Damped float response on an agricultural harvester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020337239-A1
Application number	US-201916392120-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A header assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine having a traction unit comprises a cutter, a main frame that supports the cutter, a float cylinder configured to be coupled between the main frame and the traction unit, an accumulator, and fluidic circuitry that fluidically couples the accumulator to the float cylinder. The fluidic circuitry is configured to provide a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame, and, based on a control input that corresponds to a lifting operation of the header assembly, provide a restricted flow of fluid, that is restricted relative to the first flow, between the float cylinder and the accumulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A header assembly for an agricultural harvesting machine having a traction unit, the header assembly comprising:
a cutter; a main frame that supports the cutter; a float cylinder configured to be coupled between the main frame and the traction unit; an accumulator; and fluidic circuitry that fluidically couples the accumulator to the float cylinder, wherein the fluidic circuitry is configured to:
provide a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame; and
based on a control input that corresponds to a lifting operation of the header assembly, provide a restricted flow of fluid, that is restricted relative to the first flow, between the float cylinder and the accumulator.

2 . The header assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic circuitry comprises:
a valve mechanism that is actuatable, based on the control input, between a first position that permits the first flow through a first fluid conduit and a second position that inhibits flow through the first fluid conduit.

3 . The header assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fluidic circuitry comprises:
a second fluid conduit disposed in parallel with the first fluid conduit and having a flow restricting feature configured to provide the restricted flow between the float cylinder and the accumulator when the valve mechanism is in the second position.

4 . The header assembly of claim 3 , wherein the flow restricting feature comprises a flow restricting orifice in the second fluid conduit between the float cylinder and the accumulator.

5 . The header assembly of claim 4 , wherein the flow restricting orifice defines an orifice opening that is smaller than the first fluid conduit.

6 . The header assembly of claim 5 , wherein the flow restricting orifice comprises:
a fixed orifice that has a fixed size orifice opening.

7 . The header assembly of claim 5 , and further comprising:
a control system configured to operate the fluidic circuitry in a first mode that provides the first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure, and in a second mode that provides the restricted flow of fluid.

8 . The header assembly of claim 7 , wherein the control input is generated based on an operator input.

9 . The header assembly of claim 7 , wherein the control input is generated based on a sensed direction of movement of the header assembly.

10 . The header assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lifting operation lifts the header assembly off the ground.

11 . The header assembly of claim 1 , and further comprising:
an attachment frame movably coupled to the main frame, wherein the attachment frame is coupled to the traction unit and the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame relative to the attachment frame.

12 . A float force assembly for a harvesting machine header that is attached to a harvesting machine traction unit, the float force assembly comprising:
an accumulator; and fluidic circuitry that fluidically couples the accumulator to a float cylinder coupled between the harvesting machine traction unit and the harvesting machine header, wherein the fluidic circuitry comprises a valve mechanism that is actuatable between a first position and a second position, wherein
when the valve mechanism is in the first position, the fluidic circuitry provides a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame; and
when the valve mechanism is in the second position, the fluidic circuitry provide a restricted flow of fluid, that is restricted relative to the first flow, between the float cylinder and the accumulator.

13 . The float force assembly of claim 12 , wherein the fluidic circuitry comprises:
a first fluid conduit that is controlled by the valve mechanism; and a second fluid conduit disposed in parallel with the first fluid conduit and having a flow restricting feature configured to provide the restricted flow between the float cylinder and the accumulator when the valve mechanism is in the second position.

14 . The float force assembly of claim 13 , wherein the flow restricting feature comprises a flow restricting orifice in the second fluid conduit between the float cylinder and the accumulator, the flow restricting orifice defining an orifice opening that is smaller than the first fluid conduit.

15 . The float force assembly of claim 12 , wherein the valve mechanism is actuated, based on a control input, between the first position and the second position during a lifting operation that lifts the harvesting machine header.

16 . The float force assembly of claim 15 , and further comprising:
a control system configured to operate the fluidic circuitry in a first mode that provides the first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure, and in a second mode that provides the restricted flow of fluid.

17 . The float force assembly of claim 16 , wherein the control input is generated based on an operator input.

18 . The float force assembly of claim 16 , wherein the control input is generated based on a sensed direction of movement of the header assembly.

19 . The header assembly of claim 12 , and further comprising:
an attachment frame movably coupled to the main frame, wherein the attachment frame is coupled to the traction unit and the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame relative to the attachment frame.

20 . A header for a traction unit of a harvesting machine, the header comprising:
a cutter; an attachment frame configured to couple the header to the traction unit; a main frame that supports the cutter and is movably coupled to the attachment frame; a float cylinder; an accumulator that is fluidically coupled to the float cylinder through a first fluid conduit that provides a first flow of pressurized fluid under pressure to the float cylinder, so the float cylinder exerts a float force on the main frame relative to the attachment frame; a valve mechanism that is actuatable between a first position that permits the first flow through the first fluid conduit and a second position that inhibits flow through the first fluid conduit; and a second fluid conduit disposed in parallel with the second fluid conduit and having a flow restricting feature configured to provide the restricted flow between the float cylinder and the accumulator when the valve mechanism is in the second position.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Brimeyer Alex
• Renner David E
• Singh Praveen Kumar
• Verhoef Todd M

Classifications

• A01B63/108

  on the front part · CPC title

• A01B63/008

  Vertical adjustment of tools (A01B63/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F15B21/087

  Control strategy, e.g. with block diagram · CPC title

• F15B21/005

  Filling or draining of fluid systems · CPC title

• F15B13/0433

  the pilot valves being pressure control valves (F15B13/0435, F15B13/0436, F15B13/0438 take precedence) · CPC title