Airbag system for a harvester header

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022015292-A1
Application number	US-201917294517-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A header of a harvester includes a cutter bar assembly, a side deck, and an airbag. The side deck includes a conveyor and an arm assembly. The cutter bar assembly is configured to cut crops, and the conveyor is configured to transport the crops cut by the cutter bar assembly toward a center of the header. The arm assembly is coupled to the cutter bar assembly and to the at least one airbag. The arm assembly is configured to pivot to enable the cutter bar assembly to flex along a lateral axis of the header. The airbag is configured to apply a substantially constant force to the at least one arm assembly.

First claim

1 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . A header of a harvester, comprising:
a cutter bar assembly configured to cut crops; a side deck comprising a conveyor and at least one arm assembly, wherein the conveyor is configured to transport the crops cut by the cutter bar assembly toward a center of the header; and at least one airbag, wherein the at least one arm assembly is coupled to the cutter bar assembly and to the at least one airbag, the at least one arm assembly is configured to pivot to enable the cutter bar assembly to flex along a lateral axis of the header, and the at least one airbag is configured to apply a substantially constant force to the at least one arm assembly.

17 . The header of claim 16 , further comprising a pivot rod coupled to the at least one arm assembly, wherein the at least one arm assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot rod.

18 . The header of claim 17 , wherein the at least one arm assembly comprises a first end coupled to the cutter bar assembly and a second end coupled to the at least one airbag, and the pivot rod is disposed between the first end and the second end.

19 . The header of claim 18 , wherein the at least one airbag is configured to apply the substantially constant force at the first end of the at least one arm assembly to control a contact force between the cutter bar assembly and a field surface.

20 . The header of claim 16 , further comprising a frame, wherein the at least one airbag comprises a first end coupled to the at least one arm assembly and a second end coupled to the frame.

21 . The header of claim 16 , further comprising a reservoir fluidly coupled to the at least one airbag, wherein the reservoir is configured to supply air to the at least one airbag.

22 . The header of claim 16 , further comprising at least one lateral support, wherein the at least one arm assembly comprises a plurality of arm assemblies, the at least one lateral support extends between two arm assemblies of the plurality of arm assemblies, and the at least one lateral support is configured to rotate about the two arm assemblies of the plurality of arm assemblies.

23 . The header of claim 16 , wherein the at least one arm assembly extends longitudinally along the header.

24 . The header of claim 16 , wherein the at least one arm assembly extends through the conveyor.

25 . A header of a harvester, comprising:
a frame; a cutter bar assembly configured to cut crops along a field surface; an infeed deck pivotally coupled to the frame and coupled to the cutter bar assembly, wherein the infeed deck is configured to move the crops cut by the cutter bar assembly toward a crop processing system of the harvester; and at least one airbag coupled to the frame and to the infeed deck, wherein the at least one airbag is configured to provide a substantially constant force to the infeed draper deck.

26 . The header of claim 25 , wherein the infeed deck and the at least one airbag extend generally longitudinally along the header.

27 . The header of claim 25 , wherein the substantially constant force provided by the at least one airbag controls a contact force between the cutter bar assembly and the field surface.

28 . The header of claim 25 , wherein the infeed deck comprises an infeed conveyor.

29 . The header of claim 25 , further comprising a reservoir fluidly coupled to the at least one airbag, wherein the reservoir is configured to supply air to the at least one airbag.

30 . The header of claim 29 , wherein the at least one airbag is fluidly coupled to the reservoir via an air line and a push-to-connect connector.

31 . A header of a harvester, comprising:
a frame; a cutter bar assembly configured to cut crops; a first side deck comprising a first side conveyor and at least one arm assembly, wherein the at least one arm assembly extends through the first side conveyor, and the first side conveyor is configured to transport the crops cut by the cutter bar assembly toward a center of the header; an infeed deck pivotally coupled to the frame and disposed at the center of the header, wherein the infeed deck is configured to receive the crops from the first side deck and to move the crops toward a crop processing system; and a plurality of airbags comprising at least one first airbag and at least one second airbag, wherein the at least one first airbag is coupled to the frame and to the at least one arm assembly of the first side deck, the at least one second airbag is coupled to the frame and to the infeed deck, and the at least one arm assembly is configured to pivot to enable the cutter bar assembly to flex along a lateral axis of the header.

32 . The header of claim 31 , wherein the at least one first airbag is configured to apply a substantially constant force to the at least one arm assembly, and the at least one second airbag is configured to apply the substantially constant force to the infeed deck.

33 . The header of claim 31 , wherein the at least one first airbag is disposed generally vertically along the header, and the at least one second airbag is disposed generally longitudinally along the header.

34 . The header of claim 31 , further comprising a second side deck, wherein the infeed deck is disposed between first side deck and the second side deck.

35 . The head of claim 34 , wherein the second side deck comprises a second side conveyor and at least one second arm assembly, wherein the at least second one arm assembly extends through the first side conveyor, and the at least one second arm assembly is configured to pivot to enable the cutter bar assembly to flex along the lateral axis of the header.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Kemmerer Benjamin David
• Noll Blaine Robert
• Cook Joel Timothy

Classifications

• A01D61/008

  for longitudinal conveying, especially for combines · CPC title

• A01D61/002

  transversal conveying devices · CPC title

• A01D57/20

  with conveyor belts · CPC title

• A01D41/141 Primary

  Automatic header control · CPC title

• A01D41/06

  Combines with headers · CPC title