Moisture Control System For An Agricultural Harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016014960-A1
Application number	US-201414771353-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 28, 2014
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An agricultural moistener system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to provide a feedback signal based at least in part on a sensed moisture about a harvester, a sensed accretion of an agricultural product within the harvester, or any combination thereof. The controller is configured to receive the feedback signal and to control application of a solution to one or more spindles based at least in part on the feedback signal. The solution is configured to reduce a first accretion of the agricultural product about the one or more spindles, a second accretion of the agricultural product in an outlet of the harvester, or any combination thereof. The one or more spindles is configured to harvest the agricultural product from a field, and the outlet is configured to receive the agricultural product from the one or more spindles.

First claim

1 . An agricultural moistener system comprising:
a sensor configured to provide a feedback signal based at least in part on a sensed moisture about a harvester, a sensed accretion of an agricultural product within the harvester, or any combination thereof; and a controller configured to receive the feedback signal and to control application of a solution to one or more spindles based at least in part on the feedback signal, wherein the solution is configured to reduce a first accretion of the agricultural product about the one or more spindles, a second accretion of the agricultural product in an outlet of the harvester, or any combination thereof, wherein the one or more spindles is configured to harvest the agricultural product from a field, and the outlet is configured to receive the agricultural product from the one or more spindles.

2 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a moisture sensor configured to sense a moisture level of the agricultural product, a humidity of an ambient environment, or any combination thereof.

3 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 2 , wherein the moisture sensor is configured to transmit an electrical pulse through the agricultural product to determine the moisture level of the agricultural product.

4 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor configured to sense the first accretion of the agricultural product about the one or more spindles, the second accretion of the agricultural product in the outlet of the harvester, or any combination thereof.

5 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises a water portion and a cleaner portion, wherein the controller is configured to control a ratio of the water portion relative to the cleaner portion in the solution based at least in part on the feedback signal.

6 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a moisture level based at least in part on the feedback signal.

7 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a quantity of the solution based at least in part on a harvesting speed.

8 . An agricultural moistener system comprising:
a sensor configured to provide a feedback signal based at least in part on a sensed moisture about a harvester, a sensed accretion of an agricultural product within the harvester, or any combination thereof; a mixing portion configured to receive a first liquid and a second liquid, and to dispense a solution comprising a first portion of the first liquid and a second portion of the second liquid; and a controller configured to receive the feedback signal and to control dispensation of the solution based at least in part on the feedback signal, wherein the solution is configured to reduce a first accretion of a harvested good of the agricultural product about one or more spindles of the harvester, a second accretion of the agricultural product in an outlet of the harvester, or any combination thereof, wherein the one or more spindles is configured to harvest the agricultural product from a field, and the outlet is configured to receive the agricultural product from the one or more spindles.

9 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises a moisture sensor, an optical sensor, or any combination thereof.

10 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 8 , wherein the first liquid comprises a cleaner configured to clean the one or more spindles.

11 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a ratio of the cleaner to the second liquid in the solution based at least in part on an accretion threshold, and to adjust a quantity of the solution based at least in part on a moisture threshold.

12 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 8 , comprising an indicator configured to provide a notification while the sensed moisture is greater than a moisture threshold.

13 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 8 , comprising a liquid injection system configured to inject a third liquid into the harvested good, wherein the controller is configured to determine a desired moisture level in the harvested good and to control the liquid injection system to inject a quantity of the third liquid into the harvested good based at least in part on the sensed moisture and the desired moisture level.

14 . The agricultural moistener system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to control the dispensation of the solution based at least in part on a harvesting speed.

15 . A harvester system comprising:
a moistener system comprising:
a sensor configured to provide a feedback signal based at least in part on a sensed moisture of an agricultural product, a sensed accretion of the agricultural product in the harvester system, or any combination thereof;
a plurality of moistener pads configured to apply a solution to a plurality of spindles; and
a controller configured to receive the feedback signal and to control application of the solution to the plurality of moistener pads based at least in part on the feedback signal, wherein the solution is configured to reduce an accretion of the agricultural product; and
a rotor comprising the plurality of spindles, wherein the plurality of spindles is configured to revolve about the rotor and to move through a plurality of zones, the plurality of zones comprising:
a picking zone, in which the plurality of spindles is configured to harvest the agricultural product;
a doffing zone, in which the plurality of spindles is configured to discharge a portion of the agricultural product into an outlet; and
a cleaning zone, in which a moistener system is configured to apply the solution to the plurality of spindles.

16 . The harvester system of claim 15 , comprising a liquid injection system configured to apply a liquid to the portion of the agricultural product, wherein the controller is configured to control the application of the liquid based at least in part on the feedback signal.

17 . The harvester system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises a moisture sensor, and the moisture sensor is disposed in the picking zone or the doffing zone.

18 . The harvester system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor configured to provide the feedback signal based at least in part on a first accretion about the plurality of spindles, a second accretion in the outlet, or any combination thereof.

19 . The harvester system of claim 15 , comprising a second sensor configured to provide a moisture signal based at least in part on a detected humidity of an ambient environment, wherein the controller is configured to control the application of the solution to the plurality of moistener pads based at least in part on the moisture signal.

20 . The harvester system of claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a moisture level of the second portion of the agricultural product from the feedback signal and the moisture signal, wherein the controller is configured to provide a notification while the moisture level is greater than a moisture threshold.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Meagher Paula J
• Minnich Michael John
• Rizzon Dominick B
• Compagnoni Michele Monzio
• Orsborn Jesse H

Classifications

• A01D41/127 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D46/085 Primary

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for cotton harvesters · CPC title