Work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11612094-B2
Application number	US-202016878808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2020
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

The present describes a work vehicle where an operator can, on the work vehicle side, confirm which working machine is engaged and set which working machine to engage. A tractor, to which a working machine can be mounted, is provided with: a liquid crystal panel selectably displaying an engageable working machine mounted and displaying the currently engaged working machine so as to be identifiable; an operation unit (encoder dial, enter button, and command buttons) for carrying out selection and determination operations for the working machine displayed on the liquid crystal panel; and a control device that, when a determination operation is carried out by the operation unit for a desired working machine, disengages the currently engaged working machine, and configures the working machine for which the determination operation has been carried out to be engaged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tractor to which a working machine is attachable, the tractor comprising:
an operation unit configured to be coupled and decoupled with the working machine, and to operate the working machine while coupled to the working machine; and
a determination operation unit configured to switch the working machine into an interlocked state with the tractor.

2. The tractor according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit configured to display an indication of a second working machine such that the indication is non-selectable, wherein the working machine is attached to the tractor and the second working machine is detached from the tractor.

3. The tractor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit coupled to the operation unit and configured to receive an input from the operation unit and, based on a determination by the determination operation unit that the working machine is in the interlocked state, initiate operation of the working machine based on the received input; and
wherein, based on a sprayer being interlocked as the working machine, the operation unit is configured to operate a sprayer function of the sprayer.

4. The tractor according to claim 3 , wherein:
the operation unit includes an operation tool; and
based on the sprayer being interlocked as the working machine, the operation tool is configured to operate at least one of:
a spraying start/end function of the sprayer,
a spraying amount adjustment function of the sprayer,
an extending/contracting adjustment function of a boom of the sprayer,
an inclination adjustment function of the boom,
an opening/closing adjustment function of the boom, and
a lifting/lowering adjustment function of the boom.

5. The tractor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit coupled to the operation unit and configured to, responsive to the operation unit, initiate operation of the working machine based on a determination by the determination operation unit that the working machine is in an interlocked state; and
wherein, based on a broadcaster being interlocked as the working machine, the operation unit is configured to operate a broadcaster function of the broadcaster.

6. The tractor according to claim 5 , wherein:
the operation unit of the tractor includes an operation tool; and
based on the broadcaster being interlocked as the working machine, the operation tool is configured to operate at least one of:
a spraying start/end function of the broadcaster, and
a spraying amount adjustment function of the broadcaster.

7. The tractor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the operation unit is configured to be coupled to each working machine of a plurality of working machines, the plurality of working machines including the working machine and another working machine;
based on the working machine being in an interlocked state, the operation unit is configured to operate the working machine; and
based on the other working machine being in an interlocked state, the operation unit is configured to operate the other working machine.

8. A work vehicle to which a working machine is attachable, the work vehicle comprising:
a control device configured to:
initiate, based on a first signal received from a first input device, a first operation configured to interlock a work vehicle and a working machine of at least two working machines;
initiate, based on the first signal received from the first input device, a second operation configured to couple a second input device with the working machine of the at least two working machines; and
initiate, based on a second signal received from the second input device, an operation of the working machine of the at least two working machines determined to be interlocked with the work vehicle.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , further comprising:
the first input device, the first input device including a screen configured to display, for each working machine of the at least two working machines, a corresponding indication; and
the second input device, the second input device including a lever and configured to be operationally coupled and operationally decoupled with the working machine of the at least two working machines and to operate the working machine of the at least two working machines while coupled to the working machine of the at least two working machines.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the control device is further configured to receive the first signal from the first input device.

11. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the first input device is configured to receive a first input and send the first signal to the control device based on receiving the first input.

12. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein:
the working machine comprises at least three working machines;
each of the at least three working machines is coupled to the work vehicle and able to be interlocked;
at least one of the at least three working machines is coupled to a first end of the work vehicle; and
at least one of the at least three working machines is coupled to a second end of the work vehicle, the second end different than the first end.

13. The work vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the control device is further configured to determine of which working machine of the at least three working machines is interlocked with the work vehicle.

14. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the working machine of the at least two working machines comprises a sprayer or a broadcaster.

15. A method comprising:
interlocking a work vehicle and a first working machine of at least two working machines based on a first signal received from a first input device;
coupling a second input device and the first working machine based on the first signal received from the first input device; and
operating the first working machine determined to be interlocked to the work vehicle based on a second signal received from the second input device.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first input device comprises a screen configured to display, for each working machine of the at least two working machines, a corresponding indicator.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the second input device comprises a lever and is configured to be operationally coupled and operationally decoupled with the first working machine of the at least two working machined and to operate the first working machine of the at least two working machines while coupled to the first working machine of the at least two working machines.

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising determining which working machine of the at least two working machines is interlocked with the work vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a third signal from the first input device;
based on the received third signal:
di-interlocking the first working machine;
decoupling the second input device and the first working machine; or
a combination thereof.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:
interlocking the work vehicle and a second working machine of at least two working machines;
coupling the second input device and the second working machine; and
operating the second working machine determined to be interlocked to the work vehicle based on the second input device.

Assignees

• Yanmar Co Ltd
• Yanmar Power Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miwa Toshiyuki

Classifications

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A01B59/06 Primary

  for machines mounted on tractors · CPC title