BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to agricultural harvester headers and, more specifically, to drivelines of agricultural harvester headers.

An agricultural harvester known as a “combine” is historically termed such because it combines multiple harvesting functions with a single harvesting unit, such as picking, threshing, separating, and cleaning. A combine includes a header, which removes the crop from a field, and a feeder housing which transports the crop matter to a threshing and cleaning system. The threshing and cleaning system may include a threshing rotor that rotates within a housing and performs a threshing operation on the crop material to remove the grain. The housing may include adjustable concaves with perforations for the grain to pass therethrough. Once the grain is threshed, it falls through the perforations in the concaves onto a grain pan. From the grain pan, the grain is cleaned using the cleaning system, which generally includes one or more sieves and a cleaning fan. The cleaning fan blows air through the sieves to discharge chaff and other debris toward the rear of the combine. The clean grain is then transported to a grain tank onboard the combine via a clean grain auger. Material other than grain (MOG), such as straw, debris, dust, etc., from the threshing section proceeds through a residue system, which may utilize a straw chopper to process the MOG and direct it out through the rear of the combine. Typically, a combine is equipped with side doors that allow an operator to easily access the threshing and cleaning system.

A corn header generally includes a conveyor, row units, and accompanying drive architecture to power the header. The conveyor is disposed aft of the row units and it may be in the form of a conveyor belt, an auger with a tubular shaft having left and right flighting, or a combination of both. The row units generally include snouts, gathering chains, and stalk rolls. The corn header may also include chopping units, also known as “choppers”, located underneath the stalk rolls. The snouts are conically shaped to pass in between the rows of corn, defining a designated passageway in between the snouts for the rows of corn to travel therein. Hence, a respective row unit may have a slot to receive a respective row of corn. Each row unit also includes respective gearboxes to drive the gathering chains and stalk rolls. A gathering chain generally includes chain links that form an endless chain and protuberances, such as paddles, affixed thereto for contacting the corn stalks. As the combine traverses the field, the corn stalks are pulled inwardly by the gathering chains and downwardly by the stalk rolls. This motion causes the ears of corn to contact the base of the header, e.g. deck plate, and snap off from their respective stalks. The gathering chains additionally help to move crop material inwardly towards the conveyor, which transports the ears of corn to the center of the header for entry into the feeder housing. The stripped corn stalks are further pinched and crushed by the stalk rolls, in order to accelerate the decomposition process of the stalks. The chopping units include rotating blades, located beneath the stalk rolls, which chop the stalks, leaves, or other MOG into smaller pieces for expediting the decomposition thereof.

Some corn headers may include a split drive system with separate drivelines and gearboxes for individually and respectively driving the row units and chopping units. For instance, each row unit may include a gearbox for driving the gathering chains and stalk rolls. Each row-unit gearbox may be operably connected to and driven by a single row-unit driveline, which in turn is operably driven by the power take off (PTO) of the combine. Hence, independently from the row units, the chopping units may be driven by a separate set of chopper gearboxes coupled to a separate chopper driveline which is driven by the PTO.

During engagement or in-field operation of the header, the chopping units may cause a spike in torque within the chopper driveline which may damage the driveline of the combine. For example, the spikes in torque may bend, break, or otherwise damage the intermediary drive shaft and/or the jack shaft of the feeder housing. As can be appreciated, the idle speed of the engine and/or the control system of the combine may affect the severity of the torque spikes during the startup operation of the header. Hence, such torque spikes may limit header-combine compatibility since some headers may inevitably damage an incompatible combine.

What is needed in the art is a drive system for a header that efficiently reduces torque spikes in the header in order to increase the compatibility of the header.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drive system of a header that includes a gearbox and a torque damper. The torque damper operably connects the gearbox to the drive shaft which transmits motive power from the combine to the header. The torque damper reduces a magnitude of a torque spike, caused by the driven components of the header, to protect the driveline components of the header and/or combine during an initial startup and/or harvesting operation of the header.

In another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drive system of a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a plurality of driven devices. The drive system includes a shaft configured for conveying motive power from the agricultural vehicle to the header, a gearbox configured for being located on the header and for transferring motive power to the plurality of driven devices, and a torque damper. The torque damper is operably connected in between the shaft and the gearbox. The torque damper is configured for reducing a magnitude of a torque spike.

In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an agricultural vehicle that includes a chassis, a prime mover supported by the chassis and configured for providing motive power, a header connected to the chassis and including a plurality of driven devices, and a drive system for driving the plurality of driven devices. The drive system includes a shaft connected in between the header and the chassis and configured for conveying motive power from the prime mover to the header, a gearbox located on the header and configured for transferring motive power to the plurality of driven devices, and a torque damper. The torque damper is operably connected in between the shaft and the gearbox. The torque damper is configured for reducing a magnitude of a torque spike.

In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a header for an agricultural vehicle. The header includes a plurality of driven devices. The method includes the initial step of providing a drive system for driving the plurality of driven devices. The drive system includes a shaft configured for conveying motive power from the agricultural vehicle to the header, a gearbox configured for being located on the header and for transferring motive power to the plurality of driven devices, and a torque damper. The torque damper is operably connected in between the shaft and the gearbox. The method also includes connecting the header to the agricultural vehicle, initializing a startup operation of the header and starting the header, and dampening a magnitude of a torque spike, by the torque damper, in the startup operation.

One possible advantage of the exemplary embodiment of the drive system is that the torque damper diminishes a magnitude of the spikes in torque caused by the driven elements of the header and transmuted back through the driveline of the header and/or combine.

Another possible advantage of the exemplary embodiment of the drive system is that torque damper allows the header to be compatible with various differing combines.

