Mounting device, attachment unit and vehicle

Abstract

To provide a more user-friendly attachment device for an accessory, an accessory unit including the attachment device and the accessory, and a vehicle to which the accessory unit is attached. [Solution] An attachment device is provided that is configured to attach an accessory device to a vehicle at an arbitrary distance from the vehicle in order to add a predetermined function to the vehicle, and that is configured to adjust the distance by operating a distance adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle detected by sensors installed on at least one of the vehicle, the accessory device, and the attachment device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mounting device for mounting an accessory device to a vehicle, an accessory unit including the mounting device and the accessory device, and a vehicle having the accessory unit mounted thereto. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles equipped with accessories to add various functions to the vehicle have been known for some time. For example, Patent Document 1 describes "a small-sized work equipment having a small vehicle section that is formed to be able to move freely in a small area and to which an accessory device required for work performed in the small area can be connected, the vehicle section having a main frame that forms the vehicle body and a pair of left and right crawlers provided on the side of the main frame, the main frame having a connection section for detachably connecting the accessory device." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-168212 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, in light of the above-described technology, the present disclosure aims to provide, through various embodiments, a mounting device for an accessory device that is easier to use, an accessory unit that includes the mounting device and the accessory device, and a vehicle to which the accessory unit is mounted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an "attachment device configured to attach to a vehicle an accessory device that is installed at an arbitrary interval from the vehicle in order to add a predetermined function to the vehicle, wherein the attachment device is configured to adjust the interval by operating a interval adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information generated based on external environment information around the vehicle detected by a sensor installed on at least one of the vehicle, the accessory device, and the attachment device."

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an accessory unit including an accessory device that is installed at an arbitrary distance from a vehicle in order to add a predetermined function to the vehicle, and an attachment device configured to attach the accessory device to the vehicle, wherein the attachment device is configured to adjust the distance by operating a distance adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle detected by a sensor installed on at least one of the vehicle, the accessory device, and the attachment device.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided "a vehicle including a vehicle body, an accessory device configured to add a predetermined function to the vehicle body, and an attachment device configured to attach the accessory device to the vehicle body at an arbitrary distance from the vehicle body, wherein the attachment device is configured to adjust the distance by operating a distance adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle detected by sensors installed on at least one of the vehicle body, the accessory device, and the attachment device." [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a mounting device for an accessory device that is easier to use, an accessory unit that includes the mounting device and the accessory device, and a vehicle to which the accessory unit is mounted.

[0009] It should be noted that the above effects are merely illustrative for the sake of convenience and are not limiting. In addition to or instead of the above effects, any effect described in this disclosure or an effect obvious to a person skilled in the art may be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a drive device 200 of a vehicle main body 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the auxiliary unit 10 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example cross section of an attachment device 500 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a drive device main body 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 of the attachment device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5C is a side view showing an example of a state in which the attachment device side attachment mechanism 110 is attached to the drive device main body 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration and operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 of the mounting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration and operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 of the mounting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration and operation of the gap adjustment mechanism 150 of the mounting device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration and operation of the gap adjustment mechanism 150 of the mounting device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a side view illustrating an example of a configuration of a fifth linking arm 158 of a linking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a side view illustrating an example of the configuration of second connecting arm 155 and third connecting arm 160 of the connecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device 700 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 700 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 700 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] 1. Vehicle 1 Configuration A vehicle according to the present disclosure has a plurality of drive wheels mounted on a drive unit. More specifically, the vehicle has a plurality of drive wheels configured to rotate in at least one of a left direction and a right direction. This allows the vehicle to turn in at least one of a left direction and a right direction. The vehicle also has a plurality of electric motors provided on corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque that rotates each corresponding drive wheel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction. This allows the vehicle to travel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction.

[0012] Such vehicles are used, for example, to carry and transport at least one of animals, including humans, and goods, or to tow and transport at least one of animals, including humans, and goods. The vehicles are preferably used to transport animals, such as humans, livestock, and pets, as well as goods, such as agricultural crops, agricultural materials (e.g., seeds, fertilizers, feed, pesticides, or packaging materials), agricultural equipment, industrial products, industrial materials, industrial equipment, experimental and testing materials, experimental and testing equipment, merchandise, commercial materials, and deliveries, and more preferably to transport agricultural crops, agricultural materials (e.g., seeds, fertilizers, feed, pesticides, or packaging materials) and agricultural equipment. The animals and goods exemplified here are merely examples of things that can be transported by the vehicle, and other things may naturally be transported. Furthermore, carrying and towing are merely examples of transportation methods, and other methods may naturally be used for transportation.

[0013] The vehicle can be used not only on Earth but also in outer space. The vehicle can be used both indoors and outdoors. The vehicle can be used on both smooth and rough terrain. For example, such a vehicle can be used in paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, pastures, forests, construction sites, disaster areas, factories, buildings, apartment buildings, or ordinary houses, and is preferably used in work areas such as paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, pastures, construction sites, disaster areas, or factories, and is more preferably used in agricultural areas such as paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, or pastures, and is particularly preferably used in orchards.

[0014] An accessory device may be attached to the vehicle to add appropriate functions depending on the application, location of use, etc. Examples of such an accessory device include a pesticide sprayer, a fertilizer spreader, a cultivator, a mower, a soil sampler, a seed sower, a raking machine, a compactor, a transport rack, a harvesting rack, a snow blower, various sensors such as a laser scanner or a camera, a robot arm, a charging plug, or a combination thereof. As described above, the applications and locations of vehicles vary, and it is preferable that the accessory device be adjusted to an optimal height or width depending on the application and location of use.

[0015] Therefore, by using a mounting device for mounting an accessory device to a vehicle at an arbitrary distance from the vehicle, the distance between the vehicle and the accessory device can be adjusted by the mounting device. In particular, the distance is adjusted by operating a distance adjustment mechanism provided in the mounting device based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle detected by sensors installed on at least one of the vehicle, the accessory device, and the mounting device. This makes it possible to adjust the distance more effectively and provide a mounting device for an accessory device that is easier to use.

[0016] In this disclosure, terms such as center, orthogonal, vertical, parallel, or symmetrical are used to describe the position, direction, or state of each component or member, but the position or direction indicated by these terms may include deviations or variations within a reasonable range. For example, when a term "center" is used, it does not only mean the center but also can include an approximate center, and when a term "orthogonal" is used, it does not only mean a perpendicular state but can also include a nearly perpendicular state. The same applies to other terms such as perpendicular, parallel, or symmetrical.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to Fig. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 20 including a drive unit 200 having a plurality of drive wheels and a carrier 900 configured to be able to carry animals including people and articles such as agricultural crops inside the vehicle body 200, and an accessory unit 10 including an accessory device 500 for adding a predetermined function to the vehicle 1 and an attachment device 100 for attaching the accessory device 500 to the vehicle 1.

[0018] Such a vehicle 1 can travel by, for example, operating the drive unit 200 or the like in a desired direction, such as a forward direction, relative to a travel surface, such as the ground, on which the vehicle 1 is placed.

[0019] In the vehicle 1, the vehicle body 20 is provided with a carrier 900, but the carrier 900 does not necessarily have to be provided depending on the purpose.

[0020] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1, the attachment device 500 is attached to the lower part of the vehicle 1, but as described above, the attachment device 500 may be attached to the upper part, the side part, or a combination thereof of the vehicle 1. In other words, the position where the attachment device 100 is installed is adjusted depending on the position where the attachment device is attached.

[0021] 2. Configuration of the driving device 200 Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of drive unit 200 of vehicle main body 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to Fig. 2, front drive unit 200a is connected to the front of chassis 310 of drive unit main body 300 in the longitudinal direction, and rear drive unit 200b is connected to the rear of front drive unit 200a in the longitudinal direction. Front drive unit 200a has a left front drive wheel 250a and a right front drive wheel 250b mounted on the left and right sides of chassis 310, respectively, so as to be symmetrical with respect to chassis 310.

[0022] The drive unit body 300 is made of, for example, metal materials such as aluminum, steel, or alloys thereof, resin materials such as fiber-reinforced resin or hard urethane, or combinations thereof, preferably aluminum or an alloy thereof. By using aluminum or an alloy thereof, it is possible to achieve both lightweight and rigidity.

[0023] As described above, the drive unit main body 300 includes the chassis 310 configured so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1, and the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 for installing the mounting device 100. The front drive unit 200a is connected to the front of the chassis 310 in the longitudinal direction, and the rear drive unit 200b is connected to the rear of the chassis 310 in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, a pair of left front drive wheel 250a and right front drive wheel 250b are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other on either side of the chassis 310 on the front side of the chassis 310. Similarly, a pair of left rear drive wheel 250c and right rear drive wheel 250d are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other on either side of the chassis 310 on the rear side of the chassis 310.

[0024] Furthermore, the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 is connected to the chassis 310 so as to slide along the longitudinal direction of the chassis 310. In other words, the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 can be moved and installed at any position along the longitudinal direction of the chassis 310. The vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 has a horizontally elongated plate-like structure along the short side direction of the chassis 310. Typically, an accessory device 500 for imparting a predetermined function to the vehicle 1 is attached to the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 formed in the shape of a horizontally elongated plate via the mounting device 100.

[0025] As described above, in the vehicle 1, the attachment device 500 may be attached not only below the vehicle 1 but also above, to the side, or a combination thereof. That is, depending on the position where the attachment device 500 is attached, the position of the vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 where the attachment device 100 is attached is also adjusted.

[0026] The left front drive wheel 250a includes a rubber tire (although the material may be other than rubber) that has elasticity to come into contact with the road, and a cylindrical metal wheel (although the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290a is disposed inside the wheel of the left front drive wheel 250a. The electric motor 290a is also called an in-wheel motor and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290a generates a drive torque for the left front drive wheel 250a, which is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290a, to rotate the left front drive wheel 250a in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, indicated by arrow T1 in FIG. 2). Similarly, the electric motor 290a generates a drive torque for the left front drive wheel 250a to rotate the left front drive wheel 250a in the reverse direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the rearward direction, indicated by arrow T1 in FIG. 2).

[0027] Similarly, the right front drive wheel 250b includes a rubber tire (although the material may be other than rubber) that has elasticity to come into contact with the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (although the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290b is disposed inside the wheel of the right front drive wheel 250b. The electric motor 290b is also called an in-wheel motor and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290b generates a drive torque for the right front drive wheel 250b, which is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290b, to rotate the right front drive wheel 250b in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, indicated by arrow T2 in FIG. 2). Similarly, the electric motor 290b generates a drive torque for the right front drive wheel 250b to rotate the right front drive wheel 250b in the reverse direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the rearward direction, indicated by arrow T2 in FIG. 2).

[0028] The left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b are connected by a connecting rod 210a that functions as a connecting part, and thereby rotate in conjunction with each other in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., at least one of the left direction and the right direction, which are the directions indicated by arrows S1 and S2 in FIG. 2). Specifically, a connecting part 221a that connects the knuckle unit 220a and the suspension unit 260a and serves as the rotation axis of the left front drive wheel 250a in the left-right direction, and a connecting part 221b that connects the knuckle unit 220b and the suspension unit 260b and serves as the rotation axis of the right front drive wheel 250b in the left-right direction are formed. The connecting rod 210a has a rod-like shape in which the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221a in a direction approaching the left front drive wheel 250a is connected to the left end of the connecting rod 210a, and the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221b in a direction approaching the right front drive wheel 250b is connected to the right end of the connecting rod 210a.

[0029] Furthermore, rear drive device 200b is provided with a left rear drive wheel 250c and a right rear drive wheel 250d on the left and right sides of chassis 310, respectively, so as to be symmetrical with respect to chassis 310.

[0030] Here, the left rear drive wheel 250c includes a rubber tire (although the material may be other than rubber) that has elasticity to come into contact with the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (although the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290c is disposed inside the wheel of the left rear drive wheel 250c. The electric motor 290c is also called an in-wheel motor and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290c generates a drive torque for the left rear drive wheel 250c, which is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290c, to rotate the left rear drive wheel 250c in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, indicated by arrow T3 in FIG. 2). Similarly, the electric motor 290c generates a drive torque for the left rear drive wheel 250c to rotate the left rear drive wheel 250c in the reverse direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the backward direction, indicated by arrow T3 in FIG. 2).

[0031] Similarly, the right rear drive wheel 250d includes a rubber tire (although the material may be other than rubber) that has elasticity to come into contact with the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (although the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290d is disposed inside the wheel of the right rear drive wheel 250d. The electric motor 290d is also called an in-wheel motor and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290d generates a drive torque for the right rear drive wheel 250d, which is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290d, to rotate the right rear drive wheel 250d in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, the direction indicated by arrow T4 in FIG. 2). Similarly, the electric motor 290d generates a drive torque for the right rear drive wheel 250d to rotate the right rear drive wheel 250d in the reverse direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the backward direction, the direction indicated by arrow T4 in FIG. 2).

[0032] The left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d are connected by a connecting rod 210b that functions as a connecting part, and thereby rotate in conjunction with each other in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., at least one of the left direction and the right direction, which are the directions indicated by arrows S3 and S4 in FIG. 2). Specifically, a connecting part 221c that connects the knuckle unit 220c and the suspension unit 260c and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the left rear drive wheel 250c, and a connecting part 221d that connects the knuckle unit 220d and the suspension unit 260d and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the right rear drive wheel 250d are formed. The connecting rod 210b has a rod-like shape in which the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221c in a direction approaching the left rear drive wheel 250c is connected to the left end of the connecting rod 210b, and the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221d in a direction approaching the right rear drive wheel 250d is connected to the right end of the connecting rod 210b.

[0033] 2, electric motors 290a, 290b, 290c, and 290d are installed to correspond to left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d, respectively. Electric motors 290a, 290b, 290c, and 290d are controlled independently upon receiving control information from a control device (not shown in FIG. 2). This allows left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d to be rotated independently in at least one of the forward and backward directions. In this way, by installing an electric motor on each of the left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d and making it possible to control each drive wheel independently, vehicle 1 can travel more smoothly even on rough roads such as uneven terrain.

[0034] 2, electric motors are provided to correspond to the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d, respectively, but electric motors may be provided only to the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1, or only to the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1. If no electric motors are provided, the wheels will not function as drive wheels but will simply function as running wheels.

[0035] 2, the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d are configured to rotate in the directions of arrows S1 to S4 in a coordinated manner. However, instead of this, only the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1 may rotate in the directions of arrows S1 and S2, and the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1 may not rotate in the directions of arrows S3 and S4. Similarly, only the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1 may rotate in the directions of arrows S3 and S4, and the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1 may not rotate in the directions of arrows S1 and S2.

[0036] In the example shown in FIG. 2, left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d are configured to rotate in the directions of arrows S1 to S4 in a coordinated manner. However, instead of this, front drive unit 200a including left front drive wheel 250a and right front drive wheel 250b, and rear drive unit 200b including left rear drive wheel 250c and right rear drive wheel 250d may be configured to rotate independently in the directions of arrows S1 and S2 or S3 and S4. This is possible by each drive unit independently receiving control information from a control device and being controlled based on that control information. For example, on rough terrain, the presence of obstacles, bumps, mud, etc. may cause problems with the drive of only one of the drive wheels. However, by configuring in this way, smoother driving can be achieved.

[0037] 3. Configuration of accessory unit 10 Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an accessory unit 10 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an accessory unit 10 attached to a vehicle body 20 of the vehicle 1 in order to impart a predetermined function to the vehicle 1. In particular, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a case in which a grass cutter configured to cut grass growing on the traveling surface of the vehicle 1 is attached below the vehicle 1 as the accessory device 500.

[0038] 3, the attachment unit 10 includes an attachment device 500 configured to add a grass-cutting function to the vehicle 1, and an attachment device 100 for attaching the attachment device 500 to the vehicle 1. The detailed configuration of the attachment device 100 will be described in FIG. 5A and subsequent figures, and the attachment device 100 includes an attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 configured to be attachable so as to slide relative to a vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 of the vehicle main body 20, and a gap adjustment mechanism 150 that operates to adjust the gap between the vehicle main body 20 and the attachment device 500. The attachment device 100 includes an internal control device (not shown), and while installed and attached to the vehicle main body 20, it receives control information from the control device of the vehicle main body 20, which is generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by a sensor, and is able to operate the gap adjustment mechanism 150 based on the control information.

[0039] As described above, an example of the attachment device 500 is a grass cutter that can add a grass cutting function to the vehicle 1. Such attachment device 500 is equipped with wheels 533a to 533f for smoothly moving on the traveling surface of the vehicle 1 as the vehicle 1 moves (wheels 533b and 533c are not shown in FIG. 3). The attachment device 500 also has a cover 510 that covers the multiple blades provided on the attachment device 500 over the entire attachment device 500 and prevents them from being directly exposed to the vehicle main body 20. The cover 510 can have various shapes, but has an upper wall portion at least a portion of which is formed in a flat plate shape in order to cover each blade and to install the attachment device 100.

[0040] Actuators 531a to 531c for rotating a plurality of blades for cutting at least one of grass and trees growing on the ground in a direction horizontal to the ground are installed on the upper wall of cover 510. That is, when at least one of actuators 531a to 531c is operated, the blade connected to the shaft of at least one of actuators 531a to 531c rotates, and at least one of grass and trees coming into contact with the blade is cut.

[0041] Here, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cross section of attachment device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view enlarging the vicinity of actuator 531c in a cross section of attachment device 500 cut along a plane along the line segment indicated by arrows X1 and X2 in Fig. 3 (i.e., a plane along a line parallel to the traveling direction of vehicle 1).

[0042] Although the structure of actuator 531c is not specifically illustrated, actuator 531c has a stator fixed to actuator 531c and a rotor positioned corresponding to the stator. The stator is arranged in a ring shape around the axis of rotation shaft 536. That is, when power is supplied to the rotor coil, the rotor becomes an electromagnet, and the interaction with the stator, which is composed of an electromagnet and a permanent magnet, rotates rotation shaft 536, which is connected to the rotor, in a direction horizontal to the ground. This makes it possible to rotate blades 538a and 538b connected to rotation shaft 536, around rotation shaft 536.

[0043] A connecting shaft 537 having one end fixed to the rotating shaft 536 is connected to the rotating shaft 536. That is, the connecting shaft 537 is a rod-shaped member extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 536, and one end of the connecting shaft 537 is fixed to the rotating shaft 536. In addition, a connecting plate 540 is fixed to the other end of the connecting shaft 537, which is located opposite the one end of the connecting shaft 537, so as to cover the other end of the connecting shaft 537. That is, the connecting plate 540 has a plate-like structure that is symmetrical about the connecting shaft 538 so that a pair of blades 538a and 538b, which are arranged symmetrically about the connecting shaft 537, can be connected to the connecting shaft 537. The other end of the connecting plate 540 is fixed to its center by a fixing method such as a screw or a bolt. Connecting plate 540 has an end extending in one direction (for example, to the left in FIG. 4) centered on the position where the other end is fixed, and connects blade 538a via fixing screw 539a. Connecting plate 540 also has an end extending in the other direction (for example, to the right in FIG. 4) and connects blade 538b via fixing screw 539b. This causes actuator 531c to rotate rotating shaft 536, which in turn rotates connecting shaft 537 fixed to rotating shaft 536, and a pair of blades 538a and 538b fixed to connecting shaft 537 via connecting plate 540 rotate in a direction horizontal to the ground.

[0044] Additionally, a protective cover 541 is fixed to each end of the connecting plate 540 together with the blades 538a and 538b. The protective cover 541 is formed in a truncated cone shape having an annular outer wall extending upward (i.e., in the direction toward the actuator 531c) from a circular bottom surface. The outer wall of the protective cover 541 is formed to extend to a position close to the rear surface of the cover 510 of the accessory device 500. The protective cover 541 also has a through-hole in the center of the bottom surface, into which the connecting shaft 537 is inserted. The protective cover 541 has an annular inner wall extending from the bottom surface of the protective cover 541 toward the rotating shaft 536 around the through-hole. The diameter of the inner wall is formed to be the same as the diameter of the rotating shaft 536. Therefore, the rotating shaft 536 to which the connecting shaft 537 is fixed is inserted into the inner wall, thereby fixing the rotating shaft 536 and the connecting shaft 537 to the protective cover 541.

[0045] When blades 538a and 538b rotate, the force of the wind may blow, for example, soil, water, or cut grass from the ground upward (that is, in the direction of arrow S1 or S2 in FIG. 4). At this time, protective cover 541 rotates along with the rotation of the blades, but the wall surface extending to a position close to the rear surface of cover 510 can effectively prevent the soil, water, cut grass, etc. blown up as described above from damaging actuator 531c, rotating shaft 536, connecting shaft 537, or the components in the vicinity thereof.

[0046] As described above, connecting shaft 537 is fixed to rotating shaft 536, and connecting plate 540 covering the other end of connecting shaft 537, blades 583a and 583b, and protective cover 541 are fixed to one another by fixing screws 539a and 539b. Rotating shaft 537 and connecting shaft 537 fixed to rotating shaft 536 are fixed to protective cover 541. Therefore, connecting shaft 537 is fixed to rotating shaft 536 not only directly but also via protective cover 542. If connecting shaft 537 were fixed only directly to rotating shaft 536, a vertical force would be applied when blades 538a and 538b rotate at high speed, potentially causing connecting shaft 537 to come off rotating shaft 536. However, the above-described configuration makes it possible to more firmly fix connecting shaft 537 to rotating shaft 536, thereby reducing this risk.

[0047] Although not described in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, the actuators 531a and 531b and the blades rotated by the actuators 531a and 531b may also have the same configuration as in FIG.

[0048] 4 illustrates an example in which a pair of blades 538a and 538b are used, but the number of blades may be any number of 1 or 3 or more. Also, in FIGS. 3 and 4, an example in which three actuators 531a to 531c are used is illustrated, but the number of actuators may be any number of 1 or 2 or more.

[0049] 4. Configuration of vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 Fig. 5A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a drive unit main body 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 5A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 for connecting the attachment device 100 shown in Fig. 2. As described in Fig. 2, the vehicle main body 20 includes a chassis 310 configured so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1, and a vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 installed at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of the chassis 310.

[0050] According to FIG. 5A, the vehicle side mounting mechanism 360 is configured as a pair, comprising a vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 installed at the front in the forward direction of the vehicle 1, and a vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370 installed at the rear.

[0051] The vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 has a horizontally elongated shape configured to extend in the short direction of the chassis 310, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1. The cross section in the forward movement of the vehicle 1 is formed in a C-shape that includes at least a bottom surface that is horizontal to the running surface of the vehicle 1, an upper surface that is parallel to the bottom surface, and a wall surface that connects one front end of the bottom surface to one front end of the upper surface. A slide rail 382a configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 is fixed to the bottom surface of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380, and a slide rail 382b configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 is fixed to the upper surface of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380.

[0052] The vehicle rear attachment mechanism 370 has a horizontally elongated shape configured to extend in the short direction of the chassis 310, i.e., in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the vehicle front attachment mechanism 380. The cross section in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 is formed in an inverted C shape that includes at least a bottom surface horizontal to the running surface of the vehicle 1, an upper surface parallel to the bottom surface, and a wall surface connecting one front end of the bottom surface to one front end of the upper surface. A slide rail 372a configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 is fixed to the bottom surface of the vehicle rear attachment mechanism 370, and a slide rail 372b configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 is fixed to the upper surface of the vehicle rear attachment mechanism 370.

[0053] In this way, the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 is configured with a pair of a C-shaped vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and an inverted C-shaped vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the front and rear. The mounting device 100 is inserted so as to slide along the slide rails 382a and 382b of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the slide rails 372a and 372b of the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, whereby the mounting device 100 is connected to the vehicle main body 20.

[0054] 5. Configuration of the mounting mechanism 110 on the mounting device side Fig. 5B is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 of the attachment device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 5B is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 for connecting the attachment device 100 shown in Fig. 3 to the vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 shown in Fig. 5A.

[0055] 5B, the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 has a horizontally long plate shape configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1. The attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum, steel, or an alloy thereof, a resin material such as fiber-reinforced resin or hard urethane, or a combination of these, preferably aluminum or an alloy thereof. By using aluminum or an alloy thereof, it is possible to achieve both lightweight and rigidity.

[0056] The width of the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 in the short direction corresponds to the distance between the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370 (at least wider than the distance between the slide rails 382a and 382b installed on the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the slide rails 372a and 372b installed on the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, and wider than the distance between the wall surface of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the wall surface of the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370). In addition, the length of the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 preferably corresponds to the length of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370 in the long direction.

[0057] The mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 includes a main body 113 formed in the shape of a horizontally elongated plate configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1, and one or more rollers 111a-111e and 112a-112e arranged along the longitudinal direction of the main body 113. As described above, the main body 113 has a width in the short direction corresponding to the distance between the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370 (at least wider than the distance between the slide rails 382a and 382b installed on the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the slide rails 372a and 372b installed on the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, and wider than the distance between the wall surfaces of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the wall surfaces of the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370). Furthermore, the main body 113 preferably has a length in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the lengths of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370.

[0058] The main body 113 has walls formed to have a constant thickness in the thickness direction, and one or more rollers 111a-111e are provided on the wall surface on the front side with respect to the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1, and one or more rollers 112a-112e are provided on the wall surface on the rear side. The rollers 111a-111e are provided so as to be rotatable in the longitudinal direction of the main body 113 about a rotation axis formed on the wall surface on the front side in the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface. The rollers 112a-112e are provided so as to be rotatable in the longitudinal direction of the main body 113 about a rotation axis formed on the wall surface on the rear side in the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface.

[0059] That is, the attachment device side attachment mechanism 110 has rollers 111a to 111e and rollers 112a to 112e that can rotate in the longitudinal direction of the main body 113, and thus can slide in the longitudinal direction of the main body 113 as a whole.

[0060] Note that Figure 5B illustrates the use of five rollers 111a to 111e and five rollers 112a to 112e, but it goes without saying that the number of rollers installed on the front wall surface and the rear wall surface can be any number, preferably two or more.

[0061] Furthermore, the attachment device side attachment mechanism 110 may be configured as any structure other than rollers as long as it can slide in the longitudinal direction of the main body 113 by applying a certain amount of force.

[0062] Although not specifically shown, the inside of main body 113 is formed in a box shape, and it is possible to house various components therein. Examples of such components include a control device including a CPU, memory, and a communication interface, and a battery for sharing power with the control device and the actuator of distance adjustment mechanism 150.

[0063] 6. Example of connection between vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 Fig. 5C is a side view showing an example of a state in which the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 is attached to the drive unit main body 300 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 5C is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the attachment device-side attachment mechanism 110 shown in Fig. 5B is slid and coupled to the vehicle-side attachment mechanism 360 of the drive unit main body 300 shown in Fig. 5A.

[0064] As described in Fig. 5A, the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 is configured with a pair of a C-shaped vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and an inverted C-shaped vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the front-to-rear direction. Slide rails 382a and 382b are fixed to a bottom surface 381a and a top surface 381b of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the depth direction in Fig. 5C). Similarly, slide rails 372a and 372b are fixed to a bottom surface 371a and a top surface 371b of the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370 so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement of the vehicle 1 on the running surface of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the depth direction in Fig. 5C).

[0065] In mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110, a plurality of rollers 111 are arranged on the front wall surface and a plurality of rollers 112 are arranged on the rear wall surface along the longitudinal direction of main body 113 (i.e., the depth direction in FIG. 5C ). Roller 111 is formed to be rotatable in the extension direction of slide rails 382a and 382b around rotation axis 115 formed perpendicular to the front wall surface. Roller 112 is formed to be rotatable in the extension direction of slide rails 372a and 372b around rotation axis 116 formed perpendicular to the rear wall surface.

[0066] Furthermore, the rollers 111 and 112 include groove-like recesses on the surfaces that contact the slide rails 382a and 382b or the slide rails 372a and 372b. The slide rails 382a and 382b, and the slide rails 372a and 372b, are installed so as to protrude from the bottom surface 381a and the top surface 381b of the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the bottom surface 371a and the top surface 371b of the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, respectively, and the recesses of the rollers 111 and 112 fit into the slide rails 382a and 382b or the slide rails 372a and 372b. Therefore, when the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 is slid and inserted into the vehicle front mounting mechanism 380 and the vehicle rear mounting mechanism 370, the recesses and the slide rails can prevent the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 from swinging in the front-to-rear direction (i.e., the left-to-right direction in FIG. 5C ).

[0067] 5A to 5C, the slide rail is installed in the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and the roller is installed in the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110, but it is also possible to install the roller in the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and install the slide rail in the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110. Also, in Figures 5A to 5C, the slide rail has been described as having an elongated cylindrical shape, but the cross-sectional shape may be any shape, such as a triangle or a rectangle.

[0068] Although the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 are configured using a combination of slide rails and rollers, other sliding methods may be used for ease of handling. For example, a method may be used in which a fitting groove is formed on one side and a fitting protrusion is formed on the other side.

[0069] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ease of handling, it is preferable that the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 can be easily connected to each other, but any structure can be adopted as long as the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 can be attached to at least the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360. For example, it is possible to provide one or more through holes in each of the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110, and to fasten the two together using screws or bolts in the one or more through holes. It is also possible to fasten the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and the mounting device-side mounting mechanism 110 together by welding or other methods. It is also possible, for example, to insert the mounting device-side mounting mechanism from above the vehicle-side mounting mechanism 360 and place it thereon, and then fasten the two together.

[0070] 7. Configuration and Operation of the Spacing Adjustment Mechanism 150 of the Mounting Device 100 6A and 6B are perspective views showing an example of the configuration and operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 of the attachment device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 6A is a diagram showing an example of the operation when the attachment device 500 is moved upward by the operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150. Also, Fig. 6B is a diagram showing an example of the operation when the attachment device 500 is moved downward by the operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150.

[0071] (A) Example of operation when the accessory device 500 is moved upward According to FIG. 6A, the distance adjustment mechanism 150 includes at least an actuator 151 that generates a driving force to move the accessory device 500 and adjust the distance between the accessory device 500 and the vehicle main body 20, a fixed base 180 that fixes the accessory device 500 to the distance adjustment mechanism 150, and a connecting mechanism that transmits the driving force generated by the actuator 151 to the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180.

[0072] The actuator 151 can be driven by any method, such as electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, piezoelectric, or a combination thereof. Any type of actuator can be used as the actuator 151, such as a rotary actuator that rotates a rotary shaft or a linear actuator that moves a movable shaft along a predetermined line. While Figures 6A and 6B illustrate the use of a linear actuator, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0073] Here, the control device 700 (FIG. 9) provided in the vehicle 1 generates control information for operating the gap adjustment mechanism based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by sensors installed in at least one of the vehicle 1, the accessory device 500, and the attachment device 100. Then, upon receiving the control information, the control device (not shown) of the attachment device 100 supplies power to the actuator 151 based on the control information, and controls the actuator 151 to generate a driving force. In other words, the actuator 151 is configured to generate a driving force based on the control information generated based on the external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by the sensors.

[0074] 6A, in order to move the accessory device 500 upward (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1) as described above, the movable shaft 152 of the actuator 151 is moved in the direction of A1 (i.e., in a direction along the forward movement direction of the vehicle) based on the control information. In other words, the actuator 151 applies the driving force generated by the actuator 151 to the connecting mechanism in a direction along the forward movement direction so that the position of the accessory device 500 is adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., upward).

[0075] Furthermore, the fixing base 180 is configured to form a surface parallel to the plane of the cover 510 so that it can be fixed to the cover 510 of the accessory device 500 using fixing means such as screws or bolts. Such fixing base 180 is made of, for example, metal materials such as aluminum, steel, or alloys thereof, resin materials such as fiber-reinforced resin or hard urethane, or combinations of these, preferably aluminum or an alloy thereof. By using aluminum or an alloy thereof, it is possible to achieve both lightweight and rigidity.

[0076] The coupling mechanism is installed between the vehicle body 20 of the vehicle 1 and the accessory device 500, which is installed at a desired distance from the vehicle body 20 of the vehicle 1, and is configured to couple the accessory device 500 to the vehicle body 20 of the vehicle 1 in an adjustable manner. Specifically, the coupling mechanism includes one or more coupling arms and one or more shafts to transmit the driving force generated by the actuator 151 to the accessory device 500. In FIG. 6A , the coupling mechanism includes a first coupling arm 153, one end of which is rotatably coupled to the tip of the movable shaft 152 of the actuator 151. The other end of the first coupling arm 153, which is opposite to the first end, is fixed to one end of a rotating shaft 154. That is, the first coupling arm 153 includes one end rotatably coupled to the tip of the movable shaft 152 of the actuator 151, the other end fixed to one end of the rotating shaft 154, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0077] The coupling mechanism includes a second coupling arm 155 having one end fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft 154. The other end of the second coupling arm 155, which is opposite to the first end, is rotatably coupled to one end of a third coupling arm 160. That is, the second coupling arm 155 includes one end fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft 154, the other end rotatably coupled to one end of the third coupling arm 160, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0078] The connecting mechanism includes a third connecting arm 160 having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the second connecting arm 155. The other end of the third connecting arm 160, which is opposite to the one end, is fixed to the fixed base 180. That is, the third connecting arm 160 includes one end rotatably connected to the other end of the second connecting arm, the other end fixed to the fixed base 180, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0079] The coupling mechanism also includes a fourth coupling arm 156 having one end fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft 154. The other end of the fourth coupling arm 156, which is opposite to the one end, is rotatably coupled to one end of the movable shaft 157. That is, the fourth coupling arm 156 includes one end fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft 154, the other end rotatably coupled to one end of the movable shaft 157, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0080] The coupling mechanism includes a fifth coupling arm 158 having one end rotatably coupled to the other end of the movable shaft 157. The other end of the fifth coupling arm 158, which is opposite to the first end, is fixed to one end of a sixth coupling arm 159. That is, the fifth coupling arm 158 includes one end rotatably coupled to the other end of the movable shaft 157, the other end fixed to one end of the sixth coupling arm 159, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0081] The connecting mechanism includes a sixth connecting arm 159 having one end fixed to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158. The other end of the sixth connecting arm 159, which is opposite to the first end, is rotatably connected to one end of a seventh connecting arm 161. That is, the sixth connecting arm 159 includes one end fixed to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158, the other end rotatably connected to one end of the seventh connecting arm 161, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0082] The connecting mechanism includes a seventh connecting arm 161 having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159. The seventh connecting arm 161 has another end, opposite to the one end, fixed to the fixed base 180. That is, the seventh connecting arm 161 includes one end rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm, the other end fixed to the fixed base 180, and a main body formed in a flat plate shape so as to connect the one end and the other end.

[0083] The connecting mechanism also includes a rotating shaft 154 for transmitting the driving force in the A1 direction generated by the actuator 151 to the other end of the first connecting arm 153, one end of the second connecting arm 155, and one end of the fourth connecting arm 156. That is, the rotating shaft 154 includes one end fixed to the other end of the first connecting arm 153, the other end fixed to one end of the second connecting arm 155 and one end of the fourth connecting arm 156, and a rod-shaped main body connecting the one end and the other end.

[0084] The connecting mechanism includes a movable shaft 157 for transmitting the driving force in the A1 direction generated by the actuator 151 to the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 and one end of the fifth connecting arm 158. That is, the movable shaft 157 includes one end to which the fourth connecting arm 156 is rotatably connected at the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156, the other end to which the fifth connecting arm is rotatably connected at one end of the fifth connecting arm 158, and a rod-shaped main body that connects the one end and the other end.

[0085] Although not specifically described in detail in FIG. 6A, the distance adjustment mechanism 150 has another pair of connecting mechanisms similar to those described above.

[0086] The gap adjustment mechanism 150 configured in this manner generates a driving force from the actuator 151 to operate the movable shaft 152 in the A1 direction to move the accessory device 500 upward based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by the sensor. That is, when the movable shaft 152 moves in the A1 direction by being driven by the actuator 151, one end of the first connecting arm 153 connected to the tip of the movable shaft 152 attempts to move in the A1 direction. At this time, because the other end of the first connecting arm 153 is fixed to the rotating shaft 154, the one end of the first connecting arm 153 moves in the A1 direction around the rotating shaft 154 as the rotation axis. Accordingly, the other end of the first connecting arm 153 rotates in the A2 direction.

[0087] Furthermore, because the other end of first connecting arm 153 is fixed to one end of rotating shaft 154, rotating shaft 154 also rotates in the A2 direction. As a result, second connecting arm 155, one end of which is fixed to the other end of rotating shaft 154, rotates in the A3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis. Then, one end of second connecting arm 155 rotates in the A3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis, causing the other end of second connecting arm 155 to rotate in the A4 direction. As a result, third connecting arm 160, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of second connecting arm 155, moves in the A5 direction.

[0088] Furthermore, fourth connecting arm 156, one end of which is fixed to the other end of rotating shaft 154, rotates in the A3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as a rotation axis. Then, one end of second connecting arm 155 rotates in the A3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as a rotation axis, causing the other end of fourth connecting arm 156 to rotate in the A6 direction. As a result, movable shaft 157, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of fourth connecting arm 156, moves in the A7 direction.

[0089] The other end of movable shaft 157 is rotatably connected to one end of fifth connecting arm 158, and as movable shaft 157 moves in the A7 direction, one end of fifth connecting arm 158 also moves in the A7 direction. In other words, because the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 is fixed to one end of sixth connecting arm 159, one end of fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the A7 direction around the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 and one end of sixth connecting arm 159 as a rotation axis. Accordingly, the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the A8 direction.

[0090] Because the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 is fixed to one end of sixth connecting arm 159, one end of sixth connecting arm 159 also rotates in the A8 direction. Then, the other end of sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the A8 direction around one end of sixth connecting arm 159 as a rotation axis, thereby rotating in the A9 direction. As a result, seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the A10 direction.

[0091] As described above, the other end of the third connecting arm 160, which is moved in the A5 direction, and the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the A10 direction, are each fixed to the fixed base 180. Therefore, when the third connecting arm 160 and the seventh connecting arm 161 are moved in the A5 direction or the A10 direction, respectively, the fixed base 180 is also moved in the A11 direction. Therefore, the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180 is also moved in the A11 direction in accordance with the above-mentioned movement.

[0092] As an example, the attachment device 500 is installed below the vehicle main body 20, as shown in FIG. 1 . When the distance adjustment mechanism 150 operates as shown in FIG. 6A , the attachment device 500 is moved upward, and the distance between the vehicle main body 20 and the attachment device 500 is adjusted to be narrower. That is, by adopting the above-described configuration as an example, the coupling mechanism converts the driving force of the actuator 151 applied in a direction along the forward direction of the vehicle 1 into a direction perpendicular to the forward direction (i.e., upward). In this way, the distance adjustment mechanism 150 operates based on control information, making it possible to easily adjust the distance, and to provide a mounting device 100 and an attachment unit 10 that are easier to use.

[0093] (B) Example of operation when the accessory device 500 is moved downward According to FIG. 6B, the distance adjustment mechanism 150 includes at least an actuator 151 that generates a driving force to move the accessory device 500 and adjust the distance between the accessory device 500 and the vehicle main body 20, a fixed base 180 that fixes the accessory device 500 to the distance adjustment mechanism 150, and a connecting mechanism that transmits the driving force generated by the actuator 151 to the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180.

[0094] The configurations of the actuator 151, the distance adjusting mechanism 150, and the fixed base 180 are as described in FIG. 6A.

[0095] 6A, the control device 700 (FIG. 9) provided in the vehicle 1 generates control information for operating the gap adjustment mechanism based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by sensors installed in at least one of the vehicle 1, the accessory device 500, and the attachment device 100. Then, upon receiving the control information, the control device (not shown) of the attachment device 100 supplies power to the actuator 151 based on the control information, and controls the actuator 151 to generate a driving force.

[0096] 6B, in order to move the accessory device 500 downward (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1) as described above, the movable shaft 152 of the actuator 151 is moved in the direction of B1 (i.e., in a direction along the forward movement direction of the vehicle) based on the control information. In other words, the actuator 151 applies the driving force generated by the actuator 151 to the connecting mechanism in a direction along the forward movement direction so that the position of the accessory device 500 is adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., downward).

[0097] The gap adjustment mechanism 150 generates a driving force from the actuator 151 to operate the movable shaft 152 in the B1 direction to move the accessory device 500 downward based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by a sensor. That is, when the movable shaft 152 moves in the B1 direction by being driven by the actuator 151, one end of the first connecting arm 153 connected to the tip of the movable shaft 152 attempts to move in the B1 direction. At this time, because the other end of the first connecting arm 153 is fixed to the rotating shaft 154, the one end of the first connecting arm 153 moves in the B1 direction around the rotating shaft 154 as a rotation axis. Accordingly, the other end of the first connecting arm 153 rotates in the B2 direction.

[0098] Furthermore, because the other end of first connecting arm 153 is fixed to one end of rotating shaft 154, rotating shaft 154 also rotates in the B2 direction. As a result, second connecting arm 155, one end of which is fixed to the other end of rotating shaft 154, rotates in the B3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis. Then, one end of second connecting arm 155 rotates in the B3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis, causing the other end of second connecting arm 155 to rotate in the B4 direction. As a result, third connecting arm 160, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of second connecting arm 155, moves in the B5 direction.

[0099] Furthermore, fourth connecting arm 156, one end of which is fixed to the other end of rotating shaft 154, rotates in the B3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis. Then, one end of second connecting arm 155 rotates in the B3 direction around rotating shaft 154 as its rotation axis, causing the other end of fourth connecting arm 156 to rotate in the B6 direction. As a result, movable shaft 157, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of fourth connecting arm 156, moves in the B7 direction.

[0100] The other end of movable shaft 157 is rotatably connected to one end of fifth connecting arm 158, and as movable shaft 157 moves in the B7 direction, one end of fifth connecting arm 158 also moves in the B7 direction. That is, because the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 is fixed to one end of sixth connecting arm 159, one end of fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the B7 direction around the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 and one end of sixth connecting arm 159 as a rotation axis. Accordingly, the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the B8 direction.

[0101] Because the other end of fifth connecting arm 158 is fixed to one end of sixth connecting arm 159, one end of sixth connecting arm 159 also rotates in the B8 direction. Then, the other end of sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the B8 direction around one end of sixth connecting arm 159 as a rotation axis, thereby rotating in the B9 direction. As a result, seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the B10 direction.

[0102] As described above, the other end of the third connecting arm 160, which is moved in the B5 direction, and the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the B10 direction, are each fixed to the fixed base 180. Therefore, when the third connecting arm 160 and the seventh connecting arm 161 are moved in the B5 direction or the B10 direction, respectively, the fixed base 180 is also moved in the B11 direction. Therefore, the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180 is also moved in the B11 direction in accordance with the above-mentioned movement.

[0103] As an example, the attachment device 500 is installed below the vehicle main body 20, as shown in FIG. 1 . When the distance adjustment mechanism 150 operates as shown in FIG. 6B , the attachment device 500 is moved downward, and the distance between the vehicle main body 20 and the attachment device 500 is adjusted to be wider. That is, by adopting the above-described configuration as an example, the coupling mechanism converts the driving force of the actuator 151 applied in a direction along the forward direction of the vehicle 1 into a direction perpendicular to the forward direction (i.e., downward). In this way, when the distance adjustment mechanism 150 operates based on control information, the distance can be easily adjusted, making it possible to provide a mounting device 100 and an attachment unit 10 that are easier to use.

[0104] 6A and 6B, the distance adjustment mechanism 150 uses a connecting arm and a shaft to transmit the driving force generated by the actuator 151, which is, for example, a linear actuator, to the accessory device 500, thereby adjusting the distance between the vehicle body 20 of the vehicle 1 and the accessory device 500. However, instead of or in addition to this, other distance adjustment mechanisms can be used. For example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism can be used as such a distance adjustment mechanism. In a rack-and-pinion mechanism, the driving force around the rotation axis generated by the actuator is converted into a linear driving force, and the accessory device 500 can be moved via a fixed base 180 connected to the tip of the rack.

[0105] 6A and 6B, the case where the accessory device 500 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle (i.e., upward or downward) has been described, but by appropriately adjusting the position where the distance adjustment mechanism 150 is installed, it is also possible to move the accessory device 500 in a direction parallel to the forward direction (i.e., forward or backward) or in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction (i.e., sideways).

[0106] 8. Adjustment of the angle of the accessory device 500 by the distance adjustment mechanism 150 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views showing an example of the configuration and operation of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 of the attachment device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of the attachment unit 10 cut along a plane along the line indicated by arrows X3 and X4 in FIG. 3 (i.e., a plane along a line parallel to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1). In particular, FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an example of the operation for adjusting the angle of the attachment device 500 by the distance adjustment mechanism 150 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Also, FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of the operation for adjusting the angle of the attachment device 500 by another distance adjustment mechanism 150.

[0107] 7A, the coupling mechanism includes a front coupling mechanism formed forward in the forward direction of the vehicle and including a second coupling arm 155, a third coupling arm 160, and a fourth coupling arm 156, a rear coupling mechanism formed rearward in the forward direction of the vehicle and including a fifth coupling arm 158, a sixth coupling arm 159, and a seventh coupling arm 161, and a connection mechanism formed by a movable shaft 157 to connect the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism to each other. In other words, the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism are formed as a pair, one at the front and one at the rear in the forward direction of the vehicle 1.

[0108] The front-side connecting mechanism includes a fourth connecting arm 156 having one end fixed to one end of the second connecting arm 155 and the other end rotatably connected to one end of a movable shaft 157. The rear-side connecting mechanism includes a fifth connecting arm 158 having the other end fixed to one end of a sixth connecting arm 159 and one end rotatably connected to the other end of the movable shaft 157. The connection mechanism includes a movable shaft 157 that rotatably connects the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 to one end of the fifth connecting arm 158.

[0109] Here, at least a portion of the movable shaft 157 has a screw thread portion formed helically along the extension direction of the movable shaft 157. One end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is rotatably connected to the movable shaft 157 via a nut 162 having a thread groove that fits onto the helical thread. Therefore, by rotating the nut 162, the position of one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved along the longitudinal direction of the movable shaft 157. This makes it possible to adjust the distance between the fourth connecting arm 156 of the front connecting mechanism and the fifth connecting arm 158 of the rear connecting mechanism.

[0110] That is, for example, suppose that the nut 162 is moved in the C1 direction during installation. As a result, one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the C1 direction along with the movement of the nut 162, and the distance between the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 and one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is reduced. Furthermore, when one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved in the C1 direction, the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the C2 direction. Then, one end of the sixth connecting arm 159, which is rotatably connected to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158, similarly rotates in the C2 direction. As a result, the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the C3 direction, and the seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the C4 direction.

[0111] 6A and 6B, the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the C4 direction, is fixed to the fixed base. Therefore, when the seventh connecting arm 161 is moved in the C4 direction, the portion of the fixed base to which the seventh connecting arm 161 is fixed is also moved in the C5 direction. Therefore, in the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180, the position corresponding to the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161 is also moved in the C5 direction.

[0112] On the other hand, suppose that the nut 162 is moved in the C6 direction during installation. As a result, one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the C6 direction along with the movement of the nut 162, and the distance between the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 and one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 increases. Furthermore, when one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved in the C6 direction, the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the C7 direction. Then, one end of the sixth connecting arm 159, which is rotatably connected to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158, also rotates in the C7 direction. As a result, the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the C8 direction, and the seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the C9 direction.

[0113] 6A and 6B, the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the C9 direction, is fixed to the fixed base. Therefore, when the seventh connecting arm 161 is moved in the C9 direction, the portion of the fixed base to which the seventh connecting arm 161 is fixed is also moved in the C10 direction. Therefore, in the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180, the position corresponding to the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161 is also moved in the C10 direction.

[0114] In this way, by adjusting the distance between the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism using the connection mechanism, it is possible to adjust the angle of the accessory device 500 relative to the running surface on which the vehicle 1 runs.

[0115] 7B, the coupling mechanism includes a front coupling mechanism formed forward in the forward direction of the vehicle and including a second coupling arm 155, a third coupling arm 160, and a fourth coupling arm 156, a rear coupling mechanism formed rearward in the forward direction of the vehicle and including a fifth coupling arm 158, a sixth coupling arm 159, and a seventh coupling arm 161, and a connection mechanism constituted by an actuator 163 to connect the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism to each other. In other words, the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism are formed as a pair, one at the front and one at the rear in the forward direction of the vehicle 1.

[0116] The front connecting mechanism includes a fourth connecting arm 156 having one end fixed to one end of the second connecting arm 155 and the other end rotatably connected to one end of an actuator 163. The rear connecting mechanism includes a fifth connecting arm 158 having the other end fixed to one end of a sixth connecting arm 159 and one end rotatably connected to the other end of the actuator 163. The connecting mechanism includes an actuator 163 that rotatably connects the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 to one end of the fifth connecting arm 158.

[0117] Here, any actuator can be used as the actuator 163, such as a rotary actuator that rotates a rotary shaft or a linear actuator that moves a movable shaft along a predetermined line, but a linear actuator is preferably used. Note that, although Fig. 7B illustrates the case where a linear actuator is used, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0118] When the actuator 163 is configured as a linear actuator as described above, it has a movable shaft 164, and when the actuator 163 is driven, the movable shaft 164 can be moved in the C1 direction or the C6 direction. Therefore, a control device 700 ( FIG. 9 ) provided in the vehicle 1 generates control information for operating the gap adjustment mechanism based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by sensors installed in at least one of the vehicle 1, the attachment device 500, and the attachment device 100. Then, upon receiving the control information, a control device (not shown) of the attachment device 100 supplies power to the actuator 163 based on the control information, and controls the actuator 163 to generate a driving force. In other words, the actuator 163 may be configured to generate a driving force based on control information generated based on external environmental information around the vehicle 1 detected by the sensors.

[0119] One end of a fifth connecting arm 158 is rotatably connected to the tip of the movable shaft 164 of the actuator 163. Therefore, the driving force generated by the actuator 163 moves the movable shaft 164, thereby moving the position of one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 along the longitudinal direction of the movable shaft 164. This makes it possible to adjust the distance between the fourth connecting arm 156 of the front connecting mechanism and the fifth connecting arm 158 of the rear connecting mechanism.

[0120] That is, for example, suppose that the actuator 163 moves the movable shaft 164 in the direction D1 based on the control information. As a result, one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the direction D1 together with the movement of the movable shaft 164, and the distance between the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 and one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 decreases. Furthermore, when one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved in the direction D1, the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the direction D2. Then, one end of the sixth connecting arm 159, which is rotatably connected to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158, similarly rotates in the direction D2. As a result, the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the direction D3, and the seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the direction D4.

[0121] 7A, the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the D4 direction, is fixed to the fixed base. Therefore, when the seventh connecting arm 161 is moved in the D4 direction, the portion of the fixed base to which the seventh connecting arm 161 is fixed is also moved in the D5 direction. Therefore, in the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180, the position corresponding to the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161 is also moved in the D5 direction.

[0122] On the other hand, suppose that the actuator 163 moves the movable shaft 164 in the direction D6 based on the control information. As a result, one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 moves in the direction D6 together with the movement of the movable shaft 164, and the distance between the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 and one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 increases. Furthermore, when one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved in the direction D6, the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158 rotates in the direction D7. Then, one end of the sixth connecting arm 159, which is rotatably connected to the other end of the fifth connecting arm 158, also rotates in the direction D7. As a result, the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159 rotates in the direction D8, and the seventh connecting arm 161, one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the sixth connecting arm 159, moves in the direction D9.

[0123] 7A, the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161, which is moved in the D9 direction, is fixed to the fixed base. Therefore, when the seventh connecting arm 161 is moved in the D9 direction, the portion of the fixed base to which the seventh connecting arm 161 is fixed is also moved in the D10 direction. Therefore, in the accessory device 500 fixed to the fixed base 180, the position corresponding to the other end of the seventh connecting arm 161 is also moved in the D10 direction.

[0124] In this way, by adjusting the distance between the front coupling mechanism and the rear coupling mechanism using the connection mechanism, it is possible to adjust the angle of the accessory device 500 with respect to the traveling surface on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. In particular, by adjusting the angle of the accessory device 500 based on control information while the vehicle 1 is traveling, it becomes possible to flexibly respond to, for example, the terrain.

[0125] 7A and 7B illustrate the case where one end of the fifth connecting arm 158 is moved along each movable shaft. However, it is also possible to move the other end of the fourth connecting arm 156 in addition to or instead of one end of the fifth connecting arm 158. For example, in FIG. 7A, this can be achieved by forming a screw thread on the movable shaft 157 at the connecting portion with the fourth connecting arm 156. Also, in FIG. 7B, this can be achieved by reversing the orientation of the actuator 163.

[0126] 7B illustrates a case in which actuator 163 is configured as a linear actuator to move movable shaft 164. However, it is also possible to use, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism as the connection mechanism. In a rack-and-pinion mechanism, the driving force around the rotation axis generated by the actuator is converted into a linear driving force, which can move fifth connecting arm 158 connected to the tip of the rack.

[0127] 9. Configuration of connecting arm 6A to 7B, various connecting arms are used in the connecting mechanism. Such connecting arms are connected at one end and the other end to other connecting arms or shafts, and each end of the connecting arm has a plurality of holes for the connection. In particular, the connecting arms have a greater number of holes than the number of connecting means, such as screws or bolts, used for the connection at one end or the other, so that the position and angle at which the connecting arm is connected to the other connecting arm or shaft can be more flexibly changed.

[0128] Fig. 8A is a side view showing an example of the configuration of fifth connecting arm 158 of a connecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 8A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of fifth connecting arm 158 as an example of a connecting arm configured as described above.

[0129] 8A, a plurality of holes 171a and 171b are formed at one end 173 of fifth connecting arm 158. By inserting a coupling means for coupling to one end of a movable shaft or the like into one of holes 171a and 171b (hole 171a in FIG. 8A), the movable shaft is coupled to one end 173 of fifth connecting arm 158. Furthermore, for example, when it is desired to move the coupling position of the movable shaft further inward (towards the other end 183), it is possible to change the coupling position of the movable shaft by inserting a coupling means for coupling to one end of a movable shaft or the like into hole 171b.

[0130] Furthermore, a plurality of holes 172a to 172j are formed in the other end 183 of the fifth connecting arm 158. By inserting coupling means (181a to 181h) for coupling to one end of the sixth connecting arm into any of the holes 172a to 172k (holes 172a, 172c, 172d, 172e, 172g, 172h, 172i, and 172k in FIG. 8A), the sixth connecting arm is coupled to the other end 183 of the fifth connecting arm 158 at a predetermined angle. Furthermore, for example, when it is desired to couple the sixth connecting arm at an angle more acute or obtuse than the above angle, the angle of the sixth connecting arm relative to the fifth connecting arm can be changed by coupling the sixth connecting arm to a hole among the holes 172a to 172k in which a coupling means is not inserted, such as holes 172b, 172f, and 172j.

[0131] In this way, by providing the fifth connecting arm 158 with a greater number of holes than the number of connecting means such as screws or bolts used for connection at one or the other end, the connecting position of the movable shaft to be connected and the angle of the sixth connecting arm can be changed more flexibly, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design.

[0132] Although the fifth connecting arm 158 has been described with reference to FIG. 8A, the other connecting arms can be configured in the same manner.

[0133] 8B is a side view showing an example of the configuration of second connecting arm 155 and third connecting arm 160 of the connecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of second connecting arm 155 and third connecting arm 160 as an example of the connecting arm configured as described above.

[0134] The second connecting arm 155 has a plurality of holes formed at one end and a plurality of holes formed at the other end. Similar to the fifth connecting arm 158 in Fig. 8A, the number of holes formed at one end and the number of holes formed at the other end are greater than the number of connecting means such as screws or bolts used for connection, allowing for more flexible design of the connecting positions and angles of other connecting arms and shafts connected to the second connecting arm 155. The details are the same as those of the fifth connecting arm 158 in Fig. 8A, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0135] Third connecting arm 160 also has a plurality of holes formed at its other end. Similar to fifth connecting arm 158 in Fig. 8A, the number of holes formed at the other end is greater than the number of connecting means such as screws or bolts used for connection, allowing for more flexible design of the connecting position of fixed base 180 connected to third connecting arm 160. Details are the same as those for fifth connecting arm 158 in Fig. 8A, and therefore will not be described further.

[0136] The third connecting arm 160 has a structure that extends vertically so as to connect one end to the other end, and is provided with a hole 191 formed in the shape of a vertically elongated track so as to extend vertically at one end of the third connecting arm 160. A fixing screw 193 is inserted into the hole 191, thereby rotatably connecting one end of the third connecting arm 160 and the other end of the second connecting arm 155.

[0137] As described above, hole 191 is formed in a track shape having length W1 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, fixing screw 193 and the other end of second connecting arm 155 can freely move up and down within the range of length W1. With this configuration, if the ground (e.g., the running surface of vehicle 1) on which attachment device 500 fixed to third connecting arm 160 via fixing base 180 comes into contact is uneven, attachment device 500 will ride up on the uneven surface, causing the other end of second connecting arm 155 and fixing screw 193 to move downward into hole 191, and will move down from the uneven surface, causing the other end of second connecting arm 155 and fixing screw 193 to move upward into hole 191.

[0138] In this way, by providing the third connecting arm 160 with the hole 191, it is possible to effectively absorb vibrations and the like that are applied to the accessory device 500 fixed to the third connecting arm 160 due to unevenness in the running surface. In other words, the hole 191 of the third connecting arm 160 functions as an absorption mechanism that absorbs vibrations that are applied to the accessory device 500, and it is possible to effectively prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the mounting device 100 and the vehicle main body 20.

[0139] Although the second connecting arm 155 and the third connecting arm 161 have been described with reference to FIG. 8B, the sixth connecting arm 159 and the seventh connecting arm 161 can also be configured in the same manner.

[0140] In addition, in FIG. 8B, the absorbing mechanism is configured by holes 191 formed in the shape of vertically long tracks, but the configuration is not limited to this and it is also possible to configure it by using, for example, a suspension or an elastic member.

[0141] 10. Control of distance between auxiliary device 500 and vehicle 1 FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device 700 for controlling each component of the vehicle 1 and each component controlled by the control device 700. According to FIG. 9, the control device 700 of the vehicle 1 includes a processor 711, a memory 712, an input interface 713, an output interface 714, and a communication interface 715. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines. Note that the control device 700 does not need to include all of the components shown in FIG. 9; some components may be omitted, or other components may be added. The control device 700 may be any device capable of communicating with the other components shown in FIG. 9 and other remotely installed processing devices or server devices via a wired or wireless network. For example, a smartphone, tablet, laptop PC, desktop PC, or imaging device may be used.

[0142] The processor 711 functions as a control unit that controls other components of the vehicle 1 based on a processing program stored in the memory 712. Specifically, the processor 711 executes, based on the processing program stored in the memory 712, "a process of receiving an instruction input from a user to start driving via the input interface 713," "a process of receiving external environment information from the sensor 600 connected to the control device 700 via the communication interface 715," "a process of generating control information for the attachment device 100 or the accessory device 500 based on the received external environment information," and "a process of transmitting the generated control information to the attachment device 100 or the accessory device 500 via the communication interface 715." The processor 711 is mainly composed of one or more CPUs, but may also be combined with a GPU, an FPGA, or the like as appropriate.

[0143] The memory 712 is composed of RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, HDD, SSD, etc., and functions as a storage unit. The memory 712 stores instructions and commands for various controls of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment as processing programs. Specifically, the memory 712 stores processing programs that the processor 711 executes, such as "a process of receiving an instruction input to start driving from a user via the input interface 713," "a process of receiving external environment information from the sensor 600 connected to the control device 700 via the communication interface 715," "a process of generating control information for the attachment device 100 or the accessory device 500 based on the received external environment information," and "a process of transmitting the generated control information to the attachment device 100 or the accessory device 500 via the communication interface 715."

[0144] The input interface 713 functions as an input unit that accepts user instruction inputs to the vehicle 1. Examples of the input interface 713 include a steering wheel, a brake pedal, an access pedal, and the like, as well as physical key buttons, a touch panel having an input coordinate system corresponding to the display coordinate system of the display, a mouse, a keyboard, and the like. Note that the input interface 713 does not always need to be physically provided in the control device 700, and may be connected as needed via a wired or wireless network.

[0145] The output interface 714 functions as an output unit for outputting information indicating the traveling state of the vehicle 1, external environmental information detected by the sensor 600, and the like. An example of the output interface 714 is a display configured with a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL display, a plasma display, or the like. However, the control device 700 itself does not necessarily need to be equipped with a display. For example, an interface for connecting to a display or the like connectable to the control device 700 via a wired or wireless network can also function as the output interface 714 for outputting display data to the display or the like.

[0146] The communication interface 715 functions as a communication unit for transmitting and receiving various information such as control information to and from the sensor 600, the mounting device 100, or a combination thereof connected via a wired or wireless network. Examples of the communication interface 715 include a wired communication connector such as USB or SCSI, a wireless communication transmitting and receiving device such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or LTE wideband wireless communication, or an infrared wireless communication, and various connection terminals for a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit board.

[0147] The sensor 600 is communicatively connected to the control device 700 via a communication interface. The sensor 600 is installed in at least one of the vehicle main body 20, the accessory device 500, and the mounting device 100, and functions as a detection unit for detecting external environmental information around the drive device main body 300. The external environmental information detected by the sensor is processed by the processor 711 and used to generate control information for the vehicle 1. For this reason, examples of the sensor 600 include a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof, and preferably a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof. By using such a sensor 600, information on the topography of the surface on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, such as unevenness, slope, mud, or a combination thereof, and information on the height and density of vegetation growing on the surface, can be detected as external environmental information.

[0148] The electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) function as driving force applying units that apply driving torque independently to the correspondingly installed driving wheels (left front driving wheel 250a, right front driving wheel 250b, left rear driving wheel 250c, and right rear driving wheel 250d). That is, the electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) adjust the magnitude (strength) and direction of the driving torque applied to each driving wheel based on control information generated by the control device 700.

[0149] Steering device 280 is installed on at least one of front drive device 200a and rear drive device 200b, and functions as a rotation control unit for rotating each drive wheel (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in conjunction with each other in the left and right directions (in the directions of arrows S1 to S4 in FIG. 2). Steering device 280 adjusts the direction and amount of rotation of each drive wheel in order to turn vehicle 1 based on control information generated by control device 700.

[0150] The accessory device 500 is attached to the drive unit main body 300 by the mounting device 100 and functions as an accessory for expanding the functions of the drive unit main body 300 or the vehicle 1. Examples of the accessory device 500 include a pesticide sprayer, a fertilizer spreader, a cultivator, a mower, a soil sampler, a seed sower, a raking machine, a compactor, a transport rack, a harvesting rack, a snow blower, various sensors such as a laser scanner or a camera, a robot arm, a charging plug, or a combination thereof. In other words, it is possible to adjust the drive amount of a mower based on the control information generated by the control device 700.

[0151] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 700 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a processing flow related to generation of control information for operating the distance adjustment mechanism to adjust the distance between the vehicle main body 20 and the accessory device 500. This processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 711 of the control device 700 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 712.

[0152] 10, processor 711 receives an instruction input from the user to start traveling (start moving) via input interface 713 (S111). As an example of this processing, processor 711 receives an instruction input from the user via input interface 713 in response to a start icon displayed on the display via output interface 714.

[0153] Next, processor 711 generates control information for transmitting the vehicle 1 based on the received instruction input (S112). As an example of this processing, processor 711 generates control information for each of electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) to generate a driving torque for rotating the corresponding drive wheel (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in a forward direction (forward in the directions of arrows T1 to T4 in FIG. 2). Furthermore, if instruction input related to the speed and traveling direction of vehicle 1 is also received as the instruction input in S111, processor 711 generates control information for adjusting the magnitude (strength) of the driving torque and the direction and amount by which each drive wheel is rotated in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction.

[0154] Next, the processor 711 transmits the control information generated in S112 to at least one of the electric motor 290 and the steering device 280 via the communication interface 715 (S113).

[0155] Next, the processor 711 receives external environment information from a sensor 600 (e.g., a camera) via the communication interface 715, for example, periodically at a predetermined interval (S114). As described above, such a sensor 600 may be, for example, a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof, and preferably a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof. By using such a sensor 600, information (topographic information) regarding the terrain of the surface on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, such as unevenness, slope, mud, or a combination thereof, is received as external environment information. Note that the external environment information exemplified here is merely an example, and any information usable for generating control information for adjusting the distance between the accessory device 500 and the vehicle main body 20 may be used.

[0156] Next, when the processor 711 determines based on the external environment information received in S114 that the terrain requires height adjustment (for example, terrain with local height changes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold) (S115), the processor 711 generates control information for operating the distance adjustment mechanism 150 of the attachment device 100 (S116). For example, when unevenness is detected from the external environment information and it is better to raise or lower the position of the attachment device 500 in accordance with the unevenness, the processor 711 generates control information for driving the actuator 151 of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 in order to operate the distance adjustment mechanism 150 and adjust the distance between the attachment device 500 and the vehicle main body 20.

[0157] Next, the processor 711 transmits the control information generated in S115 to the attachment device 100 via the communication interface 715 (S117).

[0158] This completes the processing flow.

[0159] 10, the control device of the attachment device 100 that has received the control information has a processor that processes a program stored in a memory, and drives the actuator 151 of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 based on the control information, thereby moving the movable shaft 152 of the actuator 151 in a predetermined direction. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the coupling mechanism of the distance adjustment mechanism 150 operates to move the attachment device 500 coupled to the fixed base 180, making it possible to adjust the distance between the attachment device 500 and the vehicle main body 20.

[0160] Although not shown in FIG. 10, a control signal for driving the actuator 163 shown in FIG. 7B can also be generated using a control flow similar to that of FIG. 10. That is, for example, topographical information is detected by the sensor 600 as external environment information. Then, the processor 711 of the control device 700 generates control information for the actuator 163 based on the external environment information and transmits it to the attachment device 100. The control device of the attachment device 100 drives the actuator 163 based on the control information by having the processor process a program stored in memory, thereby moving the movable shaft 164 of the actuator 163 in a predetermined direction. This makes it possible to adjust the angle of the attachment device 500 with respect to the traveling surface, as shown in FIG. 7B.

[0161] Next, Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 700 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow related to generation of control information for controlling the attachment device 100, the drive device 200, and the attachment device 100, which are attached by the attachment device 100. This processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 711 of the control device 700 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 712.

[0162] 11, processor 711 receives an instruction input from the user to start traveling (start moving) via input interface 713 (S211). As an example of this processing, processor 711 receives an instruction input from the user via input interface 713 in response to a start icon displayed on the display via output interface 714.

[0163] Next, processor 711 generates control information for starting vehicle 1 based on the received instruction input (S212). As an example of this processing, processor 711 generates control information for each of electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) to generate a drive torque for rotating the corresponding drive wheel (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in a forward direction (forward in the directions of arrows T1 to T4 in FIG. 2). Furthermore, if instruction input related to the speed and traveling direction of vehicle 1 is also received as the instruction input in S111, processor 711 generates control information for adjusting the magnitude (strength) of the drive torque and the direction and amount by which each drive wheel is rotated in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction.

[0164] Next, the processor 711 transmits the control information generated in S112 to at least one of the electric motor 290 and the steering device 280 via the communication interface 715 (S213).

[0165] Next, the processor 711 receives external environment information from a sensor 600 (e.g., a camera) via the communication interface 715, for example, periodically (S214). As described above, such a sensor 600 may be, for example, a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof, and preferably a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof. By using such a sensor 600, for example, information on the height and density of vegetation growing on the road surface of the vehicle 1 is received as external environment information. Note that the external environment information exemplified here is merely an example, and any information usable for generating control information for controlling the accessory device 500 may be used.

[0166] Next, the processor 711 generates control information for operating at least one of the accessory device 500, the driving device 200, and the attachment device 100 based on the external environment information received in S214 (S215). For example, if the accessory device 500 is a grass cutter, the processor 711 generates control information for adjusting the rotation speed of the blade based on information about the height and density of vegetation detected as the external environment information. The processor 711 also generates control information for controlling the driving device 200 to control the speed of the vehicle 1 based on information about the height and density of vegetation detected as the external environment information. The processor 711 also generates control information for controlling the attachment device (particularly, at least one of the actuators 151 and 163) to adjust the position and angle of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20 based on information about the height and density of vegetation detected as the external environment information.

[0167] Next, the processor 711 transmits the control information generated in S115 to at least one of the accessory device 500, the driving device 200, and the mounting device 100 via the communication interface 715 (S216).

[0168] This completes the processing flow.

[0169] 11, the control device of the accessory device 500 that has received the control information controls the drive amount of at least one of the actuators 531a to 531c of the accessory device 500 based on the control information by having a processor process a program stored in memory, thereby making it possible to adjust the rotation speed of each blade connected to the actuators 531a to 531c, respectively.

[0170] 11, the control device of the attachment device 100 that has received the control information has a processor that processes a program stored in a memory, and drives at least one of the actuators 151 and 163 based on the control information, thereby moving the movable shaft 152 or the movable shaft 164 in a predetermined direction. This makes it possible to move the position of the attachment device 500 connected to the fixed base 180 and adjust the angle of the attachment device 500 relative to the traveling surface, as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7B.

[0171] Furthermore, the above-described control information can be generated using a trained control information generation model or a large-scale language model (LLM). One example of generating a trained control information generation model is as follows: First, a processor acquires a plurality of training data (e.g., at least one of the height and density of plants). The processor also acquires a correct label assigned to each training data (e.g., at least one of the rotation speed of the blade, the speed of the vehicle 1, the position of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20, and the angle of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20). The processor then provides a learner with the acquired pairs of training data and correct labels, and performs machine learning of a pattern of assigning correct labels to the training data. This machine learning is performed by providing a neural network, which is a combination of neurons, with the training data and correct labels, and repeatedly learning while adjusting the parameters of each neuron so that the output from the neural network is the same as the correct label. In this way, the processor acquires a trained control information generation model. The acquired learned control information generation model may be stored in the memory 712 of the control device 700 or in another device connected to the control device 700 via a wired or wireless network.

[0172] In the above, a neural network is used as a learning machine, but it is also possible to use learning machines that use other neural networks, such as convolutional neural networks, multi-layer Herceptrons (MLP), long short-term memory (LSTM), gated recurrent units (GRUs), graph neural networks (GNNs), and transformers; gradient boosting decision trees (GBDTs) such as LightGBM (Light Gradient Boosting Machine), XGBoost, and CatBoost; ridge regression, logistic regression, support vector regression (SVR), nearest neighbor methods, decision trees, regression trees, and random forests.

[0173] Once the learned classification judgment model is generated as described above, the processor 711 of the control device 700 inputs at least one of the information on the height and density of the plants and trees obtained in S214 into the learned control information generation model, and obtains as output at least one of control information including the speed of the vehicle 1, the position of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20, and the angle of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20.

[0174] It is also possible to use a generative trained model that utilizes deep learning, such as a large-scale language model. Preferred examples of such a generative trained model include BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) or GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer). As the generative trained model, a general-purpose generative trained model can be used, rather than one that is generated specifically for generating the control information.

[0175] The processor 711 obtains control information as output information by inputting input information in the form of a prepared question (for example, a question such as "Based on at least one of the information on the height and density of vegetation acquired as external environmental information, please generate control information in the program format shown below as output for controlling at least one of the speed of the vehicle 1, the position of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20, and the angle of the accessory device 500 relative to the vehicle body 20 so as to achieve the optimal degree of felling") into the generative trained model.

[0176] As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to provide a mounting device for an accessory device that is easier to use, an accessory unit that includes the mounting device and the accessory device, and a vehicle to which the accessory unit is mounted.

[0177] 1 to 11, the vehicle 1 is described as a four-wheeled vehicle by way of example, but it may be a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or five or more-wheeled vehicle.

[0178] The processes and procedures described herein can be realized not only by those explicitly described in the embodiments, but also by software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Specifically, the processes and procedures described herein can be realized by implementing logic corresponding to the processes in media such as integrated circuits, volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, magnetic disks, and optical storage. Furthermore, the processes and procedures described herein can be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers, including processing devices and server devices.

[0179] Although processes and procedures described herein are described as being performed by a single device, software, component, or module, such processes or procedures may be performed by multiple devices, multiple software, multiple components, and / or multiple modules. Furthermore, although various information described herein is described as being stored in a single memory or storage unit, such information may be stored in multiple memories within a single device or multiple memories distributed across multiple devices. Furthermore, software and hardware elements described herein may be realized by integrating them into fewer components or by decomposing them into more components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0180] 1: Vehicle 10: Accessory unit 20: Vehicle body 100: Mounting device 110: Mounting mechanism on mounting device side 111: Roller (111a~111e: Roller) 112: Roller (112a~112e: Roller) 113: Main unit 115: Rotation axis 116: Rotation axis 150: Spacing adjustment mechanism 151: Actuator 152: Movable shaft 153: First connecting arm 154: Rotating shaft 155: Second connecting arm 156: 4th connecting arm 157: Movable shaft 158: 5th connecting arm 159: 6th connecting arm 160: Third connecting arm 161: 7th connecting arm 163: Actuator 164: Movable shaft 171a~172k: Hole 180:Fixed stand 200: Drive unit 300: Drive unit body 360: Vehicle side mounting mechanism 370: Rear mounting mechanism for vehicle 371a: bottom 371b:Top surface 372a: Slide rail 372b: Slide rail 380: Front mounting mechanism for vehicle 381a: bottom 381b:Top surface 382a: Slide rail 382b: Slide rail 500: Accessory equipment 510: Cover 531a: Actuator 531b: Actuator 531c: Actuator 533a~533f: Wheel 536: Rotation axis 537 :Connection shaft 538:Connection shaft 538a: Blade 538b: Blade 540: Connection plate 541: Protective cover 600: Sensor 700: Control device 711: Processor 712: Memory 713: Input interface 714: Output interface 715: Communication Interface 900: Transport stand

Claims

1. An attachment device configured to detachably attach an accessory device to a vehicle at an arbitrary interval in order to add a predetermined function to the vehicle, and to be controllable by the vehicle, and adjusting the gap by operating a gap adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information received from the vehicle, the control information being generated in the vehicle based on external environment information around the vehicle detected by a sensor installed in at least one of the vehicle, the attachment device, and the attachment device. A mounting device configured as follows.

2. The attachment device according to claim 1 , wherein the distance adjustment mechanism adjusts an angle of the attachment device in a front-to-rear direction with respect to a running surface on which the vehicle runs, in addition to the distance.

3. The gap adjustment mechanism includes: a coupling mechanism disposed between the vehicle and the accessory device and configured to couple the accessory device to the vehicle in such a manner that the distance between the accessory device and the vehicle can be adjusted; an actuator configured to generate a driving force applied to the linkage to adjust the spacing; The mounting device of claim 1 , comprising:

4. 4. The mounting device according to claim 3, wherein the coupling mechanism converts the driving force generated by the actuator and applied in a direction along the traveling direction of the vehicle into a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle so that the position of the accessory device is adjusted in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

5. The connecting mechanism includes: a front coupling mechanism and a rear coupling mechanism formed in a pair in the front and rear direction of the vehicle; a connection mechanism configured to connect the front connection mechanism and the rear connection mechanism so as to adjust the distance between the front connection mechanism and the rear connection mechanism; The mounting device of claim 3 , comprising:

6. The mounting device of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the distance with the connection mechanism adjusts the angle of the accessory device relative to a surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

7. The mounting device according to claim 3 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes an absorbing mechanism configured to absorb vibrations applied from the accessory device.

8. The mounting device according to claim 1 , which is slidably mounted to a mounting mechanism configured on the vehicle so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle on a running surface of the vehicle.

9. The mounting device according to claim 1 , which is slidably mounted on a slide rail that is configured on the vehicle so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle on a running surface of the vehicle.

10. further comprising the one or more rollers, The one or more rollers are slidably mounted on the slide rail by rotating on the slide rail.

10. The mounting device of claim 9.

11. The accessory device is installed below the vehicle at an arbitrary interval, the control information is generated based on the external environment information, which is information about the topography of a traveling surface of the vehicle; The control device is configured to adjust the gap between the traveling surface and the auxiliary device by operating the gap adjustment mechanism based on the control information and adjusting the gap. The mounting device of claim 1 .

12. 12. The mounting device of claim 11, wherein the accessory device is a grass trimmer configured to cut grass and / or trees growing on a riding surface of the vehicle.

13. 13. The attachment device according to claim 12, wherein the mower comprises a blade configured to cut at least one of the grass and trees that it comes into contact with, an actuator that rotates the blade, a connecting shaft that connects the blade to the rotating shaft by being fixed to the rotating shaft of the actuator, and a protective cover that fixes the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft.

14. An accessory unit including an accessory device that is installed at an arbitrary interval relative to a vehicle in order to add a predetermined function to the vehicle, and an attachment device that detachably attaches the accessory device to the vehicle and is configured to be controllable by the vehicle, The mounting device comprises: and adjusting the gap by operating a gap adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information received from the vehicle, the control information being generated in the vehicle based on external environment information around the vehicle detected by a sensor installed in at least one of the vehicle, the attachment device, and the attachment device. An accessory unit configured as follows.

15. A vehicle including a vehicle body, an accessory device configured to add a predetermined function to the vehicle body, and an attachment device configured to detachably attach the accessory device to the vehicle body at an arbitrary interval from the vehicle body and to be controllable by the vehicle body, The mounting device comprises: and adjusting the gap by operating a gap adjustment mechanism provided in the attachment device based on control information received from the vehicle, the control information being generated in the vehicle body based on external environment information around the vehicle detected by a sensor installed in at least one of the vehicle body, the accessory device, and the attachment device. A vehicle configured as follows.

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