This invention relates generally to an agricultural combine, and more particularly, to a threshing system and operating method therefor, providing several semi- and fully automated operating modes for removing or dislodging a slug of crop and/or other material from the threshing system and/or a feeder of the combine for conveying crop material to the threshing system.
As is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,452,267 to CNH America LLC, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and for all purposes, agricultural combines comprise a variety of apparatus and systems for receiving and processing crops. In particular, a combine will include a header operable for severing crops and other plant material from root structure and conveying the severed crop and plant material to a feeder of the combine. The feeder will typically include an enclosed feeder housing containing a conveyor mechanism, which conveying mechanism will typically include parallel chains connected by slats, which chains encircle sprockets which are driven by a feeder drive to move the chains and slats upwardly and rearwardly along a floor of the housing, for inducting and conveying the crop and plant material, as well as debris that may be contained therein, into an inlet region of a threshing system of the combine. The threshing system, in turn, will typically include at least one rotor rotatable within a cavity or space defined at least partially by a concave structure having an array or arrays of openings therein sized for passage of grain therethrough. The rotor will include elements for inducting the crop and other material into the cavity and conveying the material through a crop separation clearance between the outer region of the rotor and the inner region of the concave, for separating grain and other small elements of the crop material from larger elements thereof, typically including leaves, stalks, cobs, husks and the like, depending on the crop being harvested. The separated grain is then expected to pass through the openings of the concave for further processing.
From time to time during operation of an agricultural combine, a slug, that is, an incorrectly processed and/or compacted mass of crop material and/or weeds, particularly stringy or viny weeds, debris, or other material, may be inducted into the feeder and/or threshing system and become lodged or packed or jammed, to possibly interrupt throughput of crop material through the combine, and/or damage to components of the feeder and/or threshing system, thus necessitating removal of the slug. Removal of the slug can entail backing it away from the location within the feeder and/or threshing system at which it became lodged, sufficiently so as to break it up or better process or compact it for passage through the feeder and/or threshing system.
Once a slug has developed in the feeder or threshing system of a combine, a number of different actions depending on, the combine status, the type, severity and location of the slug, may be necessary to effect removal of the slug. For instance, in what can be deemed a simple case, it may be sufficient to repeatedly jog the rotor through small angular movements, until the resulting low impulsive loads breakdown the slug and free it. In a more extreme example, it may be necessary to more violently rock the rotor back and forth in an agitating motion, at different amplitudes and different frequencies, occasionally with an asymmetric motion and relatively large impulsive loads, for extended periods of time, to incrementally dislodge or work the slug free. In an even more extreme example, manual intervention may be required, to open up the rotor/concave/feeder system, and manually clear the slug piece by piece. Sometimes in such more extreme instances components of the rotor/concave/feeder system may be forced out of adjustment or damaged by the slug. Manual removal of a slug can be time-consuming and labor intensive.
Thus, what is sought is a system and method for automatically deslugging the threshing and/or feeder system of an agricultural combine, which overcomes one or more of the shortcomings and limitations set forth above.
What is disclosed is a system and method for automatically deslugging the threshing and/or feeder system of a combine, which overcomes one or more of the shortcomings and limitations set forth above.
In one exemplary aspect, in an agricultural combine including a rotor of a threshing system, a concave positioned beneath the rotor, a rotor cage positioned above the rotor, a drive controllably operable for rotating the rotor in opposite first and second rotational directions, a control in operative control of the drive, and a sensor for sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor, a method for deslugging the threshing system of the agricultural combine comprises steps of: sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor above a pre-determined threshold, which indicates a slugging condition; activating an actuator, which adjusts one or more de-awning plates connected to the concave from an initial position to a deslugging position, wherein the one or more de-awning plates are at least partially positioned between grates of the concave; rotating the rotor; and sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation to determine whether the slugging condition still exists.
In another exemplary aspect, the method for deslugging the threshing system of the agricultural combine comprises steps of: sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor above a pre-determined threshold, which indicates a slugging condition; activating an actuator, which adjusts one or more vanes connected to the rotor cage from an initial position to a deslugging position; rotating the rotor; and sensing information representative of load conditions opposing rotation to determine whether the slugging condition still exists.
Embodiments of inventions will now be described, strictly by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for deslugging a threshing system of an agricultural vehicle. The methods and apparatus may be used in agricultural combines, as described in the examples, but it will be appreciated that other embodiments may be used in other types of machines having a similar arrangement of parts, upon incorporation of the appropriate features of the inventions herein.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,452,267 to CNH America LLC, in
Feeder 22 is mounted on a front end 26 of combine 20 generally beneath an operator cab 28. A header (not shown) is mountable on a forward end 30 of feeder 22, and is constructed and operable in the well-known manner for severing crops and other plant material from the ground as combine 20 is moved forwardly thereover, and conveying the cut crops and other plant material to an inlet opening on forward end 30 of feeder 22. Feeder 22 includes a feeder housing 32 containing a feed conveyor 34 operable for conveying the crops and other plant material upwardly and rearwardly through housing 32 into an inlet region 36 of threshing system 24. Feed conveyor 34 generally includes at least two endless chains 38 encircling drive sprockets 40 located in the rear end of feeder housing 32 and a drum 42 located in the forward end 30. A plurality of slats (not shown) extend between chains 38 and facilitate the conveying of the crop and other material through housing 32, in the well-known manner. In this latter regard, drive sprockets 40 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, for moving chains 38 and the slats upwardly and rearwardly along a floor 44 of housing 32, for conveying the crops and other material upwardly and rearwardly in that direction along the floor 44 to inlet region 36, also as is well known.
Referring also to
In operation, actuator 60 will be used to adjust the position of concave 50 and thus crop separation clearance 52, to provide desired threshing characteristics for the crop to be harvested and yields, under conditions present during the harvesting operation. As combine 20 is moved forwardly through a field, crops and other plants severed by the header (not shown) will be conveyed to feeder 22, and through feeder 22 to threshing system 24, wherein a mat of the crop and other plant material will move in a generally helical path through crop separation clearance 52, as effected by rotation of rotor 46. Grain and other small elements of plant material will then pass through arrays of openings or spaces in concave 50, so as to fall therefrom onto a cleaning system (not shown) of combine 20, which will further clean the grain from the other small elements of plant material. From the cleaning system, the clean grain will be conveyed into a clean grain tank 62, in the well-known conventional manner. Larger elements of plant material, such as straw, leaves, stalks, cobs, and the like, which do not pass through the openings of concave 50 are conveyed through crop separation clearance 52 past the rear end of rotor 46 and concave 50, and are disposed of through the rear end of combine 20, also in the well-known manner.
Referring also to
Drive 64 (optionally) includes a multiple speed transmission or gearbox 70 connected to rotor 46 for rotation therewith; a planetary gear arrangement 72 having a carrier 74 connected to gearbox 70 for rotation therewith; and a sun gear 76 in rotatable connection with a fluid motor 78. A ring gear 80 of arrangement 72 is rotatably connectable to an engine gear 82 by an engine to ring clutch 84. Engine gear 82, in turn, is rotatably connected via a gearbox 86 to an engine 88. Ring gear 80 is also connectable to the frame of the combine by a ring to frame clutch 85. Fluid motor 78 is connected in a fluid loop with a variable displacement fluid pump 90 for receiving pressurized fluid therefrom, the displacement of pump 90 being controllable by a stroke control valve 92. Stroke control valve 92 is connected via a conductive path 94 to controller 68 of control 66 for receiving control commands therefrom and outputting signals representative of stroke position thereto. Drive 64 may vary from that which is shown and described.
Control 66 includes several sensors for sensing information representative of the operating state and conditions of drive 64, including speed sensors 96 and 98 connected via conductive path 94 to controller 68, and also to a signal processing filter 100, which can be, for instance, a simplified Kalman type signal filter, or other suitable signal filtering and processing routine or device having capabilities useful for the purposes of the present invention. Speed sensors 96 and 98 are operable for sensing information representative of speeds of rotor 46 and sun gear 76, respectively, and outputting information representative thereof to controller 68. Another speed sensor 102 is connected via a conductive path 94 to controller 68 and is operable for sensing information representative of a speed of engine 88 and outputting the information to the controller. A pressure transducer 104 is connected via a conductive path 94 to controller 68 and to filter 100, and is operable for sensing pressure conditions in fluid lines extending to and from motor 78 and outputting information representative thereof to the controller and filter. These sensors are either individually or collectively utilized to sense load conditions opposing rotation of the rotor.
Still further, engine to ring clutch 84 and ring to frame clutch 85 are connected to controller 68, as indicated by boxes 106, for control thereby for rotatably connecting and disconnecting ring gear 80 and engine gear 82, and ring gear 80 and the frame of the machine, respectively. Control 66 is also connected by a controller area network (CAN) 108 to engine 88 and other vehicle controllers and systems, generally denoted by box 110, via suitable conductive paths 94. Controller 68 additionally is connected via one or more conductive paths 94 to one or more displays 112, and one or more operator input devices 114, located for instance, in operator cab 28, operable for displaying information, and inputting operator commands to control 66, respectively.
For operation in a threshing mode, an operator will select a gear range of gearbox 70 for achieving a desired rotational speed range for rotor 46, which is typically dependent on the crop type and any of a variety of other conditions, and pump 90 will be stroked and ring to frame clutch 85 and engine to ring clutch 84 sequentially engaged, as required, for achieving a desired rotor speed by a combination of hydrostatic and hydro-mechanic acceleration and speed control. Concave 50 will be positioned using actuator 60 (
During normal harvesting, the commands outputted by controller 68 to stroke control valve 92, and information outputted by valve 92; information outputted by speed sensors 96, 98 and 102; and pressure information from transducer 104, are inputted to control 66 for processing by filter 100, wherein they can be used for modeling the threshing operation, particularly to estimate or predict the current state thereof to discern the, particularly relating to the presence of, and extent of, any slugging conditions. Likewise, during a deslugging routine or routines, this information can be utilized by controller 68 using filter 100 for evaluation of effectiveness of the routine or routines for present conditions, location and extent of a slugging condition, for use in selecting a subsequent deslugging routine. All deslugging processes may be executed in the hydrostatic state with ring to frame clutch 85 engaged and engine to ring clutch 84 disengaged. The hydrostatic state permits forward and reverse rotary control.
The method and system of the invention provides several operator or automatically selectable automatic routines or methods of operation of a drive, such as drive 64, by a control, such as control 66, for rotating a rotor of a threshing system, such as rotor 46, for dislodging, breaking up or freeing slugs or clogs of plant material and/or debris from the crop separation clearance between the rotor and the concave.
Non-limiting examples of automatic deslugging routines of the invention include reciprocating actions or movements of controlled travel or extent, which will be a function of direction and duration of rotational movement of the rotor at the selected speed. Others automatically vary or alter the direction and/or duration of rotation in a direction responsive to sensed conditions representative of, for instance, opposition to the rotation resulting from a slug, and/or the position or movements of a slug about the concave, again filter 100 being usable for estimating the states of the threshing system for discerning the existence of and pertinent parameters of any slugs.
Another routine includes automatically rotating the rotor alternatingly in the first and second rotational directions through progressively increasing increments of rotational travel. As another routine, the rotor is automatically rotated alternatingly in the first and second rotational directions through increasing increments of rotational movement while the sensed information representative of loads opposing the rotation is monitored for information representative of a predetermined load level, which can be indicative of characteristics of a slugging condition, or success of the deslugging routine. This, and possibly other sensed information, as well as information representative of a state or states of the threshing system, can be used by control 66 for estimating a future state or states of the system, using filter 100. Then, at least one subsequent increment of rotational movement is automatically altered responsive to presence of the information representative of the predetermined load level. Thus, for instance, a predetermined load level can represent contact with a slug, and the alteration of the subsequent increment of rotation can include, for instance, but is not limited to, increasing an extent of a subsequent increment of rotation in the rotational direction for which the predetermined load level is present, or changing speed of rotation, so as to be more effective for dislodging, breaking up or freeing a slug. Another routine is an agitating routine wherein the rotor is reciprocally moved in an agitating motion which can have predetermined or settable characteristics which can include, but are not limited to, profile, amplitude, frequency, waveform symmetry and duration. Any of these characteristics can be adapted or modified based on changes between a past state of the system and the current state as estimated or predicted using filter 100.
Another routine is a jogging routine wherein the rotor is jogged in angular increments relative to the concave.
As noted above, a deslugging routine or strategy selection may be based upon any of a number of considerations or factors, such as the nature or type of crop being harvested, characteristics of the slugging condition, such as loads that arise during operation of the threshing system and/or initial deslugging steps which may be manually executed or automatic.
Preferred steps of exemplary routines of the method and system of the invention are illustrated in
At decision block 124, controller 68 will determine if option 1 of the several options is selected. If so, the operator will input a speed and select a direction and duration of movement of rotor 46, as denoted at blocks 126 and 128. This can include a single direction of movement, or an initial direction. In the former instance, if only a single speed, direction and duration of movement are selected, when executed, as denoted at block 130, controller 68 will responsively automatically initiate and execute a controlled rotation of rotor 46 in a corresponding manner. In the latter instance, controller 68 will responsively automatically execute a controlled rotation of rotor 46 in the first selected direction at the selected speed for the selected duration, then reverse the direction of rotation and rotate rotor 46 in the opposite direction at the selected speed for the selected duration. Controller 68 will then determine whether the routine is to be canceled, as denoted at decision block 132, and if not, will return to block 126 and loop through execution block 130. Cancellation can be by the operator, or automatic, for instance, as a result of the occurrence of some condition, such as dislodgement of the slug.
Returning to decision block 124, and also viewing
Going through the exemplary options, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In
Referring to
Also referring to
Referring to
Referring now to
As is described in U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2011/0320087 to CNH Industrial America LLC,
Referring still to
Referring now to
De-awning plates 224, three of which are shown in
Referring still to
Any of the parameters for the deslugging routines just discussed, can be modified automatically by controller 68, based on the estimated state of the threshing system determined using filter 100. Additionally, during or after the execution of at least one of the deslugging routines, controller 68 can be programmed to automatically collect and store information representative of at least loading conditions sensed during the execution, for instance as filtered and processed using filter 100, and automatically select a subsequent deslugging routine for execution as a function of the stored information and/or modeled system. A deslugging routine or strategy selection may be adapted and based upon any of a number of considerations or factors, such as the nature or type of crop being harvested, characteristics of the slugging condition, such as loads that arise during operation of the threshing system and/or initial deslugging steps which may be manually executed or automatic.
As a result of the above disclosure, it should be apparent that the deslugging method and system of the invention have utility for improving the ability to effectively dislodge, break up and/or free slugs from a threshing system of a combine, such as system 24 of combine 20, while decreasing occurrences of problems such as damage to the threshing system or drive, which can occur as a result of a variety of factors such as inappropriate speeds, impulse loading conditions, and the like. It should also be apparent that the automatic deslugging routines of the invention can be executed in a more controlled and precise manner, compared to execution of similar routines under operator control wherein operator skill level, experience and other factors will impact the effectiveness. For instance in this regard, the ability of the system of the invention to monitor and respond to sensed loading condition will be expected to be substantially better than the response of an operator to such conditions, at least in part as a result of the signal filtering and processing using filter 100. It should also be understood that although the preferred signal processing filter 100 is of the simplified Kalman type, other suitable filters or routines may be used by control 66 for discerning the state of the threshing system for the purposes of the present invention.
It should also be recognized and understood that the method and system of the invention can be applied to operation of a feed conveyor, such as conveyor 34 of feeder 22.
It is to be understood that the operational steps are performed by the controller 68 upon loading and executing software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium, such as on a magnetic medium, e.g., a computer hard drive, an optical medium, e.g., an optical disc, solid-state memory, e.g., flash memory, or other storage media known in the art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the controller 68 described herein is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium. Upon loading and executing such software code or instructions by the controller 68, the controller may perform any of the functionality of the controller described herein, including any steps of the methods described herein.
The term “software code” or “code” used herein refers to any instructions or set of instructions that influence the operation of a computer or controller. They may exist in a computer-executable form, such as machine code, which is the set of instructions and data directly executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, a human-understandable form, such as source code, which may be compiled in order to be executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, or an intermediate form, such as object code, which is produced by a compiler. As used herein, the term “software code” or “code” also includes any human-understandable computer instructions or set of instructions, e.g., a script, that may be executed on the fly with the aid of an interpreter executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller.
It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps, and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiments of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US21/53954 | 10/7/2021 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63088580 | Oct 2020 | US |