IP Library Granted Patent US 11,246,265
Granted Patent B2
US 11,246,265 · App. 17/092,579 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Agricultural system

Inventors: Xavier G J M Bonte (Zuidzande, NL); Kenneth De Leener (Oostkamp, BE)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01F15/0841F01P7/00F01P2007/146F01P2025/04F01P2025/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,246,265
App. No.
17/092,579
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An agricultural system including an agricultural baler and a control unit. The baler includes a driveline including at least one heat generating component; a rotatable flywheel; a rotary input shaft connectable by the driveline to the rotatable flywheel; and at least one pump for supplying cooling fluid at a cooling fluid pressure to the at least one heat generating component. The control unit is configured to: receive baler-data indicative of one or more operating conditions of the agricultural baler; receive cooling-pressure-data indicative of a flow of the cooling fluid supplied by the at least one pump; set a threshold-condition based on the baler-data; and provide a control-signal to the agricultural baler based on a comparison between the cooling-pressure-data and the threshold-condition.

Claims (52)

1. An agricultural system comprising:

an agricultural baler comprising:

a driveline comprising at least one heat generating component;

a rotatable flywheel;

a rotary input shaft connectable by the driveline to the rotatable flywheel; and

at least one pump for supplying cooling fluid at a cooling fluid pressure to the at least one heat generating component; and

a control unit that is configured to:

receive baler-data indicative of one or more operating conditions of the agricultural baler;

receive cooling-pressure-data indicative of a flow of the cooling fluid supplied by the at least one pump;

set a threshold-condition based on the baler-data, the threshold-condition comprising a threshold-duration and a threshold-pressure-level; and

provide a control-signal to the agricultural baler based on a comparison between the cooling-pressure-data and the threshold-condition,

wherein the control unit is configured to provide the control-signal based on whether or not the cooling-pressure-data is greater than the threshold-pressure-level for a period of time that is at least the threshold-duration.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to adjust the threshold-duration based on a comparison between the cooling-pressure-data and the threshold-pressure-level.

3. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control-signal is for disconnecting the rotary input shaft from the flywheel.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one heat generating component comprises a clutch, the baler-data comprising a current engagement status of the clutch, and wherein the control unit is further configured to set the threshold-duration such that, when the baler-data indicates that the clutch is in a process of being engaged, the threshold-duration is shorter than when the baler-data indicates that the clutch is disengaged or fully engaged, or

wherein the at least one heat generating component comprises a brake, wherein the baler-data includes driveline-data indicative of a current activation status of the at least one heat generating component of the driveline, the driveline-data comprising a current activation status of the brake, and wherein the control unit is further configured to set the threshold-duration such that, when the baler-data indicates that the brake is active, the threshold-duration is shorter than when the baler-data indicates that the brake is inactive.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the baler-data includes driveline-data indicative of a current activation status of the at least one heat generating component of the driveline.

6. The agricultural system of claim 5 , wherein the driveline-data comprises one or more of the following:

input-power-data indicative of external input power provided to the agricultural baler;

transmission-control-data indicative of a requested change in transmission;

actuation-pressure-data indicative of a hydraulic fluid pressure that is applied to the at least one heat generating component for actuation; and

position-data indicative of movement of the at least one heat generating component.

7. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the baler-data includes cooling-fluid-data indicative of a status of the cooling fluid provided to the at least one heat generating component.

8. The agricultural system of claims 7 , wherein the cooling-fluid-data comprises:

data relating to the temperature of the cooling fluid;

data relating to the viscosity of the cooling fluid;

data relating to the service time of the cooling fluid; and

data relating to the type of the cooling fluid.

9. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat generating component comprises a clutch, and wherein the baler-data comprises a current engagement status of the clutch.

10. The agricultural system of claim 9 , wherein:

the control unit is further configured to:

set the threshold-pressure-level to a first threshold-pressure-level value when the baler-data indicates that the clutch is in a process of being engaged; and

set the threshold-pressure-level to a second threshold-pressure-level value when the baler-data indicates that the clutch is disengaged or fully engaged, and

the second threshold-pressure-level value is lower than the first threshold-pressure-level value.

11. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat generating component comprises a brake, and wherein the baler-data comprises a current activation status of the brake.

12. The agricultural system of claim 11 , wherein:

the control unit is further configured to:

set the threshold-pressure-level to a first threshold-pressure-level value when the baler-data indicates that brake is active; and

set the threshold-pressure-level to a second threshold-pressure-level value when the baler-data indicates that the brake is inactive, and

the second threshold-pressure-level value is lower than the first threshold-pressure-level value.

13. A computer-implemented method for controlling an agricultural baler, said baler comprising:

a driveline comprising at least one heat generating component;

a rotatable flywheel;

a rotary input shaft connectable by the driveline to the rotatable flywheel; and

at least one pump for supplying cooling fluid at a cooling fluid pressure to the at least one heat generating component,

wherein the method comprises:

receiving baler-data indicative of one or more operating conditions of the agricultural baler;

receiving cooling-pressure-data indicative of a flow of the cooling fluid supplied by the at least one pump;

setting a threshold-condition based on the baler-data, the threshold condition comprising a threshold-duration and a threshold-pressure-level; and

providing a control-signal to the agricultural baler based on a comparison between the cooling-pressure-data and the threshold-condition,

wherein providing the control-signal comprises providing the control-signal based on whether or not the cooling-pressure-data is greater than the threshold-pressure-level for a period of time that is at least the threshold-duration.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2022
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: INC., BLUE LEAF I
Reel/Frame 060328/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2020
From: BONTE, XAVIER G.J.M.; DE LEENER, KENNETH
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL BELGIUM NV
Reel/Frame 054311/0572 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2020
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL BELGIUM NV
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 054311/0608 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 19208185 · Nov 8, 2019 · regional
Continuity (1)
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