Data acquisition module for an agricultural machine and related systems and assemblies

1. A system for acquiring data associated with an agricultural field, the system comprising:

an agricultural machine; and

a data acquisition (DAQ) module supported relative to the agricultural machine, the DAQ module comprising:

a module housing;

an optical window forming a portion of a wall of the module housing;

one or more sensing devices housed within the module housing, the one or more sensing device being configured to generate data associated with a condition of a field as the agricultural machine travels across the field, the one or more sensing devices being positioned within the module housing relative to the optical window such that a field of view of the one or more sensing devices is directed through the optical window; and

an air circulation system provided in operative association with the DAQ module, the air circulation system being configured to direct an airflow into an interior of the module housing for circulation therein to provide cooling for one or more components housed within the module housing, the air circulation system comprising an air knife configured to direct at least a portion of the airflow circulating within the interior of the module housing through the wall to an exterior of the module housing and then across an exterior surface of the optical window;

wherein the air circulation system further comprises an air flap provided in operative association with the air knife to allow a flow channel of the air knife to be selectively opened to permit the portion of the airflow to be directed from the interior to the exterior of the module housing and selectively closed to prevent the portion of the airflow from being directed from the interior to the exterior of the module housing; and

wherein the air circulation system further comprises a motor provided in operative association with the air flap, an operation of the motor being controlled to actuate the air flap in a manner that allows the flow channel of the air knife to be selectively opened and closed.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensing devices comprise one or more imaging devices configured to capture images of a portion of the field as the agricultural machine travels across the field.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more lighting devices positioned within the module housing relative to the optical window such that the one or more lighting devices are configured to direct light through the optical window to illuminate the portion of the field being imaged via the one or more imaging devices.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a heat exchanger thermally coupled to at least one of the one or more lighting devices or the one or more imaging devices such that heat generated by the at least one of the one or more lighting devices or the one or more imaging devices is transferred to the heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the optical window is segmented such that at least a portion of the optical window aligned with the one or more imaging devices is optically isolated from another portion of the optical window.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the agricultural machine comprises an agricultural work vehicle and the DAQ module is supported relative to the agricultural work vehicle in a cantilevered arrangement such that the one or more imaging devices have a field of view oriented generally perpendicular to a surface of the field.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a drape assembly suspended relative to the one or more imaging devices, the drape assembly being configured to at least partially shroud an imaging volume located underneath the DAQ module that encompasses a field of view of the one or more imaging devices.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the drape assembly comprises a plurality of drape sections and a lower drape frame suspended relative to the DAQ module via the plurality of drape sections; and

each drape section of the plurality of drape sections includes a top end and a bottom end, with the top end of each drape section being coupled to the DAQ module and the lower end of each drape section being coupled to the lower drape frame.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the plurality of drape sections comprises a plurality of flexible drape sections; and

each flexible drape section of the plurality of flexible drape sections is configured to flex with upward vertical movement of said lower drape frame.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air circulation system comprises:

an air intake conduit extending lengthwise between an intake end and an output end, with output end of the air intake conduit being provided in fluid communication with an intake port of the module housing; and

a fan housed within the module housing and being provided in fluid communication with the intake port of the module housing, the fan being configured to generate a suction force within the air intake conduit that results in the intake of air at the intake end of the intake conduit, with the generated airflow being directed through the air intake conduit for delivery to the module housing.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the airflow generated by the fan creates a positive pressure within the interior of the module housing that exceeds an ambient pressure outside the module housing; and

the operation of the motor is controlled based on an operational state of the fan.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operation of the motor is controlled based on the operational state of the fan such that the flow channel of the air knife is closed when the fan is deactivated and opened when the fan is activated.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the agricultural machine comprises an agricultural work vehicle and the DAQ module is supported relative to the agricultural work vehicle in a cantilevered arrangement; and

the air intake conduit extends from the DAQ module along a portion of the agricultural work vehicle such that the intake end of the air intake conduit is positioned proximal to an operator's cab of the agricultural work vehicle.

14. A system for acquiring data associated with an agricultural field, the system comprising:

an agricultural machine; and

a data acquisition (DAQ) module supported relative to the agricultural machine, the DAQ module comprising:

a module housing;

an optical window forming a portion of a bottom wall of the module housing;

one or more imaging devices configured to capture images of a portion of the field as the agricultural machine travels across the field, the one or more imaging devices being positioned within the module housing relative to the optical window such that a field of view of the one or more imaging devices is directed through the optical window; and

a drape assembly suspended relative to the one or more imaging devices, the drape assembly being configured to at least partially shroud an imaging volume located underneath the DAQ module that encompasses the field of view of the one or more imaging devices;

wherein:

the drape assembly comprises a plurality of flexible drape sections and a lower drape frame suspended relative to the DAQ module via the plurality of flexible drape sections;

each flexible drape section of the plurality of flexible drape sections includes a top end and a bottom end, with the top end of each flexible drape section being coupled to the DAQ module and the lower end of each flexible drape section being coupled to the lower drape frame; and

each flexible drape section of the plurality of flexible drape sections is configured to flex with upward vertical movement of said lower drape frame.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the lower drape frame is configured to be suspended relative to the DAQ module via the plurality of flexible drape sections such that the lower drape frame is positioned a vertical distance from a surface of the field; and

the drape assembly further comprises a plurality of drape flaps pivotably coupled to the lower drape frame, the plurality of drape flaps at least partially spanning the vertical distance defined between the lower drape frame and the surface of the field.