JPS643288Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a harvesting machine, and more specifically, it is a harvesting machine that is equipped with a microcomputer so that it can rotate automatically in the field and perform harvesting work fully automatically. Regarding machines.

The harvesting machine according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the invention machine) enables not only manual harvesting work but also automatic harvesting work 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, and a constant cutting height. It is equipped with an automatic cutting height adjustment function, as well as an alarm function that detects clogging of the grain culm conveyance system, abnormalities in the swing sorting unit, etc. Thus, the present machine is characterized by the above-mentioned automatic rotation function. This automatic rotation function enables selective execution of circular mowing, which alternately performs row mowing and horizontal mowing, and reciprocating mowing, which repeats only row mowing. On the other hand, in circular mowing mode, when circular mowing has been performed a set number of times, the mode is switched to reciprocating mowing after that. However, circular mowing mode generally starts with row mowing, then repeats horizontal mowing, row mowing, horizontal mowing, etc., and after performing horizontal mowing several times, reciprocating mowing is performed in which row mowing is repeated. It is becoming more and more common for people to do this. Therefore, when you start circular mowing from horizontal mowing, horizontal mowing - row mowing - horizontal mowing - row mowing... horizontal mowing - row mowing (circular mowing up to this point) - horizontal mowing - horizontal mowing -
Horizontal mowing...There is an inconvenience in that horizontal mowing requires reciprocating mowing. This is because since the bare grain culms are planted in an orderly manner in the direction of row mowing, it is preferable to harvest by row mowing from various viewpoints such as efficiency, protection of uncut culms, and accuracy of automatic steering.

However, if the field is adjacent to a mountain or river, or if the position of the machine entering the field is restricted due to road conditions, etc., it may be necessary to start circular mowing from horizontal mowing. In such a case, you may notice it when circular mowing is finished and run one cycle of wasted movement without mowing so that you can perform row mowing, and then switch to reciprocating mode, or first perform horizontal mowing. There was a problem in that special operations were required, such as entering circular cutting mode after vines were cleared, which was cumbersome.

The present invention was developed in view of this problem, and eliminates the hassle by automatically starting rotary mowing either from horizontal mowing or from row mowing.

The present invention will be described in detail below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the proposed machine, 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 side 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.
Consists of OP and interface PPI.

The signals H emitted by each of the sensors S ₁ , S ₂ ...S ₆₀ are taken into the CPU via the I/O port I/OP and the interface PPI, and the CPU receives input from a program prepared in advance in the ROM, sensors, etc. An actuator drive circuit that performs the necessary calculations based on signals from
A necessary control signal is issued to the ACC 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, let's look at the running part.
The gear shift is performed by a hydraulically controlled transmission such as a power shift transmission, and the actuator is an electromagnetic directional control valve provided in the hydraulic circuit for gear change. Therefore, by issuing a predetermined signal from the microcomputer MCN, the electromagnetic directional control valve is driven to select the reverse gear, neutral gear, and forward gear. 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 loosens 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 circular mowing process that corresponds to a displayed 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 command instructs the user to carry out reciprocating mowing after that. 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.

JSW and YSW are push-button switches for row mowing command and horizontal mowing command, respectively, and are installed at appropriate locations on the operation column 3 around the driver's seat 2, and their output signals are sent to the I/O port. etc., and is transmitted to the CPU. The row mowing command switch JSW instructs to start work in row mowing when pushed in, and the horizontal mowing command switch YSW instructs to start work in horizontal mowing by pushing it in. It gives instructions.

The control and operation of the proposed machine constructed as described above will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. In the present machine, the number of circular mowing operations is appropriately determined depending on the size of the field, and after the predetermined number of circular mowing operations have been executed, reciprocating mowing can be performed.

First, the case where harvesting is performed in fully automatic mode will be described. The number of times N of round mowing is set using the digital switch DSW. At this time, as described above, if N=0 is selected, only reciprocating mowing is performed, and if N=9 is selected, only circular mowing is performed. When the number of circular mowings is set to N = 1 to 8, the microcomputer MCN
The CPU uses a counter that counts the number of times Nk = 4N
and preset. In other words, one circular mowing process consists of two row mowing strokes and two horizontal mowing strokes, a total of 4 strokes, so the number of cycles Nk to switch from circular mowing to reciprocating mowing is
Nk=4N. When starting the reaping operation from the row mowing process, the horizontal mowing command switch YSW is not turned on and the circular mowing, which alternately repeats row mowing and horizontal mowing, is performed at N.
After repeating 4N times, the subsequent process becomes row mowing, which is then switched to reciprocating mowing.

On the other hand, when starting the mowing operation from the horizontal mowing stroke, turning on the horizontal mowing command switch YSW will change the number of cycles Nk to switch from circular mowing to reciprocating mowing.
It is preset as Nk=4N+1. This means that if you start work from the horizontal mowing process, you will have to mowing N times.
After completing 4N rotations, the subsequent process is a horizontal mowing process, so it is not possible to switch to the reciprocating mowing mode, and the mode is switched to the reciprocating mowing mode after the horizontal mowing process. After such a setting operation, the machine automatically steers itself and performs the first cutting operation in row cutting or horizontal cutting mode.

On the other hand, when manually operating the cutting operation without selecting the fully automatic mode, turn on the row mowing command switch JSW to start the reaping operation from the row cutting stroke, and the automatic steering function will operate. The direction lamp lights up and automatic steering is performed using the left sensor _S4 . Furthermore, when starting the reaping operation from the horizontal mowing stroke, when the horizontal mowing command switch YSW is turned on, the automatic steering lamp lights up and automatic steering is performed by the right sensor _S2 . For this reason, even in the case of manual rotation, the automatic steering function works during the reaping process, improving work efficiency.

Now, the rotation operation in the fully automatic mode will be explained. FIG. 4 is a drawing schematically showing the movement trajectory of the machine to explain the rotation operation during circular mowing,
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control sequence in this case. Turn off (or on) the horizontal mowing command switch YSW and perform the cutting work in the first row mowing (or horizontal mowing) process. During this time, sensors S ₂ and S ₄
The contact rods contact the grain culm and are pushed backwards, but when this row mowing (or horizontal mowing) process is completed, there is no grain culm to contact, so both contact rods become free. The state will be as follows. The microcomputer MCN thereby detects the end of one stroke of row mowing (or horizontal mowing),
Enter the sequence for rotation.

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 count value n of this counter with the set number of times Nk, and if n≧Nk,
It is assumed that the set number of round mowing has not been reached and the machine enters the rounding sequence for horizontal mowing (or row mowing) described below, whereas when n≧Nk, the set number of round mowing has been completed. As a result, a rotation sequence for reciprocating mowing without horizontal mowing as described later is entered. As mentioned above, the number of times Nk is 4N when starting from the row mowing process without turning on the horizontal mowing switch YSW, and 4N+1 when starting from the horizontal mowing process with the horizontal mowing switch YSW on. As described above, the subsequent reciprocating mowing always starts from the row mowing stroke.

Now, if n≧Nk, 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 4 and 5 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 and the reaping clutch is engaged, completing a series of rotation sequences and starting the reaping operation in the next horizontal reaping stroke.

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≧Nk 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. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the locus of movement of the machine body during reciprocating mowing, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control sequence of the rotation operation at this time.

When the microcomputer MCN recognizes that n≧Nk, it first sets the transmission to the first forward gear, raises the reaping section and moves it straight ahead at a low speed for a predetermined period of time, disengages the reaping clutch, and then turns the reaping unit 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.

As the machine travels along the edge of the uncut grain culm group C in this way, it eventually reaches the corner of the uncut grain culm group C, and the sensor S ₆₀ located further behind the cutting blade 1c. becomes inactive and does not detect grain culms.
Immediately before that, both sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ went into a state where they did not detect the presence of grain culms, so the aircraft had already started a left turn, but after sensor S ₆₀ became inactive, The steering by sensors S ₅₁ and S ₅₂ is stopped, the left turn is made again for a predetermined period of time, the transmission is then set to reverse gear, and the transmission is made to immediately proceed for a predetermined period of time, and then the left turn is performed while the sensor S ₆ is turned to the corner while the gear is being reversed. The process is continued until the grain culm is detected and 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 made to turn left while moving backward, thereby turning the nose in the row cutting direction. The machine then moves straight forward, lowers the cutting section, and engages the cutting clutch, completing a series of rotation sequences and starting the cutting operation 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.

As described in detail above, the harvesting machine according to the present invention automatically performs circular cutting in which the machine turns at the corner of a group of uncut grain culms and moves in a direction perpendicular to the previous direction of movement of the machine. In the harvester, a means for instructing whether circular mowing should be started as row mowing or horizontal mowing, and a preset counter that is preset in relation to the instruction content of the means and that counts the number of turns. , automatic reciprocating mowing means for turning the machine at a corner of the uncut grain culm group and moving the machine in a direction opposite to the previous direction of movement of the machine when this count reaches a predetermined value. Therefore, it is possible to start rotary mowing at any time from either row mowing or horizontal mowing, perform circular mowing an appropriate number of times, and then switch to reciprocating mowing using only row mowing when there are few remaining grain culms. It becomes possible. Therefore, when starting work in circular mowing mode, the driver only needs to instruct whether to start from row mowing or horizontal mowing, which eliminates the hassle of unnecessary driving or having to perform horizontal mowing once. can be omitted.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the proposed device showing the arrangement of sensors;
Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the main parts of the control system, Fig. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the proposed machine, and Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the main parts of the control system.
The figure is a schematic diagram of the movement trajectory of the machine body during circular mowing, FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically showing the control sequence at that time, FIG. The figure is a flowchart schematically showing the control sequence at that time. S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄ , S ₆ , S ₅₁ , S ₅₂ , S ₆₀ ... Sensor, MCN ... Microcomputer, ACT ... Actuator, JSW ... Row mowing command switch, YSW ... Horizontal mowing Command switch, DSW...Digital switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A harvesting machine that automatically performs circular cutting in which the machine turns at the corner of a group of uncut grain culms and moves in a direction perpendicular to the previous direction of movement of the machine, means for instructing whether to start mowing as row mowing or horizontal mowing; and preset in relation to the instruction content of the means,
a preset counter that counts the number of turns; and when this count reaches a predetermined value, the machine turns around at the corner of the group of uncut grain culms and moves in a direction opposite to the previous direction of movement of the machine. A harvesting machine characterized by comprising automatic reciprocating means for mowing.