Work vehicle

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle capable of improving efficiency of wrapping work by computing a wrapping travel path, based on a record of a work route by a roll baler.SOLUTION: A work vehicle moves along position information by a GNSS receiver 102 on a map in which a work travel path 20 and a circling travel path 22 by a roll baler 140B are registered. The work vehicle includes a work locus recording control section 330 that records a roll release point P together with a work locus, and generates a wrapping travel path 23 when a wrapping machine 140W is attached, based on the recorded roll release point P. A traveling direction of the wrapping travel path 23 is set to be orthogonal to an axial direction X of a cylindrical roll at the roll release point P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle on which a roll baler and a wrapping machine can be mounted. [Background technology]

[0002] A work vehicle is known that is equipped with a roll baler work machine at the rear of the body and travels autonomously along a travel route based on position information obtained from a positioning device installed on the vehicle and information about a preset travel route (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-187918 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, roll packaging work can be performed while the machine is traveling automatically.

[0005] However, there is no mention of autonomous driving in the roll baler operation, which involves lifting up rolls in the field and wrapping them in film or the like.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle that can improve the efficiency of wrapping work by calculating a wrapping travel path based on the records of the work route taken by the roll baler. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objective, the invention described in claim 1 is configured in a work vehicle that moves along a map on which the work travel path 20 and circular travel path 22 of the roll baler 140B are registered, following position information from a GNSS receiver 102, by providing a work trajectory recording control unit 330 that records the roll release point P along with the work trajectory, and to generate a wrapping travel path 23 when the wrapping machine 140W is attached based on the recorded roll release point P.

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, in which the proceeding direction of the wrapping travel path 23 is a direction perpendicular to the axial direction X of the cylindrical roll at the roll release point P.

[0009] The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or 2, and when it is determined that the vehicle cannot continue to travel straight or turn from the position of the roll release point P, a reverse route is generated.

[0010] In the invention described in claim 4, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the circular traveling path 22 is generated by targeting roll release points P in order from the roll release point P closest to the end of the straight traveling path 20.

[0011] Claim 5 is the invention according to claim 2, in which an imaging device 331 is provided on the vehicle so that the direction perpendicular to the axial direction X of the roll can be adjusted. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the invention described in claims 1 to 5, an automatic wrapping travel route is generated, and the work vehicle 100 equipped with the wrapping machine 140W can automatically travel along this wrapping travel route, thereby efficiently wrapping the rolls at the roll release points P1 to P15. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an agricultural tractor as a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a management system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of farm fields. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a headland traveling route and a round-trip traveling route. [Diagram 5] (A) is a side view showing the work equipment, a roll baler, and (B) is a plan view showing the work equipment, a wrapping machine, attached. [Figure 6] This is a diagram showing the travel trajectory (autonomous travel path) of a baler operation and the roll release point. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a wrapping travel route. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a work vehicle 100 of a work vehicle management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The work vehicle 100 is a vehicle for agricultural work capable of traveling in a reciprocating adjacent work traveling range 13, and is configured so that an engine 105 covered by a bonnet 107 is disposed at the front of the vehicle body, and the vehicle can travel by transmitting the rotational power of the engine 105 to front wheels 103 and rear wheels 104 via multiple transmissions. In addition, a control unit 106 is provided behind the engine 105, and a work implement 140 capable of cultivating the reciprocating adjacent work traveling range 13 is attached to the rear of the vehicle body behind the control unit 106.

[0016] The control section 106 is provided with a cabin equipped with a steering wheel operated by an operator and a driver's seat. A GNSS receiver 102 is provided on a cabin roof 108, which is the ceiling of the cabin, and is configured to receive radio waves from an artificial satellite 170 at a predetermined time interval and measure the position of the work vehicle 100.

[0017] A three-point link mechanism 145 consisting of an upper top link 145a and left and right lower links 145b on the lower side is provided at the rear of the body of the work vehicle 100, and a working machine 140 is connected to this. The working machine 140 is a tilling machine and is provided with tilling tines 146 that till the soil in the field, a rotary cover 147 that covers the upper part of the tilling tines 146, and a rear cover 148 that is supported at the rear of the rotary cover 147 so as to be freely movable up and down. In addition to the tilling machine 140R, the working machine 140 may be a roll baler 140B or a wrapping machine 140W, which will be described later.

[0018] A work machine lifting cylinder 141 is connected to the lower link 145b of the three-point link mechanism 145 via a lift arm 142, and the lower link 145b can be raised and lowered by extending and contracting the work machine lifting cylinder 141.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a work vehicle management system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The work vehicle 100 is equipped with a position information acquisition unit 301, which is a position information acquisition means that acquires its own position information from radio waves received by the GNSS receiver 102 in Fig. 1, an autonomous driving ECU 302 that controls the autonomous driving of the vehicle, and a vehicle ECU 303 that controls the driving of the vehicle and the operation of the work equipment, and the vehicle ECU 303 is equipped with a communication unit 304 that communicates with a cloud C that forms a communication network, and a route calculation unit 306 that calculates a driving route from position information and topographical information.

[0020] Therefore, the work vehicle 100 is configured to transmit its own location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 301 to cloud C via the communication unit 304 at predetermined time intervals and store it there, and also to be able to acquire the information stored in cloud C.

[0021] The remote management device 200 is a portable electronic computing device, and is configured with a management terminal 201 that can be operated by a management user. The management terminal 201 includes a communication device 202 that can communicate with cloud C, and a terminal control unit 204 that controls the management terminal 201. Therefore, by carrying the management terminal 201, the management user can exchange information with cloud C via the communication device 202.

[0022] In this way, since the work vehicle 100 and the remote management device 200 are configured to be able to communicate via cloud C, the management user can use the remote management device 200 to monitor the status of the work vehicle 100 and send commands, making it possible to manage the work vehicle 100 remotely.

[0023] Cloud C is provided with a management server 320, which stores a terrain information database 322 that stores terrain information on the field and its surroundings, and a position information database 323 that stores position information on the work vehicle 100. Therefore, the management user can access the management server 320 and refer to the terrain information database 322 and position information database 323 to grasp the positional relationship between the work vehicle 100 and the field.

[0024] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the adjacent work travel range 13 set for each of a number of managed field areas 10, and the managed field areas 10 are configured so that a traveling vehicle 100 travels for work in each of the adjacent work travel ranges 13. Each adjacent work travel range 13 is adjacent to a management passage 12, and is configured so that the work vehicle 100 can enter and exit from an entrance / exit 11.

[0025] The management terminal 201 is equipped with a field identification means for identifying which work vehicle 100 is working in which round-trip adjacent work driving range 13, and is configured to access the management server 320 via the cloud C shown in Figure 2, and compare the position information of each round-trip adjacent work driving range 13 stored in the topographical information database 322 with the position information of the work vehicle 100 stored in the position information database 323, thereby identifying the work vehicle 100 present in the range in which the round-trip adjacent work driving range 13 is located, and to associate the work vehicle with the field in which the work vehicle is working.

[0026] Here, in the management terminal 201, the terminal control unit 204 can obtain the topographical information of the management passage 12 of the management area 10 and the round-trip adjacent work driving range 13 from the topographical information database 322 shown in Figure 2 via cloud C using the positioning device 203.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, when the work vehicle 100 travels for work within the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13, the route calculation unit 306 shown in Fig. 2 calculates a round-trip travel route 20, which is a route for traveling for work within the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13, based on the topographical information of the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13 and the working width w of the work vehicle 100. To travel for work evenly throughout the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13, it is sufficient to travel straight through the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13 for a number obtained by dividing the width of the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13 by the working width w, and the round-trip travel route 20 is calculated so as to travel round-trip through the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13 by a straight route that travels straight on the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13 and a turning route that leaves the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13, turns at the pillow ground 14, and returns to the round-trip adjacent work traveling range 13. Once the round-trip driving path 20 is calculated, the work vehicle 100 is configured to travel autonomously along the round-trip driving path 20 from one end of the round-trip adjacent work driving range 13 to the other end, passing through the entire field during work driving.

[0028] Fig. 5(A) shows an example of a roll baler 140B mounted on the rear of a work vehicle 100, which is connected via a connecting hitch 145 at the rear of the work vehicle 100. The roll baler 140B is a grass collection machine that collects hay, straw, etc. in a field and compresses it to pack it into a cylindrical shape. In Fig. 5(A), a baler unit 153 having a forming chamber 152 is mounted above a frame 151 having wheels 150, and a pickup unit 154 for picking up straw from the field is provided in front of the baler unit 153.

[0029] As in Figure 4 above, in a specified managed field area 10, the route calculation unit 306 in Figure 2 calculates a round-trip travel route 20 obtained based on the topographical information of the round-trip work travel range for baling work and the baling work width wb of the work vehicle 100.

[0030] The work vehicle 100 can then autonomously travel along a round trip travel path 20 from one end of the round trip adjacent work travel range 13 to the other end, turn at the other end to trace the adjacent travel path 20, and further travel along a circular travel path 22 drawn in a circular route range 21 outside the round trip adjacent work travel range 13, thereby performing baling work travel throughout the entire field area 10.

[0031] The automatic driving ECU 302 is equipped with a work trajectory recording control unit 330 and is configured to be able to record the work trajectory. The work trajectory recording control unit 330 is also configured to be able to record the roll discharge point P together with the travel trajectory D that is approximately along the round-trip travel route 20. That is, when the collected grass reaches a specified amount, the roll baler 140B discharges the formed roll near the center in the traveling direction. This discharge position is estimated from the position of the GNSS receiver 102 mounted on the vehicle and is configured to be recorded. This makes it possible to generate a driving route that takes into account the offset amount of the wrapping machine described below, making automatic driving possible.

[0032] An example is shown in Figure 6. The baler performs baling work while moving from work start point S along reciprocating travel path 20, turns as shown by dotted line Q1 at the end of the straight path indicated by the arrow end of straight-line travel path D1, and then continues baling work, repeating straight-line travel paths D2, D3... and turning paths Q2, Q3.... During this baling work, the release cover 155 at the rear of the baler unit 153 opens and a cylindrical roll of molded hay or the like is discharged into the field. The work path recording control unit 330 recognizes the release of the roll from the release cover 155 by detection of the opening / closing sensor 156, and records it as roll release points P1, P2....

[0033] Incidentally, when the roll release point P falls within the rotation range 21 due to the opening of the release cover 155 during turning, for example, the roll release point P is recorded with an abnormal marking. In Fig. 6, the roll release points indicated by the symbols P11 to P15 are marked with an abnormal marking. If an automatic driving route is generated based on the rotation travel path 22, a roll released within the baler's rotation range 21 will be an obstacle and will not be able to travel during automatic driving, so displaying it with an abnormal marking is effective for generating a route that avoids this.

[0034] The released roll is photographed by an imaging device 331 disposed at the rear of the work vehicle 100, and if the released roll position overlaps with two of the reciprocating travel path 20 and the circular travel path 22, it is recorded with an abnormal marking. In Fig. 6, the roll release points indicated by symbols P2 and P10 correspond to the abnormal marking. In this case, too, if an automatic driving route is generated based on the circular travel path 22, the roll released into the baler's circulation range 21 will not be able to travel during automatic driving and will become an obstacle, so displaying it with an abnormal marking is effective in generating a route that avoids this.

[0035] The path calculation unit 306 calculates the wrapping travel path 23 of the wrapping machine 140W based on the position of the roll release point P. Since a route is generated based on the roll release point P plotted in sequence as described above, it is possible to efficiently generate a route for the wrapping work, i.e., generate the wrapping travel path 23, by referring to a route in a baler operation, for example.

[0036] The wrapping machine 140W is mounted so as to be located at the side of the work vehicle 100, as shown in FIG. 5(B), and is configured to load a roll from the field, wrap it with a film, and then unload it back into the field. During wrapping, the roll is returned to the wrapping machine 140W body while rotating it in the radial direction, so that it is necessary to enter the roll in a direction perpendicular to the cylindrical axial direction (X). For this reason, when generating the wrapping travel path 23, the image pickup device 331 determines the relationship between the axial direction of the cylindrical roll and the traveling direction of the work vehicle 100, and it is preferable that the wrapping machine 140W is mounted at the side of the work vehicle 100 so that the wrapping machine 140W can approach the roll from a direction perpendicular to the roll axial direction.

[0037] In calculating the wrapping travel path 23, the roll release direction on either the round trip straight travel path 20 or the circular travel path 22 is estimated, and the wrapping travel path 23 is calculated so as to approach from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the roll. The calculation also takes into consideration the offset amount (ε) of the wrapping machine 140W with respect to the work vehicle 100. The offset amount is taken into consideration because the wrapping machine 140W cannot approach the roll well on the travel paths 20, 22 for the baler operation itself. The wrapping machine 140W may be mounted in front or behind the work vehicle 100, and in either case, the approach direction with respect to the roll must be calculated and set.

[0038] An example of a wrapping travel path is shown in Figure 7. Based on the route order from start point A to end point Z of the automatic driving route (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the baler travel route) by the round-trip straight travel path 20 and the circular travel path 22 when the roll baler 140B is installed, wrapping work is performed with the roll release point P1 that comes first on the route as the first wrapping roll. The start point guide routes a-b from the entrance / exit G to the roll release point P1 are calculated and generated toward the round-trip travel path 20 where the first roll is located. By utilizing the straight route during baler work, that is, the round-trip travel path 20, it is possible to easily generate the start point guide route. After the roll release point P1, the vehicle moves so as to approximately follow the round-trip travel path 20 (route b-c in Figure 7), and wrapping work is performed at the roll release point P2.

[0039] The roll at the roll release point P10 at the end point c of the route b-c is recorded with the above-mentioned abnormal marking, and when it is determined that the vehicle cannot continue straight or turn from the roll release point P10, the reverse routes c-d are generated to avoid obstacles after the roll is collected. If the vehicle cannot continue forward travel after wrapping at a predetermined position, a route that allows the vehicle to continue wrapping can be generated by avoiding obstacles on the reverse route. The straight route in the reverse direction is the route closest to the vehicle's position on the straight route 20 during the roll baler 140B operation or a route parallel to that route. The vehicle is configured to travel along the reverse routes c-d and resume forward travel when it reaches the end of the straight travel route 20 of the roll baler 140B, and routes d-e are generated with the next process target line being the straight travel route 20 of the roll baler 140B where the next roll release point P3 is located.

[0040] When the vehicle cannot move forward on the routes d-e and a reverse route e-f is generated, if the reverse route e-f has a roll release point P3, the next roll release point P4 is compared with the roll release point P3 on the reverse route e-f, and a reverse route e-f is generated to a position that allows travel to the next roll release points P4 and P5. The forward routes f-g are generated to allow travel to the next roll release points P4 and P5. In other words, when a wrapping route is generated by temporarily departing from the baler travel route and generating a new reverse route while utilizing the baler travel route, the baler travel route is used to set the vehicle to move to the next roll release point P in the shortest time, and the wrapping travel path can be easily generated.

[0041] With regard to movement from the current roll release point P to the next roll collection point, if it is possible to generate a route that allows lateral movement to a straight route that goes directly to the next roll collection point (f to P4 in Figure 7), a new lateral movement route to move to a straight route is generated, and if it is not possible to generate a route that allows lateral movement (P4 to P5 in Figure 7), a route that involves a turn is generated (routes f to g in Figure 7).

[0042] Regarding the roll release points on the straight route, if there are roll release points P6, P7, P8, and P9 for the next order that can generate a lateral movement route perpendicular to the roll, it is possible to generate routes g to h for recovering the next order first, and this is made a rule to generate an automatic route. In addition to the lateral movement route, if lateral movement is not possible but turning is possible, a turning route is added to the rules for these routes g to h. It is possible to generate a route with a shorter distance than that during baler operation by utilizing the round trip work route 20 for baler operation, that is, the straight work route, and efficient automatic operation work can be performed. In other words, the wrapping work order of the rolls at the roll release point P in the circling work is based on the configuration of recovering them from the straight work end point in the order based on the baler circling route, so there is no need to generate a new route, and it is possible to easily generate the wrapping work route 23 by simply shifting the offset amount of the wrapping machine 140W.

[0043] The travel distance to the next process collection point is calculated, and in Fig. 7, in a circular route of about two and a half revolutions, the travel distance is covered by h~P12~P14~P11~P13 and the movement of about one revolution by reverse movements i~j, etc. For roll points on the turning work route, when it is possible to generate a lateral movement route, an automatic driving route is generated with a rule that generates a route to collect the next order in advance (for example, roll release point P14). Then, the automatic driving route is completed with the movement routes i~j and the route j~a with the shortest travel distance.

[0044] As described above, an automatic wrapping travel path 23 (a-b...j-a) is generated by combining a forward route and a reverse route by making it into a rule, and the work vehicle 100 equipped with the wrapping machine 140W automatically travels along this wrapping travel path 23, thereby efficiently wrapping the rolls at the roll release points P1-P15.

[0045] During wrapping work, just before approaching the roll, the work vehicle 100 and wrapping machine 140W can accurately pick up the roll by correcting the direction based on the image data from the imaging device 331 to see whether or not the direction is perpendicular to the axial direction of the roll in the field. The roll released during baling work moves in a direction in which it can rotate, and even if a discrepancy occurs between the recorded roll release point P that estimates the release position and the actual roll position, when collecting and wrapping the roll with the wrapping machine 140W, the travel line of the work vehicle 100 can be fine-tuned based on the roll position based on the image data from the imaging device 331, thereby ensuring reliable roll collection and wrapping.

[0046] In addition, if the roll release point P on the recorded baler travel route is separated by a specified distance or more from the actual roll position during operation, the recovery wrapping work for the roll in question is not performed, and the wrapping travel path 23 for the roll at the next roll release point P is reset. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 20 Work route 22 Circuit Route 23 Wrapping route 102 GNSS receiver 140B Round Baler 140W wrapping machine 330 Work trajectory recording control unit 331 Imaging Device P Roll release point X (Roll) axis direction

Claims

1. The work vehicle moves along a map on which a work travel path (20) and a circular travel path (22) of a roll baler (140B) are registered, following position information from a GNSS receiving device (102). The work vehicle is provided with a work trajectory recording control unit (330) that records a roll release point (P) along with the work trajectory, and is configured to generate a wrapping travel path (23) when a wrapping machine (140W) is attached based on the recorded roll release point (P).

2. 2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling direction of the wrapping travel path (23) is perpendicular to the axial direction (X) of the cylindrical roll at the roll release point (P).

3. 3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a reverse route generated when it is determined that the vehicle cannot continue to travel straight or turn from the position of the roll release point (P).

4. 3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the circular travel path (22) is generated for the roll release points (P) in order from the roll release point (P) closest to the end of the straight travel path (20).

5. 3. The work vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising an imaging device (331) provided on the vehicle, the imaging device being configured so that a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (X) of the roll can be adjusted.

Images