Self adjusting concave clearance system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120127-A1
Application number	US-201414529346-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An agricultural combine ( 102 ) includes a rotor ( 114 ), a concave ( 116 ), a force sensor ( 134 ) to indicate the force applied to a crop mat located between the rotor and the concave, a position sensor ( 132 ) to indicate the size of a gap ( 130 ) between the rotor ( 114 ) and the concave ( 116 ), an actuator ( 122, 124 ) to position the concave ( 116 ) with respect to the rotor ( 114 ), and an ECU ( 144 ) coupled to the sensors ( 132, 134 ) and the actuator ( 122, 124 ). The ECU ( 144 ) contains an economic operating curve ( 154, 156, 158 ) that relates the force to the size of the gap. The ECU ( 144 ) is configured to receive a signal from the force sensor ( 134 ) and a signal from the position sensor ( 132 ), and based upon those signals, to control the actuator ( 122, 124 ) to change the force and the size of the gap ( 130 ) to a point on the economic operating curve ( 154, 156, 158 ).

First claim

I claim:

1 . An agricultural combine ( 102 ) comprising:
a rotor ( 114 ); a concave ( 116 ) extending about the rotor ( 114 ) and defining a gap ( 130 ) therebetween; at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) coupled to the concave ( 116 ), wherein the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) is configured to change the gap ( 130 ) when said at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) is actuated; at least one force sensor ( 134 ) configured to provide a force signal indicative of a force applied by the rotor ( 114 ) and the concave ( 116 to a crop mat disposed in the gap ( 130 ); at least one position sensor ( 132 ) configured to provide a position signal indicative of a magnitude of the gap ( 130 ); an ECU ( 144 ) coupled to the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ), to the at least one force sensor ( 134 ) and to the at least one position sensor ( 132 ), wherein the ECU ( 144 ) contains at least one economic operating curve ( 154 , 156 , 158 ) that correlates a force applied to the crop mat and a magnitude of the gap ( 130 ), wherein the ECU ( 144 ) is configured to read the force signal and the position signal, wherein the ECU ( 144 ) is configured to actuate the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) to drive the force signal and the position signal to a point on the at least one economic operating curve ( 154 , 156 , 158 ).

2 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 1 , further comprising:
an operator input device ( 146 ) configured to generate an operator signal made by an operator of the agricultural combine ( 102 ), wherein the operator signal is indicative of a desired economic operating curve ( 154 , 156 , 158 ), wherein the operator input device ( 146 ) is coupled to the ECU ( 144 ) and further wherein the ECU ( 144 ) is configured to receive the operator signal and wherein the ECU ( 144 ) is configured to select the at least one economic operating curve ( 154 , 156 , 158 ) based at least upon the operator signal.

3 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 1 , wherein the ECU ( 144 ) comprises an ALU and at least one digital memory circuit, and further wherein the at least one digital memory circuit contains the at least one economic operating curve ( 154 , 156 , 158 ) as at least one digital value.

4 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 3 , wherein the at least one digital memory circuit contains at least two operating curves ( 154 , 156 , 158 ), and further wherein the at least two operating curves ( 154 , 156 , 158 ) are individually selectable by an operator of the agricultural combine ( 102 ) using an operator input device ( 146 ).

5 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) is a hydraulic cylinder.

6 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 5 , wherein the at least one force sensor ( 134 a ) is disposed to sense hydraulic fluid pressure in the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ).

7 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one force sensor ( 134 b ) is disposed to sense a mechanical load on the concave ( 116 ).

8 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 7 , wherein the concave ( 116 ) is supported for pivotal movement about a hinge ( 118 ), and further wherein the at least one force sensor ( 134 b ) is disposed at the hinge ( 118 ).

9 . The agricultural combine ( 102 ) of claim 1 , wherein the ECU ( 144 ) is coupled to the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) by a valve arrangement ( 138 ), and further wherein the valve arrangement ( 138 ) is configured to control the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the at least one actuator ( 122 , 124 ) under control of the ECU ( 144 ).

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Mackin Ryan P
• Pope Glenn E

Classifications

• A01F12/28 Primary

  Devices for adjusting the concaves · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title