Variable rate discharge system for crop accumulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11058062-B2
Application number	US-201816158570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A system for controlling the speed of harvested crop as it is discharged from a crop accumulator onto a field comprising a discharge mechanism for imparting a desired rearward travel speed to the harvested crop as it is being discharged from the crop accumulator and a speed measurement device for measuring forward travel speed of the crop accumulator. A processor is in communication with the discharge mechanism and the speed measurement device and is operable to adjust the discharge mechanism for imparting the desired rearward travel speed or the forward travel speed of the crop accumulator, to discharge harvested crop with a rearward travel speed that is substantially equal to the forward travel speed such that the harvested crop has a substantially net zero speed as it contacts the ground.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling the speed of a plurality of bales as they are discharged from a crop accumulator onto a field, the system comprising:
a discharge mechanism configured to impart a desired rearward travel speed to the plurality of bales as they are being discharged from the crop accumulator in a side-by-side arrangement, wherein the discharge mechanism is a carriage assembly comprising a carriage and an electric motor for moving the carriage;
a speed measurement device configured to measure a forward travel speed of the crop accumulator as it moves at the forward travel speed greater than zero; and
a processor in communication with the discharge mechanism and the speed measurement device, the processor operable to adjust at least one of the discharge mechanism for imparting the desired rearward travel speed and the forward travel speed of the crop accumulator, to discharge the plurality of bales with a rearward travel speed that is substantially equal to the forward travel speed such that the plurality of bales have a substantially net zero speed as they contact the ground and as the crop accumulator continues traveling at the forward travel speed.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS unit configured with at least one virtual trip line that is communicated to the processor, such that the plurality of bales contact the ground according to at least one of the following: on the virtual trip line, adjacent to the virtual trip line, in a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line, and outside of a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the speed measurement device is one of a GPS unit, a speedometer, and a radar.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the GPS unit is a cellular phone.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an alarm that alerts an operator when the plurality of bales is discharged.

6. A system for controlling the speed of a plurality of bales as they are discharged from a crop accumulator onto a field, the system comprising:
a discharge mechanism configured to impart a desired rearward travel speed to the plurality of bales as they are being discharged from the crop accumulator in a side-by-side arrangement, wherein the discharge mechanism is a carriage assembly comprising a carriage and an electric motor for moving the carriage;
a speed measurement device configured to measure a forward travel speed of the crop accumulator as it moves at the forward travel speed greater than zero;
a GPS unit configured with at least one virtual trip line; and
a processor in communication with the discharge mechanism, the speed measurement device, and the GPS unit, the processor operable to adjust at least one of the discharge mechanism for imparting the desired rearward travel speed and the forward travel speed of the crop accumulator, to discharge the plurality of bales with a rearward travel speed that is substantially the same as the forward travel speed, such that the plurality of bales contact the ground according to at least one of the following: on the virtual trip line, adjacent to the virtual trip line, in a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line, and outside of a zone defined by a predetermined distance from the virtual trip line.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the speed measurement device is one of a speedometer and a radar.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the GPS unit is a cellular phone.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising an alarm that alerts an operator when the plurality of bales is discharged.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the speed measurement device and the GPS unit are the same device.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kraus Timothy J
• Anstey Henry D

Classifications

• A01D2085/007

  Machines directly attached to a baler · CPC title

• A01F15/0765

  Rolling bales on the ground · CPC title

• A01D2085/008

  Making groups of bales just at horizontal level for leaving them on the field · CPC title

• A01D85/005

  Forming groups of bales, e.g. bale sledges (loaders for bales A01D87/12; vehicles for loading bales A01D90/08) · CPC title

• A01F15/0883 Primary

  for round balers · CPC title