A method for felling trees, and a mobile device used in this method.

Abstract

To make tree felling work more efficient. [Solution] A guide wire is attached to a mobile body having a thrust generating mechanism that generates thrust in the direction of the tree surface and a moving mechanism that can move along the tree surface by remote control or autonomous control. The mobile body is moved along the tree surface by remote control or autonomous control so that the guide wire is positioned at a predetermined height on the tree. After the guide wire is positioned at the predetermined height, the mobile body is moved towards the ground by remote control or autonomous control to retrieve the guide wire, and the retrieved guide wire is used to attach a towing rope at the predetermined height.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tree felling method and a mobile body used in the method.

Background Art

[0002] When felling trees, a traction cable (rope, wire, etc.) is attached to a predetermined height position of the tree, and the direction in which the tree falls is adjusted by pulling the traction cable from the ground. However, attaching a rope to a tree is high-altitude work, so it is labor-intensive, takes a lot of time, and also requires a skilled worker to perform the work for safety reasons. In view of these circumstances, various methods have conventionally been proposed to improve the work of attaching traction cables to trees.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a fallen tree rope attachment device configured to enable simple and reliable attachment of a fallen tree rope to a tree. The attachment device includes a hook-shaped hook member for hooking on the trunk or branch of a tree, an operating rod that holds the hook member at its tip end and carries the hook member to a desired height of the tree, and a fallen tree rope tied to the base of the hook member on the side where the operating rod is attached. In addition, the hook member and the operating rod are provided with an attachment-detachment mechanism for separating the hook member and the operating rod after the hook member is hooked onto the tree.

[0004] Further, for example, Patent Document 2 describes a device for attaching a wire to a tree for pulling the felled tree so that it falls in a safe direction. This device includes a wire attachment unit mounted on the outer circumference of the tree trunk, and an installation rod for mounting the wire attachment unit on the upper part of the tree trunk.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] By the way, the technology described in Patent Document 1 above requires bringing a long operating rod to carry the hook material to the desired height on the tree, and a detachment mechanism to separate the hook material from the operating rod after it has been hooked onto the tree, to the site, such as deep in the mountains. Also, during the work, the long operating rod and detachment mechanism must be operated from the ground, which places a heavy burden on the worker.

[0007] Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 requires bringing heavy wire attachment units and mounting rods to the site. Also, during the work, it is necessary to manipulate the heavy mounting rods in order to attach the wire attachment units to the outer circumference of the tree trunk, which, like Patent Document 1, places a heavy burden on the workers.

[0008] This invention was made in view of the above background, and aims to provide a method for felling trees that enables efficient tree felling work, and a mobile body used in this method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a method for felling trees, comprising: a thrust generating mechanism that generates thrust in the direction of the surface of the tree; a moving mechanism that can move along the surface of the tree by remote control or autonomous control; a guide wire attached to a moving body; the moving body being moved along the surface of the tree by remote control or autonomous control so that the guide wire is positioned at a predetermined height on the tree; after the guide wire is positioned at the predetermined height, the moving body being moved towards the ground by remote control or autonomous control to retrieve the guide wire; and using the retrieved guide wire to attach a towing rope at the predetermined height.

[0010] Further issues disclosed in this application, and methods for solving them, will be made clear in the section on embodiments for carrying out the invention and in the drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, tree felling work can be carried out efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1A] This is a left side view of the mobile unit. [Figure 1B] This is a cross-sectional view of the moving object (a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X' in Figure 1A). [Figure 1C] This is a top view (plan view) of the moving object. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart explaining how to attach the tow rope. [Figure 3] (a) to (f) are diagrams illustrating the method of attaching the towing cable. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following matters will become clear from this specification and the accompanying drawings. The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, with reference to one embodiment thereof.

[0014] Figures 1A to 1C show the main components of a mobile body 10 used in a tree felling method described as one embodiment of the present invention. The mobile body 10 can move along the surface of a tree by remote control from the ground. The mobile body 10 can move along the surface of a tree by a principle similar to, for example, a wirelessly controlled toy that can travel on a wall.

[0015] The mobile unit 10 assists on-site workers in the process of attaching towing ropes (ropes, wires, etc.) to trees, which are used to support the trees and guide them in the direction they fall when they are felled.

[0016] The moving body 10 is used for an operation of hanging a wire used as a guide for attaching a traction rope (hereinafter referred to as "guide wire G") at a predetermined position of a tree (hereinafter referred to as "hanging position").

[0017] Note that, as the guide wire G, a wire made of a lightweight and tough material, for example, a resin wire such as cotton thread or nylon wire (fishing line or the like) is used.

[0018] 1A to 1C show a schematic configuration of the moving body 10. FIG. 1A is a left side view of the moving body 10, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the moving body 10 taken along line X-X' in FIG. 1A and viewed from the front of the moving body 10, and FIG. 1C is a top view (plan view) of the moving body 10.

[0019] Note that, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system is set hereinafter for convenience of description. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, an x-axis is set such that the forward direction in the front-rear direction of the moving body 10 is the positive direction, a y-axis is set such that the left direction in the left-right direction of the moving body 10 is the positive direction, a z-axis is set such that the upward direction in the up-down direction of the moving body 10 is the positive direction, and each of the axes is set to form a right-handed system.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1A or FIG. 1C, the moving body 10 includes a front body 10A and a rear body 10B. The front body 10A and the rear body 10B are connected via a connection mechanism 11 (for example, a universal joint) such that the front body 10A is rotatable with respect to the rear body 10B.

[0021] The moving body 10 is provided with a mechanism (hereinafter referred to as "thrust generation mechanism") that generates thrust acting on the moving body 10 in the -z direction (toward the surface of the tree). As shown in the figure, the thrust generation mechanism includes four motors (hereinafter referred to as thrust motors 12a to 12d). Among these, the thrust motor 12a is provided on a chassis 101A of the front body 10A, and all of the thrust motors 12b to 12d are provided on a chassis 101B of the rear body 10B.

[0022] Each of the thrust motors 12a to 12d has a rotating blade 121a to 121d (propeller, fan, etc.) attached to its rotating shaft. As the rotating blades 121a to 121d rotate, wind is generated above the moving body 10 (in the +z direction), which generates thrust that pushes the moving body 10 toward the surface of the tree (in the -z direction).

[0023] The mechanism for generating the thrust described above is not necessarily limited. For example, the number and placement of the motors described above are not necessarily limited. Furthermore, the thrust may be generated using a power source other than a motor, such as an engine that generates power by burning fuel (glow engine, gasoline engine, etc.). The thrust generation mechanism may also have a mechanism for controlling the pitch of the rotor blades 121a to 121d.

[0024] The mobile body 10 is provided with a mechanism (hereinafter referred to as the "mobilization mechanism") for moving the mobile body 10 along the surface of a tree. The mobility mechanism includes two drive motors 13a and 13b mounted on the front body 10A.

[0025] The two drive motors 13a and 13b are positioned symmetrically with respect to the x-axis. One of the drive motors 13a is fixed to the front body 10A with its rotation axis facing the +y direction. The other drive motor 13b is fixed to the front body 10A with its rotation axis facing the -y direction.

[0026] Wheels 131a and 131b are attached to the rotating shafts of the two drive motors 13a and 13b, respectively. Both wheels 131a and 131b have multiple protrusions (projections) on their outer circumference to increase grip between them and the surface of trees. The method for increasing grip is not necessarily limited. The moving mechanism may also have a shock absorption mechanism (damper mechanism, suspension mechanism, etc.) to absorb the impact when the moving body 10 moves. The moving mechanism may also have a gear mechanism (speed change mechanism).

[0027] A device (hereinafter referred to as "motor control device 14") that controls the on / off state and rotational speed of the thrust motors 12a to 12d and the drive motors 13a and 13b is mounted at a predetermined position on the front body 10A or the rear body 10B. The motor control device 14 is configured, for example, using an ESC (Electronic Speed ​​Controller).

[0028] The drive motors 13a and 13b can be remotely controlled independently for their respective rotation direction and rotation speed. The mobile body 10 can move freely on the surface of the tree using the drive motors 13a and 13b.

[0029] For example, by matching (synchronizing) the rotational speeds of the two drive motors 13a and 13b, the mobile body 10 can move forward and backward. Alternatively, by creating a difference in the rotational speeds of the two drive motors 13a and 13b (making them asynchronous), the mobile body 10 can move left and right.

[0030] A battery 15 (a primary battery or a secondary battery) is mounted at a predetermined position on the front body 10A or the rear body 10B (for example, near the center of gravity of the mobile body 10). The battery 15 supplies power to operate various devices mounted on the mobile body 10. The battery 15 is, for example, a lithium-ion polymer secondary battery.

[0031] A receiver 16 is mounted at a predetermined position on the front body 10A or rear body 10B (for example, near the center of gravity of the mobile body 10). The receiver 16 receives control signals sent from the transmitter 50 operated by a worker on the ground, and controls the motor control device 14 according to the received signals, controlling the on / off state and rotational speed (thrust) of the thrust motors 12a~12d and the drive motors 13a,13b.

[0032] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the receiver 16 and the transmitter 50 communicate wirelessly (for example, using the 920MHz, 2.4GHz, and 5GHz frequency bands), but the receiver 16 and the transmitter 50 may also communicate via wired communication, for example.

[0033] The front section 10A is equipped with a camera 60 that captures images of the direction of travel of the mobile body 10 and the surrounding area. The camera 60 is, for example, a video camera or a digital still camera capable of shooting video. The camera 60 can be remotely controlled via wireless communication to adjust shooting conditions such as shooting direction, angle of view, and exposure.

[0034] The camera 60 transmits the captured video (image data) to the ground-based monitor 300 in real time via wireless or wired communication. This allows the ground-based worker to easily and accurately control the moving object 10 from a first-person view (FPV (First Persons View)).

[0035] A bumper 17 is provided on the front (+x direction) of the front body 10A. The bumper 17 cushions the impact on the moving body 10 when it comes into contact with obstacles such as branches or bumps located in front of it. The bumper 17 also acts to divert the direction of travel of the moving body 10 away from obstacles, for example, so that the movement of the moving body 10 is not obstructed by the obstacle. The form of the bumper 17 is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape that effectively produces the above effects. For example, the bumper 17 may be shaped like the bow of a ship.

[0036] The lower part (-z side) of the rear body 10B has sled structures 21a to 21c that extend in a roughly arc shape in the left-right direction (±y direction) to prevent the lower part of the rear body 10B from getting caught on uneven parts such as knots on the surface of trees. The sled structures 21a to 21c are made of, for example, flat or rod-shaped materials of a predetermined length that are curved in an arc shape so as to be convex downwards (-z direction).

[0037] Furthermore, the shape of the lower part of the rear body 10B is not necessarily limited, as long as it is shaped in a way that prevents it from getting caught on branches or knots on the surface of trees. For example, wheels may be provided on the lower part of the rear body 10B, similar to the front body 10A.

[0038] The rear end (-x side end, tail) of the rear body 10B is provided with a guide line attachment portion 30 to which the end of the guide line G is attached. The guide line attachment portion 30 has a conical shape (for example, a cone) that is convex to the rear side of the rear body 10B. The guide line G is attached to the top of the conical portion of the guide line attachment portion 30.

[0039] Furthermore, by making the guide wire attachment section 30 this shape, for example, when attempting to retrieve the mobile body 10 from the tree by pulling the guide wire G from the ground, it is possible to prevent the mobile body 10 from getting caught on an obstacle.

[0040] A front body cover 41A is provided on the upper surface (+z side) of the front body 10A. The surface of the front body cover 41A has a breathable shape (for example, mesh or grid) to prevent attenuation of the wind generated by the rotor blades 121a. The front body cover 41A serves to prevent the components of the front body 10A from getting caught on tree branches, knots, etc., while the mobile body 10 is moving.

[0041] A rear body cover 41B is provided on the upper surface (+z side) of the rear body 10B. The surface of the rear body cover 41B has a breathable shape (e.g., mesh, grid, etc.) to prevent attenuation of the wind generated by the rotor blades 121b~121d. The rear body cover 41B serves to prevent the rear body 10B from getting caught on obstacles while the mobile body 10 is moving.

[0042] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the method of attaching the towing cable to the tree at the designated attachment point using the mobile body 10 described above (hereinafter referred to as "towing cable attachment method S200"). Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the towing cable attachment method S200. The towing cable attachment method S200 will be explained below in conjunction with these figures.

[0043] As a prerequisite, it is assumed that the power to each part of the mobile unit 10 is already turned on, and that the transmitter 200 operated by the worker S on the ground and the receiver 16 mounted on the mobile unit 10 are in a state where wireless communication is possible. Furthermore, it is assumed that the monitoring device 300 located on the ground and the camera 60 mounted on the mobile unit 10 are also in a state where wireless communication is possible, and that the video captured by the camera 60 is displayed in real time on the monitoring device 300.

[0044] First, worker S attaches one end of the guide wire G to the guide wire attachment section 30 of the mobile body 10 (by tying it, etc.) (S211 in Figure 2).

[0045] Next, worker S operates the transmitter 200 to rotate the thrust motors 12a to 12d and place the mobile body 10 on the surface of the tree W (S212 in Figure 2, Figure 3(a)).

[0046] Next, worker S, while checking the video feed from the monitoring device 300, remotely controls the drive motors 13a and 13b using the transmitter 200 to move (raise) the mobile body 10 along the surface of the tree W to near the hanging position, while avoiding obstacles (S213, S214: No., Figure 3(b)).

[0047] When worker S confirms that the moving body 10 has reached the vicinity of the hanging position by visual observation from the ground and from the image on the monitoring device 300 (S214: Yes), he operates the shooting direction of the shooting device 60 and searches for a protrusion (branch, knot, etc.) near the hanging position where the guide line G can be placed, and moves the moving body 10 around the found protrusion to place the guide line G on the protrusion (S215, Figure 3(c)).

[0048] Furthermore, if the mobile body 10 becomes immobile while moving, the worker S can recover the mobile body 10 by winding up the guide wire G on the ground. At this time, as mentioned above, since the guide wire attachment part 30 is conical in shape, it is possible to prevent the mobile body 10 from getting caught on branches, knots, etc. during recovery.

[0049] Next, worker S confirms, by visual inspection from the ground or by viewing the image on the monitoring device 300, that the guide line G is on the protruding part, and then lowers the mobile body 10 to the ground and retrieves the mobile body 10 (S216, Figure 3(d)). At this time, worker S may lower the mobile body 10 to the ground by moving it along the surface of the tree W, or he may retrieve the mobile body 10 by allowing it to free fall using its own weight.

[0050] Next, the worker detaches the guide wire G from the moving body 10, connects (ties, etc.) one end of the towing cable K to one end of the guide wire G, and pulls in the other end of the guide wire G to attach the towing cable K to the attachment position (S217~S218, Figure 3(e)).

[0051] Next, worker S disconnects the guide wire G from the towing cable K (S219, Figure 3(f)). This completes the towing cable installation method S200.

[0052] [Technical effects, etc.] As described in detail above, in this embodiment, a guide wire is attached to a mobile body having a thrust generating mechanism that generates thrust in the direction of the tree surface and a moving mechanism that can move along the tree surface by remote control or autonomous control during tree felling work, and the mobile body is moved along the tree surface by remote control or autonomous control so that the guide wire is positioned at a predetermined height on the tree. After the guide wire is positioned at the predetermined height, the mobile body is moved towards the ground by remote control or autonomous control to retrieve the guide wire, and a towing rope is attached to the predetermined height using the retrieved guide wire.

[0053] This method allows workers to attach the towing cable to a tree at a predetermined height while remaining on the ground. Therefore, the attachment of the towing cable to the tree can be done safely and efficiently with minimal effort.

[0054] Furthermore, after retrieving the guide wire, the worker attaches one end of the towing cable to one end of the guide wire, and then pulls the other end of the guide wire up from the ground to attach the towing cable to the predetermined height position.

[0055] Furthermore, the operator can move the mobile vehicle accurately and safely while checking real-time video footage captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle on a monitor installed on the ground.

[0056] Furthermore, since the moving mechanism includes wheels with multiple protrusions on their outer circumference and a rotating mechanism that rotates the wheels, a grip is ensured between the moving body and the surface of the tree, allowing the moving body to move smoothly along the surface of the tree.

[0057] Furthermore, since the guide lines are attached to the top of the cone-shaped guide line mounting section, it is possible to prevent the moving object from getting stuck midway when, for example, attempting to pull it back midway.

[0058] Furthermore, the mobile unit has a bumper structure on the side facing the direction of travel to clear away branches while moving. This prevents the mobile unit from getting caught on obstacles while moving and allows it to move smoothly along the surface of trees.

[0059] Furthermore, the mobile unit is connected at the front and rear via connecting fittings, and the rear unit has a sled-like section on the side that contacts the tree. This allows the mobile unit to move smoothly along the surface of the tree. Moreover, by adopting a sled structure, the mobile unit can be made simpler and lighter compared to a system using wheels.

[0060] Incidentally, the above embodiments are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and equivalents thereof are also included.

[0061] For example, if the mounting position is at a high place and a long guide wire is required, it is conceivable that the guide wire may not be fed out smoothly from the ground to the moving object. In such cases, the guide wire may be wound onto a rotating drum or reel so that it is fed out smoothly from the rotating drum as the moving object moves.

[0062] Furthermore, for example, the mobile body may be autonomously controlled to move along the surface of a tree by performing real-time image recognition and image analysis using AI (Artificial Intelligence) on the video captured by the camera. In this case, for example, to prevent the mobile body from coming into contact with obstacles (branches, knots, etc.) while moving, the mobile body may be equipped with distance measuring devices such as ultrasonic sensors or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and autonomous driving may be performed while avoiding obstacles based on the information obtained from the distance measuring devices. In addition, for example, sensors such as acceleration sensors, velocity sensors, and geomagnetic sensors may be equipped on the mobile body, and the accuracy of the autonomous control of the mobile body may be improved using the information from these sensors. Furthermore, for example, image recognition technology may be used to autonomously control the mobile body to the position (hanging position, etc.) of an image that has been captured and stored in advance. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 10 Mobile body, 10A Front body, 10B Rear body, 11 Coupling mechanism, 12a~12d Thrust motor, 121a~121d Rotor blade, 13a,13b Drive motor, 131a,131b Wheels, 14 Motor control device, 15 Battery, 16 Receiver, 17 Bumper, 21a~21c Skid structure, 30 Guide line mounting section, 41A Front body cover, 41B Rear body cover, 50 Transmitter, 60 Camera, 300 Monitor device, S200 Towing rope mounting method, W Tree, G Guide line, K Towing rope, S Operator

Claims

1. A guide line is attached to a mobile body having a thrust generating mechanism that generates thrust in the direction of the surface of a tree, and a moving mechanism that can move along the surface of the tree by remote control or autonomous control. The moving body is moved along the surface of the tree by remote control or autonomous control so that the guide line is positioned at a predetermined height on the tree. After the guide line is placed at the predetermined height position, the moving body is moved towards the ground by remote control or autonomous control to retrieve the guide line. Using the retrieved guide line, the towing cable is attached to the predetermined height position. Methods for felling trees.

2. A method for felling trees according to claim 1, After retrieving the guide wire, one end of the towing cable is attached to one end of the guide wire, and the other end of the guide wire is pulled up from the ground to attach the towing cable to the predetermined height position. Methods for felling trees.

3. A method for felling trees according to claim 1, The mobile body is equipped with a camera that captures images of the direction of travel or the surroundings, and a transmission device that transmits the images captured by the camera to a monitoring device installed on the ground in real time. The moving body is moved while the video is displayed on the monitor device. Methods for felling trees.

4. A method for felling trees according to claim 1, The aforementioned moving mechanism includes a wheel having a plurality of protrusions on its outer circumference and a rotating mechanism for rotating the wheel. The moving mechanism moves the moving body along the surface of the tree by rotating the wheels using a rotation mechanism. Methods for felling trees.

5. A method for felling trees according to claim 1, The thrust generation mechanism generates the thrust by rotating a rotor blade using a rotation mechanism. Methods for felling trees. A mobile object.

6. The movable body used in the tree felling method described in claim 1, The thrust generating mechanism, the moving mechanism, and the guide wire attachment part, A mobile body having

7. A mobile body according to claim 6, The mounting portion is provided at the end on the side opposite to the direction of travel of the moving body. It has a conical shape that is convex in the opposite direction, The guide line is attached to the top of the conical shape. A mobile object.

8. A mobile body according to claim 6, The moving body has a bumper structure on the side in the direction of travel for clearing branches while moving. A mobile object.

9. A mobile body according to claim 6, The front part on which the aforementioned moving mechanism is provided, A rear body is connected to the front body via a connecting mechanism and has a skid-shaped portion on the side that comes into contact with the tree. A mobile body having

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