Deck plate automatic adjustment system and method
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsDuane M. Bomleny, Thomas J. Spielman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A row unit of a corn header includes a first deck plate, a second deck plate, and a gap between the first and second deck plates. A position of one or both of the deck plates may be adjusted by a linkage assembly including at least one arm pivotably coupled, at a first end, to one or both of the deck plates and, at a second end, to an actuator. The actuator may be controlled by a controller to move one or both of the deck plates based on signals received from an ear size sensor such as a camera that measures various parameters of corn and also based on a kernel depth of the type of corn to be harvested.
Claims18
A combine harvester comprising:
- a corn header comprising:
- a frame;
- a first crop row divider coupled to the frame;
- a second crop row divider coupled to the frame and spaced from the first crop row divider to define a space therebetween;
- and a row unit positioned at the space, wherein the row unit includes:
- a first deck plate fixed relative to the frame,
- a second deck plate spaced apart from and movable relative to the first deck plate,
- a gap defined between the first deck plate and the second deck plate,
- at least one arm coupled to the second deck plate, and
- an actuator coupled to the at least one arm;
- an ear size sensor positioned on the combine harvester and configured to measure a diameter of at least one ear of corn during a harvesting operation;
- a controller operatively coupled to the ear size sensor and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive a signal from the ear size sensor indicative of the diameter of the at least one ear of corn;
- and
- adjust the position of the actuator based on:
- (i) the signal from the ear size sensor indicative of the diameter of the at least one ear of corn and (ii) a kernel depth associated with the at least one ear of corn;
- wherein the ear size sensor is a camera.
A combine harvester comprising:
- row unit of a corn header including:
- a first deck plate,
- a second deck plate movable relative to the first deck plate, and
- a gap defined between the first deck plate and the second deck plate;
- an actuator coupled to at least one of the first deck plate and the second deck plate to cause movement thereof;
- an ear size sensor positioned on the combine harvester and configured to measure a diameter of at least one ear of corn during a harvesting operation;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the ear size sensor and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive a signal from the ear size sensor indicative of the diameter of the at least one ear of corn;
- and
- adjust the position of the actuator based on:
- (i) the signal from the ear size sensor indicative of the diameter of the at least one ear of corn and (ii) a kernel depth associated with the at least one ear of corn;
- wherein the ear size sensor is a camera.
A method of automatically adjusting a gap between deck plates of a combine harvester comprising:
- measuring, with an ear size sensor mounted on the combine harvester, a diameter of at least one ear of corn during a harvesting operation;
- identifying a kernel depth that corresponds to kernels of the at least one ear of corn;
- determining a reduction value based on at least the identified kernel depth;
- determining a desired gap length equal to the diameter of the at least one ear of corn less the reduction value;
- and
- adjusting the position of at least one deck plate of the combine harvester such that the gap between the deck plates is equal to the desired gap length;
- wherein the ear size sensor is a camera.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.