Predicting grain tank levels when on slopes or hills
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsMichael Conrad, Denver Yoder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment includes a combine including a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, a grain tank for storing the separated grain, a grain tank level sensor for detecting a level of grain in the grain tank, an inclination sensor for detecting inclination of the combine, and a controller that controls the combine. The controller configured to receive the grain tank level from the grain tank level sensor, receive an inclination value from the inclination sensor, adjust the grain tank level based on the inclination value, and alert an operator of the adjusted grain tank level.
Claims20
A combine comprising:
- a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop;
- a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue;
- a grain tank for storing the separated grain;
- a grain tank level sensor for detecting a level of grain in the grain tank;
- an inclination sensor for detecting inclination of the combine;
- and
- a controller that controls the combine, the controller configured to:
- receive the grain tank level from the grain tank level sensor,
- receive an inclination value from the inclination sensor,
- compute an adjusted grain tank level that is higher in the grain tank than the grain tank level detected by the sensor, by:
- estimating an intersection point where the grain pile intersects the grain tank due to the inclination value, and
- setting the adjusted grain tank level based on the intersection point, and
- alert an operator of the adjusted grain tank level.
A method for controlling a combine including a chassis, a feeder housing for receiving harvested crop, a separating system for threshing the harvested crop to separate grain from residue, a grain tank for storing the separated grain, a grain tank level sensor for detecting a grain level in the grain tank, an inclination sensor for detecting inclination of the combine, and a controller that controls the combine, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the controller, the grain tank level from the grain tank level sensor;
- receiving, by the controller, an inclination value from the inclination sensor;
- computing, by the controller, an adjusted grain tank level that is higher in the grain tank than the grain tank level detected by the sensor, by:
- estimating an intersection point where the grain pile intersects the grain tank due to the inclination value, and
- setting the adjusted grain tank level based on the intersection point;
- and
- alerting, by the controller, an operator of the adjusted grain tank level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.