Sensor arrangement for functional monitoring of a harvesting attachment

Abstract

A self-propelled harvesting machine (10) with a sensor arrangement (62) for monitoring the function of a harvesting header (42) attached to the harvesting machine (10), wherein the sensor arrangement (62) comprising a camera (68) is connected to a control arrangement (74) configured to automatically control one or more operating parameters of the harvesting header (42) based on output signals from the sensor arrangement (62), characterized in that the sensor arrangement (62) is located above the harvesting header (42) and in front of its leading edge and is directed towards the front of the harvesting header (42), and that the sensor arrangement (62) is attached to a flying device equipped with rotary wings (66), which is connected via two cables (72) to each of an upper, front corner of a driver's cab (16) of the harvesting machine (10).that the power supply to the sensor arrangement (62) and the transmission of the image data from the camera (68) to the control arrangement (74) are carried out via one or both of the cables (72), and that the rotating vanes (66) can be controlled by a control of the sensor arrangement (62) such that the sensor arrangement (62) tensions the cables (72) with a defined force and thus the position of the sensor arrangement (62) in the forward direction is determined.

Description

The invention relates to a self-propelled harvester having a sensor arrangement for monitoring the function of a harvesting header attached to the harvester according to the preamble of claim 1.Technological BackgroundAgricultural harvesting machines are equipped with harvesting attachments which serve to pick up or cut off the crop lying or standing on a field and to convey it into the harvesting machine. For the correct functioning of the harvesting machine, it is important that crop material is applied to the intake duct of the harvesting machine in a time and in the lateral direction as uniformly as possible.In the case of cutters, various settings have to be optimized in order to ensure proper functioning. This is the height of the cutter above the ground and the position and rotational speed of a reel. While at present sufficiently mature, automatic controls are available for automatically adjusting the height of the cutter and the speed of rotation of the reel, manual control by the operator is still required for adjusting the position of the reel. The operator must ensure that the reel is neither disposed too far forward and cooperates too early with the crop, because then there is a risk of crop losses due to mature fruits falling in front of the header, nor too far rearward, because then the cutting-off operation cannot take place correctly and the crop does not fall rearward as desired, but can fall forward and be cut with ear losses or a second time. The coiler must also not be set too high, because it does not then function correctly, nor too low, because then (if no electronic or mechanical limitation is present) the coiler prongs can enter the cutting blade. However, the operator sits relatively far from the cutting unit in the cab of the combine harvester and can hardly survey the critical area in which the crop material is taken up, in particular, because of the transverse conveyor worm and reel located therebetween. In addition, cutting tables adjustable in the forward direction are difficult to see and therefore difficult to adjust. Also, not all operators are sufficiently skilled to always achieve the correct setting, in particular if seasonal assistance forces are involved.To monitor the function of the reel, it has been proposed (EP 2 143 316 A1, regarded as generic) to mount a camera on the cab of the combine harvester or above the functional elements of the cutter bar on the lateral region thereof. The camera is intended to detect possible flow problems of the crop material and its signals can serve for automatic readjustment of the coiling position. However, it is disadvantageous here that the viewing position of the camera mounted on the cab is not substantially better than that of the operator in his cab, while the camera mounted on the side of the harvesting head cannot capture the receiving range of the crop material at least over the entire width of the harvesting head.EP 2 301 323 A2 proposes to equip a crop pick-up (so-called pick-up) with a camera which monitors the crop pick-up and a region of the field lying in front of it and establishes whether the crop pick-up pushes larger amounts of crop forward in order to be able to take suitable measures in such a case. While the camera is mounted at the rear of a tractor pulling the baler, it is not disclosed at which point the camera would be to be fastened to a crop receiver of a self-propelled combine harvester or forage harvester.DE 10 2014 201 203 A1 describes a combination of a self-propelled harvester and a freely flying aircraft equipped with sensors, which can serve, inter alia, to control the mode of operation of a combine harvester, e.g. to detect the stubble image or losses at the rear of the combine harvester, or to signal detected problem points, such as blockages or defective components.U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,910 A shows a combine harvester with an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the crop height, which is mounted on a boom in front of a harvesting attachment designed as a scraper at its front side.The object is to provide a method for performing a processThe present invention has for its object to provide a sensor arrangement for controlling a harvesting header of a self-propelled harvesting machine, which enables an observation of the acceptance range of the harvesting header that is improved compared to the prior art.SolutionThe present invention is defined by the claims.A sensor arrangement for monitoring the function of a harvesting header attached to a self-propelled harvesting machine is characterized in that the sensor arrangement is located above the harvesting header and in front of the front edge thereof and is oriented towards the front side of the harvesting header. The sensor arrangement thus looks obliquely from the front and top at the receiving area of the harvesting header. In this way, the function of the harvesting attachment can be monitored substantially better than in the prior art.The sensor arrangement comprises a camera. The sensor arrangement is preferably arranged centrally in front of the harvesting header. The camera can be a mono or stereo camera.The sensor arrangement is connected to a control arrangement which automatically controls one or more operating parameters of the harvesting attachment on the basis of output signals of the sensor arrangement. In particular, the harvesting attachment is a header and the control arrangement controls the height, position in the forward direction and / or rotational speed of a reel and / or operating parameters of a transverse conveyor auger. In another embodiment, the image of the camera can be displayed to the operator on a display device, which then in turn performs the mentioned settings by inputs into an operator interface, which in turn controls suitable actuators.The sensor arrangement is mounted on an aircraft coupled to the harvesting machine by a plurality of lines.Exemplary EmbodimentThree exemplary embodiments described in more detail below are illustrated in the drawings, wherein the reference numerals must not be used to limit the scope of the claims. It shows: FIG. 1 : a lateral view of a self-propelled harvester with a first embodiment of a sensor arrangement for function monitoring of the harvesting header attached to the harvester, FIG. 2 is a top view of the front region of the harvesting machine of FIG. 1 when the sensor arrangement is in operation, FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of a self-propelled harvester with a second embodiment, not according to the claim, of a sensor arrangement for function monitoring of the harvesting attachment attached to the harvester, FIG. 4 is a top view of the front region of the harvesting machine of FIG. 3 when the sensor arrangement is in operation, FIG. 5 shows a top view of the front region of the harvesting machine of FIG. 3 with the sensor arrangement in the transport position, FIG. 6 shows a lateral view of a self-propelled harvester with a third embodiment of a sensor arrangement for monitoring the function of the harvesting attachment attached to the harvester, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the harvesting machine of FIG. 6.A self-propelled harvester 10 in the form of a combine harvester shown in Fig. 1 is carried on front driven and rear steerable wheels 12 and 14, respectively, and includes a cab 16 from which it may be operated by a driver. The driver's cab 16 is followed at the rear by a grain tank 18 which can discharge material discharged into it to the outside via a discharge pipe 20. The grain tank 18 is supported on a frame 22 in which material being fed is separated into its large and small components on the way via a threshing drum 24, a threshing basket 26 and a turning drum 28. A further separation of the harvested crop is carried out on subsequent chutes 30, as well as on a preparation tray 32 and sieves 34, wherein finally the threshed crop content is conveyed into the grain tank 18, the large crop parts are deposited onto the tray via the shakers 30, and light components are blown from the sieves 34 likewise onto the tray by means of a blower 36. Crop lying or standing on the ground is fed via an inclined conveyor 38 and a trapping trough 40 to the threshing drum 24, after it has been taken from the ground by a crop take-up device in the form of a cutter 42. It is to be placed in front of the following statements that directional information, such as before, behind, above and below, relates in the following to the forward direction V of the harvesting machine 10.The header 42 includes a frame composed of side walls, a rear wall 48 having a cross member 50 disposed on its top, and a floor 52. The central region of the cross member 50 is releasably suspended on the feeder house 38 by suitable means, for example hooks. At the front of the floor 52 is disposed a mower deck beam 54 having reciprocating knives. Located behind the mower beam 54 in the forward direction V is a ramp 56 which extends over the width of the cutter 42, rises slightly to the rear and is rigidly connected to the floor 52. Following behind the ramp 56 are three conveyor belt assemblies 58 arranged laterally next to one another with a conveying direction extending rearward counter to the forward direction V, behind which a transverse conveyor worm 60 is provided which extends transversely to the forward direction V and which is constructed from a tube with conveyor spirals welded thereto and controlled feed fingers provided in its central region. Above the mower deck beam 54 and the conveyor belt assemblies 58 is a drivable reel 44 mounted vertically and slidably in the forward direction on the frame of the cutter deck 42 and extending transversely of the forward direction V.Mounted above the header 42 is a sensor assembly 62 which includes a camera 68 which faces the header 42 from the front and top and may be equipped with a wide angle or fisheye lens. The sensor arrangement 62 is designed as an aircraft which comprises rotary wings 66 mounted on a frame 64. The aircraft can be, in particular, a quadropter or another suitable drone. The sensor arrangement 62 can also comprise further sensors 70 which, for example, optically detect the crop material in front of the header 42 in order to control the forward speed of the combine harvester 10 and automatically stop it when obstacles are detected. In addition, a distance sensor (not shown) facing forward may be attached to the aircraft 62, which detects obstacles, such as poles or the like, which may be located in front of the aircraft 62 and causes the aircraft 62 to be pulled rearward, if necessary, in order to avoid a collision.The sensor arrangement 62 is connected via two cables 72 to an upper, front corner of the driver's cab 16 in each case. The cables 72 thus form a triangle that defines the position of the sensor assembly 62 in the forward direction V, as shown in FIG. 2. By means of winding devices 76, the cables 72 can be drawn in when the sensor arrangement 62 is not required, for example when travelling on a road. The wings 66 are then stopped and the aircraft 62 rests on a support (not shown) attached to the operator's cab 16, for example laterally adjacent thereto, or the aircraft is otherwise stored during transport travel with or without cables 72 a, 72 b, 72 cfixed thereto.The rotary wings 66 are accordingly controlled by a control of the sensor arrangement 62 in such a way that the sensor arrangement 62 tensions the cables 72 with a defined force and the position of the sensor arrangement 62 in the forward direction is thus predefined. The vertical position of the sensor arrangement 62 (i.e. its height above the ground or crop material inventory) can be detected by one of the sensors 70, the signal of which from the controller of the sensor arrangement 62 is used for controlling the height of the sensor arrangement 62. The orientation of the aircraft about the transverse axis and the longitudinal axis can be controlled by a gravity or inertial sensor.The power supply to the sensor arrangement 62 is effected via one or both of the cables 72, as well as the transmission of the image data of the camera 68 to a control arrangement 74, the latter making it possible to display the images of the camera 68 on a display device in the driver's cab 16, so that the operator can in turn optimize the settings of the harvesting header 42, in particular with regard to the position of the reel 44 in the forward direction and the vertical direction. It is also possible to automatically adjust the position of the reel 44 in the forward direction and the vertical direction by the control arrangement 74 on the basis of an image evaluation of the image data of the camera 68. In other words, cutting unit losses due to crop falling in front of the cutter bar can be detected and automatically avoided or reduced. In harvesting attachments 42 with cutter bars 54 adjustable in the forward direction, an automatic positioning of the cutter bar in the sense of minimizing losses can also take place.The images of the sensor arrangement 62 can not only serve for the automatic or manual setting of operating parameters of the reel 44, i.e. control the acceptance of the crop material by the reel 44, but alternatively or additionally monitor the crop flow within the cutting unit 42. Thus, they can recognize when the material feed of the transverse conveyor worm 60 into the feeder house 38 is non-uniform, either in a temporal respect (i.e. when the crop is discharged, for example, in larger blocks) or in a spatial respect (e.g. when more crop enters on one side than on another side). Suitable countermeasures can thereby be taken manually or automatically, such as, for example, an adjustment of strippers in the harvesting header (cf. DE 103 59 398 B3, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference into the present documents) or by changing the rotational speed of the transverse conveyor auger 60. blockages in front of the cutter bar 54, which can arise when the cutter bar 54 is operating incorrectly, for example in the case of weeds or moist conditions or storage cereals which lead to incorrectly cut-off crop material which then accumulates together with soil, can be detected automatically. The harvesting machine 10 can then be automatically stopped and the operator can be requested to reset the harvesting machine 10 or to manually eliminate the blockage.Unlike shown, the header 42 need not be equipped with conveyor belts 52, but could also have a fixed or adjustable floor, or the conveyor belts 52 may serve for transverse conveyance of the crop.In the second embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 5, the sensor arrangement 62 is mounted on a linkage which is composed of two parts 78, 80 which are connected to one another and to the upper side of the driver's cab 16 by means of vertical pivot bearings 82, 84. The pivot bearings 82, 84 make it possible to bring the linkage into a folded-in transport position in which the parts 78, 80 are arranged at the front side of the cabin 16 transversely to the direction of travel, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The pivot bearings 82, 84 can be actuated manually or by motor.In the third embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7, a linkage is also used for attaching the sensor arrangement 62. The linkage is composed of two parts 78 and 80 as in the second embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 5. The connection to the harvesting machine 10 by the pivot bearing 84, however, takes place laterally next to the driver's cab 16, whether it be directly to a post of the driver's cab 16 or to another holder connected to the frame 22. This allows the sensor assembly 62 to be moved between the operational position at the front of the harvester 10 (i.e., in front of the header 42) as shown in Figures 6 and 7 and the rest position shown in Figure 7 at which it is at the rear of the harvester 10. Any intermediate positions are also possible, for example the sensor arrangement could also be moved to a position above the right end of the cutter 42. The outer part 78 of the linkage is inclined downwards by an angle 86 with respect to its inner part 80 at the pivot bearing 82, which offers the advantage that the camera 68 is seated closer (than in FIG. 3 ) to the header 42 and that permissible transport heights are not exceeded. The sensor arrangement 62 can also move to a position in front, laterally next to the driver's cab 16, as indicated in dashed lines.After all, a number of advantages of positioning the sensor arrangement 62 are obtained; blockages in the cutting unit 42 can be detected early and the combine harvester 10 can be automatically stopped in the event of a delayed or blocked material flow. A laterally different material flow into the feeder house 38 which leads to poor transverse distribution in the threshing drum 24 and the chutes 30 is detected and can be improved by changing the rotational speed of the attachment or by changing the rotational speed of the screw or the length of the screw turns or the tooth curved path of the transverse conveyor screw 60. The load on the combine harvester 10 is improved from the threshing drum 24 to the sieve box 34. Ears and grain losses can be detected in front of the cutter 42 and improved by adjustments. Obstacles such as humans and animals in front of the header 42 are detected earlier and damage to the header 42 is avoided.Instead of being attached to a combine 10, the harvesting attachment 42 can also be attached to a field chopper if this serves for whole-plant harvesting. Instead of a header, a corn picker or corn header or a receiver can also be used on both mentioned types of harvesting machines. The advantages mentioned in the preceding paragraph are also obtained analogously in the field chopper. Accordingly, blockages can likewise be detected there at an early stage and the machine can be automatically stopped. A laterally different material flow into the pre-pressing channel, which leads to poor cut quality, is detected and can be improved by suitable adaptation of the rotational speed of the drums of a corn mower head (cf. DE 10 2004 029 953 A1 and DE 10 2013 212 174 A1) or by changing the rotational speed of the tine drum and / or transverse conveyor worm in a receiver. With the image recognition of the material flow, a speed control of the drums is made possible depending on the speed of the material flow. Piston losses can be detected and improved by adjusting changes.

Claims

Self-propelled harvester (10) having a sensor arrangement (62) for monitoring the function of a harvesting header (42) attached to the harvester (10), wherein the sensor arrangement (62) comprising a camera (68) is connected to a control arrangement (74) which is configured to automatically control one or more operating parameters of the harvesting header (42) on the basis of output signals of the sensor arrangement (62), characterized in that the sensor arrangement (62) is located above the harvesting header (42) and in front of the front edge thereof and is aligned with the front side of the harvesting header (42), in that the sensor arrangement (62) is attached to an aircraft equipped with rotary wings (66) which is connected via two cables (72) to in each case an upper, front corner of a driver's cab (16) of the harvester (10), the power supply of the sensor arrangement (62) and the transmission of the image data of the camera (68) to the control arrangement (74) take place via one or both of the cables (72), and the rotary wings (66) can be controlled by a control of the sensor arrangement (62) in such a way that the sensor arrangement (62) tensions the cables (72) with a defined force and the position of the sensor arrangement (62) is thus predefined in the forward direction.The self-propelled harvester (10) of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly (62) is located centrally forward of the header (42).Self-propelled harvester (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the harvesting header (42) is a header and the control arrangement (74) controls the height, position in the forward direction and / or rotational speed of a reel (44) and / or position of scrapers of the harvesting header (42) and / or the rotational speed of a transverse conveyor auger (60).

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