Optical Crop Flow Measurement in Agricultural Harvesters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural harvesting machines face challenges in accurately determining crop speed and throughput due to uneven filling and variable slip behavior between press rollers and corn stalks, leading to imprecise measurement of crop speed and throughput.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural harvesting machine equipped with a pick-up device, channel device, and a measuring system comprising two measuring sensors arranged at a defined distance along the conveying path, which apply and record wave-shaped signals to determine the crop flow rate by comparing the similarity of measurement signals using cross-correlation analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If press rollers are used to convey crop material, then the crop can be transported through the harvesting machine, but uneven filling and variable slip behavior between press rollers and corn stalks result in imprecise measurement of crop speed and throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical measurement approach (relying on press roller speed and cross-sectional area) with an optical measurement system. Two optical sensors are positioned at a known distance apart along the crop flow path, and they detect the passage of crop material optically. This substitution eliminates the measurement errors caused by uneven filling and slip behavior between mechanical press rollers and corn stalks, while maintaining the crop conveyance function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical sensors as intermediary measurement devices that indirectly measure crop speed through the detection of crop material passage. Instead of directly measuring the mechanical interaction between press rollers and crop, the optical sensors detect the crop's presence and movement, providing accurate measurements不受affected by mechanical slip and filling variations.
2Ease of operation
If throughputs are recorded to optimize harvesting processes, then better control and efficiency can be achieved, but existing measurement methods provide insufficient accuracy for reliable optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces inaccurate mechanical measurement methods with optical sensing technology. The optical sensors detect crop material passage and provide precise throughput data, enabling reliable harvesting process optimization and control without the measurement errors inherent in mechanical press roller-based systems.
3Measurement precision
If two measuring sensors are arranged at a defined distance to enable cross-correlation analysis, then accurate crop flow rate computation is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement function into two separate optical sensors positioned at a known distance apart. Each sensor independently detects crop material passage, and the cross-correlation analysis is performed computationally on the two signal streams. This segmentation allows accurate crop flow rate measurement through the time difference between sensor detections, while keeping each individual sensor relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses two identical optical sensors as copies of the same measurement function. By placing copies at a known distance and analyzing the time difference in their signals through cross-correlation, the system achieves accurate crop flow rate measurement without requiring complex individual sensors, thus managing device complexity while improving measurement precision.
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
This solution allows for accurate computation of crop flow rate, enabling precise determination of throughput and optimizing transfer processes, such as improved throwing range control and unloading efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
each measuring sensor of the measuring point on the channel device being set up to pass the measuring point to apply a wave-shaped signal to the harvested crop, as well as to record the portion of the wave-shaped signal reflected by the harvested crop
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Agricultural harvesting machine for harvesting structural crops, comprising a receiving device (2) for receiving the crop from a field or meadow soil and a channel device (5) for conveying the crop along a path traversed between receiving and discharging during processing, with a device for measuring the flow velocity of the crop flow passing through the harvesting machine and a recording and evaluation device connected thereto, wherein a measuring point (7) is arranged on the channel device (5), which comprises at least two sensors which, viewed in the conveying direction of the crop, are passed successively by the crop and have a defined distance (S) from each other in relation to the conveying direction (F) of the crop.