Abstract: A method for managing an agricultural vehicle during harvesting process in a plantation of fruit trees, such as an orange orchard, the vehicle being shaped as a portal capable of moving over a crop row and provided with a couple of rotors (R) arranged to work simultaneously on both opposite sides of each plant of the crop row, the method including process of recognition of the trunks of the trees of a plantation to be worked by means of a first 3D sensor (3DS) system interfaced with processing means (CPU) of an agricultural vehicle (V), wherein the first 3D sensor (3DS) system includes a couple of 3D sensors arranged in a low portion of the agricultural vehicle at opposite sides of the vehicle oriented such that to converge in common point (P) circa on a vehicle center line axis (VC) in front of the vehicle, the process including fitting of pseudo-ellipsoids in a horizontal slice of a merged point cloud generated by the two 3D sensors, in order to identify trunks of the crop row.

Abstract: A method to adjust an opening between a plurality of shakers of a machine formed as a fruit harvester, starting with aligning and centralizing the machine with a crop row to be harvested, includes the steps of: identifying and defining a configuration of a plurality of trees to be harvested; measuring a width of the plurality of trees to be harvested; setting a value for a desired damage level; calculating an opening factor based on the desired damage level defined in the step of setting; determining a distance “X” from the opening between the plurality of shakers, based on a value obtained for the opening factor in relation to the width of the plurality of trees to be harvested; and adjusting the opening between the plurality of shakers according to the distance “X” determined in the step of determining.

Abstract: A system for an agricultural harvester can include a topper assembly including a cutting disk configured to severe an upper portion of a crop. A sensor system including a first sensor may be configured to capture crop data associated with the crop. A computing system is operably coupled with the topper assembly and the sensor system. The computing system includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that collectively store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the computing system to receive an input related to a defined offset, obtain the crop data from the sensor system, determine a target of the crop based at least partially on the crop data, and position the cutting disk at a cutting position along the crop.

Abstract: A method to adjust an opening between a plurality of shakers of a machine formed as a fruit harvester, starting with aligning and centralizing the machine with a crop row to be harvested, includes the steps of: identifying and defining a configuration of a plurality of trees to be harvested; measuring a width of the plurality of trees to be harvested; setting a value for a desired damage level; calculating an opening factor based on the desired damage level defined in the step of setting; determining a distance “X” from the opening between the plurality of shakers, based on a value obtained for the opening factor in relation to the width of the plurality of trees to be harvested; and adjusting the opening between the plurality of shakers according to the distance “X” determined in the step of determining.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a tire management system for a vehicle. The tire management system includes a first load sensor that determines a first load placed on a first tire of the vehicle, a first pressure sensor that determines a first fluid pressure within the first tire, a control unit communicatively coupled to the first load sensor and to the first pressure sensor. The control unit generates a first fluid pressure adjustment instruction based at least in part on the first load determined by the first load sensor and the first fluid pressure determined by the first pressure sensor. Additionally, the tire management system includes a first valve fluidly coupled to the first tire and communicatively coupled to the control unit, in which the first valve adjusts the first fluid pressure within the first tire based at least in part on the first fluid pressure adjustment instruction.

Abstract: A discloses system and method utilizes sensed oscillatory characteristics of a vehicle to detect a defect within a tire. The system utilizes information from sensors that are not disposed within a vehicle tire to detect tire defects. Information of oscillatory characteristics of the vehicle are analyzed to determine if the vehicle is operating as expected, or if a defect on the tire has changed the expected characteristics. Once a determination is made that a defect is present, an alert signal can be initiated to alert an operator that corrective action is required.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, articles, and systems relating to planar fuel cells having simplified structures. The planar fuel cells include current collection circuits that are disposed between a planar array of unit fuel cells and associated cover layers. The associated cover layers are porous, dielectric, and define a network of interconnected pores.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a tire management system for a vehicle. The tire management system includes a first load sensor that determines a first load placed on a first tire of the vehicle, a first pressure sensor that determines a first fluid pressure within the first tire, a control unit communicatively coupled to the first load sensor and to the first pressure sensor. The control unit generates a first fluid pressure adjustment instruction based at least in part on the first load determined by the first load sensor and the first fluid pressure determined by the first pressure sensor. Additionally, the tire management system includes a first valve fluidly coupled to the first tire and communicatively coupled to the control unit, in which the first valve adjusts the first fluid pressure within the first tire based at least in part on the first fluid pressure adjustment instruction.

Abstract: An adjustable flow field and flow regulation method for an electrochemical device such as field preferably includes a plurality of flow paths between an inlet and an outlet and a plurality of microvalves for regulating fluid flow through the flow paths in response to changes in the operating states of the fuel cell, such as changes in power output or temperature. For example, adjustment of the microvalves may restrict the number of flow paths through which fluid is flowing to alter the effective active area and current density of the flow field. The valves may be selectively opened or closed, either entirely or partially, to maintain a minimum pressure drop between the inlet and outlet. Alternatively or additionally, adjustment of the valves may alter the direction of fluid flow through at least some of the flow paths.