An elevator set for a harvesting machine, such as cane harvesters, capable of providing a damping effect in response to impacts caused to the elevator set during activities in a field. The elevator set includes an elevator housing and an elevator which extends inside the elevator housing between a lower proximal end and an upper distal end. The lower proximal end is fixed to a chassis of the machine, and the upper distal end has an opening for discharging harvested material. The elevator set has a damper system that includes a first element and a second element. The first element is disposed on the elevator housing, and the second element is encased into said first element in a sliding relationship. A connection element is fixed, at one end, to the second element and, on another end, to a portion of the chassis of the machine.

An elevator set for a harvesting machine, such as cane harvesters, capable of providing a damping effect in response to impacts caused to the elevator set during activities in a field. The elevator set includes an elevator housing and an elevator which extends inside the elevator housing between a lower proximal end and an upper distal end. The lower proximal end is fixed to a chassis of the machine, and the upper distal end has an opening for discharging harvested material. The elevator set has a damper system that includes a first element and a second element. The first element is disposed on the elevator housing, and the second element is encased into said first element in a sliding relationship. A connection element is fixed, at one end, to the second element and, on another end, to a portion of the chassis of the machine.

A control system for a harvester includes a plurality of actuators, each of which moves of one of the following: a knockdown roller for pressing crops down, a side knife for cutting crops along a substantially vertical plane, a base cutter for cutting crops along a substantially horizontal plane, and a crop divider configured to separate crops into rows. The control system also includes a controller in electrical communication with each actuator of the plurality of actuators. The controller receives a signal indicative of an operational position of at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators, and sends a signal to the at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators to initiate movement of the at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators in response to the received signal.

A control system for a harvester includes a plurality of actuators, each of which moves of one of the following: a knockdown roller for pressing crops down, a side knife for cutting crops along a substantially vertical plane, a base cutter for cutting crops along a substantially horizontal plane, and a crop divider configured to separate crops into rows. The control system also includes a controller in electrical communication with each actuator of the plurality of actuators. The controller receives a signal indicative of an operational position of at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators, and sends a signal to the at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators to initiate movement of the at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators in response to the received signal.

A controller for a harvester receives a speed of the harvester, the pitch, the yaw and the roll of the vehicle body, compares the sensed yaw, pitch and roll of the vehicle body to respective acceptable yaw, pitch and roll ranges. The controller also receives a conveyor position respect to the vehicle body, compares the conveyor position to an acceptable range of conveyor positions, calculates a center of gravity of the harvester based upon the yaw, pitch, roll and conveyor position, and compares the speed of the harvester to an acceptable range of speeds based upon the calculated center of gravity of the harvester. The controller also sends a signal to move the conveyor with respect to the vehicle body, alert the user to move the conveyor with respect to the vehicle body, reduce the speed of the harvester, or alert the user to reduce the speed of the harvester.

A bearing coupler assembly that has a bearing housing sized to at least partially receive a bearing assembly, the bearing housing defining a bearing axis therethrough, a shaft positioned at least partially through the bearing housing along the bearing axis, the shaft defining a shaft lip and a fastener end, the bearing assembly coupling the shaft to the bearing housing so the shaft can rotate about the bearing axis relative to the bearing housing, a fastener configured to be coupled to the fastener end of the shaft, a tone wheel positioned axially along the bearing axis between the fastener and the bearing assembly, the tone wheel having at least one indicator, a sensor coupled to the bearing housing and configured to identify when the indicator passes thereby.

In general terms, the present invention provides a passively compliant robotic arm having one or more variable stiffness joints controllable by first and second bi-directional actuators that can be independently operated. Each bi-directional actuator may be operable in a first configuration to urge the joint in a first direction, and in a second configuration to urge the joint in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The bi-directional actuators may be operated in a cooperating mode (high torque mode) in which they work in tandem (i.e. both in the first configuration or second configuration) to double the available torque output. The bi-directional actuators may also (or alternatively) be operated in a high stiffness mode (antagonist mode) in which they counter-act each other by operating so that they oppose one another (i.e. one in the first configuration and the other in the second configuration). The high torque mode may be utilised for an initial portion of a movement trajectory, and the antagonist mode for a final portion of the movement trajectory. The relatively high stiffness in the high stiffness/antagonist mode results from the combined effects of the non-linear force-deflection relationship of the first and second resilient members. The resilient members may each comprise an elastic element, tendon or other resilient member that can be stretched (elongated) to increase tension therein and thereby urge the joint to move.

In general terms, the present invention provides a passively compliant robotic arm having one or more variable stiffness joints controllable by first and second bi-directional actuators that can be independently operated. Each bi-directional actuator may be operable in a first configuration to urge the joint in a first direction, and in a second configuration to urge the joint in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The bi-directional actuators may be operated in a cooperating mode (high torque mode) in which they work in tandem (i.e. both in the first configuration or second configuration) to double the available torque output. The bi-directional actuators may also (or alternatively) be operated in a high stiffness mode (antagonist mode) in which they counter-act each other by operating so that they oppose one another (i.e. one in the first configuration and the other in the second configuration). The high torque mode may be utilised for an initial portion of a movement trajectory, and the antagonist mode for a final portion of the movement trajectory. The relatively high stiffness in the high stiffness/antagonist mode results from the combined effects of the non-linear force-deflection relationship of the first and second resilient members. The resilient members may each comprise an elastic element, tendon or other resilient member that can be stretched (elongated) to increase tension therein and thereby urge the joint to move.

A harvester including a frame supported by a drive assembly for movement along a support surface, a head unit coupled to the harvester and configured to selectively harvest crop material, a camera coupled to the frame and configured to generate one or more images of a field of view, and a controller in operable communication with the camera and the head unit, where the controller is configured to determine one or more crop attributes based at least in part on the one or more images produced by the camera.

A method for mapping an agricultural crop in a field is provided. The method comprising receiving signals, with a control unit on an agricultural machine, from a yield sensor, which senses a yield characteristic of the crop, and a processing sensor, which senses a processing characteristic of the crop, associated with an agricultural work machine; determining the presence of a void crop plant using the received signals; determining a location of the void crop plant using at least a time and a location of the agricultural work machine; and generating a void crop map showing the location of the void crop within the field.