Patents by Inventor Dennis Neitemeier

Dennis Neitemeier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11470776
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine, in particular a harvester, has a header for performing agricultural work and having a control device which has at least one sensor unit for detecting a crop stream in and/or around the header and an image processing unit for processing images which are generated by the sensor unit based on the crop stream detected via sensor. The control device is configured to detect regions of like characteristics, components of the header and properties of the crop stream and is configured to use that which has been detected for open loop control and/or closed loop control of process sequences in the agricultural work machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Marvin Barther, Dennis Neitemeier, Frédéric Fischer, Boris Kettelhoit
  • Patent number: 11464166
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, particularly a combine harvester or a forage harvester, has a supporting frame, a cutting mechanism, an inclined conveyor and a driver's cab. The cutting mechanism is arranged at the supporting frame by the inclined conveyor. The driver's cab is arranged at the supporting frame with the intermediary of at least one damper unit. At least one camera is arranged in an interior of the driver's cab. The camera is oriented to the cutting mechanism and/or to the inclined conveyor through a front windshield of the driver's cab. The camera is arranged in an operative area of a cleaning device of the front windshield so that a detection area of the camera can be optically acquired at least through a portion of the operative area of the cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Marvin Barther, Frédéric Fischer, Boris Kettelhoit
  • Patent number: 11388858
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine has a crop collection arrangement for separating and collecting crops from field vegetation, which crop collection arrangement has at least one crop cutting device, a crop conveying device arranged downstream thereof and a crop intake device arranged downstream thereof, and having a control device which has at least one sensor unit for optically detecting a crop flow, an image processing unit for processing images which are generated by the sensor unit based on the optically detected crop flow, and a data output unit for displaying the images processed by the image processing unit. The image processing unit generates a velocity characteristic map and a directional change characteristic map based on the images generated by the sensor unit. The two characteristic maps are utilized jointly or each individually by the control device to control processes in the agricultural work machine and/or in the crop collection arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Marvin Barther, Dennis Neitemeier, Frédéric Fischer, Boris Kettelhoit
  • Patent number: 11343957
    Abstract: An agricultural work system for the optimization of operating parameters, with at least one agricultural work machine having a work unit for carrying out or supporting agricultural work. The agricultural work machine has a driver assistance system for detecting, processing and outputting data relating to an agricultural work order. The driver assistance system is configured to detect a plurality of operating parameters and to allow the operator to rank the detected operating parameters or operating parameter sets with a plurality of different detected operating parameters. Individual ranked operating parameters or sets of operating parameters or all of the ranked operating parameters or sets of operating parameters are retrievably filed in a data pool, and the operating parameters are submitted based on ranking to an algorithm for generating optimized operating parameters for adjustment of the agricultural work machine and/or of the at least one work unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: CLAAS Tractor SAS
    Inventors: Christian Ehlert, Jan Carsten Wieckhorst, Thilo Steckel, Reinhold Maehler, Heinrich Warkentin, Andreas Wilken, Dennis Neitemeier
  • Publication number: 20220053692
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, with at least one work assembly and a monitoring assembly, is disclosed. The agricultural harvesting machine transports harvested material in a harvested material flow along a harvested material transport path. The monitoring assembly includes an measuring system positioned on the harvested material transport path and an evaluation device configured to determine at least one harvested material parameter. The measuring system includes a first passive optical sensor that senses image data indicative of visible light in a first section and a second non-passive non-optical sensor that senses data in a second section that at least partly overlaps the first section. The evaluation device correlates the image data for the overlapping section from the first optical sensor and the data from the second optical sensor and determines, based on the correlation, at least one harvested material parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Frédéric Fischer, Marvin Barther, Dennis Neitemeier, Maik Heufekes, Sven Carsten Belau, Johann Witte
  • Publication number: 20210400871
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, with at least one work assembly and a monitoring assembly, is disclosed. The agricultural harvesting machine transports harvested material in a harvested material flow along a harvested material transport path. The monitoring assembly includes an optical measuring system positioned on the harvested material transport path and an evaluation device configured to determine at least one harvested material parameter. The optical measuring system includes a first optical sensor that senses spatially-resolved image data indicative of visible light in a first section and second optical sensor that senses image data indicative of invisible light in a second section that at least partly overlaps the first section. The evaluation device correlates the image data for the overlapping section from the first optical sensor and from the second optical sensor and determines, based on the correlation, at least one harvested material parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Frédéric Fischer, Marvin Bather, Maik Heufekes, Dennis Neitemeier, Johann Witte
  • Publication number: 20210360861
    Abstract: A sensor system for counting elements of a flow of harvested material is disclosed. The sensor system comprises an oscillating circuit and a measuring device, wherein the oscillating circuit comprises at least one capacitive component with a capacitance and an inductive component with an inductance. The oscillating circuit has a resonance frequency which depends on the capacitance and the inductance. Further, the capacitive component is positioned in the region of the flow of harvested material, so that the capacitance is influenced by individual elements of the flow of harvested material. The measuring device is configured to determine the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit. In this way, the sensor system is configured to deduce at least one property of the particular element of the flow of harvested material from the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Joachim Baumgarten, Andreas Wilken, Bastian Bormann, Johann Witte
  • Publication number: 20210360852
    Abstract: A sensor system for counting elements of a flow of harvested material is disclosed. The sensor system comprises an oscillating circuit and a measuring device, wherein the oscillating circuit comprises at least one capacitive component with a capacitance and an inductive component with an inductance. The oscillating circuit has a resonance frequency which depends on the capacitance and the inductance. Further, the capacitive component is positioned in the region of the flow of harvested material, so that the capacitance is influenced by individual elements of the flow of harvested material. The measuring device is configured to determine the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit. In this way, the sensor system is configured to deduce at least one property of the particular element of the flow of harvested material from the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Joachim Baumgarten, Andreas Wilken, Bastian Bormann, Johann Witte
  • Patent number: 11109537
    Abstract: A forage harvester comprising an edge sharpness detection device for detecting a degree of edge sharpness of a cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism comminutes a stream of harvested material, with a material inflow area being defined where the cutting blades interact with the shear bar to comminute the harvested material. The edge sharpness detection device excites one or more magnetic circuits, with the respective magnetic circuit being closed by the respective cutting blade during rotation of the cutter drum once one of the cutting blades passes the magnetic assembly. The edge sharpness detection device detects the magnetic flux in the respective magnetic circuit and, based on a detected change, determines a degree of edge sharpness of the respective cutting blade. Further, the magnetic flux of the magnetic circuit may be guided lengthwise in the cutting blade at least along a longitudinal section of the respective cutting blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Christoph Heitmann, Jochen Huster, Markus Brune, Boris Kettelhoit
  • Patent number: 11083135
    Abstract: A combine harvester has at least one header for cutting plants to be harvested with the aid of the combine harvester, a feeder for conveying the cut plants in the direction of a threshing mechanism, and a threshing mechanism, with the aid of which fruits can be removed from the cut plants in such a way that the fruits are then present separately from plant residue of the plants. The feeder comprises a revolvingly driveable conveying unit and a conveyor channel within which the cut plants can be conveyed with the conveying unit. The feeder interacts with a measuring unit in the form of a sensor unit that contactlessly detects material feed height of plants conveyed with the aid of the feeder in the conveyor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Frédéric Fischer, Daniel Sprigade, Markus Brune, Boris Kettelhoit, Andreas Arnold, Philipp Grossegesse
  • Publication number: 20210235622
    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: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Baumgarten, Andreas Wilken, Dennis Neitemeier, Bastian Bormann, Sebastian Spiekermann, Daniel Irmer
  • Publication number: 20210163005
    Abstract: A prime mover and a method for operating a prime mover are disclosed. The prime mover, which may be a tractor, includes a drivetrain and is configured to attach to an attachment. The drivetrain includes at least one drive motor, a gearbox, at least one power take-off, and at least one ancillary unit. The prime mover has a driver assistance system that controls the drivetrain and that includes a computing unit, a memory unit, and an input/output unit. The driver assistance system comprises an engine droop governor that works based on a characteristic curve, wherein the engine droop governor is configured for optimized control of the drivetrain depending on selectable control strategies saved in the memory unit and/or optimization target variables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Tractor SAS
    Inventors: Christian Ehlert, Jan Carsten Wieckhorst, Christian Birkmann, Robin Schütte, Ralf Müller, Dennis Neitemeier
  • Publication number: 20210015041
    Abstract: A method for executing an agricultural work process on a field by means of a group of agricultural work machines. The work machines each have work assemblies which are adjustable with machine parameters for adapting to the respective agricultural conditions. The work machines of the group communicate with one another via a wireless network. The work machines of the group are configured as self-optimizing work machines which each have a driver assistance system for generating and adjusting machine parameters in an automated manner. These machine parameters are optimized with respect to the agricultural conditions. The work machines of the group cooperate collectively in the manner of a virtual work machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Bastian BORMANN, Joachim BAUMGARTEN, Andreas WILKEN, Dennis NEITEMEIER
  • Publication number: 20210015040
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine has a cutting apparatus formed as a header for cutting and picking up crop of a crop stand, an inclined conveyor downstream of the cutting apparatus and in which a temporal layer height flow is adjusted, and a driver assistance system for controlling the cutting apparatus. The driver assistance system has a computing device and a sensor arrangement with a crop sensor system for generating crop parameters of the crop stand and a layer height sensor for generating the temporal layer height flow. The computing device simultaneously generates the cutting apparatus parameters of the cutting table length, horizontal reel position and vertical reel position so as to be adapted to one another and conveys them to the cutting apparatus to implement a harvesting process strategy in ongoing harvesting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis NEITEMEIER, Joachim BAUMGARTEN, Andreas WILKEN, Bastian BORMANN, Sebastian SPIEKERMANN, Daniel IRMER
  • Publication number: 20200359563
    Abstract: A driver assistance system of an agricultural work machine constructed as forage harvester, wherein the agricultural work machine comprises a header for gathering crop, a chopping device having a chopping drum and chopping knives for comminuting the crop, and a monitoring device operable to generate a signal containing information about the wear status of the respective chopping knife and/or about the distance of the cutting edge of a chopping knife from a shear bar. This information is compared with a reference value, and the agricultural work machine has activation devices for activating and deactivating a knife grinding process and means for change of position of the shear bar. The monitoring device is integrated in the driver assistance system so that the driver assistance system automatically detects when a knife grinding process or a change of position of the shear bar must be activated or deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph HEITMANN, Dennis NEITEMEIER, Markus BRUNE, Jochen HUSTER, Bjoern STREMLAU, Frédéric FISCHER
  • Publication number: 20200363184
    Abstract: A detection arrangement for detecting a wear status of a chopping knife arrangement of a chopping device provided for processing a product flow, wherein the chopping device has a revolving chopping drum receiving the chopping knife arrangement and at least one shear bar which cooperates with the chopping knives, with a sensor arrangement which has a magnetic exciter arrangement and a flux conducting device magnetically coupled thereto. The sensor arrangement provides a pole arrangement which forms at least one magnetic pole with a pole surface for conducting magnetic flux, wherein at least a portion of the chopping knife passes the pole arrangement during a rotation of the chopping drum. A voltage induced when a chopping knife arrangement passes the sensor arrangement forms the measured magnetic value, which is used by the evaluation unit to determine the state of wear of the chopping knife arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph HEITMANN, Dennis NEITEMEIER, Markus BRUNE, Jochen HUSTER, Frédéric FISCHER, Bjoern STREMLAU
  • Publication number: 20200093053
    Abstract: An agricultural work system for the optimization of operating parameters, with at least one agricultural work machine having a work unit for carrying out or supporting agricultural work. The agricultural work machine has a driver assistance system for detecting, processing and outputting data relating to an agricultural work order. The driver assistance system is configured to detect a plurality of operating parameters and to allow the operator to rank the detected operating parameters or operating parameter sets with a plurality of different detected operating parameters. Individual ranked operating parameters or sets of operating parameters or all of the ranked operating parameters or sets of operating parameters are retrievably filed in a data pool, and the operating parameters are submitted based on ranking to an algorithm for generating optimized operating parameters for adjustment of the agricultural work machine and/or of the at least one work unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: CLAAS Tractor SAS
    Inventors: Christian EHLERT, Jan Carsten WIECKHORST, Thilo STECKEL, Reinhold MAEHLER, Heinrich WARKENTIN, Andreas WILKEN, Dennis NEITEMEIER
  • Publication number: 20200084965
    Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, particularly a combine harvester or a forage harvester, has a supporting frame, a cutting mechanism, an inclined conveyor and a driver's cab. The cutting mechanism is arranged at the supporting frame by the inclined conveyor. The driver's cab is arranged at the supporting frame with the intermediary of at least one damper unit. At least one camera is arranged in an interior of the driver's cab. The camera is oriented to the cutting mechanism and/or to the inclined conveyor through a front windshield of the driver's cab. The camera is arranged in an operative area of a cleaning device of the front windshield so that a detection area of the camera can be optically acquired at least through a portion of the operative area of the cleaning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis NEITEMEIER, Marvin BARTHER, Frédéric FISCHER, Boris KETTELHOIT
  • Publication number: 20200068804
    Abstract: An agricultural work machine, in particular a harvester, has a header for performing agricultural work and having a control device which has at least one sensor unit for detecting a crop stream in and/or around the header and an image processing unit for processing images which are generated by the sensor unit based on the crop stream detected via sensor. The control device is configured to detect regions of like characteristics, components of the header and properties of the crop stream and is configured to use that which has been detected for open loop control and/or closed loop control of process sequences in the agricultural work machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Marvin Barther, Dennis Neitemeier, Frédéric Fischer, Boris Kettelhoit
  • Patent number: 10568271
    Abstract: A detection arrangement for detecting a state of wear of a chopping assembly comprises at least one magnet arrangement which includes a magnetic excitation arrangement and a flux-conducting device magnetically coupled thereto. The magnet arrangement provides a pole arrangement which forms at least one magnetic pole for outwardly conducting magnetic flux. At least one portion of the chopping blades moves past the pole arrangement during a rotation of the cutting cylinder, and forms an air gap arrangement including at least one air gap with respect to the pole arrangement and, as a result, at least one magnetic circuit excited by the excitation arrangement is closed via the chopping blade. At least one portion of the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic excitation arrangement is longitudinally guided in the chopping blade at least across one longitudinal portion of the chopping blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis Neitemeier, Jochen Huster, Boris Kettelhoit, Frederic Fischer, Carsten Grove