Control arrangement for a grinding device of a forage harvester

Abstract

Control arrangement for a grinding device (142) of a forage harvester (10), comprising a control unit (156) connected to a computer (160) of a planning system, which is programmed to provide the control unit (156) with data regarding the areas to be harvested by the forage harvester (10) and data regarding the transport chain for the removal of the harvested material, wherein the control unit (156) is programmed to identify, based on the data of the planning system, one or more future operating times of the forage harvester (10) during which the forage harvester (10) will not take in any crop and whose duration is sufficient for a duration (T) of a grinding process of the grinding drum (36) predicted on the basis of the signals of a sensor (164) for detecting the sharpness of chopping knives (144) of a chopping drum (36) of the forage harvester (10), and to initiate a grinding process of the chopping knives (144) of the chopping drum (36) during the identified operating time(s), wherein the planning system is programmed to supply the control unit (156) with data regarding the position of the areas to be harvested (34) and the associated stock density, and the control unit (156) is programmed to extrapolate the sharpness of the chopping knives (144) based on the data of the planning system including the expected effect of the stand densities on the sharpness of the chopping knives (144) on the identified operating time at which the sharpening process is to take place, in order to predict the duration of the sharpening process.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control arrangement for a grinding device of a forage harvester and a forage harvester equipped therewith. State of the art

[0002] Forage harvesters are used to pick up plants or their seed heads from a field and cut them into small pieces. The plants standing in the field are usually cut from their roots remaining in the ground using a suitable harvesting head and fed into the forage harvester's intake chute. Alternatively, the plants can be cut and windrowed in previous operations and picked up using a pickup, or only the seed heads can be separated from the plants and conveyed into the intake chute. In the intake chute, the crop mat picked up by the harvesting head is pre-compacted by pairs of counter-tensioned pre-compression rollers, which feed the crop mat into a chopping drum. A number of chopping knives are distributed around the circumference (and possibly across the width) of the chopping drum. The chopping knives, in conjunction with a counter blade, cut the crop into small pieces.The shredded crop (and especially the corn kernels it contains) is optionally further shredded using a post-processing unit, conveyed into a discharge chute by means of a post-accelerator, and transferred to a transport vehicle. The chopped crop is used primarily as animal feed or for biogas production.

[0003] When cutting crops, in addition to the sharpness of the chopping blades, the distance between the cutting edge of the chopping blades and the counter blade is crucial for achieving a good cutting result while conserving energy. To this end, the chopping blades undergo a sharpening process after initial assembly and periodically thereafter, in which a grinding stone interacts with the rotating chopping drum. This ensures that all cutting edges are sharp and that all chopping blades maintain the same distance from the drum's axis of rotation. The position of the counter blade is typically adjusted automatically.

[0004] In the prior art, the sharpening process is initiated when an operator believes that the chopping knives are no longer sufficiently sharp. However, such subjective procedures have the disadvantage of being relatively error-prone, which often leads to harvesting with dull knives or premature sharpening of the chopping knives, resulting in material loss. It has therefore been proposed to detect the sharpness of the chopping knives using an inductive sensor (DE 10 2011 005 317 A1), based on whose signals a computer can automatically trigger a sharpening process and determine the required sharpening intensity. Since a complete sharpening process is relatively time-consuming and can take several minutes, especially if the chopping drum is to be rotated in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation during harvesting (see [reference]), a more efficient and time-efficient solution is needed.DE 10 2009 003 242 A1), it is usually not advisable to interrupt an ongoing harvesting process for sharpening. However, if sharpening is delayed too long, high energy consumption during cutting will result.

[0005] It has already been proposed to carry out the grinding process during road travel (DE 10 2009 029 675 A1) or during a non-working operation of the forage harvester, e.g., when driving on the headland (EP 1 862 061 A1) or when not harvesting during operation (EP 2 225 931 A1). However, these methods have the disadvantage that either only very short periods are available for grinding, e.g., when turning on the headland, or the driver must know how long he has before he is due to harvest again and decide whether or not to initiate a grinding process based on this. However, it is not always possible to predict how long a harvesting break will last. For example, a harvesting break caused by the absence of transport vehicles can last longer than expected if the transport vehicle driver has to wait at a railway crossing or if the transport vehicle breaks down in a location not visible from the field.Drivers unfamiliar with the area typically don't know how long it will take to travel from one field to another. This presents a disadvantage: with current technology, it's difficult for the operator of a forage harvester to estimate whether or not to initiate a sharpening process. The same problem arises with regard to adjusting the counter blade, which must be correctly positioned relative to the outer circle of the chopping knives to ensure a sufficiently narrow sharpening gap.

[0006] Although EP 2 428 669 A2 proposes to automatically initiate the regeneration of a particulate filter in the combustion engine of a self-propelled harvesting machine using a route planner that provides information on the work to be carried out along the route and the speeds to be traveled, this approach also fails to take the status of the transport chain into account.

[0007] EP 2 950 169 A1 describes the planning of a transport chain for a harvesting machine, in which scheduled maintenance work is planned for times when no harvesting is taking place, e.g., when no transport vehicle is available. The document does not specify exactly how the maintenance work is to be planned. Object of the invention

[0008] The object underlying the invention is seen as being to provide a control arrangement for a grinding device and / or a device for adjusting the position of a counter blade of a forage harvester, which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages or has them to a reduced extent. Solution

[0009] This problem is solved according to the invention by the teaching of claims 1 and 8, wherein further claims list features which advantageously develop the solution further.

[0010] A control arrangement for a grinding device (and preferably a device for adjusting the position of a counter blade of a forage harvester) comprises a control unit which is further connected to a computer of a planning system which is programmed to provide the control unit with data regarding the areas to be harvested by the forage harvester and data regarding the transport chain for removing the harvested material.The control unit is programmed to identify, based on the data from the planning system, at least one future operating time of the forage harvester during which the forage harvester will not take in any crop and whose duration is sufficient for a grinding process of the chopping drum (and preferably) for an adjustment procedure of the counter blade, as predicted based on the signals of a sensor for detecting the sharpness of chopping knives of a chopping drum of the forage harvester, and to initiate a grinding process of the chopping drum (and preferably an adjustment procedure of the counter blade) during the identified operating time(s).

[0011] In other words, a planning system provides data regarding the areas to be harvested by the forage harvester and the transport chain available for harvesting each field. Based on this data, the forage harvester's control unit determines when, in the future, one or more extended periods of operation without crop intake are expected. It then compares the duration of these periods with the predicted duration of a chopping drum sharpening process, based on signals from a sensor that measures the sharpness of the chopping knives, and optionally with the time required for a counter-blade adjustment procedure. Sufficiently long expected operating periods are used to perform a chopping drum sharpening process or, optionally, to adjust the counter-blade position. In this way, the disadvantages of the prior art mentioned earlier are avoided.

[0012] The planning system can be programmed to supply the control unit with the following data regarding the transport chain: number of transport vehicles and their current position, loading capacity of the transport vehicles, routes to be traveled between the areas to be harvested and a storage point for the harvested crop (preferably including the prevailing traffic situation, such as possible traffic jams or other traffic obstructions, such as broken-down vehicles, accidents, temporary or permanent road closures, black ice, defective traffic signs or closed railway barriers) and associated speeds of the transport vehicles and / or the capacity of a compactor for harvested crop deposited at the storage point.

[0013] The planning system is programmed to supply the control unit with data regarding the position of the areas to be harvested and the associated crop density. The control unit uses the crop densities and their expected impact on the sharpness of the chopping blades to extrapolate the required blade sharpness based on the planning system data to the identified operating time during which the sharpening process is to take place, thus predicting the duration of the sharpening process even more accurately.

[0014] The control unit can be configured to initiate the grinding process and / or the counter-blade adjustment procedure without operator input or after displaying a message on an operator interface and receiving a confirming operator input.

[0015] The control unit can be operated to update the future operating time of the forage harvester, during which it does not take in any harvested crop, as the harvesting process progresses, based on updated data from the planning system.

[0016] The control unit can be operated to activate a counter-edge adjustment procedure after a grinding operation and / or in the event that a sufficiently long operating time for a grinding operation cannot be identified for a predetermined period.

[0017] The control unit can be operated to determine the duration of the grinding process based on the type of crop and / or the type of chopping blades, and / or to select the type of counter-blade adjustment procedure depending on the duration of the grinding process and / or the distance between the counter-blade and the outer circle of the chopping drum at the beginning of the counter-blade adjustment procedure. These features are independent inventions that would also be conceivable without pre-planning the timing of the grinding and / or counter-blade adjustment process.

[0018] The sensor can output absolute or relative focus signals. Example of implementation

[0019] The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention, which is described in more detail below. It shows: Fig. 1. A side view of a self-propelled forage harvester and a transport vehicle, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the positioning and communication equipment of the two vehicles, Fig. 3. A top view of the forage harvester and its transport chain during the harvesting of a field, and Fig. 4. A flowchart illustrating how the harvester's control unit operates. Forage harvester and transport vehicle

[0020] In the Fig. Figure 1 shows a self-propelled forage harvester 10 and a first transport vehicle 12 in the form of a self-propelled tractor, which pulls a trailer 16 by means of a drawbar 14, which includes a loading container 18.

[0021] The forage harvester 10 is built on a frame 20, which is supported by front driven wheels 22 and steerable rear wheels 24. The harvester 10 is operated from a driver's cab 26, from which a harvesting head 28, in the form of a corn header, is visible. This header is attached to a feed chute 30 at the front of the harvester 10. Crop taken from a field 34 by the harvesting head 28 is fed via a feed conveyor with pre-compression rollers located in the feed chute 30 to a chopping drum 36. The chopping drum, in conjunction with a counter blade 140, whose position relative to the outer circle of the chopping knives 144 is adjustable by means of a device 154, chops the crop into small pieces and conveys it to a blower 38. The chopping knives 144 of the chopping drum 36 can be sharpened by a grinding device 142.A secondary shredding device 42 with two grain processor rollers extends between the chopping drum 36 and the blower 38. The aforementioned driven units of the forage harvester 10 and the harvesting header 28 are powered by an internal combustion engine 44.

[0022] The material discharged by the blower 38 leaves the harvesting machine 10 via a discharge device to the adjacent loading container 18. This device consists of a stationary discharge chute 45, which extends upwards directly from the blower 38, and a discharge spout 40. The discharge spout is rotatable about an approximately vertical axis by means of a first, externally operated actuator 46 and its inclination is adjustable by means of a second, externally operated actuator 48. The discharge direction of the discharge spout can be changed by a flap 50, the inclination of which is adjustable by means of a third, externally operated actuator 52. Fig. Figure 1 shows the discharge spout 40 and the flap 50 in their transport position, into which they are placed, for example, when the forage harvester 10 is traveling on a road. During the harvesting process, the discharge spout 40 is raised by means of the actuator 48 and, by means of the actuator 46, either rotated to one side of the harvester 10 if, after mowing, there is sufficient space to the side of the harvester 10 for the transport vehicle 12 on a harvested area 56 of the field, or it remains in the rearward-facing position as shown. Fig. 1, if a lane is first cut in or around the field.

[0023] Transport vehicle 12 and another one, in the Fig. The transport vehicle 12' shown and the trailers 16, 16' towed by it are of conventional design. The transport vehicles 12, 12' each comprise front steerable wheels 64 and rear driven wheels 66, which are supported on a frame 68 that carries a driver's cab 70.

[0024] In the Fig. Figure 3 shows a top view of the forage harvester 10 and the transport vehicle 12. It can be seen that the forage harvester 10 travels along a harvesting edge 54, which forms a boundary between the harvested area 56 of field 34 and the remaining stand 60 of field 34 containing maize plants 58, and which harvests the plants 58. The first transport vehicle 12 travels on the harvested part 56 of the field parallel to the harvester 10 along a path, along which the plants chopped by the harvester 10 pass through the discharge device into the first loading container 18. The transport vehicle 12 must therefore always travel parallel to the harvester 10. As mentioned above, the transport vehicle 12 can also drive behind the harvesting machine 10, especially when entering the field, since there is no harvested part 56 of the field 34 on which the transport vehicle 12 could drive without damaging the plants standing there.While the first loading container 18 of the first transport vehicle 12 is being filled, the second transport vehicle 12' is currently on a road 152 on its return journey from an unloading point 146, where the harvested crop is unloaded. The unloading point 146 is designed as a bunker silo, and the harvested crop is compacted there by a compaction vehicle 148 with a tool 150, which may be a roller.

[0025] The forage harvester 10 is steered by a driver sitting in the driver's cab 18 or by a known, automatically operating steering device. The transport vehicle 12 is also equipped with a steering device, described in more detail below, to facilitate or automate parallel driving to the harvesting machine 10 in the field. Position determination, control of the transport vehicle

[0026] The forage harvester 10 is equipped with a first positioning device 72, located on the roof of the cab 26. A first radio antenna 74 is also positioned there. The first transport vehicle 12 is equipped with a second positioning device 76, located on the roof of the cab 70. A second radio antenna 78 is also positioned there. In addition, the harvester 10 is equipped with a sensor assembly 126, which is attached to the outer end of the discharge spout 40 on the flap 50 and serves to detect the contours of the loading containers 18, 18' and / or their fill level with harvested material.The sensor arrangement 126 can be a two-dimensionally scanning ultrasonic or laser rangefinder directed at the charging containers 18, 18', or it can be a three-dimensional (PMD) camera, or two cameras generating a stereo image, or a two-dimensional camera combined with a rangefinder scanning the field of view. The output signal of the sensor arrangements 126 and / or 126' is processed by a processing circuit 130 (see . Fig. 3) processed.

[0027] Now, attention is drawn to the Fig. Reference is made to Figure 3, which schematically depicts the individual components of the arrangement for controlling the unloading of the harvested crop from the harvesting machine 10 onto the loading containers 18, 18', including the sensor arrangements 126, the positioning devices 72, 76, and the steering devices of the transport vehicles 12, 12' and the forage harvester 10. The first positioning device 72, comprising an antenna 80 and an evaluation circuit 82 connected to the antenna 80, is located on board the forage harvester 10. The antenna 80 receives signals from satellites of a positioning system, such as GPS, Galileo, or GLONASS, which are fed to the evaluation circuit 82. Based on the signals from the satellites, the evaluation circuit 82 determines the current position of the antenna 80. The evaluation circuit 82 is also connected to a correction data receiving antenna 84, which receives radio waves broadcast by reference stations at known locations.The evaluation circuit 82 uses radio waves to generate correction data to improve the accuracy of the positioning device 72.

[0028] The evaluation circuit 82 transmits its position data to a computer unit 88 via a bus line 86. The computer unit 88 is connected via an interface 90 to a receiving and transmitting unit 92, which in turn is connected to the radio antenna 74. The receiving and transmitting unit 92 receives and generates radio waves, which are received and emitted by the antenna 74.

[0029] Similarly, each of the transport vehicles 12 and 12' is equipped with a second positioning device 76, comprising an antenna 94 and an evaluation circuit 96 connected to the antenna 94. The antenna 94 receives signals from satellites of the same positioning system as the antenna 80, which are fed to the evaluation circuit 96. Based on the satellite signals, the evaluation circuit 96 determines the current position of the antenna 94. The evaluation circuit 96 is also connected to a correction data receiving antenna 98, which receives radio waves broadcast by reference stations at known locations. Based on these radio waves, the evaluation circuit 96 generates correction data to improve the accuracy of the positioning device 76.

[0030] The evaluation circuit 96 transmits its position data to a computer unit 102 via a bus line 100. The computer unit 102 is connected via an interface 104 to a receiver and transmitter 106, which in turn is connected to the radio antenna 78. The receiver and transmitter 106 receives and generates radio waves that are received or emitted by the antenna 78. Data can be transmitted between the computer unit 88 and the computer unit 102 via the receiver and transmitter units 90 and 106 and the radio antennas 74 and 78. The connection between the radio antennas 74 and 78 can be direct, e.g., via a cable. B. in an approved radio range such as CB radio or similar, or provided via one or more relay stations, for example if the receiving and transmitting equipment 90, 106 and the radio antennas 74, 78 operate according to the GSM standard or another suitable standard for mobile telephony.

[0031] The computer unit 102 is connected to a steering unit 108, which controls the steering angle of the front steerable wheels 64. The computer unit 102 also transmits speed signals to a speed control unit 110, which controls the speed of the transport vehicle 12, 12' by varying its engine speed and / or gear ratio. The computer unit 102 is also connected to a permanent memory 120.

[0032] During harvesting, the processing circuit monitors the signals from sensor array 126 to determine whether the harvested crop is entering the interior of the loading container 18. If necessary, actuators 46, 48, 52 are adjusted and / or the steering device 108 and speed control device 110 of the transport vehicle 12 or 12' are controlled to ensure that the harvested crop is overloaded with minimal loss. Once the loading container 18 or 18' of the transport vehicle 12 or 12' is sufficiently full, its driver takes over control and drives to the unloading point 146, while the other transport vehicle 12' or 12' automatically takes over the loading of the harvested crop. Reference is made to the disclosure in DE 10 2012 211 001 A1. In a simpler embodiment, the control of the actuators 46, 48, 52 could be carried out by the driver of the forage harvester 10 and the speed setting and steering of the transport vehicles 12, 12' could be permanently taken over by their driver. Sharpening the shredding blades and adjusting the counter blades

[0033] The forage harvester 10 is equipped with a schematically depicted sensor 164, which enables a signal regarding the sharpness of the chopping knives 144 of the chopping drum 36 to be provided. Reference is made to the disclosure in DE 10 2011 005 317 A1, which is incorporated into the present documents by reference. The sensor 164 is connected to a control unit 156, which in turn is connected to the computer 88 and an operator input device 158.

[0034] A planning system comprises a computer 160, which can be located anywhere. The computer 160 can be a portable mobile device or a stationary computer, or it can be integrated into the control unit 156. The computer 160 is equipped with a transmitter and receiver unit and an antenna 162. Before the start of a harvesting operation, the computer 160 is provided with data relating to harvest logistics, such as the location and size of field 34 and the site-specific crop density. This data may be derived from a previous harvesting operation and / or determined using remote sensors (drone, aircraft, or satellite with camera).During harvesting, computer 160 continuously receives position reports from the forage harvester 10 (via radio antenna 74), from the transport vehicles 12, 12' (via radio antennas 78), and also operating status information from the compaction vehicle 148, which, like the transport vehicles 12, 12', is also equipped with a positioning device and a radio antenna. The planning system serves, in a manner known per se, to first plan and then monitor the deployment of the forage harvester 10, the transport vehicles 12, 12', and the compaction vehicle 148 during the harvesting process (see EP 2 174 537 A1). The routes of the forage harvester 10 and the transport vehicles 12, 12' across field 34 and along road 152 can be planned in minute detail in advance.

[0035] The control unit 156 follows the flowchart of the grinding device 142 when checking it. Fig. Step 402 follows. After the start in step 400, the control unit 156 creates a schedule for the forage harvester 10. This schedule plans (in relatively small increments, e.g., seconds) what tasks the forage harvester 10 will perform in the future. This takes into account the shape and location of field 34, including its topography, and the existing crop 60, including its density, to determine when and where the forage harvester 10 will be located in field 34. This is preferably done by considering the access route via the road, the start time, and any necessary conversion times from road to field operation. If several fields are to be harvested, these and the associated relocation times of the forage harvester 10 are also taken into account.Step 402 also takes into account whether at least one transport vehicle 12 or 12' is available, or whether both transport vehicles 12 and 12' are possibly at the unloading point 146 or on the road 152 at the same time. The data for step 402 is transmitted to the control unit 156 from the planning system's computer 160 via radio antennas 162 and 74.

[0036] In the following step 404, the control unit 156 checks whether the forage harvester's schedule includes a break in the foreseeable future, i.e., a period during which no harvesting and processing of the crop is planned due to transport logistics. If no such break is found, the process continues with step 402; otherwise, it proceeds to step 406. In step 406, the control unit 156 calculates, based on the signals from sensor 164, how long the period T would need to be to restore the chopping knives 144 to an acceptable sharpness. Reference is made to the disclosure in DE 10 2011 005 317 A1, which is incorporated into these documents by reference. Since the grinding time is only in the future, step 406 also takes into account the further wear of the chopping knives 144 that is expected until then, for which the schedule from step 402 and the known local stock densities can be used.

[0037] In the following step 408, it is then checked whether the period T is greater than (or equal to) the pause identified in step 404. If this is not the case, step 412 follows; otherwise, step 410 follows, in which (as soon as the expected pause actually occurs) a grinding process is carried out using the grinding device 142, preferably after a corresponding message has been displayed on the operator input device 158 and a confirmation input has been received from the driver of the forage harvester 10. During grinding, the chopping drum 36 can be rotated backwards, cf. DE 10 2009 003 242 A1. Finally, step 414 follows. The expected time of a grinding process can also be displayed as soon as it has been calculated in step 408.

[0038] Step 412 checks whether the identified pause is greater than a time T. Ggsis required for adjusting the counter blade 140. If this is the case, step 414 follows, in which (as soon as the expected pause actually occurs) an adjustment procedure for the counter blade 140 is carried out, which can be performed in a manner known per se (see DE 10 2004 016 089 A1 or DE 10 2013 201 633 B3) by a device 154 for adjusting the counter blade in order to move the counter blade 140 into a suitable position relative to the circumcircle of the chopping knives 144. This does not sharpen the chopping knives 144, but reduces the distance to the counter blade 140, which contributes to reducing wear on the chopping knives 144.

[0039] The device 154 for adjusting the counter blade 140 can use the signals from sensor 164 to check the current distance between the counter blade 140 and the outer circle of the chopping knives 144 and adjust the counter blade 140 accordingly. The reset value of the counter blade 140 can be calculated by the control unit 156 based on the current counter blade distance to the outer circle of the chopping knives 144 calculated from the signals of sensor 164, a stored nominal counter blade distance after the normal, automatic counter blade adjustment process, and, if necessary, feedback from speed sensors in the actuators of the counter blade adjustment device 154. The control unit 156 can perform the automatic readjustment of the counter blade 140 such that the distance does not exceed a value stored in the control unit 156 and does not fall below the nominal distance.Therefore, no contact is required between the counter blade 140 and the chopping blades 144 (as described in DE 10 2011 005 317 A1).

[0040] Alternatively, conventional knock sensors can be used for adjusting the counter blade to detect contact between the counter blade 140 and the shredding knives 144, and then to retract the counter blade 140 by a defined distance (see DE 10 2004 016 089 A1 or DE 10 2013 201 633 B3). The aforementioned knock sensor can also be used to calibrate the sensor 164 (which, according to DE 10 2011 005 317 A1, serves to determine the sharpness and distance of the shredding knives 144), as described using the example of a blower in DE 10 2012 223 432 B3.

[0041] Step 414 is followed again by step 402.

[0042] Step 414 can also be performed if, according to the result of step 408, no grinding operation can be carried out in the foreseeable future.

[0043] In step 414, depending on whether and, if so, how intensively the chopping knives 144 were sharpened in the previously performed step 410 (and / or how large the distance between the outer circle of the chopping knives 144 and the counter blade 140 detected by the sensor 164 is), different adjustment procedures for the counter blade 140 could be used or suggested to the operator for selection via the operator input device 158. Thus, a simple parallel adjustment could be carried out if the chopping knives 144 were not sharpened or only slightly sharpened (or if the aforementioned distance between the counter blade 140 and the circumcircle of the chopping knives 144 is less than a threshold value), and a more complex adjustment of the counter blade 140 with realignment (see DE 10 2004 016 089 A1 or DE 10 2013 201 633 B3) could be carried out if a grinding process lasting longer than a threshold value was performed in step 410 (or if the circumcircle of the chopping knives 144 is less than a threshold value).(The aforementioned distance between the counter blade 140 and the outer circle of the chopping knives 144 is greater than a threshold value). Furthermore, an adjustment of the counter blade 140 in the described manner can also be carried out independently of the planning system data and can be initiated by the control unit 156, for example, during shorter harvesting breaks of the forage harvester, e.g., at the headland, when repositioning in a field, or during road travel.

[0044] The length of the sharpening process in step 410 can be predetermined by the control unit 156 based on the signals from sensor 164, as described in DE 102011 005 317 A1. The type of crop and the chopping knives 144 can also be taken into account. By means of appropriate operator input into the operator input device 158 or a suitable sensor for detecting the crop type, the type of header, or the chopping knives 144, the control unit 156 can be informed, for example, whether the chopping knives 144 are intended for grass or maize. In the case of maize, this allows for a sharper sharpening of the chopping knives 144 than in the case of grass, so that the control unit 156 will initiate a sharpening process earlier and / or perform a longer sharpening process for maize than for grass.

[0045] The planning of step 402 is preferably continuously updated based on the current progress of the harvesting process, i.e., the current positions of the forage harvester 10 and the transport vehicles 12, 12'. Information regarding the condition of the road 152, e.g., in case of heavy traffic or adverse conditions, and / or information regarding the progress of the compaction vehicle 146 can also be taken into account. The initially only theoretical schedule of step 402 is thus continuously improved to better reflect the actual progress of the harvesting process.

[0046] Should the flowchart of the Fig.If, in step 408, a suitable, sufficiently long pause is not obtained to sharpen the chopping knives 144 in a single sharpening operation, step 410 can be divided into several pauses, which were determined in step 402. In this case (with a sensor 164 capable of outputting relative sharpness signals), the procedure can be as follows: first, in step 408, the total duration of the sharpening process is planned. It can be assumed that the chopping knives 144 are initially completely sharp, and the control unit 156 detects the decrease in sharpness based on the (relative) change in the sensor 164 signal compared to the original signal (preferably measured during periods without crop flow, e.g., in the headland) and calculates the sharpening time based on this decrease in sharpness.In the subsequent multiple iterations of step 410, the planned grinding time is achieved cumulatively. Alternatively, the control unit 156 could directly detect the sharpness of the shredding blades 144 (as absolute values) based on the signal from sensor 164 and, based on this, evaluate and apply suitable grinding times in the multiple iterations of step 410. The end of the grinding time can then be detected based on the signal from sensor 164.

[0047] If, however, no break is identified in step 402, meaning that the chopping knives 144 would have to be operated in a very dull, energy-consuming state, step 410 can be carried out in due time and the forage harvester 10 can take a forced grinding break.

[0048] The grinding process of step 410 can be followed by a procedure for adjusting the distance between the counter blade 140 and the chopping knives 144 (step 414), as described above, in a manner known per se.

Claims

[1] Control arrangement for a grinding device (142) of a forage harvester (10), comprising a control unit (156) connected to a computer (160) of a planning system which is programmed to provide the control unit (156) with data relating to the areas to be harvested by the forage harvester (10) and data relating to the transport chain for the removal of the harvested crop, wherein the control unit (156) is programmed to identify, based on the data of the planning system, one or more future operating times of the forage harvester (10) during which the forage harvester (10) will not take in any crop and whose duration is sufficient for a duration (T) of a grinding process of the grinding drum (36) predicted on the basis of the signals of a sensor (164) for detecting the sharpness of chopping knives (144) of a chopping drum (36) of the forage harvester (10), and to initiate a grinding process of the chopping knives (144) of the chopping drum (36) during the identified operating time(s), wherein the planning system is programmed to supply the control unit (156) with data regarding the position of the areas to be harvested (34) and the associated stock density, and the control unit (156) is programmed to extrapolate the sharpness of the chopping knives (144) based on the data of the planning system including the expected effect of the stand densities on the sharpness of the chopping knives (144) on the identified operating time at which the sharpening process is to take place, in order to predict the duration of the sharpening process. [2] Control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (156) is connected to and operable with a device (154) for adjusting the position of a counter blade (140), using the data from the planning system to identify one or more future operating times of the forage harvester (10) during which the forage harvester (10) will not take in any crop and whose duration is sufficient for a procedure to adjust the position of the counter blade (140), and to initiate a procedure to adjust the position of the counter blade (140) during the identified operating time(s). [3] Control arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the planning system is programmed to supply the control unit (156) with the following data regarding the transport chain: number of transport vehicles (12, 12') and their current position, loading capacity of the transport vehicles (12, 12'), distances to be covered between the areas to be harvested and a storage point (146) of the harvested crop and associated speeds including any traffic obstructions and / or capacity of a compactor (148) for harvested crop deposited at the storage point (146). [4] Control arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (156) is configured to initiate the grinding process and / or a procedure for adjusting the position of the counter blade (140) without operator input or after displaying a message on an operator interface (158) and confirming operator input. [5] Control arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit (156) is operable to update the future operating time of the forage harvester (10), during which it does not take in any crop, as the harvesting process progresses, based on updated data from the planning system. [6] Control arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 5, when referring back to claim 2, wherein the control unit (156) is operable, after a grinding operation and / or in the event that no operating time for a grinding operation can be identified for a predetermined period, to activate a procedure for adjusting the position of the counter blade (140). [7] Control arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (156) is operable to determine the duration of the grinding process based on the type of crop and / or the type of chopping knives (144) and / or to select the type of counter-blade adjustment procedure depending on the duration of the grinding process and / or the distance between counter-blade (140) and the circumcircle of the chopping knives (144). [8] Control arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (164) is configured to output absolute or relative sharpness signals. [9] Forage harvester (10) with a control arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.

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