Control arrangement for controlling a closing device located on the underside of a channel downstream of a chopping drum of a forage harvester

Abstract

Control arrangement for controlling a closing device (40) arranged in particular on the underside of a channel (64) downstream of a chopping drum (26) of a forage harvester (10), with an electronic control unit (70) which is connected to an externally operated actuator (42) configured to move the closing device (40) between a closed and an open position and to an operator interface (98) which allows manual input of a command to open the closing device (40), wherein the control unit (70) is configured to automatically command the actuator (42) to close the closing device (40) upon detection of a predetermined operating condition of the forage harvester (10), characterized in thatthat the predetermined operating condition corresponds to a sharpening process of the shredding knives of the shredding drum (26) initiated manually via the operator interface (98) or automatically by a device for detecting the sharpness of the shredding knives of the shredding drum (26) and / or to the start of an adjustment procedure of a counter blade (102) of the shredding drum (26) initiated automatically or manually, in order to prevent sparks from escaping through the open locking device (40) during the sharpening of the shredding knives and / or to prevent the risk of an operator or third party touching the shredding drum (26) while it is rotating during the adjustment of the counter blade.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control arrangement for controlling a closure device, in particular arranged on the underside of a channel downstream of a chopping drum of a forage harvester, and to 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] Deposits of harvested material sometimes form in the channel between the chopping drum and the post-accelerator (or the post-processing unit inserted into this channel). These deposits must be removed before or after a prolonged interruption of harvesting operations, before harvesting is resumed. EP 1 972 191 A1 proposes that a closing device located on the underside of the channel be opened by means of an externally operated actuator, either upon operator input or automatically, when the chopping drum or the drive motor of the forage harvester is switched off, or when the chopping drum is reversed or ground, or when a sensor on the chopping drum or a downstream processing element detects an over-torque.

[0004] German patent DE 10 2014 008 068 A1 describes a forage harvester in which a flap below a chopping drum opens and closes automatically if the pressure conditions within the crop-carrying channel of the forage harvester indicate a crop blockage or its resolution. Manual opening and closing is also provided. Task

[0005] While the opening of the locking device is automated, the closing of the locking device, according to the prior art EP 1 972 191 A1, occurs exclusively upon operator input, for which the operator is shown information about the position of the locking device. It is nevertheless conceivable that the operator might forget to close the locking device and begin chopping operations or commence road or field travel. This applies analogously to the forage harvester according to DE 10 2014 008 068 A1, in which automatic closing of the maintenance flap is only provided after a crop jam has cleared, as evidenced by a drop in pressure. In the first case, unwanted crop losses occur, and in the second case, uneven ground or insufficient ground clearance can damage the locking device.

[0006] The object underlying the invention is seen as being to provide a control arrangement for controlling a closing device of a forage harvester arranged downstream of a chopping drum and a forage harvester equipped with such a control arrangement, in which the aforementioned problems are not to be feared or are to a lesser extent. Solution

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by the teaching of claims 1 and 7, wherein further claims list features which advantageously develop the solution further.

[0008] A control arrangement for monitoring a closure device located on the underside or top of a channel downstream of a chopping drum of a forage harvester, which may be a maintenance and / or ventilation flap and / or a flap to allow accumulated crop material to fall out, is equipped with an electronic control unit connected to an externally driven actuator configured to move the closure device between a closed and an open position, and to an operator interface that allows manual input of a command to open the closure device. The control unit is configured to automatically instruct the actuator to close the closure device when a predefined operating condition of the forage harvester is detected.The predetermined operating condition corresponds to an automatically or manually accomplished initiation of a grinding process of the chopping drum and / or the start of an automatically or manually initiated adjustment procedure of a counter blade of the chopping drum.

[0009] Furthermore, a predetermined operating condition that triggers the control unit to close the locking mechanism can indicate the commencement of harvesting and / or driving operations of the forage harvester and / or a rotating chopping drum. This operating condition can correspond to the release of a parking brake and / or the commencement of operation of the chopping drum and / or the automatic or manual closing of a cover for a grinding mechanism of the chopping drum and / or the activation of a water and / or silage additive application system. All these processes can be detected by sensors and / or operator input interfaces and used as triggers for closing the locking mechanism.

[0010] In addition, the control unit can command the opening of the locking device if a cover of a grinding device is opened and / or, in response to an operator input to open the locking device, command the opening of a cover of a grinding device. Example of implementation

[0011] An embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the illustrations. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a forage harvester, Fig. 2 An enlarged view of the chopping drum and the following channel of the forage harvester of the Fig. 1 with an actuator-driven locking device, and Fig. 3. A flowchart showing the control of the actuator. Fig. 2 proceeds in the company.

[0012] In the Fig. Figure 1 shows a self-propelled forage harvester 10 in a schematic side view. The forage harvester 10 is built on a frame 12, which is supported by front driven wheels 14 and steerable rear wheels 16. The forage harvester 10 is operated from a driver's cab 18, from which a harvesting head 20 in the form of a pickup is visible. The harvesting head 20 picks up crop material from the ground, e.g. B. Grass or the like is fed via a feed conveyor 22 with pre-compression rollers, which are arranged within a feed housing 24 at the front of the forage harvester 10, to a chopping drum 26 located below the driver's cab 18, which, in conjunction with a counter blade 102, chops it into small pieces and (after passing through a post-processing unit with two processor rollers 32, 34, which is required for maize harvesting and brought into a spread-out position for grass harvesting, as in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shown, or can be expanded) a conveying device 28. The material leaves the harvesting machine 10 via a discharge spout 30, which is rotatable about an approximately vertical axis and adjustable in inclination, and is transported alongside a transport vehicle. In the following, directional terms such as lateral, below, and above refer to the forward direction V of the harvesting machine 10, which is in the Fig. 1 runs to the right.

[0013] The chopping drum 26 is driven by a pulley 48, which is connected via a bevel gear to an internal combustion engine (not shown), via a drive belt 50. This belt drives a pulley 54 for driving the chopping drum 26 and a pulley 52 for driving the conveyor 28. A grinding device 100 is used to sharpen the chopping knives of the chopping drum 26. A metal detector 108 is also provided in the lower, front pre-compression roller, which can be used to quickly stop the feed conveyor 22 if necessary. An operator input device 98, coupled to a control unit 70, is located in the driver's cab 18. The operator input device 98 allows the chopping drum 26 to be switched on and off. For this purpose, a power-operated clutch (not shown in the figures) is inserted into the drive train between a drive motor of the forage harvester 10 and the chopping drum 26, and is controlled by the control unit 70. becomes.The operator input device 98 also makes it possible to activate and release a power-operated parking brake of the forage harvester 10 that interacts with the front and / or rear wheels 14, 16.

[0014] The Fig. Figure 2 shows the chopping drum 26 and the channel 64 following it in the direction of crop flow, in which, among other things, the processor rollers 32, 34 are arranged. The underside of the channel 64 is formed by walls 36, 38, which are interrupted by a closing device 40. The closing device 40 is designed as a flap, which is pivotally connected to the rear wall 38 at its downstream end about a horizontal axis 66. A bracket 46 connects the closing device 40 to the piston rod of an actuator 42 in the form of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, the housing of which is pivotally connected to the frame 12 at the other end. The actuator 42 is thus arranged, and the closing device 40 is positioned between a closed position, in which it is in the Fig. 2 is drawn in solid line, and to move it into an open position pivoted about axis 66, in which it is in the Fig. Figure 2 is shown with a dashed line. A sensor 62 detects the position of the actuator 42 and thus of the locking device 40. For possible other embodiments of the actuator 42 and the locking device 40, reference is made to EP 1 972 191 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated into the present documents by reference. In particular, the walls 36, 38 and the locking device 40 could rise considerably more to the rear and upwards in the closed position than in the Fig. 2 is shown.

[0015] The actuator 42 is controlled by a valve unit 56, which is connected to a pump 60 and a sump. The valve unit 56 is controlled by an electronic control unit 70, which in turn is connected to an operator input device 98 and the sensor 62. The operator interface 98 can be a computer terminal with a touchscreen or buttons and / or include conventional operating elements (such as switches or levers, in particular for the chopping drum and the parking brake).

[0016] The control unit 70 operates according to the flowchart of the Fig.Step 300 begins. After starting in step 300, step 302 checks whether the locking device 40 is closed, using the signals from sensor 62. If so, step 308 follows; otherwise, step 304. In step 304, the system checks whether the operator interface 98 has received an input to close the locking device 40, an input to release the parking brake of the forage harvester 10, or an input to switch on the chopping drum 26.

[0017] In step 304, it can be queried alternatively or additionally whether a cover (not shown, but see EP 1 520 464 A2) of the grinding device 100 is closed and / or whether the grinding device 100 performs a grinding process of the chopping knives of the chopping drum 26, either manually via the operator interface 98 or automatically via a device for detecting the sharpness of the chopping knives of the chopping drum 26 (see DE 10 2011 005 317 A1).The closing of the cover of the grinding unit 100 can be done manually and detected by the control unit 70 via a sensor, or it can be done by an actuator controlled via the operator interface 98, or automatically if the aforementioned device for detecting the sharpness of the chopping drum knives 26 detects that a grinding operation is required, or if a grinding operation is initiated by the operator via the operator interface 98, so that the control unit 70 is informed of the impending grinding operation by the sharpness detection device and / or the operator interface 98. With the cover closed and during the grinding of the chopping knives, the locking device 40 should be closed to prevent sparks from escaping through the open locking device 40.Furthermore, it prevents the operator or a third party from touching and injuring themselves on the shredding drum 26, which rotates (usually backwards) during grinding.

[0018] In step 304, it can be queried alternatively or additionally whether a procedure for adjusting the counter blade 102 relative to the chopping drum 26 is performed, as described, for example, in DE 10 2013 201 633 B3. When adjusting the counter blade, the chopping drum 26 usually also rotates, so it is advisable to close the locking device 40 to avoid the risk of the operator or third parties touching the chopping drum 26.

[0019] In step 304, it can be asked, either alternatively or additionally, whether water and / or silage additives are currently being injected into the crop flow. Such a procedure indicates that a harvesting operation is underway.

[0020] If the answer to none of the queries is positive in step 304, step 302 follows again; otherwise, step 306 follows, in which the control unit 70 instructs the valve unit 56 to move the actuator 42 to close the locking device 40 until the sensor 62 reports that the locking device 40 is closed.

[0021] In step 308, the system checks whether the operator interface 98 has received an input to open the locking device 40. If the response is negative, step 302 is repeated; otherwise, step 310 is executed, in which the control unit 70 instructs the valve unit 56 to move the actuator 42 to open the locking device 40 until the sensor 62 reports that the locking device 40 is open. In step 308, the control unit 70 can also command an actuator of the cover of the grinding device 100 to open the cover.

[0022] Accordingly, the opening of the locking device 40 is initiated by an operator input via the operator interface 98. It would also be conceivable to provide one or more of the automations for opening the locking device 40 described in EP 1 972 191 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated into these documents by reference. An opening operation of the locking device 40 can also be initiated in step 308 if the cover of the grinding device 100 is opened, either manually by the operator or by an actuator upon input to the operator interface 98. This opening indicates pending maintenance work, for which an open locking device 40 is advantageous.

[0023] The closing of the locking device 40 is initiated by operator input via the operator interface 98 and automatically whenever the chopping drum 26 is set in motion, the parking brake is released, or at least one of the other conditions mentioned in step 304 is met. This ensures that the locking device 40 is closed before driving and / or harvesting operations or when the chopping drum 26 is rotating.

Claims

[1] Control arrangement for controlling a closing device (40) arranged in particular on the underside of a channel (64) downstream of a chopping drum (26) of a forage harvester (10), with an electronic control unit (70) which is connected to an externally operated actuator (42) configured to move the closing device (40) between a closed and an open position and to an operator interface (98) which allows manual input of a command to open the closing device (40), wherein the control unit (70) is configured to automatically command the actuator (42) to close the closing device (40) upon detection of a predetermined operating condition of the forage harvester (10), characterized by, that the predetermined operating condition corresponds to a sharpening process of the shredding knives of the shredding drum (26) initiated manually via the operator interface (98) or automatically by a device for detecting the sharpness of the shredding knives of the shredding drum (26) and / or to the start of an adjustment procedure of a counter blade (102) of the shredding drum (26) initiated automatically or manually, in order to prevent sparks from escaping through the open locking device (40) during the sharpening of the shredding knives and / or to avoid the danger of an operator or third party touching the shredding drum (26) while it is rotating during the adjustment of the counter blade. [2] Control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control device (70) is further configured to automatically command the actuator (42) to close the locking device (40) even when a predetermined operating condition of the forage harvester (10) is detected, which indicates the commencement of harvesting and / or driving operation of the forage harvester (10) and / or a rotating chopping drum (26). [3] Control arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined operating condition corresponds to a release of a parking brake and / or a commencement of operation of the chopping drum (26) and / or an automatic or manual closing of a cover of a grinding device (100) of the chopping drum (26) and / or a commissioning of a water and / or silage additive addition device. [4] Control arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device (70) is operable to command the opening of the locking device (40) if a cover of a grinding device (100) is opened. [5] Control arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device (70) is operable to command, in response to an operator input to open the locking device (40), the opening of a cover of a grinding device (100). [6] Control arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control device (70) is operable to detect the predetermined operating condition by means of a sensor and / or on the basis of commands entered into the operator interface (98). [7] Forage harvester (10) with a control arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 6.

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