Combine Harvester Area Setting for Complete Auto-Reaping Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Combine harvesters face issues with creating automatic traveling routes in fields, leading to unreaped areas when manual reaping around the periphery is incomplete, resulting in work remaining areas.

Innovation Solution

An area setting method and system that includes an outline setting step, a creation-capable area setting step, and a range changing step to ensure no work remaining area occurs by adjusting the creation-capable area based on field outlines and reaping patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual reaping traveling is performed around the periphery of the field to reach the creation-capable area, then the combine harvester can prepare for automatic reaping, but the combine harvester cannot travel along the outer periphery of the creation-capable area, resulting in unworked regions protruding from the creation-capable area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual reaping travelingVSAvoidarea coverage accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by setting the creation-capable area range before automatic reaping traveling begins. The range setting section establishes the boundaries of the creation-capable area based on field outline information, ensuring that the automatic traveling route will cover the entire area without leaving unworked regions. This preliminary area definition prevents the problem of unworked regions protruding from the creation-capable area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback by comparing the field outline with the manually reaped area to determine the optimal creation-capable area range. The range setting section adjusts the creation-capable area boundaries based on feedback from the manual reaping operation, ensuring that the automatic traveling route will seamlessly cover all remaining unworked regions without leaving gaps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If automatic reaping traveling is performed in the creation-capable area with unworked regions protruding, then automatic reaping can proceed, but work remaining areas occur where crops are not reaped

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic reaping efficiencyVSAvoidcomplete area coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining the creation-capable area range to exactly match the boundaries of manually reaped regions. The range setting section calculates the optimal creation-capable area based on field outline information and manual reaping progress, ensuring that the automatic traveling route will cover the entire remaining area without leaving unworked regions. This preliminary area definition guarantees complete coverage and eliminates work remaining areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If the creation-capable area is set without adjusting the range, then the area setting process is simple, but work remaining areas occur when manual reaping does not reach the optimal boundary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearea setting complexityVSAvoidcreation-capable area boundary accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making the creation-capable area range adjustable and adaptable. The range setting section dynamically determines the creation-capable area boundaries based on field outline information and manual reaping progress, allowing the area range to be optimized for each specific field condition. This dynamic range adjustment ensures accurate boundary definition without requiring complex manual configuration, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4230011A1Area setting method, work vehicle, and automatic traveling system
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD

AI summary

[Problem] Provided is an area setting method, a work vehicle, and an automatic traveling system that can set a creation-capable area so that no work remaining area occurs. [Solution] A work vehicle, such as a combine harvester 1, comprises a portable terminal 40, and the portable terminal 40 comprises a control device 41. The control device 41 functions as an outline setting section 50 for setting a field outline 60, a creation-capable area setting section 51 for setting a creation-capable area 63 that is provided inside the field outline 60 and in which an automatic traveling route 64 can be created, and a range changing section 53 for changing a range of the creation-capable area 63.