Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to agricultural harvesters, and, more particularly, to a master-slave multiple harvester unloading system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An agricultural harvester, such as a combine, is a large machine used to harvest a variety of crops from a field. A combine includes a header at the front of the combine to cut the ripened crop from the field. A feeder housing supporting the header transfers the crop material into the combine for threshing. The threshing and separating assemblies within the combine remove grain from the crop material and transfer the clean grain to a grain tank for temporary holding. Crop material other than grain exits from the rear of the combine and is distributed upon the field. An unloading auger or conveyor transfers the clean grain from the grain tank to a truck or grain cart for transport. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,071 discloses an apparatus and method for coordinating and monitoring the harvesting and transporting operations of an agricultural crop by multiple agricultural machines in a field. A grain cart is scheduled to be available for the unloading of harvesting machines when the harvested crop reaches a predetermined level in a particular harvesting machine. In US Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0014489, there is disclosed a drive support system that coordinates the harvesting machines in a field and generates driving routes that are coordinated with each other so that the agricultural machines avoid collisions therebetween particularly during unloading procedures when the grain is transferred to a trailer. Canadian Patent CA 2 305 606 discloses an arrangement in which a vehicle is controlled from the first vehicle to maintain a set working position alongside the first vehicle utilizing GPS or ultrasonic distance measuring equipment. The second vehicle can be a loading truck for receiving discharge from a crop harvesting machine. German Patent Document DE1 0064862 discloses a system of coordinating agricultural vehicles working in the same field and between which crop is transferred including a navigation system fitted on one of the vehicles having a system for transmitting data between the vehicles. 
     What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for coordinating the transfer of grain from multiple harvesters in a simultaneous manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention in one form is directed to a grain moving system providing for single point unloading of harvesters to a grain cart. There are a plurality of harvesting machines including a first harvesting machine and a second harvesting machine. The first harvesting machine being configured to deliver grain to the grain cart. The first harvesting machine receiving grain from the second harvesting machine. The first harvesting machine being configured for the coordination of grain transfer. 
     The invention in another form is directed to a method of unloading grain including the step of moving grain to a first harvesting machine to a second harvesting machine while both said first harvesting machine and second harvesting machine are traversing over the ground. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a grain transfer system of the present invention including a grain receiving vehicle and two combines; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the grain conveying system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of a portion of the grain conveyance system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an implementation of the grain transfer system of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematicized illustration of elements of the grain transfer system of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a grain moving or conveying system  10 , also referred to as a grain transfer system  10 , being carried out utilizing a grain transport vehicle  12 , a grain harvester  14 , and a grain harvester  16 . Grain transport vehicle  12  may be any conveying type vehicle including a grain cart  12  or as illustrated in  FIG. 1  as a grain truck  12 . The use of the phrase “grain cart” herein is intended to encompass any grain moving vehicle for the transport of grain from a field to storage or unloading facility. Harvester  14  includes a grain tank  18  and a grain conveyance device  20 . In a similar manner, grain harvester  16  includes a grain tank  22  and a grain conveyance device  24 . Each of grain harvesters  14  and  16  include operator controls  26  in a cab of the harvesters. As shown in  FIG. 1 , grain is being moved from harvester  16 , by way of grain conveyance device  24 , and is dumping grain into grain tank  18  of harvester  14  while grain conveyance device  20  is moving grain from harvester  14  to grain cart  12 . 
     Transferring grain from harvester-to-harvester poses unique problems that are addressed by the present invention. While it is commonly undertaken to unload grain from harvesters into a moving vehicle such as a truck, in which the operators of the two vehicles usually coordinate the speeds as the combine continues to harvest grain and transfers its load to the hauling vehicle. This can be done manually or automatically and is usually undertaken because the grain hauling vehicle typically has a large area into which grain can be placed thereby being forgiving of small steering errors between the two vehicles. Further, the transfer of the grain takes place at a high speed without regard the flow of grain into the grain tank of the harvester. When single point unloading takes place, as proposed by the present invention, not only is accurate coordination of the conveyance mechanism with the position of the open area of the grain tank necessary, but coordination of the flow of the grain into the grain tank has to take place so that a harvester in the chain of transfer is not overwhelmed by the flow. The use of the phrase “coordination of grain transfer” in this specification and the claims is to be understood to mean the control of the positioning of the grain transfer apparatus as well as the control of the flow of grain to a first harvester from a second harvester dependent on either determined grain flows into/from the first harvester or a determined amount of grain in the grain tank of the first harvester. 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated a grain tank  18  having a grain conveyance device  24  conveying grain into grain tank  18 . Sensors  28  and  30  interact to provide positional information of a distal end of grain conveyance device  24  with the targeted open area of tank  18 . Sensors  28  and  30  are utilized to help provide information to actuator systems on harvester  16  that alter the position of the distal end of grain conveying device  24  so that a collision does not occur between conveyance device  24  and grain tank  18  or any other part of harvesting machine  14 . Information from sensors  28  and  30  is also used to adjust device  24  so that the flow of the grain from conveyance device  24 , which is being propelled from the distal end of device  24 , is targeted to hit the open area of tank  18  no mater what the attitude changes, elevation changes, velocity and steering variations between harvester  14  and  16  are during the transfer. As harvesting machines  14  and  16  are traversing the ground, grain from grain tank  22  is being transferred to grain tank  18 . This coordination of grain transfer encompasses ensuring that the grain from grain conveyance device  24  continues to fall into tank  18  in spite of the yaw, roll, pitch, speed variations, and height variations between harvester  14  and  16  as they traverse the field. 
     Although the foregoing use of sensors  28  and  30  have been discussed, which may communicate with each other, it is also contemplated to only use one sensor to detect positional information of the grain tank from the conveyor, or the position of the conveyor from the grain tank. It is also contemplated that the relative positions of the grain tank and the conveyor may be determined by an algorithm using information from positional sensors on harvesters  14  and  16  and the known geometries of the elements of harvesters  14  and  16  to thereby compute the positions of the distal end of the conveyor and the open area target of the grain tank. 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a cradle  32  attached to grain tank  18  in which grain conveyance device  24  may be rested. As grain conveyance device  24  approaches grain tank  18  it is positioned proximate to cradle  32  as harvesters  14  and  16  moving along the field. Once grain conveyance device  24  has been determined to be properly positioned it is then lowered and rested in cradle  32 . At this point some of the controlled support of device  24  is relinquished so that it can rest in cradle  32 . Once device  24  is resting in cradle  32 , some variation in the positioning of device  24  will occur as harvesting machines  14  and  16  move. However, this embodiment of the present invention allows for less active control of grain conveyance device  24 , just the monitoring of the position of the end of device  24  relative to the open area of tank  18 . 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a third harvesting machine  34  that is conveying grain into harvester  16  which is conveying grain into harvester  14 , which is then conveying grain into grain cart  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the choreographing of multiple harvesting machines is contemplated by the present invention as harvesting machines each are harvesting grain and traversing the field. Coordination of grain moving system  10  is done by utilizing a master/slave relationship where one of the harvesting units becomes the master over the operation of the other harvesting units and the grain cart. For example, harvester  14  may be designated as the master which communicates its dominant relationship relative to harvesters  16  and  34  as well as to grain cart  12 , each of which signal an acceptance of the relationship. This arrangement then requires each of the slave units to coordinate their traversal across the field in response to the direction of harvester  14 . This encompasses not only the movement of each of the units but also the coordination of grain transfer between units. For example, if grain cart  12  has indicated that it is full, then master harvester  14  issues and instruction to harvester  16  to stop or slow the transfer of grain from unit  16 . Unit  16  likewise evaluates the condition of tank  22  and sends an instruction to unit  34  based on the remaining capacity of tank  22  to continue, slow or stop the flow of grain. If grain tank  18  has sufficient capacity when grain cart  12  is released from its slave relationship to harvester  14  then the conveyance of grain may continue until a new grain cart (not illustrated) enters into a slave relationship with master unit  14 , which then positions grain cart  12  for receipt of grain. Unit  14  then restarts the conveyance of grain by way of device  20 . 
     In grain moving system  10 , harvester  34  will empty its grain tank first. At that point, it will move its grain conveyance device away from grain tank  22  and terminate the slave relationship with master unit  14 . It is also contemplated that unit  16  can be a master relative to unit  34 , which can define unit  16  as a submaster/slave unit  16  that coordinates the movement of harvester  34  relative to unit  16  with unit  14  being the master over unit  16 . This daisy-chaining of the master/slave relationship can be continued through multiple harvester units. Once harvester unit  34  is terminated from the choreographing of grain moving system  10  relative to itself, control of harvester  34  is returned to the operator as the crop is continued to be harvested. 
     In a similar manner when unit  16  is empty it signifies to unit  14  that tank  22  has been emptied and grain conveyance device  24  is disengaged from tank  18  by lifting grain conveyance device  24  from cradle  32  and retracting and swiveling device  24  to a stowed position. In a similar manner if grain conveyance device  24  is being actively managed as in  FIG. 2  it is then moved away from tank  18 , after stopping the conveyance of grain, and is moved to a stowed position. 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown in a schematical form the elements that are included in harvesters  14  and  16  and, by extension harvester  34  and other harvesting machines. Vehicle controller  36  controls the engine and other elements of the harvester and is interfaced with controller  38  that controls elements of the present invention. For ease of illustration, controller  38  is being described as a separate controller and the functions thereof may be incorporated into vehicle controller  36  as an algorithm or may be implemented in some other combination of hardware and software. Controller  38  interfaces with conveyor positional sensors  28  and  30 , flow/load sensors  40 , attitude/position sensors  42 , communications device  44 , and actuators  46 . Vehicle controller  36  of harvester  14  indicates to controller  38  that it is to communicate by way of communication device  44  with harvester  16  and harvester  16  is in a slave relationship to harvester  14 . The information from attitude sensors  42  of both harvesters  14  and  16  are communicated to the individual controllers  38  so that actuators  46  of unit  16  can be empowered to adjust the distal end of grain conveyance device  24  relative to grain tank  18 . Attitude sensors  42 , which may include GPS systems, provide three-dimensional positional information for each harvester. Information from positional sensor  28  of device  24  is communicated to harvester  14  to provide real-time closed loop control of actuators  46  in harvester  16  so that the grain can be moved to grain tank  18 . Flow and load sensors  40  provide information to controller  38  regarding the inflow of grain to the respective tanks of harvesters  14  and  16  as well as the flow therefrom by way of grain conveyor/auger conveyance systems. Sensors  28 ,  30 ,  40 , and  42  may be ultrasonic sensors, light sensors, proximity sensors, or the like. If sensors  28  and  30  individually, or based on a coacting interrelationship of the sensors, indicate that the distal end of conveyance device  24  is not properly positioned for the conveyance of grain, then controller  38  of harvester  16  stops the conveyance of grain by informing vehicle controller  36  to cease the conveyance. Once the proper positioning of the distal end of conveyance device  24  is reestablished then the flow of grain is likewise reestablished. 
     While the operation of the grain moving system is being undertaken, harvesting is continuing in harvesting machines  14 ,  16 , and  34 . This causes a difference in the flow of grain into the tanks associated with each harvester. The volume and yield of the crop being harvested alters the amount of grain being added to the grain tank as well as the speed of the conveyance of grain into and out of the respective grain tanks. These flows and/or the rate of change of grain in each grain tank is considered as the coordination of grain transfer is undertaken. The choreographing of the transfer then encompasses coordinating of the flow through each of the grain conveyance devices, measuring of the unused capacity in the respective grain tanks as well as the amount being harvested by a harvester unit. This choreography by grain moving system  10  alters the rates of flow of grain on each conveyance device to balance the transfer of grain so that it can be most efficiently transferred to grain cart  12 . 
     For example, if harvesting machine  14  has been moving grain to cart  12  for some period of time and tank  18  is substantially empty then the speed at which conveying system  24  transfers grain from harvester  16  can be increased perhaps to a maximum speed for fast transfer from grain tank  22  to grain tank  18 . If the contracondition is the situation then transfer of grain by way of device  24  can be slowed so that the transfer of grain by conveyance device  20  equals the harvested flow of grain coming into tank  18  plus the conveyance of grain being transferred by device  24 . 
     The present invention advantageously allows for the single point unloading by way of the coordination of multiple harvesting machines that can be located in proximity to a single grain cart. The present invention allows a physical connection between two or more combines during the unloading process as the harvesting continues and it permits all of the combines to unload simultaneously into one grain cart. As previously mentioned, one combine can be the master in which the operator of that combine then remotely operates the other slave combines. The grain conveyance systems can extend out of either side of the combine and can be coordinated to unload in either direction, i.e., to the right or to the left. The grain cart can also be provided with a dual-sided, bidirectional unloading system to receive grain from the combines and to unload into a semi at the end of the field. Grain tank unloaders may interconnect with each other in a similar handshake concept to allow multiple grain tanks be filled in a single choreographed system by linking multiple harvesting machines as well as multiple grain carts. It is also contemplated that combines can have conveyors that extend to meet halfway between the harvesters, so that the conveyance of the grain is from one conveyor to another conveyor with the interfaced position being between the combines. 
     It is understood that conveyance devices  20  and  24  can be in the form of augers, belt conveyors, multi-level extensible conveyors, or other devices for the conveyance of grain. Once the harvesting machines are linked up, two or more harvesting machines then provide for the simultaneous single-point unloading of grain into a grain cart. Another contemplated manner of carrying out the present invention is that grain conveying device  24  can be positioned to immediately transfer its grain directly to grain conveyance device  20  rather than into tank  18 . In this way, the grain drops off of the end of one conveyor onto the conveyor, of an adjacent harvester, underneath. This concept can be easily understood if what is described in  FIGS. 2 and 3  as tank  18  is rather understood to be a funnel  18  that receives grain from conveyor  24  and funnels it to conveyor  20  that runs beneath funnel  18 . In this way the grain from conveyor  24  does not go through the inner workings of harvester  14 . Conveyor  20  will then be capable of passing grain received directly from conveyor  24  and from the grain tank of harvester  14  simultaneously. 
     The unloading of two or more combines simultaneously allows for a continuous flow of grain into the grain cart thereby quickly and efficiently utilizing the capacity of the grain cart. The combines are always driving in a formation while unloading and are proximate to each other while harvesting and are linked up during the unloading process. This advantageously allows the grain cart driver to simply interface with one combine and not waste time and energy chasing down multiple combines in the field. 
     Operator controls include a cancel button allowing the operator to take control of the harvester away from the master in the event of a problem. The controls also provide for the synchronization with the master unit so that the grain can be efficiently unloaded and yet still be under the control of an operator in the event of a pending problem. The difference in the size of capacity of grain tanks is also contemplated; particularly if one harvester is normally to be designated as the master it may have a larger grain tank to accommodate the transfer of grain from another harvesting unit. 
     Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: 1