Vehicle with weight sensing

• US 6,150,617 A
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: AGCO Corporation
• Inventors: Blackmore, Benjamin Simon, Hart, Peter John, Watt, Colin Duncan, Wheeler, Paul Nicholas, Smith, David Forbes, Godwin, Richard John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/051,336
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 177/25.11, 177/25.12, 177/25.13, 177/136, 701/50, 701/200, 701/201, 702/174, 460/1, 460/6, 56/DIG. 2, 56/10.2 R, 56/10.2 C, 56/10.2 J, 56/16.4 A
• US Class Current: 177/25.13
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2033/005 Yield crop determination mechanisms for root-crop harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/127 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle is provided with means for continuously sensing the weight of an accumulated payload and a GPS navigation system (18). Weight and positional information, and optionally also sensed vehicle speed, are analysed in an analysis/display unit (14) and a map generated of e.g. weight/hectare. The principal application is an agricultural trailer with payload weight sensors (15), towed by a tractor with GPS and analysis systems. A map of yield of e.g. a root crop may be generated as the crop is harvested and continuously deposited into the trailer as it moves along.

Claims

1. An agricultural tractor that is operable in an agricultural field comprising:

a chassis supported on a plurality of wheels;

a payload supported on said chassis and adapted to receive products therein as the tractor is moved throughout the agricultural field;

a weight sensor for generating a signal that is representative of the weight of the products in said payload;

a position sensor for generating a signal that is representative of the position of the tractor in the agricultural field; and

a controller that is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor and said position sensor for generating a map of the weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of the tractor in the agricultural field.

2. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said weight sensor includes a load cell.

3. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said weight sensor includes a plurality of load cells provided between said chassis and said payload.

4. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said position sensor includes a global positioning satellite navigation system.

5. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said controller is an electronic controller.

6. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor and said position sensor over a period of time for generating a map of the averaged weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.

7. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor and said position sensor over a period of time for generating a map of the average rate of change of weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.

8. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 further including a speed sensor for generating a signal that is representative of the speed of said agricultural tractor, and wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor, said position sensor, and said speed sensor for generating a map of the weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.

9. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 further including means for adjusting the value of said signal from said weight sensor in response to the inclination of said agricultural tractor.

10. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 further including an inclinometer for generating a signal that is representative of the angle of said agricultural tractor, and wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor, said position sensor, and said inclinometer for generating a map of the weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.

11. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 further including an inclinometer for generating a signal that is representative of the angle of said agricultural tractor, and wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor, said position sensor, and said inclinometer for generating a map of the weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.

12. The agricultural tractor defined in claim 1 further including a supplemental weight supported on said chassis and a supplemental weight sensor for generating a signal that is representative of said supplemental weight, and wherein said controller is responsive to said signals from said weight sensor, said position sensor, and said supplemental weight sensor for generating a map of the weight of the products in said payload as a function of the position of said agricultural tractor in the agricultural field.