JP2020096544A - Harvest treatment work machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a harvest treatment work machine having steering control capable of grasping surely harvest left in a field by a harvesting work machine such as a grass collector, and treating the harvest.SOLUTION: A harvest treatment work machine has a mark detector 40 for detecting a mark 20 put on the ground surface, a mechanism for controlling steering along the recognized mark, and a harvest treatment mechanism for treating harvest left in a field by a harvesting work machine, and existing along the mark. Thus, the harvest treatment work machine can access the harvest surely, and can perform easily a harvest treatment work.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention makes it easy to steer the harvest processing machine by detecting the mark indicating the traveling locus of the harvesting machine such as a grass collector attached to the surface of the field by the harvest processing machine. Technology.

Conventionally, it has been practiced to process the harvest processed by the harvesting machine with the harvesting machine. And, efforts have been made to unmanned the harvest processing machines.

Taking the case where the harvesting machine is a grass harvester as an example, the roll baler, which is a harvesting processing machine, travels along the row of grasses while forming the roll bale into a cylindrical shape and discharging it into the field. It is described in Patent Document 1 [0103] that the position is specified by GPS in order to drive the harvest processing work machine unmanned, but the position specifying device by GPS is expensive. In addition, the roll bale released from the roll bale rolls, resulting in a deviation from GPS coordinates. And the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan was forced to interrupt the work as reported by the disturbance of the GPS positioning data due to the disturbance of the ionosphere due to the solar flare. Moreover, it was necessary to install GPS on both the harvesting work machine and the harvest processing machine, which significantly increased the cost.

Although it is conceivable to attach an image recognition device to the harvest processing work machine to specify the position of the harvested product, the position of the harvested product can be specified only within the range of the visual field of the image recognition device, and a dropout occurs. Further, if there is a height difference in the field, a blind spot is created, and it is difficult to unmannerize or automate the image recognition apparatus alone, and it is necessary to input the position information of the harvested product in the entire field in some form.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes an automatic steering means for a riding mower equipped with a mower unit as a work device. However, the riding mower is detected by detecting a work boundary line between uncut land and already cut land. It was to steer itself. When the mowing is completed, all the land will be already cut, so the work boundary line disappears, and it was a technique that cannot be applied to follow the traveling locus of the riding mower with other harvest processing machines.

In addition, Patent Document 3 describes a vehicle that travels unattended by detecting a guide line provided on the road or on the floor inside and outside, and it is well known that steering control is performed by detecting the guide line. It was technology. However, the guide line is not installed in advance in the field where the harvesting machine operates. The field is covered with pasture, and it is difficult to detect the guide line, and even if grass is collected by tine, the guide line is not always exposed well, and it is cut or disappears by driving the tine or plowing. , It is necessary to install a guide line each time.

Further, the traveling locus of the harvesting work machine changes, for example, if the model of the harvesting work machine changes, and does not always progress to the same position every year. It was unrealistic to provide. Each time, it is necessary to take a lot of time and work to draw the guide line on the ground surface of the field by using a dedicated working machine before drawing the guide line. Even if it was a well-known technique to detect the guide line and control the steering, no one thought that the well-known technique would be applied until such a trouble was put on the harvesting work machine.

JP, 2017-12134, A JP, 2008-97526, A JP, 2010-228393, A

Although the harvesting device is used to process the harvested product harvested by the harvesting machine and left in the field by the harvesting processing machine, the location specifying means such as GPS is expensive and may cause an error such as misalignment. There was a problem that occurs.
It is required to surely capture the harvested product left in the field by the harvesting machine and realize the steering control capable of processing the harvested product.
The object of the present invention is a mark detector that detects a mark attached to the ground surface, a mechanism that controls steering along the recognized mark, and a harvest that exists along a mark left on a field by a harvesting machine. An object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting processing machine having a harvesting processing mechanism for processing a product.

As described in the related art, a vehicle that detects a guide line and travels unmanned is well known. However, the guide line of the prior art is fixed to the floor or road and is not something that can be attached to the ground surface of a soft field, and moreover, the guide line disappears by plowing etc. Since the position also changes for each work, every time the harvest is harvested many times, a dedicated marking working machine is required to attach the mark to the surface of the field along the harvest. No attempt has been made to apply it to a crop processing machine that processes crops left in the field by a harvesting machine by means of an induction line.

Another application filed at the same time as this application filed for "harvesting machine equipped with a marking device for attaching a mark to the ground surface of a field." According to the present invention, the harvesting machine attaches a mark (hereinafter, abbreviated as “mark”) indicating its own traveling locus to the ground surface of the field, so that a dedicated machine for drawing a guide line in the field is used. It is an invention completed because there is no need to do it.

The present invention, even without using an expensive device such as GPS, is left in the field by a mark detector for detecting a mark on the ground surface, a mechanism for controlling steering along the recognized mark, and a harvesting machine. Having a harvest processing mechanism that processes the harvest that is present along the marked marks ensures that the harvest processing machine can access the harvest.

No working machine provided with a marking device for attaching a mark to the ground surface of a field existed before the filing of the present application, and no one could come up with a solution means such as the present invention.

The present invention provides a mark detector for detecting a mark on the ground surface, a mechanism for controlling steering along the recognized mark, and a harvested product existing along a mark left on a field by a harvesting machine. The problem was solved by using a harvest processing machine having a harvest processing mechanism for processing.

Conventionally, if a harvesting device position determining means such as GPS is provided in a harvesting work machine, a corresponding harvesting product processing machine also needs a position determining means such as GPS to determine the position of the harvesting product processing device ..

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, only the mark attached to the ground surface of the field showing the advancing path of a harvesting machine can access a harvested product with a harvesting processing machine, and it is precise and expensive electronic equipment, such as GPS. Can be unnecessary.

Here, the mark row (see FIG. 10) is a mark in which the mark is divided into a forward path and a backward path and becomes a row (hereinafter, referred to as “mark row”). Then, the mark string generating means generates mark string information in which each mark string is associated with the identifier. This makes it possible to distinguish a large number of mark rows in the field. The mark string generating means may be provided anywhere as long as the harvest string processing device or the mark string identifying device can receive the mark string information. For example, one of a harvesting device, a harvesting device, a network, etc. But it's okay. The mark string information received by the harvest processing device or the mark string identifying device is used to correspond to the mark string detected by the image from the field when the harvest processing device starts work. .. The mark string identifying device has a function of specifying which mark string is actually used in a large number of mark strings actually existing in the field and a function of searching for a mark string to be worked from the image from the field. However, when the harvest processing work machine is unmanned, it is useful to identify the position in the field where the work is performed.

The mark detector that detects the mark needs only to be a simple and inexpensive device. Also, since the harvested products exist on or near the traveling track of the harvesting machine, the harvested products follow the marks attached to the field to process the harvested products. As the implement progresses, you will always have access to the harvest.

Furthermore, even if the harvesting work machine transports the harvested product and the work is interrupted and moved, the order of the mark sequence (mark sequence information) is used as the coordinates, so the mark sequence at the time of the work interruption is no In addition, if the harvest processing machine remembers it, it is possible to surely return to the mark row when the work was interrupted, and to reliably restart the work.

If the harvest processing machine receives the count of the number of mark rows (mark row information) transmitted by the harvesting machine, even if a plurality of harvesting machines operate unattended, for example, even number The first crop processing work machine works on the mark row and the second crop processing work machine works on the mark row with an odd number, so that a plurality of crops can be obtained without requiring a complicated control device. It is possible to decide the allocation of processing work machines.

It is a side view which shows the harvesting working machine (grass collecting machine) which is creating the grass collecting row. It is a top view which shows the harvesting work machine (grass collector) in the process of preparing the grass collection row. It is a top view which shows the marker which shows the advancing locus|trajectory of the harvesting row|line|row and the harvesting working machine (grass gathering machine) which made the row of grass gathering. It is a side view which shows the operation|work of the harvest processing working machine (roll baler 50) which produces the roll bale 51 from a collection line. It is a top view which shows the operation|work of the harvest processing operation machine (roll baler 50) which produces the roll bale 51 from a grass collection row. It is a flowchart figure which counts the number of marks. It is a side view of the state where the lifting platform 61 in which the container is mounted is lifted in the root vegetable harvester. In the root vegetables harvester, it is a perspective view in which the lifting platform 61 on which the container is mounted is lowered to a position where the container is left in the field. It is a side view of a wrapping machine 80 provided with a mark row recognition device and a crop position recognition device 71. It is a front view of a wrapping machine 80 provided with a mark row recognition device and a crop position recognition device 71. It is a plan view of a wrapping machine 80 provided with a mark row recognition device and a harvested product position recognition device 71. It is a figure in which a field map and a mark column 93 are superimposed and a mark column identifier (number) 94 is attached.

The harvest processing working machine of the present invention includes all agricultural working machines for performing some processing on harvested products in the field, but in particular,
(1) Work by a harvesting work machine that performs harvesting work and leaves the harvested product in the field (2) Of the series of agricultural work that is a work by the harvesting work work machine that processes the harvested product left in the field, (2) Harvesting work machine.
The harvesting machine, which is equivalent to a harvesting machine, is used to put harvested products such as harvesters for grains, fruit vegetables, leaf vegetables, and root vegetables in containers and bags, and then to leave them in the fields where the containers and bags are collected and the fields It includes a roll baler for processing a row of grasses to make a roll bale, a wrapping machine for wrapping a roll bale left in the field, and a working machine for collecting the wrapped roll bale left in a field.
However, transplanters without harvest such as rice transplanters are not included.

(First embodiment)
1 to 3 show a grass collecting machine corresponding to a harvesting machine. The grass-tractor towed by the tractor 1 drives the rotor by the power from the PTO shaft 2, collects the grass in the center by the rotation of the tines 3, and the grass-forming rod 6 creates a compact grass-collecting row 11.

In addition, a marking device 5 for mounting a mark indicating the moving path of the grass collector on the ground surface of the field after grass collection is mounted at the end.

As shown in FIG. 2, a grass collecting row 11 is formed as the grass cutter advances the grass 10 before grass collecting, and the marking device 5 marks the surface 20 of the field with a mark 20 indicating the traveling path of the grass collector. It At this time, the mark 20 is attached substantially parallel to the field as shown in FIG. That is, since the grass collection row 11 is completely parallel to the traveling locus of the grass collection machine, if the mark 20 is followed by the roll baler 50 (harvest processing machine), the roll baler 50 travels along the grass collection row 11 without fail. It becomes possible.

When the grass collector (harvesting machine) turns at the end of the field, the mark 20 may not be attached, and the mark 20 may be attached even when turning.

As shown in FIG. 5, any mark may be used as the mark 20 as long as it can be detected by the mark detector 40 provided on the roll baler 50 corresponding to the harvest processing machine. It doesn't matter. Since the mark 20 is attached to the field, it is preferably harmless. For example, a white coloring material such as lime, a stick (peg) made of a biodegradable resin, or the like, as long as it is possible to detect the progress track of the harvesting machine by the mark detector 40 of the harvesting machine, The structure does not matter.

Further, it is preferable that the mark 20 is continuously applied to the field, that is, if the mark 20 is linearly applied, the detection can be easily performed, but it is not always necessary that the mark 20 is continuously applied to the field. The marks 20 may be added discretely to save the usage amount.

The roll baler 50, which is a harvest processing machine, may proceed while detecting the mark 20, and unmanned operation is also possible. Even without unmanned operation, it is possible to assist passengers in steering work and reduce work load.

The mark 20 shown when the grass collector (harvesting machine) reciprocates is counted as one on the outward path and one on the return path, and the number counted continuously from the start of the operation is stored, or Send. Although there are some specific examples, FIG. 6 is one example. When the work of the harvester is started in s1, the worker switches on the marking device 5 and starts the marking device 5 in s2. Then, the field is marked, and the number of marks is counted in s3. Since the initial value n is set to 0, the number of marks is counted as 1 in s3. When the turning of the harvesting machine is detected in s4, it is judged in s5 whether or not the work is completed. If the work is not completed (No), the process returns to s3 and the number of marks is continued. When the end of the work is determined in s5, the total number n of marks is transmitted.
Further, in the case where the work of the harvest processing machine is started after a while after the work of the harvesting machine is finished, the total number of marks in s6 is temporarily stored in the harvesting machine, It is also possible to send it later to the harvest processing machine that has a mark row specifying device, and the total number of marks stored in the harvesting machine is called up and displayed so that the passenger of the harvest processing machine can display the total number of marks. Can be input to the mark row specifying device from the operation panel of the harvest processing work machine.

When the roll baler 50 (harvest processing machine) starts work without waiting for the end of the harvesting machine, the marked number n is sent to the roll baler 50 (harvest processing machine) between s4 and s5. You may do so.

The grass collecting machine (harvesting work machine) or the roll baler 50 (harvest processing work machine), based on the total number n of marks sent in s6, assigns a number or the like to each of the large number of mark rows 93 attached to the ground surface of the field. The identifier 94 (mark string information) can also be attached. (See Figure 10).

When the harvesting machine marks, if an identifier 94 (mark row information) such as a number is given to all the mark rows divided in the forward and return paths, as shown in FIG. 10, the numbers assigned to the mark row 93, etc. It becomes possible to specify the mark row 93 at which position from the large number of mark rows by the identifier 94.

If a mark row specifying device such as an image processing apparatus that can specify which mark row 93 among a large number of mark rows is provided and configured to recognize the number of the mark row 93, the harvest processing work machine will be It is possible to recognize whether the user is working along the mark row 93. If the operator tells the number of the mark string 93 recognized by the mark string identifying device at the start of work, the mark string 93 is automatically identified based on the mark string. The specific device automatically determines. The harvest processing work machine recognizes the number of the mark row 93, and is automatically piloted to run along the mark from the start point or the end point of each mark row 93.

When using multiple roll balers 50 (harvest processing machines) at the same time, it is complicated even if the roll balers 50 are unmanned if they are pre-allocated such as the odd number mark row 93 and the even number mark row 93. A plurality of roll balers 50 can share the work without the need for a separate control device.
Since the grass collecting machine (harvesting machine) usually performs harvesting work at substantially equal intervals, the marks 20 representing the traveling loci are also attached to the field at equal intervals. If the total number of mark rows 93 is known, it is possible to superimpose and display a separately acquired field map of the field and the mark row 93.

FIG. 10 shows an actual field map and mark row 93 superimposed on each other.

Since the center of the grass collection row 11 is usually raised, when the roll baler 50, which is a harvest processing machine, is moved straight along the mark, the cut grass gathers in the center of the roll bale 51 to form the roll bale 51 with a raised center. Therefore, when the roll baler 50 is advanced so as to meander slightly to the left and right while detecting the mark 20, a clean roll bale 51 is formed.

Up to now, the description has been centered on the mode in which the total number n of marks is sent to the mark row specifying device as shown in FIG. This is because it is convenient for the harvesting machine to send the total number of marks to the mark row identifying device without having to count how many mark rows exist.
Even if such a total number of marks is not sent to the mark specifying device, the mark row specifying device can perform its function. For example, when performing work with the harvest processing machine, the operator can count the number of mark rows or the number of mark rows with a drone, and this number can also be input to the row specifying device. Although it is more laborious than what has been described so far, the mark string specifying device still functions in this way.

(Second embodiment)
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the harvesting machine may be a roll baler 50. In this case, the wrapping machine 80 serves as a harvest processing machine. The roll bale 51 is always present on or near the path of travel of the roll baler 50, and the lapping machine 80 shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C uses the mark detector 40 (not shown) to mark the mark on the ground surface. The roll bale 50 can be found by relying on the mark 20 attached to the field by the roll baler 50 under the control of the steering.
When the wrapping machine 80 is to be unmanned, if the wrapping machine 80 is provided with a crop position recognizing device such as an image recognizing device capable of recognizing the roll bale 51 in addition to the mark row identifying device, it can be easily unmanned. Since the roll bale 51 is large and there is no other confusing object in the field, the position of the harvested product can be easily recognized by the harvested product position recognition device.
Further, in the second embodiment, the mark row identifying device/harvested object position recognizing device 71 is provided on the support column, and which number of mark rows is used by one device 71 (see FIG. 10). ) While recognizing the harvest processing machine, the location of the harvest is also recognized.
Further, in order to reduce the cost, it is possible to combine the mark row specifying device, the mark detector and the harvested position recognizing device into one image recognizing device or the like.

The roll baler 50 has two roll bails 51 in the first mark row 93 in FIG. 10, such as two roll bails 51 in the second mark row 93, and so on. The number information may be transmitted to the wrapping machine 80 (harvest processing work machine). Whether the lapping machine 80 traveling along the mark row 93 by the mark detector 40 has processed all the roll bails 51 on the mark row 93 is determined by the number information of the roll bails 51 transmitted from the roll baler 50. For example, the work can be moved to the adjacent mark row 93 without traveling to the end of the mark row 93.

When a plurality of lapping machines 80 are used, they can be pre-allocated like the even-numbered or odd-numbered mark rows 93 as in the first embodiment, or each of the mark rows 93 can be allocated. In consideration of the number of roll balers 51, the mark rows 93 may be allocated to a plurality of lapping machines 80 so that the number of mark rows 93 is even.

(Modifications of the first and second embodiments)
The roll baler 50 and the wrapping machine 80 may be used as the harvest processing work machine in which the grass collecting machine (harvesting work machine) detects the mark attached to the field and controls the steering. In this case, since the lapping machine 80 and the roll baler 50 follow substantially the same trajectory, both the roll baler 50 and the lapping machine 80 are steering-controlled by using the mark 20 attached to the grass collector.

(Third embodiment)
7 and 8 are examples of a root vegetable harvester 60 (harvesting machine). As shown in FIG. 7, the harvested root vegetables are put into a harvest container (not shown) mounted on the lifting platform 61 via the conveyor 62. When it is full, the loading/unloading platform 61 is lowered as shown in FIG. 8, the machine base of the root vegetable harvester 60 is moved back and forth, and a harvest container (not shown) is left in the field. Although the marking device 5 is not shown, the marking device 5 is provided at an appropriate position, and if a mark 20 indicating the traveling path of the marking device 5 is attached to the surface of the field, the full harvest container is collected. The work machine (harvest processing work machine) is steered and controlled while detecting the mark 20 to perform the collecting work. In addition, instead of the container, the harvested product may be put in a harvested product storage bag and left in the field.
The harvester is not limited to the root vegetable harvester 60, and may be a grain, fruit vegetable, or leaf vegetable harvester.

(Mark function)
If the crop handling implement is manned, the occupants will find the grass row 11. Then, the marks 20 attached to the field along the row of grass are detected by the mark detector 40 and the automatic steering control is performed, so that the burden on the passenger can be reduced. When adopting such a work form, it is not necessary for the harvest processing machine to know how many mark rows 93 the work is being performed.

However, when it is desired to perform unmanned control of the harvest processing implement, it is necessary for the harvest processing implement to recognize which mark row 93 is traveling. When the harvesting machine reciprocates in the field, the mark 20 indicating the traveling path is divided into the forward path and the backward path to count the number from the start of the work, and by providing a device for storing the count and/or a device for transmitting the count, It is possible to determine the positional relationship among the large number of mark rows 93. If a mark row specifying device such as an image recognition device capable of recognizing the mark row 93 is attached to the harvest processing work machine, an unmanned harvest processing work machine determines which position the mark row 93 is being worked on and makes the machine run. be able to.

It is not always necessary to superimpose the map and the mark row 93, but as shown in FIG. 10, when the map showing the working area of the field and the mark row 93 are superposed on the harvested area 90 excluding the unharvested area 91. It is also possible to draw straight mark rows 93 at equal intervals by the number of the mark rows 93 assuming that the mark rows 93 are straight and at equal intervals.

By attaching a mark identifier 94 such as a number to a large number of mark columns 93 attached to the surface of the field in the map, it becomes easy to grasp the rough position.

The mark detector 40 need only be a simple and inexpensive device, and since the harvested product always exists on or near the course of travel of the harvesting machine, the harvesting processing machine must always trace the mark 20 to produce the harvested product. You will be able to access it.

In addition, since the harvested product exists on or near the path of travel of the harvesting machine as described above, it can be used without problems even if it may proceed in a curved line due to height differences in the field. it can.

Further, even if the harvesting processing machine carries out harvesting and carries out the harvesting, even if the operation is once interrupted and moved, if the harvesting processing machine remembers the number of the mark row 93 at the time of the interruption of the operation, the harvesting processing machine can surely be informed of the interruption of the operation. The mark row 93 can be restored, and the work can be reliably restarted.

(Detectors and other devices provided on the harvest processing machine)
The detector provided in the harvest processing work machine is the mark detector 40 that detects the mark 20 attached to the ground surface for controlling the steering of the harvest processing work machine along the mark 20. The following devices can be added as described above.
(1) A crop position recognizing device used for recognizing and processing the roll bale 51, the container, the crop storage bag, etc., and accessing them by the crop processing work machine (2) The mark row 93 is displayed on the image etc. A mark string identifying device used for detecting and identifying which number or the like of the detected mark string 93 corresponds to the identifier 94 (mark string information).

Since the mark detector 40 detects the mark 20 on the ground surface for steering control, it may be provided relatively close to the ground surface for accurate detection. However, although accurate detection can be expected when the mark 20 is close to the ground surface, since the detection range is inevitably narrow, the mark 20 can be prevented from being lost by providing the mark 20 away from the ground surface.

The mark detector 40, the mark row specifying device, and the crop position recognizing device may be provided as separate devices, but one device may also be combined. An example in which the mark row specifying device and the crop position recognizing device are combined into one device is the mark string specifying device/harvest position recognizing device 71 shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C.

The mark row identifying device is preferably provided at a high position of the harvest processing machine in order to recognize a large number of mark rows 93. Further, the crop position recognizing device and the mark row identifying device may be provided in the drone so that the crop processing work machine can receive the information.

The harvested product position recognition device is provided toward the front of the harvested product processing machine, and the installation position is appropriately determined depending on the size of the harvested product such as the roll bale 51, the container, and the harvested product storage bag.

When the mark detector 40 loses sight of the mark 20, it is preferable to control the mark row identifying device to assist the mark detector 40 in returning to the mark detection.

(map)
The map may be created by the harvesting machine or the harvest processing machine, or by connecting the data of the harvesting machine to the network and creating the map on the network or by a separate device connected to the network. It may be sent to a harvest processing machine.

1 Tractor 3 Tine 4 Rotor 5 Marking device 10 Cutting grass before grass collection 11 Grass collection line 20 Mark 40 representing a moving path 40 Mark detector 50 Roll baler 51 Roll bale 60 Root vegetables harvester 61 Lifting platform 62 Conveyor 71 Mark row specifying device Harvest position recognition device 80 Lapping machine 90 Harvested area 91 Unharvested area 93 Mark row 94 Mark row identifier (number)

Claims (8)

Mark detector that detects the mark on the ground surface,
A harvested product processing machine having a mechanism for controlling steering along the recognized mark and a harvested product processing mechanism for processing harvested products existing along the mark that have been left in the field by the harvesting machine. The harvest processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the harvest processing machine is an unmanned working machine. The harvest processing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the harvest processing machine is a harvest collection working machine such as a harvest bag or a container, a roll baler or a wrapping machine. The harvest processing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the harvest processing machine is a roll baler, and further includes a control mechanism that travels along the mark while meandering. The harvested work implement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mark is a mark that represents a traveling trajectory of the harvester. 6. The harvested product processing machine according to claim 5, wherein the mark is divided into a forward line and a backward line and recognized as a line-shaped mark (hereinafter, referred to as a “mark line”), and the mark line at which position in the field. In the harvest processing work machine, the mark row specifying device for specifying whether or not the work is carried out is provided, or the mark row specifying device is provided outside the harvest processing work machine so that information can be received. Machine. 7. The harvest processing working machine according to claim 6, further comprising a mechanism for pre-allocating a mark row for performing the work of each harvest processing working machine when each of the plurality of harvest processing working machines is used at the same time. From the harvesting machine, receives the number information of the harvest bag, container or roll bale present in each mark row, and in consideration of the number information, the mark row for performing the work of each harvest processing machine is specified. The harvested product processing machine according to claim 7, which has a mechanism for allocating.

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