Combine Yield Measuring Device

Abstract

To provide a yield measuring device of a combine in which, when measuring a grain flow rate transferred to a grain tank by using a yield sensor and calculating a cumulative weight of grain harvested with the combine, the harvested cumulative weight of grain with less error can be calculated and found in real time while suppressing a cost increase as much as possible and also even in reaping work of traveling reaping.SOLUTION: A yield measuring device detects that a grain deposition height varies highly by a level sensor on the basis of a grain cumulative weight being found by calculating a detection value of a yield sensor. Then, the yield measuring device adds correction to the calculation of grain cumulative weight by the yield sensor on the basis of a setting weight corresponding to an increment of piled grain with the change of this deposition height, and thereby calculates the harvested grain cumulative weight.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 24

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a yield measurement device for a combine that harvests grains by cutting rice, wheat, etc., and more specifically, to a yield measurement device that calculates using a yield sensor that detects the flow rate of grains transferred from a threshing device to a grain tank, which is the integrated weight of the harvested grains.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a combine cuts standing rice or wheat straws in a field with a cutting device, conveys the cut straws to a threshing device, threshes them with this threshing device, and transfers the sorted grains to a grain tank with a grain elevating device for temporary storage. Further, when the grain tank is full of grains or the cutting operation is completed, a series of harvesting operations are performed, such as driving a discharge auger to discharge the grains stored in the grain tank to a container outside the machine.

[0003] And during such harvesting operations, if the yield (integrated weight) of the harvested grains can be displayed in real time, it can be utilized for grasping the yield of each field, fertilization design for each field in the next year, etc., or for calculating the cost when contracting the cutting operation, or for selecting the harvested grains for a drying facility. Therefore, a combine has been developed that is retrofitted with a yield measurement device that can display the integrated weight of the harvested grains in real time on a display device provided in the control section (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] In the yield measurement device of Patent Document 1, the flow rate of grains transferred to the grain tank is measured using a yield sensor, and the integrated weight of the grains is calculated. However, it has been pointed out that such a yield sensor for measuring the flow rate of grains is likely to cause errors in yield measurement due to the influence of machine vibration and the like. And in order to solve this problem, for example, in the yield measurement devices described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, a load cell different from the yield sensor is provided, and the total mass of the grains in the grain tank is measured with this load cell to correct the measured value of the yield sensor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] As described above, when the flow rate of the grain transferred to the grain tank is measured using a yield sensor and the integrated weight of the harvested grain of the combine is calculated, there are still cases where the integrated weight of the measured grain affected by factors such as the vibration of the machine body by the yield sensor does not match the weight (actual weight) actually measured using a weighing scale at that time. Therefore, a yield measurement device that can bring the integrated weight of the grain measured using the yield sensor and the actual weight closer to each other and has less error is desired.

[0007] However, in order to solve this problem, like the yield measurement devices described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, providing a measurement sensor such as a load cell that measures the total mass of the grain in a grain tank different from the yield sensor that measures the flow rate of the grain transferred to the grain tank requires a new measurement sensor such as a load cell, which increases the cost of the yield measurement device. At the same time, in order to measure the total mass of the grain in the grain tank by a measurement sensor such as a load cell, changes on the combine side such as the support structure of the grain tank are required, and there is a problem that the yield measurement device cannot be easily retrofitted to an existing combine.

[0008] Furthermore, the load cell that measures the total mass of the grains in the grain tank is affected by vibrations associated with the operation of the combine and tilting of the machine body posture, etc., and causes a certain amount of error between the measured weight and the actual weight. Therefore, when the combine stops running during harvesting operations such as interrupting the harvesting operation, the total mass is measured, and it is pointed out that it is impossible to provide the operator with the yield of the combine with less error in real time during the harvesting operation in which the harvesting travel is being performed.

[0009] Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention measures the flow rate of the grains transferred to the grain tank using a yield sensor and calculates the integrated weight of the grains harvested by the combine. While minimizing cost increase, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combine yield measuring device that can calculate the integrated weight of the harvested grains with less error in real time even during the harvesting operation in which the harvesting travel is being performed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the combine yield measuring device of the present invention includes a yield sensor that detects the flow rate of the grains transferred from the threshing device to the grain tank, and a level sensor that detects the accumulated height of the grains stored in the grain tank. The control device that calculates the integrated weight of the harvested grains, based on the integrated weight of the grains obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor, when it detects that the accumulated height of the grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, based on a set weight corresponding to the increment of the accumulated grains accompanying this change in the accumulated height, corrects the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor, and calculates the integrated weight of the harvested grains.

[0011] Therefore, the combine yield measuring device of the present invention includes, together with a yield sensor that detects the flow rate of the grains transferred from the threshing device to the grain tank, a level sensor that detects the accumulated height of the grains stored in the grain tank, for example, a plurality of rice sensors that are provided dispersedly in the vertical direction of the grain tank and are turned on when pressed by the grains deposited in the grain tank.

[0012] Therefore, the level sensor newly added to the yield measurement device detects the accumulated height of the grains stored in the grain tank during normal operation and displays the storage state of the grains in the grain tank on a monitor or the like provided in the control unit. For example, when the operator obtains information that the grain tank is full by looking at this monitor, the level sensor functions as an alarm means for the grain discharge operation of interrupting the harvesting operation and discharging the grains from the grain tank outside the machine. Since only the sensor originally provided in the combine is used also as the sensor of the yield measurement device, there is no particular increase in cost.

[0013] In addition, when the control device that calculates the integrated weight of the harvested grains of the yield measurement device detects that the accumulated height of the grains has changed significantly by the level sensor based on the integrated weight of the grains obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor, the control device corrects the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor based on the set weight corresponding to the increment of the accumulated grains accompanying the change in this accumulated height, and calculates the integrated weight of the harvested grains.

[0014] Therefore, every time the level sensor detects that the grains transferred from the threshing device during the harvesting operation while the harvesting travel is in progress have accumulated in the grain tank and the accumulated height of the grains has changed, for example, one level higher, a correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains. Thus, it is possible to increase the correction opportunities during the harvesting operation, improve the measurement accuracy, and calculate the integrated weight with less error in real time.

[0015] The set weight corresponding to the increment of the accumulated grains accompanying the change in the accumulated height can be obtained from the conversion formula of the grain weight with respect to the volume of the grains (paddy) determined for each harvested crop (the volume of the increment of the accumulated grains), or can be preset by actually measuring the weight of the grains deposited in the grain tank when the level sensor detects that the accumulated height of the grains has changed significantly. In addition, the measurement error in the case of assuming the weight from the volume in this way is estimated to be equal to or less than the measurement error of the grain weight in the grain tank measured by a load cell affected by, for example, running vibration or machine body inclination. Based on this set weight with less measurement error, the integrated weight can be calculated accurately.

[0016] In addition, for the yield measurement device of the combine harvester of the present invention, the integrated weight (Y) of the grain, which is obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor, is calculated by substituting the integrated value (x) obtained by integrating the detection values acquired from the yield sensor at minute time intervals a predetermined number of times into the grain flow rate calculation formula (y = A*(ax + b)) to obtain the flow rate (y: weight), and then integrating (Y += y). In the case of the grain flow rate calculation formula in this situation, the slope (a) and intercept (b) of the straight line can be determined in advance, for example, by calculating the regression coefficient by the least squares method or the like based on the weight measured using the yield sensor and the test result of the actual weight at that time, thereby improving the measurement accuracy.

[0017] Furthermore, for the yield measurement device of the combine harvester of the present invention, when the control device detects that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly due to the level sensor, the control device divides the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grain accompanying this change in the deposited height as the numerator, and divides it by the added weight (D) obtained by calculating and adding the detection value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height to the integrated weight as the denominator (B = C / D), and multiplies it by the correction coefficient (A: initial value = 1.0) that is multiplied by the flow rate of the grain flow rate calculation formula, updates it as a new correction coefficient (A = A*B), and then uses this updated new correction coefficient for the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the subsequent yield sensor.

[0018] Therefore, the correction added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the yield sensor, which is performed each time the level sensor detects that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly, is used as the correction of the flow rate calculation formula for calculating the flow rate of the grain using the yield sensor. Thus, the flow rate of the grain can be accurately calculated by such correction, and the error in the future integrated weight of the grain can be reduced. If such a correction coefficient (A) is stored in a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory each time, the value can be stored even after the power of the control device is turned off, and the measurement accuracy can be improved from the beginning by reading and using it in the harvesting operation performed the next day or the like.

[0019] Further, in the yield measurement device of the combine of the present invention, when the control device detects that the deposited height of the grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, from the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying this change in the deposited height, the correction weight (E = C - D) obtained by subtracting the additional weight (D) obtained by calculating the detected value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height and adding it to the integrated weight is added to the integrated weight (Y = Y + E) to correct the integrated weight.

[0020] Then, in addition to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor, the correction added to the integrated weight is directly added to the integrated weight by replacing the set weight (C) converted from the volume of the grains in the form of replacing it with the additional weight (D) based on the flow rate measured so far based on the yield sensor. By doing this correction, the error of the integrated weight can be reduced and it can be made closer to the accurate integrated weight.

[0021] Furthermore, in the yield measurement device of the combine of the present invention, the correction added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor when the control device detects that the deposited height of the grains has changed significantly by the level sensor is executed when the additional weight (D) obtained by calculating the detected value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height and adding it to the integrated weight is outside the allowable range (AR1 to AR2) taking into account the error from the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying the change in the deposited height.

[0022] Therefore, in the comparison between the grain weight (D) based on the yield sensor and the grain weight (C) converted from the volume based on the level sensor, if there is a difference of a certain level or more, the integrated weight is corrected to reduce the error. However, if there is no difference between the two, it is considered that the measurement of the grain weight (D) based on the yield sensor is likely to have less error. Also, if the integrated weight is corrected forcibly, it may increase the error and impair the measurement stability. Therefore, in such cases, the integrated weight is not corrected.

[0023] When the control device of the yield measurement device of the combine harvester of the present invention detects that the deposited height of the grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, the correction added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor is calculated as follows: the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying the change in the deposited height is used as the numerator, and the added weight (D) obtained by calculating the detected value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height and adding it to the integrated weight is used as the denominator, and the value (B = C / D) obtained by division. If the value exceeds the predetermined upper and lower limit values (LD, LU), the upper and lower limit values (LD, LU) are replaced with the divided value (B) and used to update the correction coefficient (A) multiplied by the flow rate in the grain flow rate calculation formula of the grains.

[0024] In this way, when the ratio (B) between the grain weight (D) based on the yield sensor and the grain weight (C) converted into volume based on the level sensor exceeds the upper and lower limit values (LD, LU), it is considered that the way the grains are stored in the grain tank is unstable and the level sensor may erroneously detect the height of the deposited grains. In such cases, when updating the correction coefficient (A) multiplied by the flow rate in the grain flow rate calculation formula, the update amount is kept small to ensure measurement stability.

[0025] The yield measurement device of the combine harvester of the present invention is constituted by a plurality of kernel sensors provided in a dispersed manner in the vertical direction of the grain tank that are pushed by the deposited grains and turned ON by the level sensor. When the control device detects that among the plurality of kernel sensors, the lower kernel sensor changes from OFF to ON, and then the kernel sensor one level higher than this kernel sensor changes from OFF to ON, it is detected that the deposited height of the grains has changed significantly. The set weight corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying the change in the deposited height is obtained by subtracting the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the lower kernel sensor is turned ON from the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the higher kernel sensor is turned ON, and correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor.

[0026] That is, if a level sensor newly used in the yield measuring device of a combine harvester is constituted by a plurality of grain sensors that are provided dispersedly in the vertical direction of a grain tank that is generally often used in combine harvesters and is turned ON when pressed by the deposited grains, this grain sensor is provided to display the grain storage state of the grain tank on a monitor or the like provided in the operation unit, and is not provided to detect a state where no grains are stored in the grain tank at all.

[0027] Therefore, when starting the measurement of the integrated weight of grains or when discharging the grains stored in the grain tank to the outside of the machine by driving a discharge auger during the measurement, if the discharge is stopped halfway and grains remain in the grain tank, there is no problem at all in the integration of the grain weight based on the yield sensor even if the harvesting operation is resumed later.

[0028] However, for example, if the lowest grain sensor changes from OFF to ON after resumption and correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of grains by the yield sensor based on the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the lowest grain sensor becomes ON, since the weight corresponding to the deposited grains at this time is not the value obtained by subtracting the weight of the grains that originally remained, there is a risk of expanding the measurement error due to incorrect correction. Therefore, with the configuration as described above, since no correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight even when the lowest grain sensor changes from OFF to ON, the risk of expanding the measurement error due to incorrect correction can be eliminated.

[0029] In addition, in the measurement of the integrated weight of the above-mentioned grains, when it is guaranteed that the grains stored in the grain tank are discharged from the grain tank to the outside of the machine without leaving any grains by driving a discharge auger, it is preferable for reducing the measurement error by increasing the opportunity to correct the integrated weight.

[0030] Therefore, in the yield measurement device of the combine of the present invention, the control device discharges the grain from the grain tank to the outside of the machine and detects that the lowest rice sensor changes from ON to OFF. Also, when the grain discharging operation is performed until it exceeds a predetermined total discharge time thereafter, and then it detects that the lowest rice sensor changes from OFF to ON, it is detected that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly. Based on this, a set weight corresponding to the increment of the deposited grain accompanying the change in the deposited height is set to be the weight corresponding to the deposited grain when the lowest rice sensor is ON, and correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the yield sensor. As a result, the opportunity for correcting the integrated weight can be increased and the measurement error can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0032] Embodiments of the yield measuring device of the combine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the combine 1 harvests crops such as rice and wheat and harvests their grains. Therefore, the combine 1 is provided with a driving seat 4 at the front right side thereof in the machine body forward direction of a machine body frame (machine body) 3 provided with left and right crawler type traveling devices 2 at the lower part. Further, a harvesting device 6 is provided so as to be vertically movable by a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) from the front left side of the machine body frame 3 to the front of the operating unit 5.

[0033] Furthermore, a threshing device 7 is provided on the left side of the body frame 3, and a grain tank 8 and a discharge auger 9 are provided on the right side of the threshing device 7. And a disk cutter 10 is provided behind the threshing device 7 and the discharge auger 9. Note that a power unit 11 composed of an engine or the like is provided from the lower part near the rear of the control unit 5 to the front of the grain tank 8 and covered by an engine cover 12. This engine serves as a power source for driving each part of the combine 1 including the traveling device 2.

[0034] And, the aforementioned mowing device 6 divides the standing culms in the field into cut culms and uncut culms by a weed separating body 13 and a narrow guide 14 provided at the lower part of the front end thereof, and the cut culms that enter between the left and right weed separating bodies 13 are lifted by a lifting device 15. Then, while raking in with a raking device, the root of the culm is cut by a cutting blade device 16. Further, the culms raked in rearward by the raking device are joined by the left and right raking conveyors and the ear tip conveyor that constitute the culm conveying device 17, and the joined culms are conveyed to the threshing device 7 while adjusting the handling depth by a handling depth conveyor 18.

[0035] Also, the threshing device 7 includes a substantially box-shaped machine frame below a cylinder cover 19 that covers the upper part thereof, and a handling chamber is formed at the upper part of this machine frame. And in this handling chamber, a threshing feed chain 20 that sandwiches and conveys the culms conveyed from the mowing device 6 along the handling port, a clamping rail provided on the cylinder cover 19, a first handling cylinder provided with a large number of handling teeth on the outer periphery, and a receiving net are provided, and the grains are threshed from the ears of the culms conveyed rearward by the aforementioned threshing feed chain 20.

[0036] Note that a processing chamber for processing chaff and the like mixed with grains that could not be completely threshed in the handling chamber of the threshing device 7 is provided in parallel from the rear end ear tip side of the first handling cylinder toward the rear of the body. A second handling cylinder and a receiving net are provided in this processing chamber. Further, below these first and second handling cylinders, a swing sorting body that sorts the grains leaking from the receiving net while arranging them front and rear and vertically, and a sorting chamber provided with a winnowing fan or the like that generates sorting air are provided.

[0037] Then, the grains threshed and sorted by the threshing device 7 are conveyed toward the winnowing device 21 by the first spiral provided in the sorting chamber. The winnowing device 21 transfers the grains upward by the spiral formed on the winnowing spiral shaft 21b provided in the winnowing cylinder 21a thereof, and discharges the grains from the discharge port 21d into the grain tank 8 by the jumping plate 21c provided at its terminal end. Further, the grain tank 8 temporarily stores the grains, and when the grains are full, it drives the discharge auger 9 to discharge the grains in the grain tank 8 into a container or the like installed on the truck bed.

[0038] Note that the second spiral provided in the sorting chamber of the threshing device 7 returns the second-grade materials mixed with chaff and the like to the oscillating sorting body via the second-grade reduction device. Further, the discharged straw after the threshing process is conveyed from the terminal end of the threshing feed chain 20 toward the disk cutter 10 by the straw conveying device, and the disk cutter 10 shreds the conveyed discharged straw and discharges it as cut straw to the harvested field.

[0039] The outline of the combine 1 has been described above. Next, a yield measuring device for the combine that measures the yield of the harvested grains and displays this measured yield as the integrated yield (weight) on the monitor (display device) 22 provided in the control unit 5 will be described. Since the yield measuring device is configured to also measure the moisture content of the harvested grains, it will be described below together as a measuring device for the yield and moisture content of the grains.

[0040] Here, the combine 1 transfers the harvested grains from the threshing device 7 to the grain tank 8 by the winnowing device 21 and temporarily stores them as described above. Therefore, the main body of the measuring device for the yield and moisture content of the grains is provided in the winnowing device 21 and the grain tank 8. Thus, the grain tank 8, the discharge auger 9 that discharges the harvested grains outside the machine, or the winnowing device 21 will be described in detail.

[0041] First, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the grain tank 8 is formed of a front wall 23, a rear wall 24, a right side wall 25, and a left side wall 26 using plates to form an upper storage portion 8a having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and a lower trough portion 8b having a V-shaped cross section formed by a front wall 27, a rear wall 28, and left and right inclined bottom walls 29 and 30 below the storage portion 8a are integrally connected. Also, a ceiling wall 31 is provided above the storage portion 8a to form a tank for storing grains therein.

[0042] Then, as shown in FIG. 5, for the discharge auger 9, a horizontal spiral shaft 32 extending in the front-rear direction is horizontally provided at the lower part of the trough portion 8b of the grain tank 8, and the front side of this horizontal spiral shaft 32 is pivotally supported via a bearing by a bracket 33 attached to the front wall 27. Also, a driven pulley 34 is attached to the front end of the horizontal spiral shaft 32, and a transmission belt 36 is wound around the driven pulley 34 and a driving pulley 35 driven by an engine.

[0043] Furthermore, a tension arm 37a provided with a tension roller 37 is pivotally supported on the bracket 33 so as to be rotatable, and this tension arm 37a is operated using an electric motor, a wire 38, etc., so that the tension roller 37 tensions the transmission belt 36 to drive the horizontal spiral shaft 32 by engine power, and the transmission belt 36 is relaxed to cut off the power from the engine, and it is provided so as to be switchable freely between the engaged state and the cut-off state, and such a belt tension clutch constitutes a grain discharge clutch 39.

[0044] On the other hand, the rear side of the horizontal spiral shaft 32 is inserted into the inside of a case 40 attached to the outer surface of the rear wall 28, and the lower part 40a of this case 40 is rotatably supported by a support portion provided on the machine frame 3. Also, the lower part of a first vertical spiral cylinder 42 formed of a pipe having a first vertical spiral shaft 41 extending in the vertical direction is rotatably fitted and supported in the upper part 40b of the case 40. Furthermore, a pair of bevel gears supported by bearings in the case 40 connect the rear end of the horizontal spiral shaft 32 and the lower end of the first vertical spiral shaft 41 so as to drive the first vertical spiral shaft 41 from the horizontal spiral shaft 32.

[0045] Therefore, the grains stored in the grain tank 8 are transferred into the case 40 by the spiral provided on the horizontal spiral shaft 32 when the aforementioned discharge clutch 39 is engaged, and further transferred from the case 40 by the spiral provided on the first vertical spiral shaft 41 toward the upper side of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42. In addition, a rotating ring 43 is attached to the lower outer periphery of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 by attaching a number of gear pieces to form a driven gear, and a motor base 44 is fitted and provided. This motor base 44 is attached to the cutter stay 45 erected on the machine body frame 3 via a bracket.

[0046] Then, an electric motor 46 composed of a geared motor for swinging the discharge auger 9 left and right is attached to the motor base 44. The pinion gear of this electric motor 46 meshes with the aforementioned gear provided at the lower part of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42, and the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 can be rotated by the drive of the electric motor 46. Also, two metals 47 are provided by being clamped together by a holder 48 at the middle in the vertical direction of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42. This holder 48 is attached to the rear wall 24 of the grain tank 8 via a bracket, and the grain tank 8 is rotatably attached to the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 together with the lower case 40.

[0047] Furthermore, it is connected by a connecting frame 49 composed of a pipe bent so as to avoid the grain tank 8 near the upper part of the aforementioned metal 47 and the elevating cylinder 21a. Therefore, the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 is connected to the cutter stay 45 via the motor base 44 and also connected to the elevating cylinder 21a via the connecting frame 49 to support its vertical standing posture. Also, one of a pair of elbow-shaped gear cases 50, 51 that are rotatably connected to each other is attached to the upper part of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42, and a second vertical spiral cylinder 52 provided with a third vertical spiral cylinder 53 foldably is attached to the other gear case 51.

[0048] Then, a relay spiral shaft 54 is rotatably supported by bearings within a pair of gear cases 50 and 51, and a second vertical spiral shaft 55 and a third vertical spiral shaft 56 are respectively provided within a second vertical spiral cylinder 52 and a third vertical spiral cylinder 53. Also, the upper end of the first vertical spiral shaft 41 and the end of the second vertical spiral shaft 55 are rotatably supported by bearings within the pair of gear cases 50 and 51 respectively. Further, bevel gears are provided at the ends of these shafts so as to drive the second vertical spiral shaft 55 and the third vertical spiral shaft 56 from the first vertical spiral shaft 41 via the relay spiral shaft 54.

[0049] Therefore, the grain transferred upward by the spiral provided on the first vertical spiral shaft 41 to the upper side of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 is guided into the second vertical spiral cylinder 52 through the pair of gear cases 50 and 51 by the spiral provided on the relay spiral shaft 54, and is further guided into the third vertical spiral cylinder 53 by the spiral provided on the second vertical spiral shaft 55, and can be discharged outside the machine from the discharge port 57 provided at the tip of the vertical spiral cylinder 53 by the spiral of the third vertical spiral shaft 56. Note that the arm 58 rotatably attached to the gear case 50 is fixed to the second vertical spiral cylinder 52, and the hydraulic cylinder 59 attached near the tip of the gear case 50 and the arm 58 can change the height of the discharge port 57 by raising and lowering (vertical movement) the second vertical spiral cylinder 52 and the third vertical spiral cylinder 53.

[0050] Note that when storing the grain, the grain tank 8 holds the grain at the storage position facing the longitudinal direction of the machine body with its bottom placed on the machine body frame 3. However, since the DPF 60, the muffler 61, the traveling transmission device, or the threshing transmission device, etc. that collect the particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas of the engine are provided at the central part of the machine body frame 3, and the prime mover 11 is provided in front of the grain tank 8, the grain tank 8 becomes an obstacle when performing maintenance on these components.

[0051] Therefore, the grain tank 8 can be rotated outward of the machine body around the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 to a maintenance position. In this case, with the grain discharged and the grain tank 8 emptied, first, the rear cover 62 covering from the rear part of the right side wall 25 of the grain tank 8 to the rear part of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 is opened by releasing the engagement with the cutter stay 45, and the lower cover 63 attached to the right inclined bottom wall 29 is removed. Further, the transmission belt 36 wound around the drive pulley 35 and the driven pulley 34 is removed from the driven pulley 34.

[0052] Next, the tank fixing lever 64 is operated to release the locking device 65 provided between the grain tank 8 and the elevating cylinder 21a. Further, the tank rotation lever 66 provided on the bracket 33 is pulled up, and its roller 67 is lowered onto the bottom plate of the machine body frame 3. When the grain tank 8 is pulled outward while applying an upward force, the grain tank 8 can be rotated greatly outward of the machine body shown by the two-dot chain line around the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 from the grain storage position shown in FIG. 2 to a maintenance position.

[0053] When the grain tank 8 is rotated to the maintenance position, the rear side of the prime mover 11 and the right side of the threshing device 7 are released, and maintenance of the engine, DPF 60, threshing device 7, traveling device, etc. can be performed. When returning the grain tank 8 from the maintenance position to the grain storage position, the reverse procedure of the above is followed. When the grain tank 8 is rotated to the maintenance position, the grain inlet 26a provided near the upper front side of the left side wall 26 of the grain tank 8 and the grain outlet 21d provided at the upper part of the elevating cylinder 21a are separated from each other, but when returning to the grain storage position, the two are joined again.

[0054] The grain tank 8 and discharge auger 9 etc. have been described in detail above, but next we will explain a measuring device which is provided by either retrofitting the above-mentioned combine harvester 1 as a kit or by installing it before the combine harvester 1 is shipped, and which measures the yield and moisture percentage of harvested grain and displays said yield and moisture percentage on a monitor 22 provided on the control unit 5. That is, this measuring device comprises a measuring means for measuring the yield and moisture percentage of harvested grain, electrical equipment including an electronic control unit which calculates the yield and moisture percentage from the measured values ​​obtained while controlling the measuring means and displays them on the monitor 22, as well as signal lines and power lines which connect these.

[0055] The procedure for mounting this measuring device on the combine harvester 1 will now be described. First, the moisture percentage measuring means is removed by removing the mounting bolts of a plate 68 mounted on the center of the right side in the front-to-rear direction of the ceiling wall 31 of the grain tank 8 as shown in Figures 6 to 8. Then, a moisture sensor unit 69, which is a case containing a moisture sensor, is inserted at an angle into the hole created by the removal of the plate 68, handle 69a first, and inserted into the grain storage space. The moisture sensor unit 69 is then mounted on the ceiling wall 31 using the removed mounting bolts.

[0056] The moisture sensor unit 69 used here is equipped with a pair of feed rolls 69b that receive and deliver the grains released by the spring plate 21c from the grain discharge outlet 21d located at the top of the grain lifting tube 21a, a pair of crushing rollers that also serve as electrodes, and an electric motor that rotates the feed roll 69b and the crushing rollers.When the crushing rollers crush the grains delivered one by one by the feed roll 69b, the electrical resistance between the crushing rollers, which act as electrodes, is converted into a voltage by the moisture measuring circuit and output.

[0057] Therefore, the feed roll 69b of the moisture sensor unit 69 is provided facing the grain discharge port 21d provided at the upper part of the winnowing cylinder 21a so as to reliably receive the discharged grains, and is provided at the center in the front-rear direction on the right side of the aforementioned ceiling wall 31 so that the moisture sensor unit 69 is not buried in the grains discharged into the grain tank 8 and becomes undetectable. Also, the feed roll 69b needs to be reversed to discharge the previously received grains before the start of moisture measurement, and then rotated forward to feed new grains to the crushing roller. Therefore, the electric motor needs to be controlled to switch between forward rotation, reverse rotation, and stop.

[0058] Next, regarding the means for measuring the yield, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the plate 70 provided in the discharge case 21e that guides the grains bounced out by the jumping plate 21c provided at the end of the winnowing spiral shaft 21b toward the discharge port 21d is removed by removing its nut. Then, the detection plate 71a of the yield sensor 71 is placed in the hole from which the plate 70 has been removed, and the case 71b of the yield sensor 71 is attached to the outer surface of the discharge case 21e using the removed nut.

[0059] The yield sensor 71 used here measures the flow rate of the grains discharged into the grain tank 8 using a columnar load cell. Therefore, the load cell forms a Wheatstone bridge with four strain gauges whose electrical resistance changes in proportion to the strain generated by the impact force when a part of the grains bounced out by the jumping plate 21c collides with the detection plate 71a, and outputs a voltage signal proportional to the applied voltage and proportional to the strain from this Wheatstone bridge. Based on the output voltage signal of this yield sensor 71, the control device 72 described below calculates the total amount of the grains discharged into the grain tank 8 as being in a proportional relationship and estimates the yield of the grains.

[0060] Further, a control device 72, which is composed of a microcomputer unit or the like that calculates the moisture content and yield from the measurement values obtained while controlling the measurement means 69 and 71 described above and displays them on the monitor 22, is provided by being attached to a bracket 73 formed by bending a plate as shown in FIG. 12. Further, in addition to the control device 72, this bracket 73 is attached with a DC / DC converter 74 that adjusts the voltage to a specified voltage and supplies power to the control device 72, a relay 75 that switches the forward and reverse rotation of the electric motor provided in the moisture sensor unit 69, and an amplifier 76 that applies an applied voltage to the load cell of the yield sensor 71 and amplifies the output voltage signal, and is grouped as an electrical equipment unit 77.

[0061] And when this electrical equipment unit 77 is provided near the upper part of the outer side of the rear wall 24 of the grain tank 8 facing the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 side of the discharge auger 9, first, as shown in FIG. 13, the rear cover 62 is rotated around a support pin 78 attached to the rear wall 24 in the vertical direction to open to the outside of the machine body. Also, two bolts 79 are removed from the rear wall 24 exposed by opening the rear cover 62. Note that these bolts 79 are used to form the grain tank 8 by attaching a mounting plate 25a fixed to the inside of the right side wall 25 so as to face the rear wall 24 side to the outer end of the rear wall 24. In this case, the mounting plate 25a can be regarded as a part of the rear wall, front wall, or ceiling wall of the grain tank 8.

[0062] Therefore, when the bolts 79 are removed, as shown in FIG. 14, the bracket 73 is attached in the vertical direction using the removed bolts 79 at the location where the end of the mounting plate 25a is overlapped with the end of the rear wall 24 from which the bolts 79 have been removed, and the electrical equipment unit 77 is provided near the upper part of the outer side of the rear wall 24 of the grain tank 8. Note that in this case, a washer 80 provided as a kit is sandwiched between the upper bolts 79 to adjust the mounting height of the bracket 73 in the front-rear direction.

[0063] Also, as shown in Fig. 15, the signal line (communication line) and power line 81 drawn out from the electrical equipment unit 77 are fixed by passing a wire band 83 through the holes of a bracket 82 provided with support pins 78, detouring around the outside of the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 of the discharge auger 9, and connecting them to a branch wire of a wire harness 84 attached to a cutter stay 45 provided behind it via two connectors 85. Further, as shown in Fig. 16, bolts for attaching the end of the mounting plate 25a by overlapping it with the inclined end of the rear wall 24 are temporarily removed, and a clamp 86 is attached. The signal line and power line 87 drawn out from the moisture sensor unit 69 are fixed in the middle, and this signal line and power line 87 are connected to the control device 72 and the relay 75.

[0064] Then, the middle part of the cord 88 drawn out from the amplifier 76 of the electrical equipment unit 77 is similarly fixed by passing it through a wire band 83 that fixes a wire harness 84 routed forward from the cutter stay 45 along a connecting frame 49 that connects the first vertical spiral cylinder 42 and the threshing cylinder 21a, as shown in Fig. 17. Also, the end of the cord 88 is connected to the cord connection part 71c of the yield sensor 71 as shown in Fig. 18, and all the mounting and connection operations are completed (see Figs. 19 and 20).

[0065] The wire harness 84 includes a cable connected to a CAN - BUS module provided in a main electronic control unit (not shown) that controls each part of the combine 1. When the above - mentioned connection work is completed, the signal line of this cable is connected to the CAN - BUS module provided in the control device 72 via the connector 85, enabling the acquisition of information between the electronic control units. Also, the main electronic control unit is similarly connected to a monitor electronic control unit (not shown) that controls the monitor 22 via the CAN - BUS module.

[0066] Therefore, the control device 72 is connected to a monitor electronic control unit that controls the monitor 22 via the main electronic control unit, and provides the values of the moisture content rate and the yield calculated by the control device 72 based on the measurement voltages obtained from the moisture sensor unit 69 and the yield sensor 71 to the monitor electronic control unit, thereby enabling the monitor 22 to display the moisture content rate and the yield. Further, the monitor 22 is constituted by a liquid crystal display (LCD) provided with a touch panel laminated on a liquid crystal panel.

[0067] Therefore, when the engine is started by the starter switch and power is supplied to the control device 72, the monitor electronic control unit, etc. to start them, a normal display screen shown in Fig. 21(a) is displayed on the monitor 22. Also, when the measurement button is pressed on this normal display screen, it is possible to switch to a measurement screen that displays the "total yield" obtained by integrating the yield of the grains harvested by the control device 72 and the "moisture content rate" of the grains as shown in Fig. 21(b).

[0068] Note that the measurement screen of the monitor 22 also displays the total fuel consumption consumed by the engine until the fuel reset button is pressed, and the main electronic control unit is responsible for measuring this consumption. Also, when the yield reset button is pressed, the control device 72 resets the total yield to zero. Further, each time the crop cutting change button is pressed, the lighting state of the lamps for rice, wheat, and barley changes. And thereby, the control device 72 grasps the crop to be harvested and uses it for calculating the moisture content rate and the yield.

[0069] As described above, the outline of the measuring device for measuring the yield and the moisture content rate of the grains harvested by the combine 1 has been explained. However, the yield sensor 71 for measuring the yield of such a measuring device is affected by the body vibration generated by the threshing device 7, the grain elevating device 21, etc. in addition to the impact force of the grains described above, and various field conditions (dry or wet fields, presence or absence of lodging) in each region, crop characteristics (ripeness, cutting time, moisture content rate, etc.) for each year, or variations in the individual devices including the yield sensor 71 and its installation, thereby causing a significant error in the measurement of the yield.

[0070] Therefore, in order to reduce such measurement errors and improve the accuracy of the measuring device, this measuring device newly adds a level sensor composed of a plurality of grain sensors that detect the height of the grain stored in the grain tank 8, together with a yield sensor 71 that detects the flow rate of the grain transferred from the threshing device 7 described above to the grain tank 8. The control device 72 corrects the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain based on the set weight of the grain obtained using the level sensor, based on the integrated weight of the grain obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor 71.

[0071] Therefore, before explaining the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain, the level sensor provided in the combine 1 will be explained. As a method of detecting the height of the grain stored in the grain tank 8, a non-contact sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor or an optical sensor can be used. Here, a contact-type diaphragm-type sensor, generally called a grain sensor, in which a microswitch changes from OFF to ON when pressed by the grain, which is currently commonly used, is used. A plurality (three in the embodiment) of sensors 90 are provided in the grain tank 8 to detect the height of the grain stored in the grain tank 8.

[0072] Also, in the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 20, the grain sensor 90 is provided with a lower-stage grain sensor near the lower part of the rear wall 24 of the grain tank 8, and middle-stage and upper-stage grain sensors near the middle and upper parts of the left side wall 26 of the grain tank 8, respectively. The ON / OFF signals of the grain sensors 90 provided dispersedly in the vertical direction of the grain tank 8 are used as the grain storage state of the grain tank 8 and displayed as a lighting indication on the monitor 22 provided in the operation unit 5 using a main electronic control unit or the like (refer to the grain tank shown in FIG. 21).

[0073] Therefore, the ON / OFF status signals of the three kernel sensors 90 can be used by the control device 72 without labor through the aforementioned CAN (Controller Area Network), and without incurring cost increases by using a new dedicated sensor. Then, the control device 72 corrects the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains using the level sensor composed of these kernel sensors 90. Here, when the power is turned on and the control device 72 starts up, it executes a program to measure the yield of the grains.

[0074] Also, in that case, prior to calculating the integrated weight of the grains, the control device 72 executes the initial set shown in FIG. 22. In this initial set, the values of the yield sensor integrated value x, the added weight D, and the integration count N, all of which are used as variables, are set to "0". Also, the values of the correction coefficient A and the integrated weight Y, which are set to "1.00" as the initial values, are pre-read from a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory provided in the control device 72.

[0075] Furthermore, the deposition state of the grains in the grain tank 8 is digitized from the ON / OFF status signals of the three kernel sensors 90 and given to the kernel deposition height H. And in this case, if all of the lower, intermediate, and upper kernel sensors 90 are OFF, "0" is given to H. Hereinafter, if only the lower one is ON, it is "1", if only the lower and intermediate ones are ON, it is "2", if all of the lower, intermediate, and upper ones are ON, it is "3", and for other cases such as an abnormal state regarded as only the lower and upper ones being ON, "4" is given. And the correction flag F, which is set (true) when correction is permitted and reset (false) when correction is not permitted in the calculation of the integrated weight correction, is reset.

[0076] Also, when the above initial set is completed, the control device 72 executes, by interruption, a weight integration program that calculates the integrated weight Y (Kg weight) based on the detection value of the yield sensor 71 at intervals of several milliseconds using an interval timer provided in the control device 72. Then, as shown in FIG. 22, in this program, first, the yield sensor detection value v obtained by converting the output voltage of the yield sensor 71 into a digital value is added to the yield sensor integrated value x and integrated (x += v) (step S1), and then the integration count N is incremented by one (step S2).

[0077] Also, it is determined whether the integration count N has reached several hundred times, which is set as a predetermined number of times NC (step S3). If it has not reached, the process ends as it is. If it has reached the predetermined number of times NC, the yield sensor integrated value x is substituted into the grain flow rate calculation formula y = A*(ax + b) to obtain the grain flow rate y (Kg weight / sec) per second (steps S4 to S7). Note that three calculation formulas y = A*(a0x + 0), y = A*(a1x + b1), and y = A*(a2x + b2) for low flow rate, medium flow rate, and high flow rate are prepared, and these calculation formulas are selectively used according to the value of the yield sensor integrated value x.

[0078] Then, when the grain flow rate y is calculated, the yield sensor integrated value x is reset to "0" (step S8). Also, the grain flow rate y is added to (Y += y) and integrated with the integrated weight Y of the grains, and at the same time, the grain flow rate y is added to (D += y) and integrated with the added weight D provided for correction (step S9). Further, the integration count N is reset to "0" (step S10) and the process ends.

[0079] The calculation of the integrated weight Y based on the detected value of the yield sensor 71 has been described above. However, due to a temporary interruption in the mowing operation, the power supply of the control device 72 may be cut off, or the value of the integrated weight Y may be lost due to a power-on reset of the control device 72 during restart accompanying engine stoppage. For example, it becomes impossible to obtain the yield in the current field where the mowing operation is being performed. Therefore, the calculated integrated weight Y is, for example, when the mowing clutch is engaged and the mowing operation is being performed, if there is a change in the value at a predetermined second interval, a backup process of storing the value in a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory is performed, and the control device 72 reads this value from the memory in the initial set as described above.

[0080] Also, the slope a and the intercept b of the straight line used in the grain flow rate calculation formula y = A*(ax + b) in steps S4 to S7 of this weight integration program are determined in advance from test data including the measurement of the actual weight of the grain using a scale. When the control device 72 uses these values, it selects and uses them from a table compiled for each crop to be harvested, such as rice, barley, and wheat. Also, by preparing three calculation formulas y = A*(a0x + 0), y = A*(a1x + b1), and y = A*(a2x + b2) for low flow rate, medium flow rate, and high flow rate, the measurement error in the difference in the flow rate of the harvested grain is reduced and the measurement accuracy is improved.

[0081] And the control device 72 that executes the integration weight Y by interruption based on the detected value of the yield sensor 71 as described above executes the integration weight correction program shown in FIG. 23 beside it, and literally corrects the integration weight Y by this program to derive an accurate integration weight Y with less measurement error by calculation. Therefore, in the program, first, it is determined whether it is possible to increase the opportunity for correction, which is necessary for this determination, by the ON / OFF of a detection switch (not shown) provided in the discharge clutch 39 for the on / off state of the discharge clutch 39 that drives the discharge auger 9 (step S11).

[0082] And, in this case, when the discharge clutch 39 is disengaged and the grain stored in the grain tank 8 is not discharged outside the machine by driving the discharge auger 9, it is determined whether the threshing device 7 is driven or not by the ON / OFF of a detection switch (not shown) attached to the threshing clutch (step S12). Therefore, if the threshing clutch is disengaged here, it becomes clear that the threshing device 7 is not driven, and also the transfer of the harvested grain to the grain tank 8 has not been performed, so the integrated weight Y should not increase. Thus, return without correcting the integrated weight Y. Accordingly, in such a state, incorrect correction such as an increase in the integrated weight Y due to the reaction of the rice sensor 90 or the like is prevented.

[0083] Also, if the threshing clutch is engaged here, since the threshing device 7 is driven, the state of the accumulated height of the grain in the grain tank 8 is obtained based on the detection result of the rice sensor 90, and similar to the quantification in the aforementioned initial set, this state of the accumulated grain is given as a rice accumulated height M different from the rice accumulated height H (step S13). Further, it is determined whether the value of this rice accumulated height M is "4" regarded as an abnormal accumulation state (step S14), and similarly, it is determined whether the rice accumulated height H that has been held as the state of the accumulated grain until then is "4" (step S15).

[0084] And, if the value of the rice accumulated height M or the value of the rice accumulated height H is equal to "4", the value of the rice accumulated height M is substituted into the value of the rice accumulated height H (step S16), and return without correcting the integrated weight Y. Accordingly, when an abnormal accumulation state of the grain is detected in step S14, the state of the accumulated grain becomes unclear, so correction based on the accumulated height of the grain cannot be performed, and thus return immediately. Also, the reason for returning when there is no abnormality in the current state of the accumulated grain in step S15 but an abnormality is found in the state of the accumulated grain H until then is that when determining the change in the accumulated height performed in the next step 17 using the rice accumulated height H, if an abnormality is found in the accumulated state, the change in height cannot be correctly determined.

[0085] Next, an explanation will be given regarding the determination of the change in the stacking height performed in the aforementioned step 17. The determination of the change in the stacking height of the grain is to determine whether the value of the rice stacking height M obtained this time is greater than the value of the rice volume height H obtained previously (step S17). Therefore, this determination is, for example, whether the stacking height of the grain changes from the state where only the lower rice sensor 90 is ON (H = 1) to the state where only the lower and middle rice sensors 90 are ON (M = 2), or whether the stacking height does not change while only the lower rice sensor 90 is ON (M = 1), or whether the lower rice sensor 90 is turned OFF (M = 0) and conversely the stacking height becomes lower.

[0086] And, when it is not recognized that the stacking height of the grain has changed in this case, for example, when the stacking height does not change while only the lower rice sensor 90 is ON (M = 1) as described above, or when the lower rice sensor 90 is turned OFF (M = 0) and conversely the stacking height becomes lower, it is returned as it is without performing correction. However, for example, when the stacking height of the grain changes from the state where only the lower rice sensor 90 is ON (H = 1) to the state where only the lower and middle rice sensors 90 are ON (M = 2), next, the state of the correction flag F is determined (step S18).

[0087] Here, the correction flag F is provided as a variable indicating whether the conditions for allowing correction are met in the calculation of the integrated weight correction, and in the initial set, it is reset to a state where correction is not allowed. Therefore, if it has not been changed when it becomes the input in the determination of the discharge clutch in step S11 described later, it is reset as it is to a state where correction is not allowed. If so, in step S19, the correction flag F is set, and the addition weight D for integrating the flow rate y (step S9) in the weight integration program executed by interruption is returned to "0", and the value of the rice stacking height M is substituted into the value of the rice stacking height H in the same manner as in step S16 (step S20), and then it returns.

[0088] Note that, even if it is detected in step S17 that the accumulated height of the grains has increased using the paddy sensor 90, if there were grains remaining in the grain tank 8 before starting this measurement, or if there were grains remaining in the grain tank 8 after discharging the grains from the grain tank 8, since there is no technique for the control device 72 to accurately know the accumulated height of the remaining grains, this is provided to exclude the correction based on such an inaccurate accumulated height.

[0089] However, once it is detected that the accumulated height of the grains has increased using the paddy sensor 90 and then it is detected again that the accumulated height of the grains has increased in the same manner using the paddy sensor 90, it is guaranteed that the harvested grains have increased from the installation height of the paddy sensor 90 in the grain tank 8 that was previously ON to the installation height of the newly turned - on paddy sensor 90. Therefore, the correction described later using the weight set considering the volume of the increased grains is established.

[0090] Therefore, when it is first detected that the accumulated height of the grains has increased using the paddy sensor 90, and then it is detected again that the accumulated height of the grains has increased using the paddy sensor 90, the correction flag F is set in step S19 in the sense of permitting the correction. Also, from this point on, in order to use the weight measured using the yield sensor 71 for the weight of the grains flowing into the grain tank 8 for correction, the addition weight D, which is a variable for storing the value of that weight, is reset to "0" in step S20.

[0091] Then, based on such a flow, when the correction flag F is set in step S18, the control device 72 determines, considering the two upper - level paddy sensors 90 that turn ON based on the value of the paddy accumulation height M obtained this time, the weight of the grains deposited while the two paddy sensors 90 are ON from the table T(M) (see Fig. 24) grouped for each crop that can be determined. (The value obtained by subtracting the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the lower - level paddy sensor turns ON from the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the upper - level paddy sensor turns ON), and substitutes this value into the set weight C (step S21).

[0092] Also, values obtained by adding or subtracting a value obtained by multiplying this weight increment by a value of several percent from the weight increment are grouped into a negative-side table R1(M) and a positive-side table R2(M). Corresponding values are obtained from these tables and substituted into the allowable weight ranges AR1 and AR2 in the correction, respectively (step S21). Further, a value B obtained by dividing the set weight (C) processed in step S21 as the numerator by the added weight D added to the integrated weight Y as the denominator is calculated in step 23.

[0093] Then, when the preparations for correction from the above-described step S21 to step S23 are completed, the control device 72 determines in step S24 whether the added weight D added to the integrated weight Y is outside the allowable ranges AR1 and AR2 taking into account the error in the set weight (C). If the added weight D is within the allowable ranges AR1 and AR2 in this determination, the process skips steps S25 to S29 thereafter, and performs a process of returning the added weight D in step S30 to "0" and a process of substituting the value of the paddy accumulation height M in step S31 with the value of the paddy accumulation height H, and returns without substantially performing any correction.

[0094] Furthermore, if the added weight D added to the integrated weight Y is outside the allowable ranges AR1 and AR2 taking into account the error in the set weight (C), step S25 is executed. In step S25, it is determined whether the value (B = C / D) obtained by dividing the set weight C obtained in step S23 above as the numerator by the added weight D as the denominator exceeds the previously determined upper and lower limit values LD and LU. In this case, if it exceeds the upper and lower limit values LD and LU, it is replaced with the value B divided by the upper and lower limit values LD and LU (step S26), and is used for updating the correction coefficient A calculated in the next step S27. If it does not exceed the upper and lower limit values LD and LU, the value B that is not replaced is used for updating the correction coefficient A.

[0095] Then, in the weight integration interrupt program, the correction coefficient A of the grain flow rate calculation formula used is updated in step S27 with the new correction coefficient A being the value obtained by multiplying the aforementioned value B by the correction coefficient A that has been used until then, and the updated value of this correction coefficient A is stored in a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. Therefore, this correction coefficient A will be used for calculating the integrated weight Y of the grains by the subsequent yield sensor 71.

[0096] Also, in step S28, the control device 72 calculates a corrected weight E by subtracting the added weight (D) from the set weight C, and in step S29, adds this corrected weight E to the integrated weight Y to correct the integrated weight Y. Further, after these correction processes are completed, the processes of steps S30 and S31, which have already been described, are performed and then a return is made.

[0097] In step S11, which is the first step of this program, when the discharge clutch 39 is engaged and the grains stored in the grain tank 8 are discharged outside the machine by driving the discharge auger 9, the rising of the discharge clutch 39 from being disengaged to engaged is detected by a detection switch, and the correction flag F and the timer flag T are reset (steps S32 to S33).

[0098] Next, in the same manner as in step S13, the state of the accumulated height of the grains in the grain tank 8 is acquired and given to the paddy accumulated height M (step S34). Further, it is checked whether the value of the paddy accumulated height M is "0", that is, whether all three paddy sensors 90 are OFF (step S35). If they are not all OFF, the value of the paddy accumulated height M is substituted into the value of the paddy accumulated height H (step S31) and then a return is made.

[0099] However, if all three rice grain sensors 90 are OFF, the state of the timer flag T is judged (step S36). If this timer flag T is reset, the timer provided in the control device 72 is started to set the timer flag T (step S37). Also, it is checked whether the timer has counted up to a predetermined set time (total discharge time) that guarantees that all the grains deposited in the grain tank 8 are completely discharged by the drive of the discharge auger 9 when the lower rice grain sensor 90 changes from ON to OFF (step S38).

[0100] And if the counting of the timer has ended here, a correction flag F provided as a variable indicating whether or not the conditions for allowing correction are met in the above-described calculation of the integrated weight correction is set, and a process of returning the added weight D to "0" is performed (step S39). A process of substituting the value of the rice grain deposition height M with the value of the rice grain deposition height H is performed (step S31), and then the process returns.

[0101] Therefore, if it is guaranteed by the setting of the correction flag F that all the grains have been completely discharged from the grain tank 8 by following the above steps, the harvesting operation is resumed and a transition is made from the state where all three rice grain sensors 90 are OFF (H = 0) to the state where only the lower rice grain sensor 90 is ON (M = 1). If it is judged in the above-described step S17 that the deposition height of the grains has changed to a higher level (M > H), since the correction flag F is set in step S18, the process can proceed to step S21 and subsequent steps that lead to the correction of the integrated weight Y.

[0102] Therefore, by providing such an exception to the control content that excluded correction assuming that there is no technique for accurately knowing the deposition height of the remaining grains in the control device 72 as described above, and giving an opportunity to correct the integrated weight Y, the opportunity to correct the integrated weight Y can be increased, the measurement error can be reduced, and the accuracy of the measuring device can be improved.

[0103] In the integration weight correction program described above, after it is determined in step S17 that the grain accumulation height in the grain tank 8 has increased and the corrections in steps S27 and S29 are performed, for example, if the grains deposited due to aircraft vibration or the like collapse and the husk sensor 90 that has been ON until then turns OFF, and then the husk sensor 90 that has been OFF again turns ON, there is a risk that it will be determined that the height has increased in the determination of the height change in step S17 and the correction routine will be entered again.

[0104] However, in this program, in step S31, a process of substituting the value of the husk accumulation height M with the value of the husk accumulation height H is performed. Also, in the determination of the height change in step S17, if the height changes lower or does not change, it is directly returned without performing the process of substituting the value of the husk accumulation height M with the value of the husk accumulation height H as performed in step S31. Therefore, in the above-described case, since the husk accumulation height H remains the value of the husk accumulation height M at the time of the first correction, it is not determined that the height has increased in step S17, and thus incorrect correction of the integrated weight Y based on a small addition weight in a short time can be prevented, and the measurement accuracy can be maintained well.

[0105] Next, when measuring the yield of the field using the combine 1 equipped with such a measuring device, briefly explained as follows. First, before performing the harvesting operation, press the yield reset button provided on the measurement screen of the monitor 22 to reset the integrated yield (integrated weight Y) to zero, and also press the harvesting crop switching button to select the crop to be harvested (see Fig. 21). Then, start the harvesting operation here. For the convenience of explanation, it is assumed that there is no grain remaining in the grain tank 8 and the control device 72 is also aware of this and the above-described correction flag F has already been set.

[0106] Therefore, when starting the mowing operation by engaging the mowing clutch together with the threshing clutch, the combine 1 mows the standing cereal straws in the field with the mowing device 6, and conveys the mowed cereal straws to the threshing device 7. The cereal grains threshed and sorted by this threshing device 7 are transferred to the grain tank 8 by the grain elevator 21 and stored. At this time, the control device 72 calculates the detected value of the yield sensor 71 and gradually increases the integrated weight Y as shown in FIG. 24.

[0107] Note that when the combine 1 finishes one pass of mowing and turns the body to perform the next pass of mowing. Therefore, the flow rate of cereal grains into the grain tank 8 during this period decreases, and actually, the integrated weight Y changes by drawing a more complex curve than that shown in FIG. 24. However, considering this point roughly, for example, when about 1 / 3 of the cereal grains are stored in the grain tank 8 and the lower paddy sensor 90 turns ON, the control device 72 corrects the integrated weight Y assuming that the accumulated height of the cereal grains has changed.

[0108] In this case, if the control device 72 obtains from the table that the set weight C is T(1) Kg, the allowable range AR1 is R1(1) Kg, AR2 is R2(1) Kg, and the added weight D is the same as the integrated weight Y, which is Y1 Kg, then the value of B becomes B1. If this B1 value does not exceed the predetermined upper and lower limit values LD and LU, and the correction coefficient A was initially 1.00, then hereafter, the control device 72 calculates the correction coefficient A as B1. Also, the corrected weight E is (T(1) - Y1) Kg to correct the integrated weight Y to T(1) Kg. Note that the case indicated by the broken line on the graph shows the case where the correction coefficient A is reduced to 1.00 or less and the integrated weight Y is decreased.

[0109] Furthermore, when the harvested cereal grains increase and about 2 / 3 of the cereal grains are stored in the grain tank 8 and the middle paddy sensor 90 turns ON, the same correction of the correction coefficient A and the correction of the integrated weight Y are performed. Also, when about 3 / 3 of the grain tank 8 is full of cereal grains and the upper paddy sensor 90 turns ON, if the added weight D is within the allowable range, no correction is performed, and the correction coefficient A and the integrated weight Y remain the same.

[0110] When the grain tank 8 is full, the harvesting operation is interrupted and the discharged auger 9 is used to discharge the grains into a container or the like outside the machine. In this case, the amount of grains in the grain tank 8 decreases. However, if the discharging operation is completed before the grain tank 8 becomes empty, there will be grains remaining in the grain tank 8, and the control device 72 does not have a means to measure the amount of the remaining grains. Therefore, next, the opportunity to correct the integrated weight Y has to wait until the grains accumulate to about two-thirds in the grain tank 8 and the middle rice sensor 90 turns ON.

[0111] However, in this case, if the discharging operation is performed until the grain tank 8 becomes empty (refer to the total discharge time), when the control device 72 resumes the harvesting operation and the grains accumulate to about one-third in the grain tank 8 and the lower rice sensor 90 turns ON, an opportunity to correct the integrated weight Y is given, and the measurement error can be reduced and the measurement accuracy can be improved.

[0112] For example, in the yield measurement device described above, the set weights T(1) to T(3) of the grain tank 8 shown in Fig. 24 are based on the actual measurement using a scale or the like of the weight of the paddy with a specific variety such as Koshihikari as the crop and with an average predetermined moisture content of the harvested grains, or are based on the in-machine weight converted by a predetermined calculation formula from the volume of the grain tank 8.

[0113] Therefore, the integrated weight Y obtained by equipping the combine 1 with this yield measurement device and performing the actual harvesting operation only gives an estimated weight. In order to improve the measurement accuracy and reduce the measurement error, the set weights T(1) to T(3), etc. can be changed from the moisture content of the harvested grains using the simultaneously provided moisture sensor unit 69, or the number of rice sensors 90 can be increased to increase the correction opportunities, or the number of flow calculation formulas of the yield sensor 71 can be increased, for example, by providing calculation formulas for each crop variety or each moisture content. In this sense, the present invention is not limited to the yield measurement device of the embodiment.

Explanation of Signs

[0114] 1 Combine 5 Control Unit 6 Cutting Device 7 Threshing Device 8 Grain Tank 9 Discharge Auger 21 Winnowing Device 22 Monitor (Display Device) 71 Yield Sensor 72 Control Device 90 Rice Sensor (Level Sensor)

Claims

1. A yield measurement device for a combine harvester, comprising a yield sensor for detecting the flow rate of grains transferred from a threshing device to a grain tank, and a level sensor for detecting the height of the grain stored in the grain tank, and a control device for calculating the integrated weight of the harvested grains. The control device calculates the integrated weight of the grains obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor, and when it detects that the height of the deposited grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, based on a set weight corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying this change in the height, corrects the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor, and calculates the integrated weight of the harvested grains.

2. The integrated weight (Y) of the grains obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor is obtained by substituting the integrated value (x) obtained by integrating the detection values obtained from the yield sensor at minute time intervals a predetermined number of times into the grain flow rate calculation formula (y = A*(ax + b)) to obtain the flow rate (y: weight), and integrating (Y += y). The yield measurement device for a combine harvester according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is obtained by doing so.

3. When the control device detects that the height of the deposited grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, it multiplies the value (B = C / D), which is obtained by dividing the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying this change in the height as the numerator, and the added weight (D) obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor and adding it to the integrated weight while this height changes as the denominator, by the correction coefficient (A) that is multiplied by the flow rate in the grain flow rate calculation formula, updates it as a new correction coefficient (A = A*B), and uses this updated new correction coefficient for the subsequent calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor. The yield measurement device for a combine harvester according to Claim 2, characterized in that it does so.

4. When the control device detects that the height of the deposited grains has changed significantly by the level sensor, it subtracts the added weight (D) obtained by calculating the detection value of the yield sensor and adding it to the integrated weight while this height changes from the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying this change in the height to obtain a corrected weight (E = C - D), and adds it to the integrated weight (Y = Y + E) to correct the integrated weight. The yield measurement device for a combine harvester according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it does so.

5. When the control device detects that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly as detected by the level sensor, the correction added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the yield sensor is such that the added weight (D) obtained by calculating the detected value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height and adding it to the integrated weight, which is outside the allowable range (AR1 to AR2) taking into account the error from the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grain accompanying the change in the deposited height, is executed. The yield measurement device for a combine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. When the control device detects that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly as detected by the level sensor, the correction added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the yield sensor is such that the set weight (C) corresponding to the increment of the deposited grain accompanying the change in the deposited height is used as the numerator, and the added weight (D) obtained by calculating the detected value of the yield sensor during the change in the deposited height and adding it to the integrated weight is used as the denominator, and when the value (B = C / D) obtained by the division exceeds the predetermined upper and lower limit values (LD, LU), the upper and lower limit values (LD, LU) are replaced with the value (B) obtained by the above division and used for updating the correction coefficient (A) to be multiplied by the flow rate in the grain flow rate calculation formula. The yield measurement device for a combine according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that.

7. The level sensor is constituted by a plurality of grain sensors provided dispersedly in the vertical direction of the grain tank that is pushed by the deposited grain and turned on. When the control device detects that among the plurality of grain sensors, the lower grain sensor has changed from OFF to ON, and then the grain sensor one level higher than this grain sensor has changed from OFF to ON, it is detected that the deposited height of the grain has changed significantly. The set weight corresponding to the increment of the deposited grain accompanying the change in the deposited height is obtained by subtracting the weight corresponding to the deposited grain when the lower grain sensor is turned on from the weight corresponding to the deposited grain when the upper grain sensor is turned on, and correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grain by the yield sensor. The yield measurement device for a combine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that.

8. The control device discharges the grains from the grain tank outside the machine and detects that the lowest rice sensor has changed from ON to OFF. Also, when the grain discharging operation is performed until after a predetermined total discharge time has elapsed and then it detects that the lowest rice sensor has changed from OFF to ON, it is assumed that it has detected that the deposited grain height has changed significantly. A set weight corresponding to the increment of the deposited grains accompanying this change in the deposited height is made equal to the weight corresponding to the deposited grains when the lowest rice sensor becomes ON, and correction is added to the calculation of the integrated weight of the grains by the yield sensor. The yield measurement device for a combine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that.

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