METHOD FOR SPREADING SPREADING MATERIAL ONTO AGRICULTURAL LAND

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for spreading spreading material onto agricultural land (12) by way of an agricultural spreader (10), with the steps of: providing information on spreading boundaries (14) of agricultural land (12) to an electronic control device and moving the agricultural spreader (10) in the direction of a predetermined activation point in the vicinity of a spreading boundary (14) of the agricultural land (12) at which the start of dispensing spreading material onto at least one spreading disk is intended, where, while the dispensing of the spreading material is interrupted, the electronic control device automatically induces an anticipatory setting for a start configuration predetermined for the activation point at the agricultural spreader (10) before the agricultural spreader (10) reaches the activation point.

Claims

1. Method for spreading spreading material onto agricultural land by way of an agricultural spreader, with the steps of: providing information on spreading boundaries of agricultural land to an electronic control device, and moving said agricultural spreader in the direction of a predetermined activation point in the vicinity of a spreading boundary of said agricultural land at which the start of dispensing spreading material onto at least one spreading disk is intended, characterized in that, when the dispensing of said spreading material is interrupted, said electronic control device automatically induces an anticipatory setting for a start configuration predetermined for said activation point at said agricultural spreader before said agricultural spreader reaches said activation point.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a starting rotational speed predetermined for said activation point is set at said at least one spreading disk when said start configuration is set in an anticipatory manner at said agricultural spreader while the spreading of spreading material is interrupted.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a dispensing point predetermined for said activation point is set at a dispensing point setting device of said agricultural spreader when said start configuration is set in an anticipatory manner at said agricultural spreader while the spreading of spreading material is interrupted.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic control device automatically induces an interruption of the dispensing of spreading material onto said at least one spreading disk of said agricultural spreader before said agricultural spreader is moved in the direction of said activation point when a predetermined deactivation point in the vicinity of said spreading boundary of said agricultural land has been reached.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that said electronic control device induces the anticipatory setting of said start configuration at said agricultural spreader directly after the dispensing of spreading material onto said at least one spreading disk of said agricultural spreader has been interrupted at said deactivation point.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said agricultural spreader comprises a part-width section control with which several part-width sections can be activated and deactivated for adapting the spreading width, where said part-width section control in said start configuration of said agricultural spreader is disposed in a start control mode with several part-width sections deactivated.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said electronic control device induces said deactivated part-width sections of said part-width section control to be activated step-by-step once said activation point has been passed.

8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in said start control mode of said part-width section control, one or more outer part-width sections are activated and several inner part-width sections are deactivated, where said deactivated inner part-width sections are activated step-by-step from the outside to the inside once said activation point has been passed.

9. Agricultural spreader with at least one spreading disk; at least one dispensing point setting device, with which said dispensing point of said spreading material dispensed onto said spreading disk can be set; and an electronic control device which is configured to process information on spreading boundaries agricultural land and with which the operation of said at least one spreading disk and the operation of said at least one dispensing point setting device can be controlled; characterized in that, when the spreading of spreading material is interrupted, said electronic control device is configured to automatically induce an anticipatory setting for a start configuration predetermined for said activation point at the agricultural spreader in the vicinity of a spreading boundary of said agricultural land at which the start of dispensing said spreading material onto at least one spreading disk is intended before said agricultural spreader reaches the activation point.

10. Agricultural spreader according to claim 9, characterized in that said electronic control device is configured to induce the setting of a starting rotational speed predetermined for said activation point at said at least one spreading disk when said start configuration is set in an anticipatory manner at said agricultural spreader while the spreading of spreading material is interrupted; and/or to induce the setting of a dispensing point predetermined for said activation point at a dispensing point setting device of said agricultural spreader when said start configuration is set in an anticipatory manner at said agricultural spreader while the spreading of spreading material is interrupted.

11. Agricultural spreader according to claim 9, characterized in that said electronic control device is configured to induce the anticipatory setting of said start configuration at said agricultural spreader directly after the dispensing of spreading material onto said at least one spreading disk of said agricultural spreader has been interrupted at a deactivation point.

12. Agricultural spreader according to claim 9, further comprising: a part-width section control with which part-width sections can be activated and deactivated for adapting the spreading width, where said electronic control device is configured to induce deactivated part-width sections of said part-width section control to be activated step-by-step once said activation point has been passed.

Description

[0025] A preferred embodiment of the invention shall be explained and described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, where

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an agricultural spreader while carrying out the method according to the invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a spreading process for spreading material. The spreading material is spread from a combination 100 of a vehicle 102 and an agricultural spreader 10. Vehicle 102 is a tractor, where agricultural spreader 10 is a fertilizer spreader. Spreader 10 is configured as an attachment device and is connected to vehicle 102 by way of a three-point power lift.

[0028] The section of agricultural land 12 illustrated shows a spreading boundary 14 which delimits headland 16 from inner area 18 of agricultural land 12. Running within headland 16 is travel lane 20, toward which combination 100 initially moves when travelling along travel lane 22 and later again moves away therefrom. Combination 100 performs a turning maneuver within headland 16.

[0029] Agricultural spreader 10 comprises two spreading disks arranged adjacent to one another, where each spreading disk is associated with a dispensing point setting device. The dispensing point of the spreading material dispensed onto the respective spreading disk can be set by way of the dispensing point setting device. In addition, agricultural spreader 10 according to the invention comprises a part-width section control with which part-width sections 24 can be activated and deactivated for adapting the spreading width. Spreading pattern 26 of agricultural spreader 10 preferably has a sickle shape, where the outer sickle tips point forwardly, i.e. in the direction of travel. When travelling out of inner area 16 into headland 16, part-width sections 24 are deactivated from the outside to the inside. When travelling into inner area 18, part-width sections 24 are activated from the outside to the inside.

[0030] Agricultural spreader 10 further comprises an electronic control device. The electronic control device can comprise, for example, a task controller and a terminal connected to the task controller in a signal-conducting manner. The terminal can be carried along in the driver's cab of vehicle 102 during the spreading process, since the terminal can show the vehicle driver additional information on the spreading process on a display. The operation of the spreading disks and the operation of the dispensing point setting device can be controlled by way of the electronic control device.

[0031] The electronic control device was provided with information on spreading boundaries 14 of agricultural land 12 in advance of the spreading situation shown. The information on spreading boundaries 14 can be provided, for example, via a data packet which is retrieved by the terminal. The data packet comprises information on the course of spreading boundaries within the field, such as spreading boundary 14 shown between headland 16 and inner area 18, and outer boundaries of agricultural land 12.

[0032] When travelling travel lane 22, agricultural spreader 10 moves in the direction of a predetermined deactivation point in the vicinity of spreading boundary 14. When the predetermined deactivation point in the vicinity of spreading boundary 14 has been reached, the electronic control device automatically interrupts the dispensing of spreading material onto the spreading disks of agricultural spreader 10. Immediately after the dispensing of spreading material has been interrupted, the electronic control device induces an anticipatory setting for a start configuration at agricultural spreader 10. The start configuration is predetermined and relates to an activation point in the vicinity of spreading boundary 14 at which the dispensing of spreading material onto the spreading disks is to be continued again after the turning maneuver has been performed. When the dispensing of spreading material is interrupted, the electronic control device automatically induces the anticipatory setting of the start configuration predetermined for the activation point on the agricultural spreader before agricultural spreader 10 reaches the activation point. The preparatory setting measures for the re-dispensing of spreading material onto the spreading disks are therefore induced, for example, already when travelling into the headland. The start configuration predetermined for the activation point leads directly to the intended distribution of the spreading material in the area of agricultural land 12 adjoining spreading boundary 14 when the dispensing of the spreading material onto the spreading disk is started at the activation point.

[0033] With the anticipatory setting of the start configuration while travelling on headland 16, a starting rotational speed predetermined for the activation point is set at the spreading disks when the spreading of spreading material is interrupted. Furthermore, with the anticipatory setting of the start configuration while travelling on headland 16, a dispensing point setting predetermined for the activation point is performed at the dispensing point setting devices of agricultural spreader 10.

[0034] The electronic control device induces deactivated part-width sections 24 of the part-width section control to be activated step-by-step once the activation point has been passed. In the vicinity of the boundary, the spreading of the spreading material takes place first in the region of outer part-width sections 24. Once the activation point has been passed, that distribution of spreading material is set step by step which is predetermined for the spreading in inner area of agricultural land 12 when parallel travel is conducted. For this purpose, the inner part-width sections are gradually activated.

[0035] The part-width section control in the start configuration of agricultural spreader 10 is therefore first disposed in a start control mode with several part-width sections 24 deactivated. In the start configuration of part-width section control, several outer part-width sections 24 are activated and several inner part-width sections 24 are deactivated After the activation point has been passed, inner sections 24 are activated step-by-step from the outside to the inside.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0036] 10 spreader

[0037] 12 agricultural land

[0038] 14 spreading boundary

[0039] 16 headland

[0040] 18 inner area

[0041] 20 travel lane

[0042] 22 travel lane

[0043] 24 part-width sections

[0044] 26 spreading patterns

[0045] 100 combine

[0046] 102 vehicle