Spreader width control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9974232-B2
Application number	US-201414298175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A spreader system for discharging residue from an agricultural combine to a ground surface. The spreader system including a direction detector and a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural combine. The direction detector is configured to detect direction changes of the agricultural combine and to produce a signal representative of the direction change. The spreader includes one or more impellers and a housing, with the impellers being operatively connected to the housing for rotating therein. The housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of residue, an outlet coupled to the housing for discharging the flow of residue, and one or more residue flow directors. The residue flow directors are configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural combine, the system being configured to alter the flow of residue dependent upon the signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural harvesting system, comprising:
a chassis;
a plurality of ground support devices carrying said chassis;
a threshing section carried by said chassis, said threshing section producing residue; and
a spreader system for discharging the residue to a ground surface, said spreader system including:
a direction detector configured to detect direction changes of the agricultural harvesting system and to produce a signal representative of the direction changes;
a controller determining a rate of direction change from said signal representative of the direction changes;
a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural harvesting system, the spreader including:
one or more impellers; and
a housing, said impellers being operatively connected to said housing for rotating therein, said housing having:
an inlet for receiving a flow of residue;
an outlet coupled to said housing for discharging the flow of residue; and
one or more residue flow directors configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural harvesting system, the spreader system being configured to alter the flow of residue dependent upon the rate of the direction change determined by said controller.

2. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 1 , wherein said direction detector is one of a steering angle sensor and a positioning system.

3. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 1 , wherein said controller is communicatively coupled to said residue flow directors and to said direction detector, said residue flow directors including a left residue flow director and a right residue flow director, said controller altering at least one of said left residue flow director and said right residue flow director dependent upon said signal.

4. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 3 , wherein the flow of residue is altered by directing more of the residue to one of said left residue flow director and said right residue flow director.

5. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 3 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director imparts less energy to the residue flowing therethrough and said right residue flow director imparts more energy to the residue flowing therethrough.

6. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 3 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director directs the residue flowing therethrough at a first angle and said right residue flow director directs the residue flowing therethrough at a second angle, said first angle being directed more toward the ground than said second angle.

7. The agricultural harvesting system of claim 3 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director is configured to spread the residue flowing therethrough to a reduced distance and said right residue flow director is configured to spread the residue flowing therethrough to a greater distance.

8. A spreader system for discharging residue from an agricultural combine to a ground surface, comprising:
a direction detector configured to detect direction changes of the agricultural combine and to produce a signal representative of the direction changes;
a controller configured to determine a rate of direction change from said signal representative of the direction changes; and
a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural combine, the spreader including:
one or more impellers; and
a housing, said impellers being operatively connected to said housing for rotating therein, said housing having:
an inlet for receiving a flow of residue;
an outlet coupled to said housing for discharging the flow of residue; and
one or more residue flow directors configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural combine, the system being configured to alter the flow of residue dependent upon the rate of the direction change.

9. The spreader system of claim 8 , wherein said direction detector is one of a steering angle sensor and a positioning system.

10. The spreader system of claim 8 , wherein said controller is communicatively coupled to said residue flow directors and to said direction detector, said residue flow directors including a left residue flow director and a right residue flow director, said controller altering at least one of said left residue flow director and said right residue flow director dependent upon said signal.

11. The spreader system of claim 10 , wherein the flow of residue is altered by directing more of the residue to one of said left residue flow director and said right residue flow director.

12. The spreader system of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director imparts less energy to the residue flowing therethrough and said right residue flow director imparts more energy to the residue flowing therethrough.

13. The spreader system of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director directs the residue flowing therethrough at a first angle and said right residue flow director directs the residue flowing therethrough at a second angle, said first angle being directed more toward the ground than said second angle.

14. The spreader system of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured so that when said direction detector detects a right turn that said left residue flow director is configured to spread the residue flowing therethrough to a reduced distance and said right residue flow director is configured to spread the residue flowing therethrough to a greater distance.

15. A method of spreading residue from an agricultural harvesting apparatus to a ground surface, the method comprising the steps of:
producing a signal representative of a direction change;
determining a rate of direction change of the agricultural harvesting apparatus from the signal;
spreading residue from a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural harvesting apparatus; and
altering a flow of the residue from the agricultural harvesting apparatus dependent upon the rate of direction change determined in said determining step.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the spreader includes:
one or more impellers; and
a housing, said impellers being operatively connected to said housing for rotating therein, said housing having:
an inlet for receiving a flow of the residue;
an outlet coupled to said housing for discharging the flow of residue; and
one or more residue flow directors configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural harvesting apparatus, the system being configured to alter the flow of the residue dependent upon said signal.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said producing step uses one of a steering angle sensor and a positioning system to detect the direction change.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said residue flow directors include a left residue flow director and a right residue flow director, the method altering at least one of said left residue flow director and said right residue flow director dependent upon said signal.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the flow of residue is altered by directing more of the residue to one of said left residue flow director and said right resi

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Shane Nicholas S

Classifications

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D41/1243 Primary

  Devices for laying-out or distributing the straw · CPC title