Automatic steering system using an ultrasonic position-finding device

US6244024A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Norbert Diekhans · Gütersloh, DE
• Jochen Huster · Vellmar, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 5, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 12, 2001
• Expiry date: Oct 5, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A01B69/008
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A position-finding device for locating the position of a working edge, especially the edge of a crop, wherein the position-finding signal therefrom is supplied in the form of a steering adjustment value to an electrically controlled steering device in an agricultural machine, and wherein the device comprises a first sub position-finding device including a transmitter and a receiver whose zone of reflection extends mainly over the field that has not yet been worked, especially the not yet harvested field, and a second sub position-finding device including a further transmitter and a further receiver whose differing reflection zone is aligned such as to overlap both sides of the working edge, wherein the two reflection zones partially overlap and the two transmitters are simultaneously triggered by a pulse whereby the two receivers accordingly receive overlapping partial reception signals originating from the two transmitters and reflected by the unworked field.