Method and apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of a crop harvested in a combine

• US 20050143153A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Original Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Inventors: Behnke, Willi, Baumgarten, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 460/4
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1276 for cleaning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 12/52 Arrangements for returning unthreshed grain to the threshing device

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of the tailings (39), output into a tailing augur (46) of a combine (1) and composed of grains (35) and non-grain components, in which the quantity of the tailings (39) is displayed by means of generating grain stream signals (X) and crop stream signals (Y, Z), and the quantity of the tailings (39) is detected in a cleaning system (18), assigned to the combine (1), or in a portion of the cleaning system (18), so that the quantity of the crop harvested (39) is relatively precisely ascertained and conclusively displayed in a simple way.

Claims

1. A method for ascertaining the quantity of the crop harvested (39) in a tailing augur (46) of a combine (1), and in which the tailings quantity (39) is formed by at least grains (35) and non-grain components,

characterized in that

the quantity (39) is displayed by means of the generation of grain stream signals (Y) and crop stream signals (Z):

2. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the grain stream signals (Y) are generated by a grain stream measuring instrument (49) which includes at least one pulse density sensor (50).

3. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the pulse density sensor (50) for measuring the proportion (35) of grain in the tailings is a rod sensor (51).

4. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

a plurality of rod sensors (51) are located in the outlet region (47) of the tailings (39) leaving a cleaning system (18).

5. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the rod sensor or rod sensors (51) are secured by a rubber spring element (48) to a collector and guide pan (56) of the tailing augur (46).

6. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the crop stream signal (Z) is generated by a volumetric stream measuring instrument (42), which measures the volumetric stream of the quantity (39) of tailings in the ear elevator (43) of the tailing augur (36).

7. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

a volumetric stream measuring instrument (42) that generates a grain stream signal (X) is associated with the grain elevator (59).

8. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the grain stream signals (X, Y) and the crop stream signal (Z) are forwarded to an evaluation and display unit (68), and the evaluation and display unit (68) calculates a tailings grain quantity (k) from the at least one grain stream signal (Y) of the tailings region (36), a tailings grain quantity (k1) from the grain stream signal (X) generated in a grain elevator (59), and a quantity (39) of the tailings from the crop stream signal (Z).

9. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

from the grain stream signal (Y), a thousand-grain mass of the fruit type, and an area equivalent comprising the sensor area and the usable filtration area of the tailing augur (46), the evaluation and display unit (49) calculates a tailings grain mass (35).

10. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

from the grain stream signal (Y), a thousand-grain mass of the fruit type, the area equivalent comprising the sensor area and the usable filtration area of the tailing augur (46) and a specific density, the evaluation and display unit (49) calculates a harvested grain volume.

11. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

at least the harvested gain quantity (k) and the quantity (39) of the tailings are displayed quantitatively simultaneously in separate displays (70, 71) on a screen (69) of the evaluation and display unit (68).

12. The method for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

at least the harvested gain quantity (k) and the quantity (39) of the tailings are displayed qualitatively on a display (78) on the screen (69).

13. An apparatus for ascertaining the quantity of the crop harvested (39) in a tailing augur (46) of a combine (1), and in which the quantity (39) of the tailings is formed by at least grains (35) and by non-grain components,

characterized in that

the quantity of the tailings (39) is detected at least in part in a cleaning system (18) associated with the combine (1), or in a portion of the cleaning system (18).

14. The apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the quantity of the tailings (39), detected in the cleaning system (18) or in a portion of the cleaning system (18) includes ascertaining the proportion of grain (k1) in the quantity of the tailings (39).

15. The apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the proportion of grain (k1) in the tailings (39) is detected by means of at least one grain stream measuring instrument (49), and the grain stream measuring instrument (49) receives at least one pulse density sensor (50), which generates grain stream signals (Y) and is operatively connected to an evaluation and display unit (68) that permits a qualitative and/or quantitative display (71) of the proportion of grain (k1) in the quantity of the tailings (39).

16. The apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the cleaning system (18) comprises at least first and second screen planes (31, 32), and each screen plane (31, 32) is assigned at least one grain stream measuring instrument (49).

17. The apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 16,

characterized in that

the plurality of grain stream measuring instruments (49) generate grain stream signals (Y) which are processed and displayed in the evaluation and display unit (68) into screen-plane-dependent proportion of grains (k2) in the quantity of the tailings (39).

18. The apparatus for ascertaining a quantity of a crop harvested in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the evaluation and display unit (68) displays various parameters of the stream of the crop being harvested (3);

and that these parameters may, in addition to the proportion (k) of grain in the tailings and the quantity of the tailings (39), be the cleaning losses (53) and the filtration losses (57).