Combine Harvester Route Correction for Parallel Reaping Courses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combine harvesters require manual adjustment of travel routes for each straight-line course correction, leading to inefficiency and potential missed reaping of cereal culms.
Innovation Solution
A combine harvester equipped with a travel route correction method that automatically adjusts adjacent straight-line courses by inclining them to maintain parallel alignment with the initial course, using a control unit to manage the movement and correction of straight-line courses during automatic reaping travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of travel route is performed for each straight-line course correction, then the combine harvester can adapt to deviated cereal rows, but the worker needs to decide and operate correction process each time which increases operational effort and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation by automatically detecting when a straight-line course needs correction and autonomously adjusting the subsequent adjacent straight-line course. The correction process is triggered automatically based on GPS position data and crop row detection, eliminating the need for continuous manual intervention while maintaining adaptability to field conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the combine harvester's position relative to the preset travel route using GPS, detecting deviations in cereal rows through sensors, and automatically adjusting the travel route based on this feedback. This closed-loop control ensures the system adapts to field conditions while reducing manual operational effort
2Adaptability or versatility
If the straight-line course is translated midway in automatic reaping travel, then the combine harvester can follow deviated cereal rows, but the following adjacent straight-line course may have cereal culms that are not reaped
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically calculating and adjusting the subsequent adjacent straight-line course before the combine harvester reaches it. When a course translation is detected, the system proactively modifies the next course parameters to compensate for the deviation, ensuring continuous complete reaping without gaps
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from GPS position data and crop row detection to automatically adjust subsequent courses. The control unit continuously monitors reaping completeness and modifies the travel route to ensure all cereal culms are reaped, preventing missed areas that would occur with simple course translation
3Extent of automation
If automatic reaping travel is continued on the original straight-line course after translation, then the combine harvester maintains automated operation, but cereal culms that are not reaped remain in the field
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains automated operation while ensuring complete reaping through feedback control. The control unit continuously monitors the combine harvester's position and the reaped area using GPS and sensor data, automatically adjusting subsequent straight-line courses to compensate for any translations, thus preventing missed cereal culms while maintaining full automation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by autonomously detecting gaps in reaping coverage and automatically adjusting subsequent courses to fill them. The control unit calculates the necessary course modifications and implements them without manual intervention, ensuring complete reaping while maintaining automated operation throughout the process
Data Source
AI summary
A combine harvester includes a control device configured to function as a travel route creation unit, an automatic drive control unit, a course movement unit, and a course correction unit. The travel route creation unit creates, in a yet-to-be-reaped area of a field, a travel route that includes parallel first and second straight-line courses. The automatic drive control unit performs control on automatic driving and automatic reaping based on the travel route. While automatic reaping travel is conducted on the first straight-line course, the course movement unit modifies the travel route by moving the first straight-line course in a direction intersecting with the traveling direction. When movement of the first straight-line course results in movement of the first straight-line course in one direction, the course correction unit corrects a portion of the second straight-line course toward the same one direction.