Tractor-Baler Swath Tracking to Prevent Crop Run-Over
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tractor-baler combinations face challenges in maintaining efficient baling operations when navigating fields with non-straight swaths or obstacles, leading to issues like uneven bale formation, contamination, and reduced efficiency due to the tractor's wheels running over the swaths, which can compress the crop material and mix it with non-plant substances.
Innovation Solution
A self-powered tractor-trailer combination equipped with sensors to detect the swath line, a position-determining module, and a control apparatus that steers the tractor and trailer to minimize swath run-over, using actuators and a speed control mechanism to optimize the ingestion of crop material while preventing the ground-engaging members from crossing the swath.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the tractor steers to follow non-straight swaths or navigate around obstacles, then the adaptability to field conditions is improved, but the tractor wheels may run over the swaths causing compression and contamination of crop material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that includes sensors to detect swath position, a position-determining module to track tractor location, and a control apparatus that processes this information to generate steering commands. This intermediary system acts as a mediator between the tractor operator and the steering mechanism, enabling the tractor to follow swaths without wheel contact by calculating appropriate steering angles that maintain optimal distance from the swath centerline.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tractor maintains a fixed position relative to the swath centerline, then swath run-over is minimized, but the baler pickup may not be optimally aligned with the highest density area of crop material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the tractor-baler combination position relative to the swath. The control apparatus continuously receives feedback from sensors about swath location and crop material distribution, then dynamically modifies steering commands to optimize both swath avoidance and pickup alignment. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt in real-time, maintaining optimal distance from the swath centerline while ensuring the baler pickup remains positioned over the highest density area of crop material for efficient baling operations.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A movable tractor-trailer combination (10) includes (a) a self-powered tractor (11) having a plurality of ground-engaging members (13, 14) and a steering mechanism (27, 28) for steering at least one said ground-engaging member (13, 14) so as to cause changes in a direction of movement of the tractor (11); and (b) a trailer (12) that is towed behind the tractor (11) as the tractor moves forwardly and is connected to the tractor by a drawbar (32) that is pivotably connected at a tractor connection to the tractor (11) and at a location spaced along the drawbar to an attachment location on the trailer (12). One or more sensors (43) sense a line of a swath of crop material corresponding to a maximal quantity of crop material per unit length of the swath. The tractor-trailer combination (10) includes control apparatus (44) that operates in dependence on at least one output of the one or more sensors (44) to operate the steering mechanism (27, 28) of the tractor (12) in dependence on the at least one output such that the tractor (12) moves along the swath without any of the ground-engaging members (13, 14) running over the swath.