U.S. patent application number 11/690171 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-12 for method and apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of a crop harvested in a combine.
Invention is credited to Joachim Baumgarten, Willi Behnke.
Application Number | 20070161422 11/690171 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34195764 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070161422 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Behnke; Willi ; et
al. |
July 12, 2007 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE QUANTITY OF A CROP
HARVESTED IN A COMBINE
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of the
tailings (39), output into a tailing augur (46) of a combine (1)
and composed of grains (35) and non-grain components, in which the
quantity of the tailings (39) is displayed by means of generating
grain stream signals (X) and crop stream signals (Y, Z), and the
quantity of the tailings (39) is detected in a cleaning system
(18), assigned to the combine (1), or in a portion of the cleaning
system (18), so that the quantity of the crop harvested (39) is
relatively precisely ascertained and conclusively displayed in a
simple way.
Inventors: |
Behnke; Willi; (Steinhagen,
DE) ; Baumgarten; Joachim; (Beelen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STRIKER, STRIKER & STENBY
103 EAST NECK ROAD
HUNTINGTON
NY
11743
US
|
Family ID: |
34195764 |
Appl. No.: |
11/690171 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
460/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01F 12/52 20130101;
A01D 41/1276 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
460/001 |
International
Class: |
A01F 12/16 20060101
A01F012/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 19, 2003 |
DE |
103 43 916.1 |
Dec 15, 2003 |
DE |
103 58 954.6 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. An apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in
a tailing auger of a combine, in which a tailings quantity is
formed by at least grains and non-grain components, the apparatus
comprising means for detecting a quantity of the tailings at least
in part in a cleaning system associated with the combine or in a
portion of the cleaning system; and means for displaying the
quantity of the tailings by generating grain stream signals which
are proportional to a detected number of grains and crop stream
signals which are proportional to a whole volumetric tailings
stream.
20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said means for
detecting the quantity of the tailings include means for
ascertaining a proportion of grain in the quantity of the
tailings.
21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said means for
ascertaining the proportion of grain in the quantity of the
tailings include at least one grain stream measuring instrument
which is provided with at least one pulse density sensor that
generates the grain stream signals; and is operatively connected to
an evaluation and display unit that permits a display selected from
the group consisting of a qualitative display, a quantitative
display, and both of the proportion of grains in the quantity of
the tailings.
22. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the cleaning
system includes at least first and second screen planes; and
further comprising at least one grain stream measuring instrument
assigned to each of the screen planes.
23. An apparatus as defined in claim 19; and further comprising a
plurality of grain stream measuring instruments which generate the
grain stream signals that are processed and displayed in an
evaluation and display unit into screen-plane-dependent proportion
of the grains in the quantity of the tailings.
24. An apparatus as defined in claim 19; and further comprising an
evaluation and display unit that displays various parameters of the
stream of the crop being harvested.
25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said evaluation
and display unit is configured to display the various parameters
which, in addition to the proportion of grain in the tailings and
the quantity of the tailings, includes cleaning losses and
filtration losses.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for
ascertaining the quantity of a crop harvested in a combine, as
generically defined by the preambles to claims 1 and 13.
[0002] From German Patent DE 199 12 372 C1, an apparatus for
measuring at least a portion of the grains in the tailings has
become known. Along the feeding path taken by the crop being
harvested, filtered out by a cleaning system, to a further
processing device, there is a sensor that counts only the grains.
Upstream of the sensor in the feeding direction of the tailing
augur, there is an ear screw in a housing. The housing is equipped,
in the region pointing toward the sensor, with adaptable openings
through which the grains pass. The signals generated by the sensor
are made visible to the driver in the cab on a display.
[0003] A disadvantage of this embodiment is that the measurement
values for the number of grains are shown in the form of absolute
values. The measurement values displayed lack the relationship with
the throughput, for instance, or other crop streams in the cleaning
system.
[0004] For the driver, it is above all the ratio of the quantity of
grains in the tailings to the total quantity of the tailings that
is decisive, since this ratio in a simple way reflects the quality
of the cleaning system's performance.
[0005] It is therefore the object of the invention to refine a
method and an apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop
harvested in a combine in such a way that the quantity of the crop
being harvested is ascertained relatively precisely in a simple way
and conclusively displayed.
[0006] This object is attained according to the invention by the
characteristics recited in claims 1 and 13. Further advantageous
embodiments of the subject of the invention will become apparent
from the remaining claims.
[0007] Because the quantity of the crop being harvested in the
tailings is represented by means of generating grain stream signals
and crop stream signals, the composition of the quantity of the
crop being harvested can be displayed. From the composition of the
quantity of the crop being harvested, the driver can assess the
effectiveness of the cleaning system.
[0008] Advantageously, the grain stream signals are generated with
a grain stream measuring instrument, which includes at least one
pulse density sensor, so that the grains contained in the crop
stream being harvested in the tailings are detected without first
having to separate the grains from the non-grain components.
[0009] Because the pulse density sensor for measuring the number of
grains is a rod sensor, the crop stream being harvested in the
combine is unimpeded, and the pulse density attains a magnitude
that is usable for further processing.
[0010] Because the rod sensors are located in the outlet region of
the crop being harvested in the tailings leaving the cleaning
system, it is assured that the tailings will drop without hindrance
in free fall onto the rod sensors, whereupon, because of what is
known as structure-borne sound, the grains generate a usable signal
in the rod sensors.
[0011] The rod sensor is secured to the collector and guide pan of
the tailing augur by a rubber spring element, so that vibrations
while driving, for instance, are transmitted in attenuated form to
the rod sensor. Strong unattenuated vibrations can otherwise cause
the rod sensor to vibrate, causing grain signals to be tripped
without the grains actually striking the rod sensor.
[0012] The crop stream signal is advantageously generated by a
volumetric stream measuring instrument, which measures a volumetric
tailings stream in an ear elevator, so that the quantity of the
tailings, composed of grains and non-grain components, can be
measured continuously.
[0013] In order that not only the proportion of grain in the crop
harvested and the quantity of the tailings but also the grain
losses can be determined, the system of the invention may
furthermore have a volumetric stream measuring instrument, which
generates a grain stream signal that replicates the total quantity
of grain harvested.
[0014] In order for the results of the measurement to be displayed
without delay to the driver, the grain stream signals and the crop
stream signal are forwarded to an evaluation and display unit. From
them, the evaluation and display unit ascertains not only the
quantity of grain in the tailings and the quantity of the tailings
but also a quantity of grain in the crop being harvested that
represents the quantity of harvested grain.
[0015] If from the grain stream signal, a thousand-grain mass of
the type of fruit, and an area equivalent comprising the sensor
area and the usable filtration area of the tailing augur, the
evaluation and display unit calculates a tailings grain mass, this
grain mass can for instance be expressed as a ratio to the mass of
the tailings. The value of the mass ratio is displayed in the form
of a percentage on a display and serves to assess the effectiveness
of the cleaning system.
[0016] In a comparable way, from the grain stream signal, a
thousand-grain mass of the type of fruit, the area equivalent
comprising the sensor area and the usable separation area of the
tailing augur and a specific density, the evaluation and display
unit could calculate a harvested grain volume and set it in
proportion to the volumetric tailings stream. The volumetric ratio
may likewise be displayed as a percentage on a display and thus
also serves to assess the effectiveness of the cleaning system.
[0017] In a first variant embodiment, the harvested gain quantity
and the quantity of the tailings are displayed quantitatively
simultaneously in separate displays on a screen of the evaluation
and display unit. The driver sees both the absolute values and the
ratio of the absolute values to one another. With this display, the
driver has the capability of learning when the crop streams in the
elevators for instance reach maximum allowable volumetric
streams.
[0018] In an alternative variant embodiment, the harvested gain
quantity and the quantity of the tailings are displayed
qualitatively on a display on the screen. The evaluation and
display unit has already linked the signals with one another, which
relieves the driver of this task.
[0019] A tailings sensing device that generates high-quality
tailings signals is obtained if the quantity of the tailings is
detected at least in part in a cleaning system associated with the
combine, or in a portion of the cleaning system, since in this
region the influence of events that adulterate the measurement
values is still slight.
[0020] Especially high-quality signal ascertainment is attained if
in this region of the cleaning, the proportion of grain in the
tailings is ascertained, since at the transition from the cleaning
system to the tailing augur, the grains must travel a relatively
long distance counter to the action of gravity, and thus in a
simple way, by means of time-tested sensor systems, the number of
grains and hence the proportion of grain in the tailings can be
detected.
[0021] A structurally particularly simple embodiment for
ascertaining the proportion of grain in the tailings is obtained if
at least one grain stream measuring instrument in the region of the
cleaning system is provided, which by means of so-called pulse
density sensors generates grain stream signals, which qualitatively
and/or quantitatively, in an evaluation and display unit, represent
the proportion of grain in the tailings.
[0022] If the cleaning system has a plurality of screen planes,
then in an advantageous refinement of the invention, each screen
plane is assigned at least one grain stream measuring instrument.
This has the advantage that a more-individual reaction to the
filtration characteristics of the individual screen planes can be
made, because different settings for the screens of the various
screen planes are provided.
[0023] In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the grain
stream signals of the plurality of grain stream measuring
instruments are processed and displayed as screen-plane-dependent
grain proportions in the evaluation and display unit, so that the
operator receives more-accurate information about the filtration
characteristic of the individual screen planes.
[0024] Further advantageous embodiments are the subject of further
dependent claims and will be described below in conjunction with an
exemplary embodiment shown in several drawings. Shown are:
[0025] FIG. 1, a schematic cross section through a combine having a
measuring apparatus according to the invention;
[0026] FIG. 2, a screen of the evaluation and display unit;
[0027] FIG. 3, a second version of a screen of the evaluation and
display unit;
[0028] FIG. 4, a detail of FIG. 1, with measuring apparatuses of
the invention.
[0029] The exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1
involves a self-propelled combine 1, with a so-called tangential
thresher mechanism 8 and downstream of it a hurdle shaker 25 as a
filtration device. Below the hurdle shaker 25, there is a cleaning
system 18, comprising two screens 31, 32, disposed in graduated
fashion one above the other, and a blower 33. However, the
invention is expressly not limited to combine types embodied in
this way.
[0030] The mode of operation of a combine 1 of this kind will now
be described. The crop being harvested 3 is first picked up by a
cutting mechanism 2, which delivers the crop being harvested 3 to
an inclined conveyor 6. The inclined conveyor 6 transfers the crop
being harvested 3 to the threshing devices 9, 10, 11 in its rear
region.
[0031] At the entrance to the thresher mechanism 8, there is a
pre-accelerator drum 9, which is followed downstream, in the crop
flow direction, by a threshing drum 10. The pre-accelerator drum 9
and the threshing drum 10 are at least partly sheathed from below
by a threshing basket 11.
[0032] The crop being harvested 3 emerging from the inclined
conveyor 6 is engaged by the pre-accelerator drum 9 and is drawn
onward by the threshing drum 10 through the threshing gap 13 formed
between the threshing drum 10 and the threshing basket 11. The
threshing drum 10 processes the crop being harvested mechanically
at this point, and as a consequence, a grain and chaff mixture 14
is filtered out at the threshing basket 11 and delivered via a
preparation pan 17 to the cleaning system 18, so that the grains 19
can be separated from the non-grain components, that is, from the
stem parts 20 and chaff parts 21.
[0033] From the thresher mechanism 8, the crop stream 22,
substantially comprising stems that have been threshed out, then
passes via the inverter drum 24, rotating counterclockwise, reaches
the hurdle shaker 25, which feeds the crop stream 22 into the rear
region of the combine 1. In the process, the grains 19 still
located in the crop stream 22 are separated out along with any
short straw 20 and chaff 21 that is present, by dropping through
the hurdle shaker 25, which is provided with screen openings 26,
onto a return pan 28. The return pan 28 transports grains 19, short
straw 20, and chaff 21 to the preparation pan 17.
[0034] The grains 19, short straw 20 and chaff 21 finally, also via
the preparation pan 17, reach the inside of the cleaning system 18,
in which the grains 19 are separated from the short straw 20 and
chaff 21. This is done in such a way that an air stream is passed
through the screen openings 29, 30 in the upper screen 31 and the
lower screen 32 by means of the blower 33, and this air stream
loosens up the crop being harvested 34, which is guided via the
screens 31, 32 into the rear region of the combine 1, and assures
that the specifically lighter-weight chaff and short straw
components 20, 21 will be separated out, while the heavy grains 19
of crop being harvested drop through the screen openings 29, 30.
The screens 31, 32 are disposed partly one above the other, so that
the crop being harvested is screened to different fineness in two
stages; the mesh width of the screens 31, 32 is variable. By
varying the mesh width and/or the rpm of the blower 33, the
proportion and composition of the quantity of crop being harvested
that passes through the screen openings 29, 30, known as the
material 37 passed through the screen, and the proportion, known as
the overflow 38 from the screen, that is transported over the
screen 31, 32 can be varied. Moreover, the upper screen 31 is as a
rule embodied such that it has greater mesh widths in a rearward
region known as the tailings region 36.
[0035] Material 37 passed through the screen, which drops through
the upper screen 31 in the tailings region 36, and overflow 38 from
the screen at the end of the lower screen 32 both as a rule contain
heavier particles, or in other words ears that have not been
threshed out. The material 37 passed through the screen along with
the overflow 38 from the screen is hereinafter referred to as the
tailings 39. The tailings 39 drop onto an inclined collector pan 40
below the cleaning system 18 and slide into an ear feed screw 41.
The ear feed screw 41 feeds the tailings 39 into an ear elevator
43, which returns it to the thresher mechanism 8. The collector pan
40, ear feed screw 41 and ear elevator 43 together form a tailing
augur 46. In the ear elevator 43, there is a volumetric stream
measuring instrument 42, known per se, which substantially
comprises a light gate 44 that generates a product stream signal Z,
which varies as a function of the volumetric tailings stream 45,
being fed, of the tailings 39 and thus forms a measure of the
quantity of the tailings 39.
[0036] To determine a proportion of grains 35 in the tailings
quantity 39, a grain stream measuring instrument 49 is mounted on
the end of the lower screen 32, in the outlet region 47 of the
tailings 39 from the cleaning system 18, and it includes a
plurality of pulse density sensors 50 (see the enlarged detail B).
The pulse density sensors 50 are rod sensors 51, which are known
per se and therefore not explained in further detail. The rod
sensors 51 generate a grain stream signal Y, which varies in
proportion to the detected number of grains 35 in the tailings
quantity 39. Each rod sensor 49 is secured by a rubber spring
element 48 to the collector pan 56 of the tailings device 46. For
generating highly precise grain stream signals Y for the stream 39
of the crop being harvested, each screen plane 31, 32 may, as shown
in FIG. 4, be assigned a separate grain stream measuring instrument
49; the grain stream signals Y now generated form a measure of the
proportion of grain in the tailings filtered out at the upper
screen 31 and the total proportion 35 of grain contained in the
stream 39 of the crop being harvested. This has the advantage in
particular that separate information for the lower and upper
screens 31, 32 can be made available to the operator of the combine
1, which enables him to act more precisely on the cleaning losses
53 in such a way that the upper and lower screens 31, 32 are given
different settings.
[0037] For the sake of simplicity, see the further description of
FIG. 1, although the effects to be described also refer to the
disposition of a plurality of grain stream measuring instruments 49
as in FIG. 4.
[0038] The overflow 52 from the screen, which does not drop through
the upper screen 31, is ejected in the rear region of the combine
1; the grains contained in this overflow 52 from the screen form
the cleaning loss 53. The cleaning loss 53 is detected in a manner
known per se with knocking sensors 61. The cleaning loss signal V
generated by the knocking sensors 61 is substantially proportional
to the cleaning losses 53.
[0039] Both the straw 54 and a certain percentage of lost grains 55
migrate via the hurdle shaker 25 to the rear end of the combine 1,
where they are ejected as filtration loss 57. The filtration loss
57 is also detected in a manner known per se by knocking sensors
62. The filtration loss signal A generated by the knocking sensors
62 is substantially proportional to the filtration losses 57. The
grains 19 that have passed through both screens 31, 32 of the
cleaning system 18 drop onto a further inclined collector and guide
pan 56 and slide into a grain feed screw 58, which delivers the
grains 19 to a grain elevator 59. From the grain elevator 59, they
are then fed into a grain tank 60 of the combine 1, where they can
be reloaded as needed onto a transport cart by a tank emptying
conveyor 63. A volumetric stream measuring instrument 65 known per
se is disposed in the grain elevator and substantially comprises a
light gate assembly 66, which measures the volumetric stream of
grain 67 being fed. The at least one light gate assembly 66
generates a crop stream signal Z, which varies in proportion to the
volumetric stream of grain 67. It is within the scope of the
invention that for improving the crop stream signals Z, more than
one light gate 66 may also be provided.
[0040] The volumetric stream measuring instruments 42, 65 and the
grain stream measuring instruments 49 as well as the knocking
sensors 61, 62 are connected to an evaluation and display unit 68,
which is preferably located in the cab 79. The crop stream signals
X, Z generated by the light gates 44, 66 and the grain stream
signals Y generated by the rod sensors 51, along with the
filtration loss signals A and the cleaning loss signals V are
transferred to the evaluation and display unit 68. With the crop
stream signals X, Z, the evaluation and display unit 68 calculates
the total quantity of grain harvested as well as the quantity of
the tailings 39; with the grain stream signal Y, it calculates the
proportion 35 of grain harvested; and with the filtration loss
signals A and the cleaning loss signals V, it calculates both the
cleaning losses 53 and the filtration losses 57. The number of
grains ascertained by the rod sensors 51 is converted in a manner
known per se, with an area equivalent comprising the sensor area
and the usable filtration area, into an actual number of grains
present; the area equivalent is stored in memory in the evaluation
and display unit 68. The evaluation and display unit 68 may
furthermore calculate the corresponding mass of grains, using the
calculated number of grains and the thousand grain mass for that
particular type of fruit, or the grain volume, using the specific
density of the grains. In addition, the possibility exists that the
evaluation and display unit 68 will calculate mass and/or volume
ratios between crop stream quantities or grain quantities. The
calculated values are displayed on a screen 69 of the evaluation
and display unit 68; the quantity of the crop harvested 39 is
displayed by means of the generation of grain stream signals Y and
crop stream signals Z, X.
[0041] FIG. 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a screen 69 of
the evaluation and display unit 68.
[0042] The screen 69 has a plurality of displays 70-73, which make
information available to the driver about machine settings and
operating states of the combine 1. In a triangular graphical
display 70 in the middle, the volumetric tailings stream 45 being
conveyed at that moment in the ear elevator 43 is shown, which
quantitatively corresponds to the quantity of the tailings 39.
Along the right-hand leg of the triangular display, there is a
trapezoidal graphical display 71, which at the same time
quantitatively represents the proportion 35 of grain harvested,
measured at that moment, in the quantity of the tailings 39. To the
left and right beside it, there are two further triangular
graphical displays 72, 73; the display 72 on the left shows the
filtration loss 57, and the display 73 on the right shows the
cleaning loss 53. To aid in recognition, symbols 74 through 77 are
provided on the displays 70 through 73 and symbolize the parameters
displayed.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a screen 69 of
the evaluation and display unit 68. The screen 69 differs in that
between the two outer graphical displays 72, 73, there is only one
rectangular graphical display 78. The rectangular graphical display
78 shows the ratio in percentage at that moment between the mass of
the tailings grain quantity 35 and the mass of the tailings
quantity 39. The ratio of these two mass streams is an indicator of
the effectiveness of the cleaning system 18 and serves as a
substitute for the subjective visual assessment of the quantity of
the tailings 39 by the driver. From the combined displays 70
through 73 and 78, the driver can immediately tell how a change in
the rpm of the blower 33 of the cleaning system 18, for instance,
or an adjustment of the mesh width of the screens 31, 32, affects
the cleaning action of the cleaning system 18. If one parameter
changes, the driver can feasibly recognize the influence of the
adjustment and can optimize the action of the cleaning system
18.
[0044] In closing, it will be pointed out once again that the
combine shown in the drawings and the measuring apparatus, as well
as the concrete method explained in conjunction with them, are
solely exemplary embodiments, which can be varied in manifold ways
by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention. For instance, the mass stream of grains in the tailing
augur can be set into proportion to other mass streams detected,
and the mass streams set in a ratio can be shown on a display. The
ratios shown serve to monitor the effectiveness of the operating
devices.
[0045] The masses, quantities and volumes displayed are equivalent
to the mass streams, quantity streams and volumetric streams
ascertained by the sensors in a defined time interval.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0046] 1 Combine [0047] 2 Cutting mechanism [0048] 3 Crop being
harvested [0049] 6 Inclined conveyor [0050] 8 Thresher mechanism
[0051] 9 Pre-accelerator drum [0052] 10 Threshing drum [0053] 11
Threshing basket [0054] 13 Threshing gap [0055] 14 Grain and chaff
mixture [0056] 17 Preparation pan [0057] 18 Cleaning system [0058]
19 Grains [0059] 20 Stem parts/short straw [0060] 21 Chaff
parts/chaff [0061] 22 Crop stream [0062] 24 Inverter drum [0063] 25
Hurdle shaker [0064] 26 Screen openings [0065] 28 Return pan [0066]
29 Screen openings, upper screen [0067] 30 Screen openings, lower
screen [0068] 31 Upper screen [0069] 32 Lower screen [0070] 33
Blower [0071] 34 Crop being harvested [0072] 35 Proportion of grain
in the tailings [0073] 36 Tailings region [0074] 37 Material passed
through the screen [0075] 38 Screen overflow [0076] 39 Quantity of
tailings [0077] 40 Collector pan [0078] 41 Ear feed screw [0079] 42
Volumetric stream measuring instrument [0080] 43 Ear elevator
[0081] 44 Light gate [0082] 45 Volumetric tailings stream [0083] 46
Tailing augur [0084] 47 Outlet region [0085] 48 Rubber spring
element [0086] 49 Grain stream measuring instrument [0087] 50 Pulse
density sensor [0088] 51 Rod sensor [0089] 52 Screen overflow
[0090] 53 Cleaning loss [0091] 54 Straw [0092] 55 Lost grains
[0093] 56 Collector and guide pan [0094] 57 Filtration loss [0095]
58 Grain feed screw [0096] 59 Grain elevator [0097] 60 Grain tank
[0098] 61 Knocking sensors [0099] 62 Knocking sensors [0100] 63
Grain tank emptying pipe [0101] 65 Volumetric stream measuring
instrument [0102] 66 Light gate assembly [0103] 67 Volumetric
stream of grain [0104] 68 Evaluation and display unit [0105] 69
Screen [0106] 70 Graphical display [0107] 71 Graphical display
[0108] 72 Graphical display [0109] 73 Graphical display [0110] 74
Symbol [0111] 75 Symbol [0112] 76 Symbol [0113] 77 Symbol [0114] 78
Graphical display [0115] 79 Cab [0116] A Filtration loss signal
[0117] V Cleaning loss signal [0118] X Grain stream signal [0119] Y
Grain stream signal [0120] Z Crop stream signal
* * * * *