JPH067862U - Spray direction control device for chemical sprayer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Standing trees that are planted on the slopes on both the left and right sides when the traveling body of an autonomous vehicle, which is steered to follow the guide cable, changes its traveling direction along the contour line. Effectively spray the drug. [Structure] An AC electric field generated from an induction cable along a traveling route is detected by a magnetic sensor mounted on a traveling vehicle body to detect that the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body largely changes from a forward route to a return route. In accordance with this, the actuators 62a, 62
b is operated to control so as to switch and change the directions of the expansion frames 56a and 56b in the pair of left and right drug spraying devices mounted on the traveling vehicle body.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a device for automatically changing the chemical spraying (spraying) direction in a chemical sprayer (speed sprayer) in response to a large change in the steering direction such as a U-turn of a traveling vehicle.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 54-180309, a spray nozzle for spraying a medicine spraying device in a traveling medicine spraying machine in a fan-shaped expansion box having an opening on the outer peripheral side of the radius is provided. A large number of boxes are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction, and the expansion boxes are rotatably mounted on a pivot extending parallel to the traveling direction axis of the vehicle body and placed in the driver's seat of the vehicle body. It is disclosed that the direction (spraying direction) of the opening of the expansion box can be manually changed and adjusted via the operation lever and the connecting rod connected thereto.

According to this configuration, an operator has to ride on the traveling vehicle body, and there is a problem that the operator is vulnerable to exposure to chemicals for controlling pests and diseases on trees. On the other hand, conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-84909, in an automatic traveling type chemical sprayer (speed sprayer) in an orchard or the like, along a work route (guide route). An AC current is passed through an induction cable buried in the ground, and changes in the strength of the AC magnetic field generated from this induction cable are detected by a pair of left and right pickup coil magnetic sensors mounted on the front of the vehicle body. Taking the difference between the output values (voltage values) of the pair of left and right magnetic sensors that correspond to the amount of lateral displacement of the traveling vehicle with respect to the induction cable, the amount of lateral displacement (deviation amount) and the direction of lateral displacement (right) Whether the vehicle is traveling along the guide cable or not based on these detection results, automatic steering control is performed by changing the direction of the steered wheels in the traveling vehicle. Can be unmanned, worker safety is achieved.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, when spraying chemicals on trees such as fruit trees that have been planted on the slope of a mountain, if the running vehicle is made to run along the slope of the slope, the running vehicle will tilt downward and fall. It is difficult and dangerous, and steering such as going straight is difficult. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, when a traveling route 101, which is a horizontal road surface, is formed on the mountain slope 100, and the traveling vehicle body 1 of the chemical sprayer is run along the traveling route 101, the traveling performance and steering are improved. The property becomes good. However, when the drug is sprayed toward the trees 103 such as fruit trees planted on the slopes on both the left and right sides of the travel route 101 having the horizontal road surface, that is, the spray is radially directed to the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 1. Then, since the height of the standing tree 103 that has been planted on the slope below the road surface of the travel route 101 is low, it should be sprayed at a downward spray angle, and conversely, it should be planted on the slope above the road surface. Since the height of the standing tree 103 is high, effective chemical spraying work cannot be performed on the trees on both the left and right sides of the road surface unless spraying is performed at an upward spray angle.

Moreover, since the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 1 with respect to the traveling route 101 can be forward or backward, it is necessary to switch and change the spray angles on the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 1 every time the traveling direction is reversed. However, as described above, in the conventional technique, there is only one spraying device, and it is impossible to automatically change the spraying direction. In view of such circumstances, the present invention aims to enable an unmanned traveling type chemical sprayer to automatically change the spraying angle by the spraying device on both the left and right sides between forward traveling and backward traveling. It is what

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve this object, in the present invention, in a drug spraying machine comprising a traveling vehicle body controlled by the steering control means along a traveling route and provided with a medicine tank and a pair of left and right medicine spraying devices, The pair of left and right drug spraying devices are configured so that each drug spraying direction is discharged in a substantially fan-like radial shape having an appropriate central angle on a plane intersecting with the traveling direction axis of the traveling vehicle body, while each drug spraying device When the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body changes by a certain amount or more, an actuator that independently changes the rotation of the device around the traveling direction axis line, a direction detector that senses the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body from the steering angle, etc. The control means for controlling the operation of each of the above-mentioned actuators is provided so as to change the spray direction of the left and right drug spraying devices.

[0007]

【Example】

 Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described. An automatic traveling (unmanned traveling) type chemical sprayer (speed sprayer) has a driving operation section 2 provided with a handle 3 on the front side of a traveling vehicle body 1, and the traveling vehicle body 1 has a substantially L-shape in plan view. The chemical liquid tank 4 and the spraying part 5 are provided at the rear part thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the spray unit 5 in this embodiment is composed of a pair of left and right drug spray devices 55, 55, and each drug spray device 55 has a center of approximately 90 degrees or the like. A large number of spray nozzles 57 for spraying outward in the radial direction are arranged at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction in a spreading frame 56 that is fan-shaped having an angle (θ1) and is open to the outer peripheral side of the radius. Is configured to. The bases of the pair of left and right expansion frames 56a and 56b are independently rotatably supported by a cylindrical pivot shaft 60 which pivotally supports a rotary shaft 59 of a blower 58 arranged at the rear end of the traveling vehicle body 1. ing. The pivot 60 extends parallel to the axis of the traveling vehicle body in the traveling direction. The wind guided into the air duct 63 by the blower 58 is radially outwardly redirected by the fan-shaped plate portion 64 of each expansion frame 56. Reference numeral 61 is a pipe that is attached to the back surface of the fan-shaped plate portion 64 and that distributes the liquid chemical from the chemical liquid tank 4 to each spray nozzle 57. The pair of left and right expansion frames 56a and 56b are provided with an actuator 62a such as a hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor mounted between the back surface of each fan-shaped plate portion 64 and a fixed portion (not shown). By the operation of 62b, the spray (spraying) direction can be individually changed centering on the pivot 60 from the obliquely upward direction to the obliquely downward direction within the range of the angle (θ2). When the traveling direction of No. 1 is largely changed between the forward and backward paths, the spraying directions of the left and right drug spraying devices 55 and 55 can be changed.

Reference numerals 8 and 8 are left and right front wheels, and reference numerals 9 and 9 are left and right rear wheels. It is said that these four wheels can be driven by the power from the engine 10 being transmitted through the traveling speed change mechanism 11. It is a four-wheel drive type, and rotates the blower 58 with the power from the engine 10 via another power transmission mechanism 12 and drives the power pump 13 for the spray nozzle 57.

The steering device 14 with the steering wheel 3 is a power steering mechanism 15 including a mechanical or hydraulic system as shown in FIG. 3, and this power steering mechanism 15 includes a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 17 in a hydraulic circuit 16. When the hydraulic cylinder 17 is extended, the rear wheels 9, 9 are changed to the left via the bell crank 18 having a W-shape in plan view, and the connecting rod 19 and the bell crank having a V-shape in plan view are changed. The front wheels 8 and 8 are changed to the left via 20 (when the hydraulic cylinder 17 is contracted, both the front and rear wheels are changed to the right). It is a so-called four-wheel steering type that can be dynamically changed.

The hydraulic circuit 16 is shown in FIG. 6, reference numeral 28 is an electromagnetic solenoid type control valve for the hydraulic cylinder 17 for automatic steering, and reference numeral 29 is for controlling the hydraulic cylinder 30 for running brake and clutch operation. These are control valves, which are connected to a hydraulic pipe 31 branched from the upstream side of the control valve 23 for manual steering when hydraulic oil is fed from the hydraulic pump 22.

At the time of manual steering, the hydraulic motor 21 that sends the oil discharge amount through the control valve 23 in proportion to the turning angle of the handle 3 transfers oil to the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 17 attached to the steering mechanism 15. During automatic steering control, hydraulic oil is sent from the hydraulic pump 22 to the hydraulic cylinder 17 via the electromagnetic solenoid type control valve 28. Reference numeral 25 is a steering angle sensor such as a potentiometer capable of detecting the steering angle of the front wheels 8. In this case, the average value of the orientation angles of the left and right wheels may be obtained and detected. The front wheels and the rear wheels may be connected via separate hydraulic cylinder power steering mechanisms so that the front wheels and the rear wheels can be individually steered.

A pair of left and right magnetic sensors 26a and 26b are provided on the front surface of the lower surface of the traveling vehicle body 1. The magnetic sensors 26a and 26b may be pickup coils formed by winding a conductor in a coil shape, or may be Hall elements, Hall ICs, magnetoresistive elements, or magnetic transistors, and an AC current generator 53 to be described later. The intensity of the AC magnetic field generated around the induction cable 27 can be detected by the AC current of appropriate frequency applied to the induction cable 27 at. The guide cable 27 is laid in a groove formed along the guide route which is the working route of the orchard, or is buried underground.

The induction cable 27 to be laid may be a single wire (single wire), or may be a so-called stereo type in which it is laid in parallel with the left and right sides appropriately separated. The shape of the guide cable 27 may be an ordinary wire having a circular cross section or a flat strip. FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of the steering control device 32. A read / write memory (RAM) 34 and a read only memory (ROM) 35 are connected to a central processing unit 33 such as a microcomputer.

Further, the detection signals from the magnetic sensors 26a and 26b are converted into digital signals by the A / D converters 36 and 36 and then input to the central processing unit 33, and the signals are input to the traveling vehicle body with respect to the axis of the induction cable 27. The central processing unit 33 calculates the amount of lateral deviation of the center line of No. 1 and whether the lateral deviation direction of the vehicle body is left or right. That is, by calculating the detection signals of the pair of magnetic sensors 26a and 26b, it is possible to obtain the lateral deviation amount with respect to the guide cable 27 in the front portion of the vehicle body and to determine the lateral deviation direction (right or left).

Note that a pair of left and right magnetic sensors are provided in front of and behind the traveling vehicle body 1, and the front steering device is operated based on the detection and calculation results of the front pair of magnetic sensors, while the detection and calculation of the rear magnetic sensor is performed. From the result, the rear steering device may be operated. An ultrasonic sensor 37 for detecting an obstacle in the guide route is attached to the front part of the traveling vehicle body 1, and the ultrasonic sensor 37 uses its transmitter and receiver as a step motor. It is configured to rotate horizontally. In other words, the traveling vehicle body 1 is configured so as to swing on both left and right sides in the traveling direction by the scanning regions having the same angle. The orientation of the obstacle detected by the orientation sensor (not shown) such as a potentiometer for detecting the orientation of the ultrasonic sensor 37 can be known.

Reference numeral 40 is a geomagnetic sensor for detecting the orientation of the traveling vehicle body 1 by geomagnetism, reference numeral 41 is an electric resistance type level sensor for detecting the chemical level (water level) in the chemical tank 4, Reference numeral 42 indicates a flow rate detection sensor for detecting the amount of chemical solution consumed during spraying, and these are connected to the input terminal of the interface in the central processing unit 33.

The following are connected to the output terminals of the interface in the central processing unit 33. That is, the drive circuit 43 of the power pump 13 that sends the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid tank 4 to the spray nozzle 57, and the control valve 44 that can be installed in the middle of the chemical liquid flow pipe to control and shut off the flow amount of the liquid. The circuit 45, the electric drive circuit 46 of the electromagnetic solenoid 28R for right steering of the control valve 28 for automatic steering, the electric drive circuit 47 of the electromagnetic solenoid 28L for left steering, and the chemical liquid level in the chemical liquid tank 4 are the lowest. When it becomes, an indicator lamp 48 that lights up, a drive circuit 49 of an actuator that activates the traveling brake of the traveling vehicle body 1, a drive circuit 50 of an actuator that activates a clutch that interrupts power transmission of the engine, and Drive circuits (control valves, etc.) 65, 65 for actuators 62a, 62b for changing the spraying direction of the left and right drug spraying devices 55, 55 are connected.

If the drive circuit 45 of the dose adjusting valve 44 for adjusting the amount of the chemical liquid sprayed from the spraying section 5 can be remotely controlled by a wireless operation device, the ON / OFF of the chemical liquid spraying can be executed. it can. In FIG. 8, reference numerals M1 to M6 indicate the positions of standing trees, and the rows of standing trees of M1, M3, M5 ... On the right and the standing rows of M2, M4, M6 on the left are substantially parallel to the standing row. The induction cable 27 is arranged in the same manner.

In this configuration, the central processing unit 33 calculates the lateral deviation amount with respect to the guide cable 27 detected by the pair of left and right magnetic sensors 26a and 26b provided on the traveling vehicle body 1, and the detected lateral deviation amount and the steering angle are calculated. From the detected value of the sensor 25, a steering correction command amount signal for steering control so as to reduce the lateral deviation amount is obtained, and a drive pulse signal is given to the electric drive circuits 46 and 47.

On the other hand, when an obstacle is detected by the ultrasonic sensor 37 while the steering control is being performed substantially along the guide cable 27, the steering to avoid the obstacle or the traveling is stopped. The central processing unit 33 performs control processing so that control is preferentially executed. Next, in the case where the guide route has a straight portion and a traveling portion (a curved portion), the steering control of the traveling vehicle 1 accurately and quickly along the respective portions will be described.

In the above-mentioned case, if the deviation of the strength of the AC magnetic field emitted from the induction cable 27 is simply detected by the pair of left and right or right and left paired magnetic sensors mounted on the traveling vehicle body 1, that portion is a straight line portion. It is difficult to determine whether there is a traveling part or a traveling part. Therefore, by calculating the moving average value of the results detected a plurality of times, the straight line portion and the traveling portion can be distinguished quickly, reliably and accurately. That is, the lateral deviation amounts (Δe1, Δe2, Δe3, Δe4, Δe5, Δe6 ...) Calculated from the detection results of the pair of left and right magnetic sensors 26a and 26b sampled every ΔT time are used for the past several times (for example, 5 times), and when calculating the average value, the moving average value Δem is obtained by the moving average method of arranging in time series. In the above case, the first moving average value Δem1 = (Δe1 + Δe2 + Δe3 + Δe4 + Δe5) / 5, and the second moving average value Δem2 = (Δe2 + Δe3 + Δe4 + Δe5 + Δe6) / 5, and the third moving average value Δem3 = (+ e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6 + e6e5e5) It becomes 5. In the straight line portion, the guide cable 27 is located at the left-right center of the traveling vehicle body 1 due to the convergence due to the normal steering control.

On the other hand, it is general that the moving average value changes so as to increase at the traveling portion, particularly at the portion where the straight portion moves to the traveling portion. In addition, the moving average value generally changes so as to decrease at the portion where the traveling portion shifts to the straight portion. In the traveling section, the moving average value itself also shows a large value. In the straight line portion, the amount of lateral displacement E of the vehicle body with respect to the guide cable 27 is generally small, and the steering angle to be corrected is small. On the other hand, in the traveling section, the amount of lateral displacement of the traveling vehicle body 1 with respect to the guide cable 27 is large, and the steering angle needs to be greatly changed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, five zones are distinguished according to the magnitude of the lateral displacement amount of the vehicle body with respect to the guide cable 27 and the displacement direction. The first zone and the second zone mean that the vehicle body 1 is located at the left side position with respect to the left-right center, the third zone means that the center position is located, and the fourth and fifth zones are located at the right side position. When the amount of lateral deviation, and thus the moving average value Δem of the calculation result, is in the first zone and the second zone, it is a left turn turning portion, and the first zone is a turning portion with a small turning radius, the second turning portion. The zone is judged to be a turning section with a large turning radius. Contrary to the above, the 4th zone and the 5th zone are the turn sections of the right turn, the 5th zone is the turn section of the small turn radius, and the 4th zone is the turn section of the large turn radius. It You can think of the third zone as a straight section.

FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the lateral displacement amount E of the vehicle body and the moving average value in each zone. Then, a reference value KE is set in each zone, and a reference steering angle of the vehicle body is set for each reference value. For example, the intermediate value of the lateral deviation amount in each zone is set as the reference value KE. With respect to this reference value KE, the deviation from the calculated moving average value Δem is ρ, and the change rate of the deviation is Δρ, and the corrected steering command angle θ is preset with respect to the reference value KE. In this case, the correction steering command angle θ with respect to the straight line portion should be set relatively small, and the correction steering command angle θ with respect to the traveling portion should be set relatively large.

Then, an increment Δθ of the steering correction command amount (angle) that is substantially proportional to the deviation ρ and / or the change rate Δρ of the deviation with respect to the reference value KE in each zone is calculated, and the final steering correction command is obtained. A drive pulse signal corresponding to the amount (angle) (θ + Δθ) is given to the electric drive circuits 46 and 47, and steering control is performed so that the amount of lateral deviation with respect to the guide cable 27 in the traveling portion and the straight portion is reduced. .

In this way, the manner in which the steering control is performed so that the traveling vehicle body 1 follows the straight line portion and the manner in which the steering control is performed along the traveling portion are separately preliminarily assumed, and the steering correction command amounts are different. If it is set, an effect that accurate steering control can be quickly executed is achieved. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of travel routes are formed on the traveling vehicle body 1 so as to substantially follow the contour lines of the mountains, and the adjoining travel routes are connected by a circular arc-shaped traveling section so that the chemicals are provided between the standing trees. In the case of spraying, as shown in FIG. 11, for example, in the outward path, the chemical spraying device 55 on the left side of the traveling vehicle body 1 is directed obliquely downward toward the lower sloped tree 103 on the left side of the travel route 100. On the other hand, the medicine is sprayed (sprayed) diagonally upward by the medicine spraying device 55 on the right side of the traveling vehicle body 1 toward the standing tree 103 on the upper slope (right side of the traveling path 100).

Then, as described above, when the traveling vehicle body 1 is moved from the end of the forward path to the start end of the return path via the 180 degree turning portion, the steering angle by the steering angle sensor 25 fluctuates greatly. When the central processing unit (CPU) 33 determines that the detected value is a certain value or more, it is determined that the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 1 has changed from the forward path to the return path, and the left and right actuators 62a and 62b are respectively activated. Then, the drug spraying device 55 on the left side of the traveling vehicle body 1 sprays (sprays) the drug diagonally upward, while the drug spraying device 55 on the right side of the traveling vehicle body 1 sprays (sprays) the drug diagonally downward. It controls.

As a result, the medicine can be sprayed diagonally upward toward the standing slope 103 on the upper side of the traveling path, and the drug can be sprayed diagonally downward toward the standing slope 103 on the lower slope. It can be effectively sprayed on the branches and leaves of standing trees. In addition, when the turn section from the outward path (return path) to the return path (outward path) turns 90 degrees in a plan view and then turns 90 degrees in the same direction again through a short straight line section, When it is detected that the angle has changed more than a predetermined value and twice in the same direction, it is determined that the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 1 has changed from the outward route (return route) to the return route (outward route), and the traveling vehicle The directions of the drug spraying devices 55, 55 on the left and right sides of 1 may be controlled to be switched and changed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the detection value of the steering angle sensor 25 is used to judge that the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 1 is largely changed, but instead of this, the detection by the geomagnetic sensor 40 is performed. You may make it discriminate | determine by a value. Furthermore, in the case of chemical spraying (spraying) on level ground, it is not necessary to execute the change-over switching control of the spraying direction as described above, so an ON / OFF switch for this change-over switching control should be provided, and only when working on slopes. The control may be executed, or the switching control may be executed by a remote controller. The steering control for traveling the traveling vehicle along the steering route is performed not only by the guide cable but also by detecting the markers placed on the left and right sides of the traveling route by the detectors mounted on the traveling vehicle. You can do it.

[0031]

[Operation and effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, in the drug spraying machine including the drug tank and the pair of left and right drug spraying devices on the traveling vehicle body controlled by the steering control means along the traveling route, The pair of left and right drug spraying devices are configured so that each drug spraying direction discharges in a substantially fan-like radial shape with an appropriate central angle on the surface intersecting the traveling direction axis of the traveling vehicle body, while each of the drug spraying devices An actuator that independently changes the rotation of the spraying device around the traveling direction axis line, a direction detector that senses the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body from the steering angle, and the like. At this time, a control means for controlling the operation of each of the actuators is provided so as to change the spray direction of the left and right drug spraying devices.

Therefore, while the traveling vehicle is traveling along the contour line on the slope of the mountain, toward the standing trees that are planted on the slopes on both the left and right sides of the traveling route, the chemical spray devices on both the left and right sides spray the chemical. When spraying, if the traveling vehicle is traveling in the opposite direction, the spray directions of the drug spraying devices on the left and right sides can be automatically switched accordingly, and drug spraying by unmanned driving can be performed smoothly. It has the effect of being able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a drug spraying machine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the medicine spraying machine.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a steering device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a spray unit.

5 is a view taken along the line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a control hydraulic circuit diagram of the steering device.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a steering control device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an outline of a guide route.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of zones.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between zones and calculated values.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a chemical spraying work on a slope.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Traveling vehicle 5 Spray part 8,8 Front wheel 9,9 Rear wheel 10 Engine 11 Travel speed change mechanism 12 Power transmission mechanism 13 Power pump 14 Steering device 16 Hydraulic circuit 17 Hydraulic cylinder 22 Hydraulic pump 23 Control valve 25 Steering angle sensor 26a, 26b Magnetic sensor 27 Induction cable 28 Control valve for automatic steering 32 Steering control device 33 Central processing unit 55 Chemical spray device 56 Expansion frame 57 Spray nozzle 58 Blower 62a, 62b Actuator 65 Drive circuit

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A drug spraying machine comprising a drug tank and a pair of left and right drug spraying devices on a traveling vehicle body which is controlled by steering control means to travel along a travel route. The device is
On the surface intersecting with the traveling direction axis of the traveling vehicle body, while being configured to discharge in a substantially fan-like radial shape having an appropriate central angle, each of the drug spraying devices is independently rotated about the traveling direction axis. An actuator, a direction detector that senses the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body from the steering angle, and the like.
A spraying direction control device in a drug spraying machine, comprising: a control unit that controls the operation of each of the actuators so as to change the spraying direction of the left and right drug spraying devices.