FR2464634A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE LOAD OF A MULTI-FUNCTION HARVESTER - Google Patents

Abstract

THE SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS A METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE LOAD OF A HARVESTER INCLUDING A STRAW SHAKER AND CLEANER UNIT, A HARVESTING UNIT, AND A TACHOMETER PROBE. THIS REGULATION DEVICE IS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT A LOSS PROBE 7 IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAID STRAW SHAKER AND CLEANER UNIT 6, IN THAT THE DRIVE DEVICE 10 ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAID HARVESTING UNIT 15 INCLUDES A TORQUE PROBE 11, IN THAT THE LOSS 7 AND TORQUE 11 TACHOMETRIC PROBES 2 ARE EACH ASSOCIATED WITH A SIGNAL CONVERTER 3, 8, 12, IN THAT THESE SIGNAL CONVERTERS ARE EACH CONNECTED VIA A DIFFERENTIAL COMPARATOR 4, 9 , 13 ON A CIRCUIT 5 PRODUCING A COMPENSATION SIGNAL, AND IN THAT AN OUTPUT OF CIRCUIT 5 TO WHICH A CONTROL SIGNAL APPEARS IS CONNECTED TO THE SAID CONTROL UNIT 17. THE INVENTION APPLIES TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES .

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE LOAD

  A MULTI-FUNCTION MOISSONEUSE.

  The present invention relates to a method and a regulating device

  from the load imposed during harvest to a multi-function harvester

  ples comprising a shaking and straw cleaning unit and a harvesting unit. The harvesting unit may be constituted, for example, by a cutting unit or a maize harvesting adapter. The method according to the invention makes it possible to regulate the forward speed of the harvester depending on the particular conditions or particular parameters of the soil and the field concerned, and depending on the nature of the plants to be harvested, and it makes it possible to ensure regulating this speed of advancement in

  a predetermined range, up to a maximum value, depending on the

  density and / or quantity of plants introduced into the harvester. The device according to the invention, which is preferably used for the implementation of the aforementioned method comprises an actuating unit

  associated with a control or regulating unit, as well as a tachy-

  metric. Compared with previously known solutions, the method and the device according to the invention make it possible to operate powerful and expensive harvesters in a more economically rational manner, and at the same time to maintain the losses of seeds at a

  lower level, when harvesting.

  When using a modern and powerful harvester, the determination of

  tion of the load imposed on it is very important.

  The harvester load must be chosen such that the operation

  it is economically as rational as possible.

  This operating condition can be described as follows: The harvester's high capacity, or power, should be utilized during harvesting by operating at a relatively high speed, while harvested crop losses should be maintained as well. as low as possible. In general, losses should not be

  exceed a limit value of 1.5%.

  The known methods and devices for regulating the load imposed on a multi-function harvester do not make it possible to

2464à34

  fully solve this problem, since in these known solutions it is necessary to rely on a reference value, with a view to regulating

of the charge.

  The modern multi-function harvesters feature a high power control motor which actuates, through hydraulically adjustable devices, various work units (such as a cutting unit or mulch adapter / harvester, shaker and cleaner unit). straw, threshing unit, etc.), while directly driving a plurality of wheels. The hydraulic devices control the working units via a V-belt. Trained wheels

  are operated using a hydraulic motor, or variable speed drive.

  built-in hydraulics, or via a V-belt transmission with a bevel gear, which are kinetically linked to

  control motor. In general, combine harvesters with multiple functions

carry two non-driven wheels.

  It should be noted in particular that Soviet-made harvesters of the "SK-5" type have been equipped with a control system

  (called "ARZM") which is ordered on the basis of a nominal value representing

  the quantity of plants treated. The "AK-5" combine harvesters have an inclined entry device which ensures the supply of plants

harvested to a drummer drum.

  In the known system, the load of the drummer drum is measured.

  In the event of an increase beyond a predetermined limit value of the load, the forward speed of the vehicle is reduced by the system

  of regulation, so that the quantity of plants collected and trans-

  worn by the inclined entry device decreases. This avoids the

  drummer drum is engorged by plants.

  Another advantage of the known system lies in the fact that, during harvesting, the load of a harvester equipped with this system is more

  than that imposed on a harvester not equipped with the above-mentioned system.

  Yet another advantage of this system lies in the fact that, during

  harvesting, the load imposed on the harvester is relatively

  die. According to another known method, the shaking unit is associated with

  straw (or sieve) probes capable of emitting

  feeling the loss of plants. The signals produced by the probes are transmitted to a display unit incorporated in the harvester and providing the operator with information relating to the magnitude of the losses that occur.

produce during harvesting.

  Taking into account the values thus displayed, the operator can then take the technical measures necessary to reduce the losses, however, in this case.

  known method, the regulation is not performed automatically.

  The duration of the harvester crossing by the plants is about 5 to 10 seconds and, therefore, the "dead time" between the display of the losses and the corresponding corrective setting is too long for it is acceptable as a basis for the creation of a regulatory system

  to obtain automatic operation of the harvester.

  It has already been proposed, for the regulation of the load of a self-propelled harvester, a device operating on the basis of a measurement of the translation (see the patent application in Federal Germany, disclosed under No. 1,199,039). . This device produces a signal representing the amount of plants introduced into the harvester. The measured translation is

  function of the load of the machine and, consequently, the speed of advance-

  of the machine can be adjusted in correspondence with the measured value, by means of a mechanical or hydraulic transmission, in such a way that the

  load is kept below a predetermined value which generally depends on

  the field and soil conditions concerned. This known solution also makes it possible to obtain a regular load of the harvester; However, the permissible limit value may be exceeded by the effect of a large

  number of parameters whose regulation does not take into account.

  According to another known solution (patent application in Germany,

  disclosed in No. 1 923 779), a mobile probe is associated with the transmission of

  belt or hoist of the harvester. The movements of the probe are measured, and these displacements are transmitted to the control mechanism of the

  harvester via a planetary transmission cage.

  This solution has substantially the same disadvantages as those of the solution described above: Furthermore, the patent application in Germany Federal, disclosed under No. 1,265,476, describes a device for regulating the speed of rotation of the drummer drum. , which uses the measurement of the amount of plants passing on the inclined inlet device. This known device is intended to eliminate the risk of clogging of the drummer drum, in order to equalize the load imposed on the harvester; however, this device does not prevent a limit value

  allowable loss limit to be exceeded.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device which, during harvesting, makes it possible to operate the harvester under optimum economic conditions of load of the engine and

  at the same time, to prevent losses from exceeding a predetermined limit value

completed.

  The invention is based on the fact that loss measurement can also be used as a parameter in an automatic control system - which is not the case in the systems known until now - if we take as a basis for regulation the required torque (or force required) of the harvesting unit, for example from the cutting unit or corn harvester adapter of the harvester. When it is possible to adjust the forward speed of the combine as a function of the required torque of the unit

  harvester (cutting unit or maize harvester / adapter)

  loss, and that it is also possible to adjust the required torque, the control system can be arranged in such a way that the forward speed can be maintained at a suitable value, taking into account the parameters of the field and the soil, while preventing losses from exceeding a predetermined limit value and by operating the harvester in

  conditions corresponding substantially to the maximum required torque. -

  The invention achieves the object defined above by providing a method of regulating the load of a multi-function harvester comprising a straw-shaking and straw-cleaning unit, and a harvesting unit such as a unit. of a maize harvester or adapter, in which a predetermined maximum value of the forward speed of the harvester is selected taking into account the field and soil parameters concerned, and in which the forward speed in a

  predetermined range, up to the maximum value, depending on the

  the density and / or quantity of the plants introduced into the harvest-

  neuse, a remarkable process including in that it consists in attributing to said shaking unit and straw cleaners a maximum permissible value of plant losses, to be allocated to said harvesting unit a maximum value of the torque required for the entralnement of said units, to measure, during harvesting, the forward speed of the harvester, the losses and the torque required, and to adjust said forward speed by

  function of said required torque and said losses, while adjusting the entral-

  the harvesting unit in such a way that the required torque is

  and the losses do not exceed the corresponding maximum values.

  During the implementation of the above method, it is advantageous to be able to modify, during harvesting, the maximum value of the speed

of the harvester.

  In order to achieve the purpose defined above, the invention also proposes

  a device for regulating the load of a multi-function harvester

  comprising a straw-shaking and straw-cleaning unit, a harvesting unit such as a cutting unit or a maize-harvesting adapter, and a control unit associated with a control device of a training device; the harvester, and a tachometer probe, this control device being remarkable, in particular in that a loss sensor is associated with said shaker and straw-cleaning unit, in that the drive device associated with said harvesting unit comprises a torque probe, in that the tachometric loss and torque probes are each associated with a signal converter, in that these signal converters are each connected via a differential comparator to a circuit producing a signal compensation,

  and in that an output of this circuit to which appears a signal of com-

  mand is connected to said control unit.

  In a preferred embodiment of the regulating device according to

  the invention, a control arm is arranged between the control unit

  tee and said harvester drive.

  Advantageously, the differential comparators are associated with adjustment units of the respective maximum permissible values of the speed

  progress, losses and the couple.

  In the method according to the invention, the regulation as a function of the speed has priority over the regulation as a function of the losses, the latter being, in turn, a priority with respect to the regulation as a function of the torque required by the unit. harvesting. As a result, the forward speed (the speed of the harvester) is kept below the predetermined maximum value, while the losses are

optimum value.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from

  reading of the following description and accompanying figures given as

illustrative but not limiting.

  Figure 1 is the wiring diagram of the electrical installation

  of the regulating device according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a front view of a control panel of a central unit disposed in the operator's cabin and incorporated in the device

according to the invention.

  Figure 3 schematically shows a control system installed on a harvester, as well as the arrangement of the probe incorporated in the

device according to the invention.

  According to the method of the invention, a maximum value of the forward speed of a harvester, a maximum value of the torque required for the operation of the harvesting unit and a value of

maximum loss of plants.

6 2464634

  To record these maximum values, it is possible to use a central unit arranged in the cabin of the operator of the harvester. The forward speed of the harvester, the required torque and the plant losses are measured, respectively, by a tachometer probe associated with a non-driven wheel of the harvester, a torque probe associated with the unit

  of harvesting, and a loss probe associated with the shaking unit and net-

  strawberry machine of the reaper. The measured values are compared to the chosen maximum values. The movements of the harvester are adjusted in such a way that the maximum value of the forward speed is not exceeded. When the required torque and / or losses exceed the values

  maxima interested, the speed of advancement of the combine is reduced.

  When the measured losses have a permissible value, while the measured required torque is less than the predetermined maximum value, the

  speed of advancement is increased.

  To take account of unforeseeable unforeseen changes in

  tions, it is advantageous to arrange the regulation system of

  such as, where appropriate, the automatic regulation described below.

  above it is interrupted and then it is possible to carry out a manual regulation or the selection of a new maximum value of the forward speed. Under these conditions, the operation of the combine

  can be adjusted, for example, using a control arm.

  The regulating device according to the invention is coupled to the

  by means of a system 30 (FIG. 1) and acts on a driving device 20. This generally results in

  appropriate selection of the transmission to the training device

  20 by means of a control unit 17 incorporated in the regulating device. The control unit 17 comprises a control arm 18 for manual regulation, which comprises a switch 19 for interrupting

  automatic regulation. The driving device 20 causes a dis-

  positive drive 10 of a harvesting unit 15 consisting of

  for example by a cutting device or an adapter-harvester of mals.

  The harvested plants are brought from the harvesting unit 15 by a shaker and straw-cleaning unit 6 to a predetermined point.

  according to the principles of harvesting technology. The journey of the plants

  Harvested rates are shown in Figure 1 by dashed lines.

  The straw shaker and straw cleaner 6 is also driven

  by the driving device 20 of the harvester, which actuates more

  sieurs wheels of it. When moving the harvester, a wheel

  non-driven, designated by the reference 20, turns.

  A tachometer probe 2 is associated with the untrained wheel-1, a plant loss sensor 7 is associated with the straw-shaking and straw-cleaning unit 6 and a torque sensor 11 is associated with the drive device 10. These The probes are each connected via a signal converter 3, 8, 12 and a differential comparator 4, 9, 13 to a circuit 5 generating a compensation signal. Comparators 4, 9, 13 transmit

  a logic signal O or 1 at the inputs of the circuit, according to the preselected values

  and the measured values. The outputs of circuit 5 are connected to

the control unit 17.

  The outputs of the differential comparators 4, 9, 13 are connected,

  directly and, on the other hand, through generators of

  pulses 51, 52, 53, 54 to a control circuit 56, and they are further connected directly to a unit 55. The latter determines the direction of adjustment of the drive device 20, that is to say acceleration or

  slowdown of the harvester. The control circuit shown in 56

  a signal transmitted to a power amplifier 57 which produces

  control signals transmitted to the control unit 17.

  tapping said control signals according to their period, their width and their amplitude and adjusts the driving device 20 taking into account the signal

of exit from unit 55.

  The regulating device according to the invention can be controlled by means of

  of a central unit arranged in the operator's cabin of the harvest-

  FIG. 2) and having rotating knobs 21, 22, 24, 26, as well as indicating instruments 23, 25, 28, 29. The button 21 serves to adjust the sensitivity of the loss measurement, the button 24 is used to save the

  chosen maximum value of allowable losses and button 26 is used to record

  record the chosen maximum value of the required torque. Indicative instruments

  report the functions obtained for specific recorded settings

  using the aforementioned buttons. The indicating instrument 28 signals the

  instrument 27, the reduction in the speed of advance-

  is lying; the indicating instrument 29 signals the actual control functions

  killed according to the speed of advancement; the indicating instrument 25 signals the decrease of the forward speed for loss reduction, and the indicating instrument 23 signals the range of values of the losses for a given load. The losses indicated by the instrument 23 can be within a minimum value range (MIN), a range of

  optimum values (OPT) or a maximum value range (MAX).

  The probes of the device according to the invention are mounted on the harvest-

  (Figure 3). The tachometer probe 2 is mounted on the non-drive wheel

  1, and the torque sensor 11 is associated with the driving device

  10 of the harvesting unit 15. The outputs of the probes are connected to the central unit 16 via the electrical circuit of the device.

regulation.

  On the basis of the signals of the central unit 16, the regulation of the load imposed on the harvester can be performed as follows:

  1-Using the rotary knob 21, the maximum value is adjusted or recorded

  mum allowable speed of the harvester depending on the actual parameters of the soil and field concerned, and

  of the nature of the plants to harvest.

  2-Using the rotary knob 22, the sensitivity of the loss measurement is adjusted so that the indicating instrument 23 displays, for an acceptable value of losses, the range OPT; the control must be

  performed outside the harvester.

  3-Using the rotary knob 26, the optimum value of the measured torque measured is recorded at the drive device 10 of the harvesting unit.

  in such a way that no change in the speed of advance

  should be necessary, that is to say that this speed would need neither increase (increase indicated by the indicator instrument 27),

  nor to decrease (decrease reported by the indicating instrument 28).

  The control device according to the invention operates as follows: When the speed of the non-driven wheel 1, measured using the tachometer probe 2, exceeds the maximum value recorded with the aid of the

  21, the circuit 5 produces a signal which acts, via

  of the control unit 17, on the driving device so as to cause a decrease in speed. This regulation is independent of the signals produced by the loss probe 7 and by the torque probe 11, as well as the resulting signals produced by the differential comparators.

9, 13, associates.

  When the loss sensor 7 associated with the unit shaker and cleaner

  6 indicates that the value recorded with the aid of the

  turn 24, the circuit 5 acts on the drive device 20, by

  through the control unit 17, so as to cause a decrease in

  the speed of advancement, following which the losses fall

  below the recorded limit value. This regulation is independent

  signals produced by the torque probe 11 and the comparator

differential 13.

9 22464634

  When there is a difference between the recorded value of the torque and the actual value of the torque, the regulating device decreases or increases the forward speed of the harvester, independently of the

  possibilities and values saved.

  The method and the regulating device according to the invention make it possible to ensure the operation of a multi-function harvester with a large

  capacity with reduced losses, kept below a pre-determined value

  undermined. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown; she is likely to many

  variants accessible to those skilled in the art, depending on the applications envisaged

  and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (5)

  A method of regulating the load of a multipurpose harvester comprising a straw-shaking and straw-cleaning unit, and a harvesting unit such as a harvesting unit or a muleteer-feeding adapter, wherein predetermined maximum value of the forward speed of the harvester taking into account the field and soil parameters concerned, and wherein the forward speed is set within a predetermined range up to the maximum value, depending on of the density and / or quantity of the plants introduced into the harvester, characterized in that it consists in attributing to said straw shaker and straw-cleaning machine a maximum permissible value of plant losses, to be attributed to said harvesting unit a maximum value the torque required to drive the units, to measure, during harvesting, the forward speed of the harvester, the losses and the required torque, and   to adjust said forward speed according to said required torque and des-   said losses while controlling the entrainment of said harvesting unit   in such a way that the required torque and the losses do not exceed the their corresponding maxima.   2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that   the maximum value of the feedrate during harvesting.   3.- A load control device of a multipurpose harvester comprising a straw shaking and cleaning unit, a harvesting unit such as a cutting unit or a corn harvester adapter, and a control unit associated with a device for adjusting a driving device of the harvester, and a tachometric probe, characterized in that a loss sensor (7) is associated with said unit   shaker and straw cleaner (6), in that the stirring device   (10) associated with said harvesting unit (15) comprises a torque sensor (11), in that the loss (7) and torque (11) tachometric sensors (2) are each associated with a signal converter (3, 8, 12),   in that these signal converters are each connected by means of   differential comparator (4, 9, 13) on a circuit (5) producing   a compensation signal, and that an output of this circuit (5) to   which appears a control signal is connected to said control unit Mande (17).   4. Control device according to claim 3, characterized in that a control arm (18) is arranged between the control unit (17)   aforesaid and said drive device (20) of the harvester.   The device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that   includes units for recording said maximum values, which are ac-   coupled to said differential comparators (4, 9, 13) and which comprise   preferably, rotating knobs (21, 24, 26).   6. A regulating device according to any one of the claims   3 to 5, characterized in that it comprises signaling units constituting   preferably by means of indicating instruments (23, 25, 27, 29) and   coupled to said differential comparators (4, 9, 13).