# US 10,477,775 B2 · Baler mass flow sensing assembly and method

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- Number: US 10,477,775 B2
- Document ID: US10477775B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/855,153
- Filed: 2015-09-15
- Published: 2016-03-31
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-29
- Assignees: Deere & Company; Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Applicants: Deere & Company; Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric R. Lang; Jeffrey Askey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10477775B2

## CPC

- A01F 15/08: Details
- A01D 89/00: Pick-ups for loaders, chaff-cutters, balers, field-threshers, or the like {, i.e. attachments for picking-up hay or the like field crops (field threshers with windrow pick-up apparatus A01D41/10)}
- A01F 15/0825: {Regulating or controlling density or shape of the bale}
- B30B 9/3007: {Control arrangements}
- B30B 9/301: {Feed means}
- B30B 9/3078: {with precompression means}
- A01F: PROCESSING OF HARVESTED PRODUCE; HAY OR STRAW PRESSES; DEVICES FOR STORING AGRICULTURAL OR HORTICULTURAL PRODUCE (devices for topping or skinning onions or flower bulbs A23N15/08)
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}

## Abstract

A crop sensing system for a baler includes a compression system for forming a bale and a feed system for picking up crop from a surface and conveying the crop to the compression system. The crop sensing system includes a sensor arrangement having at least one sensor being coupled to at least one of the compression system or the feed system, wherein the at least one sensor generates a signal corresponding to a crop load on the at least one of the compression system or the feed system. The crop sensing system includes a control unit configured to receive the signal from the sensor arrangement and calculate crop mass data based on at least the signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A crop sensing system for a baler comprising:
a compression system for forming a bale;
a feed system for picking up crop from a surface and conveying the crop to the compression system;
a sensor arrangement including at least one sensor being coupled to at least one of the compression system or the feed system, the at least one sensor configured to generate signals over a duration of time which correspond to a series of instantaneous crop loads on the at least one of the compression system or the feed system; and
a control unit configured to receive the signals from the sensor arrangement over the duration of time and calculate crop mass flow rate based on at least the signals and the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the signals,
wherein the baler includes a loading fork having a range of motion for passing crop from a pre-compression chamber into the compression system, wherein the at least one sensor is a first sensor coupled to the loading fork, wherein the signals are first signals from the first sensor, wherein the sensor arrangement includes a second sensor coupled to the pre-compression chamber and configured to generate a second signal, and wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the crop mass flow rate based on at least 1) the first signals from the first sensor corresponding to crop loads on the loading fork and the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the first signals and 2) the second signal from the second sensor corresponding to the crop load on the pre-compression chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The crop sensing system of claim 1, wherein the pre-compression chamber includes a feed pan at least partially defining the pre-compression chamber, and wherein the second sensor is coupled to the feed pan for measuring a crop load generally normal to the feed pan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The crop sensing system of claim 2, wherein the control unit calculates the crop mass flow rate at least in part by integrating the first signal from the first sensor over at least a portion of the range of motion of the loading fork over the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the first signal and based on the crop load on and generally normal to the feed pan.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The crop sensing system of claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates the crop mass flow rate at least in part by integrating the first signal from the first sensor over at least a portion of the range of motion of the loading fork over the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the first signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The crop sensing system of claim 1 further comprising:
a display device; and
a global positioning system in communication with the control unit and configured to generate location data, wherein the control unit pairs the location data with corresponding crop mass data in real time, wherein the display device displays a geospatial representation of the location and crop mass data.

### Claim 6

A crop sensing system for a baler comprising:
a first conveyor including a bale chamber in which a bale is formed and moved;
a second conveyor positioned to pick up crop from a surface and convey the crop toward the bale chamber;
at least one sensor coupled to at least one of the first conveyor or the second conveyor, and configured to generate signals over a duration of time which correspond to a series of instantaneous crop loads on the at least one of the first conveyor or the second conveyor; and
a controller configured to receive the signals from the sensor over the duration of time and calculate crop mass flow rate based on at least the signals and the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the signals,
wherein the second conveyor includes a loading fork having a range of motion for passing crop from a pre-compression chamber into the bale chamber, wherein the at least one sensor is a first sensor coupled to the loading fork, wherein the signals are first signals from the first sensor, further comprising a second sensor coupled to the pre-compression chamber and configured to generate a second signal, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the crop mass flow rate based on at least 1) the first signals from the first sensor corresponding to the crop load on the loading fork and the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the first signals and 2) the second signal from the second sensor corresponding to the crop load on the pre-compression chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The crop sensing system of claim 6, wherein the controller calculates the crop mass flow rate at least in part by integrating the first signals from the first sensor over at least a portion of the range of motion of the loading fork over the duration of time recorded in conjunction with the first signals.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The crop sensing system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a crop mass at least in part by integrating or summing the signals from the sensor over at least a portion of the range of motion of the loading fork, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate crop mass flow rate based at least in part on the calculated crop mass.