Agricultural harvesting machine and methods for operating it

Abstract

Agricultural harvesting machine (10), comprising a frame or chassis (12) to which a chassis (14) and / or a mounting device for attachment to a carrier vehicle is attached, with working units (17) which, in a working position of the harvesting machine, are supported on a ground by means of support devices (20), with ground relief devices (21, 24) by means of which a bearing force or a bearing pressure of the working units (17) on the ground can be adjusted in the working position of the harvesting machine, with sensors (22) which are configured to measure for each working unit (17) a working weight of the same or a weight of the crop located on the same or a bearing force or a bearing pressure of the respective working unit (17) on the ground dependent thereon, and with a control unit (23) which is configured to control the ground relief devices (21, 24) depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors (22),to influence the support forces or pressures of the working units (17).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating an agricultural harvesting machine.

[0002] Agricultural harvesting machines are known in practice to be coupled to a towing vehicle and moved by being pulled by the vehicle. These towed agricultural harvesting machines are primarily forage harvesters, such as rakes or tedders. It is also known to mount agricultural harvesting machines on the front of a towing vehicle or tractor and move them by pushing. Examples of such machines include mowers or front-mounted belt rakes.

[0003] DE 10 2019 118 738 A1 discloses a merger-type agricultural harvesting machine comprising a frame or chassis, a chassis attached to the frame or chassis, outriggers attached to the frame or chassis, and working units. Each working unit has a pickup device and a transverse conveyor device, namely a transverse conveyor segment. In the working position of the harvesting machine, the working units are supported on the ground to be cultivated by means of gauge wheels.

[0004] DE 10 2020 106 804 A1 discloses a further agricultural harvesting machine designed as a merger. The harvesting machine can be advantageously moved between a transport position and a headland position by means of an actuator.

[0005] In conventional agricultural harvesting machines, the working units are supported on the ground being worked via support devices designed as gauge wheels. In this way, the working units exert a bearing force or pressure on the ground. To ensure the gentlest possible cultivation of the ground, ground relief is important.

[0006] The object of the invention is to create an agricultural harvesting machine with improved soil relief and a method for operating it.

[0007] This problem is solved by an agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 11.

[0008] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention has a frame or a rack to which a chassis and / or a mounting device for attachment to a carrier vehicle is attached.

[0009] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention further comprises working units which, in the working position of the harvesting machine, are supported on a surface to be worked by means of support devices.

[0010] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention further comprises ground relief devices by which a support force or a support pressure of the working units on the surface to be worked can be adjusted in the working position of the harvesting machine.

[0011] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention further comprises sensors which are configured to measure for each working unit a working weight of the same or a weight of the crop located on the same or a dependent bearing force or a dependent bearing pressure of the respective working unit on the surface to be worked.

[0012] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention further comprises a control unit which is set up to control the ground relief devices depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors in order to influence the support forces or support pressures of the working units.

[0013] The harvesting machine according to the invention offers a particularly advantageous ground relief system. Using sensors, the working weight of each unit, the weight of the crop on it, or the resulting ground pressure or force on the ground being worked can be determined individually. This allows the ground relief devices to be controlled based on the sensor readings. In this way, the ground forces or pressures of the working units on the ground being worked can be advantageously adjusted for optimal ground relief.

[0014] Preferably, the control unit is configured to control floor relief devices based on the sensor measurements in such a way that the support forces or pressures of the working units approach a predetermined value.

[0015] The agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention preferably further comprises booms, wherein at least one boom engages the frame or frame on both sides in such a way that, for the purpose of transferring the harvesting machine between a working position and a transport position, the respective boom can be displaced relative to the frame or frame.

[0016] Preferably, each working unit is pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the respective boom, wherein each working unit is assigned at least two sensors, namely, for example, at least one sensor on a first side of the pivot axis and a second sensor on a second side of the pivot axis of the respective working unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a differential moment acting with respect to the pivot axis of the respective working unit for each working unit, depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors of the respective working unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the ground relief device of the respective working unit, depending on the differential moment, such that the respective differential moment is reduced and / or set to a predetermined value. This makes it possible to apply a uniform ground pressure or load across the width of the respective working unit.to ensure a uniform contact force on the surface being processed.

[0017] In this context, it would also be conceivable to use a sensor that measures the total weight and another sensor that measures the distribution or load on one side.

[0018] Preferably, the agricultural harvesting machine is a forage harvester, in particular a merger or pickup belt rake, wherein a pickup and a cross conveyor segment act as a working unit on each of the booms. The invention is preferably used in a merger.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, without being limited thereto. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 an agricultural harvesting machine together with a towing vehicle in side view; Fig. 2 an excerpt from Fig. 1; Fig. 3 an alternative to the excerpt of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a top view of the agricultural harvesting machine according to the invention; Fig. 5 a detail of the Fig. 4.

[0020] The invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine 10.

[0021] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 is in particular a forage harvesting machine which can be coupled to the towing vehicle 11 for towing by a towing vehicle.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows a side view of a tractor-trailer combination consisting of an agricultural harvesting machine 10 and a towing vehicle 11. The agricultural harvesting machine 10 is preferably a forage harvester, in particular a merger, which is also referred to as a pickup belt rake.

[0023] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 has a frame 12, wherein the frame 12 has a longitudinal beam 13 extending in the longitudinal direction X of the agricultural harvesting machine 10.

[0024] The frame or chassis 12 of the agricultural harvesting machine 10 is fitted with a chassis 14 with wheels 15 and a mounting device for attachment to a carrier or towing vehicle. When the agricultural harvesting machine 10 is being moved by means of the towing vehicle 11, the wheels 15 of the chassis 14 bear against the ground being worked.

[0025] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 could alternatively be designed without its own chassis and mounted on a carrier vehicle using an attachment device. Furthermore, it is also possible to design the harvesting machine 10 as a self-propelled harvesting machine.

[0026] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 also has booms 16.

[0027] On both sides of the frame or frame 12, namely on both sides of the longitudinal beam 13, a boom 16 engages the frame or frame 12 in such a way that, for the purpose of transferring the harvesting machine 10 between a working position and a transport position, the respective boom 16 can be moved relative to the frame or frame 12.

[0028] In Fig. Figures 1 to 4 show the agricultural harvesting machine 10 in its working position.

[0029] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 also has 17 working units.

[0030] Each boom 16 is equipped with at least one working unit 17, which can be moved together with the respective boom 16, namely when transferring the harvesting machine 10 between the working position and the transport position. In the illustrated embodiment, in which the agricultural harvesting machine 10 is designed as a merger, each working unit 17 has a pickup 18 and a transverse conveyor segment 19, wherein the transverse conveyor segments 19 of the working units 17 form a belt conveyor or transverse conveyor extending in the transverse direction Y of the agricultural harvesting machine 10.

[0031] In the working position of the agricultural harvesting machine 10, the working units 17 are supported on the ground to be worked via support devices 20, whereby in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 as support devices, 20 guide rollers and in Fig. Three skids are shown.

[0032] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 according to the invention has ground relief devices 21. Via the ground relief devices 21, a support force or a support pressure of the working units 17 on the ground to be worked can be set in the working position of the harvesting machine 10.

[0033] The in Fig. 2, Fig. The 3 shown ground relief devices 21 act on the respective boom 16 in order to either lift the respective working unit 17 further off the ground or move it further towards the ground via the respective boom 16 and thus ultimately adjust the bearing pressure or bearing force of the respective working unit 17 which acts on the respective boom 16.

[0034] The ground relief devices 21 can alternatively also act directly on the work units.

[0035] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 according to the invention further comprises sensors 22. The sensors 22 are configured to measure, for each working unit 17, the working weight of the unit itself, the weight of the crop located on it, or a dependent bearing force or a dependent bearing pressure of the respective working unit 17 on the ground to be worked.

[0036] The working weight of a work unit 17 is understood to mean the weight of the work unit itself as well as the weight of the crop located on it.

[0037] The sensors 22 can be assigned to the support devices 20 of the work units 17, in which case the working weight of the work units 17 can be detected using the sensors 22. It is also possible for the sensors 22 to be assigned to the transverse conveyor segments 19 of the work units 17, in order to measure, in particular, the weight of the crop located on the transverse conveyor segments 19 of the work units 17.

[0038] The sensors 22 can be, for example, strain gauges, pressure sensors, or measuring bolts. A sensor assigned to a transverse conveyor segment 19 can also be a camera, in order to determine the weight of the harvested crop on the transverse conveyor segment 19 of the agricultural harvesting machine based on the image captured by the camera.

[0039] The agricultural harvesting machine 10 still has a [feature / component] in Fig. 1 to 3 not shown, control unit 23, which is, however, highly schematically represented in Fig. 4 is shown.

[0040] The control unit 23 is configured to control the ground relief devices 21 based on the measured values ​​of the sensors 22 in order to influence the bearing forces or bearing pressures of the working units 17 on the surface to be processed.

[0041] The control unit 23 can be configured, depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors 22, to control the ground relief devices 21 in such a way that the support forces or pressures of the working units 17 approach a predetermined value.

[0042] Furthermore, the control unit 23 can be configured depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors 22 and the ground relief devices 24 (see Fig. 4) to control the working units 17 in such a way that the support forces or support pressures of all working units 17 approach each other.

[0043] So while in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 the shown ground relief device 21 acts uniformly on the respective boom 16 and thus on all working units 17 acting on the respective boom 16, is in Fig. 4 each work unit 17 is assigned an individual floor relief device 24 which can individually influence the bearing force or bearing pressure for the respective work unit 17.

[0044] Preferably, each working unit 17 can be individually pivoted about a pivot axis 25 relative to the respective boom 16. Each working unit 17 is equipped with Fig. 4 two sensors 22 are assigned, namely at least one sensor 22 on a first side of the pivot axis 25 and a second sensor 22 on a second side of the pivot axis 25 of the respective working unit 17. These sensors 22 transmit their measured values ​​to the control unit 23, which is configured to determine, depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors 22 of the respective working unit 17, a differential torque acting with respect to the pivot axis 25 of the respective working unit 17 for each working unit 17.

[0045] The control unit 23 is then further configured to control the ground relief device 24 of the respective working unit 17, depending on the determined differential moment, in such a way that the respective differential moment is reduced, in particular in such a way that an amount of it is less than a predetermined limit value or preferably zero.

[0046] In Fig. 4 not only can it be ensured that the bearing forces or bearing pressures of all working units 17 approximate each other, but also that a uniform bearing force or bearing pressure of the respective working unit 17 on the substrate can be ensured over the width of the respective working unit 17.

[0047] Fig. Figure 5 shows a section of the agricultural harvesting machine 10. Fig. 4 in the area of ​​a work unit 17, wherein Fig. 5 shows the pivot axis 25 about which the respective working unit 17 can pivot relative to the boom 16, as well as the ground relief device 24, which is pivotally attached on the one hand to the working unit 17 and on the other hand to the boom 16 in order to apply a moment to the respective working unit 17, such that the differential moment on the respective working unit 19 is preferably zero.

[0048] The control unit 23 can act on the ground relief devices 21, 24 either via control or regulation. When the control unit 23 acts on the ground relief devices 21, 24 in a regulation manner, measured values ​​from the sensors 22 are continuously evaluated and, depending on these, the ground relief devices 21, 24 are continuously readjusted in a regulation manner to ensure, for example, that an actual support force or an actual support pressure at a respective working unit 17 corresponds to a predetermined target support pressure or a predetermined target support force.

[0049] The invention therefore proposes to use sensors 22 to measure the working weight of work units 17 or the weight of the crop located on the work units 17 or the bearing force or bearing pressure of the respective work unit 17 on the surface to be worked and, depending on this, to control ground relief devices 21, 24.

[0050] The invention provides a ground relief function that enables particularly gentle cultivation of the subsoil, uniformly across the entire working width of the harvesting machine 10 and across the respective width of each working unit 17. This is particularly advantageous in a merger or pickup belt rake, where the working weight of the working units 17 increases steadily or continuously in the conveying direction of the transverse conveying device formed by the transverse conveying segments 19.

[0051] The invention further relates to a method for operating an agricultural harvesting machine 10, wherein the working weight of working units 17 or the weight of crop located on the working units 17 or, depending thereon, a bearing force or bearing pressure of the respective working unit 17 on the ground to be worked is measured in order to control the ground relief devices 21, 24 depending on the measured variables in such a way that bearing forces and bearing pressures of the working units are influenced. Reference symbol list 10 harvesting machines 11 Towing vehicle 12 Frame / Steering 13 longitudinal beams 14 Chassis 15-inch wheel 16 outriggers 17 work units 18 Pickup 19 Cross conveyor segment 20 Support device 21 floor relief device 22 Sensor 23 Control unit 24 floor relief device 25 Swivel axis QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2019 118 738 A1

[0003] DE 10 2020 106 804 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Agricultural harvesting machine (10), with a frame or rack (12) to which a chassis (14) and / or a mounting device for attachment to a carrier vehicle is attached, with working units (17) which, in a working position of the harvesting machine, are supported on a surface to be worked via support devices (20), with ground relief devices (21, 24) via which a support force or a support pressure of the working units (17) on the ground to be worked can be adjusted in the working position of the harvesting machine, with sensors (22) which are configured to measure for each working unit (17) a working weight of the same or a weight of the crop located on the same or a dependent bearing force or a dependent bearing pressure of the respective working unit (17) on the substrate to be worked, with a control unit (23) which is set up to control the ground relief devices (21, 24) depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors (22) in order to influence the support forces or support pressures of the working units (17). [2] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that the sensors (22) are assigned to the support devices (20) of the work units (17). [3] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sensors (22) are assigned to cross conveyor segments (19) of the work units (17). [4] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the control unit (23) is set up, depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors (22), to control ground relief devices (21) in such a way that the support forces or support pressures of the working units (17) approach a predetermined value. [5] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that each work unit (17) can be pivoted about a pivot axis (25) relative to a respective boom (16), Each working unit (17) is assigned at least two sensors (22), namely at least one sensor (22) on a first side of the pivot axis (25) of the respective working unit (17) and a second sensor (22) on a second side of the pivot axis (25) of the respective working unit (17), the control unit (23) is set up to determine, depending on the measured values ​​of the sensors (22) of the respective working unit (17), a differential torque acting with respect to the pivot axis (25) of the respective working unit (17) for each working unit (17), the control unit (23) is set up to control the ground relief device (24) of the respective working unit (17) depending on the differential moment in such a way that the respective differential moment is reduced. [6] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the control unit (23) is configured to control the ground relief device (24) of the respective working unit (17) depending on the differential moment in such a way that the respective differential moment is reduced to an amount that is smaller than a predetermined limit value. [7] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by , that the control unit (23) is configured to control the ground relief device (24) of the respective working unit (17) depending on the differential moment in such a way that the respective differential moment is reduced to zero. [8] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized bythat it is a forage harvester. [9] Agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to claim 8, characterized by that the forage harvester is a merger or a pickup belt rake. [10] Method for operating an agricultural harvesting machine (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: for each work unit (17) measuring the working weight of the same or the weight of the crop on it or the dependent bearing force or the dependent bearing pressure of the respective work unit (17) on the substrate to be worked, Depending on the measured variables, the ground relief devices (21, 24) are controlled to influence the bearing forces or bearing pressures of the working units (17).

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