Method for adjusting the height of a wear tool and corresponding agricultural machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11570943-B2
Application number	US-201816604414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2018
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

A method for the vertical calibration of an agricultural machine wear tool is provided. The method includes: placing the wear tool in contact with a reference area; measuring the value of a position variable linked to the positioning of the wear tool when it is in contact with the reference area; determining the theoretical vertical positioning component of the wear tool according to the value measured, based on a reference curve; and determining a matching curve between a vertical positioning component of the wear tool and the position variable, by shifting the reference curve by a value equal to the theoretical vertical component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for calibrating a height of an agricultural machine wear tool, an agricultural machine including the wear tool, the method comprising:
placing the wear tool in a calibration position such that the wear tool is in contact with a reference area;
measuring a value of a position variable when the wear tool is in the calibration position, the position variable corresponding to a vertical component of the wear tool;
providing a predetermined reference curve providing a theoretical vertical component of the wear tool based on the position variable;
determining the theoretical vertical component of the wear tool according to the measured value of the position variable and the reference curve; and
determining a matching curve between the vertical component of the wear tool and the position variable based on the measured value of the position variable by shifting the reference curve by a value equal to the determined theoretical vertical component of the wear tool.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agricultural machine includes a reference element designed to come into contact with the reference area, the reference area being the ground.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising placing the reference element on the reference area.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the reference element includes a soil-working roller, a drive wheel, a support wheel for work or a support wheel for transport.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of a sensor of a position of the reference element relative to a frame of the agricultural machine is an angle sensor or the position variable is an angle.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of a sensor of a position of the reference element relative to a frame of the agricultural machine is a stretching sensor or the position variable is a length which may change according to the position of the reference element.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agricultural machine includes a telemetering element, the reference area being the ground.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the telemetering element is an optical sensor or an ultrasonic measuring element.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the agricultural machine includes a contact measuring element, the reference area belonging to the contact measuring element.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the position variable is a height, the method including measuring the height using the telemetering element.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of estimating a maximum depth achievable during work, displaying the maximum depth achievable during work, estimating a remaining lifespan of the wear tool, or displaying the remaining lifespan of the wear tool.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wear tool is a rotary tool working around a vertical axis.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wear tool is a rotary tool working around an axis transverse to a vertical axis.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reference curve is a pre-saved curve of the height of the wear tool in a new state or in a previous worn state, according to the position variable.

15. A method to adjust the height of a wear tool comprising:
a preliminary calibration step compliant with the calibration method according to claim 1 ;
entry of a desired work depth;
determining a desired position of the reference element corresponding to the desired work depth according to the matching curve; and
changing the height of the wear tool until the desired position of the reference element is achieved.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for implementing the steps of the method for calibrating the height of an agricultural machine wear tool according to claim 1 when the instructions are executed by a processor.

17. An agricultural machine including a wear tool, a reference element and a control unit configured for the implementation of the calibration method according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kuhn Sa

Inventors

• North Julien
• Citerne Sylvain
• Potier Philippe

Classifications

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S15/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S15/46) · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• A01B63/111 Primary

  regulating working depth of implements · CPC title

• G01B21/22

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title