Modular electric disc cutterbar and controller

摘要

An electric motor-driven rotary disc cutter module for use in a cutterbar in an agricultural harvester. In one embodiment, each rotary disc module includes an electric motor driver for the rotary cutterhead. Individual cutterhead modules are staggered fore and aft along the cutterbar to provide continuous cutting across the lateral width of the cutterbar without requiring synchronized rotation of the cutterheads to prevent contact of the knives. This configuration allows for individual speed and/or rotational direction adjustment for each cutterhead to optimize crop cutting performance and/or crop movement within the header. A control system may be included to monitor performance and manage individual operation of the cutterhead modules.

主权项

1. A disc cutterbar system for an agricultural header having generally spaced-apart and opposing ends defining a header width, the disc cutterbar comprising:
an elongate, generally rigid support frame connected to the header; a plurality of electric drive motors; a plurality of disc cutter modules attached to and spaced apart along the support frame, each module in driving connection with a corresponding one of the plurality of electric drive motors; a controller and at least one input for managing at least one of the rotational speed and direction of the electric drive motors, the controller configured to individually adjust at least one of a rotational speed and direction of at least one of the plurality of motors and corresponding modules in response to a signal from the at least one input; and wherein the at least one input is a feedback input that includes a sensor configured for detecting and generating a signal indicative of cutterbar crop severing performance, the controller receiving the signal and adjusting at least motor and corresponding cutter module speed in response to the signal input in accordance with a pre-determined control algorithm.