Back to results
US 11,765,995 B2Granted
Louver position sensing system for a sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester
AssigneeHCC, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Harris Maney, John Gregorio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeHCC, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Harris Maney, John Gregorio
Estimating the term…
A louver position sensing system for a sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester. One system provides that at least one sensor is in actual, physical contact with one or more louvers of the sieve and chaffer. Another system provides that a one or more magnet holders are mounted on louvers and, spaced away, sensors sense magnets in the magnet holders to determine the rotational position of the louvers. Either system allows for accurate, on-the-fly adjustment of the louvers in order to maximize the efficiency of operation of the sieve and chaffer. Preferably, the sensing systems are configured such that sensed position of the louvers is broadcast on the CAN bus of the combine harvester. As a result, the position information can be used to dynamically adjust the openings between the louvers of the sieve and chaffer to achieve more efficient grain cleaning as the machine and field variables change.
A sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester, said sieve and chaffer comprising a louver position sensing system, at least one rotatable wire, and at least one louver mounted on the at least one rotatable wire, said louver position sensing system comprising at least one magnet holder which is mounted directly to said at least one louver rather than to said at least one rotatable wire such that said at least one magnet holder and said at least one louver are in direct, physical contact with each other such that the at least one magnet holder and said at least one rotatable wire are spaced away from each other, said magnet holder having at least one magnet inside the magnet holder, and a housing spaced away from, and not in physical contact with the at least one magnet holder, said housing having a sensor and electronics inside the housing, wherein the magnet holder, with the at least one magnet inside, rotates outside of the housing along with the at least one louver, said electronics in the housing configured to use the sensor in the housing to sense a rotational position of the at least one magnet in the magnet holder, while the magnet holder, with the at least one magnet inside, remains outside of the housing, and determine a position of said at least one louver based on the rotational position of the at least one magnet.
A sieve and chaffer of a combine harvester, said sieve and chaffer comprising a louver position sensing system, a first louver and a second louver, said louver position sensing system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.