Walking type management machine

Abstract

To provide a walking type management machine that can be remotely operated without the need for a worker to walk following a machine body.SOLUTION: A walking type management machine includes a travel device and a ground work device. The machine also includes a control device 80 with communication functionality. The control device 80 is configured to be able to communicate with an operation device 81. When the control device 80 and the operation device 81 are not in a communication state, the control device 80 is configured to shut off power transmission to the travel device and the ground work device. The machine further includes: a traveling drive source 15 which transmits drive power to the travel device; a work drive source 17 which transmits drive power to the ground work device; a traveling clutch 55 which engages / disengages transmission of the drive power from the traveling drive source 15 to the travel device 5; and a work transmission member which engages / disengages transmission of the drive power from the work drive source 17 to the ground work device. When the control device 80 and the operation device 81 are not in a communication state, the control device 80 switches a state to a state where the traveling clutch 55 and the work transmission member shut off the power transmission.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a walking-type management machine for performing ground operations such as tilling while an operator remotely operates it.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a walking-type management machine that has left and right traveling wheels on the machine body and a tilling device for tilling the field surface at the rear of the machine body, and the operator adjusts the traveling direction and performs turning operations, and controls the traveling speed, the working height of the tilling device, etc. with a control handle extending upward at the rear side. (See Patent Document 1)

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a conventional walking-type management machine, the operator has to walk behind the machine body and perform sequential control operations, which requires a great deal of labor for the operator.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a walking-type management machine that can be remotely operated and does not require the operator to follow the machine body while walking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention according to claim 1 is a walking-type management machine including a traveling device (5) that travels on a field on the machine body and a ground working device (9) that performs tilling of the field, ridge forming, etc. A control device (80) having a communication function is provided on the machine body, and the control device (80) is configured to be communicable with a control device (81) that operates the traveling device (5) and the ground working device (9). When the control device (81) and the control device (80) are not in a communication state, the control device (80) cuts off the transmission to the traveling device (5) and the ground working device (9). It is a walking-type management machine characterized by this.

[0007] The invention according to claim 2 is provided with a traveling drive source (15) that transmits driving force to the traveling device (5) and a working drive source (17) that transmits driving force to the ground working device (9). A traveling clutch (55) that turns on and off the transmission of driving force from the traveling drive source (15) to the traveling device (5) and a working transmission member (64, 65) that turns on and off the transmission of driving force from the working drive source (17) to the ground working device (9) are provided. When the control device (81) and the control device (80) are not in a communication state, the control device (80) switches the traveling clutch (55) and the working transmission member (64, 65) to a state where transmission is cut off. It is the walking-type management machine according to claim 1, characterized by this.

[0008] The invention according to claim 3 is that the control device (81) is provided with a traveling output operation member (92, 93) that operates the output of the traveling drive source (15) and a working output operation member (100) that operates the output of the working drive source (17). When the communication state between the control device (81) and the control device (80) is interrupted, the control device (80) records the set outputs of the traveling output operation member (92, 93) and the working output operation member (100). When the communication state is restored, the control device (80) gradually increases the outputs of the traveling drive source (15) and the working drive source (17) with the set output recorded in the control device (80) as the upper limit. It is the walking-type management machine according to claim 2, characterized by this.

[0009] According to the invention described in claim 4, the control device (81) is provided with a forward member (94) for moving the machine body forward, a reverse member (95) for moving the machine body backward, a left operation member (96) for operating the strength of transmission to the left traveling device (5) on the left side, and a right operation member (97) for operating the strength of transmission to the right traveling device (5) on the right side. When the forward member (94) or the reverse member (95) is operated, the operation of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) can be received and switched. By intermittently operating the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) at different timings, the left and right adjustment of the traveling direction is performed. By continuously operating either one of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97), the turning travel in the left and right direction is performed. By operating the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) simultaneously, the traveling is temporarily stopped. It is a walking type management machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that.

[0010] According to the invention described in claim 5, a tilting weight mechanism (83) for adjusting the front and rear balance of the machine body by moving the balance weight (84) back and forth is provided, a balance adjustment actuator (88) for moving the balance weight (84) back and forth is provided, a position detection member (89) for detecting the front and rear position of the balance weight (84) is provided. When the communication state with the control device (80) is interrupted with the control device (80), when the position of the balance weight (84) detected by the position detection member (89) is on the front side of the machine body from the set position, the balance adjustment actuator (88) is operated to move the balance weight (84) backward to the set position. It is a walking type management machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that.

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 1, even when the communication is interrupted and the operation of the control device (81) cannot be received, the transmission to the traveling device (5) and the ground working device (9) is automatically interrupted. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to move to stop the machine body, and the labor can be reduced.

[0012] In addition, it is possible to prevent the place where tillage should not be performed from being tilled, the change of the working route from occurring, and the machine body from colliding with a step or the like and falling and being damaged.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 1, since the driving force transmission of the traveling drive source (15) and the work drive source (17) is blocked by the traveling clutch (55) and the work transmission members (64, 65), even when the traveling drive source (15) and the work drive source (17) do not stop, traveling and ground operations can be surely stopped.

[0014] Thereby, when communication is not restored, the distance until going after the aircraft to stop can be suppressed, and since the ground working device (9) is not operating at the time of stop, the operator can safely approach the aircraft.

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 2, by recording the set outputs of the traveling output operation members (92, 93) and the work output operation member (100) by the operating device (81) immediately after communication is interrupted, when the communication state is restored, there is no need to reset the set output with the operating device (81), unnecessary operations are omitted, and labor is reduced.

[0016] Further, by gradually increasing the outputs of the traveling drive source (15) and the work drive source (17) with the recorded set output as the upper limit, sudden acceleration due to the ground reaction force of not only the traveling device (5) but also the ground working device (9) can be prevented, and the overturning of the aircraft and the deterioration of the working accuracy of the ground working device (9) can be prevented.

[0017] According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 2 or 3, when the forward member (94) or the reverse member (95) is not operated, the operations of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) are not accepted, so that only during forward or reverse travel, a course adjustment operation in the straight-ahead direction becomes possible.

[0018] Further, the operations of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) are performed intermittently with different timings, and by not making the strengths of the transmissions to the left and right traveling devices (5) the same, a minute movement in the left-right direction can be executed to realize straight-ahead working travel, and the working accuracy of the ground working device (9) is improved.

[0019] Further, by continuously operating either the left operation member (96) or the right operation member (97) to cut off the transmission to one of the left and right traveling devices (5), the machine body can be turned and traveled in the corresponding direction, enabling the operator to move to the next working position without operation, thus reducing labor.

[0020] Also, when the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) are operated simultaneously, the traveling can be temporarily stopped. Therefore, the traveling of the machine body can be stopped when necessary, improving the working accuracy.

[0021] According to the invention described in claim 5, in addition to the effects of any one of claims 1 to 3, by operating the tilting weight mechanism (83), the front-rear balance of the machine body is changed to adjust the front-rear tilt angle, and the working height of the ground working device (9) can be adjusted without the operator directly operating the machine body, thereby reducing the labor of the operator and improving the working accuracy.

[0022] Also, when the communication between the control device (80) and the control device (81) is interrupted, if the position detection member (89) detects that the balance weight (84) has moved to the front side of the machine body from the set position, the balance weight (84) is automatically retracted to the set position, preventing the vehicle from stopping with the front-rear balance biased to the front side and preventing the machine body from tipping over and being damaged.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 15

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] An example of applying the present invention to a walking type management machine will be described based on the drawings. Here, the left - right direction is referred to as left and right respectively toward the forward direction of the machine body, and the forward direction is referred to as front and the reverse direction is referred to as rear, but this does not limit the configuration of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, in the walking type management machine 1, left and right wheels 5, 5 as traveling devices are mounted on left and right axles 5a, 5a provided at the lower part of a transmission case 3 fixed to the rear part of a machine body frame 2, and a tilling shaft 61 is projected from the lower part of the rear side of a working transmission case 6 whose base is fixed to the upper part of the transmission case 3, and tilling claws are provided to constitute a tilling device 9.

[0026] The upper surface of the tilling device 9 is covered with a rotary cover 10, and the rear surface is covered with a rear cover 11 that can rotate up and down.

[0027] A tail wheel is provided on the rear end side of the tilling device 9 via a support column 12 so that its vertical height can be adjusted.

[0028] On the machine body frame 2, a battery 14, a traveling electric motor 15 that supplies driving force to the left and right wheels 5, 5, and a control device 80 equipped with a spare battery 16a are provided from the front side.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, the driving force of the traveling electric motor 15 is transmitted to the axles 5a, 5a of the left and right wheels 5, 5 respectively via a traveling transmission belt 54 wound around a driving pulley 51 provided on the output shaft and a driven pulley 53 provided on the traveling output shaft 52 in the transmission case 3.

[0030] The left and right axles 5a, 5a are arranged at the left and right ends of the traveling output shaft 52, and the transmission of the driving force is configured to be switched on and off via electromagnetic clutches 55, 55. Further, on both the left and right sides of the traveling axle 52 and on the wheel 5, 5 side (outside the machine body) rather than the left and right electromagnetic clutches 55, 55, brakes 56, 56 are provided respectively. If, for example, a disk brake is used for this brake 56, it is assumed that a brake pad (not shown) is switched between an operating state and a non-operating state by a brake wire 58 that is wound and rewound by a brake motor 57. In this case, there is no need to extend the brake wire 58 to the rear part of the machine body, and the wiring becomes easier.

[0031] With the above configuration, when adjusting the traveling direction, stopping the traveling, and restarting the traveling, instead of the conventional clutch lever operation, it becomes possible to operate a button for operating the traveling direction and a switch for switching the traveling transmission on and off. Therefore, the adjustment of the traveling direction, the stopping of the traveling, and the restarting of the traveling can be performed without delay compared to the conventional method.

[0032] Also, if remote operation is possible, the operation can be performed without touching the machine body, so there is no need to follow the walking type management machine 1, and the work efficiency is improved.

[0033] When the operator does not follow the walking type management machine 1, in order to enhance the stability of the machine body posture, it is advisable to replace the wheels 5, 5 with traveling crawlers.

[0034] Note that, as shown in FIG. 6, instead of using the traveling output shaft 52, a pair of left and right traveling electric motors 15 may be provided, and driven pulleys 53, 53 may be respectively provided on the axles 5a, 5a so that braking and traveling transmission stop can be performed only by controlling the output of the traveling electric motors 15, 15. In this configuration, although a somewhat larger space is required for arranging the traveling electric motors 15, 15 and the battery 14, the electromagnetic clutches 55, 55, the brakes 56, 56, etc. are not required, so the configuration can be simplified.

[0035] The above-mentioned traveling electric motor 15 uses a reversible motor, and is configured to reverse the rotation to make the walking type management machine 1 travel backward. Note that when the backward operation is performed, the transmission of the driving force from the working electric motor 17 described later to the tilling device 9 is blocked, and the tilling device 9 is configured to be separated upward from the working position, so that the tilling device 9 can be prevented from damaging the field surface or being damaged by a load in the direction opposite to the work.

[0036] The battery 14 is mounted with a one-touch detachable fixture that can be easily detached from the machine body, and is also equipped with a battery socket.

[0037] Therefore, when the walking type management machine 1 is loaded on a truck or the like and moved between fields, the battery 14 can be removed from the machine body and charged from the cigarette socket of the truck or the like through the battery socket.

[0038] In addition, the battery 14 has a structure that can be shared by the axle management machine, the management machine, and the tilling machine, and one or a plurality of two or more are mounted according to the required power of the machine body, and cost reduction is achieved through sharing.

[0039] In addition, a working electric motor 17 composed of an electric motor for driving the tilling claws of the tilling device 9 is provided at the front side of the working transmission case 6. This working electric motor 17 is a one-way motor corresponding to the rotation in the working direction of the tilling device 9, and preferably uses a ratchet mechanism that idles when a force in the reverse rotation direction is applied, so that it idles when an overload is applied when contacting a stone in the soil or the like, and is configured to prevent damage due to the load.

[0040] In addition, in a tiller that operates the tillage device 9 at high horsepower to handle a field with hard soil quality, or a tiller that extends the operating time, the working electric motor 17 may be replaced with an engine, and a hybrid configuration may be adopted in which the traveling system is electric and the tillage working system is an internal combustion engine. At this time, since the battery 14 only consumes power for the traveling electric motor 15, it can be downsized to secure the mounting space for the engine.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, a working drive pulley 60 is provided on the output shaft of the working electric motor 17, and a working transmission belt 63 is wound around the working drive pulley 60 and a working driven pulley 62 provided on the tillage rotation shaft 61 of the tillage device 9 to transmit the driving force. Further, in order to engage and disengage the transmission to the tillage device 9 in a place where tillage is not necessary, a tension roller 65 is provided at the tip of a rotatable tension arm 64, and the driving force is transmitted when the working transmission belt 63 is pressed against the tension roller 65.

[0042] Note that if the tension arm 64 is configured to be rotated between a transmission state and a non-transmission state by a tension actuator 66 composed of a solenoid or an electric motor, the on / off operation of the tillage device 9 can be easily performed.

[0043] With the above configuration, both traveling and tillage operations can be electrified, so that noise and machine body vibration can be reduced.

[0044] In addition, since no exhaust gas is discharged, especially when working in an enclosed space such as a vinyl house, it is less likely for the operator to feel discomfort, and a decrease in working accuracy and operator fatigue can be reduced.

[0045] In addition, if remote operation is possible, the operation can be performed without touching the machine body, so there is no need to follow the walking type management machine 1, and the working efficiency is improved.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, on the body frame 2, left and right tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 for preventing the body from tipping forward beyond a predetermined value (e.g., about 15 degrees) and falling are arranged facing the front side of the body. The left and right tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 have a smaller diameter than the wheels 5, 5, and are arranged at a position spaced upward from the field surface except when tipping forward so as not to interfere during turning travel or the like.

[0047] Specifically, hollow mounting stays 71, 71 made of round pipes or square pipes are provided on both the left and right sides of the front side of the body frame 2, mounting shafts 72, 72 are arranged inside the mounting stays 71, 71 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 are rotatably provided at the front end portions of the mounting shafts 72, 72.

[0048] And suspension springs 73, 73 for pushing out the mounting shafts 72, 72 to the front side of the body are respectively provided at the rear end portions of the mounting shafts 72, 72 to reduce the impact when the tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 contact the ground.

[0049] Thus, even if the walking type management machine 1 is about to tip forward greatly due to unevenness of the field or operation mistakes, the tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 prevent the forward tilt, so that it is possible to prevent the body from being damaged due to tipping and to prevent the field surface from being damaged.

[0050] Also, by reducing the impact during installation with the suspension springs 73, 73, it is possible to prevent damage such as bending of the mounting shafts 72, 72 on which the tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 are mounted.

[0051] Note that if the tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 are rotatable but are configured not to rotate unless a strong ground pressure is applied, it is possible to prevent them from rotating and falling as they are when tipping forward. Also, the tipping prevention wheels 70, 70 may be non-rotatably mounted and configured to suppress the forward tilt while absorbing the impact with the elastic properties of the constituent materials and the air inside.

[0052] A loop-shaped steering handle 18 having a base fixed to the front part of the work transmission case 6 extends obliquely upward to the rear.

[0053] Inside the upper part of the loop-shaped steering handle 18, a monitor stand 20 with a monitor 19 mounted at the center is fixed, and an operation cover 21 is fixed on the right side.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the monitor stand 20 is composed of a first stand member 22, a second stand member 23, a third stand member 24, a fourth stand member 25, and a fifth stand member 26 formed of a flat stainless steel plate.

[0055] Three third stand members 24 are arranged at equal intervals between the first stand member 22 and the second stand member 23, and both sides thereof are fixed by welding, and a frame-shaped stand is formed with the first stand member 22 and the second stand member 23 as vertical sides and the three third stand members 24 as horizontal sides.

[0056] When the monitor stand 20 is fixed inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18, the first stand member 22 is configured with a right front assembly portion 22a having a right outward-facing L-shaped front portion that bypasses the operation cover 21 provided on the right side inside the steering handle 18, and a rear assembly portion 22b having a crank-shaped rear portion bent upward, and mounting holes 22c are respectively provided therein.

[0057] Also, a right part receiving surface 22d bent upward is provided at the middle part of the first stand member 22, and a rear part receiving surface 22e is provided at the crank-shaped part bent upward at the rear part.

[0058] When the monitor stand 20 is fixed inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18, the second stand member 23 is provided with a mounting hole 23b in a left front assembly portion 23a configured with a left outward-facing L-shaped front portion.

[0059] Also, a convex side 23c extending outward is provided at the middle part of the second stand member 23, and a mounting hole 23d is provided in the convex side 23c.

[0060] The third stand member 24 is linear and provided with a mounting hole 24a at the middle part.

[0061] The fourth stay member 25 is configured in an L shape and has a mounting piece 25a and a receiving surface 25b, and two parallel mounting long holes 25c are provided in the mounting piece 25a.

[0062] The fifth stay member 26 is provided with an arc-shaped portion 26a in the middle part, and mounting holes 26b with nuts are provided at both ends thereof. The arc-shaped portion 26a is an arc that fits around the steering handle 18 made of an iron round pipe material.

[0063] Therefore, the monitor stay 20 can mount the monitor 19 on a frame-shaped portion formed by the first stay member 22, the second stay member 23, and the three third stay members 24.

[0064] Also, the monitor stay 20 is configured such that the right front assembly portion 22a, the rear assembly portion 22b of the first stay member 22, and the left front assembly portion 23a of the second stay member 23 protrude from the frame-shaped portion formed by the first stay member 22, the second stay member 23, and the three third stay members 24 and are at a position higher than the frame-shaped portion.

[0065] Next, based on FIGS. 1 to 3, a detailed configuration for fixing the monitor stay 20 inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18 and mounting the monitor 19 on the monitor stay 20 will be described.

[0066] Position the monitor stay 20 inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18, bring the rear assembly portion 22b into contact with the lower surface of the portion extending in the left-right direction, which is the grip portion that an operator holds at the rear of the loop-shaped steering handle 18, fit the arc-shaped portion 26a of the fifth stay member 26 around from above the steering handle 18, insert the mounting hole 22c from the lower surface side of the rear assembly portion 22b, pass a bolt through the mounting holes 26b with nuts at both ends of the fifth stay member 26, and tighten it. Then, the rear assembly portion 22b of the monitor stay 20 is fixed to the portion extending in the left-right direction at the rear of the loop-shaped steering handle 18.

[0067] Note that a rubber insulator is sandwiched and fixed between the inner surface of the arc-shaped portion 26a of the fifth stay member 26 and the steering handle 18.

[0068] Then, the right front mounting portion 22a and the left front mounting portion 23a are brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the portions of the left and right parts of the loop-shaped steering handle 18 that extend in the front-rear direction. The arcuate portion 26a of the fifth stay member 26 is externally fitted from below the steering handle 18, and bolts are inserted through the mounting holes 22c and the mounting holes 23b from the upper surface sides of the right front mounting portion 22a and the left front mounting portion 23a and tightened through the nut-equipped mounting holes 26b at both ends of the fifth stay member 26, whereby the right front mounting portion 22a and the left front mounting portion 23a of the monitor stay 20 are respectively fixed to the portions of the left and right parts of the loop-shaped steering handle 18 that extend in the front-rear direction.

[0069] Note that a rubber insulator is sandwiched and fixed between the inner surface of the arcuate portion 26a of the fifth stay member 26 and the steering handle 18.

[0070] Therefore, the monitor stay 20 is disposed inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18, the rear mounting portion 22b is fixed to the portion of the rear part of the steering handle 18 that extends in the left-right direction, and the right front mounting portion 22a and the left front mounting portion 23a are fixed to the portions of the left and right parts of the loop-shaped steering handle 18 that extend in the front-rear direction. Thus, the empty space inside the loop-shaped steering handle 18 can be effectively utilized, and strong support can be provided at a small number of mounting and supporting locations at the rear and the left and right fronts.

[0071] Then, the mounting piece 25a of the fourth stay member 25 is placed on the convex side 23c of the second stay member 23 of the monitor stay 20, and bolts are inserted from above into each of the two parallel mounting elongated holes 25c of the mounting piece 25a, passed through the mounting hole 23d of the convex side 23c, and tightened by screwing nuts from below.

[0072] Similarly, the mounting piece 25a of the fourth stay member 25 is placed on the third stay member 24 at the foremost part of the monitor stay 20, and bolts are inserted from above into each of the two parallel mounting elongated holes 25c of the mounting piece 25a, passed through the mounting hole 24a of the third stay member 24, and tightened by screwing nuts from below.

[0073] Then, place the monitor 19 on the frame portion of the monitor stand 20, bring the right side surface and the rear side surface of the monitor 19 into contact with the right receiving surface 22d and the rear receiving surface 22e of the first stay member 22 respectively, and attach each fourth stay member 25 so that the receiving surfaces 25b of each fourth stay member 25 contact the left side surface and the front side surface of the monitor 19. After adjusting the position with the mounting long holes 25c and fixing each fourth stay member 25 with bolts and nuts, the monitor 19 can be mounted on the monitor stand 20.

[0074] Note that cushioning materials made of rubber or the like are attached to the upper surface of the frame portion of the monitor stand 20 on which the monitor 19 is placed, the right receiving surface 22d and the rear receiving surface 22e of the first stay member 22, and the receiving surface 25b of the fourth stay member 25 so as not to damage the monitor 19.

[0075] In addition, if fourth stay members 25 with different heights of the receiving surfaces 25b are prepared, it is possible to cope with monitors 19 having different heights depending on the type.

[0076] The monitor 19 may be a dedicated monitor, or a general-purpose tablet may be used as a monitor. It communicates with the control device 16 (or is connected by a communication cable) and displays the power storage amounts of the battery 14 and the backup battery 16a, the temperature, the operating states of the traveling electric motor 15 and the working electric motor 17, the working duration, etc.

[0077] Therefore, by providing the monitor 19, the operations of each part of the machine body can be displayed as visual information, making it easier to judge the propriety of the operations, the working duration, etc.

[0078] On the upper side of the rear part of the loop-shaped steering handle 18, there is provided a dead man lever 30 as an operation lever for operating and stopping the traveling electric motor 15 that drives the left and right wheels 5, 5 and the working electric motor 17 that drives the tilling device 9.

[0079] Note that the dead man lever 30 may be configured to operate and stop either one of the traveling electric motor 15 that drives the left and right wheels 5, 5 or the working electric motor 17 that drives the tilling device 9.

[0080] The dead man lever 30 functions in the same way as a dead man clutch lever of a general control machine, and is provided along the upper side of a portion extending in the left-right direction which is a grip portion at the rear of the loop-shaped steering handle 18. The left and right front portions are pivotally supported by a left-right pivot shaft 30a at a portion extending in the front-rear direction of the left and right portions of the steering handle 18, and are provided in a state where the rear portion is biased upward by a spring.

[0081] And a limit switch is provided on either of the left and right pivot shafts 30a. When an operator gripping the grip portion at the rear of the loop-shaped steering handle 18 grips the dead man lever 30 together with the grip portion and operates it downward against the biasing force of the spring, the limit switch turns on, and the control device 16 turns on switches S1 and S2 to operate the traveling electric motor 15 and the working electric motor 17, causing the left and right wheels 5, 5 to rotate drive and the machine body to move forward while the tilling device 9 is driven to perform a tilling operation.

[0082] When the operator gripping the grip portion at the rear of the loop-shaped steering handle 18 releases the dead man lever 30, the dead man lever 30 rotates upward by the biasing force of the spring and the limit switch turns off. The control device 16 turns off switches S1 and S2 to stop the traveling electric motor 15 and the working electric motor 17, and the machine body stops and the tilling device 9 also stops.

[0083] Therefore, when the operator grips the dead man lever 30 together with the grip portion and operates it downward against the biasing force of the spring to perform a tilling operation while moving forward, even if an unexpected situation such as the operator falling occurs, the hand will leave the grip portion, so the dead man lever 30 rotates upward and the limit switch turns off. The control device 16 turns off switches S1 and S2 to stop the traveling electric motor 15 and the working electric motor 17, and the progress of the machine body and the tilling device 9 stop, which is safe.

[0084] In addition, the rear part of the dead man lever 30 is provided in the left - right direction along the grip part at the rear of the loop - shaped steering handle 18. However, the right - hand side part of the rear part of the dead man lever 30 is a front - avoiding part 30b so as to avoid the part where the rear - part assembling part 22b of the monitor stand 20 is fixed to the part extending in the left - right direction at the rear of the steering handle 18.

[0085] Therefore, since the front - avoiding part 30b is provided on the right - hand side part of the dead man lever 30 (the left - hand side part if the rear - part assembling part 22b is on the left side, that is, one of the left - right sides), it is possible to prevent the dead man lever 30 from interfering with the rear - part assembling part 22b of the monitor stand 20.

[0086] In addition, since the rear - part assembling part 22b of the monitor stand 20 is provided on the lower - surface side of the rear part of the loop - shaped steering handle 18, interference with the dead man lever 30 can be further prevented.

[0087] Conventionally, for the work by the walking - type management machine 1, the operator walks behind the machine body to follow, and performs operations such as correcting the traveling direction, turning on and off the tilling operation by the tilling device 9, and turning operation at the end of the ridge. The operator has to expend corresponding labor.

[0088] In order to solve this problem, a control device 80 for performing operation control such as a traveling electric motor 15, a working electric motor 17, left - and - right electromagnetic clutches 55, 55, brake motors 57, and a tension actuator 66 is provided in the walking - type management machine 1. Also, a wireless communication device for establishing communication between this control device 80 and a control pad 81 at a position where the operator performs control away from the walking - type tillage and transport machine 1 is used.

[0089] The wireless communication device performs pairing between the walking - type management machine 1 side and the control - pad 81 side shown in FIG. 12 at the start of use, and is used in a state where the control signals of other control pads 81 do not interfere. The walking - type management machine 1 side is in a state of receiving a pairing signal when the key is turned on, and the pairing is executed by operating the pairing button 82 by operating the control pad 81.

[0090] After the pairing is established, if the pairing button 82 is operated, the pairing is released. However, if the operation of the pairing button 82 is an accidental operation, the tilling work will be interrupted on the spot.

[0091] To prevent this, the pairing release operation should be based on the conscious operation of the operator, such as the pairing button 82 being continuously operated for a certain period of time (e.g., 2 - 3 seconds) or more, or being operated a certain number of times (e.g., 3 - 5 times) or more in a very short time. On the other hand, when executing the pairing, it should be accepted by operating the pairing button 82 once.

[0092] The control device 80 constantly checks whether the pairing is established. When the pairing is not established or when the pairing is interrupted, the brake motors 57, 57 are activated to engage the brake pads with the disks to apply the parking brake.

[0093] As a result, when the pairing is interrupted and the operation of the control pad 81 is not accepted, the parking brake is automatically applied and the running stops. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to chase the walking type management machine 1 to perform the stop operation, which reduces the labor of the operator. At the same time, it can prevent the walking type management machine 1 from moving outside the field and being damaged due to tipping over or the like.

[0094] In addition, since it is possible to prevent the tilling device 9 from disturbing the field surface during the movement until it stops, no correction work is required, and no extra working time and labor are needed.

[0095] Alternatively, it may be configured to turn off the left and right electromagnetic clutches 55, 55 and cut off the driving transmission to the wheels 5, 5 to stop the vehicle.

[0096] In addition to the above, if the tension actuator 66 is activated and the tension arm 64 is rotated in the direction of cutting off the transmission to stop the operation of the tilling device 9, it is possible to prevent the same place from being tilled continuously at the time of stopping and scattering the soil around.

[0097] When the pairing is not established, the output signal from the control device 80 to the traveling electric motor 15 is set to 0 / 255, that is, a value indicating a stopped state, to prevent the traveling electric motor 15 from starting to move and making a sudden forward acceleration when the pairing is established. Also, when the pairing is interrupted, the output signal becomes 0 / 255, so that not only the brakes 56, 56 and the electromagnetic clutches 55, 55 but also the driving force supply from the drive source is cut off, ensuring that the vehicle can be reliably stopped.

[0098] In addition to the above, even in a configuration where the left and right traveling electric motors 15, 15 are provided, the output signal is set to 0 / 255, making it impossible to move forward, backward, or turn left or right.

[0099] When the walking type management machine 1 is moved backward or when the tilling depth is made shallower, it is necessary to tilt the machine body forward and move the tilling device 9 provided at the rear upward. However, when the operator performs remote operation, the steering handle 18 cannot be lifted from the rear.

[0100] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a tilting weight mechanism 83 that can move in the front-rear direction is provided at the lower part of the machine body frame 2, and by changing the front-rear position of the balance weight 84 of the tilting weight mechanism 83, the center of gravity changes and the front-rear tilt angle of the machine body is changed.

[0101] The tilting weight mechanism 83 is configured by supporting the balance weight 84 on the front-rear slide rails 85 provided on the machine body frame 2 so as to be movable back and forth, and arranging a weight movement motor 88 provided with a pinion 87 that meshes with a rack 86 provided on the balance weight 84 on the rear side of the machine body. Also, a border sensor 89 composed of a stroke sensor, a laser sensor, or the like for determining whether the balance weight 84 is moving is provided on the front side of the front-rear intermediate position of the balance weight 84.

[0102] The weight movement motor 88 does not operate when pairing is not being executed and does not change the front - rear position of the balance weight 84. However, when the border sensor 89 determines that the balance weight 84 is moving closer to the front side of the machine body when the pairing is interrupted, the weight movement motor 88 is operated until the border sensor 89 detects that the balance weight 84 has moved to a predetermined position on the rear side of the machine body. After the movement, the weight movement motor 88 does not operate until pairing is executed again.

[0103] Thereby, it is possible to prevent the balance weight 84 from stopping while remaining closer to the front side of the machine body, and the machine body from tilting forward, falling, being damaged, or disturbing the field surface.

[0104] On the other hand, during pairing, by operating the tilt dial 90 of the control pad 81, the front - rear position of the balance weight 84 can be adjusted, and by adjusting the front - rear tilt angle of the walking - type management machine 1, it is possible to adjust the tillage depth and retract the tillage device 9 above the field surface when moving backward.

[0105] In other words, the above - mentioned tilt dial 90 is a tillage depth adjustment dial.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 10, an inclination sensor 91 is provided on the walking - type management machine 1. When the inclination angle forward approaches a predetermined value or an inclination angle different from the inclination angle suitable for the set tillage depth is continuously detected for a predetermined time, the control device 80 operates the weight movement motor 88 to change the front - rear position of the balance weight 84 and adjust the inclination angle in the front - rear direction, and it may be configured to prevent tipping and optimize the tillage depth.

[0107] Also, as shown in Fig. 11, when the tilt sensor 91 detects an angle exceeding the forward tilt angle (e.g., 15 degrees) at which there is a risk of tipping over, the weight movement motor 88 is activated to move the balance weight 84 backward, and at the same time, the output of the work transmission motor 17 is set to 0, or the tension actuator 66 is activated to rotate the tension arm 64 to weaken the tension of the work transmission belt 63 and cut off the transmission of the driving force.

[0108] Thereby, when the walking type management machine 1 tips over, it is possible to prevent the tilling device 9 from contacting the field surface in a rotating state and damaging the field surface, and to prevent a situation where an operator approaches the rotating tilling device 9.

[0109] As shown in Fig. 12, the control pad 81 is provided with a travel output dial 92 capable of finely adjusting the output of the travel electric motor 15 in multiple steps from 0 to 255, and a travel output button 93 for operating the output of the travel electric motor 15 in accordance with a set value.

[0110] The travel output button 93 is configured such that the set value changes each time it is operated, and the increase in the number of buttons and switches on the control pad 81 is suppressed. For example, before the start of operation, the output value to the travel electric motor 15 is 0. With the first operation, it becomes the first low speed value 102 (102 / 205 = 0.4) with 40% output, with the second operation, it becomes the second low speed value 153 (153 / 205 = 0.6) with 60% output, with the third operation, it becomes the second high speed value 204 (204 / 255 = 0.8) with 80% output, and with the fourth operation, it becomes the third high speed value 255 (255 / 255 = 1) with 100% output.

[0111] Note that when the travel output button 93 is operated when the output is 100%, it may be set to an output value of 0. However, since the output is excessive at 100% and there is a possibility of a significant output decrease when it is desired to reduce the output, it may also be set to decrease the output value as 80% → 60% → 40% → 0%.

[0112] With the above configuration, it is possible to perform an output operation of the traveling electric motor 15 in a stepwise and rated manner like gear shifting. Therefore, a rough output can be set with the traveling output button 93, and fine adjustment can be performed by operating the traveling output dial 92, so that a traveling speed suitable for the work can be easily set.

[0113] On the control pad 81, a forward button 94 for rotating the traveling electric motor 15 forward to move the machine body forward, a reverse button 95 for rotating the traveling electric motor 15 in reverse to move the machine body backward, and a left button 96 for cutting off the output of the traveling electric motor 15 on the left side of the machine body or lowering the output value, or cutting off the electromagnetic clutch 55 to move the traveling direction to the left, and a right button 97 for cutting off the output of the traveling electric motor 15 on the right side of the machine body or lowering the output value, or cutting off the electromagnetic clutch 55 to move the traveling direction to the right are provided.

[0114] Note that the forward button 94 and the reverse button 95 are arranged in the front-rear direction in a plan view, with the forward button 94 on the front side and the reverse button 95 on the rear side, which makes the operation intuitive and is easy to prevent misoperation. Also, a toggle switch (not shown) operable at the front, rear, and intermediate positions may be used to serve as both the forward button 94 and the reverse button 95.

[0115] The left button 96 and the right button 97 are used for adjusting the traveling direction of the machine body and turning operations. However, if the arrangement distance between the buttons is narrow, another button may be pressed simultaneously, resulting in an unintended moving direction of the machine body, wasting extra working time or damaging the field.

[0116] Therefore, if the left button 96 and the right button 97 are provided on the left and right of the upper surface of the control pad 81 and operated by the right hand and the left hand respectively, an intuitive operation can be performed and it is difficult to accidentally operate other buttons, thus improving the operability.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 13, on the operation surface of the operation pad 81, for example, the forward button 94 and the reverse button 95 may be arranged on one side left and right, and the left button 96 and the right button 97 may be arranged on the other side left and right, so that they are less likely to interfere with other buttons during operation. Further, for the plurality of buttons provided on the operation pad 81, a configuration function may be provided in the control device 80 that can assign functions corresponding to positions where the operator can easily operate.

[0118] In the operation of the operation pad 81, when the front button 94 is operated and the rear button 95, the left button 96, and the right button 97 are not operated, the traveling electric motor 15 rotates forward, and the wheels 5, 5 are rotated in the forward direction. On the other hand, when the rear button 95 is operated and the front button 94, the left button 96, and the right button 97 are not operated, the traveling electric motor 15 rotates reversely, and the wheels 5, 5 are rotated in the reverse direction.

[0119] The left button 96 and the right button 97 shall not be reflected in the operation of the traveling system even if they are operated when both the forward button 94 and the reverse button 95 are not operated. However, in order to determine the moving direction in advance during turning travel or the like, a signal for cutting off the transmission to the wheel 5 in the operated direction or reducing the output may be transmitted to the control device 80 in advance.

[0120] At this time, in order to be able to visually determine that the operation of the previously operated left button 96 or right button 97 has been received, the operation pad 81 is provided with a left travel lamp 98L and a right travel lamp 98R, and the lamp on the operated side is lit. When the operations of the left button 96 and the right button 97 are simultaneous, since it is impossible to determine whether to travel left or right, both signals are excluded, and when they are operated at intervals, the lamp corresponding to the later operated side is lit.

[0121] The above-mentioned left forward lamp 98L and right forward lamp 98R shall both light up when going straight in the forward and reverse directions, indicating that the vehicle is in a straight driving state. Also, the left forward lamp 98L and right forward lamp 98R may be composed of diodes capable of emitting multiple colors of light, or may display forward and reverse with different light emissions by flashing or changing the intensity of the illuminance.

[0122] If either the left button 96 or the right button 97 is operated first and then either the forward button 94 or the reverse button 95 is operated, or if the left button 96 or the right button 97 is operated while the vehicle is moving forward or being updated, the output of the traveling electric motor 15 on the corresponding side is reduced or stopped, or the electromagnetic clutch 55 is disengaged to make the vehicle travel to the left or right.

[0123] As a result, when it is felt that the traveling direction of the vehicle body has deviated from straight ahead, the direction can be easily corrected, so the working accuracy by the tilling device 9 is improved and the movement of the vehicle body can be performed smoothly.

[0124] The adjustment of the traveling direction in the left-right direction is performed by briefly pressing and releasing the left button 96 or the right button 97. On the other hand, during left and right turning travel, the left button 96 or the right button 97 is continuously operated. Regarding the turning operation travel, it may be configured such that when the button is pressed for a certain period of time or longer, the traveling electric motor 15 and the electromagnetic clutch 55 corresponding to the certain period are in a state of blocking transmission. However, since continuous operation is accepted during the adjustment of the traveling direction and there is a risk of switching to turning travel at an unintended position, if the left button 96 or the right button 97 is continuously operated, for example, more than a predetermined number of times (e.g., 5 times) per second for 1 second, a signal to shift to the turning mode is transmitted to the control device 80, and the occurrence of misoperation is prevented.

[0125] Alternatively, it may be configured to perform turning travel when both one of the forward button 94 and the reverse button 95 and one of the left button 96 and the right button 97 are pressed. At this time, it is assumed that the operator does not release their hand from the corresponding button on the operation pad 81.

[0126] The above turning operation is performed as follows: turning left forward by pressing the front button 94 and the left button 96, turning right forward by pressing the front button 94 and the right button 97, turning left backward by pressing the rear button 95 and the left button 96, and turning right backward by pressing the rear button 95 and the right button 97.

[0127] At this time, if the output of the traveling electric motor 15 is high, that is, if it is set in the high-speed range, the traveling speed may be too fast and it may be difficult to match the turning trajectory. Therefore, when the turning traveling operation is performed, for example, the control device 80 may be configured to lower the output of the traveling electric motor 15 to the first low-speed value. Thereafter, when the left button 96 or the right button 97 is no longer pressed, the control device 80 returns the output of the traveling electric motor 15 to the output value before the turning traveling. However, if the output value is high, there is a possibility that the machine body will move at high speed after the turning is completed and the operator's operation will not be able to catch up. Therefore, a control configuration is adopted in which the output value is increased step by step over a predetermined time (e.g., 5 to 10 seconds).

[0128] When the front button 94 or the rear button 95 is operated and the vehicle is traveling forward or backward, and when both the left button 96 and the right button 97 are operated (including not only simultaneously but also the operation procedure of pressing the other button while one button is pressed), the output value of the traveling electric motor 15 is set to 0, or the electromagnetic clutch 55 is disengaged to stop the vehicle on the spot.

[0129] In the above, when the output of the traveling electric motor 15 is set to 0, the output on the side where the button is no longer pressed among the left button 96 and the right button 97 is increased, or the electromagnetic clutch 55 is engaged to resume the traveling transmission. At this time, since the resumption of traveling is performed by an operation intended by the operator, if the output value of the traveling electric motor 15 before the operation is applied, the work can be resumed promptly and a decrease in work efficiency can be prevented.

[0130] Regarding the forward and backward traveling by the front button 94 and the rear button 95, if the button in the same traveling direction is operated, the vehicle stops on the spot.

[0131] The control pad 81 is provided with an operation on / off button 99 for turning on and off a tension actuator 66 that switches the transmission of the driving force of the working electric motor 17, and an operation output dial 100 for increasing and decreasing the output of the working electric motor 17. The output of the working electric motor 17 by operating this operation output dial 100 is recorded in the control device 80. When the communication with the control pad 81 is interrupted and the output of the working electric motor 17 is set to 0 and stopped, the working electric motor 17 is configured to operate with the output value recorded after the communication resumes.

[0132] This eliminates the need to reset the working output of the tillage device 9 when an unintended interruption of work occurs due to poor communication, improving work efficiency.

[0133] However, if the tillage device 9 suddenly resumes high-speed rotation, the same location may be tilled multiple times, and the soil may be over-loosened and become unsuitable for cultivation work. Also, if the tillage device 9 resumes high-speed rotation while remaining in the soil, dashing may occur where the machine body rapidly advances due to the soil resistance of the tillage device 9. When dashing occurs, the tillage by the tillage device 9 becomes insufficient, the balance is lost, the machine body overturns, leading to damage.

[0134] To prevent this, it is desirable that the working transmission motor 17 has a control configuration in which the output is increased over time toward the recorded output value.

[0135] Furthermore, near the center of the work pad 81, a main switch 101 for turning on and off the power source of the walking-type management machine 1 is provided, which is larger than other buttons and requires a slightly higher operating load. When this main switch 100 is operated with the key of the body of the walking-type management machine 1 turned on, pairing by operating the pairing button 82 of the control pad 81 becomes acceptable, and after pairing, remote operation by each button, dial, and switch becomes possible.

[0136] When the main switch 101 is operated while the walking-type management machine 1 is in operation, a signal is transmitted from the control device 80 to set the outputs of the traveling electric motor 15 and the working electric motor 17 to 0, and the movement of the machine body and the operation of the tillage device 9 are stopped. This operation is accepted by a single push rather than a long press, and is accepted as quickly as possible for an emergency stop operation.

[0137] At this time, all the operation information of the buttons and dials on the control pad 81 is reset. By operating the main switch 101 after a certain period of time (e.g., about 30 seconds), the remote operation of the walking-type management machine 1 becomes possible. By operating each button before the start of work travel, it is possible to prevent problems from occurring again.

[0138] Therefore, when it is desired to stop the work or when an abnormality occurs, it is possible to simultaneously cut off the travel and work transmission, preventing the field surface from being damaged by unnecessary work and preventing damage due to the overturning of the machine body or the like.

[0139] When manually operating the above-described walking-type management machine 1, depending on the work content, as shown in FIG. 14, the steering handle 18 may be rotated about the vertical rotation axis so that the control portion faces the front side of the machine body.

[0140] At this time, for those equipped with an engine which is an internal combustion engine, since the muffler that discharges exhaust gas faces the front side of the machine body, when the steering handle 18 protrudes to the front side of the machine body, there is a problem that the operator is likely to be exposed to the exhaust gas and is likely to feel discomfort.

[0141] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 15(a) to 15(c), an extended exhaust port 111 is disposed in front of the exhaust port on the front side of the body of the muffler 110 to discharge the exhaust gas in the front side of the body and obliquely downward to the lower left (or lower right). This extended exhaust port 111 is provided near the lower side of the body on the vertically long side of the exhaust mounting stay 112 having an inverted L shape in side view, and the portion for mounting the extended exhaust port 111 is a bent mounting portion 113 that is bent toward the rear side of the body. Then, this exhaust mounting stay 112 is mounted via a muffler flange 110a for mounting the muffler 110 to the body.

[0142] An upper portion of this bent mounting portion 113 is formed with a notch groove 114 that avoids contact with the muffler 110 in the left-right direction, and when the exhaust mounting stay 112 is mounted, the gap formed by this notch groove 114 is substantially blocked by the muffler 110.

[0143] With the above configuration, since the exhaust gas is discharged downward to the left side (or right side) of the body, it is difficult for the exhaust gas to reach the operator who operates the steering handle 18 facing the front side of the body, so that the operator can perform comfortable work.

[0144] Further, since the notch groove 114 has a shape that avoids the muffler 110 and does not cause a gap during mounting, it is possible to prevent the exhaust gas from returning to the body side and the engine or the like from being exposed to high-temperature air and becoming overheated.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0145] 5 Wheels (Traveling Device) 9 Cultivating Device (Ground Working Device) 15 Traveling Electric Motor (Traveling Drive Source) 17 Working Electric Motor (Working Drive Source) 55 Electromagnetic Clutch (Traveling Clutch) 64 Tension Arm (Working Transmission Member) 65 Tension Roller (Working Transmission Member) 80 Control Device 81 Control Pad (Control Device) 83 Tipping Weight Mechanism 84 Balance weight 88 Weight movement motor (balance adjustment actuator) 89 Border sensor (position detection member) 92 Travel output dial (travel output operation member) 93 Travel output button (travel output operation member) 94 Front button (forward movement member) 95 Rear button (backward movement member) 96 Left button (left operation member) 97 Right button (right operation member) 100 Work output dial (work output operation member)

Claims

1. In a walking type management machine including a traveling device (5) that travels on a field on the machine body and a ground working device (9) that performs tilling of the field, ridge forming, etc., a control device (80) having a communication function is provided on the machine body, and the control device (80) is configured to be communicable with a steering device (81) that operates the traveling device (5) and the ground working device (9), and when the steering device (81) and the control device (80) are not in a communication state, the control device (80) cuts off the transmission to the traveling device (5) and the ground working device (9). A walking type management machine characterized by this.

2. A traveling drive source (15) that transmits driving force to the traveling device (5) and a work drive source (17) that transmits driving force to the ground working device (9) are provided, a traveling clutch (55) that turns on and off the transmission of driving force from the traveling drive source (15) to the traveling device (5) and work transmission members (64, 65) that turn on and off the transmission of driving force from the work drive source (17) to the ground working device (9) are provided, and when the steering device (81) and the control device (80) are not in a communication state, the control device (80) switches to a state in which the traveling clutch (55) and the work transmission members (64, 65) cut off the transmission. The walking type management machine according to Claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The steering device (81) is provided with a traveling output operation member (92, 93) that operates the output of the traveling drive source (15) and a work output operation member (100) that operates the output of the work drive source (17), when the communication state between the steering device (81) and the control device (80) is interrupted, the control device (80) records the set outputs of the traveling output operation member (92, 93) and the work output operation member (100), and when the communication state is restored, the control device (80) gradually increases the outputs of the traveling drive source (15) and the work drive source (17) with the set output recorded in the control device (80) as the upper limit. The walking type management machine according to Claim 2, characterized by this.

4. The steering device (81) is provided with a forward member (94) for moving the machine body forward, a reverse member (95) for moving it backward, a left operation member (96) for operating the strength of the transmission to the left traveling device (5) and a right operation member (97) for operating the strength of the transmission to the right traveling device (5), and when the forward member (94) or the reverse member (95) is operated, the operations of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) can be accepted and switched, The left and right adjustment of the traveling direction is performed by intermittently operating the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) at different timings. Of the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97), turning travel in the left-right direction is performed by continuously operating either one of them. The walking-type management machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the traveling is temporarily stopped by operating the left operation member (96) and the right operation member (97) simultaneously.

5. A tilting weight mechanism (83) for adjusting the front-rear balance of the machine body by moving the balance weight (84) back and forth is provided, a balance adjustment actuator (88) for moving the balance weight (84) back and forth is provided, and a position detection member (89) for detecting the front-rear position of the balance weight (84) is provided. When the communication state with the control device (80) and the operation device (81) is interrupted, the control device (80) operates the balance adjustment actuator (88) when the position of the balance weight (84) detected by the position detection member (89) is on the front side of the machine body with respect to the set position, and moves the balance weight (84) backward to the set position. The walking-type management machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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