Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080257569 | ELECTRONIC DRAFT CONTROL FOR TRAILED IMPLEMENTS - A draft load control system for an agricultural tractor towing a trailed, ground-engaging implement that monitors implement height using sensors located on the tractor or sensors coupled to an on-board control communications system and adjusts the implement position in relation to the ground based on draft load, implement height, and tractor wheel-slip to maintain a more accurate, consistent draft load on the tractor while maintaining the implement engaged with the ground and preventing the tractor-implement ground speed from being reduced to zero. | 10-23-2008 |
20090222160 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COORDINATED VEHICLE CONTROL WITH WIRELESS COMMUNICATION - A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval. | 09-03-2009 |
20100107869 | ADJUSTABLE CYLINDER POSITION SENSOR - A device for detecting the absolute position of a cylinder rod is provided. A cylinder assembly has a cylinder body with a gland member positioned thereof. The gland member has a rod opening extending therethrough. An adjustable sensor is mounted on the gland member, the adjustable sensor being operable to read one or more detectable features of the cylinder rod. The adjustable sensor can be incrementally adjusted relative to the cylinder rod to optimize the gap provided between the adjustable sensor and the cylinder rod, allowing the sensor to detect the motion and absolute position of the cylinder rod. The detectable features may be three tracks of data including first timing data and position data. | 05-06-2010 |
20100288140 | SENSOR FOR DETECTION OF WRAPPING ON BALE - A baling machine and method for forming a bale is disclosed. A sensor is positioned in the bailing chamber and is positioned to sense an area proximate the perimeter of the bale to determine if material is present, thereby determining if the bale is properly wrapped or not. When the bale is not properly wrapped, material is present in the area proximate the perimeter in which the sensor is active; causing the sensor to send a signal indicating that the bale is not properly wrapped. | 11-18-2010 |
20110112721 | Towable Agricultural Implement Having Automatic Steering System - A steering system for a towable implement includes a steering sensor, an implement steering controller, a steering control valve, a steering cylinder, and an implement steering mechanism that steers the implement. The steering sensor measures, directly or indirectly, the angular position of the steerable wheels of the implement. The implement steering controller processes feedback from the steering sensor and with a desired steering angle, outputs a steering control signal that is input to the steering control valve. The steering control valve controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the steering cylinder, which, in turn, powers the implement steering mechanism to turn the wheels of the implement. The steering system may be operated in various control modes, such as, a transportation steering mode, a corner and 180 turn steering mode, a swath tracking steering mode, crab steering mode, and a manual steering mode, which allows manual control of the steering system. | 05-12-2011 |
20110125371 | Auto-Steerable Farming System - A steering system for a towable implement includes a steering sensor, an implement steering controller, a steering control valve, a steering cylinder, and an implement steering mechanism that steers the implement. The steering sensor measures, directly or indirectly, the angular position of the steerable wheels of the implement. The implement steering controller processes feedback from the steering sensor and with a desired steering angle, outputs a steering control signal that is input to the steering control valve. The steering control valve controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the steering cylinder, which, in turn, powers the implement steering mechanism to turn the wheels of the implement. The steering system may be operated in various control modes, such as, a transportation steering mode, a corner and 180 turn steering mode, a swath tracking steering mode, crab steering mode, and a manual steering mode, which allows manual control of the steering system. | 05-26-2011 |
20110205084 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDINATING HARVESTER AND TRANSPORT VEHICLE UNLOADING OPERATIONS - A system and method for positioning a transport vehicle relative to a harvester is disclosed. The system includes an imaging device mounted on the transport vehicle and a control system for analyzing image data and executing a computer program to provide commands to position the transport vehicle in an acceptable predetermined condition relative to the harvester for discharge operations. | 08-25-2011 |
20120095620 | Method and System for Coordinated Vehicle Control with Wireless Communication - A control system controls a pair of vehicles in coordination to traverse a respective pair of trajectories. The control system is configured to specify a plurality of successive waypoints, a safe stopping interval and an intermediate interval greater than the safe stopping interval, and exchange waypoints between vehicles. The system controls each vehicle in coordination with the other, senses a rate of exchange of waypoint data between the vehicles, and determines the safe stopping interval. The control system updates positions with additional waypoints as the respective vehicles pass by waypoints of the forecasted trajectory, determines the length of the forecasted trajectory remaining and compares it with the intermediate interval and the safe stopping interval. The system generates a warning signal if distance is less than the intermediate interval, and if the distance is less than the safe stopping interval, stops within the safe stopping interval. | 04-19-2012 |
20140026691 | PTO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN A WORK VEHICLE - A PTO transmission system in a vehicle for transmitting power to a PTO shaft driving an implement comprises a planetary drive unit ( | 01-30-2014 |
20140033838 | PTO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN A WORK VEHICLE - A PTO transmission system in a vehicle for transmitting power to a PTO shaft driving an implement comprises a planetary drive unit having first and second input and output coupled to the PTO shaft. The first and second inputs are coupled to an output shaft of the vehicle engine and to an output shaft of a drive motor, respectively. A control system controls the transfer of power from a power source to the drive motor. The power source is a variable power generating source driven by the PTO shaft. The drive motor is configured and adapted to decrease or increase the rotational speed of the output of the planetary drive unit on an increase or decrease of the power transferred to it, respectively. | 02-06-2014 |
20140039756 | PTO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN A WORK VEHICLE - A PTO transmission system in a vehicle for transmitting power to a PTO shaft driving an implement comprises a planetary drive unit having first and second input and output coupled to the PTO shaft. The first and second input are coupled to an output shaft of the vehicle engine and to an output shaft of a drive motor, respectively. A control system controls the transfer of power from a power source to the drive motor. The power source is a variable power generating source driven by the PTO shaft. The drive motor is configured and adapted to decrease or increase the rotational speed of the output of the planetary drive unit on an increase or decrease of the power transferred to it, respectively. | 02-06-2014 |
20140041563 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SOIL FINISH FROM AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT - An agricultural implement system is provided that includes a row unit configured to deposit agricultural material into soil along a direction of travel. The agricultural implement system also includes a sensor configured to output a signal indicative of soil displaced by the row unit, and an implement controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The implement controller is configured to determine a smoothness of a soil finish behind the row unit along the direction of travel based on the signal. The controller is also configured to adjust a parameter affecting the soil finish while the smoothness is outside of a desired range. | 02-13-2014 |
20140261023 | BALE FORMING CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of controlling formation of a bale includes forming a bale from crop material by rotating the bale in a bale chamber and applying an amount of density pressure to the rotating bale. The method also includes receiving at least one operating condition value corresponding to at least one sensed operating condition when the bale is forming. The method further includes automatically determining the amount of bale density pressure applied to the bale responsive to receiving the at least one received operating condition value and controlling formation of the bale by causing the determined amount of bale density pressure to be applied to the bale. | 09-18-2014 |
20140338320 | OIL LEVEL CONTROL DEVICE - An oil level control device in a main tank of a supply circuit, the supply circuit comprising a main tank, a first pump which, in aspiration, is connected to the main tank, a main hydraulic circuit which is connected in inlet to the delivery of a charge pump and in outlet is connected to the main tank, a first auxiliary conduit, an auxiliary tank which receives oil from the first auxiliary conduit and which in discharge is placed in communication with the main tank. At least a control valve predisposed to control sending of oil from the first auxiliary conduit to the auxiliary tank or from the auxiliary tank to the main tank. | 11-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090312919 | System and method employing short range communications for establishing performance parameters of an exemplar agricultural machine among a plurality of like-purpose agricultural machines - A system and method for enabling the communication to and establishment among a plurality of generally like and like-purpose agricultural machines designed to perform generally similar agricultural operations within a given area generally like performance parameters, especially based upon the performance parameters of a particular agricultural machine that is considered or deemed to be the expert or exemplar machine, which system and method employ short range communications systems included in or associated with the operating systems of the individual agricultural machines to effect the distribution of the exemplar performance parameters to the plurality of agricultural machines, through a peer-to-peer wireless network between and among the plurality of agricultural machines for point-to-point communications, for use by the individual agricultural machines in controlling and performing the agricultural operation. | 12-17-2009 |
20100042297 | System and method employing short range communications for communicating and exchanging operational and logistical status information among a plurality of agricultural machines - A system, and method of use thereof, for enabling short range intercommunication and the exchange of logistical information between and among a plurality of authorized agricultural machines that are designed to be operable in conjunction with one another to effect, as a specific identified group, a given agricultural operation, including a plurality of individual agricultural machines each of which has a communications control portion operable to transmit and receive short distance communications signals and each of which also has authentication credentials associated therewith establishing such machine's entitlement to share in the logistical information and to be considered and treated as a member of the specific identified group involved in the performance of the given agricultural operation, with such individual agricultural machines, when positioned in range of the short distance communications signals of the individual agricultural machines, forming a peer-to-peer network in which such individual agricultural machines are joined as group members and are operable to effect the distribution over a wireless bus of the peer-to-peer network of logistical information of a group member of such network. | 02-18-2010 |
20100051298 | HYDRAULIC SHOCK DISSIPATION FOR IMPLEMENT BOUNCE - To dissipate hydraulic shock created by the bouncing of an implement mounted on a wheeled vehicle, such as a towed tillage implement or the bucket of a vehicle, such as a wheel loader, an electronic control valve, which supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator that raises and lowers the implement, is actively controlled by an electronic controller. As the vehicle with an implement is transported at higher speeds, the implement tends to bounce creating pressure spikes in the hydraulic system that raises and lowers the implement. The pressure spikes are dissipated by actively generating random or cancelling hydraulic pulses in the hydraulic system. | 03-04-2010 |
20100066517 | Determination of relative position of two relatively movable elements - A system for determining and/or controlling the relative position of two relatively movable elements, comprising a vehicle container combination, a utility vehicle including an unloading apparatus and at least three transmitting devices intended to be fitted, in use, in a predetermined spatial arrangement to one of the two relatively elements and configured to transmit respective signals; a single sensor device intended to be fitted, in use, to the other of the two relatively movable elements and configured to receive, and to determine the source direction of, the signals transmitted by the transmitting devices; and an electronic processing unit connected to the sensor device and configured to determine the relative position of the two relatively movable elements based on the source direction of the signals transmitted by the transmitting devices, and on the spatial arrangement of the transmitting devices. | 03-18-2010 |
20100070145 | System and method employing short range communications for interactively coordinating unloading operations between a harvester and a grain transport - A system, and method of use thereof, that employs short distance communications signals, thereby limiting and localizing the dissemination area for such signals, for interactively coordinating crop material transfer operations between a harvester and a grain transport, including the automated conduct of an unloading operation, including commencement of the actual unloading of the grain through continuation of such unloading to termination of such unloading, which system and method of the present invention employs operating systems in the harvester and grain transport that so operate to become electronically linked to one another to thereafter operate in unison with one another to effect and control the conduct of the crop material transfer operation between the harvester and grain transport, with each of such operating systems having associated therewith a short range communications system for the transmission and receipt at close range of electronic data signals, such operating systems, when appropriately electronically linked to one another, being operable in conjunction with one another to exchange information, to maintain a communications link therebetween, and to automatedly coordinate and effect various activities of the harvester and grain transport as a crop material transfer operation is effected and proceeds. | 03-18-2010 |
20100267432 | AGRICULTURAL COMBINE WITH ON-BOARD BALER AND DUST SUPPRESSION CAPABILITY - A self-propelled agricultural combine having a capability for baling crop residue produced by operation of the combine, including chaff from the cleaning system. The combine can also incorporate a dust suppression capability. The crop residue produced by threshing is in a compressed state, and is routed directly to a baler of the combine is essentially a continuous, compressed stream, while still in that state, and the chaff is mixed in before compaction into the bales. The dust suppression apparatus uses air flow of a cleaning system of the combine, to carry the dust and separates the air such that the dust will fall from the combine. | 10-21-2010 |
20120093615 | ROUND BALE LOADER FOR TRANSPORT FRAME - A work vehicle includes a telescoping boom extending outwardly from the vehicle. An attachment is operably connected to the boom, the attachment including opposed forks configured to be both urgable toward each other and urgable away from each other. The attachment is configured to be positionable over and substantially laterally surround at least one pair of round bales arranged substantially side by side and having corresponding diameters in close proximity of each other. The opposed forks are urgable toward each other with sufficient compressive force applied to opposed portions of the diameters of the at least one pair of round bales, at least elastically deforming the cylindrical profile of at least one of the at least one pair of round bales, so that the at least one pair of round bales can be vertically lifted and manipulated by at least the boom to a predetermined destination. | 04-19-2012 |
20120177834 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING A COTTON MODULE DURING THE UNLOADING PROCESS - A system and method for applying a protective layer to a cotton module of compacted cotton moving in an unloading direction from a cotton module builder through an open end thereof along an unloading surface, the system including application apparatus having at least one applicator in fluid communication with at least one tank for applying a fluid contained in the at least one tank to at least a top surface of the cotton module, the fluid being applied to an exterior of the cotton module in a fluid state and solidifying into a water resistant layer prior to significantly permeating the exterior of the module, so as to capable of being removed therefrom prior to processing of the module. | 07-12-2012 |
20120215409 | HARVESTER SPOUT CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A control system and method is provided for controlling the operational configuration of a spout of a harvester being used to perform unload on the go operations with an associated transport vehicle. The velocities of the harvester and transport vehicle and the lateral and longitudinal distances between the harvester and transport vehicle are used to predict future lateral and longitudinal distances between the harvester and transport vehicle. A control signal is issued to a harvester spout control system if either of the predicted lateral distance or longitudinal distance is outside of an associated acceptable range. The harvester spout control system then either shuts off the spout or changes the orientation of the spout in response to the control signal. | 08-23-2012 |
20120266763 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING BALE FORMING AND WRAPPING OPERATIONS - A system and method for controlling bale forming operations is disclosed. The system and method includes a monitoring system for visually imaging a portion of a bale and providing a warning to an operator if the bale is wrapped or shaped incorrectly. | 10-25-2012 |
20120319837 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING A COTTON MODULETRANSPORTED PRIOR TO MARKING - A system and method for automatically identifying and locating a cotton module that has been transported prior to marking with an identifier, such system and method locating the cotton module as a function of a location of the cotton module and a heading of an unloading vehicle. | 12-20-2012 |
20130006481 | COTTON MODULE TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD THAT ELIMINATES COTTON MODULE MARKING - A system and method for automatically identifying, locating, and tracking a cotton module that eliminates the necessity of physically marking or tagging the cotton module, such system and method using information such a location of the cotton module and a heading of a harvesting vehicle and a transport vehicle. | 01-03-2013 |
20140162740 | DISCHARGE GUIDE FOR AN AGRICULTURAL HARVESTER - An agricultural harvester discharge guide includes a porous apparatus adapted for mounting to a discharge end of the agricultural harvester for guiding crop residue discharged from the agricultural harvester. | 06-12-2014 |
20140174303 | WEIGHING ROUND BALES - Embodiments relate to weighing a bale formed by a round baler. One or more load cells, but not including load cells at each support of the baler, are used to obtain a measurement of the baler containing the bale and a measurement of the baler empty. Factors related to the slope of the surface on which the baler is located, the size of the bale, and the shape of the bale are used to adjust the measured weight of the bale. | 06-26-2014 |
20140331635 | Compression Rolls on Baler Pick Up - An improved baler and a method of using the improved baler to produce high density bales. The baler comprises a pick-up assembly configured to pick-up crop material; a compression assembly comprising at least one pair of opposing compression rollers configured to generate a pressure on the crop material as it passes between the compression rollers; and a bale chamber, wherein the pre-compressed crop forms a bale. The compression rollers define an adjustable gap therebetween. By adjusting the gap, pressure exerted on the crop material as it passes between the compression rollers may be controlled, resulting in bales of varying density. | 11-13-2014 |
20140336818 | CONTROL ARCHITECTURE FOR MULTI-ROBOT SYSTEM - A multiple robot control architecture including a plurality of robotic agricultural machines including a first and second robotic agricultural machine. Each robotic agricultural machine including at least one controller configured to implement a plurality of finite state machines within an individual robot control architecture (IRCA) and a global information module (GIM) communicatively coupled to the IRCA. The GIMs of the first and second robotic agricultural machines being configured to cooperate to cause said first robotic agricultural machine and said second agricultural machine to perform at least one agricultural task. | 11-13-2014 |
20140358466 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY UPDATING ESTIMATED YIELD VALUES - System and method which automatically updates estimated field and in-transit yield values as a function of estimated vehicle load values and correction values determined from more accurate yield values obtained later, such as at a processing or other receiving facility, thereby providing better estimates of yield values between yield monitor system calibrations. | 12-04-2014 |
20150040528 | RESIDUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AN AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE - Residue management systems for an agricultural vehicle include a managing assembly configured to manage agricultural residue. The managing assembly includes a rotating member configured to rotate about a shaft that extends along a lateral axis of the agricultural vehicle relative to the direction of travel a frame configured to support the managing assembly. The managing assembly also includes a support arm coupled to the frame and configured to pivotally couple to a support structure of the agricultural vehicle proximate to a rear end of the agricultural vehicle relative to the direction of travel. The support arm is configured to facilitate movement of the managing assembly between a lowered operational position and a raised transport position. | 02-12-2015 |
20150068177 | INTEGRAL LATERAL TRANSPORT OF A MOWER - A wheel-supported frame for an agricultural mower having a tongue, a pivotally connected frame having a pair of main wheel, and a pair of a retractable transport wheels connected to the frame. A mechanism is provided for each transport wheel to deploy the transport wheels and support the mower, the transport wheels being oriented for travel 90 degrees to the direction of travel of the main wheels. The pivoting tongue connection with the main frame provides for at least a 90 degree rotation of the frame relative to the tongue between operating and transport positions so that the mower may be pulled for transport with the mower moving in the direction of its normal lateral width. The transport wheel mechanisms also position the transport wheels where they will not interfere with mower operation, especially pivoting of the tongue. | 03-12-2015 |