JPH04370025A - Controller for threshing and grading - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve follow-up properties when the layer thickness of substances to be treated is changed by regulating the throughput of a grader based on the layer thickness and its rate of change. CONSTITUTION:The throughput of a grader is automatically regulated so as to maintain the layer thickness of substances to be treated on a shaking and grading plate 19 of a grader (B) within a proper range. Manipulated variables for regulating the throughput of the grader are determined based on the layer thickness and its rate of change according to a fuzzy inference, etc., to drive a sieve motor and a fan mill motor.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a layer thickness detecting means for detecting the thickness of a layer of the processed material on a swinging sorting plate provided in a sorting device for sorting the processed material after threshing; The present invention relates to a threshing sorting control device that is provided with a control means that automatically adjusts the throughput of the sorting device so that the thickness of the layer falls within an appropriate range.

0002

[Background Art] In order to maintain good sorting accuracy in a threshing sorting device (hereinafter simply referred to as a sorting device) such as a combine harvester, it is necessary to maintain the thickness of the layer of processed material on the oscillating sorting plate within an appropriate range. There is a need to. If the amount of processed material is too small, straw waste will easily be mixed in with the grains that are collected as the first product, and if it is too large, the so-called third loss will increase, where the grains that should be collected are mixed with the straw waste and discharged. Because it does.

[0003]Recently, a layer thickness detection means for directly detecting the thickness of the layer of the material to be processed on the oscillating sorting plate has been developed, and based on the detected value, the thickness of the layer of the material to be processed is adjusted to fall within the appropriate range. Feedback control of the processing capacity of a sorting device is currently practiced (for example, see Japanese Patent Application No. 2-402532).

However, it is difficult to maintain the thickness of the layer of the processed material within an appropriate range using only feedback control based on the detected value (thickness of the layer of the processed material) of the layer thickness detection means. In other words, when the thickness of the layer of the object to be processed changes rapidly, the processing capacity control of the sorting device tends to become unstable due to a delay in detection by the layer thickness detection means. Therefore, stabilization of control is attempted by concurrently using feedforward control based on the amount of grain culm supplied to the handling chamber detected by substitute sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor and a culm thickness sensor.

[0005]

However, in controlling the throughput of a sorting device using both a substitute sensor and a layer thickness detecting means as described above, the control program becomes complicated and it is difficult to respond to design changes. Another disadvantage is that it is difficult to meet requests for cost reduction.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to stabilize the throughput control of the sorting device based on the detection information of the layer thickness detection means and to obtain better control performance. It is in.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The threshing sorting control device of the present invention detects the thickness of the layer of the processed material on the swinging sorting plate provided in the sorting device that sorts the processed material after threshing. A detection means and a control means for automatically adjusting the processing capacity of the sorting device so that the thickness of the layer of the processed material falls within an appropriate range are provided, and a first characteristic configuration is that the control means The present invention is characterized in that the operation amount for adjusting the throughput of the sorting device is determined based on the detected value of the layer thickness detecting means and the rate of change thereof.

[0008] A second characteristic configuration is that in the first characteristic configuration, manual adjustment means for correcting the operation amount is provided.

[0009]

According to the first feature, the control means determines the operating amount for adjusting the throughput of the sorting device based on the detected value of the layer thickness detecting means and the rate of change thereof. In other words, differential control based on the rate of change of the detected value is added to the proportional control based on the detected value. As a result, even if the thickness of the layer of the object to be treated changes rapidly, it can be quickly followed, contributing to control stability. Such control can be easily realized by applying fuzzy inference, for example.

According to the second feature, the manual adjustment means can be operated to finely adjust the amount of operation according to the wetness of the object to be treated.

[0011]

As described above, it has become possible to improve the stability of controlling the processing capacity of the sorting device based on the information detected by the layer thickness detecting means.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a so-called self-extracting type combine harvester will be described with reference to the drawings.

The self-removal type combine harvester shown in FIG. 2 includes a pair of left and right crawler traveling devices 1, a threshing section 2, a control section 3, a reaping section 4, and the like. The reaping section 4 includes a weeding tool 5, a planting grain culm raising device 6, and a cutting blade 7, and the cut grain culms are conveyed to the feed chain 16 of the threshing section 2 by a conveying device 9.

The power transmission system is constructed as shown in FIG. The power of the engine E is transmitted to the threshing section 2 via the threshing clutch 10, and is also transmitted to the transmission section 13 of the crawler traveling device 1 via the traveling clutch 11 and the hydraulic continuously variable transmission 12. Power is transmitted to the reaping section 4 from the transmission section 13 via the reaping clutch 14. Further, a threshing switch SW1 is provided to detect the on/off state of the threshing clutch 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the threshing section 2 includes a handling cylinder 15
A handling room A that stores grain culms, a feed chain 16 that transports grain culms supplied from the reaping section 4, and a cross-flow fan 17 for dust removal.
, a sorting device B consisting of a handle 18 and a swinging sorting plate 19;
It is provided with a first port 20 for collecting grains and a second port 21 for collecting a mixture of grains and straw waste.

The grain culms supplied to the handling chamber A are threshed by the rotation of the handling cylinder 15. A receiving net 22 is provided at the lower part of the handling room A, and the single grains among the processed material after threshing leak from the receiving net 22 to the oscillating sorting plate 19. The processed material that cannot leak through the receiving net 22 falls from the rear end of the receiving net 22 onto the swinging sorting plate 19. At the rear end of the frame of the receiving net 22, a layer thickness detection means (
A layer thickness sensor (hereinafter referred to as a layer thickness sensor) S1 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 7, the layer thickness sensor S1 includes a sensor bar T that is swingably suspended around the horizontal axis, and resists the rotation angle of the sensor bar T toward the rear (in the direction of transfer of the processed material). It consists of a potentiometer PM that converts into a value. The sensor bar T has a downstream part T1 in the processing material transfer direction and an upstream part T2.
It is formed into a longer bifurcated shape. When the thickness of the layer of the material to be treated is thin, the downstream portion T1 is in contact with the material to be treated, and when the layer thickness is thick, the upstream portion T2 is configured to be in contact with the material to be treated.

With the above configuration, the thicker the layer of the object to be treated, the larger the rotation angle of the sensor bar T, and the higher the resistance value of the potentiometer PM. In the end, the layer thickness sensor S1 obtains a DC voltage according to the thickness of the layer of the object to be processed as detection information.

The oscillating sorting plate 19 of the sorting device B
It consists of a grain pan 23 located above the grain pan 8, a chaff sheave 24 located behind it, a grain sheave 25 located below it, etc. The grains leaking from the grain sieve 25 are collected from the first opening 20 provided below the swinging sorting plate 19 and stored in a tank or the like. In addition, the mixture of grains and straw that falls from the rear end of the chaff sieve 24 and the grain sieve 25 is collected from the second port 21 and sent to the swing sorting plate 19.
will be reduced to

The chaff sieve 24, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of plate-like members 24a are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction at predetermined intervals. Each plate-like member 24a is pivotally mounted around the left and right axes, and its lower end portions are connected by a link 25. Therefore, when the link 25 is moved in the front-rear direction, each of the plate members 24a rotates at the same time, and the interval t between adjacent plate members 24a (hereinafter referred to as chaff sheave opening) changes.

The chaff sheave opening degree is adjusted by rotating the sheave motor M1 in forward and reverse directions. The forward and reverse rotation is converted into forward and backward movement of the link 25 by a gear-type linkage mechanism 26, a swing arm 27, and a release wire 28.
As a result, the chaff sheave opening degree is changed as described above. Further, a chaff sheave opening sensor S2 is provided that detects the chaff sheave opening from the rotation angle of the swing arm 27. Note that 29 is a coil spring that biases the chaff sheave opening toward the fully closed side.

[0022] The handle 18 of the sorting device B is connected to the swinging sorting plate 1.
The wind force is used to blow away straw debris on the fan case cover 18a, as shown in FIG.
This is done by changing the opening (hereinafter referred to as the opening degree). In other words, as the opening degree of the exhaust air is increased, the amount of air escaping from the opening increases, and the wind force exerted on the processed material on the swinging sorting plate 19 (hereinafter referred to as the exhaust wind force) becomes smaller.

[0023] The adjustment of the opening degree of the tow exhaust air is performed by the tow motor M2, as shown in FIG. When the Toumi motor M2 is rotated forward and backward, the linkage mechanism 30 and the swing arm 31
, the fan case cover 18a via the links 32 and 33.
opens and closes. Further, there is provided a wind exhaust opening sensor S3 that detects the wind exhaust opening degree from the rotation angle of the swing arm 31.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control means H controls the drive of the sheave motor M1 and the sheave motor M2 to change and adjust the chaff sheave opening degree and the sheave exhaust air opening degree (chough air flow), that is, to adjust the processing capacity of the sorting device B. It is done by controlling. That is, in order to maintain appropriate sorting accuracy, the control means H, based on the detection information of the layer thickness sensor S1 described above,
The processing capacity of the sorting device B is automatically adjusted so that the thickness of the layer of the processed material on the swinging sorting plate 19 is within an appropriate range.

The control means H is equipped with a microcomputer, and performs the above-mentioned automatic adjustment by fuzzy control configured by its program. A description will be given below along with a flowchart (see FIG. 8) of the threshing sorting control that is executed when the threshing switch SW1 is on, that is, during the threshing operation.

First, in process (a), the layer thickness level deviation d and its variation Δd are determined from the information detected by the layer thickness sensor S1. Here, the layer thickness level deviation d refers to the amount of deviation of the layer thickness of the object to be processed from the median value of the appropriate range. In other words, the detection information (DC voltage) of the layer thickness sensor S1 is A/D converted and
The difference between that value and the predetermined appropriate range median value (96) is the layer thickness level deviation d.
shall be. If the thickness of the layer of the treated material is thicker than the median value of the appropriate range, d will be a positive value, and if it is thinner than the median value of the appropriate range, d will be a negative value. Moreover, since this processing routine is repeated in a predetermined processing cycle, the amount of change Δd in the layer thickness level deviation d
can also be called the rate of change.

Next, in process (b), the manipulated variable K is determined by fuzzy inference using the layer thickness level deviation d and its variation Δd as fuzzy variables of the antecedent. The membership functions of the fuzzy variables d and Δd are shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b). Further, the membership function of the manipulated variable K, which is a fuzzy variable in the consequent part of the rule shown in FIG. 10, is expressed as a set of discrete singletons as shown in FIG. 9(c).

One or more of the 30 rules shown in the matrix shown in FIG. The manipulated variable K can be obtained from the rule. In other words, the value obtained by multiplying the operation amount K of the matching rule by the smaller value of the grade of d or Δd is the operation amount K obtained from that rule. When a plurality of manipulated variables K are obtained from a plurality of rules, the average value thereof is the final manipulated variable K obtained by fuzzy inference.

The above calculation is executed with reference to a calculation table stored in the control means H. The operation amount K is also expressed as a positive or negative 8-bit digital value, where a positive value represents an operation to increase the throughput of the sorting device B, that is, an operation to increase the chaff sieve opening and decrease the head exhaust air opening, and a negative value represents an operation that reduces processing capacity.

Next, in process (c), the above operation amount K is corrected according to the set position of the manual adjustment means V1. The manual adjustment means V1 is a rotary volume, and if the setting position is the center (standard), the correction amount is zero.
When turned to the left or right, the manipulated variable K is corrected to the plus or minus side by a correction amount depending on the angle. This allows the operator to judge and finely adjust conditions such as the degree of wetness of the processed material.

Finally, in process (d), the sheave motor M1 and the sheave motor M2 are driven based on the corrected operation amount K. The detection information of the chaff sheave opening sensor S2 and the exhaust air opening sensor S3 described above is also converted into positive and negative 8-bit digital values, and each motor M1, M2 is driven until the amount of change matches the manipulated variable K. It turns out.

Other examples will be listed below. ■
In the above embodiment, the operating amount of the throughput adjustment of the sorting device (the operating amount of the sheave opening and the wind exhaust opening ), but the target values of the chaff sieve opening and the tow exhaust air opening may be determined from the absolute value of the layer thickness of the material to be treated and the amount of change thereof.

■ The method of determining the operation amount for adjusting the processing capacity of the sorting device based on the detected value of the layer thickness detecting means and its rate of change is not limited to fuzzy inference, but can also be performed using, for example, a PID control circuit using an OP amplifier or the like. It can also be done by

■ Although the sorting device of the above embodiment adjusts its processing capacity by adjusting the opening degree of the chaff sieve and the windshield wind force, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a sorting sieve may be used instead of the chaff sieve. It can also be applied to a type of sorting device in which a shielding plate is moved in and out to adjust the filtration area. Moreover, it is applicable not only to a self-removal type combine harvester but also to a full-rod input type combine harvester.

[0035] Note that although reference numerals are written in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the accompanying drawings by such entry.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a threshing and sorting device for a combine harvester according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Side external view of the combine harvester

[Figure 3] Explanatory diagram of the power transmission system of the combine harvester

[Figure 4] A perspective view showing the threshing section of the combine harvester.

[Figure 5] Schematic diagram of the chaff sieve opening adjustment mechanism of the sorting device

[Figure 6] Schematic diagram of the exhaust air opening adjustment mechanism of the sorting device

[Figure 7] Side view of the layer thickness detection means and its surroundings

[Figure 8] Flowchart of threshing sorting control

[Figure 9] Diagram showing membership functions of fuzzy variables

[Figure 10] Table showing fuzzy inference rules

[Explanation of symbols]

19 Rocking sorting plate B Sorting device H Control means S1 Layer thickness detection means V1 Manual adjustment means

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A sorting device (
B) includes a layer thickness detection means (S1) for detecting the thickness of the layer of the processed material on the swinging sorting plate (19); A threshing sorting control device equipped with a control means (H) that automatically adjusts the processing capacity of the sorting device (B), wherein the control means (H) is configured to control the detection value of the layer thickness detection means (S1), A threshing sorting control device configured to determine an operation amount for adjusting the throughput of the sorting device (B) based on the rate of change. 2. Manual adjustment means (
2. The threshing sorting control device according to claim 1, further comprising: V1).