FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to an agricultural vehicle and, more specifically, to an agricultural windrower or other agricultural vehicle incorporating an agricultural header.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Self-propelled windrowers are utilized by farmers to cut crop material as the windrower advances across a field and arrange the cut crop material into windrows, which are deposited onto the field behind the windrower to dry. Typical windrowers have a header at the front which will cut the crop material and are driven by a pair of primary wheels linked to one or more wheel drivers, such as an internal combustion engine and/or hydraulic pumps. The windrower can also include a pair of caster wheels at the rear of the windrower.

During operation, the header may be raised to various different heights. The header height may be adjusted by, for example, raising or lowering a pair of lift arms that are connected to the header. The lift arms can be raised or lowered using one or more lift actuators, such as cylinders. An operator may wish to lift the header to, for example, make a turn at the end of a row to clear headlands, or compensate for objects in the field or other operating conditions. In certain instances, it is difficult or inconvenient for a user to know what the specified header height should be to efficiently and safely operate the agricultural vehicle.

What is needed in the art is a windrower or other agricultural vehicle that assists a user with controlling the height of the header.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein provide an agricultural vehicle with a controller that can define different lift height limits of a header based at least partially on the specific type of the header.

In some exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with the present disclosure, an agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, at least one lift arm movably coupled to the chassis, at least one lift actuator coupled to the at least one lift arm and configured to vertically displace the at least one lift arm, a header coupled to the at least one lift arm such that vertical displacement of the at least one lift arm vertically displaces the header, and a controller operably coupled to the at least one lift actuator. The controller is configured to: receive a header type signal corresponding to a header type of the header, the received header type signal being one of a plurality of header type signals including at least a first header type signal and a second header type signal; define a lift height limit of the header based at least partially on the received header type signal, the defined lift height limit being a first height limit when the first header type signal is received or a second height limit when the second header type signal is received, the second height limit being greater than the first height limit; and output a lift signal to the at least one lift actuator to vertically displace the header. Vertical displacement of the header is limited to the first height limit if the first header type signal is received or to the second height limit if the second header type signal is received.

In some exemplary embodiments, a method of adjusting a header height of a header of an agricultural vehicle is provided. The agricultural vehicle includes a chassis, at least one lift arm movably coupled to the chassis and the header, at least one lift actuator coupled to the at least one lift arm, and a controller operably coupled to the at least one lift actuator. The method is performed by the controller and includes: receiving a header type signal corresponding to a header type of the header, the received header type signal being one of a plurality of header type signals including at least a first header type signal and a second header type signal; defining a lift height limit of the header based at least partially on the received header type signal, the defined lift height limit being a first height limit when the first header type signal is received or a second height limit when the second header type signal is received, the second height limit being greater than the first height limit; and outputting a lift signal to the at least one lift actuator to vertically displace the header. Vertical displacement of the header is limited to the first height limit if the first header type signal is received or to the second height limit if the second header type signal is received.

A possible advantage that may be realized by exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with the present disclosure is that providing a controller that defines different lift height limits based at least partially on the header type eliminates the need for a user to remember what the height limits should be for each header type, which can reduce the risk of improper settings and associated inefficient operation.

Another possible advantage that may be realized by exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with the present disclosure is that the user may customize the lift height limit, if desired.

Yet another possible advantage that may be realized by exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with the present disclosure is that the controller can automatically signal for the lift actuator(s) to raise the header to a specified lift height, which is convenient for a user.

