Combine Harvester Grain Inspection via Early Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combine harvesters face challenges in quickly and accurately inspecting the separation accuracy and quality of grain during the harvesting process, leading to delayed reaction times and potential contamination of grain with foreign matter.
Innovation Solution
A combine harvester configuration that includes a reaper, threshing apparatus, grain tank, conveying apparatus, temporary storage section, image capture unit, and image analysis module, allowing for early detection of foreign matter by capturing images of separated material during conveyance and distinguishing normal grain from foreign matter using machine learning algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a camera is installed in the grain tank to capture images of separated material, then grain quality inspection is enabled, but the timing of inspection is delayed due to the time required for separated material to accumulate in the temporary storage section
Solution Approach 1:
The image capture unit captures images of separated material at an early stage during conveyance, before the material accumulates in the temporary storage section. This preliminary action enables quality inspection to start earlier, reducing the time delay while maintaining inspection accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If separated material is stored in a temporary storage section before inspection, then image capture is enabled, but the reaction time to adjust threshing apparatus settings is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs image capture and quality analysis in advance during the conveyance process, before the separated material reaches the temporary storage section. This allows the control unit to analyze quality and adjust threshing apparatus settings proactively, reducing reaction time delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit receives analysis results from the image processing unit and automatically adjusts the threshing apparatus settings based on the captured images. This feedback mechanism enables real-time optimization of separation accuracy without waiting for material accumulation.
3Measurement precision
If image capture is performed on accumulated separated material in the grain tank, then quality analysis is possible, but foreign matter may be buried in grain reducing detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The image capture unit takes pictures of separated material during the conveyance process, before foreign matter has a chance to bury itself in the grain. This timing ensures that foreign matter remains visible and detectable, maintaining high detection accuracy and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A combine includes: a reaper to reap planted grain culms in a field; a threshing apparatus to thresh the reaped grain culms and separate the reaped grain culms into separated material containing normal grain and material to be discharged other than the separated material; a grain tank in which the separated material is storable; a conveying apparatus to convey the separated material from a separation section to the grain tank; a temporary storage section to take out and store some of the separated material that is being conveyed by the conveying apparatus; an image capture unit to capture an image of the separated material stored in the temporary storage section; and an image analysis module to analyze the image captured by the image capture unit, and perform distinguishing processing for distinguishing the normal grain in the separated material stored in the temporary storage section from foreign matter.