System for measuring grain flow and harvester

Abstract

This application discloses a system and harvester for measuring grain flow. Grain flow is the flow of clean grain through an auger. The drive shaft that drives the auger is decoupled from the auger. The system includes: a first measurement module configured to measure force data on the auger; a second measurement module configured to measure speed data on the auger; and a coordination module configured to determine the grain flow based on the force data, speed data, and properties of the auger, including the auger's net weight, conveying length, and pitch. This system can achieve improved grain flow measurement accuracy while also taking cost into consideration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of grain flow measurement, and in particular to a system and a harvester for measuring grain flow. Background Art

[0002] Combine harvesters are agricultural machinery that integrates harvesting, threshing, cleaning, and loading functions, playing a vital role in modern agricultural production. To further improve operational efficiency and intelligence, existing technologies have proposed integrating sensors into combine harvesters to measure grain flow in real time. These sensors include, for example, photoelectric sensors, impulse sensors, volumetric sensors, and gamma-ray sensors. By processing sensor data, dynamic monitoring of grain flow is achieved, supporting precision agriculture management.

[0003] However, existing grain flow measurement methods still face several technical bottlenecks in practical application. Due to factors such as improper sensor placement, mechanical interference, and environmental variations, existing methods struggle to meet high-precision measurement requirements. Furthermore, the complex sensor installation and calibration process increases overall system costs, limiting their widespread application.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the measurement accuracy of grain flow while taking into account the cost is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present application discloses a system and a harvester for measuring grain flow, which improve the measurement accuracy of grain flow while taking cost into consideration.

[0006] In the first aspect, the present application discloses a system for measuring grain flow, wherein the grain flow is the flow of clean grain passing through a screw conveyor, and the drive shaft that drives the screw conveyor to rotate is arranged in a decoupled manner from the screw conveyor. The system includes: a first measuring module, configured to measure the force data of the screw conveyor; a second measuring module, configured to measure the speed data of the screw conveyor; and a coordination module, configured to determine the grain flow based on the force data, the speed data and the properties of the screw conveyor, wherein the properties of the screw conveyor include the net weight of the screw conveyor, the conveying length of the screw conveyor and the pitch of the screw conveyor.

[0007] Optionally, a gear sleeve is provided between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor, the first end of the gear sleeve is slidingly connected to the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor, and the second end of the gear sleeve is connected to the drive shaft, so that the drive shaft drives the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor to rotate; the gear sleeve has an internal space, and the internal space is provided between the inner wall of the gear sleeve, the drive shaft and the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor, so that the drive shaft and the screw conveyor are decoupled in the direction of axial force.

[0008] Optionally, the first end of the gear sleeve is also fixed to the outer shell of the screw conveyor through a support member, the gear sleeve is connected to the support member through a bearing, the inner ring of the bearing is fixed to the first end of the gear sleeve, and the outer ring of the bearing is fixed to the support member, and the first end of the support member and the second end of the support member are respectively provided with adjusting bolts for fixing the support member and the outer shell of the screw conveyor.

[0009] Optionally, each adjusting bolt is provided with a clamping nut on both sides relative to the supporting member, for adjusting the distance between the gear sleeve and the screw conveyor.

[0010] Optionally, the system for measuring grain flow further comprises a third measuring module, which is disposed on the carrier where the screw conveyor is located and is configured to measure acceleration data in a direction perpendicular to the carrier.

[0011] Optionally, the first measuring module includes at least one weighing sensor, which is used to support the screw conveyor and measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction; or, the first measuring module includes a tension sensor, which is arranged on the side of the screw conveyor away from the drive shaft and is used to measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction.

[0012] Optionally, the grain flow rate calculation formula includes:

[0013]

[0014] m g =m S -m0;

[0015]

[0016] Among them, F c Represents the data of each weighing sensor, C represents the number of weighing sensors, G represents the sum of the data of each weighing sensor, a represents acceleration data, m S represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, m0 represents the net weight of the screw conveyor, m g It represents the mass of clean grain inside the screw conveyor, L represents the conveying length of the screw conveyor, p represents the pitch of the screw conveyor, n represents the speed data, t represents the time for clean grain to pass through the screw conveyor, and Q represents the grain flow rate.

[0017] Optionally, the grain flow calculation formula also includes:

[0018]

[0019] Among them, t MRepresents each sampling cycle, N represents the number of revolutions of the screw conveyor in each cycle, Q i represents the grain flow in the i-th cycle, m gi Represents the mass of clean grain in the i-th sampling period; and when (N1+N2+…+N i )p>L, the parameters in the above calculation formula and The corresponding relationship is as follows:

[0020]

[0021] Based on the above calculation formula, the following set of equations can be obtained by combining i measurements and sampling:

[0022]

[0023] The above equations are solved through the initialization process to obtain the grain flow rate at the corresponding time.

[0024] Optionally, the calculation process of the grain flow rate includes a calibration correction process, and the calibration correction process includes the following calculation formula:

[0025]

[0026] Q c =KQ r ;

[0027] Among them, m1 represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, K represents the linear comprehensive error coefficient, Q r represents the grain flow rate before correction, Q c represents the corrected grain flow.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present application discloses a harvester comprising the system for measuring grain flow as disclosed in the first aspect above.

[0029] In summary, the system and harvester for measuring grain flow disclosed in this application have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0030] (1) By achieving decoupling between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor, the weight of the screw conveyor is completely borne by the contact point with the harvester, which can avoid the influence of the weight of the drive shaft on the measurement results of the weighing sensor and improve the measurement accuracy.

[0031] (2) Measuring the force data, speed data, and acceleration data separately can effectively correct errors caused by the bumps of the harvester and improve measurement accuracy; that is, regardless of whether the screw conveyor is perpendicular to the ground or has a certain angle with the ground, the system can achieve accurate measurement.

[0032] (3) The system disclosed in this application is directly applied on the basis of the structure of the harvester, which reduces the additional cost and has better adaptability. In addition, the grain flow in this application is the flow of net grain (that is, the flow does not include straw), which can more accurately reflect the actual working efficiency of the harvester and achieve accurate yield estimation, providing reliable data support for agricultural decision-making. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The following is a brief introduction to the drawings used in describing the embodiments of this application:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a structural example diagram of a system for measuring grain flow provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a structural example diagram of a screw conveyor and related components provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a structural example diagram of a gear sleeve provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] In the figure: bearing 110, screw conveyor auger 120, weighing sensor 130, speed gear 140, speed sensor 150, gear sleeve 160, tension sensor 170, guide shaft 180, adjusting bolt 190, support 200, base 210, clamping nut 220, fixed body structure 230, screw conveyor chamber 240, scraper 250. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the specific implementation methods of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work. Adjustments and improvements made without departing from the concept of the present application are all within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] To simplify the drawings, only the parts related to the corresponding embodiments are schematically shown in each figure. They do not represent the actual structure of the product. In addition, to simplify the drawings and facilitate understanding, in some figures, only a portion of the components with the same structure or function are schematically depicted. In reality, more or fewer components with the same structure or function may exist.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, ordinal numbers such as "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish and describe associated objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or order between associated objects; in addition, they do not represent the number of associated objects. "Multiple" includes two or more, and other quantifiers are similar. " / " is used to describe the relationship between associated objects, which indicates the "or" relationship between associated objects. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between associated objects, which includes any combination relationship between associated objects, for example, "a and / or b" includes: "alone a", "alone b", or "a and b". "One or more" or "at least one" in multiple objects refers to any object or any combination of multiple objects, for example, "one or more of a1, a2, a3" or "at least one of a1, a2, a3" includes: "alone a1", "alone a2", "alone a3", "a1 and a2", "a1 and a3", "a2 and a3", or "a1, a2 and a3".

[0041] During the harvesting process, a combine harvester transports the harvested grain to the grain bin via a spiral auger or scraper elevator. Unloading occurs when the bin is full. By establishing a corresponding combine harvester grain yield measurement system, grain yield information can be obtained during this process, enabling real-time monitoring of grain flow. This yield distribution map can be generated to assess harvesting quality and guide precise operations in the plowing, planting, management, and harvesting of the next crop season. Currently, grain flow sensors used in combine harvesters primarily include photoelectric sensors, volumetric sensors, gamma-ray sensors, and impulse sensors. Impulse sensors and photoelectric flow sensors are widely used due to their simple structure and low cost.

[0042] Photoelectric sensors are primarily used in scraper elevators. They estimate the volume of the grain pile, and thus the grain flow rate, by measuring the height of the grain pile on each scraper as it passes the sensor. Because this method estimates volume based on the height of the grain pile, it is subject to the randomness of the grain pile shape, resulting in large calculation errors. Estimating weight based on volume requires advance knowledge of the bulk density of the harvested grain. Therefore, recalibration of bulk density is required when harvesting crops of different types, varieties, or even maturity levels to achieve a more accurate weight value.

[0043] Impulse sensors measure grain flow by measuring the impact of grain on the impulse plate at the elevator outlet. The core calculation formula is Ft = mv. Since the impact force F, time t, and velocity v in this formula can all be measured, the impact mass m can be calculated. This principle has led to dual-plate and suspended-plate measurement methods to optimize the impact of vibration on measurement results. However, since not all grain impacts the impulse plate, this method is essentially a partial sampling measurement method, requiring calibration of the results. Furthermore, currently commercially available solutions all utilize a rigid connection to the harvester, resulting in a significant vibration impact on measurement results.

[0044] Volumetric sensors typically use visual or radar technology to measure the accumulated volume of grain in a silo to calculate the weight of the grain in the silo. The difference between weights at two points in time is used to calculate the grain flow rate. Because volumetric methods can only measure the surface shape of the grain, they require a 3D model of the entire silo in advance, which can complicate subsequent calculations for complex silo structures. On the other hand, volumetric measurement methods calculate flow rate by calculating the difference in total weight at different times. Short time intervals can lead to large errors, while longer time intervals fail to reflect yield variability.

[0045] A gamma-ray sensor uses a radioactive source and a Geiger counter placed at the grain outlet of an elevator. When grain passes through, the gamma-ray intensity decreases, allowing the grain flow rate to be calculated. Due to the difficulty in obtaining and managing radioactive sources, this method is rarely used in the civilian sector and is generally used for real-time flow measurement in mining.

[0046] As can be seen, the accuracy of the existing sensor-based methods for measuring grain flow needs to be improved, and the complex sensor installation and calibration process increases the overall cost of the system, limiting its widespread application. Therefore, the core concept of this application is to improve measurement accuracy through decoupling and reduce costs through the rational configuration of various sensors.

[0047] The following description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a structural example diagram of a system for measuring grain flow provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 The system for measuring grain flow includes: a first measuring module 10, configured to measure the force data of the screw conveyor; a second measuring module 20, configured to measure the rotational speed data of the screw conveyor; and a coordination module 30, configured to determine the grain flow based on the force data, the rotational speed data and the properties of the screw conveyor, wherein the properties of the screw conveyor include the net weight of the screw conveyor, the conveying length of the screw conveyor and the pitch of the screw conveyor.

[0049] In this application, the grain flow rate is the flow rate of clean grain passing through the screw conveyor, and the drive shaft that drives the screw conveyor to rotate is set in a decoupled manner from the screw conveyor. By measuring the clean grain flow rate, the interference of impurities such as straw is avoided, and the actual working efficiency of the harvester can be more accurately reflected. In addition, clean grain is the main goal of the final harvest. Directly measuring the clean grain flow rate can more accurately estimate the field crop yield and provide reliable data support for agricultural decision-making. In addition, if straw flow is included, the data may need to be separated and calibrated twice through an algorithm, which increases the complexity of the system. Directly measuring the clean grain flow rate can simplify the measurement model and subsequent processing.

[0050] The first measuring module 10 is configured to measure the force data of the screw conveyor, and its setting method can be to be set at the bottom of the screw conveyor (measuring pressure) or to be set at the top of the screw conveyor (measuring tension). When the first measuring module 10 is set at the bottom of the screw conveyor, the first measuring module 10 includes at least one weighing sensor; when the first measuring module 10 is set at the top of the screw conveyor, the first measuring module 10 includes a tension sensor. Different setting methods correspond to different usage scenarios. For example, when the working environment of the harvester is a relatively flat farmland, a weighing sensor can be used to measure the force data, or a tension sensor can be used to measure the force data. For another example, when the working environment of the harvester is relatively rugged and prone to bumps, or when the screw conveyor is placed at an angle, a weighing sensor can be used to measure the force data. Each weighing sensor supports the screw conveyor to improve the accuracy of the measurement data.

[0051] In order to improve the accuracy of the force data obtained by the first measuring module 10, the drive shaft and the screw conveyor in the present application are set in a decoupling manner, and the drive shaft is used to drive the screw conveyor to rotate. For example, when the screw conveyor is perpendicular to the ground, the first measuring module 10 includes three weighing sensors, each of which is arranged at the bottom of the screw conveyor and the angle between each other is 120 ° to improve the stability of the screw conveyor. The drive shaft is generally arranged at the bottom of the screw conveyor. By means of decoupling, the axial force between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor can be disconnected (that is, the axial force is not applied), so that the three weighing sensors can obtain accurate force data of the screw conveyor. At this time, the force data of the screw conveyor is the sum of the net weight of the screw conveyor and the weight of the grains located inside the screw conveyor.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, the first measurement module 10 further includes a signal conditioning circuit and an analog-to-digital converter. Since load cells and tension sensors typically measure strain signals, which are relatively weak, a signal conditioning circuit is typically required to amplify the signal before outputting it. The conditioned output signal is typically an analog signal, requiring analog-to-digital conversion to produce a digital signal acceptable to the coordination module 30.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present application, the second measurement module 20 includes a speed sensor and a signal isolation circuit. Common types of speed sensors include photoelectric proximity switches, magnetic field proximity switches, metal induction proximity switches, and rotary encoders, and their output is generally a pulse signal. To obtain a signal acceptable to the coordination module 30, the required pulse signal can typically be obtained through an isolation circuit.

[0054] The coordination module 30 determines the grain flow rate based on the properties of the first measurement module 10, the second measurement module 20 and the screw conveyor itself. The specific calculation method can be referred to the subsequent implementation method.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, please continue to refer to Figure 1 The system also includes a human-computer interaction module 50. The human-computer interaction module 50 is mainly used for data display, user settings, and data calibration. The setting of this module is mainly to facilitate user operation and data browsing, and does not affect the underlying logic of measuring grain flow.

[0056] Figure 2 This is a structural example diagram of a screw conveyor and related components provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 This is a structural example diagram of a gear sleeve provided in an embodiment of the present application. Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 A gear sleeve 160 is provided between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor. The first end of the gear sleeve 160 is slidably connected to the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor, and the second end of the gear sleeve 160 is connected to the drive shaft so that the drive shaft drives the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor to rotate. The gear sleeve 160 has an internal space, and the internal space is provided between the inner wall of the gear sleeve 160, the drive shaft and the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor so that the drive shaft and the screw conveyor are decoupled in the axial force direction. In some embodiments of the present application, the first end of the gear sleeve 160 is also fixed to the outer shell of the screw conveyor through a support 200. The gear sleeve 160 is connected to the support 200 through a bearing 110. The inner ring of the bearing 110 is fixed to the first end of the gear sleeve 160, and the outer ring of the bearing 110 is fixed to the support 200. The first end of the support 200 and the second end of the support 200 are respectively provided with an adjusting bolt 190 for fixing the support 200 and the outer shell of the screw conveyor. Each adjusting bolt 190 is equipped with a clamping nut 220 on either side of the support member 200, which is used to adjust the distance between the gear sleeve 160 and the screw conveyor. The screw conveyor's intermediate shaft can also be referred to as the screw conveyor auger 120. The decoupling process essentially raises the gear sleeve 160, disconnecting the axial force between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor auger 120, thereby preventing any influence on the weighing results.

[0057] Figure 2There are three example images in the figure. The left image uses a mass sensor installed at the bottom to weigh, and the middle image uses a sensor installed at the top to weigh. The screw conveyors in the left and middle images are both perpendicular to the ground. The screw conveyor in the right image has a certain angle with the ground. Figure 3 The three example diagrams in the figure are all example diagrams of the structure of the gear sleeve.

[0058] When the screw conveyor is installed vertically, the force acting on the sidewalls is primarily clamping force, which serves as a structural limit. In this case, a weighing sensor 130 can be installed at the bottom of the screw conveyor, or a tension sensor 170 can be installed at the top of the screw conveyor. If the weighing sensor 130 is installed at the bottom of the screw conveyor, the number of weighing sensors 130 can be greater than or equal to three, which is beneficial for structural stability. The upper and lower ends of the screw conveyor 120 and the screw conveyor cavity 240 are fixed for rotation by bearings 110. Bearings 110 can secure the rotating and non-rotating components to each other to reduce vibration. The gear sleeve 160 is a key structure. If the drive shaft is directly connected to the screw conveyor 120, part of the weight of the screw conveyor will be applied to the drive shaft, causing interference in the force data measurement. The gear sleeve 160 allows the drive shaft to transmit only radial force. The gear sleeve 160 pushes the support member 200 out by adjusting the clamping nuts 220 on both sides, leaving a docking area for the drive shaft. The radial force transmitted by the drive shaft is mainly used to overcome the rotational friction and provide the gravity potential energy when the grain is lifted. Figure 3 As shown, the entire structure is fixed by screwing the adjusting bolts 190 on both sides into the threaded columns below the spiral conveying cavity 240. The outer ring of the bearing 110 is fixed with the support 200 by interference fit, and the inner ring is fixed with the gear sleeve 160. The adjusting clamping nut 220 drives the support 200 to push the gear sleeve 160 forward, and the gear sleeve 160 is docked with the drive shaft. The speed sensor 150 is connected to the speed gear 140 to measure the speed data of the screw conveyor. Figure 2 In the case of the middle figure, it also includes a guide shaft 180 and a fixed body structure 230. The guide shaft 180 is connected to the fixed body structure 230 to maintain the structural stability of the screw conveyor. Each weighing sensor 130 can be installed on the base 210. The scraper 250 is mainly used to assist in the transportation and cleaning of grains. For example, in some cases, the rotation of the spiral blade alone may not be able to fully drive the flow of materials of certain shapes or states (such as wet grains and sticky materials). The scraper can help push these materials along the conveyor.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, please continue to refer to Figure 1, the system for measuring grain flow also includes a third measurement module 40, which is arranged on the carrier where the screw conveyor is located and is configured to measure acceleration data in a direction perpendicular to the carrier. The carrier where the screw conveyor is located may be a harvester. In some embodiments of the present application, the third measurement module 40 includes an acceleration sensor and a data conversion module. The acceleration sensor may be, for example, a micro-electromechanical chip, and its output mode is usually I2C, SPI or UART, so a data conversion module is required to convert the data into a communication type that is convenient for transmission via a cable, such as RS485, RS232 or CAN. In addition, there are also some acceleration sensors that output in the form of analog signals, then the data conversion module can be replaced with an analog-to-digital converter so that the acceleration data can be effectively transmitted to the coordination module 30. The acceleration sensor can be used to calibrate the weighing results in the vertical direction to reduce errors in the measurement process.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present application, the first measuring module includes at least one weighing sensor, which is used to support the screw conveyor and measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction; or, the first measuring module includes a tension sensor, which is arranged on the side of the screw conveyor away from the drive shaft, and is used to measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, the calculation formula for grain flow rate includes:

[0062]

[0063] m g =m S -m0;

[0064]

[0065] Take the weighing sensor as an example. Assume that the force data collected by each weighing sensor are F1, F2...F c , C is the number of weighing sensors. In the direction perpendicular to the ground, F in the formula c Represents the data of each weighing sensor, G represents the sum of the data of each weighing sensor, that is, If it is a tension sensor, G represents the force data collected by the tension sensor. Assume that the axis of the acceleration sensor pointing vertically upward is the Z axis, and the acceleration data of the Z axis is a. Then the total mass of the screw conveyor after posture calibration is m S , m S Represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, i.e. When the screw conveyor is level with the ground, m S Satisfies the following formula: g is the acceleration due to gravity. m0 represents the net weight of the screw conveyor. The mass of the net grain inside the screw conveyor during the actual harvesting process is m g is m S The difference between m0 and m g =m S -m0. L represents the conveying length of the screw conveyor, p represents the pitch of the screw conveyor, n represents the speed data, and t represents the time it takes for the clean grain to pass through the screw conveyor, that is, the time it takes for the clean grain to go from the inlet to the outlet of the screw conveyor, that is, Q represents the grain flow, i.e. The above calculation method can be used to determine the grain flow rate through force data, speed data and the properties of the screw conveyor itself. And when the vehicle body tilts, the grain flow rate can be further corrected in combination with acceleration data to improve measurement accuracy.

[0066] The above formula is the measurement principle under ideal conditions. The t and m used in this formula are g The value of is the average value, and the obtained Q value is actually the average flow. In some embodiments of the present application, if the real-time flow and speed measurement are subdivided into each sampling period t M , the number of revolutions of the spiral axis per cycle is N, then the following formula can be further derived based on the above formula.

[0067]

[0068] In the formula and Do the following: When (N1+N2+…+N i )p>L, the parameters in the above calculation formula and The corresponding relationship is as follows:

[0069]

[0070] The purpose of the above process is to ensure that the measured grain quality corresponds to the measurement time range.

[0071] Among them, t M represents each sampling cycle, N represents the number of revolutions of the screw conveyor in each cycle (the number of revolutions is equal to the speed multiplied by the time), Q i represents the grain flow in the i-th cycle, m gi Represents the mass of clean grain in the i-th sampling period.

[0072] Based on the above calculation formula, the following set of equations can be obtained by combining i measurements and sampling:

[0073]

[0074] The above equations are solved through the initialization process to obtain the grain flow rate at the corresponding time.

[0075] When solving the above equations, the parameters Q and m in the first equation of the equations can be set to 0 through the preset initialization process. Specifically, after the screw conveyor is started, it will keep itself free of grain for a period of time; so that Q1 to Q i are all 0, then m gi is also 0, all the quantities in the first equation are known quantities, and the initialization operation is completed. By combining the known quantities in the first equation with the second equation, only Q i+1 The grain flow rate at each moment can be calculated by solving the above equations.

[0076] Since data errors in the engineering process can lead to error accumulation, we can use the opportunities of turning around and pausing operations during the grain harvesting process to continuously initialize and minimize the error.

[0077] Furthermore, by increasing the sampling frequency and improving the speed sensor resolution, we can further obtain flow values ​​within shorter sampling periods. Since the calculation process is continuous, we obtain i flow calculation results for each sampling period. Therefore, after obtaining i sets of flow rates, we can use methods such as least squares to obtain a grain flow rate closer to the actual value.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present application, the sensor values ​​can also be calibrated in advance to improve measurement accuracy. For example, the proportional coefficient value of the tension sensor can be calibrated before installation or delivery to obtain higher measurement accuracy. The vertical installation degree of the weighing sensor and the angular error during chassis assembly are similar to the acceleration sensor errors and can be calibrated together. For the errors in the pitch, roll and yaw directions of the weighing sensor and the acceleration sensor, the harvester can be made to pass through multiple inclined planes of known angles and stop on the inclined planes before delivery, and the sensor values ​​can be read. Through multiple sets of measurement data, an overdetermined set of equations can be established, and then the least squares method and other data processing methods can be used to solve the installation error angle.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present application, the calculation process of the grain flow rate includes a calibration correction process, and the calibration correction process includes the following calculation formula:

[0080]

[0081] Q c =KQr ;

[0082] Among them, m1 represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, K represents the linear comprehensive error coefficient, Q r represents the grain flow rate before correction, Q c represents the corrected grain flow.

[0083] According to the calculation formula in the above embodiment, since the main calculation processes are all linear processes, a linear comprehensive error coefficient K is introduced for correction.

[0084] Based on similar technical concepts, the present application discloses a harvester including a system for measuring grain flow as disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, the harvester can be a combine harvester. A combine harvester can operate independently, storing grain in its own silo and then unloading it when needed. For example, in small-scale operations, a combine harvester typically operates independently, unloading grain to a fixed storage facility. Furthermore, in large-scale agricultural operations, to improve efficiency, a combine harvester can also be used in conjunction with a grain transport vehicle. This simultaneous harvesting and unloading process reduces harvester downtime for unloading, making it particularly suitable for large, continuously operating fields. The auger conveyor's placement can vary depending on the operating scenario. For example, when operating independently, the auger conveyor is typically positioned vertically or nearly vertically relative to the ground, transporting grain from the harvester's cleaning system to the grain tank. In this case, the auger conveyor's primary function is to lift the grain to a higher location for storage, making its structure more suitable for vertical transport. When operating in conjunction, the auger conveyor needs to be tilted or adjusted to deliver the grain through the grain discharge port to the grain receiving vehicle. This tilted placement allows for continuous and efficient grain transfer, reduces operational interruptions, and improves harvesting efficiency.

[0085] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described or recorded in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant description of other embodiments. In addition, the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed.

Claims

1. A system for measuring grain flow, characterized in that The grain flow rate is the flow rate of clean grain passing through the screw conveyor, and the drive shaft driving the screw conveyor to rotate is arranged in a decoupled manner with the screw conveyor. The system includes: A first measuring module is configured to measure force data of the screw conveyor; A second measuring module is configured to measure the rotation speed data of the screw conveyor; a coordination module configured to determine the grain flow rate based on the force data, the rotational speed data, and properties of the screw conveyor, wherein the properties of the screw conveyor include a net weight of the screw conveyor, a conveying length of the screw conveyor, and a pitch of the screw conveyor; a third measuring module, disposed on the carrier where the screw conveyor is located, and configured to measure acceleration data in a direction perpendicular to the carrier; The first measuring module includes at least one weighing sensor, which is used to support the screw conveyor and measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction; Alternatively, the first measuring module includes a tension sensor, which is arranged on a side of the screw conveyor away from the drive shaft and is used to measure the force data of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor in the vertical direction; The calculation formula of the grain flow rate includes: ； ； ； ； ； in, represents the data of each weighing sensor, C represents the number of weighing sensors, represents the sum of the data of each of the weighing sensors, represents the acceleration data, represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, represents the net weight of the screw conveyor, Represents the mass of clean grain inside the screw conveyor, represents the conveying length of the screw conveyor, represents the pitch of the screw conveyor, represents the speed data, Represents the time it takes for the clean grain to pass through the screw conveyor, represents the grain flow rate.

2. The system for measuring grain flow according to claim 1, characterized in that A gear sleeve is provided between the drive shaft and the screw conveyor, wherein a first end of the gear sleeve is slidably connected to the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor, and a second end of the gear sleeve is connected to the drive shaft, so that the drive shaft drives the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor to rotate; The gear sleeve has an internal space, which is arranged between the inner wall of the gear sleeve, the drive shaft and the intermediate shaft of the screw conveyor, so that the drive shaft and the screw conveyor are decoupled in the axial force direction.

3. The system for measuring grain flow according to claim 2, characterized in that The first end of the gear sleeve is also fixed to the outer shell of the screw conveyor through a support member, and the gear sleeve is connected to the support member through a bearing. The inner ring of the bearing is fixed to the first end of the gear sleeve, and the outer ring of the bearing is fixed to the support member. The first end of the support member and the second end of the support member are respectively provided with adjusting bolts for fixing the support member and the outer shell of the screw conveyor.

4. The system for measuring grain flow according to claim 3, characterized in that Each of the adjusting bolts is provided with a clamping nut on both sides of the supporting member, for adjusting the distance between the gear sleeve and the screw conveyor.

5. The system for measuring grain flow according to claim 1, wherein The calculation formula for the grain flow rate also includes: ； in, Represents each sampling period, represents the number of revolutions of the screw conveyor in each cycle, represents the grain flow in the i-th period, represents the quality of the clean grain in the i-th sampling period; and when When the parameters in the above calculation formula are and The corresponding relationship is as follows: ； ； Based on the above calculation formula, the following set of equations can be obtained by combining i measurements and sampling: ； Solve the above equations through the initialization process to obtain the grain flow rate at the corresponding moment; And among them, represents the time of the i-th cycle, represents the number of rotations of the screw conveyor in the i-th cycle.

6. The system for measuring grain flow according to claim 5, characterized in that The calculation process of the grain flow includes a calibration correction process, and the calibration correction process includes the following calculation formula: ； ； ； in, represents the mass of the screw conveyor and the clean grain inside the screw conveyor, represents the linear comprehensive error coefficient, represents the grain flow rate before correction, represents the corrected grain flow.

7. A harvester, characterized in that: A system for measuring grain flow comprising the system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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