JPS6227054Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to an automatically operated mobile agricultural machine equipped with an optical sensor unit that detects the boundary between uncultivated land and cultivated land in a field, and particularly relates to a support structure for the sensor unit.

The boundaries are detected using optical sensors such as infrared sensors, making use of the difference in light reflectance between uncultivated and cultivated land.
The inventors have proposed a mobile agricultural machine such as a tractor that operates automatically in order to evenly cultivate uncultivated land along the boundary. Since it needs to be positioned directly above, it must be placed so that it protrudes from the side of the vehicle body.

By the way, when cultivating, various types of working machines such as rotaries are attached to the rear of the car body, and the width of the plowing by these working machines is generally quite wide compared to the width of the car body. Correspondingly, the sensor is also mounted via a bracket having a considerable length.

However, if the bracket protrudes considerably from the vehicle body, there is a risk that it may collide with a tree or catch a worker, which is not only dangerous, but also damages the expensive sensor in the event of a collision. be. Further, even when the working machine is removed, the bracket protrudes unnecessarily long, making it inconvenient to store it.

This idea was made in view of the above points,
The arm with the sensor fixed can be rotated backwards,
This is an attempt to solve the above drawbacks.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 schematically shows an automatic tractor to which this invention is applied, which has a tillage rotary 2 at the rear of the vehicle body 1, sensor units 3, 3 on both sides of the front part, and pipe-shaped arms 4, 4. The sensor units 3, 3 detect the boundary 5b between the uncultivated land 5a and the cultivated land 5c in the field, and automatically operate along the boundary 5b. In the diagram,
The sensor unit 3 on the right side is working, and the vehicle is running while looking at the cultivated land 5c on the right, and is in an ideal control state, so that the right end of the rotary 2 is slightly aligned with the cultivated land 5c.
As a result, the area is being cultivated to the fullest.

The sensor unit 3 has three infrared sensors built in a row in which a light emitting element is coaxially mounted on a light receiver, and the sensor unit 3 has a box shape as a whole, and a side surface of the sensor unit 3 is fitted with the arm 4. It has a mounting part 3a, and this mounting part 3a has a screw 6,
6 to the arm 4. still,
A large number of screw holes 4a are formed at predetermined intervals to be screwed into the screws 6, 6, and this sensor holding mechanism allows the screw holes 4a to be screwed into the rotary 2 to
The mounting position of the sensor unit 3 can be adjusted to change the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the boundary 5b.

On the other hand, on the side of the vehicle body 1, in order to support the arm 4, a substantially U-shaped bearing 7, which is formed by connecting two parallel bearing plates, is fixed. 8 and a click disk 9 integrally connected to the arm block 8 are rotatably supported. The arm block 8 is formed with a female thread, and the base end of the arm 4 is formed with a male thread, and the two are firmly connected by a nut 10 in the manner of a double nut, thereby allowing the arm 4 to move along its horizontal plane. It can be rotated freely back and forth. In addition, a leaf spring 11 having a convex portion formed on the sliding portion is always in sliding contact with the click disk 9, and the arm 4 extends horizontally from the vehicle body 1 (when in use) and extends along the vehicle body 1. There are two V-shaped recesses spaced approximately 90 degrees apart to provide a click when the arm is rotated backwards (when stored), and when these two engage, the arm 4 collides with an obstacle. It will rotate when the vehicle is turned, but it is designed so that it cannot be rotated inadvertently due to vibrations while driving.

Incidentally, at the tips of the arms 4, 4, light emitting parts 12, 12 with a built-in lamp inside a translucent cover are formed with the same diameter as the arm 4, so that it is possible to use either the left or right sensor during automatic driving. A light-emitting display indicates whether it is inside.

As is clear from the above explanation, the sensor unit support structure according to this invention includes an arm on which the sensor unit is fixed at an appropriate position, and an arm that is fixed to the side of the vehicle body and rotates along a substantially horizontal plane. It is provided with a fulcrum part that freely supports the sensor unit, and a click positioning mechanism that positions the arm at a position where the arm is rotated so that the sensor unit is in a predetermined protruding state. Since it has a sensor holding mechanism that allows the sensor unit to be positioned and fixed at multiple mounting positions provided at intervals, when this arm collides with an obstacle or a worker, it quickly rotates backwards. Accidents that destroy obstacles or injure workers can be prevented, and shocks applied to expensive sensors can be buffered to prevent damage to them. Furthermore, it has the advantage that it does not take up any wasted space when stored.

In addition, this invention has a sensor holding mechanism that can position and fix the sensor unit at multiple mounting positions provided at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction of the arm. The mounting position of the sensor unit can be freely adjusted to change the distance to the boundary.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an automatic tractor to which this invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a support structure according to this invention, and Fig. 3 is a side view.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory cutaway view of the bearing tool showing the structure of the fulcrum portion thereof. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Vehicle body, 2...Rotary, 3...Sensor unit, 3a...Mounting part, 4...Arm, 4a
...Threaded hole, 6...Screw, 7...Bearing fitting, 8...
Arm block, 9...Crick disc, 10
...Plate spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In order to detect the boundary between uncultivated land and cultivated land in a field, a sensor unit consisting of a light emitter that emits a detection beam toward the field and multiple light receivers that receive reflected light from the field is installed on the vehicle body side of the mobile agricultural machine. an arm that protrudes a predetermined amount from the vehicle body and supports the sensor unit at an appropriate position; and a fulcrum that is fixed to the side of the vehicle body and supports the arm rotatably along a substantially horizontal plane. , a click positioning mechanism for positioning the arm at a rotated position so that the sensor unit is in a predetermined protruding state, and a plurality of click positioning mechanisms provided at appropriate intervals along the longitudinal direction of the arm. A support structure for a sensor unit characterized by having a sensor unit holding mechanism capable of positioning and fixing the sensor unit at a mounting position.