spraying vehicle

Abstract

To provide a spraying vehicle that can efficiently pump fluid materials using energy efficiency. [Solution] A spraying vehicle for spraying a fluid material, comprising a vehicle body, a tank provided on the vehicle body for containing the material, a spraying device for spraying the material, a pump for sending the material from the tank to the spraying device, and a control unit for controlling the pump, wherein the pump comprises a pump body that receives rotational force to drive and send the material, and a motor that supplies rotational force to the pump body, and the control unit controls the motor to change the rotational force it supplies according to the rotational force required for the pump body to send the material.

Description

[[TECHNICAL FIELD]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spraying vehicle for spraying a sprayed material. [[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0002] Conventionally, a spraying vehicle as described in Patent Document 1 is known. The spraying vehicle includes a vehicle body, a hopper that stores an antifreeze agent, an aqueous solution tank that stores an aqueous solution obtained by dissolving the antifreeze agent, and a spraying device that sprays the antifreeze agent and the aqueous solution. The spraying vehicle also includes a screw conveyor that feeds the antifreeze agent from the hopper to the spraying device, and a pump that feeds the aqueous solution from the aqueous solution tank to the spraying device. The pump is driven by rotational force supplied from a motor. [[PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS]] [[PATENT DOCUMENTS]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent No. 2854839 [[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] In a spraying vehicle as described in Patent Document 1, for example, when the pump is started, or when clogging occurs in the middle of a flow path through which an aqueous solution flows, the rotational force required for the pump to feed the aqueous solution may temporarily increase. If the rotational force supplied by the motor is smaller than the temporarily increased required rotational force, the pump will stop and the aqueous solution can no longer be fed. For this reason, the motor is configured to constantly supply a rotational force larger than the temporarily increased required rotational force, thereby preventing the pump from stopping due to insufficient rotational force.

[0005] However, if the motor is constantly supplied with a rotational force greater than the rotational force required for a temporary increase, it will supply excessive rotational force even when such a large rotational force is not needed. Therefore, the spraying vehicle described above uses excessive energy to pump the liquid.

[0006] Furthermore, this type of problem is not limited to pumping liquids such as aqueous solutions, but can occur when pumping any fluid material.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a spraying vehicle that can efficiently pump fluid materials using energy efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The spraying vehicle of the present invention is a spraying vehicle for spraying a fluid material, comprising: a vehicle body; a tank provided on the vehicle body for containing the material; a spraying device for spraying the material; a pump for sending the material from the tank to the spraying device; and a control unit for controlling the pump, wherein the pump comprises a pump body that receives rotational force to drive and send the material, and a motor that supplies rotational force to the pump body, and the control unit controls the motor to change the rotational force supplied by the motor in a series of drives for sending the material in the tank, according to the rotational force required by the pump body to send the material.

[0009] With this configuration, in the series of drives for sending the sprayed material in the tank, the rotational force supplied by the motor is changed according to the rotational force required by the pump body, thus preventing the motor from supplying excessive rotational force compared to the rotational force required by the pump body. Therefore, the sprayed material can be sent with energy efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, the motor can generate a normally generated rotational force that can be generated continuously, and an intermittently generated rotational force that is greater than the normally generated rotational force and can be generated only for a predetermined period of time. The pump body requires a normally required rotational force that is normally necessary to deliver the sprayed material, and an intermittently required rotational force that is greater than the normally required rotational force and is temporarily necessary to deliver the sprayed material. The control unit can be configured to control the motor so that, when the pump body requires the intermittently required rotational force, the motor generates the intermittently generated rotational force for a predetermined period of time and supplies the intermittently generated rotational force to the pump body, and after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the motor generates the normally generated rotational force and supplies the normally generated rotational force to the pump body.

[0011] With this configuration, when the pump body requires intermittent rotational force, the motor generates intermittent rotational force for a predetermined period, so that a large rotational force can be supplied only when a large rotational force is needed. Therefore, the material to be sprayed can be delivered with energy efficiency. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a spraying vehicle can be obtained that can efficiently pump fluid materials using an energy-efficient pump. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a spraying vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the spraying vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the spraying vehicle. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the rotational force generated by the motor and the rotational force required by the pump body. The rotational force generated by the motor is shown by a solid line, and the rotational force required by the pump body is shown by a dashed line. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the control in the same embodiment. [Figure 6]A flowchart illustrating control in another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] A spraying unit 1 and a spraying vehicle 2 having the spraying unit 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. For the sake of explanation, the front-rear direction and the up-down direction will be described based on the directions shown in Figure 1.

[0015] First, let's describe the spreading vehicle 2 on which the spreading unit 1 is installed. As shown in Figure 1, the spreading vehicle 2 comprises a drivable vehicle body 21, a cargo bed 22 provided on the vehicle body 21, and a snow removal unit 23 provided at the front end of the spreading vehicle 2. The spreading vehicle 2 in this embodiment is a wet salt spreading vehicle that spreads wet salt, which is sodium chloride mixed with water. The wet salt is spread on the road surface to prevent the road surface from freezing.

[0016] The vehicle body 21 mainly comprises a drive source (not shown) that supplies power to drive the spraying vehicle 2, and a box-shaped cabin 24 that forms the front end of the vehicle body 21. The drive source is, for example, an engine that generates power, and drives the spraying vehicle 2 by transmitting power as rotational force to the tires. In addition to being used to drive the spraying vehicle 2, the power supplied by the drive source is also used to drive devices mounted on the spraying vehicle 2, such as the spraying unit 1. The cabin 24 is a box-shaped body that houses equipment for operating the spraying vehicle 2, and is configured so that an operator of the spraying vehicle 2 can enter the cabin and drive the spraying vehicle 2.

[0017] The cargo bed section 22 is a plate-like body extending rearward from the cabin 24, and a device such as a spraying unit 1 can be mounted on its upper surface. The cargo bed section 22 is also provided with a power extraction device (not shown) for extracting power from the drive source. The power extraction device is, for example, a PTO shaft that extracts power as rotational force, and by connecting it to the mounted device, power from the drive source can be supplied to the mounted device.

[0018] The snow removal section 23 comprises a plate-shaped snow removal main body 25 that is provided at the front end of the spreading vehicle 2 and curved to be convex rearward, and a snow removal drive section 26 provided rearward of the snow removal main body 25. The snow removal main body 25 is a plate-shaped body configured to be capable of pushing snow located in front of the spreading vehicle 2 as the spreading vehicle 2 moves forward. The snow removal drive section 26 is configured to be capable of changing the angle of the snow removal main body 25 relative to the front-rear direction by moving the snow removal main body 25 in the up-down direction or rotating the snow removal main body 25 about an axis along the up-down direction. In the snow removal section 23 having such a configuration, when snow removal is required, the snow removal main body 25 is moved downward to bring the lower end portion into contact with or close proximity to the road surface, and by inclining the snow removal main body 25 relative to the front-rear direction, the pushed snow can be caused to flow along the snow removal main body 25 toward the road shoulder side. Note that the snow removal drive section 26 of the present embodiment is driven by power extracted from a drive source.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the spreading unit 1 comprises a storage section 3 for storing a spread material to be spread, a spreading device 4 for spreading the spread material, and a control section 5 for controlling the spreading unit 1. The spreading unit 1 also has an operation section 8 for operating the spreading unit 1. The operation section 8 is provided, for example, in the cabin 24, and is capable of inputting operations related to starting and stopping the driving of the spreading device, and operations related to starting or stopping the driving of the pump 62. In the present embodiment, the spreading unit 1 mixes and spreads, as spread materials, a first liquid spread material and a second granular or powdery solid spread material. Specifically, the first spread material is water, and the second spread material is sodium chloride. Further, the mixing ratio of the first spread material and the second spread material is set to a ratio at which the entire amount of sodium chloride as the second spread material cannot be completely dissolved in water as the first spread material. Furthermore, the spreading unit 1 of the present embodiment is mounted on the cargo bed section 22 of the spreading vehicle 2, and operates by receiving power from the spreading vehicle 2. The spreading unit 1 of the present embodiment is driven by power extracted from the drive source of the spreading vehicle 2 or by electric power supplied from a battery provided on the spreading vehicle 2.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the accommodating portion 3 includes an accommodating main body portion 31 that accommodates a material to be spread, a conveying portion 32 that conveys the material to be spread accommodated in the accommodating main body portion 31, and a detecting portion 33 that detects the amount of the material to be spread accommodated in the accommodating main body portion 31. The conveying portion 32 includes a conveying main body portion 34 that conveys the material to be spread, and a conveying adjustment portion 35 that is disposed in the middle of the conveying path of the conveying main body portion 34 and adjusts the amount of the material to be spread discharged from the accommodating portion 3. Further, the accommodating portion 3 includes a first accommodating portion 3A that accommodates a first material to be spread and a second accommodating portion 3B that accommodates a second material to be spread, and each of the first accommodating portion 3A and the second accommodating portion 3B includes the accommodating main body portion 31, the conveying portion 32, and the detecting portion 33. The accommodating portion 3 separately accommodates and conveys the first material to be spread and the second material to be spread so that the first material and the second material do not mix before reaching the spreading device 4.

[0021] The first accommodating portion 3A includes a tank 61 serving as the accommodating main body portion 31 that accommodates water, a pump 62 serving as the conveying portion 32 that conveys water, and a liquid amount detecting portion 63 that detects the amount of water accommodated in the tank 61.

[0022] The tank 61 is made of resin and forms a space capable of accommodating water therein. Further, the tank 61 is provided with a water supply portion 611 for filling water at an upper portion thereof. In the present embodiment, a total of four tanks 61 are provided, two at one end and two at the other end in the vehicle width direction of the loading platform. Further, the tanks 61 are connected to each other via pipes, and the water accommodated in the tanks flows back and forth through the pipes, so that the amount of water accommodated in each tank 61 is configured to be substantially equal.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the pump 62 includes a flow path 621 extending from the tank 61 to the spreading device 4, a pump main body 622 serving as the conveying main body portion 34 disposed in the middle of the flow path 621, a motor 624 that drives the pump main body 622, and a valve portion 623 serving as the conveying adjustment portion 35 disposed in the middle of the flow path 621. The flow path 621 is a pipe extending from the tank 61 to the spreading device 4, and water can flow through the inside thereof.

[0024] The pump body 622 is driven by external power and sends water from the tank 61 to the spraying device 4. In this embodiment, the pump body 622 rotates due to the rotational force supplied by the motor 624, and is configured to send water by this rotational motion. In addition, the pump body 622 in this embodiment operates at a constant output when sending water and stops operating when not sending water.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the valve section 623 is a valve body capable of opening and closing the flow path 621, and in this embodiment, it is a solenoid valve. The valve section 623 can open and close the flow path 621 between a completely closed state and a completely open state. In other words, the valve section 623 can adjust the amount of water flowing from the tank 61 to the flow path 621 by adjusting the degree of opening of the flow path 621.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, the motor 624 is configured to generate rotational force using power supplied from the vehicle body 21. The motor 624 in this embodiment is a hydraulic motor, and generates rotational force using hydraulic pressure supplied from the spraying vehicle 2. Specifically, the motor 624 includes a hydraulic receiving section 625 that receives hydraulic fluid from the vehicle body 21, a hydraulic valve (not shown) for adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625, and a motor body 626 that rotates using the hydraulic pressure received by the hydraulic receiving section 625 and outputs rotational force. The motor 624 converts the hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625 into rotational force. In this embodiment, hydraulic fluid is supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625 at a constant pressure, and the rotational force output by the motor body 626 changes depending on the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied. Specifically, when the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625 is large, the rotational force output by the motor body 626 becomes stronger, and when the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625 is small, the rotational force output by the motor body 626 becomes smaller. In other words, in this embodiment, the motor 624 adjusts the rotational force output by the motor body 626 by adjusting the amount of working oil supplied to the hydraulic receiving section 625 by the hydraulic valve.

[0027] Furthermore, the motor 624 can generate a normally generated rotational force B1, which is a rotational force that can be output continuously, and an intermittently generated rotational force B2, which can be generated temporarily. As shown in Figure 4, the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is stronger than the normally generated rotational force B1. Specifically, the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is 1.5 times stronger than the normally generated rotational force B1, and in this embodiment, it is 2 times stronger.

[0028] The normally generated rotational force B1 is such that even if it is driven continuously for a typical amount of time, the motor body 626 and the hydraulic bearing section 625 will not malfunction, for example, seize up. Specifically, it is such that the motor can be driven continuously for the amount of time it takes to pump the first spray material from a full tank 61 using the pump 62 until the tank 61 is empty.

[0029] The intermittently generated rotational force B2 is a rotational force that can be output continuously for a predetermined period L1. If the intermittently generated rotational force is output continuously for a predetermined period L1 or longer, there is a risk of malfunctions such as seizing in the motor body 626 or the hydraulic receiving part 625, but if it is output for only the predetermined period L1, it is a rotational force that can be output without malfunction. Furthermore, the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is a rotational force that, after being output, requires the motor to rotate at the normally generated rotational force B1 or to stop for a period longer than the time it was output. As will be described later, the motor body 626 can output the intermittently generated rotational force B2 continuously for a period longer than the period during which the motor body 626 temporarily requires the intermittently generated rotational force B2.

[0030] The pump body 622 requires a normal rotational force A1 and an intermittent rotational force A2 to be driven and to send the first spray material from the tank 61 to the spraying device. As shown in Figure 4, the intermittent rotational force A2 is stronger than the normal rotational force A1. Specifically, the intermittent rotational force A2 is 1.5 times stronger than the normal rotational force A1, and in this embodiment, it is 2 times stronger.

[0031] The normally required rotational force A1 is the rotational force required by the pump body 622 to deliver the first sprayed material when the pump body 622 is operating stably. In other words, the normally required rotational force A1 is the rotational force that needs to be supplied to the pump body 622 in addition to the rotational force required by the pump body 622 to deliver the first sprayed material when the pump body 622 is operating stably. The normally required rotational force A1 is the rotational force that is continuously required to deliver the first sprayed material.

[0032] The intermittently required rotational force A2 is the rotational force temporarily required by the pump body 622 to deliver the first spray material. The intermittently required rotational force A2 is a rotational force that is temporarily greater than the normally required rotational force A1 and is needed when the pump body 622 cannot deliver the first spray material even if the normally required rotational force A1 is supplied. The intermittently required rotational force A2 is a rotational force that, when supplied to the pump body 622 for a predetermined period L1, can eliminate the cause of the pump body 622 being unable to deliver the first spray material even if the normally required rotational force A1 is supplied. The cause of the pump body 622 being unable to deliver the first spray material even if the normally required rotational force A1 is supplied is, for example, that the pump body 622 encounters strong resistance when starting the pump 62, requiring a relatively large force to drive the pump body 622 against this resistance, or that the flow path 621 or the pump body 622 is clogged with the first spray material, etc.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, the normally required rotational force A1 is smaller than the normally generated rotational force B1. Therefore, when the pump body 622 requires the normally required rotational force A1 to deliver the first spray material, the pump body 622 can be driven and deliver the first spray material by being supplied with the normally generated rotational force B1 from the motor 624. Also, the intermittently required rotational force A2 is smaller than the intermittently generated rotational force B2. Therefore, when the pump body 622 requires the intermittently required rotational force A2 to deliver the first spray material, the pump body 622 can be driven and deliver the first spray material by being supplied with the intermittently generated rotational force B2 from the motor 624, thereby eliminating the cause that would prevent the pump body 622 from delivering the first spray material even if the normally required rotational force A1 were provided.

[0034] The difference between the normally required rotational force A1 and the normally generated rotational force B1 is smaller than the difference between the normally required rotational force A1 and the intermittently required rotational force A2, and smaller than the difference between the intermittently required rotational force A2 and the normally generated rotational force B1. Furthermore, the difference between the normally required rotational force A1 and the normally generated rotational force B1 is smaller than the difference between the normally generated rotational force B1 and the intermittently generated rotational force B2.

[0035] The difference between the intermittently required rotational force A2 and the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is smaller than the difference between the intermittently required rotational force A2 and the normally required rotational force A1, and also smaller than the difference between the intermittently required rotational force A2 and the normally generated rotational force B1. Furthermore, the difference between the intermittently required rotational force A2 and the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is smaller than the difference between the normally generated rotational force B1 and the intermittently generated rotational force B2.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the liquid level detection unit 63 is a water level gauge installed in the tank 61. The liquid level detection unit 63 detects the water level in the tank 61 and can output the detected result to the control unit 5. The liquid level detection unit 63 in this embodiment can detect the state from when the tank 61 is full to when it is empty, and is configured to detect the lowest water level when the tank 61 is empty. In other words, the liquid level detection unit 63 can detect when the tank 61 is empty. Note that when the tank 61 is empty, it includes not only the state in which there is no water at all in the tank 61, but also the state in which a small amount of water remains, but only an amount that cannot be pumped by the pump 62.

[0037] The second storage section 3B includes a hopper 71 as a storage body 31 for storing sodium chloride, a conveying device 72 as a conveying section 32 for transporting sodium chloride, and a remaining amount detection unit (not shown) for detecting the amount of sodium chloride stored in the hopper 71.

[0038] The hopper 71 is a box-shaped body capable of temporarily storing sodium chloride inside. Specifically, the hopper 71 is a box-shaped body with an open top, allowing sodium chloride to be poured in from the top and discharged from the bottom. The hopper 71 of this embodiment is equipped with a lid (not shown) that can open and close the top opening. Furthermore, the hopper 71 of this embodiment can discharge the sodium chloride contained inside to the outside via a conveying device 72. Specifically, the hopper 71 has a discharge port 71a formed at the bottom for discharging sodium chloride. The discharge port 71a is a hole formed on the side of the hopper 71. The hopper 71 is positioned between the tanks 61 located at both ends in the vehicle width direction.

[0039] The conveying device 72 includes a belt conveyor 721 as a conveying main body 34 for conveying sodium chloride, and a shutter 722 as a conveying adjustment unit 35 positioned in the middle of the conveying path of the sodium chloride being conveyed by the belt conveyor 721. The conveying device 72 extends from inside the hopper 71 to the dispensing device 4 and is configured to carry the sodium chloride inside the hopper 71 to the dispensing device 4.

[0040] The belt conveyor 721 is installed at the lower end inside the hopper 71 and has a belt that extends from inside the hopper 71 through the discharge port 71a to the external spreading device 4. By driving the belt, the sodium chloride placed on the belt can be transported to the outside of the hopper 71. The belt conveyor 721 is driven by power supplied from the vehicle body 21 (power taken from a power source or electricity supplied from a battery).

[0041] The shutter 722 comprises a shutter body 724 that restricts the movement of sodium chloride being transported on the belt conveyor 721 downstream in the transport direction, and a shutter drive unit 723 that drives the shutter body 724. The shutter 722 in this embodiment is provided to open and close the discharge port 71a of the hopper 71. The shutter body 724 is plate-shaped with a surface that extends in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and contacts the transported sodium chloride to restrict its movement downstream. The shutter drive unit 723 drives the shutter body 724 to move toward and away from the belt conveyor 721. When the transport path is most closed, the shutter drive unit 723 can move the shutter body 724 to a position where its lower end is in contact with the belt conveyor 721, and when the transport path is most open, it can move the shutter body 724 to a position where the entire area of ​​the discharge port 71a is open. In other words, the shutter 722 adjusts the amount of sodium chloride flowing out of the hopper 71. In this embodiment, when the shutter body 724 is in contact with the belt conveyor 721, the entire area of ​​the discharge port 71a is closed by the shutter body 724.

[0042] The spraying device 4 comprises a chute 41 from which the material to be sprayed is supplied from the transport unit 32, and a spraying body 42 connected to the lower end of the chute 41, which sprays the material supplied from the chute 41. The spraying device 4 is installed at the rear end of the spraying vehicle 2 and mainly sprays the material behind the spraying vehicle 2. In this embodiment, the spraying device 4 performs wet spraying, in which water, which is the first spraying material, is mixed with sodium chloride, which is the second spraying material, and sprayed.

[0043] The chute 41 is a cylindrical shape extending vertically, and is configured so that the material introduced into the top moves downward by gravity and is discharged from the bottom. Specifically, both the pump 62 of the first containment section 3A and the conveying device 72 of the second containment section 3B are connected to the chute 41, and both water as the first material to be sprayed and sodium chloride as the second material to be sprayed are supplied to it, and the supplied water and sodium chloride move downward inside the chute 41 by gravity. The chute 41 also serves as a mixing section that mixes the supplied first material and the second material to be sprayed. In the chute 41 of this embodiment, the water and sodium chloride mix due to the force of their falling inside the chute 41 and the force of their transport from the conveying section 32. Furthermore, when we say that the first and second spraying materials are mixed, it does not mean that they are mixed in a uniform ratio, but rather that they are mixed to the extent that they can be sprayed together. In this embodiment, this means that the sodium chloride, which is the second spraying material, is completely mixed with the water, which is the first spraying material, and the sodium chloride is in a moist state.

[0044] The spraying unit 42 is driven by power and sprays the supplied material by mainly throwing it backward. Specifically, the spraying unit 42 comprises a shaft that is driven by power and a disc-shaped disc connected to the shaft. The shaft extends vertically and rotates around a vertically extending pivot axis by power supplied from the vehicle body 21 (power taken from a power source or electricity supplied from a battery), causing the disc to rotate coaxially. The material supplied from the chute 41 is supplied to the upper surface of the disc and rests on the disc, and is sprayed backward by the rotation of the disc.

[0045] The control unit 5 controls the spraying unit 1 based on information received from the vehicle body 21 and information received from each part of the spraying unit 1. Specifically, the control unit 5 controls the storage unit 3 and the spraying device 4 to adjust the amount of spray material sprayed per unit time and the area over which the spray material is sprayed. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 controls the spraying unit 1 based on the movement speed of the spraying vehicle 2 and the remaining amount of spray material stored in the storage unit 31.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the control unit 5 controls the pump 62. Specifically, the control unit 5 controls the motor 624 to change the rotational force supplied to the pump body 622 according to the rotational force required for the pump body 622 to deliver the first sprayed material. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 controls the hydraulic valve according to the rotational force required for the pump body 622 to deliver the first sprayed material, switching the rotational force generated by the motor 624 between a normally generated rotational force B1 and an intermittently generated rotational force B2.

[0047] Specifically, the control unit 5 controls the motor 624 to continuously generate an intermittent rotational force B2 for a predetermined period L1 and supply it to the pump body 622 when the pump body 622 temporarily requires a strong rotational force, and then controls the motor body 626 to generate a normal rotational force B1 and supply it to the pump body 622 after the predetermined period L1 has elapsed. In this embodiment, since the pump body 622 requires an intermittent rotational force A2 when it starts up, the control unit 5 controls the motor 624 to generate an intermittent rotational force B2 and supply it to the pump body 622 when the pump body 622 starts up.

[0048] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the control unit 5 performs intermittent generation control S1, time confirmation control S2, normal generation control S3, drive confirmation control S4, and error processing S5.

[0049] Intermittent generation control S1 is a control that generates an intermittent rotational force B2 in the motor 624 at timing A when the pump 62 is started. Specifically, in intermittent generation control S1, at timing A when the pump 62 is started, the hydraulic valve is opened and controlled to supply an amount of working oil to the hydraulic receiving section 625 sufficient to allow the motor 624 to generate an intermittent rotational force B2. At timing A when the pump 62 is started, the pump body 622 requires an intermittent rotational force A2 to deliver the first sprayed material.

[0050] Time confirmation control S2 is a control that confirms that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of intermittent generation control S1. The time confirmed in time confirmation control S2 is the same as the predetermined period L1 in intermittent generation control S1 for motor 624. In time confirmation control S2, if the predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of intermittent generation control S1 (NO in time confirmation control S2), time confirmation control S2 is repeated. In this embodiment, at timing C, when the predetermined period L1 has elapsed from the startup timing, it is confirmed in time confirmation control S2 that the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in time confirmation control S2), and the system proceeds to normal generation control S3.

[0051] Here, as shown in Figure 4, when the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is continuously supplied to the pump body 622 for a predetermined period L1, the cause of the pump body 622 being unable to deliver the first spray material is eliminated, and the pump body 622 becomes able to deliver the first spray material by being supplied with the normally required rotational force A1. In this embodiment, when the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is continuously supplied for a predetermined period L1 from the start of driving the pump 62, the state in which the pump body 622 receives strong resistance at the initial stage of driving the pump 62 is eliminated, and the pump body 622 becomes able to deliver the first spray material with the normally required rotational force A1. Thus, at timing B between timing A when the pump 62 is started and timing C when the predetermined period L1 has elapsed, the state in which the pump body 622 requires the intermittently required rotational force A2 to drive changes to a state in which it requires the normally required rotational force A1.

[0052] Normal generation control S3 is a control that switches the motor 624 from a state in which it generates intermittent rotational force B2 to a state in which it generates normal rotational force B1 at timing C, after a predetermined period L1 has elapsed from timing A when the pump 62 is started. Specifically, in normal generation control S3, the opening of the hydraulic valve is reduced, and the amount of working oil supplied to the motor 624 to the hydraulic receiving section 625 is reduced so that the motor 624 is supplied with an amount of working oil sufficient to generate the normal rotational force B1. At timing C, as described above, the pump body 622 normally requires the necessary rotational force A1 to deliver the first sprayed material.

[0053] The drive confirmation control S4 is a control that, after performing the normal generation control S3, confirms whether the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material. In the drive confirmation control S4, for example, it is possible to confirm whether the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material based on the flow rate of the first spray material detected by the flow meter placed in the flow path 621, or based on the change in the liquid volume in the tank 61 detected by the liquid volume detection unit 63. If the drive confirmation control S4 confirms that the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material (YES in the drive confirmation control S4), the control unit 5 continues the normal generation control S3 until the driving of the pump 62 is completed, and the motor 624 continues to generate the normal generation rotational force B1 and supply it to the pump body 622. If the drive confirmation control S4 does not confirm that the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material (NO in the drive confirmation control S4), the control unit 5 proceeds to error processing S5.

[0054] Error processing S5 is a control that determines that a malfunction has occurred in the pump 62 and stops the drive of the pump 62 when the pump body 622 is unable to deliver the first sprayed material despite being supplied with the required rotational force A2 intermittently for a predetermined period L1 and then with the required rotational force A1. In this embodiment, the motor 624 and the pump body 622 are stopped by closing the hydraulic valve and stopping the supply of working oil to the hydraulic receiving section 625. Error processing S5 also notifies the operator that a malfunction has occurred in the drive of the pump 62.

[0055] With the spraying vehicle 2 configured as described above, in the series of drives for sending the spraying material from the tank 61, the rotational force supplied by the motor 624 is changed according to the required rotational force of the pump body 622. This prevents the motor 624 from supplying excessive rotational force compared to the rotational force required by the pump body 622. Therefore, the spraying material can be sent with energy efficiency.

[0056] Furthermore, since a motor 624 with a normally generated rotational force B1 smaller than the intermittently required rotational force A2 can be used, a smaller motor 624 can be used. Therefore, it becomes possible to deliver the sprayed material energy-efficiently while suppressing the increase in the size of the device.

[0057] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to one example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0058] For example, although the spraying unit 1 was described as spraying a mixture of the first and second spraying materials, it is not limited to this configuration. It can also be configured to spray only a single spraying material, to spray a mixture of three or more types of spraying materials, or to spray multiple types of spraying materials without mixing them. In the case of a configuration that sprays only a single spraying material, for example, the spraying unit 1 can be configured to spray only water. Alternatively, the spraying unit 1 for watering can be installed on the spraying vehicle 2, and the spraying vehicle 2 can be configured as a watering vehicle.

[0059] Furthermore, although the spraying unit 1 has been described in the case of spraying water and sodium chloride, it is not limited to this configuration and can also be configured to spray other liquids, powders, or granules. For example, when the spraying unit 1 is used to prevent road surface freezing, de-icing agents or thawing agents such as calcium chloride can be sprayed instead of sodium chloride. It can also be configured to spray materials other than de-icing agents, such as anti-slip materials like crushed stone or burnt sand.

[0060] Furthermore, although the example described uses the case where the mixing section is the chute 41, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the spraying main body 42 can be configured as the mixing section, and the first and second spraying materials can be mixed on the disc.

[0061] Furthermore, although the motor 624 was described using the example of a hydraulic motor, it is not limited to this configuration, and can also be configured as an electric motor that is driven by receiving power. Even in such a configuration, if the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is generated continuously for a predetermined period L1 or longer, there is a risk that the motor body 626 may burn out due to overheating or that the internal wiring may be damaged. Therefore, similar to the hydraulic motor described above, it is possible to configure the motor to generate a normally generated rotational force B1 and an intermittently generated rotational force B2 that can only be generated for a predetermined period L1.

[0062] Furthermore, although the explanation was given using the case where the material to be sprayed by pump 62 is water, the system is not limited to this case. Liquids such as aqueous solutions, or fluid solids such as powders and granules can also be used as the spraying material. In such cases, a pump 62 appropriate to the spraying material can be selected.

[0063] Furthermore, although the explanation described an example where the rotational force generated by motor 624 can be changed in two stages, it is not limited to this case, and configurations that allow for three stages or continuous change are also possible.

[0064] Furthermore, the pump body 622 requires intermittent rotational force A2 at startup, and the control unit 5 supplied intermittent rotational force B2 to the pump body 622 during a predetermined period L1 at the time of pump 62 startup, as described in the example, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, after the pump 62 has started up and is running stably, the motor 624 can be configured to supply intermittent rotational force B2 to the pump body 622 when the pump body 622 requires intermittent rotational force A2.

[0065] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 5 can be configured to perform required rotational force confirmation control S6, intermittent generation control S1, time confirmation control S2, normal generation control S3, drive confirmation control S4, and error processing S5.

[0066] The required rotational force confirmation control S6 is a control that monitors the rotational force required for the pump body 622 to drive and deliver the first sprayed material. In the required rotational force confirmation control S6 of this embodiment, the control determines whether the pump body 622 requires intermittent required rotational force A2. Specifically, the required rotational force confirmation control S6 monitors whether the pump body 622 is able to deliver the first sprayed material when it is supplied with the normally generated rotational force B1 from the motor 624, and if it is not able to deliver the first sprayed material, it determines that intermittent required rotational force A2 is required. Methods for monitoring whether the first sprayed material is being delivered include, for example, monitoring changes in the flow rate of the first sprayed material flowing through the flow path 621, sensing the magnitude of the resistance experienced by the pump body 622, and monitoring the amount of drive of the pump body 622. In the required rotational force confirmation control S6, if it is determined that intermittent required rotational force A2 is required (YES in required rotational force confirmation control S6), the system proceeds to intermittent generation control S1. If it is determined that intermittent required rotational force A2 is not required (NO in required rotational force confirmation control S6), the required rotational force confirmation control S6 is repeated. One method for monitoring the drive amount of the pump body 622 is to monitor the hydraulic pressure value of the hydraulic motor. When monitoring the hydraulic pressure value of the hydraulic motor, for example, if the hydraulic pressure value becomes relatively lower than the hydraulic pressure value when the pump body 622 is operating normally, or if it falls below a predetermined hydraulic pressure value, it can be determined that the hydraulic motor is idling, and the supply of hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic motor can be cut off to stop the drive of the pump body 622. With such a configuration, damage due to idling of the hydraulic motor (for example, seizure of the hydraulic motor impeller) can be suppressed.

[0067] Intermittent generation control S1 is a control that generates an intermittent rotational force B2 in the motor 624 when it is determined that an intermittent rotational force A2 is required. The specific control in intermittent generation control S1 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0068] Time confirmation control S2 is a control that confirms that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of intermittent generation control S1. The specific control in time confirmation control S2 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0069] Here, when the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is supplied to the pump body 622 for a predetermined period L1, the cause of the pump body 622 being unable to deliver the first spray material is resolved, and the pump body 622 becomes able to deliver the first spray material by being supplied with the normally required rotational force A1. For example, if the intermittently generated rotational force B2 is continuously supplied to the pump 62 for a predetermined period L1 from the start of operation of the pump 62, any blockages that have occurred in the pump 62 or the flow path 621 are resolved, and the pump body 622 becomes able to deliver the first spray material with the normally required rotational force A1. In this way, when the pump body 622 is continuously supplied with the intermittently generated rotational force B2 for a predetermined period L1, the state in which the pump body 622 requires the intermittently required rotational force A2 to operate changes to a state in which it requires the normally required rotational force A1.

[0070] The normal generation control S3 is a control that switches the motor 624 from a state in which it generates intermittent rotational force B2 to a state in which it generates normal rotational force B1 at a predetermined period L1 elapsed from the start of the intermittent generation control S1. The specific control in the normal generation control S3 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0071] The drive confirmation control S4 is a control that, after the normal generation control S3 has been performed, confirms whether the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material. In the drive confirmation control S4, for example, it is possible to confirm whether the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material based on the flow rate of the first spray material detected by the flow meter placed in the flow path 621, or based on the change in the liquid volume in the tank 61 detected by the liquid volume detection unit 63. If the drive confirmation control S4 confirms that the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material (YES in the drive confirmation control S4), the control unit 5 proceeds to the required rotational force monitoring control. If the drive confirmation control S4 does not confirm that the pump 62 is driven and able to deliver the first spray material (NO in the drive confirmation control S4), the control unit 5 proceeds to the error processing S5.

[0072] Error processing S5 is a control that determines that a malfunction has occurred in the pump 62 and stops the operation of the pump 62 if the pump body 622 is unable to deliver the first sprayed material even after being supplied with the required rotational force A2 intermittently for a predetermined period L1 and then with the required rotational force A1. The specific control in error processing S5 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0073] As described above, even if the motor 624 supplies intermittently generated rotational force B2 to the pump body 622 when the pump body 622 requires intermittently necessary rotational force A2 after the pump 622 has started and is running stably, the rotational force supplied by the motor 624 is changed according to the rotational force required by the pump body 622, so it is possible to suppress the motor 624 from supplying excessive rotational force compared to the rotational force required by the pump body 622. Therefore, the material to be sprayed can be delivered with energy efficiency. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1...Spreading unit, 2...Spreading vehicle, 21...Vehicle body, 22...Cargo bed, 23...Snow removal unit, 24...Cabin, 25...Snow removal main unit, 26...Snow removal drive unit, 3...Storage unit, 3A...First storage unit, 3B...Second storage unit, 31...Storage main unit, 32...Conveying unit, 33...Detection unit, 34...Conveying main unit, 35...Conveying adjustment unit, 4...Spreading device, 41...Cute, 42...Spreading main unit, 5...Control unit, 61...Tank, 611...Water supply unit, 62...Pump, 621...Flow path, 622...Pump body, 623...Valve unit, 624...Motor 625...Hydraulic receiving section, 626...Motor body, 63...Liquid volume detection section, 71...Hopper, 71a...Discharge port, 72...Conveying device, 721...Belt conveyor, 722...Shutter, 723...Shutter drive unit, 724...Shutter body, 8...Operation section, A1...Normal required rotational force, A2...Intermittent required rotational force, B1...Normally generated rotational force, B2...Intermittently generated rotational force, L1...Determined period, S1...Intermittent generation control, S2...Time confirmation control, S3...Normal generation control, S4...Drive confirmation control, S5...Error processing, S6...Required rotational force confirmation control

Claims

1. A spraying vehicle for spraying fluid materials, The system comprises a vehicle body, a tank provided on the vehicle body for containing the material to be sprayed, a spraying device for spraying the material, a pump for sending the material from the tank to the spraying device, and a control unit for controlling the pump. The pump comprises a pump body that receives rotational force to drive and send the sprayed material, and a motor that supplies rotational force to the pump body. The control unit controls the motor to change the rotational force supplied by the motor in accordance with the rotational force required for the pump body to deliver the material in the tank, during a series of drives for delivering the material in the tank, in a spraying vehicle.

2. The motor is capable of generating a normal rotational force that can be generated continuously, and an intermittent rotational force that is greater than the normal rotational force and can be generated only for a predetermined period of time. The pump body requires a normal rotational force normally necessary to move the sprayed material, and an intermittent rotational force greater than the normal rotational force and temporarily necessary to move the sprayed material. The spraying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the motor to generate the intermittently generated rotational force for a predetermined period of time when the pump body requires the intermittently required rotational force, and to supply the intermittently generated rotational force to the pump body, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, the motor generates the normally generated rotational force and supplies the normally generated rotational force to the pump body.

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