Moisture Sensor Integration in Mower-Conditioner Crop Engagement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural harvesting machines lack an efficient and cost-effective method to monitor the moisture content of crop material, requiring farmers to frequently check windrows between mowing and secondary operations.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a mower-conditioner machine with a frame, cutter bar, crop-engaging member, and at least one moisture sensor to automatically sense and map the moisture content of the crop material, allowing for real-time monitoring and estimation of drying time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If farmers manually check windrow moisture between mowing and secondary operations, then they can monitor crop material moisture content, but it requires frequent field visits and manual checking which is time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture content monitoringVSAvoidtime for field visits and manual checking

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The moisture sensor automatically monitors moisture content of crop material as it passes through the mower-conditioner, eliminating the need for farmers to manually check windrows. The system serves itself by continuously sensing and reporting moisture levels without human intervention, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement capability and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical checking methods with an electronic moisture sensing system. The sensor electronically detects moisture content in real-time, substituting the mechanical act of farmers physically checking windrows with an automated electronic measurement system, thus reducing time loss while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If no moisture monitoring system is installed, then the mower-conditioner structure remains simple and cost-effective, but farmers cannot automatically monitor moisture content and must perform manual checks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effectiveness and structural simplicityVSAvoidautomatic moisture monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The moisture sensor acts as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between simple mechanical operation and automated monitoring. It is a relatively simple device that can be integrated into the existing mower-conditioner structure without requiring complete system redesign, thus enabling automatic monitoring while maintaining cost-effectiveness and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new parameter (moisture content) into the monitoring system by adding a moisture sensor. This parameter change enables automatic monitoring capability without fundamentally altering the basic structure of the mower-conditioner, allowing the system to transition from purely mechanical operation to automated parameter-based monitoring with minimal complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If moisture sensors are integrated into the crop-engaging member, then real-time moisture monitoring is achieved during mowing operations, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time monitoring capabilityVSAvoidstructure with integrated sensors

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The moisture sensor is merged with the crop-engaging member, combining two functions (crop engagement and moisture sensing) into a single integrated component. This merging approach enables real-time monitoring during mowing operations while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by utilizing existing structural elements rather than adding separate independent systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Reduces the need for manual moisture checks and enables automatic generation of moisture content maps and estimated drying times, optimizing baling or chopping strategies by identifying areas needing additional drying time.

Implementation Method 1

at least one moisture sensor connected to the crop-engaging member. The at least one moisture sensor is configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMoisture sensing:

Data Source

PatentUS12029154B2Mower-conditioner machine for sensing moisture content of crop material

Publication Date: 2024.07.09 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

A mower-conditioner machine which includes a frame, a cutter bar connected to the frame, the cutter bar is configured to cut a crop material from a field, and a crop-engaging member connected to the frame. The crop-engaging member is configured to contact the crop material. The mower-conditioner machine also includes at least one moisture sensor connected to the crop-engaging member. The at least one moisture sensor is configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material.