IP Library Granted Patent US 12,052,951
Granted Patent B2
US 12,052,951 · App. 17/291,672 · Granted Aug 6, 2024

Remotely adjustable row divider for an agricultural harvester

Inventors: Jonathan E. Ricketts (Davenport, IA); Brett Gutknecht (Cedar Falls, IA); Nate McGraw (Macomb, IL); Adam L. Hession (Davenport, IA)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01D57/01A01D57/22A01D45/028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,052,951
App. No.
17/291,672
Granted
Aug 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A header for an agricultural vehicle includes: a header frame; at least one crop remover carried by the header frame; a plurality of row dividers pivotably carried by the header frame; and at least one divider lifter coupled to at least one of the row dividers and configured to activate in order to pivot the coupled at least one row divider relative to the header frame. The at least one divider lifter is configured to be selectively activated by a remote controller.

Claims (31)

1. A header for an agricultural harvester, comprising:

a header frame;

at least one crop remover carried by the header frame;

a plurality of row dividers pivotably carried by the header frame;

at least one divider lifter coupled to at least one row divider of the plurality of row dividers and configured to activate in order to pivot the at least one row divider relative to the header frame, the at least one divider lifter configured to be selectively activated by a remote controller; and

at least one divider support bearing on the at least one row divider such that movement of the at least one divider support causes pivoting of the at least one row divider;

wherein the at least one divider lifter comprises a winder, the winder is connected to the at least one divider support via at least one respective tensioner, the at least one respective tensioner is configured to wind about a shaft of the winder, and the shaft of the winder is configured to rotate to change an effective length of the tensioner.

2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the at least one divider support comprises a plurality of divider supports, the at least one respective tensioner comprises a plurality of respective tensioners, and each of the plurality of divider supports bears on a respective row divider of the plurality of row dividers and is connected to the winder via a respective tensioner of the plurality of respective tensioners.

3. The header of claim 1 , wherein the at least one divider lifter comprises a plurality of divider lifters, each of the plurality of divider lifters being configured to activate independently of at least one of the other divider lifters.

4. The header of claim 1 , wherein the at least one divider lifter is configured to activate upon receiving an electronic signal directly from the remote controller.

5. An agricultural harvester, comprising:

a chassis;

a header carried by the chassis, the header comprising:

a header frame;

at least one crop remover carried by the header frame;

a plurality of row dividers pivotably carried by the header frame; and

at least one divider lifter coupled to at least one row divider of the plurality of row dividers and configured to activate in order to pivot the at least one row divider relative to the header frame;

a controller carried by the chassis remotely from the header and configured to selectively activate the at least one divider lifter by outputting a signal to the at least one divider lifter or to a power source coupled to the at least one divider lifter; and

one or more crop detecting sensors operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect whether the at least one row divider is unutilized based on feedback from the one or more crop detecting sensors, and the controller is configured to selectively activate the at least one divider lifter in response to determining the at least one row divider is unutilized.

6. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , wherein the at least one divider lifter comprises an actuator directly coupled to the at least one row divider.

7. The agricultural harvester of claim 6 , further comprising a row hood carried by the header frame, the actuator being pivotably coupled to the row hood and fixedly coupled to the at least one row divider.

8. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , further comprising at least one divider support bearing on the at least one row divider such that movement of the at least one divider support causes pivoting of the at least one row divider.

9. The agricultural harvester of claim 8 , wherein the at least one divider lifter comprises a winder, and the winder is connected to the at least one divider support via at least one respective tensioner.

10. The agricultural harvester of claim 9 , wherein the at least one divider support comprises a plurality of divider supports, the at least one respective tensioner comprises a plurality of respective tensioners, and each of the plurality of divider supports bears on a respective row divider of the plurality of row dividers and is connected to the winder via a respective tensioner of the plurality of respective tensioners.

11. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , wherein the at least one divider lifter comprises a plurality of divider lifters, each of the plurality of divider lifters being configured to activate independently of at least one of the other divider lifters.

12. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , further comprising an operating cab carried by the chassis, the controller being located in the operating cab.

13. The agricultural harvester of claim 5 , wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the at least one divider lifter.

14. An agricultural harvester, comprising:

a controller configured to be carried by a chassis of the agricultural harvester remotely from a header of the agricultural harvester, wherein the controller is configured to:

detect whether at least one row divider of a plurality of row dividers is unutilized based on feedback from one or more crop detecting sensors, wherein each of the plurality of row dividers is configured to be pivotably carried by a header frame of the header; and

selectively activate at least one divider lifter in response to determining the at least one row divider is unutilized by outputting a signal to the at least one divider lifter or to a power source coupled to the at least one divider lifter, wherein the at least one divider lifter is configured to couple to the at least one row divider and to activate to pivot the at least one row divider relative to the header frame.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2024
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: BLUE LEAF I.P., INC.
Reel/Frame 069385/0726 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2021
From: GUTKNECHT, BRETT; HESSION, ADAM L.; MCGRAW, NATE; RICKETTS, JONATHAN E.
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 056154/0334 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62756381 · Nov 6, 2018
Related Publication 20220000029A1 · Jan 6, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,446,490