Agricultural machinery

Abstract

There are fertilizer application machines that use fertility sensors with electrode plates on the left and right front wheels to detect the fertility of the field and adjust the amount of fertilizer applied accordingly. However, there have been challenges in terms of maintainability and cost of fertility sensors with electrode plates on the left and right front wheels. Therefore, we aim to provide an agricultural application machine equipped with an inexpensive and easily maintainable fertility sensor that can automatically adjust the appropriate amount of fertilizer applied, enabling effective fertilization work. [Solution] In an agricultural machine equipped with a fertilizer application device on the vehicle body, the amount of fertilizer applied is adjusted by a fertilizer application adjustment device according to the soil fertility measured by a fertility sensor 70, the fertility sensor 70 is composed of an electrode plate 72 formed by continuously arranging multiple divided electrode plates 72a in a disc shape on the outside of the wheel cap 10a of the wheel 10 of the vehicle body, and connecting the ends of adjacent divided electrode plates 72a with a connecting body on the inside of the wheel cap 10a, and a rod-shaped electrode body positioned on the inside of the wheel 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural working machine equipped with a fertilizer applicator on a traveling vehicle body.

Background Art

[0002] There is a fertilizer application machine that detects the fertility of a field with a fertility sensor provided with electrode plates on the left and right front wheels and adjusts the fertilizer application amount according to the detected fertility (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there are problems with the maintainability and cost of the fertility sensor provided with electrode plates on the left and right front wheels.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an agricultural working machine equipped with a fertility sensor that is inexpensive and has improved maintainability, capable of automatically adjusting an appropriate fertilizer application amount and performing good fertilizer application work.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention according to claim 1 is an agricultural working machine provided with a fertilizer applicator 60 in which the fertilizer application amount is adjusted by a fertilizer application amount adjusting device according to the soil fertility measured by a fertility sensor 70 on a traveling vehicle body 2, wherein the fertility sensor 70 is provided in a disk shape with a plurality of divided electrode plates 72a continuously provided outside a wheel cap 10a of a wheel 10 of the traveling vehicle body 2, and an electrode plate 72 in which ends of adjacent divided electrode plates 72a are connected by a connecting body 74 inside the wheel cap 10a, and a rod-shaped electrode body 73 disposed inside the wheel 10.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 1, the fertility sensor 70 is inexpensive, easy to maintain, and can automatically adjust the appropriate amount of fertilizer to perform good fertilization work. The invention described in claim 2 is an agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein an electrode body 73 positioned inside the wheel 10 is assembled to a cable outer 76 fixed to a support 75 fixed to the machine body 13.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is an agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the installation height of the lower end of the electrode body 73, which is positioned inside the wheel 10, is above the lower end of the wheel 10, and the installation position of the lower end of the electrode body 73 is behind the axle 13a of the wheel 10.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is an agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the wiring surface 73a, to which the electric wire 76a is fastened to the electrode body 73, is located on the rear side of the machine body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the front wheel section, which is a key part of the car. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the front wheel section, which is a key part of the car. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the front wheel section, which is a key part of the car. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the electrode body. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the electrode body. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the electrode body. [Figure 8] This is a side view of a riding-type rice transplanter showing another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Below, a riding-type rice transplanter 1 equipped with a fertilizer application device, which is an example of an agricultural implement of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily substituted or substantially identical to those that are equivalent to those of the art. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the core of the invention.

[0012] Figure 1 is a side view showing a riding-type rice transplanter 1 equipped with a fertilizer applicator 60 according to an embodiment. In the following, the riding-type rice transplanter 1 is assumed to be an 8-row transplanter, and the riding-type rice transplanter 1 may be referred to as the machine body. Also, in the embodiment, when defining the front / rear and left / right directions, the direction of travel of the vehicle body 2 as viewed from the driver's seat 31 is used as the reference.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the riding-type rice transplanter 1 has a seedling planting unit 4 mounted on the rear of the traveling body 2 via a lifting link mechanism 3 so that it can be raised and lowered, and the main body of the fertilizer application device 60 is provided on the upper rear of the traveling body 2. Note that the seedling planting unit 4 is just one example of a work device, and any agricultural implement capable of performing fertilization work, having a fertility sensor 70 such as a fertilizer concentration sensor as shown in the figure, is acceptable. For example, instead of the seedling planting unit 4, the agricultural implement could also be a seeding device that supplies seeds, or one equipped with a tilling rotary for tilling the field F.

[0014] The vehicle body 2 is a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a pair of left and right front wheels 10 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11 as driving wheels for steering. A transmission case 12 is located at the front of the vehicle body, and front wheel final drive cases 13 that make up the vehicle body are provided on the left and right sides of the transmission case 12. The front wheels 10 are attached to the left and right axles 13a that protrude outward from the left and right front wheel final drive cases 13, respectively.

[0015] Furthermore, left and right line markers 16 are provided on both the left and right front sides of the vehicle body 2, and further back than the left and right spare seedling frames 38, to form guide lines in the field F that serve as a guide for moving straight ahead in the next process, and a center mascot 17 is provided on the front of the vehicle body 2.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the fertility sensor 70 includes an electrode plate 72 formed of a donut-shaped disc fixed to the outer surface of the resin wheel cap 10a of the front wheel 10 with bolts and nuts 71, and a rod-shaped electrode body 73 disposed inside the front wheel 10.

[0017] The electrode plate 72 formed of a donut-shaped disc is fixed to the outer surface of the wheel cap 10a with bolts and nuts 71 in a state where three arc-shaped divided electrode plates 72a are continuous. The ends of the adjacent divided electrode plates 72a on the inner surface side of the wheel cap 10a are connected by a plate 74 as a connecting body with the bolts and nuts 71 to form a donut-shaped disc.

[0018] Therefore, the electrode plate 72 formed of a donut-shaped disc is divided into three parts and has the above-described fixing method. Thus, it is easy to assemble and disassemble, has good maintainability, and is inexpensive.

[0019] The rod-shaped electrode body 73 is a cylindrical body made of conductive metal that is fixed at its upper end to a resin plate 75 as a support whose base is fixed to the front wheel final case 13 with bolts, and is fixed to the lower end of a cable outer 76 that extends downward.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the electrode body 73 has a cylindrical peripheral surface and a spherical lower end, and cut surfaces 73a and 73b are formed facing the peripheral surface. A screw hole 73c for screwing the cable outer 76 inward from the upper surface is provided so as to communicate with one of the cut surfaces 73a.

[0021] The screw hole 73c is provided at a position eccentric from the center of the upper surface of the electrode body 73 toward one of the cut surfaces 73a. When the lower end of the cable outer 76 is fixed, the cable inner 76a as an electric wire can be inserted through the screw hole 73c and assembled with a screw 77 to a mounting hole 73d provided in the cut surface 73a, enabling proper wiring. Therefore, one of the cut surfaces 73a serves as a wiring surface.

[0022] The cut surface 73a of the electrode body 73, through which the cable inner 76a is routed, is positioned to face the rear of the machine, thereby reducing (preventing) the cable inner 76a from being cut by debris as the machine moves through the field.

[0023] Since the electrode body 73 has opposing cut surfaces 73a and 73b formed on its circumferential surface, the opposing cut surfaces 73a and 73b can be gripped when screwing the lower end of the cable outer 76 into the screw hole 73c, allowing for easy assembly and fixing.

[0024] Since the electrode body 73 has a cylindrical outer surface and a spherical lower end, damage and chipping can be prevented.

[0025] The electrode body 73 is fixed to the lower end of a cable outer 76 that extends downward from a resin plate 75 whose base is bolted to the front wheel final case 13, and whose upper end is fixed to the resin plate 75. This prevents electrical contact with the aircraft body and allows it to rotate left and right together with the steering front wheel 10 without interfering with the rotation of the front wheel 10.

[0026] The lower end of the electrode body 73 is positioned above the lower end of the front wheel 10, preventing damage from being run over by the front wheel 10.

[0027] The lower end of the electrode body 73 is positioned slightly behind the axle 13a of the front wheel 10, preventing damage even if the front wheel 10 becomes deeply embedded in the field F when the machine enters the field F.

[0028] In short, when electricity is passed through the electrode plate 72, which is a disc fixed to the outer surface of the wheel cap 10a of the front wheel 10 of the soil fertility sensor 70, and the rod-shaped electrode body 73, which is positioned inside the front wheel 10, the electrical resistance changes depending on the fertilizer concentration contained in the soil (mud). This change in electrical resistance is sent to the controller 25 as a signal of the fertilizer concentration at that point, and the fertility of field F in the current process where rice planting and fertilization work is being carried out can be detected. Note that electrical resistance is low when the fertilizer concentration is high, i.e., when there are many electrolytes, electricity flows easily and is therefore low, and high when the fertilizer concentration is low, i.e., when there are few electrolytes, electricity does not flow easily and is therefore high.

[0029] Then, based on the soil (mud) fertility measured by the fertility sensor 70, the controller 25 controls the fertilizer application rate adjustment motor, which acts as a fertilizer application rate adjustment device, to automatically adjust the amount of fertilizer applied according to the fertility.

[0030] Now, to explain the other configurations based on Figure 1, the front end of the main frame 18 is fixed to the rear of the transmission case 12, and rear wheel gear cases 19 are provided on both the left and right sides of the rear of the main frame 18, and the rear wheels 11 are attached to the left and right rear axles that protrude outward from the rear wheel gear cases 19.

[0031] Furthermore, an engine 20 is mounted in the front of the vehicle body. The rotational power of this engine 20 is transmitted to the transmission case 12 via a belt drive system and a hydraulic continuously variable transmission (HST) 21. The rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12 is shifted by the transmission inside the transmission case 12, and then separated into driving power and externally extracted power.

[0032] The external power extracted from the rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12 is transmitted to a planting clutch case located at the rear of the vehicle body 2. From this planting clutch case, the power is then transmitted to the seedling planting unit 4 via a planting transmission shaft.

[0033] A driver's seat 31 is installed in the upper center of the vehicle body 2. In front of the driver's seat 31 is a bonnet 32 ​​equipped with various operating mechanisms, and on top of that is a steering wheel 34 for steering the front wheels 10.

[0034] Furthermore, the bonnet 32 ​​is equipped with a main gear lever for operating the hydraulic continuously variable transmission (HST) 21 to increase or decrease speed in the forward and reverse directions, and a sub-gear selector lever for switching the drive transmission of the vehicle body 2 between "work speed" when working in the field F and "travel speed" when moving on the road.

[0035] A GNSS receiving antenna (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the receiving antenna) 81, which constitutes the GNSS control device, is mounted on top of the front mast 33, whose base is fixed at the left-right center position at the front of the aircraft. The received signal from the receiving antenna 81 is sent to the controller 25.

[0036] The controller 25 is a control device that controls the operation of the fertilizer application device 60, etc., and is housed inside the bonnet 32. The controller 25 has, for example, a CPU, ROM, and RAM, and controls various parts of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 by executing a program stored in the ROM.

[0037] On both the left and right sides and the rear of the lower part of the bonnet 32, there are roughly horizontal floor steps 35. The floor steps 35 are partially latticed, and are designed so that mud on the shoes of workers walking on the floor steps 35 falls onto the field F.

[0038] The lifting link mechanism 3, which raises and lowers the seedling planting unit 4 connected to the rear of the vehicle body 2, has a parallel link configuration and comprises one upper link 39 and a pair of lower links 40 on the left and right. The base ends of the upper link 39 and lower links 40 are rotatably attached to a rear-view gate-shaped link base frame 41 erected at the rear end of the main frame 18, and a vertical link 42 is connected to the tip ends. A connecting shaft, which is rotatably supported by the seedling planting unit 4, is inserted and connected to the lower end of the vertical link 42, and the seedling planting unit 4 is connected so as to be able to roll around the connecting shaft.

[0039] A lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 is provided between a cylinder support member on the main frame 18 and the tip of a swing arm integrally formed with the upper link 39. By extending and retracting this lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 using hydraulics, the upper link 39 rotates up and down, and the seedling planting unit 4 moves up and down while maintaining a nearly constant position.

[0040] As mentioned above, the seedling planting unit 4 has an 8-row planting configuration and includes a planting transmission case 47 that also serves as a frame, a seedling tray 51, a planting device 52, and the like.

[0041] The seedling tray 51 places seedlings with a mat of soil on it and moves back and forth from side to side, supplying one seedling at a time to the seedling outlet of each row. Once all the seedlings in a horizontal row have been supplied to the seedling outlet, the seedlings are transported downward by a seedling feed belt.

[0042] The planting device 52 plants seedlings supplied to the seedling outlet into field F using seedling planting tools 52a. Two seedling planting tools 52a are provided for each row and are mounted on a rotating case 52b, allowing them to alternately pick up seedlings and plant them in field F.

[0043] Furthermore, a central float 53 and left and right side floats 54 are provided at the lower part of the seedling planting section 4, each rotatably mounted. When the machine is moved with these floats 53 and 54 in contact with the mud surface of the field F, the floats 53 and 54 glide along while leveling the mud surface, and seedlings are planted in the leveled areas by the planting device 52.

[0044] The center float 53 is equipped with a float sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the center float 53 due to changes in field depth. When the float sensor detects a change in angle, the controller 25 determines that the depth of the field F has changed and automatically adjusts the working height of the seedling planting unit 4 by extending or retracting the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 so that the height of the seedling planting unit 4 becomes appropriate according to the detected angle.

[0045] The float sensor's detection value is defined as 0 degrees when the center float 53 is in a nearly horizontal position when it touches the field surface. When the detected value is in the elevation direction (upward), the controller 25 determines that the field depth has become shallower and the distance between the seedling planting unit 4 and the field surface has narrowed, and retracts the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 to raise the seedling planting unit 4, preventing the seedlings from being planted too deeply. On the other hand, when the detected value is in the depression direction (downward), the controller 25 determines that the field depth has become deeper and the distance between the seedling planting unit 4 and the field surface has widened, and extends the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 to lower the seedling planting unit 4, preventing the seedlings from being planted too shallowly.

[0046] Furthermore, the control panel located on the upper rear surface of the bonnet 32 ​​is equipped with a lifting hydraulic sensitivity adjuster (dial) that changes the vertical width of the dead zone in which the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 does not operate above or below 0 degrees when the center float 53 is in a nearly horizontal position on the field surface. By changing the vertical width of the dead zone (setting the sensitivity) according to the hardness of the muddy soil in the field F using this lifting hydraulic sensitivity adjuster, appropriate automatic lifting and lowering control of the seedling planting unit 4 is performed.

[0047] The fertilizer applicator 60 comprises a fertilizer hopper separated by a certain gap between a left-side fertilizer hopper 60L and a right-side fertilizer hopper 60R, a dispensing unit 61, a fertilizer hose 62, a fertilizer guide 63, and an air duct 68.

[0048] The left and right fertilizer hoppers, 60L and 60R, each share four rows and are fitted with openable / closable lids at the top. The lower part of the left and right fertilizer hoppers, 60L and 60R, branches out to form a funnel-shaped flow section corresponding to the number of fertilizer rows (four rows), and the lower part of this flow section is connected to the upper end of each dispensing section 61.

[0049] The left end of the air duct 68, through which the air carrying the fertilizer to the fertilizer application hose 62 passes, is connected via an air switching pipe to a blower driven by an electric motor for the blower. The air from the blower passes through the air duct 68 and then through the discharge port of the dispensing unit 61 from the connecting pipe, drawing in the fertilizer as it is blown into the fertilizer application hose 62.

[0050] The granular fertilizer stored in the fertilizer hoppers 60L and 60R is dispensed in fixed amounts by a dispensing unit 61 provided for each seedling planting row. The dispensed fertilizer is guided by a fertilizer hose 62 to a fertilizer guide 63 attached to the center float 53 and side float 54. The fertilizer can then be dropped into a fertilizer furrow formed near the side of the seedling planting row by a furrowing body 64 provided in front of the fertilizer guide 63.

[0051] The dispensing unit 61 incorporates two first and second dispensing rolls that dispensing fertilizer stored in the right-side fertilizer hopper 60R (or the left-side fertilizer hopper 60L) downwards. The first and second dispensing rolls 7 are rotating bodies with groove-shaped recesses formed on their outer circumferences, and are fitted to a common dispensing shaft provided in the left-right direction, so as to rotate integrally with each other.

[0052] As the first and second dispensing rolls rotate, the fertilizer supplied from the left fertilizer hopper 60L (or the right fertilizer hopper 60R) is collected in the recess and dispensed downwards. The fertilizer dispensed by the first and second dispensing rolls is discharged from the discharge port at the bottom. A connecting pipe is connected to the discharge port of the dispensing unit 61, with its front end inserted and connected in the front-to-back direction to the rear of the air duct 68, and its rear end communicating with the discharge port of the dispensing unit 61.

[0053] Furthermore, a fertilizer dispensing motor that rotates at high speed in both forward and reverse directions is positioned below the center of the 60L fertilizer hopper on the left side, serving as a fertilizer dispensing amount adjustment device. This fertilizer dispensing motor is positioned at a distance from the right rear of the driver's seat 31.

[0054] Furthermore, the fertilizer application device 60 is operated using the driving force to the rear wheels 11 by transmitting power from the fertilizer application transmission output shaft provided in the rear wheel gear case 19 to the fertilizer application transmission mechanism that rotates the dispensing shaft.

[0055] Incidentally, the fertilizer dispensing adjustment motor is equipped with a rotatable ball screw, and a ball nut that screws into a spiral groove formed on the surface of the ball screw and moves at high speed in the forward and backward directions of the machine. By changing the rotational speed of the dispensing shaft through the forward and backward movement of the ball nut, the amount of fertilizer dispensed can be adjusted.

[0056] A rotation sensor is installed on the motor stay to which the fertilizer application rate adjustment motor is mounted.

[0057] The rotation sensor detects the rotation speed and rotation angle of the fertilizer application adjustment motor.

[0058] The rotation sensor sends detected values ​​for rotation speed and rotation angle to the controller 25. The controller 25 calculates the rotation speed and rotation angle of the ball screw from these detected values ​​and calculates the amount of fertilizer to be applied.

[0059] At the lower rear of the left and right fertilizer hoppers 60L and 60R, discharge ducts are arranged horizontally to move the fertilizer discharged from the discharge passage to the discharge port on the side of the machine. One end of the discharge duct is connected to a blower, and when the aforementioned operation switching lever is operated to the fertilizer application side, conveying air is blown into the air duct 68, and when it is operated to the discharge side, conveying air is blown into the discharge duct.

[0060] With this configuration, when the operation switching lever is operated to the discharge side and the switching shutters for each row are opened, the fertilizer moves through each discharge passage to the discharge duct, and the fertilizer is carried to the discharge port by the conveying air blown into the discharge duct and discharged. A bag or bucket for collection is placed in front of the discharge port, but to suppress the scattering of the discharged fertilizer, installing a discharge hose with a fine mesh will prevent the fertilizer from scattering and increase the amount of fertilizer that can be recovered.

[0061] Next, the control system of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 will be described. The controller 25 is equipped with a processing unit having a CPU, a storage unit such as ROM or RAM, and an input / output unit, which are connected to each other and can exchange signals. The storage unit stores a computer program that controls the riding-type rice transplanter 1. For example, the controller 25 operates a fertilizer application adjustment motor to automatically adjust the amount of fertilizer applied based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) obtained by the soil fertility sensor 70.

[0062] The controller 25 is connected to actuators such as motors, and sensors that acquire information from various parts. For example, the controller 25 is connected to actuators such as a fertilizer application rate adjustment motor for adjusting the amount of fertilizer applied, a throttle motor that increases or decreases the rotational speed of the engine 20 by operating a throttle that adjusts the intake amount of the engine 20, a marker rotation motor that operates the line marking marker 16, and an electromagnetic lifting valve that switches the supply and discharge of oil to the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 that raises and lowers the seedling planting unit 4.

[0063] In addition, sensors connected to the controller 25 include a fertility sensor 70, a rotation sensor, a float sensor, a link sensor, a planting depth adjustment position sensor, a tilt sensor, and a marker position sensor.

[0064] The soil fertility sensor 70 consists of an electrode plate 72 made of a donut-shaped disc fixed to the outer surface of the wheel cap 10a of the front wheel 10, and a rod-shaped electrode body 73 positioned inside the front wheel 10, and detects the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) between the electrode disc 72 and the electrode body 73.

[0065] The rotation sensor detects the rotation speed and rotation angle of the fertilizer application adjustment motor.

[0066] The float sensor detects the amount of rotation of the front part of the center float 53.

[0067] The link sensor detects the vertical operating position of the lifting link mechanism 3.

[0068] The planting depth adjustment position sensor detects the vertical setting positions of the center float 53 and the left and right side floats 54.

[0069] The tilt sensor detects the forward / backward tilt and left / right tilt of the vehicle body 2.

[0070] The marker position sensor detects the position of the left and right line marking markers 16, which are operated by left and right marker rotation motors.

[0071] When the float sensor detects that the seedling planting unit 4 has been lowered and the center float 53 has made contact with the ground during rice planting, the link sensor detects the vertical operating position of the lifting link mechanism 3, and the controller 25 calculates the height of the seedling planting unit 4 from the tilled pan, i.e., the tilled pan depth. At that time, the tilled pan depth is corrected and calculated based on the vertical setting positions of the center float 53 and the left and right side floats 54 of the planting depth adjustment position sensor.

[0072] Then, if the calculated tillage depth is within or greater than a predetermined value, the controller 25 activates the fertilizer application rate adjustment motor based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) obtained by the fertility sensor 70 to automatically adjust the amount of fertilizer applied.

[0073] Furthermore, if the calculated plow pan depth is shallower than a predetermined value, the fertilizer application rate adjustment motor is activated to automatically adjust the fertilizer application rate so that it is less than the amount of fertilizer applied based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) obtained by the fertility sensor 70.

[0074] The controller 25 operates the rolling electric motor in accordance with the left-right tilt of the vehicle body 2 detected by the tilt sensor to control the rolling of the seedling planting unit 4 so that it becomes horizontal.

[0075] Furthermore, the riding-type rice transplanter 1 is equipped with a GNSS control device connected to the controller 25.

[0076] The GNSS control device can acquire position information or coordinate information of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 by using GNSS, and transmits the position information acquired by the GNSS control device to the controller 25. In order to acquire position information of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 by using GNSS in this way, the GNSS control device has a receiving antenna 81 that receives signals from artificial satellites used in GNSS.

[0077] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a soil fertility sensor 70 is provided on one of the front wheels 10. However, a soil fertility sensor 70 may be provided on each of the left and right front wheels 10, and the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) measured by the left and right soil fertility sensors 70 may be averaged to determine the fertilizer concentration at that location.

[0078] Furthermore, since the location of the soil where the fertilizer concentration is measured by the fertilizer sensor 70 and the location of the fertilizer guide 63 where the fertilizer applicator 60 applies fertilizer to field F are far apart in the front-to-back direction of the machine, if a vehicle speed sensor is installed and the timing of the automatic adjustment of the fertilizer application amount is changed according to the vehicle speed by operating the fertilizer application amount adjustment motor based on the fertilizer concentration of the soil (mud) acquired by the fertilizer concentration sensor 70, the appropriate amount of fertilizer will be automatically adjusted to the location where the fertilizer concentration is measured, improving the accuracy of proper fertilization.

[0079] In this case, the control system will automatically adjust the timing of fertilizer application, taking into account the distance between the location of the soil where the fertilizer concentration is measured and the location of the fertilizer application guide 63 where the fertilizer application device 60 applies fertilizer to field F, considering the wheelbase of the vehicle body 2 which differs depending on the model.

[0080] Furthermore, by implementing a control system that takes slip rates into account and adjusts the timing of automatic fertilizer application, the accuracy of fertilization can be further improved.

[0081] Furthermore, since the fertilizer transport speed changes depending on the specific gravity of the fertilizer, the accuracy of fertilization can be further improved by changing the timing of automatic adjustment of the fertilizer application amount, taking the specific gravity of the fertilizer into account.

[0082] <Other Embodiments>

[0083] (1) Figure 8 shows another embodiment in which a fertilizer application device 60 for spreading organic fertilizer on field F is provided.

[0084] In other words, because organic fertilizers have a low nitrogen content, they need to be applied in large quantities, and conventional side-dressing methods like those described above frequently caused clogging.

[0085] Therefore, organic fertilizer is dispensed from the left and right fertilizer hoppers 60L and 60R at the dispensing section 61, and then transported by the airflow from the air duct 68 to the upper part of field F via the fertilizer application hose 62 and spread on field F.

[0086] The fertilizer discharge port 62a of the fertilizer hose 62 is positioned above the field surface F when the seedling planting section 4 is lowered and the center float 53 and side floats 54 make contact with the ground.

[0087] Since organic fertilizers do not need to be applied in the side layers, they can be sprayed into the air, preventing clogging due to the short path and low pressure at the outlet.

[0088] The fertilizer discharge port 62a is positioned in front of the leveling rotor 85, allowing the spread organic fertilizer to be tilled into the soil by the leveling rotor 85, and preventing the organic fertilizer from being spread on the center float 53 and side floats 54, thus preventing the accumulation of organic fertilizer on the center float 53 and side floats 54.

[0089] The fertilizer discharge port 62a is positioned behind the rear axle 11a, which is the center of rotation of the rear wheel 11, to prevent the fertilizer from being prevented from being spread on the field due to soil being lifted by the rear wheel 11.

[0090] In an electric fertilizer applicator where the dispensing unit 61 is driven by an electric motor, if the current value of the electric motor is measured and a clog occurs in the dispensing unit 61 when a current exceeding a predetermined level flows, the clog can be detected without using a special dedicated clog sensor, resulting in cost reduction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 2. Running vehicle 10 wheels (front wheels) 10a Wheel cap 13 aircraft (front wheel final drive case) 13a axle 60 Fertilizer application equipment 70 Fertility Sensor 72 Electrode plate 72a split electrode plate 73 Electrode body 73a Cutting surface 74 Connecting parts (plates) 75 Support (resin plate) 76 Cable Outer 76a Electric wire (cable inner)

Claims

1. An agricultural implement equipped with a fertilizer applicator (60) on a traveling vehicle body (2) in which the amount of fertilizer applied is adjusted by a fertilizer application adjustment device according to the soil fertility measured by a soil fertility sensor (70), characterized in that the soil fertility sensor (70) is composed of an electrode plate (72) formed by continuously arranging multiple divided electrode plates (72a) in a disc shape on the outside of the wheel cap (10a) of the wheel (10) of the traveling vehicle body (2), and connecting the ends of adjacent divided electrode plates (72a) on the inside of the wheel cap (10a) with a connecting body (74), and a rod-shaped electrode body (73) positioned on the inside of the wheel (10).

2. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, characterized in that an electrode body (73) positioned inside the wheel (10) is assembled to a cable outer (76) fixed to a support (75) fixed to the machine body (13).

3. The agricultural implement according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower end of the electrode body (73) positioned inside the wheel (10) is installed at a height above the lower end of the wheel (10), and the installation position of the lower end of the electrode body (73) is behind the axle (13a) of the wheel (10).

4. The agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wiring surface (73a) to which the electric wire (76a) is fastened to the electrode body (73) is located on the rear side of the machine body.

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