Sulky type seedling transplanter

Abstract

To provide a sulky type seedling transplanter for reducing roughening in a field and simplifying teaching work while solving the problems that due to that a work vehicle calculates a travel route and performs automatic travel along the travel route while calculating an own vehicle position with GNSS, however, teaching for performing automatic travel in every field, and performing travel by work cause roughening of a field, and make teaching work in every field complicated.SOLUTION: When acquiring field information in a teaching step of traveling in inner peripheral parts of a plurality of fields F1 to F6 divided by ridges A1 to A3, and calculating an autonomous travel route in which seedling planting work is performed by autonomous travel, a controller recognizes places where an inclination sensor 37 detects longitudinal inclination of forward lowering after forward rising at a predetermined angle or more as the ridges A1 to A3, and registers as ridge-crossing points, and registers lines connecting the facing ridge-crossing points as the ridges A1 to A3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a riding seedling planter having a seedling planting unit attached to a traveling vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a work vehicle (work machine) that performs work by autonomous driving calculates a driving route and automatically drives along the driving route while calculating its own position using GNSS or the like (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-116608 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-154394 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There are issues such as the problem of the field being ruined by teaching the robot to automatically navigate each field and then having it navigate while working, and the fact that the teaching work for each field is cumbersome.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a riding seedling planter that reduces field damage and simplifies teaching work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is a ride-on seedling planter that has a seedling planting unit 4 attached to a traveling body 2 and is equipped with a satellite positioning system, a control device 25, and an inclination sensor 37 that detects the fore-and-aft inclination of the machine body, wherein the control device 25 acquires field information during a teaching process in which the machine travels along the inner periphery of a plurality of fields F1 to F6 separated by ridges A1 to A3, and calculates an autonomous driving path for autonomously planting seedlings.When the inclination sensor 37 detects a fore-and-aft inclination that rises at the front by more than a predetermined angle and then falls at the front, the location is recognized as a ridge A1 to A3 and registered as a ridge-crossing point, and a line connecting opposing ridge-crossing points is registered as a ridge A1 to A3.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 1, field information is acquired during the teaching process in which the robot travels along the inner periphery of multiple fields F1 to F6 separated by ridges A1 to A3, and an autonomous driving path for autonomously planting seedlings is calculated.This reduces damage to the fields F1 to F6 compared to when the teaching process is performed for each of the multiple fields F1 to F6, and also simplifies the teaching process, improving work efficiency.

[0008] Furthermore, the inclination sensor 37 recognizes the locations where it detects a front-to-back inclination that rises at the front by more than a predetermined angle and then falls at the front as ridges A1 to A3 and registers them as ridge-crossing points, and the lines connecting opposing ridge-crossing points are registered as ridges A1 to A3, so that the inclination sensor 37 can properly recognize and register ridges A1 to A3.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is a riding seedling planter described in claim 1, which is configured so that if a ridge crossing point is not registered on the second side of the teaching process for fields F1 to F6, it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process for the third side, and if a ridge crossing point is registered on the second side of the teaching process, it is not possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process for the third side, but it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process for the fourth side, and which notifies the operator whether or not it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process for the third side.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is a riding seedling planter described in claim 1 or claim 2, which, while traveling along an autonomous driving path in automatic mode, slows down and activates the differential lock mechanism when approaching ridges A1 to A3, stops just before ridges A1 to A3, raises the seedling planting unit 4, and switches from automatic mode to manual mode, and after crossing the ridge, lowers the seedling planting unit 4, starts driving the seedling planting unit 4, switches from manual mode to automatic mode, and releases the differential lock of the differential lock mechanism. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a riding rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a riding rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a riding rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Below, a riding rice transplanter 1 equipped with a fertilizer applicator, which is an example of a riding seedling transplanter of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same, or so-called equivalents. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0013] 1 is a side view showing a riding rice transplanter 1 as a riding seedling transplanter according to an embodiment. In the following description, the riding rice transplanter 1 is assumed to plant eight rows, and the riding rice transplanter 1 may be referred to as the machine body. In addition, in the embodiment, when defining front-rear and left-right directions, the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 2 as viewed from the driver's seat 31 is used as the reference.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the riding rice transplanter 1 has a seedling planting unit 4 attached to the rear of the running body 2 via a lifting link mechanism 3 so that it can be raised and lowered, and the main body of the fertilizer application device 60 is provided on the upper rear side of the running body 2.

[0015] The traveling vehicle body 2 is a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a pair of left and right front wheels 10 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11 as driving wheels. A transmission case 12 is disposed at the front of the vehicle body, and front wheel final cases 13 as traveling transmission cases are provided on the left and right sides of the transmission case 12. The front wheels 10 are attached to left and right front axles that protrude outward from the left and right front wheel final cases 13, respectively.

[0016] The left and right front wheels 10 and the left and right rear wheels 11 are configured to rotate differentially via a front wheel differential device and a rear wheel differential device, respectively, and the front wheel differential device and the rear wheel differential device are each provided with a front wheel differential lock mechanism and a rear wheel differential lock mechanism that are operated by an electromagnetic solenoid, and are configured to rotate in the same direction.

[0017] In addition, the left and right front axle sections of the left and right front wheels 10 are provided with fertility sensors 15 that measure the fertility of the moving process (current process) using circular left and right electrode plates 15a that act as electrodes that penetrate into the soil (mud) below the moving vehicle.

[0018] Therefore, when electricity is passed through the pair of left and right electrode plates 15a of fertility sensor 15, the electrical resistance changes depending on the fertilizer concentration contained in the soil (mud) between the pair of left and right electrode plates 15a, and the change in electrical resistance is sent to controller 25, which serves as a control device, as a signal of the fertilizer concentration at that point, making it possible to detect the fertility of field F (F1 to F6) in the current process where rice planting and fertilization work are being carried out. Note that the electrical resistance is low when the fertilizer concentration is high, i.e., when there is a lot of electrolytes, electricity flows easily, and is high when the fertilizer concentration is low, i.e., when there is a little electrolyte, electricity flows less easily, and is high.

[0019] The front end of the main frame 18 is fixed to the rear part of the transmission case 12, and rear wheel gear cases 19 are provided on both the left and right sides of the rear part of the main frame 18, and rear wheels 11 are attached to the left and right rear axles that protrude outward from the rear wheel gear cases 19, respectively.

[0020] An engine 20 is mounted on the front of the vehicle body. The rotational power of the engine 20 is transmitted to the transmission case 12 via a belt transmission and a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission (HST) 21. The rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12 is changed in speed by a transmission inside the transmission case 12, and then separated into traveling power and externally extracted power.

[0021] The externally extracted power, which is separated from the rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12, is transmitted to a planting clutch case provided at the rear of the traveling body 2. From the planting clutch case, the power is transmitted to the seedling planting section 4 by a planting transmission shaft.

[0022] A driver's seat 31 is installed at the center upper part of the traveling vehicle body 2. A bonnet 32 ​​equipped with various operating mechanisms is provided in front of the driver's seat 31, and a steering wheel 34 for steering the front wheels 10 is provided above the bonnet 32.

[0023] The bonnet 32 ​​is also provided with a main speed change lever that operates to increase or decrease the speed of the hydrostatic continuously variable transmission (HST) 21 from the neutral position to the forward or reverse side, and a sub-speed change lever that switches the traveling transmission of the traveling body 2 between a "working speed" when working in the field F and a "traveling speed" when traveling on the road.

[0024] The main speed change lever can be operated automatically by a stepping motor that operates according to instructions from the controller 25, in addition to being manually operated by an operator.

[0025] That is, the stepping motor is operated by instructions from the controller 25 to return the main speed change lever from the forward or reverse operating position to the neutral position to stop the vehicle, and then move the lever from the neutral position to a predetermined forward or reverse operating position to move the vehicle forward.

[0026] A GNSS receiving antenna (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as receiving antenna) 81, which constitutes a GNSS control device that is a satellite positioning system, is mounted on the top of the front mast 33, whose base is fixed at the center position of the front end of the aircraft. The signal received by the receiving antenna 81 is sent to the controller 25.

[0027] The controller 25 is a control device that controls the electromagnetic solenoids that activate the front wheel differential lock mechanism and the rear wheel differential lock mechanism, the stepping motor that automatically operates the main shift lever, the operation of the fertilizer applicator 60, etc., and is housed inside the hood 32. The controller 25 has, for example, a CPU, ROM, and RAM, and controls each part of the riding rice transplanter 1 by executing a program stored in the ROM.

[0028] In addition, an inclination sensor 37 that detects the forward / backward and left / right inclination of the vehicle is provided at the center position of the vehicle below the driver's seat 31, and the detected values ​​of the forward / backward and left / right inclination angles of the vehicle by the inclination sensor 37 are sent to the controller 25.

[0029] Approximately horizontal floor steps 35 are formed on both the left and right sides and the rear of the lower part of the hood 32. Part of the floor step 35 is lattice-shaped, so that mud on the shoes of a worker walking on the floor step 35 falls into the field F.

[0030] The lifting link mechanism 3, which raises and lowers the seedling planting unit 4 connected to the rear of the traveling body 2, has a parallel link configuration and includes one upper link 39 and a pair of left and right lower links 40. The base sides of the upper link 39 and lower link 40 are rotatably attached to a link base frame 41 that is shaped like a portal when viewed from the rear and stands upright at the rear end of the main frame 18, and a vertical link 42 is connected to their tip ends. A connecting shaft that is rotatably supported on the seedling planting unit 4 is inserted and connected to the lower end of the vertical link 42, and the seedling planting unit 4 is connected to be able to roll around the connecting shaft.

[0031] A lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 is provided between a cylinder support member provided on the main frame 18 and the tip of a swing arm formed integrally with the upper link 39. By hydraulically extending and contracting the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46, the upper link 39 rotates up and down, and the seedling planting section 4 moves up and down while maintaining a substantially constant posture.

[0032] As mentioned above, the seedling planting section 4 has an eight-row planting configuration and is equipped with a planting transmission case 47 which also serves as a frame, a seedling loading table 51, a planting device 52, etc.

[0033] The seedling loading platform 51 carries seedlings with mat-like soil attached and moves back and forth from side to side to supply the seedlings one by one to the seedling outlet of each row, and when all the seedlings in one horizontal row have been supplied to the seedling outlet, the seedlings are transported downward by the seedling feeding belt.

[0034] The planting device 52 plants the seedlings supplied to the seedling outlet in the field F using seedling planting tools 52a. Two seedling planting tools 52a are provided per row, and are attached to a rotating case 52b so that the seedlings can be picked up alternately and planted in the field F.

[0035] Additionally, a central center float 53 and left and right side floats 54 are each rotatably provided below the seedling planting section 4. When the machine is advanced with these floats 53, 54 in contact with the muddy surface of the field F, the floats 53, 54 glide across the muddy surface while leveling it, and the planting device 52 plants seedlings in the leveled area.

[0036] The center float 53 is provided with a float sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the center float 53 due to changes in field depth. When this float sensor detects a change in angle, the controller 25 determines that the depth of the field F has changed, and automatically adjusts the working height of the seedling planting section 4 by extending or retracting the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 so that the seedling planting section 4 is at an appropriate height in accordance with the detected angle.

[0037] The float sensor's detection value is defined as 0 degrees when the center float 53 touches the ground in a substantially horizontal position on the field surface. When the detection value is in the elevation angle direction (upward), the controller 25 determines that the field depth has become shallower and the distance between the seedling planting unit 4 and the field surface has narrowed, and contracts the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 to raise the seedling planting unit 4, preventing the seedlings from being planted too deeply. On the other hand, when the detection value is in the depression angle direction (downward), the controller 25 determines that the field depth has become deeper and the distance between the seedling planting unit 4 and the field surface has widened, and extends the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 to lower the seedling planting unit 4, preventing the seedlings from being planted too shallow.

[0038] In addition to the detection value of the float sensor and manual up / down operation, the controller 25 automatically switches the electromagnetic lift valve to extend and retract the lift hydraulic cylinder 46 to move the seedling planting section 4 up and down when certain conditions described below are met.

[0039] In addition, the operation panel provided on the upper rear surface of the hood 32 is provided with an automatic switching dial 38 that switches between a teaching mode in which field information is acquired, an automatic mode in which the rice planting work is carried out by autonomously traveling along a course calculated by the automatic control of the controller 25, and a manual mode in which rice planting work is carried out by manual operation by the operator.

[0040] The fertilizer applicator 60 includes a left fertilizer hopper 60L and a right fertilizer hopper 60R separated by a certain gap, a delivery unit 61, a fertilizer hose 62, a fertilizer guide 63, and an air duct 68.

[0041] The left and right fertilizer hoppers 60L, 60R each have four rows that are shared and have openable lids attached to the top. The lower parts of the left and right fertilizer hoppers 60L, 60R are branched into the number of fertilizer rows (four rows) to form funnel-shaped flow sections, and the lower parts of these flow sections are connected to the upper ends of the respective delivery sections 61.

[0042] The left end of air duct 68, through which the conveying air that moves the fertilizer to fertilizing hose 62 passes, is connected via an air switching pipe to a blower driven by an electric blower motor. When the air from the blower passes through air duct 68 and the connecting pipe and passes through the discharge port of payout part 61, it is blown into fertilizing hose 62, picking up the fertilizer.

[0043] Granular fertilizer stored in fertilizer hoppers 60L, 60R is delivered in fixed amounts by delivery units 61 provided for each seedling planting row. The delivered fertilizer is guided by fertilization hoses 62 to fertilization guides 63 attached to center float 53 and side float 54. The fertilizer can then be dropped into fertilization furrows formed near the sides of the seedling planting rows by furrow-making bodies 64 provided in front of the fertilization guides 63.

[0044] The feeding unit 61 incorporates two rolls, a first feed roll and a second feed roll, that feed downward the fertilizer stored in the right-side fertilizer hopper 60R (or the left-side fertilizer hopper 60L). The first and second feed rolls 7 are rotating bodies with groove-like recesses formed on their outer peripheries, and are fitted to a common feed shaft provided in the left-right direction so as to rotate integrally with each other.

[0045] As the first and second feed rolls rotate, fertilizer dropped from the left fertilizer hopper 60L (or the right fertilizer hopper 60R) is collected in the recess and fed downward. The fertilizer fed by the first and second feed rolls is discharged from a discharge port at the bottom end. A connecting pipe (not shown) is connected to the discharge port of the feed unit 61, with its front end inserted into the back portion of the air duct 68 in the front-to-rear direction and its rear end communicating with the discharge port of the feed unit 61.

[0046] A fertilizer amount adjustment motor that rotates forward and backward at high speed is disposed below the center of the left fertilizer hopper 60L in the left-right direction. This fertilizer amount adjustment motor is disposed behind and to the right of the driver's seat 31 with some space between them.

[0047] In addition, by transmitting power from the fertilizer transmission output shaft provided in the rear wheel gear case 19 to a fertilizer transmission mechanism that rotates and drives the payout shaft, the driving force to the rear wheel 11 can be used to operate the fertilizer application device 60.

[0048] The fertilizer amount adjustment motor is provided with a rotatable ball screw, and a ball nut that threads into a spiral groove formed on the surface of the ball screw and moves at high speed in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body.The forward and backward movement of the ball nut changes the rotation speed of the delivery shaft, thereby adjusting the amount of fertilizer delivered.

[0049] A rotation sensor is provided on the motor stay to which the fertilizer amount adjustment motor is attached.

[0050] The rotation sensor detects the rotation speed and rotation angle of the fertilizer amount adjusting motor.

[0051] The rotation sensor sends the detected values ​​of the number of rotations and the rotation angle to the controller 25. The controller 25 calculates the number of rotations and the rotation angle of the ball screw from the detected values ​​of the number of rotations and the rotation angle, and calculates the amount of fertilizer to be applied.

[0052] Discharge ducts are arranged laterally at the rear lower parts of the left and right fertilizer hoppers 60L, 60R to move the fertilizer discharged from the discharge passages to the discharge ports on the sides of the machine. One end of the discharge duct is connected to a blower, and when the operation switch lever is set to the fertilizing side, conveying air is blown into the air duct 68, and when set to the discharge side, conveying air is blown into the discharge duct.

[0053] With this configuration, when the work selector lever is operated to the discharge side and the selector shutters for each row are opened, the fertilizer moves through each discharge passage to the discharge duct, and the air blown into the discharge duct carries the fertilizer to the discharge outlet and is discharged. A collection bag or bucket is placed over the discharge outlet, but if a fine mesh discharge hose is installed to prevent the fertilizer from scattering, the fertilizer will be prevented from scattering and the amount of fertilizer collected will increase.

[0054] Next, the control system of the riding rice transplanter 1 will be described.

[0055] The controller 25 is provided with a processing unit having a CPU etc., a memory unit such as ROM and RAM, and an input / output unit, which are connected to each other so that signals can be exchanged between them. The memory unit stores a computer program that controls the riding rice transplanter 1.

[0056] The controller 25 is connected to actuators such as motors, sensors that acquire information from various parts, and the like.

[0057] For example, the controller 25 is connected to actuators such as an electromagnetic solenoid that operates the front wheel differential lock mechanism and the rear wheel differential lock mechanism, a stepping motor that automatically operates the main shift lever, a fertilizer amount adjustment motor for adjusting the amount of fertilizer applied, a throttle motor that increases or decreases the rotation speed of the engine 20 by operating a throttle that adjusts the amount of air intake into the engine 20, and an electromagnetic lift valve that switches the supply and discharge of oil to the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 that raises and lowers the seedling planting section 4.

[0058] In addition, sensors connected to the controller 25 include a tilt sensor 37, a fertility sensor 15, a rotation sensor, a float sensor, a link sensor, a planting depth adjustment position sensor, and the like.

[0059] The rotation sensor detects the rotation speed and rotation angle of the fertilizer amount adjusting motor.

[0060] The float sensor detects the amount of rotation of the front part of the center float 53.

[0061] The link sensor detects the vertical operating position of the lifting link mechanism 3.

[0062] The planting depth adjustment position sensor detects the upper and lower setting positions of the center float 53 and the left and right side floats 54.

[0063] The inclination sensor 37 detects the longitudinal and lateral inclination of the traveling vehicle body 2 .

[0064] During rice planting, when the seedling planting section 4 is lowered and the float sensor detects that the center float 53 has touched the ground, the link sensor detects the vertical operating position of the lifting link mechanism 3, and the controller 25 calculates the height of the seedling planting section 4 from the tillage pan, i.e., the tillage pan depth. At that time, the tillage pan depth is corrected and calculated based on the vertical setting positions of the center float 53 and the left and right side floats 54 of the planting depth adjustment position sensor.

[0065] If the calculated tillage pan depth is within or deeper than a predetermined value, the controller 25 automatically adjusts the amount of fertilizer by operating the fertilizer amount adjustment motor based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) obtained by the fertility sensor 15.

[0066] In addition, if the calculated plow depth is shallower than a predetermined value, the fertilizer amount adjustment motor is activated to automatically adjust the amount of fertilizer to be applied so that the amount of fertilizer is a predetermined amount less than the amount based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) obtained by the fertility sensor 15.

[0067] The controller 25 operates the rolling electric motor to control the rolling of the seedling planting section 4 so that it is horizontal left and right, depending on the left and right inclination of the running vehicle body 2 detected by the inclination sensor 37, and detects that the vehicle has crossed the ridge A by detecting the front and rear inclination, as described below.

[0068] The riding rice transplanter 1 also includes a GNSS control device connected to the controller 25.

[0069] The GNSS control device can acquire position information or coordinate information of the riding rice transplanter 1 by using GNSS, and the position information acquired by the GNSS control device is transmitted to the controller 25. In order to acquire position information of the riding rice transplanter 1 by using GNSS in this way, the GNSS control device has a receiving antenna 81 that receives signals from artificial satellites used in GNSS.

[0070] Next, we will explain automatic control when rice planting work is carried out continuously across multiple fields F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 across ridges A1, A2, and A3, as shown in Figure 2.

[0071] First, the robot manually travels around the fields F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 to acquire field information about the fields F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 (teaching process).

[0072] The operator positions the riding rice transplanter 1 at the start position S in the field F1 and operates the automatic changeover dial 38 to the teaching mode.

[0073] Then, the controller 25 stores the position information of the start position S of the riding rice transplanter 1 acquired by the GNSS control device.

[0074] Then, when the riding rice transplanter 1 is moved forward along the first side of the teaching process (the upper side of fields F1, F2, and F3 in Figure 2), the GNSS control device sequentially acquires the position information of the riding rice transplanter 1, and the controller 25 stores the position information of the upper sides of fields F1, F2, and F3 and calculates the field shape (field position information).

[0075] At that time, when the riding rice transplanter 1 moves over the ridge A1 between fields F1 and F2 and the ridge A2 between fields F2 and F3, the inclination sensor 37 detects a large front-to-back inclination angle of the machine body equal to or greater than a predetermined angle (a front-to-back inclination in which the front rises by more than a predetermined angle and then falls downward).

[0076] The controller 25 then recognizes the locations detected as having a large longitudinal inclination of at least the predetermined angle as ridges A1 and A2, and registers them as ridge crossing points.

[0077] Next, when the riding rice transplanter 1 is moved forward along the second side of the teaching process (the left side of fields F3 and F4 in Figure 2), the GNSS control device sequentially acquires the position information of the riding rice transplanter 1, and the controller 25 stores the position information of the left side of fields F3 and F4 and calculates the field shape (field position information).

[0078] At that time, when the riding rice transplanter 1 moves over the ridge A3 between fields F3 and F4, the inclination sensor 37 detects a large front-to-back inclination angle of the machine body equal to or greater than a predetermined angle (a front-to-back inclination in which the front rises by more than a predetermined angle and then falls downward).

[0079] Then, the controller 25 recognizes the location detected as a large longitudinal inclination of the predetermined angle or more as the ridge A3 and registers it as a ridge crossing point.

[0080] Next, when the riding rice transplanter 1 is moved forward along the third side of the teaching process (the bottom side of fields F4, F5, and F6 in Figure 2), the GNSS control device sequentially acquires the position information of the riding rice transplanter 1, and the controller 25 stores the position information of the bottom side of fields F4, F5, and F6 and calculates the field shape (field position information).

[0081] At that time, when the riding rice transplanter 1 moves over the ridge A2 between fields F4 and F5 and the ridge A1 between fields F5 and F6, the inclination sensor 37 detects a large front-to-back inclination angle of the machine body equal to or greater than a predetermined angle (a front-to-back inclination in which the front rises by more than a predetermined angle and then falls downward).

[0082] The controller 25 then recognizes the location where the large longitudinal inclination of the predetermined angle or more is detected as the ridge A2, A1, and registers it as a ridge crossing point.

[0083] Therefore, the controller 25 connects the first ridge crossing point registered on the upper side (first side) of fields F1, F2, F3 with the second ridge crossing point registered on the lower side of fields F4, F5, F6, and registers this as ridge A1, and connects the second ridge crossing point registered on the upper side (first side) of fields F1, F2, F3 with the first ridge crossing point registered on the lower side of fields F4, F5, F6, and registers this as ridge A2.

[0084] Next, when the riding rice transplanter 1 is moved forward along the fourth side of the teaching process (the right side of fields F6 and F1 in Figure 2), the GNSS control device sequentially acquires the position information of the riding rice transplanter 1, and the controller 25 stores the position information of the right side of fields F6 and F1 and calculates the field shape (field position information).

[0085] At that time, when the riding rice transplanter 1 moves over the ridge A3 between the fields F6 and F1, the inclination sensor 37 detects a large front-to-back inclination angle of the machine body equal to or greater than a predetermined angle (a front-to-back inclination in which the front rises by more than a predetermined angle and then falls downward).

[0086] Then, the controller 25 recognizes the location detected as a large longitudinal inclination of the predetermined angle or more as the ridge A3 and registers it as a ridge crossing point.

[0087] Therefore, the controller 25 connects the first ridge crossing point registered on the left side (second side) of the fields F3 and F4 with the first ridge crossing point registered on the right side of the fields F6 and F1, and registers this as ridge A3.

[0088] Then, when the riding rice transplanter 1 reaches the start position S, the controller 25 calculates the field information for the fields F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6, and calculates and registers an autonomous driving route for autonomously traveling back and forth to perform rice planting work from the field shape (field position information) and the position information of the ridges A1, A2, and A3, and notifies the operator via the monitor and / or audio notification that it will switch to automatic mode for autonomously traveling to perform rice planting work (for example, since it corresponds to a case where it is OK to switch to automatic mode, the operator is notified, ``Please start the automatic round trip process'').

[0089] At the end of the third side of the teaching process (the bottom side of fields F3, F2, and F1 in Figure 3), the operator is notified by a monitor and / or voice message that "Please teach" as this corresponds to a case in which switching to automatic mode is not permitted.

[0090] Therefore, when the worker operates the automatic switch dial 38 to the automatic mode in which the vehicle travels autonomously to perform rice planting work, the controller 25 calculates the vehicle's position using the GNSS control device and moves the riding rice transplanter 1 along the calculated autonomous travel route to perform rice planting and fertilizing work.

[0091] When the riding rice transplanter 1 is moving along the autonomous driving route to perform rice planting and fertilizing work, if the controller 25 determines that the riding rice transplanter 1 is approaching ridges A1, A2, A3 based on the vehicle's position information calculated by the GNSS control device and the registered position information of ridges A1, A2, A3, it activates the stepping motor to automatically operate the main shift lever to the deceleration position to slow down the traveling speed, activates the electromagnetic solenoid to differentially lock the front wheel differential lock mechanism and the rear wheel differential lock mechanism, and if it determines that the vehicle has reached just before ridges A1, A2, A3, it activates the stepping motor to automatically operate the main shift lever to the neutral position to stop the vehicle, stops the operation of the seedling planting unit 4 and the fertilizer application device 60, switches the electromagnetic lifting valve to extend the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 to raise the seedling planting unit 4, and switches from automatic mode to manual mode.

[0092] Therefore, the worker manually climbs over the ridges A1, A2, and A3.

[0093] When the controller 25 recognizes that the ridge crossing has been completed by detecting the fore-and-aft tilt of the machine body by the tilt sensor 37, it switches the electromagnetic lift valve to retract the lift hydraulic cylinder 46, lowers the seedling planting unit 4 to the planting position and enters an automatic lift control state, starts driving the seedling planting unit 4 and the fertilizer application device 60, activates the electromagnetic solenoid to unlock the front wheel differential lock mechanism and the rear wheel differential lock mechanism, switches from manual mode to automatic mode, and continues to move the riding rice transplanter 1 along the autonomous driving path to perform rice planting and fertilizer application work.

[0094] If the vehicle speed after crossing the ridge is slower than the vehicle speed set before crossing the ridge, the controller 25 operates the stepping motor to automatically operate the main speed change lever to the speed increase position, gradually accelerating the vehicle to the set vehicle speed.

[0095] If ridge A3 is located on the second side of the teaching process, the controller 25 calculates the number of rows remaining up to ridge A3 and activates the ridge clutch in the process before planting rice along the edge of ridge A3, enabling planting in all rows along the edge. When planting in all rows along the edge of ridge A3, the vehicle travels parallel to ridge A3 to perform rice planting and fertilization work.

[0096] Also, as shown in Figure 3, in the case of only fields arranged in series such as fields F1, F2, and F3, the controller 25 does not recognize the ridges on the second side of the teaching process (the left side of field F3 in Figure 3) and does not register the ridge crossing point. Therefore, at the end of the third side of the teaching process (the bottom side of fields F3, F2, and F1 in Figure 3), the controller 25 calculates and registers an autonomous driving route for autonomously traveling back and forth to perform rice planting work from the field shape (field position information) and the position information of ridges A1 and A2 as a result of calculating the field information of fields F1, F2, and F3. In addition, since this corresponds to a case where it is OK to switch to automatic mode, the operator is notified via the monitor and / or audio notification that "Please start the automatic round trip process" and that the mode will be switched to automatic mode for autonomously traveling and performing rice planting work.

[0097] Therefore, when the worker operates the automatic switch dial 38 to the automatic mode in which the vehicle travels autonomously to perform rice planting work, the controller 25 calculates the vehicle's position using the GNSS control device and moves the riding rice transplanter 1 along the calculated autonomous travel route to perform rice planting and fertilizing work. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 2 Running vehicle 4 Seedling planting department 25 Control device (controller) 37 Inclination sensor A1~A3 ridge F1~F6 fields

Claims

1. The riding seedling planter has a seedling planting section (4) mounted on a traveling body (2) and is provided with a satellite positioning system, a control device (25), and an inclination sensor (37) that detects the fore-and-aft inclination of the machine body, characterized in that when the control device (25) acquires field information during a teaching process in which the machine travels along the inner periphery of a plurality of fields (F1 to F6) separated by ridges (A1 to A3) and calculates an autonomous traveling path for autonomously planting seedlings, the control device (25) recognizes a location where the inclination sensor (37) detects a fore-and-aft inclination that rises at the front by more than a predetermined angle and then falls at the front as a ridge (A1 to A3) and registers it as a ridge-crossing point, and registers a line connecting opposing ridge-crossing points as a ridge (A1 to A3).

2. The riding seedling planter according to claim 1, characterized in that if a ridge crossing point is not registered on the second side of the teaching process of a field (F1 to F6), it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process of the third side, and if a ridge crossing point is registered on the second side of the teaching process, it is not possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process of the third side but it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process of the fourth side, and a notification is given as to whether or not it is possible to switch to automatic mode at the end of the teaching process of the third side.

3. The riding seedling planter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when approaching a ridge (A1 to A3) while traveling along an autonomous travel path in automatic mode, the machine decelerates and activates the differential lock mechanism, stops just before the ridge (A1 to A3), raises the seedling planting unit (4), and switches from automatic mode to manual mode, and after crossing the ridge, lowers the seedling planting unit (4), starts driving the seedling planting unit (4), switches from manual mode to automatic mode, and releases the differential lock of the differential lock mechanism.

Images