Failsafe mode for articulating harvesting header
A control system and method for operating an articulating header of a combine harvester in a failsafe mode. The method includes monitoring the articulating header, alerting a user when a fault condition is detected in the articulating header, and converting the articulating header to a non-articulating header in response to the fault condition so that the combine harvester may be operated in a failsafe mode.
1. A method for operating an articulating header of a combine harvester in a failsafe mode, the method comprising:
monitoring the articulating header, wherein in an articulating configuration of the header, a first section of the header is permitted to rotate with respect to a second section of the header, and in a non-articulating configuration of the header, the first section of the header is prevented from rotating with respect to the second section of the header;
alerting a user when a fault condition is detected in the articulating header; and
converting the articulating header from the articulating configuration to the non-articulating configuration by actively locking the first and second sections of the header together in response to the fault condition so that the combine harvester may be operated in a failsafe mode.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring step comprises monitoring one or more sensors on the header that are configured to determine a position of the first section of the articulating header, and the alerting step indicates a fault condition in connection with the one or more sensors.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the header further comprises a hydraulic system for moving the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the converting step comprises closing a valve of the hydraulic system to actively lock the first and second sections of the header together to prevent the first section of the articulating header from moving with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a piston cylinder apparatus that is connected to the first section of the articulating header and the second section of the articulating header, wherein the piston cylinder apparatus is fed with hydraulic fluid to move the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the header further comprises a latch for actively locking the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the converting step comprises actuating the latch to prevent the first section of the articulating header from moving with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the header further comprises an actuator for moving the latch to a locked position.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the converting step comprises manually moving the latch to a locked position.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein sections of the header are aligned along a transverse axis when the header is positioned in the non-articulating configuration.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the header further comprises a hydraulic system for moving the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the monitoring step comprises monitoring a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic system.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the header further comprises a latch for locking the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the converting step comprises actuating the latch to prevent the first section of the articulating header from moving with respect to the second section of the articulating header when the monitoring step indicates a fault in the hydraulic system.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the header further comprises an actuator for moving the latch to a locked position, and the converting step comprises actuating the actuator to move the latch to the locked position.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the converting step comprises manually moving the latch to a locked position.
13. An articulating header of a combine harvester that is configured to be operated in a failsafe mode, the articulating header comprising:
a first section of the header that is rotatably connected to a second section of the header, wherein in an articulating configuration of the header, the first section of the header is permitted to rotate with respect to the second section of the header, and in a non-articulating configuration of the header, the first section of the header is prevented from rotating with respect to the second section of the header;
a controller that is configured to determine a fault condition in the articulating header; and
means for converting the articulating header from the articulating configuration to the non-articulating configuration in response to the fault condition by actively locking the first and second sections of the header together so that the combine harvester may be operated in the failsafe mode.
14. The articulating header of claim 13 , further comprising one or more sensors on the header that are configured to determine a position of the first section of the articulating header, and the controller is configured for monitoring the one or more sensors.
15. The articulating header of claim 13 , wherein the header further comprises a hydraulic system for moving the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the conversion means comprises a valve of the hydraulic system that is configured to actively lock the first and second sections together to prevent the first section of the articulating header from moving with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
16. The articulating header of claim 15 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a piston cylinder apparatus that is connected to the first section of the articulating header and the second section of the articulating header for moving the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
17. The articulating header of claim 13 , wherein the conversion means comprises a latch for locking the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header to prevent the first section of the articulating header from moving with respect to the second section of the articulating header.
18. The articulating header of claim 17 , wherein the header further comprises an actuator for moving the latch to a locked position.
19. The articulating header of claim 13 , wherein the header further comprises a hydraulic system for moving the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header, and the controller is configured to monitor a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic system.
20. The articulating header of claim 19 , wherein the conversion means comprises a latch for locking the first section of the articulating header with respect to the second section of the articulating header when a fault occurs in the hydraulic system.
21. The articulating header of claim 1 further comprising a crop conveyor disposed on the first and second sections of the header.