JPS59116817A - Automatic traveling working car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an automatic traveling working car from changing its direction in the middle of a profile run stroke by carrying on the run without switching control if a detection state changes during a run of specific distance after a boundary decision sensor has entered in the state of detecting cultivated land. CONSTITUTION:The car runs automatically by bringing its front wheels under switching control on the basis of an uncultivated/cultivated land detection signal from one sensor on a cultivated land side between boundary sensors A and A' so that the car normally carries on the profile run along the boundary between uncultivated land 8B and cultivated land 8C. When, however, all photosensors S1, S2, S1', and S2' enter a cultivated land detection state in the middle of each run stroke to direction change land 8D because of a nonlawn part 8E, profile steering control is interrupted, but a direction change is not made until a specific time is elapsed and if one of sensors detects the uncultivated land 8b during said period, the profile steering control is restarted. Consequently, an erroneous direction change in the profile run stroke is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automatic traveling work vehicle, and more specifically, a self-driving work vehicle that automatically repeats a reciprocating process within a work site whose surroundings have been treated, and performs ground work within the work site. Direction change steering control that automatically changes direction at the end of each of the travel steps based on the detection results of a plurality of sets of sensors for determining the boundary between treated land and untreated land; and The present invention relates to an automatic traveling work vehicle that is configured to perform tracing steering control to automatically travel along the boundary between treated and untreated areas.

In the conventional automatic driving work vehicle of the type, the copy steering control and the direction change steering control are automatically repeated to carry out ground work in a predetermined work area.The ninth step is to switch between the copy control and the direction change control. is performed based on a combination of detection signals from the plurality of boundary discrimination sensors. In other words, if all of the sensors forming the plurality of boundary discrimination sensors detect the processed foil material, the end of the traveling process is detected. In other combinations, the control was switched to follow-up control.

However, if the condition of the untreated area in the work area is poor and there are parts similar to the treated foil area mixed in the untreated area, the sensor detects the end of the travel path. In that case, the steering control for the 7th t of direction change is immediately activated, and the steering control is activated for the 7th t of direction change. There was one inconvenience.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide an automatic traveling vehicle 1'1-1 that does not cause the vehicle to change direction by mistake during the tracing traveling process.

If the detection state of the boundary discrimination sensor changes after traveling a predetermined distance after reaching a state where the processed foil fabric is detected, the switching from the copy steering control to the direction change steering control is stopped. The present invention is characterized in that a control means is provided to continue copying steering control based on the detection result of the sensor.

The following excellent effects have been achieved with the number of feature configurations mentioned above.

That is, even after all the sensors constituting the plurality of sets of boundary discrimination sensors reach a state where they can detect the processed foil fabric, the detection status of the boundary discrimination sensors is checked while traveling a predetermined distance, and the detection status is checked during this period. Since the configuration is such that copying steering control is continued when there is a change in the state, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience of changing direction by mistake during the copying travel process, and the steering control is reliably performed at the end of the travel process. I was able to change direction.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, front and rear wheels 12+ of the vehicle body (1),
A lawn mowing device (4) is suspended in the middle of the +31 so that it can move up and down, and in front of the vehicle body (1) there are two lawn mowers (untreated) and already mown (treated foil) that are the boundaries of the work area. ), the boundary discrimination sensor is configured as the ninth postscript, which discriminates the boundary between (
The lawn mowing work vehicle is configured as an automatic driving work vehicle that can automatically travel along a predetermined travel course by controlling the steering based on the boundary detection results of (b).

The front wheels +21 and 121 serve as steering wheels,
Normally, the sensor is configured to be steered by a predetermined amount in the left and right direction by the C1 hydraulic cylinder (5) based on the boundary detection result in (g).

The boundary discrimination sensors IA) and (c) are a pair of optical sensors (Sl, S spirit) and (Sl
.

S'i).

The optical sensor (sx, St), (8'l, S's
) are arranged adjacent to the vehicle body (1) in the left and right direction, as shown in FIG. The sensor frames +61 and +61 each have light emitting elements (on the inner facing surfaces thereof).
Pl), (T''l) and light receiving elements (Pa), (Pa) are provided as a pair.The vehicle body (1 )
By sensing the presence or absence of grass that is introduced as the vehicle travels, it is possible to determine the boundary between unmowed land and mowed land.

In addition, the boundary discrimination sensors (K) are not limited to those using optical sensors (Sl, S snow) I (9'l I"), but can be any type of sensor, contact type or non-contact type. It may be composed of sensors of various shapes.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical sensor (st 5
The left sensor (S'l) or light sensor (S'l)
, S's), if one of the right sensors rpt) is in the uncut field (8B), the light sensor ('At) or the light sensor (6) arranged outside the other sensor.
The vehicle is steered so that only the mowing area is on the mowed area (8C), and when it reaches the turning point (8D) around the lawn mowing area (8A), the mowing area that was previously in the unmoved area (8B) is moved. It is controlled to turn in the direction of one sensor. In addition, the turning point (8D) has been artificially made into a mown area in advance, and the fact that this turning point (8D) has been reached means that the left and right sensors are in contact with each other (g).
Optical sensors that constitute (Sl), (St), (s't)
,,(s') are all determined by detecting already mown areas.

In this way, when it is detected that the vehicle has reached the turning point (8D), the direction change steering control is activated and the direction change is automatically performed. Rather than being switched to ), the switch is to be made only after checking.

That is, the q optical sensors-C3t), (Sm), (S
'*), ('3'v) When all of them detect the mowed ground, the steering angles of the front wheels +21- and +21 are returned to the neutral state, the vehicle is further driven straight for a predetermined distance (
While traveling straight, the ≠ optical sensors (Sl) and (S
t), (S't), rs'*)
They ignore nothingness and only begin to take control to change direction.

Hereinafter, a control system for controlling the steering of the front wheels 121, 121 based on the two sets of left and right sensors and the detection results of uncut and cut areas in (g) will be described.

As shown in FIG.
Ace (via 14, the two sets of boundary discrimination sensors I
Two optical sensors (Sl) constituting AI, (A')
)srs), (S's), and (S's) are input, and two optical sensors (sx).

Based on the combination of signals from (Sri, (S'')e(S's), the electromagnetic bump (11) is activated, the hydraulic cylinder (61) is driven, and the front wheels (zl, (21) It is configured to output a control signal, which is the calculation result, to the output interface 0'4 in order to operate the .

Then, normally, K as shown in FIG. 8 above.

In the lawn mowing work area (8A), in order to follow the boundary between the unmown area (8B) and the mowed area (8C), the boundary discrimination sensor is located on the mowed area side of (A'). Front wheels +2 based on the unmowed/already detection signal from one sensor.
+, (2) is controlled by steering to automatically travel a predetermined distance.

Thereafter, the light sensor travels through the end of the stroke and
(Sl), (St), (S's), (S's) all detect the mown field and reach the turning point (8D), the hydraulic cylinder (5) drive the front wheels (2
).

(2) is returned to the neutral state, the vehicle body (1) is moved straight, and while counting the elapsed time (1), the optical sensors -rst), (St), (S'l), (S's) are activated. Obscure all signal conditions. Then, the elapsed time tT
') reaches a predetermined time (To), a signal indicating that all of the optical sensors (Sl)', (St), (S't), and (S's) are in the state of detecting a mown area. If the combination changes, the copying steering control is automatically returned to.

On the other hand, during the predetermined time (To>Il), the optical sensors (Ss), (l), rs'l), (S's)
If there is no change in the signal combination of It automatically changes direction. Thereafter, the copying steering control is repeated to automatically mow a predetermined range of the working area (8A) while tracing the uncut area (8B) in the opposite direction.

In addition, there is a part (8E) where there is no grass in the middle of each traveling process between the turning points (8D), and the optical sensor (S1
) I (S t ) * C”t ) * (”*
) Even if all of the mowed areas are detected, the steering control is stopped in the same way as above, but the direction is not changed until the predetermined time (To) has passed, and during this time the sensor (Sl), (Skura), rS'
When either of t) and rs'*) detects an unmoved ground (8B), copying steering control is automatically restarted, making it possible to prevent an erroneous direction change during the copying travel process.

Note that IPI in FIG. 4 is a potentiometer that detects the steering angle of the front wheels (pi, (21), and is used for feedback of the steering angle in tracing control and direction change control.

Further, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic unit (3) described above.

By the way, in this embodiment, at least the positions of the boundary discrimination sensors (4) and (♂) of the above-mentioned group and the lawn mower f! !
The time required to travel the distance (7) between the rear end of +41 is adopted as the predetermined time (To),
The setting is not limited to this and may be set arbitrarily.

Moreover, the optical sensor-rst), (St), rst), (
s'*) After all of the mowed areas (8D) are detected, this detection is not done based on the passage of time as a period in which this detection state is difficult to see, but based on the distance traveled by the vehicle body (1) itself, the traveling speed, etc. You may do so.

Furthermore, when performing the direction change, the vehicle speed is m-(I1) You may slow down.

Furthermore, switching between the copying control and the direction change control;
Both of the boundary discrimination sensors (Al, (M)) of the set may detect the mown field and check for changes in the detection signals afterward, etc., by so-called interrupt processing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the automatic driving vehicle according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of the lawn mowing vehicle, FIG. 2 is a front view of main parts showing the configuration of a boundary discrimination sensor, and FIG. 8 is a lawn mowing vehicle. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the arithmetic unit. Prisoner, (g)... Boundary discrimination sensor, CI>...
...predetermined distance.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] To perform ground work within a work area whose surroundings are treated land while automatically repeating the reciprocating process, and to determine the boundary between treated land and untreated land. multiple sets of sensors (A). A direction change in which the direction is automatically changed at the end of each of the traveling steps based on the detection result of (A'). An automatic traveling work vehicle configured to perform steering control and copying steering control for automatically copying and traveling along the boundary between the treated land and the untreated land during each of the traveling steps, the vehicle comprising: After the plurality of sets of boundary discrimination sensors (A), r&) all detect the processed area, one boundary discrimination sensor is detected while traveling a predetermined distance (1). When the detection state of (A') changes, the switching from the copy steering control to the direction change steering control is canceled and based on the detection result of (K), the switching from copy steering control to direction change steering control is stopped. Rumor has it that self-driving vehicles will have a means of control.