Spreader width control

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0001The present invention relates to a system and method for optimization of crop residue spreading operation, with an adjustable spreader.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

0002In common harvesting operations where a combine is used to cut or pick up crop while traveling through a field, it is generally desired to leave the residue in a compact windrow for eventual pickup, or to evenly distribute the residue or MOG (material other than grain) evenly across the entire cut width. Returning the material to the ground provides nutrients for future crops. It is important that MOG be spread evenly such that all future plants have a consistent seed bed, but also because bunched or thicker distribution of straw and chaff, the residue or MOG, can make future field operations more challenging.

0003During the spreading of crop residue onto a field, changes in the direction of the combine impact the direction of the spread of residue on the field. For example, when a 90 degree turn is executed part of the field on the inside of the curve will receive little or no residue, while on the outside of the curve the residue will be spread outside of the path of travel, with some potentially falling on unharvested crops. When residue falls on unharvested crops it can reduce the yield for that area and cause the residue to be reintroduced into the combine, thereby reducing efficiency. Non-uniform distributions of the residue can also affect future crops since the soil nutrients derived from the crop residue are not evenly distributed on the field.

0004The European patent application published as <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP1985170A1"><text>EP 1 985 170 A1</text></patcit> discloses a combine harvester with an adjustable crop residue spreader. The spreading width is adjusted to an automatically recognized header with a predetermined header width. <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="WO03005803A1"><text>WO 03/005803 A1</text></patcit> describes a side detection device for detecting standing, not yet harvested, crop. The signal from the side detection device is used for adjusting a spreading direction in order to avoid spreading residue into not yet harvested crop. <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="EP2936962A1"><text>EP 2 936 962 A1</text></patcit>, which is prior art under Art. 54(3) EPC only, describes a spreading system of which the spreading width is adapted based on a measured feed rate.

0005What is needed is a system and method for optimization of residue spreading so that the residue may be spread evenly onto the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0006Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method to optimize residue spread for even distribution of residue onto a field from a combine.

0007The invention in one form is directed to a spreader system for discharging residue from an agricultural combine to a ground surface. The spreader system including a direction detector and a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural combine. The direction detector is configured to detect direction changes of the agricultural combine and to produce a signal representative of the direction change. The spreader includes one or more impellers and a housing, with the impellers being operatively connected to the housing for rotating therein. The housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of residue, an outlet coupled to the housing for discharging the flow of residue, and one or more residue flow directors. The residue flow directors are configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural combine, the system being configured to alter the flow of residue dependent upon the signal.

0008The invention in another form is directed to an agricultural harvesting system including a chassis, a plurality of ground support devices carrying the chassis and a threshing section carried by the chassis. The threshing section produces an agricultural residue. There is also a spreader system for discharging the residue to a ground surface, spreader system for discharging residue from an agricultural combine to a ground surface. The spreader system including a direction detector and a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural combine. The direction detector is configured to detect direction changes of the agricultural combine and to produce a signal representative of the direction change. The spreader includes one or more impellers and a housing, with the impellers being operatively connected to the housing for rotating therein. The housing having an inlet for receiving a flow of residue, an outlet coupled to the housing for discharging the flow of residue, and one or more residue flow directors. The residue flow directors are configured to alter the flow of residue from the agricultural combine, the system being configured to alter the flow of residue dependent upon the signal.

0009The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of spreading residue from an agricultural harvesting apparatus to a ground surface, the method includes the steps of detecting a direction change of the agricultural harvesting apparatus; producing a signal representative of the direction change; spreading residue from a spreader operatively connected to a rear end of the agricultural harvesting apparatus; and altering a flow of the residue from the agricultural harvesting apparatus dependent upon the signal.

0010Advantageously, the present invention detects a turn and alters the spreader components to cause the trajectory of the residue to land in the harvested area.

0011Additional features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0012The 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 embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> illustrates a side view of a harvester combine with an attached header, threshing rotor, and spreader according to one embodiment of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> illustrates a fragmentary, side view of the harvester from <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1A</figref>;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> illustrates an end view of the harvester combine of <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1A</figref>, particularly showing the residue spreader on the rear of the combine according to one embodiment of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> is a schematical representation of a combine path that both illustrates the problem overcome by the invention and the result of using the invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref> is a schematical block diagram illustrating in a conceptual form an embodiment of the control system of the present invention; and</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref> is a flowchart that illustrates an embodiment of a method of the present invention.</li></ul>

0013Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

0014Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to <figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003">Figs. 1-3</figref>, there is illustrated an agricultural system 70 which includes agricultural harvesting equipment such as a combine 72 which is used for harvest. Combine 72 is depicted as a mobile agricultural work vehicle including a chassis/frame 74, to which are installed a main body 76, an operator's station or cab 78, a grain tank 80, an engine (not shown), and ground support devices including drive wheels 82 and steerable wheels 84. However, the ground support devices could also be endless crawler tracks.

0015Header 86 is shown in <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>, which is commonly referred to as a grain header and is typically utilized for harvesting smaller grains, such as, but not limited to, wheat and soybeans. Headers such as header 86 used for this purpose can have a variety of widths, for instance, from about twenty to about forty five feet, as is well known. Another well known header is a corn header, and will typically be of a six, eight, twelve or sixteen row variety, and will have an overall width of from about fifteen to about forty feet. Header 86, as well as other headers (not shown), are configured to be interchangeably mounted on the front end of a feeder 88 of combine 72 in the well-known, conventional manner, for configuring combine 72 for harvesting a particular crop. A header detector 87 is also shown in <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>, as connected on the combine 72.

0016The crops harvested by a header 86 will be gathered up by header 86 and conveyed by feeder 88 rearwardly and upwardly into the body of combine 72, for processing by a threshing system. The threshing system comprises a thresher 90, which is located within main body 76 and is disposed to receive the crop materials from feeder 88. Thresher 90 separates kernels of grain from larger pieces of other crop materials, referred to herein as MOG (materials other than grain). The grain kernels are then conveyed to a winnowing, or cleaning section 92, where smaller bits of MOG, debris, dust, etc. are removed by mechanical agitation and a stream of air. Although combine 72 is depicted as an axial-flow combine (i.e., having a threshing system with a generally longitudinally disposed axis of rotation), the concepts described herein may also be used on other types of combines including those having threshers with transversely disposed axes of rotation.

0017Quite often a machine of this nature must harvest additional material other than the main product in order to complete the separation process. The excess material (herein referred to as crop residue, or simply as residue) is typically chopped or shredded and propelled from the rear 94 of the combine 72 by way of spreader 96.

0018Attached on combine 72 is a sensing device 32, as shown or similarly, on or about spreader 96 for detecting attributes that can be used to optimize the residue spreading function of spreader 96 of the combine 72. Sensing device 32, may be a direction detector 32, such as a GPS system, sensing device 32 can also be configured to detect wind speeds. Sensing device 32 can also be connected to agricultural system 70 at a variety of other locations, and particularly to a communication and control system. Sensing device 32 may be a steering angle sensor to thereby detect commanded changes in direction. The sensing device 32 may be connected to the communication and control system.

0019Further, sensing device 32 may contain any of the sensors to sense temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, cloud cover, and trends thereof. The sensing device 32 may sense one or more various wind characteristics, such as wind speed and wind direction. Wind direction and speed change can reduce the harvesting machine's ability to spread the residue uniformly onto the ground surface. By using the information provided by the sensing device 32, such as wind speed and wind direction, adjustments for residue spreading may be automatically made in real time, relative to the speed and direction of combine 72 travel. The communication and control system may incorporate connection of various other sensors (not shown) in the combine 72 to receive information pertaining to combine 72 travel and the location of edges of the adjacent standing crops.

0020Combines equipped with a GPS may be used to determine the direction and speed of combine 72. This data may be necessary in making the necessary corrections to compensate for wind speed and direction changes of combine 72, as analyzed and determined by a controller.

0021Referring particularly to <figref idref="f0002">Figs. 2</figref> and <figref idref="f0003">3</figref>, a rear end 94 of combine 72 is shown, including a vertical crop residue spreader 96 operable for spreading straw, stalks, and other crop residue and MOG that has been separated from the grain of the crops by thresher 90 of combine 72 located forwardly of rear end 94. The straw, stalks and the like are propelled rearwardly by rotating beaters or the like (also not shown) from the threshing mechanism and downwardly through a rear cavity of combine 72 to spreader 96 for spreading and optionally chopping. In other embodiments, a spreader may be positioned as a horizontal spreader that propels threshed residue in a like manner to a vertical spreader, wherein both may be designated as spreader 96.

0022Spreader 96 includes a housing 98 of sheet metal or other construction containing a pair of side by side rotary impellers 100 and 102 rotatable in opposite predetermined rotational directions, denoted by arrows A and B, about a pair of rotational axis 104 and 106, respectively. Housing 98 defines a forwardly and upwardly facing inlet opening for receiving the residue flow from the threshing system, and a downwardly facing discharge opening 110, or outlet, through which the residue is propelled downwardly and in opposite sideward directions by impellers 100 and 102, respectively. The discharge opening 110 may be configured about the lateral side of the housing 98. Here, it should be understood that impellers 100 and 102 are representative of a variety of rotary devices that can be utilized in a spreader of this type, such as a rotor having fixed blades, or carrying a plurality of knives, such as flail knives, for propelling the crop residue outwardly from the housing from the inlet and out through the outlet. The spreader can additionally optionally include a rank of fixed knives through which the rotating knives pass for chopping crop residue.

0023Impellers 100 and 102 are rotated by suitable driving elements, herein referred to as motors, such as by conventionally constructed and operable hydraulic motors powered by pressurized hydraulic fluid received from a pump (not shown) of combine 72, an electric motor, belt, or the like, again in the well known manner. Rotational axes 104 and 106 extend at least generally in the fore and aft directions, that is, generally forwardly and rearwardly with respect to combine 72, and are generally horizontal or oriented at a small acute angle to horizontal, depending on an orientation or tilt of spreader 96 on combine 72, which can be optionally variable and adjustable in the well known manner.

0024Residue flow within housing 98 is propelled by rotating impellers 100 and 102 in the predetermined rotational directions A and B along circumferential flow paths, at speeds equal to or increased relative to the inlet speed of the residue flow such that the residue does not build up at the inlet and is expelled from housing 98 through discharge opening 110 at a corresponding speed. In the instance wherein spreader 96 is solely used for spreading, the speed imparted to the residue by impellers 100 and 102 will be sufficient for airborne travel of the residue a substantial sideward distance from combine 72 for deposition on regions of the agricultural field over which combine 72 has just traveled and from which the crops have been harvested.

0025As noted above, it is desired in many instances to distribute the crop residue discharged by impellers 100 and 102 substantially evenly over the width of a swath of the field from which the crop has just been harvested by combine 72, which width is typically defined by the overall width of a harvesting head 86 of combine 72, which width can be as small as twenty feet and as large as forty-five feet in the instance of some heads currently in use. Spreader 96 may include a pair of adjustable crop residue flow distributors 112 connected to or about the discharge opening 110, or outlet, about the lateral side of the housing 98. Crop residue flow distributors 112 are mirror images of one another, and thus can be described and discussed singularly when appropriate, and are positioned for use in cooperation with respective impellers 100 and 102 of spreader 96 for receiving and carrying flows of crop residue discharged through discharge opening 110, in opposite sideward directions outwardly away from spreader 96, for distribution in a desired pattern on sides of a just harvested swath of a field over which combine 72 is moving. Here, it should be understood that by the term "sideward" what is meant is a direction transverse the fore and aft directions, the term "sidewardly outwardly" thus meaning sidewardly away from a center line 114 of spreader 96, the term "sidewardly inwardly" meaning closer to center line 114.

0026Each of flow distributors 112 preferably includes a flow guide of suitable, rigid construction, such as of sheet metal, or plastics, having a first end portion 118 supported adjacent to discharge opening 110 in the vicinity of center line 114 in a position so as to receive at least a portion of the crop residue flow discharged through about the outlet. Flow guide 116, or guide 116, includes a second end portion 120 opposite first end portion 118, and a fore edge 122 and an opposite aft edge 124 extending between first and second end portions 118 and 120 defining a crop residue flow surface 126 extending between end portions 118 and 120 for guiding and carrying the received crop residue flow sidewardly outwardly away from spreader 96 and distributing the crop residue, illustrated by strings of oppositely directed arrows C and downwardly toward D in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>, for distribution in a pattern on a field on the ground surface, represented by dotted line 128 in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>, having desired characteristics, such as uniformity and evenness of crop residue distribution.

0027Flow guides 116 are supported on spreader 96, by an adjustable support structure, so as to be at least generally aligned with center line 114 of spreader 96. Spreader 96 includes at least two impellers 100, 102 to perform the spreading process, along with the flow distributors 112, which are used to aid the impellers in the spreading process. By adjusting the flow guides 116, the residue spreading can be adjusted in order to accommodate different combine header widths or changes due to weather conditions, including wind changes, and still perform a quality job of residue distribution.

0028This same methodology could be used in machines which use fan type spreaders in order to distribute granulated fertilizers on a field. These machines use impellers to throw the granules to each side of the applicator. The spread width can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the speed of the impellers, adjusting the height of the impellers, or adjusting the vanes which are typically located on both sides of the impeller in order to negate the effects of a lateral wind.

0029Now, additionally referring to <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> there is shown a field 200 having an area of standing crop 202. Harvester 72 has cut and harvested the crop in area 204. The residue from harvester 72, using a prior art spreading system, is shown as being distributed in a pattern with the width being denoted as lines 206. As harvester 72 makes a right hand turn the pattern from a prior art spreader leaves a bare or missed area 208 and puts residue in an area 210, which is an area that overlaps into area 202. When the prior art combine, which may have rear wheel steering, turns sharply while harvesting the residue expelled at the rear of the machine is over-spread in the opposite direction that the combine is turning and under-spread in the direction the combine turns. When an operator is cutting, especially when there is standing crop 202 on both sides of the header, and makes a sharp turn, such as to cut around an object like a waterway, telephone pole, etc., then the residue is over-spread 210 into standing crop 202 on one side of the machine and there is a bare spot 208 left on the other.

0030Throwing residue material into standing crop 202 can make it difficult to harvest the area that is over-spread 210 on the next pass and potentially knocks grain out of the standing crop. Additionally, practices such as no-till are used by farmers, in which bare spots and/or spots that get double spread are undesirable. With the present invention, residue from harvester 72 is spread in area 204 without creating an over-spread area 210 or under-spread area 208.

0031Now, additionally referring to <figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref>, the present invention is carried out by way of a spreader system 220 that includes a controller 222 and spreader 96 having a left flow director 224 and a right flow director 226, both of which can be thought of as being a combination of flow distributors 112 and flow guides 116, which have been described above. Flow directors 224 and 226 can be thought of as any mechanism that alters the trajectory of the residue as it leaves harvester 72.

0032The trajectory of the residue is also altered by changes in speed of impellers 100 and 102. Controller 222 receives a signal from direction detector 32 and communicates commands to impellers 100 and 102, and flow directors 224 and 226 depending upon the information conveyed in the signal to alter the trajectory of the residue due to the turn or change in direction of harvester 72. The functions described here as being carried out by controller 222 may be carried out by a controller that executes other functions on harvester 72. While modifications in the trajectory may be needed for other reasons, such as the wind speed and direction, as alluded to above, the changes to the trajectory of the residue relative to the turning of harvester 72 is what will be exclusively focused on hereafter, with the understanding that other compensations may otherwise alter the trajectory of the residue.

0033Now, additionally referring to <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref> there is shown a flowchart of a method 250 for the spreading of residue from harvester 72 carried out by controller 222. A deviation from a straight direction of travel of harvester 72 is detected at step 252, by direction detector 32. If the deviation is less than a minimal predetermined amount, such as a 2 degree steering deviation from a straight line of travel, then method 250 returns to step 252. However, if the deviation is greater than the predetermined amount then controller 222 determines the rate of change at step 256 from the signal sent by direction detector 32 to controller 222. Based on the rate of direction change, controller 222 boosts the residue spread to the inside of the turn and reduces the residue spread to the outside of the turn at steps 258 and 260. The amount of the boost and reduction is controlled as the steering changes so that the residue falls in area 204, particularly during the turn.

0034When the turn is completed, as determined at step 262 then method 250 proceeds to step 264, with the residue spread being returned to the normal control, unaffected by method 250.

0035It is contemplated that spreader system 220 may alter the flow of residue by directing more of the residue to either left residue flow director 224 or right residue flow director 226. Also, and more specifically, as shown in <figref idref="f0004">Fig 4</figref>, spreader system 220 may be configured so that when direction detector 32 detects a right turn that left residue flow director 224 imparts less energy to the residue flowing therethrough and right residue flow director 226 imparts more energy to the residue flowing therethrough.

0036It is also contemplated that spreader system 220 may be configured so that when direction detector 32 detects a right turn that left residue flow director 224 directs the residue flowing therethrough at a first angle and right residue flow director 226 directs the residue flowing therethrough at a second angle. With, the first angle being directed more toward the ground than the second angle thereby changing the trajectory of the residue.

0037Yet another way of considering the actions of spreader system 220 is such that when direction detector 32 detects a right turn that left residue flow director 224 spreads the residue flowing therethrough to a reduced distance and right residue flow director 226 is configured to spread the residue flowing therethrough to a greater distance.

0038The actions for a left hand turn being a mirror image type of reaction to those discussed above for a right hand turn.