JPH0510578Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention improves the handling depth of the grain culm fed to the threshing section.
The present invention relates to an automatic handling depth adjustment device for a harvester that adjusts the handling depth based on the detection result of the culm length.

[Prior art]

The automatic handling depth adjustment device in a harvesting machine includes a short culm sensor for detecting short culms and a long culm sensor for detecting long culms, which are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of grain culms. A long culm sensor is installed on the entrance side of the threshing section, and when the culm length sensor detects a short culm, the vertical conveyance chain is moved to the deep handling side, and when a long culm is detected, it is moved to the shallow handling side. Automatically adjusts handling depth by tilting.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

In such a conventional automatic handling depth adjustment device, if short culms and long culms are mixed in the grain culms fed to the threshing section, and the culm length fluctuates greatly, for example, the long culms are detected. If a short culm is detected while the handling depth adjustment operation is being performed for that long culm,
The treatment depth for the long culm was not fully adjusted,
The handling depth adjustment operation may be started for the short culm, and if the speed of the handling depth adjustment is increased to cope with large fluctuations in the culm length, the handling depth adjustment operation may be excessive when the culm length fluctuation is small. The problem was that it was carried out on the same day.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and is an automatic handling depth adjustment system that allows threshing to be performed at an appropriate handling depth at all times, regardless of the magnitude of fluctuations in the culm length of grain culms fed to the threshing section. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Means for solving problems]

The automatic handling depth adjustment device for a harvester according to the present invention detects the culm length of the grain culm fed to the threshing section, and automatically adjusts the handling depth based on the detection result. In the device, a culm length sensor using an image sensor and an image signal of the culm length sensor are
A means for detecting the boundary position between the background part and the grain culm based on the binary image data obtained by converting it into a value, calculating the culm length and the average value of the culm length, and calculating the standard deviation of the culm length based on these; and means for changing the speed of handling depth adjustment based on the processing depth.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a harvesting machine equipped with an automatic handling depth adjustment device according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the proposed device), and FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the drive mechanism of the vertical conveyance chain. .

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body section equipped with a threshing section 2, and a reaping section 5 composed of a cutting blade 3, a grain culm lifting device 4, etc. is attached to the front side of the main body section 1 so as to be movable up and down. ing. On the rear side of the reaping section 5, there is a vertical conveyance chain 1 for conveying the harvested grain culms rearward and upward.
0 is provided with its terminal end facing the starting end of the grain culm pincher transfer device 11 extending along the handling opening of the threshing section 2.

The grain culm harvested by the reaping section 5 is then conveyed to the front part of the threshing section 2 by the vertical conveyance chain 10 via a lower conveyance device (not shown), and then transferred to the grain culm pinching transfer device 11. In the device 11, while being transferred with the tip side inserted into the handling chamber 2a of the threshing section 2 through the handling port, the grain is threshed in the handling cylinder 2b provided in the handling chamber 2a. There is.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical conveyance chain 10 has its left (right side in FIG. 2) central portion rotatably supported on the upper end of a column 12 erected at the front of the main body 1. The bracket 10a protruding from the lower right side of the bracket 10a has a drive arm 14 that moves forward and backward according to the rotation of the drive motor 13.
The tip is rotatably supported.

When the drive motor 13 rotates forward (or reversely) and the drive arm 14 advances (or retracts), the vertical conveyance chain 10 pivots around the pivot point of the support column 12 and rotates in reverse when viewed from the front. It is designed to be tilted clockwise (or clockwise).

Then, when the vertical conveyance chain 10 is tilted counterclockwise (or clockwise), the grain stalks conveyed by the chain 10 are transferred to the grain stalk pinching transfer device 11. As a result, the main side of the stock (or the tip side) becomes more pinched, and the length of insertion into the handling chamber 2a becomes longer (or shorter), making it possible to thresh in a deep (or shallow) condition. It will be processed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the front part of the harvester, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system of the proposed device. The culm length sensor 6 using an image sensor includes a part of the grain culm transported by the vertical transport chain 10, and is parallel to the transport direction of the grain culm, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. In order to image the inside of the rectangular imaging field A, it is attached to the front part of the threshing section 2 so as to face slightly forward and downward.

The culm length sensor 6 includes, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 60 having n×m pixels and an optical lens 61 for forming an image of an object on the photosensitive surface of the CCD 60. The output signal is sent to the A/D converter 7.
0, video memories 71a and 71b, and an arithmetic control section 72.

The CCD 60 accumulates charges corresponding to the intensity and irradiation time of light that passes through the optical lens 61 and irradiates each pixel, and receives clock pulses from the calculation control section 72 at predetermined time intervals. Each time, an image signal having a level corresponding to the charge in each pixel is outputted to the A/D converter 70 of the image signal processing unit 7 in the order in which the transport direction of the grain culm in the imaging field of view A is the main scanning direction.

This image signal is sent to the A/D converter 70.
After being converted into bright and dark binarized data based on a predetermined threshold value, it is applied to the video memory 71a in response to the clock pulse, and a binary value consisting of "1" representing a bright area and "0" representing a dark area is added to the video memory 71a. Stored as image data. When one frame has been stored in the video memory 71a, it is similarly stored in the video memory 71b in response to the next clock pulse, and thereafter the binary image data is stored in the video memories 71a, 71b.
are stored alternately.

The arithmetic control unit 72 using a microcomputer reads image data from the video memory 71a or 71b, and calculates the culm length of the grain culm within the imaging field of view A from this image data, as will be described later. is calculated as the standard deviation of the calculated value of the culm length, and the pulse signals V ₁ and V ₂ have a high or low level depending on the calculated value of the culm length, and the duty ratio thereof is changed according to the calculated value of the standard deviation,
The signal is output to the drive circuit 8 of the drive motor 13 that tilts the vertical conveyance chain 10 as described above.

The motor drive circuit 8 is constructed by connecting electromagnetic relays 81, ₈₂ and switching transistors 83, 84 as shown in _FIG . 84 respectively. When the pulse signal V ₁ (or the same V ₂ ) is applied, the switching transistor 83 (or the same 84) operates intermittently, and the electromagnetic relay 81 (or the same 82) repeats energization and de-energization, and the electromagnetic The drive motor 13 is connected to the power source only while the relay 81 (or 82) is energized, the motor 13 rotates in reverse (or forward), and the vertical conveyance chain 10 is placed on the shallow handling (or deep handling) side. It is tilted intermittently.

Now, the operation of the present device configured as above will be explained. The harvester travels over the field while operating the reaping section 5, and uses the cutting blade 3 to harvest the grain culms planted on the field. After the harvested grain culms are conveyed to the front part of the threshing section 2 by the vertical conveyance chain 10,
The handling barrel 2b is transferred to the handling chamber 2a while being transferred to the grain handling chamber 2a with the tip side inserted into the handling chamber 2a.
The grain is threshed at

During this period, the culm length sensor 6
The grain culm being transported is imaged within the imaging field of view A, and an image signal obtained from the imaging result is output to the image signal processing section 7.

5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing the imaging results of the culm length sensor 6. FIG. In these figures, the hatched portion is the portion where the grain culm is present, and the other portions are background portions such as a part of the aircraft body imaged together with the grain culm. When the culm length sensor 6 captures an image within the imaging field of view A, the part where the grain culm is present is imaged brighter than the background. When converted into light/dark binarization, the grain culm is “1” representing the bright part.
Then, the background part is binarized to "0" and stored in the video memory 71a or 71b.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the arithmetic control section 72. The arithmetic control unit 72 reads the binary image data stored in the video memory 71a or 71b, and converts the data into m images in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the grain culms, that is, in the vertical direction in FIGS. 5 and 6. The culm length l on each sub-scanning line is determined by detecting the position where the image data transitions from "0" to "1", that is, the position of the boundary between the background and the grain culm. Calculate _i (i=1...m). For example, when examining the i-th sub-scanning line from the upper side (head side) to the lower side (stock side) as shown in Figure 5, if the
Assuming that the transition occurs at a position corresponding to the j-th pixel among n pixels of the CCD 60, the grain culm l _i on the sub-scanning line is calculated by the following equation.

l _i =m−j (1) Next, the calculation control unit 72 calculates the average value of the culm length l _i over the entire imaging field of view A and the average value of the culm length l i over the entire imaging field of view A, and the average value of the culm length l i over the entire imaging field of view A, for example, the forward k The representative culm length l is calculated as the average value of the culm length l _i on the sub-scanning line of the book using the following formula.

=1/m _n 〓 ⁱ⁼¹ l _i …(2) l=1/k _n 〓 ^i=m-(k+1) l _i …(3) After that, the arithmetic control unit 72 uses the following equation (1) The standard deviation S of the culm length within the imaging field of view A is determined by each calculated culm length l _i and the average culm length calculated using equation (2).
is calculated using the following formula.

The value of the standard deviation S obtained in this way indicates the fluctuation in the culm length of the grain culm imaged by the culm length sensor 6, and when the fluctuation in the culm length is small over the entire imaging field A as shown in FIG. is small, and conversely becomes large when the variation in culm length is large as shown in FIG. After calculating the standard deviation S using formula (4), the arithmetic control unit 72 compares it with the preset upper limit value S _nax and lower limit value S _nio of the standard deviation, and if S is greater than or equal to S _nax . If S is less _{than or equal to S nio ,} S = S _nio , and S is S _nax.
If it is smaller than S _nio and larger than S nio , the value of standard deviation S obtained by equation (4) is used as is, and it is multiplied by a predetermined constant C to obtain the pulse signal V ₁ , V ₂ is calculated.

Next, the arithmetic control unit 72 compares the representative culm length l previously calculated using equation (3) with the preset upper limit l _nax and lower limit l _nio of the culm length, and if l is greater than or equal to l _nax , in other words Then, if the culm length calculated from the imaging result of the culm length sensor 6 is longer than the culm length represented by l _nax , the previously calculated duty is adjusted to tilt the vertical conveyance chain 10 to the shallow handling side. A pulse signal V ₁ having a ratio D is transmitted vertically when l is less than l _nio , in other words, when the culm length calculated from the imaging result of the culm length sensor 6 is shorter than the culm length represented by l _nio . A similar pulse signal V ₂ is output to the motor drive circuit 8 in order to tilt the conveyance chain 10 toward the deep handling side. Further, when l is larger than l _nio and smaller than l _nax , that is, when the culm length calculated from the imaging result of the culm length sensor 6 is within an appropriate range, the drive motor 13 rotates. To prevent this, the output of pulse signals _V1 and _V2 is stopped. As a result, the grain culm fed to the threshing section 2 in the vertical conveyance chain 10 has the representative culm length l calculated by equation (3) from the imaging result of the culm length sensor 6.
The depth of treatment is automatically adjusted so that the value falls between the upper limit l _nax and the lower limit l _nio of culm length.

At this time, the amount of rotation of the drive motor 13 per unit time, in other words, the amount of tilting of the vertical conveyance chain 10 per unit time is determined by the pulse signal V ₁ or the pulse signal V _{2 .}
The duty ratio D is increased or decreased depending on the magnitude of the duty ratio D, and the duty ratio D becomes larger as S increases according to the calculation result of the standard deviation S calculated by equation (4) as described above. Even if the representative culm lengths l calculated by Equation (3) are equal from the imaging results shown in FIG. 5 where the fluctuations in culm length are small and the imaging results shown in FIG. 6 where the fluctuations in culm length are large, the equation (4 ) is naturally larger in the case of Fig. 6, and as a result, the pulse signal V ₁ or the same
Since the duty ratio D of _V2 is also larger in the case of FIG. 6, the vertical conveyance chain 10 can be tilted to a predetermined position in a shorter time. That is,
When the fluctuation of the culm length within the imaging field of view A captured by the culm length sensor 6 is large, the handling depth adjustment operation is performed more quickly and faithfully follows the fluctuation of the culm length compared to when the fluctuation is small. The handling depth can be adjusted.

Note that the procedure for calculating the representative culm length l is not limited to the procedure shown in this embodiment. For example, the culm length l _i on a predetermined sub-scanning line may be used as the representative culm length l, and the culm length average value and standard deviation S may be calculated. In this embodiment, as shown in equations (2) and (4), the imaging field of view A
Although these values are calculated as the average value and standard deviation of the culm length over the entire area, it goes without saying that they may be calculated in a part of the area within the imaging field of view A.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which a two-dimensional image sensor is used as the culm length sensor, but a one-dimensional image sensor is installed at the front side of the threshing section 2 with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the grain culm conveying direction. A culm length sensor may be used, which is provided in the grain culm and configured to image the grain culm with the sensor.

〔effect〕

As detailed above, in the present device, the grain culm fed to the threshing section is captured by the culm length sensor composed of an image sensor, and the image signal of the culm length sensor is
Means for detecting the boundary position between the background part and the grain culm based on the binary image data obtained by digitization, calculating the culm length and the average value of the culm length, and calculating the standard deviation of the culm length based on these; Since the culm length is precisely detected and the handling depth is adjusted at an appropriate speed according to the standard deviation determined by the means, Since it can be changed, it eliminates the inconveniences such as delays in adjusting the handling depth even if there is a large change in culm length, or conversely, the adjustment of the handling depth being too fast. Ideas are highly effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a harvester equipped with the proposed device, Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of a vertical conveyance chain drive mechanism, and Fig. 3 is a harvesting machine. A schematic plan view of the front part of the machine, Figure 4 is a block diagram of the control system of the proposed device, Figures 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing the imaging results of the culm length sensor, and Figure 7 is the control of the arithmetic control section. This is a flowchart showing the contents. 2... Threshing section, 5... Reaping section, 6... Culm length sensor, 7... Image signal processing section, 8... Motor drive circuit, 10... Vertical conveyance chain, 72... Arithmetic control section, A... Imaging field of view.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claim for utility model registration] An image sensor is used in an automatic handling depth adjustment device for a harvester that detects the culm length of grain culms fed to a threshing section and automatically adjusts the handling depth based on the detection result. Based on the culm length sensor used and the binary image data obtained by binarizing the image signal of the culm length sensor, the boundary position between the background part and the grain culm part is detected, the culm length and the average value of the culm length are calculated, and these are 1. An automatic handling depth adjustment device for a harvester, comprising means for calculating the standard deviation of culm length based on the culm length, and means for changing the speed of handling depth adjustment based on this.