Agricultural mowing system
The agricultural mowing system uses a sensor device on the transport path to accurately measure crop properties, addressing inefficiencies in existing systems by ensuring interference-free detection of dry matter content and other parameters.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KVERNELAND GROUP KERTEMINDE AS
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing agricultural mowing systems struggle to efficiently and reliably determine the properties of cut crops during operation.
An agricultural mowing system is designed with a sensor device positioned along the transport path to measure the dry matter content of cut crops, utilizing a sensor device, such as an NIR sensor, to detect a compacted, continuous crop flow before it is influenced by swath-forming elements, ensuring accurate and interference-free measurements.
The system enables precise determination of dry matter content and other crop properties with minimal interference, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of crop analysis.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025083398_21052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Kverneland Group Kerteminde A / S
[0002] K75331WO
[0003] Agricultural mowing system
[0004] The invention relates to an agricultural mowing system.
[0005] background
[0006] Agricultural mowing systems, which typically consist of a tractor and a tractor-mounted or tractor-drawn mower, are used to cut or mow crops such as grass or grain. The mower usually has one or more cutting units, each with a cutting mechanism driven around a rotating axis. After cutting, the crop is transported or conveyed along a conveyor track within the mowing system and may be conditioned by a conditioning unit.
[0007] Document EP 3366 104 B1 discloses an agricultural harvesting system comprising an agricultural harvesting machine, in particular a forage harvester, in which a conveying channel is provided for a stream of harvested material generated in a harvesting process by harvesting a field crop. The agricultural harvesting system further includes a NIR sensor device with a NIR sensor (near-infrared) configured to detect constituents and / or properties of the harvested material stream, the harvested material stream passing the NIR sensor in the conveying channel.The agricultural harvesting machine also has a data transmission unit configured to transmit the crop flow data generated by the NIR sensor device, corresponding to the ingredients and / or properties detected by the NIR sensor, to an offline data processing unit and to process the crop flow data there in a temporally decoupled manner from its generation and / or reception.
[0008] Document US 2024 / 0215479 A1 discloses a mowing system in which a sensor device, which may be formed with a NIR sensor, is provided for capturing sensor signals for a conditioned crop flow. The sensor device is arranged on a swath-forming plate, which is configured to guide the cut crop back to the ground to form a swath.
[0009] Summary
[0010] The object of the invention is to provide an agricultural mowing system in which the properties of the cut crop are determined by means of a sensor device during the operation of the BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
[0011] - 2 -
[0012] agricultural mowing systems can be recorded efficiently and reliably.
[0013] To solve the problem, an agricultural mowing system according to independent claim 1 is provided. Further embodiments are the subject of dependent subclaims.
[0014] According to one aspect, an agricultural mowing system is created with an agricultural mowing machine comprising the following: a mowing unit capable of cutting crops, extending transversely to a direction of travel or work and including at least one cutting device driven in rotation around an upright axis; a conditioning unit capable of conditioning the crops cut by the mowing unit; and a transport path designed to convey the cut crops away from the mowing unit and over the conditioning unit. Furthermore, the agricultural mowing system comprises a measuring device capable of determining the dry matter content of the cut crops and including a sensor device for acquiring sensor signals for determining the dry matter content.The mowing unit and the conditioning unit are designed to create a compacted, continuous flow of the cut crop, which is transported along a section of the transport path within the conditioning unit and / or an adjacent area downstream of the conditioning unit. The sensor unit is positioned on the agricultural mower within this section of the transport path, such that the sensor signals for the compacted, continuous crop flow can be detected.
[0015] Positioning the sensor device within the section of the transport path, which may be at least partially formed within a feed channel of the mower and through which the compacted, continuous stream of harvested material is transported, facilitates the most accurate possible acquisition of sensor signals in order to determine the dry matter content of the cut harvested material. Measuring the compacted, continuous stream of harvested material with the sensor device increases the likelihood of a measurement that is as free from interference as possible.
[0016] For example, the sensor device can be positioned to capture sensor signals or measurements of the compacted, continuous crop flow in a section of the transport path before the crop flow is directed towards the ground by one or more guide elements, for example, to form or create a swath on the ground. The crop flow can be guided using various BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT guide elements.
[0017] - 3 -
[0018] The crop flow is directed towards the ground, for example by one or more swath-forming plates, a vertically running curtain, and / or one or more guide plates. The one or more guide elements can be configured to direct or steer the crop flow towards the ground for swath formation, which may lead to a partial loss of the previously generated compacted, continuous crop flow. In one embodiment, the sensor device is arranged along the section of the transport path in the area of the conditioning unit and / or the adjacent area downstream of the conditioning unit, which is located upstream of the one or more swath-forming plates.
[0019] The conditioning device can be formed with a rotatable conditioning element mounted on a pivot axis, which may have circumferentially projecting element arms. For example, the rotatable conditioning element is formed with a rotatable conditioning wheel. The pivot axis of the rotatable conditioning element extends, for example, essentially transversely to the direction of travel or operation.
[0020] The dry matter content or percentage indicates how much dry matter is contained in the cut crop. The dry matter content is expressed as a mass percentage or as the mass of dry matter divided by the total mass of the material (cut crop).
[0021] The sensor device can be arranged adjacent to the conditioning device. For example, the sensor device can be arranged opposite a conditioning element of the conditioning device that conditions the crop flow, and in particular directly opposite. For example, the sensor device can be arranged opposite the rotatable conditioning element.
[0022] The sensor device can be configured in at least one of the following ways: (i) the sensor device is arranged above the conditioning device, and (ii) the sensor device is arranged along the transport path behind the conditioning device and adjacent to it, i.e. in particular in the adjacent area.
[0023] If the sensor device is located adjacent to the conditioning device, for example along the transport path in the transport or conveying direction behind and near the conditioning device, the sensor device can be operated to detect sensor signals for the compacted continuous harvested crop flow in an area of the transport path in which BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
[0024] - 4 -
[0025] the conditioning of the cut crop takes place or is completed, especially before the compacted continuous crop flow is then influenced by a guiding element such as the swath forming plate, with which the crop flow is directed towards the ground, especially for swath forming.
[0026] The conditioning device can include a conditioning plate that limits the transport path on one or more sides within a section of the path. The conditioning plate can form a wall section that partially limits the transport path, in particular a wall section of the transport or conveying channel. After impacting the conditioning plate, the cut crop can be guided or transported along it for compaction. The conditioning plate can be arranged at least in an area above the at least one cutting device and / or the rotatable conditioning element.
[0027] The sensor device can be configured in at least one of the following ways: (i) the sensor device is arranged in an opening of the conditioning plate, and (ii) the sensor device is arranged adjacent to the conditioning plate. If the sensor device is arranged adjacent to the conditioning plate, it can be located along the transport path behind the conditioning plate. The sensor device can be arranged in the opening of the conditioning plate in a detachable or non-detachable manner, for example, by being inserted into the opening. In one embodiment, the opening of the conditioning plate can be arranged opposite the rotatable conditioning element.
[0028] If the sensor device is arranged in the opening of the conditioning plate or adjacent to the conditioning plate, for example along the transport path in the transport or conveying direction behind and near the conditioning plate, the sensor device is capable of detecting sensor signals for the compacted continuous crop flow in an area of the transport path in which the conditioning of the cut crop is partially or completely completed, in particular before the compacted continuous crop flow is then influenced by a guiding element such as the swath forming plate, with which the crop flow is directed towards the ground, in particular for swath forming.
[0029] The mowing system may include the following: the agricultural mower has several cutting devices, each driven around an upright axis, arranged side by side transversely to a direction of travel or work. BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
[0030] - 5 -
[0031] are arranged, wherein an overlap of the cutting area is formed between adjacent cutting devices; and the mowing device and the conditioning device are arranged to form the compacted continuous crop flow of the cut crop in a downstream section of the transport path with respect to the overlapping cutting area, which is arranged along a transport line of the cut crop on the transport path, which originates from the overlapping cutting area between the adjacent cutting devices.
[0032] The multiple cutting units are each driven around a substantially vertically oriented axis. The cutting areas of adjacent units overlap to optimize crop capture during mowing or cutting. The cut crop is then conditioned downstream of the overlapping cutting area into a continuous, compacted crop flow, transported along the conveyor line originating from the overlapping cutting area.
[0033] If the mowing system has several cutting units, each generating separate, continuously compacted crop streams downstream of the adjacent cutting units by means of the conditioning unit, it may be possible to assign a separate sensor unit to each of these compacted continuous crop streams. This sensor unit captures sensor signals for the respective crop stream. In this way, the dry matter content of the cut crop can be determined from sensor signals for several separate, continuously compacted crop streams, each within the area of the conditioning unit and / or the adjacent area downstream of the conditioning unit, particularly upstream of a swath forming process using a swath forming plate.
[0034] If the agricultural mowing machine only has a single cutting device, it may also be provided for such a mowing system to capture sensor signals for the compacted continuous flow of harvested material along the transport route by means of several sensor devices.
[0035] The mowing machine can have a deflector device located downstream of the conditioning device along the transport path, and the sensor device can be located upstream of the deflector device along the transport path. The deflector device can, for example, consist of one or more deflector plates. BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
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[0037] The deflector device can be positioned upstream of the swath forming plate and I or other guiding elements, with which the crop flow is directed towards the ground.
[0038] The sensor device can be formed with an optical sensor, in particular a NIR sensor (near-infrared). Optical sensors that receive optical measurement signals for data acquisition are known in various embodiments. The NIR sensor uses light signals in the near-infrared spectral range. The dry matter content of the cut crop, as it is known, can be determined from the optical measurement signals.
[0039] In the sensor device, a sensor surface can be arranged behind a protective window. The protective window is made of a material that is optically transparent, at least to the measuring beams incident on the sensor surface of the sensor device. If the sensor device also emits optical sensor beams, the protective window must also be optically transparent to these. The protective window can be interchangeable or removable, for example, to provide a protective window that is either transparent or opaque in a desired optical spectral range. The interchangeability of the protective window also allows it to be replaced when worn.
[0040] The sensor device can have a protective cap covering the sensor surface. This cap can be moved between a covered position, in which the sensor surface is covered, and an open position, in which the sensor surface is exposed to receive sensor signals. The protective cap can, for example, pivot between the covered and open positions. A removable or replaceable version of the protective cap may be provided. It may also be possible to cover the sensor surface with the protective cap when the mower is not in operation.
[0041] The sensor device can be positioned in a darkened section of the transport path. Positioning the sensor device in a darkened section of the transport path, i.e., a section with little or no ambient light, reduces signal interference during measurement, particularly with optical sensors.
[0042] The measuring device can be configured, particularly when equipped with an NIR sensor, to further measure the proportion or content in the BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT for one or more of the following parameters.
[0043] - 7 -
[0044] to determine the following components of cut crops: protein, crude fat, crude fiber, crude ash, sugar, starch, ADF ("Acid Detergent Fibre") and NDF ("Neutral Detergent Fibre"), as is known, for example, when using NIR sensors.
[0045] The measuring device can include a data transmission unit capable of sending measurement data, which displays the sensor signals, via data transmission. Using the data transmission unit, measurement data can be transmitted wirelessly, for example, to a data processing unit configured to determine the dry matter content of the cut crop from the sensor signals. Additionally, the data processing unit can be configured to determine further parameters or properties of the cut crop based on the sensor signals.
[0046] The mowing system may be configured as follows: (i) the mowing device is mounted on an agricultural vehicle, in particular on a mounting device of the vehicle, or (ii) the mowing device is towed by an agricultural vehicle. The agricultural vehicle may be, for example, a tractor.
[0047] If the mowing system includes a swath forming device which, in addition to the swath forming plate, has one or more further swath forming elements, the sensor device can be arranged in a section of the transport path in the area of the conditioning device and / or in an area downstream of the conditioning device and upstream of the swath forming device.
[0048]
[0049] Further examples of implementation are explained in more detail below with reference to figures in a drawing. These show:
[0050] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective representation of an agricultural mowing system with several agricultural mowing machines;
[0051] Fig. 2 shows a schematic side view of an agricultural mowing machine in section and
[0052] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement of cutting devices for an agricultural mower. BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
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[0054] Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an agricultural mowing system 1 with several agricultural mowers 2 arranged on an agricultural work vehicle 3 designed as a tractor. A front-mounted mower 2a and rear-mounted mowers 2b, 2c are arranged on the agricultural work vehicle 3. The mowers or devices 2a, 2b, 2c are each configured to mow crops or harvested material, in particular grass. In order to create partially overlapping or non-overlapping mowing areas for the front-mounted mower 2a and the rear-mounted mowers 2b, 2c in a direction transverse to a working or travel direction A, the front-mounted mower 2a, in particular, can be moved into different working positions in a direction transverse to the working direction A.
[0055] The rear-mounted mowers or devices 2b, 2c, as well as the front-mounted mower in the example shown, each have a swath-forming plate 4a, 4b, 4c, which is equipped or operable to guide or direct the cut crop back towards the ground for swath formation. Alternatively, an embodiment may be provided (not shown) in which one or more of the mowers 2a, 2b, 2c are formed without such a swath-forming plate, for example, the front-mounted mower.
[0056] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of an agricultural mowing machine 10. One or more of the mowing machines or devices 2a, 2b, 2c can be designed according to the embodiment in Fig. 2. In the example shown, the agricultural mowing machine 10 has a mowing unit 11 which includes a cutting unit 13 driven around an upright axis 12, which is configured or operable to cut crop or plant material 14 for harvesting, for example, grass. The cutting unit 13 is at least partially enclosed in a housing 15.
[0057] After cutting, the cut crop is transported along a transport path 16 within the housing 15 of the mowing unit 11. Here, the cut crop enters the working area of a conditioning unit 17, which, in the example shown, is formed by a conditioning element 19 rotatably mounted on a pivot axis 18. Element or conditioning arms 20 are provided along the circumference of the rotatable conditioning element 19. In the example shown, the conditioning unit 17 also includes a conditioning plate 21, which is arranged above and opposite the rotatable conditioning element 19. BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
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[0059] With the aid of the conditioning unit 17, a continuous, compacted crop flow is generated in a section 22 of the transport path 16, which is guided past a sensor device 23 of a measuring device 24. Sensor signals, in particular optical sensor signals, are acquired for the compacted, continuous crop flow by means of the sensor device 23, which is arranged along the transport path 16 in an area upstream of the swath forming plate 4b and can, for example, be formed with an NIR sensor. This sensor device acquires sensor signals for the continuous crop flow as the compacted crop flow passes the sensor device 23.
[0060] With the aid of a data transmission device 25, which is associated with the measuring device 24, measurement data can be transmitted via a wireless data connection, for example to a data processing device 26, which can be operated to determine parameters or properties of the cut harvested crop or plant material based on the acquired sensor signals, in particular a dry matter content, as is known in various embodiments. The data processing device 26 can, for example, be located in the agricultural vehicle 3, which carries the agricultural mower 10 or to which the agricultural mower 10 is attached, either at the front or rear.
[0061] The cut crop is then discharged via a housing opening 27.
[0062] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the sensor device 23 is arranged downstream of the conditioning device 17, in particular the conditioning plate 21, along the transport path 16 of the cut crop. In one embodiment, the sensor device 23 can be accommodated in an opening 28 of the conditioning plate 21, which is shown in Fig. 2 by means of dashed lines.
[0063] The sensor device 23 is arranged along the transport path 16, which may be formed at least partially in a transport or conveying channel in the housing 15, above the rotatable conditioning element 19. For example, in this area of the transport path 16, any potential light incidence from the environment towards the sensor device 23 is reduced, so that the sensor device 23 is arranged in a darkened section of the transport path 16.
[0064] Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement of several cutting devices 30.1, ..., 30. n (n>1) of an agricultural mower, which are positioned transversely to the direction of travel or BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
[0065] - 10 -
[0066] The working direction A is arranged side by side and can be designed, for example, according to the cutting device 13. An overlapping cutting area 40 is formed between adjacent cutting devices, for example, cutting devices 30.1 and 30.2. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor device 23 is arranged directly downstream of or adjacent to section 22 of the transport path 16, in which the compressed continuous harvested material flow is generated, on a (spatial) transport line or conveying path 41, which extends along the transport path 16 starting from the overlapping cutting area 40. Several sensor devices 23 can be provided, which is indicated in Fig. 3 by a dashed line.
[0067] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the claims and the drawing can be important for the realization of the various embodiments, both individually and in any combination.
Claims
Kverneland Group Kerteminde A / S K75331WO Claims 1. Agricultural mowing system (1), with - an agricultural mowing machine (10), comprising - a mowing device (11) that is capable of cutting a crop and extends transversely to a direction of travel or work (A) and has at least one cutting device (13) driven in rotation about an upright axis (12); - a conditioning device (17) that is operable to condition the crop cut by means of the mowing device (11); and - a transport route (16) designed to transport the cut crop from the mowing device (11) via the conditioning device (17); and - a measuring device (24) that is operable to determine a dry matter content of the cut crop, and which has a sensor device (23) for detecting sensor signals for determining the dry matter content; wherein the mowing device (11) and the conditioning device (17) are operable to form a compressed continuous crop flow of the cut crop, which is transported along a section (22) of the transport path (16) in an area of the conditioning device (17) and / or an adjacent area downstream of the conditioning device (17), and the sensor device (23) is arranged on the agricultural mowing machine (10) in the area of the section (22) of the transport path (16) such that the sensor signals for the compressed continuous crop flow are detectable.
2. Mowing system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor device (23) is arranged adjacent to the conditioning device (17).
3. Mowing system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the following embodiments is provided for the sensor device (23): (i) the sensor device (23) is arranged above the conditioning device (17), and (ii) the sensor device (23) is arranged along the transport path (16) behind the conditioning device (17) and adjacent thereto.
4. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conditioning device (17) is a conditioning plate (21) BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT - 2 - exhibits which limits the transport route (16) on one or more sides in a section of the route.
5. Mowing system (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the following embodiments is provided for the sensor device (23): (i) the sensor device (23) is arranged in an opening of the conditioning plate (21), and (ii) the sensor device (23) is arranged adjacent to the conditioning plate (21).
6. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the agricultural mowing machine (11) has several cutting devices (30.1 , ... , 30. n) each driven in rotation around an upright axis, which are arranged next to each other transversely to a direction of travel or work (A), wherein an overlapping cutting area (40) is formed between adjacent cutting devices, and - the mowing device (11) and the conditioning device (17) are arranged to form the compacted continuous flow of the cut crop in a section of the transport path (16) downstream of the overlapping cutting area (40), which is arranged along a transport line of the cut crop on the transport path (16) that originates from the overlapping cutting area between the adjacent cutting devices.
7. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agricultural mowing machine (10) has a deflector device which is downstream along the transport path (16) with respect to the conditioning device (17), and that the sensor device (23) is upstream along the transport path (16) with respect to the deflector device.
8. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor device (23) is formed with an optical sensor, in particular an NIR sensor.
9. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sensor surface is arranged behind a protective window in the sensor device (23). BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT - 3 - 10. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the sensor device (23) the sensor surface can be covered with a protective cap which can be moved between a cover position in which the sensor surface is covered and an open position in which the sensor surface is released to detect the sensor signals.
11. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor device (23) is arranged in a darkened section of the transport path (16).
12. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring device is configured to further determine one or more of the following parameters for the cut crop: protein content, crude fat content, crude fiber content, crude ash content, sugar content, starch content, ADF content (“Acid Detergent Fibre”) and NDF content (“Neutral Detergent Fibre”).
13. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring device (24) has a data transmission device (25) which is operable to send measurement data by means of data transmission which indicates the sensor signals.
14. Mowing system (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agricultural mowing machine (10) is arranged on an agricultural work vehicle (3) or is pulled by the agricultural work vehicle (3).