Tractor

• US 11,427,134 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2019
• Issued: 08/30/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iseki & Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Iseki & Company Limited
• Inventors: Kamoda, Hiroshi, Doi, Itsuki, Kajino, Yutaka, Machida, Akihiro, Tanaka, Seiji, Ito, Shiro, Fujiie, Hisasada
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyjak, Lori L
• Application Number:
  US16/664,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/18 Parts or details thereof, e.g. mudguard flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0617 for tractors or off-the-road vehicles protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/06 adapted for multi-purpose use
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target

Abstract

A working vehicle may be provided that detects obstacles around a self-traveling tractor in a wide range, with reduced erroneous detection. A tractor may include a vehicle body including a front wheel and a rear wheel; a rear wheel fender covering the front and top of the rear wheel; a rear stay in a shape that extends along the rear wheel fender, a rear first obstacle sensor provided at the front of the rear stay; and a rear second obstacle sensor provided at the rear of the rear stay.

Claims

1. A tractor comprising:

a vehicle body including a front wheel and a rear wheel;

a rear wheel fender covering a front and top of the rear wheel;

a rear stay formed in a shape that extends along the rear wheel fender;

a rear first obstacle sensor provided at a front end of the rear stay; and

a rear second obstacle sensor provided at a rear end of the rear stay.

2. The tractor of claim 1, wherein in a side view, the rear first obstacle sensor is provided in front of a rear axle of the rear wheel, and the rear second obstacle sensor is provided behind the rear axle of the rear wheel.

3. The tractor of claim 2, wherein the rear first obstacle sensor is attached in such a way that a major axis of its obstacle detection range is substantially horizontal, and the rear second obstacle sensor is attached in such a way that a major axis of its obstacle detection range is substantially vertical.

4. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising a side obstacle sensor provided between the front wheel and the rear wheel;

wherein

the side obstacle sensor is provided outside an inner end of the front wheel, when the front wheel is in a straight travel position in a plan view.

5. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising:

a cabin roof for a cabin mounted on the vehicle body;

a rear camera that is provided at a rear center of the cabin roof and configured to image a rear region; and

a rear obstacle sensor disposed adjacent to, behind and above the rear camera.

6. The tractor of claim 1, wherein the rear first obstacle sensor and the rear second obstacle sensor are configured to have a detection range in an oval cone shape.

7. The tractor of claim 6, wherein each of the detection ranges of the rear first obstacle sensor and the rear second obstacle sensor have a center line directed substantially perpendicularly away from the tractor.

8. The tractor of claim 7, wherein the center lines are parallel to each other.

9. The tractor of claim 1, wherein the rear first obstacle sensor and the rear second obstacle sensor are attached to the rear stay substantially at 90°

to each other.

10. The tractor of claim 1, wherein the rear first obstacle sensor and the rear second obstacle sensor are configured so as not to detect an implement attached to the vehicle body as an obstacle.

11. The tractor of claim 4, wherein the side obstacle sensor is configured so as not to detect the front wheel or the rear wheel as an obstacle.

12. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising a front obstacle sensor that includes:

a first front obstacle sensor configured to emit infrared light toward a front region; and

a second front obstacle sensor configured to emit an acoustic wave.

13. The tractor of claim 12, wherein the first front obstacle sensor is configured such that if an obstacle is detected in the front region by reception of reflection of the infrared light, the first front obstacle sensor detects a distance to the obstacle.

14. The tractor of claim 12, wherein the second front obstacle sensor is configured such that if an obstacle is detected in the front region by reception of reflection of the acoustic wave, the second front obstacle sensor detects a distance to the obstacle.

15. The tractor of claim 12, wherein an obstacle detection range of the rear first obstacle sensor or the rear second obstacle sensor does not overlap with an obstacle detection range of the front obstacle sensor.

16. The tractor of claim 12, further comprising a front camera configured to image the front region.

17. The tractor of claim 2, wherein in the side view, the rear second obstacle sensor is attached behind and above the rear first obstacle sensor.