Work equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a work machine that does not require wiring to connect the controller, which is located on the operating stick, to the main unit. [Solution] According to one aspect of the present invention, a work machine is provided, comprising a main body, an operating rod, and a controller, wherein the main body is configured to move based on rotational power from a drive unit and has a wireless communication function, the operating rod is connected to the main body and configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body, and the controller is located at the tip of the operating rod and is configured to operate the main body by communicating wirelessly with the main body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an unmanned working vehicle.

[0003] This unmanned working vehicle includes a traveling device that operates with power from a prime mover, a switching device that switches the transmission state from the prime mover to the traveling device, and a control system having a control unit that controls the operation of the switching device. It includes an artificial operation tool that can be switched to a use state that enables manual assist for traveling, and a notification means that notifies the control system of the switching to the use state of the artificial operation tool. When the control system detects the switching to the use state of the artificial operation tool based on the notification of the notification means, it includes an auxiliary control unit that controls the operation of the switching device with priority over the control unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the unmanned working vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a working machine premised on traveling by remote operation, and does not operate using a traveling assist handle, which is an example of an artificial operation tool. Further, in a working machine that travels using an operation lever, since it was necessary to connect the controller arranged on the operation lever and the main body part by wiring, the routing of the wiring could sometimes be an obstacle during work.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a working machine or the like that does not require wiring for connecting the controller arranged on the operation lever and the main body part. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a work machine is provided, comprising a main body, an operating rod, and a controller, wherein the main body is configured to move based on rotational power from a drive unit and has a wireless communication function, the operating rod is connected to the main body and configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body, and the controller is located at the tip of the operating rod and is configured to operate the main body by communicating wirelessly with the main body.

[0008] In this configuration, wiring connecting the controller located on the control stick to the main unit becomes unnecessary. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This diagram shows an example of the overall configuration of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the exterior of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 3] This is a front view showing the external appearance of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 4] This is a left side view showing the external appearance of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 5] This is a rear view showing the external appearance of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 6] This is a top view showing the external appearance of the lawnmower 11. [Figure 7] This is a bottom view of the lawnmower 11, with some parts omitted. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing the lawnmower 11 with some parts omitted. [Figure 9] This is a top view of the lawnmower 11, with some parts omitted. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the lawnmower 11 with the operating rod 32 removed. [Figure 11] This figure shows the operating rod 32 with the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b detached. [Figure 12]Figure 12(A) shows the state in which the gripping part 32a and the controller 5 are configured as an integrated unit, Figure 12(B) shows the state in which the controller 5 has been removed from the gripping part 32a, and Figure 12(C) shows the controller 5 removed from the gripping part 32a. [Figure 13] This figure shows the operating rod 32 in a state where its length is shorter than the connecting portion 32b shown in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The various features shown in the embodiments below can be combined with each other.

[0011] Incidentally, the program for implementing the software appearing in one embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or it may be provided as a downloadable medium from an external server, or it may be provided so that the program is launched on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0012] Furthermore, in various information processing according to one embodiment, an input and an output corresponding to the input can be realized. Here, as long as an output is obtained as a result of the input, the form of the information referenced in such information processing (hereinafter referred to as "reference information") is not limited. The reference information may be, for example, rule-based information such as a database, a lookup table, or a predetermined function (including a decision formula such as a regression equation constructed by a statistical method), or a pre-trained model that has learned the correlation between input and output in advance, or a large-scale language model that can output a desired result by inputting a prompt.

[0013] In addition, in one embodiment, the "unit" may include, for example, hardware resources implemented by a circuit in a broad sense and information processing of software that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. Also, in one embodiment, various types of information are handled, and these information are represented, for example, by physical values of signal values representing voltage and current, the high and low of signal values as a set of binary bits composed of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and operations can be executed on a circuit in a broad sense.

[0014] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by appropriately combining at least a circuit (Circuit), circuitry (Circuitry), a processor (Processor), a memory (Memory), etc. Also, the processor may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit. That is, it includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (for example, a simple programmable logic device (SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), etc.

[0015] 1. Overall Configuration In Chapter 1, the working machine 1 according to one embodiment will be described. The working machine 1 is configured to travel in order to perform a predetermined operation. Hereinafter, the case where the working machine 1 is the lawn mower 11 will be taken up and described.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the appearance of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 5 is a rear view showing the appearance of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 6 is a top view showing the appearance of the lawn mower 11. FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing a part of the components of the lawn mower 11 omitted. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a part of the components of the lawn mower 11 omitted. FIG. 9 is a top view showing a part of the components of the lawn mower 11 omitted.

[0017] In the following description, based on the "up", "down", "left", "right", "front" and "rear" shown in FIGS. 2 to 9 above and FIGS. 10 to 13 in Chapter 2, the directions of the lawn mower 11 and each member constituting the lawn mower 11 are defined. Further, in the following description, "up" is also referred to as "upper side" or "above", and "down" is also referred to as "lower side" or "below". Also, the direction formed by up and down is referred to as "vertical" or "vertical direction". The same applies to "left", "right", "front" and "rear".

[0018] (Lawn mower 11) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lawn mower 11, which is a working machine 1, includes a main body 2, an operation unit 3 including an operation lever 32, a battery 4, and a controller 5. The lawn mower 11 has a traveling function and a working function, and performs lawn mowing while traveling.

[0019] (Main body 2) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the main body 2 includes a traveling motor 21 (corresponding to the "driving unit" in the claims), a traveling unit 22, a working motor 23, a working unit 24, an operation control unit 25, a transmission / reception unit 26, a communication bus 27, a mounting unit 28, and a mounting portion 29.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 8, the main body 2 has an upper cover 2a and a lower support plate 2c. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the upper cover 2a is lid-shaped and is provided to cover each part of the main body 2 mounted on the lower support plate 2c from above. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the upper cover 2a has an openable / closable part 2b. By opening the openable / closable part 2b, each part of the main body 2 that is covered by the upper cover 2a can be checked or operated. In other words, the openable / closable part 2b allows each part to be checked or operated without removing the upper cover 2a from the brush cutter 11. The lower support plate 2c is plate-shaped and is located below the upper cover 2a. The various parts of the main body 2, namely the travel motor 21, travel unit 22, work motor 23, work unit 24, operation control unit 25, transmitting / receiving unit 26, communication bus 27, mounting unit 28, and attachment unit 29, are mechanically connected to the lower support plate 2c. Of these, the mounting portion 29 is provided so as to protrude from the upper cover 2a. The mounting portion 29 will be described in the section on the operating portion 3.

[0021] The drive unit, the travel motor 21, is an electric motor and is configured to generate rotational power for the main body 2 to move. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, in the grass trimmer 11, two travel motors 21 are arranged, one on the left and one on the right, behind the upper surface of the lower support plate 2c. The travel motors 21 are mechanically connected to the travel unit 22 via chains, gears, etc. (not shown) or directly. By using an electric motor as the drive unit, a battery can be used in common for supplying power to the wireless communication function of the main body and as a power source for the work machine.

[0022] The running unit 22 receives rotational power from the running motor 21 to move the grass trimmer 11. In other words, the main body 2 is configured to move based on the rotational power from the running motor 21, which is the drive unit. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the running unit 22 in the grass trimmer 11 is a continuous track, also known as a caterpillar (registered trademark). However, the running unit 22 is not limited to a continuous track and may be, for example, a tire.

[0023] The work motor 23 is an electric motor configured to generate rotational power for mowing grass. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, in the grass trimmer 11, two work motors 23 are arranged, one on the left and one on the right, approximately in the center of the upper surface of the lower support plate 2c in the front-to-back direction. The work motors 23 are mechanically connected to the work unit 24 via chains, gears, etc. (not shown) or directly.

[0024] The working unit 24 receives rotational power from the working motor 23 to perform predetermined tasks. As shown in Figure 7, in the brush cutter 11, the working unit 24 is configured to cut grass and other plants by rotating with the rotational power of the working motor 23. Specifically, the working unit 24 comprises a cutting blade 24a, a cutting blade shaft 24b, a cutting blade mounting part 24c, and a rotating shaft 24d, and is a free-knife type working unit 24. In detail, the cutting blade 24a is plate-shaped and rotates around the rotating shaft 24d via the cutting blade mounting part 24c, cutting grass and other plants that come into contact with it as the brush cutter 11 moves. The cutting blade mounting part 24c is elliptical in shape, with the rotating shaft 24d connected approximately to its center, and rotates in a plane defined by the front and rear and left and right directions. The cutting blade mounting part 24c also has cutting blade shafts 24b at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The cutting blade 24a is connected to the upper and lower sides of each cutting blade shaft 24b. Furthermore, the cutting blade 24a is attached to the cutting blade shaft 24b of the cutting blade mounting section 24c so as to rotate within a predetermined range around the cutting blade shaft 24b. The working section 24 is not limited to a free-knife type, but may also be a bar knife type, cross knife type, hammer knife type, etc. In addition, resin cords such as nylon cord, metal blades (reel blades, carbide-tipped saw blades, shredder blades, etc.), resin blades, reciprocating blades, etc. may be used.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the drive motor 21 and the work motor 23 are controlled by the operation control unit 25, which receives power from the battery 4. In other words, the operation control unit 25 is electrically connected to the drive motor 21, the work motor 23, and the battery 4 by wiring and connectors, and controls the power supply from the battery 4 to the drive motor 21 and the work motor 23. Thus, the operation control unit 25 is configured to electrically control the rotation of the drive motor 21 and the work motor 23. Furthermore, the operation control unit 25 and the transceiver unit 26 are electrically connected via a communication bus 27. The transceiver unit 26 has a wireless communication function and communicates wirelessly with the controller 5. Therefore, the main unit 2 has a wireless communication function. Details of the battery 4 and the controller 5 will be described later.

[0026] As shown in Figure 8, the mounting portion 28 is plate-shaped and is configured to detachably accommodate a battery 4 for supplying power to the travel motor 21. The mounting portion 28 is positioned near the approximate center in the left-right direction, in front of the upper surface of the lower support plate 2c. The mounting portion 28 is inclined to approach the lower support plate 2c as it moves from front to rear.

[0027] (Operation unit 3) As shown in Figure 2, the operating unit 3 has at least one mounting portion 29 and an operating rod 32. The operating rod 32 is connected to the main body 2 via the mounting portion 29 and is configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body 2.

[0028] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the mounting portion 29 is box-shaped and is positioned approximately in the center of the upper surface of the lower support plate 2c. The mounting portion 29 fixes the operating rod 32 and connects the main body 2 and the operating rod 32.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the main body 2 is connected to the operating rod 32 via the mounting portion 29. The operating rod 32 has a gripping portion 32a and a connecting portion 32b. The gripping portion 32a, when integrated with the controller 5, forms an annular shape, and is gripped by inserting the operator's hand inside the annular shape. In Figure 2, the connecting portion 32b is connected below the gripping portion 32a. The connecting portion 32b is pipe-shaped and connects the mounting portion 29 and the gripping portion 32a. In other words, the operating rod 32 is connected to the main body 2 via the mounting portion 29 and is configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body 2. Details of the operating rod 32 will be described later.

[0030] (Battery 4) As shown in Figure 8, the battery 4 is detachably attached to the mounting section 28 of the main body 2 at the front of the main body 2. The battery 4 is constructed by housing a secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery, in a rectangular parallelepiped case. The battery 4 is a battery pack that can be attached and detached by sliding it in the front-rear direction relative to the mounting section 28. In the brush cutter 11, two batteries 4 are installed, but this is not limited to this, and one or more mounting sections 28 may be provided, with each of the mounting sections 28 having a battery 4 installed.

[0031] (Controller 5) As shown in Figure 1, the controller 5 comprises a transmitting / receiving unit 51 and an input unit 52. The transmitting / receiving unit 51 and the input unit 52 are electrically connected via a communication bus 53. As shown in Figure 2, the controller 5 is positioned at the tip of the operating rod 32 and is integrally configured with the gripping portion 32a of the operating unit 3. The controller 5 is a controller with wireless communication capabilities and is configured to operate the main unit 2 by communicating wirelessly with it based on operations from the operator.

[0032] The transmitting / receiving unit 51 in the controller 5 transmits the signal generated by the input unit 52 to the transmitting / receiving unit 26 in the main unit 2 via wireless communication. In other words, the transmitting / receiving unit 26 in the main unit 2 receives the signal generated by the input unit 52 from the transmitting / receiving unit 51 in the controller 5 via wireless communication. The operation control unit 25 performs control according to the signal received by the transmitting / receiving unit 26.

[0033] As shown in Figure 6, the input unit 52 has a travel input lever 52a, a direction input lever 52b, and a cutting blade input lever 52c. The travel input lever 52a is an input means for increasing or decreasing the travel speed of the main unit 2. The travel input lever 52a is configured to control the travel speed of the main unit 2 via a drive switch (not shown). The direction input lever 52b is an input means for inputting the travel direction of the main unit 2. Furthermore, the cutting blade input lever 52c is an input means for switching the working unit 24 on / off to rotate it.

[0034] 2. Details of the control stick 32 and controller 5 Chapter 2 will describe the details of the operating rod 32 and controller 5 of this embodiment.

[0035] Figure 10 shows the operating rod 32 removed from the brush cutter 11. Figure 11 shows the operating rod 32 with the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b removed. Figure 12 shows Figure 12(A): a state in which the gripping portion 32a and the controller 5 are integrally configured, Figure 12(B): a state in which the controller 5 is removed from the gripping portion 32a, and Figure 12(C): a state in which the controller 5 is removed from the gripping portion 32a. Figure 13 shows the operating rod 32 with a shorter length than the connecting portion 32b shown in Figure 2.

[0036] As shown in Figure 10, the operating rod 32 is configured to be detachable from the main body 2. That is, when the operating rod 32 is attached to the main body 2, the operating rod 32 is fixed to the mounting part 29, and the operator can assist in the movement of the brush cutter 11 by gripping the gripping part 32a. In particular, in places where it is difficult for the brush cutter 11 to move on its own, such as on steep slopes or near water, the operator can attach the operating rod 32 to the brush cutter 11 to prevent the machine from tipping over or coming off. On the other hand, when removing the operating rod 32 from the main body 2, for example, the fixing of the operating rod 32 by the mounting part 29 is released by rotating the operating rod 32 while pushing it toward the main body 2. In other words, the operating rod 32 is configured to be detachable from the main body 2. In this configuration, the vehicle can be remotely operated by a controller in places where manual assistance for movement using a control rod is unnecessary, such as on flat ground, or in dangerous places where it is difficult for workers to enter.

[0037] As shown in Figure 11, the operating rod 32 is configured so that the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b can be separated. That is, when the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b are connected, for example, a stopper (not shown) located at the connection point between the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b connects the connecting portion 32b to the gripping portion 32a. On the other hand, when separating the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b, for example, the connection between the gripping portion 32a and the connecting portion 32b is released by releasing the stopper on the gripping portion 32a.

[0038] As shown in Figure 12(A), when assisting the movement of the brush cutter 11 using the operating rod 32, the gripping part 32a and the controller 5 become one, forming a ring, and the operator's hand is inserted inside this ring to grip it. In this case, the operator operates the brush cutter 11 using the controller 5 while assisting its movement manually as needed. On the other hand, in environments where it is not necessary to assist the movement of the brush cutter 11, for example, when mowing grass on flat ground, the operator may remotely control the brush cutter 11 using the controller 5. In this case, first, the fixing between the main body 2 and the operating rod 32 is released as described above, and then either the controller 5 integrated with the gripping part 32a is used, or the controller 5 is detached from the gripping part 32a and used separately. When the controller 5 is detached from the gripping part 32a, the gripping part 32a and the controller 5 become independent, as shown in Figures 12(B) and 12(C). The operator can then remotely control the brush cutter 11 using the controller 5. In other words, the controller 5 is configured to be detachable from the operating rod 32. With this configuration, the position of the controller can be flexibly set according to the worker's work style and work environment, that is, the distance between the work machine and the worker can be changed arbitrarily.

[0039] The length of the connecting portion 32b in the operating rod 32 is configured to be variable. That is, the length L2 of the connecting portion 32b shown in Figure 13 is shorter than the length L1 of the connecting portion 32b shown in Figure 2. For example, when the brush cutter 11 is driven on an inclined surface, it will gradually move downwards due to its own weight. Therefore, when the brush cutter 11 is driven on an inclined surface, the operator uses the operating rod 32 to assist in its movement and prevent the brush cutter 11 from moving downwards.

[0040] Here, let's consider the case of mowing grass on the slope of a field path. When the operator is running the grass cutter 11 on the upper part of the slope of the field path, it is more efficient to shorten the distance between the operator and the grass cutter 11. Therefore, the operator can shorten the operating rod 32 by shortening the connecting part 32b, allowing the grass cutter 11 to run stably. On the other hand, when the operator is running the grass cutter 11 on the lower part of the slope of the field path, a distance is required between the operator and the grass cutter 11. Therefore, the operator can extend the connecting part 32b to secure the length of the operating rod 32, allowing the grass cutter 11 to run stably.

[0041] Here, the connecting portion 32b of the operating rod 32 is adjusted to any length within its extendable range and fixed. The connecting portion 32b may be configured such that its length can be adjusted when the lever is raised, and fixed when the lever is lowered, for example, like a lever lock type. In other words, the operating rod 32 is configured to be extendable and can be fixed at any length within its extendable range. With this configuration, the distance between the work machine and the worker can be changed as desired. Furthermore, even if the appropriate sense of distance differs depending on the height of the worker, the length of the operating rod 32 can be adjusted to allow each worker to work in a comfortable posture.

[0042] According to this embodiment, wiring is not required to connect the controller located on the operating rod to the main unit. Therefore, the operating rod can be attached and detached and extended (as described above) smoothly. In addition, when performing operations such as rotating the work machine with the operating rod attached, the routing of wiring can be avoided as an obstacle to the work, thus improving operability.

[0043] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the technical spirit of the invention.

[0044] 3. Variant Chapter 3 describes modifications of this embodiment. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0045] In this embodiment, the case where the work machine 1 is a grass cutter 11 has been described as an example, but it is not limited to this. For example, the work machine 1 may be a grass cutter 11, a collection machine (not shown) for collecting rubbish or golf balls that have fallen on the ground, or a spreader (not shown). With such an embodiment, predetermined tasks can be performed using a grass cutter, collection machine, or spreader with improved operability.

[0046] In this embodiment, an electric motor was used as an example of a drive unit, but the invention is not limited to this. The drive unit may be, for example, an engine that uses gasoline as fuel.

[0047] 4. Others The product may be provided in any of the following embodiments.

[0048] (1) A work machine comprising a main body, an operating rod, and a controller, wherein the main body is configured to move based on rotational power from a drive unit and has a wireless communication function, the operating rod is connected to the main body and is configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body, and the controller is located at the tip of the operating rod and is configured to operate the main body by communicating wirelessly with the main body.

[0049] In this configuration, wiring connecting the controller located on the control stick to the main unit becomes unnecessary.

[0050] (2) The work machine described in (1) above, wherein the operating rod is configured to be detachably attached to the main body.

[0051] In this configuration, the device can be remotely controlled by a controller in places where a control stick is not needed, such as on flat ground.

[0052] (3) In the work machine described in (1) or (2) above, the controller is configured to be detachably attached to the operating rod.

[0053] In this configuration, the position of the controller can be flexibly set according to the worker's work style and work environment.

[0054] (4) A work machine described in any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the operating rod is configured to be retractable and to be fixed at any length within the retractable range.

[0055] In this embodiment, the distance between the work machine and the worker can be changed arbitrarily.

[0056] (5) A work machine described in any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the drive unit is an electric motor.

[0057] In this configuration, a battery can be used in common for both supplying power to the wireless communication function of the main unit and as a power source for the work machine.

[0058] (6) An implement described in any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the implement is a grass cutter, a collection machine, or a sprayer.

[0059] According to this embodiment, the predetermined tasks in each can be performed using a grass trimmer, collection machine, or sprayer with improved operability. Of course, this is not always the case. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1: Work machine 2: Main body 2a: Top cover 2b: Opening / closing part 2c: Lower support plate 3 :Operation section 4: Battery 5: Controller 11: Lawn mower 21: Driving motor 22: Running section 23: Work motor 24: Work Unit 24a: Cutting blade 24b:Cutter blade shaft 24c: Cutting blade mounting section 24d: Rotation axis 25: Operation Control Unit 26: Transceiver Unit 27: Communications bus 28: Mounting part 29: Mounting part 32: Operation stick 32a: Grip part 32b: Connection part 51: Transmitter / Receiver 52: Input section 52a: Drive input lever 52b: Directional input lever 52c: Cutting blade input lever 53: Communications bus

Claims

1. It is a work machine, It comprises a main unit, a control stick, and a controller. The main body is configured to move based on rotational power from a drive unit and has wireless communication capabilities. The operating rod is connected to the main body and is configured to be grippable in order to assist in the movement of the main body. The controller is positioned at the tip of the operating rod and is configured to operate the main body via wireless communication with the main body. Work equipment.

2. In the work machine described in claim 1, The aforementioned operating rod is configured to be detachably attached to the main body. Work equipment.

3. In the work machine described in claim 1, The controller is configured to be detachably attached to the operating stick. Work equipment.

4. In the work machine described in claim 1, The aforementioned operating rod is configured to be extendable and retractable, and to be fixed at any length within its extendable range. Work equipment.

5. In the work machine described in claim 1, The aforementioned drive unit is an electric motor. Work equipment.

6. In the work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned work machine is a grass cutter, a collection machine, or a sprayer. Work equipment.

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