Variable speed elevator control system
First Claim
1. A sugarcane harvester, comprising:
- a basecutter configured to cut sugarcane;
a plurality of lower feed rollers and a plurality of upper feed rollers in communication with the basecutter to receive and feed the cut sugarcane through the sugarcane harvester;
a chopping device in communication with the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the chopping device configured to chop the cut sugarcane into billets;
an elevator in communication with the chopping device, the elevator configured to transport the billets out of the sugarcane harvester at an elevator speed; and
a control system for controlling the elevator speed based on a crop mass flow through the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the control system comprising;
at least one crop mass flow feedback device providing a crop mass flow feedback signal indicative of the crop mass flow; and
a controller in communication with the at least one crop mass flow feedback device and configured to lower the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a lower crop mass flow and raise the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a higher crop mass flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for a sugarcane harvester. The sugarcane harvester comprises lower feed rollers and upper feed rollers configured to feed cut sugarcane through the sugarcane harvester. An elevator is configured to transport sugarcane out of the sugarcane harvester at an elevator speed. The control system controls the elevator speed based on a crop mass flow through the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers. The control system comprises at least one crop mass flow feedback device providing a crop mass flow feedback signal indicative of the crop mass flow. A controller is in communication with the at least one crop mass flow feedback device and configured to lower the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a lower crop mass flow and raise the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a higher crop mass flow.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sugarcane harvester, comprising:
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a basecutter configured to cut sugarcane; a plurality of lower feed rollers and a plurality of upper feed rollers in communication with the basecutter to receive and feed the cut sugarcane through the sugarcane harvester; a chopping device in communication with the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the chopping device configured to chop the cut sugarcane into billets; an elevator in communication with the chopping device, the elevator configured to transport the billets out of the sugarcane harvester at an elevator speed; and a control system for controlling the elevator speed based on a crop mass flow through the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the control system comprising; at least one crop mass flow feedback device providing a crop mass flow feedback signal indicative of the crop mass flow; and a controller in communication with the at least one crop mass flow feedback device and configured to lower the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a lower crop mass flow and raise the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a higher crop mass flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A control system for a sugarcane harvester having a plurality of lower feed rollers and a plurality of upper feed rollers configured to feed cut sugarcane through the sugarcane harvester and an elevator configured to transport sugarcane out of the sugarcane harvester at an elevator speed, the control system for controlling the elevator speed based on a crop mass flow through the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the control system comprising:
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at least one crop mass flow feedback device providing a crop mass flow feedback signal indicative of the crop mass flow; and a controller in communication with the at least one crop mass flow feedback device and configured to lower the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a lower crop mass flow and raise the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a higher crop mass flow. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sugarcane harvester, comprising:
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a basecutter configured to cut sugarcane; a plurality of lower feed rollers and a plurality of upper feed rollers that are movable from a first position to a second position, the lower and upper feed rollers are in communication with the basecutter to receive and feed the cut sugarcane through the sugarcane harvester; a chopping device in communication with the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the chopping device configured to chop the cut sugarcane into billets; an elevator in communication with the chopping device, the elevator configured to transport the billets out of the sugarcane harvester at an elevator speed; and a control system for controlling the elevator speed based on a crop mass flow through the plurality of lower and upper feed rollers, the control system comprising; at least one crop mass flow feedback device configured to measure a distance moved by the upper feed rollers and provide a crop mass flow feedback signal indicative of the crop mass flow; and a controller in communication with the at least one crop mass flow feedback device and configured to relate the distance moved to a crop mass flow using a lookup table, the controller configured to lower the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a lower crop mass flow and raise the elevator speed when the crop mass flow feedback signal indicates a higher crop mass flow. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification