IP Library Granted Patent US 10,791,673
Granted Patent B2
US 10,791,673 · App. 15/886,301 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Drive system having hydraulic power transmission for a harvesting header of a harvester

Inventors: Christoph Schmoening (Haltern, DE); Stefan Bohrer (St. Wendel, DE)
Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
A01D41/142A01B59/064A01D41/1274A01D69/03A01D89/005A01F29/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,791,673
App. No.
15/886,301
Granted
Oct 6, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive system for a harvesting header of a harvester includes a drive motor, and a drive train connected between the drive motor and one or more driven elements of the harvesting header. The drive train has a variable-displacement hydraulic pump arranged on board the harvester and a hydraulic motor connected in a closed circuit to the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic motor is mounted on the harvesting header and detachably connected by hydraulic coupling connections to the hydraulic pump.

Claims (34)

1. A drive system for a harvesting header of a harvester, comprising:

a drive motor, and

a drive train connected between the drive motor and a driven element of the harvesting header, the drive train having a variable-displacement hydraulic pump arranged on board the harvester and either a harvester-side hydraulic motor or a header-side hydraulic motor connected in a closed circuit to the hydraulic pump;

wherein the harvesting header includes a code readable by a control unit of the harvester,

the control unit is operable to open a valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the header-side hydraulic motor if it is recognizable on the basis of information associated with the code that the harvesting header includes the header-side hydraulic motor mounted on the harvester header and detachably connect by coupling connections to the hydraulic pump for driving the harvesting header; and

the control unit is operable to open a valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the harvester-side hydraulic motor if it is recognizable on the basis of information associated with the code that the harvesting header is not equipped with the header-side hydraulic motor for driving the harvesting header.

2. The drive system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a pressure line running from the hydraulic pump to the header-side hydraulic motor including a first coupling connection, and

a pressure line returning from the header-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump including a second coupling connection, wherein the first and second coupling connections are each mounted on a respective common bracket on the harvesting header and on the harvester.

3. The drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is operable to bring the valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the header-side hydraulic motor into a position connecting the harvester-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump if the harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code, or to command the harvester-side hydraulic motor designed as a servomotor to assume a zero position if the harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code.

4. The drive system according to claim 3 , wherein the coupling connections are disconnected from the hydraulic pump by the valve in the position thereof that connects the harvester-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump.

5. A harvester, comprising:

a harvesting header;

a drive motor;

a drive train connected between the drive motor and a driven element of the harvesting header, the drive train having a variable-displacement hydraulic pump arranged on board the harvester and either a harvester-side hydraulic motor or a header-side hydraulic motor connected in a closed circuit to the hydraulic pump;

wherein the harvesting header includes a code readable by a control unit of the harvester;

wherein the control unit is operable to open a valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the header-side hydraulic motor if it is recognizable on the basis of information associated with the code that the harvesting header includes the header-side hydraulic motor mounted on the harvester header and detachably connect by coupling connections to the hydraulic pump for driving the harvesting header; and

the control unit is operable to open a valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the harvester-side hydraulic motor if it is recognizable on the basis of information associated with the code that the harvesting header is not equipped with the header-side hydraulic motor for driving the harvesting header.

6. The harvester according to claim 5 , wherein the harvesting header comprises a pick-up having a transverse auger and a tine rotor, and the header-side hydraulic motor is drivingly connected to the transverse auger.

7. The harvester according to claim 6 , wherein the header-side hydraulic motor is arranged inside the transverse auger or designed as a radial piston motor.

8. The harvester according to claim 6 , wherein the tine rotor is driven via a hydrostatic transmission drivable by the transverse auger.

9. The harvester according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a pressure line running from the hydraulic pump to the header-side hydraulic motor including a first coupling connection, and

a pressure line returning from the header-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump including a second coupling connection, wherein the first and second coupling connections are each mounted on a respective common bracket on the harvesting header and on the harvester.

10. The harvester according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit is operable to bring the valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the header-side hydraulic motor into a position connecting the harvester-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump if the harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code, or to command the harvester-side hydraulic motor designed as a servomotor to assume a zero position if the harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code.

11. The harvester according to claim 10 , wherein the coupling connections are disconnected from the hydraulic pump by the valve in the position thereof that connects the harvester-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump.

12. A harvester comprising:

a frame;

a harvesting header detachably coupled to the frame;

a variable-displacement hydraulic pump arranged on board the frame, and either a header-side hydraulic motor of the harvesting header or a harvester-side hydraulic motor provided on the frame connected in a closed circuit to the hydraulic pump;

a valve;

a control unit operable to read a code from the harvesting header and open the valve to provide hydraulic fluid to the header-side hydraulic motor on the basis of information associated with the code indicating that the harvesting header includes the header-side hydraulic motor; and

wherein the control unit is operable to open the valve to provide hydraulic fluid to the harvester-side hydraulic motor to drive the harvesting header when the harvesting header is not equipped with the header-side hydraulic motor.

13. The harvester according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit is operable to bring the valve arranged between the hydraulic pump and the header-side hydraulic motor into a position connecting the harvester-side hydraulic motor to the hydraulic pump if the second harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code, or to command the harvester-side hydraulic motor designed as a servomotor to assume a zero position if the second harvesting header is not furnished with a respective code.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2018
From: SCHMOENING, CHRISTOPH; BOHRER, STEFAN; JOHN DEERE GMBH & CO. KG; MASCHINENFABRIK KEMPER GMBH & CO. KG
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 044803/0325 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2017 201 701 · Feb 2, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180213721A1 · Aug 2, 2018