Working machine

Abstract

To provide a work machine which includes an end detection unit that detects that a work device has reached either end of a transverse feed mechanism.SOLUTION: A transverse feed mechanism 3 of a work device 20 includes a transverse feed shaft 30 and a mobile body 31. The mobile body 31 is connected to the work device 20. A detection object part 51 which moves laterally together with the mobile body 31 and the work device 20 is provided. A sensor 52 which detects the position of the detection object part 51 in the lateral movement direction is provided in a support member 21 that is stopped in relation to the work device 20. The sensor 52 has a contactor 52a that comes into contact with the detection object part 51 following the lateral movement of the work device 20. A work machine includes an end detection unit that detects that the work device 20 has reached either end of a transverse feed mechanism 3 on the basis of detection information generated by the contact between the detection object part 51 and the contactor 52a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine having a working part connected to the rear of the machine body.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a rice transplanter including a traveling machine body equipped with an engine as an example of a working machine, and a seedling planting device driven by power transmitted from the engine. The seedling planting device includes a seedling placing table on which mat-shaped seedlings are placed, and the seedling placing table is configured to be reciprocally laterally movable in the left-right direction. In this type of working machine, when placing mat-shaped seedlings on the seedling placing table, it may be necessary to perform a centering operation of moving the seedling placing table to one of the left or right ends in advance. The rice transplanter shown in this Patent Document 1 is provided with a centering switch for detecting that the seedling placing table has reached one of the left or right ends, and is configured to automatically end the centering operation when the centering switch is activated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the working machine of Patent Document 1, engine power shifted by a continuously variable transmission mechanism is input to a transmission case in the seedling planting device via a PTO shaft, so as to drive each planting device and a lateral feeding mechanism for the seedling placing table in the left-right direction. And the stop position of the seedling placing table during the centering operation is detected at one location corresponding to the end of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table by an end switch fixed at a specific position. Therefore, for example, when the engine speed becomes too high or conversely too low, and the lateral feed speed of the seedling mounting table changes more than expected, there is a risk that the inertia of the movement of the seedling mounting table will change significantly. In this case, it is conceivable that the actual stop position after the detection of the end position will deviate from the planned stop position. Then, there is a possibility that there will be an excess or deficiency in the amount of seedlings taken during the subsequent planting operation.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a working machine provided with an end detection unit that detects that the working device has reached either the left or right end in the lateral feed mechanism.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The working machine of the present invention comprises a machine body, and a working unit connected to the rear of the machine body. The working unit is provided with a working device that can reciprocate in the left - right direction by a lateral feed mechanism. The lateral feed mechanism is provided with a lateral feed shaft extending left - right and a moving body that reciprocates on the lateral feed shaft. The moving body is connected to the working device, and a detected portion that moves horizontally integrally with the moving body and the working device is provided. A sensor that detects the position of the detected portion in the horizontal movement direction is provided on a support member that is stationary with respect to the working device in the working unit. The sensor is provided with a contact that comes into contact with the detected portion as the working device moves horizontally. Based on the detection information generated by the contact between the detected portion and the contact, it is characterized in that it is provided with an end detection unit that detects that the working device has reached either the left or right end in the lateral feed mechanism.

[0007] According to the present invention, the sensor can detect that the working device has reached either the left or right end in the lateral feed mechanism based on the detection information generated by the contact between the detected portion and the contact.

[0008] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, The transverse feed shaft is driven to rotate, The support member supports the working device, The sensor is disposed at an end portion within the lateral movement range of the working device.

[0009] According to this means, an end portion within the lateral movement range of the working device can be detected.

[0010] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a transverse feed calculation unit is provided that calculates the transverse feed speed of the transverse feed mechanism based on the amount of movement of the contactor from the detection by the end portion detection unit.

[0011] According to this means, the transverse feed speed of the transverse feed mechanism can be calculated.

[0012] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the working device is a seedling placing table, and the support member is a seedling placing table support member that supports the seedling placing table.

[0013] According to this means, an end portion of the seedling placing table can be detected.

[0014] The working machine of the present invention includes a transverse feed mechanism that reciprocates the seedling placing table in the left - right direction, a seedling planting mechanism that takes out the seedlings mounted on the seedling placing table and plants them in the field, and a seedling placing table control unit that controls the operation of the transverse feed mechanism, the transverse feed mechanism includes a transverse feed shaft that is driven to rotate, and a moving body that is reciprocally driven on the transverse feed shaft as the transverse feed shaft rotates, the moving body is connected to the seedling placing table, and a detected portion that moves laterally integrally with the moving body and the seedling placing table is provided, a sensor that detects the position of the detected portion in the lateral movement direction is provided on a seedling placing table support member that supports the seedling placing table, the sensor includes a contactor that contacts the detected portion as the seedling placing table moves laterally, The contact is configured to be capable of contact movement within a detection region that extends from a position near the end in the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table and closer to the center of the lateral movement range than the end, to the end position that is the end of the lateral movement range. Based on the detection information obtained by the contact within the detection region, a stop command for the seedling placing table is output from the seedling placing table control unit to the cross-feed mechanism.

[0015] According to the present invention, the contact of the sensor does not contact the detected portion only at the end position within the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table. Instead, the contact is configured to be capable of contact movement within a detection region that extends from a position near the end in the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table and closer to the center of the lateral movement range than the end, to the end position that is the end of the lateral movement range. Therefore, the detection region by the contact becomes wider compared to the case where detection is performed only at the end position. And based on the detection information obtained by the contact within the wide detection region, a stop command for the seedling placing table is output from the seedling placing table control unit to the cross-feed mechanism. Thus, there is an advantage that it is easy to stop the seedling placing table accurately while predicting the position where it stops at the end.

[0016] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is a potentiometer, and the stop command is output based on the detection result of the rotation amount of the contact within the detection region.

[0017] According to this means, the rotation amount of the contact within the detection region is detected by the potentiometer, and based on the detection result, it is easy to stop the seedling placing table accurately while predicting the position where it stops at the end.

[0018] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is a potentiometer, and the stop command is output based on the detection result of the angular velocity of the contact within the detection region.

[0019] According to this means, it is easy to quickly and accurately stop the seedling placing table while predicting the position where the seedling placing table stops at the end by detecting the rotation amount of the contact in the detection area with a potentiometer.

[0020] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the sensor is provided at a location for detecting one end of the lateral movement range.

[0021] According to this means, it is easy to accurately stop the seedling placing table at the end with reference to one end of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table.

[0022] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the sensor is provided at a location for detecting both ends of the lateral movement range.

[0023] According to this means, it is easy to accurately stop the seedling placing table at the end with reference to both ends of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table.

[0024] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the sensor is attached via a mounting stay attached upward to the tool bar in the seedling placing table support member.

[0025] According to this means, the tool bar is used as a mounting means for the sensor to simplify the sensor mounting structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a working machine according to the present invention will be described based on the description in the drawings. In addition, the front-back direction and the left-right direction in the description of this embodiment are described as follows unless otherwise specified. That is, when the riding type rice transplanter, which is an example of a working machine to which the present invention is applied, is running, the forward traveling direction on the forward side (refer to the arrow F in FIG. 1) is "front", the traveling direction to the reverse side (refer to the arrow B in FIG. 1) is "rear", and the direction corresponding to the right side based on the forward posture in the front-back direction (refer to the arrow R in FIG. 2) is "right", and similarly, the direction corresponding to the left side (refer to the arrow L in FIG. 2) is "left".

[0028] 〔Overall Configuration〕 The overall configuration of the riding type rice transplanter will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the riding type rice transplanter includes a traveling machine body 1 supported by right and left front wheels 1F and right and left rear wheels 1R. At the rear part of the traveling machine body 1, a six-row seedling planting device 2 is arranged. The seedling planting device 2 is supported so as to be vertically movable via a link mechanism 16 provided at the rear part of the traveling machine body 1 and a hydraulic cylinder 17 for lifting operation.

[0029] An engine 10 is provided at the front part of the traveling machine body 1. The power of the engine 10 is transmitted to a main transmission 12 composed of a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission via a belt transmission mechanism 11. The power shifted by the main transmission 12 is transmitted to the front wheels 1F and the rear wheels 1R as traveling devices via a gear type sub-transmission (not shown) in a transmission case 13 arranged on the lower transmission side and other gear type transmission mechanisms and the like. At the same time, the power output from the transmission case 13 is also transmitted to the seedling planting device 2 via a planting transmission shaft 14.

[0030] On the traveling body 1, a control unit 15 is provided on the rear side of the engine 10. In addition to a steering handle 15a, a driver's seat 15b, and a main transmission lever 15c, various operating tools are arranged on the control unit 15.

[0031] 〔Seedling planting device〕 The seedling planting device 2 includes a seedling placing table 20 on which a mat-shaped seedling for planting is placed, and a planting main frame 21 (corresponding to a seedling placing table support member) that supports the seedling placing table 20. A feed case 22 to which the power on the traveling body 1 side is transmitted via a planting transmission shaft 14 is integrally attached to the planting main frame 21. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the planting main frame 21, which is a seedling placing table support member, includes a tool bar 23 that is long in the left-right direction and a plurality (three in this embodiment) of planting transmission cases 24 that are long in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the front end portion of the planting transmission case 24 is welded and fixed to the rear portion of the tool bar 23 to form the integrated planting main frame 21.

[0032] A plurality (six in this embodiment) of seedling planting mechanisms 25 for taking out seedlings one by one from the lower end of the seedling placing table 20 and planting them in the field are provided at the rear portion of the planting transmission case 24 extending rearward from the rear portion of the tool bar 23. The seedling planting mechanism 25 is configured in a well-known rotary planting claw type having planting claws 25b at both ends of a rotary arm 25a that rotates around a rotation axis in the left-right direction. Below the planting main frame 21, a float 26 for leveling the field surface and the like are provided.

[0033] The feed case 22 is provided at the central position in the left-right direction of the planting main frame 21 and is supported so as to be rotatable around a front-rear axis (not shown) provided at the rear portion of the link mechanism 16. The driving force from the engine 10 side input to the feed case 22 is distributed to a lateral feed mechanism 3 that laterally feeds the seedling placing table 20 and a vertical feed drive mechanism 4 that drives a vertical feed belt 40 that vertically feeds the mat-shaped seedlings placed on the seedling placing table 20 toward the seedling outlet 20b side. In the feed case 22, a planting clutch 27 is provided for interrupting the power transmission to the cross-feed mechanism 3 and the longitudinal feed drive mechanism 4.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 3, the seedling placing table 20 is provided with six seedling placing portions 20a arranged in the left-right direction. The lower end of the seedling placing table 20 is supported by a plurality of planting transmission cases 24 via a sliding rail 28 or the like. The upper part of the seedling placing table 20 is supported by a column erected from the planting main frame 21 and a guide rail (not shown) provided at the upper part of the column, and is configured to be horizontally movable in the left-right direction. A seedling take-out port 20b for taking out one plant of seedlings by the planting claw 25b is formed at the lower end of the seedling placing table 20 and the sliding rail 28.

[0035] 〔Cross-feed mechanism〕 As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cross-feed mechanism 3 is provided across the feed case 22 and the seedling placing table 20. That is, as shown in Fig. 2, a cross-feed shaft 30 extends outward from the left side of the feed case 22. The cross-feed shaft 30 is provided with a well-known endless spiral groove 30a on the extending shaft portion protruding outside the feed case 22. And a piece member 31 (corresponding to a moving body) that engages with the endless spiral groove 30a and is guided along the extending shaft portion is provided, and this piece member 31 is detachably connected to a fixed linking member 29 on the back side (front side in the machine advancing direction) of the seedling placing portion 20a in the seedling placing table 20 via a connecting bolt 29a.

[0036] That is, the cross-feed mechanism 3 is constituted by the above-mentioned cross-feed shaft 30 and the piece member 31. With the driving rotation of the cross-feed shaft 30 in this cross-feed mechanism 3, the piece member 31 engaged with the endless spiral groove 30a is reciprocally driven in the left-right direction with a constant stroke. Thereby, the seedling placing table 20 connected to the piece member 31 is also reciprocally driven in the left-right direction with a constant stroke. The extending end of the cross-feed shaft 30 is rotatably supported by a support leg member 23a fixed on the tool bar 23.

[0037] [Vertical feeding drive mechanism] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, on the right side of the feed case 22, a vertical feeding drive mechanism 4 is provided for driving a vertical feeding belt 40 as a vertical feeding device provided in each of the seedling placing portions 20a of the seedling placing table 20. The vertical feeding drive mechanism 4 includes a vertical feeding drive shaft 41 extending rightward and outward in a direction opposite to the extending direction of the lateral feeding shaft 30. A vertical feeding arm 42 is provided on the vertical feeding drive shaft 41 at an interval corresponding to a constant stroke during the lateral movement of the seedling placing table 20. The extending end portion of the vertical feeding drive shaft 41 is also rotatably supported by a support leg member 23b fixed on the tool bar 23.

[0038] On the side of the seedling placing table 20, an operated arm (not shown) that rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 40a of the vertical feeding belt 40 is provided. This operated arm reciprocates left and right by the same amount as the seedling placing table 20 in conjunction with the left and right reciprocating movement of the seedling placing table 20. With this structure, when the seedling placing table 20 reaches any end of the left and right reciprocating movement range, the operated arm is kicked up by the vertical feeding arm 42 of the vertical feeding drive shaft 41. Along with this, the rotating shaft 40a integrated with the operated arm is rotationally driven by a predetermined amount, and the vertical feeding belt 40 is vertically fed by a predetermined amount corresponding to one plant of the mat-shaped seedlings.

[0039] [First embodiment of the centering device] In the seedling planting device 2 (corresponding to the working part) of the present invention, when placing the mat-shaped seedlings on the seedling placing table 20 (corresponding to the working device), a centering device 5 is provided for performing an operation (centering operation) of moving the seedling placing table 20 to either the left or right end. This centering device 5 starts the centering operation by pressing a centering switch 50 provided at an appropriate position of the control unit 15 in the running stop state of the traveling machine body 1, and moves the seedling placing table 20 to either the left or right end and automatically stops at that end position.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the side shifting device 5 includes a detected portion 51 that moves horizontally integrally with the seedling placing table 20 that is reciprocally driven left and right together with the side shifting switch 50, a sensor 52 that detects the position of the detected portion 51, and a seedling placing table control unit 53 into which a detection signal from the sensor 52 is input.

[0041] The sensor 52 that detects the position of the detected portion 51 in the horizontal movement direction is provided on the planting main frame 21 (corresponding to the support member) that is stopped with respect to the seedling placing table 20 in the seedling planting device 2. The sensor 52 includes a contact 52a that contacts the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 as the seedling placing table 20 moves horizontally.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7, the seedling placing table control unit 53 is provided with an end detection unit 55A that detects that the seedling placing table 20 has reached either the left or right end (the left end in the embodiment) of the lateral feed mechanism 3 based on detection information generated when the detected portion 51 contacts the contact 52a, that is, based on the detection signal from the sensor 52. Further, the seedling placing table control unit 53 is provided with a lateral feed calculation unit 55B that calculates the lateral feed speed of the lateral feed mechanism 3 based on the amount of movement of the contact 52a after the contact between the detected portion 51 and the contact 52a is detected by the end detection unit 55A.

[0043] The detected portion 51 is bolted to a piece member 31 as a moving body that is reciprocally driven on the lateral feed shaft 30 as the lateral feed shaft 30 rotates, and is provided to reciprocally move horizontally on the lateral feed shaft 30 integrally with the piece member 31 with the contact end 51a with respect to the sensor 52 facing the side where the sensor 52 is present. Since the seedling placing table 20 is connected to the piece member 31 via the interlocking member 29, the piece member 31, the seedling placing table 20, and the detected portion 51 move along the horizontal movement direction of the seedling placing table 20 in a state of being integrally connected.

[0044] The sensor 52 is attached to an attachment stay 54 that is detachably bolt-connected to a tool bar 23 as a seedling placing table support member that supports the seedling placing table 20. The sensor 52 is a potentiometer having a contact 52a that is rotatable around a rotation axis P1 along the vertical direction. The contact 52a is located on the lateral movement path of the detected portion 51 that moves laterally together with the piece member 31, and is disposed at a position where it contacts the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 along with the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows the related operation between the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 and the contact 52a of the sensor 52. As shown in this figure, when the detected portion 51 reaches the end proximity position a1 in conjunction with the lateral movement of the seedling placing table 20, the contact 52a of the sensor 52 detects the position of the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51. This end proximity position a1 does not correspond to the end of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table 20, but rather corresponds to a position closer to the center of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table 20 than the said end. When the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 contacts the contact 52a of the sensor 52 and the contact 52a is at the end proximity position a1, the position of the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 is sent to the seedling placing table control unit 53 together with the angle of the contact 52a as detection information of the detection by the contact 52a, and is stored in the end detection unit 55A as information at that time.

[0046] When the contact 52a abuts against the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 and rotates by a preset rotation angle Θ1 to reach the intermediate position a2, the information of the detected angle is sent to the seedling placing table control unit 53 and is input as an electrical signal to the end detection unit 55A together with the information at that time. In the lateral feed calculation unit 55B, based on the movement amount of the contact 52a after the contact between the detected portion 51 and the contact 52a is detected by the end detection unit 55A, the lateral feed speed of the lateral feed mechanism 3 is calculated. That is, the detection information generated by the contact between the detected portion 51 and the contact 52a is detected by the end detection unit 55A, and the movement amount of the contact 52a after the contact between the detected portion 51 and the contact 52a is detected by the end detection unit 55 is calculated by the lateral feed calculation unit 55B. Based on this, a stop command for stopping when the seedling placing table 20 reaches the left end in the lateral feed mechanism 3 can be output to stop the planting clutch 27.

[0047] In addition, the seedling placing table control unit 53 stores, as the end position determination means 53B, information that the position where the contact 52a rotates by a rotation angle Θ2 larger than the rotation angle Θ1 is the end position a3 where the seedling placing table 20 reaches the end of the lateral movement range, in advance as an electrical signal. The range from the end proximity position a1 to the end position a3 where the contact 52a rotates within the range of the rotation angle Θ2 is the detection area of the contact 52a. The size of this detection area can be appropriately set and changed according to the positional relationship between the detected part 51 and the sensor 52, etc. At this time, the control delay from the transmission of the control signal to the stop of the lateral feed mechanism 3 and the influence of the inertia of the lateral feed movement due to the size (weight) of the seedling placing table 20 may also be considered.

[0048] In this embodiment, the sensor 52 is provided only near the extended end of the lateral feed shaft 30 extending outward from the left side of the feed case 22, and is not provided near the end of the lateral feed shaft 30 on the side closer to the feed case 22. Therefore, when the end alignment switch 50 is pushed in the stroke where the piece member 31 on the lateral feed shaft 30 tries to move in the right direction away from the sensor 52 instead of approaching the sensor 52 in the left direction, even if the piece member 31 reaches the right end on the lateral feed shaft 30, this is not detected, and a command to stop the planting clutch 27 is not output from the seedling placing table control unit 53. For this reason, the piece member 31 that has reached the right end does not stop at the end position, but instead turns back and continues to move toward the left end where the sensor 52 is present when it reaches the right end, and is detected by the sensor 52 at the left end and stopped at the end position a3. That is, in the end alignment operation mode where the end alignment switch 50 is pushed, the seedling placing table 20 always automatically stops at the left end. In the normal seedling planting operation mode where the end alignment switch 50 is not pushed, the seedling placing table 20 does not stop even at the end position a3, but continues to move back and forth left and right on the lateral feed shaft 30 to continue the seedling planting operation.

[0049] In this embodiment, an example is given in which the left end of the seedling placing table 20 is detected. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be configured to detect the right end. In that case, based on the lateral feed speed of the lateral feed mechanism 3 calculated by the lateral feed calculation unit 55B, it is detected that the seedling placing table 20 has reached the right end.

[0050] The detection information by the sensor 52 may be used as follows. By calculating the time from when the seedling placing table 20 is detected to reach the left end until it reaches the left end next, it is possible to accurately detect the lateral feed speed with one sensor 52. That is, since the number of lateral feeds during one round trip is determined in advance, the lateral feed speed can be calculated from the elapsed time while the planting clutch 27 is engaged and the number of lateral feeds during one round trip. By using this information, when stopping the seedling placing table 20 by side shifting, it is easy to stop accurately with a margin in advance (because the lateral feed speed is known) at the specified position. Therefore, for example, it is also useful for accurately stopping with reference to the lateral feed speed when interrupting the work during operation and performing side shifting. Also, when the lateral feed speed is high and the time from the detection by the sensor 52 to the stop is too short, since the current position of the seedling placing table 20 can be estimated from the lateral feed speed and the elapsed time while the planting clutch 27 is engaged, the lateral feed speed may be decelerated in advance at the stage when approaching the stop position to facilitate the stop control. Separately from this, a method of calculating the lateral feed speed from the rotation speed of the drive shaft that transmits power from the main body of the machine to the seedling planting device 2 is also conceivable.

[0051] 〔Second Embodiment of the Side Shifting Device〕 The seedling planting device 2 of the present invention is provided with a side shifting device 5 for performing an operation (side shifting operation) of moving the seedling placing table 20 to either the left or right end when placing the mat-shaped seedlings on the seedling placing table 20. This side shifting device 5 starts the side shifting operation by pressing a side shifting switch 50 provided at an appropriate position of the operation unit 15 in a state where the traveling body 1 has stopped traveling, moves the seedling placing table 20 to either the left or right end, and automatically stops at that end position.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the centering device 5 includes a detected portion 51 that moves horizontally integrally with the seedling placing table 20 that is reciprocally driven left and right together with the centering switch 50, a sensor 52 that detects the position of the detected portion 51, and a seedling placing table control unit 53 that outputs a stop command to the lateral feed mechanism 3 based on a detection signal input from the sensor 52.

[0053] The detected portion 51 is bolted to a piece member 31 as a moving body that is reciprocally driven on the lateral feed shaft 30 as the lateral feed shaft 30 rotates, and is provided to reciprocally move horizontally on the lateral feed shaft 30 integrally with the piece member 31 with the contact end 51a with respect to the sensor 52 facing the side where the sensor 52 is present. Since the seedling placing table 20 is connected to the piece member 31 via the interlocking member 29, the piece member 31, the seedling placing table 20, and the detected portion 51 move along the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20 in an integrally connected state.

[0054] The sensor 52 is attached to an attachment base 54 that is detachably bolt-connected to a tool bar 23 as a seedling placing table support member that supports the seedling placing table 20. The sensor 52 is a potentiometer provided with a contact 52a that is rotatable around a rotation axis P1 along the vertical direction. The contact 52a is located on the lateral movement path of the detected portion 51 that moves horizontally together with the piece member 31, and is disposed at a position where it contacts the contact end 51a of the detected portion 51 along with the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8, the seedling placing table control unit 53 includes an end position determination means 53B that determines that the seedling placing table 20 has reached the end of the lateral movement range based on the detection signal from the sensor 52, and a proximity position determination means 53A that determines that the seedling placing table 20 exists at a position closer to the center in the lateral movement range than the end. Then, based on the discrimination results of the end position discrimination means 53B and the proximity position discrimination means 53A, a stop command for the lateral feed mechanism 3 is output from the seedling mounting table control unit 53. That is, after the end alignment switch 50 is operated, the detection signal from the sensor 52 is input to the seedling mounting table control unit 53. Then, the input detection signal is discriminated by the end position discrimination means 53B and the proximity position discrimination means 53A, and based on the discrimination result, a stop command for disconnecting the connection state of the planting clutch 27 is output from the seedling mounting table control unit 53 so as to stop the drive of the lateral feed mechanism 3 at the timing when the seedling mounting table 20 reaches the end of the lateral movement range.

[0056] Figure 6 shows the related operations of the contact end 51a of the detected part 51 and the contact 52a of the sensor 52. As shown in this figure, when the detected part 51 reaches the end proximity position a1 in conjunction with the lateral movement of the seedling mounting table 20, the contact 52a of the sensor 52 detects the position of the contact end 51a of the detected part 51. This end proximity position a1 corresponds to a position closer to the center of the lateral movement range of the seedling mounting table 20 than the end, rather than the end of the lateral movement range of the seedling mounting table 20. When the contact end 51a of the detected part 51 contacts the contact 52a of the sensor 52 and the contact 52a is at the end proximity position a1, the detection information that the contact 52a has detected the position of the contact end 51a of the detected part 51 is sent to the seedling mounting table control unit 53 together with the angle of the contact 52a and stored as the information at that time.

[0057] When the contact 52a abuts against the contact end 51a of the detected part 51 and rotates by a preset rotation angle Θ1 to reach the intermediate position a2, the information on the detected angle is sent to the seedling mounting table control unit 53 and stored as an electrical signal in the proximity position discrimination means 53A together with the information at that time. In the seedling mounting table control unit 53, information that the position where the contact 52a rotates by a rotation angle Θ2 larger than the rotation angle Θ1 is the end position a3 where the seedling mounting table 20 reaches the end of the lateral movement range is stored in advance as an electrical signal as the end position discrimination means 53B. The range from the end proximity position a1 to the end position a3 where the contact 52a rotates within the range of the rotation angle Θ2 is the detection area of the contact 52a. The size of this detection area can be appropriately set and changed according to the positional relationship between the detected part 51 and the sensor 52, etc.

[0058] Then, in the seedling placing table control unit 53, based on the detection information of the proximity position determination means 53A and the end position determination means 53B, a stop command is output to the planting clutch 27 as a stop device so that the lateral movement of the seedling placing table 20 stops at the timing when it is predicted that the contact 52a will reach the rotation angle Θ2 after passing the rotation angle Θ1. As a result, the lateral feed of the seedling placing table 20 automatically stops in a state where the seedling placing table 20 has reached the end of the lateral movement range, and the centering operation is completed. At this time, it may also be possible to consider the control delay from the transmission of the control signal to the stop of the machine body and the influence of the inertia of the lateral feed movement due to the size (weight) of the seedling placing table.

[0059] In this embodiment, the sensor 52 is provided only near the extended end of the lateral feed shaft 30 extending outward from the left side of the feed case 22, and is not provided near the end of the lateral feed shaft 30 on the side closer to the feed case 22. Therefore, when the centering switch 50 is pushed in the process where the piece member 31 on the lateral feed shaft 30 tries to move in the right direction away from the sensor 52 instead of approaching the sensor 52 in the left direction, even if the piece member 31 reaches the right end on the lateral feed shaft 30, this is not detected, and a command to stop the planting clutch 27 is not output from the seedling placing table control unit 53. For this reason, the piece member 31 that has reached the right end does not stop at the end position, but instead turns back and continues to move toward the left end where the sensor 52 is located when it reaches the right end, is detected by the sensor 52 at the left end, and is stopped at the end position a3. That is, in the centering operation mode in which the centering switch 50 is pushed, the seedling placing table 20 always automatically stops at the left end. In the normal seedling planting operation mode in which the centering switch 50 is not pushed, the seedling placing table 20 does not stop even at the end position a3, and continues the seedling planting operation by reciprocating left and right on the lateral feed shaft 30.

[0060] 〔Alternative Embodiment〕 Next, alternative embodiments will be described. Each of the following alternative embodiments may be applied to the above embodiment in combination as long as there is no contradiction. Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of these embodiments.

[0061] (1) In the above-described embodiment, an example of a configuration in which a stop command is output from the seedling placing table control unit 53 based on the information of the rotation angle Θ1 of the contact 52a of the sensor 52 within a predetermined time is illustrated, but the configuration is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the rotation angle Θ1 of the contact 52a of the sensor 52 within a predetermined time may be differentiated to detect the angular velocity, and when the contact 52a moves at that angular velocity, a stop command may be output from the seedling placing table control unit 53 according to the timing when the seedling placing table 20 reaches the end position. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment may be adopted.

[0062] (2) In the above-described embodiment, an example of a configuration in which the seedling placing table 20 is always shifted only to one end side when the end shifting switch 50 is pressed is illustrated, but the structure is not necessarily limited to this. For example, although not shown in the figure, a rotation detection sensor that constantly detects the rotation during the driving of the lateral feed shaft 30 is separately provided, and the detection signal of this rotation detection sensor is also input to the seedling placing table control unit 53. With this configuration, since the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table 20, that is, the dimension in the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20, is determined in advance to be a certain dimension, it can be calculated. As a result, as the end of the lateral movement range of the seedling placing table 20, if the end position a3 on one end side in the left-right direction is accurately determined, the end position a3 on the other end side can be calculated from the rotation speed of the lateral feed shaft 30 and accurately stopped at that end position. In this way, the seedling placing table 20 can be accurately stopped not only at the left end but also at the right end. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment may be adopted.

[0063] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the sensor 52 for detecting the detected portion 51 was exemplified as having a structure provided only on one end side in the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure. For example, the sensor 52 may be provided at two locations on the extending shaft portion of the cross-feed shaft 30, on the side closer to the feed case 22 and on the side farther from the feed case 22, so that the detected portion 51 can be detected at both end portions in the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20. In this way, the seedling placing table 20 can be accurately stopped not only at the left end portion but also at the right end portion. As for other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment may be adopted.

[0064] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the sensor 52 was exemplified as having a structure including a contact 52a that is rotatable about one rotation axis P1, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure. For example, as the sensor 52, a structure may be adopted in which the contact 52a with respect to the detected portion 51 linearly slides to detect the position a1 close to the end portion or the end position a3 of the seedling placing table 20. As for other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment may be adopted.

[0065] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the sensor 52 was exemplified as having a structure employing a potentiometer, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure. For example, as the sensor 52, a simple contact switch or a magnetic sensor may be adopted, and a plurality of contact switches or a plurality of magnetic sensors may be provided on one end side in the lateral movement direction of the seedling placing table 20 to detect the position a1 close to the end portion or the end position a3 of the seedling placing table 20. As for other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiment may be adopted.

[0066] (6) In the above-described embodiment, the structure in which the position of the detected portion 51 moving on the cross-feed shaft 30 is detected by the sensor 52 was exemplified, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure. For example, even if the rotational speed of the cross-feed shaft 30 is estimated from the rotation of the PTO shaft that transmits power to the planting transmission shaft 14 to stop the planting clutch 27 and move the seedling placing table 20 to the side, it may be acceptable. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiments may be adopted.

[0067] (7) In the above-described embodiments, an example of a configuration in which a stop command for stopping the planting clutch 27 is output from the seedling placing table control unit 53 according to the timing when the seedling placing table 20 reaches the end position has been illustrated. However, it is not necessarily limited to this configuration. For example, instead of necessarily outputting a command to stop from the seedling placing table control unit 53, it may be configured to notify some detection result or output a signal of the detection result to some associated device. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiments may be adopted.

[0068] (8) In the above-described embodiments, an example in which the vertical feed belt 57 is adopted as the vertical feed device has been shown. However, instead of the vertical feed belt 57, it is also possible to adopt a vertical feed wheel or vertical feed claws. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiments may be adopted.

[0069] (9) In the above-described embodiments, an example applied to a six-row planting type working machine has been shown. However, it may be configured in other than six-row planting, such as four-row planting, five-row planting, eight-row planting, etc. For other configurations, the same configurations as those in the above-described embodiments may be adopted.

Industrial Applicability

[0070] The present invention can be applied to a working machine that takes out seedlings placed on a plurality of seedling placement tables provided on a seedling placing table and plants them in a field by a planting mechanism, that is, not only a rice transplanter but also various working machines such as a weedy rice transplanter and working machines that use mat-shaped seedlings. The main object of the present invention is to reliably detect that the end of the lateral movement has been reached by the contact between the working device attached to the machine body and the sensor, and to precisely perform necessary control as appropriate. As long as the object can be achieved, either the working device or the sensor may move laterally while the other is fixed. Also, although an example of such a working device has been described with a seedling placing table, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various working machines to which a tractor or an implement is attached, such as various working machines that can be reasonably equipped with the present invention, such as a rice transplanter or a pot type seedling transplanter.

Explanation of Signs

[0071] 3 Lateral feed mechanism 20 Seedling placing table 21 Seedling placing table support member 25 Seedling planting mechanism 23 Tool bar 30 Lateral feed shaft 31 Moving body 51 Detected part 52 Sensor 52a Contact 53 Seedling placing table control unit 54 Mounting stay a1 End detection position a3 End position

Claims

1. An airframe, and a working unit connected to the rear of the airframe, wherein the working unit includes a working device that can reciprocate in the left - right direction by a lateral feed mechanism, the lateral feed mechanism includes a lateral feed shaft extending left and right and a moving body that reciprocates on the lateral feed shaft, the moving body is connected to the working device, and a detected part that moves horizontally integrally with the moving body and the working device is provided, a sensor for detecting the position of the detected part in the horizontal movement direction is provided on a support member that stops with respect to the working device in the working unit, the sensor includes a contact that contacts the detected part as the working device moves horizontally, a working machine comprising an end - detection part that detects that the working device has reached either the left or right end in the lateral feed mechanism based on detection information generated by the contact between the detected part and the contact.

2. The lateral feed shaft is driven to rotate, the support member supports the working device, The sensor is arranged at an end in the horizontal movement range of the working device. The working machine according to claim 1.

3. The working machine according to claim 1, further comprising a lateral feed calculation part that calculates the lateral feed speed of the lateral feed mechanism based on the movement amount of the contact from the detection by the end - detection part.

4. The working device is a seedling - placing table, and the support member is a seedling - placing table support member that supports the seedling - placing table. The working machine according to claim 1.

5. A lateral feed mechanism for reciprocating the seedling - placing table horizontally in the left - right direction, a seedling - planting mechanism for taking out the seedlings mounted on the seedling - placing table and planting them in the field, and a seedling - placing table control part for controlling the operation of the lateral feed mechanism, the lateral feed mechanism includes a laterally fed shaft that is driven to rotate and a moving body that is reciprocally driven on the laterally fed shaft as the laterally fed shaft rotates, the moving body is connected to the seedling - placing table, and a detected part that moves horizontally integrally with the moving body and the seedling - placing table is provided, a sensor for detecting the position of the detected part in the horizontal movement direction is provided on a seedling - placing table support member that supports the seedling - placing table, the sensor includes a contact that contacts the detected part as the seedling - placing table moves horizontally, the contact is configured to be movable in contact over a detection area extending from a position near the end in the horizontal movement range of the seedling - placing table and closer to the center side of the horizontal movement range than the end to the end position that is the end of the horizontal movement range. The working machine is configured such that a stop command for the seedling placing table is output from the seedling placing table control unit to the lateral feed mechanism based on the detection information at the contact in the detection area. **Claim 6** The working machine according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is a potentiometer, and the stop command is output based on the detection result of the rotation amount of the contact in the detection area. **Claim 7** The working machine according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is a potentiometer, and the stop command is output based on the detection result of the angular velocity of the contact in the detection area. **Claim 8** The working machine according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is provided at a location for detecting one end of the lateral movement range. **Claim 9** The working machine according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is provided at locations for detecting both ends of the lateral movement range. **Claim 10** The working machine according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the sensor is attached to the tool bar in the seedling placing table support member via an attachment stay attached upward.

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