Patent ID: 12245552

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 toFIG.1, there is shown a known agricultural vehicle100. The agricultural vehicle100is illustrated as a combine100, which generally includes a chassis102supported by wheels, a prime mover, a cab, a feeder housing, and a header110.

The header110is removably attached to the feeder housing. The header110is in the form of a draper header110. The draper header110generally includes a frame112with left and right lateral ends, a cutter bar114that severs the crop from a field, at least one conveyor116, for example a draper belt116and/or auger, which feeds the severed crop inwardly from each lateral end of the frame112toward the feeder housing, and a reel assembly120mounted to the frame112, which feeds the crop into the header110.

The reel assembly120generally includes a rotating reel122with fingers, e.g. tines124, a pair of “L”-shaped reel arms126mounting the reel122to the frame112, a pair of extension hydraulic cylinders127, a respective pair of lifting hydraulic cylinders128, and a reel bearing129. The reel assembly120may also include a reel drive mechanism for rotating the reel. Thereby, the reel122may be raised and lowered by the actuators128or extended and retracted by the actuators127. Each reel arm126has a proximal, i.e., rear, end and a distal, i.e., front, end. The proximal end of each reel arm126is pivotally connected to the frame112. The reel122is movably mounted onto each distal end of the reel arms126by way of the reel bearing129. Each reel arm126is a rigid, uniform part that is typically composed of metal.

Referring now toFIGS.2-4, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a header210which generally includes a frame212, a cutter bar214, at least one conveyor216, and a reel assembly220according to the present invention. The header210may be connected to any desired agricultural vehicle, such as a windrower or combine100, as discussed above. The header210may be in the form of any desired header, such as a draper header210. The draper header210may be a flex-draper header210which allows the floor and/or cutter bar214to flex, or otherwise move, to accommodate the undulations of the field.

The reel assembly220may generally include two multi-member reel arms222which each include a first and second member224,226, a reel228with tine bars230and tines232attached thereto, lift actuators234, extension actuators236, and pivot actuators238. The reel assembly220may also include at least one bracket240,242associated with each reel arm222. The pivot actuators238may be retracted to position the reel228in a raised position (FIG.2) or extended to position the reel228in one or more lowered positions (FIGS.3-4). For example, the pivot actuators238can be extended to position the reel228closer to and behind the cutter bar (FIG.3) or in front of the cutter bar214such that at least a portion of the reel228is positioned in front of the cutter bar214, which thereby enables the reel228to more aggressively pickup down crop without interfering with the operation of the cutter bar214(FIG.4). It should be appreciated that although only the right side of the reel assembly220of the header210is shown the left side of the reel assembly220is exactly the same except that it is mirrored. It should be appreciated that the reel assembly220may be incorporated into any desired header210.

Each first member224of a respective reel arm222is pivotally connected to the frame212, and each second member226is pivotally connected to each first member224by way of the at least one bracket240,242. Each first member224may be in the form of a beam or plate with an irregular polygonal cross-section. For instance, each first member224may have one or more protrusions or angled end sections for mounting the respective pivot actuator238, lift actuator234, and/or bracket(s)240,242. Each second member226may be in the form of a rectangular or cylindrical beam. Each It should be appreciated that each second member226can be directly pivotally connected to each first member224without incorporating a bracket. Each second member226can be pivotally connected to each first member224by two brackets240,242. The first bracket240can be pivotally connected to the upper portion of a respective first member224at a middle section of the first bracket240and to a respective second member226at an end portion of the first bracket240. The second bracket242can be pivotally connected to the lower portion of the respective first member224and to the first bracket240and/or respective second member226by one or more links (unnumbered). Thus, each bracket240,242defines a respective pivot location of each second member226. The second bracket242may also function as a mechanical stop to thereby limit the pivotable range of each second member226relative to each first member224.

The reel228is positioned in between and movably connected, via a reel bearing244, to the second members226of the reel arms222. The reel228can be extended inwardly or outwardly, via the extension actuators236, and raised or lowered, via the lift and/or pivot actuators243,238. The reel228may be lowered such that at least a portion of the reel228extends beyond the cutter bar214for picking up down crop. In this regard, at least a portion of the tines232and/or the tine bars230may extend past, i.e. in front of, the cutter bar214(FIG.4).

Each lift actuator234may be connected in between the frame212and the respective first member224. The lift actuators234are configured for adjusting a vertical position of the reel228. Each extension236actuator is operably connected to the respective second member226. In other words, each extension actuator236is connected in between a respective bracket240and reel bearing244. The extension actuators236are configured for adjusting a horizontal position of the reel228relative to each second member226. Each pivot actuator238is operably connected in between the respective first member224and second member226. The first end of each pivot actuator238is connected to a respective first member224and the second end of each pivot actuator238is connected to a respective at least one bracket240and/or second member226. Each pivot actuator may be positioned on top of each first member226. The pivot actuators238are configured for pivoting the second members226relative to the first members224such that the reel228is pivotable relative to the first members224. The actuators234,236,238may be in the form of any desired actuators, such as hydraulic or electric cylinders.

In another exemplary embodiment, the header210or reel assembly220may further include an electronic control unit (ECU)250, with a memory252, and at least one sensor254. Thereby, the motion and/or float mode of the reel228may be automatically controlled by the ECU250.

The ECU250is operably connected to the actuators234,236,238and sensor(s)254. The ECU250may automatically control the actuation of the actuators234,236,238. The ECU250may prevent an actuation of the pivot actuators238unless the position signal of the position sensor254registers that the reel228is at least partially in front of the cutter bar214. Additionally, under normal flex mode conditions of the header210, the pivot actuators238would be retracted to keep the reel228lifted so that the tines232would not contact the ground (FIG.2). If reel228is in a lowered position (FIG.4), and the operator tries to then move the reel228back towards the cutter bar214, the ECU250would automatically retract the pivot actuators238to raise the reel228up so that the reel228does not interfere with the cutter bar214. Also, the reel assembly220allows the cutter bar214to be locked in a mid-float position when cutting in a rigid mode because so long as the header210remained in the rigid mode, the pivot actuators238could be unlocked and actuated by the ECU250to thereby keep the reel228at a desirable distance from the cutter bar214. Furthermore, if the header210senses that the cutter bar214is cutting on the ground in a rigid mode, the ECU250may automatically actuate the pivot actuators238to prevent contact between the reel228and the cutter bar214. In this regard, the reel assembly220may allow the operator to run a rigid header210which easily and efficiently functions as a flex header210with a limited range. The ECU250may be in the form of any desired analog or digital control unit. For example, the ECU250may be in the form of a controller. The ECU250may be incorporated into existing hardware and/or software of the agricultural vehicle100or header210.

The position sensor(s)254may be connected to the reel228and operably connected to the electronic control unit250. Each position sensor254is configured for sending a respective position signal, indicating the position of the reel228, to the ECU250. The position sensor254may 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 header210may include more than one position sensor. For example, the header210may include three or more sensors, in the form of linear sensors, that are incorporated into respective actuators234,236,238.

Referring now toFIG.5, there is shown a method500for harvesting a crop material with a draper header210. The method500may include an initial step of providing the reel assembly220, as discussed above (at block502). For simplicity of description, the method500will be discussed with respect to a single reel arm222; however, it should be appreciated that the method500applies to both reel arms222on each lateral end of the reel228. The method500may include the step of pivoting the second member226of the reel arm222downwardly, by extending the pivot actuator238and/or extension actuator236, in order to move the reel228down and in front of the cutter bar214for picking up down crop (at block504). The method500may also include the step of pivoting the second member226of the reel arm222upwardly, by retracting the pivot actuator238, in order to move the reel228up and behind the cutter bar214(at block506). The method500may also include the step of pivoting the second member236downwardly, by extending the pivot actuator238, in order to lower the reel228in any desired position such as positioning the reel228closer to the cutter bar214yet keeping the reel228behind the cutter bar214.

It is to be understood that the steps of the method500are performed by the ECU250upon 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 ECU250described herein, such as the method500, is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium. The ECU250loads 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 ECU250, the ECU250may perform any of the functionality of the ECU250described 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'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'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'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.