Method and control system for controlling baler power-take-off speed
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsKevin M. Smith, John R. McClure
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a bale of crop material in an agricultural baler. The method includes rotating a baler power-take-off (PTO) shaft at a rotational speed, rotating a bale of crop material in a bale chamber, and sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one bale ejection condition. The at least one sensor is configured to provide at least one bale ejection condition value corresponding to the at least one sensed bale ejection condition. The method further includes receiving, by a controller, the at least one bale ejection condition value, and adjusting, by the controller, the rotational speed of the baler PTO shaft responsive to the at least one bale ejection condition value.
Claims18
A method for forming a bale of crop material in an agricultural baler, comprising:
- rotating a baler power-take-off (PTO) shaft at an optimal rotational speed as a function of a rate of change of bale size, a maximum PTO speed, a minimum PTO speed, and/or a capacity of the baler;
- rotating a bale of crop material in a bale chamber;
- sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one bale ejection condition comprising at least one of a tailgate position, a ramp position, a bale position, an inclinometer reading of a portion of the baler, and a status of a wrapper, the at least one sensor being configured to provide at least one bale ejection condition value corresponding to the at least one sensed bale ejection condition;
- receiving, by a controller, the at least one bale ejection condition value;
- and
- adjusting, by the controller, a rotational speed of the baler PTO shaft responsive to the at least one bale ejection condition value from the optimal rotational speed to an adjusted rotational speed that approaches the maximum PTO shaft speed.
A baler configured to form a bale of crop material, comprising:
- a frame configured to be connected to an agricultural vehicle;
- a bale chamber connected to the frame, the bale chamber configured to form the bale of crop material therein;
- a baler power-take-off (PTO) shaft configured to be connected to and driven by the agricultural vehicle at a rotational speed, the baler PTO shaft being further configured to transmit power to the bale chamber;
- at least one sensor connected to the frame, the at least one sensor (i) senses at least one bale ejection condition comprising at least one of a tailgate position, a ramp position, a bale position, an inclinometer reading of a portion of the baler, and a status of a wrapper, and (ii) provides at least one bale ejection condition value corresponding to the at least one sensed bale ejection condition;
- and
- a controller operably connected to the at least one sensor, the controller:
- rotates the baler power-take-off (PTO) shaft at an optimal rotational speed as a function of a rate of change of bale size, a maximum PTO speed, a minimum PTO speed, and/or a capacity of the baler;
- receives the at least one bale ejection condition value;
- and
- adjusts the rotational speed of the baler PTO shaft responsive to the at least one bale ejection condition value from the optimal rotational speed to an adjusted rotational speed that approaches the maximum PTO shaft speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.