Level control method for an agricultural combine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10375890-B2
Application number	US-201715797358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2017
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A method of controlling an angular orientation of an agricultural combine having a chassis includes: determining a slope angle of the ground over which the combine is traveling; determining a tilt angle of the chassis; receiving an angle signal from an operator input device; combining the slope angle of the ground and the angle signal from the operator input device to calculate a desired angle of the chassis that is greater than horizontal (0°) and less than the slope angle of the ground.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling an angular orientation of an agricultural combine having a chassis, comprising the steps of:
electronically determining a slope angle of the ground over which the combine is traveling;
electronically determining a tilt angle of the chassis;
electronically receiving an angle signal from an operator input device;
electronically combining the slope angle of the ground and the angle signal from the operator input device to calculate a desired angle of the chassis that is greater than horizontal (0°) and less than the slope angle of the ground.

2. The method of controlling of claim 1 , where in the combine comprises two front drive wheels coupled to the chassis and at least one actuator coupled to at least one of the two front drive wheels, wherein the at least one actuator adjusts a position of the at least one of the two front front drive wheels with respect to the chassis, and the method comprises the step of:
electronically driving the at least one actuator to reposition the chassis to the desired angle.

3. The method of controlling of claim 1 , wherein the slope angle of the ground over which the combine is traveling is a slope angle of the ground in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the combine through a field harvesting crops.

4. The method of controlling of claim 3 , wherein the tilt angle of the chassis is an angle of tilt of the chassis with respect to horizontal in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the combine through the field harvesting crops.

5. The method of controlling of claim 1 , wherein the operator input device is selected from a group of operator input devices consisting of a lever, knob, dial, touchscreen, and voice recognition system.

6. The method of controlling of claim 1 , wherein the desired angle is calculated by subtracting the offset angle of tilt from the slope angle of the ground.

7. The method of controlling of claim 1 further comprising executing a plurality of feedback control loops, and wherein each loop comprises:
determining an actual angle of the chassis based upon signals from the at least one sensor;
determining a difference between the actual angle of the chassis and the desired angle of the chassis; and
outputs control signals to at least one actuator based upon the difference to reposition the chassis to the desired angle.

8. The method of controlling of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of feedback control loops are executed at a frequency of a feedback control loop being executed at least once every second.

9. An agricultural harvester comprising:
a chassis comprising a threshing and separating rotor and a cleaning shoe;
a front suspension supporting the chassis above a terrain;
at least one actuator coupled between the chassis in the front suspension to tilt the chassis relative to the front suspension;
at least one sensor;
an electronic control unit to:
determine a slope angle of ground over which the harvester is traveling and a tilt angle of the chassis based upon signals from the at least one sensor,
to receive an offset angle of tilt value from the operator input device,
to calculate a desired angle of the chassis that is greater than horizontal and less than the slope angle of the ground based upon a combination of the determined slope angle of ground, the tilt angle of the chassis and the received offset angle of tilt value received from the operator input device; and
output control signals to the at least one actuator to reposition the chassis to the desired angle.

10. The agricultural harvester of claim 9 , wherein the operator input device is selected from a group of operator input devices consisting of a lever, knob, dial, touchscreen, and voice recognition system.

11. The agricultural harvester of claim 9 , wherein the electronic control unit is to calculate the desired angle by subtracting the offset angle of tilt from the slope angle of the ground.

12. The agricultural harvester of claim 9 , wherein the electronic control unit is to execute a plurality of feedback control loops, and wherein the electronic control unit, during each loop:
determines an actual angle of the chassis based upon signals from the at least one sensor;
determines a difference between the actual angle of the chassis and the desired angle of the chassis; and
outputs control signals to the lease one actuator based upon the difference.

13. The agricultural harvester of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of feedback control loops are executed at a frequency of a feedback control loop being executed at least once every second.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to direct a microcontroller to:
electronically determining a slope angle of the ground over which the combine is traveling;
electronically determining a tilt angle of the chassis;
electronically receiving an angle signal from an operator input device;
electronically combining the slope angle of the ground and the angle signal from the operator input device to calculate a desired angle of the chassis that is greater than horizontal (0°) and less than the slope angle of the ground; and
electronically drive at least one actuator to reposition the chassis to the desired angle.

15. The medium of claim 14 , wherein instructions are to direct the microcontroller to calculate the desired angle by subtracting the offset angle of tilt from the slope angle of the ground.

16. The medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are direct the microcontroller to execute a plurality of feedback control loops, and wherein microcontroller, during each loop:
determines an actual angle of the chassis based upon signals from the at least one sensor;
determines a difference between the actual angle of the chassis and the desired angle of the chassis; and
outputs control signals to the lease one actuator based upon the difference.

17. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of feedback control loops are executed at a frequency of a feedback control loop being executed at least once every second.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Ramp Benjamin E

Classifications

• A01D75/282

  acting on the grain cleaning and separating device (grain cleaners, separators per se A01F12/44) · CPC title

• A01D75/285 Primary

  with arrangements for holding the harvesting or mowing apparatus in a horizontal position · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D41/1278 Primary

  for automatic steering · CPC title