Patent Publication Number: US-2022217910-A1

Title: Adjustable reel arm

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to headers for agricultural vehicles and, more specifically, to reel arms for headers. 
     An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating, and cleaning. A combine includes a header which removes the crop from a field and a feeder housing which transports the crop material into a threshing rotor. The threshing rotor rotates within a perforated housing, which may be in the form of adjustable concaves, and performs a threshing operation on the crop to remove the grain. The threshing rotor is provided with rasp bars that interact with the crop material in order to further separate the grain from the crop material, and to provide positive crop movement. Once the grain is threshed, the grain is cleaned using a cleaning system. The cleaning system includes a cleaning fan which blows air through oscillating sieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine. Non-grain crop material, such as straw, from the threshing section proceeds through a straw chopper and out the rear of the combine. Clean grain is transported to a grain tank onboard the combine. 
     A typical header generally includes a frame, a pair of end dividers at the lateral ends of the frame, a floor, a cutter to remove crop material from the field, and a conveyor to transport the cut crop material to the feeder housing for further downstream processing in the combine. Generally, the components of a header are specifically optimized to harvest a particular kind of crop. For instance, the header may be in the form of a draper header which is typically used to harvest fluffy or bushy crop such as soy beans or canola. A draper header generally includes a rotating reel assembly with tines, a cutter bar, and a conveyor in the form of one or more draper belts and/or augers. Some draper headers may also move, e.g. lower, raise, roll, pitch, and/or flex, to accommodate the undulating terrain of the field. For instance, a flexing draper header equipped with a flexible cutter bar may raise or lower the cutter bar at various points along the length of the cutter bar to harvest crop which otherwise would have been left on the field. 
     The rotating reel assembly of a draper header may be composed of a pair of arms, a reel that is rotatable by a motor, a pair of hydraulic cylinders respectively attached to the arms to set the height of the reel relative to the cutter bar, transverse tine bars, and multiple fingers, e.g. tines, movably attached to the tine bars for gathering the crop into the header. Generally, in harvesting a crop, an operator will set the height of the rotor so that the tines are as low to the cutter bar as possible without contacting the cutter bar and/or the ground. However, the resulting height of the reel may be too high to engage and inwardly convey down crop. In this regard, the spatial relationship between the reel and cutter bar may impede the ability of the reel to gather down crop. Furthermore, the ability of the reel to gather down crop may be especially hindered in regard to flexible draper headers. For example, to aggressively harvest down crop when operating a flexible draper header in a flex mode, the operator must generally set the floating height of the header too low to achieve a desired reel height for gathering down crop, which thereby limits the movable range of the flexible cutter bar. Thereby, the position of the reel relative to the cutter bar may limit the mobility of a flexible draper header and/or cause crop yield loss. 
     What is needed in the art is an improved reel assembly of a header for gathering down crop material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a reel assembly with pivotable, two-member reel arms, a reel attached to the reel arms, and pivot actuators associated with each reel arm. The reel can be moved by the pivot actuators so that the reel can be lowered and positioned closer to and in front of the cutter bar for more aggressively picking up down crop without interfering with the movement of the cutter bar. 
     In another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a reel assembly of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame and a cutter bar. The reel assembly includes a pair of reel arms each comprising a first member configured for pivotally connecting to the frame of the header and a second member pivotally connected to the first member. The reel assembly also includes a reel movably connected to and positioned in between the second members of the reel arms and a pair of actuators. Each actuator is operably connected in between the first member and the second member of a respective reel arm. The actuators are configured for pivoting the second members relative to the first members such that the reel is pivotable relative to the first members of the reel arms. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a header for an agricultural vehicle that includes a frame, a cutter bar connected to the frame, and a reel assembly. The reel assembly includes a pair of reel arms each comprising a first member pivotally connected to the frame of the header and a second member pivotally connected to the first member. The reel assembly also includes a reel movably connected to and positioned in between the second members of the reel arms and a pair of actuators. Each actuator is operably connected in between the first member and the second member of a respective reel arm. The actuators are configured for pivoting the second members relative to the first members such that the reel is pivotable relative to the first members of the reel arms. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for harvesting a crop material. The method includes an initial step of providing a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a frame, a cutter bar connected to the frame, and a reel assembly supported by the frame. The reel assembly includes a pair of reel arms each comprising a first member pivotally connected to the frame of the header and a second member pivotally connected to the first member, a reel movably connected to and positioned in between the second members of the reel arms, the reel comprising tines, and a pair of actuators. Each actuator is operably connected in between the first member and the second member of a respective reel arm. The method also includes the steps of pivoting the second members, by the actuators, relative to the first members for positioning the reel at least partially in front of the cutter bar of the header so that the tines extend below and in front of the cutter bar of the header for gathering a down crop, and pivoting the second members, by the actuators, relative to the first members for positioning the reel behind the cutter bar of the header. 
     One possible advantage of the exemplary embodiment of the header is that the reel assembly positions the reel in front of the cutter bar such that the reel may gather down crop without limiting the operation of the cutter bar and/or movement of the header. 
     Another possible advantage of the exemplary embodiment of the header is that the reel assembly may change the angle of the reel arms to aggressively pick up down crop material to increase crop yield. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements, dimensions, and instruments shown. Like numerals indicate like elements throughout the drawings. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional agricultural vehicle with a known draper header; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a reel assembly, the reel assembly including a reel and two-member reel arms, the reel is in a raised position, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the reel assembly in which the reel is in a lowered position; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the reel assembly in which the reel is in another lowered position; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flow-diagram of a method for harvesting a crop material with the reel assembly of  FIGS. 2-4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The terms “forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used in connection with the agricultural harvester and/or components thereof are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the harvester, but again, they should not be construed as limiting. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of the agricultural harvester and are equally not to be construed as limiting. The terms “downstream” and “upstream” are determined with reference to the intended direction of crop material flow during operation, with “downstream” being analogous to “rearward” and “upstream” being analogous to “forward.” 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a known agricultural vehicle  100 . The agricultural vehicle  100  is illustrated as a combine  100 , which generally includes a chassis  102  supported by wheels, a prime mover, a cab, a feeder housing, and a header  110 . 
     The header  110  is removably attached to the feeder housing. The header  110  is in the form of a draper header  110 . The draper header  110  generally includes a frame  112  with left and right lateral ends, a cutter bar  114  that severs the crop from a field, at least one conveyor  116 , for example a draper belt  116  and/or auger, which feeds the severed crop inwardly from each lateral end of the frame  112  toward the feeder housing, and a reel assembly  120  mounted to the frame  112 , which feeds the crop into the header  110 . 
     The reel assembly  120  generally includes a rotating reel  122  with fingers, e.g. tines  124 , a pair of “L”-shaped reel arms  126  mounting the reel  122  to the frame  112 , a pair of extension hydraulic cylinders  127 , a respective pair of lifting hydraulic cylinders  128 , and a reel bearing  129 . The reel assembly  120  may also include a reel drive mechanism for rotating the reel. Thereby, the reel  122  may be raised and lowered by the actuators  128  or extended and retracted by the actuators  127 . Each reel arm  126  has a proximal, i.e., rear, end and a distal, i.e., front, end. The proximal end of each reel arm  126  is pivotally connected to the frame  112 . The reel  122  is movably mounted onto each distal end of the reel arms  126  by way of the reel bearing  129 . Each reel arm  126  is a rigid, uniform part that is typically composed of metal. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2-4 , there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a header  210  which generally includes a frame  212 , a cutter bar  214 , at least one conveyor  216 , and a reel assembly  220  according to the present invention. The header  210  may be connected to any desired agricultural vehicle, such as a windrower or combine  100 , as discussed above. The header  210  may be in the form of any desired header, such as a draper header  210 . The draper header  210  may be a flex-draper header  210  which allows the floor and/or cutter bar  214  to flex, or otherwise move, to accommodate the undulations of the field. 
     The reel assembly  220  may generally include two multi-member reel arms  222  which each include a first and second member  224 ,  226 , a reel  228  with tine bars  230  and tines  232  attached thereto, lift actuators  234 , extension actuators  236 , and pivot actuators  238 . The reel assembly  220  may also include at least one bracket  240 ,  242  associated with each reel arm  222 . The pivot actuators  238  may be retracted to position the reel  228  in a raised position ( FIG. 2 ) or extended to position the reel  228  in one or more lowered positions ( FIGS. 3-4 ). For example, the pivot actuators  238  can be extended to position the reel  228  closer to and behind the cutter bar ( FIG. 3 ) or in front of the cutter bar  214  such that at least a portion of the reel  228  is positioned in front of the cutter bar  214 , which thereby enables the reel  228  to more aggressively pickup down crop without interfering with the operation of the cutter bar  214  ( FIG. 4 ). It should be appreciated that although only the right side of the reel assembly  220  of the header  210  is shown the left side of the reel assembly  220  is exactly the same except that it is mirrored. It should be appreciated that the reel assembly  220  may be incorporated into any desired header  210 . 
     Each first member  224  of a respective reel arm  222  is pivotally connected to the frame  212 , and each second member  226  is pivotally connected to each first member  224  by way of the at least one bracket  240 ,  242 . Each first member  224  may be in the form of a beam or plate with an irregular polygonal cross-section. For instance, each first member  224  may have one or more protrusions or angled end sections for mounting the respective pivot actuator  238 , lift actuator  234 , and/or bracket(s)  240 ,  242 . Each second member  226  may be in the form of a rectangular or cylindrical beam. Each It should be appreciated that each second member  226  can be directly pivotally connected to each first member  224  without incorporating a bracket. Each second member  226  can be pivotally connected to each first member  224  by two brackets  240 ,  242 . The first bracket  240  can be pivotally connected to the upper portion of a respective first member  224  at a middle section of the first bracket  240  and to a respective second member  226  at an end portion of the first bracket  240 . The second bracket  242  can be pivotally connected to the lower portion of the respective first member  224  and to the first bracket  240  and/or respective second member  226  by one or more links (unnumbered). Thus, each bracket  240 ,  242  defines a respective pivot location of each second member  226 . The second bracket  242  may also function as a mechanical stop to thereby limit the pivotable range of each second member  226  relative to each first member  224 . 
     The reel  228  is positioned in between and movably connected, via a reel bearing  244 , to the second members  226  of the reel arms  222 . The reel  228  can be extended inwardly or outwardly, via the extension actuators  236 , and raised or lowered, via the lift and/or pivot actuators  243 ,  238 . The reel  228  may be lowered such that at least a portion of the reel  228  extends beyond the cutter bar  214  for picking up down crop. In this regard, at least a portion of the tines  232  and/or the tine bars  230  may extend past, i.e. in front of, the cutter bar  214  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Each lift actuator  234  may be connected in between the frame  212  and the respective first member  224 . The lift actuators  234  are configured for adjusting a vertical position of the reel  228 . Each extension  236  actuator is operably connected to the respective second member  226 . In other words, each extension actuator  236  is connected in between a respective bracket  240  and reel bearing  244 . The extension actuators  236  are configured for adjusting a horizontal position of the reel  228  relative to each second member  226 . Each pivot actuator  238  is operably connected in between the respective first member  224  and second member  226 . The first end of each pivot actuator  238  is connected to a respective first member  224  and the second end of each pivot actuator  238  is connected to a respective at least one bracket  240  and/or second member  226 . Each pivot actuator may be positioned on top of each first member  226 . The pivot actuators  238  are configured for pivoting the second members  226  relative to the first members  224  such that the reel  228  is pivotable relative to the first members  224 . The actuators  234 ,  236 ,  238  may be in the form of any desired actuators, such as hydraulic or electric cylinders. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the header  210  or reel assembly  220  may further include an electronic control unit (ECU)  250 , with a memory  252 , and at least one sensor  254 . Thereby, the motion and/or float mode of the reel  228  may be automatically controlled by the ECU  250 . 
     The ECU  250  is operably connected to the actuators  234 ,  236 ,  238  and sensor(s)  254 . The ECU  250  may automatically control the actuation of the actuators  234 ,  236 ,  238 . The ECU  250  may prevent an actuation of the pivot actuators  238  unless the position signal of the position sensor  254  registers that the reel  228  is at least partially in front of the cutter bar  214 . Additionally, under normal flex mode conditions of the header  210 , the pivot actuators  238  would be retracted to keep the reel  228  lifted so that the tines  232  would not contact the ground ( FIG. 2 ). If reel  228  is in a lowered position ( FIG. 4 ), and the operator tries to then move the reel  228  back towards the cutter bar  214 , the ECU  250  would automatically retract the pivot actuators  238  to raise the reel  228  up so that the reel  228  does not interfere with the cutter bar  214 . Also, the reel assembly  220  allows the cutter bar  214  to be locked in a mid-float position when cutting in a rigid mode because so long as the header  210  remained in the rigid mode, the pivot actuators  238  could be unlocked and actuated by the ECU  250  to thereby keep the reel  228  at a desirable distance from the cutter bar  214 . Furthermore, if the header  210  senses that the cutter bar  214  is cutting on the ground in a rigid mode, the ECU  250  may automatically actuate the pivot actuators  238  to prevent contact between the reel  228  and the cutter bar  214 . In this regard, the reel assembly  220  may allow the operator to run a rigid header  210  which easily and efficiently functions as a flex header  210  with a limited range. The ECU  250  may be in the form of any desired analog or digital control unit. For example, the ECU  250  may be in the form of a controller. The ECU  250  may be incorporated into existing hardware and/or software of the agricultural vehicle  100  or header  210 . 
     The position sensor(s)  254  may be connected to the reel  228  and operably connected to the electronic control unit  250 . Each position sensor  254  is configured for sending a respective position signal, indicating the position of the reel  228 , to the ECU  250 . The position sensor  254  may be in the form of any desired sensor, such as an optical sensor, linear position sensor, GPS sensor, etc. It should be appreciated that the header  210  may include more than one position sensor. For example, the header  210  may include three or more sensors, in the form of linear sensors, that are incorporated into respective actuators  234 ,  236 ,  238 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a method  500  for harvesting a crop material with a draper header  210 . The method  500  may include an initial step of providing the reel assembly  220 , as discussed above (at block  502 ). For simplicity of description, the method  500  will be discussed with respect to a single reel arm  222 ; however, it should be appreciated that the method  500  applies to both reel arms  222  on each lateral end of the reel  228 . The method  500  may include the step of pivoting the second member  226  of the reel arm  222  downwardly, by extending the pivot actuator  238  and/or extension actuator  236 , in order to move the reel  228  down and in front of the cutter bar  214  for picking up down crop (at block  504 ). The method  500  may also include the step of pivoting the second member  226  of the reel arm  222  upwardly, by retracting the pivot actuator  238 , in order to move the reel  228  up and behind the cutter bar  214  (at block  506 ). The method  500  may also include the step of pivoting the second member  236  downwardly, by extending the pivot actuator  238 , in order to lower the reel  228  in any desired position such as positioning the reel  228  closer to the cutter bar  214  yet keeping the reel  228  behind the cutter bar  214 . 
     It is to be understood that the steps of the method  500  are performed by the ECU  250  upon loading and executing software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium, such as on a magnetic medium, e.g., a computer hard drive, an optical medium, e.g., an optical disc, solid-state memory, e.g., flash memory, or other storage media known in the art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the ECU  250  described herein, such as the method  500 , is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium. The ECU  250  loads the software code or instructions via a direct interface with the computer readable medium or via a wired and/or wireless network. Upon loading and executing such software code or instructions by the ECU  250 , the ECU  250  may perform any of the functionality of the ECU  250  described herein. 
     The term “software code” or “code” used herein refers to any instructions or set of instructions that influence the operation of a computer or controller. They may exist in a computer-executable form, such as machine code, which is the set of instructions and data directly executed by a computer&#39;s central processing unit or by a controller, a human-understandable form, such as source code, which may be compiled in order to be executed by a computer&#39;s central processing unit or by a controller, or an intermediate form, such as object code, which is produced by a compiler. As used herein, the term “software code” or “code” also includes any human-understandable computer instructions or set of instructions, e.g., a script, that may be executed on the fly with the aid of an interpreter executed by a computer&#39;s central processing unit or by a controller. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it is to be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.