Harvesters – Motorized harvester – With condition-responsive operation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-15
2003-05-27
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Motorized harvester
With condition-responsive operation
C056S010800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06568161
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a user interface for activating an apparatus for controlling the position, specifically the height, of a position adjustable implement relative to a surface such as the ground. The position adjustable implement is preferably, but not necessarily, carried by a motorized vehicle that moves over the surface and the position adjustable implement is preferably, by not necessarily, a crop harvesting implement such as would be found on a harvesting machine, or combine harvester.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is well known in the art of agriculture and farm equipment, it is important to control the height of a header implement carried by a harvesting machine relative to the ground with a high degree of precision and accuracy. It is also important that the harvesting implement be capable of rapidly reacting to changes in the height of the terrain in order to maintain a relatively constant height in relation to the ground.
One example of an apparatus for controlling the position of a header for a harvesting machine is U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,190 to Vermeulen et al., which is herein incorporated by reference. Specifically, the header, being a position-adjustable farming implement, is automatically height adjusted by a position adjusting apparatus including one or more pivotable shoes that are dragged along the ground and each shoe has a reflecting surface for reflecting an ultrasonic signal emitted by a transceiver back to the emitting transceiver, which can also detect the reflected signal. The transceiver is part of an electronic control circuit, which is the electronic component of the apparatus for controlling the position of the header. The reflected signal is detected by the transceiver which acts as both the signal emitter and the signal detector, and the detected signal is electronically inputted via an ultrasonic sensor interface into a microcomputer that processes the information to determine by how much the header must be moved relative to the ground to maintain a relatively constant distance (height) from the ground. When the position adjusting apparatus utilizes the reflective shoes and the ultrasonic signals to determine how much the header position needs to be adjusted, the apparatus is said to be operating in a “stubble height mode.” The position adjusting apparatus includes a hydraulic valve that is operationally connected to the microcomputer via the stubble height interface, and the valve controls hydraulic heading lifting cylinders when the apparatus is operating in the stubble height mode.
However, the position adjusting apparatus also includes a hydraulic valve that is connected to the microcomputer via a pressure compensation interface. The hydraulic valve controls a hydropneumatic accumulator, and via a control line, also controls header lifting cylinders. Both the accumulator and the lifting cylinders are well known in the art for adjusting the position of the header. Oil pressure sensors are disposed within the header lifting cylinders to measure the oil pressure in the cylinders. This pressure information is transmitted via a pressure sensor interface to input into the microcomputer that controls the header position. Measuring the oil pressure in the cylinders is useful because the hydraulic oil pressure is related to, and a function of, the ground pressure of the header as it presses against the ground as the header rides along the contour of the ground surface.
When the microcomputer adjusts the height of the header in response to the oil pressure in the header lifting cylinders, the position adjusting apparatus is said to be operating in the “pressure compensation mode.” Although the microcomputer can adjust the height of the header in response to data input from either the ultrasonic sensors or the hydraulic pressure sensors, the microcomputer can not adjust the height of the header in response to simultaneous data from both the ultrasonic sensors and the hydraulic pressure sensors. In other words, the microcomputer, being a means for processing input data for selecting between and incrementing a stubble height mode and a pressure compensation mode, and the position adjusting apparatus operate exclusively in either the stubble height mode or the pressure compensation mode, but never simultaneously in both modes.
Consequently, there is a need for a user interface, and the prior art user interface
60
as shown in
FIG. 1
has a portion
62
for inputting into the microcomputer data determining which mode of operation the position adjusting apparatus will operate in, being either the stubble height mode or the pressure compensation mode. Preferably, the user interface portion
62
also permits data input for adjusting the selected mode of operation by positively or negatively incrementing the selected mode of operation.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
the prior art user interface
60
includes three rotatable control knobs
64
,
66
, and
68
. User interface
60
is a control panel or dashboard typically located in the cab of the harvester where the operator positions himself while operating the machine, and the interface
60
may have other controls for operating the harvester. However, control knobs
64
,
66
and
68
are specifically present in portion
62
to select and control the mode of operation for the position adjusting apparatus. Knob
66
is used to select either one of the stubble height mode or the pressure compensation mode by turning the knob
66
to the left or the right, thereby selecting respectively either the stubble height mode or the pressure compensation mode. Knob
64
operates to either positively (increase) or negatively (decrease) increment the stubble height position when the stubble height mode of operation is selected. When the stubble height mode is selected, knob
64
is enabled whereas knob
68
is not enabled. Knob
68
operates to either positively (increase) or negatively (decrease) increment the compensation pressure when the pressure compensation mode of operation is selected. When the pressure compensation mode is selected, knob
68
is enabled and knob
64
is not enabled.
In other words, knob
66
is used to select the mode of operation and knobs
64
and
68
are the adjustment knobs for incrementing (increasing or decreasing) the stubble height or the compensation pressure respectively for affecting the position of the position adjusting apparatus. However, this user interface has several drawbacks. First, three control knobs are required to enable the operator to select back and forth between the two modes of operation and to increment the two modes of operation. This inefficient use of control switches takes up more room on the user interface
60
that could be used for other controls. Furthermore, having three knobs to choose from overly complicates the control panel and may contribute to operator error. Also, having rotatable knobs may result in accidental over adjustment of either the stubble height or the compensation pressure that consequently mispositions the header and predisposes the header to damage against the ground. Lastly, having three knobs
64
,
66
, and
68
necessarily means six inputs into the microcomputer which uses up ports to the microcomputer that could be used for other data inputs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention endeavors to provide an improved and simplified user interface for operating and adjusting apposition adjustment apparatus that controls the position of a position adjustable header implement of a harvesting machine that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art user interface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a less confusing user interface that is space efficient.
Further object of the present invention is to provide a user interface that decreases the likelihood of accidental position overcorrection and damage to a position adjustable agricultural implement such as a header for a harvesting combine.
Still further object of the present invention is to provide a user interface that requires fe
Depreitere Dries M. J.
Paquet Bert J. F.
Young Steven C.
Henkel Rebecca L.
New Holland North America Inc.
Petravick Meredith
Stader John William
Trausch A. Nicholas
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