Combine Harvester Process Supervisor for Coordinated Mechanism Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current combine harvester systems require significant operator intervention to adjust multiple working mechanisms, leading to suboptimal overall control and increased grain damage during the harvesting process.
Innovation Solution
A driver assistance system with a process supervisor that autonomously optimizes the control of working mechanisms, allowing for coordinated operation and data exchange between automated adjusting mechanisms, enabling the operator to focus on strategic objectives like maximum throughput or crop quality, while adjusting parameters to minimize grain damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If multiple independently operating automated adjusting mechanisms are used to control different working mechanisms, then each mechanism can be optimized independently, but overall control and coordination between mechanisms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independently operating automated adjusting mechanisms into a unified system through a central control unit that coordinates their interactions. This merging approach maintains the automation benefits of individual mechanisms while adding overall system coordination to prevent conflicts and optimize the complete harvesting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central control unit as an intermediary between the independently operating automated adjusting mechanisms. This mediator coordinates data exchange and control signals between mechanisms, ensuring they work together harmoniously while maintaining their individual optimization capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If operator manually adjusts working mechanisms to respond to changes, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but response time and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the working mechanisms to self-adjust through automated adjusting mechanisms that continuously monitor operating conditions and automatically modify parameters. This self-service capability maintains adaptability to changing conditions while eliminating the time delays associated with manual operator intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where sensors continuously monitor operating conditions and process quality parameters, and this information is fed back to the automated adjusting mechanisms. This real-time feedback enables the system to automatically adapt to changing conditions and maintain optimal performance without operator intervention.
3Productivity
If rotational speed of threshing cylinder is increased to increase throughput, then crop processing capacity is improved, but grain damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic adjustment of the threshing cylinder rotational speed based on real-time monitoring of crop flow conditions, grain quality parameters, and operating conditions. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize throughput while preventing excessive speed that would cause grain damage, adapting continuously to changing harvesting conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the threshing mechanism by automatically adjusting rotational speed, cylinder clearance, and other parameters based on feedback from sensors monitoring grain quality and throughput. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between maximizing throughput and minimizing grain damage.
4Reliability
If operator monitors and adjusts multiple mechanisms simultaneously, then comprehensive control is achieved, but operator workload and complexity of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control of each working mechanism into separate automated adjusting mechanisms, each responsible for optimizing its specific function. This segmentation reduces operator workload by automating individual mechanism control while a central control unit ensures overall coordination and reliability of the complete system.
Data Source
AI summary
A combine harvester has multiple working mechanisms for carrying out specific treatment subprocesses of an overall treatment process for processing crop and a driver assistance system for controlling the working mechanisms, which includes a memory for storing data, a computing device for processing the data stored in the memory, and a graphical user interface. The driver assistance system, together with the particular working mechanisms provided for carrying out the treatment subprocesses, forms independently operating automated adjusting mechanisms which are utilized for optimizing the control of the working mechanisms for carrying out the treatment subprocesses. A process supervisor is assigned to the driver assistance system for controlling individual automated adjusting mechanisms and a data exchange of the automated adjusting mechanisms with one another. The process supervisor is configured for interacting with an operator to edit at least one parameter of at least one control process, which has been stored in the memory for actuation by the process supervisor.