Mower-conditioner machine for sensing moisture content of crop material
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsJeffrey B. Fay, II, Philip Eby, Benjamin A. Heiser, Michael Jacob Digman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mower-conditioner machine which includes a frame, a cutter bar connected to the frame, the cutter bar is configured to cut a crop material from a field, and a crop-engaging member connected to the frame. The crop-engaging member is configured to contact the crop material. The mower-conditioner machine also includes at least one moisture sensor connected to the crop-engaging member. The at least one moisture sensor is configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material.
Claims20
A mower-conditioner machine, comprising:
- a frame;
- a cutter bar connected to the frame, the cutter bar being configured to cut a crop material from a field;
- a crop-engaging member comprising a swathgate that is pivotally connected to the frame, the crop-engaging member being configured to contact the crop material;
- and
- at least one moisture sensor adjacent an underside of the swathgate, the at least one moisture sensor being configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material.
An agricultural assembly, comprising:
- a work vehicle;
- and
- a mower-conditioner machine, comprising:
- a frame connected to work vehicle;
- a cutter bar connected to the frame, the cutter bar being configured to cut a crop material from a field;
- a crop-engaging member comprising a swathgate that is pivotally connected to the frame, the crop-engaging member being configured to contact the crop material;
- and
- at least one moisture sensor adjacent an underside of the swathgate, the at least one moisture sensor being configured to sense a moisture content of the crop material.
A method for conducting an agricultural procedure, comprising:
- mowing a crop material in a field by a mower-conditioner machine having a frame and a crop-engaging member comprising a swathgate that is pivotally connected to the frame;
- sensing, by at least one moisture sensor adjacent an underside of the swathgate, a moisture content of the crop material;
- sensing, by a location sensor, a location of the mower-conditioner machine;
- generating, by a controller, a moisture content map based at least partially on the moisture content of the crop material and the location of the mower-conditioner machine;
- and
- estimating, by the controller, a drying time of the crop material based at least partially on the moisture content map.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.