Harvester Cutting Unit Angle Control for Crop Loss and Ground Contact

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

Agricultural harvesting machines equipped with a driver assistance system that integrates multiple control strategies, allowing for dynamic adjustment of the cutting angle and height based on real-time sensor data and a weighting mechanism to balance competing objectives, such as minimizing crop loss and avoiding ground contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a high target height above ground is selected to reliably prevent ground contact, then ground contact is avoided, but crop losses increase excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveground contact preventionVSAvoidcrop losses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting angle is made dynamically adjustable during harvesting operations. The system allows real-time modification of the cutting angle based on actual field conditions, enabling the header to adapt between a lower cutting angle for complete crop pickup and a higher cutting angle for ground contact prevention, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable ground contact prevention and excessive crop losses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the cutting angle parameter to optimize performance. By adjusting the cutting angle according to different operating conditions (crop type, ground conditions, moisture content), the system can simultaneously achieve both ground contact prevention and minimal crop losses, rather than being fixed at a single height setting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If a control strategy aims at harvesting the crop as completely as possible, then crop pickup is maximized, but ground contact introduces contaminants into the crop

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop pickup completenessVSAvoidcrop contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting angle is made dynamically adjustable during harvesting operations. The system allows real-time modification of the cutting angle based on actual field conditions, enabling the header to adapt between a lower cutting angle for complete crop pickup and a higher cutting angle for ground contact prevention, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable ground contact prevention and excessive crop losses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the cutting angle parameter to optimize performance. By adjusting the cutting angle according to different operating conditions (crop type, ground conditions, moisture content), the system can simultaneously achieve both ground contact prevention and minimal crop losses, rather than being fixed at a single height setting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the driver manually selects between control strategies, then specific operating parameters can be optimized, but the operator cannot simultaneously optimize multiple conflicting parameters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol strategy selectionVSAvoidmulti-parameter optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-optimization by automatically selecting and adjusting control parameters based on sensor data from the field. The control unit processes information about crop conditions, ground characteristics, and machine performance to automatically determine the optimal cutting angle and other parameters, eliminating the need for manual driver decision-making and achieving simultaneous optimization of multiple conflicting parameters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring operating conditions through sensors and adjusting control parameters accordingly. The control unit receives feedback about crop pickup effectiveness, ground contact risk, and energy consumption, then automatically modifies the cutting angle and other parameters to optimize multiple objectives simultaneously, rather than requiring manual selection of single-parameter strategies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4344532B1Agricultural harvester

Publication Date: 2026.01.28 CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH

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 (α) of the cutting unit (2) according to the control strategies stored in the memory (4a), characterized in that the computing device (4b) is configured to link at least a first and a 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), and at least one of the control strategies determines the cutting angle (α) depending on generated forefield information.