Sugar cane harvester automatic cutter height control
View Patent ↗Sugar cane harvester automatic cutter height control systems maintain consistent cutter heights even as a harvesting machine traverses changing field conditions. After an operator chooses an initial cutting height the automatic systems maintain that height even as ground conditions change.
1. A harvester base cutter control system comprising:
a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester to measure a height of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;
a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester to measure a height of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;
a hydraulic system to raise or lower the base cutter/row separator unit with respect to the harvester; and,
a controller that interprets sensor data and adjusts base cutter/row separator height via the hydraulic system to maintain a constant base cutter height above the furrow.
2. The system of claim 1 , the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors.
3. The system of claim 1 , the controller comprising a pitch sensor that measures a pitch angle of the harvester.
4. A method of maintaining constant base cutter height in a harvester comprising:
providing a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester;
providing a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester;
using the first height sensor to monitor a height, h 1 , of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;
using the second height sensor to monitor a height, h 2 , of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;
raising or lowering the base cutter/row separator unit to maintain height, h 1 , constant;
if height, h 2 , decreases by an amount, Δh, raising the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh; and,
if height, h 2 , increases by an amount, Δh, lowering the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh.
5. The method of claim 4 , the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors.
6. A method of maintaining constant base cutter height in a harvester comprising:
providing a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester;
providing a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester;
providing a pitch sensor to monitor a pitch angle of the harvester;
using the first height sensor to monitor a height, h 1 , of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;
using the second height sensor to monitor a height, h 2 , of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;
raising or lowering the base cutter/row separator unit to maintain height, h 1 , constant;
if the pitch angle is changing or has been constant for less time than the harvester takes to traverse a distance equal to a separation between the first and second sensor, then ignoring changes in height, h 2 ; and,
otherwise: if height, h 2 , decreases by an amount, Δh, raising the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh, and, if height, h 2 , increases by an amount, Δh, lowering the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh.
7. The method of claim 6 , the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors.