US 11,944,034 B2
Agricultural harvester with proactive response to moisture level of collected crop material
Tyler J. Romoser, Keota, IA (US)
Assigned to CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed by CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/685,636.
Prior Publication US 2021/0144919 A1, May 20, 2021
Int. Cl. A01D 41/127 (2006.01); A01F 12/46 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 41/1271 (2013.01) [A01D 41/1274 (2013.01); A01D 41/1277 (2013.01); A01F 12/46 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural harvester, comprising:
a chassis;
an engine carried by the chassis;
a threshing and separation system comprising at least one concave carried by the chassis, a rotor cage, and a rotor enclosed by the rotor cage, the threshing and separation system being configured to thresh and separate a flow of crop material; and
a controller carried by the chassis and configured to:
operably couple to a moisture sensor disposed upstream of the threshing and separation system, relative to the flow of crop material;
determine a moisture level of crop material headed for the threshing and separation system; and
output an adjustment signal to at least one component of the agricultural harvester to adjust performance of the threshing and separation system based at least partially on the determined moisture level, the at least one component including the engine which is operatively coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to output the adjustment signal to the engine to increase a power output of the engine when the determined moisture level increases, and decrease the power output of the engine when the determined moisture level decreases, and
wherein the threshing and separation system further comprising at least one adjustable vane disposed on an interior of the rotor cage and a vane actuator operably coupled to the at least one adjustable vane and the controller, the controller being configured to output the adjustment signal to the vane actuator to adjust a vane pitch of the at least one adjustable vane to promote faster travel of crop material through the rotor cage when the determined moisture level increases, and adjust the vane pitch of the at least one adjustable vane to promote slower travel of crop material through the rotor cage when the determined moisture level decreases.