Liquid spraying device

Abstract

To provide a liquid spraying device that can realize stable travel.SOLUTION: A liquid spraying device 1 moves along a streaky region in which objects to be sprayed exist, and comprises a device body 10 comprising first moving means 21 and second moving means 22 located on both sides of the streaky region, a first tank 41 and a second tank 42 housing liquid, and a spraying mechanism 50 comprising a spraying part 53 for discharging the liquid to the objects to be sprayed. The first tank 41 is provided on the side of the first moving means 21 of the device body 10. The second tank 42 is provided on the side of the second moving means 22 of the device body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid dispensing device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pesticide spraying vehicle that can be remotely operated by an operator using, for example, a remote controller is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-171039 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, a chemical tank that contains pesticide is disposed on the upper part of the vehicle body, which raises the center of gravity of the pesticide sprayer, resulting in a problem that the running of the pesticide sprayer becomes unstable.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and has an object to provide a liquid spraying device that can achieve stable running. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The liquid spraying device of the present invention is a liquid spraying device that moves along a streak-like region in which an object to be sprayed is present, and comprises an apparatus main body having a first moving means and a second moving means located on both sides of the streak-like region, a first tank and a second tank for storing liquid, and a spraying mechanism having a spraying section that releases the liquid onto the object to be sprayed, wherein the first tank is provided on the side of the first moving means of the apparatus main body, and the second tank is provided on the side of the second moving means of the apparatus main body.

[0007] The device body has a first leg supporting the first moving means, a second leg supporting the second moving means, and a connecting part connecting the first leg and the second leg, and the first tank and the second tank may be arranged so that the lower limit of the liquid level position of the contained liquid is below the connecting part.

[0008] The first tank and the second tank may be provided such that an upper limit of a liquid surface position of the liquid contained therein is lower than the connecting portion.

[0009] The first tank may be provided on the first leg, and the second tank may be provided on the second leg.

[0010] The spraying section may be disposed between the first moving means and the second moving means, and the first tank and the second tank may be arranged so that the lower limit of the liquid level position of the contained liquid is below the spraying section.

[0011] The spraying section is configured to be able to rise and fall, and the first tank and the second tank may be arranged so that the lower limit of the liquid level position of the liquid contained therein is lower than the spraying section, which is located at the upper limit within its movable range.

[0012] The first tank or the second tank may be provided in an area above the first moving means or the second moving means, and in an area having a width over which the first moving means or the second moving means travels.

[0013] The distance between the first moving means and the second moving means may be changeable.

[0014] The spraying mechanism may further include a connecting flow path connecting the first tank and the second tank to each other, and a circulation pump that at least one of transfers the liquid in the first tank to the second tank through the connecting flow path, or transfers the liquid in the second tank to the first tank.

[0015] The spraying mechanism may further include a remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank and the second tank, and a control unit for operating the circulation pump based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection means.

[0016] When a difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit may operate the circulation pump to transfer the liquid from one of the first tank and the second tank, whichever has the greater remaining amount, to the other tank.

[0017] The spraying mechanism may further include a flow path connecting the first tank and the spraying unit and connecting the second tank and the spraying unit, and a switching mechanism for switching the flow path to one of a connection state in which only the liquid in the first tank is released from the spraying unit, a connection state in which only the liquid in the second tank is released from the spraying unit, and a connection state in which the liquid in both the first tank and the second tank is released from the spraying unit simultaneously.

[0018] The control unit may determine whether a difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank exceeds a predetermined threshold value based on a difference between a weight of the first tank containing liquid and a weight of the second tank containing liquid. Effect of the Invention

[0019] Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid spraying device that can achieve stable running. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the liquid spraying device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the liquid spraying device of FIG. 1 traveling through a field. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a main body of the liquid spraying device. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the configuration of the liquid spraying device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components of a dispersion mechanism. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of a sprinkling pump based on a detection result of a remaining amount detection sensor. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart of an example of an operation of a circulation pump based on a detection result of a remaining amount detection sensor. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing components of a modified example of a dispersion mechanism. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the device main body. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of a first tank. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams for explaining other configuration examples of the liquid spraying device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] A liquid spraying device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, terms indicating directions such as "up" and "down" are used according to the orientation of objects depicted in the drawings, but these terms are not intended to limit the present invention. The directions "up" and "down" correspond to the height direction of the liquid spraying device 1. The directions "left" and "right" correspond to the width direction of the liquid spraying device 1.

[0022] Fig. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the liquid spraying device 1. Fig. 2 is a view showing the state in which the liquid spraying device 1 of Fig. 1 is traveling in a field. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of the device body 10 of the liquid spraying device 1. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the liquid spraying device 1.

[0023] The liquid spraying device 1 is a device that sprays liquid onto a target object while moving along a streak-like region in which the target object exists. The target object and liquid are not limited to specific ones, but the following will be described as an example in which a liquid such as a pesticide is sprayed onto agricultural crops in a field. The agricultural crops may be any type, but an example is vegetables such as green onions.

[0024] The liquid spraying device 1 includes a device body 10, a first moving means 21, a second moving means 22, a control device 30, a first tank 41, a second tank 42, and a spraying mechanism 50. Although not shown, the liquid spraying device 1 also includes a drive mechanism for operating the moving means 20, which is the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22.

[0025] The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may have different structures, but in this embodiment, a case where the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 have the same structure is illustrated. Similarly, the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 may have different structures, but in this embodiment, a case where the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 have the same structure is illustrated.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, a field has multiple ridges A, and work paths are formed between adjacent ridges A. Ridge A is a stripe-like area in which agricultural crops, which are the objects to be sprayed, are planted.

[0027] (Device body 10) The device body 10 is a structure on which various devices constituting the liquid spraying device 1 are mounted. The device body 10 may be made of any material, and may be made of, for example, metal or resin. The device body 10 has a first leg 11, a second leg 12, and a connecting part 13. In this embodiment, as an example, the first leg 11 and the second leg 12 are formed in a symmetrical shape.

[0028] The first leg 11 and the second leg 12 are provided to extend, for example, in the vertical direction. In the state shown in FIG. 2, the first leg 11 is located in a work passage on one side of the ridge A, and the second leg 12 is located in a work passage on the opposite side. As shown in FIG. 1, the first leg 11 has a tank holding portion 11a that holds the first tank 41, and a pump holding portion 11b that holds a spray pump P1 (described in detail below). Similarly, the second leg 12 has a tank holding portion 12a that holds the second tank 42, and a pump holding portion 12b that holds a circulation pump P2 (described in detail below).

[0029] The connecting part 13 is a structure that connects the first leg part 11 and the second leg part 12. As an example, the connecting part 13 connects the upper part of the first leg part 11 and the upper part of the second leg part 12. The upper surface of the connecting part 13 may be provided as a mounting part on which components of the liquid spraying device 1 are placed. The components placed on the mounting part may be any type, and may be, for example, a spare tank (not shown) that contains the liquid to be sprayed.

[0030] With the first leg 11, the second leg 12, and the connecting part 13 configured as described above, a work space S in which the liquid sprinkling device 1 performs a predetermined operation on the crops is formed inside the device body 10. In the present embodiment, the work space S is, as an example, a space in which the liquid sprinkling device 1 sprays liquid on the crops. The work space S may be, for example, a work space for harvesting the crops.

[0031] (First moving means 21 and second moving means 22) The first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 are, for example, wheels or crawlers. Crawlers are illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The first moving means 21 is supported by the first leg 11, and the second moving means 22 is supported by the second leg 12. The distance between the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 is set, for example, to be longer than the length assumed as the width of the ridge A (the length on both sides of the streak-like region that is the ridge A).

[0032] Although FIG. 2 shows the liquid sprinkling device 1 spanning one ridge A, the liquid sprinkling device 1 may be provided so as to span a plurality of ridges A.

[0033] The liquid spraying device 1 may be provided so that the distance between the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 can be changed so as to accommodate ridges A of various widths. Specifically, the liquid spraying device 1 may be configured so that the distance between the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 can be changed, for example, by providing a variable distance between the first leg 11 and the second leg 12. The distance between the first leg 11 and the second leg 12 is changed manually by an operator, for example. The liquid spraying device 1 may have a distance change mechanism (not shown) for changing the distance between the first leg 11 and the second leg 12, and the distance change mechanism may change the distance between the first leg 11 and the second leg 12.

[0034] Each of the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 is operated by a driving force from a driving mechanism (not shown). The driving mechanism has a driving source such as a motor, and operates the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 by transmitting power from the driving source to the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22. There may be a single driving mechanism, or one driving mechanism may be provided for each of the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22.

[0035] (Control device 30) The control device 30 controls the operation of the drive mechanism. For example, when the liquid spraying device 1 is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and a camera, the control device 30 may control the operation of the drive mechanism based on the position of the liquid spraying device 1 measured by the GPS and an image of the field captured by the camera. The control device 30 controls the operation of the drive mechanism, operates the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22, and causes the liquid spraying device 1 to travel autonomously. The control device 30 may be provided at any position in the device body 10, but is provided at the connecting portion 13 in FIG. 1 as an example.

[0036] (First tank 41 and second tank 42) The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are both tanks that contain a liquid medicine such as an agricultural chemical. The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are, for example, resin tanks, and are independent of each other. The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may have any shape, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Specifically, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may have, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape in which the depth is the longest among the height (vertical direction in FIG. 1), width (horizontal direction in FIG. 1), and depth (horizontal direction in FIG. 4). The flow path connecting the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5.

[0037] The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are not limited to being completely independent from each other. For example, the upper part of the first tank 41 and the upper part of the second tank 42 may be connected to each other. In other words, a tank that is a single component but has multiple liquid storage portions that are independent from each other may be used.

[0038] In a liquid spraying device that sprays a liquid on agricultural crops, a tank for storing the liquid needs to be provided on the device body. If the tank is disposed on the upper part of the device body 10, the center of gravity of the liquid spraying device 1 becomes high, and the travel of the liquid spraying device 1 becomes unstable.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to lower the center of gravity of the liquid spraying device 1, the first tank 41 is provided on the side of the first moving means 21 of the device body 10, and the second tank 42 is provided on the side of the second moving means 22 of the device body 10. "The side of the first moving means 21" refers to the side on which the first moving means 21 exists as viewed from the working space S. "The side of the second moving means 22" refers to the side on which the second moving means 22 exists, opposite the first moving means 21 as viewed from the working space S.

[0040] The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are provided in the tank holding portion 11a of the first leg 11 and the tank holding portion 12a of the second leg 12, respectively. The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are, for example, detachably attached to the tank holding portion 11a and the tank holding portion 12a. The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are located above the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22, respectively, and below the connecting portion 13.

[0041] The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may be disposed such that a portion of the tank protrudes above the connecting portion 13. Specifically, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may be provided such that the lower limit of the liquid level of the stored liquid is below the connecting portion 13, and the upper portions of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may protrude above the connecting portion 13. Alternatively, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may be provided such that the upper limit of the liquid level of the stored liquid is below the connecting portion 13, and the upper portions of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may protrude above the connecting portion 13.

[0042] "Below the connecting part" specifically means below the lowest part of the connecting part 13. "The lower limit of the liquid level position of the contained liquid is below the connecting part" means that the lower end of the liquid containing part (area capable of containing liquid) in the tank is below the lowest part of the connecting part 13. "The upper limit of the liquid level position of the contained liquid is below the connecting part" means that the height of the liquid level when a predetermined upper limit amount of liquid is contained in the tank is below the lowest part of the connecting part 13. With this configuration, the center of gravity of the liquid sprinkling device 1 can be lowered compared to a configuration in which the entire tank is disposed on top of the device main body 10.

[0043] The heightwise positions of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 relative to the device main body 10 are as described above, but the left-rightwise positions (widthwise direction of the liquid spraying device 1) of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 relative to the device main body 10 may be, for example, as follows.

[0044] Specifically, the first tank 41 or the second tank 42 may be provided in a region of a width in which the first moving means 21 or the second moving means 22 travels, as shown in FIG. 1. That is, the first tank 41 is preferably arranged in such a manner that a part or the whole of the first tank 41 overlaps the first moving means 21 when the first tank 41 and the first moving means 21 are projected and viewed from above. Similarly, the second tank 42 is preferably arranged in such a manner that a part or the whole of the second tank 42 overlaps the second moving means 22 when the second tank 42 and the second moving means 22 are projected and viewed from above. The width dimension of the tank may be shorter than the width dimension of the moving means, may be approximately the same as the width dimension of the moving means, or may be longer than the width dimension of the moving means.

[0045] (Spreading mechanism 50) Hereinafter, the spraying mechanism 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the components of the spraying mechanism 50. The spraying mechanism 50 has a flow path 51, a spraying pump P1, a circulation pump P2, a boom 52, a spraying unit 53, a remaining amount detection sensor 54, and a control unit 55.

[0046] The flow path 51 is a flow path through which liquid flows, and has a first flow path 51a that connects the first tank 41 and the spraying section 53, and a second flow path 51b that is a connecting flow path that connects the second tank 42 and the first tank 41 to each other.

[0047] The spray pump P1 is disposed in the first flow path 51a. The spray pump P1 transfers the liquid in the first tank 41 to the spray section 53 through the first flow path 51a. The circulation pump P2 is a pump corresponding to the circulation pump in the present invention, and is disposed in the second flow path 51b. The circulation pump P2 transfers the liquid in the second tank 42 to the first tank 41 through the second flow path 51b. The circulation pump P2 may transfer the liquid in the first tank 41 to the second tank 42 through the second flow path 51b.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 1, the boom 52 is a rod-shaped member extending from the device body 10 to both sides of the device body 10. Although two booms 52 are shown in Fig. 1, there may be only one boom 52, or the boom 52 itself may not be provided. The boom 52 may be configured to be rotatable about a connection (not shown) between the device body 10 and the boom 52, for example, and may be configured to be changeable between a state in which the boom 52 extends upward from the device body 10 and a state in which the boom 52 extends horizontally. The boom 52 may also be provided to be capable of being raised and lowered so that the position in the height direction can be changed while remaining horizontal, for example.

[0049] The spraying unit 53 is a part that sprays liquid onto agricultural crops. In this embodiment, the spraying unit 53 is provided on each boom 52 and also on the device body 10. The spraying unit 53 provided on the device body 10 is specifically disposed between the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22, and is located at the top of the working space S formed by the device body 10. The spraying unit 53 disposed between the first moving means 21 and the second moving means 22 may be configured to be fixed in position and not rise and fall, or may be configured to rise and fall. As for the spraying unit 53 provided on the boom 52, the spraying unit 53 also rises and falls in accordance with the rise and fall of the boom 52.

[0050] When the spraying part 53 is arranged so as to be able to rise and fall, the height of the spraying part 53 relative to the crops can be adjusted, and liquid can be sprayed from a suitable height relative to the crops.

[0051] In this embodiment, three spraying units 53 are provided, but all of the spraying units 53 are not essential components, and a configuration in which only one of the spraying units is provided may be used.

[0052] The remaining amount detection sensor 54 is a remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the second tank 42. In this embodiment, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are each provided with a remaining amount detection sensor 54. The remaining amount detection sensor 54 may be any type of sensor that can detect the remaining amount of liquid in the tank. As an example, the remaining amount detection sensor 54 is a load cell for detecting the weight of the liquid in the tank. The remaining amount detection sensor 54 may be a sensor for detecting the position of the liquid in the tank. The remaining amount detection sensor 54 may be a sensor that detects the weight of the tank containing the liquid.

[0053] The control unit 55 controls the operations of the spray pump P1 and the circulation pump P2 based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection sensor 54. A specific example of control will be described below with reference to Figs.

[0054] (Automatic liquid refill) The liquid in the first tank 41 gradually decreases as the liquid is sprayed. Therefore, when the liquid in the first tank 41 decreases, the control unit 55 operates the circulation pump P2 to transfer the liquid in the second tank 42 to the first tank 41.

[0055] 6 is a flowchart of an example of the operation of the spray pump P1 based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection sensor 54. The control unit 55 first identifies the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection sensor 54 of the first tank 41 (step S1).

[0056] The control unit 55 then determines whether or not the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 is below a predetermined reference value (step S2). If the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 is not below the predetermined reference value (No in step S2), the process returns to step S1.

[0057] When the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 falls below a predetermined reference value (Yes in step S2), the control unit 55 operates the circulation pump P2 to transfer the liquid in the second tank 42 to the first tank 41 (step S3). This causes the liquid in the second tank 42 to be replenished into the first tank 41. For example, when the circulation pump P2 has transferred a preset amount of liquid to the first tank 41, the control unit 55 stops the operation of the circulation pump P2.

[0058] By the control unit 55 operating the circulation pump P2 in the above-described manner, it is possible to automatically replenish the liquid in the second tank 42 to the first tank 41 in which the amount of liquid has been reduced due to spraying.

[0059] (Uniformity of liquid in tank) When there is a large difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42, the weight difference between the left and right sides of the liquid spraying device 1 increases, which may cause unstable traveling. Therefore, when there is a large difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42, the control unit 55 operates the circulation pump P2 to equalize the liquid.

[0060] 7 is a flowchart of an example of the operation of the circulation pump P2 based on the detection results of the remaining amount detection sensor 54. The control unit 55 first identifies the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42 based on the detection results of the remaining amount detection sensors 54 of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 (step S11).

[0061] The control unit 55 then determines whether the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42 exceeds a first threshold, which is a predetermined threshold (step S12). If the difference in the remaining amounts does not exceed the first threshold (No in step S12), the process returns to step S11.

[0062] If the difference in the remaining amount exceeds the first threshold (Yes in step S12), the control unit 55 operates the circulation pump P2 to transfer the liquid from one tank with a larger remaining amount to the other tank (step S13). This reduces the difference in the remaining amount of liquid in the tanks. The control unit 55 may determine whether or not the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42 exceeds a predetermined threshold based on the difference in weight between the first tank 41 containing the liquid and the second tank 42 containing the liquid. Specifically, the control unit 55 may determine whether or not the difference in weight between the first tank 41 containing the liquid and the second tank 42 containing the liquid exceeds the above-mentioned predetermined threshold.

[0063] The control unit 55 determines whether the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42 falls below a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value based on the detection results of the remaining amount detection sensors 54 of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 (step S14). As an example, the "second threshold value" is a value at which the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42 is less than 10% of the remaining amount of liquid in the tank with the greater remaining amount.

[0064] If the difference in the remaining amount is not below the second threshold value (No in step S14), the control unit 55 continues the operation of the circulation pump P2. If the difference in the remaining amount is below the second threshold value (Yes in step S14), the control unit 55 stops the operation of the circulation pump P2.

[0065] By the control unit 55 operating the circulation pump P2 as described above, the remaining amounts of liquid in the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 can be made uniform, making it possible to run the liquid spraying device 1 stably.

[0066] Although the above example shows the case where the amounts of liquid in the two tanks are made uniform, the control unit 55 may operate the circulation pump P2 to adjust the amount of liquid so that the amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the amount of liquid in the second tank 42 are in a predetermined ratio. When making a determination based on the difference in the remaining amount of each tank as described above, for example, the difference in weight between the first tank 41 containing liquid and the second tank 42 containing liquid may be used as the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank 41 and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank 42, and it may be determined whether this difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

[0067] As a specific example, the control unit 55 receives a first instruction input by the user (e.g., an instruction to equalize the remaining amounts in both tanks), refers to a predetermined threshold (e.g., the above-mentioned "second threshold") stored in the storage unit in association with the first instruction, and operates the pump P2 so that the difference in the remaining amounts in both tanks becomes less than the second threshold. The control unit 55 may also receive a second instruction input by the user (e.g., an instruction to make the remaining amounts in both tanks a predetermined ratio that is not equal) and refers to a predetermined threshold stored in the storage unit in association with the second instruction, and operates the pump P2 so that the difference in the remaining amounts in both tanks becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold. With this configuration, the remaining amounts in both tanks can be equalized or made to a predetermined ratio that is not equal, depending on the input from the user.

[0068] If the remaining amounts in both tanks are not uniform, a relatively large load will be applied to one of the moving means. This state is not preferable when operating the liquid spraying device 1 on flat ground, but may be preferable when operating the liquid spraying device 1 on a slope, for example. Therefore, the configuration that allows the remaining amounts in both tanks to be appropriately adjusted as described above is preferable in that the liquid spraying device 1 can be used effectively in various work sites.

[0069] (Action and effect) According to the liquid spraying device 1 of this embodiment as described above, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are provided separately. The first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are not disposed at a high position such as on the connecting portion 13 of the device body 10, but are disposed on the side of the first moving means 21 and the side of the second moving means 22, respectively. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the entire tank is disposed on the upper part of the device body 10, the center of gravity of the liquid spraying device 1 can be lowered, and the liquid spraying device 1 can be traveled stably.

[0070] <Variation 1> 8 is a diagram showing components of a modified sprinkling mechanism 50A. The sprinkling mechanism 50A is configured to be able to sprinkle the liquid in the first tank 41 and the liquid in the second tank 42 selectively or simultaneously.

[0071] The spraying mechanism 50A has, as an example, a flow path 56, solenoid valves V1 and V2, a spraying pump P1, a boom 52, a spraying unit 53, a remaining amount detection sensor 54, and a control unit 55. A duplicated description of structural parts having the same functions as those of the spraying mechanism 50 in Fig. 5 will be omitted. The solenoid valves V1 and V2, and the control unit 55 constitute a switching mechanism in the present invention.

[0072] The flow path 56 connects the first tank 41 and the spraying unit 53, and also connects the second tank 42 and the spraying unit 53. The flow path 56 has a first flow path 56a extending from the first tank 41, a second flow path 56b extending from the second tank 42, and a third flow path 56c connecting the junction of the first flow path 56a and the second flow path 56b to the spraying unit 53.

[0073] The solenoid valve V1 and the solenoid valve V2 are valves that are switched between open and closed states by the control unit 55. As an example, the solenoid valve V1 is disposed in the first flow path 56a, and the solenoid valve V2 is disposed in the second flow path 56b.

[0074] The control unit 55 controls the operation of the solenoid valves V1, V2, and the spray pump P1. The control unit 55 controls the solenoid valves V1 and V2 to switch the flow path 56 to one of a connection state in which only the liquid in the first tank 41 is discharged from the spray unit 53, a connection state in which only the liquid in the second tank 42 is discharged from the spray unit 53, and a connection state in which the liquids in both the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are simultaneously discharged from the spray unit 53.

[0075] Specifically, the control unit 55 operates the spray pump P1 with the solenoid valve V1 open and the solenoid valve V2 closed, thereby discharging only the liquid in the first tank 41 from the spray unit 53. The control unit 55 also operates the spray pump P1 with the solenoid valve V1 closed and the solenoid valve V2 open, thereby discharging only the liquid in the second tank 42 from the spray unit 53. The control unit 55 also operates the spray pump P1 with the solenoid valve V1 and the solenoid valve V2 both open, thereby discharging the liquids in the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 from the spray unit 53 simultaneously.

[0076] 8, the liquid spraying device 1 can selectively or simultaneously spray the liquid in the first tank 41 and the liquid in the second tank 42. Note that the spraying mechanism 50A in FIG. 8 may be provided with a circulation pump P2 (see FIG. 5) or the like, so that the liquid may be transferred in both directions between the first tank 41 and the second tank 42.

[0077] (Example of operation in a configuration where liquids in two tanks can be mixed) 8, in the case where the liquid in the first tank 41 and the liquid in the second tank 42 are mixable, the control unit 55 may execute the following operation. One of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 contains, for example, a chemical liquid to be diluted, and the other contains, for example, water.

[0078] In such a configuration, the control unit 55 controls each valve to open the solenoid valves V1 and V2, and operates the spray pump P1 with the solenoid valves V1 and V2 open. This causes the chemical solution to be mixed with the water, and the diluted chemical solution is sprayed from the spray unit 53. If the solenoid valves V1 and V2 are adjustable in opening, the control unit 55 sets each valve to a predetermined opening so that the chemical solution and water are diluted at a desired ratio, thereby adjusting the concentration.

[0079] The mixing of the chemical liquid and water before spraying is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 8, and may be performed in the configuration shown in FIG. 5. In the configuration shown in FIG. 5, for example, a predetermined chemical liquid is stored in the first tank 41, and water is stored in the second tank 42. The control unit 55 determines the amount of water to be supplied from the second tank 42 to the first tank 41 based on the concentration of the chemical liquid in the first tank 41, the amount of the chemical liquid, and the concentration after dilution. Then, the control unit 55 operates the circulation pump P2 to supply the amount of water determined above to the first tank 41. As a result, the chemical liquid in the first tank 41 is diluted to a desired concentration.

[0080] The control unit 55 may perform the above process based on the concentration of the liquid medicine input by the user. Specifically, the control unit 55 may use the concentration of the liquid medicine input by the user via a user interface such as a touch panel or a physical switch.

[0081] (Example of a configuration with 3 or more tanks) In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid spraying device may further include one or more tanks in addition to the first tank and the second tank. For example, the spraying mechanism 50 (FIG. 5) may include a first tank 41, a second tank 42, and a third tank. Each tank can contain any liquid, but as an example, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may contain water, and the third tank may contain a medicinal liquid.

[0082] The third tank may be the same size as the first tank 41 and the second tank 42, or may be smaller than these tanks. If the third tank is smaller than the first tank 41 and the second tank 42, for example, even if the third tank is placed on the connecting part 13 of the device body 10, it is advantageous in that the center of gravity of the liquid sprinkling device is unlikely to become high.

[0083] In such a configuration in which three or more tanks are provided, the spraying mechanism may be configured so that the control unit 55 drives the pump to supply the medicinal liquid in the third tank to the first tank 41, to the second tank 42, or to both tanks simultaneously.

[0084] Although an example of the configuration of three tanks has been described above, the above configuration may be incorporated into the configuration of FIG.

[0085] <Variation 2> FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modified example of the device body. In the device body 10-1 in FIG. 9(a), the first leg 11-1 and the second leg 12-1 are formed higher than those of the device body 10 in FIG. 1, and the connecting part 13 is located at a higher position. The spraying part 53 is not provided on the connecting part 13, but is arranged on a member that is hung between the first leg 11-1 and the second leg 12-1 at a position lower than the connecting part 13. In this configuration, the working space S is below the spraying part 53. It is preferable that the positions of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 are below the spraying part 53 from the viewpoint of lowering the center of gravity. When the spraying part 53 moves up and down (when a member supporting the spraying part 53 is provided so as to be able to move up and down), the positions of the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may be below the spraying part 53, whose lower limit of the liquid level position of the liquid contained therein is located at the upper limit within the movable range.

[0086] In the device body 10-2 of FIG. 9(b), the connecting portion 13-1 that connects the first leg portion 11-1 and the second leg portion 12-1 is formed in an arch shape. The other configurations are the same as those of the device body 10-1. In this way, the connecting portion 13 may have any shape as long as it connects the first leg portion 11-1 and the second leg portion 12-1 in a state where they are separated from each other. Although an example of the first leg portion 11-1 and the second leg portion 12-1 has been described, the connecting portion 13 of the device body 10 of FIG. 1 may be formed as shown in FIG. 9(b).

[0087] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the first tank 41. Both the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may have the configuration shown in Fig. 10, but here, the first tank 41 is shown as an example.

[0088] The first tank 41 has an inlet pipe 45 for allowing liquid to flow into the first tank 41, an air vent pipe 46 for discharging air from the first tank 41, and an agitator 47. The inlet pipe 45 is drawn into the inside of the first tank 41 so that its end is located near the bottom of the first tank 41. By allowing liquid to flow in through the inlet pipe 45 positioned in this manner, it is possible to prevent the liquid from foaming in the first tank 41 when refilling the liquid.

[0089] When refilling with liquid, the air in the first tank 41 is released to the outside through the air vent pipe 46, allowing the liquid to flow in smoothly. The air vent pipe 46 may not be provided, and the first tank 41 may have only an opening (not shown) for venting air.

[0090] The agitator 47 agitates the liquid in the first tank 41 by the power of a motor or the like (not shown). For example, the control unit 55 periodically operates the agitator 47, thereby making it possible to maintain a uniform concentration of the liquid in the first tank 41. As described above, a configuration similar to that of FIG. 10 may be provided in the second tank 42, and the control unit 55 may operate the agitator 47 of the first tank 41 and the agitator (not shown) of the second tank 42 simultaneously or at different times.

[0091] For example, if the liquid in the tank is prone to precipitation, it is desirable to stir the liquid before spraying. Therefore, the control unit 55 may stir the liquid by the following operation. For example, the control unit 55 operates the stirring device 47 when a predetermined time or more has passed since the liquid spraying device 1 performed the previous spraying. Specifically, the control unit 55 operates the stirring device 47 when a predetermined time or more has passed since the pump P1 was operated in the previous spraying and the operation was stopped. In this case, the control unit 55 may operate the pump between the two tanks so that a predetermined amount of liquid is supplied from the second tank 42 to the first tank 41. This operation also makes it possible to stir the liquid in the first tank 41 and to uniformize the concentration of the chemical solution.

[0092] Although the specific configuration has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific configuration. In Fig. 5 and Fig. 8, the pump is controlled by the control unit, but the pump may be operated by an operator. In addition, if a manually switchable valve is provided in the flow path, the operator may switch the valve between open and closed as appropriate.

[0093] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining another configuration example of the liquid spraying device. As shown in FIG. 11, the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 may be attached to the device body 10 via a lifting mechanism 15. The lifting mechanism 15 holds the tank so that it can be raised and lowered so that the height of the tank can be adjusted. The lifting mechanism 15 may have a drive source (e.g., a motor, etc.) for raising and lowering the tank, or may not have such a drive source. The lifting mechanism 15 may be configured to move the first tank 41 and the second tank 42 between a position where the upper part of the tank protrudes above the connecting part 13 and a position where the upper part of the tank is below the connecting part 13.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by distributing or integrating functionally or physically in any unit. In addition, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment resulting from the combination combines the effect of the original embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1 Liquid spraying device 10. Device body 10-1 Device body 10-2 Device body 11 1st leg 11-1 1st leg 11a Tank holder 11b Pump holder 12 Second leg 12-1 Second leg 12a Tank holder 12b Pump holder 13 Connecting part 13-1 Connection part 15 Lifting mechanism 20 Transportation 21 First means of transportation 22 Second means of transportation 30 Control device 41 First Tank 42 Second Tank 45 Inlet Pipe 46 Pipe 47 Mixing device 50 Spreading mechanism 50A spreading mechanism 51 Flow Path 51a First flow path 51b Second flow path 52 Boom 53 Spreading section 54 Remaining amount detection sensor 55 Control section 56 Flow Path 56a First flow path 56b Second flow path 56c Third Stream A ridge P1 Spray Pump P2 Circulation pump S Work Space V1 Solenoid valve V2 solenoid valve

Claims

1. A device body having a first leg portion and a second leg portion that support a first moving means and a second moving means, respectively, A first tank and a second tank for containing liquid, A spraying mechanism having a spraying unit that releases the aforementioned liquid onto an object to be sprayed, Equipped with, The first tank is provided on the side of the first moving means of the main body of the apparatus, The second tank is provided on the side of the second moving means of the main body of the apparatus, The spraying unit is located above the working space formed between the first leg and the second leg, and The spraying unit is positioned above the lower limit of the liquid level in the first and second tanks. Liquid spraying equipment.

2. A device body having a first leg portion and a second leg portion that support a first moving means and a second moving means, respectively, and a connecting portion that connects the first leg portion and the second leg portion, A first tank and a second tank for containing liquid, A spraying mechanism having a spraying unit that releases the liquid onto an object to be sprayed between the first leg and the second leg, Equipped with, The first tank is provided on the side of the first moving means of the main body of the apparatus, The second tank is provided on the side of the second moving means of the main body of the apparatus, The connecting portion is provided at a height such that the upper limit of the liquid level position of the liquids contained in the first tank and the second tank is below the height of the connecting portion. The spraying unit is located above the working space formed by the first leg, the second leg, and the connecting part. Liquid spraying equipment.

3. The main body of the device further has a connecting portion that connects the first leg portion and the second leg portion, The first tank and the second tank are arranged such that the lower limit of the liquid level of the liquid they contain is below the connecting portion. The liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The main body of the device further has a connecting portion that connects the first leg portion and the second leg portion, The first tank and the second tank are provided such that the upper limit of the liquid level of the liquid contained within them is below the level of the connecting portion. The liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The first and second tanks are provided such that the lower limit of the liquid level of the liquid they contain is below the level of the spraying unit. The liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 2.

6. The aforementioned spraying unit is configured to be able to move up and down. The first and second tanks are provided such that the lower limit of the liquid level of the liquid contained within them is lower than the upper limit of the spraying unit located within the movable range. A liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The first tank or the second tank is located in a region above the first moving means or the second moving means, and is provided in a region with a width over which the first moving means or the second moving means travels. A liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The distance between the first moving means and the second moving means is changeable. A liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The aforementioned dispersal mechanism is, A connecting channel that connects the first tank and the second tank to each other, A circulation pump that, through the connecting channel, transfers the liquid in the first tank to the second tank, or transfers the liquid in the second tank to the first tank, It further possesses, A liquid spraying device according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The aforementioned dispersal mechanism is, A remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of the liquid in the first tank and the second tank, A control unit that operates the circulation pump based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection means, It further possesses, The liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The control unit, Based on the difference between the weight of the first tank containing the liquid and the weight of the second tank containing the liquid, it is determined whether the difference between the remaining amount of liquid in the first tank and the remaining amount of liquid in the second tank exceeds a predetermined threshold. The liquid spraying apparatus according to claim 10.

Images