JP6983117B2 - Harvester - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a harvester including a harvest tank for storing the harvested harvest and an unloader for discharging the harvest from the harvest tank to the outside of the machine using engine power.

In the combine disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the main shift lever is in the stopped position and the discharge clutch is in the disengaged state, the rotation speed of the engine is adjusted to the idling speed, and when the main shift lever is operated in the shift region. Discloses a combine in which the engine speed is increased to the rated speed (the high speed at which the engine obtains the maximum output). Further, when the exhaust clutch is set to the engaged state, the rotation speed of the engine is adjusted to the target rotation speed set by the accelerator setting dial. As a result, when the grains in the grain tank are discharged using the unloader, the rotation speed of the engine is adjusted to an arbitrary rotation speed set by the operator, which is excessive with respect to the grains during the discharge work. The inconvenience of exerting force and the inconvenience of excessive fuel consumption are suppressed.

In the combine disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the exhaust clutch is switched to the disengaged state, the first set rotation speed set by the accelerator operating tool is set to the control target rotation speed of the engine, and the output rotation speed of the engine is increased. It is controlled so as not to exceed the first set rotation speed. Further, when the discharge clutch is switched to the connected state, the second set rotation speed lower than the first set rotation speed is set as the control target rotation speed of the engine, and the output rotation speed of the engine exceeds the second set rotation speed. It is controlled not to.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-90607 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-14333

In the combine disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when the harvested product is discharged from the harvested product tank to the outside of the machine by using the unloader, the engine speed is lower than that during the running work, so that the speed is higher than necessary. Driving the transport mechanism of the unloader is avoided. However, in each combine, the engine speed is lowered after the exhaust clutch that triggers the supply of engine power to the transport mechanism of the unloader is connected. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the engine is rotating at high speed when the discharge clutch is engaged, and there remains a problem that an excessive force is applied to the harvested material such as grains at the start of discharge.
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to provide a harvester in which an excessive force is not applied to the harvested product when the harvested product is discharged using the unloader.

The harvester according to the present invention includes a harvest tank for storing the harvested crop, an unloader having a transport mechanism for discharging the harvest from the harvest tank to the outside of the machine using power from an engine, and the above. Based on the discharge clutch having an on-position for driving the transfer mechanism and an off-position for stopping the transfer mechanism, and an on-actuary signal for switching the discharge clutch to the on-position based on the clutch on-engagement command, an on-actuary operation signal for switching the exhaust clutch to the on-off position is output and the clutch off command is issued. Based on this, the discharge clutch control unit that outputs a disengagement operation signal that switches the discharge clutch to the disengagement position, the engine rotation speed, the idling rotation speed, the rated rotation speed, the idling rotation speed, and the rated rotation speed. It is equipped with an engine control unit that adjusts to the discharge speed between. Further, in the present invention, the exhaust clutch control unit requests the engine control unit to adjust to the exhaust rotation speed based on the clutch engagement command, and when the rotation speed of the engine reaches the discharge rotation speed. When the entry operation signal is output to the engine and the discharge clutch control unit outputs the entry operation signal, the engine control unit maintains the rotation speed of the engine until the discharge clutch is switched to the disengagement position .

In this configuration, even if a clutch engagement command is issued to switch the discharge clutch that drives the unloader's transfer mechanism to the engagement position based on an operation on the operating tool, the engine is before the ejection clutch is actually switched to the engagement position. The rotation speed of is adjusted to the discharge rotation speed suitable for driving the transport mechanism. That is, the engine control for adjusting the engine speed to the discharge speed is first performed by using the clutch engagement command as a trigger. Next, when the engine speed reaches the discharge speed, an entry operation signal for setting the discharge clutch to the engagement position is output. That is, after the engine speed reaches the discharge speed suitable for driving the unloader transport mechanism, the discharge clutch is engaged and the engine power is transmitted to the transport mechanism. This solves the problem that excessive force is applied to the transported crop such as grains at the start of discharge.

When trying to eject the harvest to the outside of the aircraft using the unloader, the engine speed may be lower than the ejection speed. The unloader transfer mechanism can be driven even if the engine speed is lower than the preset discharge speed. Depending on the condition of the harvested material, the operator may intentionally drive the transport mechanism using an engine speed lower than the discharge speed. Therefore, in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the exhaust clutch control unit is the engine control unit based on the clutch engagement command when the current engine rotation speed is higher than the discharge rotation speed. Is requested to adjust to the discharge rotation speed, and when the current engine rotation speed is lower than the discharge rotation speed, the entry operation is performed without requesting adjustment to the discharge rotation speed based on the clutch engagement command. Output a signal . As a result, when the harvester is to be discharged to the outside of the machine using the unloader, the engine speed is forcibly increased even though the operator is trying to drive the transport mechanism at an engine speed lower than the discharge speed. The inconvenience of being changed to the discharge rotation speed is avoided.

It is an overall side view of a combine. It is the whole plan view of a combine. It is a functional block diagram for the grain emission control by a combine. It is a flowchart which shows the relationship between the discharge clutch control and the engine rotation control.

Hereinafter, a case where the embodiment of the harvester according to the present invention is applied to a head-feeding combine will be described with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, when defining the front-rear direction of the aircraft, it is defined along the traveling direction of the aircraft in the working state, and when defining the left-right direction of the aircraft, the left and right are defined in the state of the traveling direction of the aircraft. .. That is, the direction indicated by the reference numeral (F) in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the front side of the machine, and the direction indicated by the reference numeral (B) in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the rear side of the machine body. The direction indicated by the reference numeral (L) in FIG. 2 is the left side of the aircraft, and the direction indicated by the reference numeral (R) in FIG. 2 is the right side of the aircraft.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this combine employs a pair of left and right crawler traveling devices as the traveling device 1, and the planted culm is cut at the front part of the machine body supported by the traveling device 1. The cutting section 12 is arranged. A driving unit 14 whose circumference is covered with a cabin 13 is arranged on the right side of the front part of the machine body, and a threshing device 15 and a grain tank 16 as a harvest tank are arranged side by side at the rear part of the machine body. Is located in. The threshing device 15 threshes the culm cut by the cutting unit 12. The grains obtained by the threshing process are stored. The engine 18 is arranged below the driver's seat 17 in the driver's unit 14. Further, an unloader 3 for discharging the grains stored in the grain tank 16 to the outside of the machine (outside the machine) is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the unloader 3 includes a vertical feed screw conveyor 32 provided on the rear side of the machine body of the grain tank 16 and a horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 extending above the threshing device 15. ing. The transport mechanism 30 of the unloader 3 includes a vertical feed screw conveyor 32 and a horizontal feed screw conveyor 33. At the bottom of the grain tank 16, a bottom screw 19 is provided to transfer the grains stored in the grain tank 16 to the vertical feed screw conveyor 32. The grains delivered from the bottom screw 19 are sent to the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 via the vertical feed screw conveyor 32, and are discharged to the outside from the discharge port 34 provided at the tip of the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33. The bottom screw 19, the vertical feed screw conveyor 32, and the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 are configured to mechanically rotate synchronously. The power of the engine 18 is transmitted from the bottom screw 19 to the transport mechanism 30 (vertical feed screw conveyor 32 and horizontal feed screw conveyor 33). A discharge clutch 7 is interposed in the power transmission path from the engine 18 to the bottom screw 19 (see FIG. 3). When the discharge clutch 7 is in the engaged position, the engine power is transmitted to the bottom screw 19 and the transport mechanism 30, and when the discharge clutch 7 is in the disengaged position, the transmission of the engine power to the bottom screw 19 and the transport mechanism 30 is cut off. Will be done.

The lateral feed screw conveyor 33 is configured to be vertically swingable around the horizontal axis P1 at the base end by a hydraulic cylinder 36. Further, the vertical feed screw conveyor 32 is configured to be rotatable around the vertical axis core P2 by a drive unit 37 including an electric motor or a hydraulic cylinder together with the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33. As a result, the discharge port 34 of the lateral feed screw conveyor 33 can be positioned at a position where grains can be discharged to a transport truck or the like outside the machine. That is, the lateral feed screw conveyor 33 of the unloader 3 can change its posture between a discharge posture in which grains are discharged from the grain tank 16 to the outside of the machine and a storage posture in which the grains are stored inside the machine.

The posture in which the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 is substantially horizontal and the entire horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 fits within the outer shape of the harvester in a plan view is the home position of the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 (the storage posture of the unloader 3). In the home position, the lateral feed screw conveyor 33 is firmly held from below by the holding device 38. The holding device 38 forms an arch-shaped receiving surface that opens upward, and receives and fixes the lower surface of the lateral feed screw conveyor 33 at the home position where the lateral feed screw conveyor 33 is in a substantially horizontal posture.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a power transmission path for transmitting power from the engine 18 to the crawler traveling device 1 and the unloader 3. The first branch power from the engine 18 is transmitted to the transmission 10 that drives the crawler traveling device 1. The transmission 10 includes a hydraulic continuously variable transmission (hereinafter abbreviated as HST) 11 as a continuously variable transmission. By adjusting the swash plate angle of the HST 11 using, for example, the electric motor 11a, the drive speed of the crawler traveling device 1, that is, the vehicle speed is changed.

Further, FIG. 3 shows a functional block for controlling grain emission in this combine. Various signals are input to the control unit 5 via the input signal processing unit 61. The control unit 5 controls the operating device by sending various control signals via the device control unit 62. This operating device includes a hydraulic cylinder 36 that swings the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 up and down, a drive unit 37 that horizontally rotates the vertical feed screw conveyor 32, a discharge clutch 7, an electric motor 11a, and the like. Signals from the traveling operation tool 41, the work operation tool 42, and the rotation speed setting tool 43 are input to the input signal processing unit 61. Further, detection signals from the vehicle speed sensor 45 and the engine speed sensor 44 are also input to the input signal processing unit 61. The vehicle speed sensor 45 is an axle rotation speed sensor that detects the axle rotation speed of the crawler traveling device 1. The vehicle speed is calculated from this axle rotation speed.

The traveling operation tool 41 is a general term for devices used by a driver to operate an operating device related to traveling, such as an operating device constituting the traveling device 1, and includes a speed change lever, a steering lever, and the like. By operating the traveling operation tool 41, the driving speeds of the left and right crawlers constituting the traveling device 1 are adjusted. The traveling operation tool 41 may be a multifunction lever having multiple functions, may be at least one single-function lever, or may be a combination thereof. The work operation tool 42 is a general term for devices used by the driver to operate the operating equipment constituting the cutting unit 12, the threshing device 15, the unloader 3, and the like, and is a cutting clutch lever, a threshing clutch lever, a discharge clutch lever, and the like. Includes unloader attitude change switch and so on. The work operating tool 42 may also be a multifunctional lever having multiple functions, at least one single-function lever, or a combination thereof. The rotation speed setting tool 43 is a general term for an accelerator lever, an accelerator pedal, and an accelerator dial, and is used for adjusting and setting an engine rotation speed. Basically, when the operation amount of the rotation speed setting tool 43 is zero, the engine 18 rotates at the idling rotation speed.

The engine control unit 63 adjusts the fuel supply amount and the like to the engine 18 based on a command from the control unit 5 to drive the engine 18 at a predetermined engine speed or a predetermined torque.

The control unit 5 includes a travel control unit 51, a work control unit 52, an unloader control unit 53, a discharge clutch control unit 54, and an engine speed command unit 55. The travel control unit 51 outputs a control signal for adjusting the swash plate angle of the HST 11 via the device control unit 62 in order to control the drive of the travel device 1. This control signal adjusts the vehicle speed and steers in the left-right direction (turning in the left-right direction).

The work control unit 52 generates a control command to the work device such as the cutting unit 12 and the threshing device 15 based on the command from the work operation tool 42, and outputs the control command to the work device via the device control unit 62. The unloader control unit 53 controls the posture of the unloader 3, that is, the postures of the vertical feed screw conveyor 32 and the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33, based on the command from the work operation tool 42.

The discharge clutch control unit 54 outputs an entry operation signal for switching the discharge clutch 7 to the entry position based on the clutch engagement command output by the driver operating the work operation tool 42. Further, the discharge clutch control unit 54 outputs a disengagement operation signal for switching the discharge clutch 7 to the disengagement position based on the clutch disengagement command output when the driver operates the work operation tool 42. However, when the engine speed is higher than the preset discharge speed, the discharge clutch control unit 54 makes a request to reduce the engine speed, and when the engine speed reaches the discharge speed. In, the operation signal is output. That is, when the engine speed at the time of receiving the clutch engagement command is higher than the discharge speed, the discharge clutch control unit 54 requests the engine speed command unit 55 to reduce the engine speed. As a result, the engine rotation speed command unit 55 gives a command to the engine control unit 63 to lower the engine rotation speed to the discharge rotation speed. If the engine speed at the time of receiving the clutch engagement command is equal to or less than the discharge speed, for example, even if the engine speed is idling speed or a low speed close to it, the engine speed is increased to the discharge speed. The input operation signal is output without any adjustment.

The engine rotation speed command unit 55 generates an engine rotation speed command to be given to the engine control unit 63 based on the operation amount of the rotation speed setting tool 43 and the request from the discharge clutch control unit 54 as described above. The engine control unit 63 has a function of controlling the rotation speed of the engine 18. The preset engine speed includes an idling speed, a rated speed (maximum output speed), and a discharge speed. The discharge rotation speed is the engine rotation speed between the idling rotation speed and the rated rotation speed, and is substantially the rotation speed at which the transport mechanism 30 can function appropriately and with good fuel efficiency. This discharge rotation speed can be set to any rotation speed, but it is preferable that the discharge rotation speed exceeds the idling rotation speed and is less than the rated rotation speed.

Next, the basic concept of the relationship between the discharge clutch control and the engine rotation control will be described with reference to FIG. The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is for explaining a basic concept, and in actual control, various control flows can be adopted as long as this basic concept is satisfied. In the rotation speed control of the engine 18 (engine rotation speed control routine), the engine rotation speed becomes equal to or less than the discharge rotation speed when the work operation tool 42 is operated to put the discharge clutch 7 in the engaged position. As a result, it is avoided that the transport mechanism 30 of the unloader 3 is driven at an engine rotation speed (for example, a rated rotation speed) that exceeds the discharge rotation speed.

The engine speed control routine starts when the engine 18 starts, and ends when the engine 18 stops (# 06Yes branch). When the engine rotation speed control routine is started, the engine rotation speed calculated based on the detection signal from the engine rotation speed sensor 44 is acquired (# 01). The acquired engine speed is stored in the memory as the current engine speed (# 02). New engine speeds such as an engine speed setting command by the speed setting tool 43, a speed change request generated during various processes of the control unit 5, and a speed change request generated during the processing of the engine control unit 63. It is checked whether a setting change request has been made (# 03). If there is no request to change the engine speed setting (# 03No branch), the process returns to step # 01.

When there is a request to change the engine speed setting (# 03Yes branch), the target engine speed is calculated based on the request (# 04). An engine rotation speed adjustment command including the calculated target engine rotation speed is given to the engine control unit 63 (# 05). Unless the engine 18 is stopped (# 06No branch), the process returns to step # 01.

In the discharge clutch control routine that controls the on / off of the discharge clutch 7, first, the discharge clutch operation command (clutch engagement command or clutch disengagement command) by the work operating tool 42, or the clutch engagement command or clutch generated during various processes of the control unit 5 It is checked whether or not the disengagement command is given to the discharge clutch control unit 54 (# 10). If the discharge clutch operation command is not given (# 10 "none" branch), the process returns to step # 10 and the loop is repeated until the discharge clutch operation command is given.

When the discharge clutch operation command is given (# 10 "Yes" branch) and the command content is "Enter command", the engine speed (current speed) stored in the memory in step # 02 of engine speed control. ) Is read (# 21). The read current rotation speed is compared with the discharge rotation speed preset as the engine rotation speed appropriate for driving the unloader 3 (# 22). When the current rotation speed is larger than the discharge rotation speed (# 22Yes branch), a rotation speed reduction request for reducing the engine rotation speed to the discharge rotation speed is given to the engine rotation speed command unit 55 (# 23), and the process returns to step # 21. ..

When a rotation speed reduction request is given to the engine rotation speed command unit 55, the engine rotation speed is reduced to the discharge rotation speed by steps # 03, # 04, and # 05 of the engine rotation speed control routine, and stored in the memory in step # 02. The engine speed to be calculated is the discharge speed. As a result, in step # 22 of the discharge clutch control routine, the current rotation speed read from the memory becomes the discharge rotation speed (# 22 No branch), and the discharge clutch control unit 54 switches the discharge clutch 7 to the input position. Is output to the device control unit 62. As a result, the discharge clutch 7 is in a state of transmitting engine power to the transport mechanism 30 via the bottom screw 19 (# 24).

If the discharge clutch operation command of the "entry command" is issued when the engine speed is equal to or lower than the discharge speed, No branch is immediately performed in step 22 and the discharge clutch 7 is engaged from the discharge clutch control unit 54. The on-operation signal for switching to the position is output to the device control unit 62 (# 24). That is, when the current rotation speed is equal to or less than the discharge rotation speed, there is no request to increase the engine rotation speed to the discharge rotation speed.

Further, in step # 10, when the discharge clutch operation command given to the discharge clutch control unit 54 is a clutch disengagement command (“disengagement command” is selected in the # 10 “yes” branch), the discharge clutch control unit 54 immediately selects the “disengagement command”. A turning operation signal for switching the discharging clutch 7 to the cutting position is output to the device control unit 62, and the discharging clutch 7 is in a state of cutting off transmission of engine power to the transport mechanism 30 (# 31).

[Another Embodiment]
(1) In the flowchart of FIG. 4, the engine speed when the discharge clutch 7 is switched to the entry position, the grain unloading by the unloader 3 is completed, and the discharge clutch 7 is switched to the cut position again is the discharge speed. Will remain. Of course, when the discharge clutch 7 is switched to the disengagement position again, a configuration may be adopted in which the engine speed is returned to the engine speed before the discharge clutch 7 is switched to the on position. At that time, when the engine speed before switching is higher than the exhaust speed, it is preferable to gradually increase the engine speed to the extent that the driver does not feel uncomfortable, instead of rapidly increasing the engine speed. The timing of outputting the disengagement operation signal for switching the discharge clutch 7 to the disengagement position based on the clutch disengagement command may be before or after the adjustment of the engine rotation speed, but the grain remains in the unloader 3. In consideration of the above, it is preferable to output a disengagement operation signal and increase the engine speed in a state where the exhaust clutch 7 is completely in the disengagement position.

(2) The discharge rotation speed used in the above embodiment is not limited to one. For example, a high-speed discharge rotation speed, a medium-speed discharge rotation speed, and a low-speed discharge rotation speed may be set and selected according to the amount of storage in the grain tank 16. Further, one discharge rotation speed may be arbitrarily selected.

(3) In the above embodiment, the unloader 3 is composed of a vertical feed screw conveyor 32 and a horizontal feed screw conveyor 33. Instead of this, the horizontal feed screw conveyor 33 may be omitted, and an unloader 3 provided with a discharge port 34 at the tip of the tilting vertical feed screw conveyor 32 may be adopted.

(4) In the above embodiment, the power to the transport mechanism 30 is supplied via the bottom screw 19, but the engine power may be supplied to the transport mechanism 30 without going through the bottom screw 19.

(5) In the above embodiment, the current rotation speed is calculated from the detection signal of the engine rotation speed sensor 44, but a configuration in which the current rotation speed is acquired from the engine control unit 63 may be adopted.

The present invention can be applied not only to a head-feeding combine, but also to a normal combine and a harvester such as a corn harvester (grain harvester).

1: Traveling device (crawler traveling device)
3: Unloader 5: Control unit 7: Discharge clutch 16: Grain tank 17: Driver's seat 18: Engine 19: Bottom screw 30: Conveyance mechanism 32: Vertical feed screw conveyor 33: Horizontal feed screw conveyor 42: Work operation tool 43: Rotation speed setting tool 44: Engine rotation speed sensor 51: Travel control unit 52: Work control unit 53: Unloader control unit 54: Discharge clutch control unit 55: Engine rotation speed command unit 63: Engine control unit

Claims (2)

A harvest tank that stores the harvested harvest, and
An unloader having a transport mechanism that discharges the harvested material from the harvested tank to the outside of the machine using power from the engine.
A discharge clutch having an entry position for driving the transfer mechanism and a cut position for stopping the transfer mechanism.
An discharge clutch control unit that outputs an on-action signal for switching the discharge clutch to the on-position based on the clutch-engagement command and outputs an off-action signal for switching the discharge clutch to the off-position based on the clutch disengagement command.
It is provided with an engine control unit that adjusts the engine rotation speed to the idling rotation speed, the rated rotation speed, and the discharge rotation speed between the idling rotation speed and the rated rotation speed.
The discharge clutch control unit requests the engine control unit to adjust to the discharge rotation speed based on the clutch engagement command, and when the engine rotation speed reaches the discharge rotation speed, the engagement operation signal is transmitted. Output and
When the discharge clutch control unit outputs the entry operation signal, the engine control unit is a harvester that maintains the rotation speed of the engine until the discharge clutch is switched to the disengagement position. When the current engine rotation speed is higher than the discharge rotation speed, the discharge clutch control unit requests the engine control unit to adjust to the discharge rotation speed based on the clutch engagement command, and the current engine rotation speed is reached. The harvester according to claim 1, wherein when the number is lower than the discharge rotation speed, the engagement operation signal is output without requesting adjustment to the discharge rotation speed based on the clutch engagement command.

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