초록 ▼

An agricultural combine with a plurality of grain tanks and an unloader system for unloading grain harvested by the combine. The unloader system has an unloader tube, a sensor and a controller. The unloader tube includes an interior passageway with a conveyor inside the interior passageway for movin

An agricultural combine with a plurality of grain tanks and an unloader system for unloading grain harvested by the combine. The unloader system has an unloader tube, a sensor and a controller. The unloader tube includes an interior passageway with a conveyor inside the interior passageway for moving the grain through the unloader tube and at least two discharge assemblies on the unloader tube for discharging grain traveling through the unloader tube to one of the plurality of grain tanks. The sensor is used for sensing an attribute of the grain that is to be unloaded through the unloader tube. The controller is operatively connected to and in communication with the unloader system and sensor so as to discharge the grain from the unloader tube through one of the at least two discharge assemblies based upon the attribute detected by the sensor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An agricultural combine comprising: a first grain tank;a second grain tank; andan unloader system for unloading grain harvested by the combine, the unloader system including: an unloader tube having: an interior passageway,a conveyor extending along the interior passageway for conveying grain thr

1. An agricultural combine comprising: a first grain tank;a second grain tank; andan unloader system for unloading grain harvested by the combine, the unloader system including: an unloader tube having: an interior passageway,a conveyor extending along the interior passageway for conveying grain through the unloader tube,a first discharge opening,a first discharge assembly adjacent the first discharge opening,a second discharge opening, anda second discharge assembly adjacent the second discharge opening,wherein the first discharge opening discharges grain traveling through the unloader tube to the first grain tank and the second discharge opening discharges grain traveling through the unloader tube to the second grain tank;a sensor for sensing an attribute of the grain harvested by the combine; anda controller operatively connected to and in communication with the unloader system and the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to discharge the grain from the unloader tube to one of the first and second grain tanks based upon the attribute of the grain detected by the sensor. 2. The agricultural combine of claim 1, wherein the conveyor is a screw auger, a paddle system, conveyor belt or combination thereof. 3. The agricultural combine of claim 1, wherein the attribute is protein content, moisture content, material other than grain, size, density, color or a combination thereof. 4. The agricultural combine of claim 1, wherein the first and second grain tanks are an on-machine grain tank or an off-machine grain tank. 5. The agricultural combine of claim 4, wherein the first and second discharge openings are positioned about a midsection of the unloader tube, and wherein the unloader tube further includes a third discharge opening about a distal end of the unloader tube. 6. The agricultural combine of claim 1, wherein the first and second discharge assemblies each include a cover movable between an open position and a closed position. 7. The agricultural combine of claim 6, wherein in the open position, the cover is spaced from the discharge opening to allow for a flow grain through the discharge opening, and wherein in the closed position, the cover covers the discharge opening to prevent the flow of grain from passing through the discharge opening. 8. The agricultural combine of claim 6, wherein the cover is moveable by at least one of an actuator, a hydraulic cylinder and a motor. 9. A method of discharging grain on an agricultural combine comprising: providing a plurality of grain tanks;providing an unloader tube having a conveyor, a plurality of openings and a plurality of discharge assemblies moveable between open and closed positions for covering and uncovering the plurality of openings;providing a sensor for determining an attribute of grain being unloaded through the unloader tube; andproviding a controller operatively connected to and in communication with the sensor and the plurality of discharge assemblies,wherein the controller is configured to move one of the plurality of discharge assemblies to the open position based upon a detected attribute of the grain by the sensor for depositing the grain within one of the plurality of grain tanks. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the conveyor is a screw auger, a paddle system, a conveyor belt or a combination thereof. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the attribute of grain is protein content, moisture content, mass of material other than grain, size, density, color or a combination thereof. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of grain tanks are on-machine or off-machine. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the unloader tube includes two discharge assemblies about a midsection of the unloader tube, and wherein the unloader tube further includes a third discharge opening about a distal end of the unloader tube. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the discharge assemblies each include a cover movable between open and closed positions. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the cover is moveable by at least one of an actuator, a hydraulic cylinder and a motor. 16. An agricultural combine comprising: a first grain tank;a second grain tank proximate the first grain tank; andan unloader system for unloading grain harvested by the combine, the unloader system including: an unloader tube having: an interior passageway,a conveyor extending along the interior passageway for conveying grain through the unloader tube,a first discharge opening,a first discharge assembly adjacent the first discharge opening that includes a first cover movable between a closed position for covering the first discharge opening and an open position wherein the first cover is spaced from the first discharge opening,a second discharge opening, anda second discharge assembly adjacent the second discharge opening that includes a second cover movable between a closed position for covering the second discharge opening and an open position wherein the second cover is spaced from the second discharge opening,wherein the first discharge opening discharges grain traveling through the unloader tube to the first grain tank and the second discharge opening discharges grain traveling through the unloader tube to the second grain tank;a sensor for sensing an attribute of the grain harvested by the combine; anda controller operatively connected to and in communication with the first and second discharge assemblies and the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to discharge the grain from the unloader tube to one of the first and second grain tanks based upon the attribute of the grain sensed by the sensor.