Unmanned Vehicles

Abstract

To provide an unmanned mobile body that can be switched, with a simple configuration and operation, between a first mode, in which the vehicle width is made as narrow as possible, and a second mode, in which a traveling direction is changed by 90° from the first mode.SOLUTION: An unmanned mobile body that travels by four wheels 2a, 2b provided on a vehicle body 1 includes four supports 3a, 3b that respectively support the wheels 2a, 2b. The supports 3a, 3b include a pair of first supports 3a and a pair of second supports 3b, each pair provided at an interval in a first direction X. The pair of first supports 3a and the pair of second supports 3b are provided with the vehicle body 1 interposed therebetween in a second direction Y intersecting the first direction X, and are configured to be switchable between a first mode, in which the wheels 2a of the first supports 3a are brought close to each other and the wheels 2b of the second supports 3b are brought close to each other and the second direction Y is the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1, and a second mode, in which the first direction X is the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned mobile body that can be manually operated by remote control or can travel autonomously. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, robots have been used to take over some of the agricultural work. For example, grass-cutting robots that can be manually operated by remote control or can move autonomously are commercially available.

[0003] Currently available agricultural robots are generally designed for use on relatively open, flat land, and are not designed to navigate narrow spaces such as between rows in a field.

[0004] In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses technology that allows a manned vehicle that runs on four wheels to narrow the vehicle width (the distance between the front wheels and the distance between the rear wheels) by opening and closing the base part that supports the wheels. However, this technology is not for work robots but for general automobiles, and is intended to reduce parking space, and there is no idea of ​​having the robot run through narrow spaces such as between the rows of a field to perform work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4541201 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the current situation as described above, and aims to provide an unprecedented unmanned mobile body that can be switched with a simple configuration and operation between a first mode in which the vehicle width is made as narrow as possible and a second mode in which the direction of travel is changed by 90 degrees from the first mode, and that can, for example, be used to weed between rows in a field in the first mode, and then switched to the second mode to move to the next row. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gist of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0008] An unmanned vehicle that travels on four wheels 2a and 2b provided on a vehicle body 1, four supports 3a and 3b provided on the vehicle body 1 and supporting the wheels 2a and 2b, respectively; the supports 3a and 3b include a pair of first supports 3a and a pair of second supports 3b spaced apart in a first direction X, the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b are provided in a second direction Y intersecting the first direction X, with the vehicle body 1 interposed therebetween; A working unit 4 for performing a predetermined work is provided on the vehicle body 1 between the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b, The base ends 5 of the supports 3a and 3b are supported by the vehicle body 1 so as to be horizontally rotatable, and the wheels 2a and 2b are supported by the tip ends 6 of the supports 3a and 3b so as to be rotatable, the first supports 3a and the second supports 3b are configured to be movable toward and away from each other and open and close by a support drive mechanism that allows the supports 3a and 3b to be rotated horizontally, the support body drive mechanism includes a first support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the first supports 3 a simultaneously by a first motor 7 housed in the vehicle body 1, and a second support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the second supports 3 b simultaneously by a second motor 7 housed in the vehicle body 1, each of the first support drive mechanism and the second support drive mechanism includes the motor 7, a worm gear 8 driven by the motor 7, and two worm wheels 9 provided at base ends of the pair of supports 3 a and 3 b, respectively, and meshing with the worm gear 8; By driving the worm gear 8 of each of the support drive mechanisms to rotate the two worm wheels 9, By horizontally rotating the supports 3a and 3b, the vehicle body 1 can be switched between a first mode in which the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b approach each other and the vehicle body 1 travels in the second direction Y, and a second mode in which the vehicle body 1 travels in the first direction X. 、 the wheels 2a and 2b are supported by the supports 3a and 3b, respectively, in a state in which their orientations with respect to the supports 3a and 3b are fixed, and the orientations of the wheels 2a and 2b are changed only by horizontal rotation of the supports 3a and 3b; The width in the first direction X in the first form is 60 cm or less The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle characterized by the above.

[0009] Also, claims 1In the unmanned vehicle described above, the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b each support the wheels 2a and 2b from the outside in the first form.

[0010] Also, claims Either 1 or 2 In the unmanned mobile body described above, the working unit 4 is a grass cutting unit.

[0011] Also, An unmanned vehicle that travels on four wheels 2a and 2b provided on a vehicle body 1, four supports 3a and 3b provided on the vehicle body 1 and supporting the wheels 2a and 2b, respectively; the supports 3a and 3b include a pair of first supports 3a and a pair of second supports 3b spaced apart in a first direction X, the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b are provided in a second direction Y intersecting the first direction X, with the vehicle body 1 interposed therebetween; A working unit 4 for performing a predetermined work is provided on the vehicle body 1 between the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b, The base ends 5 of the supports 3a and 3b are supported by the vehicle body 1 so as to be horizontally rotatable, and the wheels 2a and 2b are supported by the tip ends 6 of the supports 3a and 3b so as to be rotatable, The first supports 3a and the second supports 3b are configured to be able to move toward and away from each other and to be openable and closable, a first mode in which the wheels 2 a of the first support body 3 a and the wheels 2 b of the second support body 3 b are brought close to each other and the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1 is the second direction Y, and a second mode in which the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1 is the first direction X, by a horizontal rotation operation of the supports 3 a and 3 b; The state can be switched between three states: an unlocked state that allows horizontal rotation of the supports 3a and 3b; a first locked state that locks the supports 3a and 3b in positions that achieve the first configuration; and a second locked state that locks the supports 3a and 3b in positions that achieve the second configuration. It has a locking mechanism, a first insertion portion 24 and a second insertion portion 25 are provided at the base end portions 5 of the supports 3a and 3b, respectively, and a vehicle body side insertion portion 23 is provided at a position above the base end portions 5 of the supports 3a and 3b on the vehicle body 1; the locking mechanism is configured to be in the first locked state when the switching body 22 is inserted from above into the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 and the first insertion portion 24 that overlaps with the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 in the vertical direction, to be in the second locked state when the switching body 22 is inserted from above into the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 and the second insertion portion 25 that overlaps with the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 in the vertical direction, and to be in the unlocked state when the switching body 22 is not inserted into the first insertion portion 24 or the second insertion portion 25, the wheels 2a and 2b are supported by the supports 3a and 3b, respectively, in a state in which their orientations with respect to the supports 3a and 3b are fixed, and the orientations of the wheels 2a and 2b are changed only by horizontal rotation of the supports 3a and 3b; The width in the first direction X in the first form is 60 cm or less The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle characterized by the above.

[0012] Also, 5. The unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b each support the wheels 2a and 2b from the inside in the first configuration. This relates to:

[0013] Also, 6. The unmanned mobile body according to claim 4, wherein the working unit 4 is a grass cutting unit. This relates to: [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention is configured as described above, resulting in an unprecedented unmanned vehicle that can be switched, with simple configuration and operation, between a first form in which the vehicle width is made as narrow as possible and a second form in which the direction of travel is changed by 90 degrees from the first form. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory plan view of the wheel portion of the present embodiment, with a portion cut away. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a wheel portion of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory plan sectional view of the support driving mechanism of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating the operation of mowing between furrows in a field according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view illustrating the operation of mowing between furrows in a field according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory perspective view of a first embodiment of Modified Example 1. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory perspective view of a second embodiment of the first modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view of a main part of a first modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view of a main part of a first modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory perspective view of a first embodiment of Modified Example 2. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view of a main part of a second modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic front view illustrating mowing work between furrows in a field according to Alternative Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below, illustrating the operation of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0017] For example, when mowing the spaces between rows in a field, by using the first configuration, the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b can be brought closer together to narrow the vehicle width (width in the first direction X) as much as possible, so that the vehicle can travel smoothly even between narrow rows, for example, a few tens of centimeters wide, and the working unit 4 (mowing unit) can cut weeds on the slopes of the rows, etc.

[0018] When moving to the next furrow, the support drive mechanism opens and rotates the supports 3a and 3b to switch to the second configuration, allowing the robot to change direction by 90° and travel without having to turn.

[0019] Therefore, the present invention can be switched between the first and second forms simply by horizontally rotating the supports 3a and 3b using the support drive mechanism, and in the first form, the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b can be brought close to each other to narrow the vehicle width as much as possible, resulting in a highly versatile unmanned mobile body that can enter narrow spaces. [Example]

[0020] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] This embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to an agricultural robot that performs work such as mowing between furrows in a field.

[0022] Specifically, it is an unmanned mobile body that moves using four wheels 2a and 2b attached to a body 1, and has four supports 3a and 3b attached to the body 1 that respectively support the wheels 2a and 2b, and a working unit 4 that performs specified tasks.

[0023] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle body 1 is box-shaped and houses a battery and a motor 7 for driving the support body, with a mowing unit serving as the working unit 4 on the side. The mowing unit is configured to cut grass by rotating a nylon cutter (nylon cord) at high speed. The mowing unit may also have other configurations, such as a metal disc cutter. The working unit 4 (mowing unit) is not limited to being mounted on the side of the vehicle body 1, but may also be mounted on the bottom, or on both the side and bottom. When the mowing unit is mounted on the side, it is preferable to mount it at an angle so that the cutter's rotation path follows the slope of the ridge. In the figures, reference numeral 20 denotes a scattering prevention plate. In the figures, reference numeral 20 denotes a scattering prevention plate.

[0024] The supports 3a and 3b include a pair of first supports 3a spaced apart in a first direction X and a pair of second supports 3b spaced apart in the first direction X, and the first supports 3a and the second supports 3b are arranged in a second direction Y intersecting (orthogonal to) the first direction X with the vehicle body 1 interposed therebetween.

[0025] The first supports 3a and the second supports 3b are configured so as to be movable toward and away from each other and open and close by a support drive mechanism that allows the supports 3a and 3b to be rotated horizontally.

[0026] In this embodiment, the supports 3a and 3b are configured to be switchable between a first configuration (see FIG. 1) in which the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b are brought close to each other without any other members interposed therebetween, and the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1 is a second direction Y, and a second configuration (see FIG. 2) in which the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1 is a first direction X, by horizontally rotating the supports 3a and 3b.

[0027] Each part will be explained in more detail.

[0028] Base ends 5 of the supports 3a and 3b are supported on the vehicle body 1 so as to be horizontally rotatable, and wheels 2a and 2b are rotatably supported on tip ends 6 of the supports 3a and 3b, respectively.

[0029] In this embodiment, the base ends 5 of the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b are supported by the first connecting portion 10a and the second connecting portion 10b, respectively, which are provided on the second direction Y side of the vehicle body 1.

[0030] In addition, the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b are configured to support the wheels 2a and 2b from the outside in the first direction X in the first mode.

[0031] Specifically, each of the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b is composed of a plate-like member 11 that supports the wheels 2a and 2b from the outside in the first configuration, and an arm member 12 that curves outward to go around the wheels 2a and 2b and connects the plate-like member 11 to the connecting portions 10a and 10b, respectively. The arm members 12 are composed of a pair of upper and lower arm members 12, which are arranged to sandwich the plate-like member 11 and the connecting portions 10a and 10b from above and below.

[0032] Each of the wheels 2a and 2b is directly driven by an in-wheel motor that includes a stator member 13 and a rotor member 14. Each of the wheels 2a and 2b is supported by supports 3a and 3b, respectively, with the orientation of each wheel fixed relative to the supports 3a and 3b (plate-like members 11) (there is no rotating mechanism for each wheel, and the orientation of the wheels 2a and 2b is changed only by driving the supports 3a and 3b to open or close).

[0033] 3 and 4, the wheel 2a is connected to the first support 3a via a stator member 13 (fixed member) fixed to the first support 3a (plate-like member 11) and a rotor member 14 (rotating member) provided inside the fixed member and rotating about a horizontal rotation axis. In the figures, reference numeral 15 denotes a connecting member connecting the rotating member to the wheel, and 16 and 17 denote fixing screws.

[0034] Although FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the first support body 3a and the wheel 2a, the same applies to the second support body 3b and the wheel 2b.

[0035] The support body drive mechanism includes a first support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the first supports 3a simultaneously with one motor 7, and a second support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the second supports 3b simultaneously with one motor 7. In other words, the vehicle body 1 houses two motors 7.

[0036] The first support drive mechanism and the second support drive mechanism each include a worm gear 8 driven by a motor 7 and two worm wheels 9 corresponding to the pair of supports 3a and 3b.

[0037] 5, a shaft 18 extending in the vertical direction connecting the base ends of a pair of upper and lower arm members 12 of the first support body 3a is rotatably inserted into each first connecting portion 10a, and a worm wheel 9 is provided in the center of the shaft 18 located within the first connecting portion 10a. The worm wheel 9 of each first support body 3a is meshed with a worm gear 8 connected to a shaft 19 of a motor 7 of the first support body drive mechanism via a coupling (not shown).

[0038] Therefore, the first supports 3a can be symmetrically linked and simultaneously driven to open and close by one motor 7. Furthermore, the self-locking function of the worm gear 8 can be used to hold the supports 3a and 3b (wheels 2a and 2b) in a predetermined open / closed state even when traveling on rough terrain.

[0039] Although FIG. 5 illustrates the first support drive mechanism of the first connecting portion 10a, the second support drive mechanism of the second connecting portion 10b has the same configuration.

[0040] In the first form, when the supports 3a and 3b are closed so that the wheels 2a and 2b are parallel to the second direction Y, the vehicle width at the wheel portion (the distance between the outer surfaces of the supports 3a and 3b) is minimized. However, the wheels 2a and 2b do not necessarily have to be parallel to the second direction Y, and they may be opened in a V-shape.

[0041] That is, as long as the positions of the wheels 2a and 2b allow the vehicle to move in the second direction Y, the degree of opening and closing of the first support 3a and the second support 3b in the first mode can be set appropriately depending on the traveling location. For example, when the space between the furrows is narrow and there is not much room in the vehicle width, the wheels 2a and 2b can be set parallel to the second direction Y, and when the space between the furrows is relatively wide, the wheels 2a and 2b can be set in a slightly V-shaped open state (a state in which the wheels 2a and 2b are each open at an angle of several degrees to 15 degrees with respect to the second direction Y) to allow the vehicle to travel stably. In addition, the degree of opening and closing of the first support 3a and the second support 3b may be set separately.

[0042] Furthermore, the width (maximum width) in the first direction X in the first embodiment of this invention is preferably 80 cm or less, specifically 60 cm or less, and more specifically 30 cm or less. The width between rows in a field (path width) varies but is usually about several tens of centimeters, and therefore, the narrower the width in the first direction X in the first embodiment, the greater the versatility.

[0043] Furthermore, the width of the vehicle body 1 in the first direction X, in a range equal to or less than the height of the wheels 2a and 2b, is preferably equal to or less than the width in the first direction X of the wheel portions when the wheels 2a and 2b are parallel to the second direction Y in the first configuration. This is to make the most of the configuration in which the wheels 2a and 2b are close to each other and can be made narrow.

[0044] Similarly, in the second configuration in which the first support 3a and the second support 3b are spaced apart from each other (opened by about 90°) from the first configuration, the positions of the wheels 2a and 2b do not need to be parallel to the first direction X, and may be slightly closed, as long as the vehicle can travel in the first direction X. By adopting the second configuration, the traveling direction can be changed by 90° from the first configuration. Furthermore, in the second configuration, the distance between the wheels 2a and 2b is secured to the length of the vehicle body 1 in the second direction Y, allowing for more stable traveling.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the grass-cutting unit is detachably mounted on a mounting part 21 that is provided between the first support body 3a and the second support body 3b on the side of the vehicle body 1 facing the first direction X. Therefore, instead of the grass-cutting unit, it is also possible to mount another working unit 4 that performs a predetermined task on the mounting part 21. For example, this embodiment can be used not only as a grass-cutting robot but also for various agricultural tasks, such as by attaching a spraying unit that sprays chemicals to make it a spraying robot, or by attaching a harvesting unit that harvests crops to make it a harvesting robot, or by attaching a basket unit that stores harvested crops to make it a transport robot.

[0046] In this embodiment, the supports 3a and 3b are opened and closed and traveled by wireless remote manual operation (remote control operation). However, it is also possible to configure the vehicle to travel by wired remote control operation, or to configure the vehicle to travel autonomously (including by changing its shape) in an area specified by a control unit provided on the vehicle body 1, or to configure the vehicle to be able to selectively switch between remote control operation and autonomous travel as appropriate.

[0047] A case where the unmanned mobile body (mowing robot) configured as above is used to mow between furrows in a field will be described.

[0048] As shown in Figure 6(a), the mowing robot is in the first configuration and travels along a path P1 between the furrows of a field, while the mowing unit cuts weeds W on the slopes of the furrows (Figure 7(a) → (b)).

[0049] Subsequently, after mowing the grass in passage P1, when it is time to move to the adjacent passage P2, as shown in Figure 6(b), the first support member drive mechanism and the second support member drive mechanism open and rotate the supports 3a and 3b, transforming the vehicle from the first configuration to the second configuration and changing the direction of travel by 90°, allowing the vehicle to move to passage P2 without changing the orientation of the vehicle body 1. This makes it possible to move between rows even if there is not a large space for turning.

[0050] Next, as shown in Figure 6(c), the first support drive mechanism and the second support drive mechanism close and rotate the supports 3a and 3b, transforming them from the second configuration to the first configuration, moving the passage P2 and cutting down the weeds W.

[0051] By repeating the above process, it is possible to efficiently mow the weeds between the rows of the field.

[0052] Although this embodiment is an example of application to an agricultural robot, the present invention is not limited to this, and it can also be used for other purposes where movement into narrow spaces is expected, such as use as a disaster robot.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the supports 3a and 3b are configured to be switched between the first and second modes by the motor 7, but as in Alternative Example 1 shown in Figures 8 to 11, the supports 3a and 3b may be switched by manually operating the switching body 22 and the supports 3a and 3b (hereinafter, parts not specifically mentioned are the same as those in Figures 1 to 7).

[0054] That is, a locking mechanism may be employed that can be switched among three states by manually operating the switching body 22: an unlocked state that allows horizontal rotation of the supports 3a and 3b; a first locked state that locks the supports 3a and 3b in a position that achieves the first configuration; and a second locked state that locks the supports 3a and 3b in a position that achieves the second configuration.

[0055] Specifically, in variant example 1, the first locked state is achieved by inserting the switching body 22 into a vehicle body side insertion portion 23 provided on the vehicle body side and a first insertion portion 24 provided on the support body 3a / 3b, the second locked state is achieved by inserting the switching body 22 into the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 and a second insertion portion 25 provided on the support body 3a / 3b, and the unlocked state is achieved by not inserting the switching body 22 into the first insertion portion 24 and the second insertion portion 25.

[0056] In the first modified example, the switching body 22 is a lock pin, the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 is a circular hole provided in the vehicle body 1, and the first insertion portion 24 and the second insertion portion 25 are circular holes provided in the supports 3a and 3b. In the figure, the reference numeral 27 denotes a rotation axis, 28 denotes a fixed side of the hinge portion (vehicle body 1 side), and 29 denotes a movable side of the hinge portion (side that moves together with the supports 3a and 3b).

[0057] Therefore, when the switching body 22 is removed from the insertion portion (when it is not inserted into at least the first insertion portion 24 and the second insertion portion 25), the supports 3a and 3b are rotated horizontally to insert the switching body 22 into the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 and the first insertion portion 24 so that they overlap vertically, and the supports 3a and 3b are prevented from rotating relative to the vehicle body 1 at the position where the first form is achieved, resulting in a first locked state (see Figure 10. Although only the support body 3a is shown in Figure 10, the same applies to the support body 3b).

[0058] Furthermore, by removing the switching body 22 from the state shown in Figure 10, rotating the support body horizontally by 90°, and inserting the switching body 22 into the vehicle body side insertion portion 23 and the second insertion portion 25 so that they overlap in the vertical direction, the rotation of the supports 3a and 3b relative to the vehicle body 1 is prevented at the position that results in the second configuration, and a second locked state is achieved.

[0059] In addition, in Alternative Example 1, a mowing unit (disc cutter) is provided on the bottom of the vehicle body 1 as the working unit 4, and a plate-shaped anti-tip member 26 (a member that prevents the vehicle body 1 from tilting to the point where it cannot travel by abutting against the slope of the ridge) is provided on the side. Note that the anti-tip member 26 is not limited to a plate shape and can be other configurations such as a rod shape, but when it is plate-shaped as in Alternative Example 1, it acts to prevent grass cut by the mowing unit on the bottom from scattering. Furthermore, when the mowing unit is provided on the side, the mowing unit acts to prevent the vehicle body from tipping. In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a lever for adjusting the height of the mowing unit on the bottom.

[0060] Furthermore, the mowing unit (working unit 4) provided on the left and right sides of the bottom or side of the vehicle body 1 is not limited to a configuration for mowing weeds on the slopes of ridges as described above, but can also be configured to mow weeds on the top surfaces of ridges, for example. Specifically, as in Alternative Example 2 shown in Figures 12 to 14, the mowing unit can be configured so that its lower end (the lower surface of the cutter unit) is close to the top surface of the ridge and the rotational trajectory of the cutter follows the top surface of the ridge. In this case, as shown in Figure 14, it is possible to effectively mow weeds W that are highly in need of removal near the crops on the top surface of the ridges (hereinafter, parts not specifically mentioned are the same as those in Figures 1 to 11).

[0061] In the second modification, the first and second modes are switched by manually operating the switching body 22 and the supports 3a and 3b, as in the first modification, but the second modification may be switched by a motor, as in the embodiment. In the drawing, the reference numeral 31 denotes a support member that supports the supports 3a and 3b so that they can rotate horizontally.

[0062] In addition, in variant 2, the vertical height of the vehicle body 1 relative to the supports 3a and 3b (and support member 31) can be changed, making it possible to adjust the height position of the cutter relative to the top surface of the ridge.

[0063] Specifically, a positioning member 33 having a plurality of recesses 32 (holes) for position adjustment provided in the vertical direction, and two rod-shaped guide members 34 are vertically disposed at the front and rear positions of the vehicle body 1. In the drawing, reference numeral 38 denotes a connecting member that connects the lower ends of the positioning member 33 and the guide members 34.

[0064] The guide member 34 is inserted into an insertion hole of the guided member 35 (which is formed integrally with the support member 31 so as to enclose the positioning member 33 and the guide member 34), and the guided member 35 and the support member 31 integral therewith are configured to be movable relatively in the vertical direction along the guide member 34 (and the positioning member 33).

[0065] The positioning member 33 is plate-shaped and is provided between the support member 31 and the guide member 34, approximately parallel to the guide member 34, with a number of recesses 32 arranged vertically in the approximate center in the width direction. An insertion hole 36 that can communicate with the recesses 32 is provided in the upper part of the support member 31.

[0066] Therefore, the vehicle body 1 side and the support body 3a / 3b side are slid up and down relative to each other so that the insertion hole 36 of the support member 31 communicates with the appropriate recess 32, and the positioning pin 37 is inserted into the insertion hole 36 and the recess 32, thereby fixing the vehicle body 1 at the desired height position (see Figure 13).

[0067] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and other height adjustment mechanisms may be employed, such as preparing a plurality of mowing units with different protrusion amounts from the vehicle body 1 relative to the top surface of the ridges and replacing them as appropriate.

[0068] Since this embodiment is configured as described above, when mowing the spaces between the rows of a field, by using the first configuration, the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b can be brought closer to each other, thereby narrowing the vehicle width (width in the first direction X) as much as possible, so that the vehicle can travel smoothly even between narrow rows of several tens of centimeters wide, and the working unit 4 (mowing unit) can cut weeds on the slopes of the rows, etc.

[0069] When moving to the next furrow, the robot can switch to the second mode, changing direction by 90 degrees without having to turn.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, the first and second forms can be switched simply by horizontally rotating the supports 3a and 3b using the support drive mechanism, and in the first form, the wheels 2a of the first support 3a and the wheels 2b of the second support 3b can be brought closer to each other to narrow the vehicle width as much as possible, resulting in a highly versatile unmanned mobile body that can enter narrow spaces. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Body 2a・2b wheels 3a First support 3b Second support 4 Working section 5 Proximal end 6 Tip 7 Motor 8 Worm Gear 9 Worm Wheel 22 Switching body 23 Vehicle body side insertion part 24 First insertion part 25 Second insertion part X primary direction Y Second Direction

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle that travels on four wheels provided on a vehicle body, four supports provided on the vehicle body and supporting the wheels, the supports include a pair of first supports and a pair of second supports spaced apart in a first direction; the first support body and the second support body are provided in a second direction intersecting the first direction, with the vehicle body interposed therebetween; a working unit that performs a predetermined work is provided on the vehicle body between the first support body and the second support body, The base ends of the supports are supported on the vehicle body so as to be horizontally rotatable, and the wheels are supported on the tip ends of the supports so as to be rotatable, the first supports and the second supports are configured to be movable toward and away from each other and open and close by a support drive mechanism that allows the supports to be rotated horizontally, the support body drive mechanism includes a first support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the first support bodies simultaneously using a first motor housed in the vehicle body, and a second support body drive mechanism that operates to horizontally rotate the second support bodies simultaneously using a second motor housed in the vehicle body, each of the first support drive mechanism and the second support drive mechanism includes the motor, a worm gear driven by the motor, and two worm wheels provided at base ends of the pair of supports, respectively, and meshing with the worm gear; a first mode in which the wheels of the first support body and the wheels of the second support body are brought close to each other and the traveling direction of the vehicle body is the second direction, and a second mode in which the traveling direction of the vehicle body is the first direction, by a horizontal rotation operation of the support body by driving the worm gears of each support body drive mechanism to rotate the two worm wheels; the wheels are supported by the support body in a state where their orientations with respect to the support body are fixed, and the orientations of the wheels are configured to be changed only by horizontal rotation of the support body; An unmanned mobile body characterized in that the width in the first direction in the first configuration is 60 cm or less.

2. 2. An unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first support body and said second support body each support said wheels from outside in said first configuration.

3. 3. The unmanned mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the working unit is a grass cutting unit.

4. An unmanned mobile body that travels on four wheels provided on a vehicle body, four supports provided on the vehicle body and supporting the wheels, the supports include a pair of first supports and a pair of second supports spaced apart in a first direction; the first support body and the second support body are provided in a second direction intersecting the first direction, with the vehicle body interposed therebetween; a working unit that performs a predetermined work is provided on the vehicle body between the first support body and the second support body, The base ends of the supports are supported on the vehicle body so as to be horizontally rotatable, and the wheels are supported on the tip ends of the supports so as to be rotatable, the first supports and the second supports are configured to be capable of being opened and closed, a first configuration in which the wheels of the first support body and the wheels of the second support body are brought close to each other and the traveling direction of the vehicle body is the second direction, and a second configuration in which the traveling direction of the vehicle body is the first direction, by a horizontal rotation operation of the support body; a locking mechanism that can be switched between three states: an unlocked state that allows horizontal rotation of the support body, a first locked state that locks the support body at a position that achieves the first configuration, and a second locked state that locks the support body at a position that achieves the second configuration; a first insertion portion and a second insertion portion are provided at the base end portions of the support bodies, and a vehicle body-side insertion portion is provided at a position above the base end portions of the support bodies on the vehicle body; the locking mechanism is configured to be in the first locked state when the switching body is inserted from above into the vehicle body side insertion portion and the first insertion portion that overlaps with the vehicle body side insertion portion in the vertical direction, to be in the second locked state when the switching body is inserted from above into the vehicle body side insertion portion and the second insertion portion that overlaps with the vehicle body side insertion portion in the vertical direction, and to be in the unlocked state when the switching body is not inserted into the first insertion portion or the second insertion portion, the wheels are supported by the support body in a state where their orientations with respect to the support body are fixed, and the orientations of the wheels are configured to be changed only by horizontal rotation of the support body; An unmanned mobile body characterized in that the width in the first direction in the first configuration is 60 cm or less.

5. An unmanned mobile body as described in claim 4, characterized in that the first support and the second support each support the wheel from the inside in the first form.

6. An unmanned mobile body as described in any one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the working unit is a grass-cutting unit.

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