Combine Harvester Grain Elevator Bypass for Reliable Crop Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical measuring devices in combine harvesters are inadequate for determining crop properties in certain crop varieties or fields, often requiring complex calibration and are not reliable due to crop nature, leading to incomplete analysis.
Innovation Solution
A bypass device in the combine harvester that integrates both optical and capacitive measuring devices, where the capacitive device takes over when optical measurement is not possible, ensuring reliable crop property determination across various crop types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an optical measuring device is used to determine crop properties, then measurement precision is improved for most crop types, but reliability deteriorates for certain crop varieties or fields due to inability to analyze or lack of calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an optical measuring device and a capacitive measuring device into a single bypass device. The optical measuring device provides high precision for most crop types, while the capacitive measuring device serves as a backup for crop varieties that cannot be analyzed optically. This merging ensures both measurement precision and reliability across all crop types by allowing the system to switch between the two measurement methods as needed.
2Measurement precision
If calibration is performed for optical measuring devices, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the effort and time required for calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive measuring device acts as an intermediary that does not require complex calibration procedures. When the optical measuring device cannot analyze a specific crop variety or when calibration is not feasible, the capacitive measuring device provides an alternative measurement approach. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system by providing a measurement method that avoids the complex calibration process while maintaining measurement capability.
3Device complexity
If only optical measuring devices are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates because certain crop varieties cannot be analyzed
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass device is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both optical and capacitive measuring capabilities. The optical measuring device handles most crop types with high precision, while the capacitive measuring device provides universal coverage for crop varieties that cannot be analyzed optically. This multi-functional design ensures reliable crop property determination across all crop types without significantly increasing device complexity, as both measurement methods share the same bypass device housing and integration.
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
Ensures consistent and accurate determination of crop properties by using capacitive measurement when optical methods fail, providing comprehensive analysis without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
an optical measuring device for determining crop properties, in particular constituents, of the crop partial flow
Implementation Method 2
a capacitive measuring device for determining crop properties of the crop partial flow
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a self-propelled combine harvester (1) for receiving and processing harvested crop, wherein the combine harvester (1) comprises a grain elevator (12) for conveying a crop flow (900) from a cleaning device (10) of the combine harvester (1) to a grain tank (13) of the combine harvester (1). The combine harvester (1) comprises a bypass device (14) arranged on the grain elevator (12) for extracting a partial crop flow from the crop flow (900) conveyed by the grain elevator (12), wherein the bypass device (14) comprises an optical measuring device (19) for determining crop properties, in particular constituents, of the crop partial flow, and wherein the bypass device (14) comprises a capacitive measuring device (21) for determining crop properties of the crop partial flow.The combine harvester (1) is characterized in that the capacitive measuring device (21) is provided and configured to determine crop properties of the crop partial flow only when it is not possible to determine crop properties of the crop partial flow using the optical measuring device (19).