Closed loop control of tailings processor aggressiveness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12150413-B2
Application number	US-202117380728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2021
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

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 based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.

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 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 to achieve a desired level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain, the desired level being selected by a user of the agricultural harvester; 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 or the at least one imaging device determining from the image a level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain, the controller configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.

2. The tailings processor of claim 1 , further comprising a housing, the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor is configured to adjust a radial or threshing clearance between the threshing device and a section of the housing.

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

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

5. The tailings processor of claim 2 , wherein the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor further comprises:
a movable section of the periphery of the housing, the movable section being configured to increase or decrease the radial or threshing clearance between the threshing device and the movable section;
the movable section being connected to at least one adjusting mechanism; and
the at least one adjusting mechanism is connected to and controlled by the controller.

6. The tailings processor of claim 5 , wherein the threshing device further comprises a rotating drum having at least one rasp attached to it, the movable section further comprises a floor of the housing, the floor of the housing having at least one lug attached to it; and
the radial or threshing clearance further comprises a clearance between an end of the at least one rasp distal to the rotating drum and the floor of the housing.

7. The tailings processor of claim 5 , wherein the at least one adjusting mechanism further comprises at least one cam, at least one lever arm, and at least one actuator.

8. 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.

9. The tailings processor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging device is 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.

10. An agricultural harvester, comprising:
a threshing and separating system;
a tailings auger;
a return auger; and
a tailings processor, the tailings processor including:
a 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 to achieve a desired level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain, the desired level being selected by a user of the agricultural harvester; 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 or the at least one imaging device determining from the image a level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain, the controller configured to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor using the arrangement, based on the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain determined from the image from the at least one imaging device by comparing the level of broken grain and/or unthreshed grain to the desired level.

11. The agricultural harvester of claim 10 , further comprising a housing, the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor is configured to adjust a radial or threshing clearance between the threshing device and a section of the housing.

12. The agricultural harvester of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control the arrangement to reduce the radial or threshing clearance to increase the aggressiveness of the tailings processor when the at least one imaging device indicates an excess of amount of unthreshed grain is passing through the tailings processor.

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

14. The agricultural harvester of claim 11 , wherein the arrangement to automatically adjust the aggressiveness of the tailings processor further comprises:
a movable section of the periphery of the housing, the movable section being configured to increase or decrease the radial or threshing clearance between the threshing device and the movable section;
the movable section being connected to at least one adjusting mechanism; and
the at least one adjusting mechanism is connected to and controlled by the controller.

15. The agricultural harvester of claim 14 , wherein the threshing device further comprises a rotating drum having at least one rasp attached to it, the movable section further comprises a floor of the housing, the floor of the housing having at least one lug attached to it; and
the radial or threshing clearance further comprises a clearance between an end of the at least one rasp distal to the rotating drum and the floor of the housing.

16. The agricultural harvester of claim 14 , wherein the at least one adjusting mechanism further comprises at least one cam, at least one lever arm, and at least one actuator.

17. The agricultural harvester of claim 10 , wherein the at least one imaging de

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A01F2012/188

  Rethreshing devices · CPC title

• A01F12/18

  Threshing devices · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01F12/52 Primary

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