Cotton harvester power management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10462970-B2
Application number	US-201715630490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2017
Priority date	Jun 22, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A cotton harvester having a prime mover providing power to the cotton harvester, a controller monitoring a load on the prime mover and storing a load threshold, a drum rotatable about a first axis at a drum speed, a plurality of spindles for harvesting cotton, the plurality of spindles rotatable at a spindle speed and a doffer assembly rotatable about a second axis at a doffer speed. Wherein, when the controller detects a load on the prime mover greater than the load threshold, the spindle speed is reduced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cotton harvester, comprising:
a prime mover providing power to the cotton harvester;
a controller monitoring a load on the prime mover and storing a load threshold;
a drum rotatable about a first axis at a drum speed;
a plurality of spindles for harvesting cotton, the plurality of spindles rotatable at a spindle speed; and
a doffer assembly rotatable about a second axis at a doffer speed;
wherein, when the controller detects the load on the prime mover is greater than the load threshold, the spindle speed is reduced.

2. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , wherein power to the plurality of spindles is variable relative to power to the drum.

3. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ground drive assembly;
an engine fan; and
a cotton feeding system;
wherein the load monitored by the controller includes a load generated by the ground drive assembly, engine fan, and cotton feeding system.

4. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further comprising:
an engine as the prime mover, the engine having a variable engine speed; and
an ideal engine speed threshold stored in the controller;
wherein, when the controller detects the load on the prime mover is greater than the load threshold, the spindle speed is reduced and the engine speed remains within the ideal engine speed threshold.

5. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further wherein, a minimum spindle speed threshold is stored in the controller and the controller maintains the spindle speed above the minimum spindle speed threshold when the load on the prime mover is greater than the load threshold.

6. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , wherein, when the controller detects the load on the prime movers is less than the load threshold, the spindle speed is greater than a minimum spindle speed and less than or equal to a maximum spindle speed.

7. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further wherein, the spindle speed and the doffer speed have a corresponding speed ratio.

8. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further wherein, the plurality of spindles and the doffer assembly are mechanically coupled to one another and the spindle speed and the doffer speed is a fixed speed ratio.

9. The cotton harvester of claim 1 , further wherein, when the spindle speed is reduced, an indicator generates a signal.

10. The cotton harvester of claim 9 , further wherein, the signal is an audible or visual signal.

11. A method for controlling power in a cotton harvester, comprising:
providing a controller, a prime mover controlled by the controller, at least one load sensor communicating to the controller a load on the prime mover, a spindle assembly powered by the prime mover, and a spindle speed sensor communicating a spindle speed generated by the spindle assembly;
storing, in the controller, a load threshold and a minimum spindle speed threshold;
determining, with the controller, the load on the prime mover with the load sensor;
determining, with the controller, the spindle speed with the spindle speed sensor; and
reducing the spindle speed, with the controller, when the actual load is above the load threshold and the spindle speed is above the spindle speed threshold.

12. The method for controlling power in a cotton harvester from claim 11 , further comprising storing an ideal spindle speed in the controller;
wherein, when the actual load is less than the load threshold, the spindle assembly rotates at the ideal spindle speed.

13. The method for controlling power in a cotton harvester from claim 12 , wherein when the actual load is greater than the load threshold, the controller instructs the spindle assembly to rotate at a speed between the ideal spindle speed and the spindle speed threshold.

14. The method for controlling power in a cotton harvester from claim 11 , further comprising:
providing an indicator capable of indicating a signal to a user; and
engaging the indicator, with the controller, to signal the user when the spindle speed is reduced.

15. A cotton harvester system having a cotton harvester unit, comprising:
a controller in communication with the cotton harvester system;
a prime mover configured to generate power;
a plurality of sub-assemblies powered by the prime mover, the plurality of sub-assemblies including a doffer assembly configured to rotate doffers at a doffer speed;
wherein, when the controller identifies a high load condition, power to the doffer assembly is reduced.

16. The cotton harvester of claim 15 , further wherein the sub-assemblies comprise:
a spindle assembly configured to rotate spindles at a spindle speed;
a drum assembly configured to rotate drums at a drum speed.

17. The cotton harvester of claim 15 , wherein the prime mover provides power to the sub-assemblies through any of a hydraulic pump, an electric generator, or a mechanical linkage.

18. The cotton harvester of claim 15 , wherein one of the plurality of sub-assemblies is a spindle assembly provided hydraulic power from the prime mover.

19. The cotton harvester of claim 15 , wherein one of the plurality of sub-assemblies is a spindle assembly provided electric power from a generator powered by the prime mover.

20. The cotton harvester of claim 18 , wherein hydraulic power to the spindle assembly is reduced when the controller identifies the high load condition.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Noonan James T
• Goering Kevin J
• Schreiner Joel M

Classifications

• A01D46/16 Primary

  using rotary or oscillating spindles · CPC title

• A01D46/085 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for cotton harvesters · CPC title

• A01D69/002

  driven by power take-off · CPC title