Residue management control system for harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12137632-B2
Application number	US-202117222581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2021
Priority date	Jan 22, 2021
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A harvester movable along a support surface. The harvester includes an inlet configured to receive crop, a blade configured to cut the crop into billet and extraneous plant matter, and a cleaning system configured to distinguish between billet and extraneous plant matter. Billet is directed toward a conveyor configured for discharging billet to a vehicle and extraneous plant matter is directed toward a hood. The hood includes a debris director defining an outlet configured to eject extraneous plant matter as residue onto the support surface. The outlet is disposed at an angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface. The debris director is configured to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A harvester movable along a support surface, the harvester comprising:
an inlet configured to receive crop;
a blade configured to cut the crop into billet and extraneous plant matter;
a cleaning system configured to distinguish between billet and extraneous plant matter such that billet is directed toward a conveyor configured for discharging billet to a vehicle and extraneous plant matter is directed toward a hood, wherein the hood includes a debris director defining an outlet configured to eject extraneous plant matter as residue onto the support surface, wherein the outlet is disposed at an angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface, and wherein the debris director is configured to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface;
a sensor configured to detect at least one of an environmental condition or a cleaning system motor pressure; and
a control system including a processor, a memory, and a human-machine interface, the control system configured to receive a signal from the sensor and programmed to move the debris director to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface based on the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the cleaning system motor pressure.

2. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the angle of residue ejection is adjustable at least partially between zero degrees and 90 degrees, wherein zero degrees is generally parallel to the support surface and 90 degrees is generally perpendicular to the support surface.

3. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the angle of residue ejection is adjustable such that a residue ejection direction is generally perpendicular to the support surface.

4. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition includes a measured wind speed and/or direction.

5. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to receive an operator input corresponding to a threshold value and is further configured to move the debris director in response to the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the cleaning system motor pressure reaching the threshold value.

6. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to automatically move the debris director proportionally to the magnitude of the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the cleaning system motor pressure.

7. The harvester of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to move the debris director between first and second positions, wherein the control system is configured to control the actuator to move the debris director.

8. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the debris director is movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which the debris director extends from the hood.

9. The harvester of claim 8 , wherein the debris director is mounted to rotate between the retracted position and the extended position.

10. The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the debris director includes at least one extendable panel.

11. The harvester of claim 10 , wherein the at least one extendable panel is configured to pivot between a retracted position and an extended position.

12. The harvester of claim 10 , wherein the at least one extendable panel includes a plurality of extendable panels, wherein at least one of the plurality of extendable panels is an active panel driven by an actuator.

13. The harvester of claim 12 , wherein the active panel at least partially defines the outlet defining the adjustable angle of residue ejection.

14. A cleaning system for a harvester movable along a support surface, the harvester having an inlet configured to receive crop and a blade configured to cut the crop into billet and extraneous plant matter, the cleaning system comprising:
a separator configured to distinguish between billet and extraneous plant matter such that billet is directed toward a conveyor configured for discharging billet to a vehicle and extraneous plant matter is directed toward a hood, wherein the hood includes a debris director defining an outlet configured to eject extraneous plant matter as residue onto the support surface, wherein the outlet is disposed at an angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface, and wherein the debris director is configured to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface;
a sensor configured to detect at least one of an environmental condition or a separator motor pressure; and
a control system including a processor, a memory, and a human-machine interface, the control system configured to receive a signal from the sensor and programmed to move the debris director to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface based on the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the separator motor pressure.

15. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the environmental condition includes a measured wind speed and/or direction.

16. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to receive an operator input corresponding to a threshold value and is further configured to move the debris director in response to the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the separator motor pressure reaching the threshold value.

17. The cleaning system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to automatically move the debris director proportionally to the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the separator motor pressure.

18. A harvester movable along a support surface to receive crop and separate crop into billet and extraneous plant matter, the harvester comprising:
a cleaning system configured to direct extraneous plant matter toward a hood, wherein the hood includes a debris director including at least one movable panel defining an outlet configured to eject extraneous plant matter as residue onto the support surface, wherein the outlet is disposed at an angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface, wherein the at least one movable panel is configured to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface, and wherein the angle of residue ejection is adjustable such that a residue ejection direction is generally perpendicular to the support surface;
a sensor configured to detect at least one of an environmental condition or a separator motor pressure; and
a control system including a processor, a memory, and a human-machine interface, the control system configured to receive a signal from the sensor and programmed to move the debris director to adjust the angle of residue ejection with respect to the support surface based on the detected at least one of the environmental condition or the separator motor pressure.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Craig Paul I

Classifications

• A01D41/1208

  Tanks for grain or chaff (for threshing machines A01F12/60) · CPC title

• A01D41/1276

  for cleaning mechanisms · CPC title

• A01D45/10 Primary

  of sugar cane {(for digging sugar cane A01D31/00)} · CPC title