Method for adjusting the amount of spraying equipment, spraying equipment, and control device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a spray volume adjustment method that can appropriately adjust the amount of sprayed material based on the relationship between the opening area and the amount of sprayed material. [Solution] A method for adjusting the spraying amount of a spraying device comprising a tank, an opening device, a GPS receiver, and a control device, wherein the opening device has a tank opening and a shutter plate with a shutter opening formed thereon, and the opening area is adjustable by the movement of the shutter plate relative to the tank, the control device calculates the movement speed of the spraying device based on the position information of the GPS receiver, selects at least three different opening areas from the adjustable opening areas, measures the spraying amount at each of the selected opening areas, creates at least two relationships between opening area and spraying amount based on two combinations of opening area and measured spraying amount, and adjusts the opening area based on the desired spraying amount, the movement speed of the spraying device, and the created relationships.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the application rate of a spraying device, a spraying device, and a control device used for spraying fertilizers such as granular and powdery fertilizers onto a field.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a spraying device that is attached and supported to the rear part of a tractor, a feeding rotor is disposed rotatably in the longitudinal direction at the lower part of a tank, the feeding rotor is rotated by power from a power take-off shaft (PTO shaft) of the tractor, and fertilizers or the like accommodated in a hopper are sprayed from an opening provided in a shutter plate and having an adjustable opening amount. (See Patent Document 1) Also, there is known a spraying device that is attached and supported to the rear part of a tractor, a feeding rotor is disposed rotatably in the longitudinal direction at the lower part of a tank, the feeding rotor is rotated by power from a power take-off shaft (PTO shaft) of the tractor, and the application rate of spraying fertilizers or the like accommodated in a hopper is adjustable by controlling the rotation speed of the feeding rotor according to the working speed. (See Patent Document 2)

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the spraying device as described in Patent Document 1, the opening area of the shutter opening and the application rate are not proportional, and further, depending on the type of the sprayed material, the relationship between the opening area of the shutter opening and the application rate is different (see FIG. 16). Therefore, it has been difficult to adjust the opening area (shutter opening degree) of the shutter opening. Furthermore, in the method of determining the working speed and the rotational speed of the feed rotor by proportional calculation, as described in Patent Document 2, the error becomes large in the spraying device described in Patent Document 1, and it is insufficient for appropriately adjusting the spraying amount.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for adjusting the amount of a spraying device, a spraying device, and a control device that can appropriately adjust the amount of a spraying material based on the relationship between the opening area of ​​the shutter opening and the amount of spraying. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve these problems, the present invention has the following configuration. A method for adjusting the spraying amount of a spraying device comprising a tank, an opening device installed at the bottom of the tank, a GPS receiver, and a control device, The opening device comprises a tank opening formed at the bottom of the tank and a shutter plate movably provided on the tank, with a shutter opening formed thereon. By moving the shutter plate relative to the tank, the overlapping opening area between the tank opening and the shutter opening can be adjusted. The control device calculates the movement speed of the spraying device based on the position information sent from the GPS receiver. From the adjustable opening area, select at least three different opening areas, measure the amount of spray in each of the selected opening areas, combine the selected opening areas and the corresponding measured spray amounts, and store them in the control device. The control device generates at least two relationships between the opening area and the amount of spray based on two combinations of the selected opening area and the corresponding measured spray amount. The opening area is adjusted based on the desired spraying amount, the movement speed of the spraying device, and the relationship created. A method for adjusting the spraying amount of a spraying device, characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a method for adjusting the amount of a spraying device, a spraying device, and a control device that can appropriately adjust the amount of a spraying material by using multiple relationships between the opening area and the amount of spraying. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a rear view of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the right side. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of a spraying device 1, a modified example of an embodiment 1 according to the present invention, as seen from the side. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of a spraying device 1, modified example 2 of the embodiment according to the present invention, as seen from the side. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 of a modified example 3 of the embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the side. [Figure 9] This is a diagram of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the display unit of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing the display unit of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This figure shows the spraying state of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This figure shows the relationship between shutter opening and spray amount in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This figure shows the relationship between shutter opening and spray amount in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the shutter opening degree and the spraying amount in the embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing the relationship between the shutter opening degree and the spraying amount in the embodiment according to the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different figures indicate parts having the same function, and duplicate descriptions in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] [Basic Configuration] FIG. 1 is a view of the spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the rear. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front (a sectional view taken along a plane including the axis of the support shaft 341 and the pay-out rotor 42), FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the right side (a sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to the plane including the axis of the support shaft 341 and the pay-out rotor 42).

[0011] The spraying device 1 is connected and supported to a tractor via a three-point support mechanism equipped on the rear part of the body of a tractor (not shown) which is a self-propelled vehicle, and is configured to obtain power from the tractor via a universal joint from the power take-off shaft (PTO shaft) of the tractor. These configurations can be appropriately selected and adopted from known configurations. The spraying device 1 includes a hopper 2 that stores a plurality of types of fertilizers (a plurality of types of sprayed materials) and stirs and mixes the plurality of types of fertilizers (a plurality of types of sprayed materials) inside and then sprays them. The hopper 2 has an upper mixing tank 3 and a lower spraying part 4.

[0012] [Hopper] In a plan view, the hopper 2 is formed in a roughly horizontally elongated rectangular shape that is long in the direction of the tractor's body width. The hopper 2 has a mixing tank 3 at the top for agitating and mixing multiple types of fertilizer, and a spreading section 4 at the bottom for spreading the multiple types of fertilizer agitated and mixed in the mixing tank 3 onto the field. The mixing tank 3 has an input opening 31 on its upper surface, and the lower half 33 is formed in a roughly U-shaped box form with a polygonal shape when viewed in side cross-section. The worker sequentially puts multiple types of fertilizer into the mixing tank 3 through the input opening 31. The input opening 31 is equipped with a lid 311 that can be opened and closed, and a mesh 312 that can be attached and detached to prevent large foreign objects from entering. The lower half 33 may be a roughly U-shaped box formed in a curved shape (for example, an arc shape) when viewed in side cross-section. Furthermore, it is not limited to a roughly U-shape; any shape that functions as a hopper is acceptable.

[0013] The spraying unit 4 has a container section 41 at the bottom, which is connected to the mixing tank 3 at the top and has a trough-shaped container section 41 at the bottom, which is formed in a roughly inverted triangular shape with the lowest part being roughly arc-shaped when viewed in side cross-section. This container section 41 is attached to the bottom of the mixing tank 3 so as to be able to be opened and closed. This allows the container section 41 to be opened wide when cleaning the inside of the spraying unit 4 or when fertilizer clogs it, making these operations easy to perform.

[0014] Furthermore, the spreading unit 4 is equipped with an opening device 43 at its lowest point for spreading multiple types of fertilizer. The opening device 43 has multiple tank openings 431 on the lowest surface of the spreading unit 4, spaced appropriately in the longitudinal direction of the hopper 2, which is roughly horizontally elongated in a plan view, in the width direction of the tractor body (hereinafter simply referred to as the "longitudinal direction"), and below the lowest surface of the spreading unit 4 is a shutter plate 432 that slides in the longitudinal direction. The substances to be sprayed can be any known substances that are sprayed on the field, such as fertilizers or chemicals. Examples of their form include powders and granules, but other forms such as fibers or irregular shapes are also acceptable.

[0015] [Mixing tank] A stirring rotor 34 is installed inside the mixing tank 3 for agitating and mixing multiple types of fertilizer. Multiple stirring rotors 34 are mounted on a single support shaft 341 pivotally supported at both ends of the mixing tank 3, so as to bridge the longitudinal space between the two sides of the mixing tank 3. Each rotor protrudes in four directions, each at a 90° difference. Other arbitrary configurations are also possible, such as eight directions at 45° differences, six directions at 60° differences, three directions at 120° differences, or two directions at 180° differences. The support shaft 341 is driven by power transmitted from a power input shaft (not shown) connected to the power take-off shaft (PTO shaft) of the tractor, by appropriately combining known power transmission means such as gears, chains, and belts. In this embodiment, a drive unit 5 having a power transmission means is arranged on the right side in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the front of the spraying device 1, and is driven from the right end of the support shaft 341.

[0016] [Agitation rotor] The stirring rotor 34 comprises a substantially flat mounting portion 342 attached to the support shaft 341, a substantially flat mixing claw 343 attached so as to protrude longitudinally from its tip, and a substantially flat elastic body 344 attached so as to protrude toward the inner surface of the mixing tank 3 from the upstream end of the mixing claw 343 in the rotational direction. In this embodiment, the stirring rotor 34 has the mixing claw 343 and the elastic body 344, with the mixing claw 343 positioned near the inner surface of the mixing tank 3. However, it may also have only the mixing claw 343, or it may also include a stirring rotor 34 (of a different diameter) in which the mixing claw 343 is positioned near the midpoint between the support shaft 341 and the inner surface of the mixing tank 3.

[0017] The mixing claws 343 are roughly flat in shape and protrude in a direction parallel to the support shaft 341 in the longitudinal direction, and rotate along the inner surface of the mixing tank 3 to agitate and mix multiple types of fertilizers in the mixing tank 3. Furthermore, the mixing claw 343 can be tilted in any direction and at any angle. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the mixing claws 343 are inclined radially to the stirring rotor 34 from a plane parallel to the support shaft 341 in the longitudinal direction, that is, one end of the mixing claws 343 in the longitudinal direction is inclined to be closer to the support shaft 341 than the other end. In this case, when stirring and mixing, multiple types of fertilizer can be stirred in the longitudinal direction by applying force in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the mixing claws 343 are tilted by an arbitrary angle around an axis parallel to the support shaft 341, that is, the downstream end of the mixing claws 343 in the rotational direction is tilted to be closer to the support shaft 341 than the upstream end. In this case, during stirring and mixing, multiple types of fertilizer can be stirred in the radial direction of the stirring rotor 34 by applying force in the radial direction of the stirring rotor 34. Furthermore, by providing multiple types of mixing claws 343 with different inclination directions and angles, it may be possible to improve stirring and mixing in the radial and longitudinal directions. Furthermore, the mixing claw 343 may be in the shape of a curved plate, or it does not need to be plate-shaped; it can be any shape.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the elastic body 344 is configured so that its tip slides against the inner surface of the mixing tank 3, thereby preventing multiple types of fertilizer from adhering to and accumulating on the inner surface of the mixing tank 3. The elastic body 344 is formed from an elastic material such as urethane rubber to an appropriate thickness and is designed in a shape and size such that an appropriate area contacts the inner surface of the mixing tank 3. Furthermore, the elastic body 344 can be attached to the mounting part 342 in a position-adjustable manner so that the area in contact with the inner surface of the mixing tank 3 can be adjusted.

[0019] The stirring rotor 34 can be simply a rod or a flat plate, or a rod with claws attached to the end of the mounting part, or a flat plate with the end of the mounting part bent, or any other shape.

[0020] [Spreading part] The spraying unit 4 is continuously positioned below the mixing tank 3. A dispensing rotor 42 is installed inside the dispensing unit 4 to dispense multiple types of fertilizer that have been agitated and mixed into a tank opening 431. The dispensing rotor 42 is pivotally supported at both ends of the dispensing unit 4 so as to bridge the longitudinal direction between the two sides of the dispensing unit 4. Furthermore, it is preferable that the dispensing rotor 42 be easily removable so that tasks such as cleaning the spraying unit 4 or clearing blockages in case of fertilizer clogging can be easily performed. Furthermore, the feed rotor 42 is driven by a power branch from the power transmission means that drives the support shaft 341. Furthermore, the feed rotor 42 can also be driven by a power source different from the drive of the support shaft 341, such as an electric motor installed in the spraying device 1.

[0021] [Retractable rotor] The feed rotor 42 is provided with multiple protrusions 421 that project in different directions from a single shaft. Furthermore, it is preferable that the dispensing rotor 42, including the multiple protrusions 421, be made of rubber or the like, at least on its surface, so as not to damage the coating of coated fertilizers such as slow-release fertilizers or delayed-release fertilizers. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the shape, size, and number of the protrusions 421 on the feed rotor 42 can be designed in various ways, taking into account the operation of the feed rotor 42.

[0022] [Opening device] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The opening device 43 has a plurality of tank openings 431 located at the bottom of the spraying section 4, and a shutter plate 432 that is slidable in the longitudinal direction. The tank openings 431 are formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction at the lowest part of the spraying section 4. The shutter plate 432 is divided into a first shutter plate 4321 and a second shutter plate 4322, each of which is installed below the spraying unit 4 so as to be able to slide longitudinally. The first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 are connectable and separable by a shutter plate connecting means 433. When connected by the shutter plate connecting means 433, the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 can slide together as a single unit, while when separated, the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 can slide independently.

[0023] The shutter plate connecting means 433 includes a shutter plate connecting lever 4331, a shutter plate connecting lever support portion 4332, and a shutter plate connecting lever engaging portion 4333. The shutter plate connecting lever 4331 is pivotally supported horizontally on a shutter plate connecting lever support part 4332 attached to the second shutter plate 4322. The shutter plate connecting lever support portion 4332 has an elongated hole 4332a through which a fixing screw 4331b attached to the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 is inserted. The shutter plate connecting lever 4331 can be fixed to the shutter plate connecting lever support portion 4332 by the fixing screw 4331b. The first shutter plate 4321 is fitted with a shutter plate connecting lever engaging portion 4333, which has an engaging recess 4333a formed therein that engages with the engaging projection 4331a of the shutter plate connecting lever 4331.

[0024] The first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 are connected and separated by operating the shutter plate connecting lever 4331. Normally, as shown in Figure 4(a), the shutter plate connecting means 433 connects the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322. With the engaging projection 4331a of the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 engaged with the engaging recess 4333a of the shutter plate connecting lever engaging portion 4333, the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 is fixed to the shutter plate connecting lever support portion 4332 by fastening the fixing screw 4331b into the elongated hole 4332a. During the metering process described later, the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 are separated. First, in the state shown in Figure 4(a), loosen the fixing screw 4331b so that the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 can be rotated. Next, as shown by the thick arrow in Figure 4(b), the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 is rotated by the handle 4331c, causing the engaging projection 4331a to disengage from the engaging recess 4333a. Finally, the fixing screw 4331b is fastened into the elongated hole 4332a to secure the shutter plate connecting lever 4331 to the shutter plate connecting lever support part 4332.

[0025] A shutter opening 432a is formed in the shutter plate 432 at a location corresponding to the tank opening 431 in the longitudinal direction. Note that the shutter opening 432a is not formed at one end (the left end in Figure 4) of the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322. Instead, the length of the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 is shortened accordingly to compensate for the absence of the shutter opening 432a. Alternatively, it is also possible to form the shutter opening 432a without shortening the length of the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322. The tank opening 431 is formed in a roughly pentagonal shape, and the shutter opening 432a is formed in a roughly square shape. When the tank opening 431 and the shutter opening 432a are superimposed, the tank opening 431 is formed to be almost inscribed within the shutter opening 432a. The shapes of the tank opening 431 and the shutter opening 432a may be any other shape.

[0026] The sliding motion of the shutter plate 432 is performed by a drive source (not shown) connected to the first shutter plate 4321. As shown in Figure 5(a), when the second shutter plate 4322 is connected to the first shutter plate 4321 by the shutter plate connecting means 433, the second shutter plate 4322 slides together with the first shutter plate 4321 due to the drive source connected to the first shutter plate 4321. As shown in Figure 5(b), when the second shutter plate 4322 is separated from the first shutter plate 4321, only the first shutter plate 4321 slides due to the drive source. This drive source is controlled by a control device 6, which will be described later, and by adjusting the sliding position of the shutter plate 432, the area of ​​the opening formed by the tank opening 431 and the shutter opening 432a can be changed.

[0027] [Connection between the mixing tank and the spraying unit] The bottom of the mixing tank 3 and the top surface of the spraying unit 4 are configured to be continuous, but the space between the bottom of the mixing tank 3 and the top surface of the spraying unit 4, that is, the space between the stirring rotor 34 and the dispensing rotor 42, is not entirely open. In this embodiment, the rear side of the lower half 33 of the mixing tank 3 (upstream side in the rotation direction of the stirring rotor 34 (clockwise in Figure 3)) extends forward so as to protrude into the opening between the bottom of the mixing tank 3 and the top surface of the spraying unit 4, forming a partition plate 35 between the bottom of the mixing tank 3 and the top surface of the spraying unit 4. That is, the partition plate 35 is formed on a horizontal surface that becomes the lowest side of the polygonal shape of the mixing tank 3 in a side cross-sectional view. As a result, a single elongated slit 36 ​​extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on the front side of the lower half 33 of the mixing tank 3, connecting the mixing tank 3 and the spraying unit 4. The partition plate 35 extends horizontally from the bottom of the mixing tank 3 and constitutes the lowest surface of the mixing tank 3. As a result, the lower half 33 of the mixing tank 3, including the partition plate 35, has a polygonal shape when viewed in side cross-section. The slit 36 ​​may be configured as a single continuous slit between the two sides of the mixing tank 3, or it may be divided into multiple slits, with partition plates 35 between the slits connecting the front and back of the bottom of the mixing tank 3.

[0028] With this partition plate 35, the majority of the weight that would normally be applied to the open area between the bottom of the mixing tank 3 and the top of the spreading unit 4 is supported by the partition plate 35, thus preventing a large load from being applied to the multiple types of fertilizer in the spreading unit 4. As a result, the spraying device 1 of this embodiment can suppress changes in the amount of multiple types of fertilizers sprayed due to the remaining amount in the mixing tank 3, so that multiple types of fertilizers can be uniformly sprayed on the field regardless of the remaining amount of multiple fertilizers in the mixing tank 3.

[0029] [Modified connection between the mixing tank and the spraying unit] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of a spraying device 1 according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the side. While forming the lower half 33 (including the partition plate 35) of the mixing tank 3 of the aforementioned spraying device 1 into a polygonal shape in a side cross-section view makes manufacturing easier, there is a risk that fertilizer may adhere to and accumulate on the inner surface of the corners. Therefore, in the spreading device 1 of this modified example 1, as shown in Figure 6, only the lowest part of the lower half 33 of the mixing tank 3, particularly the area around the bottom where it is horizontal or nearly horizontal and where fertilizer tends to adhere and accumulate (including the partition plate 35), is formed as a curved surface 37, which is curved (for example, arc-shaped) in a side cross-sectional view. That is, the curved surface 37 including the partition plate 35 is formed as a curved surface (cylindrical surface) that is continuous with the lowest side of the polygonal shape of the mixing tank 3 in a side cross-sectional view. This curved surface 37 reduces the number of corners, and without significantly increasing the difficulty of manufacturing, it is possible to suppress the adhesion and accumulation of fertilizer on the inner surface of the mixing tank 3. The opening device 43 in this modified example 1 is the same as the opening device 43 in the embodiment, so its description is omitted.

[0030] [Variations of the dispersing device] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of a spraying device 1 of a modified example 2 of the embodiment according to the present invention, viewed from the side. In the above-described embodiment and Modification 1, the spraying device 1 included a mixing tank 3 having an agitation rotor 34 and a spraying unit 4 having a dispensing rotor 42. However, in this Modification 2, there is no agitation rotor, and it only has a hopper 2 and a dispensing rotor 42. This spraying device 1 is used for spraying one type of material or multiple pre-mixed materials, and does not require a stirring rotor. The opening device 43 in this modified example 2 is the same as the opening device 43 in the embodiment, so its description will be omitted.

[0031] [Other variations of the dispensing device] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the spraying device 1 of a modified example 3 of the embodiment according to the present invention, viewed from the side. In this modified example 3, a diaphragm 21 is added to the modified example 2 described above. Depending on the type of material being sprayed, the material may solidify within the hopper 2, preventing it from flowing downwards, making spraying difficult or impossible. Therefore, in this modified example 3, a vibrating plate 21 is installed inside the hopper 2 to prevent the sprayed material from solidifying and to facilitate its flow downward through the hopper 2. The vibrating plate 21 vibrates up and down by a drive source (not shown), causing the material being scattered in the hopper 2 to flow smoothly downwards. The opening device 43 in this modified example 3 is the same as the opening device 43 in the embodiment, so its description is omitted.

[0032] [Control device] Figure 9 is a diagram of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 shows the display unit of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention when it is set. The oval indicates that the display in the area enclosed by the oval is flashing. The control device 6 is a control means that controls the operation of the spraying device 1, and also a remote control means that remotely operates the spraying device 1. The control device 6 has an operation section including a power on / off switch 61, a setting button 62, an OK button 63, up / down arrow buttons 64, and a GPS link / disable button 65, as well as a display section 6a.

[0033] [Aperture area control] As described above, by controlling the drive source that slides the shutter plate 432, the position of the shutter plate 432 relative to the tank opening 431 can be adjusted, thereby changing the area of ​​the opening formed by the tank opening 431 and the shutter opening 432a (hereinafter simply referred to as the opening area). In fertilizer application, the amount of material to be applied per unit area of ​​the field is predetermined. Furthermore, the amount of material applied per unit time from the application device 1 is determined by the opening area. If the tractor traveling with the spraying device 1 attached maintains a constant speed, and the opening area is appropriately adjusted, a predetermined amount of the material will be sprayed onto the field. However, the tractor's travel speed is not necessarily constant due to changes in driving resistance, changes in engine speed caused by changes in the driving force of the spraying device 1, and other factors. Therefore, conventional spraying devices are known that calculate the tractor's travel speed from position information obtained from a GPS receiver, adjust the opening area based on the calculated travel speed, and then spray a predetermined amount of material onto the field. Specifically, the desired application rate is A (kg / m²). 2 If the spraying width of sprayer 1 is L (m) and the travel speed is V (m / min), the amount sprayed per unit time (1 min) by sprayer 1 can be calculated as A × L × V (kg / min). The opening area required to obtain a spraying rate of A × L × V (kg / min) is determined from the relationship between the opening area (shutter opening) and the spraying rate per unit time (1 min) as shown in Figure 16, and the position of the shutter plate 432 is adjusted accordingly.

[0034] This adjustment of the opening area based on the travel speed was performed based on a predetermined linear function that showed the relationship between the amount of material sprayed per unit time and the opening area. However, as mentioned above, a single linear function resulted in large errors, making it impossible to precisely adjust the dispersion amount. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the amount of material to be sprayed is precisely adjusted based on a predetermined set of linear functions that show the relationship between the amount of material sprayed per unit time and the opening area. The following describes a method for obtaining a predetermined set of linear functions that show the relationship between the amount of material dispersed per unit time and the opening area.

[0035] [Starting the control unit] First, when the engine of the tractor connected to the spraying device 1 is started, both the tractor and the spraying device 1 start up. Next, the control device 6 is started. When the power switch 61 is turned on, multiple model numbers of the spraying device 1 are displayed on 6a, and an arrow is displayed on one of them (Figure 10(a)). Press the up / down arrow buttons 64 to move the arrows and select the model of the spraying device 1 to be used from the multiple models displayed on the display unit 6a. Press the OK button 63 to confirm the model. Once the model is determined, the initial screen is displayed on the display unit 6a (Figures 10(b), (c)). To activate GPS connectivity, press the GPS connectivity / deactivation button 65, and the GPS connectivity lamp will light up. Then, when GPS reception begins, the GPS reception lamp will light up.

[0036] [setting] When the control device 6 is activated, it sets the spraying amount and the maximum fertilizer. First, set the application rate. The application rate is determined by the fertilizer being applied and the crops being cultivated, and is set as the application rate per 10 ares. When the setting button 62 is pressed, a beeping sound is emitted and the "Spread Amount" on the display unit 6a flashes (Figure 10(d)). When you press the OK button 63, the blinking on the display unit 6a changes from "Spread Amount" to the number to the right of "Spread Amount" (Figure 10(e)). Press the up and down arrow buttons 64 as needed to increase or decrease the number to the right of "Spread Amount" on the display unit 6a, and press the up and down arrow buttons 64 until the desired value is displayed. Once the desired value is displayed, press the OK button 63. The blinking on the display unit 6a will change from the number to the right of "Spread Amount" to "Spread Amount," confirming the setting of the spread amount (Figure 10(f)). Next, set the maximum fertilizer size. This setting determines the largest fertilizer size among the fertilizers being mixed. Fertilizer size can be set to one of three types: small granules, large granules, or granular. When the "Amount Spread" indicator on the display unit 6a is flashing, pressing the down arrow button on the up / down arrow button 64 will change the flashing on the display unit 6a from "Amount Spread" to "Maximum Fertilizer" (Figure 10(g)). When you press the OK button 63, the blinking on the display unit 6a changes from "Maximum Fertilizer" to the display on the right (Figure 10(h)). Pressing the up and down arrow buttons 64 as needed switches the display unit 6a to the right of "Maximum Fertilizer" between small grains, large grains, and sand. Once the desired fertilizer size is displayed, press the OK button 63, and the blinking on the display unit 6a changes from the display to the right of "Maximum Fertilizer" back to "Maximum Fertilizer," confirming the maximum fertilizer setting (Figure 10(i)).

[0037] [Measuring] The metering process involves operating the spraying device 1 to measure the actual amount sprayed per unit time and setting that amount in the control device 6. The actual amount sprayed is determined by receiving the sprayed material falling from the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 into a container 7 such as a bucket, and then measuring the weight of the sprayed material that fell from the opening device 43. During metering, it is not necessary to use all of the tank openings 431 of the opening device 43, so the opening device 43 of the spraying device 1 is adjusted before metering.

[0038] Figure 12 shows the spraying state of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the state during spraying and (b) shows the state during metering. During spraying, all tank openings 431 of the opening device 43 are used, so the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 are connected by the shutter plate connecting means 433 so that they can slide together as a single unit (Figure 12(a)). The sprayed material F then falls from the opening formed by the shutter openings 432a of the integrally connected first shutter plate 4321 and second shutter plate 4322 and the tank opening 431.

[0039] During metering, it is not necessary to use all of the tank openings 431 of the opening device 43. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the three tank openings 431 from the end are used. In this case, as shown in Figure 12(b), the connection between the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 is released by the shutter plate connecting means 433, and the tank opening 431 on the first shutter plate 4321 side is used. When all the tank openings 431 of the opening device 43 are closed by the shutter plates 432, and the connection between the first shutter plate 4321 and the second shutter plate 4322 by the shutter plate connecting means 433 is released, only the first shutter plate 4321 becomes slidable by the drive source, and the sprayed material F falls. At this time, the second shutter plate 4322 remains closed over the tank openings 431, so the sprayed material F does not fall from the second shutter plate 4322 side. The fallen sprayed material F is collected in container 7, and its weight is measured. The metering is performed while slowly rotating the stirring rotor 34.

[0040] Figure 11 shows the display unit of the control device 6 of the spraying device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention during metering. The oval indicates that the display in the area enclosed by the oval is flashing. First, press the up / down arrow buttons 64 to select "Measurement" from the menu on the left side of the display unit 6a (this will make "Measurement" blink). Once you have selected the meter, press the OK button 63 to select the meter, display the meter menu, and "Measuring 1" will blink (Figure 11(b)). In this state, pressing the OK button 63 activates the spraying device 1 (the stirring rotor 34 and the feed rotor 42 rotate), and the sprayed material F is discharged. At this time, the shutter plate 432 is moved to a set position by the drive source, and a predetermined opening area is formed by the tank opening 431 and the shutter opening 432a. While the spraying device 1 is operating, the time display on the left and the weight display on the right of "Measuring 1" on the display unit 6a flash, and the time display counts down (Figure 11(c)). In this embodiment, the time for Measuring 1 is set to 30 seconds, and it counts down from 30 to 0. When the countdown reaches 0, the operation of the spraying device 1 (agitating rotor 34 and feed rotor 42) stops, and the discharge of the sprayed material F stops.

[0041] The weight of the sprayed material F discharged into container 7 is measured, and the measured weight of the sprayed material F is entered using the up and down arrow buttons 64. In the control device 6 of this embodiment, the weight increases or decreases by 0.05 kg each time the up and down arrow buttons 64 are pressed. When the weight display to the right of "Measurement 1" on the display unit 6a reaches the measured weight, press the OK button 63. Then, the weight of metering 1 is determined, and "metering 2" on the display unit 6a blinks (Figure 11(d)). The same process is repeated for metering 2 and metering 3. In this embodiment, the opening area is larger for metering 2 than for metering 1, and the opening area is larger for metering 3 than for metering 2. Also, because the opening area is larger for metering 2 and metering 3 than for metering 1, the discharge time for the sprayed material F is set to 20 seconds, which is shorter than the discharge time for metering 1. Once metering in metering step 3 is complete and the OK button 63 is pressed, the blinking of the display unit 6a stops. Finally, when the setting button 62 is pressed, the display on the control device 6 switches and "Completed" under "Measurement" blinks (Figure 11(e)). When the setting button 62 is pressed again, all the weights for measurements 1, 2, and 3 are finalized, the measurement is completed, and the blinking display on the control device 6 stops (Figure 11(f)).

[0042] Figures 13, 14, and 15 show the relationship between shutter opening and spraying amount in embodiments of the present invention. Figure 13 is a graph for chicken manure, Figure 14 is a graph for rapeseed oil cake, and Figure 15 is a graph for granular compound fertilizer. Note that the graphs labeled chicken manure in Figure 13, rapeseed oil cake in Figure 14, and granular compound fertilizer in Figure 15 are the same as the graphs in Figure 16. Once metering is complete, the control device 6 determines the relationship between the aperture area (shutter opening) and the spraying rate (kg / min). In the metering described above, the amount of material dispensed is measured using three opening areas: metering 1, metering 2, and metering 3. From the relationship between the opening area and the amount of material dispensed at metering 1 and the opening area and the amount of material dispensed at metering 2, and from the relationship between the opening area and the amount of material dispensed at metering 2 and the opening area and the amount of material dispensed at metering 3, a relational expression between the opening area and the amount of material dispensed is obtained. This relational expression is a linear function, and in this embodiment, two linear functions are obtained. Note that metering 1 corresponds to shutter opening 4, metering 2 corresponds to shutter opening 6, and metering 3 corresponds to shutter opening 9. Furthermore, since the weights input for metering 1, metering 2, and metering 3 are the weights dispensed using only the three tank openings 431 from the end of the opening device 43, when determining the relational expression between the opening area and the amount of material dispensed, it is necessary to calculate the amount of material dispensed using all the tank openings 431 of the opening device 43. In other words, the amount to be sprayed using all the tank openings 431 of the opening device 43 is calculated by multiplying the input weight by the ratio of the number of tank openings 431 used during metering to the total number of tank openings 431. Two linear functions for chicken manure, rapeseed oil cake, and granular compound fertilizer are shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15, respectively, as line graphs labeled as theoretical values. As shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15, the graphs of the two linear functions representing the relationship between aperture area and dispersion amount obtained based on the metering results do not differ significantly from the graph showing the relationship between the actual aperture area (shutter opening) and dispersion amount. Therefore, by adjusting the aperture area based on the two linear functions, that is, by controlling the position of the shutter plate 432, it is possible to adjust the dispersion amount with sufficient accuracy.

[0043] In this embodiment, two linear functions are used to adjust the aperture area, but three or more linear functions may also be used. Furthermore, although the relationship between the aperture area and the spraying rate was determined as a linear function, it is not limited to this; any relationship between the aperture area and the spraying rate that can be used by the control device 6 is acceptable. For example, when adjusting the aperture area (shutter opening) in multiple stages (discretely), it is possible to store the amount of spray applied to each aperture area. In this case, the spray amount closest to the desired spray amount and the spray amount per unit time calculated from the travel speed can be selected from the stored spray amounts, and the aperture area can be adjusted to match this spray amount.

[0044] Although the spraying device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any design changes, etc., that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included. Furthermore, the aforementioned embodiments can be combined by utilizing each other's technologies, as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purpose, configuration, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1 Spraying device 2 Hoppers 21 Vibration plate 3. Mixing tank 31 Input opening 311 Lid 312 Net 33 Lower half 34 stirring rotor 341 Spindle 342 Mounting part 343 mixed nails 344 Elastic body 35 board 36 slits 37 Curved part 4 Spreading section 41 Container section 42 Feeding rotor 421 Protrusion 43 Opening device 431 Tank opening 432 Shutter plate 432a Shutter opening 4321 First shutter plate 4322 Second shutter plate 433 Shutter plate connecting means 4331 Shutter plate connecting lever 4331a Engagement protrusion 4331b Fixing screw 4331c handle 4332 Shutter plate connecting lever support part 4332a long hole 4333 Shutter plate connecting lever engagement part 4333a Engaging recess 5 Drive Unit 6 Control device 6a Display section 61 Power On / Off Switch 62 Settings button 63 OK button 64 Up and down arrow buttons 65 GPS Link / Disable Button 7 containers F Spray material

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the spraying amount of a spraying device comprising a tank, an opening device installed at the bottom of the tank, a GPS receiver, and a control device, The opening device comprises a tank opening formed at the bottom of the tank and a shutter plate movably provided on the tank, with a shutter opening formed thereon. By moving the shutter plate relative to the tank, the overlapping opening area between the tank opening and the shutter opening can be adjusted. The control device calculates the movement speed of the spraying device based on the position information sent from the GPS receiver. From the adjustable opening area, select at least three different opening areas, measure the amount of spray in each of the selected opening areas, combine the selected opening areas and the corresponding measured spray amounts, and store them in the control device. The control device generates at least two relationships between the opening area and the amount of spray based on two combinations of the selected opening area and the corresponding measured spray amount. The opening area is adjusted based on the desired spraying amount, the movement speed of the spraying device, and the relationship created. A method for adjusting the spraying amount of a spraying device, characterized by the following:

2. A spraying device comprising a tank, an opening device installed at the bottom of the tank, a GPS receiver, and a control device, The opening device comprises a tank opening formed at the bottom of the tank and a shutter plate movably provided on the tank, with a shutter opening formed thereon. By moving the shutter plate relative to the tank, the overlapping opening area between the tank opening and the shutter opening can be adjusted. The control device is Based on the location information transmitted from the GPS receiver, the movement speed of the spraying device is calculated. From the adjustable opening area, select at least three different opening areas and move the shutter plate to achieve the selected opening area. The selected opening area and the corresponding spraying amount are stored in combination. Based on two combinations of the selected opening area and the corresponding stored spraying amount, at least two relationships between the opening area and the spraying amount are created. The opening area is adjusted based on the desired spraying amount, the movement speed of the spraying device, and the relationship created. A spraying device characterized by the following features.

3. The aforementioned tank has a roughly horizontally elongated rectangular shape when viewed from above. A shutter plate, with the shutter opening provided on the upper or lower surface of the bottom of the tank, is installed so as to move back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the tank by a driving means, along the longitudinal direction of the tank. Multiple tank openings are provided at the bottom of the tank, arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the tank. The shutter openings are provided side by side in the location of the shutter plate corresponding to the tank opening, The shutter plate is divided into a first shutter plate and a second shutter plate in the longitudinal direction, and a connecting means for connecting / disconnecting the first shutter plate and the second shutter plate is attached. The spraying device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first shutter plate moves back and forth by the driving means, and the second shutter plate moves back and forth or does not move back and forth by switching the coupling means between coupling and uncoupling.

4. A control device for controlling a spraying device comprising a tank, an opening device installed at the bottom of the tank, and a GPS receiver, The opening device comprises a tank opening formed at the bottom of the tank and a shutter plate movably provided on the tank, with a shutter opening formed thereon. The shutter plate is provided so that the opening area where the tank opening and the shutter opening overlap can be adjusted by moving it relative to the tank. Based on the location information transmitted from the GPS receiver, the movement speed of the spraying device is calculated. From the adjustable opening area, select at least three different opening areas and move the shutter plate to achieve the selected opening area. The selected opening area and the corresponding spraying amount are stored in combination. Based on two combinations of the selected opening area and the corresponding stored spraying amount, at least two relationships between the opening area and the spraying amount are created. The opening area is adjusted based on the desired spraying amount, the movement speed of the spraying device, and the relationship created. A control device characterized by the following features.

Images