Method for controlling an unload operation on a mobile farm implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017142902-A1
Application number	US-201715425809-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of automating unloading for a mobile farm implement is presented. The method includes determining whether the speed of the mobile farm implement is below a first threshold. In response to a determination that the speed of the mobile farm implement is below the first threshold, a conveyor is moved to an operating position, where it is used to unload agricultural material from the mobile farm implement. Upon termination of the unloading of the agricultural material, the controller folds the conveyor to a storage or transport position.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A mobile farm implement comprising:
a container for carrying an agricultural material; a conveyor for unloading the agricultural material from the container; a first sensor for sensing a speed condition of the farm implement and providing information indicative of the speed condition of the farm implement; a controller in communication with the first sensor and configured to determine whether the speed condition of the mobile farm implement exceeds a first threshold; and wherein the controller is further configured to lock the conveyor in a position when the speed condition of the mobile farm implement exceeds the first threshold.

2 . The mobile farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor provides information indicative of a speed associated with the farm implement and the controller is configured to lock the conveyor in a first position when the speed exceeds the first threshold.

3 . The mobile farm implement of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor for providing information indicative of the position of the conveyor.

4 . The mobile farm implement of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to lock the conveyor in a position based on information from the first and second sensors.

5 . The mobile farm implement of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to lock the conveyor in the stored position based on information from the first and second sensors.

6 . The mobile farm implement of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor includes upper and lower conveyor sections connected by a joint that allows the upper conveyor section to move between operating and stored positions by folding.

7 . The mobile farm implement of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to lock the upper conveyor section in a current position of the upper conveyor section when the speed condition exceeds the first threshold.

8 . The mobile farm implement of claim 6 , further comprising a second sensor for providing information indicative of the current position of the upper conveyor section.

9 . The mobile farm implement of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to lock the upper conveyor section in a position based on information from the first and second sensors.

10 . The mobile farm implement of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to lock the upper conveyor section in the stored position based on information from the first and second sensors.

11 . The mobile farm implement of claim 6 , wherein said first sensor provides information indicative of a speed associated with the farm implement.

12 . The mobile farm implement of claim 9 , wherein the controller receives information from a sensor indicative of a speed of a power take off.

13 . The mobile farm implement of claim 6 , wherein the controller receives information from a sensor indicative of a speed of a power take off.

14 . A mobile farm implement comprising:
a container for carrying an agricultural material; a conveyor for unloading the agricultural material from the container; a first sensor for sensing a speed condition of the farm implement and providing information indicative of the speed condition of the farm implement; a controller in communication with the first sensor and configured to determine whether the speed condition of the mobile farm implement exceeds a first threshold; and wherein the controller is further configured to prevent the conveyor from being moved when the speed condition of the mobile farm implement exceeds the first threshold.

15 . The mobile farm implement of claim 14 , wherein the first position is a stored position and the second position is an operating position.

16 . The mobile farm implement of claim 14 , further comprising a second sensor for providing information indicative of a position of the conveyor.

17 . The mobile farm implement of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to prevent the conveyor from moving based on information from the first and second sensors.

18 . The mobile farm implement of claim 14 , wherein the controller receives information from a sensor indicative of a speed of a power take off.

Assignees

• Unverferth Mfg Co Inc

Inventors

• Van Mill Michael D
• Gerdeman Shawn W
• Schlimgen Ronald J

Classifications

• G01G19/02 Primary

  for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies, e.g. vehicles · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• A01D90/10 Primary

  Unloading means · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title