Harvester

Abstract

To improve a crop harvest efficiency of while stabilizing a travel of a machine body.SOLUTION: A conveyor 20 includes a digging blade 10 provided at a tip end thereof, and delivers the crop P from a front side to a rear side in a first direction. A pair of tires 70 is positioned on a rear side from the tip end of the conveyor 20 in the first direction, and provided at an interval therebetween in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The tip end of the conveyor 20 is shifted on one side from an intermediate position P1 of the pair of tires 70 in the second direction. The conveyor 20 extends in a third direction which is inclined with respect to the first direction such that the rear end of the conveyor 20 is positioned closer to an intermediate position P1 in the second direction when viewed in a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a harvester. [Background technology]

[0002] Prior art documents disclosing the configuration of beet harvesters include the microfilm of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 01-074450 (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 03-016816) (Patent Document 1) and the microfilm of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 01-074452 (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 03-016817) (Patent Document 2). In the beet harvesters described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, beets dug up by the digging blades are transported to a tank by a transport conveyor or the like. The transport conveyor is located near the center of the machine body in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel. When harvesting beets, the wheels of the beet harvester are positioned between the rows of unharvested beets.

[0003] A prior art document disclosing the configuration of a towed beet harvester is Japanese Patent No. 5769329 (Patent Document 3). In the towed beet harvester described in Patent Document 3, the digging device is located in front of the harvester tires in the direction of travel and is offset from the center of the machine body in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel. The digging device digs up beets when the harvester tires are not positioned between the rows of unharvested beets.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2020-089284 (Patent Document 4) is a prior art document that discloses the configuration of a multi-ridge root vegetable harvester. The multi-ridge root vegetable harvester described in Patent Document 4 includes a digging blade and a digging conveyor. The digging blade digs up root vegetables when the tires of the machine body are not positioned between the rows of unharvested root vegetables. The digging conveyor transports the root vegetables dug up by the digging blade. The digging conveyor is positioned offset from the center of the machine body in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and extends rearward in the traveling direction while leaning to one side of the machine body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Microfilm of Utility Model Application No. 01-074450 (Utility Model Application No. 03-016816) [Patent Document 2] Microfilm of Utility Model Application No. 01-074452 (Utility Model Application No. 03-016817) [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5769329 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-089284 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] If the digging blade and conveyor are offset from the center of the machine in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvester, the machine's tires can be configured to not get into the furrows of unharvested crops (such as sugar beets), which reduces crop tipping and improves crop harvesting efficiency. However, since the harvester components are biased to one side of the machine, it becomes difficult to maintain the machine's balance, making the machine's movement unstable. Therefore, there is a need to improve crop harvesting efficiency while stabilizing the machine's movement.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a harvester that can improve crop harvesting efficiency while stabilizing the movement of the machine body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A harvester according to the present invention is capable of harvesting crops lined up in a horizontal first direction. The harvester includes a digging blade, a conveyor, and a pair of tires. The digging blade digs up the crops as the harvester moves forward in the first direction. The conveyor has the digging blade at its tip and transports the crops from front to rear in the first direction. The pair of tires are located rearward of the tip of the conveyor in the first direction and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The tip of the conveyor is positioned offset to one side from a midpoint between the pair of tires in the second direction. The conveyor extends in a third direction inclined with respect to the first direction so that the rear end of the conveyor is positioned closer to the midpoint in the second direction than the tip in the vertical direction.

[0009] A harvester according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of digging blades facing each other in the second direction.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pair of tires includes a first tire and a second tire. At least a portion of the conveyor extends to pass between the first tire and the second tire. The first tire is disposed on the one side in the second direction and further rearward in the first direction than the second tire. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve crop harvesting efficiency while stabilizing the running of the machine body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester and a tractor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]1 is a front view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a rear view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a first comparative example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a third comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] A harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiment, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings will be given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0014] In the drawings, the direction of travel of the harvester is designated as the X direction, which is the first direction; the direction horizontally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvester is designated as the Y direction, which is the second direction; and the vertical direction of the harvester is designated as the Z direction. To facilitate understanding of the invention, the drawings may show parts of the harvester in perspective or omitted. Furthermore, the terms "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right" in the specification and drawings are terms based on the direction of travel of the harvester.

[0015] First, the overall configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester and a tractor according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a rear view showing the configuration of a harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a machine that harvests crops P in a field F. When harvesting crops P, the harvester 100 is pulled by a tractor 200. The harvester 100 travels forward (in the DR1 direction) in a first direction (X direction).

[0017] Multiple rows of ridges F1 are arranged in the field F. The multiple rows of ridges F1 are arranged in parallel in a first direction (X direction). Furrow spaces F2 are located between the multiple rows of ridges F1. The furrow spaces F2 are ground areas located lower than the ridges F1.

[0018] The crops P are buried in rows of ridges F1 at intervals. The harvester 100 moves along the ridges F1. The harvester 100 is capable of harvesting the crops P that are located in the rows of ridges F1 and are lined up in a horizontal first direction (X direction).

[0019] The crop P is, for example, beetroot. However, the crop P is not limited to beetroot. The crop P may be other root vegetables such as celeriac. In the crop P of this embodiment, before harvesting by the harvester 100, the stems and leaves growing from the crop P are separated from the crop P by cutting the stems and leaves using a leaf shredder or the like. The stems and leaves are treated as impurities.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, the harvester 100 includes a towing hitch 1, a digging section 2, a transport section 3, a storage section 4, and a traveling section 5. The above components of the harvester 100 are supported by a machine frame (not shown).

[0021] The towing hitch 1 is a fastener portion for connecting the harvester 100 to the tractor 200. The towing hitch 1 corresponds to the front end of the machine body when the harvester 100 travels forward (in the DR1 direction).

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the digging section 2 is a section that digs up the crops P. The crops P dug up in the digging section 2 are transported to the transport section 3.

[0023] The digging section 2 includes a digging blade 10. The digging blade 10 digs up the crop P as the harvester 100 moves forward in the first direction (towards DR1).

[0024] The digging blade 10 is disposed below the harvester 100. The digging blade 10 is disposed offset in the second direction (Y direction) from the center of the body of the harvester 100 to one side where the ridge F1 of the unharvested crop P is located.

[0025] The digging blade 10 in this embodiment is made up of a pair of digging blades. The pair of digging blades 10 is made up of a first digging blade 11 and a second digging blade 12.

[0026] The pair of digging blades, the first digging blade 11 and the second digging blade 12, face each other in the second direction (Y direction). As a result, the pair of digging blades face each other directly with respect to the crops P lined up in the first direction (X direction).

[0027] The first digging blade 11 and the second digging blade 12 have a mirror-symmetric structure in the XZ plane. The surfaces of the first digging blade 11 and the second digging blade 12 that come into contact with the crop P are arranged so that they face forward in the first direction (X direction) and are separated in the second direction (Y direction). The surfaces of the first digging blade 11 and the second digging blade 12 that come into contact with the crop P are arranged so that they face upward in the vertical direction (Z direction) and are separated in the second direction (Y direction). This makes it easy for the pair of digging blades to scoop up the crop P rearward in the first direction (X direction) and upward in the vertical direction (Z direction). The harvester 100 having a pair of digging blades is suitable for harvesting crops P that are lined up in a horizontal first direction (X direction) located on the ridge F1.

[0028] In this embodiment, the digging blade 10 is configured from a pair of digging blades, but is not limited to this configuration. The digging blade may also be configured from a single digging blade. In this case, it is desirable to place a plate-shaped member (coulter) extending in the XZ plane in a position aligned with the digging blade in the second direction (Y direction). It is also desirable that the plate-shaped member be configured to be rotatable while in contact with the field F. By digging up the crop P by sandwiching it between the digging blade and the plate-shaped member, the crop P can be stably transported from the digging section to the transport section.

[0029] The transport unit 3 transports the crops P to the storage unit 4. The transport unit 3 includes a conveyor 20, a rotary bucket 50, and a discharge conveyor 60. As shown by the dotted arrow in FIG. 3, the crops P are transported in the order of the conveyor 20, the rotary bucket 50, and the discharge conveyor 60.

[0030] The conveyor 20 extends from the front to the rear of the harvester 100. The conveyor 20 extends from near the center of the harvester 100 in a first direction (X direction) toward the rear. The conveyor 20 transports the crops P from the front to the rear in the first direction (X direction).

[0031] Conveyor 20 is provided with digging blade 10 at its tip. First digging blade 11 and second digging blade 12 are each connected to the tip of conveyor 20 by arms 13 of different lengths.

[0032] The conveyor 20 includes a first conveyor 30 and a second conveyor 40. The first conveyor 30 and the second conveyor 40 are connected to each other to form a conveyor group. Note that the conveyor 20 may be formed by a single conveyor.

[0033] The conveying surface of the first conveyor 30 slopes upward from the front to the rear in the direction of travel, so that the crops P move from the bottom to the top while removing soil from the field F. The first conveyor 30 transports the crops P to the second conveyor 40.

[0034] The first conveyor 30 may be provided with an auxiliary conveyor (not shown) above the first conveyor 30. By sandwiching the crops P between the first conveyor 30 and the auxiliary conveyor from above and below, the crops P can be transported more stably.

[0035] The second conveyor 40 extends to the rotary bucket 50. The second conveyor 40 extends to the inner diameter portion of the annular shape of the rotary bucket 50. As a result, the crops P are transported so that they fall from the transport surface of the second conveyor 40 toward the rotary bucket 50.

[0036] The rotary bucket 50 transports the crops P toward the discharge conveyor 60 while separating the crops P from foreign matter such as impurities or soil and sand. The rotary bucket 50 is provided on the rear side of the harvester 100. The rotary bucket 50 has a circular ring shape when viewed from a first direction (X direction). The rotary bucket 50 rotates around an axis that runs along the first direction (X direction). The crops P transported into the rotary bucket 50 are transported to directly above the discharge conveyor 60, and then transported so that the crops P fall toward the discharge conveyor 60.

[0037] The discharge conveyor 60 transports the crops P discharged from the rotary bucket 50 to the storage unit 4. The crops P transported on the discharge conveyor 60 from the rear to the front in the first direction (X direction) are stored in the storage unit 4.

[0038] The front side of the storage unit 4 is inclined in the Y direction toward one side where the ridge F1 of unharvested crops P is located, in accordance with the inclination of the discharge conveyor 60. The storage unit 4 may be provided with a rotation mechanism that rotates the storage unit 4 so that it is parallel to the X direction when the crops P stored in the storage unit 4 are discharged to the outside.

[0039] The traveling section 5 is a section for moving the harvester 100 by being pulled by the tractor 200. The traveling section 5 in this embodiment is made up of a pair of tires 70.

[0040] The pair of tires 70 is located behind the leading edge of the conveyor 20 in the first direction (X direction). The pair of tires 70 is spaced apart from each other in a second direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the first direction.

[0041] The pair of tires 70 is composed of a first tire 71 and a second tire 72. The first tire 71 is located on one side in the second direction (Y direction) where a ridge F1 of unharvested crops P is located. The second tire 72 is located on the other side in the second direction (Y direction).

[0042] The angle of the first tire 71 and the second tire 72 relative to the traveling direction can be changed by a drive mechanism (not shown), thereby enabling the harvester 100 to change direction.

[0043] The pair of tires 70 are connected by an axle 80. The axle 80 is inclined obliquely with respect to the second direction (Y direction). Alternatively, the axle 80 may extend parallel to the second direction (Y direction), and the first tire 71 and the second tire 72 may be arranged so as to overlap each other along the second direction (Y direction).

[0044] Next, the configuration of the harvester according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in comparison with a harvester according to a comparative example. In the harvester according to the comparative example, the configuration that is similar to that of the harvester according to the embodiment of the present invention will not be described repeatedly.

[0045] Fig. 6 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a first comparative example. As shown in Fig. 6, the harvester 900 according to the first comparative example includes a towing hitch 901, a digging unit, a transport unit, a storage unit 904, and a traveling unit. The digging unit includes a pair of digging blades 910. The transport unit includes a conveyor 920, a rotary bucket 950, and a discharge conveyor 960. The traveling unit is configured by a pair of tires 970. The pair of tires 970 is configured by a first tire 971 and a second tire 972.

[0046] The conveyor 920 is disposed at an intermediate position P2 in the second direction (Y direction) between the pair of tires 970. The conveyor 920 extends along the first direction (X direction). As a result, when the crop P is harvested by the pair of digging blades 910 connected to the tip of the conveyor 920, the first tire 971 travels in the furrows F2 of the unharvested crop P.

[0047] In the harvester 900 according to the first comparative example, if the pair of tires 970 deviate in the second direction (Y direction) while traveling, the crops P rooted in the ridges F1 may be tilted in the Z direction or may be knocked over. As a result, when the crops P are dug up by the digging blade 910, the crops P may be displaced from the harvesting position of the digging blade 910, making it difficult to dig up the crops P, reducing the harvesting efficiency of the crops P. Furthermore, if the field F becomes soft due to rainfall or the like, the harvesting efficiency of the crops P may further decrease. Specifically, even if the pair of traveling tires 970 are not deviated in the second direction, the crops P rooted in the ridges F1 may be tilted in the Z direction or may be knocked over simply by traveling through the furrows F2.

[0048] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, in the harvester 100 of this embodiment, the tip of the conveyor 20 is positioned offset in the second direction (Y direction) from the midpoint P1 between the pair of tires 70 to one side where the ridge F1 of the unharvested crop P is located. As a result, in the harvester 100 of this embodiment, there is no need to run the first tire 71 through the furrow F2 of the unharvested crop P. As a result, it is possible to suppress the fall of the crop P and improve the harvesting efficiency of the crop P. Furthermore, even when the field F becomes soft due to rainfall or the like, the effect of the running tire 70 on the fall of the crop P can be suppressed.

[0049] Fig. 7 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example, and Fig. 8 is a side view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example.

[0050] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the harvester 900A according to the second comparative example includes a towing hitch 901, a digging unit, a transport unit, a storage unit 904, and a traveling unit. The transport unit includes a conveyor 920A, a rotary bucket 950A, and a discharge conveyor 960. The traveling unit is composed of a pair of tires 970. The pair of tires 970 is composed of a first tire 971 and a second tire 972.

[0051] The conveyor 920A is disposed in the second direction (Y direction) offset from a midpoint P3 between the pair of tires 970 to one side where there is a ridge F1 of unharvested crops P, and extends along the first direction (X direction). In this case, the first tire 971 can harvest the crops P without traveling through the furrow F2 of the unharvested crops P.

[0052] However, in the harvester 900A according to the second comparative example, the first tires 971 are located below the conveyor 920A, which makes it difficult to harvest the crops P and makes the machine unstable.

[0053] Specifically, the inclination angle A2 of the conveyor 920A relative to the horizontal direction is set to be steep so that the conveyor 920A does not interfere with the first tire 971. This causes the flow of the crops P on the conveyor 920A to become poor, and the harvesting speed of the crops P decreases.

[0054] Furthermore, because the first tires 971 are disposed below the conveyor 920A, the conveyor 920A is positioned higher than in the harvester 100 according to the present embodiment. As the conveyor 920A is positioned higher, the position of the entire transport section is also raised, and the overall height H2 of the entire machine body is increased. As a result, the center of gravity C2 of the machine body is also raised, which reduces the stability of the traveling of the harvester 900A.

[0055] Furthermore, in the harvester 900A according to the second comparative example, the conveyor 920A, which is a heavy load, is positioned to one side in the second direction (Y direction), so the position of the center of gravity C2 when viewed from above is shifted from the midpoint P3 between the pair of tires 970. This causes the balance of the machine to deteriorate, making it prone to unstable running.

[0056] In the second comparative example, the inclination angle A2 of the conveyor 920A can be prevented from becoming steep by lengthening the conveyor 920A. However, lengthening the conveyor 920A increases the length L2 from the towing hitch 901 to the center position of the first tire 971 in the first direction (X direction), which increases the overall length of the harvester 900A. This increases the minimum turning radius of the machine, making it difficult to maneuver. Furthermore, the larger the conveyor, the heavier the harvester becomes, making it more likely that the tires will sink into the field F.

[0057] 2 to 5, in the harvester 100 according to the present embodiment, the rear end of the conveyor 20 is located closer to a middle position P1 in the second direction (Y direction) than the front end when viewed in the vertical direction (Z direction). The middle position P1 between the pair of tires 70 is the middle position on a line connecting the opposing inner sides of the tires 70.

[0058] The conveyor 20 extends in a third direction (DR2 direction) that is inclined with respect to the first direction (X direction). The conveyor 20 extends in a substantially straight line in the third direction (DR2 direction).

[0059] The rear end side of the conveyor 20 is disposed between the pair of tires 70. At least a portion of the conveyor 20 extends so as to pass between the first tire 71 and the second tire 72. In the present embodiment, the conveyor 20 extends so that the rear end side of the first conveyor 30 and the second conveyor 40 pass between the first tire 71 and the second tire 72.

[0060] The harvester 100 of this embodiment has its center of gravity C1 located at the midpoint P1 between a pair of tires 70, and therefore, compared to the harvester 900A of the second comparative example, the balance of the harvester 100 can be maintained and the running stability of the machine can be maintained.

[0061] The first tires 71 are disposed at a position on one side in the second direction (Y direction) and at a position further rearward in the first direction (X direction) than the second tires 72. Even if the conveyor 20 extends in the third direction (DR2 direction), the first tires 71 are unlikely to interfere with each other, which makes it easier to tilt the first tires 71 left and right in the traveling direction (X direction) to change the direction of the vehicle.

[0062] The first tire 71 is located behind the leading end of the conveyor 20 and in front of the rotary bucket 50 in the first direction (X direction). This allows the axle 80 to be as short as possible, while the first tire 71 does not interfere with the conveyor 20, and makes it easier to tilt the first tire 71 to the left or right in the traveling direction (X direction).

[0063] In the harvester 100 according to the present embodiment, there is no need to place the tires 70 below the conveyor 20. As a result, the harvester 100 can make the inclination angle A1 of the first conveyor 30 smaller than the inclination angle A2 according to the second comparative example, which makes it easier for the crops P to flow on the conveyor 20 and prevents a decrease in working speed.

[0064] The tires 70 and the conveyor 20 are arranged side by side at the same height. This allows the overall height H1 of the harvester 100 to be lower than when the conveyor is arranged above the tires. The center of gravity C1 of the harvester 100 in this embodiment is located lower than in the second comparative example, allowing for stable travel while maintaining the balance of the machine body.

[0065] Furthermore, in the harvester 100 according to this embodiment, the conveyor can be made shorter compared to the case in the second comparative example in which the conveyor is made longer to achieve the same inclination angle A1 as in this embodiment. This allows the length L1 from the towing hitch 1 to the center position of the first tire 71 in the first direction (X direction) to be shortened, thereby shortening the overall length of the machine body in the first direction (X direction) and reducing the turning radius of the machine body.

[0066] The conveyor 20 is inclined in the Z direction from its tip to a position past the axle 80. Because the axle 80 is inclined relative to the second direction (Y direction), the axle 80 is less likely to interfere with the conveyor 20, which is inclined in the Z direction. This allows the inclined surface of the conveyor 20 inclined in the Z direction to be positioned all the way to the rear of the harvester 100, compared to when the axle 80 extends along the second direction (Y direction). This makes it possible to make the inclination angle A1 of the conveyor 20 that transports the crops P gentler, making it easier to transport the crops P.

[0067] The flow line of the crops P from the first conveyor 30 to the rotary bucket 50 is established by dropping the crops P, so that it is easy to configure a structure in which the conveyor 20 is inclined with respect to the first direction.

[0068] The flow line of the crops P from the rotary bucket 50 to the discharge conveyor 60 is established by dropping the crops P, so that the conveyor 20 can be easily configured to be inclined with respect to the first direction.

[0069] Fig. 9 is a rear view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a second comparative example. As shown in Fig. 9, the conveyor 920A is disposed offset to one side from the midpoint P3 between a pair of tires 970 in the second direction (Y direction), and extends along the first direction (X direction). Therefore, the conveyor 920A is disposed offset from near the center of the rotary bucket 950A in the second direction (Y direction). Because the conveyor 920A passes inside the annular portion of the rotary bucket 950A, the outer diameter D2 of the rotary bucket 950A needs to be larger than when the conveyor passes near the center of the rotary bucket in the second direction (Y direction).

[0070] Increasing the outer diameter D2 of the rotary bucket 950A increases the weight of the harvester 900A. If the field F becomes soft due to rainfall or other reasons, the traveling performance of the harvester 900A decreases. The decrease in traveling performance here refers to, for example, a decrease in the stability of the digging operation.

[0071] 5, in the harvester 100 of this embodiment, the conveyor 20 is positioned so as to pass through approximately the center in the second direction (Y direction) of the rotary bucket 50. As a result, when the conveyor 20 is passed inside the annular portion of the rotary bucket 50, the outer diameter D1 of the rotary bucket 50 can be made smaller than in the harvester 900A of the second comparative example.

[0072] In this embodiment, the outer diameter D1 of the rotary bucket 50 is small, which can prevent a decrease in traveling performance due to an increase in weight. For example, in a case where the tires are more likely to sink into the field F as the weight of the harvester increases, an increase in resistance when the harvester is towed by the tractor 200 can be prevented.

[0073] 2 and 5, the rotary bucket 50 has an annular shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the third direction (DR2 direction) in which the conveyor 20 extends. This makes it easier to position the rear end side of the conveyor 20 near the center of the rotary bucket 50, and therefore the outer diameter D1 of the rotary bucket 50 can be made smaller than when the rotary bucket 50 is parallel to the second direction (Y direction).

[0074] Fig. 10 is a top view showing the configuration of a harvester according to a third comparative example. As shown in Fig. 10, a harvester 900B according to the third comparative example includes a towing hitch 901, a digging unit, a transport unit, a storage unit 904, and a traveling unit. The transport unit includes a conveyor 920B. The traveling unit is composed of a pair of tires 970. The pair of tires 970 is composed of a first tire 971 and a second tire 972.

[0075] The conveyor 920B includes a first conveyor 930B, a second conveyor 940B, and a third conveyor 945B.

[0076] The first conveyor 930B, the second conveyor 940B, and the third conveyor 945B are arranged so that their conveying directions are perpendicular to one another. Specifically, the first conveyor 930B is arranged offset from a midpoint P4 between the pair of tires 970 in the Y direction. The first conveyor 930B extends in the X direction. The second conveyor 940B extends in the Y direction perpendicular to the rear end of the first conveyor 930B. The third conveyor 945B extends in the X direction perpendicular to the rear end of the second conveyor 940B. The third conveyor 945B passes through the midpoint P4 between the pair of tires 970.

[0077] In the harvester 900B according to the third comparative example, the conveyor 920B is bent at a right angle, which lengthens the transport path for the crops P. This increases the weight of the conveyor 920B. Furthermore, because a path with sufficient width in the transport direction is required, the length of the conveyor 920B in the X direction increases, which increases the length of the machine body.

[0078] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2, the conveyor 20 in this embodiment extends in a substantially straight line in a third direction (DR2 direction) that is inclined with respect to the first direction (X direction). Therefore, the harvester 100 in this embodiment can shorten the transport path of the crops P compared to the third comparative example. This allows the overall length of the harvester 100 in the first direction (X direction) to be shortened. The harvester can also be made lighter. Furthermore, the number of parts constituting the conveyor 20 can be reduced.

[0079] In the harvester 100, in addition to the conveyor 20, the rotary bucket 50, the discharge conveyor 60, and the storage unit 4 are also inclined with respect to the first direction (X direction). This makes it easy to connect the transport paths for the crops P of the conveyor 20, the rotary bucket 50, the discharge conveyor 60, and the storage unit 4.

[0080] An example of the effects obtained by the configuration of the harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be summarized as follows.

[0081] In a harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the digging blade 10 is offset from the midpoint P1 between the pair of tires 70 in a direction (second direction) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the harvester 100. This prevents the first tire 71 from entering the furrow F2 between unharvested crops P, thereby preventing the crops P from tipping over when the harvester enters the furrow F2 and improving the harvesting efficiency of the crops P. Furthermore, even if the leading end of the conveyor 20 is offset from the midpoint P1 between the pair of tires 70 in the second direction (Y direction), the rear end of the conveyor 20 is closer to the midpoint P1 than the leading end, preventing the components of the harvester from being biased to one side in the direction of travel (X direction) and maintaining the balance of the vehicle, thereby stabilizing the vehicle's travel. As a result, the harvesting efficiency of the crops P can be improved while stabilizing the vehicle's travel.

[0082] In a harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the digging blade 10 is composed of a pair of digging blades facing each other in the second direction (Y direction). Therefore, even if the conveyor 20 is positioned at an angle from the traveling direction (X direction) of the machine body, the pair of digging blades can face the crop P directly in the traveling direction (X direction). This prevents the crop P from spilling over the digging blade 10, enabling the crop P to be dug up efficiently.

[0083] In a harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the leading end of the conveyor 20 is tilted in the second direction (Y direction) toward one side where the first tire 71 is located, the conveyor 20 extends so as to pass between the first tire 71 and the second tire 72, and the first tire 71 is disposed at a position on one side in the second direction (Y direction) and at a position further rearward in the first direction (X direction) than the second tire 72. This allows the first tire 71 to be disposed farther away from the conveyor 20 than when the first tire 71 and the second tire 72 are arranged so as to overlap in the second direction (Y direction), and therefore the first tire 71 can be sufficiently tilted to the left or right of the traveling direction (X direction) to change the direction of the machine body. This ultimately allows the harvester 100 to be configured with good maneuverability.

[0084] The harvester 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention can reduce crop losses during the harvesting process by improving crop harvesting efficiency while stabilizing the running of the machine body, which can contribute to achieving the SDGs, such as goal 12, "Responsible Consumption and Production."

[0085] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims are included. In the description of the above-described embodiments, combinable configurations may be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1,901 Towing hitch, 2 Digging section, 3 Transport section, 4,904 Storage section, 5 Travel section, 10,910 Digging blade, 11 First digging blade, 12 Second digging blade, 13 Arm, 20,920,920A,920B Conveyor, 30,930B First conveyor, 40,940B Second conveyor, 50,950,950A Rotary bucket, 60,960 Discharge conveyor, 70,970 Tire, 71,971 First tire, 72,972 Second tire, 80 Axle, 100,900,900A,900B Harvester, 200 Tractor, 945B Third conveyor, F Field, F1 Ridge, F2 Ridge space, P Crop, P1,P2,P3,P4 intermediate position.

Claims

1. A harvester capable of harvesting crops arranged in a horizontal first direction, a digging blade that digs up the crop as the harvester moves forward in the first direction; a conveyor having the digging blade at its tip and transporting the crop from front to rear in the first direction; a pair of tires positioned rearward of the leading edge of the conveyor in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the tip of the conveyor is positioned offset to one side from a midpoint between the pair of tires in the second direction, A harvester, wherein the conveyor extends along a third direction that is inclined with respect to the first direction so that, when viewed vertically, the rear end of the conveyor is located closer to the intermediate position than the front end in the second direction.

2. The harvester according to claim 1 , wherein the digging blades comprise a pair of digging blades that face each other in the second direction.

3. The pair of tires includes a first tire and a second tire, At least a portion of the conveyor extends to pass between the first tire and the second tire; 3. The harvester according to claim 1, wherein the first tire is arranged at a position on the one side in the second direction and at a position rearward in the first direction relative to the second tire.

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