Agricultural machinery

Abstract

To provide agricultural machinery with good work efficiency. [Solution] The agricultural machine comprises a traveling unit, a machine body that can move up and down relative to the traveling unit, a working unit that can move up and down relative to the machine body, and a working unit lifting unit that lifts the working unit relative to the machine body when the machine body rises relative to the traveling unit. The working unit lifting unit may lift the working unit relative to the machine body when the machine body rises relative to the traveling unit by a predetermined amount. The machine comprises a connecting unit that rotatably connects the working unit to the machine body, and the working unit lifting unit has a first contact part provided on the connecting unit and a second contact part provided on the traveling unit that can contact the first contact part, and when the machine body rises relative to the traveling unit by a predetermined amount, the first contact part may contact the second contact part and the working unit may rotate upward relative to the machine body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to an agricultural working machine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to remove weeds and the like growing on the top surface or side surface of a ridge, mowing work has been regularly performed using a lawn mower. Patent Document 1 discloses a self-propelled lawn mower that performs mowing work on the top surface and side surface while traveling on a ridge by remote control via wireless communication. The lawn mower described in Patent Document 1 includes a cutting blade portion having a horizontal cutting blade and an inclined cutting blade at the front part of the machine body, and while traveling, it can remove weeds and the like growing on the top surface of the ridge using the horizontal cutting blade, and remove weeds and the like growing on the side surface of the ridge using the inclined cutting blade.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a brush cutter is performing grass cutting work, if there is an obstacle in the direction of travel, it is necessary to change the direction of the brush cutter to avoid the obstacle. However, when mowing grass on the top of a ridge and on a slope simultaneously, there was a problem in that the slope cutting unit used for mowing the slope would get caught on the slope when the brush cutter was turned to change direction. Also, when a brush cutter is mowing grass on the slope of a ridge, the angle of the slope cutting unit on the brush cutter is adjusted according to the slope's inclination angle, but when performing back-and-forth work, if the brush cutter tries to turn at the turning point, the slope cutting unit comes into contact with the slope and turns away. Similarly, when performing back-and-forth work on a flat surface, if the brush cutter tries to turn at the turning point, the slope cutting unit comes into contact with the working surface, creating resistance to the turning motion. To resolve these problems, it is necessary to raise the slope cutting unit in each of these cases. Previously, this task was performed manually by workers, resulting in a heavy workload and a decrease in work efficiency.

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention have been made in view of the above problems, and aim to provide an agricultural machine with good workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The agricultural machine in the embodiment of the present invention comprises a traveling section, a machine body that can move up and down relative to the traveling section, a working section that can move up and down relative to the machine body, and a working section raising section that raises the working section relative to the machine body when the machine body rises relative to the traveling section.

[0007] The work unit lifting unit may be raised relative to the machine when the machine rises beyond a predetermined amount relative to the running unit.

[0008] The work unit is provided with a connecting part that rotatably connects it to the machine body, and the work unit lifting part has a first contact part provided on the connecting part and a second contact part provided on the running part that can contact the first contact part, and when the machine body rises beyond a predetermined amount relative to the running part, the first contact part may contact the second contact part, and the work unit may rotate upward relative to the machine body.

[0009] The work section lifting section is rotatably connected to the travel section, and the first contact section has a slidable guide section, and the upper end of the guide section may be the second contact section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide an agricultural implement that offers good workability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a top view showing the configuration of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the configuration of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a rear view showing the configuration of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism for a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism for a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a side view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a top view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a side view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism of a lawnmower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a partially enlarged side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a side view for explaining the operation of the working part lifting part of the lawn mower according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a top view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism of the lawn mower according to the second embodiment of the present invention. <00,00085>

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, a lawn mower, which is an example of the agricultural working machine of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the agricultural working machine of the present invention can be implemented in many different modes and should not be construed as being limited to the description content of the examples shown below. In the drawings referred to in the present embodiment, the same parts or parts having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals or the same reference numerals followed by alphabetical characters, and the repeated description thereof will be omitted. Further, when the same or similar members are provided at the left and right positions with respect to the advancing direction, L (left member) or R (right member) is added after the reference numeral of the member. When the left and right members are not particularly distinguished, L and R may be omitted and the member may be described using only the reference numeral.

[0013] In the specification of the present application, "up" indicates a direction away from the grassland in the vertical direction when the lawn mower is moving forward while performing a mowing operation on a grassland such as a ridge, and "down" indicates a direction opposite to "up". For the sake of convenience in explanation, "front" indicates the direction in which the top surface mowing part is located with respect to the traveling part, and "rear" indicates a direction opposite to "front". Also, "left" or "right" indicates "left" or "right" with respect to the rear view of the lawn mower when viewed from the rear of the lawn mower.

[0014] Also, when based on the center line of the lawn mower in a plan view (a line parallel to the traveling direction and passing through the center of the lawn mower), relatively, the side closer to the center line is called the "inner side", and the side farther from the center line is called the "outer side".

[0015] In the specification of the present application, ridges, flatlands, and other grasslands where the lawn mower mows grass are collectively referred to as grasslands.

[0016] [1. First Embodiment] [1-1. Configuration of Lawn Mower 100] The lawn mower 100 is a self-propelled lawn mower that performs a mowing operation while traveling. Specifically, the lawn mower 100 is remotely controlled by a remote controller and is a lawn mower that travels on the grassland and performs a mowing operation.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a top view showing the configuration of the lawn mower 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the configuration of the lawn mower 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows a state in which, when the lawn mower travels on a ridge, the later-described normal surface mowing part 80 (only the left normal surface mowing part 80L is shown in the figure) is adjusted to a position parallel or substantially parallel to the horizontal plane 203 (see FIG. 3). FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the configuration of the lawn mower 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 3 shows a state in which, when the lawn mower 100 travels on a ridge, the normal surface mowing part 80 is adjusted to an inclined posture according to the inclination of the normal surface 202 of the ridge 200.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the grass cutter 100 includes a body 10, a driving unit 20, a cutting unit 120 including a top surface cutting unit 30 and a slope cutting unit 80, a position adjustment mechanism 90, a tilt adjustment mechanism 130, an engine 60, an alternator 70, a battery 40, a control unit 50, a power unit 340, a lifting mechanism 350, and a work unit lifting unit 600. The drive of each part is controlled by the control unit 50. The grass cutter 100 can perform grass cutting work on the top surface 201 and slope 202 of the ridge 200 in a single run, as shown in Figure 3, by driving and controlling the cutting unit 120 while self-propelled by the driving unit 20. For the sake of simplifying the diagrams, Figure 2 omits the bases 311L and 312L, which will be described later, and Figure 3 omits or simplifies the illustration of parts other than the slope mowing section 80, position adjustment mechanism 90, and tilt adjustment mechanism 130. Also, in this specification, the slope mowing section 80 may be referred to as the "working section".

[0019] In Figures 1 and 2, the machine body 10 includes a main body 14, which is the frame of the lawnmower 100, and a support case 15 attached to the main body 14 and extending forward. The main body 14 is vertically movable relative to the running section 20 by a power unit 340 and a lifting mechanism 350. As will be described in detail later, the lifting mechanism 350 has a parallel link structure, and the main body 14 can be raised and lowered while maintaining a predetermined posture (for example, parallel) relative to the running section 20. The support case 15 is provided with a forward mounting member 11 (see Figure 2) facing downward for attaching the top cutting section 30. In this embodiment, the support case 15 is supported so as to be rotatable vertically relative to the main body 14, and the rotation of the support case 15 allows the top cutting section 30 to follow the working surface (ground).

[0020] Furthermore, a pair of left and right slope mowing sections 80 are provided at the rear of the main body 14. The slope mowing sections 80 are supported by a position adjustment mechanism 90 that adjusts the vertical and horizontal position of the slope mowing sections 80, and a tilt adjustment mechanism 130 that rotates the slope mowing sections 80 using an axis extending in the direction of travel of the main body 10 as the pivot axis. In other words, the slope mowing sections 80 (working sections) are connected to the main body 10 in a way that allows adjustment of their tilt relative to the main body 10. Also, as will be described in detail later, the left and right rear ends of the main body 14 are provided with pivot bearing sections 13 that rotatably support the pivot axis 12 provided on the position adjustment mechanism 90 (connecting section 99) (see Figures 1 and 4). Furthermore, on the outer sides of the main body 14 are provided rotational restraint frames 280L and 280R, which the slope mowing section mounting section 98 (described later) will contact when the slope mowing sections 80 are in the retracted position. The aircraft body 10 can be constructed using metal materials (e.g., steel, aluminum), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) materials, etc., but is not limited to these examples.

[0021] The travel unit 20 includes a pair of left and right travel units 20L and 20R, and functions as the travel mechanism for the lawnmower 100. In a rear view (see Figure 3), the travel unit 20L is the left travel mechanism in the direction of travel of the lawnmower 100, and the travel unit 20R is the right travel mechanism. Since the structure of the travel unit 20R is the same as that of the travel unit 20L, the explanation here will focus on the travel unit 20L.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the running section 20L includes a crawler belt 21L, drive wheels 22L, driven wheels 23L, a crawler frame 24L, a drive unit 54L, an anti-tipping means 300L, and bases 311L and 312L. The crawler belt 21L is stretched over the drive wheels 22L and driven wheels 23L and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the drive wheels 22L. The drive unit 54L is composed of a motor and is driven by power supplied from the alternator 70 or battery 40. The drive wheels 22L rotate due to the power transmitted from the drive unit 54L. The power from the rotation of the drive wheels 22L is transmitted to the driven wheels 23L via the crawler belt 21L. The crawler frame 24L rotatably supports the drive wheels 22L and driven wheels 23L, respectively. In this embodiment, the crawler belt 21L is composed of an elastic material (specifically rubber) and has a plurality of lugs (protrusions).

[0023] The bases 311L and 312L have their lower ends attached to the crawler frame 24L and their upper ends connected to the lifting mechanism 350L (link arms 51L and 52L shown in Figure 6). In other words, the bases 311L and 312L are components that connect the running section 20L to the lifting mechanism 350L.

[0024] The anti-tipping mechanism 300L is positioned outside the crawler belt 21L, drive wheel 22L, driven wheel 23L, crawler frame 24L, and drive unit 54L, and prevents the grass cutter 100 from tipping over to the left or right during grass cutting work. The anti-tipping mechanism 300L includes a support frame 310L, a main arm 320L, and an auxiliary arm 330L. The support frame 310L is attached to bases 311L and 312L that connect the crawler frame 24 to the lifting mechanism 350L. As will be described in detail later, the guide part 610L of the work unit lifting part 600L, which will be described later, is rotatably connected to the rear end of the support frame 310L (see Figures 2, 5, etc.).

[0025] One front end of the main arm 320L is rotatably connected to the support frame 310L, and the main arm 320L is rotatably supported by the support frame 310L. The auxiliary arm 330L is an extendable member that spans between the support frame 310L and the main arm 320L, and is configured to be fixed at a predetermined length. By extending or retracting the auxiliary arm 330L, the main arm 320L can be rotated.

[0026] Furthermore, the pivot axis of the auxiliary arm 330L relative to the support frame 310L is inclined so that it becomes higher towards the outside when viewed from the front. Therefore, when the auxiliary arm 330L is extended, the main arm 320L rotates downward and extends outward, and when the auxiliary arm 330L is retracted, the main arm 320L rotates upward and is held towards the machine body 10. When performing grass cutting work, by extending the auxiliary arm 330L and rotating the main arm 320L downward, and fixing the auxiliary arm 330L at a predetermined length, the extended main arm 320L can contact the field or grassland and support the grass cutter 100 when it tilts.

[0027] Furthermore, it is possible to place a component that can ensure a large contact area at the part of the main arm 320L that contacts the field. For example, if a plate-shaped component is attached to the rear end of the main arm 320L, when the brush cutter 100 tilts, the plate-shaped component will function as a contact point with the field, thereby distributing the load on the main arm 320L (the weight of the brush cutter 100).

[0028] Furthermore, the configuration of the running section 20 is not limited to one equipped with the anti-tipping means 300; the running section 20 does not need to be equipped with the anti-tipping means 300. If the running section 20 does not have the anti-tipping means 300, the guide section 610 of the work section lifting section 600 can be rotatably connected to a frame separately provided on the crawler frame 24L or the base 312L or bases 311L and 312L.

[0029] As described above, the mowing unit 120 has a top surface mowing unit 30 located in front of the traveling unit 20, and a slope mowing unit 80 located behind the traveling unit 20 (specifically, a pair of left and right slope mowing units 80L and 80R) (see Figure 1). As will be described in detail later, the top surface mowing unit 30 is located in front of the machine body 10 and functions as a mowing means to cut weeds and other grass growing on the top surface when mowing the grass on the ridges. The slope mowing unit 80 is located behind the machine body 10 and functions as a mowing means to mainly cut weeds and other grass growing on the slopes when mowing the grass on the ridges. For example, when mowing the grass on the top surface of the ridge and the left and right slopes simultaneously, in a rear view, the top surface mowing unit 30 is located between the left slope mowing unit 80L and the right slope mowing unit 80R in the left-right direction. Note that the positional relationship between the top surface mowing section 30 and the slope mowing section 80 is not limited to the examples in Figures 1 to 3; for example, the positions of the top surface mowing section 30 and the slope mowing section 80 may be reversed.

[0030] Furthermore, the operations that the slope mowing unit 80 can perform are not limited to mowing grass on slopes; it can also perform grass mowing on grassy areas other than slopes (for example, flat grassy areas). For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, if the slope mowing unit 80 is adjusted to a position parallel or approximately parallel to the horizontal plane 203 (see Figure 3), it can perform grass mowing on a plane parallel or approximately parallel to the horizontal plane 203.

[0031] The control unit 50 is, for example, located above the machine body 10 and has the function of controlling the travel unit 20, the cutting unit 120, the engine 60, the alternator 70, or the battery 40. The control unit 50 has, for example, an electronic circuit board equipped with a computing device, memory, and communication circuits. In this case, the memory stores a control program for controlling each part of the lawnmower 100, the computing device reads the control program from the memory, and controls each part such as the travel unit 20 based on the control program.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the engine 60 is mounted above the machine body 10. The engine 60 functions as a power source for the drive unit 33 that drives the top surface cutting unit 30, and also as a power source for the alternator 70. The power generated by the engine 60 is transmitted to the drive unit 33 and the alternator 70 via a power transmission means (not shown) consisting of a belt or the like.

[0033] The alternator 70 is located below the support case 15. The alternator 70 generates electricity when power from the engine 60 is transmitted to it. The alternator 70 supplies the generated electricity to the battery 40 and also functions as a power source for the drive unit 83 that drives the slope mowing unit 80 and the drive unit 54 (see Figure 2) that drives the travel unit 20.

[0034] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which an engine 60 is used as the power source to drive the top surface mowing unit 30, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, it is also possible to use an alternator 70 as the power source to drive the top surface mowing unit 30. That is, it is also possible to drive all of the top surface mowing unit 30, the slope mowing unit 80, and the travel unit 20 with power supplied from the alternator 70 or the battery 40.

[0035] The alternator 70 in this embodiment is equipped with a power generation control circuit (not shown) for controlling power generation. The lawnmower 100 has a sensor that detects the battery voltage of the battery 40, and the power generation control circuit monitors the results detected by the sensor, allowing the alternator 70 itself to control the power generation state. The power generation control circuit controls the alternator 70 so that if the battery voltage of the battery 40 falls below a predetermined value, it generates power and enters a power supply state, and if the battery voltage of the battery 40 exceeds a predetermined value, it enters a power supply stop state.

[0036] The battery 40 is mounted on the machine body 10 and is detachably installed at a position behind the control unit 50. The battery 40 stores the electricity generated by the alternator 70. The battery 40 may also function as a power source that supplies the stored electricity to the drive unit 83 that drives the slope mowing unit 80 and the drive unit 54 that drives the travel unit 20. The installation position of the battery 40 is not limited to behind the control unit 50, and it can be installed anywhere above the machine body 10. However, in this embodiment, considering the weight balance of the entire grass cutter 100 and the ease of attachment and detachment when replacing the battery 40, the battery 40 is placed behind the control unit 50 (machine body 10).

[0037] Although not shown in the diagram, the lawnmower 100 may include a cover member that covers the battery 40, the control unit 50, and the engine 60, and protects each part. The cover member may be configured to cover a portion of the battery 40, the control unit 50, and the engine 60.

[0038] The configuration of the mowing section 120 (specifically, the top surface mowing section 30 and the slope mowing section 80) will be explained in detail below using Figures 1 to 3.

[0039] [1-2. Configuration of the top surface cutting section 30] The configuration of the top surface cutting unit 30 will now be described. As shown in Figure 1, the top surface cutting unit 30 includes a casing 31, two blade sections 32L and 32R arranged side by side, and drive sections 33L and 33R corresponding to the blade sections 32L and 32R, respectively. The drive sections 33L and 33R are each connected to the front mounting member 11. The casing 31 covers the top and sides of the blade sections 32, preventing soil, pebbles, grass, etc. from scattering into the surrounding area. The casing 31 may be called the cover section, and the blade section 32 on the side not covered by the casing 31 faces the top surface 201 of the ridge 200. The structure of the blade section 32R and the drive section 33R is the same as the structure of the blade section 32L and the drive section 33L, respectively.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the top cutting section 30 is supported so as to be suspended from the support case 15 via the front mounting member 11. The blade section 32 is composed of multiple grass-cutting blades. The blade section 32 is connected to the rotating shaft of the drive unit 33, and the rotation of the rotating shaft of the drive unit 33 causes the blade section 32, including the multiple grass-cutting blades, to rotate. These rotating grass-cutting blades perform the grass-cutting work on the grassland. The drive unit 33 uses the driving force of the engine 60, transmitted via a power transmission means (not shown) including a belt (not shown), as the driving force (rotational power) for the blade section 32.

[0041] In this embodiment, the two blade sections 32L and 32R are arranged symmetrically or substantially symmetrically with respect to the center line 110 of the machine body 10, and are positioned with a phase difference so that the mowing blades do not interfere with each other when stationary. The power transmission means is designed to transmit the driving force of the engine 60, transmitted via a belt, equally or substantially equally to both the drive units 33L and 33R. Therefore, the multiple mowing blades of blade section 32L and the multiple mowing blades of blade section 32R rotate at the same timing and speed.

[0042] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which an engine 60 is used as the power source for rotating the blade portion 32 of the top surface cutting section 30. However, if an alternator 70 is used as the power source for rotating the blade portion 32, a motor can be used as the drive unit 33. In this case, the control unit 50 may be used to independently control the drive units 33L and 33R, respectively, and the blade portions 32L and 32R may be driven independently. Furthermore, in this case, the power to drive the motor can be supplied from the alternator 70 or the battery 40.

[0043] [1-3. Structure of the slope mowing section 80] The structure of the slope mowing section 80 will now be described. The slope mowing section 80 includes a pair of left and right slope mowing sections 80L and 80R. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slope mowing sections 80L and 80R each include casings 81L and 81R, blade sections 82L and 82R, drive sections 83L and 83R corresponding to the blade sections 82L and 82R, and first gripping sections 150L and 150R, and second gripping sections 140L and 140R, respectively. The casing 81, like the casing 31 of the top surface mowing section 30, may be called a cover section and covers the top and sides of the blade section 82 to prevent the scattering of soil, pebbles, grass, etc. to the surroundings. The structure of the slope mowing section 80R is the same as that of the slope mowing section 80L.

[0044] Furthermore, the casing 81L has cover members 155L (see Figures 1 to 3) that are provided to cover the blade portion 82L (see Figure 1) on all four sides in a plan view, thereby reducing the scattering of cut grass in all directions. Of the cover members 155L that are provided to cover the blade portion 82L on all four sides, the cover members 155L located on the front side, back side, and left side (outside) of the blade portion 82L are made of rubber.

[0045] In this way, by constructing the cover members 155L located on the front, back, and left side (outside) of the blade portion 82L from a flexible material such as rubber, even if cut grass accumulates inside the casing 81L, the cover members 155L can be peeled back (deformed) to discharge the accumulated grass, thereby reducing the load on the drive unit 83 (motor), and preventing problems such as grass getting stuck between the roller 410L and the roller support portion 420L, which will be described later, and hindering the rotation of the roller 410L.

[0046] Furthermore, the cover member 155L on the rear side of the casing 81L is positioned so as not to overlap with the roller 410L (described later) when viewed from the rear, and care is taken to ensure that its lower end does not interfere with the roller 410L (described later) during grass cutting work. However, the length of the cover member 155L on the rear side of the casing 81L can be arbitrarily set as long as it does not interfere with the roller 410L (described later) during operation. In addition, in this embodiment, the lower side of the rubber cover member 155L located on the front, rear, and left side of the blade portion 82L has multiple notches (for example, as shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the rear cover member 155L has four notches), making the cover member 155L easier to deform and allowing grass inside the casing 81R to be discharged smoothly.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cover member 155L is provided such that there is a predetermined gap between the cover member 155L and the ground (work surface). However, in a side view, the roller 410L, which will be described later, is positioned behind the blade 82L and the cover member 155L. Therefore, grass that is scattered backward through the gap between the cover member 155L and the ground (work surface) without hitting the cover member 155L can be stopped by the roller 410L. In the grass cutter 100 of this embodiment, the cover member 155L located on the right side (inside) of the casing 81L is made of a steel plate (not shown) to prevent the cut grass from being discharged towards the field. However, this is not limited to the above example, and when constructing the casing 81L, the surface on which the cover member 155L is provided can be changed as appropriate and is arbitrary.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the blade section 82 has multiple grass-cutting blades. The blade section 82 is connected to the rotating shaft of the drive unit 83, which is driven by power from the alternator 70 or the battery 40, and rotates. That is, the rotation of the rotating shaft of the drive unit 83 causes the blade section 82, which includes the multiple grass-cutting blades, to rotate, and the grass-cutting work is performed by the blade section 82. For example, a motor can be used as the drive unit 83. The drive unit 83L and the drive unit 83R can be driven independently of each other. That is, the grass cutter 100 can perform grass-cutting work by independently controlling the slope cutting section 80L and the slope cutting section 80R.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slope mowing sections 80L and 80R each include mowing height adjustment sections 400L and 400R, respectively. The mowing height adjustment section 400L includes a roller support section 420L that rotatably supports the roller 410L. Similarly, the mowing height adjustment section 400R includes a roller support section 420R that rotatably supports the roller 410R.

[0050] As shown in Figure 1, the front end of the roller support 420 is rotatably supported via a bracket (not shown) erected on the upper surface of the casing 81, and extends backward from near the rear end of the slope mowing section 80. The upper surface of the casing 81 is also provided with an adjustment section (not shown) for adjusting the rotational position of the roller support 420 using a positioning pin. By inserting the positioning pin when the roller support 420 is at a predetermined rotational angle, the rotational position of the roller support 420 can be maintained at the predetermined angle, and the (height) position of the roller 410 relative to the slope mowing section 80 can be adjusted. Therefore, the height of the mowing surface 204 relative to the ground (work surface) (for example, the slope 202) can be adjusted. The "mowing surface 204" is the surface that includes the trajectory when the blade 82 of the slope mowing section 80 (see Figure 2) cuts grass (shown by a dashed line in Figure 3), and can also be called the cut surface of the grass in the grass cutting operation.

[0051] The roller 410 extends to the left and right from the roller support 420 and is rotatably connected to the roller support 420. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the roller 410L is suspended from the roller support 420L. The roller 410 is a frustoconical rotating body. The axis of rotation of this frustoconical shape is inclined downward with respect to the roller support 420L so that the lower end of the circumferential surface of the roller 410 is parallel or approximately parallel to the mowing surface 204 of the slope mowing section 80, that is, so that the lower end of the circumferential surface of the roller 410 is parallel or approximately parallel to the ground which serves as the working surface. The bottom surface of the frustoconical shape of the roller 410 is closer to the roller support 420 than the top surface. In other words, the diameter of the roller 410 gradually decreases as it moves away from the roller support 420.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the slope mowing sections 80L and 80R are supported on the machine body 14 via position adjustment mechanisms 90L and 90R, and tilt adjustment mechanisms 130L and 130R, respectively. The pivot shaft 12 provided on the connecting portion 99 of the position adjustment mechanism 90 is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing portion 13 fixed to position adjustment mechanism connecting portions 260 (see Figures 4 and 5) provided on the left and right rear ends of the machine body 14, so that the position adjustment mechanism 90 is rotatable relative to the machine body 14. Therefore, the slope mowing section 80, which is supported on the machine body 14 via the position adjustment mechanism 90 and the tilt adjustment mechanism 130, is also rotatable relative to the machine body 14. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the position adjustment mechanism 90 is connected to the running section 20 by a working section lifting section 600. The configuration of the working section lifting section 600 will be explained in detail later. The slope mowing section 80 only needs to be rotatably mounted to the main body 14 and does not need to be supported via the position adjustment mechanism 90 or the tilt adjustment mechanisms 130L and 130R. For example, the slope mowing section 80 may be attached to the connecting section 99L, which will be described later, or the connecting section 99L may constitute a part of the slope mowing section 80.

[0053] The position adjustment mechanism 90 is a mechanism for moving the slope mowing unit 80 to follow the shape of the ridge (width, height, and undulation, etc.) when the slope mowing unit 80 is performing grass cutting work on the slope. It adjusts the position of the slope mowing unit 80 in the left-right direction to match the thickness (ridge width) of the ridge, and adjusts the position of the slope mowing unit 80 in the up-down direction to match the height and undulation of the ridge. The position adjustment mechanism 90 is equipped with a parallel link mechanism for moving the slope mowing unit 80 in the vertical direction parallel to the main body 14, and a parallel link mechanism for moving the slope mowing unit 80 in the left-right direction parallel to the ridge. These two parallel link mechanisms allow the slope mowing unit 80 to be moved in the up-down, left-right, and right directions parallel to the ridge without changing its posture. In other words, when the position adjustment mechanism 90 operates in response to changes in the width of the ridge or changes in the height and undulation of the ridge, the slope mowing unit 80 moves parallel in the up, down, left, and right directions by two parallel link mechanisms. As a result, its posture relative to the slope does not change, and grass cutting work can be performed efficiently. Furthermore, even when performing flat mowing with the slope mowing unit 80, the slope mowing unit 80 moves parallel in the up and down direction. Therefore, the rear of the slope mowing unit 80 does not become higher than the front, which can suppress stones flying out to the rear, so-called flying stones. The detailed structure of the position adjustment mechanism 90 will be described later.

[0054] The tilt adjustment mechanisms 130L and 130R are connected to the position adjustment mechanisms 90L and 90R, and the slope mowing sections 80L and 80R, respectively. The slope mowing section 80 is connected to the machine body 10 so that its tilt relative to the machine body 14 can be adjusted by the operation of the tilt adjustment mechanism 130. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the tilt adjustment mechanism 130 is configured so that the angle (angle α2) between the mowing surface 204 of the slope mowing section 80 and the lower surface of the machine body 14 (the same plane as the plane 206 shown in Figure 3) can be adjusted according to the inclination angle of the slope 202 of the ridge 200 (the same angle α1 as the angle between the horizontal plane 203 and the mowing surface 204). In the following description, "lower surface of the machine body 14" is synonymous with the plane 206 shown in Figure 3.

[0055] [1-4. Configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 90] Here, the position adjustment mechanism 90 will be explained in more detail using Figures 4 and 5. The position adjustment mechanism 90 allows the grass cutter 100 to adjust the position of the slope cutting unit 80 in the up, down, left, and right directions, especially when mowing grass on ridges, according to the condition of the ridge (such as the undulation of the slope on which the slope cutting unit 80 operates and changes in the width of the ridge). Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 90L of the grass cutter 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a side view from the left, showing the configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 90L of the grass cutter 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that the structure of the position adjustment mechanism 90R is substantially the same as that of the position adjustment mechanism 90L, so here we will focus on explaining the position adjustment mechanism 90L.

[0056] First, we will explain the left-right parallel movement mechanism that adjusts the position of the slope mowing section 80 of the position adjustment mechanism 90 in the left-right direction.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4, the position adjustment mechanism 90L is connected to the aircraft body 14 (specifically, the rear left end of the aircraft body 14) via a position adjustment mechanism connecting part 260L and a rotating bearing part 13L, which are provided at the rear left end of the aircraft body 14. Similarly, although not shown in the figure, the position adjustment mechanism 90R is connected to the rear right end of the aircraft body 14 via a position adjustment mechanism connecting part 260R and a rotating bearing part 13R. The position adjustment mechanism connecting part 260L is included in the aircraft body 10 and has two plate-like members 260aL and 260bL fixed to the rear end of the aircraft body 14. The rotating bearing part 13L is also included in the aircraft body 10 and is fixed to the rear end of the two plate-like members 260aL and 260bL so as to span them. The rotating bearing part 13L is arranged parallel to the aircraft body 14 in a rear view, that is, (approximately) parallel to the ground. The rotating bearing section 13L rotatably supports the rotating shaft 12L, which is provided on the connecting section 99, and is the pivot axis when the slope mowing section 80 rotates up and down.

[0058] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the position adjustment mechanism 90L comprises a connecting portion 99L, a connecting auxiliary member 210L, a first link arm 91L, a second link arm 92L, a third link arm 230L, a slope mowing section mounting portion 98L, a slope mowing section mounting auxiliary member 240L, and a spring 94L.

[0059] The connecting portion 99L has a pair of connecting structures formed by nesting an upper connecting portion 99aL and a lower connecting portion 99bL, which are roughly U-shaped members, so that their openings face each other. The connecting portion 99L also has a projection 99cL fixed to the outer surface of the lower connecting portion 99bL, which is located on the outside of the nested structure. The projection 99cL protrudes forward and upward from the lower connecting portion 99bL, and the contact portion 620L of the work section lifting portion 600 is fixed to its front end. Furthermore, a pivot shaft 12L is provided at the lower part of the inner surface of the lower connecting portion 99bL, which is rotatably connected and supported by a pivot bearing portion 13L fixed to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L. In addition, a lifting regulating pin 250L that protrudes inward is provided at the upper part of the inner surface of the lower connecting portion 99bL.

[0060] As will be described in more detail later, the upward restricting pin 250L contacts (engages with) a recess 217 provided on the upper front part of the vertical surface portion 216L of the connecting auxiliary member 210L (described later) when the position adjustment mechanism 90L rotates counterclockwise in a left side view with the pivot axis 12L as the pivot axis, thereby restricting the rotation of the position adjustment mechanism 90L. Furthermore, a downward restricting pin 251L is provided on the lower rear part of the lower connecting portion 99bL.

[0061] The downward restricting pin 251L contacts the upper surface of the horizontal portion 215L of the connecting auxiliary member 210L (described later) and is a member that restricts clockwise rotation, i.e., downward rotation, in a left side view with the pivot axis 12L of the position adjustment mechanism 90L as the pivot axis (a member that determines the lower limit of rotation). As the position adjustment mechanism 90L rotates clockwise, the downward restricting pin 251L contacts the horizontal portion 215L of the connecting auxiliary member 210L, restricting the downward rotation of the position adjustment mechanism 90L.

[0062] The connecting portion 99L pivotally supports one front end of the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L so that they can rotate left and right. The second link arm 92L is positioned inward from the first link arm 91L. The rear ends of the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L are pivotally connected to the slope mowing attachment portion 98L. The slope mowing attachment portion 98L is a member that pivotally supports one rear end of the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L so that they can rotate left and right. Although not fully illustrated, it consists of a pair of members arranged vertically facing each other, one bent into a roughly L shape and the other bent into a roughly U shape. In Figures 4 and 5, the upper of this pair of members, the roughly L-shaped bent member, is shown.

[0063] As shown in Figure 5, the slope mowing attachment part 98L is further connected to the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L. The slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L is a member bent into a roughly U-shape, and is connected to the slope mowing attachment part 98L by sandwiching it between the bent parts on both sides of the U-shape. The slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L is connected to the slope mowing attachment part 98L in a manner that allows it to rotate on a pivot axis extending in the left-right direction. In the slope mowing attachment part 98L, the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L are pivotally supported by a pivot axis perpendicular to the left-right pivot axis. The slope mowing attachment part 98L is connected to the slope mowing part 80L via the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L.

[0064] Specifically, the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L is connected to the inclination adjustment mechanism 130L which is connected to the slope mowing section 80L, thereby connecting the slope mowing attachment section 98L to the slope mowing section 80L. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a ball stud 234L is attached to the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L. A socket 235L is provided at one end of the third link arm 230L. The ball stud 234L, when combined with the socket 235L provided at one end of the third link arm 230L, constitutes a ball joint. The third link arm 230L can move up, down, left, and right with the ball stud 234L as a pivot point.

[0065] The connecting section 99L and the slope mowing section mounting section 98L are arranged parallel or approximately parallel to each other by the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L. The first link arm 91L is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the second link arm 92L. In Figure 4, the rectangle shown by the dashed line, namely the connecting section 99L, the slope mowing section mounting section 98L, the first link arm 91L, and the second link arm 92L, forms a parallel link mechanism. This parallel link mechanism constitutes a lateral parallel movement mechanism that adjusts the lateral position of the slope mowing section 80. A spring 94L (see Figures 4 and 5) is stretched between the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L, and the elastic force of the spring 94L acts as a biasing force that pulls the slope mowing section 80L inward.

[0066] The connecting auxiliary member 210L is a substantially L-shaped bent member installed between the connecting portion 99L and the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L, and has a vertical surface portion 216L (see Figure 4) that is substantially perpendicular to the left-right direction, and a horizontal surface portion 215L (see Figure 5) that is connected to the vertical surface portion 216L and extends in the left-right direction. The vertical surface portion 216L is provided with an insertion hole through which the pivot shaft 12L is inserted, and the entire connecting auxiliary member 210L is rotatable around the pivot shaft 12L. In other words, the connecting auxiliary member 210L is also rotatable around the pivot shaft 12L with respect to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L. Therefore, the connecting auxiliary member 210L is rotatable around the pivot axis 12L relative to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L, and the connecting portion 99L is also rotatable around the pivot axis 12L relative to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L. In other words, the connecting auxiliary member 210L and the connecting portion 99L are each rotatable independently of the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L.

[0067] The connecting auxiliary member 210L is configured to be rotatable with respect to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L about the pivot axis 12L, but its rotation is restricted by a rotation limiting pin that protrudes outward from the plate-shaped member 260aL of the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L. The rotation limiting pin can protrude in and out of the plate-shaped member 260aL of the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L, and when the rotation limiting pin protrudes outward from the plate-shaped member 260aL, the connecting auxiliary member 210L (vertical surface portion 216L) engages with the rotation limiting pin, restricting the rotation of the connecting auxiliary member 210L, that is, fixing the connecting auxiliary member 210L to the position adjustment mechanism connecting portion 260L, and allowing the position adjustment mechanism 90L to rotate about the pivot axis 12L.

[0068] Furthermore, a recess 217L is formed on the upper front side of the vertical surface portion 216L of the connecting auxiliary member 210L. In a left side view relative to the main body 14, the upward restricting pin 250L provided on the connecting portion 99L contacts (engages) with the position adjustment mechanism 90L, which rotates counterclockwise around the pivot axis 12. The recess 217L restricts the counterclockwise rotation, i.e., upward rotation, of the position adjustment mechanism 90L, which rotates counterclockwise around the pivot axis 12, in a left side view relative to the main body 14. As shown in Figure 5, a ball stud 231L is attached to the horizontal surface portion 215L. The ball stud 231L forms a ball joint when combined with a socket 232L provided on the other end of the third link arm 230L. The third link arm 230L can move up, down, left, and right with the ball stud 231L as a pivot point.

[0069] A vertical parallel movement mechanism for adjusting the position of the slope mowing section 80 of the position adjustment mechanism 90 in the vertical direction will now be described. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a third link arm 230L is provided between the connecting auxiliary member 210L and the slope mowing section mounting auxiliary member 240L. The third link arm 230L is a member for moving the slope mowing section 80L in the vertical direction, and when combined with the left-right parallel movement mechanism (substantially the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L), a parallel link mechanism is formed in Figure 5 by a rectangle indicated by a dashed line, namely the connecting section 99L, the slope mowing section mounting section 98L, the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L, the third link arm 230L, the connecting auxiliary member 210L, and the slope mowing section mounting auxiliary member 240L. This parallel link mechanism forms a vertical parallel movement mechanism for adjusting the vertical position of the slope mowing section 80. Specifically, the third link arm 230L has a longitudinal direction that is parallel or substantially parallel to the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L, with one end connected to the slope mowing section attachment auxiliary member 240L via a ball stud 234L, and the other end connected to the connecting auxiliary member 210L via a ball stud 231L.

[0070] The vertical parallel movement mechanism includes a parallel link mechanism composed of a connecting auxiliary member 210L, a connecting part 99L, a first link arm 91L, a second link arm 92L, a slope mowing part mounting part 98L, a slope mowing part mounting auxiliary member 240L, and a third link arm 230L, allowing the slope mowing part 80L to be moved vertically without changing its orientation. In other words, the third link arm 230L can follow the movement of the horizontal parallel movement mechanism formed by the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L, and can also move the slope mowing part 80L vertically in parallel when combined with the first link arm 91L and the second link arm 92L.

[0071] As described above, the connecting auxiliary member 210L and the connecting part 99L can each rotate independently with respect to the position adjustment mechanism connecting part 260L. However, during grass cutting work, as described above, the rotation of the connecting auxiliary member 210L with respect to the position adjustment mechanism connecting part 260L is restricted by the rotation restriction pin. When the rotation of the connecting auxiliary member 210L is restricted, the (up and down) rotation of the position adjustment mechanism 90 (connecting part 99L) is restricted to a certain range by the upward restricting pin 250L, the downward restricting pin 251L, and the rotation of the connecting auxiliary member 210L (horizontal surface part 215L). Therefore, the vertical movement of the slope mowing unit 80L during grass cutting operations (including the vertical movement of the slope mowing unit 80L in accordance with the condition of the ridge (such as changes in the undulation of the slope and the width of the ridge on which the slope mowing unit 80 acts), and the upward movement of the slope mowing unit 80L by the work unit lifting unit 600, which will be described later) is performed by parallel movement by the parallel link mechanism of the vertical parallel movement mechanism.

[0072] As described above, the slope mowing unit 80 is configured to move without changing its posture, following the shape (height and undulation) of the ridge by the operation of the position adjustment mechanism 90. As shown in Figure 3, the slope mowing unit 80 is configured such that the roller 410 contacts the slope 202 of the ridge 200, maintaining the distance from the mowing surface 204 to the slope 202 (corresponding to the mowing height) at a predetermined distance H1. In other words, the slope mowing unit 80 can maintain a constant mowing height for the grass growing on the slope 202, according to the shape (height and undulation) of the slope 202 of the ridge 200. Furthermore, the position of the roller 410 relative to the slope mowing unit 80 can be adjusted by inserting the positioning pin while the roller support unit 420 is at a predetermined rotation angle. Therefore, the height of the mowing surface 204 relative to the slope 202 can be adjusted.

[0073] As described above, the lawnmower 100 of this embodiment can move the slope mowing section 80 in the up, down, left, and right directions by the operation of the position adjustment mechanism 90, and can perform grass cutting work without changing the posture of the slope mowing section 80 in accordance with changes in the width of the ridge, the height of the ridge, or the undulations of the ridge. Providing a cutting height adjustment section 400 on the slope mowing section 80 is very useful for effectively operating such a position adjustment mechanism 90. The lawnmower 100 can maintain a predetermined distance from the mowing surface 204 to the slope 202 by the cutting height adjustment section 400, so that the casing 81 of the slope mowing section 80 does not come into contact with the ridge 200, and the position adjustment mechanism 90 enables smooth parallel movement of the slope mowing section 80.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, an elastic member 520L is provided adjacent to the vertical parallel movement mechanism to exert an upward biasing force on the slope mowing section 80L. An upper bracket 522L, which rotatably supports an upper support member 523L that supports the upper end of the elastic member 520L, is fixed to a connecting section 99L, and a lower support member 521L that supports the lower end of the elastic member 520L is rotatably supported by a connecting auxiliary member 210L.

[0075] The upper bracket 522L is a member that is roughly T-shaped in plan view, and has a fixing portion fixed to the rear surface of the upper connecting portion 99aL and the rear surface of the lower connecting portion 99bL so as to span across the upper connecting portion 99aL and the lower connecting portion 99bL, and a holding portion that extends rearward from the fixing portion and has a pivot axis. The pivot axis of the holding portion rotatably supports the upper support member 523L that holds the upper end of the elastic member 520.

[0076] The upper support member 523L is a substantially T-shaped member having a pivot portion through which a pivot shaft provided in the holding portion of the upper bracket 522L can be inserted, and a support portion that extends downward from the pivot portion, through which the elastic member 520L is inserted, and which is inserted into a through hole provided in the lower support member 521L, which will be described later. By inserting the pivot shaft provided in the upper bracket 522L into the pivot portion of the upper support member 523L, the upper support member 523L is rotatably supported by the upper bracket 522L.

[0077] A lower bracket 511L, which is a member bent into a roughly U-shape, is fixed to the lower rear of the connecting auxiliary member 210L. Through holes are provided in the left and right walls of the lower bracket 511L, through which a lower support member 521L, which supports the lower end of the elastic member 520L, can be inserted.

[0078] The left and right ends of the lower support member 521L are inserted through holes provided in the lower bracket 511L, and the lower support member 521L is rotatably supported by the lower bracket 511L. In addition, the lower end of the support portion of the upper support member 523L is inserted through the holes provided in the lower support member 521L.

[0079] The elastic member 520L is inserted through the support portion of the upper support member 523L and positioned between the upper support member 523L and the lower support member 521L. The upper end of the elastic member 520L is held by the upper support member 523L, and the lower end is supported by the lower support member 521L. In other words, the elastic member 520L is supported by the connecting portion 99L and the connecting auxiliary member 210L. Furthermore, the elastic member 520L is compressed when the slope mowing section 80L moves below a predetermined position, that is, when the connecting portion 99L rotates clockwise around the pivot axis 12L in a left side view, and has the function of exerting an upward biasing force on the slope mowing section 80L. In this embodiment, a compression coil spring is used as the elastic member 520L, but it is not limited to this example, and other elastic members can also be used.

[0080] [1-5. Configuration of the 350L Lifting Mechanism] The configuration of the lifting mechanism 350 will be explained using Figures 6 to 8. The lifting mechanism 350 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the machine body 10 (machine body 14) relative to the running section 20. Since the structure of the lifting mechanism 350R is the same as that of the lifting mechanism 350L, the explanation here will focus on the lifting mechanism 350L. Figures 6 and 8 are side views showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism 350L of the lawnmower 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a top view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism 350L of the lawnmower 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that in Figures 6 and 8, the support frame 310L is shown in a simplified manner.

[0081] As shown in Figure 6, the lifting mechanism 350L includes link arms 51L, 52L, and a plate link 56L. Both link arms 51L and 52L are members that form a roughly L-shape in a side view. Link arm 52L is provided in front of link arm 51L. Link arms 51L and 52L are connected by a plate link 56L.

[0082] As shown in Figure 6, the link arm 51L comprises an arm portion 51La extending substantially in the front-rear direction, an arm portion 51Lc extending substantially in the up-down direction, an arm portion 51Ld extending substantially in the up-down direction, and a fixing member 51Lb to which the front end of the arm portion 51La and the lower ends of the arm portions 51Lc and 51Ld are fixed. A drive unit-side pivot shaft 61L is provided at the rear end of the arm portion 51La. The drive unit-side pivot shaft 61L is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the base 312L. The upper end of the arm portion 51Lc is rotatably connected to the rear end of the plate link 56L by a link-side pivot shaft 63L. The upper end of the arm portion 51Ld is rotatably connected to one rear end of the power unit 340L by a power unit-side pivot shaft 64L.

[0083] As shown in Figure 7, the arm sections 51Lc, 51Ld, and 51La are fixed to the fixing member 51Lb in that order from left to right. Therefore, the power unit side pivot shaft 64L, which rotatably connects the upper end of the arm section 51Ld to one rear end of the power unit 340L, is located more centrally than the link side pivot shaft 63L, which rotatably connects the upper end of the arm section 51Lc to the rear end of the plate link 56L. The fixing member 51Lb has a machine body side pivot shaft 62L, which is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the machine body 14.

[0084] The link arm 52L has a similar configuration to the link arm 51L, except for the arm portion 51Ld. As shown in Figure 6, the link arm 52L includes an arm portion 52La extending substantially in the front-rear direction, an arm portion 52Lc extending substantially in the up-down direction, and fixing members 52Lb to which the front end of the arm portion 52La and the lower end of the arm portion 52Lc are fixed, respectively. A drive-side pivot shaft 71L is provided at the rear end of the arm portion 52La. The drive-side pivot shaft 71L is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the base 311L. The upper end of the arm portion 52Lc is rotatably connected to the front end of the plate link 56L by a link-side pivot shaft 73L.

[0085] As shown in Figure 7, the arm sections 52Lc and 52La are fixed to the fixing member 52Lb from left to right. The fixing member 52Lb has a machine-side pivot shaft 72L, which is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the machine body 14.

[0086] The plate link 56L is a plate-shaped member that connects the arm portion 51Lc of the link arm 51L and the arm portion 52Lc of the link arm 52L. The rear end of the plate link 56L is connected to the upper end of the arm portion 51Lc via the link-side pivot shaft 63L, and the front end of the plate link 56L is connected to the upper end of the arm portion 52Lc via the link-side pivot shaft 73L. The plate link 56L has the function of maintaining a constant distance between the link-side pivot shaft 63L and the link-side pivot shaft 73L, and assisting in maintaining the attitude of the aircraft body 14 horizontally.

[0087] The power unit 340L is an actuator that acts on the lifting mechanism 350L to raise and lower the main body 14 relative to the travel unit 20L. The power unit 340L is composed of, for example, an electric cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder. One rear end (rod side) of the power unit 340L is rotatably connected to the upper end of the arm unit 51Ld by a power unit side pivot shaft 64L. The other front end (cylinder side) of the power unit 340L is rotatably supported by a support bracket 53L provided above and in front of the main body 14.

[0088] As described above, in the lifting mechanism 350L, the parallel link mechanism is composed of the arm section 51La, the arm section 52La, the main body 14 between the machine-side pivot shaft 62L and the machine-side pivot shaft 72L, the base 311L, the base 312L, and the crawler frame 24L (see Figure 2). Furthermore, in the lifting mechanism 350L, the parallel link mechanism is composed of the arm section 51Lc, the arm section 52Lc, the plate link 56L, and the main body 14 between the machine-side pivot shaft 62L and the machine-side pivot shaft 72L.

[0089] When the power unit 340L is extended, the parallel link mechanism rotates clockwise (right), causing the main body 14 to move in a direction that increases the distance from the running section 20L (see Figure 8). Conversely, when the power unit 340L is retracted, the parallel link mechanism rotates counterclockwise (left), causing the main body 14 to move in a direction that decreases the distance from the running section 20L.

[0090] In this embodiment, the main body 14 and the running section 20L are closest when the power unit 340L is most retracted. This state is the lower limit position of the main body 10 with respect to the running section 20L (see Figure 6). On the other hand, the main body 14 and the running section 20L are farthest apart when the power unit 340L is most extended. This state is the upper limit position of the main body 10 with respect to the running section 20L (see Figure 8). In this embodiment, an electric cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder is given as an example of an actuator, but the configuration is not limited to this.

[0091] [1-6. Configuration and Operation of the Work Unit Lifting Section 600] Next, the configuration of the work unit lifting section 600 will be explained using Figures 4 and 5. The work unit lifting section 600 is a mechanism that, through the operation of the power unit 340L and the lifting mechanism 350L, raises the slope mowing section 80 relative to the machine body 10 (machine body 14) in conjunction with the raising of the machine body 10 (machine body 14) relative to the travel section 20. Note that the structure of the work unit lifting section 600R is the same as that of the work unit lifting section 600L, so here we will focus on the work unit lifting section 600L in the explanation.

[0092] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the working section lifting section 600L includes a guide section 610L and a contact section 620L (corresponding to the first contact section). The guide section 610 includes a plate-shaped member 611L having a longitudinal direction and an elongated hole 612L (or opening) formed inside the plate-shaped member 611L and having a longitudinal direction in the same direction as the plate-shaped member 611L. A connecting section 614L at one end of the guide section 610L is rotatably connected to the rear end of the support frame 310L. The elongated hole 612L is provided extending from near the center of the plate-shaped member 611L in the longitudinal direction to near the other end of the plate-shaped member 611L. The upper end of the elongated hole 612L constitutes a contact section 613L (corresponding to the second contact section) (see Figure 12) to which the contact section 620L can contact. In other words, the contact portion 613L is provided at the end of the guide portion 610L opposite to the connecting portion 614L. In this specification, the contact portion 613L corresponds to the upper end of the inner wall of the elongated hole 612L. The guide portion 610L may be rotatably connected to a frame separately provided on the crawler frame 24L or the base 312L or bases 311L and 312L.

[0093] As shown in Figure 4, the contact portion 620L is attached to the protruding portion 99cL of the connecting portion 99L and is configured to slide inside the elongated hole 612L. In this embodiment, the contact portion 620L is composed of a bolt and a nut. The shaft of the bolt is inserted through the through hole and the elongated hole 612L provided in the protruding portion 99cL of the connecting portion 99L, and a nut is attached to the shaft. As a result, the protruding portion 99cL and the plate-shaped member 611L are sandwiched by the bolt and nut, and the shaft of the bolt becomes slidable inside the elongated hole 612L. In other words, the guide portion 610L is connected to the connecting portion 99L via the contact portion 620L. When the contact portion 620L is inserted into the guide portion 610L, the guide portion 610L is held in a side view with the right-upward slope such that it is higher as it is positioned further back. As will be explained in more detail later, the contact portion 620L moves in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 612L while sliding against the inner wall of the elongated hole 612L as the machine body 14 moves up and down relative to the running portion 20L.

[0094] As shown in Figure 5, in a side view, the straight-line distance from the pivot axis 12L to the slope mowing attachment portion 98L is greater than the straight-line distance from the pivot axis 12L to the contact portion 620L. As will be described in detail later, this configuration makes it possible to increase the amount of elevation of the slope mowing portion 80L relative to the machine body 14 compared to the amount of elevation of the machine body 14 relative to the traveling portion 20L.

[0095] The operation of the work section lifting unit 600 will be explained with reference to Figures 9 to 12. Figures 9 to 11 are side views illustrating the operation of the position adjustment mechanism 90L, the lifting mechanism 350L, and the work section lifting unit 600L of the grass trimmer 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a partially enlarged side view illustrating the operation of the work section lifting unit 600L of the grass trimmer 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 12(A) to (C) show enlarged views of the work section lifting unit 600L in the states shown in Figures 9 to 11, respectively. The state of the lifting mechanism 350L shown in Figure 9 corresponds to the state of the lifting mechanism 350L shown in Figure 6, and the state of the lifting mechanism 350L shown in Figure 10 corresponds to the state of the lifting mechanism 350L shown in Figure 8.

[0096] From the state shown in Figure 9, the lifting mechanism 350L is operated to raise the main body 14 relative to the traveling section 20. Even when the positional relationship between the traveling section 20 and the main body 14 is as shown in Figure 10, the slope mowing section 80L rotates downward around the pivot axis 12 due to its own weight, so the vertical position of the slope mowing section 80L shown in Figure 10 rises only slightly from the position shown in Figure 9. Figure 12(A) shows the working section lifting section 600L and position adjustment mechanism 90L in the state shown in Figure 9, and Figure 12(B) shows the working section lifting section 600L and position adjustment mechanism 90L in the state shown in Figure 10. As shown in Figure 12(A), before the main body 14 rises, that is, in the state shown in Figure 9, the contact portion 620L was located near the center of the guide portion 610L. However, as shown in Figures 10 and 12(B), when the main body 14 rises relative to the running portion 20L, the contact portion 620L also rises. At this time, the contact portion 620L moves toward the upper end of the elongated hole 612L (contact portion 613L) of the guide portion 610 while sliding against the inner wall of the elongated hole 612L, and comes into contact with the contact portion 613L. Figure 12(B) shows the state in which the contact portion 620L is in contact with the contact portion 613L.

[0097] In the state shown in Figures 10 and 12(B), the contact portion 620L reaches the contact portion 613L. Therefore, even if the main body 14 is raised further by the lifting mechanism 350L from the state shown in Figure 10, the upward movement of the contact portion 620L is restricted by the contact portion 613L. Consequently, when the main body 14 is raised further by the lifting mechanism 350L from the state shown in Figure 10, the guide portion 610, receiving force from the contact portion 620L, rotates forward around the connecting portion 614L while restricting the upward movement of the contact portion 620L. As a result, as shown in Figure 12(C), the connecting portion 99L and the first link arm 91L rotate in the R1 direction with the pivot axis 12L as the pivot axis. As a result of this rotation, the contact portion 620L moves (rotates) downward from the state shown in (B) of Figure 12 with respect to the pivot axis 12L, the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L moves (rotates) upward from the state shown in (B) of Figure 12 with respect to the pivot axis 12L, and the slope mowing portion 80L, which is connected to the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L via the tilt adjustment mechanism 130L, also moves upward.

[0098] Furthermore, the range in which the aircraft body 14 moves from the position shown in Figure 9 to just before the position shown in Figure 10 (i.e., just before the contact portion 620L contacts the contact portion 613L) is sometimes referred to as the "first range," and the range above the first range, in which the aircraft body 14 moves from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure 11, is sometimes referred to as the "second range." In this case, while the aircraft body 14 is rising in the first range, the contact portion 620L and the contact portion 613L of the guide portion 610 do not come into contact, and the contact portion 620L moves along the guide portion 610L. In other words, if the amount of upward movement of the aircraft body 14 relative to the running portion 20 does not exceed a predetermined amount, the contact portion 620L and the contact portion 613L do not come into contact. The predetermined amount is set to the amount of lift before the power unit 340 reaches its most extended state (fully extended state). In this embodiment, the predetermined amount is set to the amount of lift of the machine body 14 relative to the running section 20 when the extension rate of the power unit 340 acting on the lifting mechanism 350L (the percentage of extension when the most extended state is considered 100%) has reached approximately 90%. However, the predetermined amount is not limited to the amount of lift when the extension rate of the power unit 340 is 90%, and can be set as appropriate.

[0099] When the amount of upward movement of the aircraft body 14 relative to the running section 20 reaches a predetermined amount, the contact portion 620L and the contact portion 613L come into contact, and the contact portion 620L and the contact portion 613L continue to come into contact while the aircraft body 14 is rising within the second range, that is, while the aircraft body 14 is rising beyond the predetermined amount.

[0100] Here, the amount of rotation of the contact portion 620L with respect to the pivot axis 12L is determined by the amount of upward movement of the machine body 14 relative to the traveling portion 20L. Furthermore, the ratio of the amount of movement of the contact portion 620L caused by the rotation of the contact portion 620L with respect to the pivot axis 12L is determined by the ratio of the length from the pivot axis 12L to the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L caused by the rotation of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L with respect to the pivot axis 12L is determined by the ratio of the length from the pivot axis 12L to the slope mowing attachment portion 98L to the length from the pivot axis 12L to the contact portion 620L.

[0101] In this embodiment, the distance between the pivot shaft 12L and the slope mowing attachment portion 98L is longer than the distance between the pivot shaft 12L and the contact portion 620L. Therefore, even if the amount of movement of the contact portion 620L caused by rotation of the contact portion 620L with the pivot shaft 12L as the reference (center of rotation) is small, the amount of movement of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L caused by rotation of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L with the pivot shaft 12L as the reference (center of rotation) becomes large. As a result, as shown in Figure 11, the amount of movement (amount of rise) of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L is larger than the amount of movement (amount of rise) of the contact portion 620L in the height direction, and the slope mowing portion 80L rises significantly. In other words, comparing Figure 10 and Figure 11, the amount of rise of the slope mowing portion 80L is greater than the amount of rise of the machine body 14. In this case as well, the parallel link mechanism is formed by the connecting part 99L, the slope mowing part mounting part 98L, the first link arm 91L, the second link arm 92L (see Figure 4), the third link arm 230L, the connecting auxiliary member 210L, and the slope mowing part mounting auxiliary member 240L, which allows the slope mowing part 80L to be moved vertically without changing its orientation.

[0102] As described above, the working section lifting unit 600L raises the slope mowing unit 80L in conjunction with the upward movement of the machine body 14 relative to the traveling unit 20L. In other words, the working section lifting unit 600L, when the machine body 14 rises relative to the traveling unit 20L, rotates the position adjustment mechanism 90L counterclockwise relative to the machine body 14 with the pivot axis 12 as the pivot axis in a left side view, thereby raising the slope mowing unit 80L.

[0103] As described above, with the lawnmower 100 according to this embodiment, the slope mowing section 80L rises as the machine body 14 rises relative to the travel section 20. Therefore, as long as the lifting mechanism 350L (power unit 340L) is driven by the remote controller (remote operation), the operator does not need to manually perform any action to directly raise the slope mowing section 80L. As a result, the workload on the operator when changing the direction of the lawnmower 100 or when performing flat mowing (mowing with the slope mowing section 80L in a horizontal position) can be reduced, and an agricultural machine with good workability can be realized.

[0104] [2. Second Embodiment] The lawnmower 100 according to the second embodiment will be described using Figures 13 to 16. The lawnmower 100 according to the second embodiment is similar to the lawnmower 100 according to the first embodiment, but the configuration of the work section lifting section 600 and the lifting mechanism 350 are different. In the following description, the same configuration as the lawnmower 100 according to the first embodiment will be omitted from the description, and the differences will be mainly described. Note that the structure of the work section lifting section 600R and the lifting mechanism 350R are the same as the work section lifting section 600L and the lifting mechanism 350L, so here we will focus on the work section lifting section 600L and the lifting mechanism 350L. Figures 13 to 15 are side views illustrating the operation of the lifting mechanism 350L and the work section lifting section 600L of the lawnmower 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 16 is a top view showing the configuration of the lifting mechanism 350L of the lawnmower 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0105] [2-1. Configuration of the work section lifting unit 600 and the lifting mechanism 350] As shown in Figures 13 to 16, the work section lifting section 600L is equipped with a travel section side contact section 640L and a contact section 650L (corresponding to the first contact section). The travel section side contact section 640L is equipped with a substantially inverted Z-shaped arm section 641L whose front end is fixed to the support frame 310L, and a contact section 642L (corresponding to the second contact section) provided to the left of the arm section 641L near the rear end of the arm section 641L, although detailed illustration is omitted. Unlike the guide section 610L of the first embodiment, the travel section side contact section 640L does not rotate relative to the support frame 310L. Similar to the first embodiment, the contact portion 640L on the running section side may be attached to a configuration other than the support frame 310L of the running section 20L (such as the crawler frame 24L or a frame separately provided on the base 312L or bases 311L and 312L). The shape of the arm portion 641L is not limited to a substantially inverted Z shape.

[0106] The contact portion 650L is provided on the connecting portion 99L, similar to the protruding portion 99cL in the first embodiment. However, unlike the protruding portion 99cL in the first embodiment, it protrudes forward and downward from the connecting portion 99L.

[0107] The position adjustment mechanism 90L rotates around the pivot shaft 12L. As will be described in detail later, as the machine body 14 rises relative to the traveling section 20L, a portion of the upper end surface of the contact section 650L comes into contact with the contact section 642L. In a side view, the straight-line distance from the pivot shaft 12L to the slope mowing section mounting section 98L is greater than the straight-line distance from the portion of the contact section 650L that comes into contact with the contact section 642L to the pivot shaft 12L. The pivot shaft 12L, the first link arm 91L, and the third link arm 230L constitute a part of the parallel link mechanism of the vertical parallel movement mechanism, similar to the first embodiment.

[0108] The lifting mechanism 350L includes link arms 51L, 52L, and a plate link 56L (see Figure 16). Link arms 51L and 52L are both members that form a roughly L-shape in a side view. Link arm 52L is located in front of link arm 51L. Link arms 51L and 52L are connected by a plate link 56L.

[0109] As shown in Figures 13 and 16, the link arm 51L comprises a substantially L-shaped arm portion 51Le, an arm portion 51Ld extending substantially vertically, and fixing members 51Lb to which the lower ends of the arm portions 51Le and 51Ld are respectively fixed. The arm portion 51Le includes an arm portion 51La extending substantially in the front-rear direction and an arm portion 51Lc extending substantially vertically. A drive-side pivot shaft 61L is provided at the rear end of the arm portion 51La. The drive-side pivot shaft 61L is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the base 312L. The upper end of the arm portion 51Lc is rotatably connected to the rear end of the plate link 56L by a link-side pivot shaft 63L (see Figure 16). The upper end of the arm portion 51Ld is rotatably connected to one end of the rear (rod side) of the power unit 340L by a power unit-side pivot shaft 64L.

[0110] As shown in Figure 16, the arm sections 51Ld and 51Le are fixed to the fixing member 51Lb in that order from left to right. Therefore, the power unit side pivot shaft 64L, which rotatably connects the upper end of the arm section 51Ld to one rear end of the power unit 340L, is located outside the link side pivot shaft 63L, which rotatably connects the upper end of the arm section 51Le to the rear end of the plate link 56L. The fixing member 51Lb has a machine body side pivot shaft 62L, which is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the machine body 14.

[0111] The link arm 52L has a similar configuration to the link arm 51L, except for the arm portion 51Ld. As shown in Figures 13 and 16, the link arm 52L comprises a substantially L-shaped arm portion 52Le and a fixing member 52Lb to which the arm portion 52Le is fixed. The arm portion 52Le includes an arm portion 52La extending substantially in the front-rear direction and an arm portion 52Lc extending substantially in the up-down direction. A drive-side pivot shaft 71L is provided at the rear end of the arm portion 52La. The drive-side pivot shaft 71L is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing provided on the base 311L. The upper end of the arm portion 52Lc is rotatably connected to the front end of the plate link 56L by a link-side pivot shaft 73L.

[0112] As shown in Figure 16, the arm portion 52Le is fixed to the fixing member 52Lb. The fixing member 52Lb has a machine-side pivot shaft 72L, which is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing portion provided on the machine body 14. The power unit 340L is located to the left of the arm portion 52Le and the plate link 56L. That is, the plate link 56L is positioned between the power unit 340L and the engine 60. Comparing the configuration in Figure 16 (where the power unit 340L is located to the left of the plate link 56L) with the configuration in Figure 7 (where the power unit 340L is located to the right of the plate link 56L), the power unit 340 in Figure 16 is located further from the engine 60 than the power unit 340 in Figure 7. As a result, the power unit 340 of the second embodiment can be made less susceptible to the influence of the engine 60 (such as heat) compared to the power unit 340 of the first embodiment.

[0113] When the power unit 340L extends from the state shown in Figure 13, the link arms 51L and 52L rotate around the pivot axes 61L and 71L on the travel unit side, respectively. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the main body 14 rises as the link arms 51L and 52L rotate. Conversely, when the power unit 340L retracts from the state shown in Figure 15, the main body 14 lowers relative to the travel unit 20L.

[0114] From the state shown in Figure 13, the main body 14 is raised by the lifting mechanism 350L. Even when it reaches the state shown in Figure 14, the slope mowing section 80L rotates downward around the pivot axis 12 due to its own weight. Therefore, the vertical position of the slope mowing section 80L shown in Figure 14 is only slightly higher than the position shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figure 13, before the main body 14 rises, the contact section 642L is separated from the contact section 650L. However, as shown in Figure 14, when the main body 14 rises relative to the running section 20L, the contact section 650L also moves upward with the rise and comes into contact with the contact section 642L as shown in Figure 14.

[0115] In the state shown in Figure 14, the contact portion 650L has reached the contact portion 642L. Therefore, even if the machine body 14 is raised further by the lifting mechanism 350L from the state shown in Figure 14, the upward movement of the contact portion 650L is restricted by the contact portion 642L. As a result, when the machine body 14 is raised further from the state shown in Figure 14, the position adjustment mechanism 90L rotates in the R1 direction around the pivot axis 12L, as shown in Figure 15. This rotation causes the contact portion 650L to move (rotate) downward from the state shown in Figure 14 with respect to the pivot axis 12L, the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L to move (rotate) upward from the state shown in Figure 14 with respect to the pivot axis 12L, and the slope mowing section 80L, which is connected to the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L via the tilt adjustment mechanism 130L, also moves (rotates) upward.

[0116] In the state shown in Figure 14, the upward movement of the contact portion 650L is restricted by the contact portion 642L. Furthermore, the range in which the aircraft body 14 moves from the position shown in Figure 13 to just before the position shown in Figure 14 (i.e., just before the contact portion 650L contacts the contact portion 642L) is sometimes called the "first range," and the range above the first range, in which the aircraft body 14 moves from the position shown in Figure 14 to the position shown in Figure 15, is sometimes called the "second range." In this case, while the aircraft body 14 is rising within the first range, the contact portion 650L and the contact portion 642L do not come into contact. In other words, if the amount of upward movement of the aircraft body 14 relative to the running section 20 does not exceed a predetermined amount, the contact portion 650L and the contact portion 642L do not come into contact. The predetermined amount is set to the amount the main body 14 rises relative to the running section 20 when the extension rate (the ratio of extension when the fully extended state is considered 100%) of the power unit 340 acting on the lifting mechanism 350L reaches 90%. However, the predetermined amount is not limited to the state where the extension rate of the power unit 340 is 90%, and can be set as appropriate.

[0117] When the amount of upward movement of the aircraft body 14 relative to the running section 20L reaches a predetermined amount, the contact portion 650L and the contact portion 642L come into contact, and the contact portion 650L and the contact portion 642L continue to come into contact while the aircraft body 14 is rising within the second range, that is, while the aircraft body 14 is rising beyond the predetermined amount.

[0118] Here, the amount of rotation of the contact portion 650L with respect to the pivot shaft 12L (center of rotation) is determined by the amount of upward movement of the machine body 14 relative to the traveling portion 20L. Furthermore, the ratio of the amount of movement of the contact portion 650L caused by the rotation of the contact portion 650L with respect to the pivot shaft 12L (center of rotation) to the amount of movement of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L caused by the rotation of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L with respect to the pivot shaft 12L (center of rotation) is determined by the ratio of the length from the pivot shaft 12L to the slope mowing attachment portion 98L and the length from the pivot shaft 12L to the point of contact between the contact portion 642L of the contact portion 650L.

[0119] Since the distance between the pivot shaft 12L and the slope mowing attachment portion 98L is longer than the distance between the pivot shaft 12L and the contact point, even if the amount of movement of the contact portion 650L caused by rotation of the contact portion 650L with the pivot shaft 12L as the reference (center of rotation) is small, the amount of movement of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L caused by rotation of the slope mowing attachment auxiliary member 240L with the pivot shaft 12L as the reference (center of rotation) is large. As a result, as shown in Figure 15, the slope mowing portion 80L rises significantly more than the amount of movement of the contact portion 650L. In other words, comparing Figure 14 and Figure 15, the amount of rise of the slope mowing portion 80L is greater than the amount of rise of the machine body 14. In this case as well, the parallel link mechanism is formed by the connecting part 99L, the slope mowing part mounting part 98L, the first link arm 91L, the third link arm 230L, and the slope mowing part mounting auxiliary member 240L, which allows the slope mowing part 80L to be moved vertically without changing its orientation.

[0120] (modified version) In the first and second embodiments, as the machine body 14 rose relative to the running section 20, the contact section 620 or 650 came into contact with the contact section 613 or 642, thereby raising the slope mowing section 80. However, an actuator for raising (rotating) the slope mowing section 80 may be provided, and the lifting mechanism 350 (power unit 340) can be driven by a remote controller (to raise the machine body 14 relative to the running section 20). This operation drives the actuator along with the power unit 340, causing the slope mowing section 80 to rise (rotate) along with the machine body 14 relative to the running section 20.

[0121] The lifting mechanism 350 of the first embodiment may be applied to the lifting mechanism 350 of the second embodiment, or the lifting mechanism 350 of the second embodiment may be applied to the lifting mechanism 350 of the first embodiment.

[0122] As described above, with the grass cutter 100 according to this embodiment, the slope cutting section 80L rises as the machine body 14 rises relative to the traveling section 20L. Therefore, the operator does not need to perform any action to raise the slope cutting section 80L, which reduces the workload on the operator and makes it possible to realize an agricultural machine with good workability.

[0123] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, an agricultural machine based on this embodiment, with additions, deletions, or design changes made by a person skilled in the art, is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it retains the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined as appropriate as long as they do not contradict each other, and technical matters common to each embodiment are included in each embodiment even without explicit description.

[0124] Furthermore, any effects or benefits other than those brought about by the embodiments described above, if they are clear from the description herein or easily predictable to a person skilled in the art, are naturally considered to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 10: Machine body, 11: Front mounting member, 12: Rotating shaft, 13: Rotating bearing section, 14: Machine body, 15: Support case, 20: Running section, 21L: Crawler belt, 22L: Drive wheel, 23L: Drive wheel, 24: Crawler frame, 30: Top cutting section, 31: Casing, 32: Blade section, 33: Drive unit, 40: Battery, 50: Control unit, 51L: Link arm, 51La, 51Lc, 51Ld, 51Le: Arm section, 51Lb: Fixing member, 52L: Link arm, 52La, 52Lc, 52Le: Arm section, 52Lb: Fixing member, 53L: Support bracket, 54: Drive unit, 56L: Plate link, 60: Engine, 61L: Rotating shaft on the running section side, 62L: Machine body side pivot shaft, 63L: Link side pivot shaft, 64L: Power unit side pivot shaft, 70: Alternator, 71L: Travel unit side pivot shaft, 72L: Machine body side pivot shaft, 73L: Link side pivot shaft, 80: Slope mowing unit, 81: Casing, 82: Blade unit, 83: Drive unit, 90: Position adjustment mechanism, 91L: First link arm, 92L: Second link arm, 98: Slope mowing unit mounting unit, 99L: Connecting unit, 99aL: Upper connecting unit, 99bL: Lower connecting unit, 99cL: Protruding unit, 100: Grass cutter, 110: Centerline, 120: Mowing unit, 130: Tilt adjustment mechanism, 140L: Second gripping unit, 150L: First gripping part, 155L: Cover member, 200: Ridge, 201: Top surface, 202: Slope, 203: Horizontal surface, 204: Cutting surface, 206: Flat surface, 210L: Connecting auxiliary member, 215L: Horizontal surface part, 216L: Vertical surface part, 217L: Recess, 230L: Third link arm, 231L, 234L: Ball stud, 232L, 235L: Socket, 240L: Slope cutting part mounting auxiliary member, 250L, 251L: Regulating pin, 260aL: Plate-shaped member, 260L, 260R: Position adjustment mechanism connecting part, 280L: Rotation stopping frame, 300L: Anti-tipping means, 310L: Support frame, 311L, 312L: Base, 320L: Main arm, 330L: Auxiliary arm, 340: Power unit, 350: Lifting mechanism, 400: Adjustment unit, 410: Roller, 420: Roller support unit, 511L: Lower bracket, 520: Elastic member, 521L: Lower support member, 522L: Upper bracket,523L: Upper support member, 600: Working section lifting section, 610L: Guide section, 611L: Plate-shaped member, 612L: Slotted hole, 613L: Contact section, 614L: Connecting section, 620L: Contact section, 640L: Traveling section side contact section, 641L: Arm section, 642L, 650L: Contact section

Claims

1. Running section and A machine body that can move up and down relative to the aforementioned running section, A work unit that can move up and down relative to the aforementioned machine, An agricultural implement comprising a work unit lifting unit that lifts the work unit relative to the machine body by raising the machine body relative to the running unit.

2. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the work unit lifting unit lifts the work unit relative to the machine when the machine rises beyond a predetermined amount relative to the running unit.

3. The work unit is provided with a connecting part that allows it to be rotatably connected to the machine body, The aforementioned work section raising section is The first contact portion provided in the connecting portion, The running portion is provided and has a second contact portion that can come into contact with the first contact portion, The agricultural machine according to claim 2, wherein when the machine rises above a predetermined amount relative to the running section, the first contact section comes into contact with the second contact section, and the working section rotates upward relative to the machine.

4. The work section lifting section is rotatably connected to the travel section and has a guide section on which the first contact section can slide. The agricultural implement according to claim 3, wherein the upper end of the guide portion is the second contact portion.

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