Field work machine

Abstract

This field work machine comprises a machine body provided with wheels for traveling and capable of traveling on a field. A working apparatus 5 is mounted on the rear part of the machine body, has ground-leveling bodies 17, 18, 19, 30 for leveling the field, and performs ground work on the field. A ground-leveling body protection member 54 is provided on the front side of the ground-leveling body 17, and guides debris in front of the ground-leveling body 17 to the lateral side of the ground-leveling body 17 as the machine body travels forward.

Description

Field work equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to the configuration of a work device in a field work machine such as a riding rice transplanter or a riding direct seeding machine.

[0002] In a riding rice transplanter, which is an example of a field work machine, a seedling planting device (corresponding to a work device) is provided at the rear of the machine body, and a float that contacts the rice field surface is provided on the seedling planting device, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 1, a rake-shaped ground leveling member is attached to the seedling planting device so that it is positioned forward of the float.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-208081

[0004] For example, in fields such as rice paddies where impurities such as straw scraps and other obstacles are scattered across the rice field surface, the impurities in the field may become entangled in the float or other land leveling device as the vehicle moves forward, and the impurities and other obstacles may affect the float or other land leveling device. For example, if the impurities become increasingly entangled in the float and affect the land leveling device, it may cause disruptions in the working height, hindering ground work by the work device (such as planting seedlings as agricultural materials and supplying seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, etc. as agricultural materials to the rice field surface). The land leveling member in Patent Document 1 is primarily designed to level the rice field surface, and is therefore insufficient to prevent impurities and other obstacles from affecting the land leveling device.

[0005] The present invention aims to prevent obstacles such as debris in the field from causing an effect such as entanglement of the ground leveling body in a field work machine.

[0006] The field work machine of the present invention comprises a body equipped with wheels for running and capable of running on a field, a leveling body attached to the rear of the body for leveling the field, a work device for performing ground work on the field, and a leveling body protection member attached in front of the leveling body for protecting the leveling body from the front.

[0007] According to the present invention, debris on the field in front of the land leveling body, such as a float, is guided laterally by the land leveling body protection member as the machine moves forward. Because the land leveling body passes to the side of the guided debris, debris on the field is less likely to become entangled with the land leveling body. In this way, the land leveling body is protected from debris by the land leveling body protection member. By reducing the amount of debris on the field that becomes entangled with the land leveling body, the work of the work equipment in the field can be carried out smoothly with less interference from debris. Furthermore, for obstacles other than debris, for example, by contacting the land leveling body protection member before the obstacle comes into contact with the land leveling body, the machine can be slowed down or stopped, for example, to prevent the obstacle from affecting the land leveling body.

[0008] In the present invention, it is preferable that the front end of the right part of the ground leveling body protection member and the front end of the left part of the ground leveling body protection member are connected, and that the right part, in a plan view, extends diagonally rear to the right from the connecting part between the front end of the right part and the front end of the left part, and that the left part, in a plan view, extends diagonally rear to the left from the connecting part between the front end of the right part and the front end of the left part.

[0009] According to the present invention, debris on the rice field surface in front of the float is guided to the left and right by the soil leveling body protection member as the vehicle moves forward. By dividing the debris in front of the soil leveling body and guiding it to the right and left, it is less likely to be guided to one side, which is advantageous in that it reduces the amount of debris that becomes entangled in the soil leveling body.

[0010] Furthermore, as the machine body advances, when the soil leveling body protection member guides debris sideways, a load is applied to the soil leveling body protection member from muddy water and debris in the field. According to the present invention, the soil leveling body protection member has a shape that is nearly symmetrical in a plan view. As a result, the loads applied to the right and left parts of the soil leveling body protection member are in opposite directions and cancel each other out, so that the soil leveling body protection member advances stably along the field surface as the machine body advances.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the ground leveling body protection member has a horizontal frame that is connected along the left-right direction across the right portion and the left portion.

[0012] As the vehicle moves forward, muddy water and debris create a load that tends to move the right and left sections of the ground-leveling body protection member closer to each other. According to the present invention, the horizontal frame is connected across the right and left sections of the ground-leveling body protection member, so the ground-leveling body protection member can adequately withstand the load.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the soil leveling body protection member has a partition portion that allows at least one of mud and water on the surface of the rice field to pass rearward as the machine body moves forward.

[0014] As the machine body moves forward, impurities are guided sideways by the land-leveling body protective member, but the guided sideways mud and water by the land-leveling body protective member is undesirable for the work of the working equipment on the rice field surface. According to the present invention, since the partition is provided in the land-leveling body protective member, as the machine body moves forward, impurities are guided sideways by the land-leveling body protective member, but rice field mud and water flow backward through the partition of the land-leveling body protective member and are less likely to be guided sideways. This reduces the situation in which the work of the working equipment on the rice field surface is hindered by mud and water being guided sideways on the rice field surface.

[0015] In the present invention, the leveling body comprises a leveling rotor arranged across the left and right of the work device, and a group of floats arranged in a row, and the center float arranged in the center of the group of floats has a front leveling section and a rear leveling section that is wider in the left and right directions than the front leveling section, and the leveling body protection member has a guide section that extends across the left and right rear, and it is preferable that the left and right end points of the guide section are located outboard of the front leveling section on the left and right.

[0016] As with the above configuration, by guiding debris, mud, etc. to a position relatively far outward in the left-right direction from the center float, debris, mud, etc. can be prevented from running up onto the center float. Generally, the center float has a detection function. In this way, by preventing debris, mud, etc. from running up onto the center float, detection failures can be reduced.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that the machine be provided with a height sensor that detects the height from the center float to the working device as the height from the field to the working device, a setting unit that can set and change the set height from the field to the working device, and a lifting control unit that raises and lowers the working device relative to the machine body so that the detection value of the height sensor becomes the set height.

[0018] In a paddy field working machine or other field working machine, a height sensor, a setting unit, and a lifting control unit are provided, and the working implement is sometimes raised or lowered relative to the machine body so that the value detected by the height sensor matches the set height. By changing the set height using the setting unit, the height of the working implement maintained relative to the rice field surface is changed (for example, in the case of a seedling planting machine, the seedling planting depth is changed).

[0019] In this case, the center float, which is attached to the left and right center of the working device so that it can be raised and lowered, is suitable for detecting the height from the field floor to the working device, so by detecting the height from the center float to the working device using a height sensor, the height from the field floor to the working device can be properly detected.

[0020] According to the present invention, the soil leveling body protection member guides debris in front of the center float to the side of the center float. By reducing debris entanglement in the center float, it is possible to reduce interference with work by the implements caused by debris, prevent a decrease in the accuracy of height detection by the height sensor, and improve the accuracy of the lifting operation to maintain the height of the implement from the field floor at the set height.

[0021] In the present invention, the leveling rotor is attached to the work device so that it can swing up and down, and is thereby attached so that its height can be changed relative to the work device by a height change unit, and the leveling body protection member is attached to the leveling rotor so that it can swing up and down, and is connected between the leveling body protection member and the work device, and it is preferable that a linking member is provided that changes the position of the leveling body protection member relative to the leveling rotor so that the leveling body protection member is maintained in a position that is in line with the field scene based on the change in height of the leveling rotor relative to the work device by the height change unit.

[0022] When the leveling rotor is attached to the work device so that its height can be changed, the leveling rotor may be attached to the work device so that it can swing. In the above-mentioned configuration, when the leveling body protection member is attached to the leveling rotor, when the leveling rotor is changed to an upper position relative to the work device, the leveling body protection member is likely to assume a front-up position, and when the leveling rotor is changed to a lower position relative to the work device, the leveling body protection member is likely to assume a front-down position.

[0023] According to the present invention, the ground leveling body protection member is attached to the ground leveling rotor so as to be able to swing up and down, and a linking member is connected between the ground leveling body protection member and the working device. As a result, when the ground leveling rotor is changed in height above (below) the working device, the change in the positional relationship between the ground leveling rotor and the working device is transmitted to the ground leveling body protection member via the linking member, and the attitude of the ground leveling body protection member relative to the ground leveling rotor is changed, making it easier to maintain the attitude of the ground leveling body protection member in an appropriate attitude, which is advantageous in terms of maintaining the function of the ground leveling body protection member to guide debris.

[0024] In the present invention, it is preferable that the soil leveling rotor has a blade portion with a large diameter and a small diameter portion with a small diameter, and the left and right end points of the guide portion are located at the left and right positions where the small diameter portion is located.

[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent impurities and mud from flowing into the blade portion having a large diameter, and to suppress the impurities and mud from being caught in the blade portion and growing.

[0026] In the present invention, it is preferable that the ground leveling body protection member is provided with an obstacle detection section, which outputs a detection signal when the ground leveling body protection member comes into contact with an obstacle to a predetermined extent or more.

[0027] With the above configuration, the obstacle detection unit outputs a detection signal when it comes into contact with an obstacle more than a predetermined level, and based on the detection signal, the aircraft can be slowed down or stopped, for example, to prevent the obstacle from affecting the leveling body.

[0028] Fig. 1 is a left side view of a riding rice transplanter. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the vicinity of the planting transmission case, ground leveling device and debris guide member of the seedling planting device. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vicinity of the center float and side float, ground leveling device and debris guide member of the seedling planting device. Fig. 4 is a left side view of the vicinity of the ground leveling device and debris guide member. Fig. 5 is a front view of the vicinity of the center float and debris guide member. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the lifting control of the seedling planting device and the lifting and lowering of the ground leveling device.

[0029] Figures 1 to 6 show a riding rice transplanter, which is a paddy field working machine as an example of a field working machine, and in Figures 1 to 6, F indicates the forward direction, B indicates the backward direction, U indicates the upward direction, D indicates the downward direction, R indicates the rightward direction, and L indicates the leftward direction.

[0030] (Overall configuration of riding rice transplanter) As shown in Figure 1, a machine body 3 is supported by right and left front wheels 1 (corresponding to wheels for driving) and right and left rear wheels 2 (corresponding to wheels for driving). A link mechanism 4 extends rearward from the rear of the machine body 3, and a seedling planting device 5 (corresponding to a working device) is attached to the rear of the link mechanism 4. A fertilizer application device 6 (corresponding to a working device) is attached between the rear of the machine body 3 and the seedling planting device 5, and a soil leveling rotor 30 (corresponding to the "soil leveling body" of the present invention) is attached to the front of the seedling planting device 5.

[0031] A hydraulic cylinder 7 is connected between the rear of the machine body 3 and the link mechanism 4. When the hydraulic cylinder 7 is extended or retracted, the link mechanism 4 is raised or lowered, and the link mechanism 4 raises or lowers the seedling planting device 5.

[0032] A driver's seat 8 and a steering handle 9 for steering the front wheels 1 are provided on the machine body 3. Right and left support frames 10 are connected to the right and left front portions of the machine body 3 and extend upward, and spare seedling trays 11 are attached to the support frames 10.

[0033] (Configuration of seedling planting device) As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the seedling planting device 5 has a feed case 12, a support frame 13, a planting transmission case 14, a rotating case 15, a planting arm 16, a center float 17 (corresponding to a float), side floats 18 and 19 (corresponding to floats), and a seedling tray 20, and is configured as an 8-row planting type.

[0034] A feed case 12 is rotatably attached to the lower rear part of the link mechanism 4, and a square pipe-shaped support frame 13 is connected to the feed case 12 and extends in the left-right direction. Four planting transmission cases 14 are connected to the support frame 13 and extend rearward.

[0035] A rotating case 15 is rotatably attached to the right and left rear parts of the planting transmission case 14, and a pair of planting arms 16 are attached to the rotating case 15. A seedling tray 20 on which seedlings (corresponding to agricultural materials) are placed is supported by the planting transmission case 14 so as to be movable back and forth in the left-right direction.

[0036] The power of an engine (not shown) mounted on the machine body 3 is transmitted via a transmission shaft 26 to a transmission mechanism (not shown) inside the feed case 12. A cylindrical cover 37 is connected across adjacent planting transmission cases 14. The power of the transmission mechanism inside the feed case 12 is transmitted to the rotating case 15 via a transmission shaft (not shown) inside the cover 37 and a transmission mechanism (not shown) inside the planting transmission case 14, and the rotating case 15 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1 .

[0037] As the machine body 3 advances, the leveling rotor 30 levels the rice field G (see Figures 4, 5, and 6). In the seedling planting device 5, the seedling tray 20 is driven back and forth in the left-right direction, while the rotating case 15 is driven to rotate, and the planting arm 16 removes the seedlings from the seedling tray 20 and plants them in the rice field G.

[0038] (Configuration of Fertilizer Applicator) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the fertilizer applicator 6 has a hopper 21 , a delivery unit 22 , a blower 23 , a furrow former 24 , and a hose 25 .

[0039] A delivery unit 22 is attached to the rear of the machine body 3, and a hopper 21 is attached to the top of the delivery unit 22, and fertilizer (corresponding to agricultural materials) is stored in the hopper 21. A furrow former 24 is attached to the center float 17 and the side floats 18, 19 (corresponding to the "ground leveling bodies" of the present invention), and a hose 25 is connected between the delivery unit 22 and the furrow former 24. The center float 17 has a front ground leveling section 17a and a rear ground leveling section 17b that is wider in the left-right direction than the front ground leveling section 17a.

[0040] As the machine body 3 moves forward, fertilizer in the hopper 21 is fed into the hose 25 by the feed section 22, and air from the blower 23 is supplied to the hose 25, and the fertilizer is supplied through the hose 25 to the furrow former 24. As the machine body 3 moves forward, furrows are formed in the rice field surface G (see Figures 4, 5, and 6) by the furrow former 24, and fertilizer is supplied from the furrow former 24 to the furrows in the rice field surface G.

[0041] (Correspondence to the claims in the overall configuration of the riding rice transplanter) With the above configuration, the vehicle is provided with wheels (front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2) for traveling and is equipped with a body 3 that can travel in paddy fields. The vehicle is equipped with floats (center float 17 and side floats 18, 19) attached to the rear of the body 3 and that come into contact with the paddy field surface G, and is equipped with working devices (seedling planting device 5 and fertilizer application device 6) that supply agricultural materials (seedlings and fertilizer) to the paddy field surface G.

[0042] 3 and 6, a round pipe-shaped fulcrum member 41 is attached along the left-right direction to the lower front part of the planting transmission case 14. A support arm 41a is connected to the fulcrum member 41 and extends diagonally downward and rearward from the fulcrum member 41.

[0043] The rear of the center float 17 and the rear of the side floats 18, 19 are attached to the rear of the support arm 41a of the fulcrum member 41 so as to be able to swing up and down about an axis P5 that runs in the left-right direction. As the vehicle body 3 moves forward, the center float 17 and the side floats 18, 19 swing up and down about the axis P5 so as to follow contact with the rice field surface G.

[0044] The center float 17 is provided in the lateral center of the seedling planting device 5. A height sensor 39 is attached to the lateral center of the support frame 13 of the seedling planting device 5 via a lifting link (not shown), as will be described later, and a linking rod 40 is connected between the center float 17 and the height sensor 39. The height sensor 39 detects the height from the paddy field surface G (center float 17) to the seedling planting device 5 (height sensor 39), and the detected value of the height sensor 39 is input to the control device 60.

[0045] 3 and 6, the fulcrum member 41 is attached to the planting transmission case 14 so as to be rotatable about a central axis P4 extending in the left-right direction. An operating gear 41b is connected to the fulcrum member 41, and a planting depth motor 42 is provided which engages with the operating gear 41b and swings the operating gear 41b about the central axis P4.

[0046] A planting depth setting unit 43 (corresponding to the setting unit) is provided near the control handle 9 (see Figure 1), and the setting value of the planting depth setting unit 43 is input to the control device 60. The planting depth setting unit 43 sets the height (set height A1) from the rice field surface G to the seedling planting device 5 (planting transmission case 14).

[0047] A planting depth sensor 44 is provided to detect the angle of the fulcrum member 41, and the set height A1 is detected based on the detection value of the planting depth sensor 44 (the angle of the fulcrum member 41), and the detection value of the planting depth sensor 44 is input to the control device 60.

[0048] When the planting depth setting unit 43 changes the planting depth of the seedlings to the deeper (shallower) side, the planting depth motor 42 is activated by the control device 60, the fulcrum member 41 (support arm 41a) is operated to the upward (downward) side relative to the seedling planting device 5 (planting transmission case 14), and the set height A1 is set to a lower (higher) value.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, the rotating case 15 and the planting arm 16 rotate on a fixed trajectory relative to the planting transmission case 14, so by changing the set height A1 as described above, the planting depth of the seedlings by the planting arm 16 can be changed to a deeper or shallower side.

[0050] (Configuration of lift control of seedling planting device) As shown in Fig. 6, a lift control unit 61 as software is provided in the control device 60. A control valve 45 is provided which supplies and discharges hydraulic oil to and from the hydraulic cylinder 7 (see Fig. 1) to cause the hydraulic cylinder 7 to expand and contract, and the control valve 45 is operated by the lift control unit 61.

[0051] The lifting control unit 61 operates the control valve 45 to extend or retract the hydraulic cylinder 7 and lift the seedling planting device 5 so that the detection value of the height sensor 39 (the height from the rice field surface G to the seedling planting device 5 (height sensor 39)) becomes the set height B1. As a result, the seedling planting device 5 (planting transmission case 14) is maintained at the set height A1 above the rice field surface G.

[0052] As mentioned above, the height sensor 39 is attached to the support frame 13 of the seedling planting device 5 via a lifting link, and a linking member (not shown) is connected between the operating gear 41b of the fulcrum member 41 and the lifting link.

[0053] When the planting depth setting unit 43 is operated and the fulcrum member 41 (support arm 41a) is operated to the rising side (lowering side), this movement is transmitted to the lifting link via the linking member, and the lifting link is operated to the rising side (lowering side). As a result, even if the planting depth setting unit 43 is operated to change the set height A1, the height from the center float 17 to the seedling planting device 5 (height sensor 39) remains constant.

[0054] In other words, when the set height A1 is changed by the planting depth setting unit 43, the height of the planting transmission case 14 is changed relative to the center float 17 and the height sensor 39. Regardless of whether the set height A1 is changed by the planting depth setting unit 43, the lifting control unit 61 raises and lowers the seedling planting device 5 so that the detection value of the height sensor 39 becomes the set height B1.

[0055] By maintaining the detection value of the height sensor 39 at the set height B1, the seedling planting device 5 (planting transmission case 14) is maintained at the set height A1 set by the planting depth setting unit 43, and the seedling planting depth by the planting arm 16 is maintained at a depth corresponding to the set height A1.

[0056] (Correspondence to claims regarding lifting and lowering control of seedling planting device) With the above configuration, the float is a center float 17 attached to the left and right center of the working device (seedling planting device 5) so as to be able to rise and fall relative to the working device (seedling planting device 5).

[0057] A height sensor 39 is provided to detect the height from the center float 17 to the working device (seedling planting device 5) as the height from the paddy field surface G to the working device (seedling planting device 5). A setting unit (planting depth setting unit 43) is provided that can set and change the set heights A1, B1 from the paddy field surface G to the working device (seedling planting device 5). A lifting control unit 61 is provided to raise and lower the working device (seedling planting device 5) relative to the machine body 3 so that the detected value of the height sensor 39 becomes the set heights A1, B1.

[0058] 2, 3, and 4, the soil leveling rotor 30 (an example of the soil leveling unit of the present invention) is attached to the seedling planting device 5 so as to be positioned in front of the seedling planting device 5, and is disposed behind the rear wheels 2. The soil leveling rotor 30 has a transmission case 27, a support frame 28, a drive shaft 29 (corresponding to the "drive shaft portion" of the present invention), a soil leveling rotor 33 (corresponding to the "blade portion" of the present invention), a support frame 34, a cover 35, and spacers 46, 47, and 48 having a smaller diameter than the rotor. Note that in the present invention, the soil leveling rotor 30, center float 17, and side floats 18 and 19 may all be treated as the soil leveling unit.

[0059] The support case 36 is connected to the planting transmission case 14 at the left end, and the support bracket 38 is connected to the right end of the support frame 13. The transmission case 27 is attached to the support case 36 so as to be swingable up and down about an axis P1 (corresponding to the first fulcrum axis) along the left-right direction, and extends diagonally forward and downward. The support frame 28 is attached to the support bracket 38 so as to be swingable up and down about the axis P1, and extends diagonally forward and downward.

[0060] A drive shaft 29 is attached to the transmission case 27 and the support frame 28 so as to be rotatable about an axis P3 extending in the left-right direction. Rotating bodies 31 and 32 and spacers 46, 47, and 48 are attached to the drive shaft 29 so as to be positioned in front of the center float 17. Rotating bodies 33 are attached to the right and left portions of the drive shaft 29 so as to be positioned in front of the side floats 18 and 19.

[0061] A support frame 34 is connected across the transmission case 27 and the support frame 28. A sheet metal cover 35 is connected to the support frame 34 and is provided behind the rotors 31, 32, and 33.

[0062] The power transmitted to the planting transmission case 14 at the left end is transmitted from the transmission shaft (not shown) inside the support case 36 to the transmission mechanism (not shown) inside the transmission case 27, and then to the drive shaft 29, causing the drive shaft 29 and rotating bodies 31, 32, and 33 to rotate counterclockwise in Figures 4 and 6.

[0063] As the rotors 31, 32, 33 are driven to rotate, the rotors 31, 32, 33 level the rice field surface G, and mud thrown backward from the rotors 31, 32, 33 is stopped by the cover 35.

[0064] 2, 3, and 4, a support frame 49 is connected to the support frame 13 and extends upward. A fan-shaped lifting gear 50 is attached to the support frame 49 so as to be able to swing up and down about an axis P6 that extends in the left-right direction. An elevator motor 51 is attached to the support frame 49 and engages with the lifting gear 50 to swing the lifting gear 50 about the axis P6.

[0065] In the soil leveling rotor 30, an arm 47a is provided on the spacer 47, and the arm 47a is connected to a lifting gear 50. The lifting gear 50 is swung up and down around an axis P6 by a lifting motor 51, thereby changing the height of the soil leveling rotor 30 relative to the seedling planting device 5.

[0066] As shown in Figure 6, a soil grading depth setting unit 52 is provided near the control handle 9 (see Figure 1), and the setting value of the soil grading depth setting unit 52 is input to the control device 60. The soil grading depth setting unit 52 sets the height from the rice field surface G to the soil grading rotor 30 (soil grading set height A2).

[0067] A ground leveling height sensor 53 is provided to detect the angle of the lifting gear 50 relative to the support frame 49. The height of the ground leveling rotor 30 relative to the seedling planting device 5 is detected based on the angle of the lifting gear 50 relative to the support frame 49, and the detection value of the ground leveling height sensor 53 is input to the control device 60.

[0068] As mentioned above, when the lifting control unit 61 maintains the seedling planting device 5 at a set height A1 above the rice field surface G, the height of the leveling rotor 30 relative to the rice field surface G is detected by the detection value of the planting depth sensor 44 and the detection value of the leveling height sensor 53.

[0069] The lifting control unit 61 maintains the seedling planting device 5 (planting transmission case 14) at the set height A1. Even if the set height A1 is changed by the planting depth setting unit 43, the height of the soil leveling rotor 30 relative to the rice field surface G is detected by the detection values ​​of the planting depth sensor 44 and the soil leveling height sensor 53.

[0070] A soil leveling lifting control unit 62 (corresponding to a height changing unit) is provided in the control device 60 as software. In the above-mentioned state, the soil leveling lifting control unit 62 operates the lifting motor 51 so that the height of the soil leveling rotor 30 relative to the paddy field G becomes the soil leveling set height A2 set by the soil leveling depth setting unit 52. This maintains the soil leveling depth of the soil leveling rotor 30 at a depth corresponding to the soil leveling set height A2.

[0071] (Correspondence with claims for the soil leveling rotor) With the above configuration, a soil leveling rotor 30 is provided which is provided in front of the work device (seedling planting device 5), is attached to the work device (seedling planting device 5) so that its height can be changed, and is driven to rotate around an axis P3 along the left-right direction, thereby coming into contact with the rice field surface G and leveling the rice field surface G.

[0072] The soil leveling rotor 30 is attached to the work device (seedling planting device 5) so as to be able to swing up and down about a first fulcrum axis (axis P1) along the left-right direction, thereby allowing its height to be changed relative to the work device (seedling planting device 5). The soil leveling rotor 30 is driven to rotate so that the portion that reaches the upper side of the axis P3 moves downward, passing in front of the axis P3.

[0073] A height change unit (land leveling lifting control unit 62) is provided which changes the height of the land leveling rotor 30 relative to the work device (seedling planting device 5) based on the change in the set height A1 by the setting unit (planting depth setting unit 43) so that the land leveling rotor 30 is maintained at the land leveling set height A2 that was previously set relative to the rice field surface G.

[0074] 2 to 5, a debris guide member 54 (corresponding to the "ground leveling body protection member" of the present invention) is attached to the ground leveling rotor 30. The debris guide member 54 has a main body portion 55 (corresponding to the "guide portion" of the present invention) and a horizontal frame 56.

[0075] The main body 55 is formed by bending a flat plate material into an angle, and has a right section 55 a and a left section 55 b. The horizontal frame 56 is connected in the left-right direction between the rear of the right section 55 a and the rear of the left section 55 b of the main body 55, so that the main body 55 and the horizontal frame 56 form a symmetrical triangular shape in a plan view.

[0076] A plurality of recessed (cutout) muddy water drainage sections 55c (corresponding to the "partition section" of the present invention) that are open downward are provided on the right section 55a and the left section 55b of the main body 55. A cutout section 55d is provided at the top of the connecting section of the right section 55a and the left section 55b of the main body 55, and a bracket 55e is attached to the cutout section 55d.

[0077] In the ground leveling rotor 30, a bracket 57 is connected to a portion of the support frame 34 above the spacer 47 and extends forward. A bracket 58 is connected to a portion of the support frame 34 above the spacer 48 and extends forward.

[0078] In the impurity guide member 54, the rear portions of the right and left portions 55a and 55b of the main body 55 are attached to brackets 57 and 58 so as to be swingable up and down around an axis P2 (corresponding to the second fulcrum axis) along the left-right direction.

[0079] The connecting member 59 is connected between the bracket 13a of the support frame 13 of the seedling planting device 5 and the bracket 55e of the impurity guide member 54 (main body 55), and the posture of the impurity guide member 54 around the axis P2 is set by the connecting member 59.

[0080] (Arrangement of the debris guide member)-1 As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the debris guide member 54 is attached to the ground leveling rotor 30, extends forward from the ground leveling rotor 30, and is provided in front of the center of the left and right sides of the ground leveling rotor 30, and is provided in front of the center float 17.

[0081] In a plan view, the right portion 55a (left portion 55b) of the impurity guide member 54 (main body portion 55) extends diagonally rearward to the right (diagonally rearward to the left) from the connection between the front end portion 55f of the right portion 55a and the front end portion 55g of the left portion 55b of the impurity guide member 54 (main body portion 55).

[0082] The spacer 48 (spacer 47) (corresponding to the "small diameter portion" of the present invention) of the soil leveling rotor 30 is located behind the rear end 55h (right end) of the right portion 55a and the rear end 55i (left end) of the left portion 55b of the debris guide member 54 (main body portion 55), and is located between the center float 17 and the right (left) side float 18. In other words, the left and right end points of the main body portion 55 (rear end 55h and rear end 55i) are located at the left-right positions where the spacers 48 and 47 are located. Furthermore, the left and right ends of the main body portion (rear end 55h and rear end 55i) are located outboard of the front soil leveling portion 17a of the center float 17. However, if the connecting portion from the front soil leveling portion 17a to the rear soil leveling portion 17b of the center float 17 is smoothly configured, the seam between the front soil leveling portion 17a and the connecting portion may not be clearly identified. In such a case, instead of the rear end portions 55h, 55i, the brackets 57, 58 may be positioned on the left and right outer sides of the front leveling portion as the left and right end points of the main body portion 55.

[0083] As the machine body 3 moves forward, debris on the rice field surface G in front of the center float 17 is guided laterally to the right by the right part 55a of the debris guide member 54 (main body 55), and is guided laterally to the left by the left part 55b of the debris guide member 54 (main body 55). Mud and water on the rice field surface G flows rearward through the muddy water drainage section 55c (corresponding to the "partition section" of the present invention) of the debris guide member 54 (main body 55), flows into the soil leveling rotor 30 (rotating bodies 31, 32), and then flows into the center float 17.

[0084] The debris guided laterally to the right (left) by the right part 55a (left part 55b) of the debris guide member 54 (main body part 55) passes through the spacer 48 (spacer 47) of the soil leveling rotor 30 and passes between the center float 17 and the right (left) side float 18. The debris that does not pass through the spacer 48 (spacer 47) of the soil leveling rotor 30 is pushed downward from the rice field surface G by the rotating bodies 31, 32, 33 of the soil leveling rotor 30.

[0085] The cutout 55d of the debris guide member 54 (main body 55) and the spacer 46 of the soil leveling rotor 30 are located directly below the transmission shaft 26 (see Figure 1). When the seedling planting device 5 is raised significantly above the rice field surface G, such as when turning at the edge of the levee, the transmission shaft 26 is located in the cutout 55d of the debris guide member 54 (main body 55) and the spacer 46 of the soil leveling rotor 30, so the transmission shaft 26 does not interfere with the debris guide member 54 and the soil leveling rotor 30.

[0086] (Arrangement of the impurity guide member)-2 As shown in Figure 6, by maintaining the soil leveling rotor 30 at the soil leveling set height A2, the impurity guide member 54 attached to the soil leveling rotor 30 is also maintained at a height where it comes into contact with the rice field surface G. When the soil leveling set height A2 is changed by the soil leveling depth setting unit 52 and the height of the soil leveling rotor 30 relative to the seedling planting device 5 is changed, the soil leveling rotor 30 is swung up and down around the axis P1.

[0087] In contrast, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, when viewed from the side, a four-link is formed by the axis P1, the axis P2, the connection point between the linking member 59 and the bracket 13a of the support frame 13, and the connection point between the linking member 59 and the bracket 55e of the impurity guide member 54 (main body 55).

[0088] As a result, even if the leveling rotor 30 is swung up and down around the axis P1, the aforementioned four-link connecting member 59 maintains the impurity guide member 54 in a position that is approximately parallel to the rice field surface G when viewed from the side.

[0089] (Correspondence with the claims regarding the impurity guide member) With the above configuration, an impurity guide member 54 is provided in front of the float (center float 17) and guides impurities on the rice field surface G in front of the float (center float 17) to the side of the float (center float 17) as the machine body 3 moves forward.

[0090] The impurity guide member 54 has a right portion 55a that guides impurities on the rice field surface G in front of the float (center float 17) laterally to the right of the float (center float 17), and a left portion 55b that guides impurities on the rice field surface G in front of the float (center float 17) laterally to the left of the float (center float 17). The front end of the right portion 55a is connected to the front end of the left portion 55b. In a plan view, the right portion 55a extends diagonally rearward to the right from the connecting portion between the front end of the right portion 55a and the front end of the left portion 55b, and the left portion 55b extends diagonally rearward to the left from the connecting portion between the front end of the right portion 55a and the front end of the left portion 55b.

[0091] The impurity guide member 54 has a horizontal frame 56 that is connected along the left-right direction across a right section 55 a and a left section 55 b. The impurity guide member 54 has a muddy water drain section 55 c that allows mud and water from the rice field G to pass rearward as the machine body 3 moves forward.

[0092] The debris guide member 54 is attached to the ground leveling rotor 30. The debris guide member 54 is provided in front of the ground leveling rotor 30. The debris guide member 54 is attached to the ground leveling rotor 30 so as to be swingable up and down around a second fulcrum axis (axis P2) along the left-right direction, and is provided in front of the ground leveling rotor 30 by extending forward from the ground leveling rotor 30.

[0093] A linking member 59 is provided which is connected between the impurity guide member 54 and the work device (seedling planting device 5) and changes the position of the impurity guide member 54 relative to the soil leveling rotor 30 so that the impurity guide member 54 is maintained in a position along the rice field surface G based on a change in the height of the soil leveling rotor 30 relative to the work device (seedling planting device 5) by the height change unit (soil leveling lifting control unit 62).

[0094] (First Alternative Embodiment of the Invention) In addition to providing the impurity guide member 54 in front of the center float 17, the impurity guide member 54 may be provided in front of the side floats 18, 19. When the impurity guide member 54 is provided in front of the side floats 18, 19, the impurity guide member 54 may be formed in a straight line extending diagonally rearward to the right (diagonally rearward to the left) in plan view, rather than in a triangular shape in plan view.

[0095] Second Alternative Embodiment of the Invention The impurity guide member 54 may be provided between the ground leveling rotor 30 and the center float 17 and the side floats 18 and 19 .

[0096] (Third Alternative Embodiment of the Invention) The ground leveling rotor 30 may be eliminated. According to this configuration, the debris guide member 54 may be attached to the front of the center float 17 and the front of the side floats 18 and 19.

[0097] (Fourth Alternative Embodiment of the Invention) In the above embodiment, the main body 55 is formed by bending a flat metal plate or other material into an angle, but this is not limiting and the main body 55 may be formed from an elastic material such as rubber. This prevents excessive deformation of soft fields and the like. Furthermore, multiple materials with different elasticities may be combined front and back depending on the type of impurities.

[0098] (Fifth Alternative Embodiment of the Invention) In the above embodiment, the dirt guide member 54 that prevents or reduces dirt from reaching the dirt is described as an example of a dirt-leveling body protection member, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an obstacle contact detection sensor (an example of an obstacle detection unit) may be provided on the dirt-leveling body protection member to detect contact with a large obstacle such as a stone or a lump of mud, emit a danger detection signal, and automatically slow down, stop, or take evasive action on the machine, or notify the operator to take these actions.

[0099] The present invention can be applied not only to riding rice transplanters, but also to unmanned, automatically traveling rice transplanters, radio-controlled rice transplanters, and riding direct seeding machines equipped with a sowing device (corresponding to a work device) that supplies seeds (corresponding to agricultural materials) to the paddy field G. It can also be applied to other field work machines that perform ground work in fields other than paddy fields.

[0100] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front wheel (wheel) 2 Rear wheel (wheel) 3 Machine body 5 Seedling planting device (work device) 17 Center float (float) (land leveling body) 18 Side float (float) (land leveling body) 19 Side float (float) (land leveling body) 30 Land leveling rotor (land leveling body) 39 Height sensor 43 Planting depth setting section (setting section) 54 Impurity guide member (land leveling body protection member) 55a Right section 55b Left section 55c Muddy water draining section 56 Horizontal frame 59 Linking member 61 Lifting control section 62 Land leveling lifting control section (height changing section) A1 Set height A2 Land leveling set height B1 Set height P1 Axis center (first fulcrum axis center) P2 Axis center (second fulcrum axis center) P3 Axis center G Paddy field surface

Claims

1. A field work machine comprising: a body provided with wheels for running and capable of traveling on a field; a work device attached to the rear of the body, having a ground leveling body for leveling the field, and for performing ground work on the field; and a ground leveling body protection member attached to the front of the ground leveling body for protecting the ground leveling body from the front.

2. A field work machine as described in claim 1, wherein the front end of the right part of the ground leveling body protection member and the front end of the left part of the ground leveling body protection member are connected, and the right part extends diagonally rearward to the right in a plan view from the connecting part between the front end of the right part and the front end of the left part, and the left part extends diagonally rearward to the left in a plan view from the connecting part between the front end of the right part and the front end of the left part.

3. A field work machine as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ground leveling body protection member has a horizontal frame connected in the left-right direction across the right part of the ground leveling body protection member and the left part of the ground leveling body protection member.

4. A field work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ground leveling body protection member has a partition section that allows at least one of mud and water in the field to pass rearward as the machine body moves forward.

5. A field work machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the levelling body comprises a levelling rotor arranged across the left and right of the work device, and a group of floats arranged in a row, wherein a centre float arranged in the centre of the group of floats has a front levelling section and a rear levelling section that is wider across the left and right than the front levelling section, and the levelling body protection member has a guide section that extends across the left and right rear, and the left and right end points of the guide section are located outboard of the front levelling section on the left and right.

6. A field work machine as described in claim 5, comprising: a height sensor that detects the height from the center float to the work device as the height from the rice field surface to the work device; a setting unit that can set and change the set height from the rice field surface to the work device; and a lifting control unit that raises and lowers the work device relative to the body so that the detection value of the height sensor becomes the set height.

7. A field work machine as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the leveling rotor is attached to the work device so as to be swingable up and down, and thereby the height of the leveling rotor is changeable relative to the work device by a height change unit, the leveling body protection member is attached to the leveling rotor so as to be swingable up and down, and a linking member is provided that is connected between the leveling body protection member and the work device and changes the position of the leveling body protection member relative to the leveling rotor so that the leveling body protection member is maintained in a position that is in line with the field scene based on the change in height of the leveling rotor relative to the work device by the height change unit.

8. A field work machine according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the soil leveling rotor has a blade portion with a large diameter and a small diameter portion with a small diameter, and the left and right end points of the guide portion are located at the left-right positions where the small diameter portion is located.

9. A field work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the soil leveling body protection member is provided with an obstacle detection unit that outputs a detection signal when the soil leveling body protection member comes into contact with an obstacle at a predetermined level or more.

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