HAY ANALYSIS SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH A BALER

Abstract

An analysing device for reaped and harvested plants in a heap or swath (C), comprising: a containment shell (2), provided with a tapered conformation from a rear portion (22) towards a front portion (21) that faces an advancement direction (A) with respect to a swath (C); an analysis window (4), fashioned through a wall of the shell (2); one or more analysing sensors (5), placed inside the shell (2) in a position such as to face towards the analysis window (4), for sensing the environment outside the shell (2) through the window (4) itself.

Claims

1) An analysing device for reaped and harvested plants in a heap or swath (C), characterised in that it comprises: a containment shell (2) provided with a tapered conformation from a rear portion (22) towards a front portion (21) that faces an advancement direction (A) with respect to a swath (C); an analysis window (4), fashioned through a wall of the shell (2); one or more analysing sensors (5), placed inside the shell (2) in a position such as to face towards the analysis window (4), for sensing the environment outside the shell (2) through the window (4) itself.

2) The device according to claim 1, wherein the front portion (21) has an apex (23) facing the advancement direction (A).

3) device according to claim 1, wherein the apex (23) has a curved trend on a vertical plane, with concavity facing upwards.

4) The device according to claim 1, wherein the front portion (21) of the shell (2) is provided with a front tab (24), arranged on a median vertical plane of the shell (2).

5) The device according to claim 1, comprising at least one level sensor (6), associated with the shell (2) and provided to detect a level or height of the shell (2) with respect to the swath (C).

6) The device according to claim 1, wherein the shell (2) is provided with a means for the attachment to a chassis of an operating vehicle, said attachment means being provided to allow a movement of the shell (2) along a vertical direction and/or a rotation of the shell (2) about a horizontal axis and/or a movement of the shell (2) along a horizontal axis.

7) The device according to claim 1, wherein the analysing sensor (4) is an NIR type sensor.

8) An operating vehicle, comprising a machine (10) for the production of bales of reaped plants that is provided with a plant harvesting or pick-up device (12), characterised in that it comprises an analysing device (1) according to claim 1, arranged upstream of the harvesting or pick-up device with respect to the advancement direction (A).

9) A method for analysing reaped plants arranged in a heap or swath (C) comprising the following steps: arranging an analysing device (1) according to claims 1; positioning the analysing device at least partially inside the swath (C), at a predefined level with respect to the ground, so that the analysis window (4) is inside the swath (C); translating the analysing device (1) along an advancement direction (A) along the swath (C).

10) The method according to claim 9, comprising a step of varying the height or level of the shell (2), and therefore of the analysing sensor(s) (5), with respect to the ground, to allow information to be acquired at different heights of the swath (C).

Description

[0025] Characteristics and advantages of the present invention will more fully emerge from the following detailed description of an embodiment of said invention, as illustrated in a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a vertical elevation view of the analysing device according to the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the device in FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a left-side view of the device in FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view according to the plane IV-IV in FIG. 3;

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the analysing device in an operating condition;

[0031] FIG. 6 shows the analysing device combined with an operating vehicle.

[0032] The analysing device (1) according to the present invention is particularly suitable for the analysis of reaped plants, for example hay, harvested in a heap or swath (C). FIG. 6 schematically shows a swath (C) and the analysing device (1) placed in a possible operating position for analysing the plants.

[0033] The analysing device (1) according to the present invention preferably employs one or more analysing sensors (5) based on NIR technology. As is well known, an NIR sensor makes it possible to simultaneously measure the amount of dry matter and other parameters, such as, for example, protein, ADF, NDF, ash, RFV (relative feed value) and others. It would be possible, however, to use sensors based on a different technology.

[0034] Unlike current devices, the analysing device (1) is configured to analyse the harvested plants in a swath (C) dynamically, that is, while moving along the swath (C) in a longitudinal direction (X) of the swath (C) itself, according to an advancement direction (A). The analysis carried out by the analysing device (1) is thus carried out directly in the swath (C), i.e. before the plants are gathered up. The analysing device (1) can be associated with an operating vehicle, as will be better clarified below, so as to be conveyed along the swath (C).

[0035] For this purpose the analysing device (1) comprises a containment shell (2) provided with a tapered conformation from a rear portion (22) towards a front portion (21) that faces the advancement direction (A). The analysing sensor (5) is placed inside the shell (2).

[0036] The shell (2) has two lateral walls (2a, 2b) that converge together from the rear portion (22) towards the front portion (21). The lateral walls (2a, 2b) are connected to a substantially flat bottom wall (2c).

[0037] Advantageously, the shell (2) can be open at the top, in an upper area (2d) opposite the bottom wall (2c), or else it can be closed off with a removable cover, not represented. In both cases, the shell (2) allows easy access to the inside thereof in order to reach the analysing sensor (5) in any case where it is necessary to operate thereupon. Alternatively, or in combination with the possibility of access from the top, the shell (2) could be provided with further access doors, not illustrated.

[0038] The front portion (21) preferably has an apex (23) facing the advancement direction (A), i.e. the lateral walls (2a, 2b) join together to form the apex (23). Thanks to this conformation, the shell (2) is able to advance along the swath (C), separating the plants without causing any accumulation and without excessively modifying the form of the swath (C), as schematically shown in FIG. 5.

[0039] In the embodiment represented, the apex (23) has a curved trend on a vertical plane, with the concavity facing upwards and towards the rear portion (22). Proceeding downwards, the apex (23) connects to the bottom wall (2c). In order to favour the passage thereof along the swath (C), the front portion (21) of the shell (2) is provided with a front tab (24), arranged on a median vertical plane of the shell (2).

[0040] An analysis window (4) is fashioned through a wall of the shell (2). The analysing sensor (5) is placed inside the shell (2), in a position such as to face towards the analysis window (4), for sensing the environment outside the shell (2) through the window (4) itself.

[0041] In the embodiment represented, the analysis window (4) is located in a lower portion of the shell (2). In particular, the analysis window (4) is fashioned through the bottom wall (2c).

[0042] Thanks to the conformation of the shell (2), the analysing sensor (5) is conveyed inside the swath (C), at a given level with respect to the ground, in such a way as to be able to analyse the plants present inside the swath. This possibility is fundamental in order to obtain a measurement that is representative of the harvested hay in the swath (C), since the characteristics of the hay in the upper part of the swath depend on the weather and can be significantly different from the hay in the core of the swath itself. In fact, on sunny days the hay at the top of the swath will be relatively drier, whereas in the event of harvesting in the morning with dew or after a rainfall, there will be decidedly less dry matter present at the top.

[0043] The analysis of the swath (C) thus takes place by positioning the analysing device at least partially inside the swath (C), at a pre-established level with respect to the ground, so that the analysis window (4) is inside the swath (C). The analysing device (1) is then conveyed along the swath (C) following the longitudinal direction (X) in an advancement direction (A).

[0044] The height or level of the shell (2), and thus of the analysing sensor (5), with respect to the ground is adjustable. This enables information to be acquired at different heights of the swath (C).

[0045] For this purpose, the analysing device (1) according to the invention comprises an attachment means, structured so as to allow the shell (2) to be attached to the chassis of an operating vehicle. This attachment means is provided to allow a movement of the shell (2) along a vertical direction and/or a rotation of the shell (2) about a horizontal axis and/or a movement of the shell (2) along a horizontal axis.

[0046] In other words, the attachment means is structured so as to allow the shell (2) one or more of the following movements with respect to the chassis of the operating vehicle: along a horizontal axis, parallel to the longitudinal direction (X); along a vertical direction, to allow a level variation with respect to the ground; and in rotation about a horizontal axis, to vary the orientation or inclination of the window (4) and of the analysing sensor (5) with respect to the ground.

[0047] Attachment means endowed with the features listed above are available to the person skilled in the art in various embodiments, all well known in the art, and they will thus not be described in further detail.

[0048] The device (1) according to the invention comprises at least one level sensor (6), associated with the shell (2). This level sensor (6) is provided to measure a level or height of the shell (2) with respect to the swath (C) and/or to measure the height of the swath (C) with respect to the ground. The level sensor (6), for example, is an ultrasonic sensor. By means of the signal of the level sensor (6), it is possible to adjust the height of the shell (2) and of the analysing sensor (5) to allow acquisition of the plant characteristics at different heights of the swath.

[0049] The level sensor (6) is preferably placed in the front portion (21) of the shell (2), in a position such as to be able perform its measurements before the passage of the shell (2) in the swath (C).

[0050] The device according to the invention is connected to a control module that receives the signals transmitted by the analysing sensor (5) and by the level sensor (6). Using the signal of the level sensor (6), the control module is able to adjust the working height of the shell (2) and of the analysing sensor (5), by activating and controlling the attachment means of the shell (2). Furthermore, by means of a calculation algorithm, the control module is capable of calculating the volume of the swath, based on the profile of the swath detected by the level sensor (6) and the length of the swath (C), which substantially corresponds to the movement completed by the shell (2) along the swath (C) itself.

[0051] Thanks to the signals received from the analysing sensor (5) and from the level sensor (6), the control module is thus able to map the characteristics of the swath (C) with great precision, substantially in every part thereof. Using a GPS module, the control module will be able to geolocate each measurement, making it possible to obtain a precise distribution of the qualitative values of the harvested hay and also the quantitative ones, thanks to the volume of the swath in different points on the ground.

[0052] As already pointed out previously, the analysing device (1) according to the present invention can be associated with an operating vehicle (10), schematically illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0053] The operating vehicle (10) comprises a machine (11) for producing bales of reaped plants, known in the art as a baler, which is provided with a plant harvesting or pick-up device (12). Essentially, the pick-up, conveyed forward by the operating vehicle, progressively gathers up the swath (C) and loads the plants into the baler (11), which forms the bales. The baler (11) is typically towed by the operating vehicle (10), but could also be in the form of an autonomous vehicle. Both the baler (11) and the pick-up (12) are well known in the art and thus it is not necessary to describe them in further detail.

[0054] In an innovative manner compared to current devices, the analysing device (1) according to the present invention is positioned upstream of the harvesting or pick-up device (12), with respect to the advancement direction (A). For this purpose it is possible to associate the device (1) with the operating vehicle (10), in a position such as to be able to reach a swath (C), or else it is possible to associate the device (1) with the baler (11) by means of a support that places it in front of the pick-up (12), so that the device (1) can enter into contact and analyse the swath (C) before it is gathered by the pick-up.

[0055] Positioning the analysing device (1) upstream of the pick-up (12) allows the characteristics of the plants (hay) to be detected and measured before loading into the baler (11) takes place. This, among other things, allows one to have direct control over the dosing of preservatives based on the actual measurement of the dry matter in the hay that is about to be loaded into the baler. Furthermore, the analysing device (1) positioned upstream of the pick-up (12) allows samples of hay that are such as to be representative of the entire bale to be measured in real time, without the need to conduct further sampling.

[0056] A further advantage offered by the analysing device (1) according to the present invention is that of being able to be adapted to any baler or operating vehicle by simply providing a support which allows the analysing device (1) to be positioned upstream of the pick-up with respect to the advancement direction along the swath.