Riding lawnmower

Abstract

To provide a riding lawnmower that can prevent damage to parts located at the rear of the vehicle body. [Solution] A riding lawnmower according to one embodiment comprises a vehicle body and an obstacle detection unit provided at the rear of the vehicle body. The obstacle detection unit includes an obstacle sensor for detecting obstacles behind the vehicle body and a contact prevention member for preventing obstacles from coming into contact with the obstacle sensor. The contact prevention member is provided near the obstacle sensor, and the rear end of the contact prevention member is located behind the rear end of the obstacle sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a riding lawn mower.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a rear bumper is provided at the rear of the traveling body of a riding lawn mower, and there is a known technique capable of mitigating an impact when the traveling body moving backward collides with an obstacle such as a road shoulder (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above prior art, components such as a rear bumper disposed at the rear of the traveling body are likely to be damaged due to contact with an obstacle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a riding lawn mower capable of preventing damage to components disposed at the rear of the traveling body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a riding lawnmower (1) according to one embodiment comprises a vehicle body (2) and an obstacle detection unit (80, 90) provided at the rear of the vehicle body (2), wherein the obstacle detection unit (80, 90) has obstacle sensors (701, 702) that detect obstacles behind the vehicle body (2) and a contact prevention member (81) that prevents the obstacles from coming into contact with the obstacle sensors (701, 702), wherein the contact prevention member (61) is provided near the obstacle sensors (701, 702) and the rear end of the contact prevention member (81) is located behind the rear end of the obstacle sensors (701, 702). [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the riding lawnmower of this embodiment, damage to parts located at the rear of the vehicle body can be prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of a riding lawnmower according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system in a riding lawnmower according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view showing the first obstacle detection unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view showing a riding lawnmower that raises its collector to discharge turfgrass. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the rear of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of the riding lawnmower disclosed herein will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0010] <Overall configuration of a riding lawnmower> The overall configuration of the riding lawnmower according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the riding lawnmower 1 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 1 shows a schematic side (left side) view of the riding lawnmower 1.

[0011] Figure 1 also shows a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system including the Z-axis, with the vertically upward direction (upward) being the positive direction. For the sake of explanation, in the following, the positive direction of the X-axis is defined as left, the negative direction of the X-axis as right, the positive direction of the Y-axis as forward, and the negative direction of the Y-axis as backward. The X-axis direction is referred to as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction as the front-back direction, and the Z-axis direction as the up-down direction.

[0012] The riding lawnmower 1 cuts grass and other vegetation under the operator's control and collects the cut grass. In the following, the riding lawnmower 1 or the vehicle body 2 described later may be referred to as "the machine body".

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the riding lawnmower 1 comprises a vehicle body 2, a mowing device (hereinafter referred to as a mower) 3, a mower lifting mechanism 4, and a grass collection container (hereinafter referred to as a collector) 5. The vehicle body 2 comprises a vehicle frame 21, a pair of left and right front wheels 22, and a pair of left and right rear wheels 23. The vehicle frame 21 forms the vehicle frame structure of the vehicle body 2. The vehicle frame 21 is also equipped with a drive motor 71 and a PTO motor 72 (both shown in Figure 2), which will be described later. The vehicle frame 21 supports the pair of left and right front wheels 22 via a front axle case and supports the pair of left and right rear wheels 23 via a chain case.

[0014] In the riding lawnmower 1, the rotational power of the travel motor 71 is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 23 via a transmission mechanism housed in the chain case, and also to the left and right front wheels 22 via a transmission mechanism housed in the front axle case.

[0015] In addition, the traveling vehicle body 2 includes a floor step 25, a driver's seat 26, a steering column 271, a steering wheel 272, a lift lever 281, a dump lever 283, various operating tools 280, a shift pedal 284, various operating pedals 282, a safety frame 29, and a rear bumper 30.

[0016] The floor step 25 is provided at the front part of the traveling vehicle body 2. The driver's seat 26 is a seat on which the driver sits and is provided at the rear part of the floor step 25. The steering column 271 is provided at the front part of the floor step 25. That is, the steering column 271 is provided in front of the driver's seat 26. The steering wheel 272 is an operating tool for machine steering and is provided at the upper part of the steering column 271. A meter panel and a monitor 62 are provided at the upper part of the steering column 271.

[0017] The various operating tools 280 are, for example, a mower lift lever and are provided on the left and right sides of the driver's seat 26. The various operating pedals 282 are an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a clutch pedal, etc. and are provided above the floor step 25 and on the left and right sides of the steering column 271.

[0018] The safety frame 29 is a member for ensuring the safety of the driver when the vehicle body overturns, etc. and is provided behind the driver's seat 26. The safety frame 29 is provided in an arch shape spanning in the left - right direction of the vehicle body when viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle body.

[0019] The rear bumper 30 is a member for mitigating impact when the vehicle body collides with an obstacle such as a road shoulder during reverse travel of the vehicle body and is provided at the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2. The rear bumper 30 is provided across the left - right direction above the rear side of the rear wheel 23.

[0020] The mower 3 is provided in front of the traveling vehicle body 2. Thus, the riding lawn mower 1 is a so-called front mower type (collecting grass front mower) equipped with the mower 3 at the front part of the machine body. Note that the riding lawn mower 1 may be, for example, a so-called mid-mower type equipped with the mower 3 at the central part of the machine body.

[0021] The mower 3 is a working machine for cutting the lawn grass growing in front of the mower 3, and includes a mower deck 31 and a cutting blade (not shown). The riding lawn mower 1 conveys the lawn grass cut by a cutting part (not shown) provided with the cutting blade to a collector 5 described later through the cutting part, a duct 33, and a shooter 34 as a conveyance path. At this time, the riding lawn mower 1 conveys the lawn grass by blowing with a blower 35.

[0022] The mower lifting mechanism 4 includes a mower lifting cylinder 41 and a lift arm 42. The mower lifting cylinder 41 is, for example, a hydraulic cylinder and drives the mower 3 to lift. The lift arm 42 is provided between the mower lifting cylinder 41 and the mower deck 31. The mower lifting mechanism 4 transmits the driving force of the mower lifting cylinder 41 to the lift arm 42 to drive the lift arm 42. The mower lifting mechanism 4 lifts and lowers the mower 3 (mower deck 31) by driving the lift arm 42.

[0023] The collector 5 is provided at the rear part of the traveling vehicle body 2. The collector 5 is a container for storing the lawn grass cut by the mower 3. The collector 5 is composed of, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped frame, and the front and rear, left and right, and upper surfaces of the frame are composed of plate members having ventilation holes. A grass inlet (not shown) communicating with the shooter 34 is formed on the front surface of the collector 5.

[0024] A pair of left and right upper link arms 18a and lower link arms 18b are provided at the front parts of the left and right walls of the collector 5. The front parts of the upper link arms 18a and the lower link arms 18b are swingably fixed to the left and right parts of a safety frame 29. The safety frame 29 and the lower link arm 18b are connected by a lifting and lowering component 20 such as a hydraulic cylinder (see FIG. 5).

[0025] The rear of the lower wall of the grass collection container 5 is resting on a link frame 19. The link frame 19 may be a U-shaped member extending along the bottom of the collector 5. The riding lawnmower 1 drives the lifting component 20, which allows the grass collection container 5 to be raised and lowered via the upper link arm 18a, the lower link arm 18b, and the link frame 19.

[0026] The collector 5 is equipped with a lid 51. The lid 51 is formed by the rear and top surfaces of the collector 5 being integrated. The lid 51 is configured to move away from the main body of the collector 5 in conjunction with the dump of the collector 5, thereby widely opening the rear of the collector 5. In this way, the collector 5 discharges the accumulated grass by the dump. In the riding lawnmower 1, grass is basically discharged when the collector 5 is full of grass. When the riding lawnmower 1 discharges grass, it moves to a predetermined discharge location, raises the collector 5, rotates the collector 5, and discharges the grass at the predetermined discharge location.

[0027] Furthermore, the riding lawnmower 1 is equipped with a first obstacle detection unit 80 (see Figure 3) located at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The first obstacle detection unit 80 will be described in detail later.

[0028] The riding lawnmower 1 also includes a travel motor 71 (see Figure 2), a PTO motor 72 (see Figure 2), a battery (not shown), and a control unit 70 (see Figure 2). The travel motor 71 and PTO motor 72 are mounted on the vehicle frame 21 as described above. The travel motor 71 drives the front wheels 22 and rear wheels 23 by rotational power. The PTO motor 72 drives the cutting blades of the mower 3 by rotational power. The PTO motor 72 also drives the blower 35 by rotational power. The battery supplies power to the travel motor 71 and PTO motor 72.

[0029] The control unit 70 is capable of controlling each part by electronic control and includes a processing unit (not shown) having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and a storage unit (not shown) consisting of a hard disk, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., in which various programs and necessary data are stored.

[0030] <Control system for riding lawnmowers> Next, the control system of the riding lawnmower 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the control system in the riding lawnmower 1 according to the embodiment.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 70 is connected to the lift lever 281, the dump lever 283, and various other operating tools 280. The control unit 70 acquires signals from the lift lever 281, the dump lever 283, and the various other operating tools 280, and can control the operation of each part of the machine based on the acquired signals.

[0032] For example, when the operator operates the lift lever 281, the control unit 70 drives the lifting component 20 to raise and lower the collector 5. When the operator operates the dump lever 283, the control unit 70 rotates the collector 5 to discharge the grass.

[0033] Furthermore, the control unit 70 is connected to a first obstacle sensor 701, a second obstacle sensor 702, and various other sensors 700. The first obstacle sensor 701 and the second obstacle sensor 702 are sensors that detect obstacles behind the aircraft. The first obstacle sensor 701 and the second obstacle sensor 702 can detect the distance to the obstacle. The control unit 70 can acquire various data from each part and control the operation of each part of the aircraft based on the acquired data and the results calculated from the data.

[0034] Furthermore, the control unit 70 can electronically control the drive motor 71, PTO motor 72, and various actuators 500 of the riding lawnmower 1. In this embodiment, the prime mover is the drive motor 71, but it is not particularly limited and may be an engine (for example, a diesel engine).

[0035] <Obstacle detection unit> Next, the first obstacle detection unit 80 in the riding lawnmower 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the rear of the vehicle body 2. Figure 4 is a side view showing the first obstacle detection unit 80. Figure 5 is a side view showing the riding lawnmower 1 with the collector 5 raised to discharge grass. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the rear of the vehicle body 2. Note that the contact prevention member 81 is not shown in Figure 5.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the first obstacle detection unit 80 is provided on the rear bumper 30. The first obstacle detection unit 80 includes a first obstacle sensor 701 and a contact prevention member 81. The first obstacle sensor 701 may be provided at the rearmost part of the vehicle body 2. The first obstacle sensor 701 may be provided in the center of the rear bumper 30 in the left-right direction. For example, the first obstacle sensor 701 is an ultrasonic sensor. This allows the first obstacle sensor 701 to detect obstacles without being affected by the color of the obstacle. In addition, the first obstacle sensor 701 can detect glossy objects, transparent solids and liquids, is resistant to dirt such as dust and oil, and is cheaper to configure than a camera.

[0037] The contact prevention member 81 is a member that prevents obstacles from coming into contact with the first obstacle sensor 701. The contact prevention member 81 is provided in the vicinity of the first obstacle sensor 701. For example, the contact prevention member 81 is provided on both the left and right sides of the first obstacle sensor 701, but is not limited to that, and may also be provided on both the top and bottom sides. Two contact prevention members 81 are provided, but is not limited to that, and may be provided as one, three or more.

[0038] The contact prevention member 81 may be a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped rubber member (rubber stopper). As shown in Figure 4, the rear end (for example, the rear end surface 81a) of the contact prevention member 81 is located behind the rear end of the first obstacle sensor 701. In other words, the contact prevention member 81 is configured to be thicker than the first obstacle sensor 701. The rear bumper 30 is located near the rear of the vehicle and is a part that is prone to damage from contact with obstacles. Therefore, by placing the first obstacle sensor 701 on the rear bumper 30, the effectiveness of preventing damage is enhanced. Furthermore, the contact prevention member 81 can physically prevent damage to the first obstacle sensor 701 itself.

[0039] The control unit 70 may issue a warning to the operator when it detects the proximity of an obstacle using the first obstacle sensor 701. Furthermore, if the obstacle is approached again after the warning, the control unit 70 may automatically intervene in the operator's operation to control the machine. The warning to the operator may also be given by a buzzer. This allows the riding lawnmower 1 to provide the operator with an audible warning.

[0040] Conventionally, in front-mounted grass-collecting mowers, the collector 5 is positioned directly behind the driver's seat 26, resulting in poor rearward visibility and the possibility of the vehicle body 2 contacting obstacles. With the riding lawnmower 1 of the present invention, contact with obstacles can be prevented by detecting obstacles and warning the operator. If the operator disregards the warning and operates the machine in a direction that would cause contact with an obstacle, the control unit 70 automatically detects the proximity of the obstacle, avoids contact, and prevents damage to the machine's components. Furthermore, the riding lawnmower 1 allows for the control of the vehicle body 2's movement using an electric motor, which was difficult with diesel-powered machines.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, the riding lawnmower 1 may also be provided with a second obstacle detection unit 90 at the rear of the lifting portion of the collector 5. The second obstacle detection unit 90 has a second obstacle sensor 702. The second obstacle sensor 702 is, for example, an ultrasonic sensor. Similar to the first obstacle detection unit 80, the second obstacle detection unit 90 is provided with contact prevention members 81 on both the left and right sides of the second obstacle sensor 702, but this is not particularly limited, and the contact prevention members 81 may not be provided. The contact prevention members 81 are configured so that their rear ends are positioned behind the rear end of the second obstacle sensor 702. Note that the riding lawnmower 1 may also be configured without the first obstacle detection unit 80, and only with the second obstacle detection unit 90.

[0042] The second obstacle detection unit 90 may be provided in the center of the rear of the link frame 19 in the left-right direction. The link frame 19 is a component of the link mechanism that raises and lowers the collector 5, and it maintains its parallel position even when raised and lowered. This prevents the riding lawnmower 1 from coming into contact with the bed of the truck 100 when it discharges grass with the collector 5 raised.

[0043] As shown in Figure 6, the first obstacle detection unit 80 may include a cover 82 provided to cover the top of the first obstacle sensor 701. The cover 82 is an L-shaped plate-like member with slopes provided on the left and right sides to the bottom. The rear end of the cover 82 is positioned behind the rear end of the first obstacle sensor 701. This prevents the riding lawnmower 1 from having the first obstacle sensor 701 obscured by grass spilled from the collector 5. The second obstacle detection unit 90 may also include a cover provided to cover the top of the second obstacle sensor 702, similar to the first obstacle detection unit 80.

[0044] The control unit 70 may control the warning buzzer and vehicle operation according to the distance to the obstacle detected by the first obstacle sensor 701 and the second obstacle sensor 702. This allows the control unit 70 to process sensor information and automatically perform actions according to the situation.

[0045] The control unit 70 may, in controlling the warning buzzer, shorten the buzzer's frequency as the distance to the obstacle decreases. Alternatively, the control unit 70 may control the buzzer to produce a continuous sound when approaching an obstacle. This allows the control unit 70 to inform the operator that the aircraft is approaching an obstacle.

[0046] In controlling the vehicle's movement, the control unit 70 may suppress movement in the direction of approaching an obstacle when it approaches an obstacle. This allows the control unit 70 to stop the vehicle just before contact, thereby preventing damage to the vehicle's components.

[0047] Next, a modified example of the riding lawnmower 1 according to the embodiment will be described.

[0048] The riding lawnmower 1 may have a camera mounted on the rear of the vehicle body 2. The camera is oriented to capture the area behind the vehicle body 2. The riding lawnmower 1 may be capable of displaying the camera image on a monitor 62, and may be configured to automatically turn on the camera when the first obstacle sensor 701 or the second obstacle sensor 702 detects a certain distance to an obstacle. This allows the operator to operate the machine more safely than a configuration in which only the first obstacle sensor 701 and the second obstacle sensor 702 are provided.

[0049] The camera is located in the center of the rear bumper 30 in the left-right direction, and contact prevention members 81 (rubber stoppers) thicker than the camera may be provided on both the left and right sides of the camera. The rear bumper 30 is located near the rear of the vehicle and is a part that is easily damaged by contact with obstacles. Therefore, placing the camera on the rear bumper 30 enhances the effectiveness of preventing damage.

[0050] The camera may be located in the center of the rear of the link frame 19 in the left-right direction. Since the camera is located in the lifting section, when the collector 5 is raised and the grass is being discharged, the worker can check how much grass has accumulated on the truck bed 100 or the like.

[0051] The cover 82 described above may be provided above the camera. This prevents grass from sticking to the camera and obscuring the camera image on the riding lawnmower 1.

[0052] As described above, the riding lawnmower 1 according to this embodiment comprises a vehicle body 2 and an obstacle detection unit (first obstacle detection unit 80, second obstacle detection unit 90) provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The obstacle detection unit (80, 90) has obstacle sensors (first obstacle sensor 701, second obstacle sensor 702) that detect obstacles behind the vehicle body 2, and a contact prevention member 81 that prevents obstacles from coming into contact with the obstacle sensors (701, 702). The contact prevention member 81 is provided near the obstacle sensors (701, 702), and the rear end of the contact prevention member 81 is located behind the rear end of the obstacle sensors (701, 702). With the riding lawnmower 1 configured in this way, damage to the obstacle sensors (701, 702) themselves can be physically prevented by the contact prevention member 81.

[0053] Furthermore, the vehicle body 2 is equipped with a mower 3 for cutting grass and a collector 5 for collecting the grass cut by the mower 3, and the second obstacle detection unit 90 is provided at the rear of the lifting portion of the collector 5. When the riding lawnmower 1 discharges the grass accumulated in the collector 5, if the collector 5 is raised, the collector 5 is located behind the rear end of the vehicle body 2. With the riding lawnmower 1 of the present invention, since the second obstacle sensor 702 is provided at the rear of the lifting portion of the collector 5, it is possible to prevent the collector 5 from coming into contact with the cargo bed of the truck 100 or the like.

[0054] Furthermore, the riding lawnmower 1 is equipped with a link frame 19 that supports the bottom of the collector 5, and the second obstacle detection unit 90 is provided at the rear of the link frame 19. When the riding lawnmower 1 is in the state where the collector 5 is raised to discharge the grass accumulated in the collector 5, the collector 5 is positioned behind the rear end of the vehicle body 2. With the riding lawnmower 1 of the present invention, the second obstacle sensor 702 is provided at the rear of the link frame 19 of the collector 5, which prevents the collector 5 from coming into contact with the cargo bed of the truck 100 or the like.

[0055] Furthermore, the riding lawnmower 1 is equipped with a rear bumper 30 located at the rear end of the vehicle body 2, and the first obstacle detection unit 80 is installed on the rear bumper 30. The rear bumper 30, located at the rear end of the vehicle body 2, is a part that is easily damaged by contact. With the riding lawnmower 1 of the present invention, damage to the first obstacle sensor 701 itself can be physically prevented by the contact prevention member 81.

[0056] Furthermore, the riding lawnmower 1 is equipped with a cover 82 that covers the obstacle sensors (first obstacle sensor 701, second obstacle sensor 702). With the riding lawnmower 1 configured in this way, it is possible to prevent a malfunction in which the first obstacle sensor 701 and the second obstacle sensor 702 cannot be properly detected by the grass when grass spills from the collector 5.

[0057] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1. Riding lawnmower 2. Running vehicle 3. Mower (lawn mowing device) 5. Collector (grass collection container) 19 Link Frames 30 Rear Bumper 80. First Obstacle Detection Unit 81 Contact prevention member 82 Cover 90 Second Obstacle Detection Unit 701 First Obstacle Sensor 702 Second Obstacle Sensor

Claims

1. The vehicle body and The vehicle comprises an obstacle detection unit located at the rear of the vehicle body, The obstacle detection unit includes an obstacle sensor for detecting obstacles behind the vehicle body and a contact prevention member for preventing contact between the obstacle sensor and the obstacle. A riding lawnmower in which the contact prevention member is provided near the obstacle sensor, and the rear end of the contact prevention member is located behind the rear end of the obstacle sensor.

2. The aforementioned vehicle body is equipped with a lawnmower for cutting grass and a grass collection container for collecting the grass cut by the lawnmower. The obstacle detection unit is provided at the rear of the lifting portion of the grass collection container during its raising and lowering, according to claim 1 of the riding lawnmower.

3. The aforementioned vehicle body is provided with a link frame that supports the bottom of the grass collection container. The obstacle detection unit is provided at the rear of the link frame, as described in claim 2 of the riding lawnmower.

4. The vehicle body is equipped with a rear bumper at the rear end, The obstacle detection unit is provided on the rear bumper, as described in claim 1 of the riding lawnmower.

5. A riding lawnmower according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a cover provided to cover the above the obstacle sensor.

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