Harvester reel having adjustable tine bars and method for resetting same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12426542-B2
Application number	US-202217891417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2022
Priority date	Aug 19, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

In an agricultural harvester header for an agricultural vehicle including a frame, a reel attached to the frame and having a plurality of reel tine bars, a cutterbar attached to the frame and positioned beneath the reel, an actuator for moving the reel tine bars between a deployed position and a retracted position, a sensor for sensing a position of the cutterbar, and a computer, a method for returning the reel tine bars to the deployed position includes (i) receiving, at the computer, signals from the sensor, (ii) recording a sensed position of the cutterbar when the actuator moves the reel tine bars to the retracted position, and (iii) activating the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of when the cutterbar returns to the recorded sensed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural harvester header for an agricultural vehicle, said agricultural harvester header comprising:
a frame;
a reel attached to the frame and including a plurality of reel tine bars extending widthwise across the reel;
a cutterbar attached to the frame and positioned beneath the reel, wherein the cutterbar is configured to cut crops as the agricultural vehicle moves forward over a crop field;
an actuator for moving the reel tine bars between a deployed position, whereby the reel tine bars are positioned proximal to the cutterbar, and a retracted position, whereby the reel tine bars are positioned distal to the cutterbar;
one or more sensors for sensing a position of the cutterbar or a component of the header that is fixed to the cutterbar; and
a computer configured to (i) receive signals from the one or more sensors as well as send and/or receive signals to/from the actuator, (ii) record a sensed position of the cutterbar, or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, when the actuator moves the reel tine bars to the retracted position so as to prevent contact between the reel tine bars and the cutterbar, and (iii) activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of when the cutterbar, or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, returns to the recorded sensed position.

2. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein said component that is fixed to the cutterbar is a flexible or moveable arm that is pivotably mounted to the frame, and one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to sense a rotational position of the flexible or moveable arm, and the computer is configured to calculate the position of the cutterbar as a function of the rotational position of said flexible or moveable arm.

3. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein in activating the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position, the computer does not rely on feedback from any other sensor.

4. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein in activating the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position, the computer does not take into consideration a position of the reel.

5. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of only the recorded and sensed position of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar.

6. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position when the cutterbar, or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, returns to the recorded and sensed position.

7. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of the recorded and sensed position and a movement direction of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar.

8. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of (i) the recorded and sensed position of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, (ii) a movement direction of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, and (iii) a velocity of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar.

9. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of (i) the recorded and sensed position of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, (ii) a movement direction of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, and (iii) an acceleration of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar.

10. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to move the reel tine bars to the retracted position as a function of (i) a sensed position of the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar and (ii) a position of the reel.

11. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to activate the actuator to move the reel tine bars to the retracted position as a function of a distance separating the cutterbar and the reel.

12. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein each sensor is one of a rotary encoder, an optical sensor, a magnet, a switch, a Hall-Effect sensor and a potentiometer.

13. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein said component that is fixed to the cutterbar is a flexible or moveable arm that is also pivotably mounted to the frame, and one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to sense a rotational position of the flexible or moveable arm, and the agricultural harvester header comprises a plurality of the flexible or moveable arms and a plurality of said sensors, wherein each sensor corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of flexible or moveable arms.

14. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the reel is rotatably mounted to the frame by an axle, and wherein the reel tine bars are movable between the deployed position and the retracted position relative to the axle.

15. The agricultural harvester header of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense the position of either the cutterbar or said component that is fixed to the cutterbar, relative to the frame.

16. An agricultural vehicle comprising the agricultural harvester header of claim 1 .

17. In an agricultural harvester header for an agricultural vehicle including a frame, a reel attached to the frame and having a plurality of reel tine bars, a cutterbar attached to the frame and positioned beneath the reel, an actuator for moving the reel tine bars between a deployed position and a retracted position, a sensor for sensing a position of either the cutterbar or a component that is fixed to the cutterbar, and a computer, a method for returning the reel tine bars to the deployed position comprises:
receiving, at the computer, signals from the sensor,
recording a sensed position of the cutterbar or the component that is fixed to either the cutterbar when the actuator moves the reel tine bars to the retracted position, and
activating the actuator to return the reel tine bars to the deployed position as a function of when either the cutterbar or the component that is fixed to the cutterbar returns to the recorded sensed position.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Hunt Cory

Classifications

• A01D57/12

  Rotating rakes · CPC title

• A01D57/04

  Arrangements for changing the position of the reels · CPC title

• A01D34/28

  Adjusting devices for the cutter-bar · CPC title

• A01D75/28

  Control mechanisms for harvesters or mowers when moving on slopes; Devices preventing lateral pull · CPC title

• A01D75/18

  Safety devices for parts of the machines · CPC title