Harvester Cutting Unit Angle Blending for Crop Pickup and Ground Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harvesting machines face challenges in optimizing operating parameters such as crop pickup, ground contact, and energy consumption, as current control strategies often prioritize one parameter at the expense of others, leading to suboptimal performance under varying operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A driver assistance system that links multiple control strategies for the cutting unit via a weighting variable, allowing the driver to make a compromise setting adapted to current conditions by calculating a weighted average of different cutting angles based on sensor data and predefined algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a high target height above ground is selected to prevent ground contact, then ground contact is minimized, but crop losses increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the cutting unit height based on real-time ground profile data from sensors. Instead of using a fixed high target height, the system continuously monitors ground conditions and adapts the height to minimize both ground contact and crop losses, allowing the cutting unit to be lower when ground contact is unlikely and higher when ground contact is detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor feedback from feeler bars or other ground-detection devices to continuously monitor the distance between the cutting unit and the ground. This feedback loop allows the control system to adjust the cutting unit height in real-time, preventing ground contact while maintaining optimal crop pickup, thereby resolving the contradiction between avoiding ground contact and minimizing crop losses.
2Productivity
If a control strategy is selected to harvest crop completely, then crop pickup is maximized, but ground contact introduces contaminants into the crop
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the cutting unit height based on real-time ground profile data. When the ground profile indicates smooth terrain, the system allows the cutting unit to operate at lower heights for complete crop pickup. When uneven ground or potential contaminants are detected, the system raises the cutting unit to prevent contact, thus resolving the contradiction between maximizing crop pickup and preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses ground profile sensors to detect the ground surface in advance before the cutting unit reaches it. This preliminary detection allows the control system to pre-adjust the cutting unit height to avoid ground contact and contaminants, while still maintaining optimal crop pickup by lowering the unit only when necessary and by a controlled amount.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control strategies are provided for different requirements, then optimization of specific parameters is achieved, but the driver faces difficulty in selecting the appropriate setting
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically selects and applies the most appropriate control strategy based on real-time sensor data from ground profile monitoring. Instead of requiring the driver to manually select between multiple control strategies, the system self-adjusts by analyzing ground conditions and automatically choosing the optimal cutting unit height and angle settings, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing multiple optimization options and maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors ground profile data and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the cutting unit settings. This automated feedback-based control eliminates the need for driver intervention in selecting control strategies, as the system adapts to changing conditions in real-time, thus resolving the contradiction between offering multiple optimized strategies and maintaining simple operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
Agricultural harvesting machine with a cutting unit (2) for cutting crops and with a driver assistance system (4), wherein the driver assistance system (4) comprises a memory (4a) in which control strategies for the operation of the cutting unit are stored, and a computing device (4b) for controlling a cutting angle of the cutting unit (2) according to the control strategies stored in the memory (4a), characterized in that the computing device is configured to link at least one first and one second control strategy (A1, A2) to each other via a weighting variable (c), wherein the weighting variable (c) is adjustable by a driver, in particular by means of a slider (32).