Work vehicles

Abstract

This technology provides a way to appropriately position a motor control device on a work vehicle. [Solution] An exemplary work vehicle comprises a driver's seat, a steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, a motor for rotating the steering shaft, and a control device for controlling the motor. The control device is positioned on the floor in front of the driver's seat.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a work vehicle capable of automatically steering a traveling body so that the traveling body travels along a target traveling path. The automatic steering mechanism provided in the work vehicle has a motor that rotationally drives a steering shaft.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a configuration including a motor that rotationally drives a steering shaft, a control device for controlling the motor is required. When such a control device is arranged in a work vehicle, there is a concern that, for example, the operability of the pedal may be reduced and the visibility of a driver (operator) sitting on the driver's seat may be deteriorated.

[0005] In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of appropriately arranging a control device for controlling a motor in a work vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An exemplary work vehicle of the present invention includes a driver's seat, a steering wheel arranged in front of the driver's seat, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, a motor that rotates the steering shaft, and a control device that controls the motor. The control device is arranged on the floor in front of the driver's seat.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to an exemplary version of the present invention, a control device for controlling a motor can be appropriately positioned on a work vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Side view showing the schematic configuration of the tractor. [Figure 2] Plan view showing the general configuration of the tractor. [Figure 3] Block diagram showing the configuration related to the automatic steering of a tractor. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating an example of how to set a baseline. [Figure 5] A schematic perspective view showing the layout around the tractor's driver's compartment. [Figure 6] A perspective view showing the general configuration of an alternative floor cover. [Figure 7] A schematic perspective view showing a magnified view of the area around the first control unit with the floor cover removed. [Figure 8] A perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the mounting structure for the first control device to the floor. [Figure 9] Schematic exploded perspective view showing a portion of the configuration shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] A diagram illustrating a first modified example of the placement of the first control device. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating a second modified example of the placement of the first control device. [Figure 12] Schematic cross-sectional view of position XII-XII in Figure 11 [Figure 13] Perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a cabin-type tractor. [Figure 14] A schematic perspective view showing the surrounding configuration of the first control unit in a cabin-type tractor. [Figure 15] A schematic side view showing the surrounding configuration of the first control unit in a cabin-type tractor. [Figure 16] Perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the tractor in the fourth modified example. [Figure 17]Figure showing a part of the components (cover) removed from the figure shown in Fig. 16 [Figure 18] Figure for explaining the arrangement of the second control device in the fourth modification [Figure 19] Plan view showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the second control device provided in the tractor of the fourth modification [Figure 20] Perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the mounting structure of the second control device provided in the tractor of the fourth modification [Figure 21] Figure showing a part of the mounting structure shown in Fig. 20 disassembled

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a tractor is taken as an example of the work vehicle for explanation. However, the work vehicle may be a work vehicle other than a tractor, such as various harvesters, rice transplanters, combines, civil engineering and construction work devices, snow removal vehicles, etc.

[0010] In addition, in this specification, the directions are defined as follows. First, the direction in which the tractor as the work vehicle advances during work is defined as "front", and the opposite direction is defined as "rear". Also, the right side is defined as right and the left side is defined as left when facing the advancing direction of the tractor. And the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the tractor is defined as the up-down direction. At this time, the direction of gravity is defined as down, and the opposite side is defined as up. Also, the plane perpendicular to the up-down direction is defined as the horizontal plane, and the direction along the horizontal plane is defined as the horizontal direction. Note that the above directions are merely names used for explanation and are not intended to limit the actual positional relationship and direction.

[0011] <1. Outline of the work vehicle> Fig. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the tractor 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the tractor 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the tractor 1 includes a vehicle body 2, an engine 3, and a drive unit housing 4.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of front wheels 5 are positioned at the front of the vehicle body 2. A pair of rear wheels 6 are positioned at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The vehicle body 2 is able to move using the front wheels 5 and rear wheels 6. In other words, the tractor 1 in this embodiment is a wheeled tractor. However, the tractor 1 may also be a crawler tractor.

[0013] The engine 3 is located at the front of the vehicle body 2, covered by a hood 7. The engine 3 is the power source for the tractor 1. In this embodiment, the engine 3 is a diesel engine. However, the engine 3 may be a gasoline engine. Also, the power source for the tractor 1 may be another power source such as an electric motor instead of the engine.

[0014] The drive unit housing 4 is located behind the engine 3 and below the driver's unit 8. The drive unit housing 4 includes a transmission case. A power transmission device (not shown) is located inside the drive unit housing 4. The rotational power of the engine 3 is transmitted to at least one of the front wheels 5 and the rear wheels 6 via the power transmission device in the drive unit housing 4.

[0015] The driver's compartment 8 is located behind the engine 3 in the vehicle body 2. The driver's compartment 8 is the part where the driver (operator) sits. The driver's compartment 8 includes the driver's seat 9 and the front panel 10. In other words, the tractor 1 is equipped with a driver's seat 9. The driver's seat 9 is where the driver sits. The tractor 1 is also equipped with a front panel 10.

[0016] The front panel 10 is positioned in front of the driver's seat 9. The front panel 10 is equipped with a steering wheel (handle) 11. In other words, the tractor 1 is equipped with a steering wheel 11 positioned in front of the driver's seat 9. The front panel 10 protrudes from the front end of the driver's compartment 8 toward the driver's seat 9 (i.e., toward the rear). The front panel 10 is also equipped with a meter display unit that shows the speed of the tractor 1. The steering wheel 11 is positioned behind the meter display unit and in front of the driver's seat 9.

[0017] The steering wheel 11 is operated by the driver seated in the driver's seat 9. More specifically, the steering wheel 11 is rotatably supported by a steering shaft 13 (see Figure 3 below) located within a steering column 12 included in the front panel 10. The direction of the front wheels 5 can be changed by rotating the steering wheel 11.

[0018] The driver's unit 8 is also provided with various operating levers 14 and pedals 15, which are operated by the driver. The various operating levers 14 may include, for example, a main gear shift lever, a sub-gear shift lever, and a work lever. The various pedals 15 may include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a clutch pedal.

[0019] In this embodiment, a locating frame 16 is provided behind the driver's seat 9. The locating frame 16 can protect the driver in the event of the tractor 1 tipping over. Note that the tractor 1 may be a cabin type in which the driver's seat 9 is covered by a cabin, rather than a locating frame 16.

[0020] A work implement coupling section 17, consisting of a three-point linkage mechanism or the like, is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. A work implement can be attached to the work implement coupling section 17. The work implement may be, for example, a tilling device, a plow, a fertilizer applicator, a pesticide sprayer, a harvesting device, or a mowing device. A lifting device (not shown) having a hydraulic system such as a lifting cylinder is also provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The lifting device can raise and lower the work implement coupling section 17, thereby raising and lowering the work implement. In addition, the power generated by the engine 3 can be transmitted to the towed work implement via a power transmission device in the drive unit housing 4 and a power take-off shaft (PTO shaft; not shown) located at the rear of the vehicle body 2.

[0021] The tractor 1 is equipped with automatic steering capabilities, which allow it to steer autonomously to follow a predetermined path. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration related to automatic steering of the tractor 1 according to this embodiment. In addition to steering, the tractor 1 may be configured to autonomously control at least one of the following: vehicle speed and work performed by implements.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the tractor 1 includes a steering shaft 13 and a motor 131. The steering shaft 13 is connected to the steering wheel 11. The motor 131 rotates the steering shaft 13.

[0023] In detail, the motor 131 is a motor whose rotation direction, rotation speed, and rotation angle can be controlled. The motor 131 is connected to the steering shaft 13 via a gear mechanism 132. The gear mechanism 132 includes a gear provided on the steering shaft 13 that rotates together with the steering shaft 13, and a gear attached to the rotation axis of the motor 131 that rotates together with the rotation axis of the motor 131. When the rotation axis of the motor 131 rotates, the steering shaft 13 rotates automatically via the gear mechanism 132. The motor 131 and the gear mechanism 132 are arranged, for example, in the steering column 12.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the tractor 1 is equipped with a first control device 31 and a second control device 32. Each of the first control device 31 and the second control device 32 is a computer device comprising, for example, an arithmetic unit, an input / output unit, and a storage unit. The arithmetic unit is, for example, a processor or microprocessor. The storage unit is a main memory device such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit may further include an auxiliary storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive). Various programs and data are stored in the storage unit. The arithmetic unit reads various programs from the storage unit and executes them.

[0025] In this embodiment, the control device for automatic steering is composed of two control devices, a first control device 31 and a second control device 32. However, this configuration is merely illustrative. The number of control devices involved in automatic operation may be one or three or more. For example, the first control device 31 and the second control device 32 may be combined into one.

[0026] The first control device 31 is electrically connected to the motor 131 and controls the motor 131. The first control device 31 is the driver of the motor 131. In detail, the first control device 31 controls the motor 131 in response to commands from the second control device 32, which is electrically connected to it. The first control device 31 receives a control command from the second control device 32, processes the control command further, and determines the amount of power to supply to the motor 131. The first control device 31 supplies power to the motor 131 according to the determined amount of power. As described above, the driving force of the motor 131 is transmitted to the steering shaft 13 via the gear mechanism 132, so that the direction of the front wheels 5 can be controlled by controlling the motor 131.

[0027] The second control device 32 is the main control device that performs control related to automatic steering. The second control device 32 is a controller for automatic steering. The position acquisition unit 19, the inertial measuring device 21, and the display device 22 are electrically connected to the second control device 32.

[0028] The position acquisition unit 19 acquires the position of the tractor 1, for example, as latitude and longitude information, using the positioning signal received by the positioning antenna 20 from the positioning satellite. The position acquisition unit 19 outputs the position information of the tractor 1 to the second control device 32. The position acquisition unit 19 may, for example, receive a positioning signal from a reference station (not shown) in an appropriate manner and then perform positioning using the known RTK-GNSS (Real Time Kinematic GNSS) method. Alternatively, for example, the position acquisition unit 19 may perform positioning using the DGNSS (Differential GNSS) method. In this embodiment, the positioning antenna 20 is attached to the LOPS frame 16. The mounting position of the positioning antenna 20 may be changed as appropriate.

[0029] The inertial measurement device 21 includes a three-axis angular velocity sensor and three-directional acceleration sensors. The inertial measurement device 21 outputs the measured information to the second control device 32. The provision of the inertial measurement device 21 makes it possible to measure inertial information such as the yaw angle, pitch angle, and roll angle of the vehicle body 2.

[0030] The display device 22 displays information as appropriate in response to commands from the second control device 32. For example, the display device 22 displays information and errors related to the automatic steering of the tractor 1. In this embodiment, the display device 22 also functions as an operation unit for the driver to input commands. In other words, the display device 22 can be called an operation display device. The function as an operation unit can be realized, for example, by providing operation buttons or a touch panel on the display device 22. By utilizing the operation unit function of the display device 22, it is possible to set the automatic steering route and perform operations related to automatic steering.

[0031] The second control device 32 performs automatic steering start and end processes in response to commands from the driver, for example, using the operation functions of the display device 22. The second control device 32 also determines the position and orientation of the tractor body 2 based on information obtained from the position acquisition unit 19 and the inertial measuring device 21. The second control device 32 also outputs control commands related to automatic steering to the first control device 31, for example, based on the relationship between the determined position of the body 2 and a predetermined automatic driving path. The second control device 32 receives GNSS positioning information and information about the body 2 from the position acquisition unit 19 and the inertial measuring device 21, performs calculations related to automatic steering, and sends control commands for the motor 131 to the first control device 31. The second control device 32 also receives operation information of the motor 131 from the first control device 31 and performs the following calculations (calculations for feedback control).

[0032] Here, we will explain the outline of the automatic steering performed by the tractor 1 of this embodiment. When performing automatic steering, first, a reference line L is set. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating one example of how to set the reference line L. The method for setting the reference line L may be other than the method shown in Figure 4.

[0033] When setting the baseline L, the tractor 1 is first moved to a suitable location in the field (point A in the diagram), and point A is registered. Point A is registered by a registration command from the driver. The position of the vehicle body 2 obtained by the position acquisition unit 19 at the time the point A registration command is issued is registered as the position of point A.

[0034] Once point A is registered, the driver manually operates the tractor 1 to move in a straight line to the designated position (point B in the diagram). When the tractor 1 reaches the designated position, point B is registered. Point B is registered by a registration command from the driver. The position of the vehicle body 2 obtained by the position acquisition unit 19 at the time the point B registration command is issued is registered as the position of point B. Once points A and B are registered, a straight line passing through points A and B is set as the reference line L.

[0035] When a reference line L is set, lines parallel to the reference line L are generated as automatic travel lines at predetermined intervals. During automatic steering, steering control of the tractor 1's direction of travel is performed so that the automatic travel lines and the position of the vehicle body 2 acquired by the position acquisition unit 19 coincide. Steering control of the tractor 1's direction of travel is performed by controlling the motor 131.

[0036] <2. Arrangement of control devices> Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the driver's compartment 8 of the tractor 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, the floor 23 of the driver's compartment 8 extends in front of the driver's seat 9. The first control device 31 is located on the floor 23. That is, the tractor 1 is equipped with a control device 31 that controls the motor 131 and is located on the floor 23 in front of the driver's seat 9. With this configuration, the control device 31 that controls the motor 131 can be located relatively close to the motor 131, while preventing the control device 31 from obstructing the driver's view. Furthermore, by configuring the control device 31 to be located close to the motor 131 as in this embodiment, the wiring connecting the control device 31 and the motor 131, which tends to be thick due to the large current that flows to drive the motor 131, can be easily placed in the vehicle body 2. In other words, the control device 31 for the motor 131 that enables automatic steering can be appropriately placed in the tractor 1.

[0037] The floor 23 includes a floor structure that constitutes the floor of the driver's compartment 8. The floor structure may include at least one frame member that forms the skeleton of the floor, and at least one panel member that constitutes the floor surface 23a. The frame member and the panel member may be a single member. The floor surface 23a is, for example, the upper surface of the panel member that constitutes the floor structure. The floor surface 23a may be a flat surface, a concave surface, a convex surface, or a surface having at least one of a recess and a convex part. The floor surface 23a may also include an opening that penetrates vertically.

[0038] Furthermore, the configurations arranged on floor 23 may include not only configurations directly arranged on floor 23, but also configurations indirectly arranged on floor 23. Among the indirectly arranged configurations, there may be configurations in which a connecting member is arranged between floor 23 and the control device 31 to connect the two. Such configurations will be described later.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first control device 31 is placed on the floor surface 23a. A floor cover (floor mat) 24 is placed on the floor surface 23a. It is preferable that the floor cover 24 is fixed to the floor surface 23a so as not to move. The floor cover 24 is preferably made of a material other than metal, such as rubber or resin. Note that the floor cover 24 is not required. In this embodiment, the floor cover 24 does not have a portion that covers the area of ​​the floor surface 23a on which the first control device 31 is placed. That is, there is no floor cover 24 on the first control device 31, and the first control device 31 is placed on the floor surface 23a without being covered by the floor cover 24. However, the first control device 31 may be placed on the floor surface 23a with the floor cover underneath it.

[0040] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of another form of floor cover 24A. The floor cover 24A has a flat floor cover body 241 and a control device housing 242 provided on the right front of the floor cover body 241. The control device housing 242 has a side wall 242a and an upper wall 242b that project upward from the upper surface of the floor cover body 241. The control device housing 242 is box-shaped and opens downward and forward. The control device housing 242 is configured taking into account the shape of the object to be housed and the arrangement of the object in the driver's unit 8. When the floor cover 24A is placed on the floor surface 23a, the control device housing 242 covers the first control device 31 from above. With this configuration, the first control device 31 can be protected by the floor cover 24A.

[0041] Furthermore, the main body of the floor cover 241 is provided with an accelerator pedal opening 243 for positioning a portion of the accelerator pedal 15a, which is located on the floor 23, on the upper side of the floor cover 24A. This is also the case for the floor cover 24 (a floor cover that does not cover the first control device 31) in this embodiment.

[0042] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a magnified view of the area around the first control device 31 with the floor cover 24 removed. The arrangement of the first control device 31 in the tractor 1 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2, 5, and 7.

[0043] The first control device 31 is preferably positioned on one side in the left-right direction of the front panel 10 on which the steering wheel 11 is provided. This left-right side can also be referred to as the left side in the width direction of the machine. With this configuration, the first control device 31 can be positioned in a location that does not interfere with the operation of pedals 15 such as the brake pedal 15b, which are located below the front panel 10. Furthermore, with this configuration, the empty space in front of the driver's unit 8 can be effectively utilized. In addition, with this configuration, the first control device 31 can be positioned near the motor 131, and the wiring connecting the motor 131 and the first control device 31 can be shortened.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first control device 31 is positioned on the right side of the front panel 10. For example, in the tractor 1, the accelerator pedal 15a, which is located on the floor 23, is positioned towards the right, and there is a tendency for structures that obstruct entry and exit to be located on the right side. For these reasons, in the tractor 1, the driver often enters and exits from the left side. Therefore, by positioning the first control device 31 on the right side, the possibility that the first control device 31 will obstruct entry and exit for the driver can be reduced. In this embodiment, the driver can enter and exit the driver's compartment 8 not only from the left side but also from the right side. The first control device 31 may also be positioned on the left side of the front panel 10.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first control device 31 is positioned in front of the accelerator pedal 15a, which is located on the floor 23. The accelerator pedal 15a is located on the floor 23 to the right and in front of the driver's seat 9. The first control device 31, positioned in front of the accelerator pedal 15a, is located at the right front end of the driver's unit 8. This configuration allows the first control device 31 to be positioned by effectively utilizing the available space in front of the driver's unit 8. Note that the first control device 31 is not limited to being positioned in front of the accelerator pedal 15a; for example, it may be positioned below the brake pedal 15b. In this configuration, the first control device 31 only needs to be positioned outside the operating range of the brake pedal 15b.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display device 22 (see Figure 3) is positioned on the right side of the front panel 10. That is, the tractor 1 is equipped with a display device 22 positioned on the same left-right side as the first control device 31 with respect to the front panel 10 on which the steering wheel 11 is provided. The display device 22 is positioned at the same height as the steering wheel 11 so that it is easily visible to the driver sitting in the driver's seat 9. As a result, space is easily created below the display device 22. In other words, according to this embodiment, the space below the display device 22 can be effectively utilized to position the first control device 31. Also, according to this embodiment, because the display device 22 and the first control device 31 can be positioned close together, it is easier to arrange the electrical wiring for connecting them to the second control device 32 (see Figure 3, etc.) in the same location.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second control device 32 is positioned separately from the first control device 31. Specifically, the second control device 32 is positioned behind the driver's seat 9 (see Figure 5). This prevents the second control device 32 from obstructing the driver's view, similar to the first control device 31. Specifically, the second control device 32 is attached to a support 25 that supports the driver's seat 9. Figure 5 shows the second control device 32 with a cover member (not shown) removed. This cover member is not an essential component, but it is preferable to provide it.

[0048] Furthermore, as can be seen by comparing Figure 5 and Figure 7, the floor cover 24 covers a portion of the wiring member 26 located on the floor surface 23a. The wiring member 26 is, in detail, a wire harness made up of bundled wires. The wiring member 26 may also be a cable. The wiring member 26 includes wires that electrically connect the first control device 31 and the second control device 32. The wiring member 26 also includes wires that electrically connect the display device 22 and the second control device 32. The wiring member 26 includes a portion located behind the driver's seat 9, a portion located to the right of the driver's seat 9, a portion located at the right end of the floor 23, and a portion located at the front end of the floor 23.

[0049] As can be seen from the above, the tractor 1 includes another control device 32 positioned away from the control device 31, a wiring member 26 including an electric wire connecting the control device 31 and the other control device 32, and a floor cover 24 positioned on the floor 23 and covering the wiring member 26. The floor cover 24 protects the wiring member 26 by preventing it from being directly stepped on. In a configuration where the control device 31 is positioned on one side of the front panel 10 in the left-right direction, the other control device 32 may be positioned on the other side of the front panel 10 in the left-right direction. Alternatively, as another example, the control device 31 and the other control device 32 may be positioned on the same side of the front panel 10 in the left-right direction. In these configurations as well, the wiring member 26 may be positioned on the floor 23 and covered by the floor cover 24.

[0050] <3. Mounting structure of the control device> Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the mounting structure of the first control device 31 to the floor 23. Figure 9 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a part of the configuration shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first control device 31 is positioned on the floor 23 via a base 27 that is positioned on the upper surface of the floor panel 231 that constitutes the floor 23. The upper surface of the floor panel 231 corresponds to the floor surface 23a. The first control device 31, which is positioned on the upper surface of the floor panel 231 via the base 27, is covered by a control device cover 28.

[0051] Note that Figures 5 and 7 show the control device cover 28 removed. The control device cover 28 is not required, but it is preferable to have it.

[0052] The base 27 is constructed, for example, by processing sheet metal. The base 27 is a connecting member that connects the floor 23 and the first control device 31. In other words, in this embodiment, the first control device 31 is indirectly positioned on the floor 23. The base 27 comprises a base body 271 and mounting portions 272 positioned on the left and right sides of the base body 271. The first control device 31 is positioned on the base body 271. The mounting portions 272 are attached to the floor panel 231.

[0053] More specifically, the base body 271 has an upper wall 271a, a left side wall 271b, and a right side wall 271c. The upper wall 271a is a horizontally extending rectangle. The left side wall 271b extends diagonally downward to the left from the left end of the upper wall 271a. The right side wall 271c extends diagonally downward to the right from the right end of the upper wall 271a.

[0054] The left mounting portion 272a connects to the lower end of the left side wall 271b of the main body and extends to the left from that lower end. The right mounting portion 272b connects to the lower end of the right side wall 271c of the main body and extends to the right from that lower end. The left mounting portion 272a and the right mounting portion 272b are horizontally extending plate-like structures. The left mounting portion 272a and the right mounting portion 272b are each fixed to the floor panel 231 using screws 275.

[0055] Upward-extending control device support columns 273 are positioned at the front left and rear right sides of the upper wall 271a of the main body. In this embodiment, the control device support columns 273 are screws and extend upward through through-holes provided in the upper wall 271a of the main body. Additionally, upward-extending cylindrical cover support columns 274 are positioned at the four corners of the upper wall 271a of the main body. The cover support columns 274 are fixed to the upper wall 271a of the main body by means of screws, welding, or other means.

[0056] The first control device 31 is rectangular in shape. The first control device 31 is positioned in a direction that minimizes its vertical height. By positioning the first control device 31 in such a way that minimizes its vertical height, it is possible to prevent the driver's view from being obstructed when checking diagonally downwards in front of them due to the positioning of the first control device 31. It is also possible to prevent the operability of pedals 15, such as the brake pedal 15b, from being reduced due to the positioning of the first control device 31. However, the first control device 31 may be positioned in a direction other than the one that minimizes its vertical height.

[0057] Screw fastening portions 311 are provided at the left front corner and the right rear corner of the first control device 31, which is positioned on the floor 23. The screw fastening portions 311 have through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction. The first control device 31 is positioned on the upper wall 271a of the main body of the base 27 with the control device support columns 273 passing through the through holes of each screw fastening portion 311. In this state, the first control device 31 is fixed to the base 27 by fitting nuts 312 onto the control device support columns 273, which are configured as screws.

[0058] The control device cover 28 is box-shaped with an opening at the bottom. The control device cover 28 is constructed, for example, by processing sheet metal. The upper wall 281 of the control device cover 28 has four through holes that penetrate vertically. Each of the four through holes is positioned to overlap vertically with each cover support column 274 when the control device cover 28 is placed over the first control device 31. The screws 282 that pass through each of the four through holes are further passed through the cylindrical cover support column 274 and are fastened with nuts (not shown) located on the lower side of the upper wall 271a of the main body. This fixes the control device cover 28 to the base 27. As can be seen from the above description, in this embodiment, the cover support column 274 is fixed to the upper wall 271a of the main body with screws.

[0059] The base 27 is fixed to the floor panel 231, and the control device cover 28 is fixed to the floor 23. In other words, the tractor 1 is equipped with a control device cover 28 that is fixed to the floor 23 and covers the control device 31. The control device cover 28 can protect the first control device 31.

[0060] As mentioned above, the floor cover 24A may be positioned above the first control device 31. In this configuration, the first control device 31 is covered by the control device cover 28 and may also be covered by the floor cover 24A positioned above the control device cover 28.

[0061] The control device cover 28 is provided with a wiring opening 283 through which a wiring member 26 connected to a connector section 313 provided on the first control device 31 passes. In detail, the wiring opening 283 is provided on the side wall located on the left front side. Note that the position in which the wiring opening 283 is provided is not limited to the position in this embodiment and may be changed as appropriate. When the wiring opening 283 is provided in the position in this embodiment, it is easy to arrange the wiring member 26 along the frame member and it is possible to suppress the reduction in visibility caused by the wiring member 26. The connector section 313 is provided on the left side of the first control device 31. In detail, the connector section 313 includes two connectors: one for connecting to the second control device 32 and another for connecting to the motor 131. The arrangement of the connector section 313 may be changed as appropriate.

[0062] <4. Variation> [4-1. First variation] The locations of the first control device 31 described above are merely examples. The first control device 31 may be placed in other locations that do not obstruct the driver's view or interfere with driving operations.

[0063] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a first modified example of the placement of the first control device 31. As shown in Figure 10, the first control device 31, which is placed on the floor 23, may be placed on a virtual line VL that extends forward from the bisector line that divides the driver's seat 9 into left and right halves in a plan view. In this case, it is preferable that the first control device 31 be placed on the rear side of the floor 23, closer to the driver's seat 9. With the first control device 31 placed in such a position, it is possible to place the first control device 31 between the left and right feet of the driver sitting in the driver's seat 9. This makes it possible to prevent the first control device 31 from obstructing the driver's view or interfering with driving operations.

[0064] [4-2. Second variation] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating a second modified example of the placement of the first control device 31. Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of position XII-XII in Figure 11. In the second modified example, an opening 231a is provided in the floor panel 231 that constitutes the floor 23, penetrating vertically. In the example shown in Figure 11, the opening 231a is provided in the center of the floor 23 in the left-right direction, but the position where the opening 231a is provided may be changed as appropriate.

[0065] In this modified example, the first control device 31 is positioned to overlap the opening 231a in a plan view. More specifically, the first control device 31 is attached to a bracket 29. The bracket 29 is positioned to bridge the left and right portions of the floor panel 231 with respect to the opening 231a. The bracket 29 is a connecting member that connects the floor 23 and the first control device 31.

[0066] The bracket 29 may be flat, but in this modified example, the bracket 29 has a groove 291 that is recessed downwards. The first control device 31 is positioned at the bottom of the groove 291. With this configuration, at least a part of the first control device 31 can be positioned lower than the floor surface 23a. Alternatively, to position at least a part of the first control device 31 lower than the floor surface 23a, a recess that is recessed downwards may be provided in the floor surface 23a, and the first control device 31 may be positioned in the recess.

[0067] [4-3. Third Variation] Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a cabin-type tractor 1A. The configurations of the first control device 31 and the second control device 32 described above can also be applied to the cabin-type tractor 1A. In tractor 1A, a cabin 50 is provided in the driver's compartment 8A, which includes the driver's seat 9 and the front panel 10. The cabin 50 covers the driver's seat 9 and the front panel 10. In the cabin-type tractor 1A, the positioning antenna 20 is, for example, mounted on the front upper part of the cabin 50 via a support frame 52. The configuration of the driver's seat 9 and the front panel 10 provided in the driver's compartment 8A of tractor 1A is the same as the configuration of tractor 1 described above. Figure 13 also shows the cabin 50 with the right-side door removed.

[0068] Tractor 1A is equipped with a floor cover 24A as shown in Figure 6. The first control device 31, located on the floor 23, is positioned under the floor cover 24A, covered by the control device cover 28.

[0069] Figure 14 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration around the first control device 31 in a cabin-type tractor 1A. Figure 15 is a schematic side view showing the configuration around the first control device 31 in a cabin-type tractor 1A. In Figures 14 and 15, the control device cover 28 that covers the first control device 31 and the floor cover 24A that is placed on the floor surface 23a are omitted. Also, the first control device 31 is placed on a base 27 that is fixed to the floor panel 231, similar to the embodiment described above. The first control device 31 is placed to the right front of the floor 23 of the driver's section 8A, which is made up of a cabin 50.

[0070] The tractor 1A includes a cabin frame 51 that constitutes the cabin 50. To accommodate the cabin frame 51, a wall portion 511 projecting upward relative to the floor surface 23a is positioned on the outer edge of the floor 23. In other words, the tractor 1A includes a wall portion 511 positioned on the outer edge of the floor 23 and extending upward. The tractor 1A also includes a connector portion 313 of the control device 31.

[0071] Because of the presence of the wall portion 511, the cabin-type tractor 1A has a structure that makes it easy for water to accumulate inside the cabin 50. Taking this into consideration, the connector portion 313 is positioned higher than the upper end of the wall portion 511. The dashed line in Figure 15 indicates the lower end of the connector portion 313. If the height of the wall portion 511 is not constant, the connector portion 313 may be positioned at least higher than the upper end of the lowest part of the wall portion 511. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the connector portion 313 from being submerged by water accumulated inside the cabin 50.

[0072] On the other hand, if the height of the base 27 is made too high in order to increase the height of the connector portion 313, the field of view when looking diagonally downward and forward from the driver's seat 9 may be obstructed by the first control device 31 and become narrower. For this reason, it is preferable that, in a plan view from the front, at least a part of the first control device 31 overlaps with the cabin frame 51 (in this example, the front wall portion 511a) which is located at the front of the cabin 50. This makes it possible to reduce the amount that the field of view is obstructed by the first control device 31 when looking diagonally downward and forward from the driver's seat 9.

[0073] [4-4. Fourth variation] The fourth modification is not particularly limited, but is a configuration suitable for small work vehicles. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of tractor 1B of the fourth modification. Figure 16 is a diagram showing some of the components that make up tractor 1B. Figure 17 is a diagram with some parts (covers) removed from the diagram shown in Figure 16. Tractor 1B of this modification is a tractor with a loft. However, the configuration of this modification is also applicable to tractors with a cabin.

[0074] The modified tractor 1B is equipped with a first control device (control device) 31 that controls the motor 131 (see Figure 3) that rotates the steering shaft 13 (see Figure 17). The first control device 31 is covered by a first control device cover 28B (see Figure 16). The first control device 31 is positioned below the driver's seat 9. The first control device 31 is positioned in the partition that constitutes the driver's compartment 8 where the driver sits. This configuration is the same as that of the embodiment described above. With this configuration, the first control device 31 that controls the motor 131 can be positioned relatively close to the motor 131, while preventing the driver's view from being obstructed by the first control device 31. In other words, the control device 31 for the motor 131 that enables automatic steering can be appropriately positioned in the tractor 1.

[0075] The partition constitutes the space where the driver sits (passenger space) in the tractor 1B. The partition is, for example, a member that constitutes the bottom of the passenger space or a member that constitutes the side of the passenger space. The partition is, for example, a bottom wall or a side wall. In the embodiment described above, the partition where the first control device 31 is located is the floor 23 in front of the driver's seat 9. In this example, the partition where the first control device 31 is located is a member different from the floor 23.

[0076] In this example, the partition is the seat support frame 91 that supports the driver's seat 9. That is, the first control device 31 is positioned on the seat support frame 91 that supports the driver's seat 9. The configuration in which the first control device is positioned on the seat support frame 91 may include not only configurations in which it is directly positioned on the seat support frame 91, but also configurations in which it is indirectly positioned. If the first control device 31 is positioned on the seat support frame 91, the first control device 31 can be positioned in a location that is less likely to interfere with the driver getting in and out of the tractor 1B. In addition, the first control device 31 can be positioned in a location that is less likely to interfere with pedal operation.

[0077] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the seat support frame 91 has a first frame portion 911 and a second frame portion 912. The first frame portion 911 is positioned above the floor 23 in front of the driver's seat 9 and constitutes the surface on which the driver's seat 9 is attached. The first frame portion 911 is located below the driver's seat 9 and extends horizontally. The second frame portion 912 connects the front end of the first frame portion 911 to the floor 23. The second frame portion 912 constitutes the front wall of the seat support frame 91. Note that the first frame portion 911 and the second frame portion 912 may be made of the same material or of different materials.

[0078] More specifically, the first control device 31 is located on the second frame portion 912. The first control device 31 is located on the front surface of the second frame portion 912. This front surface may be a flat surface, a concave surface, a convex surface, or a surface having at least one of a recess and a convex portion in part. The front surface may also include an opening that penetrates from front to back. The first control device 31 may be located in a recess or an opening. In this example, as a preferred configuration, the first control device 31 is located on one side of the front surface of the second frame portion 912 in the left-right direction. More specifically, the first control device 31 is located on the left side of the front surface of the second frame portion 912. In this configuration, the first control device 31 can be located behind the calf of the driver sitting in the driver's seat 9, and the first control device 31 can be located in a position that does not interfere with pedal operation, etc. Furthermore, since the first control device 31 can be located behind the driver's legs, the space at the driver's feet can be used more widely. Furthermore, according to the configuration of this example, if the tractor is a cabin type, the first control device 31 can be placed inside the cabin.

[0079] Similar to the embodiment described above, the first control device 31 is electrically connected to the motor 131 by an electric wire 261. The electric wire 261 is included in a wiring member (wire harness) 26, which is a bundle of multiple electric wires, and passes under the floor cover 232 located in the center of the floor 23, from the first control device 31 to the motor 131. The floor cover 232 is made of a resin material that covers an opening (not shown) provided in the center of the floor 23.

[0080] Similar to the embodiments described above, in this example, the tractor 1B also includes a second control device 32, which is the main control device that performs control related to automatic steering. The second control device 32 is located away from the first control device 31 and is electrically connected to the first control device 31 by wires included in the wiring member 26. In other words, in this example as well, the tractor 1B includes another control device 32 located away from the control device 31. The tractor 1B includes another control device 32 that is electrically connected to the control device 31.

[0081] In the embodiment described above, the second control device 32 was positioned behind the driver's seat 9, but in this example, the configuration is different. As shown in Figure 17, in this example, the second control device 32 is positioned on one side of the tractor 1B in the left-right direction. More specifically, the second control device 32 is positioned on the left side of the tractor 1B. As can be seen by comparing Figure 16 and Figure 17, the second control device 32 is covered by a side cover 30, which will be described later.

[0082] Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the second control device 32 in the fourth modified example. Figure 18 is a schematic perspective view showing only some elements of the tractor 1B. As shown in Figure 18, the tractor 1B includes a drive unit housing 4 located below the driver's seat 9. The tractor 1B also includes side covers 30 located on at least one of the left and right sides of the drive unit housing 4. In this example, the side covers 30 are located on the left and right sides of the drive unit housing 4. The drive unit housing 4 is located between the left and right pair of side covers 30 in the lateral direction. The left and right side covers 30 are detachably mounted on the side frames of the tractor 1B. The side covers 30 are located inward in the lateral direction from the rear wheels 6 (see Figure 1, etc.). Specifically, the left side cover 30 is located to the right of the left rear wheel 6. The right side cover 30 is located to the left of the right rear wheel 6.

[0083] In this example, the second control device 32 is positioned between the left side cover 30 and the drive unit housing 4 in the left-right direction. Alternatively, the second control device 32 may be positioned between the right side cover 30 and the drive unit housing 4 in the left-right direction. In other words, the second control device (other control device) 32 may be positioned between either the left or right side cover 30 and the drive unit housing 4. With this configuration, the second control device 32 can be positioned using the available space in the tractor 1B. Furthermore, with this configuration, the second control device 32 can be positioned in a location less susceptible to heat-related influences.

[0084] In this example, it is preferable that the second control device 32 be positioned on the same side of the tractor 1B as the first control device 31. This configuration helps to prevent the wiring connecting the two from becoming unnecessarily long.

[0085] Next, the mounting structure of the second control device 32 in the tractor 1B will be described with reference to Figures 19 to 21. Figure 19 is a plan view showing an enlarged view of the area around the second control device 32 in the tractor 1B of the fourth modified example. Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the approximate configuration of the mounting structure of the second control device 32 in the tractor 1B of the fourth modified example. Figure 21 is a diagram showing a part of the mounting structure shown in Figure 20 in an exploded view.

[0086] As shown in Figure 19, the second control device 32 is fixed to the control device support plate 33. In this example, this fixing is done using bolts and nuts. However, fasteners other than bolts and nuts may be used. This also applies to the fixing parts described below. In this example, the control device support plate 33 is a flat plate-shaped member. The control device support plate 33 is fixed to a member 34a that constitutes the lever unit 34 (see Figure 16, etc.). This fixing is done using bolts and nuts. The control device support plate 33 is attached to the member 34a that constitutes the lever unit 34 in an orientation where the surface to which the second control device 32 is fixed is spread in the vertical direction. The upper part of the control device support plate 33 is attached to the member 34a that constitutes the lever unit 34.

[0087] In this configuration, the control device support plate 33 to which the second control device 32 is attached can be removed from the tractor 1B body together with the lever unit 34 during maintenance or other work. With this configuration, the second control device 32 can be removed from the tractor body together with the floor unit. This improves workability when the wiring is removed from the body together with the floor unit. In this example, the lever unit 34 includes a transmission selector lever, but the lever included in the lever unit 34 may be something other than the transmission selector lever. Also, the member to which the control device support plate 33 is attached may be something other than the lever unit 34, as long as it can be removed together with the floor unit. The floor unit refers to a component unit (block) in which multiple components, including the components that make up the floor 23, the driver's seat 9, and the control system, are integrated.

[0088] As described above, the second control device 32 is covered using the side cover 30. In detail, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, a box-shaped inner cover 35 is attached to the inner surface (right side in this example) of the side cover 30 in the left-right direction. In this example, the inner cover 35 is attached to the side cover 30 by fixing it in three places using bolts and nuts. With this configuration, the second control device 32 can be surrounded by the inner cover 35 by attaching the side cover 30 with the inner cover 35 attached to the vehicle frame. In detail, in this example, the top side, rear side, and left side of the rectangular parallelepiped second control device 32 are covered by the inner cover 35.

[0089] In this example, the inner cover 35 is fastened to the control device support plate 33 using bolts and nuts. The bolts pass through a collar 36 positioned between the inner cover 35 and the control device support plate 33 in the left-right direction and are fastened with nuts. As a result, the control device support plate 33 has a structure in which the upper part is fixed to the member 34a that constitutes the lever unit 34 and the lower part is fixed to the inner cover 35. This structure makes the control device support plate 33 less prone to shaking.

[0090] In the above example, the side cover 30 and the inner cover 35 are shown as separate components, but this is merely an example. The side cover 30 and the inner cover 35 may be made of a single component.

[0091] <5. Points to note> Various technical features disclosed herein can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. Furthermore, the multiple embodiments and modifications shown herein may be combined as possible.

[0092] <6. Addendum> An exemplary work vehicle of the present invention comprises a driver's seat, a steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, a motor for rotating the steering shaft, and a control device for controlling the motor, wherein the control device is positioned below the driver's seat and in a partitioned section that constitutes the driver's compartment where the driver sits (first configuration).

[0093] In the first configuration described above, the control device may be located on the floor in front of the driver's seat (second configuration).

[0094] In the second configuration described above, the control device may be positioned on one side in the left-right direction of the front panel on which the steering wheel is provided (third configuration).

[0095] In the third configuration described above, there may be another control device located away from the control device, and the other control device may be located on the other side in the left-right direction of the front panel (fourth configuration).

[0096] In the third or fourth configuration described above, the front panel may be provided with a display device located on the same side in the left-right direction as the control device (fifth configuration).

[0097] In any of the second to fifth configurations described above, the control device may be arranged in a configuration that minimizes its height in the vertical direction (sixth configuration).

[0098] In any of the second to sixth configurations described above, the control device may be positioned in front of the accelerator pedal located on the floor (seventh configuration).

[0099] In any of the second to seventh configurations described above, the configuration may include a control device cover that is fixed to the floor and covers the control device (the eighth configuration).

[0100] In any of the second to eighth configurations described above, the configuration may include another control device located away from the control device, a wiring member including an electric wire connecting the control device and the other control device, and a floor cover located on the floor and covering the wiring member (the ninth configuration).

[0101] In any of the second to ninth configurations described above, the configuration may include a wall portion that is positioned on the outer edge of the floor and extends upward, and a connector portion of the control device, wherein the connector portion is positioned higher than the upper end of the wall portion (the tenth configuration).

[0102] In the first configuration described above, the control device may be configured to be positioned on a seat support frame that supports the driver's seat (the 11th configuration).

[0103] In the 11th configuration described above, the seat support frame is positioned above the floor in front of the driver's seat and has a first frame portion that constitutes the surface on which the driver's seat is attached, and a second frame portion that connects the front end of the first frame portion to the floor, and the control device may be positioned on the second frame portion (12th configuration).

[0104] In the 11th or 12th configuration described above, the configuration may include a drive unit housing located below the driver's seat, a side cover located on at least one of the left and right sides of the drive unit housing, and another control device located away from the control device, wherein the other control device is located between the side cover and the drive unit housing (13th configuration). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 1, 1A, 1B... Tractor (work vehicle) 4. Drive unit housing 8. Driver's Unit 9. Driver's seat 10. Front Panel 11. Steering wheel 13. Steering shaft 15a...Accelerator pedal 22...Display device 23...Floor (partition) 24, 24A... Floor cover 26. Wiring components 28. Control device cover 30... Side cover 31. First control device (control device) 32. Second control device (other control device) 91. Seat support frame (partition section) 131...motor 313... Connector section 511...Wall section 911...First frame section 912...Second frame section

Claims

1. The driver's seat and A steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, A steering shaft connected to the aforementioned steering wheel, A motor that rotates the steering shaft, A control device for controlling the motor, Equipped with, The control device is located on the floor in front of the driver's seat of the work vehicle.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a control device cover fixed to the floor and covering the control device.

3. The driver's seat and A steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, A steering shaft connected to the aforementioned steering wheel, A motor that rotates the steering shaft, A control device for controlling the motor, Equipped with, The control device is located on a seat support frame that supports the driver's seat, in a work vehicle.

4. The aforementioned seat support frame is A first frame portion is positioned above the floor in front of the driver's seat and constitutes the surface on which the driver's seat is mounted, A second frame portion connecting the front end of the first frame portion and the floor, It has, The control device is located on the second frame portion, as described in claim 3 of the work vehicle.

5. The driver's seat and A steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, A steering shaft connected to the aforementioned steering wheel, A motor that rotates the steering shaft, A control device for controlling the motor, Equipped with, The control device is located in the center of the driver's seat in the left-right direction of the work vehicle.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the control device is positioned on the left-right center line of the driver's seat.

7. The driver's seat and A steering wheel positioned in front of the driver's seat, A steering shaft connected to the aforementioned steering wheel, A motor that rotates the steering shaft, A control device for controlling the motor, Equipped with, The control device is positioned in a work vehicle, at least in part, below the floor surface in front of the driver's seat.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the control device is arranged in an opening provided vertically in the floor surface.

Images