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EP-4212003-B1 - AGRICULTURAL RESIDUE DEPOSITING APPARATUS AND METHOD

EP4212003B1EP 4212003 B1EP4212003 B1EP 4212003B1EP-4212003-B1

Inventors

  • LEENKNEGT, ARNO
  • MISSOTTEN, BART M.A.
  • Jongmans, Dré W.J.
  • TALLIR, Frederik
  • Deruyter, Lucas
  • MAHIEU, Thomas

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220114

Claims (20)

  1. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus comprising a mobile harvesting machine (10) that is capable of generating agricultural residue and depositing it on a ground surface over which the mobile harvesting machine is moveable, the mobile harvesting machine including an interface device (12) that is capable of generating one or more output that is interpretable by a human operator; the apparatus including one or more sensors (18, 19) of agricultural residue deposited or being deposited by the mobile harvesting machine and one or more processors to which the one or more sensors are operatively connected, the one or more processors additionally being operatively connected to the interface device such that the interface device generates one or more outputs, based on one or more signals generated by the one or more sensors, of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine; and the one or more processors being capable of adding human-interpretable augmentation (24a, 24b) to one or more said outputs indicating one or more parameters of or relating to the deposition of residue, wherein the interface device (12) is or includes a visual display that is visible to a human operator and that displays one or more images of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, wherein the one or more images is or includes one or more of a video image, a mimic/simulation, an animation, a hybrid video-mimic/simulation, a hybrid video-animation, a hybrid mimic/simulation-animation or a static image of the residue as it is undergoing spreading, or immediately following spreading, behind the mobile harvesting machine.
  2. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the one or more images includes one or more images of or representing the mobile harvesting machine (10), the one or more images being variable in dependence on one or more variable parameters of or pertaining to the mobile harvesting machine.
  3. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 2 including one or more parameter input devices that is capable of generating one or more signals indicative of the value of one or more variable parameters of or pertaining to the mobile harvesting machine (10).
  4. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 3 or any preceding claim depending therefrom wherein the augmentation (24a, 24b) added to one or more said outputs is or includes one or more of: one or more, and preferably two or more, lines overlain on the visual display; one or more symbols overlain on the visual display; one or more words overlain on the visual display; shading of part or all of the visual display; occlusion of part or all of the visual display; patterning of part or all of the visual display; brightening or intensifying of part or all of the visual display or colouring of part or all of the visual display.
  5. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein when augmentation (24a, 24b) includes one or more lines overlain on the visual display the lines are such as to guide the deposition of residue resulting from control of the mobile harvesting machine (10) by a human.
  6. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein the one or more lines indicate one or more of: one or more edges of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more height parameters of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more cross-section of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more field boundary; one or more boundary of a region of unmown crop; one or more headland; one or more obstacle on the ground surface; one or more regions in which residue coverage is less or greater than desired; the strength and/or direction of prevailing wind; and/or the influence of a field slope on the deposition of residue.
  7. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to any preceding claim including an operator's cab (13), wherein the interface device (12) is within or supported by the operator's cab; and wherein the operator's cab includes one or more controls that are operatively connected to permit a human to modify one or more adjustable parameters of or relating to the deposition of residue based on one or more outputs of the interface device.
  8. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein the one or more adjustable parameter of or relating to the deposition of residue is or includes one or more of the speed of ejection of residue from the mobile harvesting machine (10); the trajectory angle of ejection of the residue from the mobile harvesting machine; the height from which the residue is ejected from the mobile harvesting machine; the speed of the mobile harvesting machine; and the direction of travel of the mobile harvesting machine.
  9. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the mobile harvesting machine (10) includes one or more adjustable cutter for comminuting the residue and wherein the one or more controls permits varying of the degree of comminution of the residue by adjusting the cutter.
  10. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the one or more sensors (18, 19) includes one or more sensors supported by the mobile harvesting machine (10) and/or one or more sensors supported by a further machine.
  11. Agricultural residue depositing apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein when present the further machine is selected from the list including a mobile, ground-supported vehicle and/or an airborne vehicle.
  12. A method of depositing agricultural residue comprising steps of causing a mobile harvesting machine (10) forming part of apparatus according to any preceding claim to move on a ground surface while depositing agricultural residue on the ground surface, the deposition being adjusted in accordance with control commands input to the mobile harvesting machine by a human based on comprehension of one or more outputs of the interface device (12) by the human, and the one or more outputs being augmented in one or more human-interpretable ways based on one or more signals, of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, generated by the one or more sensors (18, 19), wherein the interface device (12) is or includes a visual display that is visible to a human operator and that displays one or more images of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, wherein the one or more images is or includes one or more of a video image, a mimic/simulation, an animation, a hybrid video-mimic/simulation, a hybrid video-animation, a hybrid mimic/simulation-animation or a static image of the residue as it is undergoing spreading, or immediately following spreading, behind the mobile harvesting machine.
  13. A method of depositing agricultural residue comprising steps of causing a mobile harvesting machine (10) forming part of any of Claims 1 to 11 hereof to move on a ground surface while depositing agricultural residue on the ground surface, the deposition being adjusted in accordance with control commands generated by the one or more processors in dependence on one or more outputs of the one or more sensors (18, 19) of agricultural residue deposited or being deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, the one or more outputs of the interface (12) device being augmented in one or more human-interpretable ways based on one or more signals, of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, generated by the one or more sensors, wherein the interface device (12) is or includes a visual display that is visible to a human operator and that displays one or more images of or relating to agricultural residue deposited by the mobile harvesting machine, wherein the one or more images is or includes one or more of a video image, a mimic/simulation, an animation, a hybrid video-mimic/simulation, a hybrid video-animation, a hybrid mimic/simulation-animation or a static image of the residue as it is undergoing spreading, or immediately following spreading, behind the mobile harvesting machine.
  14. A method according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 including supporting one or more said sensors on the mobile harvesting machine (10) and/or on a further vehicle that is moveable independently of the mobile harvesting machine.
  15. A method according to any of Claims 12 to 14 including augmenting the one or more outputs by including one or more, and preferably two or more, lines overlain on the visual display; including one or more symbols overlain on the visual display; including one or more words overlain on the visual display; shading of part or all of the visual display; occlusion of part or all of the visual display; patterning of part or all of the visual display; brightening or intensifying of part or all of the visual display or colouring of part or all of the visual display.
  16. A method according to Claim 15 wherein when augmentation (24a, 24b) includes one or more lines overlain on the visual display the method includes using the lines to guide the deposition of residue resulting from control of the mobile harvesting machine (10) by a human.
  17. A method according to Claim 16 wherein the one or more lines indicate one or more of: one or more edges of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more height parameters of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more cross-section of an area and/or swath of deposited residue; one or more field boundary; one or more boundary of a region of unharvested crop; one or more headland; and one or more obstacle on the ground surface; one or more regions in which residue coverage is less or greater than desired; the strength and/or direction of prevailing wind; and/or the influence of a field slope on the deposition of residue.
  18. A method according to any of Claims 12 to 17 including adjusting one or more parameters of deposition of residue in dependence on the control commands, the one or more parameters being or including one or more of the speed of ejection of residue from the mobile harvesting machine (10); the trajectory angle of ejection of the residue from the mobile harvesting machine; the height from which the residue is ejected from the mobile harvesting machine; the speed of the mobile harvesting machine; and the direction of travel of the mobile harvesting machine.
  19. A method according to any of Claims 12 to 18 wherein the mobile harvesting machine (10) includes one or more adjustable cutter for comminuting the residue and wherein the method includes varying of the degree of comminution of the residue by adjusting the cutter.
  20. A method according to any of Claims 12 to 19 including the step of carrying out at least first and second residue-spreading passes along a field or part of a field and in a said pass other than the first pass causing residue spreading so as to compensate, based on the augmentation of the one or more outputs, for deficient spreading of residue in the first pass.

Description

Field of the Invention The invention relates to agricultural residue depositing apparatus and a related method of using such apparatus. Background of the Invention Various kinds of harvesting machine have been introduced into agriculture over the past century. In use many of these generate residue products, chiefly constituted by plant parts, as by-products of harvesting processes. Nearly all crop plants include parts such as stems, straw, seed pods or leaves that cannot directly be used as food for humans or animals, or fuel products; and/or are of low value such that extensive processing or transporting of them is not economically justified. Such unusable plant parts become agricultural field residue during harvesting operations. Field residue in some cases may include additional or other components such as grit, gravel or stones, and/or weeds. Field residue is also called agricultural residue or crop residue. These terms are used synonymously herein. For the avoidance of doubt, field residue as referred to herein does not include products such as manure or slurry that while typically spread behind a moving machine do not result from harvesting processes. Field residue resulting from harvesting (especially of various cereal plants) typically is not removed from the field in which it is created. Historically it was commonplace either to burn such residue in the field, or plough it into the soil after harvesting in order to improve the soil nutrient content for subsequently cultivated plants. Nowadays however it is recognised that field residue can also be useful for other purposes if it is correctly spread on the ground surface of a field. Modern harvesting machines commonly include sub-systems the aim of which is to treat and distribute the residues in a desired manner. Such purposes include slowing the drying of soil through evaporation of water by placing an even layer of residue on the soil surface; and the prevention or slowing of soil erosion. Residue spreading if carried out correctly moreover can inhibit or slow down the germination of weed plants in the period between harvesting and re-seeding of a field. Furthermore it is known for the residues of some harvested plants (canola being an example) to produce phytotoxic compounds during decomposition. Such compounds can inhibit the germination of subsequently planted crops. Careful spreading of the residue can prevent, control or at least reduce the toxic compound production. For reasons such as the foregoing it is frequently desired to introduce as much precision as possible into the deposition of agricultural residue resulting from harvesting operations. In the majority of cases it is desired to spread an even areal density of residue behind a moving harvesting machine such as a combine harvester using a sub-system referred to as a spreader. However in some situations it may be desired to spread e.g. varying depths of residue in order to achieve particular effects. Field residue often is pre-treated within the harvesting machine. An example of such pre-treatment is the chopping of plant parts to predetermined sizes using a cutting sub-system forming part of the harvesting machine. Such chopping is often desirable e.g. when the residue is constituted by or contains a considerable amount of straw. Long lengths of straw are inconvenient to handle as residue and may not produce the desired effects, especially when it is required to cover the soil surface of a field in order to prevent erosion or dehydration. Furthermore, chopping of residue prevents the process of degradation of the residue from taking longer than a desired time; and ensures that the components of a residue batch are all of approximately the same size. Following chopping however, or more pronouncedly when chopping is not carried out, the ballistic properties of field residue are not well suited to distribution behind a harvesting machine in a manner achieving even spreading (or another spreading cross-section such as a centrally heaped line). The trajectories of residue parts may be unpredictable owing to their lightness and shapes. Moreover the residue components typically are a mixture of chopped straw and chaff meaning the ballistic properties are not consistent throughout the residue. This is in contrast to for example fertiliser and seed pellets the (typically spherical) shapes and uniformity of which mean they nearly always are spread in a predictable manner when dispensed from a moving machine. Winds can adversely affect the ability of a harvesting machine to spread field residues in a desired, e.g. even (in particular with respect to areal density) manner. Winds can be very variable due to localised meteorological circumstances and/or can also be influenced by the presence/absence of nearby fixed objects, such as bushes, trees, buildings, etc, and/or mobile objects, such as other harvesters, tractors towing trailers, etc. Winds, in particular cross-winds, can through the effect