Agricultural Combine Windrow Control Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combine operators face challenges in monitoring and adjusting the profile of windrows formed behind the combine, leading to inconsistent windrow shapes that can affect bale quality due to the lack of real-time monitoring and cumbersome manual adjustments of steering mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural combine equipped with a windrow control circuit featuring sensors, such as cameras or laser scanners, and actuators that allow for real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of windrow shape through an electronic control unit (ECU) to compare actual windrow profiles with reference profiles and adjust steering vanes accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of steering mechanisms is used, then the operator can change windrow profile settings, but the process is time-consuming and requires stopping the combine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment of steering mechanisms with an automated electronic control system. Sensors detect windrow profile deviations, and an electronic control unit automatically actuates steering mechanisms to correct the profile, eliminating the need for manual intervention and combine stops.
Solution Approach 2:
The windrow profiling system becomes self-regulating through automatic feedback control. The system continuously monitors windrow profile and self-corrects deviations without operator intervention, making the system serve itself by automatically detecting and correcting its own performance deficiencies.
2Loss of information
If the operator monitors windrow profile manually, then adjustments can be made, but the operator cannot see the windrow profile from the cabin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensors as intermediary devices that indirectly measure windrow profile characteristics. These sensors act as mediators between the windrow and the operator, converting physical profile information into electrical signals that can be processed and displayed in the operator's cabin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces visual direct observation with electronic sensing and display systems. Instead of the operator visually inspecting the windrow from the cabin, electronic sensors detect profile parameters and present them as readable data or visual displays within the cabin environment.
3Productivity
If steering mechanisms are adjusted while the combine is moving, then continuous windrow profile control is possible, but the adjustment process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback control system where sensors continuously monitor windrow profile during harvesting, compare actual profile against target profile, and automatically adjust steering mechanisms in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables continuous correction without interrupting harvesting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static manual adjustment to dynamic automatic control. The steering mechanisms become dynamically adjustable during operation, with the system adapting windrow profile control in real-time based on changing harvesting conditions and detected profile deviations.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An agricultural combine (100) has a windrow control circuit that controls the profile of windrow (154) based upon signals received from a sensor (152).