Front camera device of harvester and harvester

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of front camera shooting of a harvester, in particular to a front camera shooting device of the harvester and the harvester, which comprises a sealing shell, an assembling part is arranged on the sealing shell, the sealing shell is fixed on a cab of the harvester through the assembling part, and a camera shooting window is arranged on the front side of the sealing shell; the transparent plate is correspondingly arranged on the camera shooting window; the camera is mounted in the inner cavity of the sealing shell through a mounting bracket, and the camera of the camera is arranged corresponding to the camera shooting window; the windscreen wiper cleaning mechanism comprises a driving assembly, a windscreen wiper arm and a windscreen wiper blade, the driving assembly is arranged on the sealing shell, the output end of the driving assembly is connected with one end of the windscreen wiper arm, the other end of the windscreen wiper arm is correspondingly provided with the windscreen wiper blade, and the windscreen wiper blade is correspondingly attached to the outer surface of the transparent plate. Dust can be effectively prevented from intruding into the front camera, and automatic cleaning can be carried out regularly or as required, so that the shooting quality of the front camera is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of front-mounted cameras for harvesters, and in particular to a front-mounted camera device for harvesters and a harvester. Background Art

[0002] In modern agriculture, mechanized harvesting has become a common and efficient method, especially for crops like wheat and corn. However, during mechanized harvesting, harvesters disturb the crop plants and soil, generating large amounts of dust. This dust primarily originates from the harvester's header, chaff removal outlet, and chopper outlet. To address this issue and improve the efficiency of harvesters, intelligent detection technology has developed rapidly in recent years, with image processing being a key component. Cameras, as a core component of image processing technology, can not only identify crop type, growth status, location, and harvesting status, but also assist in achieving precise harvesting, minimizing losses, and improving operational efficiency.

[0003] Currently, the installation and cleaning methods of cameras have a direct impact on image quality. In complex agricultural environments, cameras are easily affected by dust and other contaminants, resulting in degraded image quality. Therefore, researchers and engineers have been seeking new methods and technologies to ensure that cameras can maintain good shooting results under complex working conditions. Some current solutions include regular manual cleaning or maintenance of cameras, or combining cameras with other sensors such as radar or lidar. However, manual cleaning or maintenance not only increases labor costs, but also reduces harvesting efficiency; and integration with radar will bring additional costs. Although these methods can improve image quality to a certain extent, they cannot fully meet the needs of quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively cleaning cameras to ensure image quality.

[0004] Therefore, it is particularly necessary to design a new cleaning detection device that can be integrated into the harvester. The device should be able to effectively prevent dust intrusion and automatically clean it regularly or on demand to ensure the quality of camera shooting. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to provide a front camera device for a harvester, which can effectively prevent dust from invading the front camera and can automatically clean it regularly or as needed to ensure the shooting quality of the front camera.

[0006] Another object of the present utility model is to provide a harvester that can effectively prevent dust from invading the front camera and can automatically clean it regularly or as needed to ensure the shooting quality of the front camera.

[0007] The technical solution of the present utility model is achieved as follows:

[0008] A front camera device for a harvester, comprising:

[0009] A sealed housing is provided with an assembly portion, the sealed housing is fixed to the cab of the harvester through the assembly portion, and a camera window is opened on the front side of the sealed housing;

[0010] A transparent plate, mounted corresponding to the camera window;

[0011] A camera, the camera being mounted in the inner cavity of the sealed housing via a mounting bracket, with a head of the camera being arranged corresponding to the camera window;

[0012] A wiper cleaning mechanism, the wiper cleaning mechanism includes a drive assembly, a wiper arm and a wiper blade, the drive assembly is arranged on the sealed shell, the output end of the drive assembly is connected to one end of the wiper arm, the other end of the wiper arm is correspondingly provided with the wiper blade, the wiper blade is correspondingly attached to the outer surface of the transparent plate, the drive assembly is used to drive the wiper arm and drive the wiper blade to clean the outer surface of the transparent plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the sealed housing includes a lower shell and an upper cover, and the lower shell and the upper cover are buckled together by a plurality of snap structures.

[0014] Furthermore, a plurality of the assembly parts are provided on the top edge of the lower shell, and assembly holes are provided on the assembly parts for being assembled on the top of the harvester cab.

[0015] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a drive motor and a connecting rod. The drive motor is arranged in the sealed shell. The output end of the drive motor passes through the sealed shell and is connected to one end of the connecting rod. The other end of the connecting rod is connected to the wiper arm.

[0016] Furthermore, the transparent plate is made of transparent glass and is arc-shaped.

[0017] Furthermore, the drive motor is installed upside down at the bottom of the sealed shell, and the output shaft of the drive motor is vertically downward through the bottom of the sealed shell. The drive motor drives the wiper blade to rotate in an arc that is consistent with the arc of the transparent plate. During the rotation process, the wiper blade can always adhere to the outer surface of the transparent plate from one end to the other end of the transparent plate for cleaning.

[0018] Furthermore, the wiper blade is made of rubber.

[0019] Furthermore, the camera is mounted on the top of the driving motor through the mounting bracket.

[0020] Furthermore, the camera is a monocular camera or a binocular camera.

[0021] A harvester includes a cab and an electronic control system, and also includes the harvester front camera device. The harvester front camera device is installed in the cab, and the camera and the drive assembly are electrically connected to the electronic control system respectively.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0023] In this application, the camera is placed in a sealed housing to isolate it from external dust. This sealed housing can be installed inside or outside the harvester cab. A drive assembly drives the wiper arm and wiper blade to swing across the outer surface of the transparent plate to clean the outer surface of the transparent plate. During actual cleaning, automatic cleaning can be performed regularly or on demand to ensure the quality of the front camera's footage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 This is an axonometric view of the harvester imaging device of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the harvester imaging device of the utility model;

[0027] Figure 3 This is an axonometric view of the harvester imaging device of the present invention from another perspective;

[0028] Figure 4 It is a side view of the harvester imaging device of the present invention.

[0029] In the picture:

[0030] 1-sealed housing; 101-lower housing; 102-upper cover; 103-assembly portion; 104-assembly hole;

[0031] 2-transparent plate; 3-camera; 4-mounting bracket;

[0032] 5-wiper cleaning mechanism; 501-drive motor; 502-connecting rod; 503-wiper arm; 504-wiper blade. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0034] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0036] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are the orientations or positional relationships in which the utility model product is typically placed when in use. These terms are intended solely to facilitate the description of this utility model and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used solely to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "overhanging" do not necessarily imply that a component must be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but rather that it can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but rather that it can be slightly tilted.

[0038] It should also be noted that, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections, electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] Reference Figures 1-4 This embodiment provides a front camera device for a harvester, comprising:

[0042] A sealed housing 1 is provided with an assembly portion 103, and the sealed housing 1 is fixed to the cab of the harvester through the assembly portion 103. A camera window is provided on the front side of the sealed housing 1;

[0043] A transparent plate 2 is mounted corresponding to the camera window;

[0044] A camera 3 is mounted in the inner cavity of the sealed housing 1 via a mounting bracket 4, and a camera head of the camera 3 is arranged corresponding to the camera window;

[0045] The wiper cleaning mechanism 5 includes a drive assembly, a wiper arm 503 and a wiper blade 504. The drive assembly is arranged on the sealed shell 1, and the output end of the drive assembly is connected to one end of the wiper arm 503. The wiper blade 504 is correspondingly arranged at the other end of the wiper arm 503. The wiper blade 504 is correspondingly attached to the outer surface of the transparent plate 2. The drive assembly is used to drive the wiper arm 503 and drive the wiper blade 504 to clean the outer surface of the transparent plate 2.

[0046] In this embodiment, the sealed housing 1 includes a lower shell 101 and an upper cover 102. The lower shell 101 and the upper cover 102 are fastened together by multiple snap-fit ​​structures. A plurality of mounting portions 103 are provided on the top edge of the lower shell 101. Each mounting portion 103 has mounting holes 104 formed therein for mounting on the top of the harvester cab.

[0047] The assembly part 103 is generally made of a hard metal material. While considering high strength, it is also necessary to pay attention to lightweight design to meet the vibration requirements of assembly on the top of the harvester cab. The assembly part 103 can be made of aluminum, steel, etc.

[0048] The lower shell 101 and the upper cover 102 are the outer protective shells of the device. The upper cover 102 can be made of plastic and can be movably connected to the lower shell 101 through a snap-on connection design. The sealed shell 1 can be tightly combined with the assembly part 103 to ensure the stability and safety of the device. Plastic is easy to mold and can be used to manufacture upper covers 102 of various complex shapes and structures to meet different design requirements. Plastic can also reduce vibration and noise. When considering the material, it is important to pay attention to the cold resistance of the plastic material and its ability to withstand low temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius or lower to prevent prolonged exposure to extreme low temperatures that may affect the performance of the plastic material, such as causing the material to become brittle or crack.

[0049] In this embodiment, the transparent plate 2 can be made of a variety of transparent materials, such as transparent glass, transparent acrylic plate, transparent plastic plate, etc. Transparent plastic plate, for example, transparent PC plate, PET plate, PVC plate or PP plate.

[0050] Preferably, the transparent plate 2 can be a transparent glass plate. The glass installed in the camera window is crucial to the camera field of view of the device camera 3. On the basis of ensuring the clarity of the field of view, the camera field of view of about 120° must be met first (that is, when the camera 3 is fixed at a certain position in the sealed housing 1, the camera window can meet the shooting of about 120°). The angle can be changed according to the needs of different complete machines, and the camera window can be adjusted according to the angle size; secondly, the glass material must also consider high-strength and impact-resistant materials, such as tempered glass, to ensure that it can maintain integrity when the top of the device is impacted; finally, anti-scratch and self-cleaning functions must be considered, such as tempered glass treated with nanotechnology, coating technology, etc.

[0051] The drive assembly includes a drive motor 501 and a connecting rod 502. The drive motor 501 is disposed within the sealed housing 1. The output end of the drive motor 501 passes through the sealed housing 1 and is connected to one end of the connecting rod 502. The other end of the connecting rod 502 is connected to the wiper arm 503. The drive motor 501 drives the connecting rod 502, the wiper arm 503, and the wiper blade 504 to rotate about the output shaft of the drive motor 501. Accordingly, the transparent plate 2 also utilizes a curved glass plate, the curvature of which aligns with the rotational arc (i.e., the rotational trajectory) of the wiper blade 504. This ensures that, as the drive motor 501 drives the wiper blade 504 to rotate, the wiper blade 504 remains in contact with the outer surface of the transparent plate 2 from one end to the other, performing cleaning.

[0052] Preferably, the drive motor 501 is mounted upside down and fixed to the bottom of the sealed housing 1, with the output shaft of the drive motor 501 extending vertically downward through the bottom of the sealed housing 1. The drive motor 501 can also be fixed to the bottom plate of the lower housing 101 via a bracket. After the drive motor 501 is installed, it is necessary to ensure that the output shaft of the drive motor 501 is facing vertically downward. A corresponding perforation is provided in the bottom plate of the lower housing 101, and the output shaft of the drive motor 501 can extend downward through the perforation and extend to the bottom of the lower housing 101, thereby driving the connecting rod 502, the wiper arm 503, and the wiper blade 504 to swing horizontally. It should be noted that the size of the perforation is slightly larger than the size of the output shaft of the drive motor 501, so that there is only a small gap between the output shaft of the drive motor 501 and the perforation, thereby preventing dust from entering as much as possible. Alternatively, a dynamic sealing structure can be provided in the perforation, such as a dynamic sealing ring installed between the output shaft of the drive motor 501 and the inner wall of the perforation, to improve the sealing effect.

[0053] Preferably, the wiper blade 504 is made of rubber, the camera window is designed as a rectangular opening, the glass plate is designed as a rectangular curved plate, the height of the wiper blade 504 is consistent with the height of the glass plate, and the wiper blade 504 is correspondingly attached to the outer surface of the glass plate. When the driving motor 501 drives the wiper blade 504 to swing horizontally, it can always be attached to the outer surface of the glass plate horizontally from one end of the glass plate to the other end, so that the outer surface of the glass plate can be cleaned without dead angles, thereby improving the cleaning area and cleaning efficiency.

[0054] It should be noted that the wiper blade 504 is bonded to the glass plate. The pressure setting between the wiper blade 504 and the glass needs to be set according to factors such as the shape of the glass and the material of the wiper blade 504. Pay attention to the wiping effect and noise of the wiper blade 504. The wiper arm 503 is the component that fixes the wiper blade 504. One end of the wiper arm is connected to the wiper blade 504, and the other end is connected to the connecting rod 502. The wiper arm 503 must be designed to ensure stability and flexibility. The connecting rod 502 is used to connect the wiper arm 503 and the drive motor 501. The connecting rod 502 can be a separate rod body or a connecting rod mechanism. It converts the rotational motion of the drive motor 501 into a horizontal swinging reciprocating motion of the wiper arm 503, thereby driving the wiper arm 503 and the wiper blade 504 to move on the glass to achieve the purpose of cleaning. The drive motor 501 provides power to the wiper cleaning mechanism 5, and can select high and low speed gears. The drive motor 501 can select a reciprocating swing motor (the swing amplitude is set manually), and its rotation speed is controlled by changing the current of the drive motor 501, thereby controlling the swing speed of the wiper arm 503; in addition, it should be noted that the drive motor 501 must meet the reset control to prevent blocking the field of view of the camera 3.

[0055] Camera 3 and mounting bracket 4 are designed inside upper cover 102, requiring high dust and moisture resistance. Considering the camera's field of view and spatial distribution, camera 3 can be placed in a suitable position. In this embodiment, camera 3 and mounting bracket 4 are placed on top of drive motor 501. Mounting bracket 4 is a universal design that can accommodate both binocular and monocular cameras. Camera 3 can also be a binocular or monocular camera.

[0056] First, the camera 3 is placed in a sealed housing 1 to isolate it from external dust. This sealed housing 1 can be installed inside or outside the harvester's cab. Then, a drive assembly drives the wiper arm 503 and wiper blade 504 to swing across the outer surface of the transparent plate 2 to clean the outer surface of the transparent plate 2. During actual cleaning, automatic cleaning can be performed regularly or on demand to ensure the quality of the images captured by the front camera 3.

[0057] Example 2

[0058] This embodiment provides a front camera device for a harvester. This embodiment differs from the technical solution of Embodiment 1 in that a plurality of legs are provided on the bottom edge of a lower housing 101, each leg having an assembly hole 104. This design allows the device to be installed not only inside the cab of a harvester but also on the top outside the cab via the plurality of legs, providing an additional installation method.

[0059] Example 3

[0060] This embodiment provides a front-mounted camera device for a harvester, including a front-mounted camera 3. The camera 3 can be cleaned manually by gently wiping the lens surface of the camera 3 with a soft cloth or lens tissue. Alternatively, the camera 3 can be integrated with a radar or a laser radar. The laser radar (LiDAR) can generate accurate three-dimensional point cloud data reflecting the shape, position, and distance information of an object, while the camera captures a two-dimensional image, providing rich color, texture, and shape information. By fusing the two data, depth information can be added to the image.

[0061] Example 4

[0062] This embodiment provides a harvester, including a cab and an electronic control system, and also includes the harvester front camera device. The harvester front camera device is installed in the cab through multiple assembly parts 103 or installed on the top outside the cab through multiple legs, and the camera 3 and the drive component are electrically connected to the electronic control system respectively. Using the camera as the core component of the image processing technology can not only identify the type, growth status, location information and harvesting status of the crop, but also assist in achieving accurate harvesting, reducing losses and improving work efficiency.

[0063] The beneficial effects of the technical solution of the utility model are:

[0064] (1) The design structure of the present application can be integrated on the roof of the harvester cab, and a plurality of assembly parts 103 can be installed with the cab roof by snap fastening or fixed by bolt connection, and the assembly can be achieved by combining gluing and other methods, so that the camera 3 and the drive motor 501 are protected in the sealed housing 1, which can effectively isolate the camera 3 from direct contact with debris, reduce the risk of scratches and wear on the camera 3 lens, and fundamentally ensure the camera shooting quality.

[0065] (2) The design of this application adopts a self-cleaning method of the wiper cleaning mechanism 5. The curvature and size of the glass are designed according to the camera's field of view. Under complex working conditions (dust, debris, rain, etc.), cleaning can be performed regularly or on demand to ensure the quality of the image captured by the camera, provide clear image data for image processing technology, and ensure the accuracy of image analysis data; and it can reduce manual cleaning time, which is of great significance to improving work efficiency.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0067] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A front camera device for a harvester, characterized in that: include: A sealed housing (1), wherein an assembly portion (103) is provided on the sealed housing (1), the sealed housing (1) is fixed to a cab of a harvester via the assembly portion (103), and a camera window is provided on the front side of the sealed housing (1); A transparent plate (2) is mounted corresponding to the camera window; A camera (3), the camera (3) being mounted in the inner cavity of the sealed housing (1) via a mounting bracket (4), and the camera head of the camera (3) being arranged corresponding to the camera window; A wiper cleaning mechanism (5) comprising a drive assembly, a wiper arm (503) and a wiper blade (504); the drive assembly being arranged on the sealed housing (1); an output end of the drive assembly being connected to one end of the wiper arm (503); the wiper blade (504) being arranged correspondingly at the other end of the wiper arm (503); the wiper blade (504) being correspondingly attached to the outer surface of the transparent plate (2); and the drive assembly being used to drive the wiper arm (503) and drive the wiper blade (504) to clean the outer surface of the transparent plate (2).

2. The harvester front camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealed housing (1) comprises a lower shell (101) and an upper cover (102); the lower shell (101) and the upper cover (102) are fastened together via a plurality of snap-fit ​​structures.

3. The harvester front camera device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of assembly parts (103) are provided on the top edge of the lower shell (101), and assembly holes (104) are provided on the assembly parts (103) for being assembled on the top of the harvester cab.

4. The harvester front camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly comprises a driving motor (501) and a connecting rod (502); the driving motor (501) is arranged in the sealed housing (1); the output end of the driving motor (501) is passed through the sealed housing (1) and is connected to one end of the connecting rod (502); the other end of the connecting rod (502) is connected to the wiper arm (503).

5. The harvester front camera device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transparent plate (2) is made of transparent glass, and the transparent plate (2) is arc-shaped.

6. The harvester front camera device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving motor (501) is installed upside down at the bottom of the sealed housing (1), and the output shaft of the driving motor (501) is vertically downwardly passed through the bottom of the sealed housing (1). The driving motor (501) drives the wiper blade (504) to rotate with an arc that is consistent with the arc of the transparent plate (2). During the rotation process, the wiper blade (504) can always adhere to the outer surface of the transparent plate (2) from one end to the other end of the transparent plate (2) to perform cleaning.

7. The harvester front camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wiper blade (504) is made of rubber.

8. The harvester front camera device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The camera (3) is mounted on the top of the driving motor (501) via the mounting bracket (4).

9. The harvester front camera device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera (3) is a monocular camera (3) or a binocular camera (3).

10. A harvester, comprising a cab and an electronic control system, characterized in that: It also includes a front camera device for the harvester according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the front camera device for the harvester is installed in the cab, and the camera (3) and the drive assembly are electrically connected to the electronic control system respectively.

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