Selective harvesting of a land parcel by a fruit harvesting machine

• US 8,180,497 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Berthet, Jean-Paul, Le Briquer, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Fabian-Kovacs, Arpad
• Application Number:
  US12/998,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20110203247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 700/283, 700/9, 700/240, 700/244, 700/284, 534/73, 534/75, 534/93, 702/5, 702/2, 702/3, 701/50, 738/617.3, 738/617.4, 738/617.5, 738/617.2, 563/281, 111/200
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 46/28 Vintaging machines, i.e. grape harvesting machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 91/04 Products growing above the soil fruit, hops A01D46/00

Abstract

Selective harvesting of a parcel of land by a harvesting machine including a motorised support structure on which are mounted a harvesting assembly adapted to deliver a harvested stream, at least two receptacles (1) for storage of the stream and a system for respectively feeding a receptacle (1) with the stream as a function of the location of the machine in the parcel. The parcel is divided into distinct geographical areas and each receptacle is dedicated to an area. The machine comprises upper conveyor means (3) for feeding the receptacles (1) along respective feed paths, a lower conveyor (6) and a device for guiding the harvested stream by opening and closing the feed paths and varying the conveying direction of the lower conveyor, as a function of the receptacle to be fed with the harvested stream.

Claims

1. A harvesting machine comprising a motorised support structure on which are mounted a harvesting assembly adapted to deliver a stream of harvested produce at least two receptacles (1d, 1g) for storage of said stream, and a system for feeding a respective receptacle (1) with said stream,

the harvesting machine further comprising:

a device for determining the location of the harvesting machine in the parcel of land the machine is harvesting, the parcel being divided into geographical areas;

a device for determining the area corresponding to said location; and

a device that is adapted, as a function of the determined area, to automatically control the feeding system to store the harvested stream coming from said area in the receptacle (1) that is dedicated to it,

wherein the feeding system comprises;

upper conveyor means (3g, 3d) for feeding the receptacles (1g, 1d) on respective feed paths with a harvested stream coming from the harvesting assembly;

a lower conveyor (6) for feeding a respective receptacle (1g, 1d) as a function of the conveying direction; and

a device for guiding the harvested stream that, for each feed path, is variable between an open state wherein said stream passes along said feed path, and a closed state wherein said stream is diverted onto the lower conveyor (6), the control device being operable to impose the open or closed state of the device for guiding the stream and the conveying direction of the lower conveyor (6) as a function of the receptacle (1g, 1d) to be fed with the stream.

2. A harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the receptacles comprise two hoppers (1g, 1d) for storing the harvest.

3. A harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the upper conveyor means comprise two upper conveyors (3g, 3d) for each feeding a receptacle (1g, 1d) on a respective feed path.

4. A harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the device for guiding the harvested stream is such that the open—

respectively closed—

state of one feed path corresponds to the closed—

respectively open—

state of the other feed path.

5. A harvesting machine according to claim 4, wherein the device for guiding the harvested stream comprises the two end portions of the lower conveyor (6) and means for moving said lower conveyor between two positions wherein each end portion respectively opens and closes a feed path.

6. A harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the device for guiding the harvested stream comprises, for each feed path, at least one deflector (7g, 7d) delimiting said feed path.

7. A harvesting machine according to claim 6, wherein deflectors (7g, 7d) are movable between an open position in which the stream passes along the feed path and a closed position in which the stream is diverted onto the lower conveyor (6).

8. A harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the harvesting machine further includes a hopper for storing the harvest, said hopper being compartmented to form the storage receptacles (1).

9. A harvesting machine according to claim 8, wherein the hopper is provided with a compartmentation wall that is mobile so as to form receptacles (1) of variable volume.

10. A harvesting machine according to claim 9, wherein the harvesting machine further includes means for determining a state of filling of the receptacles (1) and a device for moving the compartmentation wall to vary the volume of the receptacles (1) as a function of said state.