Field work vehicle

Abstract

To provide a field work vehicle which can efficiently travel and work by allowing a user to know at an early stage that an agricultural material cannot be supplied to the field due to the needs for supplying the agricultural material and the like.SOLUTION: A field work vehicle for supplying an agricultural material to the field, includes: a vehicle body; detection parts (S1, S2, S3) for detecting that the agricultural material cannot be supplied to the field; and notification parts (41, 16a) for notifying the outside of the vehicle body of the detection results of the detection part (S1, S2, S3).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a field working vehicle for supplying agricultural materials to a field.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional field working vehicle, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, there is one that supplies agricultural materials such as seedlings to a field. Such a field working vehicle needs to replenish agricultural materials during working travel. When replenishment of agricultural materials is required, the field working vehicle moves to a replenishment position where replenishment is carried out.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Although preparations for replenishment of agricultural materials may be made at the replenishment position, in the case of a conventional field working vehicle, it has been difficult for a replenisher who performs such work to determine that replenishment of agricultural materials is necessary until the field working vehicle starts traveling toward the replenishment position. As a result, it has been difficult for the replenisher to make preparations for replenishment in advance, and it has been impossible to know in advance that replenishment of agricultural materials is necessary. Due to the delay in preparation for replenishment, it has sometimes been impossible to perform working travel efficiently.

[0005] Similarly, in the case of a replenisher who replenishes fuel for the field working vehicle, it has been difficult to determine in advance that fuel replenishment is necessary, and due to the delay in preparation for fuel replenishment, it has sometimes been impossible to perform working travel efficiently.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable a replenisher or the like to know at an early stage that it has become impossible to supply agricultural materials to the field due to the need for replenishment of agricultural materials or the like, and to enable efficient work running. The present invention provides a field work vehicle that enables this.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The field work vehicle of the present invention is a field work vehicle that supplies agricultural materials to a field, and includes a vehicle body, a detection unit that detects that it has become impossible to supply the agricultural materials to the field, and a notification unit that notifies the detection result of the detection unit to the outside of the vehicle body.

[0008] According to the present invention, since the detection result of the detection unit is notified to the outside of the vehicle body, for example, a replenisher or the like who prepares for replenishment of agricultural materials at the replenishment position can know at an early stage that it has become impossible to supply the agricultural materials to the field by the notification. As a result, the replenisher and the repair worker can make preparations in advance and can perform work running efficiently.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that a storage unit for storing the agricultural materials is provided, the detection unit has a remaining amount detection unit that detects the remaining amount of the agricultural materials stored in the storage unit, and the notification unit notifies the detection result of the remaining amount detection unit.

[0010] According to this configuration, a person outside the vehicle body can know, by the notification, that the remaining amount of the agricultural materials stored in the storage unit, for example, is decreasing, and can start preparing the agricultural materials. As a result, it becomes possible to perform the replenishment work efficiently.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the notification unit notifies when it is determined that replenishment of the agricultural materials is necessary based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection unit.

[0012] According to this configuration, even when the field work vehicle is in operation, if it is determined that replenishment of agricultural materials is necessary based on the detection result of the remaining amount detection unit, it can be notified immediately. Therefore, a person outside the vehicle body can know earlier that the remaining amount of agricultural materials has decreased, etc.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the notification unit has a light-emitting unit capable of emitting light, and the light-emitting unit emits light in a plurality of different light-emitting states for each detection result of the detection unit.

[0014] According to this configuration, a person outside the vehicle body can know, by the light emission, that the field work vehicle is in a state where it cannot supply agricultural materials to the field even in an environment with a lot of noise.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the light-emitting unit emits light in a plurality of different display modes for each detection result of the detection unit as the plurality of light-emitting states.

[0016] According to this configuration, since notification is made in a plurality of different display modes, for example, it is possible to know whether the reason why agricultural materials cannot be supplied to the field is because the seedlings are decreasing or because the fertilizer is decreasing. As a result, a person outside the vehicle body can know what kind of replenishment preparation should be made.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that a headlight capable of emitting light is provided at the tip portion in the traveling direction of the vehicle body, and the headlight is used as the light-emitting unit.

[0018] According to this configuration, since the headlight already provided on the field work vehicle can be utilized as the notification unit, there is no need to newly install a notification device. Also, generally, since the headlight emits light with a large luminous intensity, a person outside the vehicle body can easily confirm it.

[0019] In the present invention, an engine and a fuel tank for storing the fuel of the engine are provided. The detection unit has a fuel detection unit for detecting the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and it is preferable that the notification unit notifies the detection result of the fuel detection unit.

[0020] According to this configuration, a person outside the vehicle body can know, through the notification, that the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is decreasing. As a result, a person outside the vehicle body can start preparing for fuel replenishment and can perform the replenishment work efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction of arrow F in the drawings is defined as "front", the direction of arrow B is defined as "rear", the direction of arrow L is defined as "left", and the direction of arrow R is defined as "right". Also, the direction of arrow U in the drawings is defined as "up" and the direction of arrow D is defined as "down".

[0023] 〔Overall Configuration of Riding Type Rice Transplanter〕 Hereinafter, a riding type rice transplanter, which is an example of a field working vehicle of the present embodiment, will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the riding type rice transplanter is provided with a vehicle body 1, right and left front wheels 2, and right and left rear wheels 3.

[0024] A transmission case 4 is provided at the front part of the vehicle body 1. An engine support frame 5 extending forward is connected to the transmission case 4. An engine E is supported by the engine support frame 5. The engine E is covered by a bonnet 6 provided at the front part of the vehicle body 1.

[0025] A floor 7 is provided from the right and left sides of the bonnet 6 to the rear side of the bonnet 6. A driver's seat 8 on which an operator can sit is provided at the rear part of the floor 7. At the tip part in the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1, left and right headlamps 41 (an example of a "light emitting part") capable of emitting light are provided.

[0026] A link mechanism 9 is provided at the rear part of the vehicle body 1. The link mechanism 9 extends rearward and is configured to be swingable up and down. A hydraulic cylinder 10 for lifting and lowering the link mechanism 9 is provided on the link mechanism 9.

[0027] A fertilizer applicator 11 for supplying fertilizer (an example of "agricultural materials") to the field surface and a seedling planting device 12 capable of planting seedlings (an example of "agricultural materials") in the field are provided at the rear part of the vehicle body 1.

[0028] A hopper 21 (an example of a "storage part") for storing fertilizer is provided at the upper part of the fertilizer applicator 11.

[0029] The seedling planting device 12 includes a transmission case 22 connected to the rear end of the link mechanism 9 and to which the driving force of a transmission shaft 13 is transmitted, a plurality of leveling floats 23, a seedling mounting table 24 (an example of a "storage part") for mounting (storing) mat-shaped seedlings, and a rotary planting arm 25 operated by the driving force from the transmission case 22.

[0030] A chemical spraying device 14 is provided at the rear part of the seedling planting device 12. The chemical spraying device 14 is a device for spraying chemicals (an example of "agricultural materials") such as herbicides on the field. A chemical hopper 15 (an example of a "storage part") for storing the chemicals to be sprayed on the field is provided on the chemical spraying device 14.

[0031] A center mascot 16 in the form of a pillar is provided at the tip position of the bonnet 6. The center mascot 16 is arranged on the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 1. A lamp 16a capable of emitting light is installed at the tip of the center mascot 16.

[0032] A plurality of spare seedling stands 17 on which seedling boxes (hereinafter referred to as "seedlings" and "seedling boxes") containing seedling mats can be placed are arranged at the upper parts of the right and left sides of the vehicle body 1. The plurality of spare seedling stands 17 are fixed to the vehicle body 1 and supported by a pair of front and rear struts 18 extending along the vertical direction. The front strut 18 is erected upward from the engine support frame 5 of the vehicle body 1. The rear strut 18 is erected upward from the portion above the front wheel 2 of the vehicle body 1.

[0033] A positioning device 19 is provided which can receive radio signals from positioning satellites used in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, etc.) and acquire position information over time. Note that the riding type rice transplanter of the present invention can acquire and store the traveling route during the seedling planting operation using the positioning device 19, and set it as a target traveling route parallel to the stored route. After setting the target traveling route in this way, the vehicle body 1 can also be automatically steered and traveled along the target traveling route.

[0034] 〔Regarding the detection unit and the notification unit〕 As shown in FIG. 3, the riding type rice transplanter is provided with a control unit 51, a sensor S1 (an example of a "detection unit" and a "remaining amount detection unit") for detecting the remaining amount of fertilizer stored in the hopper 21, a sensor S2 (an example of a "detection unit" and a "remaining amount detection unit") for detecting the remaining amount of chemicals stored in the chemical hopper 15, and a sensor S3 (an example of a "detection unit" and a "remaining amount detection unit") for detecting the remaining amount of the mat-shaped seedlings placed on the seedling stage 24 of the seedling planting device 12.

[0035] Sensors S1 to S3 are configured to detect the remaining amounts of fertilizers, chemicals, and seedlings as agricultural materials over time, and for example, it is possible to detect that the remaining amounts of agricultural materials are decreasing, that is, it is no longer possible to supply agricultural materials to the field.

[0036] The control unit 51 is configured to be able to acquire information from sensors S1 to S3. When the control unit 51 determines based on the detection results of sensors S1 to S3 that the remaining amounts of fertilizers, chemicals, and seedlings are decreasing and replenishment of these is necessary, it controls to cause the headlight 41 to emit light. In the present embodiment, the headlight 41 is used as a notification unit for notifying the outside of the vehicle body 1. With this configuration, for example, an operator waiting on the outer periphery of the field or the like can know that replenishment of agricultural materials such as fertilizers is necessary by the notification by the headlight 41, and can make preparations for replenishing the agricultural materials.

[0037] The control unit 51 controls the headlight 41 to emit light in a plurality of emission states different for each detection result of sensors S1 to S3, and in a plurality of display modes (in the present embodiment, blinking patterns). In the present embodiment, when the control unit 51 determines that replenishment of seedlings is necessary, it causes the headlight 41 to emit light so as to blink twice every predetermined time. Similarly, when the control unit 51 determines that replenishment of fertilizers is necessary, it causes the headlight 41 to emit light so as to blink three times every predetermined time, and when it determines that replenishment of chemicals is necessary, it causes the headlight 41 to emit light so as to blink four times every predetermined time. With this configuration, for example, an operator waiting on the outer periphery of the field or the like can know which replenishment of agricultural materials is necessary.

[0038] 〔Control Flow〕 The control unit 51 is configured to control according to the control flow shown in FIG. 4.

[0039] The control unit 51 acquires the detection results of sensors S1 to S3 (step St01).

[0040] Based on the detection results of sensors S1 to S3, the control unit 51 determines whether replenishment of any agricultural material is necessary (step St02). If it is determined that replenishment of the agricultural material is not necessary, the process returns to step St01.

[0041] In step St02, if it is determined that replenishment of the agricultural material is necessary, the control unit 51 causes the headlight 41 to emit light in a blinking pattern corresponding to the agricultural material that needs to be replenished (step St03).

[0042] After causing the headlight 41 to emit light, the process returns to step St01.

[0043] 〔Alternative Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, an alternative embodiment in which changes are made to the above embodiment will be exemplified.

[0044] (1) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the headlight 41 is used as the light emitting unit for notifying the outside of the vehicle body 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and a configuration in which the lamp 16a of the center mascot 16 is used as the light emitting unit may also be used. Further, instead of the light emitting unit, a sound generating unit may be provided to notify the outside of the vehicle body 1 by emitting sound.

[0045] Also, when direction indicators are provided on the left and right of the front and rear of the vehicle body 1, a configuration in which the direction indicators are used as the light emitting unit for notifying the outside of the vehicle body 1 instead of or together with the headlight 41 may be used.

[0046] (2) In the above embodiment, the control unit 51 is configured to control the headlight 41 to emit light when it determines, based on the detection results of the sensors S1 to S3, that the remaining amounts of fertilizer, chemicals, and seedlings are decreasing and replenishment is required. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The control unit 51 may be configured to control the headlight 41 to emit light when, based on the detection results of the sensors S1 to S3, the remaining amounts of fertilizer, chemicals, and seedlings are sufficient. That is, it may be configured to notify the detection results of the sensors S1 to S3 indicating that sufficient agricultural materials remain.

[0047] (3) In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the headlight 41 is configured to emit light in different blinking patterns to indicate which of the fertilizer, chemicals, and seedlings need to be replenished. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Based on the detection results of the sensors S1 to S3, the headlight 41 may be configured to emit light in different blinking patterns according to the remaining amounts of agricultural materials (for example, "full", "small amount", "empty", etc.).

[0048] (4) In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the headlight 41 is configured to emit light in a display mode of different blinking patterns to notify which of the fertilizer, chemicals, and seedlings need to be replenished. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. It may be configured to notify which of the fertilizer, chemicals, and seedlings need to be replenished in a plurality of display modes such as changing the emission color of the headlight 41.

[0049] (5) It may be provided with a sensor (an example of a detection unit, a fuel detection unit) for detecting the remaining amount of the fuel tank storing the fuel of the engine E and a sensor (an example of a detection unit) for detecting a failure of the engine E, and the control unit 51 and the notification unit may be configured to notify the detection results of these sensors.

[0050] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same shall apply hereinafter) can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction. Also, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be appropriately modified within the scope not departing from the object of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0051] The present invention can be applied to a farm work vehicle that supplies agricultural materials to a farm field.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0052] 1: Vehicle body 15: Chemical hopper (storage unit) 21: Hopper (storage unit) 24: Seedling stage (storage unit) 41: Headlight (notification unit, light emitting unit) E: Engine S1: Sensor (detection unit, remaining amount detection unit) S2: Sensor (detection unit, remaining amount detection unit) S3: Sensor (detection unit, remaining amount detection unit)

Claims

1. A field working vehicle for supplying agricultural materials to a field, comprising: a vehicle body; a detection unit configured to detect that the supply of the agricultural materials to the field has become impossible; a notification unit configured to notify an external part of the vehicle body of a detection result of the detection unit.

2. The field working vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit for storing the agricultural materials, wherein the detection unit has a remaining amount detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of the agricultural materials stored in the storage unit, and the notification unit is configured to notify a detection result of the remaining amount detection unit.

3. The field working vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the notification unit is configured to notify when it is determined based on a detection result of the remaining amount detection unit that replenishment of the agricultural materials is necessary.

4. The field working vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the notification unit has a light emitting unit capable of emitting light, and the light emitting unit emits light in a plurality of different light emitting states corresponding to detection results of the detection unit.

5. The field working vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the light emitting unit emits light in a plurality of different display modes corresponding to detection results of the detection unit as the plurality of light emitting states.

6. The field working vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a headlight capable of emitting light at a front end portion in a traveling direction of the vehicle body, wherein the headlight is used as the light emitting unit.

7. The field working vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an engine and a fuel tank for storing fuel of the engine, wherein the detection unit has a fuel detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, and the notification unit is configured to notify a detection result of the fuel detection unit.

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