Seedling transplanter

Abstract

To provide a seedling transplanter capable of calculating the compression rate of a seedling mat at more flexible timing.SOLUTION: A seedling transplanter includes a seedling-placing table 70 and a planting machine for planting seedlings of a seedling mat M placed on the seedling-placing table 70 in a farm field. On the seedling-placing table 70, a plurality of seedling-placing plates is arranged side-by-side in the width direction of the transplanter. The seedling-placing plates include: a seedling top position detection member 74 that comprises a seedling-placing plate body on which a seedling mat M is placed and an extended seedling-placing plate 73 attached to the top part of the seedling-placing plate body and can measure the length from the bottom edge of the seedling-placing plate body to the upper edge of the seedling mat M which is placed; and a seedling input detection member 75 for detecting input of the seedling mat M into the extended seedling-placing plate. The seedling transplanter is characterized by being configured to calculate the compression rate of the seedling mat M and controlling the amount of seedling takeout of the planting machine on the basis of information detected by the seedling top position detection member 74 and the seedling input detection member 75.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seedling transplanter that transplants seedlings into a field using a seedling mat. [Background technology]

[0002] When planting seedlings in a field, the worker plans in advance the number of seedling mats to be used for the field. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the seedling picking amount of the seedling transplanter so that the planting work can be performed with the number of seedling mats as planned. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a seedling transplanter that is provided with a vertical picking amount adjustment lever that can change the vertical position of the planting claws relative to the seedling mats in multiple stages by raising and lowering the seedling carrier that loads the seedling mats, and that can adjust the vertical picking amount (vertical seedling picking amount) of the seedling mats scraped off by the planting claws by operating this vertical picking amount adjustment lever.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a seedling transplanter that calculates the number of seedling mats to be used from the compression rate of the seedling mat, which is calculated based on the vertical feed amount of the seedling mat placed on the seedling carrier and the number of seedlings to be transferred, and automatically corrects the seedling amount so that the number of seedling mats is as planned based on the calculated number of seedling mats to be used and information such as the remaining work area of ​​the field. This reduces the effort required for the operator to adjust the seedling amount based on experience, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-213638 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2021-101667 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, in order to calculate and adjust the appropriate seedling collection amount based on the number of seedling mats planned in advance, as in the seedling transplanter described in Patent Document 2, it is essential to grasp the compression rate of the seedling mat more accurately. The compression rate of the seedling mat is the degree of compression of the seedling mat expressed as a percentage. That is, when the seedling mat is placed on the seedling carrier in a vertically inclined position during planting work, the total length (length in the feed direction) is compressed by its own weight and the weight of other seedling mats. Therefore, for the same seedling collection amount, the more the seedling mat is compressed, the faster it is consumed. Therefore, if the calculation of the compression rate of the seedling mat is inaccurate, the speed at which the seedlings are consumed during the planting work cannot be accurately grasped, and as a result, an error occurs in the final number of seedling mats consumed from the plan.

[0006] Here, the seedling transplanter described in Patent Document 2 is equipped with a movement amount detection unit that detects the amount of movement of the seedling mat on the placement surface of the seedling placement table, and a seedling mat presence detection unit that is disposed at a height position about one seedling mat above the lower end of the seedling placement table and detects the presence or absence of the seedling mat for each row. As a result, the movement amount detection unit detects the amount of movement of the seedling mat placed on the seedling placement table, and calculates the number of seedling successions (the number of times seedling mats have been added to the seedling placement table) from the detected movement amount. Furthermore, when the seedling mat presence detection unit transitions from a state in which it detects the seedling mat to a state in which it does not detect it, the length calculated by adding the preset remaining amount and the movement amount detected by the movement amount detection unit is divided by the design length of the seedling mat before compression for the number of seedling successions to calculate the compression rate of the seedling mat.

[0007] However, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, the number of seedling transfers, i.e., the number of seedling mats, is calculated based on the amount of movement of the seedling mats on the seedling platform, and errors are likely to occur between the number of seedling mats actually supplied to the seedling platform and the number of seedling mats calculated based on the amount of movement of the seedling mats due to factors such as slippage and compression of the seedling mats, and as a result, the compression rate of the seedling mats may not be calculated accurately. In addition, there was a problem that the smooth movement of the seedling mats was hindered by the device that detects the movement of the seedling mats on the seedling platform. In addition, according to a configuration in which the seedling mat presence / absence detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the seedling mats on the seedling platform calculates the compression rate of the seedling mats at the timing when the seedling mat presence / absence detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the seedling mats on the seedling platform transitions from a state in which the seedling mats are detected to a state in which the seedling mats are not detected, for example, when an operator continuously supplies seedling mats to the seedling platform, the mat presence / absence detection unit may continue to detect the seedling mats, and the compression rate of the seedling mats may not be calculated. Therefore, the conventional seedling transplanter described in Patent Document 2 has room for improvement in the calculation means for the compression rate of the seedling mats.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention solves such problems by not hindering the movement of seedling mats supplied to the mounting table and by counting the number of seedling mats more accurately than before, making it possible to accurately calculate the compression rate of the seedling mats, and also providing a seedling transplanter that can calculate the compression rate of the seedling mats at more flexible timing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the first invention provides: A seedling transplanter comprising a seedling carrier that moves back and forth between the left and right and transports a placed seedling mat downward by a seedling feed belt, and a planting device that takes out the seedlings from the placed seedling mat from the downstream side in the transport direction by a planting rod that moves in a circle and plants them in a field, The seedling carrier has a plurality of seedling carrier plates arranged in the width direction of the machine body, The seedling carrying plate includes a seedling carrying plate body on which a seedling mat is placed, and an extension seedling carrying plate attached to the upper part of the seedling carrying plate body, and further includes A seedling top end position detection member is provided which can measure the length from the lower end of the seedling carrying plate body to the upper end of the seedling mat placed on the seedling top end position detection member, and a seedling insertion detection member is provided which detects the insertion of the seedling mat onto the extension seedling carrying plate, The present invention provides a seedling transplanter that is configured to calculate the compression rate of the placed seedling mat from information relating to the length to the top end of the placed seedling mat measured by the seedling top end position detection member and the number of seedling mats inserted detected by the seedling insertion detection member, and to adjust the amount of seedlings removed by the planting device based on the calculated compression rate.

[0010] According to the first invention, the seedling insertion detection member detects the passage (insertion) of the seedling mats on the extended seedling carrying plate, thereby making it possible to count the number of seedling mats more quickly and accurately than in the past. Furthermore, by counting the seedling mats not on the seedling carrying plate body but on the extended seedling carrying plate located higher up, as in the past, the seedling mats can be counted well even if they are continuously inserted. Furthermore, by counting the seedling mats by rotating the sensor plate, erroneous detection can be prevented and counting can be performed with high accuracy. As a result, the compression rate of the seedling mats can be calculated with high accuracy. In addition, the seedling top end position detection member makes it possible to calculate the seedling height (actual seedling length) of each row of the seedling mat on the carrying table at an appropriate timing. This makes it possible to calculate the compression rate of the seedling mats with more flexibility.

[0011] The second invention is, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, the seedling insertion detection member is provided with a rotating arm that can rotate around a rotating shaft, and a sensor plate that is fixed to the tip of the rotating arm and detects the seedling mat inserted by rotation, The sensor plate comprises a flat plate portion connected to the pivot arm, and an arc-shaped plate portion formed integrally with the flat plate portion and formed in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the mounting surface of the extended seedling mounting plate, and is arranged so as to be exposed on the mounting surface side of the extended seedling mounting plate through a slit provided in the extended seedling mounting plate.

[0012] According to the second invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, the arc-shaped plate portion is formed in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the loading surface of the extended seedling loading plate, so that the movement of the seedling mat is less hindered and smooth counting is possible.

[0013] The third invention has the same configuration as the second invention, but further comprises: The present invention is characterized in that it is configured to determine whether a seedling mat has been inserted by detecting an increase in the rotation angle of the sensor plate from an initial angle using an angle detection potentiometer provided on the seedling insertion detection member.

[0014] According to the third invention, in addition to the effects of the second invention, by counting the number of seedling mats when the sensor plate starts to rotate, it is possible to count the number of seedling mats when they are inserted, and further, the rotation of the sensor plate further effectively prevents the movement of the seedling mats supplied to the mounting table from being impeded.

[0015] The fourth invention is, in addition to the configuration of the third invention, Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that it is configured so that the amount of movement of the upper end of the seedling mat on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate can be calculated from the change in the rotation angle of the sensor plate.

[0016] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the third aspect of the present invention, By utilizing the fact that the amount of movement of the upper end of the seedling mat M on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate can be calculated from the change in the rotation angle of the sensor plate 7, the position of the upper end of the seedling mat can be detected by the seedling insertion detection member even when the upper end of the seedling mat is located above the upper limit of the detection range of the seedling upper end position detection member. This makes it possible to detect the position of the upper end of the seedling mat over a wider range on the seedling placement platform.

[0017] The fifth invention is, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, The seedling upper end position detection member comprises a color detection device that is movable on the seedling carrying plate in the transporting direction of the seedling mat, a rail that serves as the movement track of the color detection device, and supports that support and fix both ends of the rail to the seedling carrying platform, and is configured to be able to detect the position of the upper end of the seedling mat placed above by the color detection device acquiring color information while moving on the seedling carrying plate.

[0018] According to the fifth invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, the color detection device is configured to move along a rail, and by acquiring color information while moving on the seedling carrying plate, the upper end of the seedling mat can be detected well without contact and without interfering with the movement of the seedling mat.

[0019] The sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, is as follows: The device is characterized in that it is configured to calculate the average compression rate of each row of the seedling carrier, and to control the seedling removal amount of the entire planting row of the planting device based on the calculated average value.

[0020] According to the sixth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, the trouble of adjusting the seedling picking amount of each planting device is prevented, and planting work can be carried out smoothly. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, a seedling transplanter can be provided that can accurately calculate the compression rate of the seedling mats by counting the number of seedling mats supplied to the mounting table more accurately than before without interfering with the movement of the seedling mats, and that can calculate the compression rate of the seedling mats at more flexible timing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seedling transplanter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a left side view of a main part of the seedling carrier of FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the seedling carrying plate of FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is an enlarged left side view of the seedling insertion detection member and its periphery in FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a left side view showing the operation of the seedling insertion detection member of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a left side view of the same. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a left side view of the same. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a left side view of the same. [Figure 10] 10(a) is a cross-sectional side view of the internal structure of the seedling top end position detection member of FIG. 3, and FIG. 10(b) is a functional block diagram of the seedling top end position detection member of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of a control system for adjusting the seedling harvesting amount of the seedling transplanter of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept related to the calculation of the compression ratio. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the above. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged left side view of the seedling insertion detection member and its surroundings for explaining the calculation of the initial compression rate. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged left side view of a main part of a seedling carrier according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] <1. Overall configuration of the seedling transplanter> Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the overall configuration of the seedling transplanter 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a side view of the seedling transplanter 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view. The seedling transplanter 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a riding type rice transplanter for six-row planting, as an example.

[0024] In this seedling transplanter 1, a seedling planting unit 4 is mounted on the rear of a traveling body 2 via a lifting link device 3 so that it can be raised and lowered, and the main body of a fertilizer applicator 5 is provided on the upper rear part of the traveling body 2. With the operator riding on the rice transplanter as the reference point, the forward and backward directions are referred to as "front" and "rear", respectively, and the left and right directions relative to the forward direction are referred to as "left" and "right", respectively.

[0025] The traveling body 2 is a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a pair of left and right front wheels 10,10 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11,11 that are drive wheels, a transmission case 12 is arranged at the front of the vehicle body, front wheel final cases 13,13 are provided on the left and right sides of the transmission case 12, and the left and right front wheels 10,10 are attached to left and right front wheel axles that protrude outward from the respective front wheel support parts that can change the steering direction of the left and right front wheel final cases 13,13. In addition, the front end part of a main frame 15 is fixed to the rear part of the transmission case 12, and rear wheel gear cases 18,18 are supported so as to be able to roll freely around rear wheel rolling shafts that are provided horizontally fore and aft at the center of the left and right rear end of the main frame 15, and the rear wheels 11,11 are attached to the rear wheel axles that protrude outward from the rear wheel gear cases 18,18.

[0026] The engine 20 is mounted on the main frame 15, and the rotational power of the engine 20 is transmitted to the transmission case 12 via the belt transmission 21 and the HST 22. The rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12 is changed in speed by the transmission in the case 12, and then separated into running power and externally taken out power and taken out. A part of the running power is transmitted to the front wheel final cases 13, 13 to drive the front wheels 10, 10, and the rest is transmitted to the rear wheel gear cases 18, 18 to drive the rear wheels 11, 11. The externally taken out power is transmitted to a planting clutch case 25 provided at the rear of the traveling body 2, and then transmitted to the seedling planting section 4 by the planting transmission shaft 26, and is also transmitted to the fertilizer applicator 5 by the fertilizer transmission mechanism.

[0027] The top of the engine 20 is covered with an engine cover 30, and a seat 31 is installed on top of it. In front of the seat 31 is a front cover 32 incorporating various operating mechanisms, and above that is provided a handlebar 34 for steering the front wheels 10, 10. Both left and right sides of the lower ends of the engine cover 30 and the front cover 32 form horizontal floor steps 35. Part of the floor step 35 is shaped like a lattice (see Figure 2), so that mud on the shoes of an operator walking on the step 35 falls into the field. The rear part above the floor step 35 is a rear step 36 that also serves as a rear wheel fender.

[0028] The lifting link device 3 is a parallel link structure, and includes one upper link 40 and a pair of left and right lower links 41, 41. The base side of each of these links 40, 41, 41 is rotatably attached to a link base frame 42, which is shaped like a portal when viewed from the rear and is erected at the rear end of the main frame 15, and a vertical link 43 is connected to the tip end of each link. A connecting shaft 44, which is rotatably supported on the seedling planting unit 4, is inserted and connected to the lower end of the vertical link 43, and the seedling planting unit 4 is connected to the connecting shaft 44 so that it can roll freely around the connecting shaft 44. A lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 is provided between the support member fixed to the main frame 15 and the tip of a swing arm (not shown) integrally formed with the upper link 40. By hydraulically extending and retracting the cylinder 46, the upper link 40 rotates up and down, and the seedling planting unit 4 rises and falls while maintaining a substantially constant posture.

[0029] The seedling planting section 4 has a six-row planting configuration and is equipped with a transmission case 50 that also serves as a frame, a seedling carrier 70 that carries mat seedlings and moves back and forth from side to side to supply one seedling at a time to the seedling outlets 51a, ... of each row, and when all the seedlings in a horizontal row have been supplied to the seedling outlets 51a, ..., the seedling carrier 70 transports the seedlings downward by the seedling feed belts 51b, ..., a planting device 52 equipped with a planting rod 52a that plants the seedlings at the bottom end of the seedling mat M supplied to the seedling outlets 51a, ... in the field by rotating, ..., a pair of left and right line drawing markers 92 that draw a line on the topsoil surface to indicate the path of the machine in the next process, etc. At the bottom of the seedling planting section 4, a center float 55 is provided in the center, and side floats 56, 56 are provided on both the left and right sides of the center float 55.

[0030] The fertilizer application device 5 delivers a fixed amount of granular fertilizer stored in a fertilizer hopper 60 by means of delivery units 61, ..., guides the fertilizer by means of fertilizer application hoses 62, ... to fertilizer application guides (not shown) ... attached to the left and right sides of the floats 55, 56, ..., and drops the fertilizer into a fertilization area formed near the side of the seedling planting row by means of furrow making bodies (not shown) ... provided in front of the fertilizer guides, .... Air generated by a blower 58 driven by an electric blower motor 53 is blown into the fertilizer application hoses 62, ... through an air chamber 59 that is long in the left-right direction, and the fertilizer in the fertilizer application hoses 62, ... is forcibly transported by wind pressure.

[0031] The seedling planting section 4 is fitted with a soil leveling rotor (the combination of the first soil leveling rotor 27a and the second soil leveling rotor 27b is sometimes simply referred to as the soil leveling rotor), which is an example of a soil leveling device. In addition, a pair of spare seedling frames 38, 38 equipped with multiple spare seedling loading tables 38a, 38b, 38c for placing supplementary seedlings are provided on both the left and right sides of the front of the traveling body 2. These spare seedling frames 38, 38 are supported on a vertical axis and are rotatable between a working position that protrudes laterally from the machine body and a storage position that prevents the frame from protruding outward.

[0032] <2. Configuration of seedling carrier 70> FIG. 3 is a left side view of a main part of the seedling carrier 70 of FIG. The seedling carrier 70 is made of a plate-like member on which the seedling mat M can be placed, and is arranged so as to be inclined so as to be high at the front and low at the rear when viewed from the side of the machine body. The seedling carrier 70 is configured to slide in the left and right direction on a guide rail 65 having a substantially L-shaped cross section that slidably supports the seedling carrier 70.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the seedling mounting plate 71 of FIG. On the rear surface of the seedling carrier 70, rectangular seedling carrier plates 71 having a carrier surface for carrying seedling mats M are arranged in the width direction of the machine body according to the number of rows of the seedling transplanter 1. The seedling carrier plates 71 are provided with a seedling carrier body 72 on which the seedling mats M are carried, and an extension seedling carrier plate 73 detachably attached to the upper part of the seedling carrier body 72.

[0034] The seedling transplanter 1 of this embodiment has six planting rows, so six seedling carrying plates 71 are arranged on the guide rail 65. The seedling mat M (see Figs. 1, 6, etc.) is placed in an inclined state on the mounting surface of the seedling carrying plate 71. As shown in Fig. 3, the seedling carrying platform 70 is moved up and down by the arm 70b using the actuator 70a relative to the traveling body 2, thereby changing the distance between the rotation trajectory 52r of the planting rod 52a and the seedling removal opening 51a provided by cutting out the rear part of the guide rail 65, thereby adjusting the amount of seedlings to be removed.

[0035] The seedling carrying plate main body 72 has a seedling feed belt 51b on the carrying surface which transports the placed seedling mat M by intermittent operation, and a seedling upper end position detection member 74 is provided on the side which can measure the length from the lower end of the seedling carrying plate main body 72 to the upper end of the seedling mat M within the overall length of the seedling carrying plate main body 72.

[0036] The extended seedling carrying plate 73 is provided so as to be flush with the placement surface of the seedling carrying plate main body 72, and slides down the seedling mat M placed on the extended seedling carrying plate 73 by the worker to the placement surface of the seedling carrying plate main body 72, thereby performing the function of assisting the supply of the seedling mat M to the seedling carrying plate 71. The extended seedling carrying plate 73 is provided with a plurality of approximately rectangular slits 73a, which are long holes provided on the extended seedling carrying plate 73, and a seedling insertion detection member 75 that detects the insertion of the seedling mat M into the seedling carrying platform 70 is provided so that a sensor plate 75c (described later) is exposed on the placement surface side of the extended seedling carrying plate 73 from the slits 73a.

[0037] <3. Configuration of seedling insertion detection member 75> FIG. 5 is an enlarged left side view of the seedling insertion detection member 75 and its surroundings. As shown in FIG. 5, the seedling insertion detection member 75 includes a rotating arm 75b that is rotatable about a rotating shaft 75a, and a sensor plate 75c that is fixed to the tip of the rotating arm 75b and detects the seedling mat M.

[0038] The rotating shaft 75a is rotatably arranged on the rotating base 75d, which is a case member incorporating a bearing and a spring (not shown). As a result, the rotating shaft 75a is rotatably supported on the rotating base 75d by the bearing, and is biased in the counterclockwise direction of the paper surface of FIG. 5 by the spring, which is a biasing member. The rotating base 75d is attached to a position in front of the extended seedling carrier plate 73 by a mounting fixture 75e fixed to the upper part of the seedling carrier plate main body 72.

[0039] As a result, the rotating arm 75b is rotated to an initial angle θ 0 With respect to the reference, the rotation angle α is the maximum angle θ 1 (See FIG. 5.) The initial angle θ 0 is the angle of the rotating arm 75b in the longitudinal direction when no force is applied to the rotating arm 75b. Here, the rotating arm 75b is engaged with a protrusion (not shown) provided on the rotation base 75d, thereby changing the initial angle θ 0 When this happens, the upward rotation is restricted and the maximum angle θ 1 When this occurs, the downward rotation is restricted. The rotation angle α of the rotating arm 75b is detected by an angle detection potentiometer 75s built into the rotation base 75d, and the detected value is transmitted to a control unit C (described later) (see FIG. 11).

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the sensor plate 75c is a plate member formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in a plane, and includes a flat plate portion 751 and an arc-shaped plate portion 752 formed integrally and continuously with the flat plate portion 751 and formed in an arc shape so as to be convex relative to the mounting surface of the extended seedling mounting plate 73.

[0041] 6 to 9 are left side views showing the operation of the seedling insertion detection member 75 of FIG. Next, the operation of the seedling insertion detection member 75 when the seedling mat M is inserted will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. Fig. 6 shows a state in which the inserted seedling mat M slides down the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate 73 and its lower end abuts against the sensor plate 75c. As a result, the sensor plate 75c is pushed by the lower end of the seedling mat M and starts to rotate downward. At this time, the angle detection potentiometer 75s detects that the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c is equal to the initial angle θ 0 The control unit C, which has acquired the detected value, determines that the seedling mat M has been inserted. That is, the number of seedling mats M inserted is counted by 1. In this way, when an external force from the seedling mat M is applied to the sensor plate 75c, the number of seedling mats M inserted is counted.

[0042] FIG. 7 shows that the seedling mat M slides further down from the state shown in FIG. 6 and completely rides up onto the sensor plate 75c, and the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c reaches a maximum angle θ 1 At this time, the flat plate portion 751 is parallel to the placement surface of the extension seedling placement plate 73 (in other words, flush with the surface).

[0043] 8 shows the state in which the seedling mat M slides further down from the state in FIG. 7, and the upper end of the seedling mat M passes the flat plate portion 751 and comes into contact with the arc-shaped plate portion 752. The arc-shaped plate portion 752 is formed in an arc shape so as to be convex with respect to the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate 73, thereby reducing friction when it comes into contact with the seedling mat M and making it difficult to impede the movement of the seedling mat M. Furthermore, as the upper end of the seedling mat M moves downward (in the conveying direction), the sensor plate 75c gradually rotates upward, decreasing the rotation angle α and decreasing to the initial angle θ 0 When the upper end of the seedling mat M is in contact with the arc-shaped plate portion 752 in this manner, the control unit C can calculate the amount of movement of the seedling mat M (the upper end) on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate 73 from the change in the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c.

[0044] 9, the seedling mat M slides further down from the state shown in FIG. 8, and the upper end of the seedling mat M passes over the arc-shaped plate portion 752, so that the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c becomes equal to the initial angle θ 0 At this time, the angle detection potentiometer 75s reduces the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c to the initial angle θ 0 The control unit C, which has acquired the detection value, is in a standby state for counting the input of the next seedling mat M. In this way, the seedling input detection member 75 detects the passage of the seedling mat M on the extended seedling loading plate 73, and is able to count the number of seedling mats M supplied to the loading table 70 more quickly and accurately than before, without interfering with the movement of the seedling mats M. Furthermore, by counting the seedling mats M not on the seedling loading plate main body 72 as in the conventional method, but on the extended seedling loading plate 73 located higher, the seedling mats M can be counted well even if the seedling mats M are continuously input. In addition, by counting the seedling mats M by rotating the sensor plate 75c, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection and count with high accuracy. As a result, the control unit C described later is able to accurately calculate the compression rate P of the seedling mats M.

[0045] 6 to 9 show the detection range β of the seedling insertion detection member 75 in the conveying direction, and the seedling insertion detection member 75 can detect the passage of the seedling mat M on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate 73 in the range of the detection range upper limit β1 to the detection range upper limit β2 by the angle detection potentiometer 75s. As a result, as described above, when the lower end of the seedling mat M enters the detection range upper limit β1, the seedling insertion detection member 75 detects the seedling mat M, and the control unit C counts the number of seedling mats M inserted by one, and when the upper end of the seedling mat M passes the detection range lower limit β2, the seedling insertion detection member 75 no longer detects the seedling mat M, and the control unit C can transition to a standby state to count the next seedling mat M.

[0046] <4. Configuration of seedling top end position detection member 74> As shown in Figure 3, the seedling upper end position detection member 74 comprises a color detection device 74a that is movable on the seedling carrying plate 71 of the seedling carrying platform 70 along the transport direction F of the seedling mat M, a rail 74b that serves as the movement track for the color detection device 74a, and supports 74c that support and fix both ends of the rail 74b to the seedling carrying platform 70.

[0047] 10(a) is a cross-sectional side view of the internal structure of the seedling upper end position detection member 74 in FIG. 3, and FIG. 10(b) is a functional block diagram of the seedling upper end position detection member 74 in FIG. As shown in Fig. 10(a), the color detection device 74a is provided with a seedling identification sensor s1, which is a color sensor that detects color, at the bottom of the housing (the side where the seedling placement plate 71 is placed), and inside the housing are a controller 74m, which is an information processing device equipped with a CPU, ROM, and RAM, a battery unit 741 that supplies power to each part of the device, a drive roller 743 that is driven to rotate forward and backward by a drive motor 742, a driven roller 744 that is arranged to sandwich the rail 74b between the drive roller 743, a roller rotation speed detection sensor s2 that detects the rotation speed of the drive roller 743 by a proximity sensor, an upper end detection switch s3 that detects the upper end of the rail 74b, and a lower end detection switch s4 that detects the lower end of the rail 74b. The upper end detection switch s3 and the lower end detection switch s4 can also be configured to be arranged at the upper and lower ends of the rail 74b.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 10(b), the controller 74m is connected to the seedling identification sensor s1, the roller rotation speed detection sensor s2, the upper end detection switch s3, and the lower end detection switch s4, and is capable of acquiring the detection information thereof. In addition, the acquired detection information is transmitted to the control unit C by a unit communication unit 744 capable of communicating with the control unit C described later, and a control command to measure the seedling upper end position of the seedling mat M can be acquired from the control unit C. The upper end detection switch s3 and the lower end detection switch s4 are contact detection type sensors, and can detect the end of the rail 74b by contacting the upper or lower end of the rail 74b, respectively. As a result, the controller 74m is configured to stop the movement when the color detection device 74a reaches the end of the rail 74b by contact detection of the upper end detection switch s3 or the lower end detection switch s4.

[0049] As a result, the seedling top position detection member 74 is configured such that the color detection device 74a can move along the rail 74b by driving the drive roller 743, and while moving, the seedling identification sensor s1 acquires color information on the placement surface of the seedling placement plate 71 in the range from the lower end to the upper end of the seedling placement plate body 72, making it possible to detect the upper end of the seedling mat M in a non-contact manner without interfering with the movement of the seedling mat M. The control unit C acquires detection information on the number of rotations of the drive roller 743 from the lower end of the rail 74b using the roller rotation number detection sensor s2 (start of counting the number of rotations), and can calculate the seedling height (hereinafter also referred to as the actual seedling length) H indicating the length from the lower end of the placement table 70 to the upper end of the seedling mat M from the information on the total number of rotations of the drive roller 743 acquired when detecting the upper end of the seedling mat M (in other words, detecting the color change due to passing the upper end of the seedling mat M) (end of counting the number of rotations). That is, for example, when calculating the seedling height (actual seedling length) H, the seedling upper end position detection member 74 first moves to the lower end of the rail 74b and then moves from the lower end as a starting point toward the upper end of the rail 74b until it detects the upper end of the seedling mat M. Also, by providing the seedling upper end position detection member 74 on each seedling placing plate 71 (six in this embodiment), it is possible to calculate the seedling height (actual seedling length) H of each row.

[0050] When the seedling top end position detection member 74 thus configured receives a control command from the control unit C to measure the seedling top end position of the seedling mat M, it first drives the drive roller 743 to move to the lower end of the seedling carrying plate body 72, and while acquiring color information by the seedling identification sensor s1, it operates to move to the upper end of the seedling carrying plate body 72, and transmits the detection information of the seedling identification sensor s1 and the roller rotation speed detection sensor s2 to the control unit C. This allows the control unit C to calculate the seedling height (actual seedling length) H of each row of the seedling mat M on the mounting table 70 at an appropriate timing. This allows the control unit C, which will be described later, to calculate the compression rate P of the seedling mat M at a more flexible timing.

[0051] <5. Configuration of control unit C> FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of a control system for adjusting the seedling harvesting amount of the seedling transplanter 1 of FIG. Although not shown in Fig. 1, the seedling transplanter 1 is equipped with a control unit C for controlling various mechanisms at an appropriate position. The control unit C is an information processing device configured by combining multiple ECUs (Electronic Control Units). Each of the multiple ECUs is configured with a CPU that performs arithmetic processing and a memory that can read and write information required for the arithmetic processing, and the configuration shown as functional blocks in Fig. 11 is realized by the CPU operating according to various control programs stored in the memory.

[0052] As shown in Figure 11, the control unit C is connected to an input operation unit 91, a seedling insertion detection member 75, a seedling upper end position detection member 74, a left and right end detection switch 65s, an output unit 80, a seedling removal amount adjustment mechanism 92, and a communication device 93, and is configured to be able to send and receive information to and from these devices and mechanisms.

[0053] The input operation unit 91 is an information input device that functions as an input interface, and receives input operations from an operator to the control unit C. Various information can be inputted into the input operation unit 91. The input operation unit 91 may be, for example, a switch or a touch panel provided near the handlebar 34 in FIG.

[0054] As described above, the control unit C obtains detection information on the rotation angle α of the rotating arm 75b from the angle detection potentiometer 75s of the seedling insertion detection member 75. Furthermore, it obtains detection information on the seedling identification sensor s1, the roller rotation speed detection sensor s2, the upper end detection switch s3, and the lower end detection switch s4 from the seedling upper end position detection member 74, and is capable of transmitting a control command for measuring the seedling upper end position of the seedling mat M for each row.

[0055] The left and right end detection switches 65s are contact-sensing switches that detect when the seedling carrier 70 moves to the end of the guide rail 65 during planting work, and are provided on both the left and right ends of the guide rail 65 (see FIG. 2). By acquiring the detection information of the left and right end detection switches 65s, the control unit C can calculate the number of reciprocations n (one reciprocation is counted) of the seedling carrier 70 during planting work, which is used to calculate the compression rate P described later.

[0056] The output unit 80 is an information output device that functions as an output interface that outputs various information by images and sounds, and is, for example, a monitor 80 provided near the handle 34 in Fig. 1. Alternatively, it may be a tablet, a smartphone, or the like that is provided so as to be able to communicate with the control unit C.

[0057] The seedling amount adjustment mechanism 92 is a mechanism for adjusting the seedling amount of the seedling planting unit 4, and is composed of the above-mentioned actuator 70a, arm 70b, etc. The control unit C is capable of controlling the seedling amount by controlling the drive of the actuator 70a.

[0058] The communication device 93 is a device that is connected to a network and is configured to be able to send and receive various information. The network may be, for example, the Internet, but may also be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), or other public lines or dedicated lines, depending on the situation.

[0059] In addition, the control unit C is equipped with, as control programs, a work setting unit c1 that sets various settings related to the planting work, a compression rate calculation unit c2 that calculates the compression rate P of the seedling mat M, a seedling mat remaining amount calculation unit c3 that calculates the remaining amount of seedling mat M, and an appropriate seedling removal amount calculation unit c4 that calculates an appropriate seedling removal amount based on the planned seedling mat number set by the work setting unit c1, information related to the compression rate P calculated by the compression rate calculation unit c2, and information related to the seedling mat remaining amount calculated by the seedling mat remaining amount calculation unit c3.

[0060] The work setting unit c1 outputs a setting screen for various settings related to the planting work to the output unit 80, and accepts input operations related to the various settings from the input operation unit 91, thereby making various settings related to the planting work. The set information is stored in a storage unit (not shown). As various settings, for example, before the start of planting work, input of the number of seedling mats planned in advance in the field to be worked on (hereinafter referred to as the planned number of mats) can be accepted and set. Furthermore, the total area of ​​the field to be worked on can be input and set.

[0061] The compression ratio calculation unit c2 calculates the compression ratio P of the seedling mat M based on the detection information of the seedling insertion detection member 75 and the seedling top end position detection member. A specific method for calculating the compression ratio P will be described later. The compression ratio P is calculated at an appropriate timing (for example, each time the insertion of the seedling mat M is detected).

[0062] During planting work, the seedling mat remaining amount calculation unit c3 counts the number Q of seedling mats M inserted based on the detection information of the seedling insertion detection member 75, and subtracts this from the number of seedling mats set by the work setting unit c1 to calculate the remaining amount of seedling mats (the number of remaining seedling mats M) at appropriate timing (for example, each time the insertion of seedling mats M is detected). The calculated remaining amount of seedling mats is output to the output unit 80 so that the worker can check it.

[0063] The appropriate seedling quantity calculation unit c4 calculates an appropriate seedling quantity based on the planned number of seedling mats set by the work setting unit c1 and information on the compression rate P calculated by the compression rate calculation unit c2. The calculation of the appropriate seedling quantity can be configured to be performed by the compression rate calculation unit c2 each time the compression rate P is calculated. The calculation of the appropriate seedling quantity can be performed, for example, by setting the standard compression rate P from the total area of ​​the field to be worked on and the planned number of mats set. 1 (For example, 10%) standard seedling yield X 1 During the planting work, the compression rate P calculated by the compression rate calculation unit c2 is calculated. 2 Based on the standard seedling harvest amount X 1 The corrected amount is the appropriate seedling amount X 2 In this case, as an example, the amount of seedlings taken is X 2 = Seedling amount X 1 *(1-compression ratio P 2 ) / (1-compression ratio P 1 ) (*: multiplication sign, / : division sign, same below). For example, the compression rate P 1 is 10%, and the compression ratio P 2 is 28%, and the standard seedling yield is X 1 When is 2cm, the calculated appropriate seedling quantity is X 2 is 2cm x (1-0.28) / (1-0.1) = 1.6cm. The calculated seedling volume X 2 The calculated seedling amount X is output to the output unit 80 so that the worker can check it, and this can prompt the worker to change the seedling amount. 2 The seedling harvesting amount adjusting mechanism 92 may be controlled so as to

[0064] <5. Calculation method of compression ratio P> Next, an example of a method for calculating the compression ratio P of the seedling mat M by the compression ratio calculation unit c2 will be described. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a concept related to compression ratio calculation, and FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for the same. The compression ratio P in this specification is calculated based on the concept explained below. The compression rate P indicates the rate of loss (in other words, the loss rate) per seedling mat caused by the seedling mat M being compressed on the seedling carrier 70. The control unit C can calculate the compression rate P for each row.

[0065] Here, since the seedling mat M is scraped off at a constant area depending on the seedling amount of the seedling planting section 4 during planting work (transplanted in the field), the amount of the seedling mat M can be considered as a pseudo area of ​​the seedling mat M. Therefore, if the compression rate of each seedling mat M is P, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the total area V indicating the amount of the seedling mat M before being inserted into the seedling carrier 70 is multiplied by the compressed area V, which is the area lost by compression of the seedling mat M. L The remaining area Vs is the area of ​​the seedling mat M currently present on the seedling carrier 70 (in other words, the unused seedling mat M present on the seedling carrier 70), and the consumed area V is the area already scraped off and consumed by the seedling planting section 4 (transplanted in the field). A Here, K in the figure indicates the length (distance) that the seedling mat M advances in the transport direction F when the seedling carrier 70 makes one round trip from side to side, and n indicates the number of round trips of the seedling carrier 70 (the value that increases by 1 for one round trip).

[0066] Total area V, compressed area V L , remaining area Vs, consumed area V ASince the left and right widths Mx (e.g., 280 mm) of the seedling mats M are all the same, these areas are proportional to the length of the seedling mat M in the transport direction F (i.e., the vertical length of the seedling mat M). Therefore, in calculating the compression ratio P, each length of the seedling mat M in the transport direction F (hereinafter, simply referred to as the length) can be considered as a quantity. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, for the total length My (e.g., 580 mm) of one seedling mat M in the transport direction F, the compressed area V L The length of the remaining area Vs in the conveying direction F is My*P, the length of the remaining area Vs is My*(1-P)-K*n, and the consumed area V A The length of the remaining area Vs is K*n. Here, the length of the remaining area Vs is the same as the seedling height (actual seedling length) H, which indicates the length from the bottom end of the mounting table 70 to the top end of the seedling mat M, calculated by the control unit C based on the detection value by the seedling top end position detection member 74. Therefore, equation (1) in the figure holds. By solving equation (1) for the compression rate P, the compression rate P of each seedling mat M can be calculated from the seedling height (actual seedling length) H.

[0067] Next, a method for calculating the compression rate P of the seedling mat M when multiple sheets (Q sheets) are put into the seedling carrier 70 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. When Q sheets of seedling mats M with a length My are put into the seedling carrier 70, as described above, if only the length of the seedling mat M in the transport direction F is considered, the amount of seedlings put in can be expressed as My*Q. Furthermore, the compressed seedling amount, which is the amount of seedling mats M lost due to compression, can be expressed as My*P*Q. Furthermore, the remaining seedling amount, which is the amount of seedling mats M currently present on the seedling carrier 70 (in other words, unused seedling mats M), can be expressed as the seedling height (actual seedling length) H, as described above. Furthermore, the consumed seedling amount, which is the amount already scraped off and consumed by the seedling planting section 4 (transplanted in the field), can be expressed as K*n, as described above. Therefore, the formula (2) in the figure can be obtained, and by solving this for the compression rate P, the formula (3) can be obtained.

[0068] Here, the seedling transplanter 1 in this embodiment can accurately count the number of seedlings Q based on the detection information of the seedling input detection member 75. Furthermore, the seedling height (actual seedling length) H can be calculated well in the range from the lower end to the upper end of the seedling carrier plate body 72 by the seedling top end position detection member 74. Here, the information on the total length My of each seedling mat M in the conveying direction F is stored in the control unit C before the start of work by input operation by the worker, etc., so that the control unit C can calculate the compression rate P of the seedling mat M at an appropriate timing when the control unit C acquires information on the number of seedlings Q and the seedling height (actual seedling length) H. For example, each time the control unit C detects the seedling input detection member 75 newly inputting a seedling mat M, the control unit C may be configured to transmit a control command to the seedling top end position detection member 74 to measure the seedling top end position of the seedling mat M, and the compression rate calculation unit c2 that acquires information on the number of seedlings Q and the seedling height (actual seedling length) H calculates the compression rate P. This makes it possible to grasp changes in the compression rate P in detail, enabling fine control of the seedling harvest amount.

[0069] <6.Other> Here, since it is complicated to adjust the seedling amount for each row of the seedling planting section 4 (planting device 52) based on the calculated compression rate P, it is preferable that the control section C is configured to calculate the average value of the compression rate P for each row and control the seedling amount for the entire planting row of the seedling planting section 4 (planting device 52) based on the calculated average value when controlling the seedling amount. In this case, the seedling top end position detection member 74 and the seedling input detection member 75 do not necessarily need to be arranged in all rows of the planting rows, but when they are arranged in some rows, it is preferable to arrange them closer to the center in consideration of the planting work at the edge of the ridge (for example, in the case of planting in 6 rows, the position corresponding to the central 3rd to 4th rows). Information on the calculated compression rate P is stored in the control section C, but the data may be configured to be reset when the work area is reset when the work is completed, or when the automatic travel route is deleted, or when the headland planting work in the final process is completed.

[0070] <6. Initial compression ratio P 0 Calculation method (variation)> Next, a method for calculating the compression ratio P in the modified example will be described. Figure 14 shows the initial compression ratio P 0 1 is an enlarged left side view of the seedling insertion detection member 75 and its surroundings for explaining the calculation of the initial compression ratio P from the initial state before the start of work. 0 The calculation method of is explained below. Here, in the initial state before the start of work, two seedling mats M are placed on the seedling carrier 70, and the upper ends of the seedling mats M are at a height position that reaches the seedling insertion detection member 75 as shown in FIG. 14, and the height position (the length from the lower end of the seedling carrier plate body 72 to the upper end of the seedling mats M) is H 0 Let us assume that.

[0071] Here, the initial height of the rotating seedling H 1 As the seedling planting work by the seedling planting unit 4 progresses from the initial state, the upper end of the seedling mat M gradually drops, and the sensor plate 75c indicates the height position of the upper end of the seedling mat M at which rotation begins (the length from the lower end of the seedling carrying plate body 72 to the upper end of the seedling mat M). This initial rotation seedling height H 1 The value of is stored in the control unit C in advance.

[0072] The control unit C detects whether the upper end of the seedling mat M is at the initial rotation seedling height H 1 The upper end of the seedling mat M is judged to have reached the initial rotation seedling height H 1 The initial number of reciprocations n0 of the seedling carrier 70 until the seedling carrier 70 reaches the initial compression ratio P is calculated. Note that, as in Figs. 12 and 13, K in the figure indicates the length (distance) of the seedling mat M moving in the transport direction F when the seedling carrier 70 makes one reciprocation to the left and right. At this time, the formulas (2-1) to (2-3) in the figure are established, so this is called the initial compression ratio P 0 By solving the above, the equation (2-4) in the figure is obtained. In this way, the control unit C calculates the initial number of round trips n0 from the equation (2-4) to obtain the initial compression ratio P 0 This allows the initial rotation seedling height H to be calculated very quickly after the start of work. 1The compression rate P of the seedling mat M can be calculated at the timing when the seedlings are harvested, and the amount of seedlings harvested can be controlled based on this.

[0073] <7. Another embodiment (part 1)> The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified appropriately within the scope of the technical concept. FIG. 15 is an enlarged left side view of a main part of the seedling carrier 70 according to another embodiment. In another embodiment of FIG. 15, the upper end side of the extended seedling carrying plate 731 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range around the rotating shaft 732 relative to the seedling carrying plate main body 72, and the tip side is configured to be urged upward by a biasing member such as a spring when no external force is applied. As a result, when the seedling mat M is placed on the extended seedling carrying plate 731, the tip side rotates downward. At this time, the contact detection sensor 733 comes into contact with the extended seedling carrying plate 731 to detect the rotation of the extended seedling carrying plate 731, and as a result, the introduction of the seedling mat M can be detected. The detection information of the contact detection sensor 733 is configured to be transmitted to the control unit C. As a result, the introduction of the seedling mat M into the seedling carrying platform 70 can be detected well with a simple configuration.

[0074] <8. Another embodiment (part 2)> 8, the control unit C can calculate the amount of movement of the (upper end of) seedling mat M on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate 73 from the change in the rotation angle α of the sensor plate 75c, and the control unit C may be configured to detect the position of the upper end of the seedling mat M by the seedling insertion detection member 75 when the upper end of the seedling mat M is located above the upper limit of the detection range of the seedling upper end position detection member 74. This makes it possible to detect the position of the upper end of the seedling mat M over a wider range on the seedling placement platform 70.

[0075] <9. Another embodiment (part 3)> As the seedling insertion detection member 75, a photoelectric sensor can be disposed above the extended seedling placement plate 73 so as to face the placement surface side, and the photoelectric sensor can be used to detect the insertion of the seedling mat M. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 Seedling transplanter 2 Running vehicle 3 Lifting link device 4 Seedling planting department 5 Fertilizer application equipment 10 Front wheel 11 Rear wheel 12 Transmission case 13 Front wheel final case 15. Mainframe 18 Rear wheel gear case 20 Engine 30 Engine cover 34 Handle 35 Floor Step 38 Spare seedling frame 51b Seedling transport belt 52 Planting equipment 65 Guide Rail 65s Left and right edge detection switch 70 Seedling stand 71 Seedling board 72 Seedling board main body 73 Extended seedling board 74 Seedling top position detection member 74a Color detection device 75 Seedling insertion detection member 75a Rotating shaft 75b Swivel arm 75c sensor plate 751 Flat plate part 752 Arc plate part 91 Input operation section s1 Seedling identification sensor s2 Roller rotation speed detection sensor s3 Upper end detection switch s4 Bottom end detection switch C control section M Seedling Mat

Claims

1. A seedling transplanter comprising a seedling carrier that moves back and forth between the left and right and transports a placed seedling mat downward by a seedling feed belt, and a planting device that takes out the seedlings from the placed seedling mat from the downstream side in the transport direction by a planting rod that moves in a circle and plants them in a field, The seedling carrier has a plurality of seedling carrier plates arranged in the width direction of the machine body, The seedling carrying plate includes a seedling carrying plate body on which a seedling mat is placed, and an extension seedling carrying plate attached to the upper part of the seedling carrying plate body, and further includes A seedling top end position detection member is provided which can measure the length from the lower end of the seedling carrying plate body to the upper end of the seedling mat placed on the seedling top end position detection member, and a seedling insertion detection member is provided which detects the insertion of the seedling mat onto the extension seedling carrying plate, This seedling transplanter is configured to calculate the compression rate of the seedling mat placed on the planting device based on information regarding the length to the top end of the seedling mat measured by the seedling top end position detection member and the number of seedling mats inserted detected by the seedling insertion detection member, and to adjust the amount of seedlings removed by the planting device based on the calculated compression rate.

2. The seedling insertion detection member includes a rotating arm that can rotate around a rotation axis, and a sensor plate that is fixed to the tip of the rotating arm and detects the seedling mat inserted by the rotation, The seedling transplanter described in claim 1, characterized in that the sensor plate comprises a flat plate portion connected to the pivot arm, and an arc-shaped plate portion formed integrally with the flat plate portion and convexly formed with respect to the mounting surface of the extended seedling mounting plate, and is arranged so as to be exposed on the mounting surface side of the extended seedling mounting plate through a slit provided in the extended seedling mounting plate.

3. The seedling transplanter according to claim 2, characterized in that the seedling mat is determined to be inserted by detecting an increase in the rotation angle of the sensor plate from an initial angle using an angle detection potentiometer provided on the seedling insertion detection member.

4. 4. The seedling transplanter according to claim 3, further comprising a means for calculating the amount of movement of the upper end of the seedling mat on the placement surface of the extended seedling placement plate from the change in the rotation angle of the sensor plate.

5. The seedling upper end position detection member comprises a color detection device arranged to be movable on the seedling carrying plate in the transporting direction of the seedling mat, a rail which forms the moving track of the color detection device, and supports which support and fix both ends of the rail to the seedling carrying platform, and is configured to detect the position of the upper end of the seedling mat placed on the seedling transplanter as described in claim 1 by acquiring color information while the color detection device moves on the seedling carrying plate.

6. The seedling transplanter according to claim 1, characterized in that it is configured to calculate an average value of the compression rate of each row of the seedling carrier, and to control the seedling removal amount of the entire planting row of the planting device based on the calculated average value.

Images