Active combine rotor deceleration

1. A method or decelerating a combine rotor driven by an engine, the method comprising the steps of:

disengaging the combine rotor from the engine, wherein frictional forces decelerate the combine rotor at a first deceleration rate for a first time interval;

braking the combine rotor at a second deceleration rate for a second time interval;

braking the combine rotor at a third deceleration rate for a third interval; and

stopping the combine rotor at the end or the third time interval.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second deceleration rate is generally constant throughout the second time interval and further wherein the second third deceleration rate is greater than the second deceleration rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of the braking the combine rotor at a second deceleration rate for a second time interval includes the steps of:

electronically reading the rotor speed;

calculating the second deceleration rate; and

responsively adjusting brake engagement to maintain the second deceleration rate of the rotor generally constant.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of responsively adjusting brake engagement includes the step of:

varying a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) duty cycle of a current applied to a ring gear brake.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of braking the combine rotor at a second deceleration rate includes the step of braking the combine rotor at the second deceleration rate based upon the combine rotor reaching a second threshold speed.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of braking the combine rotor at a third deceleration rate includes the step of braking the combine rotor at the third deceleration rate based upon the combine rotor reaching a third threshold speed.