Harvester Frame Height Control for Crop Flow Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crop recovery devices face issues with optimal crop conveyance in varying environmental conditions, such as wet or soft ground and uneven terrain, leading to potential blockages that require manual correction by operators.
Innovation Solution
A crop recovery device with a height-adjustable frame supported by wheels and a sensor system to maintain a constant angle between the receiving and conveyor devices, preventing clogging by adjusting the frame's height based on sensor data from angle and distance sensors, ensuring a uniform crop flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the harvesting device operates on uneven terrain or soft ground, then it can cover more ground and increase productivity, but the crop flow becomes non-uniform leading to blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The frame height is made dynamically adjustable through actuating elements that respond to sensor signals. When the receiving device detects non-uniform crop flow or blockage conditions, the actuating elements automatically adjust the frame height to restore uniform crop flow, allowing continuous operation on uneven terrain without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor system continuously monitors the angle between the receiving device and conveyor device, as well as the distance between the receiving device and ground. This feedback is processed by a control device that signals the actuating elements to adjust frame height, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains reliable crop flow despite terrain variations
2Device complexity
If the frame height is fixed, then the device structure is simpler, but crop blockages occur on uneven terrain requiring manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The harvesting device performs self-adjustment through the sensor-actuator-control system that automatically detects and corrects crop flow non-uniformity. The frame height adjusts itself in response to terrain conditions without requiring operator intervention, making the system self-regulating and reducing manual blockage clearing requirements
3Adaptability or versatility
If the receiving device follows ground contours closely, then it maintains good crop contact on uneven terrain, but the angle with the conveyor device varies causing non-uniform crop flow
Solution Approach 1:
The frame height is dynamically adjusted to compensate for the angle variations caused by ground following. When the receiving device follows ground contours and the angle with the conveyor deviates from optimal values, the actuating elements modify the frame height to restore the correct geometric relationship, maintaining uniform crop flow despite terrain variations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A harvesting device (10) is proposed, comprising a frame (14) which is supported on the ground (22) via at least two wheels (20a, b) by means of at least one actuating element (54) and is height-adjustable, a receiving device (28) mounted on the frame (14) and a conveying device (34) movably connected to the receiving device (28), wherein at least one first sensor (S1) is provided which detects an angle (a) between the receiving device (28) and the conveying device (34), and the actuating element (54) determines the height (H) of the frame (14) above the ground (22) as a function of a value determined by the sensor (S1). Furthermore, a method for operating such a harvesting device (10) is proposed.