Agricultural machine

Abstract

Agricultural machine (1) with a control device (3) for controlling operating parameters, and a terminal device (4) in the form of a mobile control panel in the manner of a mobile phone, pad, or tablet for inputting control commands for the control device (3), which terminal device (4) comprises a plurality of control buttons (6) in the form of push-buttons that can be pressed in or depressed for inputting control commands for various control functions, wherein switching means (10) are provided for changing the key assignment of the respective control button (6) with various control functions, as well as display means (11) for displaying the respectively selected key assignment, wherein the display means (11) have display elements (8) arranged directly on the control buttons (6) for displaying the respective key assignment, wherein the control buttons (6) are transparent and the display elements (8) are arranged below the transparent control buttons (6) in such a way thatthat the key assignment can be displayed by the respective control key (6), wherein a common display element (8) is assigned to several control keys (6) and the several control keys (6) release window-like sections of the common display element (8).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural machine with a control device for controlling operating parameters, as well as a terminal for inputting control commands for the control device, which terminal comprises a plurality of control buttons for inputting control commands for various control functions, wherein switching means for changing the key assignment of the respective control button with various control functions as well as display means for displaying the respectively selected key assignment are provided.

[0002] In order to perform the various tasks required during field cultivation, various attachments are usually attached to a tractor, such as a mower, rake, plough, loader wagon, or baler, each of which must control and operate different working units and machine functions. To avoid having to use a separate control terminal for each attachment, it has already been proposed to equip control terminals with soft control panels on which various control functions can be assigned to the control buttons. For example, while a control button on a loader wagon is pressed to raise the pickup of the loader wagon, the same button on a plough can be responsible for adjusting the pre-furrow width, for example.Such control terminals with soft control panels are not only advantageous for the use of different attachments, but can also be used to execute different control functions through different key assignments when using the same attachment. This allows a larger number of control functions to be operated with a limited, relatively small number of control buttons. The switching devices controlling the key assignment can be used to assign a different control function to a button as needed, for example, in the manner of a submenu that assigns different functions to the control buttons for loading a loader wagon than for unloading the loader wagon.

[0003] Document DE 102 17 398 B4 shows such a terminal for controlling various tractor attachments. The terminal communicates via Bluetooth with the job computer of the respective attachment. The control buttons are assigned to specific agricultural machinery based on an agricultural machinery identifier transmitted from the job computer to the control terminal. Document DE 196 19 419 B4 shows a joystick for controlling a towed agricultural attachment, such as a baler. The joystick has several control buttons in the area of ​​its handle head, the assignment of which can be changed using a special menu selection button. A display on the joystick informs the operator which control function is currently assigned to a control button.

[0004] The document DE 10 2005 019 490 A1 shows a steering knob that can be attached to the steering wheel of a tractor and that has similarly depressible control buttons whose assignment is programmable.

[0005] If the key assignment on such operating terminals is changed in the manner described, it is not always easy for the machine operator to intuitively press the correct control button. Operation is particularly complex with joysticks with control buttons, as in addition to the control buttons, the joystick's tilt axes must also be managed. This means that a machine operator may sometimes press the wrong control button, particularly if they assume a different key assignment or overlook a key assignment change. Even if the terminal is not designed as a joystick, the wrong control button may sometimes be pressed, especially if the key assignment needs to be changed frequently depending on the work mode.

[0006] The aforementioned document DE 196 19 419 B4 does provide a certain amount of assistance with the display showing the selected key assignment, but it is detrimental to intuitive operation because the machine operator still has to assign the displayed key assignment to the respective arrangement of the key.

[0007] Furthermore, DE 10 2007 018 956 A1 discloses an operating device for a vehicle with a joystick that has display elements 18 on its outer surface and also on its front side. The display can be changed depending on which situation-dependent vehicle function is assigned to the display element. A display element arranged on the circumference is designed as a push-button switch.

[0008] The present invention is based on the object of avoiding at least one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art and of developing them further in an advantageous manner. In particular, it is intended to enable intuitive operation of the terminal device despite changing key assignments.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by an agricultural machine according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] It is proposed that the selected key assignment be displayed not centrally on a central display, but rather that a key assignment display be provided directly on the various control keys, so that the control function assigned to a particular key is immediately apparent without any mental geometric assignment. According to the invention, display elements are assigned to the various control keys, which, depending on the selected key assignment, display the control function directly on the respective control key. The decentralized assignment display, directly assigned to the respective control key, allows intuitive operation by the machine operator, even if the key assignment is changed relatively frequently or the range of control functions is relatively complex, as is the case with a joystick, for example.

[0011] The aforementioned display elements are integrated into the control buttons, so that the control buttons themselves display their respective key assignments or control functions. According to the invention, the control buttons are transparent at least in sections, with the display elements arranged below or behind the control buttons, so that the symbols, markings, or visualization elements shown on the display elements shine through the control buttons or are visible through the control buttons. For example, the control buttons can be made of transparent plastic, so that display elements or sections arranged underneath can illuminate through the transparent plastic.

[0012] The said indicator or display elements can fundamentally be designed in different ways, for example in the form of LCD or LED image display parts, wherein a common display element is assigned to several control buttons, for example in such a way that a continuous display element is arranged under several adjacent control buttons, wherein advantageously only one viewing window onto the larger display element is released by the transparent control buttons in each case, in which window the respective symbol or visualization element for the selected button function is displayed.

[0013] The control buttons themselves are designed as push buttons that can be pressed in or out, for example, like the keys on a computer keyboard. Advantageously, mechanical control buttons are provided that are designed such that a defined actuating movement of the control buttons and / or a defined actuation pressure is required to actually trigger the control buttons. This prevents unintentional actuation while simultaneously providing the machine operator with tactile feedback when the control button has actually been pressed.

[0014] The terminal device can have different housing shapes, namely be designed as an essentially panel-shaped control panel and / or form a mobile phone-shaped mobile device.

[0015] The invention is explained in more detail below using a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1: a schematic representation of a control device for controlling agricultural machines according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the terminal for inputting the control commands is designed as a mobile phone-shaped operating terminal, Fig. 2: a schematic plan view of the terminal for entering the control commands from Fig. 1, where the various control buttons are shown, Fig. 3: a schematic sectional view of a transparent control button with a display element arranged underneath.

[0016] How Fig. 1 shows, various agricultural machines 1 can be controlled from a common terminal device 4, wherein in the illustrated embodiment the agricultural machines 1 are each designed in the form of a tractor-attachment combination, wherein the attachment 2 is shown as a loading wagon and as a plough.

[0017] The respective attachments 2 can be equipped with a control device 3 in the form of a job computer, which, depending on various operating parameters and presets, can control one or more actuators on the respective attachment 2 in order to control corresponding operating parameters. In the example of the loader wagon shown, this can be, for example, the height setting and / or speed of the pickup and its spiked roller, the rotational speed of the conveyor rotor, the scraper floor speed, or the metering device for unloading. In the example of the plough shown, these can be various plough parameters such as pre-furrow width, furrow depth, turning position, or even transport position.

[0018] As the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device 4 is designed in the form of a mobile control panel similar to a cell phone or a pad or tablet, which can be positioned on the tractor, optionally in a holder there. The terminal device 4 comprises an approximately cuboid-shaped housing 5 on which a plurality of control buttons 6 are provided, which—see Figure 2. Fig. 3- can be designed in the form of depressible push buttons, which are approximately button-shaped when viewed from above and which pass through recesses in the device housing 5 and can, for example, protrude slightly curved above the housing surface.

[0019] A control board 13 can be provided under the device housing 5 or within the device housing 5 in the area of ​​the control keypad in which the control keys 6 are arranged, on which control board various electrical control components and also contacts 14 can be arranged, which can be brought into contact with the control keys 6 when the control keys 6 are pressed down, cf. Fig. 3.

[0020] Furthermore, in the area of ​​the control board 13 mentioned, for example on this board 13, a display element 8 can be provided below the control buttons 6, the display surface of which is positioned below the control buttons 6, so that the respective display element 6 can shine or illuminate through the control buttons 6 or the display element 8 is visible through the associated control button 6. The control button 6 is designed to be transparent, wherein at least the central area and / or the section of the control button 6 parallel to the housing can be made of transparent or transparent plastic. Fig. The cup-shaped operating button 6 shown in Figure 3 can also be made entirely of plastic, so that the display element 8 is clearly visible under the operating button 6.

[0021] The said display element 8 can, for example, be an LCD or LED display element, which can, for example, display characters and / or numbers or other symbols.

[0022] How Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device 4 can comprise a plurality of control buttons 6, which can be arranged in a regular or irregular grid of a control panel. A common display element 8, for example in the form of a large-area LCD display, is provided under all or a subgroup of said control buttons 6, with only window-like sections of the display being visible through the control buttons 6.

[0023] In addition to the decentralized display fields directly assigned to the control buttons 6, the terminal device 4 can also comprise a central display element 15, for example in the form of a display, on which various control information and / or field information or other information of interest can be displayed.

[0024] By means of the display elements 8 arranged beneath the operating buttons 6, the respective button assignment, i.e. the control function assigned to a respective operating button 6, can be displayed directly on the respective operating button 6.

[0025] This makes it easy to see which control function is controlled by which control button 6, even when the button assignments change.

[0026] The switching of the key assignment can, on the one hand, be determined by the respective attached implement 2. For this purpose, a software and / or identification module provided in the respective job computer 3 can transmit an agricultural machine identifier to the terminal 4, based on which the key assignment is then determined and the display elements 8 are controlled, so that the display elements 8 display the control functions associated with the respective control buttons 6 depending on the identified implement 2. In addition, implement-specific information can, of course, also be displayed on the central display element 15.

[0027] Alternatively or in addition to such a key assignment controlled by the attachment 2, the terminal device 4 can also itself comprise switching means, for example in the form of an operating button, in order to be able to variably assign different control functions to the operating buttons 6, for example in such a way that in a main menu, a first set of control functions is assigned to the operating buttons 6 and, after calling up a submenu, a second set of control functions is assigned to the operating buttons 6. The display elements 8 each indicate which control function is assigned to the respective operating button 6.

Claims

[1] Agricultural machine (1) with a control device (3) for controlling operating parameters, and a terminal (4) in the form of a mobile control panel in the manner of a mobile phone, pad or tablet for inputting control commands for the control device (3), which terminal (4) comprises a plurality of control buttons (6) in the form of push-buttons that can be pressed in or depressed for inputting control commands for various control functions, wherein switching means (10) are provided for changing the key assignment of the respective control button (6) with various control functions and display means (11) for displaying the respectively selected key assignment, wherein the display means (11) have display elements (8) arranged directly on the control buttons (6) for displaying the respective key assignment, wherein the control buttons (6) are transparent and the display elements (8) are arranged below the transparent control buttons (6) in such a way thatthat the key assignment can be displayed by the respective control key (6), wherein a common display element (8) is assigned to several control keys (6) and the several control keys (6) release window-like sections of the common display element (8). [2] Agricultural machine (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the control buttons (6) are made of transparent plastic and / or the display elements (8) are designed in the form of an LCD or LED display part. [3] Agricultural machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the switching means (10) for switching the key assignment comprises a switching key on the terminal (4) and / or a switching control module, preferably in the form of a software module in the control device (3), for automatic switching depending on an agricultural machine identification.

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