Sprinkling unit

Abstract

To provide a spray unit capable of suppressing the occurrence of failure.SOLUTION: The spreading unit includes an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a spreading object to be spread, a spreading device configured to spread the spreading object, and a control unit, the accommodating portion includes an accommodating main body configured to accommodate the spreading object, a conveying portion configured to convey the spreading object accommodated in the accommodating main body, and a detecting portion configured to detect an amount of the spreading object accommodated in the accommodating main body, and the control unit is configured to control the conveying portion to stop the conveyance when the detecting portion detects that the amount of the spreading object accommodated in the accommodating main body is a minimum amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spraying unit for spraying a substance. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of a spraying unit is an antifreeze spraying vehicle described in Patent Document 1. The antifreeze spraying vehicle includes an antifreeze storage hopper that stores antifreeze, a tank that stores liquid, and a spraying device. In the antifreeze spraying vehicle, the liquid stored in the tank is transported by a pump and mixed with the antifreeze, and the mixture of liquid and antifreeze is sprayed by the spraying device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-161471 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The antifreeze sprayer vehicle described in Patent Document 1 does not have a means for detecting when the tank is empty, and even if the tank is empty, the pump continues to operate to transport liquid, which could cause the pump to run idly and break down. Note that this type of problem is not limited to antifreeze sprayer vehicles, but occurs in all devices that spray liquid-containing materials.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a spraying unit that can reduce the occurrence of malfunctions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The spraying unit of the present invention comprises a storage section capable of storing the spray material to be sprayed, a spraying device that sprays the spray material, and a control unit, wherein the storage section comprises a storage main body section that stores the spray material, a conveying section that conveys the spray material stored in the storage main body section, and a detection section that can detect the amount of the spray material stored in the storage main body section, and the control unit controls the conveying section to stop conveying when the detection section detects that the amount of the spray material stored in the storage main body section has reached a minimum.

[0007] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of breakdowns in the transport section due to empty transport.

[0008] In addition, the storage main body includes a tank that stores the first spray material, which is the liquid to be sprayed, the transporting unit includes a pump that operates to send the first spray material to the spraying device, the detection unit includes a liquid volume detection unit that detects the liquid volume of the first spray material contained in the tank, and the control unit can be configured to control the pump to stop operation when the liquid volume detection unit detects that the amount of the first spray material contained in the tank has reached a minimum.

[0009] With this configuration, the pump stops operating when the amount of first spray material contained in the tank reaches a minimum, thereby preventing the pump from breaking down due to empty transport.

[0010] In addition, the storage main body includes a tank that stores a first spray material, which is the liquid to be sprayed, and a hopper that stores a second spray material to be sprayed together with the first spray material, and the conveying unit includes a pump that operates to send the first spray material to the spraying device and a conveying device that conveys the second spray material stored in the hopper to the spraying device, and the spraying device can also be configured to include a mixing unit that mixes the first spray material and the second spray material.

[0011] With this configuration, the liquid first spray material can be mixed with the second spray material before spraying, making it possible to perform wet spraying.

[0012] The pump may also be configured to include a pump main body that sends the first spray material to the spraying device, and a valve that is arranged in the flow path of the first spray material between the storage main body and the spraying device, and to adjust the amount of the first spray material being conveyed by adjusting the output of the pump main body and the opening of the valve.

[0013] With this configuration, the conveying amount is adjusted by adjusting the output of the pump main body and the opening degree of the valve, so changes in the output of the pump main body can be suppressed compared to when the conveying amount is adjusted by adjusting only the output of the pump main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a spray unit that can suppress the occurrence of malfunctions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle equipped with a spraying unit according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle equipped with the spraying unit. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the spraying device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the spray main body. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the control of the spray unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of vehicle speed and application amount. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the control of the spray unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] A spraying unit 1 and a vehicle 2 equipped with the spraying unit 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. For convenience of explanation, the front-rear and up-down directions will be described based on the directions shown in Figure 1.

[0017] First, a vehicle 2 equipped with a spraying unit 1 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 2 includes a drivable vehicle body 21, a loading platform 22 provided on the vehicle body 21, and a snow removal unit 23 provided at the front end of the vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 of this embodiment is a wet salt spraying vehicle that sprays wet salt, which is sodium chloride soaked in water. The wet salt is sprayed on road surfaces to prevent them from freezing.

[0018] The vehicle body 21 comprises a drive source (not shown) that primarily supplies power to propel the vehicle 2, a box-shaped cabin 24 that forms the front end of the vehicle body 21, and a vehicle speed detection means that detects the speed at which the vehicle 2 is moving. The drive source is, for example, an engine that generates power, and propels the vehicle 2 by transmitting the power as rotational force to the tires. The power supplied by the drive source is used not only to propel the vehicle 2, but also to drive devices mounted on the vehicle 2, such as the spraying unit 1. The cabin 24 is a box-shaped body that houses equipment for operating the vehicle 2 and is configured so that the operator of the vehicle 2 can enter and drive the vehicle 2. Furthermore, the cabin 24 is provided with operating equipment for operating the spraying unit 1, which will be described later. The operating equipment can adjust the spray width of the product sprayed by the spraying unit 1, change the mixing ratio of the first and second products, etc.

[0019] The vehicle speed detection means is configured to detect the traveling speed of the vehicle 2. The vehicle speed detection means detects the traveling speed of the vehicle 2, for example, by detecting the rotation of tires or the rotation of parts that rotate together with the tires, such as gears or shafts. Specifically, the vehicle speed detection means is a device configured to emit a signal corresponding to the number of tire rotations, for example, outputting a pulse signal with a frequency corresponding to the number of tire rotations. The pulse signal output by the vehicle speed detection means is sent to a device provided in the cabin 24, and the device receiving the pulse signal displays the vehicle speed corresponding to the pulse signal to the operator of the vehicle 2. The pulse signal is also sent to a device mounted on the loading platform 22 and used to control the device. Note that the vehicle speed detection means is not limited to this configuration. For example, the vehicle speed detection means may be configured to grasp the position of the vehicle 2 using a GPS and detect the traveling speed of the vehicle 2 based on changes in position, or may be configured to detect the traveling speed using radar irradiated onto the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. Alternatively, the vehicle speed detection means for displaying the vehicle speed to the operator of the vehicle 2 and the vehicle speed detection means for controlling the mounted device may be separately provided.

[0020] The loading platform 22 is a plate-like body extending rearward from the cabin 24, and can have a device such as the spraying unit 1 mounted on its upper surface. The loading platform 22 is also provided with a power take-off device (not shown) for extracting power from the drive source. The power take-off device is, for example, a PTO shaft that extracts power as rotational force, and by connecting the mounted device, the power of the drive source can be supplied to the mounted device.

[0021] The snow removal unit 23 includes a plate-shaped snow removal body 25 that is curved so as to convex backward and is provided at the front end of the vehicle 2, and a snow removal drive unit 26 that is provided behind the snow removal body 25. The snow removal body 25 is a plate-shaped body configured to push snow located in front of the vehicle 2 as the vehicle 2 moves forward. The snow removal drive unit 26 is configured to move the snow removal body 25 up and down or rotate it about an axis in the up and down direction, thereby changing the angle of the snow removal body 25 relative to the front-to-rear direction. With this configuration, when snow removal is required, the snow removal body 25 is moved downward so that its lower end abuts or is close to the road surface, and the snow removal body 25 is tilted relative to the front-to-rear direction, allowing the pushed snow to flow along the snow removal body 25 toward the road shoulder. Note that the snow removal drive unit 26 in this embodiment is driven by power extracted from a drive source.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spraying unit 1 comprises a storage section 3 that stores the material to be sprayed, a spraying device 4 that sprays the material, and a control section 5 that controls the spraying unit 1. In this embodiment, the spraying unit 1 mixes and sprays a first material, which is a liquid, and a second material, which is a granular or powdery solid. Specifically, the first material is water, and the second material is sodium chloride. The mixing ratio of the first material and the second material is set so that the entire amount of sodium chloride as the second material does not dissolve completely in the water as the first material. Furthermore, the spraying unit 1 of this embodiment is mounted on the cargo bed section 22 of the vehicle 2 and operates by receiving power from the vehicle 2. The spraying unit 1 of this embodiment is powered by power extracted from the drive source of the vehicle 2 or power supplied from a battery installed in the vehicle 2.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the storage unit 3 includes a storage main body 31 that stores the scattering material, a conveying unit 32 that transports the scattering material stored in the storage main body 31, and a detection unit 33 that detects the amount of scattering material stored in the storage main body 31. The conveying unit 32 includes a conveying main body 34 that transports the scattering material, and a conveying adjustment unit 35 that is arranged along the transport path of the conveying main body 34 and adjusts the amount of scattering material transported from the storage unit 3. The storage unit 3 also includes a first storage unit 3A that stores the first scattering material and a second storage unit 3B that stores the second scattering material, and each of the first storage unit 3A and the second storage unit 3B includes the storage main body 31, the conveying unit 32, and the detection unit 33. The storage unit 3 stores and transports the first scattering material and the second scattering material separately to prevent them from mixing before reaching the spraying device 4.

[0024] The first storage section 3A includes a tank 61 as a storage main body section 31 that stores water, a pump 62 as a transport section 32 that transports water, and a liquid volume detection section 63 that detects the amount of water stored in the tank 61.

[0025] The tank 61 is made of resin and has a space inside that can store water. The tank 61 is also provided with a water supply section 611 (see FIG. 1) at the top for storing water. In this embodiment, a total of four tanks 61 are provided, two at one end and two at the other end in the vehicle width direction of the loading platform. The tanks 61 are also connected to each other via piping, and the stored water flows back and forth via the piping, so that the amount of water stored in each tank 61 is approximately equal.

[0026] Pump 62 includes a flow path 621 extending from tank 61 to spraying device 4, a pump main body 622 serving as transport main body 34 arranged midway along flow path 621, and a valve section 623 serving as transport adjustment section 35 arranged midway along flow path 621. Flow path 621 is a pipe extending from tank 61 to spraying device 4, and water can flow inside.

[0027] Pump main body 622 is driven by external power and sends water from tank 61 to spraying device 4. Pump main body 622 of this embodiment is configured to rotate using power supplied from the outside (for example, the battery of vehicle 2) and send water by this rotational motion. Pump main body 622 of this embodiment operates at a constant output when sending water and stops operating when not sending water.

[0028] The valve unit 623 is a valve element that can open and close the flow path 621, and is a solenoid valve in this embodiment. The valve unit 623 can open and close the flow path 621 between a state in which the flow path 621 is completely closed and a state in which the flow path 621 is completely open. In other words, the valve unit 623 can adjust the amount of water that flows from the tank 61 to the flow path 621 by adjusting the opening degree of the flow path 621.

[0029] The liquid level detection unit 63 is a water level gauge provided in the tank 61. The liquid level detection unit 63 can detect the water level of the water contained in the tank 61 and output the detection result to the control unit 5. The liquid level detection unit 63 of this embodiment can detect the water level in the tank 61 from a full state to an empty state, and is configured to detect the lowest water level when the tank 61 is empty. In other words, the liquid level detection unit 63 can detect when the tank 61 is empty. Note that when the tank 61 is empty, this does not only mean a state where there is no water in the tank 61, but also a state where a small amount of water remains, but the amount is so small that it cannot be pumped by the pump 62.

[0030] The second storage section 3B includes a hopper 71 as a storage main body section 31 that stores sodium chloride, a conveying device 72 as a conveying section 32 that conveys sodium chloride, and a remaining amount detection section (not shown) that detects the amount of sodium chloride stored in the hopper 71.

[0031] Hopper 71 is a box-shaped body capable of temporarily storing sodium chloride inside. Specifically, hopper 71 is a box-shaped body that is open at the top, and sodium chloride introduced from the top can be discharged from the bottom. Hopper 71 of this embodiment is provided with a lid (not shown) that can open and close the top opening. Hopper 71 of this embodiment is also capable of discharging sodium chloride stored inside to the outside via conveying device 72. Specifically, hopper 71 is formed with a discharge port 71a at the bottom for discharging sodium chloride. Discharge port 71a is a hole formed in the side surface of hopper 71. Hopper 71 is disposed between tanks 61 disposed at both ends in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] Conveying device 72 includes belt conveyor 721 as conveying main body 34 that conveys sodium chloride, and shutter 722 as conveying adjustment unit 35 that is arranged midway along the conveying path of sodium chloride conveyed by belt conveyor 721. Conveying device 72 extends from the inside of hopper 71 to spraying device 4, and is configured to be able to convey sodium chloride from inside hopper 71 to spraying device 4.

[0033] Belt conveyor 721 is provided at the lower end inside hopper 71, and has a belt that extends from inside hopper 71 through discharge outlet 71a to external spraying device 4, and is configured so that by driving the belt, the sodium chloride on the belt can be carried out to the outside of hopper 71. Belt conveyor 721 is driven by power supplied from vehicle 2 (power extracted from a power source or electricity supplied from a battery).

[0034] The shutter 722 includes a shutter body 724 that restricts the downstream movement of sodium chloride transported on the belt conveyor 721 in the transport direction, and a shutter driver 723 that drives the shutter body 724. In this embodiment, the shutter 722 is configured to open and close the discharge port 71a of the hopper 71. The shutter body 724 is plate-shaped with a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and contacts the transported sodium chloride to restrict downstream movement. The shutter driver 723 drives the shutter body 724 to move toward and away from the belt conveyor 721. When the transport path is fully closed, the shutter driver 723 can move the shutter body 724 to a position where the bottom end contacts the belt conveyor 721. When the transport path is fully opened, the shutter driver 723 can move the shutter body 724 to a position where the entire discharge port 71a is open. That is, the shutter 722 adjusts the amount of sodium chloride that flows to the outside from the hopper 71. In this embodiment, when the shutter main body 724 is in contact with the belt conveyor 721, the entire area of ​​the discharge port 71a is closed by the shutter main body 724.

[0035] The spraying device 4 comprises a chute 41 to which the material to be sprayed is supplied from the conveying section 32, and a spraying main body section 42 connected to the lower end of the chute 41 and which sprays the material supplied from the chute 41. The spraying device 4 is provided at the rear end of the vehicle 2 and mainly sprays the material to the rear of the vehicle 2. The spraying device 4 of this embodiment performs wet spraying, in which sodium chloride as the second material is mixed with water as the first material to be sprayed.

[0036] The chute 41 is cylindrical and extends vertically, and is configured so that the material introduced into the top moves downward by gravity and is discharged from the bottom. Specifically, the chute 41 is connected to both the pump 62 of the first storage section 3A and the conveying device 72 of the second storage section 3B, and is supplied with both water as the first material to be sprinkled and sodium chloride as the second material to be sprinkled. The supplied water and sodium chloride move downward within the chute 41 by gravity. The chute 41 also serves as a mixing section that mixes the supplied first and second materials to be sprinkled. In the chute 41 of this embodiment, the water and sodium chloride are mixed by the force of falling within the chute 41 and the force of being transported from the conveying section 32. In addition, when the first and second spray materials are mixed, it does not mean that they are mixed so that the ratio of the first and second spray materials is uniform, but rather that they are mixed to the extent that they can be sprayed together.In this embodiment, this means that the sodium chloride as the second spray material contains water as the first spray material throughout, and the sodium chloride is in a moist state.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the sprayer main body 42 receives power to drive and sprays the supplied material by mainly throwing it backward. Specifically, the sprayer main body 42 includes a shaft 43 that receives power to drive, a disk-shaped disk 44 connected to the shaft 43, a plurality of fixed blades 45 provided on the upper surface of the disk 44, movable blades 46 arranged to extend continuously from the radially outer tip of the fixed blades 45, and a cover (not shown) that covers the upper and front of the disk 44. The material to be sprayed supplied from the chute 41 is supplied to the upper surface of the disk 44 and rests on the disk 44.

[0038] The shaft 43 extends in the vertical direction and rotates about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction by power supplied from the vehicle 2 (power extracted from a power source or electricity supplied from a battery). The shaft 43 can be tilted from a state in which its extension is along the vertical direction so that the lower side is positioned forward or rearward relative to the vertical direction. When the shaft 43 is tilted relative to the vertical direction, the rotation axis is also tilted relative to the vertical direction.

[0039] The disk portion 44 is a plate-like body that is approximately circular in plan view. In this embodiment, the disk portion 44 is configured in a cone shape, with a radially central portion recessed downward and tilted upward as it extends radially outward. The disk portion 44 is fixed to the shaft portion 43 at its radially central portion and rotates coaxially with the shaft portion 43. In this embodiment, the disk portion 44 is fixed to the shaft portion 43 so that its radial direction extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the shaft portion 43. In addition, when the shaft portion 43 tilts in a direction intersecting the up-down direction, the disk portion 44 tilts together with the shaft portion 43. Specifically, when the shaft portion 43 is tilted in the vertical direction so that the lower side is positioned at the front, the disk portion 44 is tilted so that the front side is positioned at the bottom and the rear side is positioned at the top, and when the shaft portion 43 is tilted in the vertical direction so that the lower side is positioned at the rear, the disk portion 44 is tilted so that the front side is positioned at the top and the rear side is positioned at the bottom.

[0040] The fixed blades 45 are wall-like bodies extending upward from the upper surface of the disk portion 44, and divide the disk portion 44 in the circumferential direction, forming a plurality of regions in the disk portion 44. Specifically, the fixed blades 45 are arranged in four locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and divide the disk portion 44 into four regions. The fixed blades 45 are fixed to the disk portion 44 and rotate coaxially with the disk portion 44.

[0041] The movable blades 46 are wall-like bodies that extend continuously from the radially outer ends of the fixed blades 45, and are located on the outer edge of the disk portion 44. The movable blades 46 are configured to be able to change their angle with respect to the radial direction of the disk portion 44. Specifically, the movable blades 46 are rotatable around the radially outer ends of the fixed blades 45 as an axis so as to move along the upper surface of the disk portion 44, and the rotation changes the angle with respect to the radial direction of the disk portion 44. In this embodiment, the movable blades 46 are moved by an actuator (not shown) so as to change their angle with respect to the radial direction.

[0042] The cover portion is a cover that covers the upper and front of the disk portion 44. An opening is formed in the cover portion at a position corresponding to the rear of the disk portion 44, and the material to be scattered from the disk portion 44 to the rear through the opening. The cover portion of this embodiment is configured to adjust the opening degree of the opening. Specifically, the cover portion is equipped with an opening / closing member that can open and close the rear opening. The opening / closing member is driven, for example, by an actuator to open and close the rear opening. In this embodiment, the rear end portion of the disk portion 44 is exposed from the cover portion, and the disk portion 44 can be contacted by an operator, for example, without opening the cover or inserting a finger inside the cover. In this way, by exposing the disk portion 44, the material to be scattered from the disk portion 44 to the outside can be reliably scattered.

[0043] In the sprayer main body 42 configured as described above, as the disk portion 44 rotates, centrifugal force causes the material to be scattered on the disk portion 44 to fly outward radially. Specifically, the material to be scattered on the disk portion 44 moves circumferentially relative to the disk portion 44 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction, and also moves radially outward due to centrifugal force. The material to be scattered that moves circumferentially relative to the disk portion 44 comes into contact with the fixed blades 45 and the movable blades 46, restricting its movement in the circumferential direction. After coming into contact with the fixed blades 45 and the movable blades 46, it moves radially outward along the fixed blades 45 and the movable blades 46. Here, if the rotation speed of the disk portion 44 is fast, the centrifugal force applied to the material to be scattered increases, allowing the material to fly farther. If the rotation speed of the disk portion 44 is slow, the centrifugal force applied to the material to be scattered decreases, and the distance the material to fly decreases. Furthermore, if the angle of the movable blades 46 relative to the radial direction is large, the centrifugal force applied to the scattered material will be greater, allowing the scattered material to fly farther; if the angle of the movable blades 46 relative to the radial direction is small, the centrifugal force applied to the scattered material will be smaller, shortening the distance the scattered material will fly. Furthermore, if the disc portion 44 is tilted so that the rear side is positioned on the upper side, the scattered material will be thrown diagonally upward, allowing the scattered material to fly farther; if the disc portion 44 is tilted so that the rear side is positioned on the lower side, the scattered material will be thrown diagonally downward, shortening the distance the scattered material will fly. Furthermore, if the rear opening of the cover portion is wide, the angle at which the scattered material is scattered will be large, and if the rear opening of the cover portion is narrow, the angle at which the scattered material is scattered will be small.

[0044] The control unit 5 controls the spraying unit 1 based on information received from the vehicle main body 21 and information received from each part of the spraying unit 1. Specifically, the control unit 5 controls the storage unit 3 and the spraying device 4 to adjust the amount of sprayed material per unit time and the range over which the material is sprayed. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 controls the spraying unit 1 based on the travel speed of the vehicle 2 and the remaining amount of material stored in the storage main body 31.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 5 executes a vehicle speed acquisition step S11, a state determination step S12, a spray amount acquisition step S13, a spray control step S14, and a spray stop control step S15.

[0046] The vehicle speed acquisition step S11 is a step of acquiring the moving speed of the vehicle 2 detected by the vehicle speed detection means. In the vehicle speed acquisition step S11 of this embodiment, the vehicle speed is acquired based on the pulse signal transmitted from the vehicle speed detection means.

[0047] The state determination step S12 determines whether the vehicle 2 is in a running state (moving) or a stopped state (stopped) based on the vehicle speed acquired in the vehicle speed acquisition step S11. In the vehicle speed determination step of this embodiment, if the vehicle speed is 0 km / h, it is determined to be in a stopped state, and if the vehicle speed is faster than 0 km / h, it is determined to be in a running state. Note that this configuration is not limited to this, and it is also possible to determine a state in which the vehicle 2 is completely stopped or moving slowly, such as when the vehicle speed is less than 10 km / h, as a stopped state, and to determine a state in which the vehicle 2 is in a running state when the vehicle speed is greater than 10 km / h. If the state determination step S12 determines that the vehicle is in a running state (YES in the state determination step S12), the process proceeds to the spray amount acquisition step S13, and if the state determination step S12 determines that the vehicle is in a stopped state (NO in the state determination step S12), the process proceeds to the spray stop control step S15.

[0048] The spray amount acquisition process S13 is a process of acquiring the amount of sprayed material per unit time corresponding to the vehicle speed. In the spray amount acquisition process S13 of this embodiment, a predetermined amount of sprayed material per unit time corresponding to the vehicle speed is acquired.

[0049] Referring to Figure 6, the amount of sprayed material per unit time corresponding to the vehicle speed in this embodiment will be explained. The amount of sprayed material per unit time in this embodiment is set in three stages: a first vehicle speed range where the vehicle speed is determined to be in a traveling state and is less than the first reference speed S1; a second vehicle speed range where the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the first reference speed S1 and less than the second reference speed S2; and a third vehicle speed range where the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the second reference speed S2. Note that the second reference speed in this embodiment is the maximum speed expected in normal traveling, for example, the legal maximum speed corresponding to the vehicle 2.

[0050] In the first vehicle speed range, the amount of spraying per unit time is set to a constant value regardless of the vehicle speed. Specifically, when the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the first reference speed S1, the amount of spraying material per unit time is set to X1 kg / min. This amount of spraying per unit time is the minimum amount that can stably spray the material.

[0051] In the second vehicle speed range, the spray amount is determined according to the vehicle speed so that the spray amount per unit time increases as the vehicle speed increases. In this embodiment, in the second vehicle speed range, the spray amount is set so that the spray amount per unit time increases stepwise as the vehicle speed increases. Note that this configuration is not limited to this, and it may also be configured so that the spray amount increases in proportion to the vehicle speed, for example.

[0052] In the third vehicle speed range, the amount of spraying per unit time is set to a constant value regardless of the vehicle speed. Specifically, when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the second reference speed S2, the amount of spraying material per unit time is set to X2 kg / min. This amount of spraying per unit time is the maximum amount at which the material can be sprayed stably.

[0053] The spray control step S14 is a step of controlling the storage unit 3 so that the spray amount per unit time is the amount acquired in the spray amount acquisition step S13. Also, in the spray control step S14, the first storage unit 3A and the second storage unit 3B are controlled so that the ratio of the first spray material and the second spray material contained in the sprayed material per unit time is a predetermined ratio.

[0054] In controlling the first storage unit 3A, the pump 62 is driven to transport a predetermined amount of water, which is the first spray material, from the tank 61 to the spraying device 4. Specifically, in controlling the first storage unit 3A, the amount of water transported is adjusted by controlling the pump main unit 622 and the valve unit 623. For example, to increase the amount of water transported, the output of the pump main unit 622 is increased or the valve unit 623 is controlled to increase the opening degree of the flow path 621. To decrease the amount of water transported, the output of the pump main unit 622 is decreased or the valve unit 623 is controlled to decrease the opening degree of the flow path 621. For example, when the amount of water transported per unit time is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the output of the pump main unit 622 can be kept constant, and the amount of water transported can be adjusted only by adjusting the opening degree of the valve unit 623.

[0055] In the control of second storage section 3B, conveying device 72 is driven to convey a predetermined amount of the second material to be scattered, sodium chloride, from hopper 71 to spraying device 4. Specifically, in the control of second storage section 3B, belt conveyor 721 and shutter 722 are controlled to adjust the amount of sodium chloride to be conveyed. For example, to increase the amount of sodium chloride to be conveyed, control is made to increase the output of belt conveyor 721 or to increase the opening of shutter 722, and to decrease the amount of sodium chloride to be conveyed, control is made to decrease the output of belt conveyor 721 or to decrease the opening of shutter 722. For example, when the amount of sodium chloride to be conveyed per unit time is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the output of belt conveyor 721 can be kept constant, and the amount of sodium chloride to be conveyed can be adjusted only by adjusting the opening of shutter 722. In addition, when conveyance is stopped, shutter 722 can be completely closed while belt conveyor 721 continues to be driven.

[0056] In this way, the control unit 5 adjusts the speed at which the conveying unit 32 conveys the material to be spread according to the vehicle speed, thereby adjusting the amount of material to be spread per unit time. Specifically, the control unit 5 adjusts the conveying speed of the material to be spread by controlling both the output of the conveying main unit 34 and the adjustment of the opening by the conveying adjustment unit 35. Specifically, if the traveling speed becomes faster than the current traveling speed, the speed of the belt conveyor 721 is increased by increasing the output of the belt conveyor 721 before the traveling speed increased, thereby increasing the conveying speed, and the opening of the shutter 722 is made wider than before the traveling speed increased. In addition, the control unit 5 automatically controls the rotation speed of the pump main unit 622 to be faster than before the traveling speed increased, thereby increasing the conveying speed, and the opening of the valve unit 623 to be wider than before the traveling speed increased, thereby increasing the required amount of moist salt to be supplied. Furthermore, if the traveling speed becomes slower than the current traveling speed, the output of the belt conveyor 721 is reduced from that of the belt conveyor 721 before the traveling speed slowed down, slowing the conveying speed, and the opening of the shutter 722 is narrower than before the traveling speed slowed down. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the pump main body 622 is slowed down compared to before the traveling speed slowed down, slowing the conveying speed, and the opening of the valve unit 623 is narrower than before the traveling speed slowed down, automatically controlling to reduce the amount of moist salt supplied. In this way, even if the vehicle speed changes, unevenness in the amount of material sprayed per unit area can be suppressed.

[0057] The control unit 5 also controls the spraying main unit 42 according to the vehicle speed to adjust the flight distance of the sprayed material. Specifically, when the vehicle speed increases, the control unit 5 controls the spraying main unit 42 so that the flight distance of the sprayed material increases, and when the vehicle speed decreases, the control unit 5 controls the flight distance of the sprayed material decrease. The control unit 5 adjusts the flight distance of the sprayed material by controlling at least one of the rotation speed of the disk unit 44, the angle of the movable blades 46, and the inclination of the shaft unit 43. In this embodiment, if the traveling speed becomes faster than the current traveling speed, the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 is automatically controlled to be faster than the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 before the traveling speed increased, thereby ensuring that the spray amount per unit area remains constant even if the traveling speed increases. Furthermore, if the traveling speed becomes slower than the current traveling speed, the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 is automatically controlled to be slower than the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 before the traveling speed decreased, thereby ensuring that the spray amount per unit area remains constant even if the traveling speed decreases.

[0058] Furthermore, the control unit 5 controls the rear opening of the cover unit according to the vehicle speed, thereby adjusting the width of the scattering material. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 controls the scattering width so that the faster the vehicle speed, the wider the scattering width.

[0059] The spraying stop control step S15 is a step of stopping the transport of the material to be scattered from the storage section 3 and the spraying of the spraying device 4. Specifically, in the spraying stop control step S15, the drive of the transport main body section 34 is stopped, and the transport adjustment section 35 closes the path from the storage main body section 31 to the spraying device 4 so that the material to be scattered is not transported out of the storage main body section 31, thereby stopping the transport of the material to the spraying device 4 and stopping spraying. Also, in the spraying stop control step S15, the drive of the spraying main body section 42 is stopped, specifically, the rotation of the disk section 44 is stopped, thereby stopping the spraying of the material to be scattered.

[0060] When the spraying control step S14 or the spraying stop control step S15 is completed, the control unit 5 performs the vehicle speed acquisition step S11 again, and performs control according to the vehicle speed.

[0061] Next, control based on detection by the detection unit 33 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 controls the pump 62 based on the amount of water remaining in the tank 61 detected by the liquid amount detection unit 63. Specifically, the control unit 5 performs a remaining amount acquisition step S21, a remaining amount determination step S22, a pump stop step S23, a margin amount determination step S24, and a remaining amount notification step S25.

[0062] The remaining amount acquisition step S21 is a step of acquiring the amount of liquid of the first spraying material remaining in the tank 61 detected by the liquid amount detection unit 63. The control unit 5 performs subsequent determinations based on the acquired liquid amount.

[0063] The remaining amount determination process S22 is a process for determining whether or not there is a remaining amount of the first spraying material in the tank 61. In the empty determination process, if the amount of liquid acquired in the remaining amount acquisition process S21 is the minimum amount, it is determined that there is no remaining amount and the tank 61 is empty (NO in the remaining amount determination process S22), and if the amount of liquid acquired in the remaining amount acquisition process S21 is more than the minimum amount, it is determined that there is a remaining amount and the tank 61 is not empty (YES in the remaining amount determination process S22). In this embodiment, the liquid amount detection unit 63 detects that the tank 61 is at the minimum amount when it is empty. If it is determined that there is no remaining amount and the tank 61 is empty in the remaining amount determination process S22 (NO in the remaining amount determination process S22), the process proceeds to the pump stop process S23, and if it is determined that the tank 61 is not empty (YES in the remaining amount determination process S22), the process proceeds to the surplus amount determination process S24.

[0064] The pump stopping step S23 is a step of stopping the operation of the pump 62. Specifically, in the pump stopping step S23, the operation of the pump main body 622 is stopped, and the valve unit 623 closes the flow path 621. This step can prevent the pump 62 from emptying when the tank 61 is empty, and can prevent the occurrence of failures caused by vibrations or seizure of the pump 62 due to empty transportation.

[0065] The surplus amount determination process S24 is a process for determining whether there is a surplus in the remaining amount of the first spray product contained in the tank 61. In the surplus amount determination process S24, if the remaining amount contained in the tank 61 is equal to or greater than a predetermined surplus amount, it is determined that there is a surplus in the remaining amount of the first spray product contained in the tank 61 (YES in the surplus amount determination process S24), and if the remaining amount contained in the tank 61 is less than the predetermined surplus amount, it is determined that there is no surplus in the remaining amount of the first spray product contained in the tank 61 (NO in the surplus amount determination process S24). The surplus amount is determined, for example, based on the ratio to the capacity of the tank 61 or the amount required to continue spraying for a predetermined period of time.

[0066] The remaining amount notification process S25 is a process for notifying an operator or the like that there is no remaining amount of the first spray material stored in the tank 61 when there is no remaining amount (NO in the remaining amount determination process S24). In this embodiment, the operator driving the vehicle 2 inside the cabin 24 is notified that there is no remaining amount.

[0067] When the pump stopping step S23 or the remaining amount informing step S25 is completed, the control unit 5 performs the remaining amount obtaining step S21 again, and performs control according to the remaining amount.

[0068] In this embodiment, even if the operation of the pump 62 is stopped in the pump stop process S23, the transport of the second scattering material by the conveying device 72 and the spraying of the transported second scattering material by the spraying device 4 continue. In other words, in this embodiment, when the tank 61 becomes empty, dry spraying is performed in which only sodium chloride as the second scattering material is sprayed. Due to this configuration, the spraying of the second scattering material can be continued even if the remaining amount of the first scattering material has run out.

[0069] In addition to the above controls, the control unit 5 also performs the following controls based on operations on an operating device provided in the cabin 24.

[0070] When an operation is performed to increase the proportion of water, which is the first spray material, the control unit 5 automatically controls the pump main body 622 to increase the rotation speed, the conveying speed, and the valve unit 623 to increase the opening degree, thereby increasing the amount of water supplied.

[0071] In addition, when an operation is performed to reduce the proportion of water, which is the first spray material, the rotation speed of the pump main body 622 is slowed down to slow down the conveying speed, and the opening of the valve section 623 is narrowed to automatically control the amount of water supplied.

[0072] When an operation is performed to increase the proportion of sodium chloride, which is the second spray material, the control unit 5 automatically controls the conveying speed of the belt conveyor 721 to increase, the opening of the shutter 722 to increase the amount of sodium chloride supplied.

[0073] In addition, when an operation is performed to reduce the proportion of sodium chloride, which is the second scattering material, the conveying speed of the belt conveyor 721 is slowed down and the opening of the shutter 722 is narrowed, so that the amount of sodium chloride supplied is automatically reduced.

[0074] Furthermore, when an operation to increase the spray width of the sprayed material is performed, the control unit 5 increases the output of the belt conveyor 721 to increase the conveying speed and widen the opening of the shutter 722. It also automatically controls the pump body 622 to increase the rotation speed to increase the conveying speed and widen the opening of the valve unit 623 to increase the amount of moist salt required. It also increases the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 and controls the shaft unit 43 to tilt the disk unit 44 so that the rear side is positioned upward, and sharpens the inclination of the movable blades 46 relative to the radial direction, thereby increasing the flight distance of the sprayed material and enabling the sprayed material to be sprayed over a wide width.

[0075] Furthermore, when an operation to reduce the spray width of the sprayed material is performed, the control unit 5 reduces the output of the belt conveyor 721 to slow the conveying speed and narrow the opening of the shutter 722. It also automatically controls the pump main body 622 to slow the conveying speed and narrow the opening of the valve unit 623 to reduce the amount of moist salt required to be supplied. It also slows the rotation speed of the disk unit 44 and controls the shaft unit 43 to tilt the disk unit 44 so that the rear side is positioned downward, thereby easing the inclination of the movable blades 46 relative to the radial direction, thereby reducing the flight distance of the sprayed material and enabling the sprayed material to be sprayed over a narrow width.

[0076] According to the spraying unit 1 configured as above, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of breakdowns due to empty transport of the transport section 32.

[0077] In addition, the pump 62 stops operating when the amount of the first spray material contained in the tank 61 reaches a minimum, thereby preventing the pump 62 from breaking down due to empty transport.

[0078] Furthermore, the liquid first spray material can be mixed with the second spray material in the mixing section before spraying, making it possible to perform wet spraying.

[0079] In addition, since the conveying amount is adjusted by adjusting the output of the pump main body 622 and the opening degree of the valve section 623, changes in the output of the pump main body 622 can be suppressed compared to when the conveying amount is adjusted by adjusting only the output of the pump main body 622.

[0080] Furthermore, the control unit 5 will alert the operator when there is not enough of the first spray material remaining in the tank 61, making it easier for the operator to take action such as refilling the first spray material or adjusting the spray amount.

[0081] Furthermore, even when the operation of the pump 62 is stopped, the control unit 5 does not stop the operation of the conveying device 72 and continues to transport and spray the second spray material, so that the spraying of the second spray material can continue even when the first spray material runs out.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the vehicle 2 equipped with the spraying unit 1 configured as described above, the conveying section 32 stops when the vehicle 2 is stopped, thereby preventing a large amount of spray material from being sprayed in the same place and preventing the spray material from being wasted.

[0083] Furthermore, since the operation of the spraying main body 42 is stopped when the vehicle 2 is stopped, it is possible to prevent an accident caused by an operator coming into contact with the spraying main body 42 of a stopped vehicle 2. In the above embodiment, the operation of the disk 44, which is the drive part of the spraying main body 42, the drive for adjusting the tilt of the disk 44 by the shaft 43, and the drive of the movable blades 46 are stopped, thereby preventing an accident caused by an operator coming into contact with the spraying main body 42. In particular, since the operation of the parts exposed from the cover is stopped, it is possible to prevent an accident caused by an operator coming into contact with the exposed parts. Furthermore, since the operation of the rotating shaft 43 and disk 44 is stopped, it is possible to prevent an accident such as being caught in a rotating part. In this way, if the spraying main body 42 has a part that changes position or moves relative to the vehicle 2, the stopping of that part prevents contact. In the above embodiment, the part that changes position or moves relative to the vehicle 2 is the disk 44.

[0084] Furthermore, since the material is transported and scattered at a speed corresponding to the speed of travel of the vehicle 2, the material can be scattered efficiently according to the speed of travel of the vehicle 2. In the above embodiment, the amount scattered per unit time is increased when the vehicle speed is fast and decreased when the vehicle speed is slow, thereby preventing unevenness in the amount scattered due to differences in vehicle speed.

[0085] Furthermore, since the transport adjustment unit 35 is adjusted in accordance with the moving speed of the vehicle 2, the amount of transported objects transported by the transport main body 34 can be adjusted to an amount in accordance with the moving speed of the vehicle 2.

[0086] In addition, when the vehicle 2 is stopped, the transport adjustment unit 35 closes the path from the storage main body unit 31 to the spraying device 4, so that even when transport is stopped, the material to be sprayed can be prevented from flowing from the storage main body unit 31 to the spraying device 4 due to vibrations of the vehicle 2, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, the control unit 5 controls the spraying main body 42 according to the speed of the vehicle 2 and adjusts the flying distance of the sprayed material, so that the flying distance of the sprayed material can be appropriately adjusted according to the spray amount and vehicle speed.

[0088] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention using an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0089] For example, although the spraying unit 1 has been described as being provided on the vehicle 2, the configuration is not limited to this, and the spraying unit 1 may also be used as a standalone unit.

[0090] Furthermore, while the spraying unit 1 has been described as spraying a mixture of the first and second spray materials, it is not limited to this configuration and can be configured to spray only a single spray material, or to spray a mixture of three or more types of spray materials, or to spray multiple types of spray materials without mixing them. In a configuration that sprays only a single spray material, for example, the spraying unit 1 can be used for spraying water only. Furthermore, if the spraying unit 1 for water is installed on a vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 can be configured as a water truck.

[0091] Furthermore, although the spraying unit 1 has been described as spraying water and sodium chloride, it is not limited to this configuration and can be configured to spray other liquids, powders, or granular materials. For example, when the spraying unit 1 is used to prevent road surfaces from freezing, it can spray an antifreeze agent or thawing agent such as calcium chloride instead of sodium chloride. It can also be configured to spray materials other than antifreeze agents, such as anti-slip materials such as crushed stone or burnt sand.

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit 5 has been described as determining whether the vehicle 2 is in a moving or stopped state based on the vehicle speed, but is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the control unit 5 may be configured to determine whether the vehicle 2 is in a moving or stopped state based on the state of the parking brake or shift lever of the vehicle 2.

[0093] Furthermore, although the conveying means has been described as including a belt conveyor 721 as an example, it is not limited to this configuration, and various configurations capable of transporting the material to be scattered can be adopted, such as a configuration including a screw conveyor or a configuration that transports the material by air.

[0094] Furthermore, although the configuration in which the liquid volume detection unit 63 detects that the water in the tank 61 is empty has been described as an example, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a flow meter is provided to detect the amount of water flowing from the tank 61, the control unit 5 receives data regarding the flow rate, and if there is no or little flow rate even though the pump 62 is operating, it is determined that the tank 61 is empty.

[0095] Furthermore, although the control unit 5 has been described as stopping the operation of the pump 62 when the vehicle 2 is stopped or when the tank 61 is empty, the configuration may also be such that an operator can manually stop the pump 62 in other cases.

[0096] In addition, although the example has been described in which multiple tanks 61 are connected by pipes and water can flow through the pipes, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a configuration in which there is only one tank 61 is also possible. Even when multiple tanks 61 are provided, the tanks 61 may not be connected to each other by pipes. In such a configuration, for example, a detection unit 33 may be provided in all tanks 61, and control may be performed to stop the pump 62 when all tanks 61 are empty.

[0097] Furthermore, although an example of a configuration that notifies the user that there is little water remaining in the tank 61 has been described, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and it is also possible to configure the system so as not to perform the surplus amount determination process S24 or the remaining amount notification process S25.

[0098] Furthermore, although the case where the spraying main body 42 is controlled in accordance with the vehicle speed has been described, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the spraying main body 42 may also be controlled based on factors other than the vehicle speed. Even in such a case, the spraying main body 42 is controlled by the control unit 5.

[0099] Furthermore, although the mixing section has been described as being a chute 41, this configuration is not limited to this.For example, the spraying main body 42 can be configured as the mixing section, and the first and second sprayed materials can be mixed on the disc section 44.

[0100] Furthermore, the method of detecting the vehicle speed is not limited to the above example, and for example, the vehicle speed may be detected based on the degree of depression of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal.

[0101] Furthermore, although an example has been described in which the operating equipment for operating the spraying unit 1 is provided in the cabin 24, this is not limited to such a configuration and the equipment can also be provided on the side or rear of the vehicle 2.

[0102] Furthermore, while the spraying device 1 has been described with an example of a configuration in which the spraying material is sprayed by rotating the disk unit 44, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the spraying device 1 can also be configured to spray the material by blowing it with air. Even with this configuration, there is a risk of an operator coming into contact with the drive unit, i.e., the spraying main unit 42, which generates air while the vehicle 2 is stopped for maintenance or other purposes. However, since the operation of the spraying main unit 42 stops when the vehicle 2 is stopped, the occurrence of accidents due to contact can be reduced. Furthermore, even when transporting by air, exposed parts, such as the nozzle portion at the tip of the spraying main unit 42, that are not covered by a cover or the like, may operate for spraying. In such cases, stopping the operation of the exposed part when the vehicle 2 is stopped can reduce accidents caused by operator contact. In other words, in this example, the part of the spraying main unit 42 that changes position or moves relative to the vehicle 2 is the nozzle portion, and the operation of this part stops when the vehicle 2 is stopped. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1...spraying unit, 2...vehicle, 21...vehicle body, 22...cargo bed, 23...snow removal unit, 24...cabin, 25...snow removal body, 26...snow removal drive unit, 3...storage unit, 3A...first storage unit, 3B...second storage unit, 31...storage body, 32...transport unit, 33...detection unit, 34...transport body, 35...transport adjustment unit, 4...spraying device, 41...chute, 42...spraying body, 43...shaft part, 44...disk part, 45...fixed blade, 46...movable blade, 5...control part, 61...tank, 611...water supply part, 62...pump, 621...flow path, 622...pump main body part, 623...valve part, 63...liquid level detection part, 71...hopper, 71a...discharge port, 72...conveyor device, 721...belt conveyor, 722...shutter, 723...shutter drive part, 724...shutter main body

Claims

1. The device comprises a storage unit capable of storing a target material to be scattered, a scattering device for scattering the target material, and a control unit; The storage unit includes a storage main body unit that stores the scattering material, a transport unit that transports the scattering material stored in the storage main body unit, and a detection unit that can detect the amount of the scattering material stored in the storage main body unit, The control unit controls the conveying unit to stop conveying when the detection unit detects that the amount of the material to be scattered contained in the storage main body unit has reached a minimum.

2. The storage body includes a tank for storing a first spray material, which is a liquid to be sprayed; The conveying unit includes a pump that operates to send the first dispersion material to the dispersion device; The detection unit includes a liquid volume detection unit that detects the liquid volume of the first spray material contained in the tank, The spray unit described in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the pump to stop operation when the liquid level detection unit detects that the amount of the first spray material contained in the tank has reached a minimum.

3. The storage main body includes a tank for storing a first spray material, which is a liquid to be sprayed, and a hopper for storing a second spray material to be sprayed together with the first spray material, The conveying unit includes a pump that operates to send the first scattering material to the spraying device, and a conveying device that conveys the second scattering material contained in the hopper to the spraying device, The spraying unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spraying device is provided with a mixing section that mixes the first spray material and the second spray material.

4. The pump The device comprises a pump body that sends the first spray material to the spraying device, and a valve that is disposed in a flow path of the first spray material between the storage body and the spraying device; A spraying unit as described in claim 2, configured to adjust the amount of the first spray material being conveyed by adjusting the output of the pump main body and the opening degree of the valve section.

Images