# US 11,895,949 B2 · Cleaning device in a combine harvester > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,895,949 B2 - Document ID: US11895949B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/027,893 - Filed: 2020-09-22 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-23 - Assignees: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH - Applicants: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH - Inventors: Benedikt Poelling; Norbert Strieker; Dennis Lutterbeck; Joachim Baumgarten - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11895949B2 ## CPC - A01D 41/1276: {for cleaning mechanisms} - A01D 75/282: {acting on the grain cleaning and separating device (grain cleaners, separators per se A01F12/44)} - A01D 41/1272: {for measuring grain flow} - A01D 41/1274: {for drives} - A01D 41/1277: {for measuring grain quality} - A01F 12/448: {Sieve adjusting means} - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - A01F: PROCESSING OF HARVESTED PRODUCE; HAY OR STRAW PRESSES; DEVICES FOR STORING AGRICULTURAL OR HORTICULTURAL PRODUCE (devices for topping or skinning onions or flower bulbs A23N15/08) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for separating a crop flow on at least one conveying and cleaning unit, particularly a top sieve, of a combine harvester, comprising the following steps: exciting the conveying and cleaning unit to a longitudinal oscillation and a transverse oscillation, controlling the transverse oscillation depending on at least one state comprising an inclination of the combine harvester, and controlling the transverse oscillation depending on at least one further state that comprises grain purity, wherein the transverse oscillation is pre-controlled depending on the inclination of the combine harvester and fine-tuned depending on the grain purity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein the grain purity is determined by one or more first sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein the conveying and cleaning unit is acted upon by an active transverse oscillation during a work process on level ground as well as on a slope, wherein distance covered by the crop on the conveying and cleaning unit is actively lengthened by the transverse oscillation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein an additional further state for controlling the transverse oscillation comprises a transverse separation at one or more sieves of the conveying and cleaning unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 4, wherein the transverse separation is determined at an exit of a bottom sieve or the top sieve of the conveying and cleaning unit by one or more grain flow measuring devices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein the combine harvester is formed as axial rotor machine, wherein the axial rotor machine has at least one axial rotor and louvers which at least partially surround the at least one axial rotor, wherein an additional further state for controlling the transverse oscillation comprises an adjustment of the louvers, wherein the adjustment of the louvers is changed by the control depending on the at least one further state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein the control of the transverse oscillation is carried out automatically. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method for separating the crop flow according to claim 1, wherein an additional further state for controlling the transverse oscillation comprises throughput of the crop flow. ### Claim 9 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 that is excited to a longitudinal oscillation and a transverse oscillation, comprising: one or more first sensors configured for determining grain purity, and a control unit configured for controlling the transverse oscillation depending on at least one state, wherein the at least one state for controlling the transverse oscillation is the inclination of the combine harvester, wherein the control unit is configured for controlling the transverse oscillation depending on at least one further state comprising the grain purity, wherein the control unit is configured to pre-adjust to a transverse oscillation reference value depending on the inclination of the combine harvester and subsequently, depending on the at least one further state, generate a control command signal with which the transverse oscillation of the conveying and cleaning unit is adjusted so that the grain purity lies within a defined tolerance range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus for separating the crop flow according to claim 9, wherein the first sensors are formed as optical sensors for capturing a series of images of a through-going crop flow, wherein the optical sensors are arranged in a grain elevator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus for separating the crop flow according claim 9, wherein the combine harvester comprises at least one grain flow measuring device for determining the transverse separation, and the control unit is configured for controlling the transverse oscillation based on an additional further state comprising the transverse separation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus for separating the crop flow according to claim 9, wherein the combine harvester is formed as an axial rotor machine, wherein the axial rotor machine has at least one axial rotor and louvers at least partially surrounding the rotor, and the control unit is configured for adjustment of the louvers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus for separating the crop flow according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to change the adjustment of the louvers depending on the at least one state or the at least one further state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus for separating the crop flow according to claim 9, wherein the combine harvester has a throughput measuring device in the form of a layer height roller arranged in a feed conveyor of the combine harvester, for determining throughput of the crop flow, and the control unit is configured to controlling the transverse oscillation depending on an additional further state comprising the throughput of the crop flow.