JPH07281746A - Traveling controller for light beam guided work vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect rolling angle in the left and right directions of a car body with simple configuration without providing any expensive inclination sensor on the car body side by effectively utilizing the inclining state detecting means of a ground working part. CONSTITUTION:This controller is provided with a steering controlling photosensor S1 for receiving guiding light beam, steering means 7-10, a control means 100 for automatically traveling a work vehicle V along a traveling course, an inclining means M for inclining the ground working part held in the car body so as to be freely inclined in the left and right directions of the car body in the left and right directions of the car body, a horizontal keeping means 101 for keeping the ground working part at the ground horizontal posture in the left and right directions of the car body by operating the inclining means M based on the information of an inclining state detecting means S6 for detecting the ground inclining state of the ground working part, and an inclination angle detecting means S5 for detecting the inclination angles in the left and right directions of the car body to the ground working part. The control means 100 corrects the amount of deviation in the width direction of the car body to the beam light for guidance based on the rolling angle information in the left and right directions of the car body discriminated by the detected information of the inclining state detecting means S6 and the inclination angle detecting means S5, and operates the steering means 7-10 based on the deviation information after the correction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a beam light projecting means on the ground side for projecting a guiding beam of light along the longitudinal direction of a traveling path so that a work vehicle automatically travels along the traveling path. In order to detect a shift in the vehicle width direction with respect to the guidance light beam projected by the light beam projection means, a steering control optical sensor for receiving the guidance light beam and the body of the work vehicle are provided. Steering means for steering, control means for controlling the operation of the steering means so that the work vehicle automatically travels along the travel stroke based on the light reception information of the steering control optical sensor, and a vehicle body A ground working part held in the vehicle body in a state of being tiltable in the left-right direction, an inclining means for tilting the ground working part in the vehicle body left-right direction with respect to the car body, and a ground working part in the vehicle body left-right direction Inclination to detect the inclination state The work vehicle is provided with a state detecting means and a horizontal maintaining means for operating the inclining means on the basis of the information of the inclining state detecting means to maintain the ground working unit in a horizontal posture with respect to the ground in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. The present invention relates to a travel control device for a beam light guide type work vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a traveling control apparatus for a beam light guide type work vehicle, when the vehicle body is not tilted in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, based on the light reception information of a steering control light sensor that has received the beam light for guidance. Although it is possible to detect the deviation of the vehicle body in the lateral direction of the vehicle body and perform steering control based on this deviation information to appropriately and automatically drive the work vehicle along the traveling stroke,
When the vehicle body rolls in the left-right direction and tilts, the sensor position of the steering control optical sensor with respect to the guiding beam light also fluctuates, and in the lateral direction of the vehicle body detected based on the received light information of the steering control optical sensor. The deviation information of the vehicle body includes an error due to the inclination of the vehicle body, and it becomes impossible to appropriately and automatically drive the work vehicle along the traveling stroke based on the deviation information. Therefore, conventionally, for example, a weight-type tilt sensor or the like is installed on the vehicle body, and based on the information on the rolling angle in the vehicle body left-right direction of the vehicle body detected by the tilt sensor, the steering control optical sensor It has been proposed to correct the displacement amount of the vehicle body in the lateral direction of the vehicle body obtained from the light reception information and to steer the work vehicle based on the corrected displacement information.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, there is a problem that the cost of the apparatus increases because an expensive tilt sensor is used to detect the rolling angle of the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. , Improvement was desired.

In view of the above situation, the present invention provides control information for performing control for maintaining a ground working unit (for example, a seedling planting device when a work vehicle is a rice transplanter) in a horizontal posture with respect to the horizontal direction of the vehicle body. In order to obtain the above, the present invention has been made by paying attention to the point that an inclination state detecting means for detecting the inclination state of the ground working unit in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, that is, the rolling angle is provided. In order to eliminate the disadvantage of the above, the rolling state of the vehicle body in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is effectively utilized by effectively utilizing the inclination state detecting means for the ground working section without installing an expensive inclination sensor on the vehicle body side. It is to detect the corner.

[0005]

A traveling control device for a beam light guided working vehicle according to the present invention comprises a guiding beam along a longitudinal direction of a traveling path so that the working vehicle automatically travels along the traveling path. A beam light projecting means for projecting light is provided on the ground side, and receives the guiding beam light so as to detect a deviation in the lateral direction of the vehicle body with respect to the guiding beam light projected by the beam light projecting means. An optical sensor for steering control, a steering means for controlling the steering of the work vehicle, and the work vehicle so as to automatically travel along the travel path based on light reception information of the optical sensor for steering control. Control means for controlling the operation of the steering means, ground working section held on the vehicle body in a state of being tiltable in the left and right direction of the vehicle body, and tilting means for tilting the ground working section with respect to the vehicle body in the left and right direction of the vehicle body And the ground working unit Inclination state detecting means for detecting an inclination state to the ground in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and horizontal operation for operating the inclining means on the basis of information from the inclination state detecting means to maintain the ground working unit in a horizontal attitude to the earth in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. The maintenance means is a travel control device for a beam light guide type work vehicle provided in the work vehicle, and a first characteristic configuration thereof is an inclination angle of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working part in a vehicle body left-right direction. An inclination angle detecting means for detecting the rolling angle is provided, and the control means determines the rolling angle of the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body based on the detection information of the inclination state detecting means and the inclination angle detecting means. The steering means is operated based on the corrected shift information obtained by correcting the shift amount of the steering control optical sensor with respect to the guidance light beam in the lateral direction of the vehicle body based on the information. In that it is configured to.

According to a second characteristic construction, the ground working portion is held by the vehicle body in a state of being rotatable about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the inclination angle detecting means is provided with respect to the ground working portion. It is composed of a rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the vehicle body around the axis.

According to a third characteristic configuration, the rotation angle detecting means is fixed to the ground working portion or the vehicle body, and the rotation angle detecting means is attached to the ground working portion or the vehicle body to detect the rotation angle. It is composed of a potentiometer composed of a rotating part which rotates relative to the fixed part in association with a change.

[0008]

According to the first characteristic configuration of the traveling control device for a beam light guide type working vehicle according to the present invention, the inclining means is detected based on the detection information of the inclining state detecting means for detecting the inclining state to the ground in the lateral direction of the vehicle. Is operated, the ground working unit is maintained in a horizontal posture with respect to the ground, and the ground tilt state detection information in the lateral direction of the vehicle body of the ground working unit and the tilt angle of the vehicle body in the lateral direction of the ground working unit are detected. The rolling angle of the vehicle body in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is detected based on the detection information of the inclination angle detecting means, and is detected based on the light reception information of the guiding light beam projected along the longitudinal direction of the traveling stroke on the ground side. The deviation amount in the lateral direction of the vehicle body with respect to the guided light beam is corrected based on the rolling angle information, the steering means is operated based on the corrected deviation information, and the work vehicle is moved along the traveling stroke. Vehicle is steered to automatically run.

Further, according to the second characteristic construction, the ground working portion is held by the vehicle body in a state of being rotatable about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the axis center of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working portion is held. A rotation angle around the vehicle body is detected as an inclination angle of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working portion in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. Based on the rotation angle information and the ground inclination state detection information of the ground working portion, the vehicle body left-right direction is detected. The rolling angle at
Based on this rolling angle information, the deviation amount in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the guiding light beam is corrected, the steering means is operated based on the corrected deviation information, and the work vehicle automatically moves along the traveling stroke. The body is steered to run.

According to the third characteristic construction, the ground working portion is held by the vehicle body in a state of being rotatable about an axis extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the rotation angle around the axis changes. Then, in conjunction with the change in the rotation angle, the rotating part attached to the ground working unit or the vehicle body as a component of the potentiometer is compared with the fixed part attached to the ground working unit or the vehicle body as the other component of the potentiometer. Relative rotation,
The rotation angle around the axis is detected by the relative rotation amount. Then, after detecting the rolling angle of the vehicle body based on the rotation angle information and the ground inclination state detection information of the ground working unit, the amount of deviation in the vehicle lateral width direction based on the rolling angle information is detected in the same manner as described above. The vehicle body is steered so that the working vehicle automatically travels along the travel path by performing the correction and the operation of the steering means based on the corrected deviation information.

[0011]

Therefore, according to the first characteristic configuration of the traveling control device for a beam light guide type working vehicle according to the present invention, the inclination state detecting means for controlling the horizontal posture of the ground working portion is effectively utilized, Since the rolling angle of the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body is detected with a simple configuration only by providing means for detecting the inclination angle of the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working unit, as in the conventional case, for example, The cost of the apparatus can be kept as low as possible without providing an expensive tilt sensor on the vehicle body side.

Further, according to the second characteristic construction, the ground working portion is held on the vehicle body in a state of being rotatable about the axis along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the axis of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working portion is held. Since the inclination angle of the vehicle body with respect to the ground working portion in the left-right direction of the vehicle body is detected based on the rotation angle around it, for example, rattling or the like is more likely to occur than when the ground working portion is held on the vehicle body by the link mechanism. Without being able to smoothly incline the ground work part relative to the vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, the inclination angle can also be detected with high accuracy by a simple detecting means as the rotation angle around the axis. Therefore, it is possible to obtain suitable means for realizing the effect of the first characteristic configuration.

Further, according to the third characteristic constitution, in the second characteristic constitution, the rotation angle detecting means around the shaft center is cheaper than, for example, a magnetic type sensor or a photoelectric type sensor. It is possible to use a potentiometer which is excellent in detection accuracy even though it is available, and therefore, a suitable means for implementing the second characteristic configuration can be obtained.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rice planting work vehicle as a beam light guide type work vehicle will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, one end (upper left end in the figure) of one reference side M1 of a plurality of sides surrounding a rectangular work site (field) K is adjacent to the reference side M1. An entrance Mi is provided through which the work vehicle V enters and exits along the longitudinal direction of the side M2, and both end sides of the work site K are provided on the headland portion K in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent side M2.
1 and K2 and the central portion as the work target portion Ks, the reciprocating work is performed on the work target portion Ks while moving the work vehicle V back and forth along the longitudinal direction of the adjacent side M2. Then, the headland work is performed on the headland parts K1 and K2 while reciprocating the work vehicle V along the longitudinal direction of the reference side M1 in both headland parts K1 and K2. The work target portion Ks and the two headland portions K1 and K2 are provided with two boundaries on the right side and the left side provided along both ends of the work target portion Ks in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent side M2 along the reference side M1. It is divided by lines Y and Y.

The reference side M1 in the work target portion Ks
Process R1 as a plurality of travel processes arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle
In order to guide the work vehicle V along each of the above, the first beam light projecting device B1 for projecting the guiding beam light A1 along the longitudinal direction of the working stroke R1 is provided, and the pair of headland portions K
The first headland portion K adjacent to the reference side M1 of 1, K2
1 and the second headland portion K2 adjacent to the opposite side M4 opposite to the reference side M1, the work vehicle V is moved along each of the work steps R2 as a plurality of traveling steps arranged in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent side M2. A second beam light projection device B2 is provided for projecting the guidance light beam A2 along the longitudinal direction of the work process R2 for guiding. That is, the guide beam light A1 is provided along the longitudinal direction of each of the two travel paths R1 and R2 so that the work vehicle V automatically travels along each of the two travel paths R1 and R2 provided in a state of being orthogonal to each other. , A2 for projecting beam light as a beam light projecting device B1, B
2 is provided on the ground side.

The first beam light projection device B1 is basically installed at a boundary position between two adjacent work steps of the plurality of work steps R1 at a ratio of one to two adjacent work steps. However, the drawing shows the case where the number of work strokes R1 is odd, and one first beam light projection device B1 is arranged only for the work stroke R1 at the uppermost end. Further, the second beam light projection device B2 is installed at the boundary position of the work steps because the plurality of work steps R2 are two. or,
In the figure, in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent sides M2, M3, the beam light A3 is projected in parallel with the guiding beam light A2 inside the projection position of the guiding beam light A2 from the second beam light projection device B2. A third beam light projection device B3 is provided. Although not described in detail, each beam light projection device B
1, B2, B3 are configured by a laser device or the like, and each light beam A1, A2, A3 is scanned within a predetermined angle range in the vertical direction (see FIG. 2).

Next, the travel route of the work vehicle V will be described with reference to FIG. First, the final work site portion R1a that is continuous with the entrance Mi along the longitudinal direction of the adjacent side M2, and
The reciprocating work is performed while leaving the relay work site portion R1b adjacent to the adjacent side M3 located farther from the entrance Mi. Here, the final work site part R1a is a work site part corresponding to the uppermost work process of the plurality of work processes R1 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the reference side M1, and the relay work site part R1.
1b is a work site portion corresponding to the two work strokes on the lower end side of the plurality of work strokes R1.

In the reciprocating work, specifically, except for the relay work site portion R1b, the work stroke R1 farthest from the entrance Mi is taken, and the right boundary line Y indicating the work start position of the start end portion thereof is shown. It starts from the upper Pst point toward the left in the figure. Therefore, along the route shown in the figure, N
While stopping at the point h and supplying the first seedlings, the vehicle travels forward to the point Pst in a non-working state. After this, the work vehicle V
Is stopped at the starting end of each work process R1, R2 on the side of the reference side M1, the seedlings are replenished appropriately according to the consumption state of the seedlings. When reaching the Pst point, the planting device 6 is driven to start the planting work, and thereafter, the left and right headland portions K1, K2
While making a 180 degree turn with each work stroke R1
In the final work stroke R1 (second stroke from the top of the figure) of the work target portion Ks, the right boundary line Y is guided while being guided by the guiding beam light A1 based on the detection information of the right steering control optical sensor S1. Drive to the upper end position Pen.

Thereafter, the first headland portion K1 adjacent to the reference side M1 of the pair of headland portions K1 and K2, and
The headland work for working the second headland portion K2 adjacent to the facing side M4 facing the reference side M1 is performed, and in the headland work, between the first headland portion K1 and the second headland portion K2. During the transition, the relay work site part R1b is run while the relay work site part R1b is run, and finally the final work site part R1a is run from the second headland part K2 toward the entrance Mi. However, it is set to work on the final work site portion R1a.

Specifically, first, in order to move from the end position Pen to the start end of the inner working stroke R2 of the two working strokes R2 of the second headland portion K2, the steering control light on the right side is moved. Based on the detection information of the sensor S1, the guiding light beam A
While being guided to 1, the vehicle travels backward from the end position Pen to the position where the front-side sensor S2a receives the guidance light beam A2 on the rightmost side in the figure, then switches to the forward state and turns 90 degrees to the right, and further receives light. The steering control optical sensor S1 for light is switched to the steering control optical sensor S1 on the left side, and while being guided by the guiding beam light A2 based on the light reception information of the steering control optical sensor S1 on the left side, The projected guiding light beam A1 travels in a backward state from a position where a rear sensor S2b for trigger receives a predetermined distance to a planting start position. Then, the work process R2 is automatically traveled in the forward traveling state while being guided by the guiding beam light A2 based on the detection information of the left steering control optical sensor S1.

Thereafter, the working stroke R2 inside the second headland portion K2, the inner stroke R1b inside the relay working ground portion R1b, the inner working stroke R2 inside the first headland portion K1, and the first headland portion K.
1, the work stroke R2 outside, the work stroke R1b outside the relay work land portion R1b, and the work stroke R2 outside the second headland portion K2, in that order, at the beginning of the next stroke at the end of each stroke. The vehicle automatically travels while swinging to the other part, and finally travels straight through the final work site portion R1a in a forward state and exits from the work site through the entrance Mi.

In order to perform each of the work steps in the reciprocating work and the headland work in the forward state, the work vehicle V is moved forward by one stroke, and then 180 degrees or 90 degrees.
The turning is performed to move to the adjacent stroke while changing the direction. That is, in the turning for moving between the respective work strokes R1 in the reciprocating work and between the respective work strokes R2 in the headland work, the direction is changed by 180 degrees, and the work of the headland work is changed from the work stroke R1 of the reciprocating work. In the turning for moving to the stroke R2, moving between the work stroke R2 for headland work and the relay work land portion R1b, and moving for moving from the work stroke R2 for headland work to the final work land portion R1a, 90
The direction is changed.

Explaining the structure of the work vehicle V,
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a pair of left and right front wheels 3 and rear wheels 4 are provided.
In the rear part of the vehicle body 5 provided with the
A seedling planting device 6 as a ground work unit is connected via a lift cylinder 13 so as to be driven up and down. The seedling planting device 6 is supported by a seedling stand 21 that moves back and forth laterally with a constant stroke, a planting mechanism 22 that takes out and plant seedlings one by one from the lower end of the seedling stand 21, and is vertically swingable around a rear fulcrum. It is configured to include three ground floats 19 and the like. Then, during the planting work, the height of the ground of the seedling planting device 6 is maintained at a set value, and the seedling planting device 6 is placed in a horizontal posture regardless of the inclination of the vehicle body 5 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. The rolling control for maintaining is configured to be performed by the control device 16 described later.

The sensors mounted on the work vehicle V will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, steering angle detection sensors R1 and R2 using potentiometers for detecting steering angles of the front and rear wheels 3 and 4, respectively. A vehicle speed sensor R3 that uses a potentiometer to indirectly detect the forward / backward traveling state and the vehicle speed based on the speed change state of the transmission 11, and an encoder S3 for detecting the traveling distance by counting the number of rotations of the output shaft of the transmission 11.
And a direction sensor S4 using geomagnetism for detecting the vehicle body direction of the work vehicle V, and a weight as a tilt state detecting means installed in the planting device 6 for detecting a ground inclination angle in the vehicle body left-right direction, that is, a ground inclination state. Type inclination sensor S6, a potentiometer-type float sensor S7 that detects the amount of vertical swing of the grounding float 19 located in the center of the vehicle body left and right based on fluctuations in the grounding pressure, and the planting device 6 is installed at the connection point to the vehicle body 5. A potentiometer S5 described later is provided.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the front and rear wheels 3, 4 are
Steering hydraulic cylinders 7 and 8 and electromagnetically-operated control valves 9 and 10 for the steering hydraulic cylinders 7 and 8 are provided separately for each pair of left and right. That is, front wheel 3
Alternatively, a two-wheel steering system that steers only one of the rear wheels 4, a four-wheel steering system that steers the front and rear wheels 3, 4 in opposite phases and at the same angle, and the front and rear wheels 3, 4 in the same phase and at the same angle It is possible to select and use three types of steering steering types, namely, parallel steering type steering. From the above,
By both hydraulic cylinders 7, 8 and both control valves 9, 10,
Steering means 7 to 10 for steering the vehicle body 5 of the work vehicle V are configured.

In FIG. 5, 11 is a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that shifts the output from the engine E to drive the front and rear wheels 3 and 4 simultaneously, 12 is an electric motor for gear shifting operation, and 13 is the lift. Cylinder, 14 is its control valve, 15 is an electromagnetically operated planting clutch that intermittently drives the planting device 6 by the engine E, 16 is a microcomputer-based control for controlling the traveling of the work vehicle V and the operation of the planting device 6. The control device is configured to control the speed change motor 12, the control valves 9, 10, 14 and the planting clutch 15 based on the detection information from the various sensors and the work data stored in advance. Has been done.

The ground height control of the seedling planting device 6 will be described. The control device 16 controls the control valve so that the detected value becomes a set value based on the information of the float sensor S7. By operating 14 the ground height of the seedling planting device 6 is maintained at the set height. Here, the set value is set such that the ground load 19 has a target reference posture by changing the sensing load of the ground contact float 19 in accordance with the hardness condition of the mud.

The rolling control of the seedling planting device 6 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the seedling planting device 6 is rotatable about an axis Z along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, that is, the vehicle body. While being held by the vehicle body 5 so as to be tiltable in the left-right direction, a screw shaft 24 is rotatably erected in a horizontal posture on a bracket 23 attached to the rear vertical link 20a of the link mechanism 20. Is configured to be rotationally driven by an electric motor 25, and a female screw portion 27 interlockingly coupled to the seedling planting device 6 via a buffer spring 26 is screwed onto the screw shaft 24 to externally mount the electric motor 25. By driving in the reverse direction, the female screw portion 27 is moved in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and the seedling planting device 6 is configured to rotate relative to the vehicle body 5 around the axis Z. From the above, the screw shaft 24, the electric motor 25,
The buffer spring 26, the female screw portion 27, and the like constitute a tilting means M for tilting the seedling planting device 6 in the vehicle body left-right direction with respect to the vehicle body 5. Further, by using the control device 16, the horizontal maintaining means 101 for operating the inclining means M based on the information of the inclination sensor S6 to maintain the seedling planting device 6 in a horizontal posture with respect to the ground in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is configured. ing. Specifically, the electric motor 25 is set so that the detection angle of the tilt sensor S6 becomes the set angle corresponding to the horizontal attitude to the ground.
Drive control.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, at the connecting portion between the seedling planting device 6 and the vehicle body 5, a gear is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft member 28 which is connected to the rear vertical link 20a. The portion 28a is formed, and the rotary gear 29 that meshes with the gear portion 28a and the potentiometer S5 that detects the rotation angle of the rotation shaft of the rotary gear 29 are included in the planting device 6.
It is installed on the side. The above potentiometer S5
Is composed of a fixed portion S5a formed on an annular resistor or the like, and a rotating portion S5b formed on a sliding electrode that rotates relative to the fixed portion S5a in association with the change in the rotation angle. In this example, the fixed portion S5a and the rotating portion S5b are both attached to the seedling planting device 6. When the seedling planting device 6 rotates relative to the vehicle body 5 around the axis Z, the rotary gear 29 rotates in accordance with the amount of rotation, and the rotation angle is detected by the potentiometer S5.
As described above, the potentiometer S5 constitutes a rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the vehicle body 5 about the axis Z with respect to the planting device 6, and at the same time, the vehicle body left-right direction of the vehicle body 5 with respect to the planting device 6. Inclination angle detecting means for detecting the inclination angle in the above.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the work vehicle V
In order to detect the deviation in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the guidance beam lights A1 and A2 projected by the first beam light projection device B1 and the second beam light projection device B2, the guidance beam lights A1 and A1 are detected. Steering control optical sensor S for receiving A2
1, and when the work vehicle V is automatically traveling along the guidance beam lights A1 and A2 from the first beam light projection device B1 or the second beam light projection device B2, the guidance beam light A
1st A2, 2nd beam light projection device which intersects A2 or 1st
Guidance beam lights A2 and A1 from the beam light projection device B1
In addition, a trigger optical sensor S2 for receiving the beam light A3 from the third beam light projector B3 is provided.
The steering control optical sensor S1 has both axial cores of the front wheel 3 in plan view on both left and right sides of the front part of the vehicle body so that the guiding beam lights A1, A2 on either the left or right side of the vehicle body can be received. The pair of left and right trigger optical sensors S2 are arranged on the connecting line, and the trigger optical sensor S2 is composed of a pair of front and rear sensors S2a and S2b located above the center of the vehicle body in the plan view. It is located a predetermined distance forward of the line connecting the cores, and the rear sensor S2b is located on the line connecting the two axis cores of the rear wheel 4. The trigger optical sensor S2 is provided with beam lights A1, A2 and
Only the presence or absence of light reception for A3 is detected, and the light reception position cannot be detected.

The steering control optical sensor S1 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of front and rear wheels are arranged side by side with a distance d in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and an interval in the vertical direction. Optical sensors S1a and S1b as light receiving parts
Each of the pair of front and rear photosensors S1a and S1b has a plurality of light receiving elements D arranged side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the position of the light receiving element D0 located at the sensor center in the lateral direction is As a reference, the guiding light beams A1, A2
Light receiving position in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, that is, position X of the light receiving element D
1 and X2 can be detected respectively. or,
In order to allow the guiding beam lights A1 and A2 to be received in the same direction regardless of the front and rear directions of the vehicle body, the incident light beams from the front and rear directions of the vehicle body are respectively detected by the two optical sensors S1a and S1b. Reflector 1 that reflects toward the light receiving surface of
Eight.

The control configuration for detecting the deviation of the vehicle body 5 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body by the steering control optical sensor S1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of optical sensors before and after the steering control optical sensor S1 are provided. Based on the positions X1 and X2 of the respective light receiving elements S1a and S1b and the distance d in the vehicle front-rear direction, the inclination φ and the lateral width direction of the vehicle body 5 with respect to the projection direction of the guiding beam lights A1 and A2 are calculated from the following equations. Position deviation at x
And ask.

[0034]

## EQU1 ## φ = tan ^-1 (| X1-X2 | / d) x = X1

Then, the control device 16 controls the steering means 7-1 based on the detection information of various sensors such as the steering control optical sensor S1 and preset work schedule information.
0 and the operation of various devices such as the planting section 6 are controlled. That is, using the control device 16, the steering means 7 is arranged so that the work vehicle V automatically travels along each of the work strokes R1 and R2 based on the light reception information of the steering control optical sensor S1. Control means 100 for controlling the operations of 10 to 10 is configured, and the control means 100 is
The rolling angle of the vehicle body 5 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body is determined based on the detection information of the tilt sensor S6 and the potentiometer S5, and the guiding beam light of the steering control optical sensor S1 is determined based on the rolling angle information. A1, A
The steering means 7 to 10 are operated based on the corrected shift information obtained by correcting the shift amount of the vehicle body 2 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body.

The inclination correction of the deviation amount will be specifically described below. Both the angle of inclination of the planting device 6 detected by the tilt sensor S6 and the angle of rotation of the vehicle body 5 about the axis Z with respect to the planting device 6 detected by the potentiometer S5 are added or subtracted. Thus, the rolling angle of the vehicle body 5 is obtained. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the connection point and the steering control optical sensor S are connected.
1, the difference in height on the vehicle body is L1, the lateral distance on the vehicle body from the connection point (center of the vehicle body left and right) to the center of the light receiving portion of the steering control optical sensor S1 is L2, and rolling of the vehicle body is performed. When the angle is θ, a lateral distance L3 from the connection point in the state where the vehicle body is inclined to the center of the light receiving portion of the steering control optical sensor S1 is obtained, and the lateral direction when the vehicle body 5 is not inclined from this L3 The correction amount is the amount ΔL obtained by subtracting the distance L2. Therefore, the deviation x ′ after the tilt correction is the deviation x
Is obtained by adding the correction amount ΔL to the value x ′. Incidentally, when θ = 0, ΔL = L2-L2 = 0, and
x ′ = x.

[0037]

(2) L3 = L1 × sin θ + L2 × cos θ ΔL = (L3-L2) x ′ = x + ΔL

In this example, the position deviation in the lateral width direction is the light receiving position of one of the pair of photosensors S1a and S1b (S1a), but an error due to the inclination φ should not occur. In order to do so, the average value of the light receiving positions X1 and X2 of the pair of optical sensors S1a and S1b may be used. Then, the work vehicle V is steering-controlled by setting a target steering angle so that both the inclination φ and the deviation x ′ are zero. However, in the present embodiment, steering control is performed by a two-wheel steering system in which only the front wheels 3 are steered during straight traveling in each work stroke.

Further, the control device 16 causes the work vehicle V to travel forward by one stroke so that the work vehicle V performs each of the work strokes in the reciprocating work and the headland work in the forward movement state. The work vehicle V uses the first beam light projection device B1 or the second beam light projection device B2 for guiding the beam light A1,
When the vehicle automatically travels along A2, the guiding beam light A from the second beam light projecting device B2 or the first beam light projecting device B1 intersects with the guiding beam lights A1 and A2.
2, based on the light reception information of the trigger optical sensor S2 that receives A1, sets the start position of the turning operation of 180 degrees or 90 degrees from the end of each stroke to the start of the next adjacent stroke. Is configured.

Next, the operation of the control device 16 will be described with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, the entire process flow is an initialization process for a communication unit such as RS232C (not shown) and actuators (the shift motor 12, the control valves 9, 10, 14 and the planting clutch 15). After doing
Set work plan Perform work plan set process.
Next, the corresponding control data is read based on the work plan set in the work plan setting process, and the vehicle body control process is executed to actually execute the vehicle body control based on the control data. The execution status of the work plan by the vehicle body control process is checked by the work plan check process, and when the completion of one work plan is confirmed, after performing the necessary communication process to the ground side, the work end instruction is given. If there is, end processing is performed, and otherwise, the flow from the work plan set processing is repeated. In order to control the progress of the flow, when a new work plan is set in the work plan setting process, the plan flag is set, and when the work plan check process confirms the end of the work plan, The plan flag is reset.

In the vehicle body control process, as shown in FIG. 10, first, it is checked whether or not the plan flag is set, and when the plan flag is reset, the process is not performed.
When the plan flag is in the set state, the control contents set in the work plan setting process are read out and it is checked whether or not the process corresponding thereto is actually present. As the process corresponding to the above control content, as shown in the figure, a stop process for stopping the work vehicle V, a straight-forward process for moving the work vehicle V forward or backward in a straight line based on the distance measurement information by the encoder S3. (End with distance measurement), straight forward processing (end with light source measurement) for moving the work vehicle V forward or backward to a position where the trigger sensor S2 detects the guiding beam lights A1, A2 a set number of times (end with light source measurement), each work stroke R1 , R2, a turning process for turning from the end of R2 to the start of the next stroke, orbit converging for making the steering control sensor S1 properly receive the guidance beam lights A1, A2, and seedling Each processing of the seedling supply device processing for instructing the supply and controlling the driving of the planting device 6 is prepared.
In the turning process and the trajectory converging process, the steering of the vehicle body is controlled by four-wheel steering.

Next, in the straight-ahead processing, the trajectory convergence processing, etc., based on the light reception information of the steering control sensor S1,
Steering control for automatically traveling along the work strokes R1 and R2 while guiding the work vehicle V to the guidance beam lights A1 and A2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, first,
Obtaining rolling angle data of the vehicle body 5 based on the detection information of the tilt sensor S6 and the potentiometer S5,
Depending on this rolling angle, the amount of deviation in the vehicle body lateral width direction of the vehicle body 5 based on the light reception information of the steering control sensor S1 is subjected to inclination correction processing. Then, the steering angle is set according to the corrected shift information, and the steering operation is performed. Specifically, 4
In the case of four-wheel steering, the turning angles of the rear wheels 4 and the front wheels 3 are calculated from the inclination φ of the vehicle body 5 and the lateral displacement deviation x ′ according to whether the vehicle is in the four-wheel steering (4WS) state. Set the rear wheel 4 and front wheel 3 so that they have a sharp corner,
In the case of two-wheel steering, the front wheel 4 is set so that the cutting angle of the front wheel 3 is calculated from the inclination φ and the lateral displacement x'and the rear wheel 4 is set to the neutral state. To do.

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, in order to hold the planting device 6 as the ground working part in a state in which it can be tilted in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, the planting device 6 is rotated around the axis Z along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Although the vehicle body 5 is held in a freely movable state, the holding structure of the ground working unit by the vehicle body is not limited to this. For example, in a four-link mechanism 20 extending rearward from the vehicle body 5 for holding the planting device 6, the lower two links are positionally fixed in the lateral direction of the vehicle body while the tips of the upper two links are fixed. The planting device 6 may be tilted in the left-right direction of the vehicle body by tilting the side in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. Then, in this case, the inclining means M for inclining the ground working part in the vehicle body left-right direction with respect to the vehicle body 5 is the screw shaft 24, the electric motor 25, and the buffer spring 2 described above.
6 and the female screw portion 27, etc., but is composed of the above two links, an arm for inclining and moving the links, a driving motor, and the like. The tilt angle detecting means for detecting the tilt angle is not the turning angle detecting means for detecting the turning angle around the axis Z, but for example, the tilt movement amount on the tip side of the upper two links is detected. It is composed of a stroke sensor and the like.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the planting device 6 is rotatable about the axis Z along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
The rotation angle detecting means for detecting the rotation angle around the axis Z when the sensor is held by the potentiometer S5 is not limited to this. For example, in FIG.
A stroke sensor or the like having one end supported by the female screw portion 27 and the other end supported by the bracket 23 may be configured so as to detect the amount of movement of the female screw portion 27 that moves in the vehicle body left-right direction. Further, even when the rotation angle detecting means is constituted by the potentiometer S5, the fixed portion S5a and the rotating portion S5 thereof are also included.
5b are not attached to the seedling planting device 6 together as in the above-described embodiment, but instead, for example, potentiometer S5.
Of the fixed part S5 by arranging the rotating shaft of the
Either one of a and the rotating portion S5b is attached to the vehicle body 5 side (the shaft member 28) and the other is attached to the planting device 6 side, or both the fixed portion S5a and the rotating portion S5b are attached to the vehicle body 5 side. May be.

Further, in the above embodiment, the inclination state detecting means for detecting the inclination state of the ground working portion (planting device 6) in the left-right direction of the vehicle body is constituted by the weight-type inclination sensor S6. It is not limited to.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the work vehicle V automatically travels while performing work (seedling planting work on the field) along the work strokes R1 and R2 as the travel strokes has been described. To set a guide route for traveling the work vehicle, and to automatically travel the work vehicle V along each traveling path of the guide route without performing work in a state of being guided by the beam light for guidance. It can also be applied in cases.

Further, in the above embodiment, each beam light projecting means B1 for projecting each beam light A1, A2, A3 for guidance.
Although B2 and B3 are configured by laser light generators, beam light generators other than laser light generators may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the steering control optical sensors S1 are arranged side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction at intervals to detect the light receiving positions of the guiding beam lights A1, A2 in the vehicle lateral direction, respectively. It is composed of a pair of optical sensors S1a and S1b, and one of the pair of optical sensors S1a and S1b (S1
The position deviation x in the lateral direction of the vehicle body based on the light receiving position X1 of a) is determined based on the difference between the light receiving positions X1 and X2 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body of the pair of optical sensors S1a and S1b and the distance information d in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Of the steering angle, and the positional deviation x and the inclination φ are used as deviation information in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the guiding beam lights A1 and A2. However, the configuration of the steering control optical sensor S1 is not limited to this. is not. For example, instead of a pair of optical sensors, one optical sensor is used,
The positional deviation x in the vehicle lateral direction obtained from the light receiving position may be used as the deviation information in the vehicle lateral direction with respect to the guiding light beams A1 and A2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the steering of the work vehicle V is constructed so as to be capable of four-wheel steering, and the steering means 7 to 7 are used.
10 is composed of a hydraulic cylinder and its control valve for steering the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 4 separately.
-10 are not limited to this, and various means are possible.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a work vehicle for rice planting as a beam light guide type work vehicle, and the ground working part is constituted by the seedling planting device 6. It can also be applied to agricultural work vehicles such as tractors other than the above, and various work vehicles other than agricultural work, and the specific configuration of each part such as the ground work section at that time is the purpose and working conditions of the work vehicle. It is variously changed according to.

It should be noted that reference numerals are added to the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an entire traveling route and a projection position of a guidance light beam.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a work vehicle and a beam light projection means for guidance.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a work vehicle and a guidance beam light detection sensor.

FIG. 4 is a rear view for explaining a means for maintaining a horizontal posture with respect to the planting part.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control configuration.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a rotation angle detecting means.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a light receiving position of a steering control optical sensor.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for correcting inclination of a deviation detection value in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of control operation.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of control operation.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 V Work vehicle B1, B2 Beam light projection means S1 Steering control optical sensor 5 Vehicle body 7-10 Steering means 100 Control means 6 Ground working part M Tilt means S6 Tilt state detection means 101 Horizontal maintenance means S5 Tilt angle detection means S5 Rotation angle detecting means S5 Potentiometer S5a Fixed part S5b Rotating part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Beam light projecting means (B1, B2) for projecting a guiding beam of light along the longitudinal direction of the traveling stroke so that the work vehicle (V) automatically travels along the traveling stroke,
Steering control light which is provided on the ground side and receives the guidance light beam so as to detect a deviation in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the guidance light beam projected by the light beam projection means (B1, B2). A sensor (S1), a steering means (7 to 10) for steering the vehicle body (5) of the work vehicle (V), and the work vehicle based on light reception information of the steering control optical sensor (S1). (V) control means (100) for controlling the operation of the steering means (7 to 10) so that the vehicle automatically travels along the traveling stroke; and the vehicle body (5) in a state in which the vehicle body can be tilted in the lateral direction. A ground working part (6) held by the ground, a tilting means (M) for tilting the ground working part (6) in the left-right direction of the vehicle body with respect to the vehicle body (5), and a vehicle body of the ground working part (6). An inclination state detecting means (S6) for detecting an inclination state to the ground in the left-right direction,
Horizontal maintaining means (101) for operating the inclining means (M) based on the information of the inclining state detecting means (S6) to maintain the earth working unit (6) in a horizontal posture with respect to the vehicle body in the left-right direction; A traveling control device for a beam light guide type work vehicle provided on the work vehicle (V), comprising: an inclination for detecting an inclination angle of the vehicle body (5) in a vehicle body left-right direction with respect to the ground working unit (6). An angle detecting means (S5) is provided, and the control means (100) controls the tilt state detecting means (S).
6) and the rolling angle of the vehicle body (5) in the lateral direction of the vehicle body based on the detection information of the inclination angle detecting means (S5), and based on the rolling angle information, the steering control optical sensor (S1). ) A beam light guide type work vehicle configured to operate the steering means (7 to 10) based on the corrected shift information obtained by correcting the shift amount in the vehicle body lateral direction with respect to the guidance beam light. Control device for car. 2. The ground work section (6) is held by the vehicle body (5) in a rotatable state about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the inclination angle detecting means (S5) is used for the ground work. The beam light guide type working vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation angle detection means (S5) for detecting a rotation angle of the vehicle body (5) about the axis with respect to the portion (6). Travel control device. 3. The fixed part (S5a) attached to the ground working part (6) or the vehicle body (5) by the rotation angle detecting means (S5), and the ground working part (6) or the vehicle body (5). 5) is attached to the rotating part (S5) that rotates relative to the fixed part (S5a) in association with the change in the rotation angle.
The travel control device for a beam light guide type working vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the travel control device comprises a potentiometer (S5) including b).