Overload detection system for a harvesting head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11369059-B2
Application number	US-202017602494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 10, 2019
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle header having a base structure, a header wing section, an articulated joint connecting the header wing section to the base structure, an actuator, a load sensor, and a controller. The actuator is configured to move the header wing section relative to the base structure between a wing lowered position and a wing raised position the load sensor is operatively connected to the header wing section. The controller is configured to acquire load sensor data from the load sensor to evaluate a magnitude of a gravitational load on the header wing section, and prevent the actuator from moving the header wing section towards the wing raised position if the magnitude of the gravitational load exceeds a predetermined threshold load value. An agricultural combine having the header and methods of operating the same are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A header for an agricultural vehicle, the header comprising:
a base structure;
a header wing section;
an articulated joint connecting the header wing section to the base structure;
an actuator operatively connected between the header wing section and the base structure, the actuator being operative to move the header wing section relative to the base structure between a wing lowered position and a wing raised position;
a load sensor operatively connected to the header wing section; and
a controller operatively connected to the load sensor and the actuator, the controller being configured to acquire load sensor data from the load sensor to evaluate a magnitude of a gravitational load on the header wing section, and prevent the actuator from moving the header wing section towards the wing raised position if the magnitude of the gravitational load exceeds a predetermined threshold load value.

2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a pressurized actuator and the load sensor comprises a pressure sensor associated with the actuator.

3. The header of claim 2 , wherein the pressurized actuator comprises one or more hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder assemblies.

4. The header of claim 1 , wherein the load sensor comprises one or more load cells connected to the actuator.

5. The header of claim 1 , wherein the header wing section comprises a draper deck having:
a frame operatively connected to the base structure;
one or more draper arms connected to the frame; and
a conveyor supported on the one or more draper arms and configured to move crop material towards the base structure,
wherein the load sensor is operatively connected to the one or more draper arms.

6. The header of claim 5 , wherein:
the one or more draper arms are movably connected to the frame and movable by one or more pressurized actuators between an arm lowered position and an arm raised position, and
the load sensor comprises one or more pressure sensors configured to detect a respective pressure in the one or more pressurized actuators.

7. The header of claim 5 , wherein the load sensor comprises one or more load cells connected to the one or more draper arms.

8. The header of claim 1 , wherein the base structure comprises a header center section.

9. The header of claim 1 , further comprising a deflection sensor operatively connected to the controller and the header wing section, the controller being configured to acquire deflection sensor data from the deflection sensor to evaluate a magnitude of a relative movement between the base structure and the header wing section, and transmit a control instruction to slow or stop movement of the header if the magnitude of the relative movement exceeds a predetermined threshold deflection value.

10. The header of claim 9 , wherein the deflection sensor comprises at least one of:
a respective accelerometer located on each of the base structure and the header wing section, and
an optical path sensor comprising an emitter configured to direct a beam of light along a length of the wing section, and a detector configured to determine a displacement of the beam of light from a starting position.

11. An agricultural combine comprising:
a chassis, and
a header assembly attached to the chassis, the header assembly comprising:
a base structure;
a header wing section;
an articulated joint connecting the header wing section to a mount;
an actuator operatively connected between the header wing section and the base structure, the actuator being operative to move the header wing section relative to the base structure between a wing lowered position and a wing raised position;
a load sensor operatively connected to the header wing section; and
a controller operatively connected to the load sensor and the actuator, the controller being configured to acquire load sensor data from the load sensor to evaluate a magnitude of a gravitational load on the header wing section, and prevent the actuator from moving the header wing section towards the wing raised position if the magnitude of the gravitational load exceeds a predetermined threshold load value.

12. The agricultural combine of claim 11 , wherein load sensor comprises a pressure sensor or a load cell associated with the actuator.

13. The agricultural combine of claim 11 , wherein the header wing section comprises a draper deck having:
a frame operatively connected to the base structure;
one or more draper arms connected to the frame; and
a conveyor supported on the one or more draper arms and configured to move crop material towards the base structure,
wherein the load sensor is operatively connected to the one or more draper arms.

14. The agricultural combine of claim 13 , wherein:
the one or more draper arms are movably connected to the frame and movable by one or more pressurized actuators between an arm lowered position and an arm raised position, and
the load sensor comprises one or more pressure sensors configured to detect a respective pressure in the one or more pressurized actuators.

15. The agricultural combine of claim 13 , wherein the load sensor comprises one or more load cells connected to the one or more draper arms.

16. The agricultural combine of claim 11 , wherein the base structure comprises a header center section.

17. The header assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a deflection sensor operatively connected to the controller and the header wing section, the controller being configured to acquire deflection sensor data from the deflection sensor to evaluate a magnitude of a relative movement between the base structure and the header wing section, and transmit a control instruction to slow or stop movement of the header assembly if the magnitude of the relative movement exceeds a predetermined threshold deflection value.

18. A method for controlling a header assembly for an agricultural vehicle having a base structure and a header wing section attached to the base structure by an articulated joint, the method comprising:
determining a magnitude of a gravitational load on the header wing section;
comparing the magnitude of the gravitational load to a predetermined load value; and
sending a control signal to prevent the header wing section from being moved towards a raised position upon determining that the magnitude of the gravitational load is greater than the predetermined load value.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
sending a control signal to cause the agricultural vehicle to stop upon determining that the magnitude of the gravitational load is greater than the predetermined load value.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining a magnitude of a deflection of the wing section relative to the base structure;
comparing the magnitude of the deflection of the wing section to a predetermined deflection value; and
sending a control signal to cause the agricultural vehicle to stop upon determining that the magnitude of the gravitational load is greater than the predetermined load value.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Hunt Cory
• Mckinney Preston
• D'Amicantonio Matthew

Classifications

• A01D41/141 Primary

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D41/144

  Foldable headers · CPC title

• A01B73/044

  the axis being oriented in a longitudinal direction (A01B73/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D75/182 Primary

  Avoiding overload · CPC title