Electric row unit drive system for corn header of combine harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12453311-B2
Application number	US-202217832818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2022
Priority date	Jun 6, 2022
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A corn header for an agricultural vehicle includes two gathering chains which together draw plants into a snapping gap; two snap rolls positioned beneath the two gathering chains; a first brushless DC motor (BLDC) connected to at least one of the two gathering chains for moving the at least one of the two gathering chains; a chopping unit including a movable blade positioned beneath the snap rolls for fragmentizing stalks of the plants drawn into the snapping gap; and a second BLDC connected to the chopping unit for moving the blade and fragmentizing the stalks of the plants.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A corn header for an agricultural vehicle, said corn header comprising one or more row units, each row unit comprising:
two gathering chains which together draw plants into a snapping gap; two snap rolls positioned beneath the two gathering chains; a first brushless DC motor (BLDC) connected to at least one of the two gathering chains for moving the at least one of the two gathering chains; a chopping unit including a movable blade positioned beneath the snap rolls for fragmentizing stalks of the plants drawn into the snapping gap; a second BLDC connected to the chopping unit for moving the blade and fragmentizing the stalks of the plants; and a controller/processor connected to the first and second BLDCs for separately controlling the first and second BLDCs, wherein the controller/processor is configured to be connected to a computer processor of the vehicle, wherein the controller/processor is configured to set a gathering chain speed based upon a ground speed of the vehicle, the controller/processor is further configured to set a snap roll speed as a function of the gathering chain speed, and the controller/processor is further configured to set a chopping unit speed as a function of the gathering chain speed.

2 . The corn header of claim 1 further comprising another BLDC connected to at least one of the two snap rolls for rotating the at least one of the two snap rolls.

3 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein the first BLDC is also connected to at least one of the two snap rolls for rotating the at least one of the two snap rolls.

4 . The corn header of claim 3 , wherein the first BLDC is also connected to the other gathering chain for moving the other gathering chain.

5 . The corn header of claim 1 , further comprising an auger attached to the header and positioned downstream of the gathering chains, and another BLDC connected to the auger for rotating the auger.

6 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein the first BLDC is also connected to the other gathering chain for moving the other gathering chain.

7 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein each BLDC motor includes a motor controller that receives power and signals from the controller/processor, and transmits signals back to the controller/processor.

8 . The corn header of claim 7 , wherein, for each BLDC, the motor controller is integrated with the BLDC.

9 . The corn header of claim 1 , further comprising a vibration sensor associated with the gathering chains or the first BLDC for monitoring vibrations produced by the gathering chains and communicating signals indicative of the vibrations to the controller/processor.

10 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein speeds of the at least one of the two gathering chains and the chopping unit are independently settable by the controller/processor.

11 . The corn header of claim 1 , further comprising a geared arrangement interconnecting the gathering chains to the first BLDC.

12 . The corn header of claim 1 , further comprising another BLDC connected to the two snap rolls by a geared arrangement.

13 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein the chopping unit is not connected to or controlled by a clutch, the gathering chains are not connected to or controlled by a clutch, and the two snap rolls are not connected to or controlled by a clutch.

14 . The corn header of claim 1 , further comprising a frame to which the gathering chains, snap rolls, chopping unit and BLDCs are either directly or indirectly mounted.

15 . An agricultural vehicle comprising the corn header of claim 1 .

16 . The corn header of claim 7 , wherein each motor controller acts as a current limiter in an event of current draw above a pre-determined limit.

17 . The corn header of claim 1 , wherein the one or more row units comprise a plurality of row units, wherein during a turning maneuver of the vehicle each row unit of the plurality of row units experiences a different ground speed, and wherein the controller/processor of each row unit is configured to adjust the speeds of the first and second BLDCs to match a ground speed experienced at that row unit.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Reed Daniel
• Walker Eric

Classifications

• A01D41/127

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines · CPC title

• A01D69/02

  electric · CPC title

• A01D45/021 Primary

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D34/008

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• A01D34/58

  electric · CPC title