US 11,684,015 B2
Agricultural baling system with controlled tractor steering to balance bale density
John R. McClure, New Holland, PA (US)
Assigned to CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed by CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed on Aug. 7, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/534,365.
Prior Publication US 2021/0037713 A1, Feb. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 7/70 (2006.01); G06F 19/00 (2018.01); G06G 7/00 (2006.01); G06G 7/76 (2006.01); A01F 15/08 (2006.01); A01F 15/07 (2006.01); A01B 69/04 (2006.01); B30B 9/30 (2006.01)
CPC A01F 15/0833 (2013.01) [A01B 69/008 (2013.01); A01F 15/071 (2013.01); B30B 9/3007 (2013.01); A01F 2015/076 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural baling system, comprising:
an agricultural baler comprising:
a baler chassis;
a pickup carried by the baler chassis and comprising a plurality of tines;
a baling chamber carried by the baler chassis;
a first sensor configured to output a first bale density signal indicative of a first bale density of a forming bale at a first location in the baling chamber; and
a second sensor configured to output a second bale density signal indicative of a second bale density of the forming bale at a second location in the baling chamber; and
a tow vehicle coupled to the agricultural baler, the tow vehicle comprising:
a vehicle chassis;
a plurality of steerable wheels carried by the vehicle chassis;
a steering mechanism coupled to the steerable wheels and configured to adjust at least one of the steerable wheels;
a windrow sensor carried by the vehicle chassis and configured to output a windrow signal indicative of at least a width of a windrow in front of the tow vehicle; and
a controller operably coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, the steering mechanism, and the windrow sensor, the controller being configured to:
receive the first bale density signal, the second bale density signal, and the windrow signal;
compare the first bale density to the second bale density;
determine a difference between the first bale density and the second bale density exceeds a threshold difference; and
output a steering signal to the steering mechanism to adjust at least one of the steerable wheels by an adjustment when the determined difference exceeds the threshold difference, the adjustment being based at least partially on the received windrow signal.