Harvester load control system

• US 8,897,972 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Mackin, Ryan P., Burke, Daniel J., Coers, Bruce A., Sheidler, Alan D., Pope, Glenn E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Misa, Joan D
• Application Number:
  US12/470,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 56/102.R, 56/106, 56/107, 56 135- 138
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1274 for drives
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/025 Electric hybrid systems

Abstract

A method of controlling a multiengine harvester including the steps of operating the harvester in a first mode, operating the harvester in a second mode, and selecting less than all of the power absorbing loads to be driven. In the first mode, the harvester is operated using a first engine and a second engine to drive the plurality of power absorbing loads. In the second mode, the harvester is operated with the second engine being uncoupled from all of the power absorbing loads. In the selecting step, less than all of the power absorbing loads are selected to be driven dependent upon the sensed load on the first engine while operating in the second mode. The first engine is incapable of driving all of the power absorbing loads.

Claims

1. A multi-engine agricultural harvester, comprising:

a plurality of power absorbing loads;

a first engine configured to supply power to a portion of said plurality of power absorbing loads, said first engine not being capable of powering all of said plurality of power absorbing loads;

a second engine; and

a controller configured to function in a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode, said controller functioning in said first mode using said first engine and said second engine to drive said plurality of power absorbing loads, said controller functioning in said second mode when said second engine is uncoupled from all of said power absorbing loads, said controller being further configured to select less than all of said power absorbing loads to be driven by said first engine while operating in said second mode dependent upon a sensed load on said first engine.

2. The multi-engine harvester of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor being configured to sense at least one of a fuel delivery rate to said first engine, an engine torque of said first engine, a pressure in a hydrostatic system, an electrical power demand and an attitude of the harvester.

3. The multi-engine harvester of claim 1, wherein said controller continuously selects less than all of said power absorbing loads thereby preventing said first engine from stalling as a result of overloading.

4. The multi-engine harvester of claim 1, wherein said plurality of loads include a propulsion load and a harvesting load.

5. The multi-engine harvester of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to evaluate control selections made by an operator while operating in said second mode and selecting which of said power absorbing loads to power dependent upon said control selections.

6. The multi-engine harvester of claim 5, wherein said controller is further configured to compare said control selections with a load priority table.

7. The multi-engine harvester of claim 5, wherein said controller is further configured to time limit a delivery of power to some of said plurality of loads.

8. The multi-engine harvester of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to start said second engine dependent upon a command by an operator to engage a selected one of said plurality of power absorbing loads.

9. The multi-engine harvester of claim 8, wherein said controller is further configured to delay an engagement of said selected one of said plurality of power absorbing loads until said second engine is online.

10. A method of controlling a multi-engine harvester, comprising the steps of:

operating the harvester in a first mode using a first engine and a second engine to drive a plurality of power absorbing loads;

operating the harvester in a second mode with said second engine being uncoupled from all of said power absorbing loads; and

selecting less than all of said power absorbing loads to be driven by said first engine dependent upon a sensed load on said first engine while operating in said second mode, said first engine being incapable of driving all of said power absorbing loads.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said sensed load includes a sensing of at least one of a fuel delivery rate to said first engine, engine torque of said first engine, pressure in a hydrostatic system, electrical power demand and attitude of the harvester.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said selecting step is continuously re-executed thereby preventing said first engine from stalling as a result of overloading.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said plurality of loads include at least one of a propulsion load and a harvesting load.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of evaluating control selections made by an operator while operating in said second mode and re-executing said selecting step dependent upon said control selections.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said evaluating step includes comparing said control selections with a load priority table.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said selecting step includes timing a delivery of power to some of said plurality of loads.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of starting said second engine dependent upon a command by an operator to engage a selected one of said plurality of power absorbing loads.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of delaying an engagement of said selected one of said plurality of power absorbing loads until said second engine is online.