US 12,232,445 B2
Harvesting header having a hydraulic fluid loop and related systems and methods
Benjamin Adam Welle, Hesston, KS (US); and Randall Lohrentz, Buhler, KS (US)
Assigned to AGCO Corporation, Duluth, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/424,556
Filed by AGCO Corporation, Duluth, GA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/050118
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/165661, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 20, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/803,895, filed on Feb. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0095538 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. A01D 41/14 (2006.01); A01B 63/00 (2006.01); A01D 41/06 (2006.01); A01D 69/03 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 41/142 (2013.01) [A01D 41/06 (2013.01); A01D 69/03 (2013.01); A01B 63/004 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A harvesting header for use with a crop-harvesting machine, the harvesting header comprising:
a header frame structured to be coupled to the crop-harvesting machine;
a hydraulic pump carried by the header frame, wherein the hydraulic pump is structured to be driven by a mechanical input shaft carried by the header frame and coupled to the crop-harvesting machine;
a hydraulic motor carried by the header frame;
at least one tool carried by the header frame;
a hydraulic fluid loop carried by the header frame and structured to circulate hydraulic fluid within the harvesting header from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor, the hydraulic fluid comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is provided to the at least one tool and back to the hydraulic pump;
a fluid outlet positioned at an output of the hydraulic motor and structured to deliver the second portion of the hydraulic fluid through the fluid outlet to the crop-harvesting machine;
a fluid inlet positioned at an input of the hydraulic pump and structured to receive hydraulic fluid from the crop-harvesting machine; and
a clutch structured to engage the hydraulic pump when a pressure in the hydraulic fluid loop exceeds a threshold pressure.