Electronically controlled viscous coupler for combine harvester
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorChristopher M. Cauley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for feeding or conveying grain includes (i) a conveyor for moving grain and having an input end and an output end, and (ii) a viscous clutch either directly or indirectly connected to the input end of the conveyor for transmitting torque from an input component to the conveyor in a variable manner. A method of feeding or conveying grain using the conveyor includes operating the viscous clutch to transmit torque from the input component to the conveyor.
Claims16
An apparatus for feeding or conveying grain comprising:
- a conveyor for moving grain and having an input end and an output end;
- and
- a viscous clutch either directly or indirectly connected to the input end of the conveyor for transmitting torque from an input component to the input end of the conveyor;
- a controller that is configured to either energize or deenergize the clutch to adjust a torque imparted to the conveyor by the input component;
- a sensor connected to the controller for detecting a fill level of a receptacle that receives the conveyed grain from the apparatus, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust a torque and speed transmitted by the viscous clutch as a function of the detected fill level.
A method of feeding or conveying grain using a conveyor in an agricultural vehicle, said method comprising:
- operating a viscous clutch, which is either directly or indirectly connected to an input end of the conveyor, to transmit torque from an input component to the conveyor in a variable manner;
- and
- detecting a fill level of a receptacle that receives the conveyed grain, and operating the viscous clutch based upon the detected fill level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.