combine

Abstract

In a combine harvester equipped with threshing depth control that detects the feeding depth of harvested crops into the threshing unit using a tip sensor and a base sensor, and controls a threshing depth adjustment motor to change the position of the threshing depth adjustment chain to achieve the appropriate depth, the output to the threshing depth adjustment motor is stopped when a faulty detection condition is detected by the tip sensor to prevent clogging of the straw discharge chain or cutter due to poor conveying. However, since the operation stops, the operator had to check the grain stalk supply and conveying device to clear the error. Therefore, this invention provides a combine harvester that eliminates weeds and straw accumulations without stopping the operation, thereby improving threshing accuracy. [Solution] When the threshing depth sensor detects that the threshing depth is in a deep threshing state and the grain quantity sensor, which detects the amount of grain in the threshing device, detects a grain quantity below a predetermined level, the threshing depth adjustment drive device is driven to move the threshing depth adjustment device to the deeper side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a combine equipped with a threshing device for threshing the cereal straw cut by a cutting device.

Background Art

[0002] In a combine equipped with a handling depth control that detects the supply depth of the harvested crop to the threshing section with a handling depth sensor composed of a tip sensor and a base sensor, and controls a handling depth adjustment motor that changes the position of the handling depth adjustment chain so as to achieve an appropriate depth, during wheat harvesting, when the straw breaks or the cut weeds accumulate in the inlet funnel, the tip sensor may detect this and the adjustment chain may move to the shallow side, resulting in the ears not being properly conveyed into the handling cylinder.

[0003] Therefore, if it goes too far to the shallow handling side, the conveying posture may be disrupted, causing clogging in the discharged straw section and a decrease in threshing accuracy.

[0004] Therefore, there is a combine that automatically stops the output to the handling depth adjustment motor when detecting a defective detection state of the tip sensor, preventing clogging from occurring in the discharged straw chain or cutter due to poor conveyance (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document ①

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, since the operation stops, the operator has to check the cereal straw supply and conveying device to cancel the error.

[0007] Therefore, in view of the above, the present invention provides a combine harvester that eliminates weeds and straw accumulations without stopping operations, thereby improving threshing accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 is a combine harvester equipped with a traveling device 2, a harvesting device 4 and a threshing device 3 on a machine body, which grips and transports the grain stalks harvested by the harvesting device 4, and hands them over to a grain stalk supply and transport device 16 that supplies the grain stalks into the threshing device 3, and is equipped with a threshing depth adjustment device 15 that adjusts the position in which the grain stalks are gripped by the grain stalk supply and transport device 16, and automatically controls the threshing depth by driving a threshing depth adjustment drive device 20 that operates the threshing depth adjustment device 15 based on the detection of a threshing depth sensor S, wherein if the threshing depth sensor S detects that the threshing depth is in a deep threshing state and a grain quantity sensor 50 that detects the amount of grain in the threshing device 3 detects a grain quantity below a predetermined amount, the threshing depth adjustment drive device 20 is driven to perform corrective control to move the threshing depth adjustment device 15 to the deeper threshing depth side.

[0009] According to the invention described in claim 1, the problem of broken wheat stalks and cut weeds accumulating in the inlet funnel of the threshing device 3 can be resolved, and the accuracy of threshing can be improved.

[0010] The invention described in claim 2 is the combine harvester according to claim 1, wherein no corrective control is performed when the machine is not moving forward.

[0011] The invention described in claim 3 is the combine harvester according to claim 1, wherein no correction control is performed when the handling depth manual operating device 75 is being operated.

[0012] The invention described in claim 4 is a combine harvester according to claim 1, wherein no corrective control is performed when the harvesting device 4 and the grain stalk supply and conveying device 16 are automatically stopped by other control. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the harvesting device of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of the harvesting device of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the handling depth adjustment means of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the handling depth adjustment means of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the area near the handling depth sensor of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a side view illustrating the operation of the layer thickness sensor of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the control section of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a control flow diagram of a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following describes in detail a combine harvester, which is one embodiment of the harvesting machine of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

[0015] For the sake of ease of understanding, we will use the terms "front," "rear," "right," and "left" from the pilot's perspective, but these terms do not limit the present invention.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, 1 is the machine frame, 2 is the running gear located below the machine frame 1, 3 is the threshing device located above the machine frame 1, 4 is the harvesting device located in front of the machine frame 1, 5 is the grain tank located on the side of the threshing device 3 for temporarily storing the grain removed from the threshing device 3, and 6 is the control unit.

[0017] Describing the cutting device 4 and the surrounding configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 10 is a weed separating body, 11 is a lifting device, 12 is a cutting blade, 13 is a front conveying device, 14 is a rear conveying device, 15 is a handling depth adjusting device provided at the end of the conveying path conveyed by each of the above conveying devices. At the end of the handling depth adjusting device 15, a straw supply conveying device (feed chain) 16 that supplies the straw to the threshing chamber (not shown) of the threshing device 3 is provided with a transfer conveying device 17 that takes over the straw.

[0018] The straw supply conveying device 16 supplies the straw cut by the cutting device 4 from the straw supply port 18 of the threshing chamber of the threshing device 3 and conveys it until it is threshed and discharged from the straw discharge port of the threshing chamber. However, the configuration for conveying the straw cut by the cutting device 4 to the straw supply conveying device 16 is arbitrary and is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment. The starting end of the straw supply conveying device 16 may face the end of the handling depth adjusting device 15, and the transfer conveying device 17 of the good configuration of the embodiment may be interposed between the handling depth adjusting device 15 and the straw supply conveying device 16.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the handling depth adjusting device 15 changes the handling depth by changing the clamping position of the straw supplied to the straw supply conveying device 16. In this embodiment, the base of the handling depth adjusting device 15 is attached to the vertical support frame 19 of the cutting device 4 so that the tip can move up and down. 20 is a handling depth adjusting motor, 21 is a handling depth adjusting means (handling depth adjusting link) for moving the handling depth adjusting device 15 by the handling depth adjusting motor 20, 22 is a handling depth position detecting portion (potentiometer) for detecting the actual handling depth position of the handling depth adjusting device 15, 23 is the tip sensor of the handling depth sensor S, and 24 is the base sensor. It is appropriate that the tip is at the intermediate position between the base sensor 24 and the tip sensor 23. When both the tip sensor 23 and the base sensor 24 are off, it is in a shallow handling state, and when both the tip sensor 23 and the base sensor 24 are on, it is in a deep handling state.

[0020] And the cutting device 4 is provided with a front straw sensor 30 and a rear straw sensor 31 for detecting the cut straw and a long straw sensor 32 for detecting long straws.

[0021] As shown in Figure 7, the threshing device 3 has a threshing chamber 40 at the top for threshing the stalks that have been cut by the harvesting device 4 and transported by the stalk supply and conveying device 16. Inside the threshing chamber 40, a threshing cylinder is mounted on a threshing cylinder shaft, and the lower part of the threshing cylinder is surrounded by a threshing net 41.

[0022] Below the handling net 41, the transfer rack 43, which is the starting end of the oscillating sorting rack 42, is positioned. A sieve 44 for separating grain from foreign matter is provided on the lower side of the transfer rack 43, and a straw rack 45 for transporting straw waste is provided on the lower side of the sieve 44.

[0023] A winnowing machine 46 is installed below the transfer rack 43 of the oscillating sorting rack 42, and the winnowing machine 46 blows air towards the oscillating sorting rack 42.

[0024] 47 is the first conveyor belt, and 48 is the second conveyor belt.

[0025] A layer thickness sensor 50, which detects the layer thickness, is provided at a predetermined position above the oscillating sorting shelf 42, and is used as a grain quantity sensor to detect the amount of grain (material to be processed) on the oscillating sorting shelf 42, at the center position on the left and right sides.

[0026] The layer thickness sensor 50 has a sensor body 51a mounted at the left and right center position of mounting stays 51 fixed to the left and right machine frames of the threshing device 3, and a detection arm 51b, whose base is rotatably attached to the sensor body 51a, extends toward the swinging sorting rack 42, and the detection arm 51b is rotatable upward from its initial angle.

[0027] The layer thickness sensor 50 has a detection arm 51b that rotates upward from an initial angle according to the layer thickness of the grains on the oscillating sorting rack 42, and the sensor body 51a sends a detection voltage to the control device 60 according to the angle of rotation.

[0028] In other words, the layer thickness sensor 50 sends a low detection voltage to the control device 60 when the layer thickness of the grains on the oscillating sorting shelf 42 is thin (the amount of grains is small), and sends a high detection voltage as the layer thickness increases (the amount of grains increases). Based on the detection voltage from the layer thickness sensor 50, the control device 60 calculates the layer thickness of the grains on the oscillating sorting shelf 42 and determines the layer thickness in eight stages.

[0029] As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 6 is equipped with a threshing depth switch 70 for switching the threshing depth control on and off, a threshing lever position sensor 72 for detecting the operating position of the threshing lever 71 for switching the drive of the threshing device 3 and the harvesting device 4 on and off, a back sensor 74 for detecting the reverse operation of the main speed shift lever 73, a threshing depth manual switch 75 as a threshing depth manual control tool for manually controlling the threshing depth, a monitor 76, and the like.

[0030] Here, we will explain the automatic handling depth control based on the control flow diagram in Figure 9.

[0031] During harvesting in the field, the threshing depth switch 70 is turned on to activate threshing depth control, the threshing lever 71 is operated to turn on the drive of the threshing device 3 and the harvesting device 4, the threshing lever position sensor 72 detects the drive operation, the front grain stalk sensor 30 and rear grain stalk sensor 31 of the harvesting device 4 detect grain stalks and turn on, and the back sensor 74 does not detect the reverse operation of the main speed lever 73 (the machine is moving forward), and based on this information, the control device 60 performs the following automatic threshing depth control (S1).

[0032] The automatic handling depth control automatically controls the tip position of the handling depth adjustment device 15 using the handling depth adjustment motor 20 so that the tip position of the grain stalk remains constant according to the total length of the grain stalk. The handling depth adjustment by the handling depth adjustment device 15 is performed by automatically driving the handling depth adjustment motor 20 to operate the handling depth adjustment device 15 based on the detection results of the tip position of the grain stalk by the tip sensor 23 and base sensor 24 of the handling depth sensor S, which are arranged at intervals in the direction of the grain stalk being conveyed.

[0033] In other words, when the tip of the grain stalk is at an intermediate position between the base sensor 24 and the tip sensor 23 of the handling depth sensor S, and the base sensor 24 is ON and the tip sensor 23 is OFF, the handling depth is appropriate, and the control device 60 does not output a control output for automatic handling depth control.

[0034] When both the tip sensor 23 and the base sensor 24 are off, the plant is in a shallow handling state, and the control device 60 uses the handling depth adjustment motor 20 to move the handling depth adjustment device 15 in the direction of increasing the handling depth until it reaches the appropriate handling depth.

[0035] When both the tip sensor 23 and the base sensor 24 are ON, the plant is in a deep grazing state, and the control device 60 uses the grazing depth adjustment motor 20 to move the grazing depth adjustment device 15 in the direction of shallower grazing until it reaches the appropriate grazing depth.

[0036] However, due to broken stalks during wheat harvesting and the accumulation of cut weeds in the inlet funnel of the threshing device 3, the ear tip sensor 23 would detect this and turn on, causing the threshing depth adjustment device 15 to move to the shallower side, and preventing the ears from being properly transported into the threshing device 3.

[0037] Therefore, if the threshing mechanism went too shallow, the conveying posture would become disrupted, causing blockages in the straw discharge section and reducing the accuracy of the threshing.

[0038] Therefore, in this embodiment, the following correction control is performed to resolve the above-mentioned problems.

[0039] If the long stalk sensor 32 is off and the grain stalk is not long (S2), if the threshing depth sensor S's ear tip sensor 23 and stem base sensor 24 are both on for a predetermined time (2 seconds or more) and it is detected that the threshing depth is in a deep threshing state (S3), if the layer thickness detected by the layer thickness sensor 50 decreases to below a predetermined level (2 levels or less) (detecting a grain quantity below a predetermined level) (S4), if the back sensor 74 is in a forward operation position that does not detect the reverse operation of the main shift lever 73 (S5), if the threshing depth manual switch 75 is off (S6), and if the automatic stop of the harvesting device 4 and the grain stalk supply and conveying device 16 is not activated (S7), the threshing depth adjustment motor 20 moves the threshing depth adjustment device 15 in the direction of increasing the threshing depth (S8) and the monitor 76 of the control unit 6 displays that correction control is in progress (S9).

[0040] The above-described correction control ensures that the grain stalks are properly transported into the threshing device 3, eliminating the problem of broken stalks and cut weeds accumulating in the inlet funnel of the threshing device 3, and thereby improving threshing accuracy.

[0041] Although the above-described embodiment represents the best form, not all steps are mandatory, and steps S2, S5 to S7 can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 2. Traveling device 3. Threshing apparatus 4 Reaping device 15. Handling depth adjustment device 16. Grain Strand Supply and Conveying Device 20. Depth adjustment drive device (depth adjustment motor) 50. Grain quantity sensor (layer thickness sensor) 75. Manual depth control device (manual depth control switch) S Depth sensor

Claims

1. A combine harvester equipped with a traveling device (2), a harvesting device (4) and a threshing device (3) on the machine body, which grips and transports the grain stalks harvested by the harvesting device (4), and hands them over to a grain stalk supply and transport device (16) that supplies the grain stalks into the threshing device (3), and is provided with a threshing depth adjustment device (15) that adjusts the position of the grain stalks gripped by the grain stalk supply and transport device (16), and a threshing depth adjustment drive device (20) that operates the threshing depth adjustment device (15) based on detection by a threshing depth sensor (S) to automatically control the threshing depth, wherein if the threshing depth sensor (S) detects that the threshing depth is in a deep threshing state and a grain quantity sensor (50) that detects the amount of grain in the threshing device (3) detects a grain quantity below a predetermined amount, the threshing depth adjustment drive device (20) is driven to perform corrective control to move the threshing depth adjustment device (15) to the deeper threshing depth side.

2. The combine harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that no corrective control is performed if the machine is not moving forward.

3. The combine harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that no correction control is performed when the manual handling depth control device (75) is being operated.

4. The combine harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that no corrective control is performed when the harvesting device (4) and the grain stalk supply and conveying device (16) are automatically stopped by other control.

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