US 12,336,445 B2
Agricultural machine and agricultural assistance system
Takanori Morimoto, Sakai (JP); Kotaro Yamaguchi, Sakai (JP); Ryota Kikuchi, Sakai (JP); and Kuya Kaihori, Sakai (JP)
Assigned to KUBOTA CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed by KUBOTA CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/075,455.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-214365 (JP), filed on Dec. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0200284 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. A01B 69/04 (2006.01); A01B 63/111 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01B 69/008 (2013.01) [A01B 63/111 (2013.01); G05D 1/0219 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural machine comprising:
a traveling vehicle body to travel;
a position detector to detect a position of the traveling vehicle body using a satellite positioning system;
a lifting device to link a working device to the traveling vehicle body and to raise and lower the working device, the lifting device including a three-point linkage;
an automatic operation controller to perform an automatic operation to cause the traveling vehicle body to travel based on a prepared travel route and the position of the traveling vehicle body detected by the position detector and cause the working device, which is linked to the lifting device, to perform an agricultural job on an agricultural field; and
a detector to detect a distance from the traveling vehicle body to an end of the agricultural field in a direction of travel of the traveling vehicle body; wherein
the automatic operation controller is configured or programmed to, during the automatic operation:
cause the lifting device to place the working device in a heightwise work position in which the working device performs the agricultural job; and
when the distance detected by the detector is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, stop travel of the traveling vehicle body to stop the working device at a location short of an unworked area of the agricultural field to discontinue the automatic operation and cause the lifting device to keep the working device in the work position without raising or lowering the working device, the unworked area being an area in which the agricultural job is to be performed by the automatic operation.