JPS6255804B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a harvesting machine, and particularly to a harvesting machine equipped with a microcomputer, which rotates automatically in a field and efficiently and fully automatically harvests all grain culms in the field. We proposed a harvesting machine that could do this.

The harvesting machine according to the present invention enables not only manual harvesting operations but also automatic harvesting operations using a microcomputer. The functions for automatic harvesting include an automatic steering function that allows the vehicle to follow the grain culm line to be harvested, and an automatic steering function that allows the vehicle to run in a manner that follows the grain culm line to be harvested. An automatic rotation function that turns the machine at the center of the harvest, a vehicle speed control function that slows down the vehicle speed depending on the harvesting situation, an automatic handling depth adjustment function that allows threshing to be performed according to the grain culm length,
It is equipped with an automatic cutting height adjustment function that keeps the cutting height constant, as well as an alarm function that detects clogging of the grain culm conveyance system, abnormalities in the swing sorting unit, etc., and issues an alarm. The harvesting machine of the present invention is characterized by the automatic rotation function described above. That is, the machine of the present invention uses this automatic rotation function to selectively perform reciprocating mowing, in which only row mowing is repeated, and round mowing, in which row mowing and horizontal mowing are performed alternately. During reciprocating mowing, the traveling speed is accelerated when a predetermined period of time elapses after the start of horizontal mowing along the edge of the uncut grain culm group in order to transition from one row mowing stroke to the next row mowing stroke. It is characterized by being configured to do so.

Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the number of times circular mowing is performed can be specified, and after this number of circular mowings are completed, reciprocating mowing is automatically performed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the harvester, schematically showing the grass dividing plates 1l, 1r, etc. of the reaping section 1 and the sensors installed in the vicinity thereof, and the detection target of each sensor is the grain culm. . The sensor used is _{a combination} of a touch _rod and a _limit switch, or an optical sensor using a photoelectric _switch . Others use a combination of a touch rod and a limit switch.

The sensor S ₁ is attached to the mounting rod of the right grass divider plate 1r with its detection surface facing the outside of the machine, that is, to the right (generally towards the already cut side), and detects grain culms within its detection area. That is, it detects grain culms on the cut side that should not exist, that is, uncut grain culms, and is involved in the control for harvesting uncut grain culms.

Sensors S ₂ and S ₄ are installed on the right and left side grass dividers 1, respectively.
R and 1L are attached to the mounting rods with the respective touch rods facing inward of the machine body, and depending on the rotation angle when each touch rod contacts the grain culm and rotates, the grass dividing plate is The distance between 1r and the adjacent grain culm on the left, and the distance between the grass dividing plate 1l and the adjacent grain culm on the right, in other words, the distance between the machine body and the grain culm to be harvested. It detects the relative positional relationship between the two, and is mainly involved in control for automatic steering.

The sensor S ₃ is mounted behind the right grass dividing plate 1r with its contact rod facing inward of the aircraft body, and the length of its contact rod is shorter than that of the sensor S ₂ . This sensor S ₃ performs the function of supplementing the sensor S ₂ , and moves so close to the grass dividing plate 1r that the grain culm on the left side of the grass dividing plate 1r touches the short rod of the sensor S ₃ and moving backward. When the vehicle rotates, this proximity is detected in front of the sensor S ₂ and the detection signal is used to quickly correct the traveling direction to the right.

Sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ are attached to the mounting rod of the grass divider plate 1l, back to back with sensor S ₄ , with their detection surfaces facing left, and are involved in control during reciprocating mowing.

The sensor _S6 is mounted on the left auxiliary cutting rod 1s at a position to the side of the cutting blade 1c with its detection surface facing left, and is involved in control during rotation.

The sensor S ₆₀ is installed at the lower left side of the vehicle body at a position slightly behind the rear end of the auxiliary splitting rod 1s with the detection surface facing left.
Involved in control during reciprocating mowing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the control system of the harvester of the present invention. The microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) MCN, which is the core of the control system, has a central processing unit CPU, read-only memory ROM, random access memory RAM, and input/output ports I/O.
It consists of an OP and an interface PPI, and the CPU uses μCOM-80 manufactured by NEC Corporation.

The signals emitted by each of the sensors S ₁ , S ₂ ...S ₆₀ are I/
O port I/OP, via interface PPI
The CPU performs necessary calculations based on the programs prepared in advance in the ROM and signals input from sensors, etc., and sends the actuator drive circuit ACC, which makes the aircraft move forward and backward and steer left and right. The necessary control signals are issued via the interface PPI and I/O port I/OP to perform automatic harvesting. Note that the RAM is used for temporarily storing programs in the ROM and data during calculations.

Various actuators ACT, which are drive-controlled by the actuator drive circuit ACC, perform predetermined operations, causing the traveling section, reaping section, and threshing section to perform operations corresponding to signals issued from the CPU. The structure of the actuator related to the automatic rotation function and the traveling section controlled by the actuator is roughly as follows.

First, looking at the traveling section, gear changes are performed by a hydraulically controlled transmission such as a power shift transmission, and an electromagnetic directional control valve is installed in the hydraulic circuit for shifting gears. It is provided as the actuator. Therefore, the microcomputer
By issuing a predetermined signal from the MCN, the electromagnetic directional control valve is driven to select reverse gear, neutral gear, and first to third forward gears. In addition, steering can be performed by operating the side clutches that connect and disconnect transmission to the left and right crawlers and the brakes for braking separately on the left and right sides using hydraulic circuits. The actuator is equipped with an electromagnetic directional control valve for switching the oil passage to cut off the brake and to operate the brake.

Next, regarding the reaping section 1, the entire reaping section is raised and lowered by a hydraulic circuit, and is provided with an electromagnetic directional control valve as the actuator to switch the oil passage for raising and lowering. In addition, the reaping clutch installed in the transmission system for the cutting blade 1c etc. consists of a belt stretched between a driving pulley on the engine side and a driven pulley on the reaping section side, and a tension pulley that tensions and relaxes the belt. The actuator is a solenoid that moves the tension pulley to tension or loosen the belt.

DSW is a digital switch, and in the embodiment, one single-digit thumbwheel switch is used, and it is installed at a suitable position on the operation column 3 around the driver's seat 2, and its output signal is sent to the I/O port etc. It is then transmitted to the CPU. This digital switch
DSW is a round mowing process that corresponds to a display number that can be set arbitrarily (rounding the four sides of the uncut grain culm group, i.e. 2 row mowing strokes, 2 horizontal mowing strokes, and 1 circular mowing process).
This is an instruction to execute the following steps. However, when 0 is selected, circular mowing is not performed and only reciprocating mowing is performed, and when 9 is selected, only circular mowing is performed.

Fig. 3 is a drawing schematically showing the movement trajectory of the machine when the machine faces one corner of the uncut grain culm group C and starts row mowing and round mowing, and Fig. 4 shows the control of the rotation operation in this case. It is a flowchart showing a sequence. N (N=
When a number from 1 to 8) is set and the start of harvesting work is instructed, the machine automatically steers itself and performs the reaping work in the first row mowing process. During this time, the contact rods of sensors S ₂ and S ₄ are in contact with the grain culm and are pressed and rotated backwards, but when this row cutting process is finished, the contact rods are no longer in contact with each other, so both contact rods are becomes free. The microcomputer MCN thereby detects the end of one row of row cutting, and enters the sequence for rounding.

The microcomputer MCN has a counter function that counts the number of rounds, and increments each time it goes around.
The microcomputer MCN compares the counted value n of this counter with 4N, and if n≧4N, it assumes that the number of round cuttings set by the digital switch DSW has not been reached and starts the rounding sequence for horizontal cutting described below. On the other hand, when n≧4N, it is assumed that the set number of circular mowing operations have been completed, and a circular mowing sequence for reciprocating mowing without horizontal mowing, which will be described later, is entered.

Now, if n≧4N, first set the transmission to the first forward gear, raise the reaping part, and move straight forward at low speed for a predetermined period of time (corresponding parts in Figures 3 and 4 are given the same reference numerals. The same applies hereinafter). Then, the vehicle is turned to the left for a predetermined period of time, the reaping clutch is disengaged, the transmission is set to reverse gear, and the vehicle is driven forward for a short period of time, and the right brake is activated to make a left turn while traveling backward. Then, the sensor S ₆ will eventually detect the grain culm at the corner of the uncut grain culm group C and operate.
After that, the aircraft is made to move forward for a predetermined period of time. If this happens, the aircraft will gradually move away from the uncut grain culm group C and will be out of the detection area of sensor S ₆ , so wait for a certain delay time to elapse from the point at which sensor S ₆ becomes inactive, and then apply the right brake again. The aircraft was then moved backwards for a predetermined period of time while making a left turn to point the nose in a direction approximately perpendicular to the previous row cutting stroke, and then proceed straight ahead.
The reaping section is lowered, the reaping clutch is engaged, and after completing a series of rotation sequences, the next reaping operation in the horizontal reaping stroke begins.

The rotation when moving from the horizontal mowing process to the row mowing process is performed in exactly the same manner as described above, and circular mowing is performed while repeating such rotation operation.

However, when the condition n≧4N is satisfied, it is assumed that the set number of rounds of mowing has been completed, and the cycle sequence for reciprocating mowing is entered. FIG. 5 is a drawing schematically showing the locus of movement of the machine body during reciprocating mowing, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control sequence of the rotation operation at this time.

When the microcomputer MCN recognizes n≧4N, it first sets the transmission to the first forward gear, raises the reaping section and moves it straight forward at low speed for a predetermined period of time, disengages the reaping clutch, and then turns to the left. Then, the sensor _S51 on the left side of the machine detects the grain culm at the end of the uncut grain culm group C and is activated. As a result, the left turning is stopped, and the vehicle is automatically steered by the sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ to travel along the edge of the uncut grain culm group C. On the other hand, if the left turn continues for more than a certain period of time, it is assumed that there are no grain culms on the left side of the aircraft, that is, all the harvesting work has been completed and there are no more unharvested grain culms, and the engine is stopped. Enter the task completion sequence.

Automatic steering using sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ is performed as follows. That is, sensor S ₅₁ has _a shorter grain culm detection range than sensor S ₅₂ ;
If it detects the grain culm at the edge of the uncut grain culm group C, it is assumed that the aircraft is too close to the uncut grain culm group C, and it turns to the right, and only sensor S ₅₂ detects the grain culm. If the presence of _the grain culm is detected, it is determined that the grain culm is present, and the grain culm is detected, and the grain culm _is detected, and the grain culm is detected.

In this way, while traveling 13 along the edge of the uncut grain culm group C, the machine body reaches the corner of the uncut grain culm group C, and the sensor S ₆₀ located further behind the cutting blade 1c detects the grain culm. This continues until it is no longer detected and becomes a non-operating state, but during this period, if the vehicle is driven for more than a predetermined period of time T (i.e., if the vehicle is driven by steering using S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ ) If the time from when sensors S ₅₁ and S ₆₀ are activated until sensor S ₆₀ becomes inactive is longer than the above-mentioned time T, the transmission is set to forward second gear (or third gear) at high speed. Make the driver run In other words, if the length of the field in the horizontal mowing direction is longer than a certain length, during reciprocating mowing, the speed when traveling in the horizontal mowing direction that is not related to harvesting will be increased to quickly move on to the next one. The system will be moved to the row cutting process to improve work efficiency.

Therefore, when sensor S ₆₀ becomes inactive, the aircraft has already started turning to the left because sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ have both stopped detecting the presence of grain culms just before that. , after the sensor S ₆₀ becomes inactive, the steering by the sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ is stopped and the left turn is made again for a predetermined period of time,
Next, the transmission is set to reverse gear and the vehicle is moved forward for a predetermined period of time. When performing the left turn, the transmission may be temporarily lowered to the first forward speed.
Next, the vehicle is made to turn left while moving backward until the sensor _S6 detects the grain culm at the corner and is activated. After that, the sensor S ₆ moves away from the uncut grain culm group C and becomes inactive, then the sensor S 6 is moved forward until it becomes inactive, and after a certain delay time, the aircraft is moved backward and turned to the left, thereby directing the nose toward the row cutting direction. Then, the machine moves straight forward, lowers the cutting unit, and engages the cutting clutch, and after completing a series of rotation sequences, the cutting operation begins in the next row cutting process.

The rotation from the next row mowing to the next row mowing is carried out in exactly the same manner as described above, and reciprocating mowing is performed while repeating this rotation operation until the last row mowing is completed. At this time, the work termination sequence is entered as described above.

Since the harvesting machine according to the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to perform fully automatic harvesting work extremely rationally and efficiently. In other words, during the transition from one row mowing process to the next, the traveling speed in the horizontal mowing direction, which does not contribute at all to the harvesting work, can be increased, reducing the time required for this process, and fully automatic operation. It becomes possible to increase the efficiency of harvesting work. When there are few remaining uncut grain culms and the traveling distance in the horizontal mowing direction is shortened, unnecessary acceleration will not occur, and running stability will not be impaired. If the configuration is such that the mode is automatically changed to row mowing after a set number of circular mowings as in the embodiment described above, a complex process is required to perform horizontal mowing even when there are few remaining uncut grain culms. Time loss due to turning can be avoided, and work efficiency can be further improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a harvester showing the arrangement of sensors;
Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the main parts of the control system, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the movement trajectory of the machine during mowing, Fig. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing the control sequence at that time, and Fig. 5 6 is a schematic diagram of the movement locus of the machine body during reciprocating mowing, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically showing the control sequence at that time. S ₁ , S ₂ ...S ₆₀ ...Sensor, MCN ...Microcomputer,
ACT... Actuator, 1l, 1r... Grass division board.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 automatic rotation means for turning the aircraft to advance in a direction perpendicular to the previous direction of movement of the aircraft when it is detected that the aircraft has reached a corner of the group of uncut grain culms; reciprocating mowing execution means for repeating only row mowing by the row mowing means; means for timing the progress in the horizontal mowing direction during the transition from one row mowing stroke to the next row mowing stroke; A harvesting machine characterized by comprising means for accelerating the traveling speed when a predetermined time is exceeded.