, making it possible to further level the field. In other words, by providing the second leveling member 750A near the working claw, the field cultivated by the working claw can be quickly leveled, making it easier to level the field. And by providing the first leveling member 600A behind the rear wheels 400A (behind the second leveling member 750A), not only can the ruts created by the rear wheels 400A be leveled, but also the field that the rear wheels 400A have not passed over can be leveled, making it possible to further level the field.

In the above embodiment, the ground contact members 620, 620A are plate-shaped members, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the ground contact members 620, 620A may be other members capable of leveling ruts, such as rollers, basket rollers, or Cambridge rollers, in addition to plate-shaped members.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a work machine according to the present embodiment to which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds, deletes, or modifies components is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it satisfies the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-mentioned embodiments can be appropriately combined as long as there are no mutual contradictions, and technical matters common to each embodiment are included in each embodiment even if not explicitly stated.

Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, if they are clear from the description in this specification or can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art, they are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention.

100: Agricultural machine, 200: Frame, 210: Main frame, 220: Front wheel frame, 230: Rear wheel frame, 300: Front wheel, 400: Rear wheel, 500: Working part, 510: Connection member, 600: First ground leveling member, 610: Link arm, 611: Connection part, 620: Ground contact member, 621: Connection part, 700A: Plow, 710A: Frame, 720A: Rotor, 730A: Shield cover, 740A: Apron, 750A: Second ground leveling member

Claims (2)

The front wheel and
The rear wheel and
a main frame extending in a front-rear direction between the front wheels and the rear wheels;
a front wheel frame connected to a front side of the main frame, extending downward from the main frame, and having the front wheel attached thereto;
a rear wheel frame connected to a rear side of the main frame, extending downward from the main frame, and having the rear wheel attached thereto;
a connecting member connected to the main frame and extending downward from the main frame;
A working part that is provided at a lower end of the connecting member between the front wheels and the rear wheels and that plows a field;
A first ground leveling member provided behind the rear wheels;
having
When the working unit is moved upward, an upper end of the connecting member does not protrude upward from the main frame,
The connection member supports the working unit via a working unit lifting mechanism,
The working unit has a rotating claw shaft, a work claw attached to the claw shaft and cultivating a field, and a second ground leveling member provided behind the work claw ,
A self-propelled agricultural machine in which the up and down rotation of the first ground leveling member is linked to the up and down rotation of the second ground leveling member. 2. The agricultural machine according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the first ground leveling member is greater than a width of the second ground leveling member in the left-right direction.

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