Patents Assigned to CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
  • Patent number: 11968926
    Abstract: A forage harvester that includes a cutterhead assembly and two frame parts between which the cutterhead assembly is rotatably suspended. The forage harvester assembly is held on both frame parts by a clamp bearing that defines a rotary axis. Contact points between an element on the frame part side and an element on the assembly side of the clamp bearing lie on a spherical surface centered on the rotary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Look, Jochen Rathjens
  • Patent number: 11959861
    Abstract: An agricultural machine is disclosed that includes an NIR sensor configured to detect NIR spectra of plant material and output them as raw data, an evaluation unit configured to derive at least one parameter of the plant material in real time from the raw data, and an interface for the data traffic with at least one data processing unit outside of or external to the agricultural machine that is configured to transmit the raw data to the data processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Björn Stremlau, Carsten Grove, Michael Roggenland, Frank Claussen, Maximilian von Nordheim, Jeremias Hagel, Jörg Wesselmann
  • Publication number: 20240107944
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine having a cutting unit for cutting harvested material and a driver assistance system is disclosed. The driver assistance system includes a memory in which control strategies for the operation of the cutting unit are stored and a computing device for controlling a cutting angle of the cutting unit in accordance with the control strategies. The computing device is configured to link first and second control strategy to one another via a weighting variable, with the weighting variable being adjustable by a driver. The driver assistance system uses at least one of the control strategies and sensed forefield information to automatically determine the cutting angle of the cutting unit and to automatically control the cutting unit based on the determined cutting angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Waldemar Thiesmann, Christoph Bussmann, Christian Cord-Kruse, Dennis Neitemeier, Andreas Wielenberg, Christian Füchtling, Bastian Bormann, Andreas Wilken, Maik Heufekes, Joachim Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 11944036
    Abstract: A forage harvester with at least one work assembly is disclosed. The forage harvester has a corn cracker to process grain components and a driver assistance system. The driver assistance system controls the corn cracker by adjusting the machine parameters of the corn cracker. In particular, the driver assistance system has an optimization model which includes a multidimensional characteristic map that represents a relationship between a processing quality of the grain components and at least three parameters that comprise an input parameter representing a current harvesting process state and at least one machine parameter of the corn cracker as an output parameter. Thus, the driver assistance system determines the output parameter in the control routine during the harvesting process based on the varying input parameter from the optimization model and adjusts it in the corn cracker to achieve a uniform given processing quality of the grain components during the harvesting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Heitmann, Sven Carsten Belau, Ingo Bönig, Jan Meyer zu Hörste
  • Publication number: 20240090375
    Abstract: A combine harvester is disclosed, including a separating device for separating grain and straw and a shredding device downstream from the separating device for shredding a straw portion discharged from the separating device. The shredding device comprises a chopping rotor which is rotationally driven about an axis oriented transversely to an infeed direction of the portion of straw into the shredding device, and the rotary movement of which generates an air flow directed away from the chopping rotor. The rotary movement is opposite the infeed direction on a part of the circumference of the chopping rotor. Further, the infeed direction of the straw portion into the shredding device is regulated by at least one structure, such as an adjustable crop guide plate, in such a way that the air flow does not counteract the infeed of the straw portion into the shredding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Claes, Manuel Elpmann
  • Publication number: 20240081182
    Abstract: A threshing drum and a combine using a threshing drum are disclosed. The threshing drum comprising a drum body and beater bars. The beater bars each have a beating edge which describes a circumferential circle about a center axis of the drum body, on which the particular beating edge rotates about the center axis in a beating radius during operation of the threshing drum. To improve a flow of harvested material while the flow is being transferred from a threshing device to a downstream separating device, a cutting ring is positioned centrally on the drum body, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the drum body, which rotates in the circumferential direction of the drum body. The cutting ring has at least one circumferential cutting edge which describes a circumferential circle whose cutting radius, measured with respect to the center axis, is greater than the beating radii of the beating edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Bußmann, Bernd Holtmann
  • Publication number: 20240065152
    Abstract: A method and system for the optimized determination of machine parameters of an agricultural production machine is disclosed. The agricultural production machine has a driver assistance system and a sensor assembly and performs an agricultural task in a local context. A determination routine the driver assistance system uses the strategy specifications as input parameters of the instruction for use to determine the optimized machine parameters optimized with respect to the strategy specifications as output parameters of the instruction for use, wherein the strategy is parameterized with initial strategy parameters at the beginning of the execution of the agricultural task. The driver assistance system uses strategy parameters as the initial strategy parameters that have already been optimized by at least one agricultural production machine in a similar local context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Bastian Bormann, Waldemar Thiesmann, Joachim Baumgarten, Andreas Wilken, Heinrich Warkentin, Mohamed Altaleb, Henning Deeken
  • Publication number: 20240065160
    Abstract: A system for determining a crop edge and a self-propelled harvester using the system for automatic control are disclosed. The system comprises a camera that generates optical information of a front environment of the harvester. The system further includes a computing unit that analyzes the images using artificial intelligence so that a planted area of a field on which a plant crop is located may be delimited from a remaining residual area of the field, thereby determining the plant crop. In turn, the computing unit is further configured to determine the crop edge of the plant crop based on the determination of the plant crop and to automatically control the harvester based on the determination of the crop edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Carsten Belau, Christoph Heitmann, Dennis Neitemeier, Ingo Bönig
  • Publication number: 20240065155
    Abstract: An agricultural production machine configured for determining optimized working parameters for the of the agricultural production machine is disclosed. The agricultural production machine has a driver assistance system and a sensor system and performs an agricultural task in a local context. The driver assistance system comprises a map control system that includes one or more maps to optimize work parameters of the process units of the agricultural production machine. A particular characteristic map describes a relationship between working parameters of the process unit and quality parameters using initial working points. When performing the agricultural task, the driver assistance system checks a local context to determine whether a context-related map is available and, if so, replace the basic map with the context-related map in order to determine optimized working parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Waldemar Thiesmann, Heinrich Warkentin, Mohamed Altaleb, Henner Vöcking, Bastian Bormann
  • Patent number: 11895950
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester is disclosed. The agricultural harvester includes a cutting unit that has a cutting table adjustable in its cutting table length, a reel adjustable to a reel vertical position and reel longitudinal position, an inclined conveyor downstream from the cutting unit, and a driver assistance system. The driver assistance system autonomously determines, using at least one input variable, at least one machine parameter and specifies the machine parameter to the cutting unit. The machine parameter can include one or more of the cutting table length, the reel vertical position, or the reel longitudinal position. In particular, the driver assistance system may determine a harvested material throughput and a vibration coefficient describing the fluctuation in the harvested material throughput in a region lying in front of the threshing system and adapt or modify the cutting table length based on the determined vibration coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Baumgarten, Andreas Wilken, Dennis Neitemeier, Bastian Bormann, Sebastian Spiekermann, Daniel Irmer
  • Patent number: 11895949
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating a crop flow on at least one conveying and cleaning unit, particularly a top sieve, of a combine harvester, wherein the conveying and cleaning unit is excited to a longitudinal oscillation and a transverse oscillation. The transverse oscillation is controlled depending on at least one state, wherein least one state for controlling the transverse oscillation is the inclination of the combine harvester, wherein at least one further state for controlling the transverse oscillation is the grain purity, particularly the grain purity of a main crop flow. The transverse oscillation is pre-controlled depending on the inclination of the combine harvester and fine-tuned depending on the grain purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Benedikt Poelling, Norbert Strieker, Dennis Lutterbeck, Joachim Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 11880970
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining a portion of broken grain and/or non-grain components in a stream of harvested material is disclosed. The device includes a camera to generate images of the stream of harvested material and an evaluation unit to estimate the portion in an image supplied by the camera. The evaluation unit includes a first-order classifier to estimate a first parameter of the stream of harvested material, and a plurality of second-order classifiers assigned to various values of the first parameter to estimate the portion in a stream of harvested material that has the assigned parameter value. The evaluation unit, with assistance of the first-order classifier, estimates a value of the first parameter using a first number of images of the camera, and then selects the second-order classifier assigned to the value of the first parameter to estimate the portion with assistance of the selected second-order classifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Frédéric Fischer, Johann Witte, Boris Kettelhoit, Torben Töniges
  • Publication number: 20230397533
    Abstract: A combine harvester having a plurality of working units for performing a harvested material processing operation is disclosed. The plurality of working units comprise at least one separator and one cleaning device. A grain loss sensor may be present in one or both of the separator or the cleaning device. The combine harvester comprises a driver assistance system, which comprises a grain loss sensor setting assistant configured to determine and to set the grain loss sensor sensitivity of the grain loss sensor(s) of the separator and/or the cleaning device. The grain loss sensor setting assistant may determine in a dialog with an operator the grain loss sensor sensitivity to be set for the grain loss sensor(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Iseringhausen, Joachim Baumgarten, Matthias Gausmann, Robert Bühlmeier, Patrick Schulze Vohren, Sascha Dieckmeyer, Maximilian Schröder
  • Patent number: 11832554
    Abstract: A self-propelled combine harvester has at least one tilting mechanism for the uniform distribution of a harvested material on an oscillating conveying and cleaning unit, in particular a top sieve. The tilting mechanism has elements for defining a swiveling direction of the conveying and cleaning unit which are arranged between the conveying and cleaning unit and a machine housing. The tilting mechanism has an actuator for continuous adjustment of at least one component part of the elements from an initial position to an adjusting position. The position of the at least one component part decisively defines the swiveling direction. An electric control unit controls the actuator depending on a state of the combine harvester and/or harvested material and the initial position of the at least one component part of the tilting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH
    Inventors: Benedikt Poelling, Dennis Lutterbeck, George Danatzis, Norbert Strieker, Michael Kuehn
  • Patent number: 11825767
    Abstract: A cutting unit (1) that has a cutter bar (6) that is operated rigidly or flexibly, depending on the harvest conditions, which can be operated in at least two different operating modes, wherein the cutting unit (1) includes a first sensor assembly (1) disposed on the cutting unit (1) that can be deactivated, which is for operating the cutting unit (1) in a first operating mode, and a second sensor assembly (17) for operating the cutting unit (1) in a second operating mode, wherein, when switching between the at least two operating states, the first sensor assembly (13) or the second sensor assembly (17) is activated without interruption in operation, to execute a distance determination, depending on the selected operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Fuchtling, Andreas Wielenberg, Udo Beschorn
  • Publication number: 20230350409
    Abstract: A method and a system for monitoring the operation of at least one autonomous agricultural production machine is disclosed. The method comprises collecting data representing the operating parameters and environmental parameters of the autonomous agricultural production machine and detecting an irregularity based on the data. Once an irregularity is determined, the collected data are transmitted to a database and saved there. The irregularity is identified by processing the collected data in an analysis routine, and an instruction is generated for switching the autonomous agricultural production machine from a safe operating state to a normal operating state depending on the identified irregularity, and the instruction is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhold Mähler, Christian Ehlert, Bastian Bormann, Joachim Baumgarten, Dennis Neitemeier, Johann Witte, Jannik Redenius, Arne Bohl, Eberhard Nacke, Christoph Apke, Timo Korthals, Waldemar Thiesmann, Axel Schröder, Robin Monkenbusch
  • Publication number: 20230350426
    Abstract: A method and a system for deployment planning and coordinating a vehicle fleet comprising a plurality of agricultural work vehicles is disclosed. Different agricultural work processes may be performed on a field with the work vehicles having a work unit for performing at least one of the agricultural work processes. At least one work vehicle of the vehicle fleet is operated autonomously. Further, the database-driven management system may generate the deployment plan. For example, while planning a particular agricultural work process comprising a sequence of work steps, the work vehicles in the vehicle fleet are coordinated with one another by assigning at least one autonomous work vehicle to a respective work step of the agricultural work process with operational parameters being transmitted to the autonomous work vehicle in order to perform the assigned respective work step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhold Mähler, Christian Ehlert, Bastian Bormann, Joachim Baumgarten, Dennis Neitemeier, Johann Witte, Jannik Redenius, Arne Bohl, Eberhard Nacke, Christoph Apke, Timo Korthals, Waldemar Thiesmann, Axel Schröder, Robin Monkenbusch
  • Patent number: 11785889
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining an indicator of processing quality of an agricultural harvested material using a mobile device is disclosed. A computing unit analyzes image data of a prepared sample of harvested material containing grain components and non-grain components in an analytical routine to determine the indicator of the processing quality of the agricultural harvested material. Further, the computing unit uses a trained machine learning model in the analytical routine to perform at least one step of determining the indicator of the processing quality of the agricultural harvested material and that the computing unit adjusts at least one machine parameter of the forage harvester based on the indicator of processing quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Carsten Belau, Frédéric Fischer, Christoph Heitmann, Ingo Bönig
  • Publication number: 20230286383
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine and a method for operation an agricultural work machine are disclosed. The agricultural work machine includes a driver’s cab with an interior space spatially partially delimited by a front window and at least one side window, a driver’s seat arranged in the interior space, an input device for entering input by an operator, a visualization system for visualizing information for an operator sitting on the driver’s seat, and a control device which is communication with the visualization system. The control device controls the visualization system in such a way that process information relevant to the selected work process is visualized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Waldemar Thiesmann, Klaus Albers, Robert Beck, Stefan Galland, Jan Geiger, Ingo Kirchbeck, Michael Losch, Michael Piontek, Peter Juerschik, Dennis Neitemeier, Eckehard Jeppe, Reinhard Frenser, Joachim Baumgarten, Bastian Bormann, Andreas Wilken, Maik Heufekes, Matthias Domnik, Marvin Barther, Johann Witte, Maximilian Schröder
  • Patent number: 11716930
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine is provided comprising a surroundings detection device for detecting a surroundings in sections, and one or more controllable working elements, wherein the surroundings detection device generates surroundings detection signals, which can be processed in a control and regulating device assigned to the agricultural work machine, wherein the surroundings detection device is designed as a scanner, which scans the surroundings in scanning planes, and wherein each scanning plane is assigned to the control of working elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Middelberg, Thilo Krause