Farm implement

Abstract

To provide a farm implement capable of enabling a worker to easily determine whether a location of a work part is an appropriate one with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A farm implement 1 includes: a mounting part 20 that can be mounted on a travel machine frame 1; an offset mechanism part 60 horizontally rotatably coupled to the installation part 20; and a work part 50 vertically rotatably coupled to the offset mechanism part 60. Moreover, the work part 50 is provided with a display 90 that is retractably installed above the offset mechanism part 60 as the work part 50 rotates. Also, the farm implement 1 may include the mounting part 20 that can be mounted on the travel machine frame 1 and an offset mechanism part 160 horizontally rotatably coupled to the mounting part 20, and may be provided with a display 190 which is provided retractably in a visible state and an invisible state as the offset mechanism part 160 rotates.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural machine that is attached to a traveling body such as a tractor to perform agricultural work, and more particularly to an indicator member that makes it possible to identify whether components constituting the body are in the correct position. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an agricultural work machine that can be attached to a traveling body such as a tractor and can work from a position behind the tractor or offset to the side. This agricultural work machine is attached to a tractor mounting frame and connected to the tractor mounting frame via a first parallel link and a second parallel link, making it movable left and right. Furthermore, a work machine main body, which is a working unit, is attached to the rear of the first parallel link and the second parallel link so that it can rotate up and down around a rotation axis parallel to the direction of travel. The movement and rotation of the working unit are driven by an electric cylinder for left and right rotation and an electric cylinder for rotating the main body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-268685 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When agricultural work machines mounted on a traveling body such as a tractor have a configuration that protrudes significantly up, down, left, and right, they must be repositioned or configured to be suitable for traveling on public roads, for example, by storing the working unit so that it does not protrude to the sides. When attempting to travel using the configuration described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult for the worker to determine where the working unit needs to be positioned. Another issue arises, in that the worker cannot easily determine whether the working unit is in the appropriate position. On the other hand, adding a control device to use a sensor to make the determination could be considered, but this tends to make the agricultural work machine expensive, and it is thought that only limited types of agricultural work machines can be used.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made with the above-mentioned problems in mind, and aims to provide an agricultural work machine with a simple configuration that allows the operator to easily determine whether the position of the working part is appropriate.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is an agricultural work machine including: a mounting unit that can be attached to a traveling machine body, an offset mechanism that is connected to the mounting unit so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, a working unit that is connected to the offset mechanism so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and a display that is attached to the working unit and can appear and disappear above the offset mechanism as the working unit rotates.In addition, in order to solve the above problems, another aspect of the present invention is an agricultural work machine including: a mounting unit that can be attached to a traveling machine body, an offset mechanism that is connected to the mounting unit so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, a working unit that is connected to the offset mechanism and can move horizontally, and a display that can appear and disappear between a visible state and an invisible state as the offset mechanism rotates. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an agricultural work machine with a simple configuration that allows an operator to easily determine whether the position of the working part is appropriate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing the entire agricultural machine in which the present invention is implemented. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view of an agricultural work machine embodying the present invention, with a working unit in a horizontal position positioned behind a traveling body. [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view of an agricultural work machine embodying the present invention, in which the working unit is horizontally offset to the side of the traveling body. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the main part of the working unit of the first embodiment in a horizontal position. [Figure 5] 1 is a front view of a main part of the working unit of the first embodiment, which is rotated upward and at the highest position. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a front view of a main part of the working unit of the first embodiment, which is rotated downward to the lowest position. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a side view of the agricultural work machine attached to the traveling machine body when the agricultural work machine is in a non-working state. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the agricultural work machine attached to the traveling machine body when it is in a non-working state. [Figure 9] 1 is a bird's-eye view of an agricultural work machine to which a first embodiment is applied, as seen from an operator riding on the traveling machine body. [Figure 10] 1 is a bird's-eye view of an agricultural work machine to which a first embodiment is applied, as seen from an operator riding on the traveling machine body, and is an enlarged view of a main part. [Figure 11] 10 is a bird's-eye view of an agricultural work machine to which a second embodiment is applied, as seen from the perspective of an operator riding on the traveling machine body. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an overhead view of an agricultural work machine to which a second embodiment is applied, as seen from an operator riding on the traveling machine body, and is an enlarged view of a main part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or similar parts may be designated by the same or similar symbols. The drawings used for the description are schematic, and the dimensions and proportions of each part may differ from those of the actual parts. Furthermore, the dimensions and proportions of parts may differ between the drawings.

[0010] The following embodiments are merely examples for embodying the technical idea, and are not intended to be limiting. The technical idea of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope of the patented invention.

[0011] The definitions of directions used in the explanation are as follows: "Forward" with respect to the direction of travel indicates the left side in Figure 1, and "rear" with respect to the direction of travel indicates the right side in Figure 1. "Up" indicates the upper side in Figure 1, and "down" indicates the lower side in Figure 1. "Left" with respect to the direction of travel indicates the lower side in Figures 2 and 3, and "right" with respect to the direction of travel indicates the upper side in Figures 2 and 3. If a special definition of a direction is given in the explanation, the instructions in that description should be followed.

[0012] (First embodiment) First, a first embodiment will be described. The agricultural work machine 1 of this embodiment is attached to a lifting device a1 provided at the rear of a traveling body a such as a tractor, and is used by receiving power from the traveling body a to drive the working unit 5. In this embodiment, the working unit 5 will be described as being used to mow the ground. The working unit 5 is provided so that it can be offset to either the left or right side of the traveling body a by an offset mechanism 60, and can work in either a stored state in which it is located at the rear of the traveling body a, or an offset state in which it is located to one side of the traveling body. The working unit 5 can be freely changed position between the stored state and the offset state to perform work.

[0013] The agricultural work machine 1 has a mounting unit 20 on the front side for mounting to the traveling machine body a, and a working unit 50 behind the mounting unit 20. The mounting unit 20 and working unit 50 are connected via an offset mechanism 60. In a plan view, the offset mechanism 60 is configured with a parallel link. The front end of the parallel link is connected to the mounting unit 20, and the rear end is connected to the working unit 50, allowing them to rotate freely. The offset mechanism 60 allows the working unit to move relatively to the mounting unit 20 in the left and right horizontal directions with respect to the direction of travel. The parallel link mechanism of the offset mechanism 60 allows the working unit 50 to move in the left and right horizontal directions while maintaining its posture.

[0014] Furthermore, the working unit 50 is connected to the offset mechanism unit 60 by a tilting rotation shaft 55 that is parallel to the direction of travel. The working unit 50 can rotate up and down by the tilting rotation shaft 55. The working unit 50 is capable of moving horizontally and tilting up and down, allowing it to adapt to any type of terrain between a position rearward of the running body and a position protruding to the side of the running body. In the following description, the working unit 50 will be described as being provided so that it can be offset to the right side in the direction of travel. Although not shown, the working unit 50 may also be arranged so that it is offset to the left side. In this case, the arrangement and positional relationship of the constituent components will be symmetrical to those shown in the description, or will be an optimized positional relationship.

[0015] (Attachment part) Each component will now be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the mounting unit 20 is detachably connected to a pair of left and right lower links a2 located at the bottom of the lifting device a1 and a top link a3 located above the lower links a2. As shown in FIG. 9, the mounting unit 20 has lower link pins 22 on the left and right sides of the lower front portion of a mast frame 21 formed in a triangular frame shape at the front of the agricultural work machine 1. A top link pin 23 is also provided at the top of the mast frame 21. The agricultural work machine 1 is mounted to the traveling machine body a by connecting the lower link pin 22 to the rear end of the lower link a2 and the top link pin 23 to the rear end of the top link a3. In this embodiment, the mounting unit 20 is illustrated as being directly mounted to the lifting device a1. However, it may also be mounted via a quick hitch (not shown), which is a rapid-connect mechanism previously attached to the rear end of the lifting device a1. In this case, the agricultural work machine 1 can be more easily attached and detached from the traveling machine body a.

[0016] The mounting unit 20 has an input shaft 24 positioned below the top link pin 23, which protrudes forward. The input shaft 24 is connected to the PTO shaft a4 on the traveling body a side by a universal joint 25. This allows rotational power to be obtained from the traveling body a and transmitted to the working unit 50.

[0017] (Working section) The working unit 50 is disposed rearward of the mounting unit 20. The working unit 50 has a rotor shaft 51, which is a rotating shaft, disposed horizontally perpendicular to the traveling direction of the traveling body a. The rotor shaft 51 is provided with a plurality of cutting blades 52 spaced radially in the circumferential and axial directions. The cutting blades 52 pass below the rotor shaft 51 and rotate to scoop up weeds and other plants on the ground by passing through the front side and then moving upwards, thereby cutting weeds and other plants on the ground. A cover 53 is disposed so as to cover the upper part of the front to rear side of the rotational trajectory of the cutting blades 52. Side plates 54 are disposed on both sides of the cover 53, rotatably supporting the rotor shaft 51 and covering the sides of the rotor shaft 51. The cover 53 prevents cut weeds and other plants from scattering to the surrounding area and allows the cut weeds and other plants to circulate within the cover 53, thereby further shredding them. The working unit 50 is not limited to the above example, and may have a configuration in which the rotor shaft 51 rotates in the opposite direction to that shown in the example, or in which the rotation axis of the rotor shaft 51 is aligned vertically to rotate the cutting blade so that it moves parallel to the ground. Furthermore, the cutting blade 52 may be configured to reciprocate rather than rotate.

[0018] (Transmission) Power is transmitted from the traveling machine body a to rotate the rotor shaft 51. First, the gear case 30 is disposed on the side of the working unit 50. The gear case 30 connects the front of the gear case 30 to the input shaft 24 located in the mounting unit 20 via the drive shaft 31. Power input to the input shaft 24 is transmitted to the gear case 30 via the drive shaft 31. Because both front and rear ends of the drive shaft 31 are configured with universal joints, power from the traveling machine body a can be reliably transmitted to the gear case 30 even if the relative positional relationship between the input shaft 24 and the gear case 30 changes due to changes in the position or angle of the working unit 50 with respect to the mounting unit 20. In this embodiment, the gear case 30 is disposed outside the side plate 54 located on the left side of the cover 53, that is, in a position protruding toward the left in the direction of travel. However, the gear case 30 may be disposed on the cover 53, and the position of the gear case 30 is not limited to that shown in the figure.

[0019] The power input to the gear case 30 is output after its transmission direction and speed are changed by a speed change mechanism disposed inside. The output power is transmitted to the upper part of the transmission cover 40 adjacent to the gear case 30. The transmission cover 40 is disposed adjacent to the side plate 54, and in this embodiment, the transmission cover 40 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the side plate 54 and the gear case 30. The relative positional relationship and arrangement order of the gear case 30 and the transmission cover 40 with respect to the cover 53 shown in the figure are merely an example and are not limited to this.

[0020] A wrapping transmission mechanism (not shown) is disposed within the transmission cover 40, and power is output to the lower part of the transmission cover 40. The wrapping transmission mechanism is a transmission mechanism typified by a mechanism using a belt and pulleys or a mechanism using a chain and sprockets. In this embodiment, it is configured using a belt and pulleys. The rotor shaft 51 is configured to be rotationally driven by receiving rotational power transmitted within the drive shaft 31, gear case 30, and transmission cover 40. The wrapping transmission mechanism is covered and guarded by the transmission cover 40.

[0021] (gauge roller) A gauge roller 70 is disposed below and behind the working unit 50. The gauge roller 70 maintains the height of the working unit 50 above the ground. That is, the gauge roller 70 maintains the relative position of the ground and the rotating cutting blade 52, thereby maintaining the cutting height. Mounting plates 70 are fixed to the side plates 54 located on the left and right of the working unit 50, respectively, and rotatably hold the left and right ends of the gauge roller 70. By changing the mounting position of the mounting plate 70 on the side plates 54, the relative vertical positions of the gauge roller 70 and the rotor shaft 51 can be changed, making it possible to adjust the cutting height.

[0022] (Offset mechanism) An offset mechanism 60 is provided that holds the working unit 50 and allows it to move relative to the mounting unit 20. The offset mechanism 60 is disposed between the mounting unit 20 and the working unit 50, and moves the working unit 50 left and right relative to the mounting unit 20. The offset mechanism 60 has two rotating arms 61 arranged in parallel and having their longitudinal axes in the front-to-rear direction, a front arm holder 62 that connects the front end side of the rotating arms 61 to the mounting unit 20, and a rear arm holder 63 that connects the rear end side of the rotating arms 61 to the working unit 50. The offset mechanism 60 configures a parallel link mechanism by the two rotating arms 61, the front arm holder 62, and the rear arm holder 63.

[0023] The front arm holder 62 is a U-shaped member with a recess formed toward the rear in a side view. The front arm holder 62 is connected to a connecting part 26 located at either the left or right end of the mast frame 21. In the embodiment being described, the connecting part 26 is located on the right side of the mast frame 21 in the direction of travel, thereby enabling the working unit 50 to be offset far to the right. The connecting part 26 and the front arm holder 62 are connected by a connecting shaft 64 that passes through the upper part of the front arm holder 62 on the left and right in the direction of travel. The front arm holder 62 is configured to be able to rotate up and down around the connecting shaft 64.

[0024] The front end of the rotating arm 61 is connected to the recess of the front arm holder 62. The rotating arms 61 are made up of two elongated members each having the same length and extending in the front-to-rear direction. The front arm holder 62 and the rotating arms 61 are connected by a front rotating shaft 65 that passes vertically through the recess of the front arm holder 62. Each rotating arm 61 is rotatable approximately horizontally with the front rotating shaft 65 as a fulcrum. The rear end of the rotating arm 61 can move relative to the mounting unit 20 to the left and right in the direction of travel. Note that the two rotating arms 61 only need to have the same length in the longitudinal direction, and may have different cross-sectional shapes in the longitudinal direction and in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction.

[0025] A rear arm holder 63 is connected to the rear end of the rotating arm 61. In a side view, the rear arm holder 63 is a U-shaped member with a recess formed toward the front. The two rotating arms 61 are connected to the rear arm holder 63 using rear rotating shafts 66 that are provided by vertically penetrating the recess of the rear arm holder 63. Because the distance between the two front rotating shafts 65 and the distance between the two rear rotating shafts 66 are equal, the two rotating arms 61 of equal length connected thereto can move the rear arm holder 63 horizontally to the left and right while maintaining their parallel orientation. In other words, the rear arm holder 63 can move horizontally to the left and right in the traveling direction relative to the mounting part 20 without changing its orientation forward and backward.

[0026] The working unit 50 is connected to the rear of the rear arm holder 63. A tilting rotation shaft 55 is provided in the front of the cover 53 that constitutes the working unit 50, and is arranged parallel to the direction of travel. The rear arm holder 63 and working unit 50 are connected by inserting the tilting rotation shaft 55 into a cylindrical boss 67 provided at the rear of the rear arm holder 63. The working unit 50 is provided so that it can rotate freely around the tilting rotation shaft 55.

[0027] The working unit 50 can move horizontally between a rear position of the traveling body a shown in FIG. 2 and an offset position located to the side of the traveling body a shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, even when the working unit 50 moves left and right to both the rear position and the offset position, the direction of the rotor shaft 51, which faces left and right perpendicular to the direction of travel, does not change in a plan view. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the working unit 50, which rotates about the tilting rotation shaft 55, moving horizontally from the rear position to the offset position when the working unit 50 is in a horizontal position. The movement from the rear position to the offset position is possible even when the working unit 50, which rotates about the tilting rotation shaft 55, is not in a horizontal position.

[0028] (Changing the posture of the offset mechanism and working unit) The offset mechanism 60 includes the mounting unit 20 and a cylinder 81 that spans one side of the two pivot arms 61. The cylinder 81 rotates the pivot arms 61 horizontally by extending and retracting. That is, the offset position of the working unit 50 can be freely changed in accordance with the extension and retraction of the cylinder 81. In this embodiment, when the cylinder 81 is retracted, the working unit 50 moves to the right in the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 3, and when the cylinder 81 is extended, the working unit 50 moves to the left in the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 2. The position to which the working unit 50 moves to the right in the traveling direction is called the offset position, and the position to which it moves to the left in the traveling direction is called the rear position. With respect to the offset mechanism 60, the position to which the rear arm holder 63 moves to the right in the traveling direction is called the offset position, and the position to which it moves to the left in the traveling direction is called the rear position or the stored position of the offset mechanism.

[0029] A cylinder 82 is disposed so as to bridge the upper part of the cover 53 and the upper part of the rear arm holder 63, connecting them together. By extending and retracting the cylinder 82, the working unit 50 can be rotated up and down around the tilting rotation shaft 55. The tilt angle of the working unit 50 can be freely changed according to the extension length of the cylinder 82. The worker m can work by changing the tilt angle of the working unit 50 to any angle within a range from the lowest position shown in FIG. 6, via the horizontal position shown in FIG. 4, to the highest position shown in FIG. 5. By rotating the working unit 50 up and down using the cylinder 82, the worker m can change the tilt angle of the working unit 50 to the desired angle relative to the traveling surface of the traveling body a.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the cylinder 82 is retracted, the right end of the working unit 50 in the traveling direction rotates upward as shown in Figure 5, and when the cylinder 82 is extended, the right end of the working unit 50 in the traveling direction rotates downward as shown in Figure 6. In addition, in the description, the position when the working unit 50 is at the highest position may be referred to as the stored position of the working unit 50.

[0031] The offset mechanism 60 and / or working unit 50 can be moved to any position by extending or retracting the cylinders 81, 82. This allows the working unit 50 to be moved to any position horizontally relative to the traveling machine body a, and the working unit 50 to be tilted onto an inclined surface that slopes up or down, making it possible to cut weeds, etc. The extension and retraction of the cylinders 81, 82 is adjusted by the operator m operating an operating unit (not shown) provided near the driver's seat of the traveling machine body a.

[0032] The cylinders 81, 82 described above are described as receiving hydraulic pressure from the traveling machine body a and returning hydraulic pressure to the traveling machine body a, thereby causing the rods of the cylinders 81, 82 to extend and retract. However, the operation of the cylinders 81, 82 is not limited to the above. For example, the agricultural work machine 1 that receives rotational power from the traveling machine body a may constitute a hydraulic pressure generation source to extend and retract the cylinders 81, 82. Furthermore, the direct power source required for operation may be a cylinder unit that uses electricity rather than hydraulic pressure. In this case, the electricity may be received from the traveling machine body a or may be generated by the agricultural work machine 1. Furthermore, the extension and retraction of the rods of the cylinders 81, 82 may be an extension and retraction type that uses the rotation of a screw.

[0033] The offset mechanism 60 and the mounting unit 20 are connected by a connecting shaft 64, so the working unit 50 can swing vertically together with the offset mechanism 60 around the connecting shaft 64. Therefore, the working unit 50 is configured to be able to follow the unevenness of the work field scene. A restricting member for restricting the range of vertical swing of the working unit 50 may be provided on the mounting unit 20 or the offset mechanism 60. The working unit 50 can stabilize the mowing height by swinging up and down to accommodate the unevenness of the work field scene, as the gauge roller 70 comes into contact with the unevenness of the work field and moves forward while rotating.

[0034] (non-working state) In order for the traveling machine body a equipped with the agricultural work machine 1 to travel on roads such as public roads, the agricultural work machine 1 must be placed in a non-working state. The non-working state can be said to be a posture in which the positional relationships of the various parts of the agricultural work machine 1 are appropriate when the agricultural work machine 1 travels on roads. To place the agricultural work machine 1 in a non-working state in this embodiment, the working unit 50 must first be moved to the left in the direction of travel to a rear position. In other words, the offset mechanism 60 is placed in a stored position. Furthermore, the working unit 50 is tilted to its highest position, with the tilting rotation shaft 55 as a fulcrum. In this embodiment, the offset mechanism 60 is placed in the stored position and the working unit 50 is placed in its highest position, thereby placing the working unit 50 in a stored state and establishing the non-working state of the agricultural work machine 1.

[0035] If necessary, the lifting device a1 of the traveling machine body a is raised. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a gap is provided between the agricultural work machine 1 and the ground so that the agricultural work machine 1 in a non-working state does not come into contact with the ground while traveling. Figure 7 is a side view showing the agricultural work machine 1 in a non-working state. In this illustration, the arrow extending from the operator m toward the rear arm holder 63 indicates the line of sight when the operator m looks at the rear arm holder 63.

[0036] By placing the agricultural work machine 1 in a non-working state, the agricultural work machine 1 does not protrude to the side of the traveling machine body a, allowing it to travel on roads without causing inconvenience to other pedestrians. Also, in this embodiment, the non-working state is achieved by raising the working unit 50 to the highest position. Therefore, even if the overall width of the working unit 50 in a horizontal state, including the gear case 30 and transmission cover 40, is longer than the overall width of the traveling machine body a, the agricultural work machine 1 can be prevented from protruding to the side of the traveling machine body a.

[0037] The agricultural work machine 1 is provided with lighting devices 27 on the sides of the mounting unit 20. As shown in FIG. 8 , the lighting devices 27 may obstruct visibility of the lighting devices a5 of the traveling machine body a from the rear when the agricultural work machine 1 is in a non-working state. Therefore, by adding the lighting devices 27 to the lighting devices a5 of the traveling machine body a, the visibility of the lighting devices a5 of the traveling machine body a from the rear is enhanced. In this embodiment, the lighting devices a5 of the traveling machine body a are shown in a state in which two of the three lighting devices a5 are not visible from the rear due to the cover 53 of the agricultural work machine 1 when the agricultural work machine 1 is in a non-working state. The lighting devices 27 of the agricultural work machine 1 that complement the lighting devices a5 of the traveling machine body a include at least one of the following lighting devices: a tail light, a brake light, a reverse light, a turn signal light, a reflector, etc. Furthermore, the lighting devices 27 are visible from the rear at least when the agricultural work machine 1 is in a non-working state. In this embodiment, the lighting devices 27 are configured by tail lights, brake lights, reverse lights, direction indicator lights, and reflectors.

[0038] Although the configuration of the lighting devices 27 has been exemplified above, the lighting devices 27 may be configured to include all of the above-mentioned lights, or additional lights may be added depending on the purpose. In the embodiment, the lighting devices 27 are arranged on the side of the mounting unit 20 on the right side in the direction of travel, which is the offset direction of the working unit 50. The lighting devices 27 may also be arranged on both the left and right sides of the mounting unit 20. The lighting devices 27 are not limited to the positions shown in the embodiment, and may be located in any position that is visible from behind using the lighting devices a5 of the traveling body a and the lighting devices 27 of the agricultural working machine 1 when the agricultural working machine 1 is not in a working state. If all of the lighting devices a5 of the traveling body a are visible from behind when the agricultural working machine 1 is not in a working state, it is also possible not to install lighting devices 27 on the agricultural working machine 1.

[0039] In addition to what has been described in this embodiment, it is also possible to rotate the working unit 50 around the tilting rotation shaft 55 as a fulcrum and set it in a stored state at a horizontal position, thereby creating a non-working state for the agricultural work machine 1. It is also possible to create a non-working state by rotating the working unit 50 around the tilting rotation shaft 55 as a fulcrum at a pre-specified tilt angle, and set it in a stored state.

[0040] (Display) To put the agricultural work machine 1 into a non-working state, the operator m operates an operating unit (not shown) to move the offset mechanism unit 60 and the working unit 50 to appropriate positions. The agricultural work machine 1 is provided with a display unit 90 that displays whether the non-working state has been properly formed so that the operator m riding on the traveling body a can recognize it. In this embodiment, the display unit 90 is formed of a label that can be attached using an adhesive surface and is attached to the front of the cover 53. In addition to the label form described in this embodiment, the display unit 90 can also be painted directly on the cover 53 or displayed as a sign that is detachable from the cover 53. The display unit 90 has a simple structure and is provided in the working unit 50.

[0041] The display unit 90 is arranged on the front surface of the cover 53 so as to be located behind the rear arm holder 63. The display unit 90 includes a linear display 91 and a character display 92. The linear display 91 is a linear figure displayed so as to be visible and recognizable by the worker m. The character display 92 is displayed as character information displayed so as to be visible and recognizable by the worker m, and is arranged adjacent to the linear display 91. In this embodiment, the linear display 91 is configured so as to be visible and recognizable as a straight line due to its long rectangular shape. Furthermore, the display content of the character display 92 in this embodiment is legibly displayed as "Possible position for driving on public roads," but this display content can be changed as appropriate depending on the aspect of the agricultural work machine 1.

[0042] As shown in the front view of Figure 4, the display unit 90 is disposed so as to be located behind and below the rear arm holder 63 when the working unit 50 is in the horizontal position. When the working unit 50 is in the horizontal position, a portion of the display unit 90 in the front view overlaps with the rear arm holder 63. In this embodiment, when the working unit 50 is in the horizontal position, the linear display 91 and the character display 92 are inclined with respect to the rear arm holder 63, and are also inclined so as to intersect with a linear portion 68 described below.

[0043] When the working unit 50 is rotated around the tilting rotation shaft 55 to the uppermost position, the display unit 90 rotates integrally with the cover 53. That is, the display unit 90 moves relative to the rear arm holder 63 as the working unit 50 rotates up and down. As shown in FIG. 5 , when the working unit 50 is rotated to the uppermost position, which is the storage position, the display unit 90 is positioned above the rear arm holder 63, making the entire cover content visible. When the working unit 50 is in the storage position, the linear display 91 is positioned parallel to the linear portion 68 formed on the upper part of the rear arm holder 63. Furthermore, when the working unit 50 is in the storage position, the character display 92 is positioned above the linear display 92 relative to the rear arm holder 63, and the characters on the character display 92 can be read in a direction parallel to the linear portion of the rear arm holder 63. The display unit 90 is positioned so that it protrudes above the offset mechanism unit 60 when the working unit 50 is rotated up or down to the storage position, and can also be said to be positioned so that it is recessed above the offset mechanism unit 60 when the working unit 50 is not in the storage position.

[0044] (Worker m's perspective) The display unit 90 will be described as viewed from the viewpoint of an operator m riding on the traveling machine body a. The operator m is in a position looking down on the agricultural work machine 1 from above and in front of it. Therefore, the operator m is also looking down on the display unit 90. In other words, as shown in FIG. 7, the operator m can confirm whether the working unit 50 is in the stored state by looking at the rear arm holder 63 and its surrounding area. The stored state of the working unit 50 can be achieved regardless of the offset position of the offset mechanism unit 60.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a front overhead view of the working unit 50 as seen from the worker m aboard the traveling machine body a, showing the working unit 50 when the offset mechanism 60 is in the storage position. When the working unit 50, indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 9 , is in a horizontal position, the display unit 90 appears to be hidden behind the pivot arm 61 and the rear arm holder 63, and therefore the linear display 92 and the character display 92 cannot be recognized by the worker m. In other words, when the working unit 50 is in a horizontal rotation position, the entire display unit 90 is hidden by the offset mechanism 60 and cannot be recognized, leading the worker m to determine that the working unit 50 is not in the uppermost position, which is the storage position. Although not shown, even when the working unit 50 is rotated downward, the display unit 90 appears to be hidden by the pivot arm 61 and the rear arm holder 63 and therefore cannot be recognized by the worker m. In other words, the worker m can determine that the rotation position of the working unit 50 is not the storage position.

[0046] When the working unit 50 is rotated up and down to the highest position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 9 , the display unit 90 appears to be located above the rear arm holder 63 and the entire display unit 90 is visible to the worker m. At this time, as clearly shown in FIG. 10 , the linear display 92 is displayed parallel to the linear portion 68 of the rear arm holder 63, so that the linear display 92 can be visually recognized and recognized as being parallel to the linear portion 68 even from the viewpoint of the worker m. The character display 92 also appears to be located above the rear arm holder 63 and all of the displayed content can be easily read. The worker m can determine that the working unit 50 is at the highest position based on the fact that the linear display 92 is parallel to the linear portion 68 and that all of the displayed content of the character display 92 can be read in a direction parallel to the linear portion 68. In other words, by recognizing that the display unit 90 located above the offset mechanism unit 60 is in a state where it can be properly viewed, the worker m can determine that the storage state has been formed in terms of the position of the working unit 50 relative to its up and down rotation.

[0047] Although not shown, a case will be described in which the working unit 50 is rotated slightly downward from the highest position toward the horizontal position. In this case, at least a portion of the display unit 90 appears to the worker m to be in a position where it is hidden by the rear arm holder 63 that constitutes the offset mechanism unit 60. Alternatively, since the working unit 50 rotates about the tilting rotation shaft 55, the display of the display unit 90, including the linear display 92 and the character display 92, is tilted with respect to the linear portion 68.

[0048] An example of when at least a portion of the display unit 90 is hidden by the offset mechanism 60 is when the linear display 91 is located below the linear portion 68 of the rear arm holder 63. In this case, the linear display 91 and the character display 92 are inclined with respect to the linear portion 68. Therefore, the worker m on board the traveling machine body a can determine that the working unit 50 has not rotated up and down to the stowed state because the linear display 91 is not entirely visible and the linear display 91 and the character display 92 are inclined with respect to the linear portion 68.

[0049] An example will be described in which the display unit 90 is located above the offset mechanism unit 60, but the display of the display unit 90, including the linear display 91 and the character display 92, is inclined with respect to the linear portion 68. In this case, the linear display 91 and the character display 92, which are the display contents of the display unit 90, are all visible. However, since the linear display 91 and the character display 92 are recognized by the worker m as not being parallel to the linear portion 68, the worker m may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the worker m can determine that the position of the working unit 50 relative to the vertical rotation is not in the stored state.

[0050] As explained above, a simple configuration can be used to enable the worker m to recognize the position of the working unit 50 in the vertical rotation direction. Moreover, the display on the display unit 90 is configured so that the worker m can recognize the display properly or feel uncomfortable when the working unit 50 is in the highest position, which is the completely stored position, in terms of vertical rotation. Therefore, when putting the agricultural work machine 1 into a non-working state, a simple configuration can be used to inform the worker m whether the working unit 50 is in a position appropriate for the non-working state in terms of vertical rotation.

[0051] Although the display unit 90 in the example is configured with a linear display 91 and a character display 92, it may be configured with only either the linear display 91 or the character display 92. Furthermore, the display unit 90 may be configured to combine the linear display 91 and the character display 92 into a single unit, thereby enhancing the design.

[0052] In this embodiment, a restricting member 83 is provided to mechanically fix the working unit 50 in the highest position and prevent it from rotating. The restricting member 83 is a long, plate-shaped member with one end fixed to the cover 53 and the other end provided with a hole 84. The hole 84 is provided so that it aligns with the hole 69 provided in the rear arm holder 63 when the working unit 50 is in the highest position. By inserting a pin into the holes 84 and 69, the working unit 50 is restricted so that it cannot rotate. By restricting the rotation of the working unit 50 with the restricting member 83, the working unit 50 can be maintained in the highest position even if a malfunction such as a loss of hydraulic pressure occurs in the cylinder 82. Therefore, the traveling body a can move and travel while maintaining the agricultural work machine 1 in a non-working state.

[0053] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment, a display unit 90 was provided on the working unit 50 to determine the uppermost position of the working unit, which is the storage position of the working unit 50. In the second embodiment, a display unit is provided on the offset mechanism unit 60 so that the worker m can easily determine whether the storage position of the offset mechanism unit 60, which is when the offset mechanism unit 60 is in the rear position, is in the appropriate position. The description of the second embodiment will focus on differences from the first embodiment. Furthermore, structural parts similar to those in the first embodiment are illustrated using the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0054] 11, the offset mechanism 160 is made up of a front arm holder 62, a rear arm holder 163, and two parallel rotating arms 61. The rear arm holder 163 is a U-shaped member with a recess formed toward the front side in a side view, and connects the rear ends of the two rotating arms 61. The rear arm holder 63 can move horizontally relative to the mounting unit 20 in the left and right directions in the traveling direction without changing its orientation forward or backward.

[0055] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, a protrusion 164 that protrudes forward in a triangular mountain shape is provided on the upper part of the rear arm holder 163. A linear portion 168, which is a straight edge portion, is provided on one edge of this protrusion 164. When the offset mechanism unit 160 is in the rear position, which is the storage position, the linear portion 168 is parallel to the inclination angle that the rear arm holder 163 forms with respect to the rotating arm 61 in a plan view. When the rear arm holder 163 is not in the storage position, the linear portion 168 and the rotating arm are no longer parallel. It is desirable to position the linear portion 168 so that it is close to one of the rotating arms. In this embodiment, the linear portion 168 faces close to the side of the rotating arm 61 on the right side in the traveling direction.

[0056] (Display) A display unit 190 is provided on the rotating arm facing the straight portion 168. The display unit 190 is provided on the upper surface of the rear end of the rotating arm. In this embodiment, the display unit 190 is provided on the upper surface of the rear of the rotating arm 61 on the right side in the traveling direction. The display unit 190 has a linear display 191 displayed in a linear shape so as to be visible and recognizable by the operator m, and a character display 192 displayed adjacent to the linear display 191 as character information so as to be visible and recognizable by the operator m. As shown in FIG. 12 , when the offset mechanism unit 160 is in the retracted position, the linear display 191 is formed so as to appear parallel to the straight portion 168. In this embodiment, the linear display 191 is configured to be a long rectangular shape so as to be recognizable as a straight line. The display content of the character display 192 is legibly displayed vertically along the longitudinal direction of the rotating arm 61, reading "Public Road Travel Allowed Position." The display content of the character display 192 can be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the agricultural work machine 1.

[0057] (Storage position of the offset mechanism) The display unit 190 is positioned so that its position is shifted from the protrusion 164 when the offset mechanism 60 is in the stored position. Therefore, when the offset mechanism 60 is in the stored position, the display unit 190 is visible to the worker m on board the traveling machine body. To reiterate, the linear display of the display unit 190 can be seen parallel to the straight portion 168, and the character display 192 can be read in a direction parallel to the straight portion 168.

[0058] (Other than the storage position of the offset mechanism) When the offset mechanism 160 is in a position other than the storage position, that is, when the rear arm holder 163 moves toward the offset position, the display 190 is gradually hidden by the protrusion 164 as the offset mechanism 160 moves. Furthermore, because the rotating arm 61 rotates relative to the rear arm holder 163, the display content of the display 190 tilts with respect to the linear portion 168 as the offset mechanism 160 is offset. In this embodiment, the display 190 is completely covered by the protrusion 164 when the offset mechanism 160 is halfway toward the offset position, and is configured so as to be completely invisible to the worker m on the traveling machine body a.

[0059] When the offset mechanism 60 is moved toward an offset position other than the stored position, at least a portion of the display unit 190 appears to the worker m on the traveling machine body a to be hidden by the protrusion 164. Alternatively, the display of the display unit 190, including the linear display 192 and the character display 192, is tilted relative to the linear portion 168. When the worker m on the traveling machine body a recognizes that the entire display unit 190 is not completely visible or that the display content of the display unit 190 is tilted relative to the linear portion 168, the worker m can determine that the offset mechanism 160 is not in the stored position.

[0060] As in this embodiment, when the offset mechanism 160 is moved to the storage position, the display on the display unit 190 is configured so that it can be properly recognized or can be perceived as being strange. Therefore, when putting the agricultural work machine 1 into a non-working state suitable for travel, it is possible to inform the worker m, with a simple configuration, whether the offset mechanism 160 is in a position suitable for the non-working state.

[0061] As described above, with the configurations shown in the first and second embodiments, when putting the agricultural work machine 1 into a non-working state, the worker m on the traveling machine body a can recognize with a simple configuration whether the offset mechanism unit and the working unit are in the appropriate position and posture. By recognizing that the display on the display unit is displayed appropriately, the worker m can recognize that the members that make up the agricultural work machine 1 are in the appropriate positions for traveling.

[0062] The present invention has been described above, but is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can also be implemented by simultaneously implementing the configurations shown in the first and second embodiments. In this case, the functions and effects are the same as those described in the first and second embodiments. Furthermore, the technical concept of the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical scope set forth in the scope of the patented invention. Naturally, the present invention includes various embodiments not described above. The technical scope of the present invention is determined solely by the invention-specifying matters according to the scope of the patent claims that are appropriate from the above description. [Industrial Applicability]

[0063] The present invention can be used in a work machine that is attached to a traveling body or the like and moves the working unit to any position to perform work. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] a: Traveling machine body, 1: Agricultural implement, 20: Mounting section, 30: Gear case, 40: Transmission cover, 50: Working section, 55: Tilting pivot shaft, 60: Offset mechanism, 61: Rotating arm, 62: Front arm holder, 63: Rear arm holder, 68: Straight section, 90: Display section, 91: Linear display, 92: Character display, 160: Offset mechanism, 163: Rear arm holder, 164: Protrusion, 168: Straight section, 190: Display section, 191: Linear display, 192: Character display

Claims

1. An attachment part that can be attached to the traveling machine body; an offset mechanism unit connected to the mounting unit so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction; a working unit connected to the offset mechanism unit so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction; a display unit provided on the working unit and configured to appear and disappear above the offset mechanism unit as the working unit rotates; An agricultural machine characterized by comprising:

2. The display unit changes between a state that is visible to an operator riding on the traveling machine body and a state that is not visible to the operator.

2. The agricultural implement according to claim 1.

3. The display unit displays a line that can be identified as a straight line by an operator riding on the traveling machine body; 3. The agricultural work machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. When the linear display appears above the offset mechanism, the working unit is placed in a stored state with respect to the vertical rotation position.

4. The agricultural implement according to claim 3.

5. The display unit displays characters that can be identified as characters by an operator riding on the traveling machine body, 4. The agricultural implement according to claim 3, further comprising:

6. An attachment part that can be attached to the traveling machine body; an offset mechanism unit connected to the mounting unit so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction; a display unit that can appear and disappear between a visible state and an invisible state in accordance with the rotation of the offset mechanism unit; An agricultural machine characterized by comprising:

7. The display unit changes between a state that is visible to an operator riding on the traveling machine body and a state that is not visible to the operator.

7. The agricultural implement according to claim 6.

8. The display unit displays a line that can be identified as a straight line by an operator riding on the traveling machine body; 8. The agricultural work machine according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising:

9. When the linear display appears in a visible state, the offset mechanism is set to a stored state.

9. The agricultural implement according to claim 8.

10. The display unit displays characters that can be identified as characters by an operator riding on the traveling machine body, 9. The agricultural implement according to claim 8, further comprising:

Images