阅读说明：本技术 产物收割期间测定数据的测定设备、处理设备及收割机 (Measuring device for measuring data during harvesting of products, processing device and harvester ) 是由 约翰内斯·比什 迈克尔·加尔迈尔 斯蒂芬·施维奇 让·斯滕伯格 卡斯滕·克吕斯 于 2020-08-13 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供在产物收割期间测定数据的测定设备、处理设备及收割机,其中,用于在产物(4)例如甜菜的收割期间测定数据的测定设备(62)包括：用于处理已收割产物流(52)的产物流设备(50)；用于检测产物流的原始数据的传感装置(64)；与所述传感装置连接且根据所述原始数据测定所述产物流的数据的测定装置(66)。所述数据为所述产物流的质量数据或产量数据。所述测定设备用于输出与所述质量数据或产量数据相对应的信号。所述质量数据或产量数据反映与已收割产物的净产量相关的信息项。(The invention provides a measuring device, a processing device and a harvester for measuring data during the harvesting of a product, wherein the measuring device (62) for measuring data during the harvesting of the product (4) such as beet comprises: a product stream facility (50) for processing the harvested product stream (52); sensing means (64) for detecting raw data of the product stream; and a measuring device (66) connected to the sensor device and measuring the data of the product stream from the raw data. The data is quality data or yield data of the product stream. The assay device is configured to output a signal corresponding to the quality data or the yield data. The quality data or yield data reflect items of information relating to the net yield of harvested product.)

1. An assay device (62) for assaying data during harvesting of a product (4), comprising:

-a product stream device (50) for treating the harvested product stream (52);

-sensing means (64) for detecting raw data of the product stream;

-determination means (66) connected to said sensing means and determining data of said product stream from said raw data,

wherein said data is quality data or yield data of said product stream,

the assay device is configured to output a signal corresponding to the quality data or yield data,

wherein the quality data or yield data reflect an item of information relating to the net yield of harvested product.

2. The assay device according to claim 1,

-the product stream device comprises one or more of:

an uprooting unit (16) for uprooting the product;

a transport unit (34) for transporting the uprooted product;

a cleaning unit (30) for cleaning the uprooted product and

a storage unit (26) for the uprooted product.

3. An assay apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the product stream means comprises the transport unit (34), the sensing means (64) being arranged such that the sensing means can detect the harvested product stream (52) on the transport unit (34).

4. The assay device according to claim 3, wherein the transport unit (34) is provided between the cleaning unit (30) and an upward conveyor (38).

5. The assay device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the quality data comprises at least one of:

surface damage of the product; a crack in the product; an incomplete product; soil adhesion; impurities; attaching stems and leaves; adhesion of weeds; or a weed, which is a plant growth hormone,

alternatively, the yield data includes a net weight of available product, and a gross weight including the net weight and a weight of an unusable portion of the product stream (52).

6. The assay device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the sensing device (64) includes a sensing unit (70) comprising one or more of:

-a two-dimensional camera head for taking a picture,

-a three-dimensional camera head for taking a three-dimensional image,

-a radar sensor for detecting the position of the radar sensor,

-a sensor for detecting the weight of the product stream,

-a radiation sensor for detecting radiation emitted by the radiation source,

-a capacitive sensor, and

-a lidar sensor.

7. The assay device according to claim 6,

the determination device comprises a calculation unit (72) for determining the quality data or production data,

-the calculation unit (72) is remotely located with respect to the sensing unit (70) and is connected to the sensing unit by communication means (74), or

The computation unit is mechanically connected to the sensor unit and forms a common controllable module with the sensor unit.

8. The assay device according to claim 7,

the computing unit is an on-board computer (70) of the vehicle,

or the communication means comprise wireless communication means (78), and the computing unit is not mounted on the vehicle, nor is it mechanically connected to the sensing unit (cloud computer/internet).

9. Assay device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the assay means (66) has a unit (80) for providing additional data to provide one or more of the following:

the additional data internal to the machine is that,

the external data of the machine is transmitted to the machine,

the data from the other harvesting machines is,

weather data, and

and (6) soil data.

10. Assay device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the assay means (66) are adapted to generate environmental data based on the sensor data, or based on the raw data, or based on the quality data, or based on the yield data.

11. The assay device of claim 10, wherein the environmental data reflects one or more of soil type, soil humidity, and weather conditions.

12. Assay device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one assay assisting means (84), said at least one assay assisting means (84) improving or maintaining the detection quality of the sensing means.

13. The assay apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the assay assisting device comprises one or more of:

-an additional lighting device for illuminating the light source,

-at least one crop stream bypass,

-a crop cleaning device for cleaning a crop,

-a sensor cleaning device, and

-interference influencing shielding means.

14. An assay device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the product is a root crop or sugar beet.

15. A processing device (90) for a harvesting machine comprising at least an assay device according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises:

a control unit (92) for controlling the product stream means of the assay means in dependence on the quality or yield data such that the net yield is higher than the current net yield.

16. A treatment plant for a harvesting machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the control unit includes a machine learning device (94) that varies a control parameter of the control unit in accordance with historical data of the control exerted by the control unit on the product stream plant and the resulting change in the net production.

17. Handling equipment for a harvesting machine according to claim 16,

the control parameters are varied under given frame conditions to increase net production.

18. A harvester (2) for harvesting root crops (4) or sugar beets, comprising an assay or processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus according to the preamble of claims 1 and 15, and a harvester according to the preamble of claim 18.

Background

A known harvester for harvesting root crops or sugar beets is known from EP110395, which vehicle has a harvesting or uprooting unit arranged on the front side, the harvested root crops being transported on an upward conveyor or lift through a transport section which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle below the frame, via which transport section the root crops are guided into a hopper arranged on the frame.

The harvester comprises means for detecting the delivered quantity or weight of the root crop, obtained from the drive data (torque/speed) of the up-conveyor.

However, the detected quantity reflects only the delivered quantity (i.e., the number of hairs) and does not allow conclusions to be drawn as to the actual available quantity (net quantity) of the root crop. Wherein the delivered quantities further include stem leaves, damaged root crops, incomplete root crops, stones, clods, and the like, which are unusable parts.

Disclosure of Invention

The problem to be solved by the invention is to propose a device which makes it possible to improve the harvesting process in a simple and cost-effective manner.

It is also an object of the present invention to improve the detection of yield or quality of harvested root crops.

To solve this problem, the present invention relates to:

an assay device for assaying data during product harvesting, comprising:

-a product stream plant for treating a post-harvest product stream;

-sensing means for detecting raw data of the product stream;

-determination means connected to said sensing means and determining data of said product stream from said raw data,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the data is quality data or production data of the stream,

the assay device is configured to output a signal corresponding to the quality data or yield data,

wherein the quality data or yield data reflect an item of information relating to the net yield of harvested product.

According to still further aspects, the assay device may have one or more of the following features:

-the product stream device comprises one or more of:

an uprooting unit for uprooting the product;

a transmission unit for transmitting the uprooted product;

a cleaning unit for cleaning said uprooted product and

a storage unit for the uprooted product.

-the product stream device comprises the transport unit, the sensing device being arranged such that the sensing device can detect the harvested product stream on the transport unit.

-the transfer unit is provided between the cleaning unit and the upward conveyor.

-said quality data comprises at least one of the following data:

surface damage of the product; a crack in the product; an incomplete product; soil adhesion; impurities; attaching stems and leaves; adhesion of weeds; or a weed, which is a plant growth hormone,

alternatively, the yield data includes a net weight of available product, and a gross weight including the net weight and a weight of an unusable portion of the product stream.

-the sensing device includes a sensing unit comprising one or more of:

-a two-dimensional camera head for taking a picture,

-a three-dimensional camera head for taking a three-dimensional image,

-a radar sensor for detecting the position of the radar sensor,

-a sensor for detecting the weight of the product stream,

-a radiation sensor for detecting radiation emitted by the radiation source,

-a capacitive sensor, and

-a lidar sensor.

The determination means comprise a calculation unit for determining the quality data or production data,

-the calculation unit is remotely located with respect to the sensing unit and is connected to the sensing unit by communication means, or

The computation unit is mechanically connected to the sensor unit and forms a common controllable module with the sensor unit.

-the computing unit is an on-board computer of a vehicle,

or the communication means comprises wireless communication means and the computing unit is not mounted on the vehicle nor mechanically connected to the sensing unit (cloud computer/internet).

-the assay device has means for providing additional data to provide one or more of:

the additional data internal to the machine is that,

the external data of the machine is transmitted to the machine,

the data from the other harvesting machines is,

weather data, and

and (6) soil data.

-the assay means are adapted to generate environmental data from the sensor data, or from the raw data, or from the quality data, or from the production data,

-said environmental data reflects one or more of soil type, soil humidity and weather conditions.

-the assay device comprises at least one assay assisting means (84), the at least one assay assisting means (84) improving or maintaining the detection quality of the sensing means.

-the assay assisting device comprises one or more of:

-an additional lighting device for illuminating the light source,

-at least one crop stream bypass,

-a crop cleaning device for cleaning a crop,

-a sensor cleaning device, and

-interference influencing shielding means.

-the product is a root crop or sugar beet.

Another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter relates to a processing apparatus for a harvesting machine, comprising an assay apparatus as described above, wherein the processing apparatus further comprises a control unit for controlling the product stream apparatus of the assay apparatus in dependence on the quality data or yield data such that a net yield is higher than a current net yield.

Still further aspects of the processing apparatus may include:

-the control unit comprises a mechanical learning device that varies the control parameters of the control unit in accordance with historical data of the control exerted by the control unit on the product stream plant and the resulting change in net production.

-said control parameters are varied under given frame conditions to increase the net production.

Furthermore, a harvesting machine or vehicle for harvesting root crops or sugar beets is disclosed, comprising an assay device or a processing device as described above.

The device according to the invention has the advantage, inter alia, that the quality or harvesting conditions can be continuously checked during the harvesting process.

The individual features of the disclosure of the invention and the embodiments can in each case be used individually or jointly in the disclosed combination or in any other technically feasible partial combination and are therefore to be regarded as disclosed.

Other developments of the invention are found in the dependent claims.

For each functional feature disclosed hereinafter, its corresponding method feature is also expressly considered to be disclosed as such functional feature is disclosed.

Each of the features disclosed in common is considered to be disclosed in any technically feasible combination.

Drawings

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings in the embodiments.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a harvesting or uprooting vehicle for uprooting or harvesting root crops, particularly sugar beets.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the transport section of the vehicle of fig. 1 and a schematic illustration of the different components of the inventive measuring device.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the transport section of fig. 2.

Detailed Description

The harvesting or uprooting vehicle or machine (generally designated 2) in the drawings is for harvesting or uprooting beet 4 or similar root crops and includes a frame 6 having axles with respective wheels 8, 10. Wherein at least the front wheels 8 and the rear wheels 10 are driven by a drive 12 of the vehicle 2.

On the front side of the carriage 6 there is provided a uprooting unit 16, in particular an uprooting and a declining uprooting unit under the action of a driving element. The drive elements are illustrated in this embodiment as hydraulic cylinders 18 and 20. In this manner, the uprooting unit 16 may be raised and lowered in a known manner to effect uprooting or harvesting. On the front side of the frame 6, a cab 24 is provided, behind the cab 24, a storage unit 26 in the form of, for example, an open hopper for receiving harvested beets 4.

The uprooting unit 16 uproots a plurality of lines of beets 4 at the same time. Thus, the harvested beets 4 are transferred from the uprooting unit 16 via the first transfer unit 28 and the subsequent cleaning unit 30, which in the present embodiment is formed by a plurality of star screens 32, which are arranged one behind the other and each of which is driven in rotation, to the second transfer unit 34, as shown in the figure. The first conveyance unit 28 includes conveyance rollers. The second transfer unit 34 includes a feed belt 36. The feed belt 36 transports the harvested beets to a delivery location of a third transport unit, in this case an upward conveyor 38.

The upward conveyor 38 includes at least one continuous, rotating drive belt 40. Drive units 42 are arranged at regular intervals on the drive belt 40, project laterally of the drive belt 40 and form a support for the sugar beets 4.

The harvesting or uprooting vehicle 2 includes a product stream facility 50 that includes an uprooting unit 16 for uprooting the product, one or more transfer units (e.g., transfer units 28 and 34) for transferring the uprooted product, a cleaning unit 30 for cleaning the uprooted product, and/or a storage unit 26 for storing the uprooted product.

The product stream plant 50 is used to process a product stream 52 of the harvested product 4.

Depending on the configuration of the harvesting or uprooting vehicle 2, portions of the above-described units of the product stream apparatus 50 may be omitted, may be permuted with respect to each other, may be interchanged, or may be replaced by other units. The product stream plant may comprise any desired combination technically feasible, including a uprooting unit 16 for uprooting the product, a transfer unit 36 for transferring the uprooted product, a cleaning unit 30 for cleaning the uprooted product, a storage unit 26 for storing the uprooted product. One or more of these units may be omitted or replaced by other devices as necessary.

The harvesting or uprooting vehicle 2 also includes an on-board computer 60 for controlling the various elements of the vehicle. For this purpose, the vehicle 2 comprises respective sensors, input/output devices such as a screen and a keyboard, and a drive connected to the vehicle computer.

The harvesting or uprooting vehicle 2 also includes a measuring device 62 for measuring data of the harvested product stream.

The assay device 62 includes:

sensing means 64 for detecting raw data of the product stream 52;

a determination means 66 connected to the sensing means 64 for determining data of the product stream 52 from said raw data.

According to the invention, the data of the product stream to be determined are quality data or yield data of the product stream, wherein the quality data or yield data reflect an information item relating to the net yield of the harvested product.

The evaluation device 62 is used, for example, to output a signal corresponding to the quality data or the production data via a signal line 68.

The quality data may include at least one or more of the following data for product stream 52, and all and/or portions of these data items may be combined as desired: surface damage of the product; cracks in the product; an incomplete product; soil adhesion; impurities; attaching stems and leaves; adhesion of weeds; or weeds.

The yield data for product stream 52 can include the net weight of the usable product, as well as the gross weight, including the net weight and the weight of the unusable portion of the product stream.

Net yield information is an item of information that represents the available quality of the product as it is harvested. For example, the net yield information is an information based on the damage degree (quality data) of the product. From this damage level it is possible to estimate which part of the product is unusable before further processing, for example due to decay or sugar breakdown occurring from storage. Thus, with the net yield information, an assessment can also be made of the future available yield of the harvested product.

The sensing device 64 includes a sensing unit 70 having:

-a two-dimensional camera, or/and

-a three-dimensional camera, or/and

-a radar sensor, or/and

a sensor for detecting the weight of the product stream or/and

-a radiation sensor, or/and

-a capacitive sensor, or/and

-a lidar sensor.

The raw data is, for example, an image generated by the camera or a signal output by the sensor.

In this case, the sensing device 64 or sensing unit 70 comprises a two-dimensional camera that generates an image or series of images of the harvested product stream 52 that is transferred from the uprooting unit 16 to the storage unit 26.

More precisely, the sensor device 64 is advantageously arranged such that it detects the product flow on the second transfer unit 34 (or the feed belt 36) between the cleaning device 30 (or the star screen 32) and said third transfer unit (or the upward conveyor 38). Alternatively, the sensing device 64 may also detect the product flow on the star screen 32 or the up-conveyor 38, for example.

The determination means 66 comprise a calculation unit 72 for determining said quality data or production data. According to the illustrated embodiment, the calculation unit 72 is remotely located with respect to the sensing unit 70 and is connected to the sensing unit by a communication device 74. However, the units 70, 74 are provided on both the harvesting and uprooting vehicle 2.

The computing unit 72 may be an on-board computer of the vehicle alone, or part of the on-board computer 60.

The communication device 74 includes a wired communication device 76 such as a cable or a data bus, for example. Alternatively, the communication device 74 includes a wireless communication device 78, such as a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi communication path.

In an alternative, not shown, the computation unit 72 is mechanically connected to the sensor unit 70 and forms a common controllable module with the latter.

Alternatively, the communication device 74 comprises a wireless communication device, and the computing unit 72 or a portion thereof is not attached to the vehicle and is not mechanically connected to the sensing unit 70. In this case, the computing unit 72 is a computer connected to the internet, and the wireless communication means allows the computing unit to receive and process the signals of the sensing unit 70 in a distributed manner (cloud computer/internet).

The measuring device 66 may additionally comprise a unit 80 for providing additional data, which is used for providing additional machine internal and/or external data, such as data from other harvesting machines, weather data or soil data.

The calculation unit 72 is thus used to generate quality data or production data from the additional data and the raw data of the sensor device 64 or the sensor unit 70. For example, the quality of the product flow can be more accurately evaluated according to the weather data of the area where the uprooting operation is performed and the image information of the two-dimensional camera.

Similarly, the determination means can be used to generate environmental data, which reflect in particular the soil type, the soil moisture and/or the weather conditions, from the sensor data or from the raw data or from the quality data or the yield data. For this purpose, the determination means 66 may comprise a unit 82 for generating said environmental data.

The assay device 66 also includes at least one assay facilitating device 84 that enhances or maintains the detection quality of the sensing device. In the present case, the auxiliary measuring device 84 comprises an additional illumination device 86 for illuminating the image field of the sensor device 64.

Alternatively or additionally, the assay support device 84 of one or more of the following elements comprises: at least one crop stream bypass; or/and a crop cleaning device; or/and a sensor cleaning device; or/and interference influencing shielding means.

The crop stream bypass is for example a bypass section along which a first part of the product stream is guided such that it is detected by the sensing means 64 and a second part of the product stream passes directly past and not detected by the sensing unit. In this manner, the quality of detection of at least the first portion of the product stream can be improved. In particular, the amount of calculation required to determine the quality data or the yield data can thus be kept low, and the detection conditions (such as good contrast) of the sensor (camera) can be improved.

The crop cleaning means may for example be a spraying device or a brushing device which cleans the harvested product before it is detected by the sensor means 64.

The sensor cleaning device may for example be a wiping device for cleaning the sensor surface.

The shielding means may for example be a protective sheet protecting the sensing means from dust.

In addition, the harvesting vehicle or machine further includes a treatment device 90 for treating the product stream 52. The processing device 90 comprises a measuring device 62 and a control unit 92 for controlling the product stream device of the measuring device in dependence of the quality data or the yield data such that the net yield is higher than the current net yield.

For this purpose, the control unit 92 is connected to, for example, the signal line 68 and thus receives the quality data or the production data.

Based on the current quality data or yield data, the control unit 92 may act on the transport section, e.g. exert control over the uprooting unit 16, to increase the net yield and preferably achieve the maximum possible net yield. For example, the control unit 92 may change the setting height of the blades of the uprooting unit or the setting height of the uprooting elements, thereby reducing or minimizing damage to the beets. The control unit 92 includes, for example, a mechanical learning device 94.

Preferably, the control unit includes a mechanical learning device 96 that varies the control parameters of the control unit based on historical data, such as the control exerted by the control unit 92 on the product stream plant and the resulting net production volume changes. Wherein by varying said parameter, the control mode of said control unit is varied for a given frame condition, thereby increasing the net production.