JP7534993B2 - Automatic driving method, combine and automatic driving system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic operation method for a combine harvester that eliminates clogging of harvested stalks, a combine harvester, and an automatic operation system.

Conventionally, a combine harvester that harvests culms while traveling through a field transports the culms harvested in the harvesting section to a threshing section, where the culms are threshed and the grains are extracted. The harvesting section, for example, includes a raking auger that rakes in the harvested culms from the unharvested area, and a feeder house with a transport conveyor that transports the harvested culms to the threshing section.

For example, the harvester disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cutting device that cuts the culms planted in the field, and a harvesting section that has an auger that is driven by engine power to feed the harvested culms laterally across the width of the machine body. The harvester also includes a transport device that transports the harvested culms toward the rear of the machine body, a threshing device that receives the harvested culms transported by the transport device and threshes them, a rotation speed detection sensor that detects the rotation speed of the auger, and an auger condition determination unit that determines whether the auger is operating abnormally based on a detection signal from the rotation speed detection sensor. The auger condition determination unit determines whether the auger is clogged from a decrease in the auger rotation speed.

The combine disclosed in Patent Document 2 is configured to acquire location information using a GPS and to be able to travel autonomously based on the location information.

JP 2020-123 A Patent No. 675517

However, in conventional combine harvesters such as that in Patent Document 1, if the reaping section becomes clogged with stalks, the operator must remove the clogged stalks, which places a burden on the operator. Conventional combine harvesters that perform automatic reaping travel do not take into account the case where the reaping section becomes clogged with stalks, and the operator must manually interrupt the automatic reaping travel to clear the clog, and must also set the resumption position and resume the automatic reaping travel, which places a burden on the operator.

The present invention aims to provide an automatic operation method, a combine harvester, and an automatic operation system that can eliminate blockages of stalks in the harvesting section without placing a burden on the operator.

In order to solve the above problems, the automatic operation method of the present invention is a method for automatically operating a combine harvester, the combine harvester having a harvesting unit that harvests culms in an unharvested area, the harvesting unit having a rotatable auger that rakes in the harvested culms from the unharvested area, and a rotatable transport conveyor that transports the harvested culms, the automatic operation method having a detection process for detecting a blockage of the culms in the harvesting unit, and a harvesting control process for controlling the harvesting unit, and when the detection process detects a blockage of the culms, the harvesting control process interrupts the harvesting of the culms by the harvesting unit and drives at least one of the auger and the transport conveyor in reverse as a clearing member.

In order to solve the above problem, the combine harvester of the present invention comprises a harvesting unit that harvests culms in an unharvested area, a detection unit that detects clogging of the culms in the harvesting unit, and a harvesting control unit that controls the harvesting unit. The harvesting unit comprises a rotatable auger that rakes in the culms harvested from the unharvested area, and a rotatable transport conveyor that transports the harvested culms. When the detection unit detects a clogging of the culms, the harvesting control unit stops the harvesting of the culms by the harvesting unit and reverses the rotation of at least one of the auger and the transport conveyor as a clogging member.

In order to solve the above problem, the automatic operation system of the present invention is an automatic operation system for a combine harvester equipped with a harvesting unit that harvests culms in an unharvested area, and is equipped with a detection unit that detects clogging of the culms in the harvesting unit and a harvesting control unit that controls the harvesting unit. The harvesting unit is equipped with a rotatable raking auger that rakes in the culms harvested from the unharvested area and a rotatable transport conveyor that transports the harvested culms. When the detection unit detects a clogging of the culms, the harvesting control unit stops the harvesting of the culms by the harvesting unit and drives at least one of the raking auger and the transport conveyor in reverse as a clogging member.

The present invention provides an automatic operation method, a combine harvester, and an automatic operation system that can eliminate blockages of stalks in the harvesting section without placing a burden on the operator.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention with the reaping unit raised. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an example of a farm field in which stalks stuck in the cutting section of a combine harvester according to another embodiment of the present invention are discharged onto an uncut area in the direction of travel. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an example of a farm field in which stalks stuck in the cutting section of a combine harvester according to another embodiment of the present invention are discharged onto an uncut area in a direction intersecting the direction of travel.

A combine harvester 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and other figures. The combine harvester 1 travels through a field to be worked on, either automatically or manually, and performs work such as reaping to harvest crops from stalks planted in the field. The combine harvester 1 is configured to perform, for example, automatic work in which steering is controlled by automatic driving, while the traveling speed is controlled in response to manual operation, and unmanned work in which steering and traveling speed are controlled by automatic driving, and can travel, turn, and work autonomously within the field.

The combine harvester 1 is configured to perform automatic reaping travel, which automatically reaps while traveling automatically along a travel route of a predetermined travel pattern. For example, the combine harvester 1 performs automatic reaping travel with a travel pattern such as reciprocating reaping, which makes multiple trips back and forth in an area of a field that has uncut stalks (hereinafter referred to as the uncut area), and circular reaping, which repeats a trip along the inner circumference of the uncut area while shifting it toward the center.

As shown in FIG. 1, the combine harvester 1 is a so-called normal type combine harvester, and includes a traveling section 2, a reaping section 3, a threshing section 4, a sorting section 5, a storage section 6, a straw waste processing section 7, a power section 8, and a steering section 9. The combine harvester 1 travels on the traveling section 2, threshes the stalks harvested by the reaping section 3 in the threshing section 4, and sorts the grains in the sorting section 5 and stores them in the storage section 6. The combine harvester 1 processes the straw waste after threshing in the straw waste processing section 7. The combine harvester 1 drives the traveling section 2, the reaping section 3, the threshing section 4, the sorting section 5, the storage section 6, and the straw waste processing section 7 with the power supplied by the power section 8.

The traveling unit 2 is provided below the machine frame 10 and includes a pair of left and right crawler-type traveling devices 11 and a transmission (not shown). The traveling unit 2 rotates the crawlers of the crawler-type traveling devices 11 using power (e.g., rotational power) transmitted from the engine 31 of the power unit 8, causing the combine 1 to travel in the forward/rearward direction and turn in the left/right direction. The transmission transmits the power (rotational power) of the power unit 8 to the crawler-type traveling devices 11, and can also change the speed of the rotational power.

The harvesting unit 3 is provided in front of the traveling unit 2 and harvests a specified harvest width of stalks in the unharvested area. The harvesting unit 3 includes a divider 13, a raking reel 14, a cutting blade 15, a raking auger 16, a feeder house 17, and a transport conveyor 18.

The dividers 13 are provided to protrude forward from the left and right front ends of the reaping section 3, and guide the culms in the uncut area within the reaping width. The raking reel 14 is provided behind the dividers 13 and is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. The raking reel 14 rotates to assist in the reaping of the culms guided by the dividers 13, raising the culms and raking in the tips of the culms. The cutting blade 15 is provided below the raking reel 14, and cuts the base side of the culms raked in by the raking reel 14 to reaper the culms.

The raking auger 16 is disposed behind the raking reel 14 and the cutting blade 15 and is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. When driven to rotate, the raking auger 16 raks in the stalks cut by the cutting blade 15 and transports them rearward.

The feeder house 17 extends forward from the machine frame 10 and is positioned behind the raking auger 16. It is supported by the machine frame 10 so as to be rotatable around the drive shaft 18a of the transport conveyor 18. When the feeder house 17 rotates, the divider 13, raking reel 14, cutting blade 15, and raking auger 16 provided in front of the feeder house 17 are raised and lowered, i.e., the reaping section 3 is raised and lowered. The combine harvester 1 is equipped with a lifting device 19 on the machine frame 10 that rotates the feeder house 17 to raise and lower the reaping section 3. The lifting device 19 is composed of, for example, a hydraulic cylinder that is operated by receiving power from the engine 31.

The transport conveyor 18 is rotatably installed inside the feeder house 17 and moves with the rotation of the feeder house 17. When the transport conveyor 18 is driven to rotate, it transports the stalks transported into the feeder house 17 by the raking auger 16 further rearward to the threshing section 4.

The harvesting unit 3 is equipped with a detection unit 20 that detects clogging of the stalks transported by the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18. The detection unit 20 may be configured, for example, with a rotation speed sensor that detects abnormalities in the rotation speed of at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18, and may detect clogging of the stalks by determining abnormality in the rotation speed of the raking auger 16 or the transport conveyor 18 when the rotation speed is below a predetermined rotation speed threshold. The detection unit 20 may be provided separately for each of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18, and may detect abnormalities in the rotation speed of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 separately.

The threshing section 4 is provided behind the feeder house 17 of the harvesting section 3, and threshes the stew transported from the feeder house 17. The threshing section 4 includes a threshing drum 22 and a receiving net 23. The threshing drum 22 threshes the grains from the stew transported from the feeder house 17, and transports the threshed stew, i.e., waste straw, to the straw waste processing section 7. The receiving net 23 supports the stew transported by the threshing drum 22, and sifts and drops the grains.

The sorting section 5 is provided below the threshing section 4. The sorting section 5 includes an oscillating sorting device 25, an air blowing sorting device 26, a grain conveying device (not shown), and a straw dust discharge device (not shown). The oscillating sorting device 25 sifts the threshing grains that have fallen from the threshing section 4 to separate them into grains, straw dust, etc. The air blowing sorting device 26 further separates the threshing grains that have fallen from the threshing section 4 and the threshing grains that have been sorted by the oscillating sorting device into grains, straw dust, etc. by blowing air. The grain conveying device transports the grains that have been sorted by the oscillating sorting device 25 and the air blowing sorting device 26 to the storage section 6. The straw dust discharge device discharges straw dust, etc. other than the grains that have been sorted by the oscillating sorting device 25 and the air blowing sorting device 26 to the outside of the machine.

The storage section 6 is provided to the right of the threshing section 4. The storage section 6 includes a grain tank 28 and a grain discharge device 29. The grain tank 28 stores the grains transported from the sorting section 5. The grain discharge device 29 is configured with a discharge auger and the like, and discharges the grains by discharging the grains stored in the grain tank 28 to any desired location.

The straw waste processing section 7 is provided behind the threshing section 4. The straw waste processing section 7 includes, for example, a straw waste conveying device (not shown) and a straw waste cutting device (not shown). The straw waste processing section 7 transports the straw transported from the threshing section 4 to the straw waste cutting device by the straw waste conveying device, cuts the straw by the straw waste cutting device, and then discharges it to the rear of the combine 1.

The power unit 8 is provided above the traveling section 2 and below the storage section 6. The power unit 8 includes an engine 31 that generates rotational power. The power unit 8 transmits the rotational power generated by the engine 31 to the traveling section 2, the reaping section 3, the threshing section 4, the sorting section 5, the storage section 6, and the straw waste processing section 7. The combine 1 also includes a fuel tank that stores fuel to be supplied to the engine 31 of the power unit 8.

The control unit 9 is provided above the power unit 8. The control unit 9 includes a driver's seat (not shown) where the operator sits, and multiple operating tools (not shown). The operating tools include a handle for changing the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1, i.e., for steering the combine harvester 1, and the operator can control the travel and operation of the combine harvester 1 by operating the operating tools such as the handle. The operating tools also include a mechanism for adjusting the travel speed of the traveling part 2 of the combine harvester 1, and a lift switch for raising and lowering the harvesting part 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the combine harvester 1 is equipped with a positioning unit 33 that acquires position information of the combine harvester 1 using a satellite positioning system such as GPS. The positioning unit 33 receives a positioning signal from a positioning satellite via a positioning antenna, and acquires the position information of the positioning unit 33, i.e., the position information of the combine harvester 1, based on the positioning signal.

The combine harvester 1 may be configured to be able to communicate with a base station (not shown) installed on the ridges around the field. The base station receives a positioning signal from a positioning satellite via a positioning antenna, and acquires the base station's position information based on the positioning signal. The base station transmits correction information based on the base station's position information to the combine harvester 1 (e.g., the positioning unit 33). The combine harvester 1 (e.g., the positioning unit 33) receives the correction information from the base station, and corrects the position information of the positioning unit 33, i.e., the position information of the combine harvester 1, based on the correction information.

Next, the control device 50 of the combine harvester 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

The control device 50 is composed of a computer such as a CPU, and is connected to a storage unit 51 such as a ROM, RAM, hard disk drive, or flash memory, and a communication unit 52 that communicates with external devices. The storage unit 51 stores programs and data for controlling the various components and functions of the combine harvester 1, and the control device 50 controls the various components and functions by executing calculations based on the programs and data stored in the storage unit 51.

The control device 50, for example, controls the positioning unit 33 to acquire position information of the combine harvester 1. The control device 50 controls the detection unit 20 of the harvesting unit 3 to detect blockages of stumps in the raking auger 16 or the transport conveyor 18, and acquires the detection results.

The memory unit 51 stores, for example, field information about the field on which the combine harvester 1 is to work. The field information includes the shape, size, and position information (coordinates, etc.) of the field edges that constitute the perimeter of the field, as well as the shape, size, and position information (coordinates, etc.) of the unmowed areas of the field. The memory unit 51 also stores the travel route that is set for the unmowed areas during automatic mowing travel, and stores the unmowed areas through which automatic mowing travel has been performed as mowed areas.

The communication unit 52 is capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal 53 held by the worker via a wireless communication antenna. The control device 50 controls the communication unit 52 to wirelessly communicate with the mobile terminal 53 and transmits and receives various information to and from the mobile terminal 53.

The mobile terminal 53 is one of the components of the combine harvester 1 and is a terminal capable of remotely controlling the combine harvester 1, and is configured, for example, as a tablet terminal equipped with a touch panel or a notebook-type personal computer. Note that an operating device similar to the mobile terminal 53 may be provided in the control unit 9.

The mobile terminal 53 is configured to receive input operations, such as touch operations on a touch panel, for field information related to the field to be worked on, and displays, for example, a field information setting screen on which the field information can be set. On the field information setting screen, the mobile terminal 53 can also display a field map based on the field information, and display the travel path of the combine 1 on the field map so that the travel direction can be seen.

The mobile terminal 53 has a function to accept the selection of the driving pattern for the automatic reaping driving of the combine harvester 1, and when creating a driving route for automatic reaping driving, displays on the touch panel a driving selection screen for selecting a driving pattern of reciprocating mowing or circular mowing. The mobile terminal 53 transmits the driving pattern (reciprocating mowing or circular mowing) input in response to the operation of the driving selection screen to the combine harvester 1, and instructs the creation of the driving route.

The control device 50 also operates as a field information setting unit 60, a travel route creation unit 61, an automatic driving control unit 62, and a reaping control unit 63 by executing the programs stored in the memory unit 51. The travel route creation unit 61, the automatic driving control unit 62, and the reaping control unit 63 realize the automatic driving control process and the reaping control process of the automatic driving method of the present invention. The detection unit 20 of the reaping unit 3 realizes the detection process of the automatic driving method of the present invention. The control device 50 based on the operation of the mobile terminal 53 functions as a selection unit that selects whether or not to drive the reaping unit 3 in reverse, and realizes the selection process of the automatic driving method of the present invention.

The field information setting unit 60 automatically or manually sets field information related to the field to be worked on and stores it in the memory unit 51. For example, the field information setting unit 60 manually sets the field information in response to an input operation of the field information on the field information setting screen of the mobile terminal 53. Alternatively, the field information setting unit 60 may receive field information stored in an external device and automatically set it.

As another example, the field information setting unit 60 may acquire a field image of the field to be worked on, and set the field information based on the results of image analysis of the field image. The field information setting unit 60 may also acquire more accurate field information by ensuring consistency between the field information set in response to the operation of the mobile terminal 53 or the field information received from an external device, and the field information analyzed from the field image.

The field image may be taken by an on-board camera of the combine harvester 1, an image taken by a fixed camera in a base station may be received by the communication unit 52, an image taken by a mobile camera in a mobile terminal 53 may be received by the communication unit 52, or an image taken by an aerial camera in an aerial photography device such as a drone may be received by the communication unit 52. The field information setting unit 60 may analyze the field information from a field image taken by one of the on-board camera, fixed camera, mobile camera, or aerial camera, or may analyze the field information from field images taken by two or more cameras. The control device 50 may display the field image taken by the on-board camera, fixed camera, mobile camera, or aerial camera on the monitor of the control unit 9, or transmit it to the mobile terminal 53 and display it on the monitor of the mobile terminal 53.

The travel path creation unit 61 creates a travel path that the combine harvester 1 references to automatically travel and automatically mow (automatic mowing travel) in the field, and stores the created travel path in the memory unit 51. The travel path includes not only travel settings related to travel, but also work settings related to work such as mowing. The travel settings include the travel position in the field, as well as the travel speed and direction of travel (steering direction and forward or reverse) at each travel position. The work settings include information on whether mowing is started or stopped at each travel position, the mowing speed and mowing height, the mowing width (or the number of mowing rows), and other work.

The travel path creation unit 61 sets a linear path for mowing while traveling through unmowed areas in the field, and sets a travel path by combining multiple linear paths. The travel path creation unit 61 creates a travel path according to a travel pattern (reciprocating mowing or circular mowing) selected by operating the mobile terminal 53 or the like. For example, the travel path creation unit 61 creates a circular mowing travel path that repeats a path around the inner circumference of the unmowed area while shifting it toward the center, or a reciprocating mowing path that makes multiple trips back and forth in the unmowed area. The travel path creation unit 61 sets a start position for starting automatic mowing travel and an end position for completing automatic mowing travel in a series of travel paths consisting of multiple linear paths.

When the combine harvester 1 performs automatic harvesting travel in response to the operation of the control unit 9 or mobile terminal 53 by the operator, the automatic travel control unit 62 controls the power unit 8 and the travel unit 2 based on the travel settings of the travel route created by the travel route creation unit 61 to perform automatic travel according to the travel route. The combine harvester 1 may be equipped with a gyro sensor and a direction sensor to acquire displacement information and direction information of the combine harvester 1, and the automatic travel control unit 62 may adjust the automatic travel of the combine harvester 1 based on the displacement information and direction information.

The automatic driving control unit 62 grasps the unmowed area based on the field information, acquires the position information of the combine harvester 1, calculates the route and area taken by the mowing unit 3 (e.g., the tip of the mowing unit 3) in the unmowed area, and stores it in the memory unit 51 as the already-mowed route and already-mowed area. The automatic driving control unit 62 also updates the unmowed area of the stored field information based on the already-mowed route and already-mowed area.

The automatic driving control unit 62 controls the power unit 8 and the driving unit 2 to interrupt automatic driving when the detection unit 20 detects a blockage of the stalks transported by the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 of the harvesting unit 3. Furthermore, when the detection unit 20 detects that the blockage of the stalks has been cleared, the automatic driving control unit 62 resumes automatic driving according to the driving route.

When the combine harvester 1 performs automatic reaping travel in response to the operator's operation of the control unit 9 or mobile terminal 53, the reaping control unit 63 controls the power unit 8 and the reaping unit 3 based on the work settings of the travel route created by the travel route creation unit 61 to perform automatic reaping according to the travel route. At this time, the reaping control unit 63 automatically causes the reaping unit 3 to reaper uncut stalks on the travel route.

For example, the reaping control unit 63 drives the raking reel 14 in the forward direction to rake in the culms in the uncut area guided by the divider 13, and then cuts the culms raked into the raking reel 14 with the cutting blade 15. The reaping control unit 63 drives the raking auger 16 in the forward direction to rake in the culms cut by the cutting blade 15, and transports the culms to the feeder house 17, thereby taking the culms into the reaping unit 3. The reaping control unit 63 drives the transport conveyor 18 in the forward direction to transport the culms transported to the feeder house 17 to the threshing unit 4, thereby taking the culms into the combine 1. Furthermore, in conjunction with automatic reaping, the reaping control unit 63 controls the threshing unit 4, sorting unit 5, storage unit 6, and straw waste processing unit 7 to automatically thresh the stalks after reaping, sort the grains and straw waste after threshing, store the sorted grains, and process the straw waste after threshing.

When the detection unit 20 detects a blockage of the stalks transported by the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 of the reaping unit 3, the reaping control unit 63 controls the power unit 8 and the reaping unit 3 to suspend automatic reaping. When suspending automatic reaping, the reaping control unit 63 may stop the operation of not only the reaping unit 3, but also the threshing unit 4, sorting unit 5, storage unit 6, and straw waste processing unit 7, or may continue the operation of the threshing unit 4, sorting unit 5, storage unit 6, and straw waste processing unit 7 until the stalks taken into the combine 1 are processed.

After the automatic harvesting is interrupted and the harvesting operation by the harvesting unit 3 is stopped, the harvesting control unit 63 drives at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearing member for clearing the stalk blockage as a clearing operation to clear the stalk blockage. At this time, the harvesting control unit 63 drives the clearing members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse until a predetermined time limit has elapsed or until the stalk blockage is cleared. Preferably, the harvesting control unit 63 drives the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse at the same time. The harvesting control unit 63 may also notify the operator in advance of the start and end of the reverse drive of the clearing member via the mobile terminal 53 or the like.

If the stalk jam is not cleared even after a specified time limit has elapsed since the reverse rotation of the clearing members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 was started, the automatic travel control unit 62 may stop automatic travel, and the reaping control unit 63 may stop automatic reaping, thereby stopping the automatic reaping travel of the combine harvester 1. Similarly, if the rotation speed sensor, which is the detection unit 20, cannot detect the reverse rotation of the clearing members even after the reverse rotation of the clearing members is started, or if it cannot detect a rotation speed equal to or greater than a specified rotation speed threshold, the reaping control unit 63 may stop the automatic reaping travel of the combine harvester 1.

In other words, after starting reverse driving of the clearance members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18, the reaping control unit 63 stops reaping of the stalks by the reaping unit 3 if the clearance members cannot be reversed. As a result, if the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 cannot rotate due to a blockage of stalks, the load on the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 can be reduced by stopping reaping, and breakdowns in each part can be avoided.

Furthermore, when the detection unit 20 detects that the stalk jam has been cleared, the reaping control unit 63 ends the reverse drive of the clearing members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18, and resumes automatic reaping according to the travel route. At this time, the reaping control unit 63 may notify the operator via the mobile terminal 53 or the like that the stalk jam has been cleared, and may further cause the operator to operate the mobile terminal 53 or the like to resume automatic travel, i.e., resume automatic reaping travel. Note that the reaping control unit 63 may perform a test run by driving each part of the reaping unit 3 in the forward direction in the already-cut area, etc., before resuming automatic reaping in the uncut area.

When the detection unit 20 detects a culm jam, the control device 50 may notify the worker of the jam via the mobile terminal 53 or the like. Furthermore, when the automatic driving control unit 62 and the reaping control unit 63 suspend automatic driving and automatic reaping (i.e., automatic reaping driving), the control device 50 may notify the worker of the suspension of automatic reaping driving via the mobile terminal 53 or the like, and may store the suspension position of automatic driving in the memory unit 51. Furthermore, when the detection unit 20 detects that the jam of the culm has been cleared, the control device 50 may notify the worker of the clearance of the jam of the culm via the mobile terminal 53 or the like, and may further cause the worker to resume automatic driving, i.e., resume automatic reaping driving, via the mobile terminal 53 or the like.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the combine harvester 1 includes a harvesting unit 3 that harvests culms in the unharvested area, a detection unit 20 that detects culm clogging in the harvesting unit 3, and a control device 50, and the control device 50 functions as a harvesting control unit 63 that controls the harvesting unit 3. The harvesting unit 3 includes a rotatable raking auger 16 that rakes in the harvested culms from the unharvested area, and a rotatable transport conveyor 18 that transports the harvested culms. Regardless of whether the harvesting operation is automatic or manual, if the detection unit 20 detects a culm clogging, the harvesting control unit 63 stops the harvesting of the culms by the harvesting unit 3 and reverses the rotation of at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 as a clogging member.

As a result, when the combine harvester 1 encounters a culm jam in the harvesting section 3, it can eject the jammed culm from the harvesting section 3 by driving the clearing members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in the reverse direction, automatically clearing the jam. This allows the culm jam in the harvesting section 3 to be cleared without placing a burden on the operator, and the harvesting operation of the combine harvester 1 to continue.

In the above embodiment, the combine harvester 1 is automatically harvested according to a pre-created travel route, and when the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam, the harvesting control unit 63 drives at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearance member. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. In another example, when the combine harvester 1 is manually harvested according to the operation of the control unit 9 by an operator, when the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam, the harvesting control unit 63 may drive the clearance member in reverse.

In the above embodiment, the combine harvester 1 is described as an example in which the harvesting control unit 63 drives at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearing member only on the condition that the detection unit 20 detects a blockage of stalks, but the present invention is not limited to this example. In other examples, the combine harvester 1 may add a condition that the operator selects to reverse drive the clearing member.

Specifically, before starting automatic reaping travel, the combine harvester 1 (control device 50) displays on the mobile terminal 53 a selection screen that allows the user to select whether or not to reverse drive at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 as a clearance member. Then, on the condition that reverse drive execution has been selected in advance on the selection screen, if the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam, the reaping control unit 63 reverses the clearance member. Alternatively, if the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam during automatic reaping travel, the combine harvester 1 (control device 50) displays the above-mentioned selection screen on the mobile terminal 53. Then, on the condition that reverse drive execution has been selected on the selection screen, the reaping control unit 63 reverses the clearance member.

In other words, the control device 50, which is based on the operation of the mobile terminal 53, functions as a selection unit that selects whether or not to reverse the clearing member of the harvesting unit 3 when the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam. This allows the operator to select whether or not to automatically clear the stalk jam in the harvesting unit 3, improving the convenience of the automatic harvesting operation of the combine harvester 1.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the reaping control unit 63 drives at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearing member to clear a stalk jam in the reaping unit 3, but the present invention is not limited to this example. In another example, the reaping control unit 63 may alternately drive the clearing member in reverse and forward rotation to clear a stalk jam in the reaping unit 3.

In the above embodiment, the combine harvester 1 is described as driving at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearing member when the detection unit 20 detects a stalk jam, but the present invention is not limited to this example. In another example, at least one of the raking reel 14, the raking auger 16, and the transport conveyor 18 may be driven in reverse as a clearing member. In this case, the detection unit 20 may be configured to detect not only stalk jams in the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18, but also stalk jams in the raking reel 14.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, when the detection unit 20 detects a culm jam in the reaping unit 3, the combine harvester 1 controls each unit to eject the culm jammed in the reaping unit 3 onto the unharvested area. At this time, the reaping control unit 63 suspends the reaping of the culms by the reaping unit 3 and controls the lifting device 19 to raise the reaping unit 3 higher than the culms in the unharvested area (see FIG. 3). The reaping control unit 63 stores in the memory unit 51 the height of the reaping unit 3 when reaping is suspended, i.e., the suspension height.

When the automatic travel control unit 62 interrupts the automatic travel as described above, it is preferable that the combine harvester 1 be moved back a predetermined distance from the interrupted position of the automatic travel before the reaping control unit 63 raises the reaping unit 3. In other words, the reaping control unit 63 raises the reaping unit 3 after the automatic travel control unit 62 moves the combine harvester 1 back. Note that the automatic travel control unit 62 may notify the operator that the combine harvester 1 will be moved back by the mobile terminal 53 or the like before moving the combine harvester 1 back. The automatic travel control unit 62 may also store the position where the combine harvester 1 is moved back from the interrupted position in the memory unit 51 as a resumption position.

Then, the automatic travel control unit 62 moves the combine harvester 1 so that the raised cutting unit 3 overlaps above the unmowed area. At this time, the automatic travel control unit 62 adjusts the movement of the combine harvester 1 so that it overlaps with the unmowed area by a predetermined overlap length from the tip of the cutting unit 3, based on the unmowed area in the field information and the position information of the combine harvester 1. Note that the automatic travel control unit 62 does not store as the already-mowed route and already-mowed area the route and area that the cutting unit 3 (e.g., the tip of the cutting unit 3) took when the combine harvester 1 was moved so that the cutting unit 3 overlaps with the unmowed area.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the automatic travel control unit 62 sets the uncut area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1 as the target area A1, and moves the combine harvester 1 forward so that the raised cutting unit 3 overlaps above the target area A1. Note that in FIG. 4, the uncut area is indicated by a solid line, and the cut area is indicated by a dashed line.

By driving at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in reverse as a clearance member, it is possible to predict that the stalks will be discharged from the harvesting unit 3 by a predetermined discharge length (e.g., several meters). The automatic travel control unit 62 can also calculate the length of the uncut area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1, i.e., the uncut lengths L1 and L2, based on the uncut area in the field information and the position information of the combine harvester 1 (see Figures 4 and 5). In order to discharge the stalks stuck in the harvesting unit 3 onto the uncut area, the uncut lengths L1 and L2 of the uncut area must be equal to or greater than the predetermined required length N, which is the sum of the overlap length of the harvesting units 3 and the discharge length of the stalks discharged from the harvesting unit 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the uncut length L1 of the uncut area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined required length N, the automatic driving control unit 62 sets the uncut area in the direction of travel as the target area A1, and moves the combine harvester 1 forward so that the raised cutting unit 3 overlaps above the target area A1.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the uncut length L2 of the uncut area in the traveling direction is less than the required length N, the automatic travel control unit 62 sets the uncut area in a direction other than the traveling direction, for example, the uncut area in the direction intersecting the traveling direction, as the target area A2. Note that in FIG. 5, the uncut area is shown by a solid line, and the cut area is shown by a dashed line. For example, when the combine 1 performs automatic mowing travel so that the right side is an uncut area and the left side is a cut area, the uncut area on the right side of the direction of the combine 1 that has suspended automatic mowing travel is set as the target area A2. Then, the automatic travel control unit 62 turns the combine 1 so that the target area A2 is in the traveling direction of the combine 1, and moves the combine 1 forward so that the raised mowing unit 3 overlaps above the target area A2.

Then, with the raised harvesting unit 3 overlapping above the unharvested area, the harvesting control unit 63 reverses at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 as a clearing member to clear the jam of stalks. This causes the stalks jammed in the harvesting unit 3 to be discharged onto the unharvested area. The combine 1 (control device 50) stores in the memory unit 51 the discharge position in the unharvested area where the stalks are discharged.

When the detection unit 20 detects that the stalk jam has been cleared and the reaping control unit 63 ends the above-mentioned clearing operation, the automatic travel control unit 62 moves the combine 1 to the restart position stored in the memory unit 51 as described above. When the combine 1 moves to the restart position, the reaping control unit 63 controls the lifting device 19 to lower the raised reaping unit 3 to the interruption height. Note that when performing the clearing operation with an uncut area in a direction intersecting the traveling direction as the target area A2, the position to which the reaping unit 3 is raised or lowered does not have to be the restart position, and may be, for example, a position retreated a predetermined distance from the target area A2.

After that, the automatic driving control unit 62 and the reaping control unit 63 resume automatic driving and automatic reaping (i.e., automatic reaping driving) according to the driving route. The automatic driving control unit 62 controls the vehicle speed of the traveling unit 2 to be slower than the speed preset for the driving route when the combine harvester 1 travels through the discharge position of the unharvested area where the culms stuck in the reaping unit 3 have been discharged and the reaping unit 3 harvests the culms planted at this discharge position. In addition, even when performing manual reaping driving according to the operation of the steering unit 9 by the operator, the combine harvester 1 (control device 50) controls the vehicle speed of the traveling unit 2 to be slower than the speed set based on the operation of the steering unit 9 when the combine harvester 1 travels through the discharge position of the unharvested area where the culms stuck in the reaping unit 3 have been discharged and the reaping unit 3 harvests the culms planted at this discharge position. In addition, the automatic driving control unit 62 or the control device 50 may notify the operator via a mobile terminal 53 or the like that the machine will decelerate due to the discharge position of the clogged stalk.

As described above, according to another embodiment, the combine harvester 1 further includes an automatic driving control unit 62 that controls the automatic driving of the combine harvester 1. When the detection unit 20 detects a blockage in the stalks, the reaping control unit 63 stops reaping the stalks by the reaping unit 3 and raises the reaping unit 3 higher than the stalks in the unharvested area. The automatic driving control unit 62 moves the combine harvester 1 so that the raised reaping unit 3 overlaps above the unharvested area. The reaping control unit 63 then drives at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in the reverse direction as a clearing member.

This allows the combine harvester 1 to discharge the culms stuck in the harvesting section 3 onto the unharvested area. Therefore, by harvesting the unharvested area, the combine harvester 1 can take into the combine harvester 1 not only the culms planted in the unharvested area, but also the culms discharged onto the unharvested area. In this way, the combine harvester 1 can prevent the harvesting section 3 from discharging the culms onto the harvested area, and automatically takes the culms discharged from the harvesting section 3 into the combine harvester 1, reducing the burden on the operator of manually processing the culms discharged from the harvesting section 3.

For example, in another embodiment of the combine harvester 1, when the detection unit 20 detects a blockage of stalks, the automatic driving control unit 62 sets the unharvested area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1 as the target area A1, and moves the combine harvester 1 so that the raised harvesting unit 3 overlaps above the target area A1.

As a result, if the reaping section 3 becomes clogged with stalks, the combined harvester 1 can be moved forward to position the raised reaping section 3 above the unharvested area. This allows the stalks clogged in the reaping section 3 to be ejected onto the unharvested area while minimizing the movement of the combined harvester 1, and the stalks ejected from the reaping section 3 can be automatically taken into the combine harvester 1.

Alternatively, in another embodiment of the combine harvester 1, when the detection unit 20 detects a stalk blockage, if the uncut length L1 of the uncut area in the direction of travel is equal to or greater than the predetermined required length N, the automatic travel control unit 62 sets the uncut area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1 as the target area A1, and moves the combine harvester 1 so that the raised cutting unit 3 overlaps above the target area A1. On the other hand, if the uncut length L2 of the uncut area in the direction of travel is less than the predetermined required length N, the automatic travel control unit 62 sets the uncut area in the direction intersecting the direction of travel of the combine harvester 1 as the target area A2, and moves the combine harvester 1 so that the raised cutting unit overlaps above the target area A2.

As a result, when the stalks become clogged in the cutting section 3, an uncut area large enough for the stalks to be discharged can be automatically selected depending on the condition of the uncut area. This prevents the stalks clogged in the cutting section 3 from being discharged onto the already-cut area, and allows them to be more reliably discharged onto the uncut area, and the stalks discharged from the cutting section 3 can be automatically taken into the combine 1.

In another embodiment of the combine harvester 1, after at least one of the clearing members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 is driven in the reverse direction, if the detection unit 20 detects that the stalk jam in the harvesting unit 3 has been cleared, the harvesting control unit 63 stops the reverse driving of the clearing member, lowers the harvesting unit to the interruption height of the harvesting unit when harvesting of the stalks was interrupted, and then resumes harvesting of the stalks.

This allows the reaping unit 3, which is clogged with stalks, to stop reaping and eject the stalks that are clogged in the reaping unit 3 onto the unharvested area, after which the reaping unit 3 can automatically return to the state it was in before the interruption, so that reaping travel can be resumed from the state it was in before the interruption.

In another embodiment of the combine harvester 1, a memory unit 51 is further provided that stores the discharge position where the stalks are discharged in the unharvested area when at least one of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 is driven in the reverse direction. The automatic driving control unit 62 controls the traveling unit 2 to slow down the vehicle speed of the combine harvester 1 below a preset speed when the harvesting unit 3 harvests the stalks at the discharge position.

When performing a reaping run at the discharge position of the uncut area where the culms are discharged from the reaping unit 3, the reaping unit 3 not only cuts the culms planted in the uncut area and takes them into the combine 1, but also takes in the culms discharged from the reaping unit 3 onto the uncut area. Therefore, the amount of culms taken in by the reaping unit 3 during reaping run at the discharge position of the uncut area is greater than when reaping run at other positions in the uncut area. Therefore, by slowing down the running speed at the discharge position of the uncut area, the combine 1 can reduce the amount of culms taken in per unit distance, and can stably process the increased amount of culms at the discharge position.

In another embodiment of the combine harvester 1, the control device 50 sets the area in the uncut area through which the cutting unit 3 passes during the combine harvester 1's cutting travel as the cut area. On the other hand, the control device 50 does not set the area in the uncut area through which the cutting unit 3 overlaps as the cut area in order to drive at least one of the clearance members of the raking auger 16 and the transport conveyor 18 in the reverse direction.

As a result, even if the combine harvester 1 drives in such a way that the cutting unit 3 overlaps above the uncut area without cutting when discharging the stalks stuck in the cutting unit 3 onto the uncut area, the uncut area where no cutting has been performed will not be mistakenly set as a cut area, and the drive to clear the clogged stalks will not be recognized as a cut run. This makes it possible to prevent the uncut area in the field information from being erroneously updated, and after the clogged stalks in the cutting unit 3 have been cleared, the automatic cutting run can be properly resumed from the interruption position.

In the above embodiment, the control device 50 of the combine harvester 1 functions as the field information setting unit 60, the travel path creation unit 61, the automatic travel control unit 62, and the reaping control unit 63, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, in another embodiment, the mobile terminal 53 may be configured to function as the field information setting unit 60, the travel path creation unit 61, the automatic travel control unit 62, and the reaping control unit 63. In other words, the automatic driving system of the present invention applies at least one of the control device 50 of the combine harvester 1 and the mobile terminal 53 to function as the field information setting unit 60, the travel path creation unit 61, the automatic travel control unit 62, and the reaping control unit 63, and when a culm clogging is detected in the reaping unit 3, the reaping of the culm by the reaping unit is interrupted, and at least one of the raking auger 16 and the conveyor 18 of the reaping unit 3 is driven in reverse as a clogging member.

The present invention may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims and the entire specification without violating the spirit or concept of the invention, and the automatic operation method, combine harvester, and automatic operation system that involve such modifications are also included in the technical concept of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Combine harvester 2 Traveling section 3 Reaping section 16 Sweeping auger 18 Transport conveyor 19 Lifting device 20 Detection section 50 Control device 51 Memory section 53 Portable terminal 62 Automatic travel control section 63 Reaping control section L1, L2 Uncut length N Required length

Claims (11)

A method for automatically operating a combine harvester, comprising:
The combine is provided with a reaping unit that reaps stalks in an unharvested area,
The reaping unit includes a rotatable auger that rakes in the reaped stalks from the unharvested area, and a rotatable conveyor that conveys the reaped stalks,
The automatic driving method includes:
A detection step of detecting clogging of the culm in the reaping unit;
A reaping control step for controlling the reaping unit,
An automatic operation method characterized in that, when the detection process detects a blockage of the stump, the harvesting control process stops harvesting of the stump by the harvesting unit and raises the harvesting unit, and then drives at least one of the raking auger and the transport conveyor in reverse as a clogging member. The method further includes an automatic travel control step of controlling automatic travel of the combine,
The automatic driving method described in claim 1, characterized in that when the detection process detects a blockage of the stumps, the cutting control process stops cutting of the stumps by the cutting unit and raises the cutting unit higher than the stumps in the uncut area, the automatic driving control process moves the combine so that the raised cutting unit overlaps above the uncut area, and then the cutting control process drives the clearance member in reverse. The automatic driving method according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the detection process detects a blockage of the stalks, the automatic driving control process moves the combine harvester so that the raised reaping part overlaps above the unharvested area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester. The automatic driving method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, when the detection step detects a blockage of the stalks, the automatic driving control step moves the combine harvester so that the raised cutting part overlaps above the uncut area in the direction of travel of the combine harvester if the uncut length in the direction of travel of the combine harvester is equal to or greater than a predetermined required length, and moves the combine harvester so that the raised cutting part overlaps above the uncut area in the direction intersecting the direction of travel if the uncut length is less than the required length. The automatic operation method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that if the detection process detects that the culm blockage in the reaping unit has been cleared after the clearing member has been driven in the reverse direction, the reaping control process ends the reverse drive of the clearing member, lowers the reaping unit to the interruption height of the reaping unit when the reaping of the culm was interrupted, and then resumes reaping of the culm. The combine further includes a memory unit that stores a discharge position at which the stalks are discharged in the uncut area when the dissolving member is driven in reverse,
The automatic driving method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the automatic driving control process slows down the vehicle speed of the combine harvester below a preset speed when the harvesting unit harvests the stalks at the discharge position. The automatic driving method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when the combine is traveling to mow, an area in the unmowed area through which the mowing unit has passed is set as a mowed area, while an area in the unmowed area through which the mowing unit has overlapped is not set as a mowed area in order to drive the eliminating member in the reverse direction. The automatic driving method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a selection step of selecting whether or not to drive the clearance member in reverse when the detection step detects a jam of the stalks. The automatic operation method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the reaping control process stops reaping of the culms by the reaping unit if the reaping member cannot be reversed after the reverse drive of the reaping member is started. A reaping unit that reaps the culms in the unreaped area;
A detection unit that detects clogging of the culm in the reaping unit;
A reaping control unit that controls the reaping unit,
The reaping unit includes a rotatable auger that rakes in the reaped stalks from the unharvested area, and a rotatable conveyor that conveys the reaped stalks,
This combine is characterized in that when the detection unit detects a blockage of the stalks, the harvesting control unit stops harvesting of the stalks by the harvesting unit and raises the harvesting unit, and then drives at least one of the raking auger and the transport conveyor in reverse as a blockage-clearing member. An automatic operation system for a combine harvester having a harvesting unit that harvests stalks in an unharvested area,
A detection unit that detects clogging of the culm in the reaping unit;
A reaping control unit that controls the reaping unit,
The reaping unit includes a rotatable auger that rakes in the reaped stalks from the unharvested area, and a rotatable conveyor that conveys the reaped stalks,
An automatic operation system characterized in that when the detection unit detects a blockage of the stump, the harvesting control unit stops harvesting of the stump by the harvesting unit and raises the harvesting unit, and then drives at least one of the raking auger and the transport conveyor in reverse as a clogging member.

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