UM ARRANJO DE MONITORAMENTO PARA UM IMPLEMENTO AGRÍCOLA

Description

1 / 12 “A MONITORING ARRANGEMENT FOR AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT” Field of Invention

[001] The present invention relates to agricultural machinery, in particular to large implements such as harvesters and forage harvesters. State of the Art.

[002] Harvesters or forage harvesters are large and technically complex machines, composed of various moving components that operate in confined compartments, many of which are difficult to access. Regular inspection and monitoring of these components is made possible by window-type openings, closed by hinged covers or similar closures. The use of monitoring cameras incorporated into these covers to observe an internal part of a compartment at regular intervals is known. Summary of the Invention.

[003] The invention relates to an agricultural implement as described in the appended claims. The implement, for example a combine harvester, comprises at least one compartment with walls and an opening, for example for inspection, monitoring and / or cleaning, in one of the walls of the compartment. The compartment may have walls on all sides so that it is isolated from the outside, but it may also be open to the outside on one or more sides.

[004] A door is configured to cover or uncover the opening, this door comprising a light-sensitive sensor device so as to detect light coming from inside the compartment when the door is closed; the sensor device may, for example, be a camera mounted in a housing that rotates around a hinge axis, allowing the camera housing to cover or uncover the opening; in addition, a control unit is provided, configured to receive a signal from the sensor device and, from this signal, derive an indication of the door's position relative to the opening; this indication may be Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 10 / 30 2 / 12 a classification such as, for example, “closed”, “not completely closed”, “open”, or an opening angle or range of angles of the door, such as “0°”, “>0° and <5°”, “>5° and <30°”, “>30°”; the invention thus allows monitoring of whether the door is covering the opening; preferably, the door is equipped with a locking mechanism configured so that the signals obtained by the sensor device allow the control unit to determine whether the door is locked by this mechanism; these signals may be of luminous intensity, indicative of ambient light (daylight and / or artificial light) coming from outside the compartment and falling on the light-sensitive device. Other embodiments of the invention are based on the processing of images captured by the camera and the position, within these images, of one or more reference features of an internal portion of the compartment that was recorded.

[005] The invention thus allows monitoring of the open or closed condition, and preferably the locked or unlocked condition of the door, enabling the implementation of security procedures based on this monitoring function.

[006] According to preferred embodiments, the compartment has a culture inlet and outlet, through which the material is moved from the inlet to the outlet, and can be processed between these two points (as occurs in the chopper compartment); especially for this type of compartment, which has an opening for inspection and / or cleaning, the invention provides an increased degree of safety against the possibility of the opening being left uncovered and unlocked, thus reducing the risk of injury to people accessing the opening while processing tools are active, as well as decreasing material loss through open openings. Brief description of the figures

[007] Figure 1 shows a chopper compartment of a combine harvester. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 11 / 30 3 / 12 equipped with a monitoring camera housing according to one embodiment of the invention.

[008] Figure 2 is a detailed view of the monitoring camera housing attached to the chipper compartment structure shown in Figure 1.

[009] Figure 3 shows the camera housing in the open condition, revealing a monitoring opening in the wall of the chipper compartment.

[010] Figure 4 shows the camera housing rotated towards the wall of the chipper compartment, before the housing is locked in place.

[011] Figure 5 shows an example of the camera's field of view including several reference features indicating the position of the camera door. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention.

[012] Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. The detailed description does not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the appended claims.

[013] Figure 1 illustrates a chopper compartment 1, hereinafter also abbreviated as “chopper”, of a combine harvester. The chopper is located at the rear of the combine harvester and is configured to receive crop residues from the threshing and cleaning sections of the machine. From the chopper, the chopped residue particles are directed to a spreader, which is configured to eject these particles into an area behind the moving combine harvester.

[014] The chopper 1 comprises a structure with front and rear walls, as well as flat side walls. The rear wall 2 and the left side wall 3 are indicated in the drawing. Chopper knives 4 are coupled to a central shaft 5 that is rotatable within the chopper structure. The knives 4 are configured to chop the crop material against counter-knives (not shown) that remain stationary relative to the structure. The material enters through the top of the Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 12 / 30 The 4 / 12 compartment is located between the front and rear walls, and the chopped material exits from the bottom. This configuration of the chopper is well-known and therefore a more detailed description will not be included here.

[015] It can be seen that the chopper 1 further comprises a camera housing 6 mounted against the rear wall 2 of the chopper structure. Figure 2 shows a close-up view of the camera housing 6, which contains a camera of known type and dimensions for use as a monitoring device in agricultural machinery. The camera is configured to capture images of the interior of the chopper compartment during combine harvester operation. For this purpose, an opening is provided in the rear wall 2, and the camera housing 6 is mounted over this opening, effectively closing it. The camera housing 6 is, in fact, configured to act as a hinged door capable of covering or uncovering the opening by means of rotation around a hinge axis 10. The camera housing 6 will henceforth also be referred to as the “camera door” 6, due to its dual function of acting as a camera enclosure and as a hinged door.A power cable (not shown) can be attached to or integrated into the chipper's frame to supply power to the camera.

[016] The camera is connected by a cable, possibly bundled with the power cable, or by a wireless connection, to a control unit 7, symbolically represented by square 7 in Figure 1; this is a signal processing unit, configured to receive signals from the camera, these signals being representative of the captured images; the control unit 7 may be integrated into a combine harvester control unit, programmed and configured to perform known control and monitoring functions of various types; in addition to these known functions, the control unit 7 in a combine harvester according to the invention is configured to perform a specific monitoring function that will be described below; the control unit 7 may also be implemented separately from a standard combine harvester control unit; Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 13 / 30 5 / 12 preferably, the control unit 7 is coupled to a monitor 8, which may, for example, be part of a user interface located in the combine operator's cab, and be configured to communicate data related to or derived from the captured images to an operator seated in the cab.

[017] As shown in Figure 2, the camera door 6 is locked by a locking mechanism 11. In the illustrated embodiment, this is an over-center mechanism 11, the principle of which is known, although any other locking mechanism could be applied. The over-center mechanism 11 comprises an over-center arm 12 equipped with a fastening loop 13 at one end, configured to engage with a hook-shaped anchoring feature 14 on the wall 2. At the other end, the over-center arm 12 is articulatedly coupled to a lever 15 fixed to a rod 16 that is pivotable relative to the camera door 6. Locking the mechanism requires the engagement of the loop 13 with the hook-shaped anchoring feature 14 and the rotation of the rod 16, thus placing the lever 15 and the over-center arm 12 in the locking position illustrated in Figure 2.In the embodiment shown, the mechanism is dimensioned so that locking and unlocking are only possible by rotating the rod 16 with the aid of a tightening tool, such as a wrench. However, as mentioned, several other locking mechanisms are applicable in the context of the present invention.

[018] As shown in Figure 3, which shows the door-camera 6 fully open by rotation around the articulation axis 10, the door-camera 6 comprises a front window 20 that fits into the opening 21 in the wall 2 when the door 6 is closed; one of the chopper knives 4 is visible in this drawing, appearing through the opening 21; opening the door-camera 6 is regularly necessary for cleaning the window 20 or during maintenance or repairs; Figure 4 shows the door 6 after it has been rotated towards the opening 21 and before being fixed and locked. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 14 / 30 6 / 12 of the overcenter mechanism 11; from a safety point of view, it is important that the camera door 6 is closed when the chopper is in operation, i.e., during the combine harvester's operating modes.

[019] According to the embodiment illustrated, the camera included in the camera housing is used as a sensor configured to verify whether the camera door 6 is effectively closed and locked.

[020] In the specific case of the chopper compartment of a combine harvester, this compartment is essentially isolated from ambient light when the machine is operating in the field; in other words, the interior of the chopper compartment remains essentially dark, whether under natural light conditions during the day, under artificial light during night operations, or under a combination of both; the term “essentially dark” encompasses compartments in which little or no light can penetrate, as well as compartments in which light entry is generally prevented, except momentarily, for example through a crop inlet or outlet opening, when the material flow is momentarily low or zero; therefore, the monitoring camera is equipped with one or more flashlights that illuminate the interior with each camera exposure, allowing images of the dark internal environment to be obtained;Alternatively, the flashlights can be installed near the camera and separate from it, but coupled in such a way as to synchronize the lighting with the camera's operation; the images can be sent to an image processing unit or displayed on a digital screen in the operator's cabin.

[021] The overcenter mechanism 11 (or any equivalent mechanism) is configured to press the camera door 6 against the wall 2, essentially obstructing any light entry from outside the chopper compartment through the opening 21; when the overcenter mechanism 11 is not locked, for example when the camera door 6 is fully open as in Figure Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 15 / 30 7 / 12 3, or positioned loosely against the wall as in Figure 4, and in any other intermediate position between these two, ambient light — that is, light that does not originate from inside the compartment — can fall on the camera window 20.

[022] In the illustrated embodiment, the sensitivity of the camera is such that ambient light can be detected by the camera without the activation of the flashlights, unless the overcenter mechanism 11 is properly fixed and locked; in other words, the camera is able to detect a level of light intensity that indicates the position of the camera door 6 and whether or not it is locked by the locking mechanism 11.

[023] Control unit 7 is configured to monitor the light intensity detected by the camera based on images acquired without activating the flashlights; this configuration therefore allows the camera to be used as a sensor to verify whether the camera door 6 is effectively closed and locked.

[024] This use of the camera can be implemented in the form of a series of safety procedures that can be adopted. For example, when the operator starts the combine harvester, an automatic verification sequence can be performed before actually starting the machine's working components, including, in the illustrated embodiment, the chopper. The sequence could be as follows: Control unit 7 commands the camera to capture an image without using the flashlights; control unit 7 receives the captured image; control unit 7 checks the average light intensity of the captured image.

[025] This average does not necessarily have to correspond to the intensity of the entire image, and can be calculated based on a portion of the image, for example an area more susceptible to the influence of ambient light. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 16 / 30 8 / 12 if the average light intensity exceeds a predefined limit, the control unit 7 concludes that the camera door 6 is not locked and a warning signal is issued to the operator via the monitor 8; the activation of the machine components is then prohibited; the operator can, in this case, check the camera door 6, lock it correctly and return to the cabin to start the machine components. If the average light intensity does not exceed the limit, it is concluded that the camera door 6 is effectively locked and the operation of the machine components can be started; this limit may correspond to zero light intensity in the case of a completely darkened compartment, such as the chipper compartment, or it may be a slightly higher value if the compartment is not completely isolated from ambient light.

[026] It is also possible to acquire images from the camera at regular intervals during harvester operation, without activating the reflectors, and to check the average light intensity of the acquired images. This allows regular monitoring of the position and locking of the camera door 6 during harvesting.

[027] Variants based on light intensity measurements are not limited to configurations in which a locking mechanism is provided to effectively close the opening against ambient light — although, from a safety point of view, such configurations are preferable — the invention is also applicable to cases in which the door covers the opening without a locking mechanism per se, and may or may not completely block the entry of ambient light; in this context, the light intensity measurement can still be used by the control unit 7 to obtain information about the position of the door, for example, detecting a higher intensity when the door is not covering the opening, compared to when it is covering it.

[028] Another set of realizations applicable to similar camera configurations is not based on measuring light intensity, but rather on Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 17 / 30 9 / 12 characteristics of the images themselves. In this case, and when applied to a compartment that is isolated from ambient light when the door is closed, the reflectors are not deactivated when capturing verification images, but rather processed by a verification algorithm. This requires the presence of one or more distinct reference features that appear within the camera's field of view when the camera door 6 covers the opening. Reference features derived from intrinsic constructive elements of the monitored compartment can be used—for example, if one of the chopper blades is visible to the camera, the blade's position within the field of view can indicate the position of the camera door. Additionally or alternatively, specific reference features can be deliberately applied to this compartment, within the camera's field of view, such as a screw pattern fixed to a wall.The position of these features in the captured image is used as a reference when the camera door covers the opening; if the door is open or ajar, the reference features will be absent or displaced relative to the reference, and this absence or displacement can be detected using standard image processing techniques.

[029] Figure 5 shows an example of the camera's field of view including a set of deliberately applied reference features, in the form of three screws 30 fixed in a triangular pattern on the rear wall of the chipper. The detected position of the screws shifts to the right, as indicated by the screw pattern represented by dashed lines, if the camera door is not closed. Additionally or alternatively, the position of a chipper knife 4 can be used as a reference feature, also shifting to the right when the door is not closed.

[030] This type of embodiment is preferably applied in combination with a locking mechanism configured so that the door cannot cover Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 18 / 30 10 / 12 fully open unless locked by this mechanism. In this case, any displacement of the reference features indicates that the door is open and unlocked. Furthermore, these variants are applicable to compartments that are not isolated from the external environment when the door is closed, and in which sufficient light (natural and / or artificial light) falls on the reference features. In this situation, a camera with reflectors is not necessary. In practice, however, to obtain the best results, it is preferable to use reflectors during image acquisition by the camera.

[031] These realizations therefore allow for an additional verification sequence, which can be performed, for example, before starting the harvester and / or regularly during its operation. A sequence performed before starting the harvester could be, for example, the following: Control unit 7 commands the camera to capture an image using the reflectors; control unit 7 receives the captured image; control unit 7 processes the captured image and verifies the position of one or more predefined reference features. If one or more reference features are not in a predefined position within the image, control unit 7 concludes that camera door 6 is not covering the opening and a warning signal is issued to the operator. Starting the engine is then prohibited. The operator can check the camera door, lock it, and return to the cab to start operating the machine components. If one or more reference features are in the predefined position, it is concluded that the camera door is effectively covering and locking the opening, and the machine components are activated.

[032] According to some realizations in which the images captured by the camera are processed and checked with respect to the position of the features Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 19 / 30 Based on the 11 / 12 reference model, the control unit is programmed using a machine learning algorithm, configured to process the images and thus allow for an AI (Artificial Intelligence) based evaluation of the captured images.

[033] The invention is not limited to embodiments that include a camera. The verification sequence described above, in which the light intensity is checked, can be performed with any light-sensitive sensor, i.e., not necessarily a camera. A light sensor configured to detect the light intensity level without capturing an image of the interior of the compartment can be used. This sensor can be a standard light sensor or a more advanced sensor, such as a NIR (near-infrared) sensor, applied to detect the composition of the crops identified by the sensor.

[034] The invention is applicable to monitoring the position of any door present in an enclosed compartment of an agricultural implement, i.e., it is not limited to the application illustrated in the chopper compartment of a combine harvester. In a combine harvester, several similar doors with cameras may be present, and the invention can be applied to one or more of these doors, including, for example, a monitoring camera or NIR sensor mounted on a door used for cleaning and / or inspection on the side wall of the clean grain elevator housing or the housing of an auger. The invention is also applicable to enclosed compartments of other types of agricultural machinery, such as forage harvesters, sugarcane harvesters, or balers. Specific examples of variants include, for example: A door equipped with a NIR sensor on the side wall of the discharge tube of a forage harvester, that is, the tube through which the processed crops are ejected from the machine. a door equipped with a NIR sensor in the crop inlet compartment of a baler, Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 20 / 30 12 / 12 a door equipped with a camera or NIR sensor on the side wall of the chopper compartment of a sugarcane harvester.

[035] The invention is not limited to application in hinged doors, and can also be applied to doors or lids configured to open or close in other ways, such as by sliding in front of a monitored opening. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 21 / 30

Claims

1 / 5 CLAIMS 1. Agricultural implement comprising a compartment (1) totally or partially enclosed by walls (2,3) and a door (6) configured to cover or uncover an opening (21) in one of these walls, wherein the door (6) comprises a transparent window (20) and a light-sensitive sensor device, configured to capture the light that passes through the window and originates from an internal portion of the compartment (1) when the door covers the opening (21), CHARACTERIZED in that the implement further comprises a control unit (7) configured to receive a signal from the sensor device and, from this signal, derive an indication of the position of the door (6) in relation to the opening (21).

2. Agricultural implement, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the compartment (1) has an inlet and an outlet for crops, and the crops are moved from the inlet to the outlet of the compartment, and can be processed between the inlet and the outlet.

3. Agricultural implement, according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that: the interior of the compartment (1) is essentially dark when the implement is in operation with the door (6) covering the opening (21), and when the exterior of the compartment is illuminated by natural light and / or by an artificial light source, the light-sensitive device is a camera comprising or coupled to one or more reflectors to capture images of said interior portion with the aid of the reflectors when the door (6) is covering the opening (21), the control unit (7) is configured to derive said indication based on a signal received from the camera, said signal being representative of the intensity of light captured by the camera when the reflectors are not active.

4. Agricultural implement, according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 22 / 30 2 / 5 by the fact that the door (6) is provided with a locking mechanism (11) configured to lock the door when it is covering the opening (21), and in which the locking mechanism is configured so that the door cannot completely block the entry of light from outside the compartment unless it is locked by this mechanism (11).

5. Agricultural implement, according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that: the light-sensitive device is a camera configured to produce images of said internal portion of the compartment (1), said internal portion is provided with one or more reference features that appear in a predefined position in said images when the door is covering the opening (21), the control unit (7) is configured to obtain this indication based on the images captured by the camera and on checking whether or not one or more reference features are in the predefined position.

6. Agricultural implement, according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the door (6) is equipped with a locking mechanism (11) configured to lock the door when it is covering the opening (21), and in that the locking mechanism is configured so that the door cannot fully cover the opening unless it is locked by this mechanism.

7. Agricultural implement, according to claim 5 or 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the control unit (7) is programmed based on a machine learning algorithm configured to process images captured by the camera.

8. Agricultural implement, according to claim 4 or 6, CHARACTERIZED in that the locking mechanism is an over-center mechanism (11). Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, page 23 / 30 3 / 5 9. Agricultural implement, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the door (6) is a hinged door configured to cover or uncover the opening (21) by means of rotation around a hinge axis (10) located adjacent to the opening.

10. Agricultural implement, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the control unit (7) is additionally configured to communicate data about the position of the gate (6) to a monitor (8) included in the agricultural implement.

11. Agricultural implement, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the implement is a combine harvester comprising: a crusher and spreader assembly comprising a crushing compartment (1), a clean grain elevator comprising a housing that forms a compartment, one or more clean grain augers comprising a housing that forms a compartment, and wherein the compartment comprising said door and opening is one or more of the following: crusher compartment, clean grain elevator housing, housing of one or more clean grain augers.

12. Agricultural implement, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the implement is a sugarcane harvester comprising a shredding compartment with walls, and in that the compartment comprising said door and opening is said shredding compartment of the sugarcane harvester. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 24 / 30 4 / 5 13. Agricultural implement, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the implement is a forage harvester comprising a discharge tube for ejecting processed crops from the harvester, wherein said tube forms a compartment with walls, and wherein the compartment comprising said door and opening is the discharge tube of the forage harvester.

14. Agricultural implement, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the implement is a baler comprising a walled crop inlet compartment, and wherein the compartment comprising said door and opening is the crop inlet compartment of the baler.

15. Method for verifying the position of said door (6) in an implement according to claim 4, the method CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises the following steps: the control unit (7) commands the camera to take a picture without using the flashes, the control unit receives the captured image, the control unit verifies the average light intensity of at least part of the captured image, if the average light intensity exceeds a predefined limit, the control unit (7) concludes that the door (6) is not locked and an alert signal is issued to the implement operator, if the average light intensity does not exceed the limit, it is concluded that the door (6) is effectively locked.

16. Method for verifying the position of said door (6) in an implement, according to claim 6, the method CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises the following steps: Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 25 / 30 5 / 5 the control unit (7) commands the camera to take a picture, the control unit receives the captured image, the control unit processes the captured image and verifies the position of one or more reference features, if one or more reference features are not in a predefined position within the image, the control unit (7) concludes that the door (6) is not locked and an alert signal is issued to the implement operator, if one or more reference features are in the predefined position, it is concluded that the door is effectively locked. Petition 870250081705, dated 11 / 09 / 2025, p. 26 / 30

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