Crop attribute sensing with crop loss inhibitors
First Claim
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1. A crop attribute sensing system, comprising:
- a first flap portion having a first side with a row divider mount, and an elongate, crop engaging displaceable side, generally opposite the first side of the first flap portion, the elongate, crop engaging displaceable side of the first flap portion having a distal edge that is elongate in a generally vertical direction when in an operating position and being displaceable relative to the first side of the first flap portion in response to engagement with a crop stalk;
a second flap portion having a first side with a row divider mount, and an elongate, crop engaging displaceable side, generally opposite the first side of the second flap portion, the elongate, crop engaging displaceable side of the second flap portion having a distal edge that is elongate in the generally vertical direction and generally parallel to the distal edge of the first flap portion, and being displaceable relative to the first side of the second flap portion in response to engagement with the crop stalk; and
a displacement sensor system that senses displacement of the elongate, crop engaging displaceable sides of the first and second flap portions and generates a sensor signal indicative of the sensed displacement.
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Abstract
A harvesting machine has a controlled subsystem that performs harvesting machine functionality, and a control system that controls the controlled subsystem. A header is mounted to the harvesting machine and has row dividers (that divide rows of crop stalks) and gathering chains. A set of crop loss inhibitors is mounted proximate a forward portion of each of the gathering chains, in a direction of travel of the harvesting machine. The crop loss inhibitors also include a sensor that senses a variable, indicative of a crop attribute, as each crop stalk passes through the set of crop loss inhibitors.
27 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A crop attribute sensing system, comprising:
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a first flap portion having a first side with a row divider mount, and an elongate, crop engaging displaceable side, generally opposite the first side of the first flap portion, the elongate, crop engaging displaceable side of the first flap portion having a distal edge that is elongate in a generally vertical direction when in an operating position and being displaceable relative to the first side of the first flap portion in response to engagement with a crop stalk; a second flap portion having a first side with a row divider mount, and an elongate, crop engaging displaceable side, generally opposite the first side of the second flap portion, the elongate, crop engaging displaceable side of the second flap portion having a distal edge that is elongate in the generally vertical direction and generally parallel to the distal edge of the first flap portion, and being displaceable relative to the first side of the second flap portion in response to engagement with the crop stalk; and a displacement sensor system that senses displacement of the elongate, crop engaging displaceable sides of the first and second flap portions and generates a sensor signal indicative of the sensed displacement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A harvesting machine header, comprising:
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a plurality of row dividers spaced to travel between crop rows during a harvesting operation; a crop engagement mechanism mounted between a pair of adjacent row dividers, the crop engagement mechanism including; a first flap portion having a fixed end mounted to a first row divider, of the pair of adjacent row dividers, and a displaceable end defining an elongate, generally vertical, edge that is at least two inches in length, and that is displaceable in response to engagement with a crop stalk; a second flap portion having a fixed end mounted to a second row divider, of the pair of adjacent row dividers, and a displaceable end defining an elongate, generally vertical, edge, generally parallel in a vertical direction to the elongate, generally vertical, edge of the first flap portion and displaceable in response to engagement with the crop stalk; and a displacement sensor system that senses displacement of the displaceable ends of the first and second flap portions and generates a sensor signal indicative of the sensed displacement. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A harvesting machine, comprising:
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a header that includes a plurality of row dividers spaced to travel between crop rows during a harvesting operation; a crop loss inhibitor mechanism having first and second flap portions mounted between a pair of adjacent row dividers, the first and second flap portions each having a fixed end and a displaceable end spaced from the fixed end by a generally horizontal width, each of the first and second flap portions having a vertical height that is at least as long as the generally horizontal width of at least one of the first and second flap portions, the displaceable ends being displaceable to receive a crop stalk therebetween in response to relative movement of the harvesting machine and the crop stalk; a crop attribute sensor, coupled to the crop loss inhibitor mechanism, sensing a variable based on movement of the first and second flap portions and generating a sensor signal indicative of the sensed variable; and a sensor signal processing system identifying a crop attribute based on the sensor signal and generating a control signal based on the identified crop attribute. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification