Process and machine for conveying a flow of harvested crop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11297769-B2
Application number	US-201816620753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A process for conveying a flow of harvested crop along a first conveyor, which is configured to convey the flow along a first direction, and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction. The process includes operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process comprising:
conveying a flow of harvested crop along a first conveyor, which is configured to convey the flow along a first direction to a downstream end of the first conveyor;
conveying the flow of the harvested crop along a second conveyor arranged downstream of the downstream end and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction; and
operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, with an acceleration time differing from a subsequent declaration time, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial reparation of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first conveying direction is substantially perpendicular to the second conveying direction.

3. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising transferring the flow of harvested crop from the first conveyor to the second conveyor by ballistic effect.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the operating comprises operating the first conveyor to present a periodical variation of its conveyor speed on either side of a nominal speed.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the operating comprises operating the first conveyor to present a sinusoidal variation of its conveyor speed.

6. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an amplitude or a cycle period of the cycle of acceleration and deceleration of the first conveyor speed.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the operating comprises operating the first conveyor to present a cycle period of the cycle of acceleration and deceleration between 0.5 s and 2 s.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the operating comprises operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle wherein the acceleration time is shorter than the subsequent deceleration time.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the operating comprises operating the first conveyor to present a periodical variation of its conveyor speed on either side of a nominal speed, and wherein the acceleration time is between ¼ and ⅓ of the period of the variable conveyor speed, the deceleration time being between ¾ and ⅔ of the period.

10. A harvesting machine comprising
a harvesting unit,
at least one crop processing unit for processing a crop harvested by the harvesting unit, and
a device for conveying a flow of harvested crop between the units, the device comprising a first conveyor configured to convey the flow along a first direction to a downstream end of the first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the downstream end and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the device is configured for operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, with an acceleration time differing from a subsequent declaration time, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction.

11. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the flow of harvested crop comprises berries growing in bunches, the harvesting machine further comprising a destemming unit adapted to achieve a destemming process on the bunches, the second conveyor comprising a mesh conveyor of the destemming unit.

12. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the device further comprises a hydraulic system for operating the first conveyor at the variable conveyor speed.

13. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor comprises a belt conveyor.

14. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor extends along a first direction which is perpendicular to a moving direction of the machine, and the second conveyor extends along a second direction which is parallel to the moving direction.

15. The machine according to claim 10 , wherein the second conveyor is arranged under an ejection zone of the first conveyor in order to be fed by the first conveyor by ballistic effect of the flow of harvested crop.

16. The harvesting machine according to claim 15 , wherein the flow of harvested crop comprises material other than berries, wherein the harvesting machine further comprising a suction cleaning unit adapted to achieve a cleaning process on the flow by eliminating by suction the material from the flow, the suction cleaning unit being located above the ejection zone.

17. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the device is configured for operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle wherein the acceleration time is shorter than the subsequent deceleration time.

18. The harvesting machine according to claim 10 , wherein the device is configured for operating the first conveyor to present a periodical variation of its conveyor speed on either side of a nominal speed, and wherein the acceleration time is between ¼ and ⅓ of the period of the variable conveyor speed, the deceleration time being between ¾ and ⅔ of the period.

19. A harvesting machine comprising
a harvesting unit,
at least one crop processing unit for processing a crop harvested by the harvesting unit, and
a device for conveying a flow of harvested crop between the units, the device comprising a first conveyor configured to convey the flow along a first direction to a downstream end of the first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the downstream end and which is configured to convey the flow along a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the device is configured for operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle of acceleration and deceleration, the cycle being operable to ensure a spatial repartition of the flow of harvested crop on the second conveyor, which receives the flow at a location that is variable according to the first direction,
wherein the first conveyor extends along a first direction which is perpendicular to a moving direction of the machine, and the second conveyor extends along a second direction which is parallel to the moving direction.

20. The harvesting machine according to claim 19 , wherein the device is configured for operating the first conveyor at a variable conveyor speed presenting a cycle wherein the acceleration time is shorter than the subsequent deceleration time.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Rico Vincent
• Martin Cedric

Classifications

• A01D46/285

  with means for separating leaves and grapes, e.g. pneumatical means like blowing or aspirating devices · CPC title

• B65G47/31

  by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series · CPC title

• A01D46/28

  Vintaging machines, i.e. grape harvesting machines · CPC title

• A01D46/264

  Devices for beating or vibrating the foliage; Fruit catching devices to be used therewith · CPC title

• A01D61/00 Primary

  Elevators or conveyors for binders or combines · CPC title