Contour scanning apparatus for agricultural machinery

US6389785B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH · DE

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 5, 2000
• Grant date: May 21, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 5, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/88
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device on a mobile agricultural machine for contactless scanning of contours extending over the ground, such as the contour of a swath of crop material. In this case there is used a laser distance measuring device consisting of a laser beam transmitting and receiving device which determines the distance from a contour point by measuring the running time of a laser scanning beam emitted and reflected at the contour point. The laser scanning beams are pivoted within a certain angular range stepwise or continuously in a scanning beam plane. In this case the laser distance measuring device is mounted with an orientation on the agricultural machinery such that the scanning beam plane is inclined to the ground at an acute angle forwards in the direction of travel. With the aid of an analyzer, the position of the contour point corresponding to each pivot angle, based upon the measured distance and the arrangement and orientation of the laser distance measuring device on the agricultural machine, can be determined.