Transplanter

Abstract

To provide a transplanter for single-row planting capable of reliably supplying planting articles to a planting device and also capable of being simply configured.SOLUTION: A transplanter for single-row planting which plants planting articles on a farm field, comprises: a conveying device which is mounted on a travel vehicle body, and conveys the planting articles in a front-back direction; and a planting device which is disposed on a lower side in a conveying direction of the conveying device, and receives the planting articles conveyed by the conveying device and plants the planting articles on the farm field. The conveying device and the planting device are disposed at a substantially center part in a machine body width direction. The conveying device comprises a plurality of charging parts arrayed side by side at a fixed pitch along the conveying direction of the conveying device, into which the planting articles are charged by an operator, and each time the planting device performs a series of planting operations, the planting articles charged into each charing part are conveyed pitch by pitch.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transplanter for planting vegetable seedlings, seed tubers of taro, and bulbs such as Chinese onions in a field.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a transplanter equipped with a planting device for planting vegetable seedlings, seed tubers, bulbs, etc. in a field and a supply device for dropping and supplying seed tubers and bulbs to the planting device is known. Hereinafter, seedlings, seed tubers, bulbs, etc. transplanted to the field by the transplanter are referred to as "planted objects".

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a transplanter having a supply device in which a supply cup for accommodating a planted object is provided so as to be rotatable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The transplanter disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a single-row planting configuration with a single planting device, but the supply device is configured for multiple rows, and as shown in FIG. 2, the path along which the supply cup rotates extends long in the machine width direction, and a plurality of positions where the planted object is dropped and supplied are provided. Therefore, only the planted object accommodated in one of the two or four supply cups is dropped and supplied to the single planting device.

[0006] For this reason, when the operator accommodates the planted object in the supply cup, it is necessary to put the planted object into every other or every third of the many supply cups. If it is accidentally put into another supply cup, there is a problem that the planted object is not supplied to the planting device and drops onto the field.

[0007] In addition, a supply device having a large number of supply cups has a problem in that the number of parts increases when including a transmission system that receives power from a mission case or the like, and the configuration of the transplanter becomes complicated.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a single-row transplanter that can surely supply planting materials to a planting device and can be configured simply.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] This object of the present invention is A single-row transplanter for planting planting materials in a field, A traveling vehicle body that travels in the field, A conveying device attached to the traveling vehicle body for conveying planting materials in the front-rear direction, A planting device disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the conveying device, for receiving the planting materials conveyed by the conveying device and planting them in the field, The conveying device and the planting device are disposed substantially at the center in the machine body width direction, The conveying device is provided with a plurality of input parts into which planting materials are input by an operator and arranged at a certain pitch along the conveying direction of the conveying device, and each time the planting device performs a series of planting operations, the planting materials input into each input part are conveyed by one pitch at a time. A transplanter characterized by this.

[0010] Further, according to the present invention, since the conveying device and the planting device are disposed substantially at the center in the machine body width direction and are configured to linearly convey the planting materials from the conveying device to one of the front and rear where the planting device is disposed, it can be configured simply.

[0011] According to the present invention, since the conveying device is configured to convey the planting materials to the planting device by one pitch, which is the input interval of the planting materials, the planting materials can be surely supplied to the planting device.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, The traveling vehicle body is provided with a floor step on which an operator can board. The conveying device is arranged in a height range above the floor step and below the lower surface of the seat on which the operator sits. The seat is arranged substantially at the center in the machine width direction. The front end portion of the conveying device is located in front of the rear end portion of the seat.

[0013] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the seat on which the operator sits, the conveying device, and the planting device are all arranged substantially at the center in the machine width direction, the width of the machine body can be configured to be compact.

[0014] In addition, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the front end portion of the conveying device, which is not suitable for loading the planted objects, is arranged under the seat, the longitudinal length of the machine body can be configured to be compact.

[0015] Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the conveying device is arranged in a height range above the floor step and below the lower surface of the work seat, the height of the machine body can be suppressed, and when the operator moves in the machine width direction, the operator can easily straddle the conveying device and move.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, The planting device includes a planting hopper for planting planted objects in a field, and a guide member for receiving the planted objects conveyed by the conveying device and guiding them to the planting hopper. In a state where the planting hopper is located at the top dead center, the planting operation is configured such that at least a part of the planting hopper is located below the rear end portion of the conveying device. The guide member is formed in a substantially C shape such that a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device is cut out in a plan view.

[0017] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the guide member has a shape in which a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device is cut out, and at least a part of the planting hopper is located below the rear end portion of the conveying device, even when the planted matter falls directly downward from the rear end portion of the conveying device without flying to the guide member, the planted matter can be directly sent into the planting hopper.

[0018] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conveying device is configured to operate the charging portion by one pitch at the timing when the planting hopper reaches near the top dead center in a series of planting operations.

[0019] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the conveying device is configured to operate the charging portion by one pitch at the timing when the planting hopper reaches near the top dead center, the planted matter can be surely supplied into the planting hopper.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, it includes a travel distance sensor for detecting the travel distance of the traveling vehicle body and a detection means for detecting that the planting hopper is filled with the planted matter. When it is detected that the planting hopper is filled with the planted matter and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance equal to or more than a predetermined distance from the previous series of planting operations, a series of planting operations is started. When it is detected that the planting hopper is not filled with the planted matter and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance equal to or more than a predetermined distance from the previous series of planting operations, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is stopped, then a series of planting operations are performed. After that, when it is detected that the conveying device operates the charging portion by one pitch and the planting hopper is filled with the planted matter, after a series of planting operations are performed, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is restarted.

[0021] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, when it is detected that the planting hopper contains plants and the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined distance since a series of planting operations, the planting device is configured to start a series of planting operations. Therefore, the plant spacing can be made constant.

[0022] Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, when it is not detected that the planting hopper contains plants and the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined distance since the previous series of planting operations, after the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is stopped, a series of planting operations are performed. Then, when it is detected that the planting hopper contains plants, after a series of planting operations are performed, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is restarted. Therefore, even when plants are not input to any input section due to an input error, no area of the field where planting has not been performed will occur, and planting can be surely performed at a constant plant spacing.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, as the travel distance sensor, a rolling wheel for compacting the soil while rolling on the field surface where plants have been planted is provided, the rolling wheel is provided with protrusions on its outer peripheral edge, based on the number of rotations of the rolling wheel, the travel distance of the traveling vehicle body is calculated.

[0024] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, by using the rolling wheel for compacting the soil on the field surface as the travel distance sensor, the number of parts of the transplanter can be reduced.

[0025] In addition, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the rolling wheel is provided with protrusions on its outer peripheral edge, it is possible to prevent slipping while rolling on the field surface. Therefore, an accurate travel distance can be calculated.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a single-row transplanter that can reliably supply plants to a planting device and has a simple configuration.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic left side view of a transplanter 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the transplanter 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0030] Further, FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the transplanter 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0031] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the side in the traveling direction of the transplanter 1 is referred to as "front", the opposite side is referred to as "rear", the left side toward the front in the traveling direction of the transplanter 1 is referred to as "left", and the opposite side is referred to as "right".

[0032] The transplanter 1 includes a traveling vehicle body 2 for moving the machine body forward, a control device 75 for controlling the entire transplanter 1, a planting device 3 having a planting hopper 62 for planting the planting object P in the field, a conveying device 6 for conveying the planting object P to the planting hopper 62, a motor case 20 in which a hopper lifting motor 41 (see FIG. 3) for lifting and lowering the planting hopper 62 is accommodated, a handle frame 23 extending rearward from the motor case 20, a control unit 76 of the transplanter 1 provided on the handle frame 23, a mounting table 105 for the planting object P attached to the handle frame 23, and a pair of left and right compaction wheels 90 for compacting the soil around the planting object P planted by the planting device 3. Hereinafter, the traveling vehicle body 2 is also simply referred to as the "vehicle body". In FIG. 2, for the sake of convenience, the mounting table 105 and the compaction wheels 90 are omitted.

[0033] In this embodiment, the transplanter 1 is configured as a transplanter for planting seed tubers in a field, but the type of the planting plant P to be planted in the field is not limited to seed tubers.

[0034] The traveling vehicle body 2 includes a pair of left and right rear wheels 14 that are drive wheels and a pair of left and right front wheels 13 (see FIG. 2) that are idler wheels, an engine 9 that is a rotational power source for the pair of rear wheels 14, a transmission case 10 that shifts the rotational power output from the engine 9, a pair of left and right traveling transmission cases 16 that transmit the rotational power to the pair of rear wheels 14, a floor step 37 on which an operator rides to work or move, and a work seat 18 on which the operator sits when putting the planting plant P into the conveying device 6.

[0035] The transmitted power that has been shifted by the transmission case 10 is transmitted to the rear wheel axle 15 through the transmission mechanism in the pair of left and right traveling transmission cases 16. As a result, the rear wheels 14 rotate and the vehicle body 2 moves forward.

[0036] A clutch (not shown) for disconnecting and connecting the power transmission to the pair of traveling transmission cases 16 is provided in the transmission case 10. The control device 75 can drive a clutch motor 94 (see FIG. 3) that switches the disconnection and connection of the clutch as necessary to disconnect the clutch and stop the traveling.

[0037] The control device 75 includes a processing unit 79 having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit 80 having a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. Various data, programs, etc. are stored in the storage unit 80.

[0038] As the traveling vehicle body 2 travels on the field, the pair of left and right press wheels 90 can press the soil near the planting location by rotating and moving forward both the left and right sides of the planting location by the planting device 3 on the ridge.

[0039] FIG. 4 is an enlarged left side view of the conveying device 6 shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] The conveying device 6 includes a driving pulley 39, a driven pulley 40 disposed in front of the driving pulley 39, an endless belt (a belt forming a closed loop) 45 wound around the driving pulley 39 and the driven pulley 40, a conveying motor 56 (see FIG. 3) that rotationally drives the driving pulley 39, and a tension pulley 49 that applies tension to the endless belt 45.

[0041] A large number of plate-like crossbars 45a are provided at equal intervals on the outer surface of the endless belt 45. At the upper part of the endless belt 45, between adjacent crossbars 45a, loading parts A (A1 to An) into which the planting object P is loaded by an operator are respectively formed. In other words, a large number of loading parts A into which the planting object P is loaded are formed side by side at a constant pitch in the front-rear direction on the upper part of the endless belt 45.

[0042] When the conveying motor 56 is driven based on a driving signal output from the control device 75, as the driving pulley 39 rotates, the endless belt 45 rotates clockwise in a left side view (see FIGS. 1 and 4), and the planting object P loaded into each loading part A is conveyed backward.

[0043] Here, the amount of one-time driving of the conveying motor 56 is controlled by the control device 75 to be the amount by which the endless belt 45 rotates by the length of the arrangement interval of the crossbars 45a (= the arrangement interval of the loading parts A). That is, each time the conveying motor 56 is driven once, the endless belt 45 rotates by the length of the arrangement interval of the crossbars 45a, and each loading part A is moved downward (backward) in the conveying direction by the length of the arrangement interval of the crossbars 45a (= the length of the arrangement interval of the loading parts A).

[0044] For example, the second loading part An-1 from the rear side is moved to the position of the loading part An shown in FIG. 1 after driving, and the loading part that was at the position of An shown in FIG. 1 before driving the conveying motor 56 is moved to a position facing the guide member 38, which will be described in detail later, after driving. Hereinafter, the length (amount) by which the endless belt 45 rotates by one-time driving of the conveying motor 56 is referred to as "one pitch".

[0045] When the endless belt 45 is rotated by one pitch by driving the conveyance motor 56 once, each planting P input to the input sections A1 to An-1 by the operator is conveyed rearward by one pitch, and at the same time, the planting P located at the position of the input section An shown in FIG. 4 before driving the conveyance motor 56 is released rearward by inertia and dropped and supplied into the planting hopper 62.

[0046] The driving of the conveyance motor 56 is controlled to be synchronized with the planting operation of the planting device 3 described in detail below. Each time the planting hopper 62 of the planting device 3 is raised to near the top dead center, the conveyance motor 56 is driven only once, and the planting P located at the position of the input section An shown in FIG. 1 is dropped and supplied into the planting hopper 62.

[0047] In the present embodiment, the conveyance device 6 is attached to the floor step 37 of the traveling vehicle body 2 by the front frame 43 and the rear frame 44, and as shown in FIG. 1, it is below the lower surface 18a of the work seat 18 and above the upper surface of the floor step 37 to which the front frame 43 and the rear frame 44 are attached.

[0048] By arranging the conveyance device 6 in the height range between the work seat 18 and the floor step 37 in this way, the height of the machine body can be suppressed, and when the operator moves in the machine body width direction, the operator can easily straddle the conveyance device 6 and move.

[0049] Also, the front end portion of the conveyance device 6 is located in front of the rear end portion of the work seat 18. By arranging the front end portion of the conveyance device 6, which is not suitable for inputting the planting P, under the seat 18, the front-rear length of the machine body 1 can be configured compactly while maintaining the ease of inputting the transplanted plant.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance device 6 and the work seat 18 are arranged substantially at the center in the machine body width direction. Since the operator can sit on the work seat 18 in a state of straddling the conveyance device 6 and perform work, the conveyance device 6 does not get in the way, and while the machine body is compact, the operation of inputting the planting P into the conveyance device 6 can be performed comfortably.

[0051] In addition, in the present embodiment, the driven pulley 40 is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction integrally with the front frame 43, and by changing the front-rear position of the driven pulley 40, the tension of the endless belt 45 can be adjusted.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a schematic rear view of the planting device 3 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the upper part of the planting device 3 shown in FIG. 1.

[0053] The planting device 3 includes a planting hopper 62 having a pair of left and right hopper components 60 inserted into the field, a pair of left and right rotating arms 67 attached to respective rotation support shafts 66, a pair of left and right rotating plates 68 connecting the rotating arms 67 and the hopper component 60, and a guide member 38 for guiding the planted object P conveyed by the conveying device 6 into the planting hopper 62. The planting hopper 62 is an example of the "planting tool" of the present invention.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the planting device 3 is disposed substantially at the center in the machine body width direction. Therefore, the planting device 3, the conveying device 6, and the work seat 18 are arranged in a straight line in the front-rear direction. Note that the substantially central portion in the machine body width direction is, in other words, the substantially central portion of the tread width of the pair of left and right front wheels 13, and the substantially central portion of the tread width of the pair of front wheels 13 is, more specifically, the substantially central portion in the width direction of the tread width, which is the left-right width between the center portions in the width direction of the respective left and right front wheels 13.

[0055] Also, in FIG. 6, the rotating arm 67, the rotation support shaft 66, and the rotating plate 68 are omitted for convenience of explanation.

[0056] To each of the pair of rotating arms 67, an opening / closing wire 63, which will be described in detail later, is attached. When the opening / closing wire 63 is pulled or loosened, as the pair of rotating arms 67 are rotated about the rotation support shaft 66, the rotating plate 68 and the hopper component 60 are rotated, and the planting hopper 62 is opened and closed.

[0057] The guide member 38 is a member that receives the planted object P conveyed by the conveying device 6 on its inner surface (front surface) and guides it to the planting hopper 62. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, it is composed of a plate having a substantially C-shaped plan view with a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 in a top view cut out.

[0058] By configuring the guide member 38 to have a substantially C-shaped shape in a top view in this way, even when the planted object P flies backward vigorously by centrifugal force (inertial force) at the conveyance end portion (rear end portion) of the conveying device 6, the planted object P can be received by the guide member 38 and guided into the planting hopper 62.

[0059] In addition, since the guide member 38 has a shape with a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 cut out, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the planting hopper 62 located at the top dead center can be arranged at a position where it partially overlaps the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 in a plan view. In other words, the planting hopper 62 is configured to perform a planting operation such that a part of it is located below the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 near the top dead center. Therefore, even when the planted object P falls directly downward without flying backward from the rear end portion of the conveying device 6, the planted object P can be directly sent into the planting hopper 62.

[0060] The guide member 38 is formed of a resin with high rigidity that is difficult to deform, and when the planted object P comes into contact with the guide member 38, it can be suppressed that the planted object P bounces outside the planting hopper 62.

[0061] On the other hand, FIG. 7 is a schematic left side view of the vicinity of the motor case 20 shown in FIG. 1.

[0062] A planting operation unit 21 that operates by the driving force of a hopper lifting motor 41 for vertically moving (lifting and lowering) the planting device 3 is connected to the left side surface of the motor case 20.

[0063] The planting operation unit 21 includes a lifting link mechanism 19 including an upper link arm 47 and a lower link arm 48 for lifting and lowering the planting device 3, and an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the planting hopper 62.

[0064] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the planting operation unit 21 includes a lifting drive shaft 51 that is rotationally driven by a hopper lifting motor 41, an uneven circular lifting cam 50 attached to the lifting drive shaft 51, a lifting crank 52 whose one end is attached to a rotating shaft extending from the lifting cam 50 toward the outside of the machine body and rotates the upper link arm 47 up and down, a connecting plate 53 attached to the other end of the lifting crank 52 and attached to the inside of the machine body of the upper link arm 47, and a hopper opening / closing cam 46 that rotates upon receiving the power output from the hopper lifting motor 41 and has a non-circular (non-perfectly circular) shape. The opening / closing mechanism includes an opening / closing arm 64 to which an opening / closing wire 63 for opening and closing the planting device 3 is attached at the upper end portion.

[0065] Hereinafter, the mechanism for causing the planting device 3 to perform a planting operation, that is, the lifting link mechanism 19 and the opening / closing mechanism for lifting and opening / closing the planting device 3 are collectively referred to as the "planting operation mechanism."

[0066] When the hopper lifting motor 41 rotates the lifting drive shaft 51, the lifting cam 50, the lifting crank 52, and the connecting plate 53 are driven, and the operations of rotating the upper link arm 47 and the lower link arm 48 upward and backward and rotating them downward and backward are repeated. As a result, the planting device 3 is lifted and lowered. In FIG. 5, the front portion of the upper link arm 47 is omitted to expose the hopper opening / closing cam 46 having a non-circular longitudinal section.

[0067] The lower link arm 48 rotates up and down in conjunction with the upper link arm 47, and the lower end portion of the opening / closing arm 64 is rotatably attached to the front end portion of the lower link arm 48.

[0068] The front end of the upper link arm 47 is attached to the hopper opening / closing cam 46 via an adjustment plate 54. The attachment position is set such that in the static locus of the planting device 3 (the locus when traveling stops, shown as the locus T of the lower end of the hopper 62 in FIG. 1), while receiving the planting object P from the conveying device 6 and moving toward the bottom dead center, the planting hopper 62 changes from a rearwardly inclined posture to a posture substantially perpendicular to the field surface, and when starting to rise from the bottom dead center, it changes from a substantially perpendicular posture to a forwardly inclined posture.

[0069] When the upper and lower pair of link arms 47 and 48 move up and down due to the drive of the hopper lifting motor 41, the planting device 3 rises to a position immediately below and in front of the endless belt 45 (see FIG. 1) and descends to a position where the planting hopper 62 is inserted into the ridge.

[0070] Here, the other end of the opening / closing wire 63, one end of which is attached to the upper end of the opening / closing arm 64 shown in FIG. 7, is attached to the rotating arm 67 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

[0071] A contact roller 65 is attached to the opening / closing arm 64. When the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion of the hopper opening / closing cam 46, which rotates by the power received from the hopper lifting motor 41, contacts the contact roller 65, the opening / closing arm 64 rotates forward (downward in front) around the rotation fulcrum 70. As a result, the opening / closing wire 63 is pulled and the planting hopper 62 is closed.

[0072] Also, when the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion of the hopper opening / closing cam 46 stops contacting the contact roller 65, the opening / closing arm 64 rotates rearward and the opening / closing wire 63 loosens, and the planting hopper 62 opens. The opening / closing operation of the planting hopper 62 by the opening / closing wire 63 is performed in conjunction with the lifting operation (vertical movement) of the planting hopper 62 accompanying the vertical movement (vertical rotation) of the upper and lower pair of link arms 47 and 48.

[0073] Specifically, when the planting hopper 62 receives the planting object P from the conveying device 6 and descends, and is inserted into the ridge formed in the field, from the time it starts to rise after passing the bottom dead center until it starts to rise again after the planting of the planting object P, the planting hopper 62 is opened and the planting object P is planted in the ridge. After the planting of the planting object P starts to rise, until it receives the planting object P from the conveying device again and descends and is inserted into the ridge, the planting hopper 62 is closed, and the planting object P received from the conveying device 6 is held inside the planting hopper 62. The shape of the hopper opening and closing cam 46 corresponds to the above opening and closing operations and lifting operations. In the following, the operation of lowering the planting hopper 62 from near the top dead center, opening it until it reaches the bottom dead center, raising it again and closing it until it reaches near the top dead center, and then raising it to near the top dead center is called a series of planting operations and will be described. Note that FIG. 1 shows the state where the planting device 3 and its planting hopper 62 are at the top dead center.

[0074] As described above in detail about a series of planting operations of the planting device 3, hereinafter, the supply of the planting object P from the conveying device 6 to the planting device 3 and the control related to a series of planting operations will be described in detail.

[0075] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the supply of the planting object P from the conveying device 6 to the planting device 3 by the control device 75 and the control of the planting operation when the planting work is started.

[0076] In the present embodiment, at the end of the planting work of the planting object P, the planting device 3 is configured to stop near the top dead center, and when starting the planting work, the planting device 3 is located near the top dead center.

[0077] When the operation unit 76 is operated and the traveling involving the planting of the planting object P is started, the control device 75 first drives the conveying motor 56 to rotate the endless belt 45 by one pitch and moves each input part A by one pitch (step s1).

[0078] Next, the control device 75 determines whether or not the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62 (step s2).

[0079] In this embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor 78 (see FIG. 3) is disposed inside the planting hopper 62. When the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the ultrasonic sensor 78 detects the planting object P, and a detection signal is output to the control device 75.

[0080] Note that, instead of the ultrasonic sensor 78, for example, a sensor for detecting vibration when the planting object P contacts the planting hopper 62 or the guide member 38 may be provided, whereby it is also possible to determine whether or not the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62.

[0081] As a result of the determination, when the planting object P is not accommodated in the planting hopper 62, it is recognized that the input planting object P has not reached the rear end portion of the conveying device 6. Therefore, until the ultrasonic sensor 78 detects the planting object P, the rotational drive of the endless belt 45 and the determination as to whether or not the planting object P is accommodated are repeated.

[0082] On the other hand, as a result of the determination, when it is detected that the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the control device 75 drives the hopper lifting motor 41 to start a series of planting operations of the planting device 3 (step s3).

[0083] Next, the control device 75 determines whether or not the planting device 3 is at a position higher than a predetermined height (step s4).

[0084] Specifically, a link sensor 77 for detecting the inclination angle of the elevating link mechanism 19 is provided in the vicinity of the elevating link mechanism 19, and the control device 75 can determine whether or not the planting device 3 is at a height equal to or higher than a predetermined height based on the detection signal of the inclination angle of the elevating link mechanism 19.

[0085] As a result of the determination, when the planting device 3 is at a position lower than the predetermined height, the determination is repeated until the planting device 3 rises to a position higher than the predetermined height.

[0086] On the other hand, if the planting device 3 is determined to be at a position equal to or higher than a predetermined height as a result of the determination, the control device 75 drives the conveyance motor 56 to rotate the endless belt 45 by one pitch, and moves each input section A by one pitch (step s5).

[0087] In the present embodiment, the predetermined height is configured to be a position slightly below the top dead center of the planting device 3. That is, when the planting operation of the planting device 3 is started, the planting device 3 descends from near the top dead center to the bottom dead center, then turns to rise again, and when it rises to a position slightly below the top dead center, the conveying device 6 is configured to convey the planting object P rearward.

[0088] With this configuration, when the planting device 3 rises further near the top dead center thereafter, the planting object P can be dropped and supplied from the conveying device 6 into the planting hopper 62, so that it is possible to prevent the supply error of the planting object P to the planting hopper 62. When the planting device 3 rises near the top dead center, the driving of the conveyance motor 56 and the hopper lifting motor 41 of the conveying device 6 is terminated, and the planting device 3 is also temporarily stopped near the top dead center.

[0089] When the endless belt 45 is rotated by one pitch in this way, the control device 75 determines whether or not the planting object P is stored in the planting hopper 62 (step s6).

[0090] As a result of the determination, if the planting object P is not stored in the planting hopper 62, it is recognized that there is an input section A in which the planting object P has not been input in the conveying device 6. Therefore, the control device 75 stores the value 1 in the storage unit 80 as the information of the number of non-input times M (step s8).

[0091] Next, the control device 75 determines whether or not the traveling vehicle body 2 has traveled a predetermined distance or more from the position of the traveling vehicle body 2 at the time when the planting operation of the planting device 3 is started in step s3 (step s9). If it has not traveled a predetermined distance or more, the determination is repeated until it reaches a predetermined distance or more.

[0092] On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle has traveled a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the control device 75 drives the clutch motor 94 to stop the running of the traveling vehicle body 2 (step s10), and then drives the hopper lifting motor 41 to start the planting operation of the planting device 3 (step s11).

[0093] In this way, in the present embodiment, even when the planting object P is not stored in the planting hopper 62, by performing the planting operation of the planting device 3, when the conveying device 6 actually conveys the planting object P backward later, the planting hopper 62 can receive the planting object P near the top dead center. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a supply error of the planting object P to the planting hopper 62.

[0094] When the planting operation of the planting device 3 is started in this way, the control device 75 determines whether the planting device 3 is at a position equal to or higher than a predetermined height (step s12).

[0095] If it is determined that the planting device 3 is at a position lower than the predetermined height, the determination is repeated until the planting device 3 rises to a position equal to or higher than the predetermined height.

[0096] On the other hand, if it is determined that the planting device 3 is at a position equal to or higher than the predetermined height, the control device 75 drives the conveying motor 56 to rotate the endless belt 45 by one pitch and move each feeding part A by one pitch (step s13).

[0097] Next, the control device 75 determines whether the planting object P is stored in the planting hopper 62 (step s14).

[0098] If it is determined that the planting object P is not stored in the planting hopper 62, since it is recognized that there is a feeding part A in which the planting object P has not been fed in the conveying device 6, the value stored as the information of the number of non - feeding times M is incremented by 1 (step s15).

[0099] Next, it is determined whether the number of non - feeding times M exceeds a predetermined number of times Mref (step s16).

[0100] If, as a result of the determination, the number of non-insertion times M is less than or equal to a predetermined number of times Mref, the process proceeds to step s11 described above.

[0101] On the contrary, if, as a result of the determination, the number of non-insertion times M exceeds the predetermined number of times Mref, the control device 75 applies a pulse signal to the piezoelectric diaphragm 95 of the notification device (not shown) to sound a buzzer, warns the operator, and then (step s17), ends the planting operation (step s18).

[0102] By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent only the planting device 3 from being continuously driven in a state where the planting object P is not loaded into the conveying device 6, and it is possible to notify the operator that the planting operation has ended.

[0103] On the other hand, if, as a result of the determination in step s14, the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the control device 75 drives the hopper lifting motor 41 to start the planting operation of the planting device 3 (step s19).

[0104] Next, the control device 75 resumes the running of the traveling vehicle body 2 (step s20) and returns to the determination in step s4.

[0105] On the other hand, if, as a result of the determination in step s6 described above, the planting object P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the control device 75 determines whether or not the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance or more from the position of the traveling vehicle body 2 when the planting operation of the planting device 3 was started in step s3 (step s7).

[0106] In the present embodiment, a rolling wheel rotation sensor 96 (see FIG. 3) for detecting the rotation speed is provided on the left rolling wheel 90 shown in FIG. 1, and the rolling wheel rotation sensor 96 is configured to output a detection result to the control device 75.

[0107] The control device 75 can calculate the traveling distance of the traveling vehicle body 2 by multiplying the rotation speed of the rolling wheel 90 output from the rolling wheel rotation sensor 96 by the circumference length of the rolling wheel.

[0108] Here, as shown in FIG. 1, on the outer peripheral edge of the left compressing wheel 90 and at the center in the width direction (left - right direction) of the compressing wheel 90, there are protrusions (spikes) protruding in the radial direction of the compressing wheel 90 formed.

[0109] Therefore, as the traveling vehicle body 2 travels on the field, it is possible to prevent the left compressing wheel 90 from slipping when moving forward while rotating on the ridge, and it is possible to calculate the accurate traveling distance of the traveling vehicle body 2.

[0110] Note that the compressing wheel 90 is attached to the rear end portion of the rotating arm 97, and the rotating arm 97 is biased by a spring (not shown) to rotate downward backward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the compressing wheel 90 from bouncing while rotating and moving on the ridge. Also from this point, the control device 75 can calculate the accurate traveling distance of the traveling vehicle body 2. The left compressing wheel 90 is an example of the "traveling distance sensor" of the present invention.

[0111] As a result of the determination in step s7, when the traveling vehicle body 2 has not traveled a predetermined distance or more since the planting operation of the planting device 3 was started in step s3, the determination is repeated until the traveling distance becomes a predetermined distance or more.

[0112] On the contrary, as a result of the determination in step s7, when the traveling vehicle body 2 has traveled a predetermined distance or more since the planting operation of the planting device 3 was started in step s3, the control device 75 proceeds to step s3 and drives the hopper lifting motor 41 to start the planting operation of the planting device 3.

[0113] Thus, in the present embodiment, since it is configured to start the next planting operation when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance or more from the time when the previous planting operation was started, the plant spacing between the plants P planted during the previous planting operation can be made constant.

[0114] Thereafter, in the same manner, the control device 75 starts the planting operation of the planting device 3, supplies the planting material P from the conveying device 6 to the planting hopper 62 when the planting device 3 rises to a position slightly below the top dead center, and when the planting material P is accommodated in the planting hopper 62, starts the planting operation when it has traveled a predetermined distance. If the planting material P is not accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 2 is stopped, and the planting operation and the driving of the conveying device 6 are repeated until the planting material P is accommodated. Thereby, the transplanter 1 can surely plant the planting material P in the ridges of the field without missing any plants and at a predetermined plant spacing.

[0115] On the other hand, the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 2 is configured to be adjustable by the expansion and contraction of a lift hydraulic cylinder (not shown), and in accordance with the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 2, the relative height between the front wheel 13 and the front wheel shaft 57 that supports the front wheel 13 is changed as follows, and the attitude of the vehicle body in the pitch direction can be adjusted.

[0116] FIG. 9(a) is a schematic front view in the vicinity of the left front wheel 13, FIG. 9(b) is a schematic partial cross-sectional left side view of the connecting portion between the front wheel frame 61 attached to the front wheel 13 and the front wheel shaft 57, and FIG. 9(c) is a schematic plan view of the connecting portion shown in FIG. 9(b).

[0117] The left front wheel 13 is rotatably fixed to the front wheel frame 61. As shown in FIG. 9(a), the front wheel frame 61 has an L-shaped configuration having a portion extending in the vertical direction and a portion slightly extending from the lower end portion of this portion to the front wheel 13.

[0118] The front wheel shaft 57 that supports the front wheel 13 extends outward from the central portion in the machine width direction of the vehicle body 2 and is connected to the front wheel frame 61. The front wheel shaft 57 is attached to the traveling vehicle body 2.

[0119] A hollow connecting case 82 is attached to the left end portion of the front wheel shaft 57, and insertion holes 84, 85 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed in the front surface and the rear surface of the connecting case 82, and frame holes 86 for inserting the front wheel frame 61 are formed in the upper surface and the lower surface.

[0120] The front wheel frame 61 is formed with a plurality of insertion holes 83 penetrating in the front-rear direction. With the positions of any one of these insertion holes 83 and the insertion holes 84, 85 formed in the connection case 82 overlapped, the pin 87 is inserted into the insertion holes 83 to 85 from one side in the front-rear direction, and an R-pin 88 is attached to the end of the pin 87, whereby the vertical position of the front wheel 13 with respect to the body is fixed.

[0121] At the front and rear parts inside the connection case 82, a plate member 99 and a pair of upper and lower bearings 98 rotatably attached to the surface of the plate member 99 on the front wheel frame 61 side are provided respectively, and each plate member 99 is fixed to a spring 100 extending in the front-rear direction from the inner surface of the connection case 82.

[0122] Here, the bearing 98 is configured to have a larger diameter than the insertion hole 83 formed in the front wheel frame 61. Therefore, when the front wheel frame 61 is slid up and down with the pin 87 removed from the connection case 82, at the position where the insertion holes 84, 85 and the respective insertion holes 83 arranged in the vertical direction overlap, as shown in Fig. 9(b), the bearing 98 fits into the entrance of the insertion hole 83. As a result, the vertical position of the front wheel 13 with respect to the body is temporarily fixed at each front-rear position.

[0123] Therefore, even without lifting the body using a stand or the like, the pin 87 can be easily inserted into the insertion holes 83 to 85, the R-pin 88 can be attached to the end of the pin 87, and the vertical position of the front wheel 13 with respect to the body can be fixed.

[0124] In addition, since each bearing 98 in the connection case 82 fits near the entrance of the insertion hole 83 formed in the front wheel frame 61 in this way, the front wheel frame 61 is prevented from rotating in the yaw direction.

[0125] Furthermore, since the hole into which the bearing 98 fits and the hole into which the pin 87 is inserted are shared, the number of holes formed in the front wheel frame 61 can be reduced, so that the front wheel frame 61 can be easily manufactured.

[0126] In addition, since the insertion hole 83 for inserting the pin 87 extends in the front-rear direction of the machine body, there is no interference when narrowing the front wheel 13.

[0127] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, shallow grooves extending in the vertical direction are formed between the insertion holes 83 arranged in the vertical direction so as to connect the respective insertion holes 83.

[0128] Therefore, when the front wheel frame 61 is slid vertically with the pin 87 removed from the connection case 82, the contact area between each bearing 98 and the front wheel frame 61 increases, making it difficult for the bearing 98 and the front wheel frame 61 to wear.

[0129] In addition, since the bearing 98 is rotatably attached to the plate member 99, the front wheel frame 61 can be slid vertically with a light force, and no burden is applied to the base of the bearing 98, improving the durability of the bearing 98.

[0130] As described above, the adjustment mechanism for the vertical position of the left front wheel 13 has been described. In the present embodiment, the adjustment mechanism for the vertical position of the right front wheel 13 is also configured in the same manner, and the vertical position can be changed in the same way as in the case of the left front wheel 13.

[0131] On the other hand, FIG. 10 is a schematic left side view showing the vicinity of the undulation end detection sensor 30 of the transplanter 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0132] The undulation end detection sensor 30 shown in Fig. 3 includes an undulation end sensor stay 102 attached to the lower surface of the floor step 37 of the traveling vehicle body 2, a sensor switch 103 attached to the undulation end sensor stay 102, a sensor arm 104 rotatably attached to the undulation end sensor stay 102 via a plate 31, and an undulation surface contact roller 32 attached to the rear part of the sensor arm 104. The sensor switch 103 is provided with a switch arm 103a which is also a metal terminal. When the undulation surface contact roller 32 is in a grounded state and the sensor arm 104 rotates upward, the switch arm 103a is pushed up above a predetermined position by contact with the plate 31 and is energized.

[0133] The undulation surface contact roller 32 contacts the undulation surface of the field by its own weight. When the traveling vehicle body 2 reaches the end of the undulation, the undulation surface contact roller 32 descends, and the sensor arm 104 rotates downward. At this time, the plate 31 separates from the switch arm 103a of the sensor switch 103, and the switch arm 103a separates from the sensor switch 103 to become a non-energized state, that is, off. Therefore, the control device 75 is configured to apply a pulse signal to the piezoelectric diaphragm 95 to sound the buzzer and warn the operator.

[0134] In the conventional configuration, there is a space below the attachment part of the sensor switch 103 of the undulation end sensor stay 102. So, when there are lumps of soil on the undulation surface when the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 2 decreases, soil enters from below, and the switch arm 103a remains pushed up toward the sensor switch 103. When reaching the end of the undulation and the undulation surface contact roller 32 becomes non-grounded, and even if the sensor arm 104 rotates downward, the sensor switch 103 does not turn off and the buzzer does not sound.

[0135] To prevent the above problems, a bent portion 102a bent toward the rear of the machine body is formed on the front side of the machine body of the undulation end sensor stay 102. By this bent portion 102a, when the vehicle height decreases during traveling, even if there are lumps of soil below the undulation end sensor stay 102, they are pushed and leveled by the bent portion 102a, so that it is possible to prevent soil from entering toward the sensor switch 103.

[0136] Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation where a defect occurs in the electrical resistance of the sensor switch 103, or the switch arm 103a is deformed and the switching between energization and non-energization becomes impossible, and to prevent the undulation end detection sensor 30 from malfunctioning normally. <Technical Significance of the Present Embodiment> According to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the conveying device 6 and the planting device 3 are arranged substantially at the center in the machine body width direction, and the planting object P is configured to be linearly conveyed from the conveying device 6 to the rear where the planting device 3 is arranged. Therefore, the transplanter 1 can be simply configured.

[0137] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the conveying device 6 is configured to be conveyed to the planting device 3 by one pitch, which is the input interval of the planting object P, the planting object P can be surely supplied to the planting device 3.

[0138] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the front end portion of the conveying device 6 that is not suitable for inputting the planting object P is arranged under the work seat 18, the front-rear length of the machine body can be configured compactly.

[0139] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the conveying device 6 is arranged in a height range above the floor step 37 and below the lower surface 18a of the work seat 18, the height of the machine body 1 can be suppressed, and when the operator moves in the machine body width direction, the operator can easily straddle the conveying device 6 and move.

[0140] Also, according to the present embodiment, the guide member 38 for guiding the planting object P in the planting hopper 62 has a shape in which a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 is cut out, and at least a part of the planting hopper 62 is located below the rear end portion of the conveying device 6. Therefore, even when the planting object P falls directly below the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 without jumping to the guide member 38, the planting object P can be directly sent into the planting hopper 62.

[0141] In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the conveying device 6 is configured to operate the input unit A by one pitch at the timing when the planting hopper 62 reaches near the top dead center (more specifically, a position slightly below the top dead center), the planting object P can be reliably supplied into the planting hopper 62.

[0142] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, when it is detected by the ultrasonic sensor 78 that the planting object P is stored in the planting hopper 62 and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body 2 has traveled a predetermined distance or more from the start of a series of planting operations (more specifically, at the start of the planting operation), since the planting device 3 is configured to start a series of planting operations, the plant spacing of the planting object P can be made constant.

[0143] Also, according to the present embodiment, when it is not detected that the planting object P is stored in the planting hopper 62 and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body 2 has traveled a predetermined distance or more from the previous series of planting operations, after the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 2 is stopped, a series of planting operations are performed. Then, when it is detected that the planting object P is stored in the planting hopper 62, after a series of planting operations are performed, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body 2 is restarted. Therefore, even if the planting object P is not input to any of the input units A due to an input error, no area of the field where planting has not been performed will occur, and planting can be reliably performed at a constant plant spacing.

[0144] In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the compaction wheel 90 that compacts the soil on the field surface is used as a travel distance sensor, the number of parts of the transplanter 1 can be reduced.

[0145] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the compaction wheel 90 is provided with protrusions on the outer peripheral edge as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to prevent slipping while rolling on the field surface. Therefore, the control device 75 can calculate an accurate travel distance.

[0146] FIG. 11(a) is a schematic left side view of a connection portion between a front wheel frame 61 attached to a left front wheel 13 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention and a front wheel shaft 57, and FIG. 11(b) is a schematic plan view of the connection portion shown in FIG. 11(a).

[0147] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 to be described in detail later, except for the points described below, it is configured in the same manner as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and thus, the same effects can be obtained.

[0148] In this embodiment, unlike the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c), a number of depressions 101 into which a bearing 98 fits are formed separately from insertion holes 83 into which pins 87 are inserted, on the front and rear surfaces of the front wheel frame 61. The number of depressions 101 are formed so as to be arranged in the vertical direction, and shallow grooves extending in the vertical direction are formed so as to connect the depressions 101 to each other.

[0149] Further, the insertion holes 84 and 85 formed in the connection case 82 are located on the left and right sides of the front wheel frame 61, and the pin 87 is inserted from the left side of the connection case 82.

[0150] In this way, by forming the insertion hole 83 and the depression 101 in the front wheel frame 61 at different phases by 90 degrees, respectively, the length of the pin 87 inserted into the insertion holes 83 to 85 can be configured to be shorter than in the case of the above-described embodiment. In addition, when the front wheel 13 is retracted, the spring 100 or the like does not interfere again, so the workability is good.

[0151] As described above, the adjustment mechanism for the vertical position of the left front wheel 13 has been described. Similarly to the above-described embodiment, the adjustment mechanism for the vertical position of the right front wheel 13 is also configured in the same manner, and the vertical position can be changed in the same manner as in the case of the left front wheel 13.

[0152] FIG. 12 is a schematic left side view of the undulation end detection sensor 30 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11.

[0153] In this embodiment, the sensor switch 103 is arranged horizontally with the ground so as to face downward, and a pin 69 for turning on and off the sensor switch 103 is welded to the plate 31.

[0154] When the sensor arm 104 is pushed by a lump of soil on the wavy surface and rotates rearward and upward, the pin 69 is rotated rearward and upward. Therefore, damage to the sensor arm 104 can be prevented. Since the sensor switch 103 is configured to be rotated by the pin 69, the sensor switch 103 can be arranged at a position significantly above the lower surface of the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102, and the sensor switch 103 can be protected from lumps of soil on the wavy surface.

[0155] FIG. 13 is a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10. A bent portion 102a is not formed at the lower part of the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102, a guard plate 106 is attached to one side of the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102 in the left-right direction of the machine body, and a guard bent portion 106a is formed at the lower part of the vertically long guard plate 106 that protrudes below the machine body from the lower end of the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102 so as to pass below the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102 and face the other side in the left-right direction.

[0156] Thereby, the lower part of the sensor switch 103 can be covered longitudinally in the left-right direction, so that even if there is a lump of soil below the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102, the sensor switch 103 can be prevented from malfunctioning or operating erroneously.

[0157] Note that a pair of upper and lower mounting long holes 102b, 102b for mounting the guard plate 106 are formed in the end-of-ridge sensor stay 102, and the guard plate 106 can be mounted not only in a posture parallel to the horizontal ground but also in a posture tilted forward or backward with respect to the horizontal ground.

[0158] As a result, in a sloping field such as a mountainous area, by changing the posture of attaching the guard plate 106, the gap through which the soil mass between the guard bending portion 106a and the wave end sensor stay 102 can enter can be narrowed, so that the sensor switch 103 is prevented from malfunctioning or operating erroneously.

[0159] Further, mounting holes 106b for the sensor switch 103 are formed in the guard plate 106, and the sensor switch 103 is to be mounted from one side of the left and right of the machine body.

[0160] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that those are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0161] For example, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, the conveying device 6 is configured to convey the planting object P toward the planting device 3 arranged at the rear, but the work seat may be arranged facing forward, and the planting object may be conveyed toward the planting device arranged in front of the conveying device.

[0162] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, the planting hopper 62 is arranged at a position where it partially overlaps with the rear end portion of the conveying device 6 in a top view, but it may be configured such that the entire planting hopper is located below the conveying device.

[0163] In addition, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 13, as shown in step s11 of FIG. 8, even when the planting object P is not accommodated in the planting hopper 62, the control device 75 is configured to perform the planting operation of the planting device 3, but when the planting object is not accommodated in the planting hopper, the driving of the lifting motor 56 may be stopped and the operation of the planting device may be stopped.

[0164] Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), each bearing 98 is rotatably attached to the plate member 99. However, instead of the bearing, a spherical member may be welded and attached to the plate member. In this case, the adjustment mechanism for the vertical position of the front wheel can be manufactured at a lower cost, and the pressure is applied to the spherical member in a substantially uniform manner.

Explanation of Signs

[0165] 1 Transplanter 2 Traveling vehicle body 3 Planting device 6 Conveyor 9 Engine 10 Transmission case 11 Operation panel 12 Steering wheel 13 Front wheel 14 Rear wheel 15 Rear wheel axle 16 Traveling transmission case 18 Work seat 19 Lifting link mechanism 20 Motor case 21 Planting operation part 23 Handle frame 27 Main shift lever 28 Lifting hydraulic cylinder 29 Arm 30 Ridge end detection sensor 31 Plate 32 Ridge surface contact roller 33 Link mechanism 34 Spring 35 Cam 36 Cable 37 Floor step 38 Guide member 39 Driving pulley 40 Driven pulley 41 Hopper lifting motor 42 Ridge surface sensor 43 Front side frame 44 Rear side frame 45 Endless belt 46 Hopper opening and closing cam 47 Upper link arm 48 Lower link arm 49 Tension pulley 50 Lifting cam 51 Lifting drive shaft 52 Lifting crank 53 Connecting plate 54 Adjusting plate 55 Link holder 56 Conveyor motor 57 Front wheel shaft 58 Hopper holder 60 Hopper assembly 61 Front wheel frame 62 Planting hopper 63 Opening and closing wire 64 Opening and closing arm 65 Contact roller 66 Rotating support shaft 67 Rotating arm 68 Rotating plate 69 Pin 70 Rotating fulcrum of the lower link arm 71 Shutter opening and closing arm 72 Convex part 73 Shutter opening and closing cable 74 Small diameter part 75 Control device 76 Control part 77 Link sensor 78 Ultrasonic sensor 79 Processing part 80 Memory part 82 Connecting case 83 Insertion hole 84 Insertion hole 85 Insertion hole 86 Frame hole 87 Pin 88 R-pin 89 Angle adjustment mechanism 90 Compaction wheel 91 Compaction arm 92 Avoidance part 93 Compaction wheel frame 94 Clutch motor 95 Piezoelectric diaphragm 96 Compression Rotation Sensor 97 Rotating Arm 98 Bearing 99 Plate Member 100 Spring 101 Depression 102 Valley End Sensor Stay 103 Sensor Switch 104 Sensor Arm 105 Mounting Table

Claims

1. A single-row transplanter for planting plants in a field, comprising: A traveling vehicle body that travels in the field; A conveying device attached to the traveling vehicle body for linearly conveying plants in one direction (forward or backward); A planting device disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the conveying device, for receiving the plants conveyed by the conveying device and planting them in the field; and The conveying device and the planting device are disposed substantially at the center in the machine width direction; The conveying device is provided with a plurality of input parts into which plants are input by an operator and arranged at a constant pitch along the conveying direction of the conveying device. Each time the planting device performs a series of planting operations, the plants input into each input part are configured to be conveyed by one pitch at a time; The traveling vehicle body is provided with a floor step on which the operator rides; The conveying device is disposed in a height range above the floor step and below the lower surface of the seat on which the operator sits; The seat is disposed substantially at the center in the machine width direction; A transplanter, characterized in that the front end portion of the conveying device is located in front of the rear end portion of the seat.

2. A single-row transplanter for planting plants in a field, comprising: A traveling vehicle body that travels in the field; A conveying device attached to the traveling vehicle body for linearly conveying plants in one direction (forward or backward); A planting device disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the conveying device, for receiving the plants conveyed by the conveying device and planting them in the field; and The conveying device and the planting device are disposed substantially at the center in the machine width direction; The conveying device is provided with a plurality of input parts into which plants are input by an operator and arranged at a constant pitch along the conveying direction of the conveying device. Each time the planting device performs a series of planting operations, the plants input into each input part are configured to be conveyed by one pitch at a time; The planting device includes a planting hopper for planting plants in the field, and a guide member for receiving the plants conveyed by the conveying device and guiding them to the planting hopper; In a state where the planting hopper is located at the top dead center, the planting operation is configured such that at least a part of the planting hopper is located below the rear end portion of the conveying device; A transplanter, characterized in that the guide member is formed in a substantially C shape such that a portion overlapping the rear end portion of the conveying device is cut out in a plan view.

3. A single-row transplanter for planting plants in a field, comprising: A traveling vehicle body that travels in the field; A conveying device attached to the traveling vehicle body for linearly conveying plants in one direction (forward or backward); An implantation device is provided on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the conveying device, and receives the plants conveyed by the conveying device and plants them in the field. The conveying device and the implantation device are arranged substantially at the center in the machine body width direction. The conveying device is provided with a plurality of input parts into which plants are input by an operator and are arranged at a certain pitch along the conveying direction of the conveying device. Each time the implantation device performs a series of implantation operations, the plants input into each input part are configured to be conveyed by one pitch at a time. It includes a travel distance sensor that detects the travel distance of the traveling vehicle body, and a detection means that detects that plants are stored in an implantation hopper for planting plants in the field. When it is detected that plants are stored in the implantation hopper and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance of a predetermined distance or more since the previous series of implantation operations, a series of implantation operations are started. When it is detected that plants are not stored in the implantation hopper and it is detected that the traveling vehicle body has traveled a distance of a predetermined distance or more since the previous series of implantation operations, after the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is stopped, a series of implantation operations are performed. Then, the conveying device operates the input part by one pitch. When it is detected that plants are stored in the implantation hopper, after a series of implantation operations are performed, the traveling of the traveling vehicle body is restarted. A transplanter characterized by this.

4. As the travel distance sensor, it is provided with a pressing wheel that presses the soil while rolling on the field surface where plants are planted. The pressing wheel is provided with protrusions on the outer peripheral edge part. The transplanter according to claim 3, characterized in that the travel distance of the traveling vehicle body is calculated based on the number of rotations of the pressing wheel.

Images