Weighing round bales

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016187185-A1
Application number	US-201514757437-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2015
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates to weighing a bale formed by a harvester such as a round baler. One or more load sensors located in the tailgate section of the harvester are used to obtain weights when the harvester contains a bale and when the harvester is empty. Other factors, including the slope of the surface on which the harvester is location, the size of the bale, the bale moisture, and the shape of the bale are used to adjust the calculated bale weight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A harvester comprising:
a main frame, defining a front section of a bale chamber in which a bale is formed; a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame by at least a first load pin, defining a rear section of the bale chamber, and configured to pivot open to eject the bale; at least a first load sensor, positioned on or within the at least a first load pin, for measuring a weight force exerted thereon, and at least a first processing unit in operable communication with the at least first load sensor.

2 . The harvester of claim 1 , wherein the at least first load sensor is configured to obtain one or a combination of : (i) one or a plurality of reference weights in a first operational state; and (ii) one or a plurality of load weights in a second operational state; wherein the first operational state comprises a bale chamber free of a bale and the second operational state comprises a bale chamber comprising a formed or partially formed bale; and wherein the at least first processing unit is configured to calculate a bale weight value, the bale weight value a function of the one or plurality of reference weights and/or the one or plurality of load weights.

3 . The harvester of claim 2 , wherein the at least first processing unit is configured to calculate an adjustment value, the adjustment value a function of one or more of: (i) one or a plurality of slope measurements of the surface upon which the harvester is positioned; (ii) one or a plurality of size measurements of the bale within the bale chamber; (iii) one or a plurality of bale moisture measurements of the bale within the bale chamber, and (iv) one or a plurality of bale shape measurements of the bale within the bale chamber.

4 . The harvester of claim 3 , wherein the at least first processing unit is configured to calculate an output value, the output value a function of the bale weight value and the adjustment value.

5 . The harvester of claim 4 , further comprising a monitor comprising a display interface in operable communication with the at least first processing unit, wherein the display interface is configured to display the output value.

6 . The harvester of claim 1 , further comprising one or more tailgate sensors in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit, the one or more tailgate sensors configured to detect the position of the tailgate.

7 . The harvester of claim 2 , further comprising one or more tailgate sensors in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit, the one or more tailgate sensors configured to detect the position of the tailgate; and wherein, in the second operational state, the tailgate position is closed or substantially closed.

8 . The harvester of claim 3 , wherein, in either a first or second operational state, one or plurality of slope measurements are a function of one or more values indicating a longitudinal angle upon which the harvester is positioned and/or one or more values indicating a lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned.

9 . The harvester of claim 1 , further comprising one or more inclinometers in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain one or more values indicating a longitudinal angle upon which the harvester is positioned and/or one or more values indicating a lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned.

10 . The harvester of claim 2 , further comprising one or more inclinometers in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain one or more values indicating a longitudinal angle upon which the harvester is positioned and/or one or more values indicating a lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned; and wherein the value of the lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned is calculated by at least two reference weight measurements in which the tailgate of the harvester is in at least two known positions.

11 . The harvester of claim 2 , further comprising one or more bale diameter sensors in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain a size measurement of the bale within the bale chamber.

12 . The harvester of claim 11 , wherein the size measurement of the bale is a function of a center of mass location of the bale.

13 . The harvester of claim 2 , further comprising one or more moisture sensors in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain a moisture measurement in or proximate to the bale.

14 . The harvester of claim 2 , further comprising one or more shape sensors in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain a measurement indicating a shape of the bale within the bale chamber.

15 . The harvester of claim 2 , wherein the at least first processing unit is configured to calculate an adjustment value, the adjustment value a function of one or more of: (i) one or a plurality of longitudinal and/or lateral slope measurements of the harvester; (ii) one or a plurality of values correlating to the size of the bale; (iii) one or a plurality of values correlating to the bale moisture measurement; and (iv) one or a plurality of values correlating to the shape of the bale; wherein the size of the bale is a function of a center of mass location of the bale; and wherein the value correlating to the shape of the bale is a function of the density measurements of the bale.

16 . A method of obtaining a bale weight of a bale formed in a harvester comprising a bale chamber and one or a plurality of load sensors in operable communication with at least a first processing unit, the method comprising:
determining, by the one or plurality of load sensors, one or a plurality of reference weights when the harvester is in a first operable state, wherein the first operational state comprises the bale chamber free of a bale; determining, by the one or a plurality of load sensors, one or a plurality of load weights when the harvester is in a second operable state, wherein the second operational state comprises the bale chamber comprising a formed or partially formed bale; calculating a bale weight value, by the at least first processing unit; the bale weight value a function of: (i) the one or more load weights; and (ii) the one or more reference weights; calculating an adjustment value, by the at least first processing unit, the adjustment value a function of one or more of: (i) one or a plurality of slope measurements of the harvester; (ii) one or a plurality of size measurements of the bale within the bale chamber; (iii) one or a plurality of bale moisture measurements of the bale within the bale chamber, and (iv) one or a plurality of bale shape measurements of the bale within the bale chamber; and calculating an output value, by the at least first processing unit, the output value a function of the bale weight value and the adjustment value.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising one or more inclinometers in operable communication with the at least a first processing unit configured to obtain one or more values indicating a longitudinal angle upon which the harvester is positioned and/or one or more values indicating a lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned; and wherein the value of the lateral angle upon which the harvester is positioned is calculated by at least two reference weight measurements in which the tailgate of the harvester is in at least two known positions.

18 . The method of claim 16 , where

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Smith Kevin M

Classifications

• A01F2015/0808

  Balers incorporate an inclinometer · CPC title

• A01F15/0875

  Discharge devices · CPC title

• A01F15/0825

  Regulating or controlling density or shape of the bale · CPC title

• G01G17/00

  Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property (determining weight by measuring volume G01F) · CPC title

• A01F2015/0891

  Weighing the finished bale before falling to ground · CPC title