초록

Sugar cane harvester automatic cutter height control systems maintain consistent cutter heights even as a harvesting machine traverses changing field conditions. After an operator chooses an initial cutting height the automatic systems maintain that height even as ground conditions change.

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1. A harvester base cutter control system comprising: a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester to measure a height of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester to meas

1. A harvester base cutter control system comprising: a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester to measure a height of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester to measure a height of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;a hydraulic system to raise or lower the base cutter/row separator unit with respect to the harvester; and,a controller that interprets sensor data and adjusts base cutter/row separator height via the hydraulic system to maintain a constant base cutter height above the furrow. 2. The system of claim 1, the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors. 3. The system of claim 1, the controller comprising a pitch sensor that measures a pitch angle of the harvester. 4. A method of maintaining constant base cutter height in a harvester comprising: providing a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester;providing a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester;using the first height sensor to monitor a height, h1, of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;using the second height sensor to monitor a height, h2, of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;raising or lowering the base cutter/row separator unit to maintain height, h1, constant;if height, h2, decreases by an amount, Δh, raising the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh; and,if height, h2, increases by an amount, Δh, lowering the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh. 5. The method of claim 4, the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors. 6. A method of maintaining constant base cutter height in a harvester comprising: providing a first height sensor mounted in a row separator of a harvester;providing a second height sensor mounted at the rear of the harvester;providing a pitch sensor to monitor a pitch angle of the harvester;using the first height sensor to monitor a height, h1, of a base cutter/row separator unit above a rut traversed by tracks or wheels of the harvester;using the second height sensor to monitor a height, h2, of the harvester above a furrow between the tracks or wheels;raising or lowering the base cutter/row separator unit to maintain height, h1, constant;if the pitch angle is changing or has been constant for less time than the harvester takes to traverse a distance equal to a separation between the first and second sensor, then ignoring changes in height, h2; and,otherwise: if height, h2, decreases by an amount, Δh, raising the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh, and, if height, h2, increases by an amount, Δh, lowering the base cutter/row separator unit by Δh. 7. The method of claim 6, the first and second height sensors being ultrasonic height sensors.