Yield monitor for forage crops in forage machinery including an impeller
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsKevin J. Shinners, Neil G. Barnett, Walter M. Schlesser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Yield monitor apparatus and methods for a forage processing machinery are provided. The yield monitor measures a forage yield by variously measuring a forage impingement force, a forage volume flow, a forage volume increment accumulation, or a forage processing machinery drive load. The yield measures an impeller speed. The yield monitor may generate a yield amount, with the yield amount capable of being stored and displayed to a forage processing machinery operator. Alternatively, the yield monitor may generate a groundspeed control signal that is used by the forage processing machinery to control a forage processing machinery groundspeed or other forage processing machinery parameters.
Claims7
A yield monitor for a forage processing machinery, comprising:
- an impeller hood extending over an impeller, said hood being hinged to said forage processing machinery and communicating a forage stream impingement force to an associated at least one force measuring device, with said at least one force measuring device generating a force signal substantially related to a forage mass flow rate;
- a computer that receives said force signal and generates a yield amount based upon said force signal, a forage processing machinery groundspeed, an impeller speed, and forage processing machinery intake parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.