Electrical power generation for a working implement mechanically coupled to a primary machine
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorColin D. Engel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are described for providing a local electrical power source at a header of a combine harvester. An alternator is mechanically coupled to a header backshaft. The header backshaft is mechanically coupled to a drive mechanism of the combine harvester to cause rotation of the header backshaft which, in turn, causes the alternator to generate electrical power. A power supply circuit transferred electrical power from the alternator to one or more electric devices mounted on the header. In some implementations, the header does not include any physical cables between the combine and the header.
Claims15
An electrical power system for a working implement, the working implement being mechanically couplable through a drive shaft of the working implement to a primary machine to transfer mechanical power generated by the primary machine to the working implement, wherein the working implement includes a mechanical working element, wherein the mechanical power generated by the primary machine drives a first mechanical function of the primary machine and, by transferring the mechanical power to the working implement, drives operation of the mechanical working element of the working implement, the electrical power system comprising:
- an electrical generator mounted to the working implement and mechanically coupled to the mechanical working element, wherein the electrical generator is configured to convert mechanical power received by the working implement from the primary machine into electrical power;
- a battery mounted to the working implement;
- a power supply circuit mounted to the working implement and configured to transfer the electrical power from the electrical generator to one or more electric devices mounted on the working implement and configured to smooth electrical power provided to the one or more electric devices by controllably supplementing electrical power from the electrical generator with stored electrical power from the battery based on variations in the mechanical power received by the working implement due to varying speeds of the drive shaft.
An electrical power system for a working implement, the working implement being couplable through a drive shaft of the working implement to a primary machine vehicle and including a mechanical working element, the electrical power system comprising:
- a battery mounted to the working implement;
- a power supply circuit configured to smooth electrical power provided to the one or more electric devices by controllably supplementing electrical power from the electrical generator with stored electrical power from the battery based on variations in mechanical power provided for operation of the mechanical working element due to varying speeds of the drive shaft;
- and
- an electrical generator mounted to the working implement, wherein the electrical generator is configured to
- convert the mechanical power into electrical power, and
- provide the electrical power from the electrical generator to one or more electric devices mounted on the working implement.
An electrical power system for a header of a combine harvester, the header including a mechanical working element, the electrical power system comprising:
- a battery mounted to the header, wherein the header includes a header backshaft mechanically coupled to the mechanical working element;
- a power supply circuit configured to level electrical power provided to the one or more electric devices by controllably supplementing electrical power from the electrical generator with stored electrical power from the battery based on variations in mechanical power provided for operation of the mechanical working element due to varying speeds of the header backshaft;
- and
- an electrical generator mounted to the header, wherein the electrical generator is configured to
- convert mechanical power for operation of the mechanical working element into electrical power, and
- provide the electrical power to one or more electric devices mounted on the header.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.