Forage Harvester Crop Distribution Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Forage harvesters face inefficiencies and reduced chop quality due to uneven feeding, leading to jams and blockages, which are difficult for operators to manage effectively, especially when operating at peak performance.
Innovation Solution
A forage harvester equipped with a measuring bar and sensors to detect transverse crop distribution, coupled with a control and regulation device that adjusts the front attachment and processing units to ensure even distribution and prevent blockages, using actuators and adjustable components to optimize crop flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the forage harvester operates at the engine's optimal operating point for maximum productivity, then harvesting efficiency is improved, but crop jams and blockages become more frequent due to uneven feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of lateral crop distribution using sensors before the crop reaches the chopping drum. Based on this early detection, the control unit preemptively adjusts the lateral position of the chopping drum or header to prevent uneven feeding and potential blockages, allowing the system to operate at optimal productivity without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where sensors continuously monitor lateral crop distribution, and the control unit adjusts the chopping drum or header position in real-time based on this feedback. This closed-loop control ensures that uneven feeding is corrected immediately, maintaining reliable crop flow even at maximum engine operating points
2Manufacturing precision
If manual monitoring and adjustment of crop distribution is performed by the driver, then chop quality can be maintained, but the driver cannot effectively manage all parameters when operating at peak performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-adjustment of crop distribution parameters. Sensors automatically detect lateral variations in crop thickness, and the control unit autonomously adjusts the chopping drum or header lateral position without requiring driver intervention. This maintains precise cutting length uniformity while freeing the driver from manual adjustment tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment by the driver with an automated sensor-based detection and control system. The electronic control unit processes sensor signals and actuates adjustment mechanisms automatically, substituting human operation with an automated control system that maintains manufacturing precision without increasing driver workload
Data Source
Figure 1(a)
Figure 1(b)
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a forage harvester (1) with a header (2) for receiving crop (3), which is arranged upstream of a crop processing channel (100) comprising an infeed chute (4) for feeding the crop into the forage harvester, a chopping drum for processing the crop, and a discharge chute (8) for ejecting the crop. The forage harvester also has a measuring bar (111, 121) with a plurality of sensors (112, 122) extending over the width of the crop processing channel (100) and designed to detect the lateral distribution across that width. The present invention further relates to a method for controlling the forage harvester, in which actuators of the header and/or the components of the forage harvester are controlled depending on the detected lateral distribution.