Chemical applicator and work vehicle including the same

Abstract

To provide a chemical applicator capable of operating the rotation drive of each delivery roll by a simple constitution in a constitution having a plurality of delivery rolls.SOLUTION: The chemical applicator 100 includes a hopper 101 that stores a chemical, a feeding part 102 having a pair of feeding rolls 110 that feed the chemical in the hopper 101, a guide part 103 that guides the chemical fed by the feeding part 102, a diffusion part 104 that diffuses the chemical guided by the guide part 103, an electric actuator (electric motor 105) provided for each feeding roll 110 to rotationally drive the feeding roll 110, and a controller 106 that controls the electric actuator (electric motor 105).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chemical sprayer that is attached to the rear of a work vehicle, such as a rice transplanter, and a work vehicle equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a type of chemical sprayer that is attached to the rear of a rice transplanter and sprays chemicals such as herbicides onto the soil (surface of the rice field) while the rice transplanter is planting. This type of chemical sprayer includes a chemical hopper that stores the chemical, a delivery unit that delivers the chemical from the chemical hopper in predetermined amounts, and a spraying unit that sprays the chemical delivered by the delivery unit onto the soil (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a clutch mechanism is provided on both sides of the delivery unit to independently turn on and off the rotational drive of the left and right delivery rolls of the delivery unit. With this configuration, for example, by driving only one of the delivery rolls, it is possible to spray the medicine within a partial range of the entire spray range by the spraying unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-311829 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the chemical sprayer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the clutch mechanism is a claw clutch including a shaft sliding body, which is a moving body that engages with a claw portion formed on the payout roll side. This clutch mechanism is configured to be operated by an operating lever provided on the driving unit via an operating shaft, operating arm, operating wire, etc.

[0006] Such conventional chemical sprayers have the problem that the number of parts increases and the structure becomes complicated due to the clutch mechanism provided for the delivery section and the configuration for operating the clutch mechanism.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a drug sprayer having multiple payout rolls, which has a simple configuration and can operate the rotational drive of each payout roll. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The drug sprayer of the present invention comprises a hopper for storing drug, a dispensing section having a plurality of dispensing rolls for dispensing the drug from the hopper, a guide section for guiding the drug dispensed by the dispensing section, a diffusion section for diffusing the drug guided by the guide section, an electric actuator provided for each of the dispensing rolls for driving the dispensing rolls to rotate, and a control section for controlling the electric actuator.

[0009] Another aspect of the drug sprayer of the present invention is a drug sprayer in which the dispensing section has a pair of dispensing rolls as the plurality of dispensing rolls, and the pair of dispensing rolls are arranged so as to share a common axis of rotation and are arranged to rotate in opposite directions to each other.

[0010] Another aspect of the drug sprayer of the present invention is a drug sprayer in which the guide section has a chute provided for each of the delivery rolls, and each of the delivery rolls is configured to be able to selectively supply drug to one of the two chutes.

[0011] Another aspect of the drug sprayer of the present invention is that, in the drug sprayer, when the control unit drives the electric actuators to rotate the pair of pay-out rolls in the same direction, the control unit controls each of the electric actuators to drive the pair of pay-out rolls to rotate alternately.

[0012] Another aspect of the drug sprayer of the present invention is a drug sprayer that includes a case portion located below the hopper, the payout roll and the chute being located inside the case portion, and the electric actuator and the control unit being located outside the case portion.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a drug sprayer in which the control unit is configured to detect an abnormality in the dispensing unit based on a signal related to the drive of the electric actuator.

[0014] Another aspect of the drug sprayer of the present invention is a drug sprayer in which the diffusion section has diffusion blades that are arranged to rotate with the vertical direction as the rotation axis direction, and an electric actuator for driving the diffusion blades to rotate, and the electric actuator of the diffusion section is arranged so that at least a portion of it is positioned at the same height as the chute in the vertical direction.

[0015] A work vehicle according to the present invention is equipped with the chemical sprayer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, in a configuration having a plurality of payout rolls, the rotational drive of each payout roll can be controlled with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a left side view showing the configuration of a seedling planting device and its surroundings according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the lower structure of the planting device and the chemical sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]A rear view showing the layout configuration of a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a rear perspective view showing a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a left side cross-sectional view showing a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a rear cross-sectional view showing a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a diffuser blade and an electric motor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 1 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of a drug sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the layout configuration of a box-application agent sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a left side view showing a box-applied agent applicator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 1 is a left side cross-sectional view showing a box-applied agent applicator according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a motor unit of a box-application agent sprayer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a rear cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a payout roll and its surroundings according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 20. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a payout roll and its surroundings according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a payout roll and a metal plate according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a rear cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a comparative example to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention aims to simplify the structure of a drug sprayer by devising a configuration for driving multiple delivery rolls in a delivery unit that delivers drug. The following describes an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the following embodiments of the present invention, a rice transplanter will be used as an example of a work vehicle on which the chemical sprayer according to this embodiment is mounted. Examples of work vehicles on which the chemical sprayer can be mounted include various types of rice transplanters, such as riding rice transplanters that are driven and operated by an operator and walk-behind rice transplanters that are driven and operated by an operator pushing the rice transplanter by hand, as well as tractors, for example.

[0020] First, the configuration of a rice transplanter 1 according to this embodiment, which is an example of a work vehicle on which a chemical sprayer is mounted, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In the following description, the left side (left side in Figure 2) and the right side (right side in Figure 2) of the rice transplanter 1 as viewed from the front will be referred to as the left and right sides of the rice transplanter 1, respectively.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rice transplanter 1 of this embodiment is an 8-row planting riding rice transplanter that performs planting work while the operator rides on the vehicle, and is used to plant seedlings sequentially in a field.

[0022] The rice transplanter 1 comprises a traveling body 2 as a self-propelled traveling part, and a planting device 3 as a planting part provided behind the traveling body 2. The planting device 3 is connected to the rear of the traveling body 2 so that it can be raised and lowered via a lifting link mechanism 4 composed of multiple links. While traveling on the traveling body 2, the rice transplanter 1 plants seedlings in a paddy field 6 as a farm scene of a field 5 using the planting device 3.

[0023] The traveling machine body 2 has a machine body frame 7, left and right front wheels 8, and left and right rear wheels 9, and is configured to be able to travel using the front and rear wheels. The machine body frame 7 is configured in a framework shape using multiple frame members, and has a front frame section 11 that forms a horizontal frame portion, and a rear frame section 12 that forms a stepped section that is one step higher behind the front frame section 11. The left and right front wheels 8 are provided below the front frame section 11, and the left and right rear wheels 9 are provided below and behind the rear frame section 12. The machine body frame 7 is supported on the field 5 by the left and right front wheels 8 and the left and right rear wheels 9.

[0024] A horizontal floor 13 made of a vehicle body cover or the like is provided above the front frame 11 of the traveling body 2. A driver's unit 10 for driving and operating the traveling body 2 and the planting device 3 is provided on the floor 13. A driver's seat 15 is provided in the center of the left and right rear of the driver's unit 10.

[0025] An operating unit 16 is provided in front of the driver's unit 10 and is operated by an operator seated in a seat 15. The operating unit 16 is provided with a dashboard 18 on which a steering wheel 17 and other components are mounted, various operation pedals such as a travel speed change pedal 19 and a brake pedal, and various operation levers such as a main speed change lever, a planting clutch lever, and a lifting operation lever for raising and lowering the planting device 3.

[0026] An engine 20 serving as a drive source is provided in the center of the left and right sides of the front of the body frame 7. The engine 20 is covered by a hood 21. The engine 20 is mounted on the front of the front frame portion 11 via vibration-isolating rubber or the like. The engine 20 is, for example, a diesel engine. Note that a motor or the like may also be mounted as a drive source for the rice transplanter 1. Spare seedling trays 33 with multiple tiers (four tiers in the example shown in Figure 1) are provided at positions on the outside left and right of the hood 21 for placing replacement seedling mats.

[0027] A transmission 22, which has a power transmission mechanism including gears, brakes, etc. built into a transmission case, is provided behind the engine 20 on the underside of the traveling body 2. The power of the engine 20 is transmitted to the transmission 22 and used to drive the front wheels 8 and rear wheels 9.

[0028] Front axle cases (not shown) are attached to both the left and right sides of the transmission 22, and front wheels 8 are attached to front axles 26 that are rotatably supported on the front axle cases. A power transmission mechanism provided within the front axle cases transmits the rotational power of the transmission 22 to the front axles 26, thereby driving the front wheels 8 to rotate.

[0029] A rear axle case 28 is provided behind the transmission 22. The rear axle case 28 is connected to the transmission 22 via a connecting frame 29 that extends in the front-to-rear direction. The rear axle case 28 receives power from the transmission 22 via a transmission shaft 31 that extends from the rear of the transmission 22 and is arranged parallel to the connecting frame 29.

[0030] A rear wheel 9 is attached to a rear axle 32 that is rotatably supported by a rear axle case 28. A power transmission mechanism provided within the rear axle case 28 transmits the rotational power of the transmission 22 to the rear axle 32, thereby driving the rear wheel 9 to rotate.

[0031] A PTO transmission shaft mechanism 30 with a universal joint shaft extends rearward from the transmission case of the transmission 22. The PTO transmission shaft mechanism 30 transmits the power of the transmission 22 to the planting device 3.

[0032] The planting device 3 is supported on the rear side of the traveling body 2 and functions as a ground work unit that plants seedlings in the paddy field surface 6 of the farm field 5. The planting device 3 in this embodiment is configured for eight-row planting. The planting device 3 is connected to the rear of the traveling body 2 via a lifting link mechanism 4 (see Figure 1) to the machine frame 7 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0033] The lifting link mechanism 4 has a top link 41 extending forward and backward and a pair of left and right lower links 42. The front side of each link is rotatably connected to a vertical link frame 43 erected on the rear axle case 28 at the rear end of the traveling body 2, and the rear side of each link is rotatably connected to a hitch bracket 44 provided on the front side of the planting device 3.

[0034] A hydraulic lifting cylinder (not shown) is provided between the lifting link mechanism 4 and the connecting frame 29. The hydraulic lifting cylinder (not shown) constitutes a lifting device that, together with the lifting link mechanism 4, raises and lowers the planting device 3 relative to the traveling body 2. The extension and contraction of the lifting cylinder is controlled by the drive of a hydraulic pump driven by power output from the engine 20, based on the operation of a lifting operation lever, etc.

[0035] The planting device 3 comprises a planting frame 51 connected to the rear side of the lifting link mechanism 4, a planting transmission case 52, a seedling carrier 53 supported by the planting frame 51, and a seedling planting device 60 driven by power transmitted from the planting transmission case 52.

[0036] The planting frame 51 is made up of multiple frame members, such as multiple vertical and horizontal frames, and is configured in a roughly frame-like shape when viewed from the front. The planting frame 51 has a horizontal planting frame 55 attached to its lower part. The horizontal planting frame 55 is a linear frame member with a rectangular cylindrical outer shape with a roughly square cross section, and is installed horizontally so as to extend in the left-right direction. The horizontal planting frame 55 is located below the seedling carrier 53 and is installed across almost the entire planting device 3 in the left-right direction.

[0037] The planting transmission case 52 is located in the center of the left and right sides of the planting horizontal frame 55. Power transmitted from the engine 20 to the transmission 22 is transmitted to the planting transmission case 52 via the PTO transmission shaft mechanism 30 and a speed change mechanism (not shown).

[0038] The seedling carrier 53 is located above the planting transmission case 52, behind the planting frame 51, and is capable of reciprocating left and right. The seedling carrier 53 has a mounting surface on its front side (upper rear side) for receiving a seedling mat (not shown), and the mounting surface is sloped downward toward the rear. The planting device 3 according to this embodiment has an eight-row planting configuration and has eight seedling carrier sections 59 lined up left and right (see Figure 2).

[0039] The seedling carrier 53 is provided with a horizontal feed mechanism that moves the seedling carrier 53 back and forth continuously horizontally, and a vertical feed mechanism that transports the seedling mat on the seedling carrier 53 vertically when the seedling carrier 53 reaches the left or right end of its reciprocating movement. These horizontal feed mechanism and vertical feed mechanism are driven by power transmitted to the planting transmission case 52.

[0040] The seedling planting device 60 is a rotary-type planting device and includes a planting transmission case 61, two rotary cases 62 as planting rotors supported on both the left and right sides of the planting transmission case 61, and a planting claw device 70 provided for each rotary case 62. The planting device 3 has eight rotary cases 62 and is compatible with an eight-row planting configuration. A planting unit is made up of the rotary cases 62 and two planting claw devices 70 on both the left and right sides of the planting transmission case 61. Note that the planting units (rotary cases 62 and planting claw devices 70) are not shown in Figure 4.

[0041] The planting transmission case 61 has a cylindrical outer shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-to-rear direction, and its front end is fixed to the rear surface of the planting horizontal frame 55, extending horizontally from the rear side of the planting horizontal frame 55 toward the rear. A planting transmission case 61 is provided for every two rows, and there are four planting transmission cases 61 in the eight-row planting rice transplanter 1. The four planting transmission cases 61 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the left-to-right direction.

[0042] The planting transmission case 61 receives power from the planting transmission case 52 via a planting transmission shaft 65 whose axial direction is in the left-right direction. The planting transmission shaft 65 is rotatably supported relative to the planting transmission case 52, passing through the rear of the planting transmission case 52, at a position behind the planting horizontal frame 55. The planting transmission shaft 65 is installed between the front parts of the four planting transmission cases 61, and is rotatably supported relative to the planting transmission cases 61, passing through each planting transmission case 61, and extends in the left-right direction.

[0043] A pair of rotary cases 62 (for two rows) are provided on the left and right sides of the rear of the planting transmission case 61. The rotary cases 62 are rotatably attached to the planting transmission case 61 by a drive shaft 66 whose axial direction is in the left-right direction (see Figure 3). Two planting claw devices 70 are attached to the outside of the rotary case 62 on the left and right.

[0044] The planting claw device 70 is supported on both longitudinal ends of the rotary case 62 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 67 whose rotation axis is in the left-right direction (see Figure 3). The planting claw device 70 is configured to perform a predetermined planting operation in accordance with the rotation of the rotary case 62.

[0045] The planting claw device 70 has an arm 71, a planting claw 72 fixed to the arm 71, and a push-out member 73 movable relative to the arm 71. In its planting operation, the planting claw device 70 uses the planting claw 72 and the push-out member 73 to sequentially scrape off the seedling mat placed on the seedling carrier 53 one by one and plant the seedlings in the field. With one rotation of the rotary case 62, the two planting claw devices 70 cut one seedling at a time from the seedling mat placed on the seedling carrier 53 and plant them in the paddy field 6.

[0046] In the above configuration, the driving force input to the planting transmission case 52 is transmitted to the planting transmission shaft 65 by the power transmission mechanism inside the planting transmission case 52. The rotational driving force of the planting transmission shaft 65 is distributed to the four seedling planting devices 60 and transmitted to the drive shafts 66 of the rotary cases 62 on both the left and right sides of the planting transmission case 61 via multiple transmission shafts, gears, etc. provided inside the planting transmission case 61. The rotational drive of the drive shafts 66 causes the left and right rotary cases 62 to rotate, and the planting claw devices 70 perform continuous planting of seedlings.

[0047] The planting device 3 also includes multiple floats 80 for leveling the rice field surface, which are located below the planting transmission case 61 in a side view. The floats 80 are provided in a height-adjustable manner on the planting device 3 that plants seedlings in the field 5. The floats 80 are supported by float support arms 86 that extend rearward from a float support shaft 85 whose axial direction is in the left-right direction.

[0048] The rice transplanter 1 according to this embodiment has floats 80, which include a center float 81 located in the center in the left-right direction, inner side floats 82 provided on the left and right sides of the center float 81, and outer side floats 83 provided on the left and right outer sides of the inner side float 82. These floats 80 support various components of the planting device 3 on the paddy field surface 6.

[0049] The rice transplanter 1 having the above-described configuration is equipped with a chemical sprayer 100 and a box application agent sprayer 300. Hereinafter, the chemical sprayer 100 and the box application agent sprayer 300 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0050] [About the pesticide sprayer] The chemical sprayer 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the chemical sprayer 100 is attached to the rear of the rice transplanter 1 when in use. The chemical sprayer 100 is provided at a position behind the lower part of the seedling carrier 53. The chemical sprayer 100 is also positioned in the center of the seedling carrier 53 in the left-right direction (see Figure 5).

[0051] The chemical sprayer 100 sprays (applies) chemicals such as herbicides in the field 5 while the rice transplanter 1 is performing planting work. The chemicals sprayed by the chemical sprayer 100 are mainly granular materials formed into granules. In addition to chemicals, the chemical sprayer 100 can also be used to spray granular or powdery materials such as fertilizers and seeds.

[0052] As shown in Figures 6 to 10, the drug sprayer 100 comprises a hopper 101 for storing drug, a dispensing section 102 having a plurality of dispensing rolls 110 for dispensing the drug in the hopper 101, a guide section 103 for guiding the drug dispensed by the dispensing section 102, and a diffusion section 104 for diffusing the drug guided by the guide section 103.

[0053] The drug sprayer 100 is configured to have an electric motor 105 as an electric actuator as a drive source, and to drive the dispensing unit 102 by the electric motor 105. The drug sprayer 100 is equipped with the electric motor 105 for driving the dispensing roll 110 of the dispensing unit 102 to rotate, and a control device 106 as a control unit for controlling the electric motor 105. The electric motor 105 is provided for each of the multiple dispensing rolls 110 that the dispensing unit 102 has.

[0054] In this embodiment, the feeding section 102 has a pair of left and right feeding rolls 110 as the multiple feeding rolls 110. Therefore, the medicine sprayer 100 has two electric motors 105 provided for each feeding roll 110.

[0055] Hopper 101 is a container for storing medicine to be dispensed. Hopper 101 has a hopper body 112 that forms the container body, and a lid 113. Hopper body 112 has an upper portion that conforms to the outer shape of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction, and a lower portion that is funnel-shaped and narrows downward.

[0056] The hopper body 112 has an upper opening 112a that is completely open above the top of the container. The upper opening 112a has a generally rectangular opening shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction in a plan view. The hopper body 112 is oriented with the longitudinal direction of the upper opening 112a as the left-right direction. The hopper body 112 has left and right sloped portions 112b that form the funnel-shaped lower portion of the container. The left and right sloped portions 112b are inclined surfaces that slope downward from the left and right outer sides to the inside, respectively, giving the lower portion of the container of the hopper body 112 a tapered shape in a rear view.

[0057] The hopper body 112 has a lower opening 112c below the lower container section, which has a generally rectangular prism-shaped outer shape. The lower opening 112c is a portion formed to protrude downward from the center of the lower container section of the hopper body 112 in a plan view. The lower opening 112c has a passage section 112d inside the wall section that forms the outer shape of the lower opening 112c, which narrows slightly downward relative to the funnel-shaped lower container section. The passage section 112d opens to the hopper body 112 facing downward. A strainer 114 is detachably provided within the hopper body 112 at the lower end of the lower container section, directly above the passage section 112d.

[0058] Lid 113 fits over the top of hopper body 112, completely closing upper opening 112a. Lid 113 is attached to hopper body 112 by hinge 115 (see FIG. 7) provided on the front side of the upper edge of hopper 101 so as to be able to open and close.

[0059] With hopper 101 having lid 113 open, medicines are placed in hopper body 112. The medicines in hopper 101 fall downward by their own weight from bottom opening 112c of hopper body 112 and are guided to feeding section 102.

[0060] The feeding unit 102 is configured to feed a predetermined amount of the medicine stored in the hopper 101. The feeding unit 102 accommodates a pair of left and right feeding rolls 110 in a rotatable manner in a case 120 provided below the hopper 101.

[0061] The feed roll 110 has a main roll portion 110a, which is a substantially cylindrical portion, and a boss portion 110b, which is a cylindrical portion with a smaller diameter than the main roll portion 110a, and has an overall substantially rotating shape centered on a predetermined straight line along the left-right direction. A plurality of recesses 110c for receiving medicines are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the main roll portion 110a. In this embodiment, the recesses 110c are formed in 12 locations. The recesses 110c are formed so that the radially outer side of the main roll portion 110a is open, and the opposite side (the left-right inner side) of the boss portion 110b in the direction of the rotation axis C1 is open. The feed roll 110 is an integral member formed from a resin material.

[0062] The pair of left and right payout rolls 110 are arranged symmetrically, with the main roll portions 110a closely facing each other and sharing a common rotation axis C1, which is the rotation center line. A partition plate 116 is provided between the left and right payout rolls 110.

[0063] The partition plate 116 is an annular plate-shaped member having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the main roll portion 110a, and is interposed between the main roll portions 110a of the left and right delivery rolls 110, with the left-right direction being the plate thickness direction. The partition plate 116 is arranged to cover the entire area where the multiple recesses 110c of the left and right delivery rolls 110 are formed, as viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis C1 (see FIG. 7). The partition plate 116 separates the multiple recesses 110c of the left and right delivery rolls 110, preventing mixing of the medicines received in the recesses 110c of the left and right delivery rolls 110. The center position between the left and right delivery rolls 110 in the left-right direction is defined as the left-right center position of the medicine sprayer 100.

[0064] The payout roll 110 is supported so as not to rotate relative to a roll shaft 117 whose axis coincides with the rotation axis C1. The roll shaft 117 supports the payout roll 110 in a state where it is inserted into boss portions 110b from the left and right outer sides of the payout roll 110.

[0065] The case 120 has an upper case body 121 that forms the upper part of the case 120 and a lower case body 122 that forms the lower part of the case 120, and has a structure divided into upper and lower two parts by these case bodies.

[0066] The upper case body 121 forms an upper case portion of the case section 120 that is open at the top and bottom, and the upper open end is fitted into the lower opening 112c of the hopper 101 to form a space that communicates with the passage section 112d of the hopper 101. The upper open end of the upper case body 121 is fitted into the hopper main body 112 with the upper open end inserted into the lower opening 112c of the hopper 101. The upper case body 121 has a flange section 121a on the outside of the upper end that supports the lower opening 112c of the hopper 101 via a seal member.

[0067] The upper case body 121 is fixed to the hopper body 112 by left and right hopper locks 123, which are engaging members provided on the hopper body 112. The hopper lock 123 has a curved plate-shaped portion that is perpendicular or substantially V-shaped when viewed from behind. The hopper lock 123 is provided at the corners when viewed from behind by a support shaft 124 that is installed between a pair of front and rear plate-shaped ribs 112e provided on both the left and right sides of the lower end of the hopper body 112, so that the hopper lock 123 can rotate around the front-to-rear direction as the rotation axis. The hopper lock 123 has a substantially semi-cylindrical hook portion 123a at its lower end.

[0068] On both the left and right sides of the upper case body 121, there are provided locking shafts 125 that engage with the hook portions 123a of the hopper lock 123. The locking shafts 125 are installed between support plate portions provided at the front and rear of the left and right sides of the upper case body 121, with the front-to-rear direction being the axial direction. The hopper lock 123 has plate-shaped portions protruding from both the left and right sides as gripping portions, and is provided so as to be rotatable around the support shaft 124. By rotating the hopper lock 123, the hook portions 123a engage with the locking shafts 125, thereby fixing the hopper body 112 to the upper case body 121. On the other hand, by rotating the hopper lock 123, the engagement of the hook portions 123a with the locking shafts 125 is released, allowing the hopper body 112 to be removed from the upper case body 121.

[0069] A horizontal shutter 126 is provided between the upper case body 121 and the hopper main body 112 to open and close the communication portion between the hopper 101 and the case part 120. The shutter 126 is configured to be opened and closed by pushing and pulling a shutter lever 127, which protrudes rearward from the lower opening 112c of the hopper main body 112, in the forward and backward directions.

[0070] The lower case body 122 has a box-like (quadrature-like) outer shape and forms a lower case portion of the case section 120 that is open at the top and bottom, with the upper open end thereof fitting into the lower open end of the upper case body 121. The lower case body 122 is fitted into the upper case body 121 in such a manner that the upper open end is inserted into the lower open end of the upper case body 121.

[0071] The upper case body 121 and the lower case body 122 are secured together using a so-called snap lock 128, which is a metal fastener that does not require tools. The snap lock 128 is provided in the center of the front and rear sides of the upper case body 121 and the lower case body 122. The snap lock 128 secures a base metal fitting 128a to the lower case body 122, and a rectangular locking rod 128b that works in conjunction with a lever 128c is engaged with a hook portion 121b formed on the lower end of the upper case body 121, thereby securing the upper and lower case bodies to each other (see FIG. 10). Note that the structure for securing the case bodies together may also use fasteners such as bolts.

[0072] In the case part 120, the upper case body 121 and the lower case body 122 form a roll housing section where the left and right payout rolls 110 are rotatably housed via bearing members or the like at their mating portions. In the roll housing section, the payout roll 110 is arranged so that its upper half is located within the upper case body 121 and its lower half is located within the lower case body 122. The medicine that has dropped from the hopper 101 is filled in the space above the payout roll 110 in the upper case body 121 and in the multiple recesses 110c facing that space. In this way, the left and right payout rolls 110 are provided inside the case part 120.

[0073] The case 120 has cylindrical portions 120a, which are cylindrical portions with the rotation axis C1 as the central axis, protruding from both the left and right sides of the roll accommodating section. The left and right outer ends of the boss portion 110b of the payout roll 110 are positioned inside the left and right cylindrical portions 120a, respectively.

[0074] The upper half of cylindrical portion 120a of case portion 120 is formed by a part of upper case body 121, and the lower half of cylindrical portion 120a is formed by a part of lower case body 122. In other words, upper case body 121 has semi-cylindrical portions that form the upper half of cylindrical portion 120a protruding from both the left and right sides of its lower end, and lower case body 122 has semi-cylindrical portions that form the lower half of cylindrical portion 120a protruding from both the left and right sides of its upper end. Roll shaft 117 that supports payout roll 110 is disposed concentrically with cylindrical portion 120a and penetrates cylindrical portion 120a in the left-right direction.

[0075] Within the case portion 120, brushes 130 that act on the left and right payout rolls 110 are provided on both the front and rear sides of the upper portions of the left and right payout rolls 110. The brushes 130 are arranged on both the front and rear sides of the lower portion within the upper case body 121, and are provided in a fixed state relative to the upper case body 121. The front and rear brushes 130 are provided symmetrically in the front-to-rear direction with the position of the rotation axis C1 as the center.

[0076] The front and rear brushes 130 are provided at the front and rear of the upper part of the payout roll 110 so that their tips come into contact with the outer peripheral surface where the recesses 110c are open. The brushes 130 act to scrape away the medicine inside the recesses 110c as the payout roll 110 rotates. Each brush 130 is provided so as to act over the entire range of the main roll portion 110a of the left and right payout rolls 110 in the left-right direction. The brushes 130 are provided so that their relative positions with respect to the payout roll 110 can be adjusted by operating an adjustment knob 131 (see FIG. 6) provided on the outside of the lower case body 122.

[0077] The guide section 103 has a pair of front and rear chutes 140 provided for each payout roll 110. The pair of chutes 140 are configured symmetrically in the front-rear direction about the position of the rotation axis C1, and symmetrically in the left-right direction with respect to the center position of the medicine sprayer 100.

[0078] The chutes 140 form guide passages 141 that guide the medicine delivered from the delivery section 102 to a predetermined location in the diffusion section 104. In this embodiment, the pair of chutes 140 are formed as part of the lower case body 122. Therefore, the lower case body 122 has a front wall section 122a, a rear wall section 122b, and left and right side wall sections 122c, which are sections that form the box-like outer shape of the lower case body 122, and a chute forming section 150, which is a section inside these wall sections that forms the front and rear guide passages 141. With this configuration, the front and rear chutes 140 are provided inside the case section 120.

[0079] The chute forming section 150 forms the guide passage 141 with a plate-like or planar portion that follows the shape of the guide passage 141. The chute forming section 150 positions the lower halves of the left and right payout rolls 110 in the upper part of the lower case body 122, and forms an upstream passage section 151 that is a space on the upstream side of the front and rear guide passages 141 (see FIG. 10). The lower halves of the left and right payout rolls 110 are positioned in the front-rear intermediate section of the upstream passage section 151. The front and rear guide passages 141 are formed by branching out in two directions below the upstream passage section 151.

[0080] The guide passage 141 has a tapered shape such that the passage area gradually narrows from top to bottom. Specifically, the chute forming portion 150 has outer inclined surface portions 152, which are inclined surfaces on the front and rear outer sides, and inner inclined surface portions 153, which are inclined surfaces on the front and rear inner sides, as portions that form the tapered shape (tapered shape) of each of the front and rear guide passages 141. The chute forming portion 150 also has left and right side surface portions 154 that are provided over the entire area where the upstream passage portion 151 and the front and rear guide passages 141 are formed. The side surface portions 154 have a shape that follows the side cross-sectional shapes of the upstream passage portion 151 and the front and rear guide passages 141 (see FIG. 10).

[0081] The outer inclined surface portion 152 is an inclined surface portion that slopes from the front-rear outer side to the front-rear inner side from the top to the bottom, and is formed in a range that vertically covers substantially the entire lower case body 122. The inclination angle of the outer inclined surface portion 152 with respect to the vertical direction (vertical direction) is, for example, about 5 to 10 degrees.

[0082] The inner slope portion 153 has an upper inner slope portion 153a and a lower inner slope portion 153b, both of which are slope portions that slope from the front-rear inner side toward the front-rear outer side from the top to the bottom, and these slope portions form a curved shape (see FIG. 10). The upper inner slope portion 153a forms the upper part of the inner slope portion 153 and has a larger slope angle with respect to the vertical direction than the lower inner slope portion 153b. The slope angle of the upper inner slope portion 153a with respect to the vertical direction is, for example, approximately 40 to 50°. The lower inner slope portion 153b forms the lower majority of the inner slope portion 153 and has approximately the same slope angle with respect to the vertical direction as the outer slope portion 152.

[0083] The upper end of the inner inclined surface portion 153 is located near the lower end of the payout roll 110, and the lower end is located at the same height as the lower end of the outer inclined surface portion 152. A base end surface portion 155, which is a horizontal surface portion, is formed between the upper ends of the front and rear upper inner inclined surface portions 153a. The base end surface portion 155 is located directly below the lower end of the payout roll 110, and forms the front and rear inner root portions of the bifurcated shape of the front and rear chutes 140.

[0084] The chute forming portion 150 has the lower ends of the front and rear chutes 140 as discharge port portions 156 that form cylindrical openings. The discharge port portions 156 are continuous with the lower ends of the outer inclined surface portion 152, the inner inclined surface portion 153, and the left and right side surface portions 154, and form outlet passage portions 156a that are cylindrical passage portions that extend in the up-down direction. The discharge port portions 156 form the lower end openings of the guide passage 141, and the outlet passage portions 156a open the guide passage 141 downward.

[0085] The discharge port 156 forms a horizontal opening end surface 156b as the lower end surface of the chute forming portion 150 (see FIG. 10). The chute forming portion 150 has the discharge port 156 protruding downward from the lower ends of the front, rear, left, and right walls that form the outline of the lower case body 122. In the front-to-rear direction, the front discharge port 156 positions the front end of the main body roll portion 110a within the opening range of the outlet passage portion 156a, and the rear discharge port 156 positions the rear end of the main body roll portion 110a within the opening range of the outlet passage portion 156a.

[0086] The upstream passage portion 151 and guide passage 141 formed in the chute forming portion 150 are provided so as to position the entire main body roll portions 110a of the left and right payout rolls 110 therein in the left-right direction. In other words, the left and right main body roll portions 110a are provided in a state in which they are interposed between the left and right side portions 154 of the chute forming portion 150.

[0087] In a configuration having front and rear chutes 140 formed in a bifurcated shape by the chute forming portion 150 as described above, an inter-chute space 157 is formed between the front and rear chutes 140. In detail, the inter-chute space 157 is part of the space outside the front and rear chutes 140 inside the lower case body 122 surrounded by the front, rear, left and right wall portions (122a, 122b, 122c) of the lower case body 122, and is a space surrounded by the front and rear inner slope portions 153 and the base end surface portion 155 in a side cross-sectional view at the left-right center position (see FIG. 10).

[0088] In this embodiment, the front and rear chutes 140 are provided as parts formed by the chute forming portion 150 that is part of the lower case body 122, but are not limited to this configuration. The front and rear chutes 140 may also be parts formed by members separate from the lower case body 122 that are provided inside the lower case body 122.

[0089] The diffusion unit 104 has a diffusion blade 161 that is arranged to rotate with the vertical direction as the rotation axis direction, an electric motor 162 for driving a spinner that rotates the diffusion blade 161, and a spray cover 163 that covers the medicine sprayed by the diffusion blade 161. The electric motor 162 is an example of an electric actuator that the diffusion unit 104 has.

[0090] The electric motor 162 has a motor body 162a with a cylindrical outer shape, from which a motor shaft 162b, which is a drive shaft (output shaft), protrudes. The electric motor 162 has an axis center of the motor shaft 162b aligned with the central axis of the outer shape of the motor body 162a, and the motor shaft 162b protrudes downward from the motor body 162a. The electric motor 162 is provided with the axial direction of the motor shaft 162b aligned with the up-down direction, and is disposed so that the axis center is located at the position of the rotation axis C1 in the front-rear direction and at the left-right center position in the left-right direction.

[0091] The electric motor 162 is installed on a cover upper surface 171, which is a horizontal surface of the spray cover 163. The electric motor 162 is fixed to the cover upper surface 171 by fasteners such as bolts that pass through the cover upper surface 171.

[0092] The electric motor 162 is provided so that at least a portion thereof is positioned at the same height as the chute 140 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the electric motor 162 is provided so that almost the entirety thereof is positioned within the arrangement range of the chute 140 in the vertical direction. In particular, the electric motor 162 is provided so that the entire motor body 162a is positioned within the arrangement range of the chute 140 in the vertical direction.

[0093] 10 and 11, the electric motor 162 is disposed in the inter-chute space 157 between the bifurcated front and rear chutes 140 within the lower case body 122. The motor body 162a of the electric motor 162 has an outer diameter large enough to position the entire or substantially the entire motor body 162a within the range of the left and right main body roll sections 110a. Note that FIG. 11 is a plan cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 7.

[0094] The electric motor 162 has an upper end of a motor body 162a positioned below the base end surface 155 of the chute forming portion 150, at approximately the same height as the bent portion formed by the upper inner inclined surface 153a and the lower inner inclined surface 153b. The lower surface of the motor body 162a of the electric motor 162 serves as a mounting surface for the cover upper surface 171.

[0095] The diffusion vane 161 is a rotating body called a spinner or the like, and is attached to the motor shaft 162b via a connecting shaft 164. The axial direction of the connecting shaft 164 is the up-down direction, the connecting shaft 164 is connected to the motor shaft 162b at the top, extends downward from the motor shaft 162b, and rotates integrally with the motor shaft 162b.

[0096] The diffusion vane 161 has a disk-shaped base 165 and a plurality of blades 166 provided on the base 165. The base 165 and the blades 166 form an integral rotating body. The diffusion vane 161 is provided at a position below the discharge port 156.

[0097] The base 165 has a disk-like outer shape and is provided horizontally so that its plate surface is aligned along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the connecting shaft 164 (the axial direction of the motor shaft 162b). The base 165 is arranged concentrically with the connecting shaft 164 and is fixed to the connecting shaft 164 with the connecting shaft 164 passing through the center of the base 165.

[0098] The blade portion 166 is a portion for scattering the medicine as the diffusion blade 161 rotates. The blade portion 166 is a flat plate-like portion that stands perpendicular to the upper surface 165a of the base portion 165, and is provided so that the plate thickness direction is a tangent to the circumferential shape of the outer shape of the base portion 165 in a plan view. In other words, the blade portion 166 is provided so as to form a straight line along the radial direction of the base portion 165 in a plan view (as viewed in the axial direction of the connecting shaft 164).

[0099] Blade portion 166 is a wall-like protrusion that protrudes upward from upper surface 165a of base portion 165, and has a generally rectangular plate-like protrusion shape. Blade portion 166 is provided on base portion 165 within the outer shape of base portion 165 and on the outer side (outer periphery) of motor body 162a in plan view.

[0100] The base 165 has an outer diameter that positions the discharge outlets 156 of the front and rear chutes 140 within the range of its outer shape in a plan view. The blades 166 are provided in a range that includes the entire opening range of the outlet passage 156a of the guide passage 141 in the radial direction of the base 165. Therefore, the medicine that comes out from the outlet passage 156a falls within the range of the base 165. The blades 166 are provided so that the height position of the upper edge is lower than the height of the opening end face 156b of the discharge outlet 156 so as not to interfere with the discharge outlet 156.

[0101] In this embodiment, blades 166 are provided at three locations at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction around the axis of base 165. Blades 166 are provided by attaching an L-shaped metal fitting, which is a plate-like member having an L-shaped bent shape, to base 165. That is, one surface of the L-shaped metal fitting is fixed to upper surface 165a of base 165 by welding, bolting, or the like, and the other surface forms blades 166, which are portions that stand upright on upper surface 165a. Note that the shape, number, etc. of blades 166 are not limited to those in this embodiment.

[0102] The spraying cover 163 is a generally box-shaped cover portion that is open on both the left and right sides and the bottom, located below the case portion 120. The spraying cover 163 is configured symmetrically with respect to the center position of the chemical sprayer 100 in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. The spraying cover 163 is provided so as to extend on both the left and right sides of the case portion 120, and is configured so as to form a generally inverted "T" shape together with the case portion 120 in rear view (see Figure 5). The spraying cover 163 has dimensions that cover substantially the entire arrangement range of two adjacent seedling carriers 59 in the left-to-right direction, and is positioned behind the two central seedling carriers 59 of the eight seedling carriers 59.

[0103] As described above, the spray cover 163 has a cover upper surface portion 171 that forms the mounting and support surface portion for the electric motor 162, and a cover front surface portion 172 and a cover rear surface portion 173 that are provided on the front and rear sides, respectively, of the cover upper surface portion 171. The cover upper surface portion 171, the cover front surface portion 172, and the cover rear surface portion 173 are provided over an area that covers the entire or substantially the entire spray cover 163 in the left-right direction.

[0104] The cover top surface portion 171 has approximately the same dimensions as the lower case body 122 in the front-to-rear direction, completely covers the lower opening of the lower case body 122, and forms the bottom surface of the internal space of the lower case body 122, including the inter-chute space portion 157. The lower case body 122 is fixed to the cover top surface portion 171 with fixing screws 168 at a total of four locations, two locations at the front and two locations at the front and two locations at the left and right sides (see FIG. 11). The fixing screws 168 pass through fixing pieces 122e formed at the lower end of the lower case body 122 that protrude outward to the left and right, and are threaded into screw holes provided on the cover top surface portion 171 side.

[0105] The lower ends of the front and rear chutes 140 pass through the cover upper surface portion 171. More specifically, the discharge port portion 156 of the chute forming portion 150 passes through the cover upper surface portion 171, and the discharge port portion 156 protrudes downward from the cover upper surface portion 171. For this reason, a circular opening is formed in the cover upper surface portion 171, through which the discharge port portion 156 passes. In this way, substantially the entire front and rear chutes 140, excluding the discharge port portion 156, are located inside the case portion 120.

[0106] The spray cover 163 has a shape that widens downward in side view due to the cover front surface portion 172 and the cover rear surface portion 173. That is, the cover front surface portion 172 and the cover rear surface portion 173 are sloped surfaces that slope from the front-to-rear inner side to the front-to-rear outer side from the top to the bottom, and are provided as surfaces that are approximately symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction.

[0107] The cover upper surface portion 171 has curved shoulder surface portions 171a at both left and right end portions, and the shoulder surface portions 171a, together with the left and right edge portions of the cover front surface portion 172 and the cover rear surface portion 173, form rectangular recesses 174 that form left and right openings of the spray cover 163. The recesses 174 are formed in a notch shape by three sides: the edge portion of the cover upper surface portion 171 and the left and right edge portions of the cover front surface portion 172 and the cover rear surface portion 173. The underside of the spray cover 163 is completely open.

[0108] The scattering cover 163 covers the upper side and both the front and rear sides of the scattering blade 161. The scattering cover 163 positions the scattering blade 161 at an upper position in the left-right center of the internal space thereof.

[0109] Guide plates 175 and guide bodies 176 are provided on both the left and right sides of the diffusion blade 161 within the dispersion cover 163. The guide plates 175 are so-called baffle plates, and are arranged near both the left and right sides of the diffusion blade 161, and act to direct the direction of scattering within the dispersion cover 163 of the chemicals that are splashed by the rotating diffusion blade 161.

[0110] Guide bodies 176 are provided at positions on the left and right outer sides of guide plate 175. Guide body 176 forms a semi-passage-shaped guide passage that is open on both the left and right sides and the bottom, and acts to guide the chemical agent that has been blown by diffusion blade 161 and passed through guide plate 175 toward recess 174. Guide plate 175 and guide body 176 are each attached to spray cover 163 in a manner that allows their positions and angles to be adjusted. By adjusting the position and angle of guide plate 175 and guide body 176, the chemical agent spray range can be adjusted mainly in the left and right direction, for example, so that the chemical agent spray range covers the entire range of planting rows by rice transplanter 1.

[0111] A cover sheet 177 is attached to the front side of the spray cover 163. The cover sheet 177 is a rectangular plate-shaped sheet made of rubber, resin, or the like, and has dimensions in the left-right direction that cover the entire spray cover 163. The upper end of the cover sheet 177 is fixed to the cover front surface part 172 at multiple points with fasteners such as fixing bolts, and extends downward from the cover front surface part 172. The cover sheet 177 prevents the chemical agent from scattering forward from the spray cover 163.

[0112] The electric motors 105 are provided outside the case 120. The electric motors 105, which are the drive sources for the respective feed rolls 110, are arranged on the left and right outer sides of the feed rolls 110 that they are to rotate. The electric motors 105 are provided in the case 120 at positions near the left and right outer sides of the cylindrical portion 120a through which the roll shaft 117 passes. The electric motors 105 are located below the left and right inclined portions 112b of the hopper body 112 of the hopper 101.

[0113] The electric motor 105 has a configuration in which a motor body 182 is housed in a case 181. The electric motor 105 has a rotor in the motor body 182 that rotates around a predetermined rotation axis, and the rotation axis of the rotor is arranged to coincide with the rotation axis C1. The outer shape of the case 181 of the electric motor 105 has a substantially constant thickness in the left-right direction, and has a shape in which one side in the front-rear direction protrudes diagonally upward in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the side (when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis). The diagonally upward, substantially rectangular protruding portion of the electric motor 105 protrudes outward from the case portion 120 when viewed from the side.

[0114] The electric motor 105 is connected to one end (outside left and right sides) of the roll shaft 117 at the rotor of the motor main body 182. The outside left and right ends of the roll shaft 117 are connected to the rotor of the motor main body 182 via connecting members 183 by spline fitting or the like in a state of engagement that prevents relative rotation (see FIG. 9). As a result, the roll shaft 117 is driven to rotate by the driving of the electric motor 105.

[0115] A coil spring 184 is interposed between the connecting member 183 and the payout roll 110, which face each other (see FIG. 9). The coil spring 184 is provided with the roll shaft 117 passing through it. The left and right inner ends of the coil spring 184 are fitted into recesses formed in the left and right outer ends of the boss portion 110b of the payout roll 110, and the left and right outer ends are in contact with the connecting member 183. The coil spring 184 presses the connecting member 183 toward the motor main body 182 with its elastic force, thereby maintaining the engaged state of the connecting member 183 with the motor main body 182.

[0116] The electric motor 105 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor driven by three-phase AC power. The electric motor 105 is controlled by a control device 106. The electric motor 105 is connected to the control device 106 by a cable 185 extending from a motor body 182. The cable 185 is an aggregated cable including a power supply line, which is a wiring for supplying power to receive power from a battery (not shown), and a signal line, which is a wiring for transmitting and receiving signals such as control signals.

[0117] As shown in Figure 13, the left and right electric motors 105 are connected to a control device 106. An electric motor 162 that drives a diffusion vane 161 is also connected to the control device 106. A cable 169 that is a connection line to the control device 106 extends from the electric motor 162 (see Figure 9). In the following description, in order to distinguish between the left and right electric motors 105, the electric motor 105 arranged on the left side of the case part 120 will be referred to as a first electric motor 105A, and the electric motor 105 arranged on the right side of the case part 120 will be referred to as a second electric motor 105B.

[0118] In the drug sprayer 100, the first electric motor 105A and the second electric motor 105B are motors with a predetermined rotation direction as the forward rotation direction, and have the same configuration. Therefore, the first electric motor 105A and the second electric motor 105B are arranged facing opposite each other in the left-right direction, and when they are driven to rotate in the forward rotation direction, the left and right payout rolls 110 rotate in opposite directions. In this way, the pair of payout rolls 110 are arranged to rotate in opposite directions.

[0119] The control device 106 controls the electric motor 105, the electric motor 162, etc. based on input signals from an operation unit and various sensors provided in the rice transplanter 1. The control device 106 is configured by connecting, via a bus or the like, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as an arithmetic processing device that constitutes an arithmetic unit that executes various arithmetic processes and controls, a storage device that constitutes a storage unit such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), an input / output device (input / output circuit) that constitutes an input / output unit such as an input / output interface for data input / output, peripheral circuits such as a clock circuit, etc.

[0120] The control device 106 is configured as a box having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with various devices built into the housing, and is disposed near the left side of the first electric motor 105A. In this way, the control device 106 is configured as a control box and is provided outside the case portion 120.

[0121] The control device 106 has a display unit 106a that displays various information related to the chemical sprayer 100. The display unit 106a is provided in the upper right corner of the front surface 106b of the control device 106. The front surface 106b of the control device 106 also has operating units such as a power button and a dosage button for adjusting the amount of chemical sprayed from the delivery unit 102, as well as a warning lamp that lights up when an operational error occurs in the chemical sprayer 100. The control device 106 is installed with the front surface 106b facing the rear of the rice transplanter 1 body.

[0122] The control device 106 has an inverter function for controlling the left and right electric motors 105 and the electric motor 162. However, the inverters for controlling these motors may be provided separately from the control device 106. The control device 106 is connected to a main controller 190, which is the main control unit provided in the rice transplanter 1 (see FIG. 13). The main controller 190 is provided in a predetermined location in the rice transplanter 1, such as the machine frame 7.

[0123] The control device 106 and the main controller 190 are connected to each other by wire or wirelessly so as to transmit and receive signals between them. The main controller 190 has a configuration in which a CPU as a main processing unit, various functional units such as ROM and RAM as a storage unit, and input / output devices such as input / output interfaces are connected via a bus or the like. Various control programs are stored in the ROM, and data for sensors and actuators is stored in the RAM. The main controller 190 is configured to include, for example, multiple microcomputer units connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a controller area network (CAN). However, the configuration of the main controller 190 is not particularly limited.

[0124] The chemical sprayer 100 is configured to be operated by operating a predetermined operating tool related to chemical spraying provided in the driving unit 10. The predetermined operating tool of the driving unit 10 is connected to the main controller 190, and an operating signal generated by operating the operating tool is input to the main controller 190. The main controller 190 sends a control signal to the control device 106 based on the input operating signal. The control device 106 receives a control signal from the main controller 190 and controls the operation of the electric motor 105 and the electric motor 162 based on the control signal.

[0125] The chemical sprayer 100 is also configured to receive input of information relating to the vehicle speed of the rice transplanter 1 in the control device 106 and spray chemicals in conjunction with the vehicle speed. Specifically, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed, which is the traveling speed of the traveling machine body 2, is electrically connected to the input device of the main controller 190. The vehicle speed sensor detects the vehicle speed by detecting, for example, the rotational speed of a rotating body such as a shaft in a drive device related to the traveling of the machine body.

[0126] The main controller 190 then sends a control signal related to the vehicle speed to the control device 106 based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor. The control device 106 controls the operation of the electric motor 105 and the electric motor 162 based on the control signal related to the vehicle speed received from the main controller 190. For example, when the control device 106 detects that the vehicle speed has become extremely slow or zero, it performs control to stop the rotation of the left and right electric motors 105 and stop the spraying of agrochemicals. This makes it possible to stop the spraying of agrochemicals when the rice transplanter 1 has stopped or nearly stopped traveling due to some cause, such as wheel slippage or entry into a wetland, thereby reducing unnecessary spraying of agrochemicals.

[0127] The chemical sprayer 100 has a main frame 191, which is used to support the chemical sprayer 100 against the main body of the rice transplanter 1 and which serves as a frame that supports each component of the chemical sprayer 100. The main frame 191 is made up of straight frame members in the form of square steel pipes with a substantially square cross section, and is installed horizontally so as to extend in the left-right direction.

[0128] The main frame 191 is provided near the front of the spray cover 163 so that the upper surface 191a is positioned at approximately the same height as the cover upper surface 171 of the spray cover 163. The main frame 191 extends outward from the spray cover 163 on both the left and right sides in the left-right direction.

[0129] The left and right electric motors 105 are supported on the main frame 191 via support stays 192, which are bent plate-like members having a substantially L-shape. One surface of the support stay 192 forming the substantially L shape is a horizontal fixed surface 192a, and the other surface is a support surface 192b that rises vertically from the inside on the left and right sides relative to the fixed surface 192a. The support surface 192b forms a support wall with its thickness extending in the left-right direction.

[0130] The support stay 192 is fixed by welding or the like at the front of the fixing surface portion 192a to the upper surface portion 191a of the main frame 191, and is provided so as to extend rearward from the main frame 191. With respect to the support stay 192, the electric motor 105 is located on the left and right outer sides of the support surface portion 192b, and is fixed to the support surface portion 192b at multiple points with bolts 193.

[0131] The spray cover 163 is supported below the portions of the left and right support stays 192 that extend rearward from the main frame 191. The spray cover 163 is fixed to the support stays 192 at multiple locations with bolts 194 or the like, with the cover upper surface portion 171 overlapping the underside of the fixing surface portion 192a of the left and right support stays 192. The case portion 120, the hopper 101, etc. are provided on the spray cover 163 thus attached to the main frame 191 via the left and right support stays 192.

[0132] The control device 106 is fixedly supported on the main frame 191 via a support plate 196. The support plate 196 is erected on the upper surface 191a in a portion of the main frame 191 located to the left of the first electric motor 105A so as to form a support wall with its thickness direction in the front-to-rear direction. The control device 106 is located in front of the support plate 196 and is fixed to the support plate 196 with fasteners such as bolts. A connector 106c is provided on the rear surface of the control device 106, which is the surface on the front side of the machine body, to receive a cable connected to the control device 106 (see FIG. 4).

[0133] The chemical sprayer 100 having the above-described configuration is supported by sprayer support frames 200 provided on both the left and right sides of the planting device 3. The sprayer support frame 200 is a frame that is roughly L-shaped in side view, with a pipe-like portion bent into an L shape serving as the frame base 201, one end of which is fixedly supported by the planting transmission case 61, and the other end of which is fixedly supported by the main frame 191.

[0134] Of the four planting transmission cases 61, the left spreader support frame 200 is fixedly supported by the second planting transmission case 61 from the left, and the right spreader support frame 200 is fixedly supported by the second planting transmission case 61 from the right. In the left-right direction, the left spreader support frame 200 is located near the left end of the control device 106, and the right spreader support frame 200 is located near the right end of the spraying cover 163 (see Figure 5).

[0135] The frame base 201 has an L-shaped portion, which is a first frame portion 201a extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a second frame portion 201b extending upward from the rear end of the first frame portion 201a so as to form a right angle with the first frame portion 201a.

[0136] A mounting plate 202, which is a plate-shaped portion with its thickness in the left-right direction, is provided at the front of the first frame 201a as an attachment portion for the planting transmission case 61. The mounting plate 202 is provided so as to protrude downward from the first frame 201a. The sprayer support frame 200 is fixedly supported to the planting transmission case 61 by fixing the mounting plate 202 to the planting transmission case 61 at two locations, the front and the back, with bolts 203 and nuts 206 fixed to the mounting plate 202.

[0137] An engagement support plate 204 is provided on the upper part of the second frame portion 201b as a portion for receiving the attachment of the main frame 191. The engagement support plate 204 is a bent plate-like portion with its longitudinal direction in the up-down direction, and is provided on the rear side of the second frame portion 201b. The engagement support plate 204 has a fixing surface 204a with its plate thickness direction in the front-to-rear direction, and an engagement surface 204b which is a surface bent at a right angle from the right end of the fixing surface 204a toward the rear.

[0138] The fixing surface 204a is a portion that is fixed to the main frame 191 by bolts 205 or the like. The engagement surface 204b forms a recess 204c into which the main frame 191 is fitted. The recess 204c has a shape that corresponds to the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the main frame 191, and has an open rear side. In other words, the main frame 191 is engaged and supported by the engagement support plate 204 by fitting into the recess 204c, and is fastened and fixed by the bolts 205.

[0139] In the engagement support plate 204, holes 204d through which the bolts 205 pass and recesses 204c into which the main frame 191 is fitted are provided at a plurality of locations spaced at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the main frame 191 is attached to the engagement support plate 204 at four locations. The support height of the chemical sprayer 100 relative to the sprayer support frame 200 is adjusted by selecting one of these attachment locations.

[0140] As described above, the pesticide sprayer 100, which is supported by the left and right sprayer support frames 200 relative to the two central planting transmission cases 61, is positioned above the planting transmission case 61 in the vertical direction, and is positioned behind the rear end of the planting transmission case 61 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0141] The following describes the pesticide spraying operation of the pesticide sprayer 100 configured as described above. In this embodiment, for convenience, the right rotation direction (clockwise) of the first electric motor 105A located on the left side is defined as the forward rotation direction when viewed from the left side (see arrow A1 in Figure 10). Therefore, the forward rotation direction of the second electric motor 105B located on the right side is the right rotation direction when viewed from the right side. Furthermore, with regard to the rotation direction of the electric motor 162 for diffusing pesticide, in this embodiment, the electric motor 162 rotates in a direction that rotates the diffusion blade 161 in the left rotation direction (counterclockwise) when viewed from above (see arrow A2 in Figure 11). However, the rotation direction of the electric motor 162 may be reversed.

[0142] The left and right electric motors 105 rotate the left and right feed rolls 110, causing the medicine stored in the hopper 101 to be fed into the guide passages 141 of the front and rear chutes 140 via the upstream passage section 151. Here, the medicine located above the feed roll 110 in the upper case body 121 comes into contact with the upper end of the feed roll 110 and the outer peripheral surface in the vicinity thereof between the front and rear brushes 130, and is filled into the recess 110c.

[0143] As the feeding roll 110 rotates in this state, the brush 130 located on the rotational direction side removes excess medicine that does not fit into the recess 110c from the feeding roll 110, and only the medicine contained in the recess 110c moves with the rotation of the feeding roll 110, passing the brush 130 and falling from the recess 110c. As a result, the medicine is fed out in a predetermined amount depending on the volume of the recess 110c. Therefore, the amount of medicine fed out varies depending on the number and size of the recess 110c, etc. Note that the brush 130 located on the rotational direction side is the rear brush 130 for the left feeding roll 110 and the front brush 130 for the right feeding roll 110.

[0144] The medicine dropping from recess 110c is fed into guide passage 141 of chute 140 located below feed roll 110 on the upstream side in the rotation direction. Here, the medicine fed by the left feed roll 110 is mainly guided into the rear chute 140 (see arrow B1 in FIG. 14A), and the medicine fed by the right feed roll 110 is mainly guided into the front chute 140 (see arrow B2 in FIG. 14A). In other words, in terms of the front-to-rear arrangement, the medicine in recess 110c is fed into chute 140 on the side of brush 130, where the feed roll 110 is subjected to the scraping action of the medicine.

[0145] The medicine fed into the front and rear chutes 140 passes through each guide passage 141 and falls from the outlet passage portion 156a onto the diffusion blade 161. The medicine that falls from the front chute 140 onto the front portion of the diffusion blade 161 is diffused (bounced off) mainly to the left by the action of the blade portion 166, etc., and the medicine that falls from the rear chute 140 onto the rear portion of the diffusion blade 161 is diffused mainly to the right by the action of the blade portion 166, etc.

[0146] The chemical agent diffused by the diffusion blades 161 is guided by guide plates 175 and guide bodies 176 within the spray cover 163, and is released laterally from recesses 174 on the left and right sides of the spray cover 163, and also released downward from an opening on the lower side of the spray cover 163, and is sprayed onto the field. The chemical agent is sprayed over an area corresponding to the number of planting rows in the width direction of the rice transplanter 1 body.

[0147] In addition, the operational mode of chemical spraying by the chemical sprayer 100 is one in which only one of the left and right electric motors 105 is driven to spray on only the left or right side. That is, when only the left first electric motor 105A is driven, only the left payout roll 110 is driven, and the chemical is guided by the rear chute 140 onto the rear part of the diffusion blade 161 (see arrow B3 in Figure 14B) and sprayed to the right. On the other hand, when only the right second electric motor 105B is driven, only the right payout roll 110 is driven, and the chemical is guided by the front chute 140 onto the front part of the diffusion blade 161 (see arrow B4 in Figure 14C) and sprayed to the left.

[0148] The left and right electric motors 105 are configured to be able to rotate in either a forward or reverse direction. That is, in the drive control of each electric motor 105 by the control device 106, when an output for forward motor rotation is input to the electric motor 105, the electric motor 105 rotates in the forward direction, and when an output for reverse motor rotation is input to the electric motor 105, the electric motor 105 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0149] In this configuration, the operational mode of the chemical sprayer 100 for spraying chemicals includes a mode in which one electric motor 105 is driven in a forward direction and the other electric motor 105 is driven in a reverse direction, causing the left and right delivery rolls 110 to rotate in the same direction and spraying only on one side. In this operational mode, compared to when the left and right delivery rolls 110 are rotated in opposite directions and a predetermined first delivery amount ΔM1 of chemicals is delivered to each of the front and rear chutes 140 (FIG. 15A, arrows B1 and B2), a second delivery amount ΔM2, which is greater than the first delivery amount ΔM1, is delivered to only one of the chutes 140. The second delivery amount ΔM2 is the combined amount of chemicals delivered to the front and rear chutes 140 when the left and right delivery rolls 110 rotate in opposite directions, i.e., approximately twice the first delivery amount ΔM1.

[0150] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 15B, when the first electric motor 105A on the left side is driven in forward rotation and the second electric motor 105B on the right side is driven in reverse rotation, the left and right delivery rolls 110 rotate in the clockwise direction as viewed from the left side (see arrow R1), and the second delivery amount ΔM2 of the medicine is guided by the rear chute 140 onto the rear part of the diffusion blade 161 (see arrow B5) and sprayed to the right. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 15C, when the first electric motor 105A on the left side is driven in reverse rotation and the second electric motor 105B on the right side is driven in forward rotation, the left and right delivery rolls 110 rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the left side (see arrow R2), and the second delivery amount ΔM2 of the medicine is guided by the rear chute 140 onto the front part of the diffusion blade 161 (see arrow B6) and sprayed to the left.

[0151] 14 and 15, the amount of chemical agent delivered is indicated by the thickness of the lines of the arrows B1 to B6 relating to the chemical agent delivered by the delivery roll 110. Also, Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 are left side cross-sectional views, and the left side in each figure corresponds to the front of the body of the rice transplanter 1.

[0152] As described above, in the chemical sprayer 100, by controlling the drive of the left and right electric motors 105, each of the feed rolls 110 is configured to be able to selectively supply chemicals to one of the two chutes 140. The left feed roll 110 supplies chemicals to the rear chute 140 by rotating forward, and supplies chemicals to the front chute 140 by rotating backward. The right feed roll 110 supplies chemicals to the front chute 140 by rotating forward, and supplies chemicals to the rear chute 140 by rotating backward.

[0153] The operational patterns of the medicine sprayer 100 include the following first to third operational patterns. Specifically, the first operational pattern is a pattern in which the left and right delivery rolls 110 are rotated in opposite directions to supply medicine to the front and rear chutes 140 (see FIGS. 14A and 15A). The second operational pattern is a pattern in which only one of the left and right delivery rolls 110 is driven to supply medicine to only one of the front and rear chutes 140 (see FIGS. 14B and 14C). The third operational pattern is a pattern in which the left and right delivery rolls 110 are rotated in the same direction to supply medicine to one of the front and rear chutes 140 in an amount similar to the amount of medicine delivered to both chutes 140 in the first operational pattern (see FIGS. 15B and 15C).

[0154] The spraying of agrochemicals by the second and third operation patterns is known as row-stop spraying, in which agrochemicals are sprayed on four rows on each side of eight rows of planting work. Row-stop spraying is used, for example, in row-stop planting work, in which the drive of some (e.g., four rows on each side) of the seedling planting devices 60 is stopped when planting in a field. Note that for the second and third operation patterns, the destination chute 140 to which the agrochemicals are supplied, i.e., the spraying direction (left and right), changes depending on whether the direction of rotation of the feed roll 110 is forward or reverse.

[0155] Furthermore, as an operating mode of the drug sprayer 100, when the control device 106 drives the left and right electric motors 105 to rotate the pair of feed rolls 110 in the same direction, it controls each electric motor 105 to alternately drive and rotate the pair of feed rolls 110. That is, in the third operating pattern described above (see Figures 15B and 15C), the drive control of the left and right electric motors 105 causes the left and right feed rolls 110 to alternately drive and rotate.

[0156] Specifically, in the third operation pattern, the control device 106 intermittently drives the left and right electric motors 105 to rotate, for example, the left and right payout rolls 110 alternately every predetermined time Δt. In this case, the drive control of the left and right electric motors 105 is performed by alternately repeating the driving state and the stopped state of the left and right electric motors 105 so that the driving state and the stopped state alternate between the motors every predetermined time Δt. The predetermined time Δt is measured by a timer function of the control device 106.

[0157] Furthermore, when controlling the left and right payout rolls 110 to rotate alternately, the rotation amount of each electric motor 105 may be used. In this case, the control device 106, for example, intermittently drives the left and right electric motors 105 to rotate the left and right payout rolls 110 alternately by a predetermined rotation amount ΔR based on the rotation amount of each electric motor 105. Then, as the drive control of the left and right electric motors 105, drive control is performed to alternately repeat the drive state and the stop state of the left and right electric motors 105 so that the drive state and the stop state alternate between the motors every predetermined rotation amount ΔR. The predetermined rotation amount ΔR is measured by a rotation amount detection function of the control device 106 or based on the detection value of a separately provided sensor.

[0158] As described above, according to the operation mode in which the left and right feed rolls 110 are alternately driven to rotate when the left and right feed rolls 110 are rotated in the same direction, the amount of medicine delivered by the rotation of one feed roll 110 is continuously sprayed to either the left or right side. Note that this operation mode corresponds to an operation in which the second operation pattern is alternately performed by the left and right feed rolls 110 while the rotation directions of the left and right feed rolls 110 are the same. Furthermore, the control mode of the left and right electric motors 105 for alternately driving the left and right feed rolls 110 to rotate may be, for example, a control content in which, when switching the feed roll 110 to be driven to rotate, an operation is interposed in which both feed rolls 110 are simultaneously driven to rotate for a certain period of time.

[0159] The above-described various operational modes of the chemical sprayer 100 are selected and switched by operating a predetermined operating tool provided in the driving unit 10 or by operating an operating unit provided in the control device 106, for example.

[0160] The control device 106 is also configured to detect an abnormality in the feeding unit 102 based on a signal related to the drive of the electric motor 105. An example of an abnormality in the feeding unit 102 is a malfunction (e.g., a stopped state) in the rotational operation of the feeding roll 110 due to clogging of the medicine, etc. The signal related to the drive of the electric motor 105 may be, for example, a drive voltage of the electric motor 105, a pulse signal of the electric motor 105, or the torque (drive torque) of the electric motor 105, as appropriate.

[0161] The drive voltage of the electric motor 105 is measured, for example, by the function of a voltmeter included in the control device 106, or based on the detected value of a voltage sensor separately provided for each electric motor 105. If a malfunction occurs in the rotation operation of the payout roll 110, the malfunction will appear as a change in the drive voltage of the electric motor 105 compared to normal (for example, an increase in voltage, etc.). Therefore, by using feedback control or the like based on the drive voltage of the electric motor 105, an abnormality in the payout unit 102 is detected, for example, when the voltage value reaches a certain level or higher.

[0162] The pulse signal of the electric motor 105 is measured, for example, by a pulse signal detection function of the control device 106 or based on the detection value of a sensor separately provided for each electric motor 105. The sensor that detects the pulse signal is, for example, a proximity sensor (magnetic sensor) that detects the presence or absence of metal, and detects the pulse signal of the electric motor 105 by detecting a protrusion provided on a rotating body such as a rotating shaft that is linked to the rotation of the electric motor 105. If a malfunction occurs in the rotation operation of the payout roll 110, the pulse signal of the electric motor 105 will appear as a change in the pulse signal compared to the normal state (for example, a decrease in pulse frequency). Therefore, an abnormality in the payout unit 102 is detected by feedback control based on the pulse signal of the electric motor 105, for example, when the pulse frequency is below a certain level. Note that the control device 106 may be configured to measure the rotation speed of the electric motor 105 based on the pulse signal of the electric motor 105 and detect an abnormality in the payout unit 102 based on the rotation speed.

[0163] The torque of the electric motor 105 is measured, for example, by a torque calculation function based on the output current or the like of the control device 106 for the electric motor 105, or based on the detected value of a torque sensor separately provided for each electric motor 105. If a malfunction occurs in the rotation operation of the payout roll 110, the torque of the electric motor 105 increases compared to normal. Therefore, by using feedback control or the like based on the torque of the electric motor 105, an abnormality in the payout unit 102 is detected, for example, when the torque reaches a certain level or more.

[0164] When the control device 106 detects an abnormality in the delivery unit 102, it notifies the operator. In addition to notifying the operator, the operation of the medicine dispenser 100, i.e., the driving of the electric motor 105 and the driving of the electric motor 162, may be stopped.

[0165] As shown in Figure 13, the medicine dispenser 100 has a buzzer 107 that generates an alarm sound, which is electrically connected to the output device (output circuit) of the control device 106. The control device 106 also has a display unit 106a as described above. The control device 106 controls the display content of the display unit 106a and the operation of the buzzer 107 based on the control signal it generates.

[0166] The buzzer 107 is attached to a horizontal frame 198 that is installed between support surface portions 192b of left and right support stays 192 that support the left and right electric motors 105 relative to the main frame 191. The horizontal frame 198 is a plate-shaped frame portion that extends in the left-right direction with its thickness direction in the front-to-rear direction. The buzzer 107 is located above the right portion of the horizontal frame 198 and is fixedly supported by the horizontal frame 198 via a support member.

[0167] In this configuration, when the control device 106 detects an abnormality in the feeding unit 102, it notifies the operator using the display unit 106a and the buzzer 107. Specifically, the control device 106 notifies the operator by displaying a warning message such as the word "WARNING" or "ABNORMALITY IN FEEDING UNITS" on the display unit 106a, or by generating an alarm sound using the buzzer 107. This makes it possible to draw the operator's attention to the occurrence of an abnormality in the feeding unit 102. In addition, to notify the operator, for example, the control device 106 may turn on a warning lamp provided on the front unit 106b, or may display a warning message on a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor provided in the driving unit 10.

[0168] The lower case body 122 is fixed to and supported at two locations, left and right, by bolts 199 or the like (see FIGS. 7 and 11) on a horizontal frame 198 that supports the buzzer 107. As shown in FIG. 11, the bolt 199 passes through the front wall portion 122a of the lower case body 122 and is screwed into a nut portion 197 provided on the rear side of the front wall portion 122a.

[0169] 13, the drug dispenser 100 is also provided with a remaining amount sensor 108, which is electrically connected to an input device (input circuit) of the control device 106. The control device 106 receives a signal input from the remaining amount sensor 108 and generates a control signal based on the signal.

[0170] Remaining amount sensor 108 is a sensor for detecting when the amount of medicine stored in hopper 101 falls below a certain level. Remaining amount sensor 108 is, for example, a contact sensor, and is provided so that its detection surface faces the inside of hopper 101, and detects whether or not the medicine is in contact with the detection surface. Remaining amount sensor 108 detects a decrease in the remaining amount of medicine in hopper 101 by detecting a non-contact state of the medicine with the detection surface.

[0171] In this embodiment, the remaining amount sensor 108 is provided in the hopper 101 so that its detection surface is located at the bottom of the slope 112b on the right side of the hopper body 112 (see FIGS. 7 and 8). The remaining amount sensor 108 is electrically connected to the control device 106 by a cable 109.

[0172] In this configuration, when the remaining amount sensor 108 detects a decrease in the amount of medicine remaining in the hopper 101, the control device 106 notifies the operator by displaying a message on the display unit 106a or by generating an alarm sound from the buzzer 107. This makes it possible to prevent forgetting to replenish the medicine in the hopper 101. In addition, as a notification to the operator, for example, the control device 106 may light up a lamp provided on the front part 106b or display a message on a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor provided in the operation unit 10.

[0173] The amount of chemical sprayed by the chemical sprayer 100 is adjusted, for example, before the chemical spraying work begins to determine the amount to be sprayed during the work or when the amount of chemical sprayed is changed, in order to confirm the amount to be sprayed. Such adjustment is also performed in a fertilizer applicator that is equipped on a rice transplanter and that applies fertilizer by dispensing it with a delivery roll.

[0174] The drug dispenser 100 is configured to perform a trial dispensing operation in which at least one of the left and right dispensing rolls 110 is rotated a predetermined amount to perform the dosage adjustment operation. During the dosage adjustment operation, the amount of drug dispensed from the dispensing section 102 by trial dispensing and dispersed by the diffusion section 104 is measured. The measured amount of drug is input, for example, to the control device 106 and used in the drug dispersion operation. The operating section for performing trial dispensing of the drug dispenser 100 is provided on the front section 106b of the control device 106, together with, for example, the above-mentioned dosage adjustment button, etc.

[0175] In the trial dispensing, the predetermined rotation of the delivery roll 110 is performed by rotating the delivery roll 110 by a predetermined rotation angle or for a predetermined time as the drive control of the electric motor 105 by the control device 106. In the rotation operation of the delivery roll 110 by a predetermined amount (hereinafter referred to as the "trial dispensing operation") performed by the control of the electric motor 105 in the trial dispensing, if there is a difference in the phase condition at the start of the trial dispensing operation (hereinafter referred to as the "starting phase") regarding the phase of the rotation of the delivery roll 110, the amount of medicine dispensed may not be stable, and sufficient accuracy may not be obtained in the dosage operation.

[0176] Specifically, in a configuration in which a predetermined amount of medicine is dispensed at a time by the action of brush 130 on the medicine contained in recess 110c, when dispensing roll 110 is in the starting phase, for example, with respect to recess 110c facing brush 130, the amount of medicine dispensed by the trial dispensing operation will vary depending on whether or not the medicine spills from recess 110c, etc., depending on whether a part of recess 110c is covered by brush 130 and a whole of recess 110c is covered by brush 130.

[0177] In particular, the chemical sprayer 100 sprays a smaller amount (the number of revolutions of the delivery roll 110 is low) and delivers a smaller amount during dosage adjustment compared to, for example, a fertilizer applicator provided on a rice transplanter. For this reason, with the chemical sprayer 100, variations in the amount of chemical delivered during trial delivery operations have a relatively large effect on the amount of chemical sprayed during actual spraying work.

[0178] Therefore, the chemical sprayer 100 has an operation control configuration (hereinafter referred to as the "roll control configuration") for the payout rolls 110, which includes an electric motor 105 provided for each payout roll 110 and a control device 106 that controls these electric motors 105. The configuration has a potentiometer function that detects the rotational position of the rotor of the motor body 182 of the electric motor 105, and is configured to be able to detect the phase of the payout roll 110. When causing the payout roll 110 to perform a trial payout operation, the roll control configuration controls the electric motor 105 based on the detected value of the rotational position of the electric motor 105 so that the start phase of the payout roll 110 is a predetermined phase. In other words, before the payout roll 110 performs the trial payout operation, the roll control configuration controls the rotational phase of the electric motor 105 to a predetermined phase, thereby moving the payout roll 110 to the predetermined phase (start phase). Note that the payout roll 110 performs a rotational operation, for example, several revolutions, as the trial payout operation.

[0179] Regarding the function of the potentiometer, the control device 106 may have the function of a potentiometer for each electric motor 105, or each electric motor 105 may have the function of a potentiometer. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, a rotary potentiometer 135, for example, may be provided separately from the control device 106 and the electric motor 105 and electrically connected to an input device (input circuit) of the control device 106. In such a configuration, the potentiometer 135 detects the rotational position of the rotor of the motor body 182 of the electric motor 105. The control device 106 receives a detection signal from the potentiometer 135 and generates a control signal for the electric motor 105 based on the signal.

[0180] The start phase of the payout roll 110 is set so that the recessed portions 110c of the payout roll 110 and the brush 130 have a predetermined positional relationship. Therefore, the start phase of the payout roll 110 may be set at one position as the phase of the payout roll 110, or may be set at multiple positions so that the positional relationship between the recessed portions 110c and the brush 130 is constant. In a configuration in which the recessed portions 110c are provided at 12 positions at equal intervals around the circumferential direction of the payout roll 110 as in this embodiment, a phase may be set as the start phase so that the positional relationship between each recessed portion 110c and the brush 130 is constant. In this case, the start phase is set at 12 positions (at 30° intervals).

[0181] 10, the state in which the payout roll 110 is in the start phase is a state in which the position of the bottom end of the brush 130 and the position of the bottom end of the recess 110c facing the brush 130 coincide or approximately coincide. However, the positional relationship between the recess 110c and the brush 130 when the payout roll 110 is in the start phase is not limited.

[0182] According to the pesticide sprayer 100 of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration and the rice transplanter 1 equipped with it, in a configuration having a pair of pay-out rolls 110, the rotational drive of each pay-out roll 110 can be operated with a simple configuration.

[0183] The chemical sprayer 100 includes an electric motor 105 provided for each of the feed rolls 110, and a control device 106 that controls the electric motor 105. With this configuration, the rotational operation of the feed rolls 110 can be controlled by controlling the drive of each of the electric motors 105. Therefore, compared to a configuration that includes a clutch mechanism for turning on and off the transmission of power to each of the feed rolls 110, the number of parts can be reduced, and the rotational drive of each of the feed rolls 110 can be controlled with a simple configuration. This makes it possible to easily spray the chemical with the rotation of one of the feed rolls 110 stopped, i.e., to stop the chemical spraying in rows (stopped row spraying) with a simple configuration.

[0184] The pair of feed rolls 110 are arranged to share a common rotation axis and rotate in opposite directions. This configuration allows the pair of feed rolls 110 to be housed compactly within the case 120, and also allows the drug supply position from the hopper 101 to the feed unit 102 to be consolidated, simplifying the layout of components around the pair of feed rolls 110. Furthermore, the amount of drug in the hopper 101 can be reduced uniformly, allowing the drug in the hopper 101 to be used without waste.

[0185] Furthermore, each payout roll 110 is configured to be able to selectively supply medicine to one of the two shooters 140. With this configuration, it is possible to adjust the amount of medicine sprayed by controlling the operation of each payout roll 110. For example, when spraying medicine only on one side (row spraying), it is possible to adjust the amount of medicine sprayed by selecting the second and third operation patterns described above. Furthermore, with a configuration in which each payout roll 110 is driven by an electric motor 105, it is possible to achieve such adjustment of the amount of medicine sprayed with a simple configuration.

[0186] Furthermore, when performing row-stop spraying using the third operation pattern, that is, when spraying the medicine by rotating a pair of delivery rolls 110 in the same direction, the control device 106 controls the drive of the left and right electric motors 105 to alternately rotate the left and right delivery rolls 110. With this configuration, the decrease in the medicine in the hopper 101 can be made uniform.

[0187] That is, if the medicine is continuously sprayed while both delivery rolls 110 are rotated in the same direction, the medicine in the hopper 101 will decrease in volume, primarily biased toward either the front or rear, resulting in an uneven surface height of the medicine in the hopper 101. Furthermore, if only one of the left and right delivery rolls 110 is continuously driven, as in the second operation pattern, the medicine in the hopper 101 will decrease in volume, primarily biased toward either the left or right, resulting in an uneven surface height of the medicine in the hopper 101. Therefore, by alternately rotating the left and right delivery rolls 110, the unevenness of the medicine in the hopper 101 can be alleviated, and the surface height of the medicine can be leveled. This allows the medicine in the hopper 101 to be used without waste. Furthermore, since the unevenness of the medicine in the hopper 101 is alleviated, the accuracy of detection of a decrease in the amount of medicine stored in the hopper 101 by the remaining amount sensor 108 can be improved.

[0188] The chemical sprayer 100 also includes a case 120 provided below the hopper 101, with the left and right delivery rolls 110 and the front and rear chutes 140 provided inside the case 120, and the left and right electric motors 105 and the control device 106 provided outside the case 120. With this configuration, for example, compared to a configuration in which the electric motor 105 is provided inside the case 120, the case 120 can be made more compact, and the electric motor 105 and the control device 106 can be made easier to maintain and operate.

[0189] Furthermore, the control device 106 is configured to detect an abnormality in the feeding unit 102 based on a signal related to the drive of the electric motor 105. With this configuration, if a malfunction occurs in the feeding unit 102, the operator can be notified of the malfunction, making it possible to quickly respond to the malfunction in the feeding unit 102. Furthermore, it becomes possible to stop the drive of the electric motor 105 when a malfunction occurs in the feeding unit 102, making it possible to avoid a breakdown of the electric motor 105 caused by a malfunction in the feeding unit 102.

[0190] In addition, in the diffusion section 104, the electric motor 162 that rotates the diffusion blades 161 is disposed in the inter-chute space 157, and is arranged so that the entire device is positioned at the same height in the vertical direction as the front and rear chutes 140. This configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the space within the case section 120 and reduce the height (vertical dimension) of the guide section 103 and the diffusion section 104, making it possible to configure the chemical sprayer 100 compact as a whole.

[0191] Furthermore, in the chemical sprayer 100, the upper case body 121 and the lower case body 122 that constitute the case part 120 are fixed to each other by snap locks 128 at two locations, one at the front and one at the back. With this configuration, the upper case body 121 can be easily removed from the lower case body 122 by releasing the engagement of the two snap locks 128. In other words, the snap locks 128 enable the case part 120 to be opened and closed with a single touch. This makes it easier to access the payout roll 110, and makes it easier to clean and maintain the inside of the case part 120, such as cleaning the left and right payout rolls 110 with the upper case body 121 removed.

[0192] Furthermore, with a configuration in which the drive mechanism for the pair of feed rolls 110 is motorized by an electric motor 105, as in the case of the chemical sprayer 100, operations such as driving / stopping the feed rolls 110 and changing the setting of the chemical feed amount can be configured to be performed by operating the driving unit 10. This eliminates the need to go to the rear of the rice transplanter 1 to operate or change the setting of the chemical sprayer 100, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, with a configuration in which the drive mechanism for the pair of feed rolls 110 is motorized, the chemical sprayer 100 can be made smaller and lighter than conventional mechanical configurations. This improves the front-to-rear balance of the rice transplanter 1 and improves its mobility.

[0193] In addition, with regard to the dosage operation in the drug sprayer 100, the roll control configuration has a potentiometer function for the rotational phase of the electric motor 105, and is configured so that the starting phase for the trial dispensing operation of the dispensing roll 110 is a predetermined phase.

[0194] This configuration allows the number of passes of the brush 130 through the recess 110c during the trial dispensing operation of the dispensing roll 110 to be constant, stabilizing the amount of chemicals dispensed during the trial dispensing. This stabilizes the amount of chemicals dispensed, which serves as a guideline for the dispensing operation, improving the accuracy of the dispensing operation and ensuring that the amount of chemicals sprayed during the operation is exactly as targeted. In particular, in the chemical sprayer 100, in which variations in the amount of chemicals dispensed during the trial dispensing have a greater impact on the actual amount of chemicals sprayed than in a fertilizer applicator as described above, stabilizing the amount of chemicals dispensed during the trial dispensing effectively improves the accuracy of the dispensing operation.

[0195] [About the box application agent sprayer] The box application agent sprayer 300 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 16 to 19. The box application agent sprayer 300 is attached to the rear of the rice transplanter 1. The box application agent sprayer 300 is located behind the lower part of the seedling carrier 53 and in front of the chemical sprayer 100. The box application agent sprayer 300 is also located in the middle of the seedling carrier 53 in the left-right direction, excluding both ends (see Figure 16).

[0196] The box application agent sprayer 300 sprays a box application agent onto a seedling mat placed on a seedling carrier 53. The box application agent is, for example, an insecticide or fungicide, and is mainly a granular material formed into granules.

[0197] The box application agent sprayer 300 is equipped with four spraying units 301. The four spraying units 301 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction above the lower end of the seedling carrier 53 so as to face the seedling carrier 53.

[0198] Each spraying unit 301 has a hopper 311 that stores the box application agent, left and right feed sections 312 with feed rolls 320 that feed a predetermined amount of the box application agent from the hopper 311, and a spraying nozzle 313 that releases the box application agent fed by each feed section 312. In a rice transplanter 1 with an eight-row planting configuration, each spraying unit 301 has a configuration corresponding to a two-row configuration. The spraying unit 301 feeds a predetermined amount of the box application agent from the hopper 311 that stores the box application agent by driving the left and right feed sections 312, and sprays the box application agent toward the seedling mats on each seedling carrier section 59 from the left and right spraying nozzles 313 arranged corresponding to each row.

[0199] The hopper 311 is a container for storing the box-application agent. It has a hopper body 322, which forms the container body, and a lid 323. The hopper body 322 has an upper portion that conforms to the outline of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction, and a lower portion that forms hopper branch portions 322a that branch out into two branches to the left and right. Each hopper branch portion 322a has a funnel shape that narrows at the bottom.

[0200] The hopper body 322 has an upper opening that is completely open at the top, and the lower sides of each hopper branch section 322a are open. The upper opening of the hopper body 322 is closed by an openable lid 323. At the top of the hopper body 322, a hopper partition plate 324 is provided above the base of the left and right hopper branch sections 322a (see Figure 18), forming a storage space corresponding to each row in the hopper body 322. The box-application agent in the hopper 311 is guided by its own weight from the lower openings of each hopper branch section 322a of the hopper body 322 to the dispensing section 312.

[0201] The payout section 312 is provided below the hopper branch section 322a, and rotatably houses the payout roll 320 in a case section 330 provided below the hopper branch section 322a. The payout roll 320 is a substantially disk-shaped member, and has a plurality of recesses 320c on its outer periphery that receive the box-application agent. The recesses 320c are formed at equal intervals around the circumferential direction of the payout roll 320.

[0202] The payout roll 320 is fixed to a roll drive shaft 327 having a hexagonal cross section and an axial direction extending in the left-right direction, and is rotationally driven by rotation of the roll drive shaft 327. The roll drive shaft 327 connects the payout rolls 320 of the left and right payout sections 312 in each spraying unit 301 to each other, and rotates integrally with these payout rolls 320.

[0203] The case portion 330 has a hopper side case portion 331 that is a portion that forms the upper portion of the case portion 330 and is formed as a part of the hopper main body 322 , and a case main body 332 that forms the lower portion of the case portion 330 .

[0204] The hopper-side case 331 is formed below the hopper branch 322a in the hopper main body 322, and is a case portion that communicates with the hopper branch 322a and is open on the bottom. In other words, the hopper-side case 331 is formed at the bottom end of each branch portion, including the left and right hopper branch portions 322a, in the hopper main body 322. The hopper-side case 331 has a substantially semi-cylindrical portion that corresponds to the outer diameter of the upper half of the payout roll 320.

[0205] The case body 332 forms a case portion of the case section 330 that is open at the top and bottom, houses the lower half of the feed roll 320, and forms a drop passage 332a for the box-application agent to fall from the feed roll 320 downward (see FIG. 18). The case body 332 has a drop passage 332a that opens downward and also has a lower opening 332b that protrudes downward in a generally cylindrical shape. The lower opening 332b is a connection port that receives connection of the spray nozzle 313.

[0206] The hopper body 322, which has hopper-side case sections 331 at the lower ends of the left and right branch sections, is provided so as to be able to rotate up and down relative to the left and right case bodies 332 in the spraying unit 301 by support shafts 333 which are provided on the front side of each case section 330 and have an axial direction in the left-right direction. The hopper body 322 is rotated upward relative to the case body 332 using the support shafts 333 as a rotation axis so as to raise the rear side, thereby opening the case section 330.

[0207] Hopper body 322 and case body 332 are fixed to the rear side of case section 330 (the right side in FIG. 18) by snap lock 335. Snap lock 335 is provided in the center of the rear side, between hopper-side case section 331 and case body 332. Snap lock 335 fixes base metal fitting 335a to case body 332, and fixes hopper-side case section 331 to case body 332 by engaging rectangular locking rod 335b, which works in conjunction with lever 335c, with hook section 331a formed on the rear side of the lower end of hopper-side case section 331.

[0208] In the case section 330, a brush 340 is provided on the front side of the upper portion of the payout roll 320 (see FIG. 18). The brush 340 is disposed in front of the hopper-side case section 331 and is fixed to the case section 330. The brush 340 acts to scrape off the box-application agent in the recesses 320c as the payout roll 320 rotates. The box-application agent in the hopper 311 is filled in the space above the payout roll 320 and behind the brush 340, and in the multiple recesses 320c facing that space, relative to the payout section 312.

[0209] The spray nozzle 313 is configured from a tubular member with both ends open, and one end (upper end) is connected to the case body 332 so as to communicate with the drop passage 332a. The spray nozzle 313 is attached to the case body 332 by being fixed with a fastener or the like with the lower opening 332b of the case body 332 inserted into the one end.

[0210] The spray nozzle 313 extends diagonally downward and forward from the lower opening 332b toward the seedling carrier section 59, and is open in the direction of extension. The opening at the tip of the spray nozzle 313 is an inverted tapered spray port 313a whose passage area gradually expands.

[0211] The box application agent sprayer 300 is equipped with an electric motor 305 (see FIG. 19) as an electric actuator as a drive source, and is configured to rotate and drive a feed roll 320 of a feed unit 312 by the electric motor 305. The box application agent sprayer 300 is equipped with the electric motor 305 for rotating and driving the feed roll 320, and a control device 306 as a control unit that controls the electric motor 305.

[0212] The box application agent sprayer 300 has an electric motor 305 that rotates and drives the roll drive shaft 327 for each roll drive shaft 327 that connects the two payout rolls 320 in each spraying unit 301. In other words, each spraying unit 301 has an electric motor 305, and the two payout rolls 320 connected to each other by the roll drive shaft 327 are rotated synchronously by one electric motor 305.

[0213] The box application agent sprayer 300 has two sets of spraying units 301 on the left and right, and in each set, between adjacent spraying units 301 on the left and right, there is a motor unit 310 that houses two electric motors 305 in a case 315 that rotate the roll drive shafts 327 of each spraying unit 301. In other words, the box application agent sprayer 300 has two motor units 310, one motor unit 310 is provided between the two spraying units 301 on the left side of the four spraying units 301, and the other motor unit 310 is provided between the two spraying units 301 on the right side.

[0214] 19 , the electric motor 305 has a rotor that rotates around a predetermined rotation axis and a drive gear 341 that rotates integrally with the rotor. Meanwhile, a driven gear 343 that meshes with the drive gear 341 via a connecting portion 342 formed by a predetermined connecting member is provided at the end of the roll drive shaft 327, which is the target of drive by the electric motor 305, on the motor unit 310 side. In this embodiment, the electric motor 305 that rotates the roll drive shaft 327 located on the left side of the motor unit 310 within the case 315 is provided at the rear of the case 315, and the electric motor 305 that rotates the roll drive shaft 327 located on the right side of the motor unit 310 is provided at the front of the case 315.

[0215] The electric motor 305 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor driven by three-phase AC power, and may be the same as the electric motor 105 of the pesticide sprayer 100. The electric motor 305 is controlled by a control device 306. The electric motor 305 is connected to the control device 306 by a cable 346. The cable 346 is an aggregated cable including a power supply line, which is a wiring for supplying power to receive power from a battery (not shown), and a signal line, which is a wiring for sending and receiving signals such as control signals.

[0216] The control device 306 controls the electric motor 305 and the like based on input signals from an operating unit and various sensors provided in the rice transplanter 1. The control device 306 has a configuration similar to that of the control device 106 of the chemical sprayer 100, for example, and has a configuration in which a CPU constituting a calculation unit, various functional units such as ROM and RAM as memory units, input / output devices such as input / output interfaces, etc. are connected via a bus or the like. The control device 306 is configured in the shape of a box having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with various devices built into the housing, and is located diagonally below and behind the spraying unit 301 on the right end.

[0217] The control device 306 has, on its front side facing rearward, an operating section such as a display section that displays various information related to the box application agent sprayer 300, a power button, and a dosage button for adjusting the amount of box application agent dispensed from the dispenser 312, as well as a warning lamp that lights up in the event of an operational error in the box application agent sprayer 300. The control device 306 is connected to a main controller 190 (see FIG. 13) provided in the rice transplanter 1.

[0218] The box application agent sprayer 300 is configured to be operated by operating a predetermined operating device related to the spraying of the box application agent provided in the driving unit 10. The predetermined operating device of the driving unit 10 is connected to the main controller 190, and an operating signal generated by operating the operating device is input to the main controller 190. The main controller 190 sends a control signal to the control device 306 based on the input operating signal. The control device 306 receives a control signal from the main controller 190 and controls the operation of the electric motor 305 based on the control signal.

[0219] The box application agent sprayer 300 has a main frame 350, which is used to support the box application agent sprayer 300 against the main body of the rice transplanter 1 and which supports each component of the box application agent sprayer 300. The main frame 350 is composed of a straight frame member in the shape of a rectangular steel pipe with a substantially square cross section, and is installed horizontally so as to extend in the left-right direction over substantially the entire range of the arrangement of the four spraying units 301. The main frame 350 supports the four spraying units 301 in a fixed state on its upper side via support members 351 such as support brackets and support plates.

[0220] The box application agent sprayer 300 having the above-described configuration is provided in a state in which it is supported by a support frame 400 relative to the planting device 3. The support frame 400 has a base frame 401 extending in the left-right direction, left and right support arm sections 402 that connect the base frame 401 to the main frame 350 of the box application agent sprayer 300, and left and right leg frames 403 that support the base frame 401 relative to the planting device 3.

[0221] The base frame 401 is made up of straight pipe members with a circular cross section, and is installed horizontally so as to extend in the left-right direction over substantially the entire range of the arrangement of the four spraying units 301. The base frame 401 has substantially the same length as the main frame 350, and its left-right arrangement range is substantially the same as that of the main frame 350. The control device 306 is fixedly supported at the right end of the base frame 401 via a predetermined support part such as a support plate.

[0222] The support arm portion 402 is an arm-shaped support portion that is bent to have a convex shape toward the upper rear side in a side view, and is provided as a portion that connects an arm portion that extends from the main frame 350 and an arm portion that extends from the base frame 401. The left and right support arm portions 402 are provided at approximately the same positions as the motor units 310 in the left-right direction.

[0223] The leg frame 403 is a frame part having a roughly triangular outer shape in a side view, and extends downward from the base frame 401. The base frame 401 is positioned at the apex of the roughly triangular outer shape of the leg frame 403 in a side view.

[0224] The support frame 400 is also provided with a cover body 410 that covers the seedling planting device 60 from above. The cover body 410 is made of a plate-like member that has a curved or bent shape with the upper side convex in side view, and is attached to the base frame 401 via a support bracket. The cover body 410 is provided over a range that covers almost the entire extension range of the base frame 401 in the left-right direction.

[0225] The support frame 400 is fixedly supported by the left leg frame 403 to the leftmost planting transmission case 61 of the four planting transmission cases 61 in the planting device 3, and the right leg frame 403 to the rightmost planting transmission case 61. The leg frame 403 is fixedly supported by the planting transmission case 61 by fixing its lower end to the planting transmission case 61 at two points, the front and the back, with bolts 411 and nuts 412, etc.

[0226] In the box application agent sprayer 300 having the above-described configuration, the feeding roll 320 rotates due to the rotational power of each electric motor 305 in the motor unit 310, and the box application agent stored in the hopper 311 is fed from the feeding roll 320 of each spraying unit 301 into the drop passage 332a in predetermined amounts according to the volume of the recess 320c.

[0227] The box application agent delivered to the drop passage 332a is sprayed from the spray nozzle 313a of the spray nozzle 313 toward the seedling mats on the corresponding seedling carrier 59. Because the box application agent sprayer 300 is supported and fixed to the planting transmission case 61, the seedling mats on the seedling carrier 53 are transported horizontally and vertically, so that the box application agent is evenly sprayed onto the seedling mats.

[0228] According to the box application agent applicator 300 of this embodiment having the above-described configuration and the rice transplanter 1 equipped with it, the rotational drive of the payout roll 320 can be operated with a simple configuration.

[0229] The box application agent sprayer 300 includes an electric motor 305 provided for each of the two payout rolls 320 of each spray unit 301, and a control device 306 that controls the electric motor 305. This configuration allows the rotational movement of the payout rolls 320 to be controlled by controlling the drive of each electric motor 305. Therefore, compared to a configuration that includes a clutch mechanism for turning on and off the transmission of power to each payout roll 320, the number of parts can be reduced, and the rotational drive of the payout rolls 320 can be controlled with a simple configuration. This simple configuration allows for the spraying of the box application agent with the rotation of the payout rolls 320 of some of the spray units 301 stopped, i.e., row-stopping (row-stopping spraying) of the box application agent to be easily performed.

[0230] In addition, in the box-application agent sprayer 300, the hopper body 322 constituting the hopper 311 includes a hopper-side case portion 331 constituting the upper portion of the case portion 330, and is configured to be able to open and close the left and right case bodies 332 with snap locks 335. With this configuration, by disengaging the two snap locks 335 on the left and right, the case portion 330 can be opened and closed with a single touch. This makes it easier to access the payout roll 320, and makes it easier to clean and maintain the inside of the case portion 330, such as cleaning the payout roll 320.

[0231] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the drive mechanism of the delivery roll 320 is motorized by an electric motor 305, as in the box application agent sprayer 300, operations such as driving / stopping the delivery roll 320 and changing the setting of the delivery amount of the box application agent can be configured to be performed by operating the driving unit 10. This eliminates the need to go to the rear of the rice transplanter 1 to operate or change the setting of the box application agent sprayer 300, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, a configuration in which the drive mechanism of the delivery roll 320 is motorized allows the box application agent sprayer 300 to be made smaller and lighter than conventional mechanical configurations. This improves the front-to-rear balance of the rice transplanter 1 and improves its mobility.

[0232] [Other embodiments] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 20 to 24. In the other embodiment of the present invention described below, the same names or symbols are used for components common to or corresponding to the above-described embodiment, and explanations of overlapping content will be omitted as appropriate. The cross-sectional view shown in Figure 20 is a rear cross-sectional view passing through the rotation axis C1. Also, Figure 22 is a left side cross-sectional view taken at position YY in Figure 20.

[0233] The chemical sprayer according to this embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the left and right delivery rolls 110 and the upper case body 121 of the case section 120 that houses them.

[0234] 20 to 23, the payout roll 110 according to this embodiment has a roll protrusion 550, which is a flange-shaped protrusion, on its outer edge in the direction of its rotation axis (left-right direction). The roll protrusion 550 is formed endlessly around the entire circumferential direction of the main roll part 110a on the outer left and right edges (on the boss part 110b side) of the main roll part 110a in the left-right direction. The roll protrusion 550 is provided as part of the payout roll 110, which is an integrally molded part made of resin material.

[0235] The roll protruding edge portion 550 is a plate-like or wall-like portion with the thickness direction in the left-right direction, and forms an annular portion with a constant protruding dimension from the outer peripheral surface 110d of the main roll portion 110a, i.e., a constant radial dimension of the payout roll 110, all around. The outer peripheral surface 110d is a surface that opens the recessed portion 110c toward the radially outer side of the payout roll 110, and is a surface that follows a cylindrical surface with the rotation axis C1 as the central axis.

[0236] In this embodiment, the dimension of the roll protruding edge portion 550 in the radial direction of the payout roll 110 is about 1 / 10 of the radius of the main roll portion 110a. Also, the dimension (thickness dimension) of the roll protruding edge portion 550 in the rotational axis direction of the payout roll 110 is about 1 / 10 of the dimension in the rotational axis direction of the main roll portion 110a.

[0237] The roll protrusion 550 has an outer peripheral end surface 551, which is the outer peripheral surface in the radial direction of the payout roll 110, an inner side surface 552, which is a plate surface on the left and right inner sides, and an outer side surface 553, which is a plate surface on the left and right outer sides. The inner side surface 552 and the outer side surface 553 are both perpendicular to the rotational axis direction of the payout roll 110. Therefore, in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 20, the inner side surface 552 forms a right-angle corner with the outer peripheral surface 110d of the main roll portion 110a. Note that the corner between the inner side surface 552 and the outer peripheral surface 110d is a curved surface that forms a curved line in a cross-sectional view. The outer side surface 553 is formed as a surface continuous with the left and right outer surfaces of the main roll portion 110a. The outer peripheral end surface 551 is a narrow cylindrical surface with the rotational axis C1 of the payout roll 110 as its central axis.

[0238] The upper case body 121 has roll edge receiving portions 560 on both the left and right sides as portions corresponding to the roll flange portion 550. The roll edge receiving portions 560 have guide peripheral surfaces 561 that correspond to the outer peripheral end surfaces 551 of the roll flange portion 550. The guide peripheral surfaces 561 are arc-shaped concave surfaces that follow the shape of the outer peripheral end surfaces 551 of the roll flange portion 550. The guide peripheral surfaces 561 have the same or approximately the same dimensions in the width direction (left and right direction) as the outer peripheral end surfaces 551 of the roll flange portion 550. A small gap 570 exists between the outer peripheral end surfaces 551 of the roll flange portion 550 and the guide peripheral surfaces 561 (see FIG. 21).

[0239] The guide circumferential surface 561 is located above the payout roll 110 and is provided over a range that covers most of the upper part of the payout roll 110 in the circumferential direction of the payout roll 110. The guide circumferential surface 561 is provided over a range that covers the entire portion between the front and rear brushes 130 when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis C1 (see FIG. 22). In this embodiment, the guide circumferential surface 561 is provided over an angular range of approximately 130° so as to be symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis C1 in the circumferential direction of the payout roll 110.

[0240] The upper case body 121 has, in a portion below the shutter 126 (see FIG. 9), left and right inclined surface portions 121c above the left and right feed rolls 110 as surface portions forming supply paths for the medicine to the left and right feed rolls 110. The left and right inclined surface portions 121c are surface portions that slope from the upper to lower sides from the left and right outer sides toward the left and right inner sides, and form a path that narrows downward in a rear cross-sectional view. A supply port 571 that faces the storage spaces for the left and right feed rolls 110 is formed between the lower ends of the left and right inclined surface portions 121c (see FIG. 20). The lower edge portion of the inclined surface portion 121c is curved in an arc shape along the guide circumferential surface 561 when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis C1 (see FIG. 22).

[0241] The guide peripheral surface 561 is located below the vicinity of the lower edge of each inclined surface portion 121c. On the left and right outer sides of the guide peripheral surface 561, peripheral wall surfaces 121d are formed which are flush with and continuous with the guide peripheral surface 561 (see FIG. 21). The peripheral wall surfaces 121d are semicircular arc-shaped inner peripheral surfaces which correspond to the upper half of the payout roll 110. Furthermore, in the upper case body 121, on the left and right outer sides of the peripheral wall surface 121d, inner wall surfaces 121e which face the outer surface 553 of the roll protruding edge portion 550 are formed (see FIG. 21).

[0242] On the left and right inner sides of the guide circumferential surface 561, case-side inner surfaces 562 are formed, which form right-angled corners together with the guide circumferential surface 561 in a cross-sectional view as shown in Fig. 20. The case-side inner surface 562 is a surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation axis C1 and is located below the lower edge of the inclined surface portion 121c. The case-side inner surface 562 has a shape that is curved in an arc shape that follows the curved shape of the guide circumferential surface 561 when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis C1, and has a constant or approximately constant dimension overall in the radial direction of the circumference centered on the rotation axis C1.

[0243] The case-side inner surface 562 is flush with and continuous with the inner surface 552 of the roll flange portion 550. Therefore, the guide peripheral surface 561 and the outer peripheral end surface 551 of the roll flange portion 550 are opposed to each other across the entire width.

[0244] In this embodiment, the guide peripheral surface 561 and the case-side inner surface 562 that constitute the roll edge receiving portion 560 are formed by a metal plate 580, which is a member that forms the guide peripheral surface. The metal plate 580 is a plate-like member whose thickness direction is in the left-right direction and has a constant thickness overall. The metal plate 580 is a metal member formed, for example, from an iron plate.

[0245] Metal plate 580 has inner plate surface 582 and outer plate surface 583 as plate surfaces, and has lower concave curved surface 581, upper surface 584, and front and rear end surfaces 585 as surfaces that form the plate surface. Metal plate 580 is an elongated member with its longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction, and has a rectangular cross-sectional shape with its longitudinal direction extending in the up-to-down direction. Metal plate 580 has a shape that is symmetrical about the position of rotation axis C1 in the front-to-rear direction when viewed in the axial direction of rotation axis C1.

[0246] The metal plate 580 has an upper surface 584 in which the front and rear middle sections are horizontal, and the front and rear sections are inclined surfaces that slope downward from the center toward the outside. The front and rear end surfaces 585 are surfaces that extend substantially vertically. Acute rounded corners 586 are formed between the front and rear end surfaces 585 and the front and rear ends of the lower concave curved surface 581.

[0247] Metal plate 580 is provided in upper case body 121 with its upper portion, which is the outer peripheral portion, embedded in a resin main body portion (hereinafter referred to as the "main body resin portion") that forms substantially the entire upper case body 121, and with the lower side and left and right inner sides, which is the inner peripheral portion, exposed from the main body resin portion. Metal plate 580 forms guide circumferential surface 561 and case-side inner surface 562 with the portions exposed from the main body resin portion of upper case body 121. In other words, lower concave curved surface 581 of metal plate 580 becomes guide circumferential surface 561, and the lower (inner peripheral) portion of inner plate surface 582 of metal plate 580 becomes case-side inner surface 562.

[0248] An upper (outer periphery) portion of metal plate 580 is covered from the left and right inner sides by curved edge portion 121f, which is part of the main body resin portion of upper case body 121 and forms the curved lower edge portion of inclined surface portion 121c. In the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 20 , curved edge portion 121f forms a curved protruding shape that bulges outward from inner plate surface 582 of metal plate 580 to the left and right inner sides.

[0249] In this embodiment, the metal plate 580 provided on the main body resin portion of the upper case body 121 forms the roll edge receiving portion 560 on the upper case body 121 side for the roll protruding edge portion 550 of the payout roll 110.

[0250] Metal plate 580 is provided as an integral part of the main body resin portion in a state where it is fixed to the main body resin portion of upper case body 121. In this embodiment, metal plate 580 is integrated with the main body resin portion as an insert part by insert molding when upper case body 121 made of resin is molded.

[0251] Metal plate 580 has a plurality of holes 587 formed therethrough that penetrate the resin material constituting the main body resin portion of upper case body 121. In this embodiment, holes 587 are formed at six locations spaced at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of metal plate 580. Note that in FIG. 22 , cross sections at partially different cross-sectional positions are shown cut away so that the formation locations of some of hole portions 587 in metal plate 580 are exposed from the main body resin portion of upper case body 121.

[0252] There is no particular limitation on the method for fixing metal plate 580 to the main body resin portion of upper case body 121. For example, metal plate 580 may be fixed using a fastener such as a bolt or by press-fitting. However, by using insert molding as in this embodiment, metal plate 580 can be provided in upper case body 121 relatively easily.

[0253] Fig. 24 shows a comparative example of the configuration of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 24, in the comparative example, the outer lateral edges of the main roll portion 110a of the feed roll 110 face the outer circumferential surface 110d of the main roll portion 110a against the peripheral wall surface 121g of the upper case body 121, and the inner lateral portions (toward the center position) of the outer circumferential surface 110d protrude from the peripheral wall surface 121g to the left and right inward. In other words, the wall surface 121h that forms a drug passage directly above the feed roll 110 in the upper case body 121 and the outer lateral edges of the main roll portion 110a protrude inward from the wall surface 121h, exposing the inner lateral portions of the outer circumferential surface 110d, forming a stepped portion.

[0254] With the configuration of this comparative example, the powdered medicine dropped and supplied from hopper 311 is received by the exposed portion of outer circumferential surface 110d of feed roll 110 and easily enters gap 590 between upper case body 121 and feed roll 110. Gap 590 is a small gap between peripheral wall surface 121g of upper case body 121 and outer circumferential surface 110d of feed roll 110. The powdered medicine is fine granular or powdered medicine that is generated when the medicine, which is originally a granular material, is scraped or crushed.

[0255] The powder of the medicine that gets into gap 590 causes wear on feed roll 110 and upper case body 121 as feed roll 110 rotates. In particular, feed roll 110 and upper case body 121 are both made of resin parts and are therefore relatively susceptible to wear. Wear that occurs in the part that forms gap 590 increases gap 590, encouraging the penetration of powder of the medicine into gap 590.

[0256] Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing a roll protrusion portion 550 on the payout roll 110 side and a roll edge receiving portion 560 on the upper case body 121 side, it is possible to prevent drug powder from entering the gap 570 between the left and right outer edge ends of the main roll portion 110a of the payout roll 110 and the upper case body 121.

[0257] Specifically, the left and right inner sides of the opposing portions of roll flange portion 550 and roll edge receiving portion 560 form a flush surface formed by inner surface 552 of roll flange portion 550 and case-side inner surface 562 of roll edge receiving portion 560. This prevents drug powder from accumulating at the left and right outer edge ends of main body roll portion 110a, and prevents drug powder from entering gap 570. This reduces wear on payout roll 110 and upper case body 121, and improves the durability of payout roll 110 and upper case body 121.

[0258] Furthermore, the powder of the medicine that falls onto the delivery roll 110 can be stopped by the roll flange 550, which prevents the powder of the medicine from entering the gap 570. When a certain amount of powder of the medicine that falls onto the delivery roll 110 accumulates, it enters the recess 110c and is delivered to the diffusion section 104, so it does not generally go beyond the roll flange 550.

[0259] Moreover, roll edge receiving portion 560 is formed by metal plate 580 that is provided integrally with the main body resin portion in upper case body 121. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the durability of roll edge receiving portion 560, and in the case where wear occurs in the portion forming gap 570 due to powder of drug that has entered gap 570, it is possible to suppress wear on the upper case body 121 side relative to payout roll 110 made of resin.

[0260] By configuring the roll edge receiving portion 560 using the metal plate 580, the amount of wear at the portion forming the gap 570 between the upper case body 121 and the payout roll 110 can be greater on the payout roll 110 side, which is relatively easy to replace as a part, than on the upper case body 121 side, i.e., the amount of wear on the metal plate 580. This allows for good maintainability of the payout unit 102. The roll edge receiving portion 560 may be a portion formed as part of the main body resin portion of the upper case body 121.

[0261] Furthermore, upper case body 121 has, in the main body resin portion, curved edge portion 121f that covers the left and right inner sides of the upper part of metal plate 580. With this configuration, drug powder that falls along inclined surface portion 121c onto payout roll 110 can fall to the left and right inner sides of roll flange portion 550, and drug powder can be prevented from accumulating in the corners between roll flange portion 550 and outer peripheral surface 110d of main body roll portion 110a. This effectively prevents drug powder from entering gap 570.

[0262] The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, even if it is not the above-described embodiment, various modifications are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, the effects described in this disclosure are merely examples and are not limited, and other effects may also be obtained.

[0263] The present technology can be configured as follows: The configurations described below can be selected and combined as desired.

[0264] (1) a hopper for storing the chemical; a feeding unit having a plurality of feeding rolls for feeding the medicine in the hopper; a guide portion that guides the medicine delivered by the delivery portion; a diffusing section that diffuses the drug guided by the guide section; an electric actuator provided for each of the payout rolls for rotationally driving the payout rolls; a control unit that controls the electric actuator; Chemical sprayer. (2) The feeding section has a pair of feeding rolls as the plurality of feeding rolls, The pair of feed rolls are arranged to share a common rotation axis and rotate in opposite directions. The drug sprayer described in (1) above. (3) the guide unit has a chute provided for each of the payout rolls, Each of the delivery rolls is configured to be able to selectively supply a drug to either of the two shooters. The drug sprayer described in (2) above. (4) When the control unit drives the electric actuators to rotate the pair of payout rolls in the same direction, the control unit controls each of the electric actuators to alternately rotate the pair of payout rolls. A drug sprayer as described in (2) or (3). (5) A case portion is provided below the hopper, the payout roll and the chute are provided inside the case portion, The electric actuator and the control unit are provided outside the case. The drug sprayer described in (3) above. (6) The control unit is configured to detect an abnormality in the payout unit based on a signal related to the drive of the electric actuator. The chemical sprayer according to any one of (1) to (5) above. (7) the diffusion unit includes a diffusion blade that is provided to rotate about a rotation axis in the vertical direction, and an electric actuator that rotates the diffusion blade, The electric actuator of the diffusion unit is provided so that at least a portion of the electric actuator is positioned at the same height as the chute in the vertical direction. The drug sprayer described in (3) above. (8) A work vehicle equipped with the chemical sprayer according to any one of (1) to (7). [Explanation of symbols]

[0265] 1 Rice transplanter (work vehicle) 100 Chemical sprayer 101 Hopper 102 Feeding section 103 Guide part 104 Diffusion section 105 Electric motor (electric actuator) 106 Control device (control unit) 110 Payout roll 120 Case part 140 Shooter 161 Diffusion Blade 162 Electric motor (electric actuator) C1 Rotation axis

Claims

1. a hopper for storing the chemical; a feeding unit having a plurality of feeding rolls for feeding the medicine in the hopper; a guide portion that guides the medicine delivered by the delivery portion; a diffusing section that diffuses the drug guided by the guide section; an electric actuator provided for each of the payout rolls for rotationally driving the payout rolls; a control unit that controls the electric actuator; Chemical sprayer.

2. The feeding section has a pair of feeding rolls as the plurality of feeding rolls, The pair of feed rolls are arranged to share a common rotation axis and rotate in opposite directions. The chemical sprayer according to claim 1.

3. the guide unit has a chute provided for each of the payout rolls, Each of the delivery rolls is configured to be able to selectively supply the medicine to either of the two shooters. The chemical sprayer according to claim 2.

4. When the control unit drives the electric actuators to rotate the pair of payout rolls in the same direction, the control unit controls each of the electric actuators to alternately rotate the pair of payout rolls. A chemical sprayer according to claim 2 or claim 3.

5. A case portion is provided below the hopper, the payout roll and the chute are provided inside the case portion, The electric actuator and the control unit are provided outside the case. The chemical sprayer according to claim 3.

6. The control unit is configured to detect an abnormality in the payout unit based on a signal related to the drive of the electric actuator. The chemical sprayer according to claim 1.

7. the diffusion unit includes a diffusion blade that is provided to rotate about a rotation axis in the vertical direction, and an electric actuator that rotates the diffusion blade, The electric actuator of the diffusion unit is provided so that at least a portion of the electric actuator is positioned at the same height as the chute in the vertical direction. The chemical sprayer according to claim 3.

8. A work vehicle equipped with the chemical sprayer according to claim 1.

Images