WO1998019514A1

WO1998019514A1 - A soil working implement

Info

Publication number: WO1998019514A1
Application number: PCT/NL1997/000606
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cornelis Van Der Lely; Ary Van Der Lely
Original assignee: Maasland N.V.
Priority date: 1996-11-06
Filing date: 1997-11-04
Publication date: 1998-05-14
Also published as: DE69711366D1; NL1004450C2; EP0888043B1; DE69711366T2; EP0888043A1

Abstract

A soil working implement comprises a vehicle (2) including at least one agricultural implement (3, 4) connected thereto and a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle (2). The measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver (5) which is rotatable about a vertical axis, while there may furthermore be provided a computer having a memory in which the outlines of a parcel (1) to be worked are recorded. This recording can be effected by registering the position coordinates of the vehicle (2) in the memory when the vehicle (2) is moved across or along the outlines of the parcel (1).

Description

A SOIL WORKING IMPLEMENT

The present invention relates to a soil working implement comprising a vehicle including at least one agricultural implement connected thereto and a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle.

For the purpose of obtaining an accurate measurement of the position of the vehicle, in accordance with the invention, the measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver which is rotatable about a vertical axis. In particular the use of a laser-transceiver and the arrangement in which said laser-transceiver is rotatable about a vertical axis enable an accurate determination of the position in polar coordinates. The measuring system is preferably movable and therefore capable of being arranged anywhere; nevertheless it is preferred to arrange this system at a relatively short distance outside or near the outlines of a parcel which is to be worked by the agricultural implement. In particular, the measuring system may be arranged at a corner of a parcel which is to be worked by the agricultural implement. Besides arranging the measuring system fixedly, it is also possible to dispose same on a vehicle. However, in that case there has to be provided at least one fixedly arranged beacon relative to which the position of the vehicle is established. For the purpose of adapting the implement to any agricultural field, the measuring system comprises a computer having a memory, in which memory the outlines of a parcel to be worked can be recorded. Although it is possible beforehand to input the outlines of a parcel to be worked into the memory with the aid of maps, it is favourable when the outlines of a parcel to be worked are recorded in the memory by registering the position coordinates of the vehicle in the memory when the vehicle is moved across or along the outlines of the parcel. In other words, the farmer himself is able to record the outlines of the parcel to be worked in the computer by simply following them with the vehicle.

When the vehicle including an agricultural implement connected thereto is working a field, it is important to prevent the vehicle from transgressing the outlines of the field. Therefore, there are provided one or more additional laser-transceivers which are active along the out- line(s) of the parcel to be worked for the purpose of detecting whether this/these outline(s) is/are transgressed by the vehicle, while there may further be provided means for stopping the vehicle as soon as the latter transgresses the outline(s) of the parcel to be worked. These measures are of great importance when the vehicle is active on the land to be worked in an unmanned situation. The latter means may be constituted by radiographic communication means which are active between the measuring system and the vehicle. Therefore, the invention further relates to a soil working implement comprising a vehicle including an agricultural implement connected thereto and a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle, the implement then being characterized in that the measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver for determining the position of the vehicle, while there are furthermore provided radiographic communication means which are active between the measuring system and the vehicle. In order to promote a good function of the measuring system, the vehicle is provided with a laser reflector and angle measuring means for determining the position of the laser reflector relative to the vertical, while this position can be passed to the rotatable laser- transceiver via the radiographic communication means for the purpose of correcting the position coordinates of the vehicle obtained by means thereof. However, it is also possible to provide the vehicle with a laser reflector which is arranged on a stabilized platform or is suspended in a cardan suspen- sion system. In particular when a plough is connected to the vehicle, it may occur that the vehicle moves across the land in a tilted position, as a result of which also the laser reflector, if the latter is not stabilized, will come in a tilted position. This tilted position has to be taken into account when determining the position of the vehicle.

By having the vehicle move across a parcel whose outlines have been inputted into the computer memory and due to the combination of the measuring system and the radiographic communication means, it will be possible to design the vehicle as a self-propelled vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle can be unmanned and be controlled from a working accommodation where a computer including a monitor is arranged. From this accommodation the vehicle can then be controlled radiographically . Although the vehicle is capable of being moved to and fro across the field to be worked, whilst turning on the headland, it is advantageous when the vehicle is provided on both sides with an equal agricultural implement by which the parcel is to be worked, one of these agricultural implements each time being in the inoperative position. In this manner, by means of a specific sidewardly backward or sidewardly forward movement in the direction determined by the computer, it will be possible to move the vehicle including the agricultural implements connected thereto to and fro across the field to be worked without turning.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a random parcel on which the soil working implement according to the invention is schematically indicated;

Figure 2 shows the movement of an unmanned vehicle with on both sides a plough connected thereto across a parcel to be worked;

Figure 3 shows the tilted position of the vehicle in a furrow, and

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a simple unmanned vehicle on both sides of which there is provided a plough having one share.

Figure 1 shows a random parcel 1 with a soil working implement indicated thereon, which implement includes a vehicle 2 with on both sides an agricultural implement, in particular a plough 3, 4 respectively, connected thereto. The implement furthermore comprises a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle 2. To that end this measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver 5 rotatable about a vertical axis and provided with at least one reflec- tor 6 that is disposed on the vehicle. By means of laser signals transmitted impulse-wise which, when reaching the vehicle 2, are reflected by said vehicle and received in the laser-transmitter/receiver, it is possible to determine the position of the vehicle in polar coordinates r, φ . On the basis of the difference in time between a laser impulse that is transmitted and a laser impulse that is subsequently reflected, it will be possible to determine the distance r, while the angle φ , at which the reflected signal reaches the laser-transceiver, applies as second polar coordinate relative to a reference direction. When the farmer follows the outlines of the parcel, e.g. from A to B and subsequently to C, D, E, F and back to A, with the vehicle 2 to which the agricultural implements 3, 4 may be connected or not, then, if during that drive each time the position coordinates r, φ of the vehicle 2 are determined, the outlines of the parcel 1 can be recorded and stored in the memory of a computer. This computer may be arranged in the working accommodation of the farmer. When the vehicle 2 is unmanned and is controlled radiographically, detection means may optionally be incor- porated with regard to a possible transgression of the outlines of the parcel by the vehicle 2. Hence, in the embodiments represented in Figure 1, further laser- transceivers are arranged at a number of corners (B, C, D) of the parcel, the arrangement being such that these laser- transceivers are capable of transmitting a beam along the relevant outlines; therefore, said laser-transceivers are not rotatably arranged about an axis, but transmit the laser beam in a fixed direction. As soon as the vehicle touches the laser beam, there is obtained a reflection from this vehicle and there is detected that the vehicle has reached the boundary of the parcel, after which it may be stopped and, if required, its direction may be changed. In Figure 1 only three of such fixedly arranged laser-transceivers are in- dicated. It will be obvious that such laser-transceivers may be arranged as well at the other corners. Stopping the vehicle 2 or turning same is effected by radiographic control from the farm building where the computer system is arranged. When the outlines of the parcel to be worked have been inputted into the memory of the computer, it will be possible to determine in the computer the optimal direction of working. In Figure 1 this may be the direction parallel to the line A-B. When the unmanned vehicle including the two agricultural implements 3 and 4 is arranged near point A, the vehicle, after having been started radiographically, will be capable of moving in the direction of point B and performing along the way A-B an agricultural cultivation, in the present case by ploughing. When the vehicle including the agricultural implements approaches the line B-C, it is advantageous, instead of turning the vehicle 180°, to have the vehicle perform a sidewardly forward movement (see Figure 2), whereafter the vehicle will be able again to move parallel to the line A-B in the direction of the line A-F. When the vehicle has approached the line A-F, it will undergo a sidewardly backward movement and subsequently again move parallel to the line A-B in the direction of the line B-C. By thus driving to and fro while each time making a sideward movement, it will be possible to work the entire parcel.

When a cultivation by ploughing is being executed, it may occur that the vehicle 2 moves with one of its wheels in the furrow and consequently takes a tilted position, as indicated in Figure 3. When the vehicle is in a tilted position, the reflector 6 disposed thereon will be in a tilted position as well and this will result in a measuring error in the distance r from the vehicle to the laser- transceiver 5. In order to correct this error, there have to be provided angle measuring means on the vehicle for determining the oblique angle and to pass the size thereof radiographically to the computer in the working accom- modation, so that the computer, when calculating the distance between the vehicle and the laser-transceiver, will be able to take the orientation of the vehicle into account. Figure 4 shows a simple unmanned vehicle 2 on both sides of which there is provided a plough 3, 4 respectively; these ploughs only have one share. The vehicle is provided with two reflection masts each having a reflector 6, which is advantageous in that at each measurement by the laser-transceiver the direction of travel of the vehicle can be determined at the same time. If the vehicle has only one reflector, a deviating direction of travel will only appear after a number of measurements, so after the vehicle has covered a certain distance in the wrong direction, and correction will be effected too late. For a simple vehicle as is shown in Figure 4, a relatively light diesel engine, e.g. one of 30 kW, is sufficient. The vehicle does not need a cabin; pneumatic tyres are not needed: two steel wheels having an antiskid construction are sufficient; a forward and backward control may be sufficient.

Claims

1. A soil working implement comprising a vehicle (2) including at least one agricultural implement (3, 4) connected thereto and a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle (2), characterized in that the measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver (5) which is rotatable about a vertical axis .

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the measuring system is arranged at a relatively short distance outside or near the outlines of a parcel (1) which is to be worked by the agricultural implement (3, 4).

3. An implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the measuring system is arranged at a corner of a parcel (1) which is to be worked by the agricultural implement (3, 4).

4. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring system is movable.

5. An implement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the measuring system is disposed on the vehicle (2), while there is provided at least one fixedly arranged beacon relative to which the position of the vehicle (2) is established.

6. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring system comprises a computer having a memory, in which memory the outlines of a parcel (1) to be worked are recorded.

7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the outlines of a parcel (1) to be worked are recorded in the memory by registering the position coordinates of the vehicle (2) in the memory when the vehicle (2) is moved across or along the outlines of the parcel (1).

8. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are provided one or more additional laser-transceivers (5) which are active along the outline(s) of the parcel (1) to be worked for the purpose of detecting whether this/these outline(s) is/are transgressed by the vehicle (2).

9. An implement as claimed in any one of claims 6 - 8, characterized in that there are provided means for stopping the vehicle (2) as soon as the latter transgresses the outline(s) of the parcel (1) to be worked.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, in a measuring system arranged in the field, the means are constituted by radiographic communication means which are active between the measuring system and the vehicle (2).

11. A soil working implement comprising a vehicle (2) including an agricultural implement (3, 4) connected thereto and a measuring system for determining the position of the vehicle (2), characterized in that the measuring system comprises a laser-transceiver (5) for determining the position of the vehicle (2), while there are furthermore provided radiographic communication means which are active between the measuring system and the vehicle (2).

12. An implement as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is provided with a laser reflector (6) and angle measuring means for determining the position of the laser reflector (6) relative to the vertical, while said position can be passed to the rotatable laser- transceiver (5) via the radiographic communication means for the purpose of correcting the position coordinates of the vehicle (2) obtained by means thereof.

13. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is provided with a laser reflector (6) which is arranged on a stabilized platform or is suspended in a cardan suspension system (6).

14. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the computer is provided with a program for determining, on the basis of the outlines of the parcel (1) to be worked stored in the memory of the computer, the direction in which the parcel (1) should preferably be worked.

15. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is designed as a self-propelled vehicle.

16. An implement as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is capable of being controlled radiographically .

17. An implement as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is provided on both sides with an equal agricultural implement (3, 4) by which the parcel (1) is to be worked, in which situation each time one of these agricultural implements (3, 4) is in the inoperative position.

18. An implement as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the vehicle (2) including the agricultural implements

(3, 4) connected thereto is capable of being moved to and fro across the field to be worked in the direction determined by the computer without turning, but after a specific sidewardly backward or sidewardly forward movement.

19. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the agricultural implements (3, 4) is constituted by a plough.