Combine Harvester Grain Bypass for Correlated Crop Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bypass devices on combine harvesters allow crop samples to be returned to the grain elevator after on-board analysis, leading to discrepancies between on-board and laboratory analyses, making it difficult to compare and utilize the findings for certification and trading purposes.
Innovation Solution
A bypass device with an integrated optical measuring system that collects a crop sample for both on-board and laboratory analysis, using a receiving device with a closure mechanism to selectively direct the sample to a collection container or back into the grain elevator, ensuring consistent analysis results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the crop sample is returned to the grain elevator after on-board analysis, then the bypass device can be simple in design, but the comparability between on-board and laboratory analysis results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass device is segmented into two functional paths: one for on-board optical analysis and another for laboratory analysis. The receiving device with closure mechanism segments the crop flow to direct samples to either the collection container (for laboratory analysis) or back to the grain elevator, enabling independent sample collection while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving device acts as an intermediary between the optical measuring device and the collection container. It includes a closure mechanism that mediates the crop flow, allowing selective direction of the analyzed crop quantity to either the collection container (when closure is open) or back to the grain elevator (when closure is closed), ensuring sample comparability without complex system redesign
2Quantity of substance
If a crop sample is taken from the grain tank for laboratory analysis, then the sample can be obtained for certification purposes, but the correlation between on-board and laboratory samples is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The optical measuring device performs on-board analysis of the crop sample in advance, before the sample is directed to the collection container for laboratory analysis. This preliminary action ensures that the same crop quantity is analyzed both on-board and in the laboratory, maintaining sample correlation and eliminating the need to take separate samples from the grain tank later
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the on-board optical analysis results are correlated with subsequent laboratory analysis of the same sample. The receiving device enables this feedback by collecting the analyzed crop quantity in the collection container, allowing comparison between on-board and laboratory results for validation and certification purposes
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 comparability between on-board and laboratory analysis results, facilitating accurate certification and trading by allowing the same crop sample to be analyzed in both environments.
Implementation Method 1
the bypass device includes an optical measuring device for determining crop properties, in particular constituents, of the crop partial flow
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a self-propelled combine harvester (1) comprising 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) includes an optical measuring device (19) for determining crop properties, in particular constituents, of the crop partial flow. The combine harvester (1) is characterized in that the bypass device (14) comprises a receiving device (37) which is fluidly connected to the optical measuring device (19) and is designed and equipped to receive a quantity of crop from the crop partial flow previously detected by means of the optical measuring device (19).