Work vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a work vehicle in which a device for monitoring an operator is provided at an appropriate position, and the state of the operator seated in a driver seat can be monitored with high precision. This work vehicle is provided with: a monitoring device for monitoring an operator seated in a driver seat; and a support member that supports the monitoring device. In plan view, the direction perpendicular to the width direction of the driver seat is the front-rear direction, and the side facing the operator seated in the driver seat in the front-rear direction is the front. The monitoring device is disposed in front of the driver seat, is disposed at a position offset in the width direction of the driver seat with respect to a reference axis passing through the center in the width direction of the driver seat and along the front-back direction, and is supported by the support member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a working vehicle. Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a driver monitoring device that uses a camera to capture the face of the driver of a car or other vehicle, accurately determines the left and right sides of the driver through image analysis, and issues an alarm. The camera is installed on the steering column of the vehicle.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-152700 Summary of the invention

[0006] When driving a car or other vehicle, it is important to pay attention to the front of the vehicle, so the driver rarely tilts his sight to the left or right during driving. In addition, in order to expand the range of attention, even if the driver tilts his sight to the left or right during driving, it only takes a moment. Therefore, when the vehicle being driven is a car, as in Patent Document 1, a camera is arranged on the steering column located in front of the driver, and the left and right views of the driver can be monitored with high accuracy using the camera.

[0007] In contrast, with regard to work vehicles such as tractors, in most cases the operator of the work vehicle pushes the work vehicle while looking at the front wheels. In this case, the direction of the operator's line of sight becomes obliquely downward relative to the direction the operator faces in front (forward). In addition, with regard to work vehicles such as hydraulic excavators, excavation work is sometimes performed by swinging the boom in the left-right direction and rotating the boom in the up-down direction, depending on the work site. At this time, the direction of the operator's line of sight sometimes becomes obliquely upward relative to the direction the operator faces in front.

[0008] Therefore, for a work vehicle in which the line of sight is tilted greatly to the left and right during operation in most cases, if a camera is arranged in front of the operator to monitor the left and right side view, the line of sight movement during operation may be erroneously monitored as being equivalent to the left and right side view even though it is not actually equivalent to the left and right side view. Therefore, a countermeasure against erroneous monitoring is required.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle in which a device for monitoring an operator is provided at an appropriate position so as to monitor the state of an operator sitting in a driver's seat with high accuracy.

[0010] A work vehicle involved in one aspect of the present invention comprises: a monitoring device that monitors an operator sitting in a driver's seat; and a supporting component that supports the monitoring device, wherein a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the driver's seat when viewed from above is set as a front-to-back direction, and a side facing the operator sitting in the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction is set as a front, and at this time, the monitoring device is configured to be further forward than the driver's seat and is configured at a position offset in the width direction of the driver's seat relative to a reference axis passing through the center of the width direction of the driver's seat and along the front-to-back direction, and is supported by the supporting component.

[0011] Effects of the Invention

[0012] According to the above configuration, the device for monitoring the operator is provided at an appropriate position, so that the state of the operator sitting in the driver's seat can be monitored with high accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a left side view showing a schematic structure of a tractor as an example of a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 The figure is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the cab of the tractor.

[0015] Figure 3 It is an enlarged left side view showing the interior of the above-mentioned cab.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a monitoring device included in the above-mentioned tractor.

[0017] Figure 5 It is a front view schematically showing the appearance of the auxiliary monitoring device provided in the tractor.

[0018] Figure 6 : is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of the auxiliary monitoring device.

[0019] Figure 7 It is a plan view schematically showing the structure of a modified example of the above-mentioned tractor.

[0020] Figure 8 It is a left side view schematically showing the structure of another modified example of the above-mentioned tractor.

[0021] Fig. 9 It is shown Figure 8 A top view of the structure of the main parts of the tractor.

[0022] Description of Reference Numerals

[0023] 1…tractor (working vehicle); 2a…floor; 7…cab; 9…driver’s seat; 20…monitoring device; 20L…left-side monitoring device; 20R…right-side monitoring device; 40…auxiliary monitoring device; 43…output control unit; 44…information output unit; 44a…display unit; 44b…speech output unit; 71L…left front pillar (second front pillar, supporting component); 71R…right front pillar (first front pillar, supporting component); 75…supporting component; A1…reference axis; EP…eye point; W0…center. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] The following is an explanation of the embodiment of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings. In addition, in this embodiment, a tractor is cited as an example of a working vehicle for explanation, but as a working vehicle, in addition to a tractor, a rice transplanter, a combine harvester, a civil engineering / construction working device (such as a hydraulic excavator), a snowplow, and other passenger-type working vehicles can also be considered.

[0026] In addition, in this specification, directions are defined as follows. First, the driver's seat 9 (refer to Figure 1 ) is set as the left-right direction. Moreover, when viewed from above, the direction perpendicular to the width direction of the driver's seat 9 is set as the front-to-back direction. In the front-to-back direction, the side (front side) facing the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 is set as the "front", and the opposite side, that is, the back side of the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 is set as the "rear". In addition, the right side facing the front of the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 is set as the "right", and the left side is set as the "left". The above-mentioned right side is also one side of the above-mentioned width direction. The above-mentioned left side is also the other side of the above-mentioned width direction. Moreover, the gravity direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction is set as the up-down direction, the upstream side of the gravity direction is set as the "up", and the downstream side is set as the "down". In the accompanying drawings, the symbol "F" represents the front, the symbol "B" represents the rear, the symbol "R" represents the right side, the symbol "L" represents the left side, the symbol "U" represents the top, and the symbol "D" represents the bottom as needed.

[0027] In addition, the above definitions of each direction are also applicable to other working vehicles. For example, in a hydraulic excavator, since the upper rotating body rotates relative to the lower traveling body, the front-to-back direction of the driver's seat provided on the upper rotating body may be offset relative to the front-to-back direction of the hydraulic excavator. However, according to the above definitions of the directions based on the driver's seat, even for a hydraulic excavator, the arrangement and positional relationship of each component can be considered to be the same as those in the present embodiment.

[0028] [1. Overview of work vehicles]

[0029] Figure 1 1 is a left side view showing a schematic structure of a tractor 1 as an example of a working vehicle according to the present embodiment. The tractor 1 includes a vehicle body 2. A ground working machine (not shown) may be mounted behind the vehicle body 2. As the ground working machine, for example, a tilling device, a plowing machine, or a fertilizing device may be used, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] The front part of the vehicle body 2 is supported by a pair of left and right front wheels 3. The rear part of the vehicle body 2 is supported by a pair of left and right rear wheels 4. A hood 5 is arranged at the front part of the vehicle body 2. An engine 6 as a driving source is arranged below the hood 5. The engine 6 is composed of, for example, a diesel engine, but is not limited thereto, and may be composed of, for example, a gasoline engine. In addition, an electric motor may be used as a driving source in addition to or in place of the engine 6.

[0031] A cab 7 for an operator to ride is provided on the upper part of the vehicle body 2 behind the engine hood 5. A door 7a that is swiveled to open forward is provided on the left side of the cab 7. The operator can get on or off the cab 7 by opening and closing the door 7a. In addition, the door 7a may be provided on the right side of the cab 7, or on both the left and right sides of the cab 7.

[0032] A steering wheel 8 and a driver's seat 9 are provided in the cab 7. The operator can determine the direction of travel of the tractor 1 by sitting in the driver's seat 9 and steering the steering wheel 8. The axis of the steering wheel 8 is covered by a steering column 8a. A display panel is provided in an instrument panel 8b above the steering column 8a. The display panel displays information of various instruments mounted on the tractor 1 and warning lights.

[0033] The cab 7 includes a roof 7b. The roof 7b is located above the driver's seat 9 and covers the driver's seat 9. That is, the tractor 1 includes the cab 7 that covers the driver's seat 9. Figure 2 1 is a top view schematically showing the internal structure of the cab 7 of the tractor 1. The roof 7b is supported on the vehicle body 2 by four pillars. The four pillars are a right front pillar 71R, a left front pillar 71L, a right rear pillar 72R, and a left rear pillar 72L. The right front pillar 71R is a first front pillar arranged in the right front of the driver's seat 9. The left front pillar 71L is a second front pillar arranged in the left front of the driver's seat 9. The right rear pillar 72R is arranged on the right rear of the driver's seat 9. The left rear pillar 72L is arranged on the left rear of the driver's seat 9. In this way, the cab 7 has a right front pillar 71R as a first front pillar and a left front pillar 71L as a second front pillar, which are arranged further forward than the driver's seat 9 and arranged on one side and the other side in the width direction of the driver's seat 9.

[0034] A three-point linkage mechanism is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The three-point linkage mechanism is configured to include a pair of left and right lower links 10 and an upper link 11. The above-mentioned ground working mechanism can be assembled on the three-point linkage mechanism. In addition, a lifting device (not shown) having a hydraulic device such as a lifting cylinder is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The lifting device raises and lowers the three-point linkage mechanism to enable the ground working machine to be raised and lowered.

[0035] The tractor 1 further includes an antenna unit 12. The antenna unit 12 is a positioning device that includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna, etc., and detects the position of the vehicle body 2 based on a signal transmitted from a positioning satellite (not shown). The antenna unit 12 is installed on the roof 7b of the cab 7, for example, but may be installed at a position other than the roof 7b. The position information of the tractor 1 acquired by the antenna unit 12 is transmitted to the auxiliary monitoring device 40 described later (see Figure 5 , Figure 6 ) for generating information provided to the operator (eg the straight-ahead driving path of the tractor 1).

[0036] [2. About monitoring devices]

[0037] Figure 3 FIG. 2 is an enlarged left side view showing the interior of the cab 7. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the tractor 1 of this embodiment is provided with a monitoring device 20. The monitoring device 20 monitors the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9. In this embodiment, in order to prevent accidents during the operation of the tractor 1, the monitoring device 20 monitors at least one of the operator's drowsiness, sleepiness, looking around, physical condition, and inability to drive. The monitoring device 20 is installed, for example, on the right front pillar 71R of the cab 7. By setting the monitoring device 20 in such a position, it is possible to monitor not only the operator's face but also the posture and movement of the upper body (the same is true when the monitoring device 20 is installed on the left front pillar 71L of the cab 7).

[0038] Here, the operator of the working vehicle (here, the tractor 1) moves greatly, so if only the operator's face is set as the shooting range of the monitoring device 20, the operator may not be seen. For example, the upper body of the operator may fall forward greatly and the operator's face cannot be photographed by the monitoring device 20, or the upper body of the operator is facing the opposite side of the monitoring device 20 and the operator's face cannot be photographed. By setting the entire upper body of the operator as the shooting range of the monitoring device 20, the operator will not be invisible and monitoring can be performed. In addition, even if the operator's face is not visible, the main reason (for example, because the upper body of the operator moves) can be determined. In the case where the monitoring device 20 cannot capture the operator's face due to the above situation, there is no problem if it is a short-term phenomenon, but if it lasts for more than a certain threshold time, it can be determined that it is in an undriving state. In addition, the position of the monitoring device 20 will be described in detail later.

[0039] Figure 4 : is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the monitoring device 20. The monitoring device 20 has a light emitting unit 21, a photographing unit 22, a processing unit 23, and a monitoring communication unit 24. The light emitting unit 21 is a light source that emits light toward a preset eye point EP, and is composed of, for example, a light emitting diode that emits infrared rays. Here, the above-mentioned eye point EP refers to a point corresponding to the position of the operator's eyes when the operator sits in the driver's seat 9. The eye point EP is pre-set to a position at a predetermined distance above the driver's seat 9 according to the specifications. By emitting light toward the eye point EP from the light emitting unit 21, the operator's face can be illuminated when the operator sits in the driver's seat 9.

[0040] The imaging unit 22 is a camera that captures the face of the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 and acquires an image. For example, the imaging unit 22 can acquire an image of the operator's face by receiving light irradiated from the light emitting unit 21 and reflected by the operator's face. The image acquired by the imaging unit 22 may be a static image acquired for each predetermined frame, or may be an animation acquired by continuous imaging.

[0041] The processing unit 23 performs a predetermined analytical process on the image acquired by the camera unit 22 to determine the state of the operator. For example, the processing unit 23 extracts features such as the degree of opening and closing of the operator's eyes or mouth, the speed of opening and closing, the direction of the line of sight, and the time when the operator is not reflected in the image of the camera unit 22 (the state in which the operator is not photographed) for a predetermined time from the image acquired by the camera unit 22, and identifies whether the operator is drowsy, sleepy, looking around, or unable to drive based on the extracted features, and outputs the results to the outside. In addition, the unable to drive state mentioned here includes not only the unable to drive state caused by the operator's cerebral infarction or other consciousness disorders or acute diseases, but also includes the state in which the operator falls from the driver's seat 9 or is out of the driver's seat 9.

[0042] Such a processing unit 23 is composed of a special computing device such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that performs real-time image processing. For example, by making the processing unit 23 perform machine learning in advance, it is possible to extract and recognize features from an input image in the processing unit 23. In addition, the processing unit 23 can also identify the blood flow of the operator based on the color change of a specified period of a specific part in the image and obtain data (vital sign data) of the heart rate or blood pressure. Thus, the processing unit 23 can determine whether the operator is in good health based on the acquired vital sign data.

[0043] The monitoring communication unit 24 is an interface for communicating with the outside, and is configured to include a terminal or connector connected to a cable. In addition, the monitoring communication unit 24 can be a structure that communicates with the outside in a wireless manner. In this case, the monitoring communication unit 24 is configured to include an antenna, a transceiver circuit, a modulation circuit, a demodulation circuit, etc.

[0044] [3. Regarding the location of the monitoring device]

[0045] Next, the position of the monitoring device 20 is described in detail. Figure 2 As shown, the tractor 1 includes a support member 75. The support member 75 supports the monitoring device 20. For example, the monitoring device 20 is mounted on the right front pillar 71R of the cab 7 via a mounting member such as a stay. In other words, the right front pillar 71R supports the monitoring device 20 via the mounting member. Therefore, in this case, the right front pillar 71R constitutes the support member 75.

[0046] Here, Figure 2The axis passing through the center W0 in the width direction of the driver's seat 9 and along the front-to-back direction is the reference axis A1. In the present embodiment, the monitoring device 20 is supported by the right front pillar 71R, and therefore, the monitoring device 20 is arranged further forward than the driver's seat 9 and at a position offset in the width direction of the driver's seat 9 relative to the reference axis A1. In the present embodiment, when viewed from above, the angle θ1 formed by the reference axis A1 and the axis M1 connecting the monitoring device 20 and the eye point EP is set to about 35°. In addition, the angle θ1 can be appropriately set to a range greater than 0° and less than 50°.

[0047] For example, regarding the monitoring device 20 (particularly the processing unit 23), if the operator's state is recognized (monitored) by extracting features from an image taken when the operator's face is facing sideways, the degree of opening and closing of the operator's eyes (the area of ​​the eyeball) in the image is different from that in the front view. Therefore, even if the operator is not actually looking around or falling asleep, it is possible that the operator is mistakenly monitored as looking around. Therefore, as an image for feature extraction, it is preferable to use an image of the operator photographed from the direction the operator's face is facing as much as possible.

[0048] Through Figure 2 By configuring the monitoring device 20 in such a manner, even when the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 mostly looks to the right during operation, the monitoring device 20 can monitor the operator by photographing the operator from the direction the operator's face is facing (from the right front of the operator). As a result, the frequency of the monitoring device 20 erroneously monitoring the operator's state (whether or not he is looking around, whether or not he is sleepy, whether or not he is in a physical condition, whether or not he is unable to drive) can be reduced, and the operator's state can be monitored with high accuracy. That is, the monitoring device 20 that monitors the operator is set at an appropriate position that pays attention to the operator's posture during operation (especially the direction of the face, the posture and movement of the upper body), so that the state of the operator sitting in the driver's seat 9 can be monitored with high accuracy.

[0049] In addition, regarding the tractor 1, except for a part of the pole, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , various operating levers 31, operating buttons 32, etc. are often arranged in a concentrated manner. In this case, the operator often tilts his face to the right to operate the operating levers 31, etc. Therefore, in order to monitor the state of the operator with high accuracy using the monitoring device 20, it is more preferable that the monitoring device 20 monitors the operator from the right front. In this regard, as in the present embodiment, it is very effective that the support member 75 supporting the monitoring device 20 is composed of the right front column 71R, which is the first front column, and the left front column 71L, which is the second front column, and is relatively arranged on the right side.

[0050] In addition, in this embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the monitoring device 20 supported by the support member 75 (right front column 71R) is positioned lower in the vertical direction than the eye point EP. In the present embodiment, the angle (inclination angle) θ2 formed by the axis A2 passing through the eye point EP and extending in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the side and the axis M2 connecting the monitoring device 20 and the eye point EP is set to about 30°. In addition, the angle θ2 can be appropriately set to a range greater than 0° and less than 45°. In addition, in order to be able to configure the monitoring device 20 to meet the height requirements of the operator, Figure 3 The monitoring device 20 may have a structure that allows the user (operator) to adjust the position of the monitoring device 20. In this case, the sensing function of the camera is adjusted according to the height of the operator by using an online calibration function, that is, a function of automatically correcting according to the camera position.

[0051] The operator who operates the tractor 1 sometimes observes the front wheels 3 (see Figure 1 ), in which case the operator's line of sight is directed downward. Even when the operator is directed downward, in order to monitor the operator's state with high accuracy, it is preferred that the monitoring device 20 monitors the operator from below and obliquely in front of the operator. In this regard, it is preferred that the monitoring device 20 is located at a position lower than the eye point EP as in the present embodiment.

[0052] [4. Regarding the integration of monitoring devices and auxiliary monitoring devices]

[0053] The tractor 1 of the present embodiment may further include an auxiliary monitoring device 40. The auxiliary monitoring device 40 is a control device that assists the tractor 1 in automatically moving straight. Figure 5 It is a front view schematically showing the appearance of the auxiliary monitoring device 40 . Figure 6 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the auxiliary monitoring device 40 .

[0054] The monitoring device 20 is provided integrally with the auxiliary monitoring device 40. In the present embodiment, the monitoring device 20 is provided integrally on the upper part of the auxiliary monitoring device 40, but the position of the monitoring device 20 relative to the auxiliary monitoring device 40 is not particularly limited. For example, the monitoring device 20 may be provided integrally on the side of the auxiliary monitoring device 40. In addition, the monitoring device 20 may be provided integrally with the auxiliary monitoring device 40 when the auxiliary monitoring device 40 is manufactured and shipped, or the monitoring device 20 may be installed on the auxiliary monitoring device 40 using a bracket or the like after the auxiliary monitoring device 40 is shipped alone.

[0055] In order to arrange the monitoring device 20 and the auxiliary monitoring device 40 in a concentrated and compact manner, it is preferable to provide the monitoring device 20 and the auxiliary monitoring device 40 as one body as in the present embodiment.

[0056] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the auxiliary monitoring device 40 includes an input unit 41 , an auxiliary path generating unit 42 , an output control unit 43 , an information output unit 44 , and a control communication unit 45 .

[0057] The input unit 41 is an operation unit for the operator to input the start point and the end point of the straight travel, and is composed of, for example, buttons. Alternatively, the input unit 41 may be composed of a touch panel type input unit.

[0058] When the straight driving assist mode is used, the operator actually drives the tractor 1 to the start point of the straight driving and inputs the start point using the input unit 41. Thus, the position information of the start point is acquired. Next, the operator actually drives the tractor 1 to the end point of the straight driving and inputs the end point using the input unit 41. Thus, the position information of the end point is acquired.

[0059] The auxiliary path generation unit 42 generates a reference line by connecting the start point and the end point of the straight travel input by the input unit 41. The auxiliary path generation unit 42 generates lines arranged parallel to the reference line at a predetermined interval (according to the width of the tractor 1) as the straight travel path.

[0060] The output control unit 43 controls the information output unit 44. The information output unit 44 includes a display unit 44a and a voice output unit 44b. The display unit 44a is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device. The voice output unit 44b is composed of, for example, a buzzer. In addition, the output control unit 43 can also be used as a main control unit that controls the operation of each part other than the information output unit 44 of the auxiliary monitoring device 40. Such an output control unit 43 is composed of, for example, a central processing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit). The operation program of the output control unit 43 is stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the auxiliary monitoring device 40. In addition, it is also possible to have a structure in which the above-mentioned main control unit is provided separately from the output control unit 43.

[0061] The output control unit 43 causes the display unit 44a to display the straight path generated by the auxiliary path generation unit 42. At this time, the output control unit 43 also causes the display unit 44a to display the current driving position of the tractor 1 during straight driving in a manner overlapping the straight path based on the position information of the tractor 1 monitored by the antenna unit 12. In addition, the output control unit 43 generates a warning sound from the voice output unit 44b in the event of an abnormality. For example, when the tractor 1 needs to end the straight driving and does not perform the turning action manually, the voice output unit 44b generates a warning sound to urge the operator to pay attention.

[0062] The control communication unit 45 is an interface for communicating with the monitoring device 20 and the antenna unit 12, and is configured to include input and output terminals connected to cables or wiring. In addition, the control communication unit 45 can be configured to include an antenna, a transceiver circuit, a modulation circuit, a demodulation circuit, etc., and communicate with the outside in a wireless manner.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator, the output control unit 43 of the auxiliary monitoring device 40 outputs a warning from the information output unit 44. For example, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator (e.g., drowsiness), the output control unit 43 causes the display unit 44a to display a warning such as "an abnormality of the operator has been detected". In addition, for example, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator, the output control unit 43 can output a warning sound from the voice output unit 44b.

[0064] In this way, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator, by utilizing the information output unit 44 of the auxiliary monitoring device 40 as a means for issuing a warning, there is no need to provide a dedicated device for outputting a warning separately from the information output unit 44 .

[0065] Furthermore, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator, a warning is displayed on the display unit 44a, and information is provided to the operator in a centralized manner on the display unit 44a of the auxiliary monitoring device 40. This improves the convenience of the operator.

[0066] Furthermore, when the monitoring device 20 detects an abnormality of the operator, a warning sound is outputted by the voice output unit 44b of the auxiliary monitoring device 40, thereby eliminating the need to separately provide dedicated equipment for outputting a warning sound.

[0067] [5. Modifications]

[0068] Figure 7 1 is a top view schematically showing a structure of a modified example of the tractor 1. As shown in the figure, the monitoring device 20 can be supported by the right front column 71R and the left front column 71L to monitor the operator. That is, the monitoring device 20 can be configured to include a right monitoring device 20R supported by the right front column 71R and a left monitoring device 20L supported by the left front column 71L. In this case, the right front column 71R and the left front column 71L respectively constitute a support member 75 that supports the monitoring device 20.

[0069] according to Figure 7With the structure, when the operator performs the operation while looking at the right side, the operator's abnormality can be monitored based on the monitoring of the right monitoring device 20R. In addition, when the operator performs the operation while looking at the left side, the operator's abnormality can be monitored based on the monitoring of the left monitoring device 20L. That is, regardless of whether the operator's face is tilted in any direction to the left or right while performing the operation, both situations can be dealt with, and the operator's state can be monitored with higher accuracy.

[0070] Although not shown, the monitoring device 20 may be supported only by the left front column 71L to monitor the operator. In this case, the left front column 71L constitutes the support member 75 that supports the monitoring device 20. With this structure, when the operator frequently performs work while looking at the left side, it is possible to monitor the operator's abnormality with high accuracy based on the monitoring of the monitoring device 20. Therefore, when the operator frequently performs work while looking at the left side, a structure in which only the left front column 71L supports the monitoring device 20 is more effective.

[0071] As described above, in the present embodiment, it can be said that the support member 75 supporting the monitoring device 20 only needs to be constituted by at least one of the right front pillar 71R as the first front pillar and the left front pillar 71L as the second front pillar.

[0072] Figure 8 It is a left side view schematically showing the structure of another modified example of the tractor 1 . Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A top view of the main parts of the tractor 1. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The tractor 1 shown does not have Figure 1 The cab 7 shown in the figure is provided with a rope frame 50. The rope frame 50 is a protective member provided for the purpose of protecting the operator when the tractor 1 falls over, and is provided to stand upright in an inverted U shape on the vehicle body 2 at the rear of the driver's seat 9, for example.

[0073] The vehicle body 2 is provided with a floor 2a. That is, the tractor 1 includes the floor 2a. The floor 2a is located in the front lower part of the driver's seat 9 so as to extend in the width direction of the driver's seat 9. The operator can get on and off the driver's seat 9 using the floor 2a as a scaffold.

[0074] In this way, when the tractor 1 is a type without a cab 7 (non-cab specification), the support member 75 can be erected on the floor 2a to support the monitoring device 20. At this time, the left-right position and the up-down position of the monitoring device 20 can be set to the same as Figure 2 and Figure 3The support member 75 is constituted by a support column, for example, and supports the monitoring device 20 via a mounting fixture (not shown). The mounting fixture may be the same as the mounting member used in the type with a cab, or may be a different member.

[0075] Even in the case of a non-cab-type tractor 1, it is preferable to monitor the operator's state with high accuracy. Figure 8 In this way, the monitoring device 20 is supported at the above-mentioned position by the supporting member 75.

[0076] [6.Supplement]

[0077] In the present embodiment, the tractor 1 travels according to the operation of the operator, but may be configured to travel autonomously based on an instruction from a wireless communication terminal.

[0078] In the present embodiment, the case where the monitoring device 20 is provided on the tractor 1 is described, but the monitoring device 20 may be provided at the same position as in the present embodiment for agricultural machinery other than the tractor 1, such as a combine harvester or a rice transplanter, to monitor the state of the operator. In addition, the monitoring device 20 may be provided at the same position as in the present embodiment for construction machinery, such as a hydraulic excavator (including a backhoe) or a wheel loader, to monitor the state of the operator.

[0079] In particular, when the monitoring device 20 is provided on a hydraulic excavator, the position of the monitoring device 20 in the vertical direction may be higher than the eye point EP. In addition, the position of the monitoring device 20 in the left-right direction is a position offset in the left-right direction relative to the front of the operator. When working with a hydraulic excavator, the operator's line of sight may be directed diagonally upward instead of in front of the operator, depending on the work site. In a case where the operator frequently works while looking diagonally upward, it is more effective to set the monitoring device 20 at a position higher than the eye point EP from the viewpoint of accurately monitoring the operator's abnormality based on the monitoring of the monitoring device 20.

[0080] [7. Note]

[0081] The working vehicle such as the tractor 1 described in the present embodiment can also be expressed as a working vehicle as shown in the following additional description.

[0082] The working vehicle of Note (1) shall have:

[0083] A monitoring device that monitors the operator seated in the driving seat; and

[0084] a supporting member for supporting the monitoring device,

[0085] In a top view, the direction perpendicular to the width direction of the driver's seat is set as the front-to-back direction, and the side facing the operator sitting in the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction is set as the front.

[0086] The monitoring device is arranged forward of the driver's seat and at a position offset in the width direction of the driver's seat with respect to a reference axis passing through the center of the driver's seat in the width direction and along the front-rear direction, and is supported by the support member.

[0087] The working vehicle of Supplement (2) is based on the working vehicle described in Supplement (1), wherein:

[0088] The work vehicle further comprises: a cab covering the driver's seat,

[0089] The cab includes a first front pillar and a second front pillar which are arranged further forward than the driver's seat and arranged on one side and the other side in the width direction of the driver's seat.

[0090] The support member is formed by at least one of the first front pillar and the second front pillar.

[0091] The working vehicle of Supplement (3) is based on the working vehicle described in Supplement (2), wherein:

[0092] When one side in the width direction of the driver's seat is set to the right and the other side is set to the left,

[0093] The support member is constituted by a pillar disposed on the right side opposite to the first front pillar and the second front pillar.

[0094] The work vehicle of Supplement (4) is based on the work vehicle described in Supplement (1), wherein:

[0095] The work vehicle further includes a floor arranged to extend in a width direction of the driver's seat at a lower front portion of the driver's seat.

[0096] The support member is erected on the floor to support the monitoring device.

[0097] The work vehicle of Supplement (5) is based on the work vehicle described in any one of Supplements (1) to (4), wherein:

[0098] The monitoring device monitors at least any one of the operator's drowsiness, sleepiness, looking around, physical condition, and inability to drive.

[0099] The work vehicle of Supplement (6) is based on the work vehicle described in any one of Supplements (1) to (5), wherein:

[0100] The working vehicle further comprises: an auxiliary monitoring device for assisting automatic straight driving;

[0101] The monitoring device and the auxiliary monitoring device are integrated into one body.

[0102] The working vehicle of Supplement (7) is based on the working vehicle described in Supplement (6), wherein:

[0103] The auxiliary monitoring device comprises an information output unit and an output control unit.

[0104] The output control unit outputs a warning from the information output unit when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

[0105] The working vehicle of Supplement (8) is based on the working vehicle described in Supplement (7), wherein:

[0106] The information output unit includes a display unit,

[0107] The output control unit causes the display unit to display a warning when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

[0108] The work vehicle of Supplement (9) is based on the work vehicle described in any one of Supplement (7) or (8), wherein:

[0109] The information output unit includes a voice output unit,

[0110] The output control unit outputs a warning sound from the voice output unit when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

[0111] The work vehicle of Supplement (10) is based on the work vehicle described in any one of Supplements (1) to (9), wherein:

[0112] The position of the monitoring device supported by the supporting member in the vertical direction is lower than an eye point corresponding to the position of the eyes of the operator sitting in the driver's seat.

[0113] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be implemented by expansion or modification within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention.

[0114] Possibility of Industrial Application

[0115] The present invention can be used in working vehicles such as agricultural machinery and construction machinery, for example.

Claims

1. A working vehicle, wherein: The working vehicle has: A monitoring device that monitors the operator seated in the driving seat; and a supporting member for supporting the monitoring device, In a top view, the direction perpendicular to the width direction of the driver's seat is set as the front-to-back direction, and the side facing the operator sitting in the driver's seat in the front-to-back direction is set as the front. The monitoring device is arranged forward of the driver's seat and at a position offset in the width direction of the driver's seat with respect to a reference axis passing through the center of the driver's seat in the width direction and along the front-rear direction, and is supported by the support member.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The work vehicle further comprises: a cab covering the driver's seat, The cab includes a first front pillar and a second front pillar which are arranged forward of the driver's seat and on one side and the other side in the width direction of the driver's seat. The support member is formed by at least one of the first front pillar and the second front pillar.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: When one side in the width direction of the driver's seat is set to the right and the other side is set to the left, The support member is constituted by a pillar disposed on the right side opposite to the first front pillar and the second front pillar.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The work vehicle further includes a floor arranged to extend in a width direction of the driver's seat at a lower front portion of the driver's seat. The support member is erected on the floor to support the monitoring device.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The monitoring device monitors at least any one of the operator's drowsiness, sleepiness, looking around, physical condition, and inability to drive.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The working vehicle further comprises: an auxiliary monitoring device for assisting automatic straight driving; The monitoring device and the auxiliary monitoring device are integrated into one body.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The auxiliary monitoring device comprises an information output unit and an output control unit. The output control unit outputs a warning from the information output unit when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7, wherein: The information output unit includes a display unit, The output control unit causes the display unit to display a warning when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 7, wherein: The information output unit includes a voice output unit, The output control unit outputs a warning sound from the voice output unit when the monitoring device detects abnormality of the operator.

10. The working vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The position of the monitoring device supported by the supporting member in the vertical direction is lower than an eye point corresponding to the position of the eyes of the operator sitting in the driver's seat.

Images