Ground speed implement height control adjustment rate on agricultural vehicles

Abstract

An adjustable height implement system for an agricultural vehicle. The system includes a harvesting implement having an adjustable height, a control system operably connected to the harvesting implement to adjust the height of the harvesting implement with respect to the ground and a sensor configured to determine a ground speed. The control system alters the rate of the height adjustment in response to the ground speed. A method and agricultural vehicle are also disclosed.

1 . An adjustable height implement system for an agricultural vehicle comprising:
 a harvesting implement having an adjustable height;   a control system operably connected to the harvesting implement to adjust the height of the harvesting implement with respect to the ground;   a sensor configured to determine a ground speed;   wherein the control system alters the rate of the height adjustment in response to the ground speed.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural vehicle is a cotton harvester. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is capable of adjusting the harvesting implement height to a height corresponding to a desired height of the harvesting implement in response to the height measurement from the harvesting implement to the ground. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of height adjustment in response to ground speed is a multiplier communicated to the control system. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of height adjustment in response to ground speed is a multiplier to an error rate measurement of the control system. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of height adjustment is altered linearly with respect to ground speed. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable height implement system of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of height adjustment is altered nonlinearly with respect to ground speed. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 providing an agricultural vehicle having an adjustable height implement system comprising:
 a harvesting implement having an adjustable height; 
 a control system operably connected to the harvesting implement to adjust the height of the harvesting implement with respect to the ground; 
 a sensor configured to determine a ground speed; 
   determining a ground speed with the sensor;   altering the rate of height adjustment in response to the ground speed determined.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agricultural vehicle is a cotton harvester. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising adjusting the harvesting implement height with the control system to a height corresponding to a desired height of the harvesting implement in response to the height measurement from the harvesting implement to the ground. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agricultural vehicle is a cotton harvester. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising communicating the rate of height adjustment in response to ground speed to the control system as a multiplier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the altering includes adjusting the error rate to provide a higher or lower rate of height adjustment for the implement. 
     
     
         14 . An agricultural vehicle comprising:
 an adjustable height implement system for an agricultural vehicle comprising:   a harvesting implement having an adjustable height;   a control system operably connected to the harvesting implement to adjust the height of the harvesting implement with respect to the ground;   a sensor configured to determine a ground speed;   wherein the rate of the height adjustment is altered by the control system in response to the ground speed.   
     
     
         15 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is capable of adjusting the harvesting implement height to a height corresponding to a desired height of the harvesting implement in response to the height measurement from the harvesting implement to the ground. 
     
     
         16 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the rate of height adjustment in response to ground speed is a multiplier communicated to the control system. 
     
     
         17 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the rate of height adjustment in response to ground speed is a multiplier to an error rate measurement of the control system. 
     
     
         18 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the rate of height adjustment is altered linearly with respect to ground speed. 
     
     
         19 . The agricultural vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the rate of height adjustment is altered nonlinearly with respect to ground speed.