combine

Abstract

To provide a combine that allows connection work for a battery and wiring for charging to be executed easily, and can reduce an interruption time of reaping and harvesting work due to charging work.SOLUTION: A reaping device 3 and a steering part 5 are provided on a front side of a machine body travelling by a travelling device 2. A separation device 4 for separating grains from grain culms reaped by the reaping device 3 is provided at one of the right and left sides of the machine body. A storage device 7 for storing the grains collected by the separation device 4 is provided at the other of the right and left sides of the machine body. A discharge device 70 for discharging the grains from the storage device 7 to outside the machine body is provided. An electric actuator is provided for supplying driving force to part or all of a plurality of devices provided to the machine body. A charging and discharging battery 60 that serves as a power source for the electric actuator is provided. The charging and discharging battery 60 is provided between the right and left of the separation device 4 and the storage part 7. A plug 61 for supplying electric power to the charging and discharging battery 60 is provided at the other of the right and left sides or on the rear side of the machine body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a combine harvester in which each device constituting the machine body is driven by an electric motor. [Background technology]

[0002] In a conventional combine harvester, a technology is known in which the drive source is changed from an engine to an electric motor, and the lifting devices of the harvesting devices are driven by the respective lifting electric motors (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-39732 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technology in Patent Document 1 does not mention the placement of an electric motor used in place of an engine or a battery that supplies electricity to the electric lifting motors that drive each of the lifting devices, and there is a problem that the time for reaping and harvesting work is limited when using only the conventional batteries used to start the engine and turn on the headlights.

[0005] Furthermore, depending on the battery's location, it may be difficult to connect the charging wiring, which may result in a long charging time, resulting in longer interruptions to harvesting operations and requiring additional effort from the operator.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a combine harvester that allows easy connection of the battery to the charging wiring and reduces the time that reaping and harvesting operations are interrupted due to charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention, which has solved the above problems, is as follows. That is, the invention of claim 1 is a combine harvester in which a reaping device (3) and a steering section (5) are provided at the front of a machine body traveling on a traveling device (2), a sorting device (4) for separating grains from the stalks reaped by the reaping device (3) is provided on one side of the machine body, a storage device (7) for storing grains collected by the sorting device (4) is provided on the other side of the machine body, and a discharge device (70) for discharging grains from the storage device (7) to the outside of the machine is provided, and an electric actuator is provided to supply driving force to some or all of the multiple devices provided on the machine body, and a charge / discharge battery (60) is provided as a power source for the electric actuator, and the charge / discharge battery (60) is provided between the left and right of the sorting device (4) and the storage device (7), The charge / discharge battery (60) On the left, right, or rear side of the aircraft Coupler (64) and reel Setting The coupler (64) is connected to one end of a cable (62), and a charging plug (61) is provided at the other end of the cable (62). The reel is configured to hold the cable (62) in a fixed position so that it can be retracted and retracted, and to allow the charging plug (61) to be taken out of the machine. This is a combine harvester characterized by the following.

[0008] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the discharge device (70) is configured to be extendable and retractable by a fixed discharge member (72a) provided on the machine body side and a movable discharge member (72b) slidably provided on the fixed discharge member (72a), and an external connector (77) is provided at a discharge opening (75a) which is an end of the movable discharge member (72b), A power transmission cable (85) is routed from the external connector (77) along the exterior of the discharge device (70) to transmit electricity to the charge / discharge battery (60). , Through the external connector (77) 2. The combine harvester according to claim 1, wherein the charge / discharge battery (60) can be charged.

[0009] The invention of claim 3 is the combine harvester described in claim 2, characterized in that the external connector (77) is provided closer to the end of the discharge device (70) than the grain discharge outlet (75a), a protective member (75) is provided between the external connector (77) and the discharge outlet (75a), and a camera unit (84) is provided above the external connector (77) to illuminate and photograph the area around the discharge device (70).

[0010] The invention of claim 4 is a combine harvester as described in claim 2, characterized in that the discharge device (70) is rotatable around a vertical axis in the up-down direction of the body, and when the discharge device (70) is moved to a non-working position during straw harvesting work, the end of the discharge device (70) is located on one of the left and right sides of the body and closer to the outside than the left and right width of the body, and the discharge outlet (75a) of the discharge device (70) is located higher on the body than the harvesting device (3).

[0011] The invention of claim 5 is a combine harvester as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an upwardly inclined surface is formed on the lower part of the outer wall on one of the left and right sides of the body of the storage device (7) from the other left and right side of the body to one of the left and right sides, and the charge / discharge battery (60) is provided in a loading space (63) formed between the upwardly inclined surface and the left and right sides of the sorting device (4).

[0012] The sixth invention related to the present invention is: The combine harvester according to claim 5, characterized in that blower fans (86, 87) are provided on either the left or right side of the charge / discharge battery (60) and above the charge / discharge battery (60), and a guide wall (88) is provided to guide the wind generated by the blower fans (86, 87) toward the charge / discharge battery (60). [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the invention of claim 1, by arranging the charge / discharge battery (60) between the sorting device (4) and the storage device (7), it is possible to utilize the available space to arrange a charge / discharge battery (60) with a large capacity, thereby extending the reaping operation time.

[0014] Furthermore, by providing the plug (61) of the chargeable / dischargeable battery (60) on the left or right side of the machine body or on the rear side, the plug (61) can be removed or stored in a location where there are no obstructing members, allowing for efficient charging operations.

[0015] According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, an external connector (77) is provided on the movable discharge member (72b) side of the discharge device (70) so that it can be connected to a power supply device (82) mounted on an auxiliary work machine (81) that collects grains discharged from the discharge device (70). This makes it possible to charge the charge-discharge battery (60) while discharging grains, thereby shortening the time during which the harvesting work is interrupted.

[0016] According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 2, by providing a protective member (75b) between the discharge port (75a) through which grains are discharged from the discharge device (70) and the external connector (77), it is possible to prevent impurities such as stems and leaves and powder discharged together with the grains from scattering toward the external connector (77), and therefore it is possible to prevent impurities adhering to the external connector (77) from interfering with charging.

[0017] In addition, by providing a camera unit (84), the grains being discharged from the discharge outlet (75a) and the state of the recovery section of the auxiliary work machine (81) can be confirmed through video and images, so the worker can monitor whether the grains have fallen outside the recovery section and can respond quickly if a problem occurs, thereby preventing the grains from falling into the field.

[0018] In addition, since it is possible to check whether the external connector (77) and the power supply device (82) are disconnected, the remaining power of the charge / discharge battery (60) can be increased by utilizing the time spent discharging grains, thereby extending the duration of the reaping and harvesting work.

[0019] According to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 2, when the discharge device (70) is moved to the non-working position during harvesting work, the end of the discharge device (70) is positioned on one of the left and right sides of the machine body and closer to the outside than the left and right width of the machine body, and the discharge outlet (75a) is positioned higher on the machine body than the harvesting device (3). This prevents stem and leaf fragments and powder generated when the harvesting device (3) harvests the stalks from reaching the vicinity of the discharge outlet (75a), thereby preventing stem and leaf fragments and powder from adhering to the external connector (77) and interfering with charging and discharging.

[0020] According to the invention of claim 5, in addition to the effects of the invention of claim 1 or 2, by providing the charge / discharge battery (60) on an upward inclined surface formed on the lower part of one of the left and right sides of the body of the storage device (7) and in the loading space (63) formed between the left and right sides of the sorting device (4), the charge / discharge battery (60), which is a heavy object, can be placed near the center of the body in the left-right direction, so that the weight balance of the body is stable and it is less likely that grain straw will be left unharvested due to a shift in the harvesting position.

[0021] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, In addition to the effect of the invention of claim 5, the provision of the blower fans (86, 87) enables the use of cooling air to cool down the heat generated when the chargeable / dischargeable battery (60) is subjected to a load and the heat generated when the machine body is driven, thereby making it possible to prevent the chargeable / dischargeable battery (60) from deteriorating and to prevent an increase in electricity consumption due to high temperatures.

[0022] Furthermore, by providing the guide wall (88) for guiding the charge / discharge battery (60), the cooling air can be reliably directed onto the charge / discharge battery (60), thereby improving the cooling efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] Combine harvester front view [Figure 2] Top view of a combine harvester [Figure 3] Left side view of combine harvester [Figure 4] Engine E output rotation transmission diagram [Figure 5] Transmission diagram of engine E's output rotation to the running gear and harvesting equipment [Figure 6] Main gear shift lever diagram [Figure 7] Diagram of a continuously variable transmission [Figure 8] (a) Graph showing the relationship between the position of the main speed change lever and the measured value of the angle sensor. (b) Graph showing the relationship between the measured value of the angle sensor and the opening of the trunnion shaft. (c) Graph showing the relationship between the opening of the trunnion shaft and the set traveling speed of the traveling gear. [Figure 9] Rear view of a combine with the battery located in the threshing device and grain tank space. [Figure 10] Plan view of a combine with the battery located in the space between the threshing device and the grain tank. [Figure 11] Side view of a combine with the battery located in the space between the threshing device and the grain tank. [Figure 12] Schematic diagram of a battery that can selectively place charging cables on the side or rear of the aircraft using a coupler. [Figure 13] Side view of a combine harvester with a detachable battery on the charging base [Figure 14] Rear view of a recovery vehicle equipped with a combine harvester and a power supply battery [Figure 15] A side view showing a recovery vehicle equipped with a combine harvester and a power supply battery. [Figure 16] A plan view showing a recovery vehicle equipped with a combine harvester and a power supply battery. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part showing an end configuration of a discharge auger and a recovery work vehicle equipped with a power supply battery. [Figure 18] Side view of a combine harvester with a battery cooling fan [Figure 19] Rear view of a combine harvester with a battery cooling fan positioned above the battery [Figure 20] Plan view of a combine harvester equipped with a battery cooling fan [Figure 21] Side view of a combine harvester with a battery cooling fan [Figure 22] Rear view of a combine harvester with a removable battery [Figure 23] Side view of a combine harvester with a detachable battery [Figure 24] Plan view of a combine harvester with a detachable battery [Figure 25] Schematic diagram showing a connection case that can accommodate multiple removable batteries [Figure 26] Rear view of a combine harvester equipped with a connection case that can accommodate multiple detachable batteries [Figure 27](a) Display panel showing remaining battery power as a percentage. (b) Display panel showing remaining battery power as a graph. [Figure 28] Block diagram showing the connections between the battery management system, each battery, and each electric motor [Figure 29] Rear view showing fuel tank placement [Figure 30] (a) A perspective view of the main part showing the arrangement of the fuel tank. (b) A side view of the main part showing the arrangement of the fuel tank. (c) A perspective view of the main part showing the state where the fuel tank is removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the combine harvester has a traveling device 2 consisting of a pair of left and right crawlers mounted on the underside of a machine frame 1, and a reaping device 3 for harvesting stalks growing in a field mounted on the front side of the machine frame 1. In addition, a threshing device 4 for threshing and sorting the stalks harvested by the reaping device 3 is mounted on the left rear side of the reaping device 3, and a control unit 5 for an operator to ride on is mounted on the right rear side of the reaping device 3.

[0025] An engine room 6 in which an engine E is mounted is provided below the control unit 5, and a grain tank 7 for storing grain that has been threshed and sorted by the threshing device 4 is provided behind the control unit 5, and the grain stored in the grain tank 7 is discharged to the outside by a discharge auger 70 connected to the grain tank 7. A front panel 10 is provided in front of the driver's seat of the control unit 5, and a side panel 15 is provided to the left of the driver's seat.

[0026] A monitor 11 that displays the engine E output rotation speed and the like is provided on the left side of the front panel 10, and an operating lever 12 that controls the rotation of the traveling device 2 and the elevation of the reaping device 3 is provided on the right side. The position of the operating lever 12 is measured by an angle sensor 12S, such as a potentiometer, attached to the bottom of the operating lever 12.

[0027] In addition, a parking brake pedal 13 is provided on the front left part of the floor located below the front panel 10, which activates and deactivates a pair of left and right brake devices 38 provided on the transmission 21 described later, and a raking pedal 14 is provided on the front right part of the floor, which engages and disengages the mowing clutch described later.

[0028] The depression posture of the parking brake pedal 13 is measured by a sensor 13S such as a limit switch or contact sensor attached to the bottom of the parking brake pedal 13, and is measured by an angle sensor 12S such as a potentiometer or proximity sensor, and the depression posture of the pull-in pedal 14 is measured by a sensor 14S such as a limit switch or contact sensor attached to the bottom of the pull-in pedal 14.

[0029] A main speed change lever (referred to as "speed change lever" in the claims) 16 is provided at the front of the side panel 15 to operate the continuously variable transmission 20, which increases / decreases the output rotation of the engine E and switches the direction of rotation, and behind the main speed change lever 16 is provided an auxiliary speed change lever 17 to operate the transmission 21, which increases / decreases the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20, and behind the auxiliary speed change lever 17 is provided a reaper / thresh lever 18 to operate the connection and disconnection of the reaping clutch 22 and threshing clutch 23.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 4, the output rotation output from the engine E is transmitted to the continuously variable transmission 20 provided on a transmission path (the "first transmission path" in the claims) A. The output rotation of the engine E transmitted to the input shaft 44 of the continuously variable transmission 20 is accelerated or decelerated and its rotation direction is switched by the continuously variable transmission 20, and then transmitted to the transmission 21.

[0031] The output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20 transmitted to the input shaft 30 of the transmission 21 is accelerated or decelerated by the multi-stage gears of the transmission 21, and is then output from the output shaft 34 and transmitted to the traveling device 2. The traveling speed v of the traveling device 2 is measured by a speed sensor 2S, such as a tachometer generator attached to the truck wheel or a gyro attached to the machine frame 1. The output rotation output from the output shaft 31 of the transmission 21 is transmitted to the harvesting device 3 via the harvesting clutch 22.

[0032] Moreover, the output rotation output from the engine E is transmitted to the threshing device 4 via a threshing clutch 23 provided on a transmission path ("second transmission path" in the claims) B.

[0033] 5, the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20 is transmitted to the input shaft 30 of the transmission 21. The output rotation transmitted to the input shaft 30 is then transmitted to the counter shaft 32 via gears 30A, 31A, and 32A. The gear 30A is provided on the input shaft 30, the gear 31A is rotatably provided on the output shaft 31, and the gear 32A is provided on the counter shaft 32.

[0034] The output rotation transmitted to the countershaft 32 is transmitted to the countershaft 33 via the gear 32B and the gear 33A. The gear 32B is provided on the countershaft 32, and the gear 33A is provided on the countershaft 33.

[0035] The output rotation transmitted to the countershaft 33 is transmitted to the output shaft 34 via a pair of left and right gears 33B and a pair of left and right gears 34A provided on both sides of the gear 33A. The gear 33B is provided on the countershaft 33, and the gear 34A is provided on the output shaft 34 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction.

[0036] Brake devices 33C that brake the rotation of the counter shaft 33 are provided on both sides of the pair of left and right gears 33B of the counter shaft 33. As a result, when the operating lever 12 is tilted to the left, the rotation speed of the left gear 33B becomes slower than the rotation speed of the right gear 33B, causing the traveling device 2 to turn to the left in the traveling direction, and when the operating lever 12 is tilted to the right, the rotation speed of the right gear 33B becomes slower than the rotation speed of the left gear 33B, causing the traveling device 2 to turn to the right in the traveling direction.

[0037] The output rotation transmitted to the output shaft 34 is transmitted to the input shaft 35 of the traveling device 2 via a pair of left and right gears 34B and a pair of left and right gears 35A provided outside the gear 34A. The gear 34B is provided on the output shaft 34 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction, and the gear 35A is provided on the input shaft 35.

[0038] The output rotation transmitted to the countershaft 32 is transmitted to the output shaft 31 via gears 32C and 31B, or gears 32D and 31C. Gears 32C and 32D are provided on the countershaft 32, and gears 31B and 31C are provided on the output shaft 31 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. Gears 31B and 31C can be moved left-right via a shifter 36 by operating a shifter device (not shown).

[0039] The output rotation transmitted to the output shaft 31 is transmitted to the input shaft 37 of the reaping device 3 via the reaping clutch 22 .

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, when the main speed change lever 16 is in the neutral position, the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20 is zero. When the main speed change lever 16 is shifted from the neutral position to the forward tilted position, the rotation direction of the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20 becomes forward, the same as the rotation direction of the output rotation of the engine E; increasing the tilt angle of the forward tilted position increases the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20, and decreasing the tilt angle of the front tilted position decreases the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20. When the main speed change lever 16 is shifted from the neutral position to the rear tilted position, the rotation direction of the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20 becomes reverse, opposite to the rotation direction of the output rotation of the engine E; increasing the tilt angle of the rear tilted position increases the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20, and decreasing the tilt angle of the rear tilted position decreases the output rotation of the continuously variable transmission 20. The attitude of the main speed change lever 16 is measured by an angle sensor 16S such as a potentiometer attached to the lower part of the main speed change lever 16.

[0041] When the sub-speed-change lever 17 is in the neutral position, the output rotation of the transmission 21 is neither increased nor decreased. When the sub-speed-change lever 17 is moved from the neutral position to a forward tilted position, the output rotation of the transmission 21 is increased, and when the sub-speed-change lever 17 is moved from the neutral position to a rearward tilted position, the output rotation transmitted from the continuously variable transmission 20 is decelerated. The position of the sub-speed-change lever 17 is measured by an angle sensor 17S such as a potentiometer attached to the bottom of the sub-speed-change lever 17.

[0042] When the cutting / threshing lever 18 is in the forward tilt position, the cutting clutch 22 and the threshing clutch 23 are disengaged. When the cutting / threshing lever 18 is in the rearward tilt position, the cutting clutch 22 and the threshing clutch 23 are engaged. When the cutting / threshing lever 18 is in the neutral position, which is between the forward tilt position and the rearward tilt position, the cutting clutch 22 is disengaged and the threshing clutch 23 is engaged. The position of the cutting / threshing lever 18 is measured by an angle sensor 18S, such as a potentiometer, attached to the bottom of the cutting / threshing lever 18.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, a sector gear 41 is supported on the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20, and a gear formed on the outer periphery of the sector gear 41 is engaged with a gear 42A provided on the output shaft of a forward motor (the "drive means" in the claims) 42 and a gear 43A provided on the output shaft of a reverse motor (the "drive means" in the claims). As a result, the forward motor 42 and the reverse motor 43 are driven based on the attitude of the main speed change lever 16, i.e., the measurement value of the angle sensor 16S, to rotate the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20, thereby increasing or decreasing the output rotation of the engine E and switching the rotation direction. The output rotation of the engine E is transmitted to an input shaft 44 of the continuously variable transmission 20.

[0044] Furthermore, while Figure 7 illustrates a configuration in which the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20 is rotated by a forward motor 42 and a reverse motor 43 via a sector gear 41, it is also possible to use a configuration in which an arm extending radially is supported on the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20, and a forward cylinder driven by a forward solenoid and a reverse cylinder driven by a reverse solenoid are connected to the outer periphery of this arm.

[0045] In Figure 8(a), the horizontal axis represents the position of the main shift lever 16, and the vertical axis represents the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S. When the main shift lever 16 is moved from the neutral position to a forward tilt position, the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S increases linearly. In this embodiment, when the main shift lever 16 is moved to the neutral position, the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S is set to θ1, and when the main shift lever 16 is moved to the maximum forward tilt position, where it is tilted most forward, the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S is set to θ2.

[0046] In Figure 8(b), the horizontal axis represents the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S, and the vertical axis represents the opening degree β of the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20. When the main speed change lever 16 is moved from the neutral position to the maximum front tilt position and the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S increases from θ1 to θ2, the opening degree β of the trunnion shaft 40 also increases linearly. In this embodiment, when the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S is θ1, the opening degree β of the trunnion shaft 40 is set to β1, and when the measurement value θ of the angle sensor 16S is θ2, the opening degree β of the trunnion shaft 40 is set to β2.

[0047] The opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 is set to increase linearly from β1 to β3, which is larger than β2. As a result, when the main speed change lever 16 is moved to the maximum front tilt position, if the travel speed v2 of the traveling device 2 is slower than the set travel speed V2, the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 can be made even larger than β2 to increase the travel speed v2 to the set travel speed V2.

[0048] In Figure 8(c), the horizontal axis represents the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 of the continuously variable transmission 20, and the vertical axis represents the set traveling speed V of the traveling device 2. When the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 increases from β1 to β2, the set traveling speed V of the traveling device 2 also increases linearly.

[0049] In this embodiment, when the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 is β1, the set traveling speed V of the traveling device 2 is set to V1, when the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 is β2, the set traveling speed V of the traveling device 2 is set to V2, and when the opening β of the trunnion shaft 40 is β3, the set traveling speed V is set to V3, which is faster than V2. As a result, when the main speed change lever 16 is moved from the neutral position to the maximum front tilt position, the set traveling speed V of the traveling device 2 increases from V1 to V2, and ideally the traveling speed v of the traveling device 2 can also increase from v1 to v2.

[0050] FIG. 8(c) shows a case where the auxiliary speed-change lever 17 is moved to the neutral position and the transmission 21 does not increase or decrease the output rotation.

[0051] The above combine harvester operates the running device 2, harvesting device 3, threshing device 4, etc. using the driving force generated by the engine E, and is configured so that the running speed, straw transport speed, etc. can be changed by increasing or decreasing the output of the engine E and the continuously variable transmission 20.

[0052] However, engine E requires fossil fuels such as diesel or gasoline to operate, and transmission members such as chains and speed-changing mechanisms such as variable speed gearboxes must be installed to properly coordinate the operating speeds of each device, which inevitably increases the number of parts and results in a large amount of resource usage.

[0053] Therefore, in order to eliminate or reduce the use of fossil fuels and adjust the operating speed of each device to suit the harvesting, threshing, and sorting of grain straw, one possible configuration is to provide one or more drive sources such as electric motors and to configure them so that they can be controlled by the operator via an MDU (motor driver unit). In this case, because drive sources such as electric motors require electricity to operate, a battery 60 capable of charging and discharging electricity must be installed on the aircraft. The battery 60 may be detachable and charged outside the aircraft, but in order to supply sufficient electricity to multiple electric motors, it is necessary to install a large number of batteries 60 or to install large, heavy, high-capacity batteries, which creates the problem of increased time and effort spent on detaching and installing the batteries for charging.

[0054] To prevent this problem from occurring, a charging plug 61 is provided on the rechargeable battery 60, which can be charged by connecting it to a power source outside the aircraft. A cable 62 of a certain length is provided between the charging plug 61 and the battery 60, allowing it to be easily connected to a power source located away from the aircraft.

[0055] Whether multiple batteries 60 are loaded or a small number of large ones are loaded, the overall weight of the batteries 60 can affect the balance of the vehicle. Also, the charging plug 61 needs to be located in a position that allows it to be easily pulled out of the vehicle.

[0056] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the basic layout of a combine harvester is as follows: a threshing device 4, which threshes and sorts the stalks harvested by the harvesting device 3, is located on one side of the machine frame 1; a grain tank 7, which stores the threshed grain, is located on the other side. The lower part of the grain tank 7, as viewed from behind in Figure 9, is inclined upward from the other side of the machine frame, i.e., the side adjacent to the threshing device 4, toward the other side. Therefore, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, an open space 63 is formed between the threshing device 4 and the grain tank 7 in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine frame. It is desirable to install a rechargeable battery 60 in this open space 63, with the fore-and-aft direction of the machine frame as its longitudinal direction. The battery 60 may be extended below the driver's seat in the control unit 5 to further increase its capacity.

[0057] The lower part of the grain tank 7 also has an upward inclined portion from the conveying base side of the vertical auger 71 of the discharge auger 70, which conveys grains vertically, to the other left and right sides of the machine body, i.e., toward the outside of the machine body. Therefore, below the grain tank 7 and on the other left and right sides of the machine body, a working space is secured where the charging plug 61 and cable 62 can be stored and where an operator can insert and remove their hands.

[0058] As a result, by providing the charging plug 61, cable 62, and a reel (not shown) that holds the cable 62 in a fixed position so that it can be retracted and retracted on the left and right sides of the body of the battery 60, the charging plug 61 can be easily removed from the machine when charging, and can be returned to the bottom of the grain tank 7 after charging, thereby improving the efficiency of the charging operation of the battery 60.

[0059] Furthermore, by installing the heavy battery 60 between the left and right sides of the threshing device 4 and the grain tank 7, i.e., near the center of the left-right direction of the machine body, in the front-to-back direction, the center of gravity can be placed on the lower side of the machine body and in the center of the front-to-back and left-to-right directions.This means that even when the amount of grain stored in the grain tank 7 increases and its weight increases, the machine body is less likely to tilt toward the grain tank 7, and its running posture is stable, preventing any stalks from being left unharvested.

[0060] Furthermore, the open space 63 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the grain tank 7, so that the charging plug 61 and cable 62 can be stored at the rear of the machine body, and there is sufficient working space for an operator to insert their hand and take them in and out.

[0061] Therefore, by providing the charging plug 61 and cable 62, and a reel (not shown) that holds the cable 62 in a fixed position so that it can be retracted and retracted, on the rear side of the body of the battery 60, the charging plug 61 can be easily removed from the aircraft when charging, and can be returned to the bottom of the grain tank 7 after charging, thereby improving the efficiency of the charging operation of the battery 60.

[0062] In addition, when the location of the power source for charging is difficult to access except on either the left or right side of the aircraft or the rear of the aircraft, the cable 62 may be configured to be connected to either one of couplers 64, 64 provided on the left or right side or rear of the aircraft of the battery 60, as shown in Figure 12, in order to make it easier to move the cable 62 to the side where charging is easier.

[0063] This allows the cable 62 to be connected to the power source without being forcibly bent during charging, improving work efficiency and preventing charging from becoming impossible due to wire breakage.

[0064] It is desirable to fix the battery 60 to the machine frame 1 so that the weight balance of the machine is less likely to fluctuate; however, if the battery 60 runs out of power during operation, it will become impossible to harvest the straw.

[0065] Therefore, as shown in Figure 13, a charging stand 65 is provided on the machine frame 1, and electricity is supplied to this charging stand 65 via a charging plug 61. When a battery 60 is set on the charging stand 65, it is charged. At the same time, a configuration is possible in which an out-of-power battery 60 can be removed from the charging stand 65 and a charged battery 60 can be set outside of work.

[0066] This requires the effort of preparing a pre-charged battery 60 and the labor of transporting the heavy battery 60, but it prevents the stalk harvesting work from being interrupted for long periods of time for charging, thereby preventing an increase in working time.

[0067] Furthermore, because harvesting can be carried out without missing the optimum harvesting time, the commercial value of the harvested grains increases, and it is possible to prevent work in an environment where the culms are likely to fall over due to rain or strong winds while harvesting is not possible, resulting in missed culm harvesting or poor threshing.

[0068] The method of charging from an external power source allows the use of a battery 60 with a relatively long life and large capacity, but requires connection to a power source that provides a stable power supply. If the charging location is close to the field, there are few major problems even if work is interrupted to charge, but if the location is far from the field, it may become dark or the weather may change while charging, making it impossible to continue harvesting work.

[0069] When the weather changes, as mentioned above, the stalks may fall over and become difficult to lift, resulting in missed harvests. In addition, water adhering to the surface of the stalks may cause impurities such as straw to stick to them, which may result in poor threshing or sorting.

[0070] Furthermore, if harvesting work is postponed until the next day or later, workers will have to change their plans and carry out the harvesting work, and the best time to harvest will be missed, which will result in a decrease in the commercial value of the harvested grain.

[0071] One way to prevent these problems is to install a power source next to the field, but bringing in a generator that cannot move on its own would be a major undertaking, and it would have to be placed with consideration for agricultural machinery and cars passing by on the road, making it difficult to handle.

[0072] Therefore, the combine harvester may be configured so that it is possible to load a grain recovery means 80, such as a transport tank or a flexible container bag for transport, onto a transport vehicle 81 that waits and waits while it collects grain from a discharge auger 70 that discharges grain stored in the grain tank 7 outside the machine, and then load a power supply battery 82 onto the transport vehicle 81 that transports the grain after collecting it into the grain recovery means 80, and charge the battery 60 installed in the combine harvester from this power supply battery 82.

[0073] However, since the transport vehicle 81 is generally located on a farm road that is higher than the field where the combine harvester enters, charging is not possible unless the cable 62 is made longer, as the charging plug 61 cannot reach it. However, if the cable 62 is made longer, it requires more storage space and is more susceptible to breakage.

[0074] As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the discharge auger 70 is composed of a vertical auger 71 that moves upward the grain discharged from the rear and lowest part of the grain tank 7 body, and a horizontal auger 72 that takes over the grain from the vertical auger 71 and discharges and transports it.Furthermore, the horizontal auger 72 is composed of a fixed horizontal auger 72a attached to the top of the vertical auger 71, and a movable horizontal auger 72b that is attached to the fixed horizontal auger 72a in an extendable manner.

[0075] The vertical auger 71 is mounted on the machine frame 1 so as to be rotatable as a whole by an auger rotation motor 73, and the movable horizontal auger 72b is mounted on the fixed horizontal auger 72a so as to be movable back and forth by an auger extension motor 74.

[0076] An auger head 75 having a discharge port 75a for discharging grains is rotatably mounted at the conveying end of the movable horizontal auger 72b, i.e., the side furthest from the fixed horizontal auger 72a, and a swing motor 76 provided on the auger head 75 swings the auger head 75 to a predetermined angle in the left-right direction, and the discharge port 75a of the auger head 75 can be switched to a non-discharge state in which it faces upward.

[0077] When the discharge auger 70 discharges the grain stored in the grain tank 7 to the grain recovery means 80 loaded on the transport vehicle 81, the vertical zoom 71 is rotated by the auger rotation motor 73 to change the orientation of the horizontal auger 72 so that it faces the grain recovery means 80. At this time, it is recommended to rotate the horizontal auger 72 diagonally upward by the auger lifting cylinder 72s so that the horizontal auger 72 does not come into contact with the components of the combine harvester.

[0078] And the auger lifting cylinder 72s After adjusting the angle so that the end of the conveying end of the horizontal auger 72 is reliably positioned above the grain recovery means 80, the auger extension motor 74 is operated in the extension direction to move the movable horizontal auger 72b until the auger head 75 is reliably positioned within the range of the upper opening of the grain recovery means 80.

[0079] In this state, when the operator operates the grain conveying switch 95, the grains are transported by the conveying spirals (not shown) of the vertical auger 71 and horizontal auger 72, and when they reach the discharge outlet 75a formed in the auger head 75, they fall toward the grain recovery means 80 and are recovered.

[0080] The grains are very light, and generally, the amount that can be collected at one time by the grain collection means 80 will not crush the grains at the bottom of the grain collection means 80, nor will they be damaged by the impact when they fall into the grain collection means 80. However, since the grains are susceptible to the effects of wind, in order to prevent the grains from scattering, the horizontal auger 72 may be rotated downward until part of the lower body of the auger head 75 is inside the upper end of the grain collection means 80.

[0081] At this time, as shown in Figure 17, the auger head 75 closest to the transport vehicle 81 is provided with a power supply connector 77 that can be connected to a power supply plug 83 of a power supply battery 82 loaded on the transport vehicle 81, and a power transmission cable 85 is routed from this power supply connector 77 toward the battery 60 along the exterior of the discharge auger 70.

[0082] As a result, when the electricity in the battery 60 becomes low, the harvesting operation is interrupted and the transport vehicle 81 is brought close to the transport end side of the discharge auger 70, so that the battery 60 on the combine side can be charged by the power supply battery 82, thereby preventing the harvesting operation from being interrupted for a long period of time.

[0083] It should be noted that if both the battery 60 and the power supply battery 82 are capable of rapid charging and can be charged with a large amount of electricity in a short period of time, the time during which work is interrupted can be reduced.

[0084] In addition, when discharging grain from the grain tank 7, charging can be performed via the auger head 75 of the discharge auger 70 approaching the transport vehicle 81, thereby reducing the length of the cable provided between the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77.

[0085] Furthermore, since charging can be done during the essential work time of discharging grains, work interruptions are reduced, making it possible to complete harvesting at the optimum time, thereby increasing the commercial value of the harvested crop.

[0086] If the discharge auger 70 is rotated when the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77 are connected, the connection may be released, preventing charging or the conductor may be cut.

[0087] Therefore, when the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77 are connected, it is desirable to disable the operation of the auger rotation motor 73 or to display "Charging, discharge auger rotation prohibited" on the display panel 96 described below.

[0088] The alignment of the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77 must be performed by operating the auger rotation motor 73 to rotate the discharge auger 70, but because they are small parts, they are difficult for workers to see, and it can take time to align them for connection.

[0089] To shorten this time, a control configuration may be added in which a transmitting beacon 97a and a receiving beacon 97b are provided on the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77, and when it is detected that the receiving beacon 97b is within a predetermined distance from the transmitting beacon 97a, the auger rotation motor 73 is stopped and the power supply plug 83 and the power supply connector 77 are brought into close proximity to each other.

[0090] This eliminates the need for the operator to adjust the position by rotating the auger rotation motor 73 forward or backward, thereby shortening the time required and reducing the operating frequency of the auger rotation motor 73, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0091] If water or dust adheres to the power supply connector 77, there is a risk that when it is connected to the power supply plug 83, poor contact will prevent power supply or that it will short out and be damaged, so the terminals are normally covered with a resin cover (not shown). In addition, to minimize the impact of fine dust that scatters around from the discharge port 75a during the grain discharge operation, a connector stay 78 is provided at the end of the auger head 75, and the power supply connector 77 is preferably positioned away from the discharge port 75a.

[0092] It is advisable to provide a scattering prevention guide 75b on the outer periphery of the discharge port 75a of the auger head 75 in accordance with the shape of the discharge port 75a so that the discharged grains fall as directly downward as possible.

[0093] This prevents fine dust from moving toward the power supply connector 77, ensuring stable power supply to the battery 60 and reducing the time and effort required to remove the dust.

[0094] A light 79 that illuminates the area around the power supply connector 77 is attached to the connector stay 78 in an on / off manner.

[0095] This makes it possible to easily connect the power supply connector 77 and the power supply plug 83 even during times when it is difficult to see them, such as in the evening or early morning, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0096] Instead of the light 79 described above, or together with the light 79, a camera 84 for photographing the area around the power supply connector 77 may be provided around the connector stay 78.

[0097] This allows an operator to check the connection status of the power supply connector 77 and the power supply plug 83 from a remote location, for example, the control unit 5, so that even if the connection is loose and charging is no longer possible, the operator can easily notice it immediately and can prevent unnecessary time from being wasted.

[0098] In addition, the camera 84 can monitor the grain discharge status, making it possible to collect grains from the grain collection means 80 without them falling outside, thereby reducing the time and labor required for grain collection work and preventing a decrease in harvest yield.

[0099] Furthermore, in order to prevent dust and impurities from adhering to the power supply plug 83, when harvesting stalks, the power supply plug 83 is positioned above the control unit 5 in a side view, and is positioned further outside the body than one of the left and right sides of the body of the harvesting device 3 in a plan view.

[0100] As a result, when reaping the stalks, the power supply plug 83 is positioned further above the upper end of the stalk and above the stalks before reaping, so that not only the dust discharged from the rear of the machine after threshing, but also the dust and impurities generated during reaping are less likely to reach the power supply plug, preventing poor electrical conductivity.

[0101] In the above configuration, as shown in Figures 14 to 16, the power transmission cable 85 that sends electricity from the power plug 83 to the battery 60 runs from the front to the rear of the horizontal auger 72, runs downward from the upper end of the vertical auger 71, and is bent toward the battery 60.

[0102] Since the horizontal auger 72 can extend and retract in the front-to-back direction and can also rotate left and right, the power transmission cable 85 is made long enough to accommodate extension, retraction, and rotation so that it will not break due to extension, retraction, or rotation.

[0103] As a result, the power transmission cable 85 can be routed using the structure of the discharge auger 70, eliminating the need for additional support members for routing, thereby reducing the number of parts and the weight of the machine.

[0104] The problem with the battery 60 is that the more it deteriorates, the more likely it is to generate heat due to the load during charging, and the more likely it is to deteriorate due to the heat generated by the operation of various parts of the machine during operation. To prevent this deterioration, it is necessary to prevent the battery 60 from being affected by heat from the outside as much as possible, that is, to cool it as needed.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 18, one cooling fan 86 or a plurality of small cooling fans 86 for generating airflow toward the battery 60 is arranged along the length of the battery 60 on either the left or right side of the body of the battery 60.

[0106] When the driving force of the cooling fan 86 is obtained from the battery 60, it is desirable that the driving source of the cooling fan 86 be a direct current motor (DC motor) to prevent consumption from exceeding the charge of the battery 60. In addition, a DC motor is very quiet, and can prevent the operating noise of the machine from becoming louder.

[0107] Furthermore, since the battery 60 is located at the bottom of the vehicle body, if the cooling fan 86 is installed at the same height, dust and fine impurities generated by the harvesting of straw and traveling may be blown onto the battery 60, preventing the temperature from decreasing or causing a fire due to the high temperature.

[0108] To prevent this, as shown in FIG. 19, cooling fans are installed inside the external covers on the left and right sides of the machine body and above the battery 60. 86 may be provided in a position inclined toward one of the left and right sides of the aircraft body, that is, in a position in which cooling air is blown down onto the battery 60.

[0109] This makes it difficult for dust and other foreign matter to get mixed into the cooling air blown out by the cooling fan 86, thereby preventing deterioration and damage to the battery 60 due to the adhesion of dust and other foreign matter.

[0110] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, a cooling fan 86 may be provided behind the control unit 5 and in front of the battery 60, and cooling air may be blown from the front to the rear of the aircraft.

[0111] The grain tank 7 and threshing device 4 are arranged close to the control section 5, making it difficult for impurities and dust to get in, preventing dust and impurities from mixing with the cooling air.

[0112] Since the cooling efficiency decreases toward the rear, it is desirable to provide one large, high-output cooling fan 86.

[0113] With the above arrangement, it is difficult for outside air to enter, so if the temperature of the cooling air is high, there is a possibility that the battery 60 will not be sufficiently cooled. An engine fan 87 that takes in cooling air for the engine E, etc. is provided below the control unit 5, so it is advisable to provide an air guide plate 88 on one side of the machine body to the left or right of the engine fan 87, i.e., on the threshing device 4 side, in an attitude that is inclined toward one side of the machine body to the left or right in a plan view, so that outside air is taken in near the cooling fan 86 located in front of the battery 60.

[0114] The outside air taken in by the engine fan 87 is primarily used to cool the engine E, but not all of the air heading towards the cooling fan 86 is heated by the heat of the engine E, so it is assumed that the outside air taken in is at a temperature suitable for cooling the battery 60.

[0115] Furthermore, the air guide plate 88 is positioned approximately parallel to the cooling fan 86 and closer to the inside of the fuselage than the battery 60, so that part of the wind generated by the cooling fan 86 is blown back toward the battery 60 and used for further cooling.

[0116] Furthermore, when the battery 60 is used as the power source for all of the traveling and working, the engine E is not provided, so that outside air can be taken in as is, enabling more efficient cooling.

[0117] With the combine harvester's battery 60, when a power shortage occurs, there is no need to move to a location outside the field where it can be charged and then return to the field, which reduces the time work is interrupted. In addition, there is no need to install a charging device near the field, and there is no need to take care not to obstruct road traffic.

[0118] However, because the large battery 60 is mounted on the machine body, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to replace the battery 60 when it deteriorates over time. Also, even if careful consideration is given to the placement of the battery 60, it is unavoidable that a certain amount of dust and impurities will adhere to the battery 60 due to the opening and closing of the exterior and the air flow caused by the operation of the winnower (not shown) of the threshing device 4, so there is a problem that it takes time to remove the dust and impurities. Moreover, because the battery 60 is placed in a position where heat is easily trapped, there is a problem that the battery 60 is prone to deterioration even if cooling air is accidentally applied by the cooling fan 86.

[0119] To minimize work interruptions, it may be possible to remove the battery with little remaining power and replace it with a battery that has been fully charged in advance.

[0120] As shown in Figure 22, one possible configuration is to provide one or more connection plugs 90 along the front-to-rear direction at the outer end of the left or right side of the Grain Tank 7 on the underside of the body, and to connect the detachable battery 60p to this connection plug 90. In this case, the lower part of the cover on the outside of the body of the Grain Tank 7 forms an opening / closing section 92, and the detachable battery 60p can be inserted and removed through the opening.

[0121] Alternatively, the connection plug 90 can be connected to a connection case 93 provided on the opening / closing unit 92 as shown in Figure 25, and the opening / closing unit 92 can be rotated toward the outside of the aircraft as shown in Figure 26, and the detachable batteries 60p can be inserted into the connection case 93 in a position positioned below the underside of the grain tank 7, and then the opening / closing unit 92 can be rotated toward the grain tank 7 with the detachable batteries 60p attached, and closed.

[0122] It is desirable that the removable batteries 60p are not long in the longitudinal direction of the machine, but rather have a shape similar to a rectangular plate, and are lined up in multiple rows in the longitudinal direction of the machine, so that they can be easily carried by a single worker when attaching or detaching. In this configuration, the connection plugs 90 are attached to a longitudinal guide plate 91 so that the multiple removable batteries 60p... can be lined up in a straight line in the longitudinal direction so as not to interfere with closing the cover.

[0123] The detachable battery 60p provided at the rear end is positioned in front of the vertical auger 71 that constitutes the discharge auger 70, and does not interfere with the operation of the discharge auger 70.

[0124] In addition, the upper part of the detachable battery 60p is positioned approximately at the same position as the center position in the vertical height of the body or lower than the center position, and the lower part is positioned higher than the running device 2, so that it can be placed without interfering with the space below the outside of the body of the Grain Tank 7.

[0125] By detaching and replacing one or more detachable batteries 60p, it is possible to return to harvesting straw relatively quickly even if the battery runs out, thereby improving work efficiency. However, the detachable battery 60p to be installed on the machine and the replacement detachable battery 60p must be charged in advance when work begins, and replacement requires a considerable amount of time and effort.

[0126] Therefore, a battery 60 that can be charged by receiving power from an external source may be provided between the left and right sides of the threshing device 4 and the grain tank 7, and a detachable battery 60p may be provided below the left and right sides of the body of the grain tank 7, so that the detachable battery 60p supplies power as needed to the stationary battery 60. In this case, the flow of electricity is controlled by a control circuit such as the BMS 103 to prevent excessive electrical inflow from damaging the battery 60 and to reduce the frequency of replacing the detachable battery 60p.

[0127] As a result, when a certain amount of electricity stored in the large-capacity battery 60 is used, electricity is sent from the detachable battery 60p to the battery 60, preventing work from being interrupted due to a dead battery and improving work efficiency.

[0128] Furthermore, by replacing the detachable battery 60p when the machine is not traveling, such as when discharging grain, the harvesting work is not interrupted for charging, and work efficiency is further improved.

[0129] Since relatively thin rechargeable batteries are now common, two or more batteries may be provided on each side, rather than just one on each side. In this case, since adding too many branches to the connection plug 90 can complicate the wiring and make it difficult to attach and detach the batteries, the connection plug 90 is connected to a connection case 93, and each removable battery 60p is attached to a terminal connector provided inside the connection case 93. This prevents the wiring from becoming too complicated and shortens the time required to replace the removable batteries 60p.

[0130] The connection case 93 may be configured to be wider in the vertical direction so that the detachable batteries 60p can be arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0131] As shown in Figure 28, a BMS (battery management system) 103 is provided on the aircraft to ensure that the battery 60 and each detachable battery 60p properly discharge electricity, preventing over-discharge from placing a load on the battery 60 or preventing power from being transmitted to the battery 60 when it should be.

[0132] The detachable battery 60p has an exterior structure that is not only dustproof but also highly waterproof, and if it can be attached not only to combine harvesters but also to agricultural machinery that mainly works in fields, such as tractors and rice transplanters, it will promote the electrification of agricultural work and reduce exhaust gas emissions and fuel consumption.

[0133] The discharge auger 70 is operated when discharging grain from the grain tank 7, and is a device that does not need to be driven all the time. Therefore, as shown in Figure 21, an auger drive motor 94 is provided at the front end of the horizontal auger 72 as a power source for rotating the vertical auger 71 and horizontal auger 72 that make up the discharge auger 70.

[0134] This auger drive motor 94 is configured to be powered by electricity from a power supply battery 82 installed in the transport vehicle 81, and the auger extension motor 74 extends the movable horizontal auger 72b of the horizontal auger 72 until it approaches the transport vehicle 81, and when it approaches the power supply battery 82, it connects to the motor plug 94a.The operator then operates the grain transport switch 95 shown in Figure 20 to activate the auger drive motor 94 and move the grain from the grain tank 7 toward the grain recovery means 80.

[0135] This makes it possible to reduce the consumption of electricity from the battery 60 and the detachable battery 60p, and the fuel used to drive the engine E, thereby providing a work device with a low environmental impact.

[0136] If the electricity stored in the battery 60 and the detachable battery 60p is released inappropriately, problems will arise such as a load on the motors in some places and a shortage of electricity in others, resulting in inefficient consumption.

[0137] Furthermore, when the overall battery level becomes low and it becomes necessary to move to charge or replace the detachable battery 60p, if other devices are using electricity, the aircraft will not be able to move to the location where the charging or replacement work can be performed, and the worker will have to travel a longer distance while carrying the detachable battery 60p, resulting in the problem of spending extra time and effort.

[0138] To prevent this, a battery management system (BMS) 103 is installed to control the amount of power transmitted from the battery 60 to each motor. When the remaining power of the battery 60 falls below a certain value, power is transmitted from the detachable battery 60p to the battery 60 to replenish the battery 60. If power is transmitted in a concentrated manner from one of the detachable batteries 60p, the number of detachable batteries 60p to be replaced during replacement work can be reduced, reducing the labor required by the worker and shortening the time required for the replacement work.

[0139] On the other hand, in a case where a plurality of detachable batteries 60p are provided in a connection case 93 or the like, electricity can be transmitted to the battery 60 in small amounts from all or some of the detachable batteries 60p, thereby reducing the frequency of replacement work.

[0140] When only the battery 60 is installed, an appropriate amount of electricity is transmitted to each motor from the battery 60. When multiple detachable batteries 60p are installed, electricity is transmitted intensively from one detachable battery 60p, or electricity is transmitted in small amounts to the battery 60 from all or some of the detachable batteries 60p.

[0141] As shown in Figures 27(a) and 27(b), the display panel 96 provided on the control unit 5 or on a communication terminal held by an operator outside the machine monitoring the operation of the combine harvester can display the remaining charge levels of the battery 60 and the detachable battery 60p. The remaining charge levels of the battery 60 and the detachable battery 60p may be displayed simultaneously, or may be displayed separately depending on the operation. The remaining charge levels may be displayed numerically, for example as a percentage, or as a graph.

[0142] Then, when the remaining amount of electricity reaches a predetermined condition (e.g., the remaining charge in the battery 60 falls below 10%, exceeding the work limit, and the remaining charge in more than half of the multiple detachable batteries 60p (e.g., more than three out of five) falls below 10%, or the average remaining charge in the multiple detachable batteries 60p falls below 20%), the BMS 103 determines that it is necessary to move to a position for charging or replacing the detachable batteries 60p as a priority, activates an alarm device such as a buzzer or lamp, and then cuts off the supply of electricity to the motors of the lower priority devices in the order of traveling device 2 > threshing device 4 > reaping device 3, or cuts off each transmission clutch to reduce the output of the electric motor.

[0143] In addition, for the threshing device 4, in order to thresh and sort the current stalks and grains while charging and moving to the replacement work position, it is recommended to provide an individual threshing drive switch 104 on the display panel 96 or in its vicinity, which allows the operator to manually turn on the electric motor of the threshing device 4, or turn on the transmission clutch and increase the output of the electric motor until the threshing device 4 can be driven while traveling using the traveling device 2.

[0144] This eliminates the need to consume excess power and allows the vehicle to travel reliably to the charging and replacement work location, eliminating the need to bring a charging device or detachable battery 60p into the field and shortening the time work is interrupted.

[0145] Furthermore, if there is remaining electricity, the threshing device 4 can remove and sort grains from the harvested stalks while moving to the charging and replacement position, eliminating the need to thresh the stalks remaining in the threshing device 4 after charging or replacing the detachable battery 60p, thereby reducing the time that harvesting operations are interrupted.

[0146] When the battery 60 and the detachable batteries 60p are used together, the BMS 103 may use electricity from the battery 60 first, and when the remaining amount of electricity in the battery 60 falls below a predetermined amount (for example, less than 10%), transmit power from the detachable battery 60p to the battery 60. In this case, when the electricity from one of the multiple detachable batteries 60p is used up, power may be transmitted from the next detachable battery 60p, or power may be transmitted equally from the multiple detachable batteries 60p.

[0147] When the battery 60 is almost completely depleted, it is replenished by transmitting power from the detachable battery 60p. This allows the worker to spend time and effort moving around with the detachable battery 60p, but when the battery 60 and the detachable battery 60p run out of power and the worker can no longer move, the worker can resume moving relatively quickly, thereby reducing the interruption time of the harvesting work.

[0148] In addition, if an engine E is provided, a fuel tank is required to store the fuel to operate the engine E. In the conventional configuration, in order to carry a large amount of fuel, completely separate fuel tanks are placed at the mounting position of the battery 60 and in the space below the threshing device 4. This increases the amount of fuel that can be carried, but it also increases the number of parts and takes time to replenish the fuel. Furthermore, when loading the battery 60, the space for the fuel tank or the battery 60 is limited in the space below one of the left and right sides of the grain tank 7.

[0149] In order to mount the battery 60 and a large-capacity fuel tank, as shown in Figures 29 and 30(a), (b), and (c), a fuel tank 97 with its longitudinal direction in the left-right direction is placed at the rear of the machine frame 1, with more than half of the left-right length positioned below the threshing device 4 and the remainder inserted into the space below one of the left and right sides of the grain tank 7. In addition, a placement notch 4b is formed in the threshing inner wall 4a of the threshing device 4 to allow this fuel tank 97 to pass through.

[0150] Furthermore, when it is necessary to remove the fuel tank 97, it is advisable to provide a detachable wall plate 4c on the rear end side of the threshing inner wall 4a in order to ensure sufficient space for removal. This makes it easy to remove and attach the fuel tank 97 by removing fixing members such as bolts from the threshing inner wall 4a and removing the detachable wall plate 4c to widen the working space. Also, a large space is ensured even when performing maintenance work from the rear side of the threshing device 4, improving maintainability.

[0151] A protrusion 98 is formed below the fuel tank 97 near the center in the left-right direction, pointing downward toward the vehicle body, and a fuel discharge drain 99 is disposed at the lower rear portion of this protrusion 98 at an angle pointing downward toward the rear of the vehicle body, and a pipe connection portion 100 for a supply pipe (not shown) that supplies fuel to the engine E is provided at the lower portion on the other left and right sides of the vehicle body. The lower end of the protrusion 98 is located at the same level as or slightly below the upper portion of the traveling device 2, and is positioned above the lower ends of the left and right main beams 1a, 1a whose longitudinal direction is in the front-to-rear direction and that constitute the vehicle frame 1. The upper surfaces of the left and right main beams 1a, 1a also serve as support members that support the lower surface of the fuel tank 97.

[0152] As a result, in places where the traveling device 2 can travel stably, the protruding portion 98 of the fuel tank 97 is positioned so that it does not come into contact with earth, sand, or impurities, thereby preventing damage to the fuel tank 97 while increasing its capacity.

[0153] In addition, by arranging the discharge drain 99 and the pipe connection part 100 on the protrusion 98 in an inclined position facing downwards on the aircraft body, even if there is only a small amount of fuel remaining, the fuel can be easily sucked out by the engine E, or the remaining fuel can be easily discharged.

[0154] The upper front part of the fuel tank 97 forms a slope 101 that slopes downward as it approaches the front of the machine, preventing interference with the operating parts that make up the threshing device 4. In addition, the left and right sides of the fuel tank 97 are positioned in a position that is separated from the left and right width of the machine frame 1 toward the inside of the machine, preventing the fuel tank 97 from being damaged by contact and not occupying the open space below the grain tank 7 on the other left and right sides of the machine, allowing for the placement space of the detachable battery 60p and the opening and closing part 92 for inserting and removing the detachable battery 60p to be placed.

[0155] The fuel filler port 102 of the fuel tank 97 is formed in an upwardly inclined position at the upper part of the side surface on the other left and right side of the aircraft, and has a length such that its end is at approximately the same left and right position as the outer surface of the fuel tank 97 on the other left and right side of the aircraft.

[0156] This makes it difficult for the fuel filler opening 102 to come into contact with the battery 60 or the detachable battery 60p when the battery 60 or the detachable battery 60p is being attached or detached or when the battery 60 or the detachable battery 60p is being charged, thereby preventing damage to the battery 60 or the detachable battery 60p. [Explanation of symbols]

[0157] 2 Running gear 3 Reaping device 4. Threshing equipment (sorting equipment) 5 Control Unit 60 Battery (chargeable battery) 61 Charging plug (plug) 63 Open space (loading space) 70 Discharge Auger (Discharge Device) 72a Fixed horizontal auger (fixed discharge member) 72b Movable horizontal auger (movable discharge member) 75a Outlet 77 Power supply connector (external connector) 82 Power supply battery (power supply unit) 84 Camera (camera unit) 86 Cooling fan (blower fan) 87 Engine fan (blower fan) 88 Air guide plate (guide wall)

Claims

1. A combine harvester is provided with a reaping device (3) and a steering section (5) at the front of a machine body traveling on a traveling device (2), a sorting device (4) for separating grains from the stalks reaped by the reaping device (3) is provided on one side of the machine body, a storage device (7) for storing grains collected by the sorting device (4) is provided on the other side of the machine body, and a discharge device (70) for discharging grains from the storage device (7) to the outside of the machine, an electric actuator for supplying driving force to some or all of the devices provided on the aircraft body, and a charge / discharge battery (60) as a power source for the electric actuator; The charge / discharge battery (60) is provided between the left and right sides of the sorting device (4) and the storage device (7), and a coupler (64) and a reel are provided on the other left or right side or rear side of the body of the charge / discharge battery (60), The coupler (64) is connected to one end of a cable (62), and a charging plug (61) is provided at the other end of the cable (62); The reel is configured to hold the cable (62) in a fixed position so that it can be retracted and retracted, and to allow the charging plug (61) to be taken out of the combine harvester.

2. The discharge device (70) is configured to be extendable and retractable by a fixed discharge member (72a) provided on the machine body side and a movable discharge member (72b) slidably provided on the fixed discharge member (72a), The combine harvester of claim 1, characterized in that an external connector (77) is provided at the discharge port (75a) which is the end of the movable discharge member (72b), and a power transmission cable (85) which transmits electricity from the external connector (77) to the charge / discharge battery (60) is arranged along the exterior of the discharge device (70), so that the charge / discharge battery (60) can be charged via the external connector (77).

3. The external connector (77) is provided closer to the end of the discharge device (70) than the grain discharge port (75a), and a protective member (75b) is provided between the external connector (77) and the discharge port (75a); The combine harvester according to claim 2, characterized in that a camera unit (84) for illuminating and photographing the periphery of the discharge device (70) is provided on an upper portion of the external connector (77).

4. The discharge device (70) is provided rotatably around a vertical axis in the up-down direction of the machine body, and when the discharge device (70) is moved to a non-working position during the harvesting work of the grain straw, an end of the discharge device (70) is located on one of the left and right sides of the machine body and closer to the outside than the left and right width of the machine body, and The combine harvester according to claim 2, wherein the discharge opening (75a) of the discharge device (70) is positioned higher on the machine body than the reaping device (3).

5. A combine harvester as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an upwardly inclined surface is formed on the lower part of the outer wall on one of the left and right sides of the storage device (7) of the body from the other left and right side of the body to one of the left and right sides, and the charge / discharge battery (60) is provided in a loading space (63) formed between the upwardly inclined surface and the left and right sides of the sorting device (4).

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