Rice transplanter

Abstract

This invention provides a rice transplanter that reduces the workload on operators when removing seedling mats and collecting empty seedling trays and other mounted components. [Solution] The machine comprises a main body, a seedling planting device connected to the main body and capable of planting seedlings in a field, a spare seedling stand 31 on which seedlings can be placed, and a recovery mechanism 70 for recovering the mounted member on which the seedlings were placed. The spare seedling stand 31 has a mounting section 31Bc having a mounting surface on which mounted members can be placed, and the mounting section 31Bc is provided with an opening 73 for the recovery mechanism 70 to recover the mounted member. The spare seedling stand 31 is also provided with a feeding mechanism 80 configured to automatically or by operation of a tool feed the mounted member placed on it into the opening 73 and into the recovery mechanism 70.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rice transplanter equipped with a seedling stand for preliminary seedlings.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional rice transplanter, as described in Patent Document 1, there is one provided with a seedling planting device (referred to as a "seedling planting part" in Patent Document 1) capable of planting seedlings in a field, a seedling stand for preliminary seedlings (referred to as a "preliminary seedling placement part" in Patent Document 1) on which seedlings can be placed, and a recovery mechanism (referred to as an "empty box placement part" in Patent Document 1) for placing a seedling box that has been emptied after taking out a seedling mat.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a rice transplanter, after taking out the seedling mat from the seedling box, it was necessary for the operator to manually move the empty seedling box to the recovery mechanism. That is, in the conventional rice transplanter, the recovery work of the empty seedling box was troublesome and time-consuming for the operator.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a rice transplanter that can reduce the labor of the operator for the recovery work of mounting members such as a seedling box that has been emptied after taking out the seedling mat.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The rice transplanter of the present invention comprises a machine body, a seedling planting device connected to the machine body and capable of planting seedlings in a field, a spare seedling stand on which seedlings can be placed, and a recovery mechanism for recovering a mounting member on which seedlings were placed. The spare seedling stand has a mounting section having a mounting surface on which the mounting member can be placed, and the mounting section is provided with an opening for the recovery mechanism to recover the mounting member. The spare seedling stand is also provided with a feeding mechanism configured to automatically or by operation of a tool feed the mounted member placed on it into the opening.

[0007] According to this invention, by utilizing the feeding mechanism, the mounted material is automatically fed into the opening of the retrieval mechanism, either by the operation of a control tool or by the user. This configuration makes it possible to design the rice transplanter so that it does not require the operator to manually feed the mounted material into the opening of the retrieval mechanism.

[0008] In the present invention, the recovery mechanism preferably recovers the mounted member by utilizing the free fall of the mounted member.

[0009] With this configuration, the recovery mechanism can be designed without requiring a motor or other driving force, as it recovers the mounted component by utilizing its free fall. Therefore, there is no need to provide a motor or other motor for the recovery mechanism, which reduces the cost burden.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the feeding mechanism is configured to feed the mounting member, which is placed on the end portion of the aforementioned mounting section on the side where the seedling planting device is located, into the opening by utilizing a biasing force or the gravity of a weight member.

[0011] In this configuration, the seedling trays are fed into the opening of the retrieval mechanism using a biasing force or the gravity of a weight member. Therefore, there is no need to install a motor or other equipment for the retrieval mechanism, which reduces the cost burden.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the feeding mechanism is located on the side of the opening where the seedling planting device is located, and has a sliding part on which the mounted member slides, and that the sliding part is configured to be switchable between a mounting position which is aligned with the aforementioned mounting surface and an inclined position which is tilted downward toward the opening side.

[0013] In this configuration, the feeding mechanism is positioned closer to the seedling planting device than the opening of the retrieval mechanism on the reserve seedling tray. This configuration allows the operator to move the mounting member containing the seedling mat to the feeding mechanism and then remove the seedling mat from the mounting member at a location close to the seedling planting device. In other words, after the removal of the seedling mat from the mounting member is complete, the now empty mounting member is fed directly into the opening of the retrieval mechanism by the feeding mechanism, which has its sliding part in an inclined position. Therefore, the operator does not need to move the empty mounting member to the feeding mechanism after removing the seedling mat, further reducing the amount of manual work required from the operator.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the sliding portion assumes the aforementioned orientation when the mounting member containing seedlings is placed on the sliding portion due to the biasing force or the gravity of the weight member, and assumes the aforementioned inclined orientation when the mounting member without seedlings is placed on the sliding portion.

[0015] With this configuration, when an operator places a mounting component containing seedling mats on the sliding part of the feeding mechanism and removes the seedling mats from the mounting component, the sliding part automatically tilts. As a result, the rice transplanter can be configured so that when the seedling mats are removed from the mounting component, the now empty mounting component is automatically collected by the recovery mechanism.

[0016] In the present invention, it is preferable that the sliding portion is provided with a restricting portion that restricts the movement of the mounted member toward the side where the seedling planting device is located, by the point in contact with the mounted member.

[0017] With this configuration, when an operator slides the mounting member containing the seedling mat towards the planting device on the reserve seedling tray and the feeding mechanism, the mounting member is restricted from moving any further by the restricting mechanism. As a result, it is possible to prevent the mounting member from falling off the reserve seedling tray and the feeding mechanism.

[0018] In the present invention, it is preferable that the reserve seedling holder is provided with a mechanism to prevent the mounting member, which is placed on the end portion of the aforementioned mounting section on the side where the seedling planting device is located, from moving to the side of the aforementioned mounting section that is opposite to the side where the seedling planting device is located.

[0019] With this configuration, the backflow prevention mechanism prevents the mounted components from moving to the opposite side from where the seedling planting device is located due to the feeding mechanism, etc. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent mounted components placed on the end portion of the mounting section on the side where the seedling planting device is located from colliding with other mounted components placed on the spare seedling tray.

[0020] In the present invention, the reserve seedling holder is provided on both sides in the width direction of the aforementioned holder and has two side walls extending in the direction in which the aforementioned holder extends, and the backflow prevention mechanism has two door portions provided on each of the two side walls, and the two door portions are preferably configured to be switchable between a blocked state where they are located inside the side walls on both sides and an open state where they are located on the side walls on both sides rather than in the blocked state.

[0021] In this configuration, the backflow prevention mechanism has a door section located between the two side walls of the reserve seedling tray, which can be switched between a blocked state and an open state. In other words, compared to a configuration where the door section is located outside the two side walls of the reserve seedling tray, it is possible to make the reserve seedling tray more compact.

[0022] In the present invention, it is preferable that the two door sections are switched to the blocked state by a biasing force.

[0023] According to this configuration, it is possible to realize a backflow prevention mechanism with a simple configuration that enables the door portion to be switched between a blocked state and an open state by an urging force such as a spring.

Brief Explanation of Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a side view of a rice transplanter. [Figure 2] It is a side view of a seedling stand for spare seedlings. [Figure 3] It is a side view showing the configuration of a feeding mechanism and a backflow prevention mechanism. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing the configuration of a feeding mechanism and a backflow prevention mechanism. [Figure 5] It is a plan view showing the configuration of a feeding mechanism and a backflow prevention mechanism. [Figure 6] It is an exploded view showing the configuration of a backflow prevention mechanism. [Figure 7] It is an exploded view showing the configuration of a feeding mechanism. [Figure 8] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the state where the mounting portion of the feeding mechanism is in the mounting posture. [Figure 9] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the state where the mounting portion of the feeding mechanism is in the inclined posture.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction of arrow F in the figure is taken as "front", the direction of arrow B as "rear", the direction of arrow L as "left", and the direction of arrow R as "right". Also, the direction of arrow U in the figure is taken as "up", and the direction of arrow D as "down".

[0026] 〔Regarding the overall configuration of the rice transplanter〕 The following describes a ride-on type rice transplanter (an example of a "rice transplanter") according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the ride-on type rice transplanter has a link mechanism 4 supported at the rear of the machine body 3, which is equipped with right and left front wheels 1 and right and left rear wheels 2. The link mechanism 4 extends to the rear and is configured to be rotatable up and down. The link mechanism 4 is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 5 for raising and lowering the link mechanism 4.

[0027] A seedling planting device 6, capable of planting seedlings in the field, is connected to the rear of the main body 3. The seedling planting device 6 is supported at the rear of the link mechanism 4. A fertilizer application device 7 for supplying fertilizer to the field surface is provided at the rear of the main body 3.

[0028] The upper part of the fertilizer application device 7 is equipped with a hopper 20 for storing fertilizer.

[0029] A mission case 9 is located at the front of the main body 3 of the aircraft. A support frame 10 extending forward is connected to the mission case 9. An engine (not shown) is supported by the support frame 10. A bonnet 11 covering the engine is provided at the front of the main body 3 of the aircraft.

[0030] A floor 14 is provided extending from the right and left sides of the bonnet 11 to the rear of the bonnet 11. A driver's seat 15, in which an operator can sit, is positioned on the upper rear of the floor 14.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, multiple spare seedling trays are arranged on the upper right and left sides of the main body 3, on which seedling trays NB (hereinafter referred to as "seedlings" and "seedling trays") containing seedling mats (see Figures 8 and 9) can be placed. The multiple spare seedling trays are fixed to the main body 3 and supported by a pair of front and rear support columns 16 (an example of a "support frame") that extend vertically. The front support column 16 is erected upward from the engine support frame of the main body 3. The rear support column 16 is erected upward from the part of the main body 3 located above the front wheel 1.

[0032] The support columns 16 are provided on both the left and right sides. A support member 12 is connected across the upper parts of the right and left support columns 16. An antenna unit 13 capable of acquiring the position information of the aircraft body 3 using a satellite positioning system is provided on the part of the support member 12 located in the center of the left and right sides of the aircraft body 3. A typical example of a satellite positioning system (GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System) is GPS (Global Positioning System).

[0033] [Regarding the configuration of the spare seedling stand] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main body of the machine 3 is equipped with multiple spare seedling stands on both sides, including a lower spare seedling stand 31 located at the bottom (an example of a "spare seedling stand"), an upper spare seedling stand 32 located at the top, and a rotatable spare seedling stand 33 that can be repositioned between the lower spare seedling stand 31 and the upper spare seedling stand 32, and in front of the lower spare seedling stand 31.

[0034] On floor 14, the space between the bonnet 11 and the multiple spare seedling trays on the right, and the space between the bonnet 11 and the multiple spare seedling trays on the left, serve as right and left passageways. Workers can move from the machine body 3 to the ridges or board the machine body 3 from the ridges by using either the right or left passageway.

[0035] [Regarding the configuration of the lower tier for placing spare seedlings] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the lower reserve seedling stand 31 comprises a first part 31A fixed to the support column 16 and a second part 31B rotatably supported by the first part 31A. The first part 31A comprises a lower first frame 31Aa and a lower first body 31Ab. The second part 31B comprises a lower second frame 31Ba and a lower second body 31Bb.

[0036] The upper surface of the first part 31A is configured to have a mounting section 31Ac on which a seedling tray NB can be placed, and the upper surface of the second part 31B is configured to have a mounting section 31Bc on which a seedling tray NB can be placed, both extending toward the rear (the side where the seedling planting device 6 is located).

[0037] The first portion 31A has two side walls 31Ad, and similarly, the second portion 31B has two side walls Bd. The side walls 31Ad and 31Bd are provided on both sides in the width direction of the mounting portion 31Ac and mounting portion 31Bc, respectively, and extend in the direction in which the mounting portion 31Ac and mounting portion 31Bc extend.

[0038] The mounting section 31Ac of the first part 31A and the mounting section 31Bc of the second part 31B are equipped with a plurality of rollers 34 that are rotatable on a rotation axis along the width direction of the lower reserve seedling mounting platform 31. The rollers 34 are arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the lower reserve seedling mounting platform 31. Seedling trays NB placed on the mounting sections 31Ac and 31Bc are placed on the rollers 34, and the rotation of the rollers 34 allows them to move smoothly on the mounting sections 31Ac and 31Bc.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower first frame 31Aa is fixed to the support column 16. The lower first main body 31Ab is fixed to the lower first frame 31Aa. The lower second frame 31Ba is supported at the rear end of the lower first frame 31Aa so as to be rotatable around a pivot axis P1. The pivot axis P1 is configured to extend in the width direction of the lower reserve seedling stand 31. The lower second main body 31Bb is fixed to the lower second frame 31Ba.

[0040] With the above configuration, the lower reserve seedling tray 31 is configured to be switchable between an extended state in the front-to-back direction and a folded state.

[0041] [Regarding the configuration of the rotating spare seedling stand] The rotating spare seedling stand 33 comprises a rotating frame 33a and a rotating spare seedling stand body 33b. The rotating spare seedling stand 33 is rotatably supported relative to the lower spare seedling stand 31 by a state change mechanism 40. The upper surface of the rotating spare seedling stand 33 is provided with a placement section 33c for placing seedlings.

[0042] Although not shown in the diagram, the mounting section 33c of the rotating spare seedling tray 33 is equipped with multiple rollers 34 that are configured to rotate around a rotation axis along the width direction of the rotating spare seedling tray 33, similar to the lower spare seedling tray 31.

[0043] The state-changing mechanism 40 includes a link member 41 that spans the lower reserve seedling stand 31, which is fixed to the support column 16, and the rotating reserve seedling stand 33. The state-changing mechanism 40 allows the rotating reserve seedling stand 33 to be switched between a forward-reverse rotation position, where it is aligned with the lower reserve seedling stand 31 in the front-reverse direction, and a vertical rotation position, where it is aligned with the lower reserve seedling stand 31 in the vertical direction. When in the vertical rotation position, the rotating reserve seedling stand 33 is positioned above the lower reserve seedling stand 31.

[0044] [Regarding the configuration of the empty box collection mechanism] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main body 3 of the machine is equipped with an empty box recovery mechanism 70 (corresponding to the "recovery mechanism" of the present invention) for recovering empty seedling trays NB. The empty box recovery mechanism 70 is located below the lower reserve seedling tray 31. The empty box recovery mechanism 70 has an empty box storage section 71 for storing empty seedling trays NB and a lower sliding section 72 on which the empty seedling trays NB slide.

[0045] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, an opening 73 is formed in the front portion of the mounting section 31Bc of the second part 31B, which is configured to allow empty seedling trays NB to pass through and to allow the empty tray collection mechanism 70 to collect the seedling trays NB. The opening 73 is located to the left and right of the driver's seat 15. The opening 73 is rectangular in shape, and in the longitudinal direction of the second part 31B, the length of the opening 73 is smaller than the distance between the rollers 34, and the width of the opening 73 is the same as the width of the mounting section 31Bc.

[0046] Below the opening 73, a lower sliding part 72 is positioned, fixed to the lower second frame 31Ba of the second part 31B. The lower sliding part 72 is composed of a combination of rod-shaped members. The lower sliding part 72 is located below the second part 31B and extends across the mounting portion 31Bc and the empty box storage portion 71 of the second part 31B. The lower sliding part 72 extends forward from the rear side of the opening 73 of the second part 31B and is inclined to be positioned lower towards the front.

[0047] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an empty box storage unit 71 fixed to the support column 16 is positioned in front of the lower sliding unit 72. Specifically, the rear end portion of the empty box storage unit 71 is positioned below the front end portion of the lower sliding unit 72. With this configuration, the empty box storage unit 71 is positioned on the opposite side of the seedling planting device 6 from the lower sliding unit 72 in the direction in which the lower reserve seedling tray 31 extends.

[0048] The empty box storage section 71 is constructed from rod-shaped members and has an open top. The front wall of the empty box storage section 71 is configured to be manually opened and closed. In other words, the front end of the empty box storage section 71 is equipped with a lid 74 that can be switched between a closed state and an open state. The empty box storage section 71 is also inclined so that it is positioned lower towards the front. The inclination of the lower sliding section 72 is configured to be steeper than the inclination of the empty box storage section 71. The front end of the empty box storage section 71 is located at the front end of the main body 3 of the aircraft.

[0049] The lid 74 is configured to be rotatable around the width axis of the empty box storage section 71. As shown by the solid line in Figure 2, in a side view, when the lid 74 is closed, it extends upward from the front end portion of the empty box storage section 71, then curves and extends towards the rear.

[0050] [Regarding the configuration of the feeding mechanism] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the second part 31B of the lower reserve seedling tray 31 is equipped with a feeding mechanism 80 configured to automatically feed the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end portion (the side where the seedling planting device 6 is located) of the placement section 31Bc, into the opening 73.

[0051] The feeding mechanism 80 comprises a main body portion 81 configured to hold a seedling tray NB (see Figures 8 and 9), and a lower mounting portion 82 that pivotably supports the main body portion 81 below the second portion 31B.

[0052] The main body portion 81 has a width wider than the width of the second portion 31B and includes an upper sliding portion 81a (corresponding to the "sliding portion" of the present invention) located above the upper surface (mounting portion 31Bc) of the second portion 31B, a support portion 81b supported by the lower mounting portion 82, and a connecting member 81c.

[0053] The upper sliding portion 81a is positioned behind the opening 73 (on the side where the seedling planting device 6 is located). The upper sliding portion 81a is made by bending a rod-shaped member. The upper sliding portion 81a is configured to have four straight sections that extend in the direction in which the mounting portion 31Bc extends, and the front portion of the two straight sections located in the left-right center of the upper sliding portion 81a overlaps with the mounting portion 31Bc in a plan view.

[0054] As shown in Figure 7, the support portions 81b are provided on both sides in the width direction of the upper sliding portion 81a, and each has a hole through which the pivot shaft 83 provided in the lower mounting portion 82 is inserted. The connecting member 81c is provided across the two support portions 81b, and both ends of the connecting member 81c are fixed to the support portions 81b with bolts Bo1.

[0055] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the lower mounting portion 82 is attached to the rear end portion of the lower second frame 31Ba of the second portion 31B by bolt fastening with bolt Bo2. The lower mounting portion 82 is provided with a pivot shaft 83 that extends in the width direction of the second portion 31B. The main body portion 81 is configured to pivot by being supported by the pivot shaft 83.

[0056] A coil spring 84 is inserted through the pivot shaft 83. The coil spring 84 contacts the lower mounting portion 82 and the connecting member 81c, thereby applying a biasing force to the rear end of the upper sliding portion 81a so that it moves upward. The biasing force of the coil spring 84 is set such that when a seedling tray NB containing a seedling mat is placed on the upper sliding portion 81a, the rear end of the upper sliding portion 81a lowers, and when an empty seedling tray NB is placed on the upper sliding portion 81a, the rear end of the upper sliding portion 81a rises.

[0057] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 9, with the above configuration, when no seedling tray NB is placed on the second part 31B and the upper sliding part 81a of the lower reserve seedling tray 31, or when an empty seedling tray NB is placed, the upper sliding part 81a is tilted by the biasing force of the coil spring 84, with its rear end positioned upward and the front side (opening 73 side) positioned downward. Also, as shown in Figure 8, when a seedling tray NB with a seedling mat is placed on the upper sliding part 81a, it assumes a mounting position that is aligned with the mounting surface of the mounting part 31Bc. With this configuration, the upper sliding part 81a is configured to be switchable between a mounting position and a tilted position.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the rear end of the upper sliding portion 81a is provided with a restricting portion 85 that the seedling tray NB abuts against, restricting its movement further to the rear (towards the side where the planting device is located). Generally, the seedling tray NB, in which the seedling mat is placed, is slid by the operator from the front side (first portion 31A side) of the rotating spare seedling tray 33 and the lower spare seedling tray 31 toward the second portion 31B, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 4. When the seedling tray NB reaches the second portion 31B, it abuts against the upper sliding portion 81a and moves further rearward, so that the upper sliding portion 81a is in a resting position and the seedling tray NB slides on the upper sliding portion 81a. If the seedling tray NB is slid further rearward, it abuts against the restricting portion 85, restricting its movement further rearward. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 85 is integrally configured with the main body portion 81.

[0059] When the operator removes the seedling mat from the seedling tray NB on the upper sliding part 81a, the seedling tray NB becomes empty and lighter. As a result, the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a rises due to the biasing force of the coil spring 84 and tilts upward. Consequently, the empty seedling tray NB slides down toward the opening 73 in front of the upper sliding part 81a, passes through the opening 73, and slides along the lower sliding part 72. The empty seedling tray NB that has slid along the lower sliding part 72 is stored in the empty tray storage section 71. In other words, the feeding mechanism 80 uses the biasing force of the coil spring 84 to feed the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end of the mounting section 31Bc, into the opening 73. Thus, simply by the operator removing the seedling mat from the seedling tray NB on the upper sliding part 81a, the empty seedling tray NB is automatically stored in the empty tray storage section 71.

[0060] [Regarding the configuration of the backflow prevention mechanism] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the second portion 31B of the lower reserve seedling tray 31 is equipped with a backflow prevention mechanism 50 that prevents the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end portion (the side where the seedling planting device 6 is located) of the placement section 31Bc, from moving to the front (the side opposite to where the seedling planting device 6 is located).

[0061] The backflow prevention mechanism 50 includes two door sections 51 provided on each of the two side walls 31Bd of the second part 31B of the lower reserve seedling stand 31, a support base section 52 that supports each door section 51, and a spring 53 that provides a biasing force to the door sections 51.

[0062] As shown in Figures 6, 8, and 9, the support base 52 is made up of a C-shaped cross-section member and is configured to abut the upper surface, lower surface, and outer side surface of the side wall 31Bd, respectively. The upper surface of the support base 52 is provided with two cylindrical portions 52a through which screws Sc are inserted. The support base 52 is fixed to the side wall 31Bd by screws Sc being inserted through the two cylindrical portions 52a, then penetrating the side wall 31Bd, and fastened to the lower surface of the support base 52. The support base 52 is positioned in a location corresponding to the opening 73.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, the door portion 51 is positioned at a location corresponding to the front end of the opening 73 in the side wall 31Bd of the second portion 31B, and at the front end of the support base portion 52. The door portion 51 is rotatably supported on the upper surface of the support base portion 52.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6, the door portion 51 has a cylindrical portion 51a through which the cylindrical portion 52a is inserted, a door portion 51b located inside the second portion 31B in the width direction relative to the cylindrical portion 52a, and a connecting portion 51c located on the opposite side of the door portion 51b relative to the cylindrical portion 51a.

[0065] The cylindrical portion 51a is configured in a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical portion 52a of the support base portion 52 is inserted through it. The door portion 51 is inserted through the front of the two cylindrical portions 52a provided on the support base portion 52, and is configured to be rotatable with this cylindrical portion 52a as the pivot axis.

[0066] The door portion 51b extends inward in the width direction of the second portion 31B, and further extends downward from the inward end of the second portion 31B in the width direction, thus forming an L-shape. The lower end of the door portion 51b is positioned to abut against the edge of the opening 73.

[0067] The connecting portion 51c has a hole formed in it. The spring 53 is connected to the rear of the two cylindrical portions 52a provided on the support base portion 52, and to the hole formed in the connecting portion 51c.

[0068] The two door sections 51 are in a blocked state, positioned inside the side walls 31Bd on both sides, as the spring 53 pulls the connecting section 51c and the lower end of the door section 51b abuts against the edge of the opening 73. As shown by the white arrows in Figure 4, when the seedling tray NB is slid by the operator from the first section 31A to the second section 31B of the rotating spare seedling tray 33 and the lower spare seedling tray 31, it abuts against the door section 51b of the door section 51. Furthermore, by pushing the door section 51b backward against the biasing force of the spring 53, the door section 51b rotates around the cylindrical section 52a as the pivot axis, and the door section 51b becomes open, positioned closer to the side walls 31Bd on both sides than in the blocked state. When the seedling tray NB moves further backward than the door section 51, the two door sections 51 are switched back to the blocked state by the biasing force of the spring 53. In this way, the door section 51 is configured to be switchable between a blocked state and an open state.

[0069] [Another embodiment] The following are examples of alternative embodiments that modify the above embodiments.

[0070] (1) In the above embodiment, the upper sliding portion 81a of the feeding mechanism 80 was described as a configuration in which the seedling tray NB placed on the rear end portion of the mounting portion 31Bc is fed into the opening 73 by utilizing the biasing force of the coil spring 84, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, instead of the coil spring 84, a weight member may be provided to lift the upper sliding portion 81a upward via a pulley or the like, and the upper sliding portion 81a of the feeding mechanism 80 may be configured to use the gravity of the weight member to feed the seedling tray NB placed on the rear end portion of the mounting portion 31Bc into the opening 73.

[0071] Alternatively, instead of the coil spring 84, an electric motor may be provided, and the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a may be raised using the electric motor, causing the upper sliding part 81a to tilt, thereby feeding the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end of the mounting part 31Bc, into the opening 73. In this case, a dedicated battery may be provided to supply power to the electric motor, or if the right and left front wheels 1 and the right and left rear wheels 2 are driven by drive motors, the batteries provided as the drive sources for these may be used. Furthermore, an operating unit may be provided to manually operate the electric motor.

[0072] Alternatively, the engine's driving force may be used to raise the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a, thereby tilting the upper sliding part 81a and feeding the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end of the mounting part 31Bc, into the opening 73. In this case, the rotational driving force from the engine may be converted into linear driving force in directions such as up and down, forward and backward, and left and right, and the rod or the like may be driven with the converted linear driving force to raise the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a, thereby tilting the upper sliding part 81a. In this case, a clutch mechanism for switching the engine's driving force on and off may be provided. Furthermore, an operating part may be provided that allows the rod to be driven manually.

[0073] Alternatively, a solenoid may be provided instead of the coil spring 84, and the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a may be raised using the solenoid, causing the upper sliding part 81a to tilt, thereby feeding the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end of the mounting part 31Bc, into the opening 73. Alternatively, the solenoid may be operated manually using an operating unit.

[0074] Alternatively, instead of the coil spring 84, a hydraulic cylinder may be provided, and the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a may be raised using the hydraulic cylinder, causing the upper sliding part 81a to tilt, thereby feeding the seedling tray NB, which is placed on the rear end of the mounting part 31Bc, into the opening 73. In this case, the machine body 3 may be equipped with a control valve that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder, and the output of the hydraulic cylinder may be adjusted by the control valve, or a pressure accumulator may be provided in addition. The hydraulic cylinder may also be equipped with an operating unit that allows manual operation of the drive.

[0075] (2) In the above embodiment, the feeding mechanism 80 was described as having a configuration that raises the rear end of the upper sliding part 81a to tilt the upper sliding part 81a and feeds the seedling tray NB placed on the rear end portion of the mounting part 31Bc to the opening 73. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the rear end of the lower reserve seedling tray 31 or the rear end of the second part 31B may be raised to tilt the entire lower reserve seedling tray 31 or the second part 31B and feed the seedling tray NB placed on the rear end portion of the mounting part 31Bc to the opening 73.

[0076] (3) In the above embodiment, the empty box collection mechanism 70 was described as having a configuration that includes a lower sliding part 72 on which empty seedling boxes NB slide, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the empty box collection mechanism 70 may be configured to include a conveyor driven by a motor or engine instead of the lower sliding part 72. In this case, the empty seedling boxes NB may be allowed to fall vertically in a free fall, and then moved horizontally by the conveyor to be stored in the empty box storage section 71. The conveyor may also be arranged in an inclined state so as to be lower towards the empty box storage section 71, similar to the lower sliding part 72. In this case, the opening 73 may be made of a lid that can be opened and closed, and may be configured to include a switching part that switches between a state in which empty seedling boxes NB can be fed towards the conveyor and a state in which they cannot be fed. Alternatively, instead of a conveyor, the mechanism may include a plurality of rollers driven by a motor or engine. The mechanism may also be configured to include an operating part that allows manual operation of the conveyor and the plurality of rollers.

[0077] (4) In the above embodiment, the empty box recovery mechanism 70 was described as a configuration for recovering empty seedling boxes NB, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Here, a scooping plate for separating seedlings from seedling boxes NB may be used as the mounting member. After separating the seedlings from the seedling boxes NB using the scooping plate, the scooping plate and the seedlings may be placed together on the lower reserve seedling stand 31. Therefore, the empty box recovery mechanism 70 may be configured to recover the scooping plate for separating seedlings from seedling boxes NB. In this case, instead of the lower sliding part 72, a conveyor driven by a motor or engine may be provided, or a plurality of rollers driven by a motor or engine may be provided, and the scooping plate may be transported by the conveyor or the plurality of rollers. The conveyor and the plurality of rollers may be provided with an operating part that allows manual operation of the drive. The conveyor and the plurality of rollers may also be provided with an anti-slip mechanism. This configuration makes it possible to prevent, for example, the scooping plates from interfering with each other due to being transported at an unintended speed.

[0078] (5) In the above embodiment, the empty box collection mechanism 70 was described as being located below the lower reserve seedling tray 31, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the empty box collection mechanism 70 may be located above the lower reserve seedling tray 31, or it may be located in front of and behind the lower reserve seedling tray 31. In this case, instead of the lower sliding part 72, a conveyor driven by a motor or engine may be provided, or a plurality of rollers driven by a motor or engine may be provided, and the empty seedling boxes NB may be transported by the conveyor or the plurality of rollers. Furthermore, the empty box collection mechanism 70 may be located outside or inside the lower reserve seedling tray 31 in the left-right direction of the machine body 3. In this case, the empty box collection mechanism 70 may be configured to be switchable between a working position in which the empty box collection mechanism 70 can be used and a storage position in which the empty box collection mechanism 70 is folded.

[0079] (6) In the above embodiment, the two door sections 51 were described as being configured to be switched to a blocked state by the biasing force of the spring 53, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, instead of the spring 53, a weight may be connected to the connecting portion 51c of the door section 51, and the two door sections 51 may be configured to be switched to a blocked state by the gravity of the weight member.

[0080] (7) In the above embodiment, the regulating section 85 was described as being integrally configured with the main body section 81 as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the regulating section 85 may be configured separately from the main body section 81.

[0081] (8) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a restricting portion 85 is provided at the rear end of the upper sliding portion 81a was described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, the second portion 31B may be provided with a restricting portion 85, or the rice transplanter may not be provided with a restricting portion 85.

[0082] (9) In the above embodiment, the backflow prevention mechanism 50 was described as having a configuration with two door portions 51, but it may also have a configuration with one door portion 51, or a configuration with three or more door portions 51.

[0083] (10) In the above embodiment, the door portion 51 of the backflow prevention mechanism 50 was described as being configured to be switchable between a blocked state and an open state by a biasing force, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, instead of the spring 53, a weight member may be provided to pull the connecting portion 51c of the door portion 51 toward the rear via a pulley or the like, and the door portion 51 of the backflow prevention mechanism 50 may be configured to be switchable between a blocked state and an open state by utilizing the gravity of the weight member.

[0084] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. In addition, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0085] This invention can be used in a rice transplanter equipped with multiple spare seedling trays. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 3: Main body of the aircraft 6: Seedling planting device 31: Lower shelf for spare seedlings (spare seedling stand) 31Bc: Mounting section 31Bd: Side wall 33c: Mounting section 31Bd: Side wall 50: Backflow prevention mechanism 51: Door section 70: Collection mechanism (empty box collection mechanism) 73 :Aperture 80: Feeding mechanism 81a: Upper sliding part (sliding part) 85: Regulatory Department

Claims

1. The main body of the aircraft, A seedling planting device connected to the main body of the aforementioned machine and capable of planting seedlings in the field, A spare seedling stand on which seedlings can be placed, It is equipped with a recovery mechanism for recovering the mounted component on which the seedlings were placed, The aforementioned reserve seedling stand has a mounting section having a mounting surface on which the mounting member can be placed, The mounting section is provided with an opening for the recovery mechanism to recover the mounted member. A rice transplanter is provided with a feeding mechanism configured to automatically or by operation of a tool feed the mounted member placed on the reserve seedling tray into the opening of the retrieval mechanism.

2. The rice transplanter according to claim 1, wherein the recovery mechanism recovers the mounted member by utilizing the free fall of the mounted member.

3. The rice transplanter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the feeding mechanism is configured to feed the mounting member, which is placed on the end portion of the mounting section on the side where the seedling planting device is located, into the opening by utilizing a biasing force or the gravity of a weight member.

4. The feeding mechanism is located on the side of the opening where the seedling planting device is located, and has a sliding part on which the mounted member slides. The rice transplanter according to claim 3, wherein the sliding part is configured to be switchable between a mounting position which is aligned with the mounting surface described above and an inclined position which is tilted downward toward the opening side.

5. The rice transplanter according to claim 4, wherein the sliding part, due to the biasing force or the gravity of the weight member, assumes the aforementioned position when the mounting member containing seedlings is placed on the sliding part, and assumes the aforementioned inclined position when the mounting member without seedlings is placed on the sliding part.

6. The rice transplanter according to claim 4, wherein the sliding portion is provided with a restricting portion that restricts the movement of the mounted member toward the side where the seedling planting device is located by the mounting member coming into contact with it.

7. The rice transplanter according to claim 1, wherein the reserve seedling tray is provided with a backflow prevention mechanism that prevents the mounting member, which is placed on the end portion of the aforementioned mounting section on the side where the seedling planting device is located, from moving to the side of the aforementioned mounting section that is opposite to the side where the seedling planting device is located.

8. The aforementioned reserve seedling stand is provided on both sides in the width direction of the aforementioned placement section and has two side walls that extend in the direction in which the aforementioned placement section extends. The backflow prevention mechanism has two door sections provided on each of the two side walls, The rice transplanter according to claim 7, wherein the two door sections are configured to be switchable between a blocked state, where they are located inside the side walls on both sides, and an open state, where they are located further towards the side walls on both sides than the blocked state.

9. The rice transplanter according to claim 8, wherein the two door sections are switched to the blocking state by a biasing force.

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