Method and vehicle for distributing manure

• US 9,241,439 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2007
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sebastian Zunhammer
• Original Assignee: Sebastian Zunhammer
• Inventors: Zunhammer, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US12/445,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,032 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/001 Sludge spreaders, e.g. liquid manure spreaders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a vehicle for distributing manure, whereby a slurry sensor (8) determines the contents of the slurry (G) to be distributed, and an evaluation device (10) compares the determined values with pre-defined contents data. The quantity of slurry (G) to be distributed per unit of surface area is then computed depending on this comparison result. An adjustable valve (6) controls a distributor device (7) by means of which the computed quantity of slurry (G) is distributed on the land in accordance with the comparison result.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing the quantity of slurry of manure to be distributed on ground to be fertilized with the aid of a manure-distributing vehicle having a supply container for storing the slurry of manure, comprising the following steps:

analyzing the slurry of manure to be distributed by at least one sensor in the manure-distributing vehicle by determining average values of the contents of the entire slurry in the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle at a point in time during filling of the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle and at a point in time close before the distribution process of distributing the slurry of manure from the same supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is started by activating a distributor device;

comparing actual data of the contents of the slurry within the supply container obtained from the analysis with predefined contents data in an evaluation device;

determining control data by the evaluation device as a function of the comparison of the actual data;

forwarding the control data to an adjustable device by means of which a quantity of slurry of manure can be varied; and

activating the distributor device by the adjustable device on the basis of the control data so that the quantity of slurry of manure to be distributed per unit of surface area from the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is regulated in accordance with the control data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor, said sensor subjecting the slurry to a spectral analysis.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including measuring a speed of travel of the manure-distributing vehicle by a speed sensor and transmitting speed data to the evaluation device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the slurry of manure during filling uses a first sensor and close before the distribution process uses a second sensor.

5. A manure-distributing vehicle having a supply container for storing a slurry of manure, and at least one distributor device which is connected to the supply container by means of a pipe system, and at least one sensor associated with the supply container for measuring the contents of the slurry of manure to be distributed from the manure-distributing vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is operative for analyzing the slurry at a point in time during filling of the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle and at a point in time close before a distribution process of distributing the slurry of manure from the same supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is started by activating the distributor device, and an evaluation device operative for generating control data which is computed by comparing actual data of the contents of the slurry measured by the at least one sensor with pre-definable contents data, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle and the distributor device is activated by the adjustable device on the basis of the control data so that a quantity of slurry distributed per unit of surface area from the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is regulated in accordance with the control data.

6. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the adjustable device is provided in the form of a pump disposed in the pipe system, the speed of which can be regulated.

7. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the adjustable device is provided in the form of a three-way valve disposed in the pipe system.

8. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the distributor device is provided in the form of a trailing hose distributor, grubber or injector.

9. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein it is provided in the form of a self-propelled vehicle.

10. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein it is provided in the form of a trailer.

11. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is provided in the form of a sensor which operates on the basis of spectral analysis.

12. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is connected to the evaluation device by means of an optical data cable.

13. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is disposed in a filling region of the supply container.

14. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor, said sensor operative for subjecting the slurry to a spectral analysis.

15. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor for measuring the slurry of manure during filling and a second sensor for measuring the slurry of manure close before the distribution process.

16. The manure-distributing vehicle according to claim 5, further including a speed sensor for measuring a speed of travel of the manure-distributing vehicle and transmitting speed data to the evaluation device.

17. A method of optimizing the quantity of slurry of manure to be distributed on ground to be fertilized with the aid of a manure-distributing vehicle having a supply container for storing the slurry of manure, comprising the following steps:

analyzing the slurry of manure to be distributed by at least one sensor in the manure distributing vehicle by determining average values of the contents of the entire slurry in the supply container of the manure distributing vehicle at a point in time during filling of the supply container of the manure distributing vehicle or at a point in time close before the distribution process of distributing the slurry of manure from the same supply container of the manure distributing vehicle is started by activating a distributor device for distributing the slurry of manure;

comparing actual data of the contents of the slurry within the supply container obtained from the analysis with predefined contents data stored in an evaluation device;

determining the speed of travel of the manure-distributing vehicle by a speed sensor;

transmitting the speed of travel to the evaluation device;

determining control data by the evaluation device as a function of the comparison of the actual data;

forwarding the control data to an adjustable device by means of which a quantity of slurry of manure can be varied; and

activating the distributor device by the adjustable device on the basis of the control data so that the quantity of slurry of manure to be distributed per unit of surface area from the supply container of the manure distributing vehicle is regulated in accordance with the control data.

18. A manure-distributing vehicle having a supply container for storing a slurry of manure, and at least one distributor device for distributing the slurry of manure which is connected to the supply container by means of a pipe system, and at least one sensor in the manure-distributing vehicle associated with the supply container for measuring the contents of the slurry of manure to be distributed from the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is operative for analyzing the slurry at a point in time during filling of the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle or at a point in time close before a distribution process of distributing the slurry of manure from the same supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is started by activating the distributor device, a speed sensor for determining the speed of the manure distributing vehicle to be transmitted to an evaluation device, wherein the evaluation device is operative for generating control data which is computed by comparing actual data of the contents of the slurry measured by the at least one sensor with pre-definable contents data, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle and the distributor device is activated by the adjustable device on the basis of the control data so that a quantity of slurry distributed per unit of surface area from the supply container of the manure-distributing vehicle is regulated in accordance with the control data.