Deere & Company

Devin M Franzen

Timothy James Kraus

David V Rotole

Austin R Roepke

A round baler includes a bale size sensor operable to detect a radial size of a bale during formation thereof, a bale weight sensor operable to detect a weight of a completed bale, and a location sensor operable to determine a respective field origin location of the crop material gathered for each respective one of a plurality of radial layers of the bale. A controller calculates a density of a completed bale with data from the bale weight sensor and the bale size sensor. The controller determines a volume of a respective one of the radial layers during formation of a current bale, subsequent to the completed bale, with data from the bale size sensor. The controller may then estimate a density of the respective one of the radial layers based on the volume of the respective one of the radial layers, and the density of the previously completed bale.

Round bale pre-completion yield calculation

A support assembly for a trailered implement includes an implement support link that is moveable between an implement support position and a stowed position, and a shaft support link that is coupled to the implement support link via an intermediate link. The shaft support link is moveable between a first support position and a second support position. When the implement support link is disposed in the implement support position, the shaft support link may be disposed in the first support position to support and position the rotatable shaft at a first height relative to a ground surface. When the implement support link is disposed in the stowed position, the shaft support link may be disposed in the second support position to support and position the rotatable shaft at a second, lower height relative to the ground surface.

Integrated PTO shaft and implement support assembly

A bale monitoring system includes an imaging device that is operable to capture a stereoscopic image of a bale. A computing compares the stereoscopic image of the bale to a three-dimensional standard to identify a deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. The computing device may then assign the bale a shape quality score based on the deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. The shape quality score may indicate a magnitude of the deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. Additionally, the stereoscopic image may be analyzed to identify characteristics of the bale, such as a broken wrap material or an improperly formed bale.

Bale shape monitoring system

A method of harvesting a crop material includes gathering the crop material with a harvesting implement as the harvesting implement moves along an initial path through a field. A location and a value of a characteristic of the gathered crop material is sensed at a plurality of intervals. A set of estimated values of the characteristic throughout the field is generated based on the sensed location and characteristic of the crop material at each of interval. A value of the characteristic of the crop material ahead of the harvesting implement is predicted as the harvesting implement moves along a harvest path, based on the set of estimated values of the characteristic of the crop material throughout the field. A function of the harvesting implement may be controlled based on the predicted value of the characteristic ahead of the pick-up.

Growing community of inventors

Altoona, IA, United States of America

Devin M Franzen