JP7573963B2 - Tree Treatment System - Google Patents

Description

Patent Law Article 30, Paragraph 2 applied. Revealed at the 42nd National Arbor Day Commemorative Event, 2018 Forest, Forestry and Environmental Machinery Exhibition and Demonstration, November 18-19, 2018

The present invention relates to a tree treatment system, and in particular to a tree treatment system using a tree treatment device.

Tree processing devices known as tree harvesters or processors have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). These tree processing devices are attached to the end of a working arm extending from the machine body, and are capable of gripping and transporting felled trees. Tree processing devices also have a branching function that grips the tree while cutting its branches, and a function that cuts the tree to a specified length.

In this type of tree processing machine, a work arm extends from a vehicle body that travels on a caterpillar system, and the tree processing machine attached to the end of the work arm grips, delimbs, and cuts trees. During this, the tree is gripped by a gripper having a gripping body, sent out by a crawler, the branches are cut by a cutter, and the tree is cut to a predetermined length by a cutting saw. By using the tree processing machine in this way, the worker can operate the vehicle body, work arm, and tree processing machine while remaining on board the vehicle, and transport the tree to a collection area while delimbing and cutting the tree, which can then be collected as lumber.

However, even if trees are processed using a tree processing machine and accumulated as lumber in a collection area, if tree processing is carried out at multiple locations in a large work area, the lumber will end up being accumulated in multiple collection areas. The accumulated lumber is felled at logging sites adjacent to each collection area, and varies in tree species, diameter, length, etc., so it was necessary to select and recollect lumber that met the standards required at the time of shipment.

However, the process of searching all of the collection areas scattered across a vast work area, selecting timber that met the shipping standards, and recollecting it was labor-intensive and time-consuming. It was also difficult to grasp and manage the quantity and size of all processed timber.

JP 2000-157075 A Patent No. 5215075

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a tree treatment system that can properly manage wood treated using a tree treatment device.

To solve the above problems, the tree processing system of the present invention is characterized by comprising a tree processing device that processes felled trees and processes them into lumber, an information measurement unit that measures the content of the processing carried out by the tree processing device, and a recording unit that records the results measured by the information measurement unit as lumber data.

In the tree treatment system of the present invention, the operations carried out by the tree treatment device are measured and recorded in the recording unit as wood data, making it possible to accurately grasp the data of a large number of treated pieces of wood and manage them appropriately.

In one aspect of the present invention, the information measurement unit measures the length and diameter of the wood when the process is performed.

In one aspect of the present invention, the tree processing device includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information when the processing is performed, and the recording unit adds the location information to the wood data and records it.

In one aspect of the present invention, a controller is provided having an input unit for inputting the contents of the processing and a display unit for displaying the results of the processing, and the recording unit is provided in the controller.

In one aspect of the present invention, the tree type is input from the input unit, and the recording unit adds the tree type to the wood data and records it.

In one aspect of the present invention, the controller includes an information processing unit that processes the multiple pieces of wood data recorded in the recording unit to generate statistical data and displays the statistical data on the display unit.

The present invention provides a tree treatment system that can properly manage wood treated using a tree treatment device.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tree processing system 100 including a tree processing device 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of a tree processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display unit 61 and an input unit 62 of a controller 60. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing an example of statistical data displayed on the display unit 61 of the controller 60, where FIG. 4(a) is a screen for selecting the type of statistical data and displaying the setting contents, FIG. 4(b) is a screen for displaying accumulated data on wood obtained by processing trees 50, and FIG. 4(c) is a screen for showing the accumulated processing amount by tree type. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of wood data, position information, and statistical data output from an output unit 65. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tree treatment system 100 including a tree treatment device 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tree treatment system 100 includes a machine body 10, a track device 20, a work arm 30, the tree treatment device 40, a tree 50, and a controller 60.

The machine body 10 is a housing with a seat for an operator, and is equipped with a track device 20, a work arm 30, a tree treatment device 40, and a controller 60. The operator aboard the machine body 10 operates the operating devices inside the machine body 10 to control the operation of the track device 20, the work arm 30, and the tree treatment device 40, and processes the trees 50, turns them into lumber, and transports them.

The track device 20 is a device for traveling by circulating tracks with drive wheels, and is provided under the machine body 10 to move the machine body 10 in the felling area. Here, the track device 20 is given as an example of a means of transportation for the machine body 10, but an appropriate means of transportation can be used depending on the topography of the felling area or collection area, and wheels, leg movement devices, etc. may also be used.

The working arm 30 is a multi-joint arm that extends from the machine body 10 and can perform bending and extending movements, with a tree treatment device attached to its tip. The working arm 30 operates using hydraulic and electric control, and is equipped with a mechanism for changing the position of the tree treatment device 40 and controlling the orientation and movement of the tree treatment device 40.

The tree processing device 40 is attached to the tip of the working arm 30, and is a device that grips the tree 50 and sends the tree 50 out in the longitudinal direction. The tree processing device 40 also has a branching function that cuts the branches of the tree 50, and a cutting function that cuts the tree 50 to a predetermined length. The specific structure of the tree processing device 40 is not limited, but it is possible to use a device equipped with a gripper, crawlers, cutters, and cutting saws, for example, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above.

The trees 50 are various types of trees that have been felled in logging areas such as mountainous regions, and are in a state where branches and bark remain after felling. As shown in FIG. 1, the trees 50 are grasped and transported by the tree processing device 40, where they are subjected to processing such as de-branching and cutting, and then processed into lumber.

The controller 60 is a device located near the seat in which the operator of the aircraft 10 sits. As described below, the controller 60 records, displays, and outputs information about the trees and processed lumber treated by the tree processing device 40.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an overview of a tree processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the tree processing device 40 includes an information measurement unit 41, a position information acquisition unit 42, an information communication unit 43, a control unit 44, a gripper 45, a crawler 46, a cutter 47, and a cutting saw 48. The controller 60 includes a display unit 61, an input unit 62, an information processing unit 63, a recording unit 64, an output unit 65, and an information communication unit 66.

The information measurement unit 41 is a part that measures the content of the processing performed on the tree 50 by the tree processing device 40. The information measurement unit 41 may be a measuring device that directly measures the wood after processing, or may calculate from the control signal used by the control unit 44 to control each unit. The information measurement unit 41 measures the diameter, length, weight, etc. of the wood. As a more specific example, the control unit 44 measures the diameter from the amount of operation of the gripper 45 driven and controlled by the control unit 44, and measures the length from the amount of rotation of the crawler 46 and the operation of the cut saw 48. The measured values measured by the information measurement unit 41 are transmitted to the controller 60 via the information communication unit 43.

The position information acquisition unit 42 is a part that acquires information on the position where the tree was processed, and may use the Global Positioning System (GPS) or the like. The position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 42 is transmitted to the controller 60 via the information communication unit 43. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the position information acquisition unit 42 is provided in the tree processing device 40, but the position information acquisition unit 42 may be provided in the machine body 10, the work arm 30, or the controller 60 as long as it is possible to acquire the position where the tree was processed.

The information communication unit 43 is connected to the information measurement unit 41 and the position information acquisition unit 42, and communicates the information acquired by the information measurement unit 41 and the position information acquisition unit 42 with the information communication unit 66 on the controller 60 side. The information communication unit 43 may use either wired or wireless communication technology, but since the tree processing device 40 performs processes such as pruning and cutting the trees 50, it is preferable to use wireless communication technology that does not pose a risk of wiring being cut.

The control unit 44 performs mechanical control of each part of the tree processing device 40, and controls the operation of the gripper 45, crawler 46, cutter 47, and cutting saw 48. The control unit 44 sends control signals to each of the above-mentioned parts, and each part operates mechanically in response to the control signals. In addition, the control signals sent to each part by the control unit 44 are transmitted to the information measurement unit 41, and the processing details of the tree 50 are measured based on the control signals.

The gripper 45 is equipped with multiple gripping bodies that can be opened and closed, and is the part that grips the tree 50. The gripper 45 operates in response to control signals sent from the control unit 44, so the information measurement unit 41 can measure the diameter of the tree 50 based on the history of control signals up until the tree 50 is gripped.

The crawler 46 is a part that sends out the tree 50 gripped by the gripper 45 in the longitudinal direction. The crawler 46 rotates in response to a control signal sent from the control unit 44, and the tree 50 is sent out by the rotation of the crawler 46. Therefore, based on the history of the control signal sent from the control unit, the information measurement unit 41 can measure the length of the tree 50 sent out from the number of rotations of the crawler 46. In addition, based on the previous cutting position and sending length of the tree 50, the length of timber obtained by cutting the tree 50 next time can be measured.

The cutter 47 is a part that cuts and de-limbs the branches of the tree 50 gripped by the gripper 45. The cutter 47 may rotate in response to a control signal sent from the control unit 44, or may operate in conjunction with the control of the crawler 46. In addition, the length and diameter of the processed wood are not related to the state of the de-limbing process of the tree 50 by the cutter 47, but the load on the cutter 47 may be monitored by the control unit 44 and the information measurement unit 41, and the number of traces of branches contained in the processed wood may be measured.

The cut saw 48 is a cutting device attached to one end of the gripper 45, and is the part that cuts and logs the tree 50 that has been gripped by the gripper 45 and sent out to a predetermined length by the crawler 46. The cut saw 48 performs a cutting operation in response to a control signal sent from the control unit 44. In addition, the load on the cut saw 48 may be monitored by the control unit 44 and the information measurement unit 41, and the time from the start to the end of cutting and the rotation angle of the cut saw 48 may be measured to measure the diameter of the cut surface of the tree 50.

As described above, the information measurement unit 41 and the control unit 44 can measure the length of the timber obtained by cutting into a bow by integrating the length of the tree 50 sent by the crawler 46 between the previous and current cutting instruction control signals for the cut saw 48. In addition, the information measurement unit 41 and the control unit 44 can measure the diameter of the timber obtained by cutting into a bow by monitoring the opening and closing angle of the gripper 45 while the gripper 45 is gripping the tree 50.

The display unit 61 is a part provided in the controller 60 that displays images and the like, and may be an indicator using an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or hardware such as a liquid crystal display device. The display unit 61 displays the results of processing by the information processing unit 63 on the hardware. The function of processing information such as the display format for this display may be provided in the display unit 61, or may be performed by the information processing unit 63.

The input unit 62 is a part provided in the controller 60 through which the operator inputs instructions. Input can be made by operating a physical switch, or by touching a predetermined image area of the display unit 61 configured as a touch panel. The instructions inputted through the input unit 62 are transmitted to the information processing unit 63 as instruction information. Examples of instruction information inputted through the input unit 62 include the date and time, the type of tree 50, the length of the processed timber, the file name of the information to be saved in the recording unit 64, the method of processing the tree 50 by the tree processing device 40, and the selection of the control method for controlling the tree processing device 40.

The information processing unit 63 is a device that processes information according to a pre-recorded program. The information processing unit 63 is connected to the display unit 61, input unit 62, recording unit 64, output unit 65, and information communication unit 66, and transmits information between each unit and controls the operation of each unit. The information processing unit 63 also processes the multiple pieces of wood data recorded in the recording unit 64 to generate statistical data. The information processing unit 63 further records the obtained statistical data in the recording unit 64 and displays the statistical data on the display unit 61. The configuration of the information processing unit 63 is not limited, and a known computer device equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), memory, etc. can be used.

The recording unit 64 is a part that records the information processed by the information processing unit 63, and may be a magnetic recording medium, a semiconductor storage device, a non-volatile memory, etc. Information recorded in the recording unit 64 includes the processing results of the tree 50 measured by the information measurement unit 41, wood data including the amount of processing such as the length, weight, diameter, volume, and quantity of wood after processing the tree 50, the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 42, and instruction information input from the input unit 62.

The output unit 65 is a part that transfers the information stored in the recording unit 64 to an external storage device, and a publicly known information interface can be used. By transferring the information stored in the recording unit 64 to an external storage device via the output unit 65, the information can be analyzed and processed in more detail using an information processing device different from the controller 60.

The information communication unit 66 is a part that transmits information between the information communication unit 43 on the tree processing device 40 side. The information communication unit 43 may use either wired or wireless communication technology, but since the tree processing device 40 performs the process of pruning and cutting the trees 50, it is preferable to use wireless communication technology that does not pose a risk of wiring being cut.

Next, the operation of the tree processing system 100 using the tree processing device 40 will be described. The operator boards the machine body 10 and uses the operating device to operate the work arm 30, the tree processing device 40, the track device 20, etc. When processing a tree 50, the operator uses the controller 60 to input the type of tree 50 and the processing details of the tree processing device 40.

As described above, the tree processing device 40 grips, transports, de-limbs, and bucks the tree 50 by controlling the control unit 44 with the gripper 45, crawler 46, cutter 47, and cutting saw 48. During this process, the information measurement unit 41 monitors the control signals sent by the control unit 44 to each unit, and measures the length, diameter, and weight of the wood after processing the tree 50 from the operation history of each unit and the magnitude of the load, etc., to obtain wood data. At the same time, the position information acquisition unit 42 measures the position where the tree 50 was processed and acquires the position information.

The processing contents in the tree processing device 40 are transmitted from time to time to the information communication unit 66 using the information communication unit 43, and the information processing unit 63 acquires wood data and location information via the information communication unit 66. The information processing unit 63 stores the wood data and location information in the recording unit 64 and displays the wood data and location information on the display unit 61. When the operator repeatedly processes multiple trees 50 in multiple felling sites and collection areas, the processed wood data and location information are accumulated in the recording unit 64.

The information processing unit 63 performs statistical processing on the multiple pieces of wood data and position information stored in the recording unit 64 to generate statistical data, and records the statistical data in the recording unit 64. The information processing unit 63 can also display the statistical data on the display unit 61 as necessary.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display unit 61 and input unit 62 of the controller 60. In the example shown in Figure 3, a virtual switch image is displayed on the touch panel type display unit 61, which partially functions as the input unit 62. In addition, multiple mechanical switches are also provided as the input unit 62. As shown in Figure 3, the operator aboard the aircraft 10 processes the tree 50 by constantly checking the processing contents of the tree 50 displayed on the display unit 61, and inputs instruction information from the input unit 62 as necessary.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of statistical data displayed on the display unit 61 of the controller 60, where Figure 4(a) is a screen for selecting the type of statistical data and displaying the settings, Figure 4(b) is a screen for displaying accumulated data on wood obtained by processing trees 50, and Figure 4(c) is a screen for showing the cumulative processing volume by tree type.

As described above, the recording unit 64 of the controller 60 records not only the processing information of the tree 50 currently being processed, but also data on lumber obtained from past processing as statistical data. Therefore, by displaying the statistical data on the display unit 61, the operator can know in real time the amount of lumber processed obtained by processing the tree 50. This allows the operator to continually grasp whether lumber of the required size has been processed, what size lumber is in short supply, etc., and use this information to determine whether to prioritize processing the missing lumber, and to grasp and manage the quantity and size of lumber that has been processed.

In addition, because the recording unit 64 records location information along with the timber data, it is easy to determine in which felling site and collection area timber of the desired type and size is located and collect it, improving collection efficiency. It also makes it possible to properly manage timber processed using the tree processing device without having to perform tasks such as attaching labels indicating the type and size of timber.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of wood data, position information, and statistical data output from the output unit 65. As shown in Figure 5, the data output from the output unit 65 can be processed as appropriate outside the controller 60.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. The technical scope of the present invention also includes embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments.

The present invention can be used in a tree treatment system that uses a tree treatment device.

100...Tree processing system 10...Machine 20...Crawler device 30...Working arm 40...Tree processing device 50...Tree 60...Controller 41...Information measuring unit 42...Position information acquisition unit 43...Information communication unit 44...Control unit 45...Gripper 46...Crawler 47...Cutter 48...Cutting saw 61...Display unit 62...Input unit 63...Information processing unit 64...Recording unit 65...Output unit 66...Information communication unit

Claims (3)

a tree processing device that processes felled trees into lumber;
an information measuring unit that measures the wood during the processing and obtains wood data including the length, diameter and weight of the wood;
a location information acquisition unit that measures a location where the processing is performed and acquires location information;
a recording unit that records the wood data together with the position information,
A tree processing system characterized by generating data that adds location information to the wood data during processing by the tree processing device, the data being used when selecting and recollecting wood that meets the standards required at the time of shipping from multiple wood accumulation areas scattered throughout a work area where trees are cut down . 2. The tree treatment system of claim 1,
An input unit for inputting instruction information including a tree type,
The tree processing system is characterized in that the recording unit adds the tree type to the wood data and records it . 3. A tree treatment system according to claim 2, comprising:
an information processing unit that processes the plurality of pieces of wood data recorded in the recording unit to generate statistical data;
A tree processing system comprising : a display unit that displays the statistical data .

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