Assembly for performing an agricultural operation, in particular crop processing

• US 7,440,831 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lely Enterprises AG
• Original Assignee: Lely Enterprises AG
• Inventors: Van Den Berg, Karel, Van Der Lely, Alexander, Miedema, Theo Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/250,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213, 56/1, 56/102, 56/102.R, 172/4.5, 172/72, 172/4, 700/184, 700/171
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic

Abstract

An assembly for performing an agricultural operation, in particular crop processing. The assembly is provided with an autonomous agricultural machine that is movable over a parcel for performing the agricultural operation, the agricultural machine includes a machine container detachably disposed on the agricultural machine for containing an amount of the product required for performing the agricultural operation. A container for containing a stock of a product required for performing the agricultural operation is also provided and a control-unit automatically moves the agricultural machine to the container where a conveying device automatically exchanges the container with the machine container. Due to the fact that the machine container can be exchanged automatically and quickly with an exchange container, the assembly is relatively efficient in use.

Claims

1. An assembly for performing an agricultural operation, comprising:

an autonomous agricultural machine that is movable over a parcel for performing the agricultural operation, the agricultural machine comprising a machine container detachably disposed on the agricultural machine for containing an amount of a product required for performing the agricultural operation;

an exchange container being substantially identical to the machine container and containing a further stock of the product required for performing the agricultural operation;

a control-unit for automatically moving the agricultural machine to the exchange container; and

a conveying device for automatically exchanging the exchange container with the machine container.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a mechanically operated conveying device.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the exchange container.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the machine container.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the machine container.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the exchange container.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the machine container.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembly further comprises a measuring device for measuring an amount of product in the machine container.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the autonomous agricultural machine is a fertilizer spreader and the machine container contains an amount of fertilizer.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the autonomous agricultural machine further comprising a route-information system having a memory containing position data for the autonomous agricultural machine with respect to the agricultural parcel.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a route-information system having a memory containing position data for the autonomous agricultural machine with respect to the agricultural parcel.

12. A method for performing an agricultural operation, using an autonomous agricultural machine that is movable over a parcel for performing the agricultural operation, the method comprising:

providing the agricultural machine with a machine container containing an amount of a product required for performing the agricultural operation;

providing an exchange container being substantially identical to the machine container and containing a reserve stock of the product required for performing the agricultural operation;

automatically moving the agricultural machine to the exchange container; and

automatically exchanging the exchange container with the machine container.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising measuring an amount of product in the machine container and automatically moving the agricultural machine to the exchange container when the amount of product in the machine container is less than a given amount.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising automatically determining a route to the exchange container and automatically moving the agricultural machine to the exchange container taking into account the amount of product remaining in the machine container.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the autonomous agricultural machine is a fertilizer spreader and the agricultural operation comprises spreading an amount of fertilizer.