Patent Publication Number: US-2022232769-A1

Title: Compact and moveable harvesting system for harvesting around obstacles in a field

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a compact and moveable harvester for use in agriculture, and, in particular, for use in harvesting in the areas around and between obstacles located in a field. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Obstacles, such as solar panels, windmills, signs and electrical poles, for example, are commonly located in crop fields. Large machines, such as combine harvesters having elongated headers, are not well suited for reaching the crops in the areas between and around those obstacles. There exists a need to harvest in those areas in an effort to maximize harvest yield. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an automated system for moving a crop harvester relative to an obstacle in a crop field is provided. The crop harvester is configured to be movably mounted to an agricultural vehicle. The system includes a sensor that is configured to sense a presence of the obstacle in the crop field, and transmit a signal corresponding to the presence of the obstacle. A motor is configured to move the crop harvester relative to the agricultural vehicle. A controller is configured to activate the motor based upon the signal received from the sensor and thereby move the crop harvester relative to the agricultural vehicle to prevent physical contact between crop harvester and the obstacle. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a method of moving a crop harvester, which is configured to be movably mounted to an agricultural vehicle, relative to an obstacle in a crop field, said method comprising: 
     sensing a presence of the obstacle in the crop field, using a sensor, and transmitting a signal corresponding to the presence of the obstacle to a controller; and 
     activating a motor based upon the signal received by the controller to move the crop harvester relative to the agricultural vehicle in order to prevent physical contact between crop harvester and the obstacle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic elevation view of an agricultural vehicle having a crop harvester that is moveably mounted thereto, wherein the field is shown having multiple obstacles. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a system for controlling the position of the crop harvester relative to the vehicle and the obstacle in the field. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a method for controlling the position of the crop harvester relative to the vehicle and the obstacle in the field. 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the crop harvester, which is shown schematically, and wherein numerous components are shown cut-away to reveal internal details of the crop harvester. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the crop harvester, which is shown schematically, and wherein numerous components are shown cut-away to reveal internal details of the crop harvester. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     For convenience of reference and understanding in the following discussions, and with respect to the various drawings and their descriptions, the point of reference for the use of various terms that are hereafter employed, including “left”, “right”, “forward”, “rearward”, “front”, “back”, “top”, and “bottom”, should generally be considered to be taken from a point at the rear of the agricultural vehicle facing in its normal direction of travel, unless it is clear from the discussion and context that a different point of reference is appropriate. Any use of such terms should therefore be considered exemplary and should not be construed as limiting or introducing limitations. 
     Moreover, inasmuch as various components and features of crop harvesters are of well-known design, construction, and operation to those skilled in the art, the details of such components and their operations will not generally be discussed in significant detail unless considered of pertinence to the present invention or desirable for purposes of better understanding. 
     In the drawings, like numerals refer to like items, certain elements and features may be labeled or marked on a representative basis without each like element or feature necessarily being individually shown, labeled, or marked, and certain elements are labeled and marked in only some, but not all, of the drawing figures. 
     Turning now to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown,  FIG. 1  is a schematic elevation view of an agricultural vehicle  100  having a crop harvester  400  that is moveably mounted thereto. Crop harvester  400  is configured to harvest crop in the field  115 . The field  115  is shown having multiple obstacles  120   a  and  120   b  (referred to collectively as obstacles  120 ). In  FIG. 1 , obstacles  120  are depicted as poles located in the field  115 , however, the obstacles  120  could represent other items, as noted above. 
     Large agricultural equipment, such as a combine harvester, may be used to harvest most of the field. However, as described above, large agricultural equipment is not generally useful for harvesting crop that is located either around or between obstacles  120  in the field  115 . As can be seen, a strip of unharvested crop  142  remains between obstacles  120  after the field  115  has been harvested by large agricultural equipment. Vehicle  100  along with crop harvester  400  are uniquely configured to harvest the unharvested crop area  142  (or path  142 ) that cannot be easily reached by the large agricultural equipment. Further details in connection with harvester  400  are described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     The vehicle  100  is an agricultural vehicle, such as a tractor. The tractor may be a grain cart tractor that is typically used in tandem with a combine harvester. It should be understood that mounting the crop harvester  400  to a grain cart tractor would be especially convenient because the grain cart tractor has other uses in the field  115 , namely, use alongside a combine harvester. 
     Vehicle  100  includes a mount or hitch  105  that is disposed on a front end thereof. Hitch  105  may be a three-point hitch that is commonly found on tractors. An example of a three-point hitch is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,475, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. A grain cart  108  is (optionally) mounted to another hitch provided on a rear side of vehicle  100 . 
     One end of a telescoping arm  122  is mounted to hitch  105 . Crop harvester  400  is mounted to the opposing, free end of telescoping arm  122 . Telescoping arm  122  is configured to extend and retract relative to vehicle  100  in the directions represented by arrows  123 . Telescoping arm  122  is controlled by a hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, electrical or electro-mechanical motor  125 . Arm  122  along with motor  125  may be referred to as either means for moving or telescoping the crop harvester  400 . Operation of motor  125  is controlled by a controller  150 , the features of which will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     In operation, vehicle  100  moves in the forward direction (as depicted by arrow  127 ) and generally adjacent and parallel to the unharvested crop area  142 . Vehicle  100  may move either manually or automatically along a GPS line  130 . An auto guidance feature can keep the vehicle  100  on a set course along GPS line  130 , as is known in the art. 
     A proximity sensor  160  is mounted to a forward facing side of crop harvester  400 . Alternatively, sensor  160  may be mounted to vehicle  100 . Sensor  160  detects the presence of obstacles  120 . According to one aspect, sensor  160  can detect the distance between itself and an obstacle  120 . Sensor  160  may use RADAR, LiDAR, laser, Sonar, or other means for sensing. Sensor  160  may also be a camera. According to one aspect, sensor  160  can emit an electromagnetic field or a beam of electromagnetic radiation (infrared, for instance), and look for changes in the field or return signal. Sensor  160  could be an optical sensor, a Hall-Effect sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an inductive proximity sensor, or a magnetic sensor, for example. Sensor  160  may be generally referred to as a means for sensing. 
     Sensor  160  is configured to communicate the sensed distance between itself and an obstacle  120  back to a computer controller  150 . Controller  150  may form part of a control unit that is mounted to either vehicle  100  or crop harvester  400 . Motor  125  has a controller  129  that is configured to control operation of motor  125  based upon signals from controller  150 . Based upon the signal communicated by sensor  160  and in response to computations by a computer algorithm, controller  150  is configured to activate motor  125  in order to move crop harvester  400  outside of the path  142  of obstacle  120  as well as return crop harvester  400  back to path  142  as soon as the crop harvester  400  clears the obstacle  120 . It should be understood that any contact between crop harvester  400  and obstacle  120  could result in damage to the crop harvester  400 , the vehicle  100  and/or obstacle  120 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a system  200  for controlling the position of the crop harvester  400  relative to the vehicle  100  and obstacle  120 . System  200  includes sensor  160 , controller  150 , motor controller  129 , and motor  125 . The components of system  200  may be connected via either a wireless or wired connections. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a method  300  for controlling the position of the crop harvester  400  relative to the vehicle  100  and obstacle  120 . At the outset, the vehicle  100  moves either manually or automatically along a guided path  130 , which may be set by GPS. Crop harvester  400  moves along path  142  harvesting the crops there along. At step  302 , sensor  160  senses the existence of obstacle  120   a . Specifically, sensor  160  detects the distance between itself and obstacle  120   a . Sensor  160  then transmits a signal, which is representative of the sensed distance, to controller  150 . At step  304 , controller  150  calculates the distance D 1  to obstacle  120  based upon the transmitted signal. 
     At step  306 , controller  150  calculates the distance D 2  between the harvester  400  and an imaginary boundary zone  121   a , which is a circular zone superimposed about the obstacle  120   a . The boundary zone  121   a  represents the zone in which the harvester  400  may not enter as harvester  400  passes by obstacle  120   a  so as to prevent contact between obstacle  120   a  and harvester  400 . The distance between the boundary zone  121   a  and obstacle  120  is a known quantity that is either factory set or set by the user. Also, the radius or width of obstacle  120  may be a quantity that is detected by sensor  160  (preferable) or a quantity that is input by an operator of vehicle  100 . 
     At step  308 , controller  150  identifies the ground speed of harvester  400 . The ground speed of harvester  400  may simply be the ground speed of vehicle  100 , which is communicated to controller  150  by a ground speed sensor (or other sensor) on vehicle  100 . Alternatively, the ground speed of harvester  400  may be calculated based upon the derivative of the signals transmitted by sensor  160  at step  302 . In other words, the ground speed of harvester  400  may be the rate that sensor  160  approaches the obstacle  120   a  (i.e., the rate of approach). Other means for identifying the ground speed of the harvester  400  should be well understood by those skilled in the art. 
     At step  310 , controller  150  calculates the approximate time T 1  until the harvester  400  would intersect zone  121   a  (i.e., if harvester  400  were not moved out of path  142 ). According to one exemplary equation, T 1 =D 2 /(Ground Speed). The time T 2  required for harvester  400  to move from the extended position to the retracted position is a known and factory-set quantity. 
     At step  312 , controller  150  compares time T 1  with time T 2 . Once time T 2  either equals or approaches time T 1  within a predetermined time threshold (i.e., by a safety factor), the method  300  proceeds to step  314 . At step  314 , controller  150  transmits a signal to motor controller  129 . Upon receiving that signal, motor controller  129  activates motor  125  to move arm  122  and harvester  400  transversely (in the direction of arrows  123 ) from the extended position to the retracted position. In the retracted position, harvester  400  is positioned outside of path  142  and out of the way of obstacle  120   a . As harvester  400  passes by obstacle  120   a , sensor  160  continues to sense obstacle  120   a . As vehicle continues to move in the forward direction, sensor  160  will eventually not sense the obstacle  120   a . Once this occurs, the method  300  moves to step  316 . 
     At step  316 , controller  150  transmits a signal to motor controller  129 . Upon receiving that signal, motor controller  129  activates motor  125  to move arm  122  and harvester  400  from the retracted position and to the extended position. Harvester  400  is then returned to path  142  in which harvester  400  harvests the crop within path  142 . 
     This method  300  is repeated once harvester  400  approaches obstacle  120   b.    
     Harvester  400  may move between two different transverse positions, i.e., an extended position (shown) in which the harvester  400  is positioned a distance away from vehicle  100  and in path  142 , and a retracted position (not shown) in which the harvester  400  is positioned closer to vehicle  100  and outside of path  142 . According to one aspect, harvester  400  may only be maintained in one of those two positions, and no position therebetween. Alternatively, harvester  400  may be maintained in any transverse position between the extended and retracted positions. 
     It should be understood that various methods exist for timing the movement of harvester  400  relative to the approach of obstacle  120 , and this invention is not necessarily limited to any one particular method. It should also be understood that the steps of the method  300  are not limited to any particular step of sequence of steps. 
     It is to be understood that the above-described operating steps are performed by the controllers  150 / 129  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 controllers  150 / 129  described herein, such as the aforementioned method of operation, is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on the tangible computer readable medium. Upon loading and executing such software code or instructions by the controller, the controller may perform any of the functionality of the controller described herein, including any steps of the aforementioned method 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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;s central processing unit or by a controller. 
     Turning now to the features of the crop harvester, it should be understood that the crop harvester is configured to be mounted to vehicle  100 . A suitable crop harvester for use with vehicle  100  is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,419,107, 5,285,622 and 6,315,659, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and for all purposes. Another suitable crop harvester  400  for use with vehicle  100  is described hereinafter with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  depict crop harvester  400  in a schematic form. Crop harvester  400  includes a hollow housing  402  surrounding a plurality of interior components. Housing  402  includes an inlet  401 , through which crop is delivered into housing  402 , and an outlet  403 , through which material other than grain (MOG) is exhausted from housing  402 . 
     A comb  404  is provided at the forward end of harvester  400 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . Comb  404  includes a series of teeth for directing the crop on the field toward a threshing system  405 . As an alternative to the comb, item  404  may represent a series of moving blades or knives  404  for shearing and/or stripping the crops extend outside of the housing  402 . Knives  404  may reciprocate back and forth for shearing the crop on the field. A feeder (not shown) may be provided for delivering the crop material to threshing system  405 . 
     Threshing system  405  comprises a housing  407 , a transversely-mounted rotor  406  (otherwise referred to as a cylinder) mounted to housing  402  and  407  by a shaft  408 , a stationary concave  409  positioned beneath rotor  406 , and fans  411  positioned on opposing sides of rotor  406  that are also driven by shaft  408 . Rasp bars (not shown), knives, blades, or other members project from the exterior surface of the rotor  406  for removing grain from the crop, as well as threshing the removed crop against the concave  409 . Concave  409  is a foraminous member including apertures, perforations or openings through which the threshed grain and material other than grain (MOG) can pass. 
     Rotor  406  and fans  411  rotate along with shaft  408 . A motor  410 , which may be electric or hydraulically powered, for example, is configured to rotate shaft  408 , rotor  406  and fans  411  about the axis of rotation of shaft  408 . Motor  410  is mounted to one end of shaft  408 , and a bearing  412  is mounted to the opposite end of shaft  408 . 
     Housing  407  includes sidewalls for separating the fans  411  from the rotor  406 . Housing  407  includes inlets and outlets  414  through which air is distributed by fans  411 . As depicted by the arrows in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the fans  411  deliver air through the rearwardly facing outlets  414  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     A receptacle  420  is positioned beneath concave  409  for catching threshed grain falling through concave  409 . An auger  422 , which is driven by a motor  424  (or other mechanism), is positioned at the base of receptacle  420  for moving the threshed grain contained within receptacle  420  toward a grain elevator  430 . Grain elevator  430  is positioned to one side of receptacle  420 . Grain elevator  430  includes a series of pivoting paddles  434  that are configured to deliver grain from receptacle  420  to a clean grain tank  440  that is positioned above threshing system  405 . Further details of a grain elevator are described in U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2018/0359927 to CNH Industrial America LLC, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Grain elevator  430 , tank  440  and auger  422  are optional features and may be omitted, if so desired. 
     In operation, crop is delivered to threshing system  405  by comb  404  as vehicle moves in a forward direction. Specifically, crop is delivered in the annular space between the rotor  406  and the concave  409 . Crop is threshed between rotor  406  and concave  409 . The threshed grain, which is depicted as stippling, falls through the concave  409  and into receptacle  420 . The lighter-weight material other than grain (MOG)  450  is blown rearwardly by the fans  411 , as well as by the wind in the field, through the outlet  403  and onto the ground. The fan speed is controlled to avoid blowing the grain through the outlet  403  along with the light-weight MOG  450 . 
     As noted above, the structure and operation of harvester  400  can vary and is not limited to the harvester that is shown and described herein. 
     While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.