JPS6254443B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a system for preventing automatic switching operations caused by abnormal operation of the autopilot when the autopilot installed on agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters and tractors performs automatic switching operations frequently within a short period of time. The present invention relates to an alarm device that issues an alarm when something is wrong.

BACKGROUND ART Recently, large agricultural machinery such as combines and tractors have tended to be equipped with various automatic pilot devices. However, the control inputs for these automatic pilot devices are provided by information sources that vary from field to field, crop, etc. conditions, so even though they are equipped with automatic pilot devices, these agricultural machines cannot be used completely unsupervised. I have some concerns about doing so. For example, in a combine harvester equipped with an automatic steering device equipped with an uncut prevention device, when uncut grain culms are detected, it automatically moves forward and backward and steers to harvest them. If you simply repeat moving forward and backward in vain, you may not be able to make any progress in reaping the grain culm.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and uses a timer and a counter to count the number of operations of the autopilot device within a predetermined period of time, and when the number of operations exceeds a predetermined value, the automatic operation is performed. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an alarm device that can issue an alarm indicating that a control device is operating abnormally and draw the attention of workers who are not monitoring agricultural machinery. A description will be given based on an embodiment applied to a combine harvester equipped with an automatic steering device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an automatic steering system for an automatic straight-travel combine harvester (Japanese Patent Application No. 51-45734) already proposed by the applicant of the present invention, together with its hydraulic circuit and electric circuit. limit switches L 1 and L ₂ are attached to the left-hand divider 30 and are controlled to open and close by a sensor S ₁ that moves in accordance with the distance between the divider 30 and the adjacent grain culm row 40 on the right side _thereof; and a limit switch that is attached to the right-hand divider 32 and controlled to open and close by a sensor _S2 that moves in accordance with the distance between the divider 32 and the adjacent grain culm row 41 on the left side.
Depending on L ₃ and L ₄ , the left and right side clutches 10
1, 10r, and an electromagnetic directional control valve 9l that controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the left and right brakes 15l, 15r.
Control of energization to the solenoids 9ls and 9rs of each 9r is performed so that when the direction of movement of the aircraft deviates to the left (or right), the solenoid 9rs or 9ls is energized and energized, thereby changing the electromagnetic direction. control valve 9r
Or 9l switches in the direction of the arrow, right side (or left side)
The brake 15r or 15l performs braking, and the right (or left) side clutch 10r or 1
0l is cut off and the aircraft turns right (or left) to correct its direction of travel.

Next, the uncut prevention device is shown in FIG. 1, its hydraulic circuit is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, its electrical circuit is shown in FIG. An overview will be given based on FIG.

Since a combine harvester usually performs cutting work while rotating counterclockwise, the divider 32 on the right side, which is the already cut side,
is attached with an uncut detection lever _S3 that protrudes to the right so as to come into contact with the uncut grain culm 42 and is biased forward with an appropriate tension. ₃ rotates backward due to the presence of the uncut grain culm 42, and the limit switch _L5 , which is placed close to the uncut detection lever _S3 , closes, thereby detecting the remaining cut, and the switch SW shown in Fig. 4 is activated. ₁ ,
SW ₂ and SW ₃ are designed to close in conjunction with each other. When the switch SW ₁ is closed, the timer IC T ₁ is activated, and the solenoids SA and SC, which are connected so as to be energized and controlled by the timer IC T ₁ , are energized for a certain period of time.

In FIG. 2, C1 is a main clutch, P1 is a travel input pulley, and P2 is a tension pulley, and the tension pulley P2 is interlocked with a hydraulic cylinder Q1. This hydraulic cylinder Q
When the solenoid SA of the solenoid valve _V1 that controls the hydraulic pressure for the hydraulic cylinder Q1 is energized, the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic cylinder _Q1 increases, the tension pulley _P2 moves in the direction of the arrow, and the transmission to the main clutch C1 is reduced. It is interrupted and the aircraft stops running.

On the other hand, in FIG. 3, C2 is a reaping clutch;
P3 is a reaping input pulley, and P4 is a tension pulley, and the tension pulley P4 is linked to a hydraulic cylinder Q2. Further, the hydraulic cylinder Q3 is for raising and lowering a reaping section (not shown). The solenoid of the solenoid valve _V2 that controls the hydraulic pressure for these hydraulic cylinders Q2 and Q3
When SC is energized, the reaping clutch C2 is first activated by setting the operating pressure of both cylinders appropriately.
The power transmission to is cut off, and then the reaping section moves up and retreats.

Next, the timer IC T ₂ whose output terminal turns on with a delay from the timer IC T ₁ starts energizing the solenoid SB almost simultaneously with the end of energizing the solenoids SA and SC. It's summery. TR is a gear shift lever that is linked to a hydraulic cylinder Q4.
The hydraulic pressure to 4 is controlled by energizing the solenoid SB of the solenoid valve _V3 , and when the solenoid SB starts energizing, the gear shift lever TR changes from the forward position to the reverse position as shown by the arrow. ,
Around this time, the energization of the solenoid SA ends, so the main clutch C1 returns to the transmission state, and the aircraft immediately retreats.

Next, the timer IC T ₃ , whose output end turns on later than the timer IC T ₂ , starts energizing the relay coil RA almost simultaneously with the end of energizing the solenoid SB. There is. When relay coil RA is energized, switch SWA shown in Figure 1 closes, and energization to solenoid 9rs begins.However, when solenoid SB is energized, the gear shift lever TR returns to the forward position, so the aircraft is rotated to the right. Turn and move forward.

Further, the timer IC T ₄ , whose output terminal turns on later than the timer IC T ₃ , energizes the other solenoid SD of the solenoid valve V ₂ almost simultaneously with the end of energization to the relay coil RA. is about to start. When the solenoid SD is energized, the solenoid valve _V2 is switched, the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic cylinder Q3 is reduced, the reaping section is lowered, and at the same time, the reaping clutch C2 is returned to the transmission state, and the remaining grain culm 4 is removed.
Perform the reaping work in step 2.

Afterwards, when the remaining grain culms are harvested,
The automatic steering system described above enters the normal operating state,
Return to the reaping work of the grain culm rows 40 and 41.

However, for example, if the amount of immediate retreat is small or the amount of right turn is small, even if the machine turns right and moves forward, the divider 32 will be located to the left of the grain culm 42, and the uncut detection lever will The autopilot error will be repeated, such as the S ₃ hitting the grain culm 42 again, stopping traveling, and immediately proceeding again.

The main electric circuit of the present invention is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, 51 is a timer configured using the same timer IC 51a as before, and at the same time as the switch SW ₂ is closed, its output terminal 51b changes to high level, and then the switch is turned off.
This state continues for a certain period of time determined by the variable resistor VR regardless of whether SW ₂ is opened or closed, and the counter 52 connected to the subsequent stage is energized for this period of time, so that the counter 52 performs counting. This counter 52 has similar flip-flops 52a, 5
2b and 52c are connected in three stages, and the signal input terminal _52a1 of the flip-flop 52a in the first stage is connected to the switch _SW3 and the normally closed reset switch.
It is connected to the power supply VE via _SR1 , and the signal output terminal _52c1 of the flip-flop 52c at the final stage is connected to the gate of the thyristor SCR. A normally closed reset switch RS ₂ interlocked with the reset switch RS ₁ , an alarm 53 such as a buzzer, and the thyristor SCR are connected to the power supply VE and the body ground GND.
are connected in series.

Next, to explain the operation of the device of the present invention, first, the limit switch _L5 is activated by rotating the uncut detection lever _S3 .
At the same time, SW ₁ , SW ₂ , and SW ₃ close,
When the SW ₁ is closed, the uncut prevention device starts its operation as described above, and when the SW ₂ is closed, the timer 51 starts the timing operation, that is, when the output end 51
b changes to high level, and the counter 52 becomes ready for counting.

Then, the counter 52 uses as a counting input the vertical change in the potential at the signal input terminal _52a1 obtained by the closing and subsequent opening of the switch _SW3 , and the counter 52 calculates the number of counting inputs within a certain period of time determined by the value of the variable resistor VR. The number of times the limit switch _L5 is closed, in other words, the number of times the uncut prevention device starts operating is counted.

As mentioned above, if the uncut prevention device repeats the automatic operation error and closes the limit switch _L5 four times within the above-mentioned fixed time, the limit switch will close.
At the point when _L5 is closed after the fourth time, the signal output terminal 52c ₁ of the flip-flop 52c in the final stage is output.
emits a high-level count output signal indicating that the count input has reached four. This allows the thyristor
The SCR is turned on and the alarm 53 starts operating. Due to the activation of the alarm 53, such as the sound of a buzzer, the operator who has left the machine or has not been monitoring the machine will notice the abnormal operation of the uncut grain prevention device, so they should immediately return to the machine and manually operate the uncut grain culm. It becomes possible to continue the reaping work.

On the other hand, if the count value of the count input of the counter 52 within the certain period of time is 3 or less, the count output signal is not output and the alarm 53 is not activated. Since the current supply to the counter 52 is stopped, the counter 52 returns to zero, and when the switch SW ₂ is closed next time, it is in a state where it can again count the number of times the switch SW ₂ or the limit switch L ₅ is closed within the certain period of time from the beginning. become.

In addition, when the above-mentioned alarm 53 is activated, by opening the interlocking reset switches RS ₁ and RS ₂ , the thyristor SCR is turned off, that is, the alarm 53 is stopped, and the counter 52 is turned off.
The counter 52 can be returned to zero by stopping the energization, and the device of the present invention is reset.

In the above-described embodiment, the switch SW ₂ that starts the timer 51's timing operation and the switch SW ₃ that generates the timing input signal are linked to the limit switch L ₅ that is the source of control input information for the uncut prevention device. However, for example, a pressure switch PS that is activated when the oil pressure increases is provided in the hydraulic circuit shown _{in FIG} . Of course, the circuit may be closed in conjunction with the operation of the pressure switch PS. Further, the above-described embodiment is for warning of malfunction of the uncut prevention device of a combine equipped with an automatic steering device equipped with the uncut uncut prevention device.
It goes without saying that the present invention can be widely applied to various autopilot devices installed in various agricultural machines, but when applied to various autopilot devices, it is important to adjust the time setting of the timer 51 or the flip-flop of the counter 52. Needless to say, it is necessary to appropriately determine the number of stages, that is, the number of allowable switching operations of the autopilot within a certain period of time, depending on the applied device.

Furthermore, since the time period during which the counting operation of the counter 52 continues can be arbitrarily set by adjusting the variable resistor VR, appropriate alarms can be issued according to various usage conditions.

In summary, according to the present invention, it is now possible to entrust driving and various tasks to an automatic pilot system that could not be used in a completely unmonitored state due to the special nature of agricultural machinery, and the operator can set up alarms. It becomes possible to engage in other work or take a rest while paying attention only to whether or not the system is operating.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram and an electric circuit diagram of the main parts of the automatic steering system, etc., and FIGS. 2 and 3 are hydraulic circuit diagrams of the uncut mowing prevention device. , FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of the apparatus for preventing uncut leaves and the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation sequence of the apparatus for preventing left-cutting. 51...Timer, 52...Counter, 53...
alarm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Input of a predetermined signal provided in an agricultural machine equipped with an autopilot device, which is obtained when the autopilot device obtains input information requiring a switching operation or performs a switching operation. a timer that starts a timekeeping operation according to the timer; a counter that counts the number of the signals during the timekeeping operation of the timer and issues a count output signal when the counted value reaches a predetermined value; and a counter that starts the operation based on the count output signal. An alarm system for agricultural machinery, consisting of an alarm device with the necessary electrical connections to ensure that the alarm occurs. 2. The alarm device according to claim 1, wherein the counter is reset to zero if the counted value of the counter does not reach a predetermined value within a predetermined time. 3. The alarm device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined time can be set arbitrarily.