US 12,274,203 B2
Agricultural header with laser measurement of reel distance
Robert D. Crandall, Lancaster, PA (US)
Assigned to CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Appl. No. 17/923,337
Filed by CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
PCT Filed May 6, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/031082
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 4, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/226333, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/020,724, filed on May 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0189707 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. A01D 41/127 (2006.01); A01D 57/04 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 41/127 (2013.01) [A01D 57/04 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A header for an agricultural harvester, comprising:
a frame;
a cutter bar carried by the frame;
a rotatable reel movably coupled to the frame and comprising a plurality of tines;
at least one reel arm that is movably coupled to the frame, the rotatable reel comprising a slide bracket that slidably receives the at least one reel arm,
a target associated with the reel such that movement of the reel causes a corresponding movement of the target, wherein the target comprises a tab that is coupled to the slide bracket; and
a laser system comprising a light emitter coupled to the at least one reel arm such that the light emitter is configured to move along with the tab as the reel arm and the reel are lifted together,
wherein the light emitter is directed at the tab, the laser system being configured to emit a laser beam at the tab and output a distance signal corresponding to a distance between the tab and the light emitter.