Seedling transplanter

Abstract

To address such a problem that a sulky rice planter is equipped with a reserve seedling tray for supplying seedlings to a planting device equipped at a rear part of a traveling car body, however, since the reserve seedling tray is provided on the rear part of the traveling car body, work for replenishing seedlings on the reserve seedling tray is hard work and has the problem in workability, and to provide a seedling transplanter allowing a worker to easily perform seedling supply work with high workability.SOLUTION: A seedling transplanter includes a rail 22 on which seedling frames 26a, 26b and 26c move from a front part of a traveling car body to above a seedling tray 12 of a planting device 3. A freely rotationally-turning rotational body 28 provided on the rear side of the seedling frames 26a, 26b and 26c supports rear end faces of seedlings N placed in an upright state with a rear side closed, until the seedling frames 26a, 26b and 26c reach a position facing the seedling tray 12, and when the seedling frames 26a, 26b and 26c have reached the position facing the seedling tray 12, rotationally turns backward to supply the seedling tray 12 with the seedlings N placed on the seedling frames 26a, 26b and 26c.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seedling transplanter for planting seedlings in a field. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there is a riding rice transplanter equipped with a spare seedling placing table that supplies seedlings to a planting device attached to the rear of the traveling vehicle body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-244911 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the riding rice transplanter described above, the spare seedling tray is located at the rear of the vehicle body, so the task of replenishing the spare seedling tray with seedlings is hard work and poses a problem in terms of workability.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has as its object to provide a seedling transplanter that allows seedling supply work to be performed easily and with good operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is a seedling transplanter equipped with a planting device 3 equipped with a seedling carrier 12 at the rear of a traveling body 2, in which a rail 22 is provided on which seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c move from the front of the traveling body 2 to above the seedling carrier 12 of the planting device 3, and the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c are pivotally supported on the bottom surface where the seedlings N are placed, the left and right side walls, and the rear side by a pivot shaft 27 in the left and right direction. The rotating body 28 supports the rear end faces of the seedlings N placed in an upright position, blocking the rear sides of the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c, until the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c reach a position facing the seedling carrier 12, and when the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c reach a position facing the seedling carrier 12, the rotating body 28 rotates backward to supply the seedlings N placed in the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c to the seedling carrier 12. death, A rotation restriction rail 23 is provided along the rail 22 to restrict the rearward rotation of the rotating body 28 from the front end of the rail 22 to a position above the rear seedling carrier 12, and when the seedling frames 26a, 26b, and 26c reach a position facing the seedling carrier 12, the restriction on the rearward rotation of the rotating body 28 is released. It is a seedling transplanter.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 1, when seedling supply work is carried out by stopping the front end of the seedling transplanter at the ridge U or road, if the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c are moved to the front of the traveling body 2 along the rail 22, the front ends of the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c will be positioned above and near the ridge U or road, and workers on the ridge U or road can easily and efficiently place the seedlings N placed on the ridge U or road into the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c.

[0008] Furthermore, when the seedling frames 26a, 26b, and 26c carrying the seedlings N are moved along the rails 22 to a position opposite the seedling carrier 12 of the planting device 3, the seedlings N placed in the seedling frames 26a, 26b, and 26c are supplied to the seedling carrier 12, making the seedling supply work easy and efficient.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is a seedling transplanter described in claim 1 in which the rail 22 is arch-shaped and multiple seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c are connected by connecting members 25 at a predetermined interval to form an auxiliary seedling frame unit 21.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is a seedling transplanter described in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c are horizontal or nearly horizontal when positioned at the front lower part of the rail 22, and when positioned facing the seedling carrier 12 at the rear upper part, they are inclined at an angle that is the same as or close to the inclination angle of the seedling carrier 12, and the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c and rails 22 are arranged on the left and right in the same number as each seedling carrier section 12a of the seedling carrier 12.

[0012] Claim 4 The described invention is a seedling transplanter as described in claim 1 or claim 2, in which when a seedling shortage sensor S1 provided on the seedling carrier 12 detects a decrease in seedlings N, the actuator 29 is operated to move the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c to a position above the seedling carrier 12, and when a seedling detection sensor 32 provided on the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c detects that there are no seedlings N, the actuator 29 is operated to move the seedling frames 26a, 26b, 26c forward and downward toward the body of the machine.

[0013] Claim 5 The described invention is a seedling transplanter as described in claim 1 or claim 2, in which a fertilizer placing rack 35 is rotatably provided at the front end of the seedling frame 26a, and when the seedling frame 26a reaches a position facing the supply port 10a of the fertilizer tank 10, the rotating body 28 rotates backward to connect to the supply port 10a.

[0014] Claim 5 According to the described invention, the worker can easily and efficiently supply fertilizer to the fertilizer tank 10 in a comfortable position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view for explaining the operation of the autonomously traveling rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the autonomously traveling rice transplanter. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view for explaining the operation of the material supply device of the rice transplanter. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the operation of the material supply device of the rice transplanter. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the operation of the material supply device of the rice transplanter. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the seedling carrier of the rice transplanter. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the auxiliary seedling frame unit of the rice transplanter. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating a control action according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a control action showing another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] A six-row planting autonomous traveling rice transplanter (hereinafter referred to as robotic rice transplanter), which is one embodiment of the seedling transplanter of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] In this specification, the left and right sides of the robotic rice transplanter when viewed in the forward direction are referred to as the left and right sides, respectively, and the forward direction is referred to as the front side and the backward direction is referred to as the rear side.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the robotic rice transplanter 1 is equipped with a six-row planting device 3 at the rear of a traveling body 2 so that it can be raised and lowered by a lifting link device.

[0019] The running vehicle body 2 has an engine 5 mounted on top of the main frame 4, a transmission case 6 and left and right driven front wheels 7, 7 which are steering wheels at the front, and left and right driven rear wheels 8, 8 and a fertilizer tank 10 and a fertilizer delivery device 11 which are the main parts of the fertilizer device 9 at the rear.

[0020] The upper part of the fertilization tank 10 is inclined forward, and a supply port 10a on the upper surface opens forward.

[0021] The front upper part of the aircraft is also equipped with a wireless communication device, a control device, a GPS, and a pilot light that lights up when the aircraft is moving automatically.

[0022] The planting device 3 is composed of a planting transmission case 11' to which driving force is transmitted by a PTO drive shaft from the traveling vehicle body 2, a seedling carrying platform 12 having six seedling carrying sections 12a in the left and right directions that move back and forth left and right using a left and right movement mechanism, a planting tool 13 that picks out seedlings one by one from the lower end of the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed on each seedling carrying section 12a of the seedling carrying platform 12 and plants them in the field, and a ground leveling float 14 that levels the field area where the planting tool 13 will plant the seedlings.

[0023] The seedling carrying platform 12 is provided with a seedling shortage sensor S1 for detecting a decrease in the number of seedlings placed thereon and a seedling replenishment sensor S2 at a length that allows one mat of seedlings N with soil to be placed on each of the six seedling carrying sections 12a (see Figure 6).

[0024] The PTO drive shafts to the fertilizer applicator 9 and the planting device 3 are turned on and off by a PTO clutch operated by a PTO actuator.

[0025] The left and right front driving wheels 7, 7 and the left and right rear driving wheels 8, 8 are driven to rotate by the driving force output from the engine 5 transmitted by the transmission mechanism and forward / reverse switching mechanism in the transmission case 6. The transmission mechanism and forward / reverse switching mechanism change speeds and switch between forward and reverse directions using a transmission actuator, and the left and right front driving wheels 7, 7 are steered by a steering actuator.

[0026] In addition, a step 15, a speed change pedal 16, and a simple steering handle 17 that can be stored are provided on the top of the transmission case 6.In the event that autonomous driving becomes impossible or operation by remote control becomes impossible, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 of the material supply device 20 described below can be moved rearward and upward on the arch-shaped rail 22 to create space above the step 15 where an operator can board, and the simple steering handle 17 can be raised from its stored state to its usable state, and the operator can then board the step 15, hold the simple steering handle 17, and operate the speed change pedal 16 to drive the vehicle manually.

[0027] Six material supply devices 20 are provided from the front to the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the material supplying devices 20 are provided on the front side of the seedling placing sections 12a of the seedling placing table 12 of the planting device 3 so as to face the upper end of each seedling placing section 12a.

[0029] The material supply device 20 is composed of left and right arched rails 22 fixed to the main frame 4 of the traveling body 2 via a support frame, left and right rotation control rails 23 fixed below the left and right arched rails 22, and an auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 that runs on the left and right arched rails 22.

[0030] The left and right arch-shaped rails 22 are arranged in an arc shape when viewed from the side, extending from the front of the running body 2 to above the seedling carrier 12 of the rear planting device 3 and becoming higher towards the rear, and a groove 22a into which the running wheel 24 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 fits is formed on the outer surface.

[0031] The left and right rotation restriction rail 23 is an arc-shaped rod that is arranged a predetermined distance from the underside of the left and right arched rail 22 and along the underside of the left and right arched rail 22, from the front end of the left and right arched rail 22 to the upper end position of the rear seedling carrier 12.

[0032] The auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is a frame body 25 that is a square connected body when viewed from above, and three seedling frames, a lower seedling frame 26a, a middle seedling frame 26b and an upper seedling frame 26c, for placing seedlings N with mat-like soil on them, are connected at a predetermined interval.

[0033] The lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b and the upper seedling frame 26c have a bottom surface and left and right side walls on which seedlings N with mat-like soil are placed, and are equipped with a rotating body 28 at the rear end that is pivoted freely by a pivot shaft 27 in the left and right directions.

[0034] The rotating body 28 has a bottom surface and left and right side walls on which the seedlings N with mat-like soil are placed, and while it is in contact with the upper surface of the left and right rotation control rail 23, it stands upright against the bottom surface of the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b or upper seedling frame 26c, supporting the rear end surface of the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b or upper seedling frame 26c, and holding the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b or upper seedling frame 26c.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, when the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 moves rearward and upward along the left and right arched rails 22 and the lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b or the upper seedling frame 26c reaches a position facing the upper end of the seedling loading section 12a of the seedling loading platform 12 that has raised the planting device 3 to its highest position, the rotating body 28 is released from contact with the upper surface of the left and right rotation control rails 23 and rotates rearward and downward to contact the upper surface of the upper end of the seedling loading section 12a, so that the lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b or the upper seedling frame 26c becomes connected to the seedling loading section 12a, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b or the upper seedling frame 26c slide onto the seedling loading section 12a and are supplied.

[0036] In addition, left and right running wheels 24 are provided on the rear sides of the lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b and the upper seedling frame 26c, respectively, and the left and right running wheels 24 fit into the recessed grooves 22a of the left and right arched rails 22.

[0037] The left and right running wheels 24 of the lower seedling frame 26a are drive wheels that are driven to rotate by the drive of an electric motor 29, which is an actuator provided on the bottom surface of the lower seedling frame 26a.

[0038] Therefore, when the electric motor 29 is rotated forward to rotate the left and right running wheels 24 forward, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 moves rearward and upward along the left and right arched rails 22, and when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the upper seedling frame 26c, the electric motor 29 stops and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed on the upper seedling frame 26c are slid onto the seedling loading section 12a and supplied.

[0039] Furthermore, when the electric motor 29 is rotated forward to rotate the left and right running wheels 24 forward, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 moves rearward and upward along the left and right arched rails 22, and when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the middle seedling frame 26b, the electric motor 29 stops and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed on the middle seedling frame 26b slide onto the seedling loading section 12a and are supplied.

[0040] Furthermore, when the electric motor 29 is rotated forward to rotate the left and right running wheels 24 forward, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 moves rearward and upward along the left and right arched rails 22, and when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the lower seedling frame 26a, the electric motor 29 stops and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed on the lower seedling frame 26a slide onto the seedling loading section 12a and are supplied.

[0041] Then, when the electric motor 29 is reversed to reverse the left and right running wheels 24, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 moves forward and downward along the left and right arched rails 22, and when the standby position stop sensor 31 detects the lower seedling frame 26a, the electric motor 29 stops and the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 stops at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the second material supply device 20 from the left out of the six material supply devices 20 has a fertilizer placing rack 35 that is L-shaped when viewed from the side at the front end of the lower seedling frame 26a.

[0043] The fertilizer placing rack 35 has a hook 35a at its upper end, and by hooking the hook 35a into the engagement hole at the front end of the lower seedling frame 26a, the fertilizer placing rack 35 is suspended rotatably from the front end of the lower seedling frame 26a.

[0044] Here, seedling supplying work and fertilizer supplying work to the robotic rice transplanter 1 that is performed by stopping the front end of the robotic rice transplanter 1 at a ridge U, a road, or the like (hereinafter referred to as ridge U) will be described.

[0045] During seedling supply work or fertilizer supply work, the seedling carrier 12 stops when it reaches the center position of its left and right reciprocating movement, and the six seedling carriers 12a face the six material supply devices 20, respectively, and the planting device 3 rises to the highest position.

[0046] In addition, each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 of the six material supply devices 20 is stopped at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22, but if each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 does not automatically stop at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22, the electric motor 29 is operated by remote control to stop each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22.

[0047] Then, the fertilizer placing rack 35 suspended from the front end of the lower seedling frame 26a of the second material supply device 20 from the left is at a low position near the ridge U, allowing a worker on the ridge U to easily and efficiently place the fertilizer bag F that he has placed on the ridge U onto the fertilizer placing rack 35. At this time, the top of the fertilizer bag F is left open.

[0048] In addition, the second left-right rotation restriction rail 23 has a portion facing the supply port 10a on the top surface of the fertilizer tank 10 that can be freely switched between a stopper state and an open state by a stopper opening electric motor.

[0049] Then, the worker on the ridge U uses a remote control to operate the electric motor 29 of the second auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 from the left, moving the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 above the left and right arched rails 22, moving the lower seedling frame 26a to a position facing the supply port 10a on the top of the fertilizer tank 10 and stopping it, and then uses a remote control to operate the electric motor for opening the stopper to open the part of the second left and right rotation control rail 23 from the left that faces the supply port 10a on the top of the fertilizer tank 10, causing the rotating body 28 of the lower seedling frame 26a to rotate rearward and downward, and its tip inserts into the supply port 10a, so that the lower seedling frame 26a is now connected to the fertilizer tank 10.

[0050] Therefore, when the worker grasps the lower part of the fertilizer placing rack 35 and rotates it upward to align the fertilizer placing rack 35 with the lower seedling frame 26a, the fertilizer slides from the upper opening of the fertilizer bag F over the lower seedling frame 26a and is supplied into the fertilizer tank 10 through the supply port 10a.

[0051] Therefore, the worker on the ridge U can easily and efficiently supply fertilizer to the fertilizer tank 10 in a comfortable posture.

[0052] Furthermore, when the fertilizer supply work is completed, the stopper opening electric motor is operated using a remote control to put the part of the second left-hand left-hand rotation control rail 23 facing the supply port 10a on the top of the fertilizer tank 10 into a stopper state, and the electric motor 29 is operated to move the second left-hand auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 to the front lower end position of the left-hand left-hand arched rail 22 and stop it.

[0053] In addition, since the front ends of the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b and upper seedling frame 26c of each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 are positioned above and near the ridge U and are in a substantially horizontal position, workers on the ridge U can easily and efficiently place the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed on the ridge U into the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b and upper seedling frame 26c.

[0054] When the robotic rice transplanter 1 is started into working mode by remote control, the control device detects that the seedling out sensor S1 or seedling replenishment available sensor S2 of each seedling loading section 12a of the seedling carrier 12 does not have any seedlings N with mat-like soil, so it rotates the electric motor 29 in the forward direction to move each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 upward and rearward along the left and right arched rails 22, and when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the upper seedling frame 26c, middle seedling frame 26b, and lower seedling frame 26a, the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the upper seedling frame 26c, middle seedling frame 26b, and lower seedling frame 26a are sequentially supplied to the seedling loading section 12a.When the seedling out sensor S1 and seedling replenishment available sensor S2 detect the seedlings N with mat-like soil, it reverses the electric motor 29 to move each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 to a position where the standby position stop sensor 31 at the front and bottom of the left and right arched rails 22 detects the lower seedling frame 26a.

[0055] In addition, seedling detection sensors 32 are provided on the bottom surfaces of the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b and upper seedling frame 26c, and even if the seedling detection sensors 32 of the lower seedling frame 26a, middle seedling frame 26b and upper seedling frame 26c detect that there are no seedlings N with mat-like soil, the control device reverses the electric motor 29 to move each auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 to a position where the standby position stop sensor 31 located in front of and below the left and right arch-shaped rails 22 detects the lower seedling frame 26a.

[0056] Next, when the remote control is operated to start the rice planting work with the robotic rice transplanter 1, the control device receives signals from positioning satellites via GPS in the field based on map data with the stored work route added, and calculates position information using the satellite positioning system, while controlling the operation of the left and right running electric motors, the left and right front wheel running electric motors, the steering actuator, and the planting electric motor, so that the robotic rice transplanter 1 travels autonomously along the route and automatically performs rice planting work.

[0057] When any of the seedling shortage sensors S1 provided on each of the six seedling loading sections 12a of the seedling loading platform 12 detects a decrease in seedlings, the control device stops the rice planting work and the progress of the machine when the seedling loading platform 12 reaches the center position of its left and right reciprocating movement (the center stop mechanism for the seedling loading platform 12 is of a conventionally well-known configuration, with a sensor provided on the frame of the planting device 3 that detects the center position of the left and right movement of the seedling loading platform 12, and the sensor detects that the seedling loading platform 12 has reached the center position of its left and right movement, automatically stopping the drive and movement of the planting device 3), and raises the planting device 3 to the highest position.

[0058] Next, the control device rotates the electric motor 29 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 corresponding to the seedling placement section 12a where the seedling shortage sensor S1 has detected a decrease in seedlings in the forward direction, moving the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 upward and rearward along the left and right arch-shaped rails 22, and stops the movement when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the upper seedling frame 26c (middle seedling frame 26b, lower seedling frame 26a), and supplies the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the upper seedling frame 26c (middle seedling frame 26b, lower seedling frame 26a) to the seedling placement section 12a in the manner described above.

[0059] At that time, if the seedling detection sensor 32 of the upper seedling frame 26c detects seedlings N with mat-like soil, the movement is stopped upon detection of the upper seedling frame 26c, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the upper seedling frame 26c are supplied to the seedling loading section 12a in the manner described above.Furthermore, the electric motor 29 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is rotated forward to move the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 further upward and rearward of the left and right arch-shaped rails 22, and the movement is stopped upon detection of the middle seedling frame 26b by the seedling supply position stop sensor 30, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the middle seedling frame 26b are supplied to the seedling loading section 12a in the manner described above.

[0060] Furthermore, if the seedling supply possible sensor S2 does not detect seedlings N with mat-like soil at that time, the electric motor 29 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is rotated forward to move the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 further upward and rearward along the left and right arched rails 22, and the movement is stopped when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the lower seedling frame 26a, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a are supplied to the seedling loading section 12a in the manner described above.

[0061] Furthermore, if the seedling detection sensor 32 of the upper seedling frame 26c does not detect seedlings N with mat-like soil, movement is stopped upon detection of the middle seedling frame 26b, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the middle seedling frame 26b are supplied to the seedling loading section 12a in the manner described above.Furthermore, the electric motor 29 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is rotated forward to move the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 further upward and rearward of the left and right arch-shaped rails 22, and movement is stopped upon detection of the lower seedling frame 26a by the seedling supply position stop sensor 30, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a are supplied to the seedling loading section 12a in the manner described above.

[0062] Furthermore, if the seedling detection sensors 32 of the upper seedling frame 26c and the middle seedling frame 26b do not detect seedlings N with mat-like soil, the movement is stopped upon detection of the lower seedling frame 26a, and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the lower seedling frame 26a are supplied to the seedling placement section 12a in the manner described above.

[0063] On the other hand, even in the seedling placement section 12a where the seedling shortage sensor S1 has not detected a decrease in seedlings, if the seedling replenishment sensor S2 has not detected seedlings N with mat-like soil, one seedling N with mat-like soil can be supplied.Therefore, the electric motor 29 of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 corresponding to the seedling placement section 12a where the seedling replenishment sensor S2 has not detected seedlings N with mat-like soil is rotated in the forward direction, and the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is moved upward and rearward along the left and right arch-shaped rails 22 in the same manner as described above.The movement is stopped when the seedling supply position stop sensor 30 detects the upper seedling frame 26c (middle seedling frame 26b, lower seedling frame 26a), and the seedlings N with mat-like soil placed in the upper seedling frame 26c (middle seedling frame 26b, lower seedling frame 26a) are supplied to the seedling placement section 12a.

[0064] Then, when the seedling supply work is completed, the control device reverses the electric motor 29 of the moved auxiliary seedling frame unit 21, causing the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 to move forward and downward along the left and right arched rails 22, stopping it at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22, and then lowering the planting device 3 to the working position and moving forward to resume rice planting work.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21. As shown in FIG.

[0066] That is, the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 has a square frame body 25 in a plan view, to which the lower part of the lower seedling frame 26a, on which seedlings N with mat-like soil are placed, is fixed, and the lower parts of the middle seedling frame 26b and the upper seedling frame 26c are pivoted freely by pivot shafts 40 in the left-right direction.

[0067] When the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is at the front lower end position of the left and right arched rails 22, the lower seedling frame 26a, the middle seedling frame 26b and the upper seedling frame 26c are placed at equal intervals to place the seedlings on the frame, and when the auxiliary seedling frame unit 21 is at the rear upper position of the left and right arched rails 22, the middle seedling frame 26b and the upper seedling frame 26c rotate around the pivot shaft 40 and fall backward to enter a retracted state.

[0068] <Another embodiment>

[0069] (1) FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating a straight-line assist control system for a rice transplanter 1 with a straight-line assist function according to another embodiment.

[0070] That is, when the rice transplanter 1 enters the field, it memorizes reference points A and B in the GPS during the first rice planting operation, sets the driving reference line AB, and then during the round trip operation, it receives signals from the positioning satellite using the GPS, calculates position information using the satellite positioning system, and drives parallel to the driving reference line AB to perform rice planting operation.

[0071] In addition, the drone 50 receives signals from positioning satellites using GPS and calculates its position information using the satellite positioning system, while flying directly above the rice transplanter 1 and parallel to the driving reference line AB in accordance with the rice transplanter 1's back and forth work process.

[0072] At this time, as shown in Figure 9, the drone 50 instructs the rice transplanter 1 to correct the position of the rice transplanter 1 so that the distance c between the reference points AB calculated using the cosine theorem from the distance a, distance b, and angle d matches the actual distance between the reference points AB.

[0073] Therefore, the travel of the rice transplanter 1 can be corrected before the deviation of the travel trajectory of the rice transplanter 1 becomes too large.

[0074] (2) In another embodiment, a seat sensor (which detects the weight of the operator when the operator sits on the seat and determines that the operator is seated) is provided on the seat of the riding rice transplanter, and if the operator leaves the seat (stands up) while the riding rice transplanter is in motion, the control device regulates the speed and reduces the traveling speed to a predetermined speed, and then, even if the operator sits on the seat, the speed is regulated and the traveling speed remains reduced to the predetermined speed, and the transmission device such as the HST lever detects neutral (detects that the machine has stopped) and releases the speed regulation.

[0075] In addition, if the riding rice transplanter starts moving while the operator is away from the seat (standing up), the control device will regulate the speed and reduce the traveling speed to a predetermined speed, and then, even if the operator returns to the seat, the speed will remain regulated and the traveling speed will remain reduced to the predetermined speed.

[0076] In addition, when the sub-transmission is at high speed (travel speed) or in PTO mode (when the vehicle is stopped and working equipment such as the planting device 3 or fertilizer application device 9 is being driven), the control device does not restrict the speed even if the operator leaves the seat. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 2 Running vehicle 3 Planting equipment 10 Fertilizer tank 10a Supply port 12 Seedling stand 21 Auxiliary seedling frame unit 22 Rail (Arched Rail) 23 Rotation control rail 25 Connecting body (frame body) 26a Seedling frame (lower seedling frame) 26b Seedling frame (middle seedling frame) 26c seedling frame (upper seedling frame) 27 Pivot axis 28 Rotating body 29 Actuator (electric motor) 32 Seedling detection sensor 35 Fertilizer rack N seedlings (seedlings with mat-like soil) S1 Seedling cut sensor

Claims

1. In a seedling transplanter equipped with a planting device (3) equipped with a seedling carrier (12) at the rear of a traveling body (2), a rail (22) is provided along which seedling frames move from the front of the traveling body (2) to above the seedling carrier (12) of the planting device (3), and the seedling frames are equipped with a rotating body (28) pivoted rotatably on a left-right pivot shaft (27) on the bottom surface, left and right side walls, and rear side on which the seedlings (N) are placed, and the rotating body (28) supports the rear end face of the seedlings (N) placed in an upright state, blocking the rear side of the seedling frame, until the seedling frame reaches a position opposite the seedling carrier (12), and when the seedling frame reaches a position opposite the seedling carrier (12), it rotates backward to supply the seedlings (N) placed in the seedling frame to the seedling carrier (12). This seedling transplanter is characterized in that a rotation restricting rail (23) is provided along the rail (22) to restrict the rearward rotation of the rotating body (28) from the front end of the rail (22) to a position above the rear seedling carrier (12), and the restriction on the rearward rotation of the rotating body (28) is released when the seedling frame reaches a position facing the seedling carrier (12).

2. A seedling transplanter as described in claim 1, characterized in that the rail (22) is arch-shaped and a plurality of seedling frames are connected at predetermined intervals by connectors (25) to form an auxiliary seedling frame unit (21).

3. A seedling transplanter as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that when the seedling frames are positioned at the front lower part of the rails (22), they are horizontal or nearly horizontal, and when they are positioned opposite the seedling carrier (12) at the rear upper part, they have an inclination angle that is the same as or close to the inclination angle of the seedling carrier (12), and the seedling frames and rails (22) are arranged on the left and right in the same number as each seedling carrier section 12a of the seedling carrier (12).

4. 3. A seedling transplanter as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when a seedling-out sensor (S1) provided on the seedling carrier (12) detects a decrease in the number of seedlings (N), the seedling frames (26a, 26b, 26c) are moved to a position above the seedling carrier (12) by operating an actuator (29), and when a seedling detection sensor (32) provided on the seedling frame detects that there are no seedlings (N), the seedling frames are moved forward and downward by operating the actuator (29).

5. A seedling transplanter as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that a fertilizer loading rack (35) is rotatably provided at the front end of the seedling frame, and when the seedling frame reaches a position facing the supply port (10a) of the fertilizer tank (10), the rotating body (28) rotates backward to connect to the supply port (10a).

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