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US 5,784,871 AGranted
Automated control system for vegetable harvesters
AssigneeUniversity of Delaware
InventorsJames Glancey, Keith Carlilse, Michael Dukes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention herein provides an improved machine for mobile harvesting vegetables comprising a frame adapted to be connected to a tractor, and a collection bin mounted to the frame for collecting vegetables as they are harvested. The improvement comprises an automated control system for moving the vegetables relative to the frame in accordance with the position and amount of vegetables collected and for controlling the speed of such movement. Movement of the vegetables may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including moving a movably mounted collection bin or by moving an internal conveyor located in a collection bin.
Claims20
An apparatus for mobile harvesting vegetables, comprising;
- a frame adapted to be connected to a tractor;
- a collection bin movably mounted to the frame for collecting vegetables as they are harvested;
- and
- an automated control system for moving the vegetables relative to the frame, for moving the collection bin in accordance with the position and amount of vegetables collected and for controlling the speed of such movement, thereby repositioning the collection bin, the automated control svstem comprising:
- an actuator for moving the movably mounted collection bin,
- a power source for providing power to the actuator,
- one or more sensors to detect the vertical height and/or position of vegetables collected in the collection bin, wherein the sensors provide corresponding electric signals,
- a variable speed drive to control the speed of the actuator,
- a manual, mode-selector switch to designate a filling mode, an unloading mode or a manual override, wherein the manual, mode-selector switch provides an electric signal corresponding to the mode selected, and
- a process controller which receives signals from the one or more sensors and the manual mode-selector switch as input, processes such input, and provides an output signal to the variable speed drive indicating when the actuator should run, what the speed should be, and when the motor should shut off, thereby controlling the position and speed of movement of the collection bin during vegetable harvesting.
7 more elements
An apparatus for mobile harvesting vegetables, comprising:
- a frame adapted to be connected to a tractor;
- a collection bin movably mounted to the frame for collecting the vegetables as they are harvested;
- and
- an automated control system for moving the vegetables relative to the frame, for moving the collection bin in accordance with the position and amount of vegetables collected, and for controlling the speed of such movement, thereby repositioning the collection bin, wherein the automated control system is an electrohydraulic system comprising:
- electrical signal lines A and B,
- a manual, mode-selector switch to designate a filling mode, an unloading mode or a manual override, wherein the manual, mode-selector switch provides an electrical signal to signal line A when the filling mode is chosen, an electrical signal to signal line B when the unloading mode is chosen, or no signal when the manual override mode is chosen,
- a four-way, three-position control valve, equipped with two solenoids, solenoid A and solenoid B, wherein solenoid A opens upon receiving an electrical signal from signal line A, solenoid B opens upon receiving an electrical signal from signal line B, signal line B providing an electrical signal to solenoid B when the unloading mode is chosen, and the control valve remaining in the closed position when no signal is received,
- one or more level sensors to detect the vertical height, at various positions, of the vegetables collected in the collection bin, wherein the level sensors provide corresponding electrical signals,
- a bin control switch provided in signal line A, normally in the open position during the harvesting operation, which receives signal input from the one or more level sensors, the bin control switch closing upon receiving a signal from the one or more level sensors when a threshold level has been reached in the collection bin, and opening again when the collection bin has been repositioned to a new filling position, wherein signal line A provides an electrical signal to solenoid A when the filling mode is chosen and the bin control switch is closed,
- an hydraulic motor for moving the movably mounted collection bin,
- a power unit hydraulic system for providing power to the hydraulic motor, and
- hydraulic lines A and B, wherein each line connects the hydraulic flow from the power unit hydraulic system to the hydraulic motor when the respective solenoids are opened, and hydraulic line A contains at least one flow control valve to meter the flow of the hydraulic fluid and thus reduce the speed of the hydraulic motor, thereby controlling the position and speed of movement of the collection bin during vegetable harvesting.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.