Sectional yield measurement on row independent harvesting head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9668406-B2
Application number	US-201514717373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A system for sectional yield measurement includes a draper frame ( 106 ); a reciprocating knife ( 112 ) fixed to a forward edge of the draper frame ( 106 ); rollers ( 122, 126 ) spaced apart from one another across the width of the draper frame (106); a first endless belt ( 120, 124 ) supported on the plurality of rollers ( 122, 126 ); load sensors ( 300 ) disposed to sense a cut crop load applied to the plurality of rollers ( 122, 126 ); and an ECU ( 204 ) coupled to the load sensors to calculate a sectional yield of the row independent harvesting head ( 102 ) based at least upon signals indicative of the cut crop load.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for sectional yield measurement across a width of a row independent harvesting head ( 102 ), comprising:
a draper frame ( 106 ) that extends laterally and generally perpendicular to a direction of travel “V”;
a reciprocating knife ( 112 ) fixed to a forward edge of the draper frame ( 106 ) and extending substantially an entire width of the draper frame ( 106 );
a plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) spaced apart from one another across the width of the draper frame ( 106 ), wherein the plurality of rollers rotate about axes that extend generally parallel to the direction of travel “V”;
a first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) supported on the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ), wherein the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) support the at least a first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ), and wherein the first endless belt is disposed behind the reciprocating knife ( 112 ) to receive cut crop material severed by the reciprocating knife ( 112 );
load sensors ( 300 ) disposed to sense a cut crop load applied to the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) and to generate signals indicative of the cut crop load;
an ECU ( 204 ) coupled to the load sensors and configured to receive the signals indicative of the cut crop load and to calculate a sectional yield of the row independent harvesting head ( 102 ) based at least upon the signals indicative of the cut crop load; and wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to determine a change in load between adjacent rollers.

2. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 1 , wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to determine the change in load by calculating a difference between a first signal generated by a first load sensor and a second signal generated by a second load sensor.

3. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 2 , wherein the first signal indicates a cut crop load on a first roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ), and wherein the second signal indicates a cut crop load on a second roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ).

4. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 3 , wherein the first roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) and the second roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) are disposed adjacent to each other with no rollers being disposed therebetween.

5. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one end of each of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) is supported in a corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ) and further wherein the load sensors ( 300 ) are disposed to sense a load applied by the at least one end of each of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) to the corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ).

6. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 5 , wherein the corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ) is fixed to a transverse frame member ( 108 , 110 ).

7. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 1 , wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to calculate a sectional yield for each of a plurality of sections of the first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ).

8. The system for sectional yield management according to claim 7 , wherein the system further comprises a second endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) and wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to calculate a sectional yield for each of a second plurality of sections of the second endless belt ( 120 , 124 ).

9. An agricultural harvesting vehicle comprising an agricultural harvester and a system for sectional yield management according to claim 1 mounted on said agricultural harvester.

10. A system for sectional yield measurement across a width of a row independent harvesting head ( 102 ), comprising:
a draper frame ( 106 ) that extends laterally and generally perpendicular to a direction of travel “V”;
a reciprocating knife ( 112 ) fixed to a forward edge of the draper frame ( 106 ) and extending substantially an entire width of the draper frame ( 106 );
a plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) spaced apart from one another across the width of the draper frame ( 106 ), wherein the plurality of rollers rotate about axes that extend generally parallel to the direction of travel “V”;
a first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) supported on the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ), wherein the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) support the at least a first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ), and wherein the first endless belt is disposed behind the reciprocating knife ( 112 ) to receive cut crop material severed by the reciprocating knife ( 112 );
load sensors ( 300 ) disposed to sense a cut crop load applied to the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) and to generate signals indicative of the cut crop load; and
an ECU ( 204 ) coupled to the load sensors and configured to receive the signals indicative of the cut crop load and to calculate a sectional yield of the row independent harvesting head ( 102 ) based at least upon the signals indicative of the cut crop load; and
wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to determine a change in load on the first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) due to addition of material deposited on the first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) between a first roller ( 122 , 126 ) and a second roller ( 122 , 126 ) of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ).

11. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 10 , wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to determine the change in load by calculating a difference between a first signal generated by a first load sensor and a second signal generated by a second load sensor.

12. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 11 , wherein the first signal indicates a cut crop load on a first roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ), and wherein the second signal indicates a cut crop load on a second roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ).

13. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 12 , wherein the first roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) and the second roller of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) are disposed adjacent to each other with no rollers being disposed therebetween.

14. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 10 , wherein at least one end of each of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) is supported in a corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ) and further wherein the load sensors ( 300 ) are disposed to sense a load applied by the at least one end of each of the plurality of rollers ( 122 , 126 ) to the corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ).

15. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 14 , wherein the corresponding roller mount ( 200 , 202 ) is fixed to a transverse frame member ( 108 , 110 ).

16. The system for sectional yield measurement according to claim 10 , wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to calculate a sectional yield for each of a plurality of sections of the first endless belt ( 120 , 124 ).

17. The system for sectional yield management according to claim 16 , wherein the system further comprises a second endless belt ( 120 , 124 ) and wherein the ECU ( 204 ) is configured to calculate a sectional yield for each of a second plurality of sections of the second endless belt ( 120 , 124 ).

18. An agricultural harvesting vehicle comprising an agricultural harvester and a system for sectional yield management according to claim 10 mounted on said agricultural harvester.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Dybro Niels

Classifications

• A01D41/1271 Primary

  for measuring crop flow · CPC title

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D57/20

  with conveyor belts · CPC title

• A01D41/141

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title