Working vehicle for plant cultivation facility

Abstract

To provide a working vehicle for a plant cultivation facility capable of conveying a large amount of harvested crops.SOLUTION: A towing vehicle 18 equipped with an operating handle 22 and a seat 26, and a towed carriage 19 equipped with a harvesting arm 32 and clamping lift mechanisms 35, 36 for stacking or unstacking harvest product storage buckets A, A... in storage spaces 33, 34 in multiple stages are provided at the rear of the towing vehicle 18 via connecting means 27. The connecting means 27 comprises a first connecting part 27A connected to the towing vehicle 18 and a second connecting part 27B connected to the towed carriage 19. A boss part 27c at the tip of the second connecting part 27B is inserted into a rod part 27b of the first connecting part 27A. The boss part 27c is configured to be rotatable around the rod part 27b, and switching means 28 is provided for switching between a rotatable position in which the axes of the rod part 27b and the boss part 27c are vertical and a rotatable locked position in which the axes are horizontal and locked.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle such as a transport vehicle that transports storage buckets for storing harvested crops in a plant cultivation facility. [Background technology]

[0002] In plant cultivation facilities, a mobile work vehicle is, for example, a harvesting work cart, and is known to have a configuration in which a traveling body is supported for movement by front, rear, left and right traveling drive wheels, and a harvesting arm is provided on the traveling body, and a clamping lift mechanism is provided to stack and unstack harvest storage buckets in multiple layers in a storage space formed on the traveling body (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-89591 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, since the storage space for harvested products is formed in the traveling vehicle body supported by the traveling drive wheels, there is a certain limit to the capacity of this storage space.

[0005] In view of the above, the present invention provides a work vehicle for a plant cultivation facility that can transport large amounts of harvested products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve this problem, the invention described in claim 1 provides a towing vehicle 18 equipped with an operating handle 22 and a seat 26, and a towed cart 19 equipped with a harvesting arm 32 connected to the rear of the towing vehicle 18 via a connecting means 27, and a clamping lift mechanism 35, 36 for stacking and unstacking harvest storage buckets A, A... in multiple layers in storage spaces 33, 34.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, wherein the connecting means 27 comprises a first connecting portion 27A connected to the towing vehicle 18 and a second connecting portion 27B connected to the towed carriage 19, and the boss portion 27c at the tip of the second connecting portion 27B is inserted into the rod portion 27b of the first connecting portion 27A, and the boss portion 27c can be rotated around the rod portion 27b.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 2, further comprising a switching means 28 for switching between a rotatable position in which the axes of the rod portion 27b and the boss portion 27c are vertical and a rotatable locked position in which the axes are horizontal and locked.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is configured such that, in the invention described in claim 3, when the work passage entry position detection sensor 43 determines that the towing vehicle 18 has reached the entrance of a specified work passage 9, the switching means 28 is controlled to lock the connection to a rotation lock position, and when it is detected that the towing vehicle 18 has left the work passage 9 and entered the moving passage 4, the switching means 28 is controlled to release the connection lock. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the invention described in claim 1, the harvested crops are loaded onto a towed carriage 19 separate from the towing vehicle 18, so that large quantities can be transported.

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect described in claim 1, the connecting means 27 has the boss portion 27c at the tip of the second connecting portion 27B inserted into the rod portion 27b of the first connecting portion 27A, and the boss portion 27c rotates around the rod portion 27b, allowing for smooth rotation.

[0012] According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect described in claim 2, the switching means 28 switches between a swivel-enabled position and a swivel-locked position, so the towed carriage 19 can travel stably in the work aisle without rotating.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect described in claim 3, the switching means 28 can be controlled to be locked or unlocked in the rotation lock position based on the detection result of the work passage entry position detection sensor 43, and work efficiency can be improved by automatic control. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a plant cultivation facility in which a plant cultivation facility work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] 1A is a perspective view of the connecting means in a swivel-enabled position, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the connecting means in a swivel-locked position. [Figure 4] (A) A side view of the towed bogie, (B) A plan view of the towed bogie. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view showing an example of harvesting work. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing buckets stacked one on top of the other. [Figure 7] 10 is a plan view showing the detection of the entry position of the work passage and the detection of the return position of the work vehicle in another example. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A greenhouse facility according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows an example of a cultivation facility. This cultivation facility includes a greenhouse cultivation room 1, where the temperature, humidity, and other indoor environmental conditions are controlled using heaters, humidifiers, and the like, and a shipping room 2 adjacent to the cultivation room 1. A main passageway 4 is provided in the center of the cultivation room 1, allowing passage for workers, mobile work vehicles (work trolleys) 3, pest control vehicles, and the like. This main passageway 4 is a concrete passageway with a concrete road surface. On either side of the main passageway 4, a cultivation space 6 for cultivating crops is formed, with multiple rows of cultivation beds 5, which serve as cultivation units. The cultivation beds 5 are cultivation beds made of rock wool, which serves as a culture medium, and nutrient solution is supplied to each cultivation bed 5 from a nutrient solution supplying device 7 in the shipping room 2.

[0017] In addition, entrances 8 to the cultivation rooms 1, each equipped with an opening / closing door, are provided on both ends of the main passage 4, and one of the entrances 8 allows access to the adjacent shipping room 2. The other entrance 8 allows access from outside the cultivation facility. The mobile work vehicle 3 can be moved from the main passage (sometimes referred to as the moving passage) 4 to a sub-passage (sometimes referred to as the working passage) 9 between each cultivation bed 5, and various tasks can be performed on the plants being cultivated while moving the mobile work vehicle 3 along the cultivation beds 5 on the sub-passage 9. The sub-passage 9 is a passage formed in the front-to-back direction between the left and right sides of each cultivation bed 5. The mobile work vehicle 3 runs on rails 13 on the left and right heating pipes laid on the sub-passage 9 that heat the entire greenhouse.

[0018] The shipping room 2 is equipped with the aforementioned nutrient solution supplying device 7 and a sorting device 10 that sorts harvested produce (fruit), such as tomatoes, by weight, size, or grade. The sorting device 10 serves as a pre-treatment device for processing cultivated crops before shipping. The sorting device 10 includes a sorting conveyor 11 that transports and sorts the harvested produce, and harvested produce storage sections 12 for each class located on both sides of the sorting conveyor 11. The sorting conveyor 11 supplies the harvested produce to each harvested produce storage section 12, where it is sorted into each class. The sorting conveyor 11 is bent in an L-shape in plan view. Each harvested produce storage section 12 is provided with a storage box for storing the harvested produce, and the harvested produce is shipped in each storage box.

[0019] A guide wire 15 is installed above the cultivation bed 5 along the cultivation rows. The cultivated plants of the plant P are guided by a guide string 17, which hangs from the guide wire 15 via a guide hook 16. The guide hook 16 is suspended from the guide wire 15, and the guide string 17 is wound around the guide wire 15 and appropriately unwound to hang downward, as is well known. After the plant grows to a predetermined height (near the guide hook 16), the guide string 17 is unwound from the guide hook 16 and gradually shifted in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple cultivated plants, i.e., along the length of the cultivation bed 5, to lower the plant height and continue cultivation. Therefore, for example, when cultivating a tomato f, the tomato stem c will extend from the cultivation bed 5 along the guide string 17 (Figure 5).

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the mobile work vehicle 3 comprises a towing vehicle 18 and a towed vehicle 19. The towing vehicle 18 has running wheels 21 on the left and right ends of a single axle 20. The towing vehicle 18 is equipped with a bar-shaped operating handle 22, a forward / reverse lever 24, and a lock lever 25 (described later). The operator can work while sitting in a seat 26 that can rotate 360 degrees around a vertical axis. The towed vehicle 19, on the other hand, is connected to the rear of the towing vehicle 18 via a connecting means 27. It is supported by running wheels 61 on the left and right ends of a single axle 60 and is configured to be able to carry multiple buckets A, A... in two rows, front and rear, between its front wall 62 and rear end. A bucket lowering bar 63 is provided immediately behind the front wall 62, and can be moved rearward along rail members 65 attached to the vehicle frame 64 to move the loaded buckets A, A... rearward.

[0021] An inclined guide plate 66 is provided at the rear end of the carriage frame 64 of the towed carriage 19. This plate can be rotated downward about a horizontal axis from an upright folded position and its end touches the ground to form an inclined guide surface. The loaded buckets A, A... can be fed out in a stacked state or individually.

[0022] Next, the connecting means 27 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 3, the connecting means 27 is composed of a first connecting portion 27A that is connected to the towing vehicle 18 and a second connecting portion 27B that is connected to the towed cart 19. A rod portion 27b attached to a U-shaped portion 27a of the first connecting portion 27A is inserted into a boss portion 27c at the tip of the second connecting portion 27B, so that the boss portion 27c can rotate around the rod portion 27b. When the axes of the rod portion 27b and the boss portion 27c are aligned in the vertical direction, the second connecting portion 27B can rotate relative to the first connecting portion 27A, which allows the entire mobile work vehicle 3 to swing (Figure 3(A)).

[0023] On the other hand, when the axes of the rod portion 27b and the boss portion 27c are horizontal, rotation is restricted, the first connecting portion 27A and the second connecting portion 27B are locked in a linear state, and rotational movement is restricted (Figure 3(B)).

[0024] The switching means 28 switches between a swivelable position where the axes of the rod portion 27b and boss portion 27c are vertical and a swivel-locked position where the axes are horizontal, as shown in Fig. 3(B), and is configured to switch between the swivelable position and the locked position in conjunction with forward or reverse rotation of a forward / reverse motor 28a as a driving means by operating the lock lever 25 provided at the hand of the operating handle 22. Note that a convex cam 28b is provided at a position symmetrical to the forward / reverse motor 28a to maintain the swivelable position or the locked position.

[0025] As described above, when the mobile work vehicle 3 consisting of the towing vehicle 18 and towed cart 19 is moved along the main aisle 4, the coupling means 27 is set in a swivel position so that it can be steered left and right, allowing it to enter the work aisle 9 from the moving aisle 4. On the other hand, once inside the work aisle 9, the coupling means 27 is set in a locked position, so that the towing vehicle 18 and towed vehicle 19 maintain a linear coupled state in which they cannot assume a swivel position, preventing unexpected swivel movements and allowing them to travel in the work aisle 9 as specified.

[0026] An example of the towed carriage 19 of the mobile work vehicle 3 is a harvesting work carriage, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. A traveling body 31, which is supported for travel by front, rear, left and right traveling wheels 20, is equipped with a harvesting arm 32, and clamping lift mechanisms 35, 36 that stack and unstack harvest storage buckets A, A... in multiple stages in upper and lower storage spaces 33, 34 formed in the traveling body 31. The harvesting arm 32 and the upper and lower clamping lift mechanisms 35, 36 are configured to operate actuators such as control motors in response to command signals that are calculated and output by a control device C that receives setting signals and input signals from various sensors such as an imaging device (not shown), thereby automatically harvesting fruit and storing fruit in the bucket A.

[0027] The buckets A are stacked in the lower storage space 34 of the upper and lower storage spaces 33, 34, and in this state, tomatoes f harvested by the harvesting arm 32 are sequentially supplied to the uppermost bucket A (Fig. 6(a)). When the uppermost bucket A is full, the lower clamping lift mechanism 36 lifts the lowermost bucket A, that is, all buckets A, A... are raised (Fig. 6(b)). Then, when the uppermost bucket A rises to the standby position of the upper clamping lift mechanism 35, this upper clamping lift mechanism 35 engages and raises the uppermost bucket A, and the uppermost bucket A, which has contained the tomatoes, waits in the upper storage space 33 (Fig. 6(c)).

[0028] Next, the harvesting arm 32 supplies the empty bucket A, which is now at the top of the lower storage space 34, with the harvested tomatoes f until it is full. Then, the bucket A supported by the upper clamping lift mechanism 35 is lowered and placed on top of the full bucket A (Fig. 1(d)). The lower clamping lift mechanism 36 then raises all the buckets A, A..., and the second-highest full bucket A is raised while supported by the upper clamping lift mechanism 35 (Fig. 1(e)). In this way, the buckets A that become full one after another are stacked and transferred to the upper storage space 33. Finally, when the bottommost bucket A supported by the lower clamping lift mechanism 36 is filled with harvested tomatoes f (Fig. 1(f)), harvesting is complete. The bucket A supported by the upper clamping lift mechanism 35 is stacked on top of this bottommost bucket A (Fig. 1(g)), and all the upper buckets A are lowered (Fig. 1(h)). The multi-stage bucket A containing the harvested tomatoes f is then moved to the lower storage space 34. The bucket A waiting in this lower storage space 34 is moved to the outside of the traveling body 31 by opening the bottom or by conveyor transport means as appropriate.

[0029] 5, the support base 37 of the harvesting arm 32 is configured to be movable in the front-to-rear direction of the traveling body 31 along guide rails 38 that are provided along the boundary between the upper and lower storage spaces 33, 34. Therefore, if all buckets A, A... are positioned in the lower storage space 34, the harvesting arm 32 can be moved forward along the guide rails 38, allowing tomatoes f growing on stems c that are close to the building wall 39 to be harvested. Since there are not many harvested tomatoes f, they can be stored in the uppermost bucket A, which has remaining storage space.

[0030] Next, we will explain the control for determining the entry position of the work passage 9 in the mobile work vehicle 3 when traveling through the transfer passage 4. In order to circulate hot water on the two parallel rails 13L, 13R, end portions 13t formed in a roughly U-shape are arranged in multiple rows, and the control device C inputs detection information from the work passage entry position detection sensor 43 and determines whether or not the entry position has been reached based on the detection of this work passage entry position detection sensor 43. The rail end portions 13t are provided at the start end of each work passage 9.

[0031] Based on the detection result of the working passage entry position detection sensor 43, the coupling means 27 is controlled to a locked position; in other words, when the working passage entry position detection sensor 43 detects that the towing vehicle 18 has reached the entry position into the working passage 9, a coupling lock control is performed in which the forward / reverse rotation motor 28a of the switching means 28 is rotated forward or reverse to switch the coupling means 27 to the locked position. Also, when the working passage entry position detection sensor 43 detects that the towing vehicle 18 has left the working passage 9 and entered the transfer passage 4, a coupling lock release control is performed in which the forward / reverse rotation motor 28a is rotated forward or reverse to switch the coupling means 27 to the swivel position. In this way, the coupling means 27 can be automatically switched to the locked position or the swivel position, making operation easier.

[0032] A rail detection sensor 44 is provided in front of the towing vehicle 18 to detect the rails 13L or 13R while the towing vehicle 18 is moving along the rails 13L or 13R, thereby determining whether the towing vehicle 18 is moving normally.

[0033] A folding stand 45 is provided below the front of the towing vehicle 18, which is normally in a stored position but protrudes downward to stably support the towing vehicle 18 when the connection by the connecting means 27 is released. For safety, it is configured so that the position switches from the stored position to the downward protruding position in conjunction with the disconnection of the connecting means 27. Also, a retractable support stand 46 is provided on the towed carriage 19 side to provide stable support.

[0034] Figure 7 shows a mobile work vehicle 3A with a harvesting unit mounted on a travel drive body, as in the prior art, in which magnetic tape 50 and stop points 51 are installed for each work passage 9 for lateral movement along a travel route 4, and a configuration for detecting the entry position into the work passage. A magnetic sensor 53 is provided on the travel body 52 of the mobile work vehicle 3A, and the stop points 51 and the positions of the magnetic sensors 53 are set so that the stop points 51 on the travel passage 4 can be detected and the appropriate return position on the travel passage 4 of the work vehicle 3A returning from the work passage 9 to the travel passage 4 can be detected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 4. Walkway 9 Work passage 18 Towing vehicle 19 Towed trolley 22 Operating handle 26 seats 27 Connecting means 27A 1st connection part 27B 2nd connection part 27b Rod part 27c boss part 28 Switching Method 32 Harvesting Arm 33 Containment Space 34 accommodation spaces 35 Nip lift mechanism 36 Narrowing lift mechanism 43 Work passage entry position detection sensor A. Storage bucket

Claims

1. The plant cultivation facility work vehicle comprises a towing vehicle (18) equipped with an operating handle (22) and a seat (26), and a towed cart (19) provided with a harvesting arm (32) and a clamping lift mechanism (35, 36) for stacking and unstacking harvested product storage buckets (A, A...) in storage spaces (33, 34) via a connecting means (27) at the rear of the towing vehicle (18).

2. 2. A work vehicle for a plant cultivation facility as described in claim 1, wherein the connecting means (27) comprises a first connecting portion (27A) connected to the towing vehicle (18) side and a second connecting portion (27B) connected to the towed carriage (19), and a boss portion (27c) at the tip of the second connecting portion (27B) is inserted into a rod portion (27b) of the first connecting portion (27A), and the boss portion (27c) can be rotated around the rod portion (27b).

3. 3. A work vehicle for a plant cultivation facility as described in claim 2, further comprising a switching means (28) for switching between a swivelable position in which the axes of the rod portion (27b) and the boss portion (27c) are vertical and a swivel-locked position in which the axes are horizontal and locked.

4. 4. A work vehicle for a plant cultivation facility as set forth in claim 3, wherein when a work passage entry position detection sensor (43) determines that the towing vehicle (18) has reached the entrance of a predetermined work passage (9), the switching means (28) is controlled to lock the connection to a rotation lock position, and when it is detected that the towing vehicle (18) has left the work passage (9) and entered the transfer passage (4), the switching means (28) is controlled to release the connection lock.

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