Crop-Contact Sensor Attachment for Early Harvest Parameter Sensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural machinery lacks timely and accurate data collection on crop parameters such as volume, moisture content, and throughput during harvesting, which hinders efficient logistical planning and processing decisions.
Innovation Solution
Integration of sensors into the agricultural machinery that come into physical contact with the crop during processing, using capacitive sensors to measure parameters like density, mass flow rate, and moisture content, providing real-time data for informed decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is installed in the discharge chute to measure crop parameters, then measurement capability is provided, but the data arrives too late for logistical planning and processing decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned to measure crop parameters before the crop enters the discharge chute, during the initial processing stage. This preliminary measurement allows data to be available earlier in the workflow, enabling timely logistical planning and processing decisions rather than waiting until crop discharge
2Measurement precision
If the sensor surface faces the ground surface to detect crops, then detection of crops between implement and ground is enabled, but the sensor must be positioned in complex locations
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor surface is designed to function in multiple orientations and positions. It can be mounted on various implement components (skids, beams, harvestor bodies) and still effectively detect crops between the implement and ground surface, providing universal applicability across different mounting scenarios without requiring complex positioning mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables early-stage data collection for efficient harvesting, transportation planning, and processing decisions based on precise crop parameters, optimizing operations and resource management.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one sensor is a capacitive sensor. By responding to the permittivity of its environment, such a sensor can detect parameters related to the density, mass, mass flow rate, or moisture content of the harvested crop
Implementation Method 2
the at least one sensor comprises several capacitors with capacitor plates arranged adjacent to the surface to generate an electrostatic field in crop material adjacent to the surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
In an attachment (10) for a self-propelled agricultural machine for processing crops distributed in a field, at least one first sensor (12, 13, 19) for determining parameters of the crop forms a surface of the attachment which is arranged to come into physical contact with the crop during processing.