Closed loop control of tailings processor aggressiveness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076533-B2
Application number	US-201716349118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A system for controlling the aggressiveness of a tailings processor that re-threshes tailings received from the grain cleaning system in an agricultural harvester is provided with at least one imaging device to image a grain sample. At least a portion of the grain sample has at least once passed through the tailings processor. A controller is connected to the imaging device and to an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor. The controller is configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on information provided by the at least one imaging device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tailings processor for use in an agricultural harvester having a threshing and separating system, a grain cleaning system, a tailings auger and a return auger, a clean grain auger, a grain elevator having an outlet, and a grain tank, the tailings processor comprising:
a housing having a rotating threshing device for re-threshing tailings, the threshing device being configured for receiving the tailings from the tailings auger and for providing the re-threshed tailings to the return auger;
an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor; and
a system for controlling the aggressiveness of the tailings processor, the system comprising:
at least one imaging device oriented to image a grain sample, at least a portion of the grain sample having passed through the tailings processor at least once; and
a controller connected to the at least one imaging device and to the arrangement, the controller configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on information provided by the at least one imaging device;

wherein the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor includes a movable section of a periphery of the housing, the movable section being configured to increase or decrease a radial or threshing clearance between the rotating threshing device and the movable section, the movable section being connected to at least one adjusting mechanism, and the at least one adjusting mechanism being connected to and controlled by the controller, the rotating threshing device includes a rotating drum having at least one rasp attached to it, the movable section further including a floor of the housing, the floor of the housing having at least one lug attached to it, the radial or threshing clearance further has a clearance between an end of the at least one rasp distal to the rotating drum and the floor of the housing, the at least one adjusting mechanism further includes at least one cam, at least one lever arm, and at least one actuator, the at least one cam being coupled to the floor of the housing, the controller controlling the actuator to adjust a position of the cam to thereby adjust the radial or threshing clearance.

2. The tailings processor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cam is a plurality of cams coupled to the floor of the housing, the plurality of cams including a first cam and a second cam that are arranged to act in opposite orientations by action of the actuator.

3. The tailings processor of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the arrangement to reduce the radial or threshing clearance to increase the aggressiveness of the tailings processor when the information provided by the at least one imaging device indicates an excess of elements of unthreshed grain is passing through the tailings processor.

4. The tailings processor of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the arrangement to increase the radial or threshing clearance to decrease the aggressiveness of the tailings processor when the information provided by the at least one imaging device indicates an excess of broken grain is passing through the tailings processor.

5. The tailings processor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging device is at least one of a digital camera, an ultrasonic imaging device, a thermal or infrared imaging device, and a radar imaging device.

6. The tailings processor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging device is configured to be attached to at least one of the tailings auger, the return auger, the clean grain auger, the grain elevator, the outlet of the grain elevator, and the housing of the tailings processor.

7. The tailings processor of claim 1 , further comprising at least one device or indicator for providing feedback to an operator on the present setting of the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor.

8. An agricultural harvester comprising:
a chassis;
a threshing and separating system carried by the chassis for separating grain from material other than grain;
a cleaning system receiving grain from the threshing and separating system for further cleaning the grain;
a tailings auger;
a return auger; and
a tailings processor comprising:
a housing having a rotating threshing device for re-threshing tailings, the threshing device being configured for receiving the tailings from the tailings auger and for providing the re-threshed tailings to the return auger;
an arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor; and
a system for controlling the aggressiveness of the tailings processor, the system comprising:
at least one imaging device oriented to image a grain sample, at least a portion of the grain sample having passed through the tailings processor at least once; and
a controller connected to the at least one imaging device and to the arrangement, the controller configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on information provided by the at least one imaging device;

wherein the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor includes a movable section of a periphery of the housing, the movable section being configured to increase or decrease a radial or threshing clearance between the rotating threshing device and the movable section, the movable section being connected to at least one adjusting mechanism, and the at least one adjusting mechanism being connected to and controlled by the controller, the rotating threshing device includes a rotating drum having at least one rasp attached to it, the movable section further including a floor of the housing, the floor of the housing having at least one lug attached to it, the radial or threshing clearance further has a clearance between an end of the at least one rasp distal to the rotating drum and the floor of the housing, the at least one adjusting mechanism further includes at least one cam, at least one lever arm, and at least one actuator, the at least one cam being coupled to the floor of the housing, the controller controlling the actuator to adjust a position of the cam to thereby adjust the radial or threshing clearance.

9. The agricultural harvester of claim 8 , wherein the at least one cam is a plurality of cams coupled to the floor of the housing, the plurality of cams including a first cam and a second cam that are arranged to act in opposite orientations by action of the actuator.

10. The agricultural harvester of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the arrangement to reduce the radial or threshing clearance to increase the aggressiveness of the tailings processor when the information provided by the at least one imaging device indicates an excess of elements of unthreshed grain is passing through the tailings processor.

11. The agricultural harvester of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the arrangement to increase the radial or threshing clearance to decrease the aggressiveness of the tailings processor when the information provided by the at least one imaging device indicates an excess of broken grain is passing through the tailings processor.

12. A tailings processor for use in an agricultural harvester having a threshing and separating system, a grain cleaning system, a tailings auger and a return auger, a clean grain auger, a grain elevator having an outlet, and a grain tank, the tailings processor comprising:
a housing having a rotating threshing device for re-th

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Banks Jr Clayton E
• Jongmans Dré W J
• Mahieu Thomas
• Missotten Bart M A
• Mccully William Mark

Classifications

• A01F12/52 Primary

  Arrangements for returning unthreshed grain to the threshing device · CPC title

• A01F12/18

  Threshing devices · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01F2012/188

  Rethreshing devices · CPC title