IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,197,405
Granted Patent B2
US 11,197,405 · App. 16/765,913 · Granted Dec 14, 2021

Harvesting machine and travel mode switching method

Inventors: Kazuo Sakaguchi (Amagasaki, JP); Tomohiko Sano (Amagasaki, JP); Osamu Yoshida (Amagasaki, JP); Takashi Nakabayashi (Sakai, JP); Sotaro Hayashi (Sakai, JP); Masayuki Horiuchi (Sakai, JP); Mitsuhiro Seki (Sakai, JP); Kyosuke Yamaoka (Sakai, JP); Satoshi Maruo (Amagasaki, JP)
Assignee: Kubota Corporation
A01B69/00B60W50/082B60W60/005G05D1/0061B60W2050/007G05D2201/0201
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,197,405
App. No.
16/765,913
Granted
Dec 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes a travel operation unit that is configured to be manually operated and includes a mode operation tool for switching between automatic driving and manual driving, a manual travel control unit that includes a manual travel mode in which manual driving is performed based an operation signal received from the travel operation unit, and an automatic travel control unit that includes an automatic travel mode in which automatic driving is performed, a temporary stop mode in which a vehicle body is temporarily stopped during automatic driving for transitioning from the automatic travel mode to the manual travel mode, and a check mode in which whether a state of the travel operation unit satisfies a manual driving transition condition required for starting manual driving is checked in transition from the temporary stop mode to the manual travel mode.

Claims (17)

1. A harvesting machine that includes a harvest work apparatus and enables automatic driving and manual driving, comprising:

a travel operation unit that is configured to be manually operated and includes a mode operation tool for switching between the automatic driving and the manual driving:

a manual travel control unit that includes a manual travel mode in which the manual driving is performed based on an operation signal received from the travel operation unit; and

an automatic travel control unit that includes an automatic travel mode in which the automatic driving is performed based on a self-vehicle position and a target traveling route, a temporary stop mode in which a vehicle body is temporarily stopped during the automatic driving for transitioning from the automatic travel mode to the manual travel mode, and a check mode in which whether a state of the travel operation unit satisfies a manual driving transition condition required for starting the manual driving is checked in transition from the temporary stop mode to the manual travel mode,

wherein the temporary stop mode includes a first temporary stop mode and a second temporary stop mode for which transition between each other is allowed, and

transition from the automatic travel mode to the temporary stop mode is transition to the first temporary stop mode, and transition from the temporary stop mode to the automatic travel mode is transition from the second temporary stop mode;

wherein the travel operation unit includes a main gear shift operation tool and a steering operation tool,

a condition for transitioning from the first temporary stop mode to the second temporary stop mode is that the main gear shift operation tool is displaced from a neutral position and the steering operation tool is displaced from a neutral position, and

a condition for transitioning from the second temporary stop mode to the first temporary stop mode is that the main gear shift operation tool is set to the neutral position and the steering operation tool is set to the neutral position.

2. The harvesting machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the travel operation unit includes a main gear shift operation tool and a steering operation tool, and

the manual driving transition condition is that an automatic driving stop request is output from the mode operation tool, the main gear shift operation tool is set to a neutral position, the steering operation tool is set to a neutral position, and driving of the harvest work apparatus is stopped.

3. The harvesting machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the travel operation unit includes a main gear shift operation tool and a steering operation tool, and

a condition for transitioning from the automatic travel mode to the temporary stop mode is that the main gear shift operation tool is set to a neutral position and the steering operation tool is set to a neutral position.

4. The harvesting machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein a condition for transitioning from the temporary stop mode to the check mode includes at least one of output of an automatic driving stop request from the mode operation tool, an abnormal vehicle speed, inappropriate positioning, deviation of the self-vehicle position, and a trouble in the harvest work apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2021
From: SAKAGUCHI, KAZUO; SANO, TOMOHIKO; YOSHIDA, OSAMU; NAKABAYASHI, TAKASHI; HAYASHI, SOTARO; HORIUCHI, MASAYUKI; SEKI, MITSUHIRO; YAMAOKA, KYOSUKE; MARUO, SATOSHI
To: KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056508/0406 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2017-235452 · Dec 7, 2017 · national
JP JP2017-235453 · Dec 7, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200359547A1 · Nov 19, 2020