JPS644Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

The present invention relates to a notification device related to automatic steering installed in a transplanting machine such as a rice transplanter, and in particular proposes a notification device configured so that the transition from manual steering to automatic steering can be performed safely and reliably. It is something. Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained based on drawings showing embodiments thereof. Figure 1 is a left side view of a riding rice transplanter equipped with an automatic steering device according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the device of the present invention), and the steering is performed by connecting the front body F and the rear body R. It has a bent body structure that horizontally rotates around an axis, and the steering can be performed manually by rotating the steering wheel 101 or automatically by the device of the present invention. Automatic steering is achieved by energizing the solenoid 91l or 91r of the electromagnetic valve 91 shown in FIG.
2, the Pitman arm 102 connected to the rod is rotated back and forth, and the drag rod 102' connected to this rotates the rear body R with respect to the front body F, thereby steering to the left or right. It is configured to do this. Four seedling sensors are attached to the left and right sides of the bumper 103' of the planting section 103, respectively. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 for the left seedling sensor, a sensor box 108 is attached to the tip of a pipe arm 107 that extends outward from the left side of the bumper 103'. From the box are the four touch rods of the seedling sensor 81, 8.
2, 83, and 84 are arranged in a protruding manner. The contact rods 81 to 84 are made of thin conductors, the front and rear ends are bent upward, and the straight part in the middle is sufficiently longer than the distance between plants in the direction of movement of the machine in the Z row of already planted seedlings, which is approximately 150 mm, specifically, The front end is fixed within the sensor box 108, and the shield wire 93 (third
(see figure) to the electronic circuit inside the operation column 111. The touch rods 81 to 84 are spaced approximately 50 mm apart in the left and right directions of the aircraft.
3 and 84 are arranged side by side from left to right in this order, and in order to ensure this distance, horizontal rods 109 and 109 made of electrical insulators are installed at the front bent part and the rear bent part of the straight part. The sensor box 10 is fixed in a suitable manner and further includes a rear end located above and a sensor box 10.
It is supported by an insulating plate 109' which is placed astride between 8 and 8, and has a sled-like structure as a whole. The group of four contact rods 81 to 84 forms the row of planted seedlings that is closest to the aircraft among the group of planted seedlings when the planting section 103 is lowered and its float 110 lands on the water. Arm 107 so as to be able to contact the upper part of the seedling.
The length of the handle and the length of the handle itself are determined. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the main part of the electronic circuit of the device according to the present invention with respect to the seedling sensor on the left side.
2, 83, and 84 are connected to the + input terminals of the comparators 12, 11, 14, and 13 through a shield wire 93 passed through a pipe 107, etc., and via a resistor (approximately 100 KΩ). The negative input terminals of the comparators 11 to 14 are configured to receive a reference potential output from a window comparator 20, which will be described later. A parallel circuit consisting of a high resistance of about 1 MΩ and two anti-parallel diodes is interposed between the ± terminals of each comparator 11 to 14, so that when the touch rod is not in contact with the seedling Z, the + The potential of the input terminal is biased to be slightly higher than the potential of the -input terminal. Therefore, if the feeler is not in contact with the seedling Z, the comparator 11
The output of , etc. is at a high level, but if the touch rod touches the seedling Z, it means that it is grounded through the surface resistance of about 80MΩ of the already planted seedling Z, and the + input terminal becomes -
The potential becomes lower than that of the input terminal, and the output of each comparator 11 and the like turns to low level. Voltage divider 17 is 5KΩ resistor 171, both
10KΩ resistors 172, 173, 174, 175 and 5KΩ resistor 176 are connected in series,
The reference potential output by the window comparator 20 is applied to one end, and the other end is grounded to the body. Reference numerals 15 and 16 are switch transistors which apply the respective outputs of comparators 11 and 12 to their respective bases, and when these outputs become low level, turn on and connect the connection point _P1 between resistors 171 and 172 and the resistor. The connection point P ₂ between 172 and 173 is connected so as to have an emitter side potential, that is, the potential equal to the reference potential of the window comparator 20. Further, the output terminals of comparators 13 and 14 are connected to resistors 17 and 17, respectively.
4 and 175, and to connection points _P4 and _P5 between resistors 175 and 176, respectively. The window comparator 20 is a semiconductor device that discriminates a changing input voltage by comparing it with two freely settable comparison reference voltages, and in this embodiment, TCA965 manufactured by Siemens is used. In the figure, it is a power terminal and is connected to the positive terminal of a battery 32 via a switch 31 which is to be closed when instructing automatic steering. The terminal of the window comparator 20 is connected to the power supply terminal, and when a predetermined voltage is applied, the terminal is connected to the ground terminal.
This is a terminal that emits a constant voltage of 6.4V as the aforementioned reference potential, and in addition to being connected to one terminal of the comparators 11 to 14 and one end of the voltage divider 17 as described above,
It is also connected to one end of the steering sensor 33. This steering sensor 33 consists of a potentiometer connected in conjunction with the rod of the hydraulic cylinder 92, and the other end is grounded via a resistor. The output voltage V ₃₃ of the steering sensor ₃₃ changes depending on the advance and retreat positions of the rod of the hydraulic cylinder 92, and becomes a signal representing the steering angle. It is arranged so that it can be given to
Note that the steering sensor 33 outputs V ₃₃ =3.2V (=6.4/2V) when the steering angle is 0 degrees (the aircraft is moving straight).
It is set so that Furthermore, the V ₃₃ is connected to the rod of the hydraulic cylinder so that when the steering is steered to the left, the V 33 increases, and conversely, when the steering is steered to the right, the V ₃₃ decreases. As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal of the window comparator 20 is an input terminal to which a voltage defining the midpoint of the window should be applied, and is connected to the connection point P ₃ between the resistors 173 and 174 in the voltage divider 17. The potential V ₃ is applied to the terminal. The aforementioned terminal is also connected to a fixed resistor 181 of 10KΩ.
It is grounded through a series circuit with a variable resistor 182 of 1KΩ, and the intermediate terminal potential of the variable resistor 182 is applied to the terminal of the window comparator 20. The input voltage V ₉ to the terminal defines the 1/2 width of the window as shown in FIG. Terminal is a terminal that inhibits the output of the window comparator 20 when it is set to ground potential, and is connected to the diode and normally closed limit switch contact 3.
It is connected to the body earth via 4. This limit switch is arranged near the steering wheel 101, and the contact point 34 is opened when the limit switch is moved forward as in the case of seedling succession. The terminals are output terminals of the window comparator 20, and are connected to drive circuits 19r and 19l, each consisting of two transistors connected in Darlington, and excite the solenoids 91r and 91l when their respective outputs become low level. It is designed to do so. Between the positive electrode line which is opened and closed by the switch 31 and the body ground, there is connected in parallel a series circuit consisting of an automatic selection lamp 35, which indicates the closing of the switch 31 by its lighting, a normally open limit switch contact 36, and a straight ahead indicator lamp 37. It is connected. This limit switch is placed facing the rotation range of the pitman arm 102, and its normally open contact 36 closes in a narrow rotation angle range (about 1 degree) of the pitman arm when the aircraft is traveling approximately straight. However, the fact that the aircraft is traveling substantially straight is reported by lighting the straight ahead indicator lamp 37. The limit switch contact 34 and the connection point of the diode, the lamp 37 and the limit switch contact 36
A series circuit of a diode and a buzzer 38 is connected between the two. Next, the operation of the window comparator 20 will be briefly explained based on FIG. Figure 4 A and B are the terminals, respectively, of the binary output V ₂ ,
V ₃₃ is plotted on the horizontal axis with V ₁₄ . _V14
is low level when V ₃₃ < V ₃ − V ₉ , and high level when V ₃₃ > V ₃ − V ₉ , and V ₂ is high level when V ₃₃ < V ₃ + V ₉ , and low when V ₃₃ > V ₃ + V ₉ . level. The range from V ₃ −V ₉ to _{V 3} +V ₉ is called the window, and V ₃
defines the midpoint and V ₉ defines 1/2 of its width. In the device of the present invention, _V9 , which defines the 1/2 width, is fixed at an appropriately set value by the variable resistor 182.
V ₃ changes depending on the contact state between the touch rods 81 to 84 and the planted seedlings Z, and V ₃₃ also changes depending on the steering state. In other words, depending on the relative positional relationship between the planted seedlings and the aircraft and the steering condition, V ₂ or V ₄ becomes low level and solenoid 91r or 91l is energized, resulting in steering to the right or left. Become. And if V ₃₃ is within the window, i.e. V ₃ −V ₉ ~
If it is in the range of V ₃ + V ₉ , steering is not performed as a dead zone for steering control. The window midpoint, ie, _V3 , has a meaning as information representing the relative position of the planted seedlings and the machine body, and this will be explained below.

[Table] Table 1 lists the relationship between the presence or absence of seedlings in contact with the tentacles 81 to 84 and V ₃ , where 0 indicates no contact and 1 indicates contact. . Also, looking at the outputs of the comparators 12, 11, 14, and 13 connected to each of the touch rods 81, 82, 83, and 84, 0 in the table is a high level, and 1 in the table is a low level. Each corresponds. In this way, only 7 voltages can be obtained for 16 different contact situations for the 4 touch rods, but by setting the distance between each touch rod and other dimensional conditions as described above, , except in special cases, there are only three situations: the seedling does not touch any of the antennae, it comes into contact with any one, or it comes into contact with two adjacent rods, so in reality 1 to 5 and 7, 9, 13 marked with *
Eight situations will appear in the column, whereas V ₃ will be 4.75V, 3.56V, 3.2V, 2.84V and
1.83V, but the identification of the situation in column 9 and the situation in column 13 (both 4.75V) or the situation in column 2 and the situation in column 4 (both 2.84V) is for steering control. It is not always necessary, and the seedlings may be
The situation in column 1 and the situation in column 7 in the case of V 3 are both equivalent situations in which steering is performed ideally, and there is no need for identification, so in short, V ₃
is 3.2V, which is the ideal running condition, and if it is higher than this, the aircraft is moving away from the row of planted seedlings (looking at the left sensor, it is shifting to the right from the row of planted seedlings), and if it is higher than this, the aircraft is moving away from the row of planted seedlings. The larger the deviation is to some extent, and if it is smaller than 3.2V, the aircraft is too close to the row of planted seedlings, and the smaller the difference, the greater the deviation. In this way, V ₃ includes information indicating the aircraft position, but
In the case of column 1 where V ₃ = 3.2V, the seedlings are attached to the touch rods 81 to 8.
This may include a state between 2 or 83 and 84, or a state outside the touch rod 81 or inside 84. However, as will be described later, as long as the switch to automatic steering is performed while the aircraft is traveling straight and seedlings are detected by the seedling sensor, the latter two situations will occur. There is no possibility, and in the case of the first two cases, a state in which one of the touch rods comes into contact with the seedling occurs after a while, so there is no possibility that the steering becomes uncontrollable. The proposed device having such a configuration is used as follows.
It works again. That is, automatic steering becomes possible after one or more rows of planting are completed and a row of already planted seedlings is formed.
If the row of planted seedlings is currently on the left side of the machine, manual steering is performed using the steering wheel 101 to bring the left seedling sensor into contact with the row of planted seedlings, while the automatic steering selection switch 31 is closed. Under these circumstances, when the aircraft is able to move straight, the limit switch contact 36 closes, lighting the straight-ahead indicator lamp 37 and making the buzzer 38 sound. The driver now knows that it is now possible to switch to automatic steering, and more precisely, the aircraft is now able to switch to automatic steering with confidence that it will not proceed in an unexpected direction. Knowing this, at this point the steering wheel was 10.
Move 1 forward. Then, the limit switch contact 34 is opened, the buzzer 8 stops sounding, and the prohibition of the window comparator 20 from operating is lifted. Then, for some reason, the aircraft moves to the right (or left).
Assuming that the seedling is in the state shown in column 5 (or column 3) of Table 1, where the seedling is in contact with the left (or right) touch rod 82 or 83, _V3 will be 3.56V (or 2.84V). Therefore, the window moves to the high (or low) voltage side. Since the output voltage V ₃₃ of the steering sensor 33 is changed from the state where the contact 36 is closed to automatic steering,
Since it is at 3.2V (straight-ahead state) or a value close to this, V ₁₄ (or V ₂ ) becomes low level as the window moves to the high voltage side (or low voltage side), and solenoid 91l or 91r is energized. The aircraft corrects its direction of travel to the left (or right) and returns to the state in column 1 or 7 of Table 1. This operation is the same in the case of column 9 (or column 2) of Table 1, where the seedling comes into contact with the touch rod 81 or 84.
In these cases, the amount of movement of the window toward the high (or low) pressure side is large, so even if the output of the steering sensor 33 is slightly higher (or lower) than 3.2V, i.e. Even if the direction is being corrected to the left (or right), V ₁₄ (or V ₂ )
becomes low level and solenoid 91l or 91
r is excited and operates the hydraulic cylinder 92 to increase the amount of steering to the left (or right) and quickly 1
Alternatively, the vehicle will operate to return to the straight-ahead state shown in column 7. As described above, the notification device according to the present invention is an automatic steering device for a transplanter that runs following a predetermined guide such as a row of already planted seedlings, and the device is equipped with a switch for instructing automatic steering selection, and a machine that is connected to the automatic steering device. It is equipped with a switch that is activated when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead, and is configured to notify when both of these switches are activated, allowing for smooth transition from manual steering to automatic steering. There is no risk that the already planted seedlings will be damaged due to steering in an unexpected direction immediately after switching to automatic steering. Such a notification function is useful when turning. That is, after turning the machine at the edge of the field, manual steering is performed to bring the seedling sensor into contact with the row of planted seedlings, but if automatic steering is entered immediately after this steering is completed, a problem will occur. For example, if the touch rod is in the state shown in column 1 of Table 1 and the direction of the aircraft is in line with the direction of the seedling row, but the steering wheels 101 are in a state of turning to the right or left, the automatic steering control Even if the machine starts, the hydraulic cylinder 92 is not activated, and therefore the machine moves to the right or left depending on the state of the steering wheel 101, damaging the planted seedlings. In the device equipped with the alarm device of the present invention, since the switch contact 36 is open, the straight-ahead indicator lamp 37 to prompt the switch to automatic steering does not light up and the buzzer 38 does not sound, and therefore the automatic steering control is not activated. This means that the operation that causes the actual start can be inhibited. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the automatic steering control circuit is configured to start operating by moving the steering wheel forward, so switching from manual to automatic can be performed more reliably. It has excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a left side view of a riding rice transplanter equipped with the proposed device, Fig. 2 is an external view of the seedling sensor, and Fig. 3 is an electronic circuit of the proposed device. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the main parts, and is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the window comparator. 20... Window comparator, 31... Switch, 34, 36... Limit switch contact, 3
7... Straight ahead indicator lamp, 38... Buzzer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An automatic steering system for a transplant machine that runs following a predetermined guide includes a switch for instructing automatic steering selection and a switch that operates when the aircraft is traveling approximately straight, and these switches are A notification device characterized in that it is configured to notify when both are in an operating state.