Function addition device and work machine

Abstract

To provide a function addition device capable of economically making waterproof properties better than ever, and a work machine and the like.SOLUTION: According to one aspect of the present invention, a function addition device for adding a function to a work machine for being used outdoors is provided. The function addition device comprises a housing, a control circuit and wiring. The housing has a top surface part, a lateral part, and a bottom surface part in which a hole part is formed. The control circuit is loaded within the housing, and constituted to be capable of executing the function to the work machine. The wiring connects the work machine and the control circuit together via the hole part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a function adding device and a working machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a work machine.

[0003] This working machine will now be described. In the working machine, a front intake port and a rear intake port are provided on both left and right side surfaces of a battery housing. Plate-shaped external members covering the openings of the front intake port and the rear intake port are removably attached to both left and right side surfaces of the battery housing. A front communication portion and a rear communication portion are provided on both left and right side surfaces of the battery housing. The front communication portion and the rear communication portion are each groove-shaped, and communicate the front intake port and the rear intake port covered by the external members to the outside air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-003238 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the working machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires special processing to enhance waterproofing, which makes it expensive and uneconomical.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a function-adding device and a working machine etc. that can economically improve waterproofing compared to conventional devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a function adding device that adds a function to a work machine used outdoors. This function adding device includes a housing, a control circuit, and wiring. The housing has a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface having a hole formed therein. The control circuit is placed inside the housing and configured to be able to execute a function on the work machine. The wiring connects the work machine and the control circuit via the hole.

[0008] According to this embodiment, waterproofing can be improved more economically than ever before. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an overall configuration of a vehicle system 1. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a grass cutter 10 and a remote control 20. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle system 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle system 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of the vehicle system 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the vehicle system 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle system 1. [Figure 8] 13 is an enlarged view of the housing support part 31 and the housing 46 as viewed from above. [Figure 9] 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a housing 46. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is a plan view showing a bottom portion 63 of the housing 46. FIG. [Figure 11] 3A to 3C are diagrams showing the configuration of a dustproof member 80. [Figure 12] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an opening and closing mechanism of the function addition device 40. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an opening and closing mechanism of the function addition device 40. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an opening and closing mechanism of the function addition device 40. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Various characteristic features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0011] 1. Overall configuration of vehicle system 1 In the first section, the overall configuration of a vehicle system 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a vehicle system 1. The vehicle system 1 is a system for driving a vehicle to perform a predetermined task. The predetermined task is, for example, mowing a grass in a predetermined area such as a field. The vehicle system 1 includes a grass cutter 10 (work machine), a remote control 20, a support member 30, and a function addition device 40. Of these, the grass cutter 10 and the remote control 20 are existing products, and the vehicle system 1 is configured by later attaching the support member 30 and the function addition device 40. The support member 30 will be described as being part of the configuration of the function addition device 40. The function addition device 40 is a device that adds functions to a work machine used outdoors. In this embodiment, the work machine will be described as being the grass cutter 10. Below, the existing product part will be described first.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the grass cutter 10 and the remote control 20. Here, the grass cutter 10 will be described as an unmanned vehicle. A drone is a working machine that does not have a person on board and is operated remotely by a person. The grass cutter 10 has a traveling function and a working function, and performs grass cutting work while traveling. The remote control 20 has a wireless communication function and is a controller that remotely controls the grass cutter 10. The grass cutter 10 includes an operation control circuit 11, a drive unit 12, a traveling unit 13, a working unit 14, a fuel supply unit 15, a communication unit 16, and a transmission unit 17. The remote control 20 includes an operation unit 21, a communication unit 22, and a display panel 23.

[0014] The operation control circuit 11 is a circuit that controls the operation of each part of the grass cutter 10. The circuit is an electronic component in which electronic components are arranged on a printed circuit board. The circuit can include both electronic circuits and electric circuits. The drive unit 12 is a part that generates a driving force. In the grass cutter 10, the engine that rotates by burning fuel generates electricity, charges a battery with the generated electricity, and generates a driving force by rotating a motor with the charged electricity. The running unit 13 is mechanically connected to the drive unit 12 via gears, etc., and is a part that receives a driving force from the drive unit 12 to run the grass cutter 10. In the grass cutter 10, the running unit 13 is an endless track called a Caterpillar (registered trademark) or the like.

[0015] The working unit 14 is mechanically connected to the drive unit 12 via gears and the like, and is a part that performs the work of mowing by receiving driving force from the drive unit 12. In the grass cutter 10, the working unit 14 is a cutter that rotates a cutting blade to mow the grass. The fuel supply unit 15 stores fuel and supplies the stored fuel to the drive unit 12. The communication unit 16 has a wireless communication function and performs wireless communication with the remote control 20. The communication unit 16 receives an operation signal (described in detail later) transmitted from the remote control 20 and supplies it to the transmission unit 17.

[0016] The transmission unit 17 is a path for transmitting an electric signal, and transmits the supplied operation signal to the operation control circuit 11. The operation control circuit 11 controls the operation of each unit (the drive unit 12, the traveling unit 13, and the working unit 14) based on the transmitted operation signal. At the same time, the operation control circuit 11 generates status information indicating the operating status of each unit, converts the generated status information into a signal, and transmits it to the remote control 20 via the transmission unit 17 and the communication unit 16. The status information is information indicating the traveling speed, traveling direction, whether the working unit 14 is operating, etc.

[0017] The operation unit 21 has an operation lever, accepts operations of the grass cutter 10 by the operator, and generates an operation signal indicating the accepted operation. Operations of the grass cutter 10 include forward movement, reverse movement, left turn, right turn, and turning the working unit 14 on and off. The communication unit 22 wirelessly transmits the operation signal generated by the operation unit 21 to the grass cutter 10. The communication unit 22 also receives status information transmitted from the grass cutter 10. The display panel 23 displays the received status information of the grass cutter 10 (e.g., when it is traveling, when the cutter is operating, etc.).

[0018] Returning to FIG. 1, the explanation will be given. The function addition device 40 can be attached to various vehicles, not limited to the grass cutter 10, and an attachment member that matches the shape of the vehicle is used. The support member 30 is an attachment member that matches the shape of the grass cutter 10. The support member 30 comprises a housing support part 31 and an individual shaped part 32. The housing support part 31 is a part to which the function addition device 40 is fixed, and has a common shape regardless of the vehicle to which the support member 30 is attached. The individual shaped part 32 is a part that is fixed to the vehicle, and has a shape that matches an individual vehicle. In other words, when the function addition device 40 is attached, the grass cutter 10 comprises the grass cutter 10 main body (work machine main body) and the function addition device 40. The function addition device 40 is configured to be detachable from the grass cutter 10 main body.

[0019] The function adding device 40 is a device that adds a function to the grass cutter 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the function adding device 40 adds an autonomous driving function to the grass cutter 10. The autonomous driving function is a function that causes the grass cutter 10 to travel autonomously without operation by an operator. The function adding device 40 includes a function adding circuit 41, a LiDAR 42, an imaging unit 43, a detouring unit 44, wiring 45, a housing 46, a first vibration isolating member 47, and a second vibration isolating member 48. In Section 2, the concept of the function adding circuit 41 and the detouring unit 44 combined is defined as a "control circuit", and the function adding circuit 41 will be described as an example of the "control circuit".

[0020] The function addition circuit 41 is a circuit that realizes functions to be added to the grass cutter 10. The circuit, like the operation control circuit 11, is an electronic component in which electronic components are arranged on a printed circuit board, and can include both electronic circuits and electric circuits. The function addition circuit 41 can add various functions, but the following describes a case where an autonomous driving function that allows the grass cutter 10 to drive autonomously without operating the remote control 20 is added.

[0021] The LiDAR 42 (Light Detection And Ranging) is a sensor that irradiates laser light and measures the distance to an object, its shape, etc. based on information about the reflected light. The LiDAR 42 is a 2D LiDAR (two-dimensional LiDAR) whose optical axis direction is the same plane, and irradiates laser light in a 360-degree direction including front, back, left and right. The photographing unit 43 is a digital camera that has a lens, an image sensor, etc., and photographs an image represented by light that reaches the image sensor. The function addition circuit 41 controls the autonomous traveling of the grass cutter 10 based on the measurement results by the LiDAR 42 and the images photographed by the photographing unit 43.

[0022] The detouring unit 44 is electrically connected to the transmission unit 17 of the grass cutter 10 by a wiring 45, and is a circuit that detoures the signal transmitted by the transmission unit 17 so that it passes through the function adding circuit 41. The detouring unit 44 causes both the operation signal supplied to the operation control circuit 11 and the signalized status information generated by the operation control circuit 11 to pass through the function adding circuit 41.

[0023] The function addition circuit 41 can switch between a manual mode in which the operation signal is returned directly to the transmission unit 17 and supplied to the operation control circuit 11 to manually operate the grass cutter 10, and an automatic mode in which a control signal for controlling the operation of the grass cutter 10 is supplied to the operation control circuit 11 via the transmission unit 17 instead of the operation signal to automatically control the grass cutter 10. The function addition circuit 41 converts an image for mode switching into a signal and transmits it to the remote control 20 via the transmission unit 17 and the communication unit 16. The display panel 23 of the remote control 20 displays an image for mode switching, allowing the operator to switch between the manual mode and the automatic mode. Note that switching between the manual mode and the automatic mode is not limited to the operation of the remote control 20, and may be performed, for example, by operating a physical switch (such as a toggle switch) provided in the function addition device 40.

[0024] The housing 46 is a rectangular box-shaped member made of a water-impermeable material such as metal or plastic, and has a top surface 64, four side surfaces 65, 66, and a bottom surface 63. The housing 46 houses the function addition circuit 41, the LiDAR 42, the imaging unit 43, and the detouring unit 44. An insertion hole 61 is formed in the top surface 64 of the housing 46. The LiDAR 42 is inserted and fixed in the insertion hole 61 such that a portion of the LiDAR 42 is exposed to the external space, and emits laser light from the portion exposed to the external space.

[0025] The housing 46 is fixed to the housing support part 31 of the support member 30 by a first vibration-proof member 47. The first vibration-proof member 47 is a vibration-proof member having the ability to damp vibrations such as a spring or rubber. The first vibration-proof member 47 damps vibrations in any direction including the left-right direction, the front-back direction, and the up-down direction. The function additional circuit 41 is fixed to the housing 46 by a second vibration-proof member 48. The second vibration-proof member 48 is also a vibration-proof member having the ability to damp vibrations such as a spring or rubber, and damps vibrations in any direction including the left-right direction, the front-back direction, and the up-down direction.

[0026] Next, the external appearance of the vehicle system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle system 1. Fig. 4 is a front view of the vehicle system 1. Fig. 5 is a side view of the vehicle system 1. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the vehicle system 1. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the vehicle system 1. For ease of understanding, Figs. 3 to 7 do not show the body of the grass cutter 10 but show the inside of the grass cutter 10 so that it can be seen.

[0027] In Fig. 3 to Fig. 7, a three-dimensional coordinate system is shown by arrows indicating the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, respectively. Hereinafter, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions will be referred to as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively. The grass cutter 10 travels with the direction indicated by the X-axis arrow as the forward direction. The grass cutter 10 has a frame 18 and a roll bar 19. The drive unit 12, the traveling unit 13, the working unit 14, the fuel supply unit 15, etc. are attached to the outside of the frame 18. The working unit 14 is attached below the frame 18 so as to cut grass that has slipped under the grass cutter 10.

[0028] Further, a roll bar 19 is fixed to the outside of the frame 18 with screws or bolts or the like. The roll bar 19 is a part formed by joining pipes arranged to surround the drive unit 12, the fuel supply unit 15, etc. An individual shaped part 32 having legs 33, 34, 35 and 36 is fixed to the roll bar 19. One end of each of the legs 33 to 36 is fixed to the roll bar 19, and the other end is fixed to the housing support part 31.

[0029] The function-adding device 40 is attached to the housing support part 31. A wire 45 shown in FIG. 1 is arranged from the inside to the outside of a housing 46 of the function-adding device 40 and is fastened to one of the legs 33 to 36. The operation control circuit 11 and the transmission unit 17 shown in FIG. 1 are stored in the space formed by the cover 91. The wire 45 is arranged up to the space formed by the cover 91 and is connected to the transmission unit 17 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0030] The function adding device 40 is attached so as to be located vertically above the fuel filler opening 51 of the fuel filler unit 15. The LiDAR 42 is provided on the top surface 64 of the housing 46. The shooting hole 62 for allowing light to enter the shooting unit 43 is provided on the front side surface 65 of the housing 46. As shown in FIG. 6, the function adding device 40 is provided at a position higher and separated from the grass cutter 10 by the individual shaped portion 32. Vibrations generated when the grass cutter 10 is traveling are transmitted to the housing support part 31 by the individual shaped portion 32.

[0031] Here, the function addition device 40 includes a housing 46 attached to the grass cutter 10, a function addition circuit 41 stored in the housing 46 for adding a function to the grass cutter 10, and a first vibration-proof member 47 provided between the housing 46 and the grass cutter 10 to attenuate vibrations transmitted from the grass cutter 10 to the housing 46. The first vibration-proof member 47 greatly attenuates vibrations transmitted to the housing support part 31 before transmitting them to the housing 46. Therefore, only attenuated vibrations are transmitted to the function addition circuit 41 inside the housing 46. According to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress failure of a circuit that is retrofitted to a vehicle, such as the function addition circuit 41, compared to a case in which the first vibration-proof member 47 is not provided.

[0032] The function adding device 40 also includes sensors provided in the housing 46. In the example of FIG. 1, the function adding device 40 includes the LiDAR 42, the image capturing unit 43, and an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) (not shown). The IMU includes a three-axis angular velocity sensor and a three-axis acceleration sensor, and is configured to detect three-dimensional inertial motion of the grass cutter 10. The function adding circuit 41 then uses the measurement results from those sensors to realize a function to be added to the grass cutter 10 (an autonomous driving function in the example of FIG. 1). In the function adding device 40, the first vibration isolating member 47 attenuates vibrations from the grass cutter 10, so that the vibrations of the LiDAR 42 and the image capturing unit 43 are suppressed compared to a case where the first vibration isolating member 47 is not provided, and a decrease in measurement accuracy due to vibrations of the sensors can be suppressed.

[0033] 2. Detailed configuration of the function addition device 40 In Section 2, a more detailed configuration of the function-adding device 40 according to the present embodiment will be described. Although some of the explanations in Section 2 overlap with those in Section 1, Section 2 explains the function-adding device 40 from a different perspective than Section 1.

[0034] Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the housing support part 31 and the housing 46 as viewed from above. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the housing 46. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the bottom surface part 63 of the housing 46.

[0035] The function addition device 40 includes a housing 46, a function addition circuit 41 (a control circuit), a support member 30, wiring 45, a rib 70, and a dustproof member 80.

[0036] The housing 46 has a top surface portion 64, one side surface portion 65, three side surface portions 66, and a bottom surface portion 63 in which holes 71 and 72 are formed. FIG. 10 illustrates the bottom surface portion 63 of the housing 46. The top surface portion 64 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The side surface portion 65 indicates a side surface portion in which the shooting hole 62 is formed, and has a rectangular shape in a side view. The side surface portion 66 indicates a side surface portion in which the shooting hole 62 is not formed, and has a rectangular shape in a side view. The side surface portion 65 is disposed on the front side of the grass cutter 10 in the housing 46, and is configured to enable the shooting unit 43 to shoot from the shooting hole 62. The side surface portions 66 are disposed on the rear side, left side, and right side of the grass cutter 10 in the housing 46, respectively.

[0037] The bottom surface portion 63 is formed with a hole 71 and a hole 72. The hole 71 and the hole 72 are formed penetrating the bottom surface portion 63. The hole 71 and the hole 72 are holes for passing the wiring 45. The hole 71 is disposed to the left of a center line 76 indicating the center of the grass cutter 10 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) on the bottom surface portion 63. The hole 71 is disposed rearward of a center line 77 indicating the center of the grass cutter 10 in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) on the bottom surface portion 63. That is, the hole 71 is provided on the leg portion 33 (first leg portion) side from the center of the bottom surface portion 63. The hole 72 is disposed to the right of the center line 76. The hole 72 is disposed rearward of the center line 77. That is, the hole 72 is provided on the leg portion 34 side from the center of the bottom surface portion 63. In this embodiment, the wiring 45 passes through the hole 71.

[0038] The function addition circuit 41 is placed inside the housing 46. The function addition circuit 41 may be placed on a rib 70 formed on the bottom surface portion 63. In this case, the function addition circuit 41 may be placed on the rib 70 via the second vibration-proof member 48. The function addition circuit 41 is configured to be able to execute a function on the grass cutter 10. Here, the function added by the function addition circuit 41 may be a function to cause the grass cutter 10 to travel autonomously. As explained in Section 1, the autonomous travel function is a function to cause the grass cutter 10 to travel autonomously without operation by an operator.

[0039] The support member 30 has a housing support portion 31 and an individual shaped portion 32 (a plurality of legs). The individual shaped portion 32 is composed of a leg portion 33, a leg portion 34, a leg portion 35, and a leg portion 36.

[0040] The housing support part 31 is configured to support the housing 46. The housing support part 31 has four pipe parts 31-1 and four corner parts 31-2. The corner parts 31-2 are members into which the pipe part 31-1 is inserted and fixed at a positional relationship that forms a right angle. The pipe part 31-1 and the corner parts 31-2 fixed by the corner parts 31-2 form a rectangular member (a member shaped like a picture frame) having a hollow space S1 inside.

[0041] A plate portion 31-3 is formed on each of the corner portions 31-2 on the hollow space S1 side. Each plate portion 31-3 is a portion for fixing a first vibration-isolating member 47. The housing 46 has a square shape when viewed from above, and fixing portions 49 are formed in the front-rear direction near each of the four vertices. The fixing portions 49 are portions for fixing the first vibration-isolating members 47.

[0042] The individual shaped part 32 is provided upright on the upper side of the grass cutter 10. The individual shaped part 32 is configured to support the housing support part 31. The legs 33 to 36 constituting the individual shaped part 32 are each a rod-shaped member (pipe). The leg 33 is a leg located on the left rear side of the grass cutter 10. The leg 34 is a leg located on the right rear side of the grass cutter 10. The leg 35 is a leg located on the left front side of the grass cutter 10. The leg 36 is a leg located on the right front side of the grass cutter 10.

[0043] The wiring 45 connects the transmission unit 17 of the grass cutter 10 and the function addition circuit 41 through the hole 71. More specifically, the wiring 45 is directly connected to the bypass unit 44, but for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the wiring 45 is connected to the function addition circuit 41. The wiring 45 is arranged so as to run along the leg 33 (the first leg among the multiple legs). That is, the wiring 45 is tied from the function addition circuit 41 through the hole 71 so as to run along the leg 33, and further tied along the roll bar 19, and connected to the transmission unit 17 of the grass cutter 10. According to this embodiment, the exposed distance of the wiring 45 can be reduced by passing the wiring 45 through the hole 71 provided in a position close to the leg 33. Therefore, the probability that the wiring 45 is damaged during grass cutting work by the grass cutter 10 can be reduced.

[0044] The rib 70 is disposed on the bottom surface portion 63 inside the housing 46. The rib 70 includes a rib 73, a rib 74, and a rib 75. The rib 73 is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the hole portion 71. The rib 74 is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the hole portion 72. The rib 75 is disposed so as to extend radially from the hole portion 71 or the hole portion 72. The rib 70 may be made of the same material (metal or plastic) as the housing 46.

[0045] Forming the rib 70 on the bottom surface portion 63 makes it possible to reinforce the portion of the strength of the bottom surface portion 63 that is reduced by the formation of the holes 71 and 72. The rib 73 surrounding the periphery of the hole 71 can particularly reinforce the periphery of the hole 71. Similarly, the rib 74 surrounding the periphery of the hole 72 can particularly reinforce the periphery of the hole 72. The rib 75 extending radially from the hole 71 or the hole 72 can reinforce the entire bottom surface portion 63 including the periphery of the hole 71 or the hole 72.

[0046] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of the dustproof member 80. The dustproof member 80 is attached to each of the holes 71 and 72. The dustproof member 80 may be attached from the outside of the housing 46 so as to block each of the holes 71 and 72. The dustproof member 80 has a portion through which the wiring 45 can be passed. The dustproof member 80 has a blocking portion 81 formed so as to block each of the holes 71 and 72. The material of the dustproof member 80 may be, for example, rubber, and is preferably a flexible material with a large coefficient of friction. The dustproof member 80 can prevent dust from entering through the holes 71 and 72 by the blocking portion 81.

[0047] The blocking portion 81 includes notches 82 cut radially. The tips of the notches 82 are configured to face upward when in contact with the wiring 45. Therefore, when the wiring 45 is passing through the dustproof member 80, the tips of the notches 82 are in contact with the dustproof member 80. In this state, the dustproof member 80 is configured such that the blocking portion 81 generates a reaction against the weight of the wiring 45. In other words, the dustproof member 80 is configured to support the wiring 45 that generates a vertically downward force due to vibrations during operation of the grass cutter 10.

[0048] According to this embodiment, the wiring 45 passes through the hole 71 provided in the bottom surface portion 63, thereby reducing the vertical downward load on the wiring 45, and reducing the load on the connection portion between the wiring 45 and the function addition circuit 41.

[0049] 12 to 14 are diagrams showing the opening / closing mechanism of the function adding device 40. The housing support part 31 is configured to be rotatable around a fulcrum at any position on at least one leg of the individual shaped part 32. That is, the opening / closing mechanism of the function adding device 40 is configured so that the housing 46 also rotates as the housing support part 31 rotates. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the function adding device 40 gets in the way when refueling the grass cutter 10. The opening / closing mechanism of the function adding device 40 will be described below.

[0050] The first opening / closing mechanism will be described. As shown in Fig. 12, the housing support part 31 is configured to be rotatable about a hinge 37 provided at a connection part (connection part with the grass cutter 10) of the legs 33, 34 with the roll bar 19. The hinge 37 is configured to be able to hold the housing support part 31 when the housing support part 31 is in the open position.

[0051] The second opening / closing mechanism will now be described. As shown in Fig. 13, the housing support part 31 is configured to be rotatable about a hinge 39 provided at approximately the middle position of the legs 33, 34. The hinge 39 is configured to be able to hold the housing support part 31 when the housing support part 31 is in the open position.

[0052] The third opening / closing mechanism will be described. As shown in Fig. 14, the housing support part 31 is connected to the leg part 33 (first leg part) and the leg part 34 (second leg part) of the individual shaped part 32. The housing support part 31 is configured to be rotatable about an axis 38 (see Figs. 7 and 8) connecting the connection part with the leg part 33 and the connection part with the leg part 34. The axis 38 connects the pipe part 31-1 and the corner part 31-2 at the rear of the grass cutter 10 in the housing support part 31. The axis 38 is configured to be able to hold the housing support part 31 in the open position of the housing support part 31 by a holding mechanism (e.g., a hinge) not shown.

[0053] According to the above-described embodiment of the opening and closing mechanism, the housing 46 can be rotated with a simple structure.

[0054] According to this aspect of the present embodiment, by arranging the holes 71, 72 for passing the wiring 45 on the bottom surface of the housing 46, it is possible to prevent rain from entering the housing 46, for example, even if it rains while the mower 10 is being used. Therefore, according to this aspect of the present embodiment, it is possible to improve waterproofing more economically than ever before.

[0055] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the technical concept of the invention.

[0056] 3. Variations In Section 3, a modification of this embodiment will be described.

[0057] In this embodiment, the working machine has been described as a grass cutter, but the working machine is not limited to this and may be, for example, a chemical sprayer.

[0058] In the present embodiment, the working machine has been described as an unmanned machine, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the working machine may be a manned machine. A manned machine is a working machine that a person boards and manually operates.

[0059] The hole formed in the bottom surface portion 63 has been described as being formed in a position close to the first leg portion to which the wiring 45 is tied, but this is not limited to this and the hole may be formed in any position on the bottom surface portion 63.

[0060] In order to reinforce the entire bottom surface portion 63 in which the holes 71 and 72 are formed, the ribs 75 are arranged to extend radially, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the ribs 75 may be arranged in a lattice pattern over the entire bottom surface portion 63.

[0061] Although the opening / closing mechanism of the function-adding device 40 has been described as having pivot points on two legs, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pivot point may be provided on only one leg.

[0062] The housing 46 is described as being a rectangular box-shaped member, but may be any shape capable of storing the function addition circuit 41, the LiDAR 42, the photographing unit 43, and the detouring unit 44, and may be, for example, a cylindrical member.

[0063] 4.Other It may be provided in any of the following ways:

[0064] (1) A function-adding device that adds functions to a work machine used outdoors, comprising a housing, a control circuit, and wiring, the housing having a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface having a hole formed therein, the control circuit being placed inside the housing and configured to be able to execute the function on the work machine, and the wiring connecting the work machine and the control circuit via the hole.

[0065] According to this aspect, by arranging the hole for passing the wiring on the bottom surface of the housing, it is possible to economically improve the waterproofing compared to the conventional art.

[0066] (2) A function-adding device as described in (1) above, further comprising a support member, the support member having a housing support portion and a plurality of legs, the housing support portion being configured to support the housing, the plurality of legs being arranged in an upright position above the work machine and configured to support the housing support portion, the wiring being arranged along a first leg portion of the plurality of legs, and the hole portion being provided on the first leg side relative to the center of the bottom portion.

[0067] According to this aspect, by passing the wiring through the hole provided in a position close to the leg portion, the exposed distance of the wiring can be reduced.

[0068] (3) The function-adding device according to (2) above, wherein the housing support section is configured to be rotatable about any position on at least one of the legs as a fulcrum.

[0069] According to this aspect, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the housing gets in the way when refueling the work machine.

[0070] (4) The function-adding device according to (2) or (3) above, wherein the housing support section is configured to be rotatable about a connection section of the leg section with the working machine as a fulcrum.

[0071] According to this aspect, the housing can be rotated with a simple structure.

[0072] (5) A function-adding device according to any one of (2) to (4) above, wherein the housing support part is connected to the first leg and the second leg of the plurality of legs and configured to be rotatable around an axis connecting the connection part with the first leg and the connection part with the second leg.

[0073] According to this aspect, the housing can be rotated with a simple structure.

[0074] (6) The function-adding device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, further comprising a rib, the rib being disposed on the bottom portion inside the housing.

[0075] According to this aspect, it is possible to reinforce the strength of the bottom surface portion by compensating for the loss caused by the formation of the holes.

[0076] (7) The function-adding device according to (6) above, wherein the rib is disposed around the hole.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the area around the hole can be particularly reinforced.

[0078] (8) The function-adding device according to (6) or (7) above, wherein the ribs are arranged to extend radially from the hole.

[0079] According to this embodiment, the entire bottom surface portion including the periphery of the hole can be reinforced.

[0080] (9) The function-adding device according to any one of (1) to (8) above, further comprising a dustproof member, the dustproof member having a covering portion attached to the hole portion and formed to cover the hole portion.

[0081] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent dust from entering through the hole.

[0082] (10) In the function-adding device described above in (9), the dustproof member is configured so that a reaction force against the weight of the wiring is generated by the blocking portion.

[0083] According to this aspect, the vertical downward load acting on the wiring as it passes through the hole provided in the bottom surface can be reduced, and the load acting on the connection portion between the wiring and the control circuit can be reduced.

[0084] (11) In the function-adding device described in (10) above, the blocking portion includes a radially cut notch, and a tip of the notch is configured to face upward when in contact with the wiring.

[0085] According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce the load generated at the connection portion between the wiring and the control circuit with a simple configuration.

[0086] (12) A function adding device according to any one of (1) to (11) above, wherein the function is a function of causing the work machine to travel autonomously.

[0087] According to this aspect, an autonomous driving function can be added to the work machine.

[0088] (13) A work machine comprising a work machine main body and a function addition device described in any one of (1) to (12) above, the function addition device being configured to be detachable from the work machine main body.

[0089] According to this aspect, the function addition device can be retrofitted to the work machine.

[0090] (14) The work machine described in (13) above, wherein the work machine is an unmanned machine.

[0091] According to this aspect, a function addition device can be retrofitted to the drone.

[0092] (15) The work machine described in (13) above, wherein the work machine is a manned machine.

[0093] According to this aspect, a function addition device can be retrofitted to a manned aircraft.

[0094] (16) The working machine according to any one of (13) to (15) above, wherein the working machine is a grass cutter.

[0095] According to this aspect, the present invention can be suitably used in a grass cutter. Of course, this is not the case. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1: Vehicle system 10: Grass trimmer 11: Operation control circuit 12: Drive unit 13: Running part 14: Working section 15: Refueling Department 16: Communications Department 17: Transmission section 18: Frame 19: Roll bar 20: Remote control 21:Operation section 22: Communications Department 23: Display panel 30: Support member 31: Housing support part 31-1: Pipe section 31-2: Corner 31-3: Plate part 32: Individual shape part 33: Legs 34: Legs 35: Legs 36: Legs 37: Hinge 38: Axis 39: Hinge 40: Function addition device 41: Additional function circuit 43: Photography Department 44: Detour section 45: Wiring 46: Housing 47: First vibration-isolating member 48: Second vibration-isolating member 49:Fixed part 51: Fuel filler 61: Insertion hole 62: Shooting hole 63: Bottom part 64:Top part 65: Side part 66: Side part 70: Rib 71: Hole 72: Hole 73: Rib 74: Rib 75: Rib 76: Center line 77: Center line 80: Dustproof material 81: Blocking part 82: Notch 91: Cover S1:Hollow space

Claims

1. A function adding device which adds a function to a work machine used outdoors, The device includes a housing, a control circuit, and wiring. The housing has a top surface, a side surface, and a bottom surface having a hole formed therein, The control circuit is mounted inside the housing and configured to be able to execute the function for the work machine, The wiring connects the working machine and the control circuit through the hole. Function-adding device.

2. 2. The function adding device according to claim 1, Further, a support member is provided, The support member has a housing support portion and a plurality of legs, The housing support is configured to support the housing, The plurality of legs are provided in an upright state on an upper side of the working machine and are configured to support the housing support part, the wiring is arranged along a first leg portion of the plurality of legs, The hole is provided closer to the first leg portion than the center of the bottom surface portion. Function-adding device.

3. 3. The function adding device according to claim 2, The housing support portion is configured to be rotatable about a fulcrum at any position on at least one of the legs. Function-adding device.

4. 3. The function adding device according to claim 2, The housing support part is configured to be rotatable about a connection part of the leg part with the working machine as a fulcrum. Function-adding device.

5. 3. The function adding device according to claim 2, the housing support portion is connected to the first leg and the second leg among the plurality of legs, and is configured to be rotatable about an axis connecting a connection portion with the first leg and a connection portion with the second leg; Function-adding device.

6. 2. The function adding device according to claim 1, Further, the device has ribs, The rib is disposed on the bottom surface portion inside the housing. Function-adding device.

7. 7. The function adding device according to claim 6, The rib is disposed around the hole. Function-adding device.

8. 7. The function adding device according to claim 6, The ribs are arranged to extend radially from the hole. Function-adding device.

9. 2. The function adding device according to claim 1, Further, a dustproof member is provided, The dustproof member has a closing portion attached to the hole and formed to close the hole. Function-adding device.

10. 10. The function adding device according to claim 9, The dustproof member is configured such that a reaction force against the weight of the wiring is generated by the blocking portion. Function-adding device.

11. The function adding device according to claim 10, The blocking portion includes a radially cut slit portion, The tip of the notch is configured to face upward when in contact with the wiring. Function-adding device.

12. 2. The function adding device according to claim 1, The function is a function of causing the working machine to travel autonomously. Function-adding device.

13. A work machine, A work machine comprising: a work machine body; and a function adding device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The function addition device is configured to be detachably attached to the work machine body. Work machine.

14. In the work machine according to claim 13, The work machine is an unmanned aerial vehicle. Work machine.

15. In the work machine according to claim 13, The work machine is a manned machine. Work machine.

16. In the work machine according to claim 13, The working machine is a grass cutter. Work machine.

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