Flexible Header Height Control via Potentiometer Signal Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible harvesting headers are ineffective in receiving and conveying all severed crop material, particularly when following ground contours at high speeds, and struggle with controlling header height, especially when in sliding contact with the ground, leading to damage from uneven terrain.
Innovation Solution
A harvesting header with a flexible cutterbar assembly supported by pivotable arms and a header height sensing system using potentiometers to adjust the cutterbar position, ensuring optimal height control and material collection by identifying the smallest voltage signal from multiple sensor inputs to determine the cutterbar position and adjust accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible cutterbar assembly is used to follow ground contours, then the header can adapt to terrain variations, but the header becomes ineffective at receiving all severed crop material when operating at high speed
Solution Approach 1:
The cutterbar assembly is divided into multiple sections (first, second, and third sections) that can independently flex and adjust. Each section has its own support arms and potentiometer sensors, allowing segmented adaptation to terrain while maintaining overall structural integrity and crop material reception capability at high speeds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the header follows ground contours closely, then terrain adaptability is improved, but header height control becomes ineffective particularly when in sliding contact with the ground
Solution Approach 1:
Potentiometers are mounted on support arms to detect the angular position and vertical position of each cutterbar section. This feedback mechanism provides real-time positional data to the control system, enabling precise header height control even when the header is following ground contours or in sliding contact with the ground.
3Productivity
If the flexible header operates in close proximity to the ground to collect grain, then crop material reception is improved, but the header becomes damaged when operating on terrain with significant contour
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms are made pivotable rather than fixed, allowing the cutterbar sections to dynamically adjust their position in response to terrain variations. This dynamic adaptation enables the header to maintain close ground contact for grain collection while avoiding damage from significant terrain contours through controlled flexing movement.
4Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect cutterbar position at each section, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple potentiometer sensors detecting cutterbar position at different sections are electrically connected to a common selector circuit. The selector circuit combines the multiple sensor signals into a single integrated output, providing comprehensive position detection while avoiding the complexity of separate control circuits for each sensor.
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
The solution ensures effective reception and conveyance of crop material while maintaining optimal header height, reducing damage from terrain irregularities and improving harvesting efficiency by allowing the header to flex and adjust dynamically.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the sensors may comprise a potentiometer that is operable to provide a voltage signal
Data Source
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AI summary
A harvesting header (40) adjustably supported on a crop harvesting machine. The machine has a header height adjustment system for controlling the height of the header relative to the ground. The harvesting header (40) has a flexible cutterbar assembly (48) extending lengthwise in a lateral direction relative to the normal direction of travel of the header (40) to present multiple cutterbar assembly sections. A plurality of laterally spaced apart pivoting support arms (44, 46) support the flexible cutterbar assembly (48) so that the cutterbar is operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header (40) is advanced along the ground. A header height sensing system (41) is provided to send a cutterbar position signal to the header height adjustment system so that the header height is adjusted when the cutterbar assembly flexes beyond a predetermined position. The header height sensing system includes a plurality of sensors each operably coupled to one of the support arms (44, 46) to sense the angular position thereof. The header height sensing system (41) includes an electrical comparator circuit which provide a single cutterbar position signal for each cutterbar assembly section.