Grain Culm Sensor Placement in Combine Harvester Feeder
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing combine harvester designs often result in grain culms being diffused by the threshing drum, leading to reduced detection precision of the grain culm sensor, as they fail to consistently come into contact with the sensor.
Innovation Solution
The combine harvester incorporates a grain culm sensor positioned at the grain culm feed port, with the feeder offset to one side and the sensor disposed on the edge of the feed port, ensuring a higher likelihood of grain culm contact and improved detection precision. Additionally, a claw-shaped detection member swings along the feeder's bottom plate to enhance detection, and an intrusion preventing element prevents grain culms from clogging behind the sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the grain culm sensor is positioned in the threshing chamber to detect grain culms, then the sensor can detect the presence of grain culms, but the detection precision deteriorates because grain culms are diffused by the threshing drum and fail to consistently contact the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The grain culm sensor is positioned at the grain culm feed port of the feeder, which is upstream of the threshing chamber. This preliminary positioning allows the sensor to detect grain culms before they enter the threshing chamber where diffusion occurs, ensuring consistent contact and reliable detection
Solution Approach 2:
The detection function is separated from the threshing process by placing the sensor at the feed port rather than in the threshing chamber. This segmentation isolates the detection zone from the diffusion zone, allowing the sensor to operate in a controlled environment where grain culms are conveyed in an organized manner
2Measurement precision
If the feeder is positioned at the center of the harvest frame, then the structure is symmetric and simple, but the detection precision deteriorates because grain culms are not concentrated at a specific location for sensor contact
Solution Approach 1:
The feeder is intentionally positioned offset to one side relative to the center of the harvest frame, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry concentrates grain culm flow at a specific location, improving sensor contact reliability and detection precision
Solution Approach 2:
The grain culm sensor is positioned at a specific location on the grain culm feed port where grain culms are most likely to contact. This localized positioning optimizes detection at the critical contact point rather than requiring uniform detection across the entire feed port
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
This configuration significantly enhances the detection precision of the grain culm sensor by ensuring consistent contact with the grain culms, allowing for accurate monitoring of reaping width and position during automatic harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
a rake-in auger that is disposed within the harvest frame to be rotatable about a rotary axis extending in a right/left direction of a harvester body, the rake-in auger conveying the grain culms inside the harvest frame in the right/left direction of the harvester body
Implementation Method 2
a feeder that is communicatively connected to a rear wall of the harvest frame for conveying the grain culms raked in by the rake-in auger toward the rear of the harvester body
Implementation Method 3
a grain culm sensor that is disposed at a grain culm feed port in the feeder for detecting a presence of the grain culms when the grain culms come into contact with the grain culm sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
There is a need for a combine harvester which may enhance the detection precision of a gain culm sensor by reliably bringing grain culms into contact with the grain culm sensor. The combine harvester includes: a harvest frame 11 that receives grain culms cut by a reaping device; a rake-in auger 12 that is disposed within the harvest frame 11 so as to be rotatable about a rotary axis X1 extending in a right/left direction of the harvester body, and that conveys the grain culms inside the harvest frame 11 in a right/left direction of the harvester body and rakes in the grain culms toward the rear of the harvester body; and a feeder 13 that is communicatively connected to a rear wall of the harvest frame 11, and that conveys the grain culms raked in by the rake-in auger 12 toward the rear of the harvester body. A grain culm sensor 25 that detects the presence of the grain culms when coming in contact with the grain culms is disposed at a grain culm feed port 24a in the feeder 13.